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.

Prevalence, risk factors, and recurrence risk of persistent air leak in patients with secondary spontaneous pneumothorax.

Background: Persistent air leak (PAL) is common in secondary spontaneous pneumothorax (SSP), with risk factors only been determined for post-pulmonary resection PAL. Information about its risk factors and long-term outcome is, however, necessary to enable selection of treatment modalities for elderly SSP patients with comorbid conditions.

Methods: A retrospective observational study was performed on chest drain-treated SSP patients from 2009 to 2018.

Evaluation of prognostication scores and proposal for refinement in malignant pleural effusion in Asians.

Background And Objective: Prognostication of malignant pleural effusion (MPE) guides treatment strategies but existing prognostication scores are yet to be validated in Asians. We aimed to evaluate the performance of these scores in an Asian population. A refined score was also proposed based on the impact of EGFR mutation on survival.

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).

Management of Critically Ill Patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is frequently complicated with acute respiratory failure. In this article, we aim to focus on the management of the subgroup of SARS patients who are critically ill. Most SARS patients would require high flow oxygen supplementation, 20-30% required intensive care unit (ICU) or high dependency care, and 13-26% developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Coronary plaque instability in severe acute respiratory syndrome.

In his second week of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) illness, a patient developed an unusually complicated course of acute coronary syndrome. One day after initial stabilization of a non-ST-elevated anterior myocardial infarction (MI), he sustained an ST-elevated anterior MI. Eight hours after emergency coronary intervention to the culprit lesion, he developed another ST-elevated MI in the inferior territory.

Outcome of coronavirus-associated severe acute respiratory syndrome using a standard treatment protocol.

Objective: There is so far no consensus on the optimal treatment strategy for the coronavirus-associated severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). We aimed to analyse the outcomes of a standard treatment strategy comprising antibiotics, a combination of ribavirin, a 3-week step-down course of corticosteroids, and the possibility of pulsed methylprednisolone rescue in the event of deterioration.

Methodology: This was a prospective cohort study performed at a major public-funded hospital in Hong Kong.