Publications by authors named "George Lau"
Article Synopsis
- * Recent advancements in targeted therapy and immune-checkpoint inhibitors are now becoming available for treating unresectable HCC and preventing recurrence after curative procedures.
- * This clinical practice guideline aims to provide updated recommendations from Asia-Pacific experts on systemic therapy for HCC, addressing key questions about patient selection, effective treatments, and management strategies for immunotherapy.
Purpose: To evaluate the rotational stability and visual performance of the enVista toric intraocular lens (IOL) (MX60ET) in cataract patients with preexisting astigmatism.
Setting: 6 U.S.
Risk factors related to low-level viraemia in chronic hepatitis B patients receiving entecavir treatment.
Front Cell Infect Microbiol
August 2024
Article Synopsis
- About 20% of patients being treated for chronic hepatitis B experience low-level viraemia (LLV), leading to inflammation, fibrosis progression, and higher cancer risk.
- In a study of 1,653 patients treated with entecavir, factors like HBeAg positivity, high HBV DNA levels, and liver cirrhosis were found to be significantly linked to the development of LLV.
- The findings suggest that monitoring high HBV DNA/HBsAg levels, low platelet counts, and liver health is crucial for identifying patients at risk for LLV during treatment.
Background & Aims: In the global, phase III HIMALAYA study in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC), STRIDE (Single Tremelimumab Regular Interval Durvalumab) improved overall survival (OS) vs. sorafenib; durvalumab was non-inferior to sorafenib. HBV is the predominant HCC aetiology in most of Asia vs.
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- MAFLD (Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease) is becoming more common, and it can lead to serious liver problems called MAFLD-ACLF, but what affects patient recovery isn't fully known yet.
- In a study, researchers looked at data from patients with MAFLD-ACLF to understand their health conditions and see who survived after 90 days, finding that about 51% of patients did survive.
- They discovered new scoring systems to better predict survival, which included factors like diabetes and the causes of liver damage, and these new scores worked better than older ones.
Article Synopsis
- - The study investigates the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after antiviral therapy in chronic hepatitis C patients, comparing outcomes for those who achieved a sustained virological response (SVR) versus non-responders (NR), and between different treatment types (direct-acting antivirals vs. interferon).
- - A meta-analysis of 23 studies with nearly 29,400 patients showed that HCC rates were lower for those with SVR (1.54 cases per 100 person-years) compared to NR (7.80 cases per 100 person-years), and that cirrhosis status significantly impacted HCC occurrence.
- - The results indicate that while SVR reduces HCC risk, patients with
Sporadic fundic gland polyps (FGPs) progress, albeit rarely, to dysplasia and cancer. Two meta-analyses, including 8 and 11 studies, concluded that proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) were associated with FGPs. Intervention is considered unnecessary when FGPs have a background of PPIs use.
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- * Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common in ACLF patients, affecting 22.8-34%, and is often severe, particularly in stage 3, which shows a low response rate to treatments.
- * The study aims to review existing data on AKI in ACLF and create a consensus with recommendations for its diagnosis, management, and areas for future research, targeting hepatologists and intensivists globally.
The relationship between ammonia and liver-related complications (LRCs) in acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) patients is not clearly established. This study aimed to evaluate the association between ammonia levels and LRCs in patients with ACLF. The study also evaluated the ability of ammonia in predicting mortality and progression of LRCs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHBV "Viral Elimination" in the Asia-Pacific region: Current status and challenges.
Clin Liver Dis (Hoboken)
March 2024
Article Synopsis
- The HIMALAYA study compared the effectiveness of the STRIDE regimen (tremelimumab plus durvalumab) and durvalumab alone against sorafenib for treating unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a difficult-to-treat liver cancer.
- Results showed that participants receiving STRIDE lived longer and had a lower risk of worsening quality of life compared to those taking sorafenib, while those on durvalumab alone had similar survival to the sorafenib group.
- The findings indicate that STRIDE is a more effective treatment option than sorafenib for patients with unresectable HCC, with manageable side effects associated with the immunotherapy drugs.
Tuberculosis-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (TB-HLH) is a rare and life-threatening complication of tuberculosis infection. Early recognition and treatment of TB-HLH is crucial for improving outcomes. Treatment typically involves a combination of antituberculosis therapy and immunosuppressive therapy to control the immune system's overreaction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSafety and effectiveness comparison of a new cohesive ophthalmic viscosurgical device.
J Cataract Refract Surg
August 2023
Purpose: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a new cohesive ophthalmic viscosurgical device (OVD) (StableVisc) compared with a marketed cohesive OVD (ProVisc) in patients undergoing cataract surgery.
Setting: 22 sites in the United States.
Design: Prospective multicenter controlled double-masked and randomized 1:1 (StableVisc:ProVisc; stratified by site, age group, and cataract severity).
Purpose: To develop a questionnaire with standardized questions and images about visual symptoms and satisfaction administered before and after cataract surgery with monofocal and various (premium) intraocular lenses (IOLs).
Design: A prospective, observational study of cataract surgery patients completing a self-administered questionnaire preoperatively and postoperatively at 4 to 6 months.
Participants: Five hundred fifty-four patients with plans to undergo implantation of the same IOL in both eyes on separate occasions in 20 ophthalmology practices.
Purpose: To develop a standardized patient-reported outcome measure of visual perceptions and symptoms for implanted premium and monofocal intraocular lenses (IOLs).
Design: Observational study before and after IOL implants to assess the measure and symptom experience.
Participants: Adults scheduled for binocular implantation of the same IOL type completed the survey at baseline prior to surgery (n = 716) and postoperatively (n = 554).
Purpose: To assess the refractive outcomes, intraocular centration and rotational stability of the enVista toric intraocular lens (IOL).
Patients And Methods: This study was a prospective, multi-centre, double-masked, partially randomized and partially controlled clinical trial. A total of 191 participants were implanted with toric IOL (1.
Post the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there arises the concern of a new epidemic as cases of monkeypox are being confirmed, globally. With the initial clinical manifestation of monkeypox resembling that of the common cold or seasonal flu, recognizing alternative differential diagnoses is imperative as a medical health practitioner. The characteristic monkeypox maculopapular rash with the progression to vesicles and pustules before scabbing can be described in several other infections.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBACKGROUND: A single, high priming dose of tremelimumab (anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte–associated antigen 4) plus durvalumab (anti–programmed cell death ligand-1), an infusion regimen termed STRIDE (Single Tremelimumab Regular Interval Durvalumab), showed encouraging clinical activity and safety in a phase 2 trial of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS: In this global, open-label, phase 3 trial, the majority of the patients we enrolled with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma and no previous systemic treatment were randomly assigned to receive one of three regimens: tremelimumab (300 mg, one dose) plus durvalumab (1500 mg every 4 weeks; STRIDE), durvalumab (1500 mg every 4 weeks), or sorafenib (400 mg twice daily). The primary objective was overall survival for STRIDE versus sorafenib.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSafety and effectiveness of a new ophthalmic viscosurgical device: randomized, controlled study.
J Cataract Refract Surg
September 2022
Purpose: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a new dispersive ophthalmic viscosurgical device (OVD) (ClearVisc) compared with an approved dispersive OVD (Viscoat) when used in cataract surgery.
Setting: 16 clinics in the United States.
Design: Prospective multicenter controlled randomized 1:1 (ClearVisc:Viscoat; stratified by site, age group, and cataract severity).