Hospital Burden of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Hong Kong - The Trend from 2006 to 2014.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common cause for hospital admission. This study aims to review the hospital burden of COPD in Hong Kong (HK) and the trend from year 2006 to 2014.

Methods: A multi-center, retrospective study of the characteristics of COPD patients discharged from the public hospitals of HK from year 2006 to 2014.

A Multi-Center Study of the Prevalence and Characteristics of Eosinophilic Phenotype and High IgE Levels Among Chinese Patients with Severe Asthma.

Background: Patients with severe asthma have higher total- and asthma-related health burden than those whose disease is not severe. Recent medical advances in biologic therapies allow better control of asthma characterized by type 2 inflammation.

Objective: To study the prevalence of eosinophilic phenotype and IgE levels in Chinese with severe asthma, and the relationship of these type 2 characteristics with asthma control, exacerbations and lung function.

Implementation of evidence on management of pleural diseases: insights from a territory-wide survey of clinicians in Hong Kong.

Background: Major advances in management of common pleural diseases have taken place in the past decade. However, pleural diseases are often managed by physicians of diverse training background and research on implementation of new knowledge is scanty. We aim to evaluate the practice pattern in pleural medicine among physicians in Hong Kong, for identification of possible gaps for clinical service improvement.

A multicenter retrospective cohort study on predicting the risk for amiodarone pulmonary toxicity.

Background: Amiodarone is one of the most commonly used anti-arrhythmic agents. Amiodarone pulmonary toxicity is a potentially fatal adverse effect associated with amiodarone use. Previous studies on the epidemiology and risk factors for amiodarone pulmonary toxicity showed diverse results.

Development and validation of risk prediction models for COVID-19 positivity in a hospital setting.

Objectives: To develop: (1) two validated risk prediction models for coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) positivity using readily available parameters in a general hospital setting; (2) nomograms and probabilities to allow clinical utilisation.

Methods: Patients with and without COVID-19 were included from 4 Hong Kong hospitals. The database was randomly split into 2:1: for model development database (n = 895) and validation database (n = 435).

Posterior Oropharyngeal Saliva for the Detection of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has put tremendous pressure on the healthcare system worldwide. Diagnostic testing remained one of the limiting factors for early identification and isolation of infected patients. This study aimed to evaluate posterior oropharyngeal saliva (POPS) for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) detection among patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19.

Comorbidities, mortality, and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients who required admissions to public hospitals in Hong Kong - computerized data collection and analysis.

Background: COPD is a common cause for hospital admission. Conventional studies of the epidemiology of COPD involved large patient number and immense resources and were difficult to be repeated. The present study aimed at assessing the utilization of a computerized data management system in the collection and analysis of the epidemiological and clinical data of a large COPD cohort in Hong Kong (HK).

Pulmonary artery sarcoma diagnosed by endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration.

Pulmonary artery sarcoma is a rare disease with poor prognosis that has not been reported in Hong Kong. Its clinical and radiological presentation frequently mimics pulmonary embolism. Diagnosis is usually delayed until surgery, which is the treatment option that provides the best survival.

Management of patients admitted with pneumothorax: a multi-centre study of the practice and outcomes in Hong Kong.

Objective: To examine the management practice of pneumothorax in hospitalised patients in Hong Kong, especially the choice of drainage options and their success rates, as well as the factors associated with procedural failures.

Design: Retrospective study.

Setting: Multi-centre study involving 12 public hospitals in Hong Kong.

Coccidioidomycosis as a rare cause of pneumonia in non-endemic areas: a short exposure history should not be ignored.

Coccidioidomycosis is endemic in the south-western USA. Two cases of infection in travellers returning to Hong Kong are described. A previously healthy patient who had travelled to an endemic area for a short time was successfully treated with fluconazole.

Pleuroscopy: our initial experience in Hong Kong.

Objective: To report our preliminary experience using pleuroscopy for patients with pleural diseases.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Tertiary referral hospital with service input from respiratory physicians and cardiothoracic surgeons in Hong Kong.

Clinical presentations and outcomes of Penicillium marneffei infections: a series from 1994 to 2004.

Objectives: To describe the clinical presentation, management, and outcomes of patients with Penicillium marneffei infections in a regional hospital in Hong Kong.

Design: Retrospective study.

Setting: A regional and tertiary human immunodeficiency virus-referral hospital in Hong Kong.

Bronchial artery embolisation can be equally safe and effective in the management of chronic recurrent haemoptysis.

Objective: To examine the efficacy and safety of bronchial artery embolisation in patients with acute major haemoptysis and those with chronic recurrent haemoptysis.

Design: Retrospective review of clinical records.

Setting: Regional hospital, Hong Kong.

Application of ProteinChip array profiling in serum biomarker discovery for patients suffering from severe acute respiratory syndrome.

A new strain of coronavirus has caused an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) from 2002 to 2003 resulting in 774 deaths worldwide. By protein chip array profiling technology, a number of serum biomarkers that might be useful in monitoring the clinical course of SARS patients were identified. This book chapter describes how the protein chip array profiling was carried out for this study.

Reference values of diffusing capacity of non-smoking Chinese in Hong Kong.

Background And Objective: This study was conducted to define normal reference values and lower limits of normal (LLN) for single-breath carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLco) and DLco per unit of alveolar volume (Kco) for Chinese adults in Hong Kong.

Methods: Healthy non-smoking men and women aged 18-80 years were recruited by random digit dialing. DLco and Kco were measured according to American Thoracic Society standards.

Protein chip array profiling analysis in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome identified serum amyloid a protein as a biomarker potentially useful in monitoring the extent of pneumonia.

Background: A new strain of coronavirus (CoV) has caused an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), with 8098 individuals being infected and 774 deaths worldwide. We carried out protein chip array profiling analysis in an attempt to identify biomarkers that might be useful in monitoring the clinical course of SARS patients.

Methods: We performed surface-enhanced laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry on 89 sera collected from 28 SARS patients, 72 sera from 51 control patients with various viral or bacterial infections, and 10 sera from apparently healthy individuals.