Incidence of acute infectious conjunctivitis across the pre-and post COVID era:a 7-year-result from a tertiary acute hospital in Hong Kong

Acute infectious conjunctivitis(AIC)is one of the most common communicable diseases encountered in acute hospital settings.Transmission exists long before COVID-19.Research showed COVID-19 infections were associated with AIC,as the most common ocular manifestations[1].Thus,an increase in AIC during COVID-19 is expected[2].However,personal hygiene practices and public health measures throughout COVID-19 negatively impacted the incidence of influenza and other upper respiratory tract infections,as for AIC[3].Our retrospective study extracted the data between July 2016 to June 2023,from the hospital communicable ocular diseases database.We aim to reveal the incidence of AIC across the pre-and post-COVID era in a local regional acute hospital.A total of 1512 patients with AIC were identified in the last 7 years across the pre-and post-COVID era.Monthly incidences of AIC over the past 7 years were plotted as a line chart(Figure 1A).

Effects of a nurse-led heart failure clinic on hospital readmission and mortality in Hong Kong

Background Heart failure （HF） is a physically and socially debilitating disease that carries the burden of hospital re-admission and mortality. As an aging society, Hong Kong urgently needs to find ways to reduce the hospital readmission of HF patients. This study evaluates the effects of a nurse-led HF clinic on the hospital readmission and mortality rates among older HF patients in Hong Kong. Methods This study is a retrospective data analysis that compares HF patient in a nurse-led HF clinic in Hong Kong compared with HF patients who did not attend the clinic. The nurses of this clinic provide education on lifestyle modification and symptom monitoring, as well as titrate the medications and measure biochemical markers by following established protocols. This analysis used the socio-demographic and clinical data of HF patients who were aged 〉 65 years old and stayed in the clinic over a six-month period. Results The data of a total of 78 HF patients were included in this data analysis. The mean age of the patients was 77.38 ± 6.80 years. Approximately half of the HF patients were male （51.3%）, almost half were smokers （46.2%）, and the majority received 〈 six years of formal education. Most of the HF patients （87.2%） belonged to classes II and III of the New York Heart Association Functional Classification, with a mean ejection fraction of 47.15± 20.31 mL. The HF patients who attended the clinic （n = 38, 75.13 ± 5.89 years） were significantly younger than those who did not attend the clinic （n = 40, 79.53 ± 6.96 years） （P = 0.04）, and had lower recorded blood pressure. No other statistically significant difference existed between the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of the two groups. The HF patients who did not attend the nurse-led HF clinic demonstrated a significantly higher risk of hospital readmission [odd ratio （OR）： 7.40; P 〈 0.01] than those who attended after adjusting for the effect of age and blood pressure. In addition, HF patients who attended the clinic had lower mortality （n = 4） than those who did not attend （n = 14）. However, such a difference did not reach statistical significance when the effects of age and blood pressure were adjusted. A signifi- cant reduction in systolic blood pressure IF （2, 94） = 3.39, P = 0.04] and diastolic blood pressure [F （2, 94） = 8.48, P 〈 0.01] was observed among the HF patients who attended the clinic during the six-month period. Conclusions The finding of this study suggests the important role of nurse-led HF clinics in reducing healthcare burden and improving patient outcomes among HF patients in Hong Kong.

Understanding network meta-analysis

Recently,in the World Journal of Clinical Cases,studied the different non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(meloxicam,celecoxib,naproxen,and rofecoxib)for juvenile idiopathic arthritis with network meta-analysis(NMA).This manuscript aims to introduce to clinicians what NMA is.NMA represents a fundamental te-chnique for simultaneously comparing three or more interventions within a single analysis,harnessing both direct and indirect evidence derived from a network of studies.It surpasses pair-wise meta-analysis which are confined to direct com-parison of two items in clinical trials.This approach can estimate the relative effects between any pair of interventions within the network,often yielding more precise estimations than those generated from single direct or indirect analyses.NMA necessitates steps akin to those of conventional meta-analysis,involving a thorough literature search,assessment of potential trial biases,statistical analysis of reported pairwise comparisons for all relevant outcomes,and evaluation of overall certainty of evidence on an outcome-specific basis.However,NMA demands substantial resources,given its propensity to address broader inquiries,typically involving a larger number of studies at each phase of the systematic review,from screening to analysis,compared to traditional meta-analyses.

Pearls of meta-analyses and systematic review in scientific evidence

Scientific evidence develops bit by bit from case reports,case series;to larger casecontrol,case-cohort;and further escalate to randomized controlled trials.This echoed the importance of continue publishing World journal of Clinical Cases,where novel and advancing discoveries start from a single case.In contrast,at the other end of the realm of evidence synthesis,systematic review and meta-analysis represent distinct yet interconnected processes.Butorphanol in epidural labor analgesia has long been studied since 1989,and with 70 publications from MEDLINE searches.However,there was no meta-analysis,nor any systematic review published so far.The latest in-press article published by Tang et al.on the protocol for the systematic review and meta-analysis on the safety and effectiveness of butorphanol in epidural labor analgesia is encouraging.We believe the findings of this study will be valuable for clinical practice as well as for future research.

Practical surgical tips on performing upper blepharoplasty

Upper lid blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure that requires meticulous planning and execution.It is not a standalone procedure but can be combined with ptosis correction surgery.Prior to surgery,thorough lid examinations are essential to determine the appropriate approaches.Skin markings for incision sites should be drawn before anesthesia injection to avoid distortion of lid wrinkles and creases.The design of the lid crease is crucial,with a nasal tapered crease serving as a guide for subsequent parallel crease drawings.Incisions should be made with care to avoid excessive bleeding,particularly from the orbicularis muscles.It is important to control bleeding promptly to prevent secondary ptosis during the early post-operative period.When releasing the orbital septum,care should be taken to avoid injury to surrounding structures,particularly the trochlea nasally and the lacrimal gland laterally.Moist cotton tip applicators can be used to safely separate fat from the underlying aponeurosis.

Efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine for benign prostatic hyperplasia： systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Chinese herbal medicine is commonly used as a treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia （BPH）, but its efficacy and safety remain to be examined. To compare the efficacy and adverse events of Chinese herbal medicine alone or used adjuvantly with Western medications for BPH. Two independent reviewers searched the major electronic databases for randomized controlled trials comparing Chinese herbal medicine, either in single or adjuvant use with Western medication, with placebo or Western medication. Relevant journals and grey literature were also hand-searched. The outcome measures included changes in urological symptoms, urodynamic measures, prostate volume and adverse events. The frequency of commonly used herbs was also identified. Out of 13 922 identified citations of publications, 31 studies were included. Eleven studies with a Jadad score i〉 3 were selected for meta-analysis. Chinese herbal medicine was superior to Western medication in improving quality of life and reducing prostate volume. The frequency of adverse events in Chinese herbal medicine was similar to that of placebo and less than that of Western medication. The evidence is too weak to support the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine for BPH due to the poor methodological quality and small number of trials included. The commonly used herbs identified here should provide insights for future clinical practice and research. Larger randomized controlled trials of better quality are needed to truly evaluate the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine.

Clinicopathological survey of 23 patients with lacrimal fossa lesions in Hong Kong

AIM: To survey the clinicopathological correlations of lacrimal fossa lesions in the Hong Kong population. METHODS: A total of 23 patients with lacrimal fossa lesions were identified radiologically. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 52 year-old. The medical records of patients diagnosed with lacrimal fossa lesions and subsequently underwent radiological investigations were collected and reviewed retrospectively throughout a six years period from 2000 to 2006 from three regional hospitals (Tung Wah Eastern Hospital, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital and Queen Mary Hospital) belonging to the Hong Kong Mega Cluster. Patient demographics, presenting signs and symptoms, imaging modalities, pathological reports and subsequent management were recorded. RESULTS: The most common initial presenting symptom was upper lid swelling (83%) followed by proptosis (13%). 19 patients (83%) had benign lacrimal fossa lesion and 4 patients (17%) had malignancy. Three of the malignancies were lymphomas and one was adenoid cystic carcinoma. CONCLUSION: Age is an important factor in considering the differential diagnosis of lacrimal fossa lesion. Lymphoproliferative diseases have the highest incidence in patients over 60 years of age while inflammatory lesions are more common in younger patients in Hong Kong.

Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among central retinal artery occlusion patients:A case series-HORA study report No.3

Introduction:COVID-19 patients are susceptible to hypercoagulability,thromboembolic,and vasculitis state;central retinal artery occlusion(CRAO)could be caused by hyperviscosity syndrome,thromboembolic accidents,and vasculitis.Evolving case reports are correlating CRAO with COVID-19 patients.Our case series aims to reveal the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among CRAO patients under the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods:Medical records of all CRAO patients who attended our tertiary referral hospital,during COVID-19 local outbreak(March to November 2020),were reviewed.Respiratory tract samples were tested for SARS-CoV-2 by the validated Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2 assay.If patients were able to cooperate,oropharyngeal saliva samples were obtained.Otherwise,nasopharyngeal and deep throat swabs were taken by registered nurses.Results:A total of 15 CRAO patients(7 males,8 females)were identified during the 9-month study period.The mean age was 72.1-years(range 45-88 year).None of the patients were infected by SARS-CoV-2 before their CRAO disease episodes.Three patients had a history of CRAO over the contralateral eye.No patient was diagnosed with COVID-19 up to their last follow-up(mean 255.4 days,range 152-341 days).Without any COVID-19 positive case,correlation statistical tests on SARS-CoV-2 infection and CRAO were not established.Conclusions:Some of the presumed COVID-19 related CRAO cases may be just coincident with at-risk patients,as COVID-19 is prevalent across the world.More in-depth research,with adjustment to known confounding risk factors,is needed to establish a genuine correlation.

Exploratory use of ultrasound to determine whether demyelination following carpal tunnel syndrome co-exists with axonal degeneration

Carpal tunnel syndrome （CTS） accompanied by secondary axonal degeneration cannot be clearly dis- criminated using the current cross-validated ultrasound severity classification system. This study aimed at exploring cut-off values of ultrasound parameters, including wrist cross-sectional area （W-CSA）, wrist perimeter （W-P）, ratio of cross-sectional area （R-CSA） and perimeter （R-P）, changes of CSA and P from wrist to one third distal forearm （△CSA＆AP） for differentiation. Seventy-three patients （13 male and 60 female） were assigned into group A （demyelination only, n = 40） and group B （demyelination with secondary axonal degeneration, n = 33） based on the outcomes of nerve conduction studies （NCS）. Receiver Operative Characteristics （ROC） curves were plotted to obtain sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of cut- off values for all the ultrasound parameters. The overall identified cut-off values （W-CSA 12.0 mm2, W-P 16.27 mm, R-CSA 1.85, R-P 1.48, △CSA 6.98 mm2, △P 5.77 mm） had good sensitivity （77.1-88.6%）, fair specificity （40-62.2%） and fair-to-good accuracy （0.676-0.758）. There were also significant differences in demographics （age and severity gradation, P 〈 0.001）, NCS findings （wrist motor latency and conduction velocity, P 〈 0.0001; wrist motor amplitude, P 〈 0.05; distal sensory latency, P 〈 0.05; sensory amplitude, P 〈 0.001） and ultrasound measurements （W-CSA, W-P, R-CSA, R-P, △CSA＆△P, P 〈 0.05） between groups. These findings suggest that ultrasound can be potentially used to differentiate demyelinating CTS with sec- ondary axonal degeneration and provide better treatment guidance.

Neural plasticity secondary to carpal tunnel syndrome: a pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling study

Conventional neuroimaging techniques cannot truly reflect the change of regional cerebral blood flow in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome.Pseudo-continuous arterial spinning labeling(pCASL)as an efficient non-invasive neuroimaging technique can be applied to directly quantify the neuronal activities of individual brain regions that show the persistent symptoms owing to its better spatial resolution and increased signal-to-noise ratio.Therefore,this prospective observational study was conducted in 27 eligible female carpal tunnel syndrome,aged 57.7±6.51 years.Psychometric tests,nerve conduction studies and pCASL neuroimaging assessment were performed.The results showed that the relevant activated brain regions in the cortical,subcrotical,and cerebral regions were correlated with numbness,pain,functionality,median nerve status and motor amplitude of median nerve(K=21–2849,r=–0.77–0.76,P<0.05).There was a tendency of pain processing which shifted from the nociceptive circuitry to the emotional and cognitive one during the process of chronic pain caused by carpal tunnel syndrome.It suggests the necessity of addressing the ignored cognitive or emotional state when managing patients with carpal tunnel syndrome.Approval for this study was obtained from the Institutional Review Board of The University of Hong Kong/Hospital Authority Hong Kong West,China(HKU/HA HKW IRB,approval No.UW17-129)on April 11,2017.This study was registered in Clinical Trial Registry of The University of Hong Kong,China(registration number:HKUCTR-2220)on April 24,2017.

Bilateral Valsalva retinopathy after general anesthesia: A case report

Rationale: Symptoms of floaters and signs of retinal hemorrhages are common acute visual complaints and diagnoses. Diabetic or hypertensive retinopathy is prevalent, yet their differential of Valsalva retinopathy is rare.Patient concerns: A 32-year-old lady presented with floaters was found to have bilateral multi-layered retinal hemorrhages one day after laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia. Diagnosis: Bilateral Valsalva retinopathy after general anesthesia. Interventions: The patient was offered observational conservative treatment. Outcomes: Multi-layered retinal hemorrhages resolved, but with residual left eye metamorphopsia from epiretinal membrane formation. Lessons: Valsalva retinopathy can be differentiated from common diabetic or hypertensive retinopathy by its characteristics of multi-layered hemorrhage. Valsalva retinopathy after general anesthesia is a rare disease. General anesthesia can cause Valsalva retinopathy in a few ways: intubation, positioning, iatrogenic Valsalva maneuver intra-operatively, post-operative coughing or vomiting, etc. In addition, permanent visual impairment could sometimes occur.

Corneal perforation and rare primary adenocarcinoma of the lacrimal gland: A case report

Rationale:Primary adenocarcinoma of the lacrimal gland is rare,and its presentation as corneal perforation is even rarer.Corneal perforation is an ocular emergency that warrants urgent ophthalmic surgery,yet complete staging of lacrimal gland tumor pre-operatively is essential for optimal oncological management.Patient's concerns:A 57-year-old man presented with left eye pain was found to have left eye proptosis and fleshy tissue mass around the eyeball.Uveal tissue was prolapsing over the perforated keratitis cornea,and the eye was full of discharge.Diagnosis:Bedside ultrasound B-scan confirmed vitreous haze,and emergency contrast computed tomography(CT)revealed soft tissue density mass(>40 mm)molding around the left globe and optic nerve without any rim enhancing abscess.Left exogenous endophthalmitis from exposure keratopathy secondary to proptosis caused by the bulky lacrimal tumor located in the confined orbital cone was diagnosed.Interventions:Emergency enucleation surgery of the left eyeball was done for this painful blind eye to control the infection from spreading.Orbital walls were biopsied intra-operatively,and tumor staging was completed by positron emission tomography-CT scan and magnetic resonance imaging.Without evidence of metastasis,left orbital exenteration was followed by adjuvant orbital chemoradiotherapy for the sake of close proximity of resection margin.Outcomes:Left exenterated orbit was fully epithelialized at around 2 months,and there was no recurrence of the disease up to present at the 1 year follow-up.Lessons:Thorough workup on the staging of the disease to minimize the number of operations for oncological patients is always a top priority,yet it may not always be possible as in our case presenting with corneal perforation.

Stroke care in the ChatGPT era:Potential use in early symptom recognition

Dear editor,Generative Pre-trained Transformer-based Chatbot(ChatGPT)[1]or similar natural language processing[2]and large language models[3]are artificial intelligence systems designed to understand and respond to human languages,allowing them to provide information,answer questions,and provide guidance on a wide range of topics.One of their key benefits is immediate access to information in a conversational format,as if a hotline call,which is essential in acute medical conditions.Currently,medical utilization of ChatGPT is a hot research topic.Because its intrinsic difference from search engines,ChatGPT has the potential to revolutionize our mode of information access.

Ocular point-of-care ultrasound: the current evidence

We read with interest the review article in volume 9 issue 5 Journal of Acute Disease,entitled"Using point-of-care ultrasound in ocular emergencies:a mini review"by Builes et al.Ocular point-of-care ultrasound(POCUS)is gaining popularity under the COVID-19 pandemic,as physicians are of close proximity to patients under normal practice with slit lamp and direct ophthalmoscope.With the help of POCUS,patients with ocular emergencies could be evaluated at a distance,without even a need to share mydriatic eye drops across patients.Therefore,we would like to update the current evidence on ocular POCUS usage.

COVID-19 vaccine-related retinal vascular occlusion

Retinal artery or vein occlusion(RAVO)is the ocular analog of cerebral stroke,and the iatrogenic causes,such as vaccines,were reported[1].The popularity of COVID-19 vaccines caused concerns about their potential association with RAVO[2,3].To investigate this potential association,we searched PubMed,MEDLINE,and EMBASE on March 28,2023,with the following keywords:[“retinal artery occlusion”OR“retinal vein occlusion”]AND“COVID-19 vaccines”.

Importance of well-designed meta-analyses in assessing medical and surgical treatments

When evaluating the efficacy of medical or surgical treatments,the most robust study design is often considered to be the high-quality randomized clinical trial(RCT).However,the true answer lies in the meta-analysis of high-quality RCTs.While RCTs have their merits,meta-analyses possess two crucial qualities that make them superior:Generalizability and the ability to verify replicability across different trials.A well-designed meta-analysis,defined here as a systematic review that pools data,holds significant advantages over individual RCTs.Retrospective and observational surgical research is prone to biases that are not mutually offsetting;instead,they accumulate.Selection bias,transfer bias,and assessment bias all taint retrospective studies more than randomized trials,making the novel treatment appear more effective than it truly is.Pooling studies suffering from these limitations in a meta-analysis amplifies these biases,causing an overestimation of treatment benefits.This becomes particularly concerning when the treatment itself carries substantial risks,as is often the case in surgical journals.The consequences can result in harm or even death for patients.While a well-designed meta-analysis is the best tool for assessing medical and surgical treatments,a weak meta-analysis amplifies biases and promotes flawed data.Thoughtful readers must become proficient in honing their methodological toolkits,delving deeper into topics like heterogeneity and publication bias.It is essential to avoid wasting time on meta-analyses drawing data from retrospective or observational research regarding surgical treatments.

人工智能白内障协同管理的通用平台

目的:建立和验证一个涉及多级临床场景的白内障协作通用的人工智能(artificial intelligence,AI)管理平台,探索基于AI的医疗转诊模式,以提高协作效率和资源覆盖率。方法:训练和验证的数据集来自中国AI医学联盟,涵盖多级医疗机构和采集模式。使用三步策略对数据集进行标记:1)识别采集模式;2)白内障诊断包括正常晶体眼、白内障眼或白内障术后眼;3)从病因和严重程度检测需转诊的白内障患者。此外,将白内障AI系统与真实世界中的居家自我监测、初级医疗保健机构和专科医院等多级转诊模式相结合。结果:通用AI平台和多级协作模式在三步任务中表现出可靠的诊断性能:1)识别采集模式的受试者操作特征(receiver operating characteristic curve,ROC)曲线下面积(area under the curve,AUC)为99.28%~99.71%);2)白内障诊断对正常晶体眼、白内障或术后眼,在散瞳-裂隙灯模式下的AUC分别为99.82%、99.96%和99.93%,其他采集模式的AUC均>99%;3)需转诊白内障的检测(在所有测试中AUC>91%)。在真实世界的三级转诊模式中,该系统建议30.3%的人转诊,与传统模式相比,眼科医生与人群服务比率大幅提高了10.2倍。结论:通用AI平台和多级协作模式显示了准确的白内障诊断性能和有效的白内障转诊服务。建议AI的医疗转诊模式扩展应用到其他常见疾病和资源密集型情景当中。

Extensive contact tracing and screening to control the spread of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium ST414 in Hong Kong

Background Proactive infection control management is crucial in preventing the introduction of multiple drug resistant organisms in the healthcare setting. In Hong Kong, where vancomycin-resistant enterococci （VRE） endemicity is not yet established, contact tracing and screening, together with other infection control measures are essential in limiting intra- and inter-hospital transmission. The objective of this study was to illustrate the control measures used to eradicate a VRE outbreak in a hospital network in Hong Kong. Methods We described an outbreak of VRE in a healthcare region in Hong Kong, involving a University affiliated hospital and a convalescent hospital of 1600 and 550 beds respectively. Computer-assisted analysis was utilized to facilitate contact tracing, followed by VRE screening using chromogenic agar. Multi-locus sequence typing （MLST） was performed to assess the clonality of the VRE strains isolated. A case-control study was conducted to identify the risk factors for nosocomial acquisition of VRE. Results Between November 26 and December 17, 2011, 11 patients （1 exogenous case and 10 secondary cases） in two hospitals with VRE colonization were detected during our outbreak investigation and screening for 361 contact patients, resulting in a clinical attack rate of 2.8% （10/361）. There were 8 males and 3 females with a median age of 78 years （range, 40-87 years）. MLST confirmed sequence type ST414 in all isolates. Case-control analysis demonstrated that VRE positive cases had a significantly longer cumulative length of stay （P 〈0.001）, a higher proportion with chronic cerebral and cardiopulmonary conditions （P=0.001）, underlying malignancies （P 〈0.001）, and presence of urinary catheter （P 〈0.001）, wound or ulcer （P 〈0.001）, and a greater proportion of these patients were receiving β-lactam/ β-1actamase inhibitors （P=0.009）, carbapenem group （P 〈0.001）, fluoroquinolones （P=0.003）, or vancomycin （P=0.001） when compared with the controls. Conclusion Extensive contact tracing and screening with a ＂search-and-confine＂ strategy was a successful tool for outbreak control in our healthcare reqion.

Teaching chronic obstructive airway disease patients using a metered-dose inhaler

Asthma and chronic obstructive airway disease ,（COAD） are chronic inflammatory disorders of the airways which are usually associated with widespread airway obstruction that is often relieved by treatment. β2-adrenoreceptor agonists and corticosteriods are the mainstay of the management of this disease. The preferred route of administration of these agents is by inhalation. This allows the drug to be delivered directly to the airway with more rapid relief and fewer side effects than systemic route. The main disadvantage of metered-dose inhaler （MDI） use is that the correct use requires good technique;

Rapid corneal thinning and perforated ulcerative keratitis in a patient with relapsing polychondritis

Background:To report rapid corneal thinning and perforation in a case with relapsing polychondritis.Case presentation:A 43 year-old male diagnosed with relapsing polychondritis suffered from bilateral scleritis,bilateral swelling of pinna,saddle nose and tracheal stenosis.The patient presented with right eye pain and redness for one month.Slit lamp examination of the right eye showed 80%peripheral corneal thinning between 3 and 7 o’clock.The best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA)was 1.0 bilaterally.The degree of corneal thinning worsened to 90%after one week of oral corticosteroid use.Subsequently,topical cyclosporine 2%eye drops four times a day,oral doxycycline 100 mg twice a day and oral vitamin C 2 g daily were added.The corneal thinning gradually improved to about 60%.However,the patient rapidly tapered oral prednisolone against medical advice and returned with an acute drop in vision in his right eye.Slit lamp examination of the right eye showed peripheral corneal perforation with iris prolapse.An emergency repair with cyanoacrylate glue was performed.Intravenous methylprednisolone 1 mg/kg body weight was administered for three days and 1 g/day intravenous immunoglobulin was administered every four weeks.At 3 months postoperatively,BCVA in the right eye was 0.6.Slit lamp examination showed a well-formed anterior chamber with glue in situ.Conclusions:Relapsing polychondritis may be associated with rapid corneal thinning.The clinicians should be aware of the possibility of corneal perforation in these cases.Cyanoacrylate glue is a viable temporary management option in such scenarios.