Newsletter No. 362

No. 362, 4.9.2010 《巢中幼雛》 ，陳燕明攝 陳燕明是新聞學文學碩士課程研究生，現為自然教育工作者，熱愛生態 攝影。 Fledglings by Chan Yin-ming Christina Christina is a postgraduate student of the MA programme in Journalism. She is also an environmental educator and a nature photographer. 成 就 ACHIEVEMENTS 新眼藥水治療青光眼 New Drug for Glaucoma 青 光眼是香港頭號視力殺手，全港 百分之二十三的失明個案是由青光 眼導致，而對類固醇過敏是青光眼成因之 一。在青光眼患者中，逾半人對類固醇有 過敏反應。 眼科及視覺科學學系系主任林順潮教授 指：「現時不少眼疾及術後用藥都使用類 固醇藥物治療，包括糖尿病黃斑病變、虹 膜發炎及用於手術後作消炎等。」該系最 G laucoma is the leading cause of blindness in Hong Kong, accounting for 23% of all cases. Among the many causes of glaucoma, steroid- induced glaucoma is an important one because over 50% of glaucoma patients are steroid responders. Prof. Lam Shun-chiu Dennis, chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences said, ‘Steroid is used in treating various eye diseases, such as uveitis and diabetic macular edema, etc., and as an anti-inflammatory drug after eye surgery.’ A research team in the department found that topical Sodium 4-Phenylbutyrate (PB) is able to prevent and treat steroid-induced glaucoma. In normal situations, aqueous humour produced inside the eyeball is drained through a sponge-like structure (with many sieves or openings) called the 新法治子宮瘤 CUHK Improves Treatment for Uterine Fibroids 藝 文 風 景 A TOUCH OF CLASS trabecular meshwork (TM) located at the angle of the anterior chamber of the eyeball. The TM cells are able to remove extracellular deposits and debris inside the TM, keeping the sieves well open and patent. In steroid-induced glaucoma in rabbits, there is an increase in TM cell deaths and therefore extracellular deposits and debris, leading to blockage of the drainage channels, pressure rise and glaucoma. PB has been shown to be able to prevent cell deaths and reduce extracellular deposits and debris in the TM, and thus prevent and treat steroid- induced glaucoma. The team is applying for a US patent for the discovery of the new usage of PB as a potential glaucoma drug. It is expected that it can be put to clinical use after two to three years. 近發現，含化學物質「鈉苯基 丁」（簡稱PB）眼藥水能預防 及治療類固醇引發的青光眼。 正常情況下，眼內分泌出的房 水會不停流入位於眼前方的 前房，再經由前房角海綿狀的 小樑網（眼房排水口）流出。 小樑網細胞具有清理前房角 積聚物的功能，故能保持前房 角暢通。 因類固醇過敏而引發的青光 眼，成因是小樑網細胞大量 死亡，失去其清理積聚物的功能，使積聚 物阻塞排水口，以致眼壓上升，最終導致 青光眼。實驗證實，PB眼藥水能減少小 樑網細胞死亡，保持小樑網暢通，因此能 預防及治療因類固醇過敏而引起的青光 眼。 研究隊伍正就此項新發現申請美國專利， 預計PB眼藥水兩三年後便可正式使用。 影 像及介入放射學系研究新 方法治療子宮肌瘤。新方 法利用Trisacryl明膠微球堵塞肌 瘤血管，令其壞死縮小，使病人避 免開刀切除之苦。 該系余俊豪教授表示，相較於傳 統的聚乙烯醇（PVA）微球，利用 Trisacryl明膠微球的新方法能把 治療成功率由百分之六十九提升至 百分之九十六。 栓塞子宮肌瘤血管是非外科手術的 治療方法，可有效把肌瘤體積縮少 百分之六十，消除病徵的成功率可達百分之 七十至八十，適用於不打算生育的婦女。 子宮肌瘤是最常見的婦女腫瘤，以往多以 藥物和外科手術治療。但前者只能短暫 把肌瘤縮小；後者則有機會出現併發症和 復發。 中大這項研究成果已在去年底舉行的「第 九十五屆北美洲放射診斷學學術年會」上 發表。 T he Department of Imaging and Interventional Radiology improved non-surgical treatment for uterine fibroids. The new uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) involves using Trisacryl (TA) microspheres to block the vessels of uterine fibroids, thereby cutting their blood supply, causing them to shrink and ultimately die. According to Prof. Yu Chun-ho Simon of the department, by using TA microspheres in place of the conventional Polyvinyl Alcohol microspheres for the treatment, the success rate can be increased from 69% to 96%. UFE can shrink the size of tumours by up to 60% and relieve symptoms in 70% to 80% of patients. The treatment is only recommended to women who have no wish for future pregnancy. Usual treatment options include hormonal therapy and surgery. Hormonal therapy usually does not have a sustainable effect and surgery carries a risk of significant complications and recurrence. This study was presented in the 95th Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America in December 2009.