Aimin Yang

The Chinese University of Hong Kong | CUHK · Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine

Aim: To ascertain the risk of progression to diabetes among Chinese women with PCOS. Methods: Women with PCOS (n=3978) were identified from the Hong Kong Diabetes Surveillance Database based on the ICD-9 code for PCOS diagnosis and women without PCOS served as controls (n=39780), matched 1:10 by age. Result: (s): The mean follow-up was 6.28 ±...

Background: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes has increased in both young and old people. We examined age-specific associations and population attributable fractions (PAFs) of risk factors for all-cause and cause-specific mortality in people with type 2 diabetes. Methods and findings: We analysed data from 360,202 Chinese with type 2 diabetes wh...

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic condition that is associated with multiple comorbidities. Apart from pharmacological approaches, patient self-management remains the gold standard of care for diabetes. Improving patients' self-management among the elderly with mobile health (mHealth) interventions is critical, espe...

Aims: To examine whether simple clinical features can predict 1-year glycaemic response to glucose-lowering drugs (GLDs) among Chinese with type 2 diabetes. Materials and methods: We used data from a diabetes risk assessment and complication screening programme with linkage to electronic medical records. We used linear regression models to exami...

Background: Renin-angiotensin-system inhibitors (RASi), that include angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEis) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) reduce proteinuria, delay chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression, protect against cardiovascular events and heart failure hospitalizations. We examined the associations of discontinuation o...

Although previous studies have examined the hepatotoxicity of single metal exposure, the associations between metal mixture and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or fibrosis remain unclear. This study investigated the associations of urinary metal mixture with the risks of NAFLD and liver fibrosis in US adults using data from the National H...

Aim To examine the association of initiation of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) at lower glycemic threshold with decline in estimated-glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Methods We analyzed a prospective cohort of Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes from Hong Kong. Patients initiating SGLT2i at HbA1c<7.5% (lower-HbA1c) versus ≥...

Abstract Background Although Th17 cells and regulatory T cells play critical roles in autoimmune hepatitis, the balance between them in acute and chronic immune hepatitis is not well‐studied. The objective of this study was to explore the role of Th17/Treg balance in autoimmune hepatitis. Methods Thirty female Wistar rats were randomly divided into...

Background: Diabetes is a chronic non-communicable disease that causes a substantial economic burden on diabetic suffers and their households. The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence, equity, and determinants of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) among households with people with diabetes in Northwest China. Methods: A total of 3,00...

Aims: Glucokinase (GCK) and glucokinase regulatory protein (GKRP) regulate glucose and lipid metabolism. We investigated the associations of GCKR and GCK polymorphisms with kidney outcomes. Methods: Analyses were performed in a prospective cohort who were enrolled in the Hong Kong Diabetes Register between 1995 and 2017. The associations of GCKR...

Selenium (Se) remains to have an inconsistent relationship with glycemic biomarkers and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D). Few studies have investigated the relationship between blood Se and glycemic biomarkers among people with normoglycemia. We conducted a cross‐sectional analysis using the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examinatio...

Despite continuous growth in dietary pattern research, the relative importance of each dietary component in the overall pattern and their joint effects on mortality risk have not been examined adequately. We explored the individual and joint associations of multiple food groups with all-cause and cause-specific mortality (cardiovascular disease (CV...

Type 2 diabetes (T2D)-associated end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) is a global burden, while the renoprotective effects of metformin remain controversial. In a population-based cohort (2002–2018) including 96,643 patients with T2D observed for 0.7 million person-years, we estimated the risk association of metformin and its dose-relationship with ESKD...

Background Cancer is replacing cardiovascular-disease as a leading cause of death in type 2 diabetes (T2D). The association of RAS-inhibitors (RASi) and cancer, including differences between angiotensin-converting-enzyme-inhibitor (ACEi) and angiotensin-receptor-blocker (ARBs) as well as their associations independent of blood pressure lowering, re...

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was the third leading cause of death worldwide in 2019, with a significant disease burden. We conducted a nested case–control study using data from the China Metal-Exposed Workers Cohort Study (Jinchang Cohort) and assessed the associations of exposure to metals and tobacco smoking with the risk of COPD....

Background Intensive lifestyle modification showed variable success in the prevention of major clinical events and mortality among people with prediabetes. We propose that age may partly explain the heterogeneity and that health hazards related to prediabetes are age-specific. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of a territory-wide diabe...

Aims This systematic review aims to assess the incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD), cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality in people with type 2 diabetes diagnosed < 20 years. Methods We searched MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane Library for longitudinal studies published between 1 January, 2000 and 31 November, 2021. Results Seventeen studi...

The clinical efficacy of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) therapy combined with six classes of oral glucose-lowering drugs (GLDs) (TZDs/metformin/acarbose/GLP-1 receptor agonist/SGLT-2 inhibitor/DPP-4 inhibitor) was evaluated by a network meta-analysis to provide an evidence-based reference in making a clinical decision on CSII combi...

Background Little is known about the lifetime risk of progression to diabetes in the Asian population. We determined remaining lifetime risk of diabetes and life years spent with diabetes in Chinese people with normoglycemia and prediabetes. Methods and findings Using territory-wide diabetes surveillance data curated from electronic medical record...

Abstract Background Family history (FamH) of type 2 diabetes might indicate shared genotypes, environments, and/or behaviors. We hypothesize that FamH interacts with unhealthy behaviors to increase the risk of early onset of diabetes and poor cardiometabolic control. Methods In a cross-sectional analysis of the prospective Joint Asia Diabetes Evalu...

The cover image is based on the Research Article Associations of the HOMA2‐%B and HOMA2‐IR with progression to diabetes and glycaemic deterioration in young and middle‐aged Chinese by Baoqi Fan et al., https://doi.org/10.1002/dmrr.3525. Image Credit: Liting Hu, Xinge Zhang, Hongjiang Wu, and Baoqi Fan.

Background: Improvements in glycemic outcomes have stalled since 2010 in several international surveys. We previously reported improvements in glycemic control in 2007-2014 in Hong Kong coinciding with primary care reforms, use of dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 inhibitors (DPP-4is) and metformin. The aim of this study was to estimate more recent trends in...

Aims: Multicomponent integrated care is associated with sustained control of multiple cardiometabolic risk factors among patients with type 2 diabetes. There is a lack of data in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We aimed to examine its efficacy on mortality and hospitalization outcomes among patients with ACS in outpatient settings. M...

Background: We aimed to examine age-specific association and population attributable fraction (PAF) of risk factors for all-cause and cause-specific mortality in people with type 2 diabetes. Methods: We used data from 360,202 people with type 2 diabetes who underwent metabolic assessment in 2000-20in Hong Kong. We included eight risk factors, inclu...

Background: Prediabetes is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) , kidney disease and death but the extent to which the risk associations between prediabetes and clinical events are modified by age is not known. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of a territory-wide diabetes surveillance dataset from the Hong Ko...

Introduction: Improvements in glycemic outcomes have stalled since 20in some international surveys. We examined the latest trends in drug use and glycemic outcomes following recent introduction of newer classes of glucose lowering drugs (GLDs) in a territory-wide analysis. Methods: Using data from the Hong Kong Diabetes Surveillance Database, we es...

Introduction: Whether angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) should be discontinued in advanced diabetic kidney disease (DKD) remains controversial. We examined the association of discontinuation of ACEi/ARBs when estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) reached <30 ml/min/1.73m2 with risk of dea...

Background: In patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) negative for glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies (GADA-) , the prognostic significance of insulin deficiency (ID) and insulin resistance (IR) remained uncertain. Methods: In 4590 patients with T2D consecutively enrolled to the Hong Kong Diabetes Register in 1995-2012 followed up till 2019, we me...

Objective: The rare risk association of bullous pemphigoid (BP) with use of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) had been reported including genetic association with HLA variants. We assessed genetic susceptibility of BP associated with DPP-4i use in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) . Methods: In a prospective cohort of 30,129 Chinese pati...

Background: Few studies reported incidence rates of late-stage complications in people with youth-onset type 2 diabetes. We compared the clinical characteristics and incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) , end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and death in a cohort of Chinese youth with type 2 and type 1 diabetes. Method: We performed a retrospective...

Introduction: Whether environmental exposure to heavy metals is associated with long-term mortality in adults with diabetes remains controversial. We evaluated the associations of urinary metal levels (antimony [Sb], arsenic, barium, cadmium [Cd], cesium, cobalt [Co], lead [Pb], platinum [Pt], mercury, molybdenum, and uranium) with risk of all-caus...

Introduction: Whether environmental exposure to cadmium (Cd) is associated with long-term mortality in adults with and without type 2 diabetes (T2D) is unclear. We examined the association of urinary Cd level with risk of all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer mortality in U.S. adults in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Sur...

Background: In patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and non-ketotic presentation, low C-peptide (CP) and positivity for glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies (GADA+) indicate early insulin requirement. In GADA- patients, the associations of CP with insulin use, glycemic response and severe hypoglycemia event (SHE) are unknown. Methods: We measured...

Growing evidence supports the associations of metal exposures with risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D), but the methodological limitations overlook the complexity of relationships within the metal mixtures. We identified and estimated the single and combined effects of urinary metals and their interactions with prevalence of T2D among 3078 participants i...

In type 2 diabetes, ecological and lifecourse factors may interact with the host microbiota to influence expression of his/her genomes causing perturbation of interconnecting biological pathways with diverse clinical course. Metformin is a plant-based or plant-derived medicinal product used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes for over 60 years and...

Aims: Insulin deficiency (ID) and resistance (IR) contribute to progression from normal glucose tolerance to diabetes to insulin requirement although their relative contributions in young-onset diabetes is unknown. Methods: We examined the associations of HOMA2 using fasting plasma glucose and C-peptide in Chinese aged 20-50 years with 1) progre...

Although cadmium (Cd) exposure has been declining in the United States (U.S.) over the years, the level of exposure for people with pre-existing comorbidities is unclear. This study characterized the trends of blood Cd levels (bCd) (n = 44,498) and urinary Cd levels (uCd) (n = 15,107) by pre-existing comorbidities among adults participating in the...

Aims/hypothesis Few large-scale prospective studies have investigated associations between relative leucocyte telomere length (rLTL) and kidney dysfunction in individuals with type 2 diabetes. We examined relationships between rLTL and incident end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and the slope of eGFR decline in Chinese individuals with type 2 diabetes...

Aims To evaluate the time-varying and cumulative risk associations of renin-angiotensin-system-inhibitors (RASi) with pneumonia and related deaths in people with diabetes. Methods This was a prospective analysis with propensity-score overlap-weighting of a territory-wide cohort (n=252,616, 1.7 million person-years) and a register-based cohort (n=1...

OBJECTIVE Several studies support associations between relative leukocyte telomere length (rLTL), a biomarker of biological aging and type 2 diabetes. This study investigates the relationship between rLTL and the risk of glycemic progression in patients with type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS In this cohort study, consecutive Chinese pat...

Liver is a major site for glucose metabolism. Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity have increased risk of liver cancer. We explored the association of glycemic burden (GB) and obesity with liver cancer in T2D in the prospective Hong Kong Diabetes Register (1995-2019). We calculated GB using the area under the curve above hemoglobin A1c (...

Data resource basics Diabetes has become one of the most challenging health problems, which affects around 1 in 10 adults worldwide.¹,² The last three decades have witnessed a significant change in the global epidemiological patterns of diabetes.³,⁴ However, the existing large epidemiological studies are mainly from North America and Europe. Popula...

Background Cadmium (Cd), a toxic heavy metal distributed in the environment, is linked to cardiometabolic diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), hypertension, and chronic kidney diseases (CKD). Understanding population-wide trends in levels of both blood and urinary Cd levels is critical to exploring the associations of exposure to Cd and t...

Solid fuel use is the main source of indoor air pollution, especially in rural areas of developing countries. Nevertheless, the evidence linking indoor solid fuel use and renal function is very limited. Therefore, we investigated the association between indoor solid fuel use and renal function among middle-aged and older adults in rural China. Cyst...

Background: Although folate status is associated with cervical carcinogenesis, it is not clear whether folate deficiency is associated with risk of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) progression and infection with high-risk human-papillomavirus (hrHPV). Objectives: To evaluate the associations of RBC and serum folate concentrations with pr...

Background Obesity, cancer and diabetes frequently coexist. The association of glycaemic variability (GV) and obesity with cancer events had not been explored in diabetes. Methods In the prospective Hong Kong Diabetes Register cohort (1995-2019), we used cox proportional hazards models to examine the risk associations of GV with all-site cancer (p...

Sulfonylureas (SUs) are predominantly metabolized by cytochrome p450 2C9 (CYP2C9) and cytochrome p450 2C19 (CYP2C19) enzymes. CYP2C9 polymorphisms are associated with greater treatment response and hypoglycemic risk in SU users. However, there are no large scale pharmacogenetic studies investigating the effect of loss‐of‐function alleles CYP2C19*2...

Unlabelled: The complement system is activated during the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We aimed to evaluate the causal relationship between serum C3 and C4 levels and NAFLD. After exclusion criteria, a total of 1600 Chinese Han men from the Fangchenggang Area Male Health and Examination Survey cohort were enrolled in cr...

Aims/hypothesisWe postulated that the increased lifetime risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in young-onset diabetes is attributable to both long disease duration and more aggressive disease. We examined whether age at diabetes diagnosis modifies the effect of diabetes duration on risk of CKD.Methods We included 436,744 people with incident type 2...

Background The clinical predictors and prognosis of heart failure (HF) by categories of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) have not been well studied in people with diabetes. In a retrospective cohort of Chinese with type 2 diabetes, we examined 1) clinical factors associated with incident decompensated HF, and 2) mortality post-HF, stratifi...

Background Diabetes is associated with increased risk of respiratory infections. Renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibition with anti-fibrotic, anti-inflammatory effects may reduce pneumonia risk. Prior studies did not account for time-varying and cumulative exposure to RAS inhibitors (RASi), with short follow-up periods, nor compared angiotensin co...

Background Long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, limited data on trends in the global burden of T2D attributed to PM2.5, particularly in different regions by social-economic levels. We evaluated the spatio-temporal changes in the disease burden of T2D attributed...

Background There are limited population-wide trend data on kidney failure and kidney replacement therapy (KRT) in people with diabetes. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to report incidence trends of kidney failure and KRT and related mortality in people with diabetes in Hong Kong between 2002 and 2015. Methods We used territory-wide elect...

Introduction: The overall evidence for the long-term exposure of metformin on cardiovascular-renal (CV) outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) at different stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains controversial. Methods: We conducted a prospective analysis of 14,766 Chinese patients with T2D enrolled between 2000 and 2016 observed un...

Background: Growing evidences have linked the exposure to heavy metals to the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D), cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and chronic kidney disease (CKD). In the present analysis, we examined secular trends in levels of four toxic metals (arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg)) in urine among adults aged 20 years...

Background: The roles of insulin deficiency (ID) and resistance (IR) in young patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) are uncertain. We explored the associations of HOMA2 IR and HOMA2 %B using fasting C peptide and plasma glucose (FPG) with incident T2D and insulin use in Chinese aged 18-50 years. Methods: Cohort 1 included subjects without T2D in 1998...

The incidence of liver cancer and related mortality is increasing globally. Liver is a major site for glucose metabolism. People with type 2 diabetes (T2D) had increased risk of liver cancer. However, the association of glycemic burden (GB) with liver cancer in T2D remains unclear. We calculated GB using area under the curve above 5.7% of HbA1c (AU...

Background: Diabetes predisposes to heart failure (HF). In a prospective cohort of Chinese with type 2 diabetes, we examined 1) clinical factors associated with incident HF, and 2) mortality post-HF, stratified by ejection fraction (EF). Methods: Between 1 Jun 1993 and 30 Jun 2015, 23348 patients with type 2 diabetes without history of HF were enro...

Introduction: Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are renin angiotensin system inhibitors (RASi) which can reduce the proinflammatory-vasoconstricting activity of ACE/angiotensin II and enhance the anti-inflammatory-vasodilatory activity of ACE2/angiotensin 1-7. These drugs may be protective acro...

10547 Background: Although low folate status has been implicated in cervical carcinogenesis, large-scale population-based prospective cohort studies controlling for high-risk types of human papillomavirus (hrHPV) infection are lacking. The aim of this study is to evaluate the associations of red blood cell (RBC) folate, hrHPV infection risk and cer...

Aims/hypothesis: The long-term effects of metformin in individuals with type 2 diabetes who are at increased risk of severe respiratory infections are unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of metformin use on the risk of first pneumonia hospitalisation and pneumonia-related death in a cohort of Chinese individuals with type 2 diabetes....

IntroductionTo compare glycemic variability (GV) and time in range (TIR) in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) initiated on once-daily bedtime insulin glargine 300U/ml (Gla-300) versus neutral protamine Hagedorn (NPH) insulin using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM).Methods This was a 24-week, open-label exploratory study with 1:1 randomi...