Outcome of mid- and lower face lifting using bidirectional cone sutures at 6 months and 1 year

Phoebe Kar Wai Lam,James Yui Lam,Alvin Kar Wai Lee,Clyde Wang Lung Luk,Paul Man Kei Tam,Cheuk Hung Lee 대한미용의학회 2021 대한미용의학회지 Vol.5 No.1

Soft tissue ptosis occurs with age, leading to loss of facial volume. The facial retaining ligamentous system is an intricate network of fibrous tissues connecting the whole face, restraining soft tissues from gravitational forces, and opposing facial movements. With proper positioning and anchorage within the ligamentous grid and superficial fat repositioning, lifting the mid-face and adjacent areas (e.g., jowl) is likely to occur. We aimed to determine whether inserting 3 pairs of bidirectional cone sutures can effectively improve the nasolabial fold (mid-face) and jowl (lower face) in Asian patients with mild to moderate mid-face laxity at 6 months and 12 months. Ten healthy volunteers with mild to moderate facial laxity received 3 pairs of bidirectional cone threads, inserted in a straight parallel technique. Based on validated evaluation parameters: facial laxity rating scale (FLRS) and the wrinkle severity rating scale, a total of 7 independent reviewers, among which 3 assessed the change in mid-face laxity (nasolabial fold), and the other 4 reviewers evaluated the change in jowl or lower face contour based on FLRS at 6 months and 12 months. All reviewers were experienced esthetic doctors. According to the reviewers’ evaluation based on the validated parameters, there was a linear improvement in the mid-face laxity/nasolabial fold and lower face laxity/jawline contour self-reporting patients’ satisfaction at 6 months and 12 months compared to baseline in all 10 patients. There was continuous improvement in mid-face laxity and lower face laxity from baseline, 6 months, and 12 months after treatment. The evaluation results among the reviewers were similar, apart from reviewer 7. All patients gave their best rating at 12 months, and their satisfaction almost doubled compared to that before treatment.

Twenty-four months long-term follow-up report on the effect of poly lactic-co-glycolic acid suspension suture in Asian with mild-moderate face laxity

Lam Phoebe Kar Wai,Fung Chi Pun,Lam James Yui,Luk Wang Lung,Lee Alvin Ka Wai,Lee Cheuk Hung,Tam Paul Man Kei,Lau Edwin Kwan Chark 대한미용의학회 2022 대한미용의학회지 Vol.6 No.1

Background: There was evidence of improvement in mid-face laxity using three pairs of suspension sutures in mid-face lifting in our early and mid-term follow-up. Objective: This 24-month prospective follow-up study aimed to determine the efficacy of mid-face lifting and lower jawline contouring using poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) sutures in Asian patients. Methods: Ten healthy volunteers received three pairs of 8-cones bidirectional cones sutures at the mid-face. One of the ten volunteers lost to follow-up, and all remaining patients followed up for 24 months. Our primary outcome measure is the change in the facial laxity rating scale (FLRS), an “improvement” defined as at least “one-grade change” in FLRS. Other assessment parameters include the severity of the nasolabial fold (NLF), assessed on the wrinkle severity rating scale (WSRS). The secondary outcome measures were the self-satisfaction rating scale (SSRS) and global aesthetic improvement scale (GAIS), rated by participants at each follow-up interval. Results: A linear improvement in the mid-face was observed almost immediately after treatment, with progressive improvement up to at least 12 months following the intervention and no deterioration by 24 months. This improvement was significant (p<0.05), and the differences between before and after treatment at each follow-up interval were large (Cohen’s d>0.8). Contour improvement for the lower face followed a similar trend, except for a delay in the observable differences at three months (Cohen’s d=0.29, 0.8 at six weeks and three months, respectively). The differences in the level of patient satisfaction were significant (p<0.05) from 6 weeks to 24 months, peaking between 12 and 18 months, based on both the GAIS and SSRS ratings. No observed complications. Conclusion: Mid-facing lifting in Asian patients with mild-to-moderate laxity is safe and effective with PLGA bidirectional cone sutures, with concurrent improvement in the lower face contour and elevated patient satisfaction over the 24-month follow-up period.

Extended use of Prostate Health Index and percentage of [-2]pro-prostate-specific antigen in Chinese men with prostate specific antigen 10–20 ng/mL and normal digital rectal examination

Peter Ka-Fung Chiu,Jeremy Yuen-Chun Teoh,Wai-Man Lee,Chi-Hang Yee,Eddie Shu-Yin Chan,See-Ming Hou,Chi-Fai Ng 대한비뇨의학회 2016 Investigative and Clinical Urology Vol.57 No.5

Purpose: We investigated the extended use of Prostate Health Index (PHI) and percentage of [-2]pro-prostate-specific antigen (%p2PSA) in Chinese men with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) 10–20 ng/mL and normal digital rectal examination (DRE). Materials and Methods: All consecutive Chinese men with PSA 10–20 ng/mL and normal DRE who agreed for transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided 10-core prostate biopsy were recruited. Blood samples were taken immediately before TRUS-guided prostate biopsy. The performances of total PSA (tPSA), %free-to-total PSA (%fPSA), %p2PSA, and PHI were compared using logistic regression, receiver operating characteristic, and decision curve analyses (DCA). Results: From 2008 to 2015, 312 consecutive Chinese men were included. Among them, 53 out of 312 (17.0%) men were diagnosed to have prostate cancer on biopsy. The proportions of men with positive biopsies were 6.7% in PHI<35, 22.8% in PHI 35–55, and 54.5% in PHI>55 (chi-square test, p<0.001). The area under curves (AUC) of the base model including age, tPSA and status of initial/repeated biopsy was 0.64. Adding %p2PSA and PHI to the base model improved the AUC to 0.79 (p<0.001) and 0.78 (p<0.001), respectively, and provided net clinical benefit in DCA. The positive biopsy rates of Gleason 7 or above prostate cancers were 2.2% for PHI<35, 7.9% for PHI 35–55, and 36.4% for PHI>55 (chi-square test, p<0.001). By utilizing the PHI cutoff of 35 to men with PSA 10–20 ng/mL and normal DRE, 57.1% (178 of 312) biopsies could be avoided. Conclusions: Both PHI and %p2PSA performed well in predicting prostate cancer and high grade prostate cancer. The use of PHI and %p2PSA should be extended to Chinese men with PSA 10–20 ng/mL and normal DRE.

Computed tomography-based radiomic model predicts radiological response following stereotactic body radiation therapy in early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer and pulmonary oligo-metastases

Ben Man Fei Cheung,Kin Sang Lau,Victor Ho Fun Lee,To Wai Leung,Feng-Ming Spring Kong,Mai Yee Luk,Kwok Keung Yuen 대한방사선종양학회 2021 Radiation Oncology Journal Vol.39 No.4

Purpose: Radiomic models elaborate geometric and texture features of tumors extracted from imaging to develop predictors for clinical outcomes. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has been increasingly applied in the ablative treatment of thoracic tumors. This study aims to identify predictors of treatment responses in patients affected by early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or pulmonary oligo-metastases treated with SBRT and to develop an accurate machine learning model to predict radiological response to SBRT.Materials and Methods: Computed tomography (CT) images of 85 tumors (stage I–II NSCLC and pulmonary oligo-metastases) from 69 patients treated with SBRT were analyzed. Gross tumor volumes (GTV) were contoured on CT images. Patients that achieved complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) were defined as responders. One hundred ten radiomic features were extracted using PyRadiomics module based on the GTV. The association of features with response to SBRT was evaluated. A model using support vector machine (SVM) was then trained to predict response based solely on the extracted radiomics features. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed to evaluate model performance of the identified radiomic predictors.Results: Sixty-nine patients receiving thoracic SBRT from 2008 to 2018 were retrospectively enrolled. Skewness and root mean squared were identified as radiomic predictors of response to SBRT. The SVM machine learning model developed had an accuracy of 74.8%. The area under curves for CR, PR, and non-responder prediction were 0.86 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.794–0.921), 0.946 (95% CI, 0.873–0.978), and 0.857 (95% CI, 0.789–0.915), respectively.Conclusion: Radiomic analysis of pre-treatment CT scan is a promising tool that can predict tumor response to SBRT.

Development of a Non-Invasive Liver Fibrosis Score Based on Transient Elastography for Risk Stratification in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Chi-Ho Lee,Wai-Kay Seto,Kelly Ieong,David T.W. Lui,Carol H.Y. Fong,Helen Y. Wan,Wing-Sun Chow,Yu-Cho Woo,Man-Fung Yuen,Karen SL Lam 대한내분비학회 2021 Endocrinology and metabolism Vol.36 No.1

Background: In non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), transient elastography (TE) is an accurate non-invasive method to identify patients at risk of advanced fibrosis (AF). We developed a diabetes-specific, non-invasive liver fibrosis score based on TE to facilitate AF risk stratification, especially for use in diabetes clinics where TE is not readily available. Methods: Seven hundred sixty-six adults with type 2 diabetes and NAFLD were recruited and randomly divided into a training set (n=534) for the development of diabetes fibrosis score (DFS), and a testing set (n=232) for internal validation. DFS identified patients with AF on TE, defined as liver stiffness (LS) ≥9.6 kPa, based on a clinical model comprising significant determinants of LS with the lowest Akaike information criteria. The performance of DFS was compared with conventional liver fibrosis scores (NFS, FIB-4, and APRI), using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values (NPV). Results: DFS comprised body mass index, platelet, aspartate aminotransferase, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and albuminuria, five routine measurements in standard diabetes care. Derived low and high DFS cut-offs were 0.1 and 0.3, with 90% sensitivity and 90% specificity, respectively. Both cut-offs provided better NPVs of >90% than conventional fibrosis scores. The AUROC of DFS for AF on TE was also higher (P<0.01) than the conventional fibrosis scores, being 0.85 and 0.81 in the training and testing sets, respectively. Conclusion: Compared to conventional fibrosis scores, DFS, with a high NPV, more accurately identified diabetes patients at-risk of AF, who need further evaluation by hepatologists.

Toward integration of reading and service learning through an interdisciplinary program

Shun-yee Ho,Vivien Man-wai Lee 서울대학교 교육연구소 2012 Asia Pacific Education Review Vol.13 No.2

This study examined the effect of an interdisciplinary program of reading and service learning on the cognitive and affective development of university students in Hong Kong. As Nussbaum (1997) stated, literature plays a vital role in educating citizens of the world through its narrative imagination and its power of promoting understanding and empathy toward the life of others. Halstead and Pike (2006) also emphasized that art can foster reflection upon action and bring about change in behavior as a result of perspective change. In this study, 24 freshmen read literary works under the theme of children's welfare and explored issues related to the welfare of children worldwide. Their reflections on these materials were expressed in writing and in a presentation. In the following semester, the students participated in voluntary services within and outside Hong Kong. All students completed a questionnaire on their humanistic concerns and sense of global citizenship at the beginning and the end of the project. Results showed that students were conscious of their changes after joining the program and stated their growth in values and knowledge. The pre-post-t-test analysis suggested that students had made significant improvement in the following areas: (1) their attitude toward serving others, especially in their personal and social values; (2) their engagement in reading literary and nonfiction works which reflect social and moral issues of the world; (3) their attention to world affairs; (4) their concern for the underprivileged; and (5) awareness of their potential in helping the poor.

The Process of Building a Collaborative Relationship in a School Improvement Project

Chan Po Wah,Lai Ha Yuen,Kwong Wai Man,Wai Yee Lee 한국유아교육학회 2005 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION Vol.11 No.1

Comparison Study of Uptake of Colorectal Cancer Testing between Ethnic Minorities and the General Population in Hong Kong

Choi, Kai-Chow,So, Winnie Kwok-Wei,Chen, Joanne Man-Ting,Lau, Grace Chieh,Lee, Paul Chi-Wai,Chan, Carmen Wing-Han Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.17

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers. This study aimed to compare the uptake of CRC testing in the general public and in ethnic minorities in Hong Kong. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional survey covered 2,327 South Asian and Chinese adults aged over 50, recruited from two separate studies. A structured questionnaires were administered by research staff over the telephone or in faceto-face interviews. Results: The uptake rate of CRC testing among South Asians was significantly lower than that of the general population in Hong Kong. Factors associated with the uptake rate were health professional's recommendation, perception of regular visits to doctor, use of complementary therapy, ethnicity, perceived susceptibility to cancer, presence of chronic illness, and education level. In addition, a significant interaction (p<0.05) between ethnicity and health professionals' recommendations was found, after adjustment for the main independent factors identified. Conclusions: Older people with lower educational attainment, without chronic illness and those have lower perceived susceptibility to cancer may be targeted for CRC testing promotion in the society. In addition, health professionals can play a highly influential role in promoting such testing, particularly among ethnic minorities.

The Risk of Upper Urinary Tract Involvement in Patients With Ketamine-Associated Uropathy

Chi-Hang Yee,Jeremy Yuen-Chun Teoh,Pui-Tak Lai,Vivian Yee-Fong Leung,Winnie Chiu-Wing Chu,Wai-man Lee,Yuk-Him Tam,Chi-Fai Ng 대한배뇨장애요실금학회 2017 International Neurourology Journal Vol.21 No.2

Purpose: The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence of upper tract involvement in ketamine-associated uropathy, and to determine the predictors of hydronephrosis in patients with a history of ketamine abuse. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of a prospective cohort of patients with ketamine-associated uropathy. Data including demographics, pattern of ketamine abuse, pelvic pain and urgency or frequency (PUF) symptom score, uroflowmetry (UFM) parameters, serum renal function, and liver function tests were collected. Upon consultation, ultrasonography was performed to assess the function of the urinary system. Results: From December 2011 to October 2015, we treated 572 patients with ketamine-associated uropathy. Of these patients, 207 (36.2%) had managed to achieve abstinence at the time of their first consultation. Ninety-six patients (16.8%) in the cohort were found to have hydronephrosis on ultrasonography. Univariate analysis identified age, duration of ketamine abuse, PUF symptom score, voided volume on UFM, serum creatinine levels >100 μmol/L, and an abnormal serum liver enzyme profile as factors associated with hydronephrosis. Logistic regression revealed the following parameters to be statistically related to hydronephrosis: age (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.090; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.020–1.166; P=0.012), functional bladder capacity (adjusted OR, 0.997; 95% CI, 0.995–0.999; P=0.029), serum creatinine >100 μmol/L (adjusted OR, 3.107; 95% CI, 1.238–7.794; P=0.016, and an abnormal serum liver enzyme profile (adjusted OR, 1.967; 95% CI, 1.213–3.187; P=0.006). Conclusions: Ketamine-associated uropathy can involve the upper urinary tract. Patient demographics as well as investigations of UFM, renal function tests, and liver function tests may allow us to identify at-risk patients.

Clinical practice guidelines and real-life practice in hepatocellular carcinoma: A Hong Kong perspective

Rex Wan-Hin Hui,Lung-Yi Mak,Tan-To Cheung,Victor Ho-Fun Lee,Wai-Kay Seto,Man-Fung Yuen 대한간학회 2023 Clinical and Molecular Hepatology(대한간학회지) Vol.29 No.2

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major public health burden in Hong Kong, and chronic hepatitis B is the most common HCC etiology in our region. With the high case load, extensive local expertise on HCC has been accumulated. This article summarized local guidelines and real-life practice on HCC management in Hong Kong. For HCC surveillance, liver ultrasound and serum alpha-fetoprotein for periodic screening is recommended in viral hepatitis or cirrhotic patients, and this is adhered to in clinical practice. HCC diagnosis is not covered in local guidelines, yet our practice is in-line with regional guidelines, where diagnosis is usually achieved by cross-sectional imaging and without the need for histology. Our guidelines recommend using the Hong Kong Liver Cancer Staging for pre-treatment staging, yet we routinely use other widely-adopted systems such as the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer Staging and the Tumor-Node-Metastasis Staging as well. Our local guidelines have provided clear treatment algorithms for the whole range of HCC therapies, including resection, ablation, transplant, transarterial chemoembolization, transarterial radioembolization, stereotactic body radiation therapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. Real-life treatment choices are largely in line with the guidelines, although treatment protocols are individualized, and availability of specific therapies can vary between centers. Overall, HCC guidelines in Hong Kong are tailored based on local expertise and our unique patient population. The guidelines are up-to-date and provide practical pathways to assist our routine practice. Regular updates of local guidelines are warranted to account for the rapidly evolving paradigm of HCC management.