The following appeared in the

APSR Newsletter

Vol. 3, No. 2, 1994

Editor:Shiro Kira
Associate Editors:Yoshinosuke Fukuchi
Takashi Horie
J. Patrick Barron

In this issue

Message from the President of the 4th Congress of the APSR

Greetings from China.

Wei-Ci Luo

The fourth Congress of the Asian and Pacific Society of Respirology will be held in the Olympic Center in Beijing from October 4th, (Friday) to 8th (Tuesday), 1996. Doctors and investigators and their families are heartily welcome to this major Congress.

Beijing is an ancient capital which has adapted to modern life. This historical city offers wonderful opportunities for visitors with its world-famous Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven etc. October is the Golden Season in Beijing with blue sky and sunny weather. A range of interesting and various optional social programs will be available together with post-conference tours of Xi'an and Shanghai.

During the APSR Congress, an international panel of eminent speakers with the latest information and experience will be invited to grace the occasion. There is great need for cooperation and experience sharing among us all and this gathering will provide a much-needed platform to review latest advances in respirology, especially in the Asian Pacific region, but also throughout the world, including:

  • Critical care medicine
  • Allergic airway diseases
  • Acute pulmonary infections
  • Tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacterial diseases
  • Smoking-related lung diseases
  • Occupational lung diseases
  • Lung cancer
  • Interstitial lung diseases
  • Sleep apnea syndrome
  • AIDS related pulmonary diseases
  • Lung function tests with ethnic differences
  • Experiences in imaging the lung with CT scan, MRI etc.

We believe that the Congress will promote international respirology and friendship in the Asian-Pacific region.

I look forward to welcoming you to Beijing in October 1996.

Dr. Wei-Ci Luo, M.D.
President of the Chinese Thoracic Society,
Professor of Peking Union Medical College,
President of the Chinese Society of Respiratory Disease, People's Republic of China

Activities of the APSR

Informal Executive Meeting in Penang

An Informal Executive Meeting was held in Penang on August 27, 1994. Attendees were; Drs. A Woolcock, N Berend, P Seale, M Hadiarto, H Alshagaaf, M Zbinudin, S Kira, Y Fukuchi and T de Guia.

The Secretary reported the progress of preparation for the APSR meeting in Beijing, 1996. It was decided that Dr. Tan would hold further discussion when she visits Beijing in October, 1994.

Several recommendations and requests regarding the 5th congress were made. Dr. Woolcock announced that the First World Lung Meeting was being planned in the year 2000. The main sponsors will be the ERS, ATS, IUATLD, and the APSR.

The issue of increasing the number of APSR meetings organized with conjunction with another society.

Dr. Berend reported on the progress of the APSR journal. Some practical estlmates were made given for the cost of publication. Final decision was left to further discussion.

Informal Executive Meeting in Nice

Executive members attending the ERS Congress in Nice (Galleri 1) met for an informal discussion on two occasions: October 1 and 3, 1994. The attendees for the first discussion were; Drs. Berend, de Guia, Seal, Tan and Fukuchi. The attendees for the second discussion were the above plus Drs. Zhong, Takizawa and Woolcock.

All attendees agreed to launch a fund-raising campaign to provide solid financial basis for the APSR journal.

Dr. Berend reported the additional conditions of publiation proposed by Reed Healthcare Australia, Sydney, Australia. The general concensus among attendees was to promote the planning of APSR journal by finding the most suitable publisher in fiancial terms. The final decision of this issue is scheduled to be made at the Formal Executive Meeting to be held in Manila.

The Formal Executive meeting of the APSR is scheduled for February 28, 1995. Dr. de Guia was asked to organize the meeting and she kindly acapted this task.

Dr. Zhong reported the status of preparations for the 1996 Beijing meeting.

ATS / ERS / IUATLD / APSR - Joint Meeting

Members from APSR were Dr. Tan, Dr. Woolcock, and Dr. Fukuchi.

A visit and discussion took place in Beijing between APSR Executives on October 23, 1994. Dr. Tan, President of the APSR, met Drs. Luo, and Zhao.

Articles from member countries

Australia

The news that the APSR is working towards developing a regional journal of respiratory medicine has been very enthusiastically received by the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ). I am certain that the journal will receive suitable submissions from respiratory physicians and scientists from many countries of the region including Australia and New Zealand. There is a need to put the journal on a sound financial basis which can only be done through an increase in membership numbers. Joining the APSR has been unduly difficult in the past due to problems in handling the subscription fees but the availability of payment by credit card should aid this process considerably. Professor Paul Seale, the President of the TSANZ, has initiated a major membership drive. The increasing quality of the APSR Scientific meetings will also contribute to increased interest by respiratory physicians in Australia and New Zealand.

The TSANZ will be hosting two very attractive meetings in 1995. The Annual Scientific Meeting will be held from March 26-30, 1995 at the Wrest Point Convention Centre in Hobart, Tasmania. A major topic will be adult respiratory distress syndrome and pulmonary vascular disease with Dr. Tim Evans, Reader in Critical Care Medicine at the National Heart and Lung Institute in London, being the principal invited guest. A wide range of other clinical topics will also be covered, with a large number of original papers being presented. Tasmania is known for its scenic beauty and its wonderful range of gourmet foods. Tne biennial Advanced Course of the TSANZ, will be held from September 3-7, 1995 in Adelaide on the topic of sleep disordered breathing. In recent years these courses have involved both formal presentations and hands-on teaching and have been very popular. The TSANZ will indeed be pleased to welcome delegates from the Asia-Pacific region. Further details and registration forms can be obtained from Eleanor McDonald at the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand, 145 Macquarie Street, Sydney 2000, fax 61-2-2313120.

Nobert Berend, MD, BS, FRACP
Professor and Head
Department of Thoracic Medicine
Royal North Shore Hospital
St Leonards, NSW, 2065

World Lung Meeting in the Year 2000

It has been decided that there will be a World Lung Meeting in the year 2000. It will be sponsored by the American Thoracic Society, the European Respiratory Society, the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology and the Intemational Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. It will be held in September and probably in Paris. It is expected that between in 8,000 and 10,000 people interested in respiratory disease will attend. As more details of the meeting become available we will publish them in the Newsletter.

Ann J Woolcock, AO MD FRACP FAA
Director, Institute of Respiratory Medicine,
Page Chest Pavilion,
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Camperdown NSW 2050
Professor of Respiratory Medicine
Department of Medicine, University of Sydney, NSW 2006

Hunan, People's Republic of China

Recently, in Hunan province, we had a symposium to discuss 'Changes in X-Ray Films of Chest Diseases'. This symposium was directed by professor John Ngao-sun Wu, MD (member of the APSR Executive Committee).

In this meeting, we reported "The Progression of Tuberculosis in the World" to introduce advanced knowledge. All the pulmonary doctors in this meeting said that this meeting was very useful, they got many advance knowledge from this meeting.

In this meeting, I introduced my research work on mstoplasmosis (the manifestation of this disease is very close to TB). There are three pulmonary professors who are new member of our APSR.

John Ngao-sun Wu, M.D.
Professor of Medicine, Xiang Ya Hospital,
Hunan Medical University
Changsha 410008

Republic of Korea

The Korean Society of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases had its annual meeting on Nov. 18 in Seoul. More than 300 members participated and 70 papers were presented. A report on non-tuberculous mycobacterial study was presented.

On Nov. 19, a Workshop on Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy was held with more than 200 participants. Amouncements for the APSR membership application were made.

YoungSoo Shin, M.D.
Department of Internal Medicine,
Seoul National University Hospital

Philippines

The Asian Pacific Society of Respirology will join the 14th Annual Convention of the Philippine College of Chest Physicians and the two affiliate Chest Societies which are the Philippine Chapter of the International Academy of Chest Physicians and Surgeons and the Philippine Association of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons. As had been proposed in the last Executive Committee of APSR, involvement of the society with various thoracic societies in the region will develop a closer bond and awareness of each other for the common goal to combat lung problems in the region.

The National Convention, an activity of the three chest association in the Philippines, is held annually during the first week of March and attracts nationwide participation. Experts in chest diseases are invited as speakers together with local chest specialist to discuss various issues in respirology.

The participation of the APSR will boost this year's invited regional experts. The APSR will sponsor a course in Pulmonary Function Testing as a whole day post-graduate course on 1 March 1995. The course will deal with subjects such as the importance, relevance and indications of procedures in the diagnosis and prognosis of lung disorders. There will also be discussions on the various techniques, methodology, performance and application of the various lung function determination. Standardization of procedures will be discussed. Executive Members will be asked as lecturers in conjunction with local pulmonologists, Dr. Teresita de Guia will chair the sessions together with Dr. Alberto Lardizabal. The convention will take place at the Shangrila Edsa Plaza Hotel. Registration fee is US$30.

Teresita S. de Guia, M.D.
Head, Pulmonary Division Philippine Heart Center
East Avenue, Quezon City
Fax: (632) 991414

Thailand
Asthma club, Thailand

Asthma Club - new trend in self-care program

After a five-year period of preparation, the Thoracic Society of Thailand established the Asthma Club as an educational arena for public this year.

In Thailand, about 2.5 million people (4.3% of the total population) suffer from this disease, with more than 1,000 deaths yearly. The Thoracic Society of Thailand is well aware of the increasing trend of asthma in relation to the envirorunental deterioration.

The first meeting of the Asthma Club members was held on October 15, 1994 at the Montien Hotel. There were also more than 300 asthma patients and their families attending the meeting. Various activities were conducted to provide education, information as well as fun for everyone. Highlights of the day was the talk show, aerobic exercises for asthma-affected children, interviews, health consultational materials, books and asthma medication on display, etc.

The meeting attained an impressive success as the main objective of Asthma Club is to obtain better understanding about the nature of the illness and thus enable parents to deal effectively with their conditions.

After this event, we will continue to distribute information to members and organize the get-together on a regular basis.

Chaivej Nuchprayoon, MD

Secretariat Report

Forthcoming Important Meetings
1995 Feb 28Executive Meeting (Manila, Philippines)
1995 Mar 1‑4Pulmonary Function Seminar (Manila, Philippines)
1996 Oct 4‑84th APSR Congress (Beijing, People's Republic of China)
1998 Oct 9‑145th APSR Congress (Sydney, Australia)
2000World Lung Meeting Congress
New Application Forms

New application forms are available for applicants who wish to join the APSR. Please contact Chie Mori at; the APSR Society c/o Japan Society of Chest Diseases, Y.K. Hongo Bldg, 4th Floor, 4-1-11, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113 Japan.

APSR Membership

(as of December 1994)

Australia10
Canada1
Hong Kong5
India1
Indonesia23
Italy1
Japan310
Republic of Korea21
Malaysia4
P.R. China21
Philippines22
Singapore8
Taiwan12
Thailand11
USA4
United Kingdom1
Total455
Annual Dues

Please note that for the convenience of our members and to significantly reduce bank handling fees and simplification of record keeping, we have made it possible for you to pay your annual dues with any of four major credit cards. The annual dues for the year April 1995 through March 1996 will be ¥3,000. Please pay promptly.

Additional Activities of the APSR

APSR meeting in Boston

An Informal Executive Meeting was held in the Boston Marriot Hotel on May 24, 1994. The attendees of this meeting were; Drs. N. Berend, C Suchai, T de Guia, Y Fukuchi, Y Shim, W Tan and A Woolcock. There was a report on recent activities of the APSR, and the World Iung Health Conference in the year 2000 was discussed.

Informal meeting in Beijing

Dr. Y Fukuchi visited Beijing in November and held an Informal Meeting on November 23, 1994. The attendees of this meeting were; Dr. Y Fukuchi (APSR Secretariat), Drs. W Luo, M Zhao, He Bing, Y Zhu (members of Local Organizing Committee of the 4th APSR Congress) and Ms. Ma from the Chinese Medical Association.

Officers of the APSR
President:
President elect:
Past President:
Secretary General:
Treasurer:
Wan-Cheng Tan
Wei-Ci Luo
Michiyoshi Harasawa
Shiro Kira
Takao Takizawa

National Representatives

Australia:
Beijing, China:
Hong Kong:
Indonesia:
Japan:
Republic of Korea:
Malaysia:
Philippines:
Singapore:
Taiwan:
Thailand:
J Paul Seale
Wei-Ci Luo
Wah Kit Lam
PM Benjamin
T Takishima
YoungSoo Shim
Md Zin Zainudin
Teresita S de Guia
Wan-Cheng Tan
Sze-Piao Yang
C. Nuchprayoon

Past Congress Presidents

1st APSR Congress, Tokyo, 1988:
2nd APSR Congress, Bali, 1990:
3rd APSR Congress, Singapore, 1993:
4th APSR Congress, Beijing, 1996:
Michiyoshi Harasawa
Hood Alsagaff
Wan-Cheng Tan
Wei-Ci Luo