Zhonghua Minguo xiao er ke yi xue hui za zhi [Journal]. Zhonghua Minguo xiao er ke yi xue hui
A three-day-old female infant was transferred to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit with chief pre... more A three-day-old female infant was transferred to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit with chief presenting problems of progressive change of cyanosis and respiratory distress. Physical examination revealed tachypnea, acrocyanosis, hepatomegaly, undetectable pulse of extremities and oozing over the place of venous puncture. Chest roentgenograms revealed slight cardiomegaly; other X-rays were within normal limits. Complete electrocardiograms showed right axis deviation and right ventricular hypertrophy. Because of an impression of neonatal sepsis, the patient was put in an incubator with oxygen and antibiotics were given. Persistent anuria appeared associated with sighs of cardiac and renal failure; the ventilator was applied; dopamine and lasix were also given. Unfortunately, the cyanosis worsened progressive. Despite several attempts at resuscitations, the infant expired eight hours later. Pathology disclosed the heart size as normal; hypoplasia of ascending aorta as 0.4 cm in diamete...
, six boys with chronic granulomatous disease were diagnosed in our institutions. Their clinical ... more , six boys with chronic granulomatous disease were diagnosed in our institutions. Their clinical features were reviewed in order to delineate the pattern of infections which seems to have both similarities and differences when compared with published reports of Caucasian patients. The most striking difference was the lack of skin sepsis and chronic lymphadenitis in our six patients. Gram-negative organisms were the commonest pathogens while Staphylococci sp. were not isolated. Clinical features which should alert one to the diagnosis were a(so highlighted. Prophylactic co-trimoxazole was effective in reducing the frequency of bacterial infections. Early diagnosis is not only essential for optimal patient management but also for genetic counselling for the extended family.
Sir: Several invest igators have previously shown an associat ion of cer ta in h u m a n leucocyt... more Sir: Several invest igators have previously shown an associat ion of cer ta in h u m a n leucocyte ant igens ( H L A ) with Kawasaki disease including H L A B w 2 2 in Japanese [1] and H L A B 5 1 in Caucasians [3]. To date the re have b e e n no repor ted investigat ions of the possible associat ion of H L A ant igens with Kawasaki disease in Chinese chi ldren. We the re fo re looked for an H L A associat ion in 62 pa t ien ts of Sou the rn Chinese origin living in H o n g Kong. A tota l of 62 pa t ien ts (38 males, 24 females) were diagnosed as having Kawasaki disease according to the diagnost ic cri teria of the J apan Kawasaki Disease Resea rch Commi t t ee [6]. Cont ro ls consisted of 100 normal adults selected on the basis of thei r origin in Sou the rn China or H o n g Kong. H L A typing for H L A A , -B and D R ant igens was pe r fo rmed using a s tandard lymphocyte microcytotoxici ty technique . Statistical analysis was by chi-square test. The results are shown in Table 1. None of the H L A A , -B or D R ant igens in our pa t ien ts showed significant differences in p reva lence compared with normal controls . This is in contras t to previous findings in o the r e thnic groups. Kato et al. [1] found a significant increase in the f requency of H L A B w 2 2 in a group of 205 Japanese pat ients compared with no rma l controls (25.4% versus 11.8%) a l though Ma t suda et al. [5] had found no significant difference f rom controls in 32 Japanese pat ients . In our s tudy of 62 pat ients, the f requency of H L A B w 2 2 was similar in pa t ien ts and controls , even w h e n the ant igen was split in to its subtypes of HLA-Bw54, -Bw55, and -Bw56 (data not shown). In Caucasians, a study of 23 pat ients in Boston, Un i t ed States of Amer ica [3] showed a significant associat ion of H L A B 51 with Kawasaki disease wi th a relat ive risk of 14.8. H L A B 51 has also b e e n shown to be associated with the disease in 12 Jewish Israeli chi ldren [2]. In our s tudy the re was no significant difference be tween pa t ien ts and controls in the f requency of H L A B51 or of any o the r H L A B 5 sub-group (data no t shown). Krensky et al. [4] in a study of 51 Caucas ian pat ients with Kawasaki disease showed that 80% of patients presenting during an endemic per iod were H L A B 5 (70% HLA-Bw51) whereas there were no H L A B 5 individuals dur ing an epidemic period. The re was, however , an increased preva lence of H L A B w 4 4 dur ing the epidemic [4]. All of our cases were endemic and no s t a t emen t could be drawn on the dis t r ibut ion of H L A B w 4 4 in our study. In conclusion we did not find any associat ion of H L A antigen with Kawasaki disease in Sou the rn Chinese .
Hong Kong medical journal = Xianggang yi xue za zhi / Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, 2006
To verify the usefulness of the BiliCheck transcutaneous bilirubin meter as a screening device fo... more To verify the usefulness of the BiliCheck transcutaneous bilirubin meter as a screening device for neonatal jaundice in a Chinese population compared with the Minolta bilirubin meter. A prospective correlation study that compared transcutaneous bilirubin measurements with serum bilirubin levels. Obstetric ward and a neonatal unit of a regional hospital in Hong Kong. Neonates with gestation above 32 weeks with neonatal jaundice who were admitted between April 2001 and February 2002. Transcutaneous measurements of serum bilirubin obtained from the forehead and the sternum with two instruments: BiliCheck and Minolta Airshields JM 102. A total of 77 term and six near-term babies (gestation, 32-37 weeks) were recruited. The mean age at the time of data collection was 3.96 days (range, 2-9 days). The correlations between serum bilirubin and transcutaneous bilirubin measurements of the two devices at the two sites were high, with a coefficient of 0.718 (95% confidence interval, 0.610-0.800...
Hong Kong medical journal = Xianggang yi xue za zhi / Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, 2004
Congenital long QT syndrome is a rare hereditary disease that is related to the dysfunction of io... more Congenital long QT syndrome is a rare hereditary disease that is related to the dysfunction of ion channels in cardiac cells. We report on a very rare case of its autosomal recessive form--the Jervell-Lange Nielsen syndrome--in a Pakistani family, which was diagnosed after the incidental finding of bradycardia in a newborn baby girl. We discuss the range of presentations in neonates; the importance of strong suspicion of the syndrome and family screening; the use of the diagnostic criteria and genetic tests; and the different management strategies.
Hong Kong medical journal = Xianggang yi xue za zhi / Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, 2003
A 4-year-old boy presented with multiple tuberous xanthomata and a fasting plasma sterol concentr... more A 4-year-old boy presented with multiple tuberous xanthomata and a fasting plasma sterol concentration of 18.3 mmol/L, consisting primarily of cholesterol. Two months after changing from an unrestricted diet to a cholesterol-lowering diet, the plasma sterol concentration decreased to 4 mmol/L. Fasting plasma cholesterol levels for his father and mother were 7.3 mmol/L and 6.0 mmol/L, respectively. The degree and rapidity of the child's response to dietary control, together with the fasting cholesterol results of both parents suggested a diagnosis of sitosterolaemia. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry of the patient's plasma sterol levels showed that the percentage of beta-sitosterol was raised at 12.76%, as was campesterol (6.26%), and stigmasterol (0.71%), confirming the diagnosis of sitosterolaemia. The addition of cholestyramine 4 g/day to a low sterol diet maintained the plasma sterol concentration at 4 to 5 mmol/L, and gradual regression of the xanthoma was observ...
Since 1992. imipctietn/cilastatiii has been the antibiotic of choice t o trcat nowcoinial infecti... more Since 1992. imipctietn/cilastatiii has been the antibiotic of choice t o trcat nowcoinial infection in the neonatal intensive care unit (N I C U) of Princess Margaret Hospital due to the cincrfence of pathogens such as Acir~erobri~trr. or EJlrr,rhLicrrr that are resistant to most other antibiotics. (Imipeneni will he used throughout this article to mean iniipenem/cila~tatin.) Itnipenem is usually started empirically in cases of wspected infection before positive cultures came back. The safety of ~1st' of h i p e n e m in adults has been well proven and side effects well documented in large-scale studies in which thousands of subjects have been recruited. However. studies on the safety profile in neonates have recruited far fewer patients. The biggest reports are that of Fujii-R t't d.' and Stuart (' r ti/.' and the sample sizes were 160 and 80. respectively. Because iniipenem has been used frequently in our NICU, a good number of cases has been accumulated. Retrospective review of these cases will contribute to a more complete picture of the safety profile of imipeneni in nem horns and the aim is to evaluate the adverse effects of iinipenem lvhen used in a NICU. Methods The hospital records of the NICU from 1997 to 1995 were re\ iewed and the followitif events noted: renal failure. hypotenxion. convulsion. eosinophilia. raised alanine aminotransferase. raised creatinine. and raised or decreased platelets. When thcse possible side effects were found. the circumstances were studied and alternative explanations for the occurrence of the events were sought before they were attributcd to imipenem.
Careful examination and assessment of penile length in the newborn is important because micropeni... more Careful examination and assessment of penile length in the newborn is important because micropenis is associated with hypothalamic disorders. This prospective cross-sectional study was designed to establish the norm of penile length for term Hong Kong Chinese newborns. 4,628 full-term healthy male newborns were enrolled in the study. Penile length was measured from pubic ramus to the tip of the glans penis by placing the end of a straight edge ruler against the pubic ramus. A gestation-associated graph of 3rd, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th and 97th centiles for the penile length was created. The penile length was significantly correlated with gestational age, birth weight and body length. When compared with published data for other populations, Hong Kong newborns have significantly shorter penile length. The norm of the penile length is useful in diagnostic and therapeutics for the ethnic Chinese male newborns.
Objectives: To provide an overall pattern of morbidity in unintentional residential childhood inj... more Objectives: To provide an overall pattern of morbidity in unintentional residential childhood injuries (URCI) in Hong Kong. Methodology: A cross-sectional telephone survey on caregivers of children aged under 16-years and adolescents suffering from URCI and admitted into three selected local Accident and Emergency Departments. Results: Falls, cuts and scalds were the most common external causes among URCI observed, while boys predominated in the sample population. Most of the observed URCI were of moderate to mild severity. Children of new immigrant mothers were more likely to receive first aid immediately after the incidents. Parents were aware of potentially injurious behaviour and intervened on occasion, but most resorted to verbal warnings only. Conclusions: Prevalence of falls among observed URCI offers evidence in support of the hypothesis that high population density in Hong Kong plays an integral role in understanding mechanism of morbidity. Parents show concern about URCI but often lack substantial action that modify injury risk. Considering the local injury differentials, active prevention effort such as behavioural interventions and education for parents, exhibits more potential to the prevention priorities observed.
Experience with typhoid fever in 111 children over a 5-year period was reviewed. There were 66 bo... more Experience with typhoid fever in 111 children over a 5-year period was reviewed. There were 66 boys and 45 girls, ranging in age from 1 to 11.5 years. The symptoms of typhoid fever were quite non-specific. Fever was the most common presenting symptom (in 98.3%). Other common presenting features were diarrhoea (25.7%), constipation (22%), vomiting (21.10/0), cough (25%), abdominal pain (27.5%), headache (9.2%), epistaxis, meningism and convulsions. Rose spots were detected in 2OVo of cases, occurring mainly during the first 2 weeks of illness. Significant Widal reactions were present in 84.7% of cases. Blood and stool cultures were positive in 57% and 44% of cases, respectively. Peripheral blood white cell counts were not found to be of great diagnostic value. Chloramphenicol remained the drug of choice in the treatment of typhoid fever. It was more effective than ampicillin or co-trimoxazole. Complications were uncommon, occurring in only two patients. There were two deaths; both were admitted late and in moribund state. Early diagnosis and treatment is vital in typhoid fever and, as the presenting features are non-specific, a high index of suspicion is required.
Objectives-This study describes 7813 childhood injuries in Shatin, Hong Kong. Supplementary analy... more Objectives-This study describes 7813 childhood injuries in Shatin, Hong Kong. Supplementary analyses include developmental specificity of external causes and comparison with international childhood injury data. Methods-Children aged 0-15 attending the accident and emergency (A&E) department of the Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong were recruited for the study. Attendance records of participants from the A&E department were analyzed. Details concerning the injury, including the International Classification of Diseases, ninth revision, external cause of injury (E code), nature of injury (N code), abbreviated injury scale, and injury severity scale constitute core measurements, along with participants' age, gender, and respective A&E procedural data. Results-Males (65.7%) and fall related injuries (44.2%) predominate, while contusion (34.6%) is the prevailing nature of injury. Two age external cause dimensions are derived from a correspondence analysis. Children 0-1 years old are associated with falls, poisoning, scalds, and machinery related injury. Adolescents aged 12-15 are associated with motor related injury, animal related injury, and cuts/piercings. In comparison with international data, unintentional child injuries in Hong Kong comprised more falls but fewer poisonings and burns. Conclusion-A large proportion of falls, along with low proportion of poisonings and burns, are characteristics of childhood injury profile in Hong Kong. From the results of age external cause correspondence analysis, prevention strategies for diVerent external cause should be developmentally specific.
RELEVANT LOCAL INJURY EPIDEMIOLOGY: In Hong Kong, there were, on average, about 19 596 traffic cr... more RELEVANT LOCAL INJURY EPIDEMIOLOGY: In Hong Kong, there were, on average, about 19 596 traffic crashes involving 157 deaths and 21 106 injured persons each year between 2006 and 2011. Scientific analyses were conducted by geographers and engineers primarily using the police crash database. Medical professionals have been analysing road traffic injury data from hospital discharge summaries. Moreover, community leaders have been trying to promote local safe communities. This paper describes the effort of a multidisciplinary team to address road safety problems and to sustain road safety benefits through a public health approach. The multidisciplinary team comprised a geographer, an engineer, medical professionals and community leaders. The project covered four tasks, namely data integration, identification of hazardous road locations, crash analysis and engineering study, and knowledge exchange through various activities involving a WHO-designated local safe community. The crash and hospital databases for a district in Hong Kong with 500 000 population were integrated. Based on the integrated database, the public health and people-based approach was adopted to identify hazardous road locations--hot zones--using geographical information systems. Specific hot zones having strong patterns of common factors were considered as treatable locations with a combination of low-cost remedial measures. The benefits of the project are sustained through various activities engaging the general public and major stakeholders. More research should be conducted on how institutional support, scientific research and community involvement can be fruitfully combined to achieve the ultimate goal of sustained road safety benefits for people at the community level.
Asia Pacific Journal of Social Work and Development, 2004
The cause of immense social cohesion among Hong Kong citizens and organisations during the SARS e... more The cause of immense social cohesion among Hong Kong citizens and organisations during the SARS epidemic and the existing literature were reviewed. The authors argue that the key to success in community involvement and mobilisation toward infectious disease control requires a closer research study especially by psychosocial professionals working in synchrony with the medical and scientific community. The agenda for
Zhonghua Minguo xiao er ke yi xue hui za zhi [Journal]. Zhonghua Minguo xiao er ke yi xue hui
A three-day-old female infant was transferred to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit with chief pre... more A three-day-old female infant was transferred to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit with chief presenting problems of progressive change of cyanosis and respiratory distress. Physical examination revealed tachypnea, acrocyanosis, hepatomegaly, undetectable pulse of extremities and oozing over the place of venous puncture. Chest roentgenograms revealed slight cardiomegaly; other X-rays were within normal limits. Complete electrocardiograms showed right axis deviation and right ventricular hypertrophy. Because of an impression of neonatal sepsis, the patient was put in an incubator with oxygen and antibiotics were given. Persistent anuria appeared associated with sighs of cardiac and renal failure; the ventilator was applied; dopamine and lasix were also given. Unfortunately, the cyanosis worsened progressive. Despite several attempts at resuscitations, the infant expired eight hours later. Pathology disclosed the heart size as normal; hypoplasia of ascending aorta as 0.4 cm in diamete...
, six boys with chronic granulomatous disease were diagnosed in our institutions. Their clinical ... more , six boys with chronic granulomatous disease were diagnosed in our institutions. Their clinical features were reviewed in order to delineate the pattern of infections which seems to have both similarities and differences when compared with published reports of Caucasian patients. The most striking difference was the lack of skin sepsis and chronic lymphadenitis in our six patients. Gram-negative organisms were the commonest pathogens while Staphylococci sp. were not isolated. Clinical features which should alert one to the diagnosis were a(so highlighted. Prophylactic co-trimoxazole was effective in reducing the frequency of bacterial infections. Early diagnosis is not only essential for optimal patient management but also for genetic counselling for the extended family.
Sir: Several invest igators have previously shown an associat ion of cer ta in h u m a n leucocyt... more Sir: Several invest igators have previously shown an associat ion of cer ta in h u m a n leucocyte ant igens ( H L A ) with Kawasaki disease including H L A B w 2 2 in Japanese [1] and H L A B 5 1 in Caucasians [3]. To date the re have b e e n no repor ted investigat ions of the possible associat ion of H L A ant igens with Kawasaki disease in Chinese chi ldren. We the re fo re looked for an H L A associat ion in 62 pa t ien ts of Sou the rn Chinese origin living in H o n g Kong. A tota l of 62 pa t ien ts (38 males, 24 females) were diagnosed as having Kawasaki disease according to the diagnost ic cri teria of the J apan Kawasaki Disease Resea rch Commi t t ee [6]. Cont ro ls consisted of 100 normal adults selected on the basis of thei r origin in Sou the rn China or H o n g Kong. H L A typing for H L A A , -B and D R ant igens was pe r fo rmed using a s tandard lymphocyte microcytotoxici ty technique . Statistical analysis was by chi-square test. The results are shown in Table 1. None of the H L A A , -B or D R ant igens in our pa t ien ts showed significant differences in p reva lence compared with normal controls . This is in contras t to previous findings in o the r e thnic groups. Kato et al. [1] found a significant increase in the f requency of H L A B w 2 2 in a group of 205 Japanese pat ients compared with no rma l controls (25.4% versus 11.8%) a l though Ma t suda et al. [5] had found no significant difference f rom controls in 32 Japanese pat ients . In our s tudy of 62 pat ients, the f requency of H L A B w 2 2 was similar in pa t ien ts and controls , even w h e n the ant igen was split in to its subtypes of HLA-Bw54, -Bw55, and -Bw56 (data not shown). In Caucasians, a study of 23 pat ients in Boston, Un i t ed States of Amer ica [3] showed a significant associat ion of H L A B 51 with Kawasaki disease wi th a relat ive risk of 14.8. H L A B 51 has also b e e n shown to be associated with the disease in 12 Jewish Israeli chi ldren [2]. In our s tudy the re was no significant difference be tween pa t ien ts and controls in the f requency of H L A B51 or of any o the r H L A B 5 sub-group (data no t shown). Krensky et al. [4] in a study of 51 Caucas ian pat ients with Kawasaki disease showed that 80% of patients presenting during an endemic per iod were H L A B 5 (70% HLA-Bw51) whereas there were no H L A B 5 individuals dur ing an epidemic period. The re was, however , an increased preva lence of H L A B w 4 4 dur ing the epidemic [4]. All of our cases were endemic and no s t a t emen t could be drawn on the dis t r ibut ion of H L A B w 4 4 in our study. In conclusion we did not find any associat ion of H L A antigen with Kawasaki disease in Sou the rn Chinese .
Hong Kong medical journal = Xianggang yi xue za zhi / Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, 2006
To verify the usefulness of the BiliCheck transcutaneous bilirubin meter as a screening device fo... more To verify the usefulness of the BiliCheck transcutaneous bilirubin meter as a screening device for neonatal jaundice in a Chinese population compared with the Minolta bilirubin meter. A prospective correlation study that compared transcutaneous bilirubin measurements with serum bilirubin levels. Obstetric ward and a neonatal unit of a regional hospital in Hong Kong. Neonates with gestation above 32 weeks with neonatal jaundice who were admitted between April 2001 and February 2002. Transcutaneous measurements of serum bilirubin obtained from the forehead and the sternum with two instruments: BiliCheck and Minolta Airshields JM 102. A total of 77 term and six near-term babies (gestation, 32-37 weeks) were recruited. The mean age at the time of data collection was 3.96 days (range, 2-9 days). The correlations between serum bilirubin and transcutaneous bilirubin measurements of the two devices at the two sites were high, with a coefficient of 0.718 (95% confidence interval, 0.610-0.800...
Hong Kong medical journal = Xianggang yi xue za zhi / Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, 2004
Congenital long QT syndrome is a rare hereditary disease that is related to the dysfunction of io... more Congenital long QT syndrome is a rare hereditary disease that is related to the dysfunction of ion channels in cardiac cells. We report on a very rare case of its autosomal recessive form--the Jervell-Lange Nielsen syndrome--in a Pakistani family, which was diagnosed after the incidental finding of bradycardia in a newborn baby girl. We discuss the range of presentations in neonates; the importance of strong suspicion of the syndrome and family screening; the use of the diagnostic criteria and genetic tests; and the different management strategies.
Hong Kong medical journal = Xianggang yi xue za zhi / Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, 2003
A 4-year-old boy presented with multiple tuberous xanthomata and a fasting plasma sterol concentr... more A 4-year-old boy presented with multiple tuberous xanthomata and a fasting plasma sterol concentration of 18.3 mmol/L, consisting primarily of cholesterol. Two months after changing from an unrestricted diet to a cholesterol-lowering diet, the plasma sterol concentration decreased to 4 mmol/L. Fasting plasma cholesterol levels for his father and mother were 7.3 mmol/L and 6.0 mmol/L, respectively. The degree and rapidity of the child's response to dietary control, together with the fasting cholesterol results of both parents suggested a diagnosis of sitosterolaemia. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry of the patient's plasma sterol levels showed that the percentage of beta-sitosterol was raised at 12.76%, as was campesterol (6.26%), and stigmasterol (0.71%), confirming the diagnosis of sitosterolaemia. The addition of cholestyramine 4 g/day to a low sterol diet maintained the plasma sterol concentration at 4 to 5 mmol/L, and gradual regression of the xanthoma was observ...
Since 1992. imipctietn/cilastatiii has been the antibiotic of choice t o trcat nowcoinial infecti... more Since 1992. imipctietn/cilastatiii has been the antibiotic of choice t o trcat nowcoinial infection in the neonatal intensive care unit (N I C U) of Princess Margaret Hospital due to the cincrfence of pathogens such as Acir~erobri~trr. or EJlrr,rhLicrrr that are resistant to most other antibiotics. (Imipeneni will he used throughout this article to mean iniipenem/cila~tatin.) Itnipenem is usually started empirically in cases of wspected infection before positive cultures came back. The safety of ~1st' of h i p e n e m in adults has been well proven and side effects well documented in large-scale studies in which thousands of subjects have been recruited. However. studies on the safety profile in neonates have recruited far fewer patients. The biggest reports are that of Fujii-R t't d.' and Stuart (' r ti/.' and the sample sizes were 160 and 80. respectively. Because iniipenem has been used frequently in our NICU, a good number of cases has been accumulated. Retrospective review of these cases will contribute to a more complete picture of the safety profile of imipeneni in nem horns and the aim is to evaluate the adverse effects of iinipenem lvhen used in a NICU. Methods The hospital records of the NICU from 1997 to 1995 were re\ iewed and the followitif events noted: renal failure. hypotenxion. convulsion. eosinophilia. raised alanine aminotransferase. raised creatinine. and raised or decreased platelets. When thcse possible side effects were found. the circumstances were studied and alternative explanations for the occurrence of the events were sought before they were attributcd to imipenem.
Careful examination and assessment of penile length in the newborn is important because micropeni... more Careful examination and assessment of penile length in the newborn is important because micropenis is associated with hypothalamic disorders. This prospective cross-sectional study was designed to establish the norm of penile length for term Hong Kong Chinese newborns. 4,628 full-term healthy male newborns were enrolled in the study. Penile length was measured from pubic ramus to the tip of the glans penis by placing the end of a straight edge ruler against the pubic ramus. A gestation-associated graph of 3rd, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th and 97th centiles for the penile length was created. The penile length was significantly correlated with gestational age, birth weight and body length. When compared with published data for other populations, Hong Kong newborns have significantly shorter penile length. The norm of the penile length is useful in diagnostic and therapeutics for the ethnic Chinese male newborns.
Objectives: To provide an overall pattern of morbidity in unintentional residential childhood inj... more Objectives: To provide an overall pattern of morbidity in unintentional residential childhood injuries (URCI) in Hong Kong. Methodology: A cross-sectional telephone survey on caregivers of children aged under 16-years and adolescents suffering from URCI and admitted into three selected local Accident and Emergency Departments. Results: Falls, cuts and scalds were the most common external causes among URCI observed, while boys predominated in the sample population. Most of the observed URCI were of moderate to mild severity. Children of new immigrant mothers were more likely to receive first aid immediately after the incidents. Parents were aware of potentially injurious behaviour and intervened on occasion, but most resorted to verbal warnings only. Conclusions: Prevalence of falls among observed URCI offers evidence in support of the hypothesis that high population density in Hong Kong plays an integral role in understanding mechanism of morbidity. Parents show concern about URCI but often lack substantial action that modify injury risk. Considering the local injury differentials, active prevention effort such as behavioural interventions and education for parents, exhibits more potential to the prevention priorities observed.
Experience with typhoid fever in 111 children over a 5-year period was reviewed. There were 66 bo... more Experience with typhoid fever in 111 children over a 5-year period was reviewed. There were 66 boys and 45 girls, ranging in age from 1 to 11.5 years. The symptoms of typhoid fever were quite non-specific. Fever was the most common presenting symptom (in 98.3%). Other common presenting features were diarrhoea (25.7%), constipation (22%), vomiting (21.10/0), cough (25%), abdominal pain (27.5%), headache (9.2%), epistaxis, meningism and convulsions. Rose spots were detected in 2OVo of cases, occurring mainly during the first 2 weeks of illness. Significant Widal reactions were present in 84.7% of cases. Blood and stool cultures were positive in 57% and 44% of cases, respectively. Peripheral blood white cell counts were not found to be of great diagnostic value. Chloramphenicol remained the drug of choice in the treatment of typhoid fever. It was more effective than ampicillin or co-trimoxazole. Complications were uncommon, occurring in only two patients. There were two deaths; both were admitted late and in moribund state. Early diagnosis and treatment is vital in typhoid fever and, as the presenting features are non-specific, a high index of suspicion is required.
Objectives-This study describes 7813 childhood injuries in Shatin, Hong Kong. Supplementary analy... more Objectives-This study describes 7813 childhood injuries in Shatin, Hong Kong. Supplementary analyses include developmental specificity of external causes and comparison with international childhood injury data. Methods-Children aged 0-15 attending the accident and emergency (A&E) department of the Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong were recruited for the study. Attendance records of participants from the A&E department were analyzed. Details concerning the injury, including the International Classification of Diseases, ninth revision, external cause of injury (E code), nature of injury (N code), abbreviated injury scale, and injury severity scale constitute core measurements, along with participants' age, gender, and respective A&E procedural data. Results-Males (65.7%) and fall related injuries (44.2%) predominate, while contusion (34.6%) is the prevailing nature of injury. Two age external cause dimensions are derived from a correspondence analysis. Children 0-1 years old are associated with falls, poisoning, scalds, and machinery related injury. Adolescents aged 12-15 are associated with motor related injury, animal related injury, and cuts/piercings. In comparison with international data, unintentional child injuries in Hong Kong comprised more falls but fewer poisonings and burns. Conclusion-A large proportion of falls, along with low proportion of poisonings and burns, are characteristics of childhood injury profile in Hong Kong. From the results of age external cause correspondence analysis, prevention strategies for diVerent external cause should be developmentally specific.
RELEVANT LOCAL INJURY EPIDEMIOLOGY: In Hong Kong, there were, on average, about 19 596 traffic cr... more RELEVANT LOCAL INJURY EPIDEMIOLOGY: In Hong Kong, there were, on average, about 19 596 traffic crashes involving 157 deaths and 21 106 injured persons each year between 2006 and 2011. Scientific analyses were conducted by geographers and engineers primarily using the police crash database. Medical professionals have been analysing road traffic injury data from hospital discharge summaries. Moreover, community leaders have been trying to promote local safe communities. This paper describes the effort of a multidisciplinary team to address road safety problems and to sustain road safety benefits through a public health approach. The multidisciplinary team comprised a geographer, an engineer, medical professionals and community leaders. The project covered four tasks, namely data integration, identification of hazardous road locations, crash analysis and engineering study, and knowledge exchange through various activities involving a WHO-designated local safe community. The crash and hospital databases for a district in Hong Kong with 500 000 population were integrated. Based on the integrated database, the public health and people-based approach was adopted to identify hazardous road locations--hot zones--using geographical information systems. Specific hot zones having strong patterns of common factors were considered as treatable locations with a combination of low-cost remedial measures. The benefits of the project are sustained through various activities engaging the general public and major stakeholders. More research should be conducted on how institutional support, scientific research and community involvement can be fruitfully combined to achieve the ultimate goal of sustained road safety benefits for people at the community level.
Asia Pacific Journal of Social Work and Development, 2004
The cause of immense social cohesion among Hong Kong citizens and organisations during the SARS e... more The cause of immense social cohesion among Hong Kong citizens and organisations during the SARS epidemic and the existing literature were reviewed. The authors argue that the key to success in community involvement and mobilisation toward infectious disease control requires a closer research study especially by psychosocial professionals working in synchrony with the medical and scientific community. The agenda for
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