The prevalence of diabetes mellitus and its effect in elderly subjects in Hong Kong

The prevalence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in 1467 ambulatory elderly subjects aged from 60 to 90 years was determined using fasting plasma glucose as a screening test. A questionnaire survey on the history of diabetes and related complications was performed. The results showed that 10.7% had already been diagnosed as having diabetes mellitus. Screening revealed a further 5% who had diabetes mellitus but were asymptomatic. The prevalence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus was 15% (95% confidence interval 9-21) among the 60- to 80-year-old age group and 17% confidence interval (3 to 30) in those older than 80 years. Obesity and advancing age were adverse risk factors associated with diabetes. The diabetic subjects had significantly more coronary and cerebrovascular atherosclerosis, hypertension, and adverse lipid profiles. Even in the non-diabetic elderly subjects, fasting blood glucose was positively correlated with body weight and body mass index, confirming the importance in the aetiology of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. This is a common disease in the elderly and is associated with significant cardiovascular morbidity.published_or_final_versio

Hyperalphalipoproteinaemia in Chinese is associated with a reduction in cholesteryl ester transfer protein activity

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Apolipoprotein(a) polymorphism in Hong Kong Chinese: genetic and hormonal effects

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Impaired glucose tolerance as a risk factor for diabetes mellitus and hypertension in the Hong Kong Chinese population: a 5-year prospective study

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Optimal Cut-Offs of Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) to Identify Dysglycemia and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A 15-Year Prospective Study in Chinese

BACKGROUND: The optimal reference range of homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in normal Chinese population has not been clearly defined. Here we address this issue using the Hong Kong Cardiovascular Risk Factor Prevalence Study (CRISPS), a prospective population-based cohort study with long-term follow-up. MATERIAL & METHODS: In this study, normal glucose tolerance (NGT), impaired fasting glucose (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were defined according to the 1998 World Health Organization criteria. Dysglycemia referred to IFG, IGT or T2DM. This study comprised two parts. Part one was a cross-sectional study involving 2,649 Hong Kong Chinese subjects, aged 25-74 years, at baseline CRISPS-1 (1995-1996). The optimal HOMA-IR cut-offs for dysglycemia and T2DM were determined by the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Part two was a prospective study involving 872 subjects who had persistent NGT at CRISPS-4 (2010-2012) after 15 years of follow-up. RESULTS: At baseline, the optimal HOMA-IR cut-offs to identify dysglyceia and T2DM were 1.37 (AUC = 0.735; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.713-0.758; Sensitivity [Se] = 65.6%, Specificity [Sp] = 71.3%] and 1.97 (AUC = 0.807; 95% CI = 0.777-0.886; Se = 65.5%, Sp = 82.9%) respectively. These cut-offs, derived from the cross-sectional study at baseline, corresponded closely to the 75th (1.44) and 90th (2.03) percentiles, respectively, of the HOMA-IR reference range derived from the prospective study of subjects with persistent NGT. CONCLUSIONS: HOMA-IR cut-offs, of 1.4 and 2.0, which discriminated dysglycemia and T2DM respectively from NGT in Southern Chinese, can be usefully employed as references in clinical research involving the assessment of insulin resistance.published_or_final_versio

Predictors common to cardiovascular and cancer outcomes in a population-based 13-year prospective study in Hong Kong

Oral PresentationINTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and cancer are the two leading causes of death in Hong Kong. Obesity is becoming increasingly prevalent in the local population and has been reported to be associated with CVD and some forms of cancer in the western world. In this study, we attempted to identify the aetiological factors linking obesity to both CVD and cancer among Hong Kong Chinese. METHODS: Subjects were recruited from the Hong Kong Cardiovascular Risk Factor Prevalence Study (CRISPS) …published_or_final_versionThe 16th Medical Research Conference, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 22 January 2011. In Hong Kong Medical Journal, 2011, v. 17 suppl. 1, p. 56, abstract no. 9

Circulating pigment epithelium-derived factor levels and the risk of hypertension in a community-based study

Oral Session 2 – Translational & Clinical Research (I)published_or_final_versionThe 16th Medical Resarch Conference (MRC), The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China, 22 January 2011. In Hong Kong Medical Journal, 2011, v. 17, suppl. 1, p. 15, abstract no. 1

Occupational differences, cardiovascular risk factors and lifestyle habits in South Eastern rural Australia

BACKGROUND: In rural and remote Australia, cardiovascular mortality and morbidity rates are higher than metropolitan rates.This study analysed cardiovascular and other chronic disease risk factors and related health behaviours by occupational status, to determine whether agricultural workers have higher cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk than other rural workers. METHODS: Cross-sectional surveys in three rural regions of South Eastern Australia (2004-2006). A stratified random sample of 1001 men and women aged 25-74 from electoral rolls were categorised by occupation into agricultural workers (men = 214, women = 79), technicians (men = 123), managers (men = 148, women = 272) and 'home duties' (women = 165). Data were collected from self-administered questionnaire, physical measurements and laboratory tests. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk were assessed by Framingham 5 years risk calculation. RESULTS: Amongst men, agricultural workers had higher occupational physical activity levels, healthier more traditional diet, lower alcohol consumption, lower fasting plasma glucose, the lowest proportion of daily smokers and lower age-adjusted 5 year CVD and CHD risk scores.Amongst women, managers were younger with higher HDL cholesterol, lower systolic blood pressure, less hypertension, lower waist circumference, less self-reported diabetes and better 5 year CVD and CHD risk scores.Agricultural workers did not have higher cardiovascular disease risk than other occupational groups. CONCLUSIONS: Previous studies have suggested that farmers have higher risks of cardiovascular disease but this is because the risk has been compared with non-rural populations. In this study, the comparison has been made with other rural occupations. Cardiovascular risk reduction programs are justified for all. Programs tailored only for agricultural workers are unwarranted

Association of the KCNJ11 genetic variant (rs5219) with progression of glycaemia in a 12-year prospective study

Poster PresentationOBJECTIVE: The potassium inwardly rectifying channel, subfamily J, member 11 (KCNJ11) genetic variant, rs5219, has been found to be associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in various populations. This project aimed to examine whether this genetic variant could predict the progression of glycaemia in a 12-year prospective study in Southern Chinese. METHODS: We conducted a 12-year prospective study in the population-based …published_or_final_versionThe 16th Medical Research Conference, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 22 January 2011. In Hong Kong Medical Journal, 2011, v. 17 suppl. 1, p. 20, abstract no. 2

Implication of the type 2 diabetes susceptibility loci identified in genome-wide association studies: long-term follow-up studies in Southern Chinese

Poster PresentationOBJECTIVE: Genome-wide association (GWA) studies have led to the identification of novel susceptibility loci which showed promising associations with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). This project aimed to establish the role of these novel T2DM-susceptibility loci in Southern Chinese. METHODS: Seventeen T2DM-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were examined …published_or_final_versionThe 17th Medical Research Conference, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 14 January 2012. In Hong Kong Medical Journal, 2012, v. 18 suppl. 1, p. 19, abstract no. 1