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Aims There is a lack of studies that rigorously and systematically assess the economic burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) related to the use of antiretroviral therapy (ART). We aimed to assess the association between adherence to ART and economic burden of CVDs in an HIV-infected population.Methods Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database 2000–2011 was utilized for analyzing 18,071 HIV-infected patients free of CVDs before HIV diagnosis. The level of adherence to ART was measured by the medication possession ratio (MPR). Generalized estimating equations analysis was applied to estimate the cost impact of a variety of CVDs. All costs were presented in 2018 US dollars.Results The incidence of CVDs ranged from 0.17/1000 person-years (cardiogenic shock) to 2.60/1000 person-years (ischemic heart diseases (IHDs)). The mean annual medical cost for a base-case patient without CVDs was US$3000. Having cerebrovascular diseases, myocardial infarction, heart failure, arrhythmia, and IHDs increased annual costs by 41%, 33%, 30%, 16%, and 14%, respectively. The cost impact of incident CVDs in years with high adherence to ART (MPR ≥ 0.8) was significantly lower than that in years with low adherence (MPR < 0.1) (e.g. having cerebrovascular diseases in the high- versus low-adherence years increased annual costs by 21% versus 259%, respectively).Conclusion The economic burden of incident CVDs in an HIV-infected population was compelling and varied by the extent of using ART. A reduced economic impact of CVDs was found in years when patients possessed a greater adherence to ART.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus. SARS-CoV-2 caused COVID-19 has reached a pandemic level. COVID-19 can significantly affect patients’ cardiovascular systems. First, those with COVID-19 and preexisting cardiovascular disease have an increased risk of severe disease and death. Mortality from COVID-19 is strongly associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and hypertension. Second, therapies under investigation for COVID-19 may have cardiovascular side effects of arrhythmia. Third, COVID-19 is associated with multiple direct and indirect cardiovascular complications. Associated with a high inflammatory burden related to cytokine release, COVID-19 can induce vascular inflammation, acute myocardial injury, myocarditis, arrhythmias, venous thromboembolism, metabolic syndrome and Kawasaki disease. Understanding the effects of COVID-19 on the cardiovascular system is essential for providing comprehensive medical care for cardiac and/or COVID-19 patients. We hereby review the literature on COVID-19 regarding cardiovascular virus involvement.

A systematic research of image sticking (IS) in a fringe field switching liquid crystal displays is demonstrated. After the IS test of mosaic pattern and switching to the mid‐grey level image, the root mean square voltage (Vrms) difference between the black and white block should be controlled under the 1 mV to avoid the phenomenon of image sticking detected by the human eye. A detailed analysis of voltage calculation and how to decrease the difference of Vrmsare presented.

Peritonitis remains the major obstacle for the maintenance of long-term peritoneal dialysis and dysregulated host peritoneal immune responses may compromise local anti-infectious defense, leading to treatment failure. Whilst, tissue mononuclear phagocytes, comprising macrophages and dendritic cells, are central to a host response to pathogens and the development of adaptive immune responses, they are poorly characterized in the human peritoneum. Combining flow cytometry with global transcriptome analysis, the phenotypic features and lineage identity of the major CD14+macrophage and CD1c+dendritic cell subsets in dialysis effluent were defined. Their functional specialization was reflected in cytokine generation, phagocytosis, and antigen processing/presentation. By analyzing acute bacterial peritonitis, stable (infection-free) and new-starter patients receiving peritoneal dialysis, we identified a skewed distribution of macrophage to dendritic cell subsets (increasing ratio) that associated with adverse peritonitis outcomes, history of multiple peritonitis episodes, and early catheter failure, respectively. Intriguingly, we also noted significant alterations of macrophage heterogeneity, indicative of different maturation and activation states that were associated with different peritoneal dialysis outcomes. Thus, our studies delineate peritoneal dendritic cells from macrophages within dialysate, and define cellular characteristics associated with peritoneal dialysis treatment failure. These are the first steps to unravelling the detrimental adaptive immune responses occurring as a consequence of peritonitis.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is associated with a high risk of morbidity and mortality. However, data on the association between oral anticoagulants and the hazards of VTE complications in Taiwanese patients with VTE is limited. This study aimed to compare the hazards of recurrent VTE, bleeding, and mortality between patients with VTE receiving rivaroxaban, a non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC), and those receiving heparin or low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) followed by warfarin. Patients with VTE treated with rivaroxaban, or heparin or LMWH followed by warfarin were enrolled from 2 million random samples from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance database between 2013 and 2016. Hazards of recurrent VTE (deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism), major bleeding, and mortality in rivaroxaban and warfarin users were investigated. Survival analyses were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Users of rivaroxaban (183) and warfarin (456) were included in the study. Patients receiving rivaroxaban did not have significantly lower hazards of developing recurrent VTE (HR, 0.72 [CI, 0.37–1.37], P = .31) and mortality (HR, 0.86 [CI, 0.49–1.50], P = .59) than those receiving heparin or LMWH followed by warfarin. In addition, the hazard ratio of major bleeding was not significantly different between the 2 regimens (HR, 1.80 [CI, 0.39–8.29], P = .45). Rivaroxaban was not associated with lower risks of recurrent VTE and mortality and higher hazards of major bleeding than heparin or LMWH followed by warfarin in Taiwanese patients with VTE. Clinicians may tailor oral anticoagulants for VTE patients according to the patient’s characteristics, cost-effectiveness and healthcare system policy.

To investigate the effectiveness and safety of angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors (ARNIs) in real-world patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and advanced chronic kidney disease (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] < 30 ml/min/1.73 m2), which have been excluded from the landmark trials.

⋄ Objective Loss of residual renal function (RRF) in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients is a powerful predictor of mortality. The present study was conducted to determine the predictors of faster decline of RRF in PD patients in Taiwan.⋄ Methods The study enrolled 270 patients starting PD between January 1996 and December 2005 in a single hospital in Taiwan. We calculated RRF as the mean of the sum of 24-hour urea and creatinine clearance. The slope of the decline of residual glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was the main outcome measure. Data on demographic, clinical, laboratory, and treatment parameters; episodes of peritonitis; and hypotensive events were analyzed by Student t-test, Mann–Whitney U-test, and chi-square, as appropriate. All variables with statistical significance were included in a multivariate linear regression model to select the best predictors (p< 0.05) for faster decline of residual GFR.⋄ Results All patients commencing PD during the study period were followed for 39.4 ± 24.0 months (median: 35.5 months). The average annual rate of decline of residual GFR was 1.377 ± 1.47 mL/min/m2. On multivariate analysis, presence of diabetes mellitus (p< 0.001), higher baseline residual GFR (p< 0.001), hypotensive events (p= 0.001), use of diuretics (p= 0.002), and episodes of peritonitis (p= 0.043) independently predicted faster decline of residual GFR. Male sex, old age, larger body mass index, and presence of coronary artery disease or congestive heart failure were also risk factors on univariate analysis.⋄ Conclusions Our results suggested that diabetes mellitus, higher baseline residual GFR, hypotensive events, and use of diuretics are independently associated with faster decline of residual GFR in PD patients in Taiwan.