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Objectives This study aims to explore the potential condition-related sex differences to understand the overall pathogenesis of hyperuricemia among the elderly agricultural and fishing population in Taipei, Taiwan. Patients and methods This study included 4,372 healthy elderly agricultural and fishing professionals (2,766 males, 1,606 females; mean age 74.4±6.6 years; range 65.0 to 90.3 years) voluntarily admitted to a teaching hospital in Taipei, Taiwan for physical exams in 2010. Their fasting blood samples were drawn through venipuncture, and they were administered a structured questionnaire by clinical nurses. Results The overall prevalence of hyperuricemia was 30.4%, which increased significantly with increasing age (p

Purpose This study was conducted to explore the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and identify associated risk factors in an elderly male occupational population in Taipei, Taiwan. Methods A total of 2734 healthy subjects over age 65 voluntarily presented to a teaching hospital for a physical check-up in 2010. Demographic data and blood test results were collected. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed according to NCEP ATP III criteria. Results The mean age of study participants was 74.4±6.6 years. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was estimated at 29.9% (95%CI: 28.2%-31.6%). After adjustment for confounding factors, higher body-mass index (OR=1.50, 95%CI 1.41–1.62), higher mean body fat (% of total mass, OR=1.11, 95%CI: 1.04–1.20), elevated serum uric acid (OR=1.13, 95%CI: 1.02–1.26), and elevated alanine aminotransferase (OR=1.01, 95%CI: 1.00–1.02), and sedentary lifestyle (yes vs. no, OR=1.22, 95%CI: 1.09–1.37) were identified as the most significant risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome. Conclusion The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is related to several cardiovascular risk factors. Health initiatives directed towards preventing and treating metabolic syndrome could significantly reduce the prevalence of diabetes and cardiovascular disease in this older population.

Purpose: To discuss the prevalence and associated factors related to visual impairment and blindness amongst the elderly agricultural and fishing population. Methods: A total of 6542 healthy elderly adults voluntarily admitted to a teaching hospital for a physical check-up and eye disease in Taipei, Taiwan. Results: The overall prevalence of visual disability (the better eye visual acuity

Aim To discuss the prevalence and associated factors related to an elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level among the elderly agricultural and fishing population. Methods A total of 6542 (3989 males and 2553 females) healthy adults voluntarily admitted to a teaching hospital for a physical checkup in 2010 in Taipei, Taiwan. Fasting blood samples were drawn via venipuncture, and clinical nurses interviewed the study participants using a structured questionnaire from. Results The overall prevalence of an elevated serum ALT level was 18.2% and revealed a statistically significant decrease with increasing age ( P < 0.001). The men exhibited a higher prevalence than the women (19.7% vs 15.9%; P < 0.001). Male sex; younger age; and presence of obesity, hypertension, hyperuricemia, and hypoalbuminemia were significantly associated with an elevated serum ALT level. Sex-related differences were also revealed. For the men, type 2 diabetes (odds ratio [OR], 1.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02–1.57), hypercholesterolemia (OR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.22–2.83), hypertriglyceridemia (OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.04–1.73), and low high-density lipoprotein (OR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.05–1.51) were significantly related to an elevated serum ALT level, but this was not so for the women. The disparity of ALT in age groups was revealed. Conclusion Several sex-related differences were indicated pertaining to the prevalence of an elevated serum ALT level among elderly specific occupational population.

Purpose. To quantify the prevalence of and associated factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD) among male elderly fishing and agricultural population in Taipei, Taiwan. Methods. Subjects ( ) aged 65 years and over voluntarily admitted to a teaching hospital for a physical checkup were collected in 2010. CKD was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate 2. Results. Among these subjects, the over prevalence of chronic kidney disease was 13.6% (95% CI: 12.3–14.9%). The age-specific prevalence of CKD in 65–74 years, 75–84 years, and ≥85 years was 8.2%, 19.1%, and 27.0%, respectively. From the multiple logistic regression, age (OR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.02–1.09), hyperuricemia (OR = 2.94, 95% CI: 1.90–3.78), central obesity (OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.02–1.56), hyperglycemia (OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.11–1.67), hypertriglyceridemia (OR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.08–1.66), and lower HDL-C (OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.23–1.92) were statistically significantly related to CKD. The presence of metabolic components (one or two versus none, OR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.04–1.25; three or more versus none, OR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.86–2.78) also appeared to be statistically significantly related to CKD after adjustment for other independent factors. Conclusion. Several clinical factors independently affect the development of CKD in the elderly male fishing and agricultural population.

Varicella zoster virus (VZV) causes varicella, and may reactivate to cause herpes zoster later in the life of the host. It has been previously observed that exposure to VZV may boost the host's latent immunity. Health-care workers who are frequently exposed to ill patients ought to receive a protective effect. We investigated the incidence of herpes zoster among health-care workers and the general population in Taiwan to see whether such a protective effect exists among health-care workers against herpes zoster. This nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study was based on data obtained from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database. In total, 7744 health-care workers, including 168 dermatologists and pediatricians, and 695 188 general adults were recruited for the study. Health-care workers in the age groups 20-29, 30-39 and 40-49 years were found to have a significant higher herpes zoster incidence compared to the general adults (P < 0.001, 0.011 and

Hsi-Che Shen,1–3 Zi-Hao Zhao,4 Yi-Chun Hu,2,5,6 Yu-Fen Chen,7–9 Tao-Hsin Tung4,10,111Department of Surgery, New Taipei City Hospital, 2School of Health Care Administration, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 3Department of Healthcare Management, Yuanpei University, Hsinchu, 4Faculty of Public Health, School of Medicine, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, 5Oriental Institute of Technology, 6Department of Nursing, New Taipei City Hospital, 7Business Place Hygiene Management, Department of Health, Taipei City Government, 8Institute of Health and Welfare Policy, National Yang-Ming University, 9Department of Nursing, Kang-Ning Junior College of Medical Care and Management, 10Department of Medical Research and Education, Cheng-Hsin General Hospital, Taipei, 11Department of Crime Prevention and Correction, Central Police University, Taoyuan, TaiwanBackground: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between obesity, the metabolic syndrome, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the elderly agricultural and fishing population of Taipei, Taiwan.Methods: The study participants comprised 6,511 (3,971 male and 2,540 female) healthy elderly subjects voluntarily attending a teaching hospital for a physical check-up in 2010. Blood samples and real-time ultrasound-proven fatty liver sonography results were collected.Results: The prevalence of NAFLD in this elderly population was 27.2%, including mild NAFLD (16.0%), moderate NAFLD (10.3%), and severe NAFLD (0.9%). The prevalence of moderate or severe NAFLD for metabolic syndrome proved to be substantially greater (P

Purpose. To evaluate sex-related differences in the prevalence of and cardiovascular risk factors related to gallstone disease (GSD) in an elderly agricultural and fishing population of Taipei, Taiwan.Methods. The study sample consisted of 6511 healthy elderly participants (3971 men and 2540 women) who were voluntarily admitted to a teaching hospital for a physical checkup in 2010. The participants’ blood samples and real-time ultrasound fatty liver results were collected.Results. The prevalence of GSD in the study population was 13.2%, which increased significantly with population age (P<.0001). Women were associated with significantly higher GSD prevalence than men (14.8% versus 12.2%; for the chi-square test,P=.003). In a multiple logistic regression analysis, female sex, older age, and metabolic syndrome (MetS) were significantly associated with GSD. Multiple logistic regression analysis also revealed that obesity (odds ratioOR=1.26, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09–1.44) and metabolic factors (one or 2 versus none,OR=1.48, 95% CI: 1.08–1.76) were significantly associated with GSD in women but not in men.Conclusion. In the study population, female sex, older age, and MetS were associated with higher GSD prevalence. The population exhibited other sex-related differences.

To explore prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and factors associated with its components in the elderly female occupational population in Taipei, Taiwan. A total of 1,589 healthy subjects voluntarily and 65 years or above admitted to a teaching hospital for a physical check-up in 2010. Demographic and blood sample results were collected. The mean age of the study participants is 74.8 ± 6.7 years. The prevalence of MetS is 40.5 % (95 % CI 38.1–42.9 %). After adjustment for confounding factors, the older age, higher body mass index, and higher serum uric acid are the most significant risk factors related to MetS. The prevalence of MetS is related to obesity and elevated serum uric acid. Promoting this population with controlled obesity and health improvement for renal function is important.

BACKGROUND: The possible effect of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) on subsequent lung cancer development has been suspected, but the evidence remains inconsistent. The purpose of this study was to perform a nationwide population-based cohort study to investigate the risk of lung cancer after pulmonary TB infection. METHODS: This nationwide population-based cohort study was based on data obtained from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database. In total, 5657 TB patients and 23,984 controls matched for age and sex were recruited for the study from 1997 to 2008. RESULTS: The incidence rate of lung cancer (269 of 100,000 person-years) was significantly higher in the pulmonary TB patients than that in controls (153 of 100,000 person-years) (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.33-2.32; P < .001). Compared with the controls, the IRRs of lung cancer in the TB cohort were 1.98 at 2 to 4 years, 1.42 at 5 to 7 years, and 1.59 at 8 to 12 years after TB infections. The multivariate Cox proportional hazards model revealed pulmonary TB infections (hazard ratio [HR], 1.64; 95% CI, 1.24-2.15; P < .001) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (HR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.03-1.14; P = .002) to be independent risk factors for lung cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary infection with TB is associated with an increased risk of lung cancer. Cancer 2011. © 2010 American Cancer Society.

Background This study sets out to determine whether adjustments for specific patient caesarean delivery risk factors have an affect on the assessment of performance rates among the municipal hospitals of Taipei City. Methods Analysis of National Health Insurance (NHI) claims data, linked with birth certificate data, was undertaken on a cohort of 27,693 live births in the six general hospitals of the Taipei Medical Hospital System (TMHS) between 1999 and 2001. Using multivariable logistic regression modeling of the risk factors independently associated with caesarean deliveries, an expected caesarean delivery rate was constructed for each of the hospitals. By contrasting observed rates with expected rates to quantify the magnitude of the deviation from average practice, a measurement similar to relative risk (RR) was also constructed for each hospital. Results The observed rates for two of the six hospitals examined fell within the expected 95% confidence interval (CI), two were above the expected upper limit, and two were below the expected lower limit. The RR ranking of Hospitals A (RR = 1.08, CI = 1.01–1.15) and C (RR = 1.01, CI = 1.00–1.03) improved from first to second, and third to fourth, whilst the RR of Hospitals B (RR = 1.09, CI = 1.05–1.14) and D (RR = 1.02, CI = 0.99–1.06) worsened from second to first, and fourth to third, respectively. The RR rankings of Hospitals E (RR = 0.92, CI = 0.88–0.96) and F (RR = 0.80, CI = 0.77–0.84) were the same as the observed rates. Conclusions Caesarean delivery rate profiles, or hospital comparisons without risk adjustment, may be methodologically biased and may lead to unfair judgments by healthcare purchasers.