Kathy Chow (周海媚), most beautiful Zhou Zhi Rou, passed away at age 57

[Ct3833]

Dont know her, I am too old to know about  her maybe, but looks pretty and read about her  succes show biz  story. Too young to go. RIP.

Edited December 13, 2023 by Ct3833

[Windwaver]

https://www.singhealth.com.sg/patient-care/conditions-treatments/Systemic-Lupus-Erythematosus

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) is a chronic autoimmune disorder that occurs when the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues and organs. Inflammation caused by lupus can affect many different body systems, including the joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart, lungs, intestines and blood vessels.

Under normal circumstances, the body’s immune system protects the body against “foreign” invaders like viruses, bacteria and parasites. In lupus, the immune system malfunctions and produces antibodies and cells which attack its own organs – hence lupus is known as an “autoimmune” disease. The reason why this happens is unknown, but are believed to be linked to environment (exposure to sunlight, stress or infection), genetic and hormonal factors.

Lupus occurs more frequently in women than in men. Asians and Afro-Americans are more prone to develop lupus than Caucasians and the disorder is more severe in these ethnic groups.

Four types of Lupus exist:

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) – the generalised and most common form

Discoid Lupus Erythematosus – only affecting the skin

Drug-induced Lupus – Lupus caused by drugs

Neonatal Lupus – Lupus in babies born to mothers with SLE

The outlook for people with lupus was once grim, but diagnosis and treatment of the disorder has improved tremendously in recent years. With early diagnosis and treatment, most people with lupus can lead normal, active lives.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - Symptoms

No two cases of lupus are exactly alike. Signs and symptoms may come on suddenly or develop slowly, may be mild or severe and may be temporary or last for a long period of time.

Most people with lupus experience episodes called flares, or worsening signs and symptoms that eventually improve or even disappear completely for a period of time with treatment. The course of the disorder is unpredictable, hence long-term treatment and follow-up is essential.

The signs and symptoms of lupus will depend on which body systems are affected by the disorder.

In general, signs and symptoms of lupus include the following:

Fever, fatigue and weight loss.

Joint pain, stiffness, swelling and diffuse muscle aches.

Butterfly-shaped rash on the face that covers the cheeks and bridge of the nose which worsens with sun-exposure.

Hair loss, mouth ulcers and easy bruising.

Chest pain and shortness of breath.

Swelling around the eye-lids, swelling of the feet and legs and decrease in urine output.

Psychosis, seizures (fits), memory or behavioural changes, drowsiness or stroke.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - How to prevent?

Lifestyle changes are needed to reduce the incidence of relapses:

Get adequate rest and sleep

Be sun smart – avoid sun-bathing and stay out of the sun entirely when it is the strongest i.e. between 8am to 6pm

Use sunblock and wear protective clothing

Get regular exercise but do not overstrain your body

Maintain a healthy diet

Do not smoke and avoid excessive alcohol intake

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - Causes and Risk Factors

Under normal circumstances, the body’s immune system protects the body against “foreign” invaders like viruses, bacteria and parasites. In lupus, the immune system malfunctions and produces antibodies and cells which attack its own organs – hence lupus is known as an “autoimmune” disease. The reason why this happens is unknown, but are believed to be linked to environment (exposure to sunlight, stress or infection), genetic and hormonal factors.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - Diagnosis

Diagnosing lupus is difficult because the disease varies considerably from person to person and the signs and symptoms come and go unpredictably and overlap with many other diseases. Therefore, doctors may not initially consider lupus until the signs and symptoms become more definite. Your doctor will take a detailed medical history and conduct a physical examination on you.

Even then, diagnosis can often be challenging and a number of laboratory tests are necessary to confirm the diagnosis. These tests include the following:

Full blood count - This test measures the levels of haemoglobin, number of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Results may indicate the presence of anaemia, or low white blood cell or platelet count. An extremely low platelet count can result in spontaneous bleeding in the skin (bruises), in the stomach or even in the brain.

Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) – the ESR is raised in many disorders including lupus. It is sometimes a good measure of disease activity and as your condition improves your ESR may drop.

Urine examination - An examination of your urine may show an increase in red blood cells or protein level. This can occur if lupus has affected your kidneys.

Kidney function tests - Blood tests can assess how well your kidneys are functioning.

Anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) - A positive test for these antibodies indicates a stimulated immune system which is common in lupus and other autoimmune diseases. However, a positive ANA test is not always indicative of lupus since certain infections or drugs can lead to a positive test. In fact, a small proportion of normal individuals can have a slightly raised ANA antibody test. Therefore, this test needs to be interpreted in conjunction with a proper history and physical examination.

Anti-dsDNA antibody test - This test is often done together with the ANA test. Patients with lupus and kidney involvement often have a raised anti-dsDNA antibody level.
 

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - Treatments

Specialised clinics may result in better outcomes. Treatment of lupus depends on the signs and symptoms and which organs are involved.

Determining what medications to use requires a careful discussion of the benefits and risks with a rheumatologist. For adequate control of lupus, a rheumatologist may recommend more powerful drugs in higher doses initially but as the disease flare subsides, the dosage can usually be tapered off slowly and carefully. More aggressive lupus usually requires more powerful and long term drugs.

In general, when first diagnosed with lupus, your doctor may recommend the following medications:

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
These include diclofenac acid (Voltaren) and the COX 2 inhibitors (Celebrex and Arcoxia). They are effective in controlling fever, muscle aches, joint pains and swelling.

Antimalarial drugs
Medications that are used to treat malarial can also be used to treat individuals with lupus. The two commonly known antimalarials are hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) and chloroquine. These medications have proved useful especially in lupus patients with joint and skin involvement. It has also proven to reduce lupus flares and help people with lupus to live longer.

Corticosteroids
These drugs counter the inflammation of lupus and are highly effective. They can have serious long term side-effects including weight gain, easy bruising, high blood pressure, diabetes, thinning of the bones (i.e. osteoporosis) and an increased risk of infection. Very often, doctors need to prescribe corticosteroids (e.g. prednisolone) in order to prevent permanent organ damage such as kidney failure or even death. To help reduce the side-effects, your doctor will try to find the lowest dose that controls the disease and prescribe the medicine for the shortest possible period of time.

Immunosuppressive drugs
These drugs suppress the immune system and may be useful in serious cases of lupus including patients with severe kidney or brain involvement. The most often used immunosuppressive drugs are cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate mofetil (cellcept) or mycophenolic acid and azathioprine. Cyclophosphamide is often given by injection into the veins. Potential side-effects include hair loss, feeling tired, nausea, change in menstrual cycle, increase risk of infection, low white cell count, liver injury, blood in urine and infertility.

Mycophenolate mofetil or mycophenolic acid has proven to be effective in lupus affecting the kidneys and other major organs. It has fewer side-effects than corticosteroids and is proving to be an effective alternative to cyclophosphamide. These drugs should only be used under close supervision by a rheumatologist or a nephrologist (kidney specialist).
 

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - Preparing for surgery

Surgery may present some particular challenges in people who have lupus, so proper preparation is important. Although we may not be able to adequately prepare for emergency surgeries, there are many things that can be done for elective surgeries to increase the possibility of a safe outcome.

Keep all your doctors in the loop. It is very important that the surgeon and the rheumatologist communicate with each other prior to the surgery. If this does not happen, it is recommended that patients initiate this communication by asking the surgeon to contact the rheumatologist, and vice versa.

This is important as surgery may induce a lupus flare or may cause complications if surgery is performed while having a flare. Therefore, it is important to know the status of your lupus before having a procedure. In addition, some medications need to be stopped, increased or decreased prior to surgery. For instance, blood thinners will need to be stopped prior to surgery and restarted later on. Your rheumatologist and other doctors can provide specific recommendations.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - Post-surgery care

Your rheumatologist will review you post-surgery to make sure your wound has healed and recommends your treatment appropriately.

[Benarsenal]

Hmm, can't say I heard of her. But still, RIP.

[Kopites]

I read somewhere she passed on even before reaching the hospital. 

[Kopites]

On 12/13/2023 at 9:42 AM, Benarsenal said:

Hmm, can't say I heard of her. But still, RIP.

 

[Lala81]

Buck teeth zhou zhi rou.

RIP.

[Kopites]

Legit?

Simon yam medical report was leaked as well previously so plausible.

[Arogab]

Sad yah. So, we do not want to take life for granted. May she RIP.

[inlinesix]

On 12/12/2023 at 10:27 PM, Scion said:

 

 

[Mahjong74]

On 12/13/2023 at 9:04 AM, Starry said:

Very sad day. I think many of us grow up watching her dramas before.

RIP.

I started 2023 at Mandai Columbarium on 1st Jan sending off a relative.

Throughout the year, I have a few other friends either gone or in the hospital.

Life is fragile and unpredictable. 

 

@Starry 

Yup, Life is fragile and unpredictable. 

10 to 15 yrs ago, I always received 红事 invitation - Wedding invitation, friends kids birthday......newborn celebrations......

Nowadays, I always received 白事 invitation - Friends Funeral, Friends parent funeral etc...........

Part & parcel of life.......Nothing is permanent, Nothing is impermanent

[Windwaver]

https://www.dimsumdaily.hk/two-individuals-implicated-and-handed-over-to-police-in-the-leaked-medical-records-case-of-late-hong-kong-actress-kathy-chow/

Two individuals implicated and handed over to police in the leaked medical records case of late Hong Kong actress Kathy Chow

13th December 2023 – (Beijing) The late Hong Kong actress Kathy Chow has become the subject of controversy following her recent passing. Reports have surfaced claiming that her alleged medical records, purported to be her final medical visit, have been leaked. It is said that these records reveal startling details about her condition prior to her demise.

Various social media platforms quickly disseminated news of Chow’s death, accompanied by speculation surrounding her medical history. The leaked records, which bear Chow’s name alongside “Hoi-mei” and indicate her age as 57, suggest that she was admitted to Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in an unconscious state, with a lifeless body exhibiting signs of postmortem lividity. Additionally, the records allude to significant respiratory distress experienced by Chow on the night preceding her passing.

Earlier reports had suggested that she was taken to Peking Union Medical College Hospital, but the leaked records state that she was urgently admitted to Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine at 11.11am on 11th December.

Recent developments indicate that two individuals allegedly involved in the leakage of Chow’s medical records have been identified and subsequently handed over to the police. According to insiders at the hospital, one of the implicated individuals is an employee, while the other is a friend of the employee. The hospital has suspended the staff member pending the outcome of the police investigation. Hospital personnel have confirmed the authenticity of the leaked records, acknowledging that they indeed belong to their institution. They have expressed their intention to conduct further investigations in accordance with the findings of the police.

According to Chow’s colleagues, she was discovered unconscious by a coworker sometime after 10am on that day, prompting an immediate call for emergency medical assistance. They further disclosed that Chow had been experiencing coughing and respiratory difficulties over the past week, requiring self-administered oxygen therapy at home. The symptoms reportedly worsened on the evening before she was admitted to the hospital.

According to the leaked records, when Chow arrived at the hospital, she was already in an unconscious state, with a cold and rigid body displaying postmortem lividity. Her pupils were dilated, and there were signs of conjunctival haemorrhage. It was noted that she had neither a heartbeat nor respiratory function. Medical professionals diagnosed her with cardiac arrest, loss of consciousness, and respiratory failure. The records also indicated that Chow had a medical history of hypertension and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Authorities in Beijing have taken notice of the situation. A spokesperson from the Shunyi District Health Commission stated that they are actively investigating the matter and will release the results to the public as soon as the inquiry is concluded.

According to the Civil Code of Mainland China, medical institutions and their medical staff are required to keep patients’ privacy and personal information confidential. Those who disclose patients’ privacy or medical records without their consent may be held liable for infringement. Doctors who disclose patients’ privacy during their professional activities, resulting in serious consequences, may receive a warning or be ordered to suspend their practice for six months to one year by the health administrative department at the county level or above. In severe cases, their medical licenses may be revoked. If the act constitutes a crime, criminal responsibility will be pursued according to the law.

Furthermore, intentionally disclosing personal privacy information of infectious patients, carriers of pathogens, suspected infectious patients, or close contacts may result in detention for up to five days or a fine of up to 500 yuan (RMB). For more severe cases, detention for more than five days but less than ten days, as well as a fine of less than 500 yuan, may be imposed.

According to relevant provisions of the Criminal Law, serious disclosure of medical information may constitute the crime of infringing upon citizens’ personal information. In cases of particularly severe circumstances, the perpetrator may be sentenced to imprisonment for three to seven years and fined.

[Scion]

 

[Yaloryalor]

RIP…

most beautiful 滅絕師太