Reduced Pneumonia Risk in Advanced Dementia Patients on Careful Hand Feeding Compared With Nasogastric Tube Feeding.

Objectives: To compare survival and pneumonia risk among hospitalized patients with advanced dementia on nasogastric tube feeding (NGF) vs careful hand feeding (CHF) and to examine outcomes by feeding problem type.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting And Participants: Advanced dementia patients aged ≥60 years with indication for tube feeding admitted to 2 geriatric convalescent hospitals between January 1, 2015, and June 30, 2019.

Prevalence and risk factors of delirium and subsyndromal delirium in Chinese older adults.

Aim: To study the prevalence and risk factors of delirium and subsyndromal delirium (SSD) in Chinese older adults with acute medical illnesses.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was carried out in acute general medical wards in a university-affiliated hospital in Hong Kong. Patients were assessed by the confusion assessment method by geriatricians within 6 h after admission and classified into three mutually exclusive groups, namely delirium, SSD and those without both conditions.

Role of Hand Hygiene Ambassador and Implementation of Directly Observed Hand Hygiene Among Residents in Residential Care Homes for the Elderly in Hong Kong.

OBJECTIVEMultidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) are increasingly reported in residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs). We assessed whether implementation of directly observed hand hygiene (DOHH) by hand hygiene ambassadors can reduce environmental contamination with MDROs.METHODSFrom July to August 2017, a cluster-randomized controlled study was conducted at 10 RCHEs (5 intervention versus 5 nonintervention controls), where DOHH was performed at two-hourly intervals during daytime, before meals and medication rounds by a one trained nurse in each intervention RCHE.

Unexpectedly Higher Morbidity and Mortality of Hospitalized Elderly Patients Associated with Rhinovirus Compared with Influenza Virus Respiratory Tract Infection.

Rhinovirus is a common cause of upper and lower respiratory tract infections in adults, especially among the elderly and immunocompromised. Nevertheless, its clinical characteristics and mortality risks have not been well described. A retrospective analysis on a prospective cohort was conducted in a single teaching hospital center over a one-year period.

Efficacy of Clarithromycin-Naproxen-Oseltamivir Combination in the Treatment of Patients Hospitalized for Influenza A(H3N2) Infection: An Open-label Randomized, Controlled, Phase IIb/III Trial.

Background: Influenza causes excessive hospitalizations and deaths. The study assessed the efficacy and safety of a clarithromycin-naproxen-oseltamivir combination for treatment of serious influenza.

Methods: From February to April 2015, we conducted a prospective open-label, randomized, controlled trial.

Topical imiquimod before intradermal trivalent influenza vaccine for protection against heterologous non-vaccine and antigenically drifted viruses: a single-centre, double-blind, randomised, controlled phase 2b/3 trial.

Background: Pretreatment with topical imiquimod, a synthetic agonist of toll-like receptor 7, significantly improved the immunogenicity of influenza vaccination in elderly people. We aimed to clarify its effect in a younger age group.

Methods: In this double-blind, randomised controlled trial, we enrolled healthy volunteers aged 18-30 years in early 2014 to receive the 2013-14 northern-hemisphere winter trivalent influenza vaccine at the Queen Mary Hospital, (Hong Kong, China).

Immunogenicity of intradermal trivalent influenza vaccine with topical imiquimod: a double blind randomized controlled trial.

Background: Imiquimod, a synthetic Toll-like receptor 7 agonist enhanced immunogenicity of influenza vaccine in a mouse model. We hypothesized that topical imiquimod before intradermal influenza vaccination (TIV) would produce similar effect in human.

Methods: We performed a prospective 1-year follow-up, double-blind, randomized, controlled trial with adults with comorbidities.

Immunogenicity and safety of intradermal trivalent influenza vaccination in nursing home older adults: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To compare the immunogenicity and safety between full-dose (15 μg) intramuscular (i.m.) and full-dose (15 μg) intradermal (i.

Proactive infection control measures to prevent nosocomial transmission of vancomycin-resistant enterococci in Hong Kong.

Background/purpose: The study describes a proactive infection control approach to prevent nosocomial transmission of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and tests if this approach is effective for controlling multiple-drug resistant organisms in a nonendemic setting.

Methods: In response to the increasing prevalence of VRE in Hong Kong since 2011, we adopted a multifaceted assertive approach in our health care network. This included active surveillance culture, extensive contact tracing, directly observed hand hygiene in conscious patients before they received meals and medications, stringent hand hygiene and environmental cleanliness, and an immediate feedback antimicrobial stewardship program.

Association between body mass index and cause-specific mortality as well as hospitalization in frail Chinese older adults.

Aim: A U-shaped relationship between body mass index (BMI) and all-cause mortality has been reported, but there are few studies examining the association between BMI and cause-specific mortality and hospitalization. We carried out a longitudinal study to examine these associations in Chinese older adults with multiple comorbidities, which could provide a reference for the recommended BMI in this population.

Methods: From 2004 to 2013, a retrospective cohort of Chinese older adults was selected from a geriatric day hospital in Hong Kong.

Effectiveness of influenza vaccination in institutionalized older adults: a systematic review.

Introduction: Influenza infection is common among institutionalized older adults. Many nonrandomized observational studies on influenza vaccination suggested that it could reduce influenza-related hospitalizations and mortality in institutionalized older adults. Criticism regarding the effectiveness of influenza vaccine estimated by nonrandomized observational studies include the frailty selection bias and use of nonspecific outcome, such as all-cause mortality.

Validation study of Charlson Comorbidity Index in predicting mortality in Chinese older adults.

Aim: The Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) is commonly studied for predicting mortality, but there is no validation study of it in Chinese older adults. The objective of the present study was to validate the use of CCI in Chinese older adults for predicting mortality.

Method: We carried out a retrospective cohort study from 2004 to 2013 for patients discharged from a geriatric day hospital in Hong Kong.