Division of Rheumatology

We are devoted to delivering the highest standard of clinical care to all with rheumatic diseases. We strive for excellence in clinical, teaching and research activities.

Head of Division Prof. Lai-Shan Tam, Professor
Academic Staff and Clinical Staff Prof. Edmund K Li, Clinical Professor (honorary)
Prof. Ho So, Assistant Professor
Dr. Kong-Chiu Wong, Consultant
Dr. Lydia HP Tam, Associate Consultant
Dr. Jacqueline So, Resident
Research Staff Dr. Martin Li
Isaac TH Cheng
Xerox SL Lau
Evelyn HM Chow
Vincent YY Lo
Nursing Staff Emily YM Leung
Tracey WK Yu

Research Interests

  • Inflammation and glucocorticoid induced bone loss (GIOP) in patients with rheumatic diseases
  • Premature atherosclerosis in patients with rheumatic diseases
  • Long term outcomes of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
  • Pathogenesis of SLE

Selected Publications

  1. Rainer TH, Cheng CH, Janssens HJ, Man CY, Tam LS et al. Oral Prednisolone in the Treatment of Acute Gout: A Pragmatic, Multi-center, Double-Blind, Randomized Trial. Ann Int Med 2016;164(7):464-471.

  2. Tam LS, Gu J, Yu D. Pathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis. Nat Rev Rheumatol 2010 Jul;6(7):399-405.

  3. Tam LS, et al. TNF-a blockade is associated with sustained regression of carotid intima-media thickness for patients with active psoriatic arthritis-a 2-year pilot study. Ann Rheum Dis 2011;70:705-706.

  4. Shen J, Wong KT, Cheng IT, Shang Q, PhD, Li EK, Wong P, Kun EW, Law MY, Yip R, Yim I, Ying S, Li M, Li TK, Wong CK, Zhu TY, PhD, Lee JJ, Chang M, Lee AP, Tam LS. Increased prevalence of coronary plaque in patients with psoriatic arthritis without prior diagnosis of coronary artery disease. Ann Rheum Dis 2017 76(7):1237-1244.

  5. Baeten D, Østergaard M, Wei JC, Sieper J, Järvinen P, Tam LS, et al. Risankizumab, an IL-23 inhibitor, for ankylosing spondylitis: Results of a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, proof-of-concept, dose-finding Phase 2 study. Ann Rheum Dis, 2018;0:1–8. doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2018-213328.

  6. Chan RW, Jiang P, Peng X, Tam LS, et al. Plasma DNA aberrations in systemic lupus erythematosus revealed by genomic and methylomic sequencing. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014 Dec 9;111(49):E5302-11.

  7. Tam LS, et al. Subclinical Carotid Atherosclerosis in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis. Arthritis Rheum 2008; 59:1322–1331.

  8. Zhu TY, Tam LS, et al. The impact of flare on disease costs of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis Rheum 2009, 15;61(9):1159-67.

  9. Griffith JF, Wang D, Shi L, Yeung DK, Lee R, Tam LS. Computer-aided assessment of spinal inflammation on MR in spondyloarthritis. Arthritis Rheumatol 2015; 67: 1789–1797.

  10. Cheng IT, Shang Q, Li EK, Wong PC, Kun EW, Law MY, Yip RM, FRCP, Yim IC, Lai BT, FRCP, Ying SK, Kwok KY, FHKAM, Li M, PhD, Li TK, Zhu TY, Lee JJ, Chang MM, Szeto CC, MD, Yan BP, Lee AP, Tam LS. Can achieving Minimal Disease Activity prevent progression of subclinical atherosclerosis and arterial stiffness? A prospective cohort study in Psoriatic Arthritis. Arthritis Rheumatol 2018, Aug 25. doi: 10.1002/art.40695. [Epub ahead of print].