Development of a territory-wide household-based composite index for measuring relative distribution of households by economic status in individual small areas throughout Hong Kong.

Background: Many countries have developed their country/nation-wide multidimensional area-based index on deprivation or socioeconomic status for resource allocation, service planning and research. However, whether each geographical unit proxied by a single index is sufficiently small to contain a relatively homogeneous population remains questionable. Globally, this is the first study that presents the distribution of domestic households by the territory-wide economic status index decile groups within each of the 2,252 small subunit groups (SSUGs) throughout Hong Kong, with a median study population of 1,300 and a median area of 42,400 m.

3D dissimilar-siamese-u-net for hyperdense Middle cerebral artery sign segmentation.

The hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign (HMCAS) representing a thromboembolus has been declared as a vital CT finding for intravascular thrombus in the diagnosis of acute ischemia stroke. Early recognition of HMCAS can assist in patient triage and subsequent thrombolysis or thrombectomy treatment. A total of 624 annotated head non-contrast-enhanced CT (NCCT) image scans were retrospectively collected from multiple public hospitals in Hong Kong.

Development of a data-driven COVID-19 prognostication tool to inform triage and step-down care for hospitalised patients in Hong Kong: a population-based cohort study.

Background: This is the first study on prognostication in an entire cohort of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients in the city of Hong Kong. Prognostic tool is essential in the contingency response for the next wave of outbreak. This study aims to develop prognostic models to predict COVID-19 patients' clinical outcome on day 1 and day 5 of hospital admission.

Automated Hierarchy Evaluation System of Large Vessel Occlusion in Acute Ischemia Stroke.

Background: The detection of large vessel occlusion (LVO) plays a critical role in the diagnosis and treatment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Identifying LVO in the pre-hospital setting or early stage of hospitalization would increase the patients' chance of receiving appropriate reperfusion therapy and thereby improve neurological recovery.

Methods: To enable rapid identification of LVO, we established an automated evaluation system based on all recorded AIS patients in Hong Kong Hospital Authority's hospitals in 2016.

HPV genotyping and E6/E7 transcript assays for cervical lesion detection in an Asian screening population-Cobas and Aptima HPV tests.

Background: High-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) detection and genotyping by Cobas HPV test has become an important technical platform in cervical cancer screening. It may be used as a co-test with cervical cytology or as a standalone test. Aptima HPV assay (AHPV) is another hrHPV test detecting 13 genotypes through qPCR based amplification of viral E6/E7 transcripts.

Effects of Patient Empowerment Programme (PEP) on clinical outcomes and health service utilization in type 2 diabetes mellitus in primary care: an observational matched cohort study.

Background: To evaluate the effects of a large population-based patient empowerment programme (PEP) on clinical outcomes and health service utilization rates in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients in the primary care setting.

Research Design And Subjects: A stratified random sample of 1,141 patients with T2DM enrolled to PEP between March and September 2010 were selected from general outpatient clinics (GOPC) across Hong Kong and compared with an equal number of T2DM patients who had not participated in the PEP (non-PEP group) matched by age, sex and HbA1C level group.

Measures: Clinical outcomes of HbA1c, SBP, DBP and LDL-C levels, and health service utilization rates including numbers of visits to GOPC, specialist outpatient clinics (SOPC), emergency department (ED) and inpatient admissions, were measured at baseline and at 12-month post-recruitment.

Development of an automated model to predict the risk of elderly emergency medical admissions within a month following an index hospital visit: a Hong Kong experience.

Objectives: To develop an automated risk prediction model to identify elderly patients at high risk of emergency admission to medical wards within 28 days following an index hospital visit.

Methods: A retrospective data analysis of 41 hospitals and 48 specialist outpatient clinics in Hong Kong. The study subjects were elderly patients aged 65 years or above, who had index hospital visit(s) in the year of 2005, which included hospitalizations at medical wards and attendances at the accident and emergency departments or specialist outpatient clinics for medical conditions.

Evaluation of the quality of care of a multi-disciplinary risk factor assessment and management programme (RAMP) for diabetic patients.

Background: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a common chronic disease associated with multiple clinical complications. Management guidelines have been established which recommend a risk-stratified approach to managing these patients in primary care. This study aims to evaluate the quality of care (QOC) and effectiveness of a multi-disciplinary risk assessment and management programme (RAMP) for type 2 diabetic patients attending government-funded primary care clinics in Hong Kong.

Reaction time correlations during eye-hand coordination: behavior and modeling.

During coordinated eye-hand movements, saccade reaction times (SRTs) and reach reaction times (RRTs) are correlated in humans and monkeys. Reaction times (RTs) measure the degree of movement preparation and can correlate with movement speed and accuracy. However, RTs can also reflect effector nonspecific influences, such as motivation and arousal.

Prognostication in severe acute respiratory syndrome: a retrospective time-course analysis of 1312 laboratory-confirmed patients in Hong Kong.

Background And Objective: The temporal importance of prognostic indicators for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has not been studied. This study identified the various clinical prognostic factors for SARS and described the temporal evolution of these factors in the course of the SARS illness in Hong Kong in 2003.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of the entire Hong Kong cohort of 1312 laboratory-confirmed SARS patients aged 15-74 years was undertaken.

The validity and reliability of the functional impairment checklist (FIC) in the evaluation of functional consequences of severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (SARS).

Severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (SARS) contributed to significant mortality and morbidity worldwide. We aimed to establish the validity, reliability and responsiveness of the functional impairment checklist (FIC) as a measurement tool for physical dysfunction in SARS survivors. One hundred and sixteeen (65 females and 51 males, mean age 45.

Radiographic-clinical correlation in severe acute respiratory syndrome: study of 1373 patients in Hong Kong.

Purpose: To retrospectively analyze serial chest radiographs in all patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Hong Kong for temporal changes and differences between patients who died and those who were discharged from the hospital and to compare radiographic and clinical parameters.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study had ethics review board endorsement, and the need for informed consent was waived. Selected serial chest radiographs obtained from the time of presentation until discharge or death in 1373 patients with laboratory-confirmed SARS were scored.

Non-invasive versus invasive mechanical ventilation for respiratory failure in severe acute respiratory syndrome.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome is frequently complicated by respiratory failure requiring ventilatory support. We aimed to compare the efficacy of non-invasive ventilation against invasive mechanical ventilation treating respiratory failure in this disease.

Methods: Retrospective analysis was conducted on all respiratory failure patients identified from the Hong Kong Hospital Authority Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Database.

Under-reporting of inpatient services utilisation in household surveys -- a population-based study in Hong Kong.

Background: Recognising that household interviews may produce biased estimates of health services utilisation, we examined for under- and over-reporting of hospitalisation episodes in three recent, consecutive population-based household surveys in Hong Kong.

Methods: Territory-wide inpatient service utilisation volumes as estimated from the 1999, 2001 and 2002 Thematic Household Surveys (THS) were benchmarked against corresponding statistics derived from routine administrative databases. Between-year differences on net under-reporting were quantified by Cohen's d effect size.

Chest radiograph scores as potential prognostic indicators in severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

Objective: We analyzed serial chest radiographic scores for lung opacification in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) for temporal changes and differences between fatal and discharged cases. We sought to establish the earliest radiographic scores sensitive as potential prognostic indicators of fatal outcomes.

Materials And Methods: Chest radiographs that had been obtained from presentation until the death or discharge of 313 patients with SARS were scored on the basis of the percentage area and location of lung opacification.

The epidemiology of severe acute respiratory syndrome in the 2003 Hong Kong epidemic: an analysis of all 1755 patients.

Background: As yet, no one has written a comprehensive epidemiologic account of a severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak from an affected country.

Objective: To provide a comprehensive epidemiologic account of a SARS outbreak from an affected territory.

Design: Epidemiologic analysis.