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Objectives: This study aims to assess the specific PM 2.5 -bound metallic elements that contribute to asthma emergency department visits by using a case-crossover study design., Methods: This study analyzed data from 11,410 asthma emergency department visits as case group and 22,820 non-asthma onset dates occurring one week and two weeks preceding the case day as controls from 2017 to 2020. PM 2.5 monitoring data and 35 PM. 2.5 -bound metallic elements from six different regions in Taiwan were collected. Conditional logistic regression models were used to assess the relationship between asthma and PM 2.5 -bound metallic elements., Results: Our investigation revealed a statistically significant risk of asthma emergency department visits associated with PM 2.5 exposure at lag 0, 1, 2, and 3 during autumn. Additionally, PM 2.5 -bound hafnium (Hf), thallium (Tl), rubidium (Rb), and aluminum (Al) exhibited a consistently significant positive correlation with asthma emergency department visits at lags 1, 2, and 3. In stratified analyses by area, age, and sex, PM 2.5 -bound Hf showed a significant and consistent correlation., Conclusions: This study provides evidence of PM 2.5 -bound metallic elements effects in asthma exacerbations, particularly for Hf. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the origins of these metallic elements and pursuing emission reductions to mitigate regional health risks., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Wei-Te Wu reports administrative support was provided by Department of Atmospheric Environment, Ministry of Environment, Executive Yuan, Taiwan. Wei-Te Wu reports administrative support was provided by Health and Welfare Data Science Center, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Executive Yuan, Taiwan. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Patients with asthma experience more physical, psychological, and financial burdens; a link between asthma and suicidality has been reported in research. Purpose: This study analyzed the medical utilization and comorbidity before their self-injurious behavior in patients with asthma. Methods: We enrolled 186,862 patients newly diagnosed with asthma between 1999 and 2013 from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. A total of 500 case subjects had ever conducted self-injurious behaviors during the study period. Based on a nested case-control study, each case was matched with 10 controls derived from the asthma cohort to analyze differences between them and their medical use models. Results: The results indicated that, compared to the control group, the cases presented higher frequencies of outpatient visits and hospitalizations. Regarding comorbidity, the cases had more cardiovascular diseases (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=1.58; p< 0.001), bipolar disorder (aOR=2.97; p< 0.001), depression (aOR=4.44; p< 0.001), and sleep disorder (aOR=1.83; p< 0.001) than the controls. Conclusion: The evidence-based information serves as a reference for medical staff to reduce the occurrence of self-injurious behavior in patients with asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Little research has been reported concerning insufficient physical activity in Taiwanese adolescents with asthma. The aims of this paper are to compare the amount of physical activity between asthmatic and non-asthmatic adolescents in Taiwan, as well as to investigate the influential factors associated with insufficient physical activity in asthmatic adolescents., Methods: Self-reporting structured questionnaires (socio-economic status, scale of family support for physical activity, amount of physical activity) and peak expiratory flow were assessed from 286 adolescents with asthma and 588 non-asthmatic adolescents in a cross-sectional design. Insufficient amount of physical activity was based on less than 300 minutes per week of moderate and vigorous physical activity., Results: Adolescents with asthma have a greater amount of physical activity and a higher level of family support than those who are non-asthmatic. In Taiwan, adolescents with asthma, girls relative to boys, obesity relative to average weight, and low family support relative to high family support were found to be associated with insufficient physical activity., Conclusion: Physical activity in adolescents with asthma is insufficient especially in girls, in asthmatics with obesity, and in those with low family support. We suggest that physical activity programs should be applied to Taiwan adolescents with asthma in order to match the criteria of 300 minutes per week of moderate and vigorous physical activity, especially for girls, the obese and those with a low level of family support.

(1) Background: The acute effects of ozone, cold temperature and particulate matter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) in size related to asthma attacks are well known worldwide. The adverse effects of ozone and cold temperature on asthma morbidity in Taiwan are still inconclusive. (2) Methods: This retrospective study included patients who had asthma emergency room visits (ERVs) from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2019 in a regional hospital in Taiwan. The short-term negative effects were estimated using Distributed Lag Non-Linear Models (DLNMs) for the relative risks (RRs) of asthma ERVs associated with PM2.5, ozone and cold temperature exposures within 5 days. (3) Results: There was a significant association between a 10 ppm increase in PM2.5 exposure and asthma ERVs at a 2-day lag (RR 1.166, 95% confidence interval (C.I.): 1.051–1.294). There was a significant association between ozone and asthma ERVs at a 1-day lag (RR 1.179, 95% C.I.: 1.034–1.345). The ambient temperature in cold weather compared with the temperature of minimum asthma ERV showed an RR of 1.214, 95% C.I.: 1.009–1.252 at a 1-day lag. (4) Conclusions: This study provides evidence that short-term exposure to fine suspended particulates, ozone and inverse temperature is associated with asthma exacerbation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Asthma and obesity are important public health issues around the world. Obesity is considered a risk factor associated with the severity and incidence of asthma. We investigated the relationships between poor pulmonary function (defined by forced vital capacity (FVC) and percentage of predicted FVC (FVC%)) and obesity. Methods: This is a retrospective longitudinal study using the MJ health examination database in Taiwan from 2000 to 2015. There were 160,609 participants aged ≥ 20 years with complete obesity indicators and lung function data, and having at least two visits. A generalized estimation equation (GEE) model was applied to estimate the association between lung function and obesity. Results: BMI was the best indicator to predict poor pulmonary function for our participants. Results of BMI are presented as an example: Obesity (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 27.0 kg/m2) is significantly associated with lower FVC [adjusted coefficients (β) for asthmatics: -0.11 L (95% CI: -0.14, -0.08); adjusted β for non-asthmatics: -0.08 L (-0.09, -0.08)] and FVC% [adjusted β for asthmatics: -1.91% (95% CI: -2.64, -1.19); adjusted β for non-asthmatics: 1.48% (-1.63, -1.33)]. Annual change of BMI (ΔBMI/year) is an independent risk factor for decreased FVC [adjusted β for asthmatics: -0.030 L (-0.048, -0.013); adjusted β for non-asthmatics: -0.019 L (-0.022, -0.016)] and FVC% [adjusted β for non-asthmatics: -0.603% (-1.063, -0.142); adjusted β for non-asthmatics: -0.304% (-0.393, -0.214)], and is significantly associated with accelerated FVC decline [adjusted β of ΔFVC/year and ΔFVC %/year for asthmatics: -0.038 L (-0.054, -0.022) and -0.873% (-1.312, -0.435); adjusted β of ΔFVC/year and ΔFVC %/year for non-asthmatics: -0.033 L (-0.042, -0.024) and -0.889% (-1.326, -0.452)]. Conclusion: Obesity is significantly associated with decreased lung function, and asthmatics had a higher risk than non-asthmatics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antipyretics are widely prescribed in pediatric practice. Some reports have mentioned that acetaminophen and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs may negatively affect asthma control by causing asthma exacerbation (AE). However, many confounding factors can also influence the risks. We assessed the impact of using acetaminophen or ibuprofen on AE in asthmatic children, especially those with strong risk factors. Methods: We used the 2010 Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database and identified 983 children with persistent asthma aged 1-5 years old; among them, 591 used acetaminophen alone and 392 used ibuprofen alone in 2010. Then, we analyzed the risk of AE over 52 weeks in the patients with and without severe AE in the previous year. Results: The ibuprofen group had a higher risk of an emergency room (ER) visit or hospitalization for AE (odds ratio (OR) = 2.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.17-3.76], P = 0.01). Among asthmatic children who had severe AE in the previous year, the risk of AE was higher in the ibuprofen group than in the acetaminophen group (OR = 3.28, 95% CI [1.30-8.29], P = 0.01), where as among those who did not, the risks of AE were similar between the acetaminophen and ibuprofen groups (OR = 1.52, 95% CI [0.71-3.25], P = 0.28). Conclusions: Among young asthmatic children, use of ibuprofen was associated with a higher risk of AE than acetaminophen, if they had severe AE with ER visit or hospitalization in the previous year. Pediatricians should use antipyretics among children with asthma after a full evaluation of the risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dry eye disease (DED), a chronic ocular disease, is associated with numerous medical issues, including asthma. However, studies on these associations are limited. In this study, we investigated the incidence of DED among patients with asthma and its correlation with other allergic comorbidities. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan. We compared the data of 41,229 patients with asthma with those of 164,916 sex- and age-matched non-asthma controls. We followed up the patient and control groups from 1998 to 2010, and compared the rate of DED in these two groups. We further analyzed the allergic comorbidities and asthma-related medication use among the patients with asthma to verify whether these factors were associated with DED. Results: The patients in the asthma group were more likely to have DED than were the controls (6.35% vs. 4.92%, p < 0.0001). In the asthma group, female had a higher risk of DED (odds ratio (OR) = 1.70, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.57–1.85]) than males did. After adjustment for sex, age, income, urbanization, and the other two allergic comorbidities, patients with allergic rhinitis (adjusted OR = 1.58, 95% CI [1.46–1.72]) and urticaria (adjusted OR = 1.25, 95% CI [1.12–1.38]) were more likely to have DED, but not patients with atopic dermatitis (adjusted OR = 1.17, 95% CI [0.98–1.40]). Patients with asthma who had prescriptions of leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs) (adjusted OR = 1.29, 95% CI [1.01–1.64]), oral antihistamines (adjusted OR = 2.02, 95% CI [1.84–2.21]), and inhaled corticosteroids (adjusted OR = 1.19, 95% CI [1.04–1.36]) exhibited association with DED. Discussion: Our findings reveal that patients with asthma—particularly females—were more likely to have DED, with comorbidities such as allergic rhinitis and urticaria, and prescriptions including LTRAs, antihistamines, and inhaled corticosteroids. The results suggest that in clinical practice, physicians should pay attention to DED, particularly in patients with a high risk of DED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To describe atherosclerosis may lead to chronic bladder ischemia, eventually resulting in lower urinary tract syndrome (LUTS), and peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD). We investigated the association of LUTS with PAOD. Methods: This nationwide population-based cohort study was based on data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database from 2000 to 2010; follow-up lasted until the end of 2011. We identified patients with newly diagnosed LUTS by using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes. Results: In total, 36,042 and 36,042 patients were enrolled in LUTS and non-LUTS cohorts, respectively. After adjustment for age, sex, and comorbidities, the risk of subsequent PAOD was 1.36-fold higher [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.26–1.46] in the LUTS cohort than in the non-LUTS cohort. The adjusted risk of PAOD was the highest in patients with LUTS without any comorbidity [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 1.93, 95% CI = 1.54–2.41]. The age-specific relative risk of PAOD was significantly higher in all age groups, particularly in those aged <49 years (aHR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.39–2.34], in the LUTS cohort than in the non-LUTS cohort. Conclusion: LUTS is a risk factor for PAOD. Physicians should consider the possibility of underlying PAOD in patients with LUTS aged <49 years and without cardiovascular comorbidities. Additional studies developing strategies for decreasing the risk of PAOD are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A nationwide asthma survey on the effects of air pollution is lacking in Taiwan. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the time trend and the relationship between air pollution and health care services for asthma in Taiwan. Methods: Health care services for asthma and ambient air pollution data were obtained from the National Health Insurance Research database and Environmental Protection Administration from 2000 through 2009, respectively. Health care services, including those related to the outpatient and inpatient visits were compared according to the concentration of air pollutants. Results: The number of asthma-patient visits to health-care facilities continue to increase in Taiwan. Relative to the respective lowest quartile of air pollutants, the adjusted relative risks (RRs) of the outpatient visits in the highest quartile were 1.10 (P-trend  = 0.013) for carbon monoxide (CO), 1.10 (P-trend  = 0.015) for nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and 1.20 (P-trend <0.0001) for particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≦10µm (PM10) in the child group (aged 0–18). For adults aged 19–44, the RRs of outpatient visits were 1.13 (P-trend = 0.078) for CO, 1.17 (P-trend = 0.002) for NO2, and 1.13 (P-trend <0.0001) for PM10. For adults aged 45–64, the RRs of outpatient visits were 1.15 (P-trend = 0.003) for CO, 1.19 (P-trend = 0.0002) for NO2, and 1.10 (P-trend = 0.001) for PM10. For the elderly (aged≥ 65), the RRs of outpatient visits in were 1.12 (P-trend  = 0.003) for NO2 and 1.10 (P-trend  = 0.006) for PM10. For inpatient visits, the RRs across quartiles of CO level were 1.00, 1.70, 1.92, and 1.86 (P-trend  = 0.0001) in the child group. There were no significant linear associations between inpatient visits and air pollutants in other groups. Conclusions: There were positive associations between CO levels and childhood inpatient visits as well as NO2, CO and PM10 and outpatient visits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are ubiquitous pollutants. Experimental data suggest that they may be associated with adverse health outcomes, including asthma. However, there is little supporting epidemiological evidence. Methods: A total of 231 asthmatic children and 225 nonasthmatic controls, all from northern Taiwan, were recruited in the Genetic and Biomarkers study for Childhood Asthma. Structure questionnaires were administered by face-to-face interview. Serum concentrations of 11 PFCs and levels of immunological markers were also measured. Associations of PFC quartiles with concentrations of immunological markers and asthma outcomes were estimated using multivariable regression models. Results: Nine PFCs were detectable in most children (≥ 84.4%), of which perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was the most abundant (median serum concentrations of 33.9 ng/mL in asthmatics and 28.9 ng/mL in controls). Adjusted odds ratios for asthma among those with the highest versus lowest quartile of PFC exposure ranged from 1.81 (95% CI: 1.02, 3.23) for the perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA) to 4.05 (95% CI: 2.21, 7.42) for perfluorooctanic acid (PFOA). PFOS, PFOA, and subsets of the other PFCs were positively associated with serum IgE concentrations, absolute eosinophil counts (AEC), eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) concentrations, and asthma severity scores among asthmatics. Conclusions: This study suggests an association between PFC exposure and juvenile asthma. Because of widespread exposure to these chemicals, these findings may be of potential public health concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of an asthma continuing education program on pharmacists’ knowledge and attitudes related to asthma pharmaceutical care. Subjects and Methods: A 20-hour continuing education program was conducted by the joint efforts of the Taipei City Government, Taiwan Association of Asthma Education and Taipei Medical University Wan Fang Hospital, in a series of 4 days afternoon sessions from June 26 to July 4, 2004. One hundred and twenty-five pharmacists participated. The Asthma Knowledge Test in Mandarin and the Asthma Attitude Scale in Mandarin were developed by adapting the scale used to evaluate the impact of pharmacist continuing education programs on diabetic care. The results before and after the intervention were compared to evaluate the impact of the program. Results: Of the 125 participants, 105 returned both the pre- and post-intervention questionnaires, for a response rate of 84.0%. The total score of the attitude section increased significantly from 40.04 ± 3.35 to 42.54 ± 2.98 (full score = 50, p < 0.001). The total score of the knowledge section also increased significantly from 7.18 ± 1.31 to 7.56 ± 1.15 (p = 0.008). Improvement in the attitude score was found in 70 (67.0%) subjects, and in the knowledge score in 45 (43.5%) subjects. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that attitude and knowledge toward asthma care improved after the continuing education program. Further study of long-term impact and direct changes in asthma pharmaceutical care practice will be necessary. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study investigated the incidence of potentially preventable hospitalisations in the first two years of life among children in the National Health Insurance (NHI) system of Taiwan. It also examined income disparities in potentially preventable hospitalisations across four economic categories: below a government-established poverty line and low-, middle-, and upper-income. Five major diseases causing potentially preventable hospitalisations were investigated: gastroenteritis and dehydration, asthma and chronic bronchitis, acute upper respiratory infections, lower respiratory infections, and acute injuries and poisonings. Methods: NHI data on enrolee registrations and use of ambulatory and hospital care by all children born between July 1, 2003 and June 30, 2004 (n = 218,158) was used for the study. The negative binomial regression method was used to identify factors associated with total inpatient care and the severity level for various types of potentially preventable hospitalisations during the first two years of life. Results: This study found high inpatient expenses for lower respiratory infections for children in all income categories. Furthermore, results from the multivariate analysis indicate that children in the lowest economic category used inpatient care to a much greater extent than better-off children for problems considered potentially avoidable through primary prevention or through timely outpatient care. This was especially true for acute injuries and poisonings and for lower respiratory infections. On average, and controlling for other variables, a child in poverty spent 6.1 times more days in inpatient care for acute injuries and poisonings (p < 0.01) and 2.7 times more days for lower respiratory infections (p < 0.01) before age two, compared with a similarly-aged high-income child. The results also suggest a connection between economic status and the severity of a condition causing a potentially avoidable hospital admission. On average, length of stay for each admission for gastroenteritis and dehydration for children in poverty was 1.3 times that for high-income children (p < 0.01). Both the ratios for lower respiratory infections and for acute upper respiratory infections were 1.2 (p < 0.01 for both). Conclusions: There were high hospital admission rates and lengths of stays for lower respiratory infections among young children in all income categories. Hospital care use of young children in the poorest category was significantly higher for acute injuries and poisonings as well as for lower respiratory infections, compared with those of better-off children. The findings suggest the need for increased attention to these two disease types. It particularly calls for more research on the causes of high hospital care use for lower respiratory infections and on the reasons for large economic disparities in hospital care use for acute injuries and poisonings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]