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Biomedical subjects

V C Wong

Publications and source records attributed to V C Wong.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Psychosocial adjustment of people with epilepsy in Hong Kong.

PURPOSE: In light of the issues associated with the psychosocial adjustment of people with epilepsy that have been widely reported, this study examined these issues within a Chinese cultural context. METHODS: Fifty patients with epilepsy completed The Washington Psychosocial Inventory, the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations, and a questionnaire that assessed their psychosocial difficulties and coping styles. Multiple regression procedure was used to examine the strength of various medical and social factors in predicting the psychosocial adjustment problems of these participants. RESULTS: Social factors, such as self-perception and coping strategies, were more powerful predictors of psychosocial adjustment in people with epilepsy than the medical factors associated with epilepsy. CONCLUSIONS: These findings showed that psychosocial maladjustment is a significant issue for people with epilepsy in Hong Kong. The emerging importance of social factors as predictors of psychosocial adjustment in epilepsy, as compared with medical factors, highlights the need for developing tailored counseling therapy and social support groups for people with epilepsy.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1998

Health-care reforms in the People's Republic of China--strategies and social implications.

Analyses the features, strategies and characteristics of health-care reforms in the People's Republic of China. Since the 14th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party held in 1992, an emphasis has been placed on reform strategies such as cost recovery, profit making, diversification of services, and development of alternative financing strategies in respect of health-care services provided in the public sector. Argues that the reform strategies employed have created new problems before solving the old ones. Inflation of medical cost has been elevated very rapidly. The de-linkage of state finance bureau and health service providers has also contributed to the transfer of tension from the state to the enterprises. There is no sign that quasi-public health-care insurance is able to resolve these problems. Finally, cooperative medicine in the rural areas has been largely dismantled, though this direction is going against the will of the state. Argues that a new balance of responsibility has to be developed as a top social priority between the state, enterprises and service users in China in order to meet the health-care needs of the people.

China↗
PubMed1995

Status epilepticus in 37 Chinese children: aetiology and outcome.

OBJECTIVE: The aetiology and clinical features of status epilepticus (SE) are described, with the aim of defining any relationship between risk factors and clinical outcome. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective review was performed of 37 Chinese children admitted to Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, from 1989 to 1993 with the diagnosis of SE. RESULTS: Eighty-six per cent had onset before 5 years of age; 60% were due to an acute central nervous system (CNS) insult, 11% were idiopathic, 13% had a pre-existing CNS insult, 5% were febrile and 11% were due to progressive encephalopathy. An abnormal neurological status was present in 24% before the episode of SE, and a history of seizures before the onset of SE was present in 35% of patients. Fifty-four per cent of the episodes of SE were generalized. The mortality rate was 11% during the period of follow up but no deaths were attributed to SE. Neurological sequelae were observed in 27% of patients and recurrent SE occurred in 12%. CONCLUSIONS: In those patients with normal neurological status before an episode of SE and without acute CNS insult or progressive encephalopathy, the outcome was favourable.

Age of Onset↗
PubMed1994

Clinical manifestations of neurofibromatosis-1 in Chinese children.

The complications of 50 Chinese children with neurofibromatosis-1 were found to be different from other ethnic groups. There was a predominance of scoliosis, speech problems, and blood malignancies, but brain tumors were rare. The majority had good prognosis. Clinical manifestations depend on the age of ascertainment and, therefore, the prediction of associated complications should be made accordingly.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Aerosolized fluorescent microspheres detected in the lung using confocal scanning laser microscopy.

Aerosolized fluorescent microspheres were used to study particle deposition in site-specific regions of the lung with confocal laser scanning microscopy. A nebulizer was used to aerosolize microspheres followed by passage through a heated discharging column to reduce static charge and to remove water surrounding each microsphere. Precoating of microspheres with albumin helped to minimize displacement during vascular fixation of the lungs. Confocal laser microscopy facilitated visualization of microspheres throughout the bronchial tree, ducts, and alveoli of the lungs. The use of fluorescent microspheres and confocal laser imaging provided distinct advantages compared with other methods to study lung particle deposition due to (1) the generation of single microspheres of uniform size by nebulization, (2) easy detection of microspheres in large slabs of microdissected lung tissues, (3) excellent resolution of tissue surfaces and microspheres for an infinite number of orientations and planes of section, and (4) the ability to visualize microspheres below fluid lining layers and on surfaces that could not easily be done by other methods of microscopy.

Aerosols↗
PubMed1991

Ganglioneuroma of the spinal cord.

This report describes a 2-year-old boy who harbored an intramedullary ganglioneuroma involving almost the entire length of the spinal cord. The terminology, pathology, and neurobiological behavior of this tumor is discussed.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1991

Behaviour disorder in pre-school children in Hong Kong. A two-stage epidemiological study.

A representative sample of 855 Hong-Kong Chinese children aged 36-48 months were assessed using the BSQ and the PBCL. Good reliability for both instruments were found. For the BSQ and PBCL, 12.75% and 27.5% were above the cut-off points of 10+ and 12+ respectively and 5.9% were above both cut-off points. In the second stage, 234 subjects were recruited by stratified random sampling according to the results of the screening state. A clinician interviewed the parent, child and teacher before making a diagnosis. The prevalence of behaviour disorder was: nil, 53.7%; dubious, 23.1%; mild, 18.0%; moderate, 4.5%; and severe, 0.7%. There were significantly more boys in the categories mild, moderate and severe.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Prevention of hepatitis B virus carrier state in infants according to maternal serum levels of HBV DNA.

235 infants of HBeAg-carrier mothers in Hong Kong were assigned to four study groups. Groups I, II, and III received hepatitis-B (HB) vaccine at birth and at 1, 2, and 6 months. Group I also received seven monthly injections of HB immunoglobulin (HBIg), and group II received one HBIg injection at birth. Group III received vaccine only and group IV received placebo for both vaccine and HBIg. At the age of 3 years, all infants of the three treatment groups were significantly protected against the HB virus (HBV) carrier state compared with the placebo group (p less than 0.0001); the protective efficacy rates in groups I, II, and III were 87%, 80%, and 65%, respectively. At all times, group I was significantly better protected than group III. In groups III and IV, infants of mothers with serum HBV DNA levels of 5 pg/ml or above were at a significantly higher risk of acquiring the HBV carrier state than those whose mothers had HBV DNA levels below 5 pg/ml. This difference was not significant in groups given HBIg. Of the 183 infants who initially escaped HBV infection, 73 (40%) had transient and 8 (4%) chronic HBV infection between 6 and 36 months. Vaccinated infants who had actively formed anti-HBs remained well protected against the HBV carrier state. However, infants in groups I and II with no active anti-HBs response to vaccine became at risk for the HBV carrier state when the passively acquired anti-HBs antibodies had disappeared. HBIg should be included in HB vaccination schedules for all infants of HBeAg-positive mothers.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1989

Developing professional responsibility in maternity care in Hong Kong.

A simple questionnaire was used to document basic information surrounding all perinatal deaths in Hong Kong. Coordinators were appointed for every maternity unit. Replies were sent by mail to the Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society. Using volunteer time and minimum budget, the data were collated and analyzed. The main causes of death were congenital anomalies, intrauterine death of unknown cause and prematurity. There was significant difference in performance when the University units were compared with the private and Government units. Changes in resource allocation and modification of clinical practice may be recommended as a result of such audit.

Cause of Death↗
PubMed1989

Hepatitis B infection in infants after neonatal immunization.

A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study to prevent hepatitis B infection in 235 babies born to chronic hepatitis B, HBeAg carriers was carried out. Babies in three treatment groups all received heat-inactivated hepatitis B vaccine. In addition multiple doses of HBIG and a single dose of HBIG were given in groups I and II respectively. After three years of follow-up, 4/60 (Group I), 3/64 (Group II), and 1/64 (Group III) developed chronic infection. For those who escaped chronic infection, other hepatitis events also occurred. They were transient HBs-antigenaemia, anti-HBc conversion and significant rise in anti-HBs titre without seroconversion for anti-HBc. It was deduced that 30% of babies born to hepatitis carriers are naturally protected from chronic infection. Immunization, with vaccine only, protects another 46%. The addition of single and multiple doses of HBIG protects another 10% and 5%, respectively. 2% acquired intrauterine infection and 7% failed to respond to the most intensive immunization schedule.

Double-Blind Method↗
PubMed1988

Assessment of the glucose tolerance test in unselected pregnancy using 75 g glucose load.

A 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed in 618 unselected pregnant Chinese women between 24 and 28 weeks gestation. The glucose response at fasting, 1, 2 and 3 h were studied. At 2 h the glucose level at 2-standard deviation and 4-standard deviation above the mean came very close to the criteria of abnormality suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO): 8.3 mmol/l vs. 8.0 mmol/l for impaired glucose tolerance and 10.8 mmol/l vs. 11.0 mmol/l for gestational diabetes mellitus. The area under the glucose response curve also correlates best with the glucose levels at 2 h during the OGTT (y = 2.1x + 4.6, r = 0.885). The 75-g OGTT interpreted with the WHO criteria seems appropriate for pregnant Chinese women. The 75-g test has the added advantages of reducing administration cost and discomfort of the patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Glucose and lipid metabolism with triphasic oral contraceptives in women with history of gestational diabetes.

The glucose and lipid metabolism in a group of women with previous history of gestational diabetes were evaluated before and after 6 months treatment with a low-dose triphasic oral contraceptives pill (TP). This group was compared with a control group of women, also with history of gestational diabetes, using intrauterine devices (IUD). In the TP group, 26.7% of the women developed impaired glucose tolerance which reverted to normal in all but one after cessation of the TP. The IUD group showed no change in glucose tolerance. The integrated insulin response to a 75g OGTT in the TP group increased by 48.3% at 6 months compared with an increase of 23.4% for the same period in the IUD group. In the TP group there was a significant decrease in serum total cholesterol without changes in HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides level. We conclude that even low-dose triphasic oral contraceptive pills can cause glucose intolerance in women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Hepatitis B virus infection in Chinese families in Hong Kong.

Between January 1983 and July 1984, 731 family members of 240 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers were screened for hepatitis B virus markers. The percentage of those who were positive for HBsAg was 28.3 and that for antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen/antibody to hepatitis B core antigen was 43.1. The carrier rate was higher among siblings (53%) and offspring (50.5%) of female carriers, but similar to that of the age-matched general population for spouses (10.8%). Maternal transmission was the most important mode of spread of hepatitis B virus infection within the family. The HBsAg-positive offspring and siblings were clustered within certain families. Intrafamilial spread is important in perpetuating hepatitis B virus infection in Chinese persons. Susceptible family members, especially newborns and other young children of female carriers, should be vaccinated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Evaluation of the WHO criteria for 75 g oral glucose tolerance test in pregnancy.

A group of pregnant women at high risk of developing diabetes in pregnancy had paired oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) using a 100 g load followed by 75 g load. When the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria and the National Diabetes Data Group (NDDG) criteria were compared, the 2-h plasma glucose value after the 100 g load was the most discriminative in differentiating those with normal glucose tolerance, impaired glucose tolerance and gestational diabetes mellitus. When only the 2-h plasma glucose values were assessed, the WHO test (75 g: 8 mmol/l) agreed with the NDDG test (100 g load: 9.2 mmol/l) in the diagnosis of glucose intolerance in 60% of subjects only. Using the same criteria at 2-h (8 mmol/l) the agreement between these tests was 47%. Reducing the glucose load from 100 g to 75 g produced a reduced glucose response in 49% of the subjects, with a significant decrease in the area under the glucose response curve.

Female↗