Comparative effectiveness of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors for new-onset gastric cancer and gastric diseases in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a population-based cohort study.

Objective: To compare the risks of gastric cancer and other gastric diseases in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) exposed to sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2I), dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4I) or glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP1a).

Design: This was a population-based cohort study of prospectively collected data on patients with T2DM prescribed SGLT2I, DPP4I or GLP1a between January 1st 2015 and December 31st 2020 from Hong Kong. The outcomes were new-onset gastric cancer, peptic ulcer (PU), acute gastritis, non-acute gastritis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Initiation of warfarin is associated with decreased mortality in patients with infective endocarditis: A population-based cohort study.

Importance: The use of warfarin to prevent thromboembolism in patients with infective endocarditis (IE) remains controversial due to potentially increased bleeding risks.

Design: Population-based retrospective cohort study.

Participants: Patients aged 18 or older and diagnosed with IE in Hong Kong between January 1st, 1997 and August 31st, 2020 were included.

Secular trends of health care resource utilization and costs between Brugada syndrome and congenital long QT syndrome: A territory-wide study.

Background: Health care resource utilization (HCRU) and costs are important metrics of health care burden, but they have rarely been explored in the setting of cardiac ion channelopathies.

Hypothesis: This study tested the hypothesis that attendance-related HCRUs and costs differed between patients with Brugada syndrome (BrS) and congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS).

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of consecutive BrS and LQTS patients at public hospitals or clinics in Hong Kong, China.

Evaluating the Patient Boarding during Omicron Surge in Hong Kong: Time Series Analysis.

The fifth wave of COVID-19 outbreaks in Hong Kong (HK) from January to March 2022 has the highest confirmed cases and deaths compared with previous waves. Severe hospital boarding (to inpatient wards) was noted in various Emergency Departments (EDs). Our objective is to identify factors associated with hospital boarding during Omicron surge in HK.

Association of Molnupiravir and Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir with reduced mortality and sepsis in hospitalized omicron patients: a territory-wide study.

This study evaluates the association between antivirals (Molnupiravir and Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir) and all-cause and respiratory mortality and organ dysfunction among high-risk COVID-19 patients during an Omicron outbreak. Two cohorts, Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir versus control and Molnupiravir versus control, were constructed with inverse probability treatment weighting to balance baseline characteristics. Cox proportional hazards models evaluated the association of their use with all-cause mortality, respiratory mortality, and all-cause sepsis (a composite of circulatory shock, respiratory failure, acute liver injury, coagulopathy, and acute liver impairment).

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors versus dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors on new-onset overall cancer in Type 2 diabetes mellitus: A population-based study.

Background: Cancer is currently the second leading cause of death globally. There is much uncertainty regarding the comparative risks of new-onset overall cancer and pre-specified cancer for Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients on sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2I) versus DPP4I.

Methods: This population-based cohort study patients included patients who were diagnosed with T2DM and administered either SGLT2 or DPP4 inhibitors between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2020 in public hospitals of Hong Kong.

Association between immune checkpoint inhibitors and myocardial infarction in Asians: A population-based self-controlled case series.

Background: While immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are associated with elevated cardiovascular risks, evidence of any association between ICIs and myocardial infarction (MI) was scarce, especially in Asians.

Methods: Using prospectively collected population-based data, this self-controlled case series included patients prescribed an ICI between 1/1/2014 and 31/12/2020 in Hong Kong who had MI within January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2021. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for MI during and after ICI exposure were estimated, compared to the year before ICI initiation.

The Impact of Cardiac Comorbidity Sequence at Baseline and Mortality Risk in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Retrospective Population-Based Cohort Study.

Introduction: The presence of multiple comorbidities increases the risk of all-cause mortality, but the effects of the comorbidity sequence before the baseline date on mortality remain unexplored. This study investigated the relationship between coronary heart disease (CHD), atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) through their sequence of development and the effect on all-cause mortality risk in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: This study included patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus prescribed antidiabetic/cardiovascular medications in public hospitals of Hong Kong between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2009, with follow-up until death or 31 December 2019.

Predictive value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio for atrial fibrillation and stroke in type 2 diabetes mellitus: The Hong Kong Diabetes Study.

Introduction: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a routinely available biomarker that reflects systemic inflammation. The study evaluated the predictive value of NLR for ischemic stroke and atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: This was a population-based cohort study of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and complete blood count tests at baseline between 1 January 1st, 2009, and 31 December, 2009, at government-funded hospitals/clinics in Hong Kong.

Attendance-related Healthcare Resource Utilisation and Costs in Patients With Brugada Syndrome in Hong Kong: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Understanding health care resource utilisation and its associated costs are important for identifying areas of improvement regarding resource allocations. However, there is limited research exploring this issue in the setting of Brugada syndrome (BrS).This was a retrospective territory-wide study of BrS patients from Hong Kong.

Cardiovascular risks of chemo-immunotherapy for lung cancer: A population-based cohort study.

Objectives: Despite their proven efficacy for treating lung cancer, the cardiovascular risks associated with programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitors and their combinations with chemotherapy (chemo-immunotherapy) are unclear. This study aimed to investigate these associations.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective cohort study included Hong Kong patients with lung cancer receiving PD-1 inhibitors during 2013-2021.

Risk Factors of Pancreatic Cancer in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: The Hong Kong Diabetes Study.

Context: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with the development of pancreatic cancer (PaC), but few large-scale studies have examined its predictive risk factors.

Objective: The present study aims to examine the predictors for PaC in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a territory-wide, retrospective cohort study.

Methods: This was a territory-wide, retrospective cohort study of patients with T2DM mellitus older than 40 years with no prior history of PaC.

Association of Molnupiravir and Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir with preventable mortality, hospital admissions and related avoidable healthcare system cost among high-risk patients with mild to moderate COVID-19.

Background: Real-world data is currently limited on the association between oral antiviral therapy and healthcare system burden in patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19. This study aims to evaluate the clinical and cost effectiveness of Molnupiravir and Nirmatrelvir-ritonavir use in reducing mortality in this population.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study involving 54,355 COVID-19 patients during February 22-March 31,2022 in Hong Kong.

Sulfonylurea Is Associated With Higher Risks of Ventricular Arrhythmia or Sudden Cardiac Death Compared With Metformin: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Background Commonly prescribed diabetic medications such as metformin and sulfonylurea may be associated with different arrhythmogenic risks. This study compared the risk of ventricular arrhythmia or sudden cardiac death between metformin and sulfonylurea users in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods and Results Patients aged ≥40 years who were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or prescribed antidiabetic agents in Hong Kong between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2009, were included and followed up until December 31, 2019.

Cardiovascular Outcomes and Hospitalizations in Asian Patients Receiving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Population-based Study.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have known associations with cardiotoxicity. However, a representative quantification of the adverse cardiovascular events and cardiovascular attendances amongst Asian users of ICI has been lacking. This retrospective cohort study identified all ICI users in Hong Kong, China, between 2013 and 2021.

Clinical Characteristics, Genetic Basis and Healthcare Resource Utilisation and Costs in Patients with Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: This study examined the clinical characteristics, genetic basis, healthcare utilisation and costs of catecholaminergic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) patients from a Chinese city.

Methods: This was a territory-wide retrospective cohort study of consecutive CPVT patients at public hospitals or clinics in Hong Kong. Healthcare resource utilisation for accident and emergency (A&E), inpatient and outpatient attendances were analysed over 19 years (2001-2019) followed by calculations of annualised costs (in USD).

Risk of New-Onset Prostate Cancer for Metformin Versus Sulfonylurea Use in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Propensity Score-Matched Study.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the risks of new-onset prostate cancer between metformin and sulfonylurea users with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: This population-based retrospective cohort study included male patients with T2DM presenting to public hospitals/clinics in Hong Kong between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2009. We only included patients prescribed either, but not both, metformin or sulfonylurea.

Clinical characteristics, risk factors and outcomes of cancer patients with COVID-19: A population-based study.

Introduction: Cancer patients may be susceptible to poorer outcomes in COVID-19 infection owing to the immunosuppressant effect of chemotherapy/radiotherapy and cancer growth, along with the potential for nosocomial transmission due to frequent hospital admissions.

Methods: This was a population-based retrospective cohort study of COVID-19 patients who presented to Hong Kong public hospitals between 1 January 2020 and 8 December 2020. The primary outcome was a composite endpoint of requirement for intubation, ICU admission and 30-day mortality.

Comparisons of the risk of myopericarditis between COVID-19 patients and individuals receiving COVID-19 vaccines: a population-based study.

Background: Both COVID-19 infection and COVID-19 vaccines have been associated with the development of myopericarditis. The objective of this study is to (1) analyse the rates of myopericarditis after COVID-19 infection and COVID-19 vaccination in Hong Kong, (2) compared to the background rates, and (3) compare the rates of myopericarditis after COVID-19 vaccination to those reported in other countries.

Methods: This was a population-based cohort study from Hong Kong, China.

Hip fractures risks in edoxaban versus warfarin users: A propensity score-matched population-based cohort study with competing risk analyses.

Objective: The three direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC), rivaroxaban, apixaban and dabigatran have been associated with lower risks of fractures compared to warfarin. However, no large scale studies have explored the associations with the newest DOAC, edoxaban, with fracture risk. The present study aims to elucidate the effects of edoxaban on the risk of hip fracture amongst elderly patients by comparing the incidence of new onset hip fracture between edoxaban and warfarin users in a Chinese population.