Gestational Age-specific Reference Intervals for Androgens in Pregnancy.

Background: Androgen could impact cervical remodeling during pregnancy, and a higher level is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. A population-based gestation age-specific reference interval of total testosterone (TT), androstenedione (A4), and 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) can help to diagnose maternal hyperandrogenism.

Methods: We enrolled 600 healthy Chinese women to obtain longitudinal serum samples across gestation.

The Association of Prenatal Vitamin D Status With Pregnancy and Neonatal Outcomes.

Context: Vitamin D inadequacy is globally prevalent among pregnant women; however, its impact on pregnancy remains inconclusive.

Objective: This study aims to explore the associations of maternal and umbilical cord serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels with pregnancy and neonatal outcomes.

Method: We used archived serum samples from the Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome (HAPO) Study participants in the Hong Kong center and assayed maternal 25(OH)D levels at midgestation and umbilical cord 25(OH)D at birth using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy.

Monthly Motivational Interview Counseling and Nicotine Replacement Therapy for Smoking Parents of Pediatric Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Parental smoking is the dominant source of passive smoke exposure in the pediatric population. The current randomized controlled trial (RCT) study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-component smoking reduction intervention in parental smoking reduction and children's environmental tobacco smoke exposure reduction in clinical settings.

Methods: A single-blinded, 6-month randomized controlled trial recruited smoking parents ( = 210) of children who attended the pediatric wards or clinics at the Prince of Wales Hospital.

Quantitation of plasma angiotensin II in healthy Chinese subjects by a validated liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method.

Quantitation of plasma angiotensin (Ang) II, the active mediator of the renin-angiotensin system, is challenging owing to its low physiological concentration. We report a validated liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS) method to overcome this challenge. Ang II was extracted from EDTA plasma by an offline solid-phase extraction procedure with a Waters MAX μElution plate.

Maternal and Neonatal 3-epi-25-hydroxyvitamin D Concentration and Factors Influencing Their Concentrations.

Background: Little is known about the presence of 3-epi-25 hydroxyvitamin D in maternal and neonatal circulation, the extent of its contribution to total 25 hydroxyvitamin D, or factors influencing its levels.

Methods: A total of 1502 and 1321 archived maternal and umbilical cord serum samples from the Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome Study cohort from Hong Kong were assayed for 25(OH)D2, 25(OH)D3, and isomeric form of 25(OH)D3 (3-epi-25(OH)D3) by a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method.

Results: Vitamin D deficiency (total serum 25(OH)D level < 50 nmol/L) and severe vitamin D deficiency (total serum 25(OH)D level < 25 nmol/L) occurred in 590 (39.

Parental Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice on Tobacco Use, Smoking Cessation, and Children's Environmental Tobacco Smoke Exposure.

Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure in children ranks one of the major public health problems in our time. Poor parental knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) on ETS often contribute to worse exposure of the kids. Thus, we aimed to document parental KAP regarding tobacco use, smoking cessation and children's ETS exposure, and to analyse how knowledge and attitude relate to practice.

Prenatal methylmercury exposure is associated with decrease heart rate variability in children.

Background: Although several epidemiological studies have suggested mercury (Hg) might be associated with cardiotoxicity, the impact of Hg exposure on cardiac autonomic activity and blood pressure in children has not been investigated at Hg exposure levels equivalent to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reference dose.

Objective: To investigate the association between low dose prenatal and recent methylmercury (MeHg) exposures and cardiac autonomic function and blood pressure with adjustment for factors such as fish consumption among children from a high fish consumption coastal city.

Methods: Children aged 7-8 years were recruited from the birth cohort of our previous study.

Association between genetic variations in GSH-related and MT genes and low-dose methylmercury exposure in children and women of childbearing age: a pilot study.

Background: Genetic variations in glutathione (GSH)-related and metallothionein (MT) genes, which are involved in producing enzymes in the methylmercury (MeHg) metabolism pathway, have been proposed as one of the reasons for the individual variability in MeHg toxicokinetics.

Objective: To investigate the impact of genetic variations in MT and GSH-related genes on the association of fish consumption with body burden of MeHg, as measured by hair Hg concentrations among young children and women of childbearing age.

Methods: A total of 179 unrelated children and 165 mothers with either high or low fish consumption were recruited from the community.

Development of Gestational Age-Specific Thyroid Function Test Reference Intervals in Four Analytic Platforms Through Multilevel Modeling.

A population-based reference interval (RI) of thyroid hormones in pregnancy using a standardized methodology is crucial for clinicians to make accurate diagnoses and important for the comparison of test results obtained from different analytic platforms. We enrolled 600 healthy Chinese women to obtain longitudinal serum samples across gestation, after exclusion of subjects with antibodies to thyroid peroxidase, thyroglobulin or thyrotropin receptor. Gestational age-specific RIs were constructed by using polynomial regression equations with MLwiN.

A Hong Kong Chinese kindred with familial hypocalciuric hypercalcaemia caused by mutation.

Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcaemia (FHH) is a genetic disorder of altered calcium homeostasis. Mutations in the , and genes have been reported to cause FHH. We report a Hong Kong Chinese kindred with FHH type 3 (FHH3) caused by mutations in .

Progression of glucose intolerance and cardiometabolic risk factors over a decade in Chinese women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A case-control study.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with increased metabolic risk, though data on long-term follow-up of cardiometabolic traits are limited. We postulated that Chinese women with PCOS would have higher risk of incident diabetes and cardiometabolic abnormalities than those without PCOS during long-term follow-up.

Methods And Findings: One hundred ninety-nine Chinese women with PCOS diagnosed by the Rotterdam criteria and with a mean age of 41.

Quantitation of paracetamol by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in human plasma in support of clinical trial.

Aim: Paracetamol is a well-tolerated antipyretic widely used in severe malaria management. The study aimed to develop and validate a rapid LC-MS/MS assay to quantify paracetamol in plasma from patients with severe malaria.

Materials & Methods: Plasma sample was precipitated by organic solvent containing isotope-labeled paracetamol internal standard.

Methylmercury levels in commonly consumed fish and methylmercury exposure of children and women of childbearing age in Hong Kong, a high fish consumption community.

Background: Despite high fish consumption levels of Hong Kong residents, little is known about the MeHg exposure levels of Hong Kong high-risk populations (i.e. young children and women of childbearing age).

Parental history of depression and higher basal salivary cortisol in unaffected child and adolescent offspring.

Introduction: There are contradictory findings regarding the associations of parental depression on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity of their offspring. We aimed to explore the associations of parental depression on the diurnal salivary cortisol profile in their child and adolescent offspring.

Methods: A total of 189 unaffected child and adolescent offspring as determined by structured clinical interview were divided into 3 groups according to their parental history of depression, namely current parental depression (CPD, n = 27), past parental depression (PPD, n = 57), and no parental depression (NPD, n = 105).

Functional Ulnar Nerve Paraganglioma: First Documented Occurrence in the Extremity With Hitherto Undescribed Associated Extensive Glomus Cell Hyperplasia and Tumorlet Formation.

Extra-adrenal paraganglioma has never been described in the extremities. A 34-year-old woman complained of an enlarging mass in the right forearm for 18 months. Imaging showed a circumscribed vascular tumor attached to the ulnar nerve; biopsy revealed features of paraganglioma.

In Utero Exposure to Maternal Hyperglycemia Increases Childhood Cardiometabolic Risk in Offspring.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of maternal hyperglycemia during pregnancy on cardiometabolic risk in offspring during early childhood.

Research Design And Methods: A total of 970 mothers who had joined the Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome study were reevaluated, together with their child born during the study period, 7 years after delivery.

Results: Offspring born to mothers diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), as defined by the World Health Organization 2013 GDM criteria, had higher rates of abnormal glucose tolerance (4.

Serum Insulin-like Growth Factor I Quantitation by Mass Spectrometry: Insights for Protein Quantitation with this Technology.

Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is a widely used technique in the clinical laboratory, especially for small molecule quantitation in biological specimens, for example, steroid hormones and therapeutic drugs. Analysis of circulating macromolecules, including proteins and peptides, is largely dominated by traditional enzymatic, spectrophotometric, or immunological assays in clinical laboratories. However, these methodologies are known to be subjected to interfering substances, for example heterophilic antibodies, as well as subjected to non-specificity issues.

Impact of fetal and childhood mercury exposure on immune status in children.

Background: Mercury exposure have been shown to affect immune status in animals as reflected by cytokine expression. It is unclear whether low levels of exposure during fetal and/or childhood periods could impact on immune status in humans.

Objectives: To test the hypothesis that fetal and childhood mercury exposure is associated with childhood cytokine profiles and to investigate whether childhood selenium levels interact with any of the associations found.

Circulating bacterial-derived DNA fragment level is a strong predictor of cardiovascular disease in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Background: Circulating bacterial DNA fragment is related to systemic inflammatory state in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. We hypothesize that plasma bacterial DNA level predicts cardiovascular events in new PD patients.

Methods: We measured plasma bacterial DNA level in 191 new PD patients, who were then followed for at least a year for the development of cardiovascular event, hospitalization, and patient survival.

Plasma natriuretic peptides in children and adolescents with obstructive sleep apnea and their changes following intervention.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate circulating natriuretic peptides (NP) concentration in obese and non-obese children and adolescents with and without obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and their levels following OSA treatment.

Methods: Subjects with habitual snoring and symptoms suggestive of OSA were recruited. They underwent physical examination and overnight polysomnography (PSG).

Urinary biomarkers for the prediction of reversibility in acute-on-chronic renal failure.

Background: There is no reliable clinical test to predict the reversibility of acute-on-chronic renal failure. We study whether urinary biomarkers could be used as a noninvasive prognostic marker in patients with acute-on-chronic renal failure.

Methods: We studied 39 adult patients with pre-existing chronic renal impairment presenting to us with acute-on-chronic renal failure.

Prediction of women's long-term cardiometabolic risks using glycemic indices during pregnancy.

Aims: To study the prediction of abnormal glucose tolerance (AGT), diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HT) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) among Chinese women using glycemic indices in the mid-trimester of pregnancy.

Methods: A cohort of Chinese women who had had either normal glucose tolerance or gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) during a pregnancy were assessed at a median of 8 and 15 years post-delivery. All women underwent a 50-g glucose challenge test (GCT) and a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test in the mid-trimester of the index pregnancy.

Cardiometabolic risk in Chinese women with prior gestational diabetes: a 15-year follow-up study.

Aims: The progression to type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and other long-term cardiometabolic risks in Chinese women with prior history of gestational diabetes (GD) was studied at 15 years postpartum.

Methods: 139 Chinese women (45 with GD and 94 with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) at the index pregnancy) who had their insulin sensitivity and β-cell functions examined at 8 years postpartum were again followed up at 15 years for the investigation of the rate of type 2 DM, hypertension and metabolic syndrome.

Results: Women with prior history of GD had a significantly higher rate of hypertension (35.

Familial aggregation of narcolepsy.

Objectives: To determine the familial aggregation of narcolepsy from perspectives of clinical symptomatology, polysomnographic data, and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing.

Methods: This was a Family study at the University-affiliated hospital. The participants were narcolepsy probands and their first degree relatives, and, also, age and sex matched unrelated healthy controls.