1.International Health Regulations (2005) facilitate communication for in-flight contacts of a Middle East respiratory syndrome case, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, 2014
Kwok-ming Poon ; Miu-ling Wong ; Yiu-hong Leung ; Ka-wai Sin ; May-kei Liza To ; Shuk-kwan Chuang
Western Pacific Surveillance and Response 2015;6(1):62-65
The International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) require World Health Organization Member States to notify events fulfilling two of four criteria: (1) serious public health impact; (2) unusual or unexpected event; (3) significant risk of international spread; or (4) significant risk of international travel or trade restrictions. In-flight transmission of infections like severe acute respiratory syndrome is well documented. With the enormous amount of air travel today, the risk of increasing in-flight transmission and subsequent international spread of infections are increasing. Prompt notification and information sharing under the IHR mechanism is critical for effective contact tracing and prompt control measures. We report on a case of in-flight exposure to an infection with significant public health risks that was successfully resolved using IHR (2005) guidelines.
3.Evaluation of the relationship between cardiac calcification and cardiovascular disease using the echocardiographic calcium score in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis: a cross-sectional study.
Ho-Kwan SIN ; Ping-Nam WONG ; Kin-Yee LO ; Man-Wai LO ; Shuk-Fan CHAN ; Kwok-Chi LO ; Yuk-Yi WONG ; Lo-Yi HO ; Wing-Tung KWOK ; Kai-Chun CHAN ; Andrew Kui-Man WONG ; Siu-Ka MAK
Singapore medical journal 2023;64(6):379-384
INTRODUCTION:
An echocardiographic calcium score (ECS) predicts cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the general population. Its utility in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients is unknown.
METHODS:
This cross-sectional study assessed 125 patients on PD. The ECS (range 0-8) was compared between subjects with CVD and those without.
RESULTS:
Among the subjects, 54 had CVD and 71 did not. Subjects with CVD were older (69 years vs. 56 years, P < 0.001) and had a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) (81.5% vs. 45.1%, P < 0.001). They had lower diastolic blood pressure (72 mmHg vs. 81 mmHg, P < 0.001), lower phosphate (1.6 mmol/L vs. 1.9 mmol/L, P = 0.002), albumin (30 g/L vs. 32 g/L, P = 0.001), parathyroid hormone (34.4 pmol/L vs. 55.8 pmol/L, P = 0.002), total cholesterol (4.5 vs. 4.9, P = 0.047), LDL cholesterol (2.4 mmol/L vs. 2.8 mmol/L, P = 0.019) and HDL cholesterol (0.8 mmol/L vs. 1.1 mmol/L, P = 0.002). The ECS was found to be higher in subjects with CVD than in those without (2 vs. 1, P = 0.001). On multivariate analysis, only DM and age were independently associated with CVD.
CONCLUSION
The ECS was significantly higher in PD patients with CVD than in those without, reflecting a higher vascular calcification burden in the former. It is a potentially useful tool to quantify vascular calcification in PD patients.
Humans
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Cardiovascular Diseases/diagnostic imaging*
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Cross-Sectional Studies
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Calcium
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Peritoneal Dialysis/adverse effects*
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Vascular Calcification/epidemiology*
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Echocardiography