Displaying publications 41 - 60 of 67 in total

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  1. Siddique S, Hameed Khan A, Shahab H, Zhang YQ, Chin Tay J, Buranakitjaroen P, et al.
    J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich), 2021 03;23(3):440-449.
    PMID: 33420745 DOI: 10.1111/jch.14169
    The conventional auscultatory methods for measuring blood pressure have been used to screen, diagnose, and manage hypertension since long. However, these have been found to be prone to errors especially the white coat phenomena which cause falsely high blood pressure readings. The Mercury sphygmomanometer and the Aneroid variety are no longer recommended by WHO for varying reasons. The Oscillometric devices are now recommended with preference for the Automated Office Blood Pressure measurement device which was found to have readings nearest to the Awake Ambulatory Blood Pressure readings. The downside for this device is the cost barrier. The alternative is to use the simple oscillometric device, which is much cheaper, with the rest and isolation criteria of the SPRINT study. This too may be difficult due to space constraints and the post-clinic blood measurement is a new concept worth further exploration.
  2. Wang JG, Li Y, Chia YC, Cheng HM, Minh HV, Siddique S, et al.
    J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich), 2021 03;23(3):435-439.
    PMID: 33484617 DOI: 10.1111/jch.14194
    The prevalence of hypertension is high and still increasing in almost all communities regardless of high, middle, or low income. The control rate remains low in most countries. Telemedicine offers possibilities to improve blood pressure control. The past two decades witnessed the fast evolving telecommunication from telephone transmission to smart mobile phone technology for telemedicine. There is some evidence from randomized controlled trials that telemonitoring improves blood pressure control. However, it requires co-interventions. The emerging new technology may offer even more possibilities in telemonitoring and co-interventions, for instance, an interactive platform between patients and health professionals for the management of hypertension. Telemedicine might ultimately change the situation of the unsatisfactory management of hypertension in many communities. It helps fully utilize antihypertensive treatment, the most effective cardiovascular prevention, to achieve the goal of ending atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis in humans.
  3. Narita K, Hoshide S, Tsoi K, Siddique S, Shin J, Chia YC, et al.
    J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich), 2021 03;23(3):575-583.
    PMID: 33527663 DOI: 10.1111/jch.14192
    The incidence of large disasters has been increasing worldwide. This has led to a growing interest in disaster medicine. In this review, we report current evidence related to disasters and coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, such as cardiovascular diseases during disasters, management of disaster hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases associated with COVID-19. This review summarizes the time course and mechanisms of disaster-related diseases. It also discusses the use of information and communication technology (ICT) as a cardiovascular risk management strategy to prevent cardiovascular events. During the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, we used the "Disaster Cardiovascular Prevention" system that was employed for blood pressure (BP) monitoring and risk management using ICT. We introduced an ICT-based BP monitoring device at evacuation centers and shared patients' BP values in the database to support BP management by remote monitoring, which led to improved BP control. Effective use of telemedicine using ICT is important for risk management of cardiovascular diseases during disasters and pandemics in the future.
  4. Tsoi K, Yiu K, Lee H, Cheng HM, Wang TD, Tay JC, et al.
    J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich), 2021 03;23(3):568-574.
    PMID: 33533536 DOI: 10.1111/jch.14180
    The prevalence of hypertension is increasing along with an aging population, causing millions of premature deaths annually worldwide. Low awareness of blood pressure (BP) elevation and suboptimal hypertension diagnosis serve as the major hurdles in effective hypertension management. The advent of artificial intelligence (AI), however, sheds the light of new strategies for hypertension management, such as remote supports from telemedicine and big data-derived prediction. There is considerable evidence demonstrating the feasibility of AI applications in hypertension management. A foreseeable trend was observed in integrating BP measurements with various wearable sensors and smartphones, so as to permit continuous and convenient monitoring. In the meantime, further investigations are advised to validate the novel prediction and prognostic tools. These revolutionary developments have made a stride toward the future model for digital management of chronic diseases.
  5. Cheng HM, Chuang SY, Wang TD, Kario K, Buranakitjaroen P, Chia YC, et al.
    J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich), 2020 03;22(3):391-406.
    PMID: 31841279 DOI: 10.1111/jch.13758
    Since noninvasive central blood pressure (BP) measuring devices are readily available, central BP has gained growing attention regarding its clinical application in the management of hypertension. The disagreement between central and peripheral BP has long been recognized. Some previous studies showed that noninvasive central BP may be better than the conventional brachial BP in association with target organ damages and long-term cardiovascular outcomes. Recent studies further suggest that the central BP strategy for confirming a diagnosis of hypertension may be more cost-effective than the conventional strategy, and guidance of hypertension management with central BP may result in less use of medications to achieve BP control. Despite the use of central BP being promising, more randomized controlled studies comparing central BP-guided therapeutic strategies with conventional care for cardiovascular events reduction are required because noninvasive central and brachial BP measures are conveniently available. In this brief review, the rationale supporting the utility of central BP in clinical practice and relating challenges are summarized.
  6. Lin HJ, Pan HY, Chen CH, Cheng HM, Chia YC, Sogunuru GP, et al.
    J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich), 2022 Sep;24(9):1161-1173.
    PMID: 36196472 DOI: 10.1111/jch.14549
    Home blood pressure (HBP) has been recognized as a prognostic predictor for cardiovascular events, and integrated into the diagnosis and management of hypertension. With increasing accessibility of oscillometric blood pressure devices, HBP monitoring is easy to perform, more likely to obtain reliable estimation of blood pressures, and feasible to document long-term blood pressure variations, compared to office and ambulatory blood pressures. To obtain reliable HBP estimates, a standardized HBP monitoring protocol is essential. A consensus regarding the optimal duration and frequency of HBP monitoring is yet to be established. Based on the current evidence, the "722" protocol, which stands for two measurements on one occasion, two occasions a day (morning and evening), and over a consecutive of 7 days, is most commonly used in clinical studies and recommended in relevant guidelines and consensus documents. HBP monitoring based on the "722" protocol fulfills the minimal requirement of blood pressure measurements to achieve agreement of blood pressure classifications defined by office blood pressures and to predict cardiovascular risks. In the Taiwan HBP consensus, the frequency of repeating the "722" protocol of HBP monitoring according to different scenarios of hypertension management, from every 2 weeks to 3 months, is recommended. It is reasonable to conclude that the "722" protocol for HBP monitoring is clinically justified and can serve as a basis for standardized HBP monitoring.
  7. Huang WC, Lin YH, Wu VC, Chen CH, Siddique S, Chia YC, et al.
    J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich), 2022 Sep;24(9):1194-1203.
    PMID: 36196469 DOI: 10.1111/jch.14558
    Arterial hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The prevalence of primary aldosteronism (PA) ranges from 5% to 10% in the general hypertensive population and is regarded as one of the most common causes of secondary hypertension. There are two major causes of PA: bilateral adrenal hyperplasia and aldosterone-producing adenoma. The diagnosis of PA comprises screening, confirmatory testing, and subtype differentiation. The Endocrine Society Practice Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of PA recommends screening of patients at an increased risk of PA. These categories include patients with stage 2 and 3 hypertension, drug-resistant hypertension, hypertensive with spontaneous or diuretic-induced hypokalemia, hypertension with adrenal incidentaloma, hypertensive with a family history of early onset hypertension or cerebrovascular accident at a young age, and all hypertensive first-degree relatives of patients with PA. Recently, several studies have linked PA with obstructive sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation unexplained by structural heart defects and/or other conditions known to cause the arrhythmia, which may be partly responsible for the higher rates of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular accidents in patients with PA. The aim of this review is to discuss which patients should be screened for PA, focusing not only on well-established guidelines but also on additional groups of patients with a potentially higher prevalence of PA, as has been reported in recent research.
  8. Shin J, Wang JG, Chia YC, Kario K, Chen CH, Cheng HM, et al.
    PMID: 37878534 DOI: 10.1111/jch.14729
    For adopting recently introduced hypertension phenotypes categorized using office and out of office blood pressure (BP) for the diagnosis of hypertension and antihypertension drug therapy, it is mandatory to define the corresponding out of office BP with the specific target BP recommended by the major guidelines. Such conditions include white-coat hypertension (WCH), masked hypertension (MH), white-coat uncontrolled hypertension (WUCH), and masked uncontrolled hypertension (MUCH). Here, the authors review the relevant literature and discuss the related issue to facilitate the use of corresponding BPs for proper diagnosis of WCH, MH, WUCH, and MUCH in the setting of standard target BP as well as intensive target BP. The methodology of deriving the corresponding BP has evolved from statistical methods such as standard deviation, percentile value, and regression to an outcome-based approach using pooled international cohort study data and comparative analysis in randomized clinical trials for target BPs such as the SPRINT and STEP studies. Corresponding BPs to 140/90 and 130/80 mm Hg in office BP is important for safe and strict achievement of intensive BP targets. The corresponding home, daytime, and 24-h BPs to 130/80 mm Hg in office BP are 130/80, 130/80, and 125/75 mm Hg, respectively. However, researchers have found some discrepancies among the home corresponding BPs. As tentative criterion for de-escalation of antihypertensive therapy as shown in European guidelines was 120 mm Hg in office BP, corresponding home, daytime, and 24-h systolic BPs to 120 mm Hg in office systolic BP are 120, 120, and 115 mm Hg, respectively.
  9. Tsoi K, Lam A, Tran J, Hao Z, Yiu K, Chia YC, et al.
    PMID: 36946438 DOI: 10.1111/jch.14610
    Hypertension remains the world's leading cause of premature death. Interventions such as exercise, diet modification, and pharmacological therapy remain the mainstay of hypertension treatment. Numerous systematic reviews and meta-analyses demonstrated the effectiveness of western exercises, such as aerobic exercise and resistance exercise, in reducing blood pressure in hypertensive patients. There is recently emerging evidence of blood pressure reduction with Chinese exercises, such as Tai Chi, Baduanjin, and Qigong. The current overview of systematic reviews aims to evaluate the quality and descriptively summarize the evidence for the effectiveness of western and Chinese exercises for hypertension management. Thirty-nine systematic reviews were included in this overview, with 15 of those being on Chinese exercise. Evidence suggests that exercise training, regardless of Western or Chinese exercise, generally reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. High-intensity intermittent training did not further reduce blood pressure when compared to moderate-intensity continuous training. Conflicting results on the effectiveness of blood pressure reduction when comparing Chinese and Western exercise training were observed. This suggests the comparable effectiveness of Chinese exercise training, in particularly Tai Chi, to general or aerobic exercise training in terms of blood pressure reduction. The Chinese exercise modality and intensity may be more suitable for the middle-aged and elderly population.
  10. Zhang Y, Miao H, Chia YC, Buranakitjaroen P, Siddique S, Shin J, et al.
    PMID: 34981620 DOI: 10.1111/jch.14336
    Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is becoming the most important burden to health care systems in most part of the world, especially in Asia. Aiming at identifying high risk individuals and tailoring preventive treatment, many cardiovascular risk assessment tools have been established and most of them were developed in Western countries. However, these cardiovascular risk assessment tools cannot be used interchangeably without recalibration because of the different risk factor profiles (ie, greater absolute burden of hypertension and lower level of total-cholesterol in Asians and higher prevalence of metabolic disorders in South Asians) and different CVD profiles (higher ratio of stroke/coronary heart disease in Asians) between Western and Asian populations. Original risk models such as Prediction for ASCVD Risk in China (China-PAR) and Japan Arteriosclerosis Longitudinal Study (JALS) score have been developed and well validated for specific countries, while most of countries/regions in Asia are using established models. Due to higher incidence of stroke in Asians, risk factors like hypertension should weigh more in cardiovascular risk assessment comparing with Western populations, but their actual proportions should be based on CVD profiles in specific countries/regions. The authors encourage the development of new cardiovascular risk assessment tools for Asians, if possible. Still, modifying established models with native epidemiological data of risk factor as well as CVD is acceptable in regions where health care resources are insufficient.
  11. Kario K, Chia YC, Siddique S, Turana Y, Li Y, Chen CH, et al.
    PMID: 35172037 DOI: 10.1111/jch.14440
    Asia is a large continent and there is significant diversity between countries and regions. Over the last 30 years, absolute blood pressure (BP) levels in Asia have increased to a greater extent than those in other regions. In diverse Asia-Pacific populations, for choosing an Asia-specific approach to hypertension management is important to prevent target organ damage and cardiovascular diseases. In this consensus document of HOPE Asia Network, we introduce seven action approaches for management of hypertension in Asia.
  12. Cheng HM, Ngeow YF, Sam CK
    J Immunol Methods, 1989 Nov 30;124(2):235-8.
    PMID: 2600427
    Heat treatment of sera at 56 degrees C for 30 min results in positive ELISA reactions for anti-cardiolipin antibody (aCL) in sera that had undetectable or low levels of aCL before heat inactivation. The positive, potentiated reactivity of the heated sera in the aCL ELISA could be inhibited with the cardiolipin antigen and was abolished by prior IgG depletion using staphylococcal protein A. The heat-potentiating effect of aCL binding in ELISA was evident in both normal human sera and clinical sera including sera from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and syphilis.
  13. Fairus S, Cheng HM, Sundram K
    J Integr Med, 2020 Jan;18(1):68-79.
    PMID: 31812339 DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2019.11.005
    OBJECTIVE: Tocotrienols (T3s) have been hypothesized to have greater antioxidant capacity than tocopherols (Ts) due to differences in biokinetics that affect their absorption and function. The present trial compares the antioxidant effectiveness following postprandial challenge of two different doses of α-T or palm T3-rich fraction (TRF) treatments and evaluates their dose-response effects on antioxidant status.

    METHODS: Ten healthy volunteers were given four different doses of vitamin E formulations (268 mg α-T, 537 mg α-T, 263 mg TRF or 526 mg TRF) in a cross-over postprandial trial. Blood was sampled at 0, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 8 hours after meal consumption and plasma antioxidant status including total glutathione, superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde (MDA), ferric reducing antioxidant potential and trolox-equivalent antioxidant capacity, was analyzed.

    RESULTS: Supplementation with the different doses of either α-T or TRF did not significantly improve overall antioxidant status. There was no significant difference in overall antioxidant status among treatments at the different doses compared. However, a significant dose-response effect was observed for plasma MDA throughout the 8-hour postprandial period. MDA was significantly lower after the 537 mg α-T treatment, compared to the 268 mg α-T treatment; it was also lower after the 526 mg TRF treatment compared to the 263 mg TRF treatment (P 

  14. Thoe SY, Sam CK, Cheng HM, Prasad U
    J Med Virol, 1989 Dec;29(4):311-4.
    PMID: 2559955
    Serum antibodies against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-determined antigens have traditionally been titrated by the indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) technique. The avidin-biotin complex (ABC) immunocytochemical technique was used to determine the serum levels of IgA against EBV viral capsid antigen (IgA/VCA) and IgA against EBV early antigen (IgA/EA) in sera of 106 nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients prior to treatment and 100 normal individuals. The sensitivity of the ABC technique is enhanced by an amplification of the antigen-antibody reaction, which involves the binding of the enzyme-linked ABC to the second biotinylated antibody. There was a good correlation (r = 0.9988) between ABC and IIF-determined IgA/VCA-positive titres, with the ABC technique being more sensitive than IIF in the detection of IgA/VCA in NPC sera: 94% (99/106) and 76% (80/106), respectively. The frequency of IgA/EA reactivity in NPC sera was also markedly increased by immunodetection with the ABC technique as compared with IIF technique: 63% (69/106) and 28% (30/106) respectively. Both the immunocytochemical techniques were equally specific in discriminating between elevated serum titres of IgA/VCA and IgA/EA in NPC sera from normal human sera.
  15. Cheng HM, Foong YT, Mathew A, Sam CK, Dillner J, Prasad U
    J Virol Methods, 1993 Apr;42(1):45-51.
    PMID: 7686558
    An ELISA using the Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA 1) was found to detect selectively specific IgA in sera from patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The antigen, p107, was a 20-amino acid synthetic peptide, representing a major epitope of EBNA 1.267/294 (90.8%) of NPC patients had IgA antibodies to p107 but in normal individuals, only 41/577 (7.1%) had IgA/p107. In sera from patients with other cancers, 11/77 (14.3%) had IgA/p107 reactivity. 124 IgA/VCA positive and 86 IgA/VCA negative NPC sera were also tested for IgA/p107 binding in ELISA. The majority of IgA/VCA positive sera (117) also contained IgA/p107 antibodies. Of interest was the detection of 74/86 IgA/p107 reactive sera in the IgA/VCA negative group. The results suggest that the IgA/p107 ELISA could become a useful, complementary screening assay to the IgA/VCA immunofluorescence test for detection of NPC.
  16. Teng KT, Nagapan G, Cheng HM, Nesaretnam K
    Lipids, 2011 Apr;46(4):381-8.
    PMID: 21197586 DOI: 10.1007/s11745-010-3516-y
    Postprandial lipemia impairs insulin sensitivity and triggers the pro-inflammatory state which may lead to the progression of cardiovascular diseases. A randomized, crossover single-blind study (n = 10 healthy men) was designed to compare the effects of a high-fat load (50 g fat), rich in palmitic acid from both plant (palm olein) or animal source (lard) versus an oleic acid-rich fat (virgin olive oil) on lipemia, plasma glucose, insulin and adipocytokines. Serum triacylglycerol (TAG) concentrations were significantly lower after the lard meal than after the olive oil and palm olein meals (meal effect P = 0.003; time effect P < 0.001). The greater reduction in the plasma non-esterified free fatty acids levels in the lard group compared to the olive oil meal was mirrored by the changes observed for serum TAG levels (P < 0.05). The magnitude of response for plasma glucose, insulin and adipocytokines [interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and leptin] were not altered by the type of dietary fats. A significant difference in plasma IL-1β was found over time following the three high fat loads (time effect P = 0.036). The physical characteristics and changes in TAG structure of lard may contribute to the smaller increase in postprandial lipemia compared with palm olein. A high fat load but not the type of fats influences concentrations of plasma IL-1β over time but had no effect on other pro-inflammatory markers tested in the postprandial state.
  17. Teng KT, Voon PT, Cheng HM, Nesaretnam K
    Lipids, 2010 May;45(5):385-92.
    PMID: 20437207 DOI: 10.1007/s11745-010-3416-1
    Knowledge about the effects of dietary fats on subclinical inflammation and cardiovascular disease risk are mainly derived from studies conducted in Western populations. Little information is available on South East Asian countries. This current study investigated the chronic effects on serum inflammatory markers, lipids, and lipoproteins of three vegetable oils. Healthy, normolipidemic subjects (n = 41; 33 females, 8 males) completed a randomized, single-blind, crossover study. The subjects consumed high oleic palm olein (HOPO diet: 15% of energy 18:1n-9, 9% of energy 16:0), partially hydrogenated soybean oil (PHSO diet: 7% of energy 18:1n-9, 10% of energy 18:1 trans) and an unhydrogenated palm stearin (PST diet: 11% of energy 18:1n-9, 14% of energy 16:0). Each dietary period lasted 5 weeks with a 7 days washout period. The PHSO diet significantly increased serum concentrations of high sensitivity C-reactive protein compared to HOPO and PST diets (by 26, 23%, respectively; P < 0.05 for both) and significantly decreased interleukin-8 (IL-8) compared to PST diet (by 12%; P < 0.05). In particular PHSO diet, and also PST diet, significantly increased total:HDL cholesterol ratio compared to HOPO diet (by 23, 13%, respectively; P < 0.05), with the PST diet having a lesser effect than the PHSO diet (by 8%; P < 0.05). The use of vegetable oils in their natural state might be preferred over one that undergoes the process of hydrogenation in modulating blood lipids and inflammation.
  18. Yam ML, Abdul Hafid SR, Cheng HM, Nesaretnam K
    Lipids, 2009 Sep;44(9):787-97.
    PMID: 19655189 DOI: 10.1007/s11745-009-3326-2
    Tocotrienols are powerful chain breaking antioxidant. Moreover, they are now known to exhibit various non-antioxidant properties such as anti-cancer, neuroprotective and hypocholesterolemic functions. This study was undertaken to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) and individual tocotrienol isoforms namely delta-, gamma-, and alpha-tocotrienol on lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. The widely studied vitamin E form, alpha-tocopherol, was used as comparison. Stimulation of RAW264.7 with lipopolysaccharide induced the release of various inflammatory markers. 10 mcirog/ml of TRF and all tocotrienol isoforms significantly inhibited the production of interleukin-6 and nitric oxide. However, only alpha-tocotrienol demonstrated a significant effect in lowering tumor necrosis factor-alpha production. Besides, TRF and all tocotrienol isoforms except gamma-tocotrienol reduced prostaglandin E(2) release. It was accompanied by the down-regulation of cyclooxygenase-2 gene expression by all vitamin E forms except alpha-tocopherol. Collectively, the data suggested that tocotrienols are better anti-inflammatory agents than alpha-tocopherol and the most effective form is delta-tocotrienol.
  19. Ling LT, Palanisamy UD, Cheng HM
    Molecules, 2010 Nov;15(11):7884-92.
    PMID: 21060296 DOI: 10.3390/molecules15117884
    The antioxidant activity of several Malaysian plant extracts was analyzed simultaneously with their pro-oxidant capacity. This ratio represents an index (ProAntidex) of the net free radical scavenging ability of whole plant extracts. We observed that ethanolic extracts of Nephelium lappaceum peel, Fragaria x ananassa leaf, Lawsonia inermis leaf, Syzygium aqueum leaf and grape seed had a lower Pro-Antidex than the commercially available Emblica™ extract which is an antioxidant agent with very low pro-oxidant activity. Among the aqueous extracts, Lawsonia inermis leaf, Nephelium mutobile leaf and grape seed had lower pro-oxidant activity compared to the Emblica™ extract. Among these extracts, aqueous extract of Nephelium mutobile leaf had a very low index of 0.05 compared to 0.69 for Emblica™. Most of the extracts had a far lower ProAntidex compared to the Vitamin C. The index enables us to identify extracts with high net free radical scavenging activity potential. The ProAntidex is beneficial as a screening parameter to the food industries and healthcare.
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