Twenty-year trend of thyrotoxicosis and thyrotoxic periodic paralysis: a population-based cohort study.

Objective: Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP) is a rare but potentially lethal complication of thyrotoxicosis. Absence of large cohorts limits the conduct of epidemiology studies. We aimed to establish a population-based registry of thyrotoxicosis and TPP in Hong Kong, and evaluate their trend.

Genetic insights support PARP1 as a mediator in the protective association of ATP-citrate lyase inhibitors with melanoma.

ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY) inhibitors emerge as a promising anti-cancer strategy, yet their causal effects across various cancer types remain unclear. Here, we employ a drug-target Mendelian randomization (MR) approach using four cis-expression quantitative trait loci for blood ACLY gene expression as genetic instruments to mimic ACLY inhibition. We utilize genetic data from the eQTLGen consortium (N = 31,684) for ACLY expression, the deCODE study (N = 35,559) for plasma proteome, and large-scale cancer genome-wide association studies consortia (N from 49,708 to 417,127) to investigate the association of genetically mimicked ACLY inhibitors with 17 cancers and identify potential mediating proteins.

Effects of bone metabolism on hematopoiesis: A Mendelian randomization study.

Objectives: Osteoblast is known to regulate hematopoiesis according to preclinical studies but the causal relationship in human remains uncertain. We aimed to evaluate causal relationships of bone mineral density (BMD) with blood cell traits using genetic data.

Methods: Summary statistics from the largest available genome-wide association study were retrieved for total body BMD (TBBMD), lumbar spine BMD (LSBMD), femoral neck BMD (FNBMD) and 29 blood cell traits including red blood cell, white blood cell and platelet-related traits.

Hip fracture is associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes: A retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) shares a complex relationship with bone metabolism and few studies investigated the effect of impaired bone health on the risk of T2DM. This study was conducted to investigate the association between hip fractures and the risk of incident T2DM

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study using data from the real-world hip fracture cohort. Hong Kong Chinese patients aged ≥ 65 years without T2DM who were admitted to public hospitals due to a fall between 2008 and 2015 were included in the study.

Causal association of genetically determined caffeine intake from tea or coffee with bone health: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Relationship of caffeine intake and consumption of caffeinated beverages, such as tea and coffee, with bone health remains controversial. This study aimed to evaluate whether genetically determined caffeine intake from tea or coffee has causal effects on overall total body bone mineral density (TB-BMD) and fracture. We also assessed the association with TB-BMD in five age strata.

Prevalence, incidence, and survival analysis of interstitial lung diseases in Hong Kong: a 16-year population-based cohort study.

Background: Published data on the epidemiology of interstitial lung disease (ILD) in Asia is scarce. Understanding the epidemiology is important for authorities in the health management planning. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence, incidence, and survival of ILD in Hong Kong from 2005 to 2020 and evaluate the change of trend over time.

Illicit drug use is associated with lower bone mineral density and bone strength.

Objectives: To evaluate the association of illicit drug use with bone mineral density (BMD) and hip geometric parameters at the narrow neck.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional matched cohort study conducted in the Hong Kong Chinese population. Associations with illicit drug use were estimated using linear regression for BMD (lumbar spine and femoral neck) and hip geometrical parameters (cross-sectional area [CSA], cross-sectional moment of inertia [CSMI], section modulus [SM], average cortical thickness [ACT] and BMD at the narrow neck) after adjusting for age, body mass index (BMI), smoking status, drinking status, physical activity, and history of antipsychotic and antidepressant use.

Association of Bone Mineral Density and Bone Turnover Markers with the Risk of Diabetes: Hong Kong Osteoporosis Study and Mendelian Randomization.

Preclinical studies demonstrated that bone plays a central role in energy metabolism. However, how bone metabolism is related to the risk of diabetes in humans is unknown. We investigated the association of bone health (bone mineral density [BMD] and bone turnover markers) with incident type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) based on the Hong Kong Osteoporosis Study (HKOS).

COVID-19 and cognitive performance: a Mendelian randomization study.

Background: A substantial proportion of individuals with COVID-19 experienced cognitive impairment after resolution of SARS-CoV-2 infection. We aimed to evaluate whether genetic liability to SARS-CoV-2 infection , or more severe COVID-19, is causally linked to cognitive deficit.

Methods: We firstly performed univariable Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to examine whether genetic liability to SARS-CoV-2 infection, hospitalized and severe COVID-19 is causally associated with cognitive performance.

Development and validation of sex-specific hip fracture prediction models using electronic health records: a retrospective, population-based cohort study.

Background: Hip fracture is associated with immobility, morbidity, mortality, and high medical cost. Due to limited availability of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), hip fracture prediction models without using bone mineral density (BMD) data are essential. We aimed to develop and validate 10-year sex-specific hip fracture prediction models using electronic health records (EHR) without BMD.

Exome sequencing of 20,979 individuals with epilepsy reveals shared and distinct ultra-rare genetic risk across disorder subtypes.

Identifying genetic risk factors for highly heterogeneous disorders like epilepsy remains challenging. Here, we present the largest whole-exome sequencing study of epilepsy to date, with >54,000 human exomes, comprising 20,979 deeply phenotyped patients from multiple genetic ancestry groups with diverse epilepsy subtypes and 33,444 controls, to investigate rare variants that confer disease risk. These analyses implicate seven individual genes, three gene sets, and four copy number variants at exome-wide significance.

Osteoporosis is a novel risk factor of infections and sepsis: A cohort study.

Background: Accumulating evidence suggests the interaction of bone metabolism and the immune system, but how bone health is associated with the risk of infections remains unknown.

Methods: This study aimed to investigate the relationship of bone mineral density (BMD) with the risk of common infections and sepsis in Hong Kong Osteoporosis Study (HKOS). A prospective cohort study, initiated in 1995 and followed until 31 December 2020, of 5,717 participants examined the association of BMD at three skeletal sites (lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip) with common infections - pneumonia, urinary tract infection (UTI), skin infection, and sepsis.

COVID-19 and Thyroid Function: A Bi-Directional Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study.

Thyroid dysfunction has been observed among some patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19). It is unclear whether severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (or its severity) leads to the development of thyroid dysfunction, or vice versa. In this study, we examined the bi-directional causal relationship between host genetic liability to three COVID-19 phenotypes (including SARS-CoV-2 infection, hospitalized and severe COVID-19) and three thyroid dysfunction traits (including hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and autoimmune thyroid disease [AITD]) and three continuous traits of thyroid hormones (including thyrotropin [TSH] and free thyroxine [fT4] within reference range, and TSH in full range).

Validation of diagnostic coding for interstitial lung diseases in an electronic health record system in Hong Kong.

Objective: Large electronic medical record (EMR) databases can facilitate epidemiology research into uncommon diseases such as interstitial lung disease (ILD). Given the rarity and diagnostic difficulty of ILD, the validity of the coding in EMR requires clarification. We aimed to assess the validity of International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision (ICD-9) code algorithms for identifying ILD in the territory-wide electronic medical health record system of Clinical Data Analysis and Reporting System (CDARS) in Hong Kong.

Genetically Determined TSH Level Within Reference Range Is Inversely Associated With Alzheimer Disease.

Context: Contradictory findings were reported in observational studies on the association of thyroid function (thyrotropin [TSH] and free thyroxine [FT4] levels) with Alzheimer disease (AD).

Objective: This work aims to determine whether genetically determined TSH/FT4 levels within reference range are causally associated with AD.

Methods: A bidirectional, 2-sample mendelian randomization (MR) study was conducted.

Different definition of sarcopenia and mortality in cancer: A meta-analysis.

Objectives: Sarcopenia has been an emerging theme in clinical oncology. Various definitions of sarcopenia have been proposed, but their prognostic performance have yet to be evaluated and compared. The aim of this meta-analysis is to comprehensively evaluate the performance of different cutoff definitions of sarcopenia in cancer mortality prognostication.

Sarcopenia and mortality in cancer: A meta-analysis.

Objectives: The aim of this meta-analysis is to comprehensively evaluate the effects of lean mass on all-cause mortality across different cancer types.

Methods: This is a meta-analysis. Cohort studies on lean mass and mortality published before December 20, 2017 were obtained by systematic search on PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase.

Sarcopenia and mortality in different clinical conditions: A meta-analysis.

Objectives: Sarcopenia is recognized to be a health problem which is as serious as obesity, but its relevance to mortality is unclear. We conducted a meta-analysis of cohort studies on lean mass and mortality in populations with different health conditions.

Methods: In this study, a systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane Library and Embase was performed for cohort studies published before Dec 20, 2017 which examined the relationship between lean mass and mortality.

The effect of different measurement modalities in the association of lean mass with mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: Lean mass is commonly measured by 3 modalities, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), and computerized tomography (CT). CT is considered the most accurate, while lean mass measured by DXA and BIA often consists of non-muscle compartment, and hence considered less accurate when compared with CT. It remains unclear if the association of lean mass with mortality would differ using different measurement modalities.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of lean mass and mortality: Rationale and study description.

Objectives: Muscle mass is one of the key components in defining sarcopenia and is known to be important for locomotion and body homeostasis. Lean mass is commonly used as a surrogate of muscle mass and has been shown to be associated with increased mortality. However, the relationship of lean mass with mortality may be affected by different clinical conditions, modalities used, cut-off point to define low or normal lean mass, and even types of cancer among cancer patients.