Research Scope

An overview of research focus

Our research team is interested in paediatric sleep problems and respiratory diseases, focusing on sleep-disordered breathing, sleep deprivation, and asthma.

A list of research topics

• Natural history of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) from childhood to adulthood

• Epidemiology of OSA in adolescents

• Circadian regulation and cardiometabolic complications of OSA in children

• Nasal and systemic inflammation, microbiome and metabolomics in children with sleep-disordered breathing

• Non-invasive ventilation for childhood OSA

• Treatment effect of adenotonsillectomy and prediction of treatment responses

• Screening tools and anatomical markers of childhood OSA

• Drug-induced sleep endoscopy for children with OSA

• Sleep problems in young children

• Management of asthma in children

Selected publications

1. Effects of childhood obstructive sleep apnea with and without daytime sleepiness on behaviors and emotions. Yu MW, Au CT, Yuen HM, Chan NY, Chan JW, Wing YK, Li AM, Chan KC. Sleep Med. 2024 Mar;115:93-99.

2. Applicability of the Global Lung Function Initiative prediction equations in Hong Kong Chinese children. Chan KC, Zhu H, Yu M, Yuen HM, Dai S, Chin HY, Choy J, Chan J, Tsoi D, Siu B, Au CT, Li AM. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2023 Nov;58(11):3235-3245.

3. Effect of surgical intervention for childhood OSA on blood pressure: A randomized controlled study. Au CT, Chan KC, Lee DLY, Leung NMW, Chow SMW, Kwok KL, Wing YK, Li AM. Sleep Med. 2023 Jul;107:9-17.

4. Secular trends of sleep-wake patterns in Hong Kong preschoolers. Lan QY, Chan KC, Au CT, Chan PH, Chan NY, Wing YK, Li AM, Lam HS. Sleep Med. 2023 Apr;104:73-82. 

5. Pulmonary function in patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia and its associations with iron overload. Chan KC, Au CT, Leung AWK, Li AM, Li CK, Wong MMT, Li CST, Cheung HL, Fan P, Ling SC, Li RCH, Ha SY. Sci Rep. 2023 Mar 4;13(1):3674.

6. Craniofacial phenotyping by photogrammetry in Chinese prepubertal children with obstructive sleep apnea. Yuen HM, Chan KC, Chu WCW, Chan JWY, Wing YK, Li AM, Au CT. Sleep. 2023 Mar 9;46(3):zsac289. 

7. Wong OY, Au CT, Yuen HM, Yu KN, Lan QY, Chan NY, Tsang CC, Li AM, Chan KC. Impact of COVID-19 on the sleep-wake patterns of a prospective cohort of preschool children. Sleep Medicine. 2023 Jan; 101: 50–57.

8. Inferior endothelial function improved following optimisation of asthma control in children. Chan KC, Au CT, Wong E, Chook P, Li AM. Respir Med. 2022 Nov-Dec;204:107024.

9. Cheng ETW, Chan RNC, Chan KC, Au CT, Li AM. Level of urinary catecholamines in children with sleep disordered breathing: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine. 2022 Dec;100:565-572.

10. Ai S, Li Z, Wang S, Chen S, Chan JWY, Au CT, Bao Y, Li AM, Zhang J, Chan KC, Wing YK. Blood pressure and childhood obstructive sleep apnea: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2022 Oct;65:101663.

Grants

1. Study title: Application of Cell Type and Gene Expression Deconvolution on Tonsillar

Tissue in Children with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea

Funding source: HOPE Research Seed Funding Scheme

Study period: 30 Sep 2023 to 29 Sep 2024

Reference number: HOPE-009

2. Study title: Microbiome and metabolomic profiling in children with obstructive sleep apnoea

Funding source: Health Bureau - Health Medical Research Fund

Study period: 1 Sep 2023 to 31 Aug 2026

Reference number: 10210376

3. Study title: An 18-year Follow-up Study on Obstructive Sleep Apnoea in a Population-based Cohort

Funding source: Health Bureau - Health Medical Research Fund

Study period: 4 Feb 2022 to 3 Feb 2025

Reference number: 08190526

4. Study title: Mucosal inflammation in children with OSA - potential biomarkers of OSA complications

Funding source: Health and Medical Research Fund - Commissioned Paediatric Research at Hong Kong Children's Hospital

Study period: 1 Jan 2023 to 31 Dec 2025

Reference number: PR-CUHK-4

5. Study title: Long-term follow-up of children with obstructive sleep apnoea treated with adenotonsillectomy: cardiovascular perspective

Funding source: Health Bureau - Health Medical Research Fund

Study period: 17 Jul 2020 to 16 Jul 2024

Reference number: 07181276

6. Study title: High-flow nasal cannula as an alternative intervention for children and adolescents with obstructive sleep apnoea

Funding source: Health Bureau - Health Medical Research Fund

Study period: 7 Oct 2019 to 30 Sep 2023

Reference number: 06170456

Collaborative works

We work closely with our ENT colleagues, Drs. Alice Siu and Natalie Leung to investigate the treatment effects of adenotonsillectomy on childhood OSA.

We collaborate with Dr. Savio Wong from the Department of Educational Psychology, CUHK, to investigate the effects of sleep disorders, sleep architecture and sleep deprivation on neurocognitive function in children and adolescents.

A research collaboration has also been established with Dr. Ronald LM Lui from the Department of Mathematics, CUHK, to explore ways to quantify various physiological traits of sleep-related breathing and to examine if these traits are better predictors of sleep apnoea severity and clinical outcomes.

We collaborate with Prof. TF Chan from the School of Life Sciences on the gene expression patterns of tonsillar cells in children with OSA.

Facilities available

Our sleep laboratory was established in the Prince of Wales Hospital in 2002. It is a 2-bedded unit that serves both clinical and research purposes. We have performed over 1,800 sleep studies on children.