News & Updates

A prospective cohort study by the University of Hong Kong comparing the reactogenicity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines reports a lower risk of self-reported adverse reactions following vaccination with inactivated CZ02 compared with mRNA-based BNT162b2.

Research from the University of Hong Kong (HKU) demonstrates that intranasal influenza-based booster vaccination following PD1-based receptor-binding domain (RBD) DNA vaccine induces mucosal and systemic immunity for effective prevention of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in both upper and lower respiratory systems of mice.

Common blood pressure (BP)-lowering medications in pregnancy cut the risk of severe hypertension, but labetalol has the added advantage of reducing the risks of proteinuria or pre-eclampsia and perinatal death, according to the results of a network meta-analysis.

Biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (bDMARD) therapy is effective in reducing ankylosing spondylitis (AS) disease activity, reports a study, noting how treatment has persisted for up to 8 years among patients remaining on their first bDMARD, which is longer than on subsequent agents.

Use of nonvitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOACs) results in a reduced incidence of thromboembolic events and major bleeding relative to warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and bioprosthetic valves or valve repair, suggests a study.

A dietary pattern with high inflammatory potential contributes to an increased risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a recent study has shown.

Serological assays for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) sometimes show contradictory findings when compared with nasopharyngeal swab polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, according to a recent Singapore study. In particular, even PCR-negative patients with no known exposure could test positive for antibodies.