Impact of sleep disturbance on longitudinal cognitive performance in patients with transient ischemic attack or mild stroke.

INTRODUCTION: Sleep disturbances including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and poor sleep quality are common after stroke, while its association with cognitive changes following transient ischemic attack (TIA) or mild stroke remains unclear. We aim to determine whether sleep duration, OSA parameters, or nocturnal hypoxemia is associated with a greater cognitive decline after stroke. METHODS: We prospectively followed-up patients with acute TIA/mild stroke [National Institute Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) < 7] who underwent baseline sleep questionnaire [Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)], and serial cognitive assessments [Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) 5-min, Stroop Test] at baseline and one-year. We also evaluated apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and nocturnal hypoxemia by Home Sleep Apnea Test (HSAT) at one-year. Primary outcome was one-year change in MoCA 5-min score. RESULTS: One hundred and five patients with TIA/mild stroke (mean age 63 years, 65 % male) were included. Baseline short sleep (< 6 hour/night) and AHI ≥ 20/hour at one-year were independently associated with a decline in the MoCA 5-min total score after covariates adjustment [short sleep: ß = -2.36 95 % confidence interval (CI) (-4.13, -0.59), p = 0.009; AHI ≥ 20/hour: ß = -1.79 (-3.26, -0.32), p = 0.017; remained significant after multiple comparisons correction]. A lower mean MinSpO2 was associated with a decline in executive function [Stroop interference index: ß = 0.29 (0.04, 0.53), p = 0.021], but not with MoCA 5-min score at one-year. Moderation analysis indicated AHI ≥ 20/hour was associated with a pronounced decline in executive function only in men. CONCLUSIONS: Short sleep after stroke onset, AHI ≥ 20/hour and nocturnal hypoxemia at one-year contributed to an impaired cognitive trajectory at one-year following stroke in patients with TIA/mild stroke.

Changes in the incidence, clinical features and outcomes of tuberculosis during COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted tuberculosis (TB) services in many countries, but the impacts on sites of involvement, drug susceptibility, smear positivity and clinical outcomes, and clinical outcomes of co-infection with influenza and COVID-19 remain unclear. METHODS: Descriptive epidemiological study using episode-based and patient unique data of tuberculosis from Hospital Authority's territory-wide electronic medical record database, comparing baseline (January 2015-December 2019) and COVID-19 period (January 2020-December 2022), followed by univariate and multivariate analyses. Effects of co-infection with influenza and COVID-19 were investigated. RESULTS: The study included 10,473 episodes of laboratory-confirmed TB, with 6818 in baseline period and 3655 during COVID-19 period. During COVID-19 period, TB patients had a lower proportion of smear positivity (49.2 % vs 54.7 %, P < 0.001), and fewer cases of extrapulmonary TB (7.0 % vs 8.0 %, P = 0.078) and multidrug resistant TB (1.0 % vs 1.6 %, P = 0.020). Mortality was higher in TB patients with COVID-19 coinfection (OR 1.7, P = 0.003) and influenza coinfection (OR 2.6, P = 0.004). During COVID-19 period, there were higher rates of treatment delay (20.5 % vs 15.5 %, P < 0.001) and episodic death (15.1 % vs 13.3 %, P = 0.006). Factors associated with higher mortality included age ≥ 70 years (OR 7.24), treatment delay (OR 2.16), extrapulmonary TB (OR 2.13). smear positivity (OR 1.71) and Charlson comorbidity index score ≥ 3 (OR 1.37). Higher mortality was observed with co-infection by influenza (OR 1.18) and COVID-19 (OR 1.7). CONCLUSIONS: The epidemiology and outcomes of TB were changed during COVID-19 period. Mortality was higher during COVID-19 period and with co-infection by influenza and COVID-19.

Baseline neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a predictor of response to hospitalized bronchiectasis exacerbation risks.

Background: Bronchiectasis is a disease with predominantly neutrophilic inflammation. As a readily available biomarker, there is little evidence to support the use of blood neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) to predict bronchiectasis exacerbation severe enough to warrant hospitalization. Methods: A registry-based retrospective cohort study was conducted at a in Hong Kong. Chinese patients with non-cystic fibrosis (CF) bronchiectasis were retrospectively reviewed and subsequently followed up to investigate the association of NLR and the need for hospitalization for bronchiectasis exacerbation. Data on the NLR for patients in a clinically stable state in 2018 were collected and patients followed up from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2022. The primary outcome was the need for hospitalization due to bronchiectasis exacerbation over the next 4 years. Results: We reviewed 473 Chinese patients with non-CF bronchiectasis, of whom 94 required hospitalization for bronchiectasis exacerbation during the 4-year follow-up period. Multi-variable logistic regression adjusted for E-FACED score (Exacerbation, Forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), Age, Chronic colonization, Extension, and Dyspnea score), gender, age, smoking status, and presence of co-existing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was conducted to compare patients with highest and lowest quartile NLR. Results revealed that those with NLR at the highest quartile were at increased risk of hospitalization for bronchiectasis exacerbation with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 2.02 (95% confidence interval = 1.00-4.12, p = 0.05). Conclusion: Blood NLR may serve as a marker to predict the need for hospitalization due to bronchiectasis exacerbation.

Protective Effects from Prior Pneumococcal Vaccination in Patients with Chronic Airway Diseases during Hospitalization for Influenza-A Territory-Wide Study.

Influenza is an important respiratory viral pathogen in adults, with secondary bacterial pneumonia being a common complication. While pneumococcal vaccines can prevent pneumococcal pneumonia and invasive pneumococcal disease, whether they can also prevent the severe in-hospital outcomes among patients hospitalized for influenza has not been examined. A territory-wide retrospective study was conducted in Hong Kong, which included all adult patients having chronic airway diseases (asthma, bronchiectasis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) hospitalized for influenza and who had received seasonal influenza vaccine. The occurrence of secondary bacterial pneumonia, mortality, and other severe in-hospital outcomes were compared among subjects with or without pneumococcal vaccination. There was a total of 3066 eligible patients who were hospitalized for influenza in public hospitals in Hong Kong from 1 January 2016 to 30 June 2023. Completed pneumococcal vaccination with PSV23/PCV13 conferred protection against secondary bacterial pneumonia, all-cause mortality, and respiratory cause of mortality with adjusted odds ratios of 0.74 (95% CI = 0.57-0.95, p = 0.019), 0.12 (95% CI = 0.03-0.53, p = 0.005), and 0.04 (95% CI = 0.00-0.527, p = 0.0038), respectively.

Systemic immune-inflammation index in predicting hospitalized bronchiectasis exacerbation risks and disease severity.

Background: Bronchiectasis is a common respiratory disease with neutrophilic inflammation being the predominant pathophysiology. Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) is a simple and readily available biomarker being studied in various conditions including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and interstitial lung disease, but not in bronchiectasis. We aim to investigate the prognostic role of SII in bronchiectasis with this study. Methods: A retrospective cohort study in Chinese patients with non-cystic fibrosis (CF) bronchiectasis was conducted in Hong Kong, to investigate the association between baseline SII and of hospitalized bronchiectasis exacerbation risk over 4.5 years of follow-up, as well as correlating with disease severity in bronchiectasis. The baseline SII in 2018 was calculated based on stable-state complete blood count. Results: Among 473 Chinese patients with non-CF bronchiectasis were recruited, 94 of the patients had hospitalized bronchiectasis exacerbation during the follow-up period. Higher SII was associated with increased hospitalized bronchiectasis exacerbation risks with adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 1.001 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.000-1.001, P=0.003] for 1 unit (cells/µL) increase in SII count and aOR of 1.403 (95% CI: 1.126-1.748, P=0.003) for 1 standard deviation (SD) increase in SII. SII was found to have significant negative association with baseline forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) (in litre and percentage predicted), forced vital capacity (FVC) in percentage; and significant positive correlation with the extent of bronchiectasis and baseline neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR). Conclusions: SII could serve as biomarker to predict the risks of hospitalized exacerbation in bronchiectasis patients, as well as correlating with the disease severity.

Increased exacerbations of bronchiectasis following recovery from mild COVID-19 in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Respiratory viral infection is a common trigger of bronchiectasis exacerbation. Knowledge of the intermediate to long-term effect of COVID-19 on bronchiectasis is poor. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of patient records was conducted to assess the frequency of bronchiectasis exacerbation following recovery from mild-to-moderate COVID-19. The exacerbation frequency at baseline, using 2019 and 2019-2021 data, was compared with that during the 1 year following recovery. RESULTS: A total of 234 adult patient records who had a confirmed diagnosis of bronchiectasis were identified, of whom 52 (22.2%) were classified as the COVID-19 group. Patients with COVID-19 had significantly more frequent annual exacerbations of bronchiectasis (total exacerbations and hospitalizations). Compared with 2019-2021 data, the total exacerbation frequency decreased by 0.1 ± 0.51 per year among non-COVID-19 patients but increased by 0.68 ± 1.09 per year among the COVID-19 group (p < 0.001). Compared with 2019 only data, exacerbation frequency decreased by 0.14 ± 0.79 per year among non-COVID-19 patients but increased by 0.76 ± 1.17 per year in the COVID-19 group, p < 0.001. The annual frequency of hospitalization for bronchiectasis increased by 0.01 ± 0.32 per year among non-COVID-19 patients and increased by 0.39 ± 1.06 per year in the COVID-19 group (p < 0.001) compared with 2019 to 2021 data. When compared with only 2019 data, it remained unchanged at 0 ± 0.43 per year among non-COVID-19 patients but increased to 0.38 ± 1.12 per year among COVID-19 patients (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Mild-to-moderate COVID-19 was associated with an increase in frequency of bronchiectasis exacerbation and frequency of hospitalizations following recovery.

Real-World Effectiveness Study of Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir or Molnupiravir in Hospitalized Unvaccinated Patients with Chronic Respiratory Diseases and Moderate COVID-19 at Presentation.

Introduction: Nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (NMV-r) and molnupiravir (MOL) were developed as out-patient anti-viral for mild COVID-19. There was limited data on their role in treating COVID-19 for hospitalized patients, especially among adult patients who are unvaccinated and had chronic respiratory diseases. Methods: A territory-wide retrospective study was conducted in Hong Kong to compare the efficacy of NMV-r and MOL against COVID-19 in unvaccinated adult patients with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchiectasis and interstitial lung diseases presenting with moderate COVID-19 from 16th February 2022 to 15th March 2023. Results: A total of 1354 patients were included, 738 received NMV-r and 616 received MOL. NMV-r was more effective in reducing 90-day mortality with adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) of 0.508 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.314-0.822, p = 0.006). Patients who received NMV-r also had significantly shorter length of stay (LOS) than those receiving MOL, with median LOS of 4 (Interquartile range [IQR] = 2-7) for NMV-r and 6 (IQR = 3-10) for MOL (p-value < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in the development of respiratory failure and severe respiratory failure in the two groups. Discussion: NMV-r was more effective than MOL among unvaccinated adults with chronic respiratory diseases who were hospitalized for moderate COVID-19 without hypoxaemia on admission.

Hospitalized acute exacerbation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - impact on long-term renal outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) is a common and preventable event in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Data regarding the impact of AECOPD on short- and long-term renal outcomes are lacking. METHODS: We included all COPD patients who were followed at Queen Mary Hospital (QMH) in year 2015 and reviewed their clinical/renal outcomes in subsequent five years. Relationships between AECOPD and adverse renal outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: 371 COPD patients were included. 169 patients had hospitalized AECOPD in past one year (HAE group) while 202 patients did not (non-HAE group). 285 patients (76.8%) had renal progression/death and 102 (27.5%) patients developed acute kidney injury (AKI). HAE group showed a more rapid eGFR decline than non-HAE group (-4.64 mL/min/1.73m2/year vs. -2.40 mL/min/1.73m2/year, p = 0.025). HAE group had significantly higher risk for renal progression/death at 5 years [adjusted OR (aOR) 2.380 (95% CI = 1.144-4.954), p = 0.020]. The frequency of hospitalized AECOPD in past 3 years, any AECOPD in past 3 years, hospitalized AECOPD in past 3 years were also predictive of renal progression/death at 5 years [aOR were 1.176 (95% CI = 1.038- 1.331), 2.998 (95% CI = 1.438-6.250) and 2.887 (95% CI = 1.409-5.917) respectively; p = 0.011, 0.003 and 0.004]. HAE group also showed significantly higher risk of AKI [adjusted HR (aHR) 2.430; 95% CI = 1.306-4.519, p = 0.005]. CONCLUSIONS: AECOPD, in particular HAE, was associated with increased risk of renal progression/death and AKI. Prevention of AECOPD, especially HAE, may potentially improve short- and long-term renal outcomes in COPD patients.

Patterns and Factors of the Sexual Agreement for Extra-Dyadic Sex Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Hong Kong, China: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

This study investigated patterns of sexual agreement for extra-dyadic sex and their associations with sexual risk behaviors among men who have sex with men (MSM) having a regular male sex partner (RP) in China. A cross-sectional telephone survey was conducted among 530 MSM recruited through multiple sources in Hong Kong, China, between April and December 2020. This study was based on a subsample of 368 participants who had an RP in the past 6 months. Logistic regression models were fitted. Among the participants, 27.2%, 13.0%, and 3.0% had a closed agreement, an in-between agreement, and an open agreement, respectively. Compared to no agreement, a closed agreement was associated with fewer extra-dyadic partners and fewer instances of condomless sex with extra-dyadic partners. Those who had more positive attitudes toward a closed agreement, perceived more support from significant others to create a closed agreement, and perceived higher behavioral control of refraining from sex with extra-dyadic partners were more likely to have a closed agreement with RP. Those who were concerned that a closed agreement would impair freedom and sexual desire were less likely to have such an agreement. A closed agreement is a potentially useful risk reduction strategy for Chinese MSM with an RP.

Strategies to Assess the Effect of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure on Long-Term Clinically Important Outcomes among Patients with Symptomatic Obstructive Sleep Apnea: An Official American Thoracic Society Workshop Report.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the first-line treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Although CPAP improves symptoms (e.g., daytime sleepiness), there is a lack of high-quality evidence that CPAP prevents many long-term outcomes, including cognitive impairment, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Observational studies suggest that patients with symptoms may be particularly likely to experience these preventive benefits with CPAP, but ethical and practical concerns limited the participation of such patients in prior long-term randomized trials. As a result, there is uncertainty about the full benefits of CPAP, and resolving this uncertainty is a key priority for the field. This workshop assembled clinicians, researchers, ethicists, and patients to identify strategies to understand the causal effects of CPAP on long-term clinically important outcomes among patients with symptomatic OSA. Quasi-experimental designs can provide valuable information and are less time and resource intensive than trials. Under specific conditions and assumptions, quasi-experimental studies may be able to provide causal estimates of CPAP's effectiveness from generalizable observational cohorts. However, randomized trials represent the most reliable approach to understanding the causal effects of CPAP among patients with symptoms. Randomized trials of CPAP can ethically include patients with symptomatic OSA, as long as there is outcome-specific equipoise, adequate informed consent, and a plan to maximize safety while minimizing harm (e.g., monitoring for pathologic sleepiness). Furthermore, multiple strategies exist to ensure the generalizability and practicality of future randomized trials of CPAP. These strategies include reducing the burden of trial procedures, improving patient-centeredness, and engaging historically excluded and underserved populations.

An Online Intervention Promoting HIV Testing Service Utilization Among Chinese men who have sex with men During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A quasi-experimental Study.

The COVID-19 pandemic created disruptions in HIV testing service utilization among men who have sex with men (MSM). The present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an online health promotion program implemented by a community-based organization (CBO) in increasing the uptake of any type of HIV testing and home-based HIV self-testing (HIVST) over a six-month follow-up period. Participants of an observational prospective cohort study conducted during the same period served as the comparison group. This study was conducted between September 2020 and December 2021. Participants were Chinese-speaking adult MSM who were HIV-negative/unknown sero-status recruited through multiple sources in Hong Kong, China. Participants in the intervention group were exposed to the following health promotion components: (1) viewing an online video promoting HIVST, (2) visiting the project webpage, and (3) having access to a chargeable HIVST service implemented by the CBO. Among 400 and 412 participants in the intervention group and the comparison group, 349 (87.3%) and 298 (72.3%) completed follow-up evaluation at Month 6. Multiple imputation was used to replace missing values. At Month 6, participants in the intervention group reported significantly higher uptake of any type of HIV testing (57.0% versus 49.0%, adjusted odds ratios [AOR]: 1.43, p = .03) and HIVST (25.8% versus 14.8%, AOR: 2.04, p = .001), as compared to those in the comparison group. Process evaluation of the health promotion components for the intervention group was positive. Promoting HIVST is a potentially useful strategy to increase HIV testing service utilization among Chinese MSM during the pandemic.

The burden of systemic corticosteroid use in asthma management in Asia.

For most patients, asthma can be effectively managed using inhaled medications. However, patients who have severe and/or uncontrolled asthma, or who experience exacerbations, may require systemic corticosteroids (SCSs) to maintain asthma control. Although SCS are highly effective in this regard, even modest exposure to these medications can increase the risk for long-term, adverse health outcomes, such as type 2 diabetes, renal impairment, cardiovascular disease and overall mortality. Clinical and real-world data from studies investigating asthma severity, control and treatment practices around the globe have suggested that SCS are overused in asthma management, adding to the already substantial healthcare burden experienced by patients. Throughout Asia, although data on asthma severity, control and SCS usage are limited and vary widely among countries, available data strongly suggest a pattern of overuse consistent with the broader global trend. Coordinated changes at the patient, provider, institutional and policy levels, such as increasing disease awareness, promoting better adherence to treatment guidelines and increasing availability of safe and effective alternatives to SCS, are likely necessary to reduce the SCS burden for patients with asthma in Asia.

Blood eosinophil percentage as a predictor of response to inhaled corticosteroid in bronchiectasis.

INTRODUCTION: The role of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) among patients with bronchiectasis remains controversial. There is limited evidence of using baseline eosinophil count (absolute and percentage) as a marker to predict the role of ICS among patients with bronchiectasis. METHODS: A retrospective case-control study was conducted in a major regional hospital and tertiary respiratory referral centre in Hong Kong, including 140 Chinese patients with noncystic fibrosis (CF) bronchiectasis, to investigate the exacerbation risks of bronchiectasis among ICS users and nonusers with different baseline eosinophil counts. RESULTS: ICS user had significantly lower risk to develop bronchiectasis exacerbation with adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 0.461 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.225-0.945, p-value 0.035). Univariate logistic regression was performed for different cut-offs of blood eosinophil count (by percentage) from 2% to 4% (with a 0.5% grid each time). Baseline eosinophil 3.5% was found to be the best cut-off among all with adjusted OR of 0.138 (95% CI = 0.023-0.822, p-value = 0.030). CONCLUSION: Baseline eosinophil count of 3.5% might serve as a marker to predict the benefits of ICS on exacerbation risk among patients with non-CF bronchiectasis.

Prediction model on disease recurrence for low risk resected stage I lung adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Although stage I non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) typically carries a good prognosis following complete resection, early disease recurrence can occur. An accurate survival prediction model would help refine a follow-up strategy and personalize future adjuvant therapy. We developed a post-operative prediction model based on readily available clinical information for patients with stage I adenocarcinoma. METHODS: We retrospectively studied the disease-free survival (DFS) of 408 patients with pathologically confirmed low-risk stage I adenocarcinoma of lung who underwent curative resection from 2013 to 2017. A tree-based method was employed to partition the cohort into subgroups with distinct DFS outcome and stepwise risk ratio. These covariates were included in multivariate analysis to build a scoring system to predict disease recurrence. The model was subsequently validated using a 2011-2012 cohort. RESULTS: Non-smoker status, stage IA disease, epidermal-growth factor receptor mutants and female gender were associated with better DFS. Multivariate analysis identified smoking status, disease stage and gender as factors necessary for the scoring system and yielded 3 distinct risk groups for DFS [99.4 (95% CI 78.3-125.3), 62.9 (95% CI 48.2-82.0), 33.7 (95% CI 24.6-46.1) months, p < 0.005]. External validation yielded an area under the curve by receiver operating characteristic analysis of 0.863 (95% CI 0.755-0.972). CONCLUSION: The model could categorize post-operative patients using readily available clinical information, and may help personalize a follow-up strategy and future adjuvant therapy.

SARS-CoV-2 infection aggravates cigarette smoke-exposed cell damage in primary human airway epithelia.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has become a worldwide pandemic with over 627 million cases and over 6.5 million deaths. It was reported that smoking-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) might be a crucial risk for COVID-19 patients to develop severe condition. As cigarette smoke (CS) is the major risk factor for COPD, we hypothesize that barrier dysfunction and an altered cytokine response in CS-exposed airway epithelial cells may contribute to increased SARS-CoV-2-induced immune response that may result in increased susceptibility to severe disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of CS on SARS-CoV-2-induced immune and inflammatory responses, and epithelial barrier integrity leading to airway epithelial damage. METHODS: Primary human airway epithelial cells were differentiated under air-liquid interface culture. Cells were then exposed to cigarette smoke medium (CSM) before infection with SARS-CoV-2 isolated from a local patient. The infection susceptibility, morphology, and the expression of genes related to host immune response, airway inflammation and damages were evaluated. RESULTS: Cells pre-treated with CSM significantly caused higher replication of SARS-CoV-2 and more severe SARS-CoV-2-induced cellular morphological alteration. CSM exposure caused significant upregulation of long form angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)2, a functional receptor for SARS-CoV-2 viral entry, transmembrane serine protease (TMPRSS)2 and TMPRSS4, which cleave the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 to allow viral entry, leading to an aggravated immune response via inhibition of type I interferon pathway. In addition, CSM worsened SARS-CoV-2-induced airway epithelial cell damage, resulting in severe motile ciliary disorder, junctional disruption and mucus hypersecretion. CONCLUSION: Smoking led to dysregulation of host immune response and cell damage as seen in SARS-CoV-2-infected primary human airway epithelia. These findings may contribute to increased disease susceptibility with severe condition and provide a better understanding of the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 infection in smokers.

Real-World Study on Effectiveness of Molnupiravir and Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir in Unvaccinated Patients with Chronic Respiratory Diseases with Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 Infection Managed in Out-Patient Setting.

While molnupiravir (MOV) and nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (NMV-r) were developed for treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 infection, there has been a lack of data on the efficacy among unvaccinated adult patients with chronic respiratory diseases, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchiectasis. A territory-wide retrospective cohort study was conducted in Hong Kong to investigate the efficacy of MOV and NMV-r against severe outcomes of COVID-19 in unvaccinated adult patients with chronic respiratory diseases. A total of 3267 patients were included. NMV-r was effective in preventing respiratory failure (66.6%; 95% CI, 25.6-85.0%, p = 0.007), severe respiratory failure (77.0%; 95% CI, 6.9-94.3%, p = 0.039) with statistical significance, and COVID-19 related hospitalization (43.9%; 95% CI, -1.7-69.0%, p = 0.057) and in-hospital mortality (62.7%; 95% CI, -0.6-86.2, p = 0.051) with borderline statistical significance. MOV was effective in preventing COVID-19 related severe respiratory failure (48.2%; 95% CI 0.5-73.0, p = 0.048) and in-hospital mortality (58.3%; 95% CI 22.9-77.4, p = 0.005) but not hospitalization (p = 0.16) and respiratory failure (p = 0.10). In summary, both NMV-r and MOV are effective for reducing severe outcomes in unvaccinated COVID-19 patients with chronic respiratory diseases.

A Multi-Center Study of the Prevalence and Characteristics of Eosinophilic Phenotype and High IgE Levels Among Chinese Patients with Severe Asthma.

Background: Patients with severe asthma have higher total- and asthma-related health burden than those whose disease is not severe. Recent medical advances in biologic therapies allow better control of asthma characterized by type 2 inflammation. Objective: To study the prevalence of eosinophilic phenotype and IgE levels in Chinese with severe asthma, and the relationship of these type 2 characteristics with asthma control, exacerbations and lung function. Methods: This was a multicenter cross-sectional observational study in Hong Kong, in Chinese adults with asthma on Step 4 or 5 of GINA treatment. Their blood eosinophil counts and total IgE levels were measured, and the relationship of these phenotypic parameters to the number of exacerbations in the past 12 months, and to symptom control in the past 4 weeks, were investigated. Results: A total of 232 subjects were recruited from 6 centers. The mean age was 53.9±12.9 years, with 86 (37.1%) male, and the duration of diagnosed asthma was 26.2±15.7 years. A T-helper 2 (Th2) phenotype indicated by elevated eosinophils and/or IgE was present in 169 (72.8%) of patients. Of 232 patients, 43% had an eosinophilic phenotype (blood eosinophil count ≥300 cell/mm3), while 59% had high total IgE levels of >100 IU/mL (overlap with eosinophilic phenotype in 30%) and 44% had IgE levels of >150 IU/mL (overlap with eosinophilic phenotype in 22%). Subjects with eosinophilic phenotype and IgE >150 IU/mL had a higher rate (1.8 times) of uncontrolled asthma compared with those without such a combination. Conclusion: In Chinese adults with severe asthma defined by the use of conventional maintenance medication regimens, the prevalence of Th2 inflammation is comparable to that reported from other ethnic populations. Those with both eosinophil count ≥300 cell/mm3 and high IgE levels >150 IU/mL had a higher rate of uncontrolled asthma compared with those without a combination of these features.

Worsening of asthma control after recovery from mild to moderate COVID-19 in patients from Hong Kong.

BACKGROUND: While there are postulations that asthma is potentially associated with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), there has been conflicting results from studies on the impact mild-to-moderate COVID-19 on asthma control after recovery. METHODS: A case control study on the association between mild-to-moderate COVID-19 and asthma control post infection was conducted. The primary outcome was a reduction in Asthma Control Test (ACT) score by ≥ 3 points post-COVID infection. The secondary outcomes included the change in ACT score, the proportion of patient with ACT score who dropped to ≤ 15 on enrolment visit and the need for escalation of asthma maintenance therapy. RESULTS: Out of the total of 221 adult patients with asthma recruited, 111 had mild-to-moderate COVID-19 within 30 to 270 days prior to study enrolment. The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for a reduction in ACT score by ≥ 3 points after COVID-19 was 3.105 (95% CI = 1.385-6.959, p = 0.006). The odds of escalation of asthma maintenance therapy by at least 1 Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) step was 4.733 (95% CI = 1.151-19.467, p = 0.031) and asthma patient are more likely to become uncontrolled after COVID-19 [aOR = 5.509 (95% CI = 1.061-28.600, p = 0.042)]. CONCLUSION: Mild-to-moderate COVID-19 among asthma patients, upon recovery, was associated with worsening of asthma symptom, lower ACT score, a higher need for escalation of asthma maintenance therapy and more uncontrolled asthma.

Changes in Etiology and Clinical Outcomes of Pleural empyema during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Healthcare-seeking behavior changed during the COVID-19 pandemic and might alter the epidemiology of pleural empyema. In this study, the incidence, etiology and outcomes of patients admitted for pleural empyema in Hong Kong in the pre-COVID-19 (January 2015-December 2019) and post-COVID-19 (January 2020-June 2022) periods were compared. Overall, Streptococcus pneumoniae was the predominant organism in <18-year-old patients, while Streptococcus anginosus, anaerobes and polymicrobial infections were more frequent in adults. In the post-COVID-19 period, a marked decline in the incidence of pleural empyema in children was observed (pre-COVID-19, 18.4 ± 4.8 vs. post-COVID-19, 2.0 ± 2.9 cases per year, p = 0.036), while the incidence in adults remained similar (pre-COVID-19, 189.0 ± 17.2 vs. post-COVID-19, 198.4 ± 5.0 cases per year; p = 0.23). In the post-COVID-19 period, polymicrobial etiology increased (OR 11.37, p < 0.0001), while S. pneumoniae etiology decreased (OR 0.073, p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, clinical outcomes (length of stay, ICU admission, use of intrapleural fibrinolytic therapy, surgical intervention, death) were not significantly different in pre- and post-COVID-19 periods. In conclusion, an increase in polymicrobial pleural empyema was observed during the pandemic. We postulate that this is related to the delayed presentation of pneumonia to hospitals.