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Predictors for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-specific and non-COVID-19-specific deaths have not been extensively studied. This cohort study in Taiwan investigated predictors for COVID-19-specific and non-COVID-19-specific deaths among hospitalized patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. From January to July 2022, 2196 COVID-19 patients at Taipei City Hospital were consecutively recruited in this cohort study. Among the 175 deceased COVID-19 patients, 147 (84.0%) and 28 (16.0%) had COVID-19-specific and non-COVID-19-specific deaths, respectively. After controlling for other covariates, multinomial logistic regressions showed that age ≥ 65 was significantly associated with higher risks for both COVID-19-specific, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 6.21; and non-COVID-19-specific deaths (AOR = 6.06). Fully vaccinated individuals (AOR = 0.50) and Paxlovid recipients (AOR = 0.45) had lower COVID-19-specific death risks, while comorbid cancer or end-stage renal disease patients faced higher risks of non-COVID-19-specific deaths. Our study findings suggest that vaccination and Paxlovid treatment are crucial for reducing SARS-CoV-2-specific mortalities, while comorbid patients need careful monitoring to reduce non-COVID-19-specific deaths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This meta-analysis investigated the long-term efficacy of dietary modifications on renal outcomes in individuals with diabetes. We systematically reviewed six studies, focusing on the impact of specific dietary components, including protein and salt intake and the use of nutraceuticals such as ketoacids, across global settings, including Poland, Nigeria, Taiwan, Italy, Austria, and Japan. The studies varied in design, ranging from observational to randomized controlled trials. The sample sizes and study durations ranged from 28 to 6,213 participants and 28 days to 5 years. Our analysis revealed that dietary protein restriction generally stabilized and improved renal function. However, the response to protein restriction varied, suggesting the need for personalized dietary management strategies. Furthermore, reducing salt intake was consistently beneficial, aligning with its known effects on lowering blood pressure and reducing proteinuria. Nutraceuticals, especially ketoacids, showed their potential as supplements for renal diet management. These findings supported the integration of nutraceuticals into dietary plans to enhance renal outcomes without compromising nutritional status. Thus, our meta-analysis demonstrated the importance of tailored dietary interventions in managing renal outcomes in individuals with diabetes and suggested that personalized nutrition, which considers individual dietary needs and kidney disease stage, should be a fundamental component of comprehensive CKD management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential adverse effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccinations raise public concerns. Data from Taiwan's Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) can provide valuable insights. This study analyzed the preliminary application data for COVID-19 vaccine compensation in Taiwan's VICP, focusing on applicants receiving vaccines between March 2021 and June 2022. Among the 2941 adverse events, 113 cases (3.8%) were deemed causally associated with vaccination, 313 (10.6%) were indeterminate, and 2515 (85.5%) had no causal association. Nearly half (47.6%) of the applicants were over 60 years old, and 76.6% had a history of pre-existing chronic diseases. Among the 426 vaccine-associated or indeterminate cases, the most common causes were hematological diseases and thrombosis. There were 920 mortality cases reported, and 97.4% were unassociated with vaccination. Only five deaths were judged to be associated with the COVID-19 vaccination, all involving the adenovirus vector vaccine and thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome. In conclusion, most compensation applications were not causally linked to vaccination. Compared to other countries, the number of applications in Taiwan's VICP is relatively high. These findings may indicate a need to adjust the application requirements for compensation in Taiwan's program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) poses significant challenges to public health and healthcare systems, demanding a comprehensive understanding of its progressive nature. Prior methods have often fallen short in capturing the dynamic and individual variability of renal function. This study aims to address this gap by introducing a novel approach for the individualized assessment of CKD progression. A cohort of 1042 patients, comprising 700 with stage 3a and 342 with stage 3b to stage 5 CKD, treated at a veteran general hospital in Taiwan from 2006 to 2019, was included in the study. A comprehensive dataset spanning 12 years, consisting of clinical measurements, was collected and analyzed using joint models to predict the progression to hemodialysis treatment. The study reveals that the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) can be considered an endogenous factor influenced by innate biochemical markers. Serum creatinine, blood pressure, and urinary protein excretion emerged as valuable factors for predicting CKD progression. The joint model, combining longitudinal and survival analyses, demonstrated predictive versatility across various CKD severities. This innovative approach enhances conventional models by concurrently incorporating both longitudinal and survival analyses and provides a nuanced understanding of the variables influencing renal function in CKD patients. This personalized model enables a more precise assessment of renal failure risk, tailored to each patient's unique clinical profile. The findings contribute to improving the management of CKD patients and provide a foundation for personalized healthcare interventions in the context of renal diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red yeast rice (RYR) is known for its lipid-lowering effects in patients with hypercholesterolemia; however, its comparative efficacy with statins and risk reduction remains uncertain. This retrospective study analyzed data from 337,104 patients with hyperlipidemia in the Chang Gung Research Database cohort, spanning from January 2016 to December 2021. Exclusion criteria were applied to ensure data completeness and compliance, including an age limit of < 1 8 years, absence of RYR or statin treatment, and a treatment duration of < 3 0 days. Propensity score matching was employed to minimize bias based on baseline factors, with one patient matching with four patients in the comparison group. The study encompassed a total of 5,984 adult hyperlipidemic patients, with 1,197 in the RYR group and 4,787 in the statin group. The patients were also stratified into statin (n = 8 8 0) or combined use (n = 2 2 0) groups for further comparison. Following one year of treatment, both the RYR and statin groups exhibited reductions in total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Most biochemical parameters showed no significant differences, except for elevated glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase levels in the RYR group (p = 0. 0 2 6) and increased glycohemoglobin levels in the statin group at the three-month mark (p = 0. 0 3 5). In patients with comorbid diabetes, hypertension, kidney, or liver diseases, RYR and statins demonstrated comparable risks for emergency room (ER) visits, stroke, and myocardial infarction (MI). However, the combination of RYR and statins was associated with reduced stroke-related hospitalizations in patients with diabetes, hypertension, and kidney disease, as well as decreased MI-related hospitalizations in patients with hypertension and kidney disease (all p < 0. 0 0 0 1). In conclusion, both RYR and statins effectively lower blood lipid levels and mitigate related complications. Combining these therapies may lead to fewer ER visits, reduced stroke frequency, and fewer MI hospitalizations in hypertensive and kidney disease patients, and they decreased all-cause mortality in the kidney disease population. Further research on combined therapy is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Individuals with Down syndrome are at a higher risk of cardiac, renal, and other health issues due to a complex disease physiology. However, few data exist on long-term disease risks to guide prevention and care. We aimed to determine the 10-year incidence of cardiac, renal, and urinary tract complications in Down syndrome versus matched controls. Methods: This retrospective cohort study utilized a large collaborative database. We identified 32,444 patients with Down syndrome and matched controls, excluding those with pre-follow-up target events. Covariates included demographics, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities. Outcomes were ischemic heart disease, hypertension, hypothyroidism, epilepsy, urinary tract infections and chronic kidney disease. We calculated unadjusted and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using Cox regression and plotted Kaplan–Meier survival curves. Findings: Over 10 years, Down syndrome patients showed a 3.7-fold higher ischemic heart disease risk (95% CI: 3.0–4.6) and a 1.6-fold higher hypertension risk (95% CI: 1.4–1.8) versus controls. Hypothyroidism (HR = 2.0; 95% CI: 1.7–2.4), epilepsy (HR = 4.5; 95% CI: 3.5–5.8), and urinary tract infection (HR = 3.9; 95% CI: 3.4–4.6) risks were also higher. Chronic kidney disease risk was 2.7-fold greater (95% CI: 2.1–3.5). Survival analysis confirmed a significantly higher incidence of all outcomes in Down syndrome (p < 0.0001). Interpretation: This large study found major health challenges in Down syndrome, with risks 3- to 5-fold higher for chronic conditions versus matched controls over 10 years. Though survival remains high with proper care, focusing resources on the prevention and management of complications in this high-risk group can optimize well-being across the lifespan. Future research accounting for limitations here would provide definitive estimates of disease risk in Down syndrome to guide targeted health strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the incidence and risk of renal‐related complications in a nationwide cohort of Taiwanese patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). Method: This longitudinal cohort study analyzed the data of 43,951 individuals—comprising 2091 patients with AN and their controls matched (1:20) using propensity scores according to sex, age, degree of urbanization of residence, socioeconomic status, and year of diagnosis—from a population‐based health insurance database; the study lasted 16 years. We used Kaplan–Meier curves to estimate the cumulative incidence of renal events. We also performed Cox proportional regression and constructed a risk model with death as a competing event (both adjusted for basic characteristics, renal diseases, and psychiatric comorbidities) to examine the risk of dialysis and renal outcomes in the AN group relative to the control group. Results: In total, 204 and 10 patients with AN had renal‐related outcomes and end‐stage renal disease (ESRD), respectively. The cumulative incidence rates of all renal outcomes and ESRD in the AN group were 10.72% and.64%, respectively, at 10‐year follow‐up. Compared with the control group, the AN group had a significantly higher risk of acute dialysis (adjusted hazard ratio 2.10 [95% confidence interval 1.19–3.68]), hypokalemia, hypovolemia, nephritis, acute renal failure, and chronic renal failure. The AN group did not have a significantly higher risk of ESRD. Discussion: The elevated risks of acute dialysis and some renal outcomes in AN highlight the importance of monitoring electrolyte imbalance and renal malfunctioning. Public Significance: Malnutrition and purging behaviors may cause renal complications in patients with AN. In this longitudinal cohort study, we found that the 10‐year cumulative incidence of all renal outcomes in AN was 10.72%, and that patients with AN had a two‐fold higher risk of overall renal outcomes compared with those without AN. Our findings imply that weight restoration and ceasing purging behaviors are crucial for recovery from AN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various dietary quality indices demonstrate that a higher dietary quality score is associated with a reduced risk of several chronic diseases. However, creating an index tailored to the national population is crucial. The study investigated the association between the Alternative Healthy Eating Index-Taiwan (AHEI-Taiwan) and graft dysfunction in Taiwanese renal transplant recipients (RTRs). A prospective cohort study recruited 102 RTRs with a functioning allograft without acute rejection in the last 3 months from September 2016 to June 2018. Laboratory data were obtained from the medical records of patients. Graft dysfunction was indicated by an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min per 1.73 m2 in accordance with the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative guideline. The dietary quality index AHEI-Taiwan was adapted from the AHEI based on Taiwanese dietary recommendations. Mean age, renal transplant time, and eGFR were 48.9 ± 12.8 years, 8.5 ± 5.8 years, and 54.9 ± 17.8 mL/min per 1.73 m2, respectively, in 102 RTRs. The RTRs with the highest quartile of AHEI-Taiwan scores were older and had a higher eGFR. Logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, calories, Charlson comorbidity index, transplant time, and dialysis time showed that the highest quartile of the AHEI-Taiwan was associated with an 88% (odds ratio, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.03-0.59, P <.01) lower risk of graft dysfunction. A high AHEI-Taiwan score was associated with a reduced risk of graft dysfunction in Taiwanese RTRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked inborn error of lysosomal storage disorder, a deficiency in lysosomal hydrolase α-galactosidase A activity due to pathogenic variants in the GLA gene. Accumulation of globotriaosylceramide in multiple organs contributes to end-stage kidney disease, heart failure, and cerebrovascular accidents. We began the FD screening program by involving male patients older than 20 years of age who were on chronic dialysis, had a post-kidney transplantation, and were part of the Pre-End Stage Renal Disease Program in our hospital. α-galactosidase A activity was detected through an initial dried blood spots screen assay, followed by levels of lyso-globotriaosylceramide and sequencing of the GLA gene when screening patients with suspected FD to confirm their diagnosis. A total of 1812 patients had been FD screened, with the prevalence of FD being approximately 0.16 % (3/1812) up until June 2022. Interestingly, we confirmed a family cluster (2 sons and their mother) of having the c.936+919G>A mutation (designated GLA IVS4) with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in Taiwan and another with the mutation c.644A>G (p.Asn215Ser), a more common later-onset variant reported in people of European or North American descent. Two patients were confirmed with cardiomyopathy through a cardiac biopsy, with their cardiac function later reversed after enzyme replacement therapy. The FD screening test detects chronic kidney disease due to an unknown etiology and prevents other organ complications. Early detection of FD is crucial for reversing target organ damage with enzyme replacement therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major healthcare challenge. We developed and internally and externally validated a risk prediction model of DN by integrating clinical factors and SNPs from genes of multiple CKD-related pathways in the Han Chinese population. Materials and methods: A total of 1526 patients with type 2 diabetes were randomly allocated into derivation (n = 1019) or validation (n = 507) sets. External validation was performed with 3899 participants from the Taiwan Biobank. We selected 66 SNPs identified from literature review for building our weighted genetic risk score (wGRS). The steps for prediction model development integrating clinical and genetic information were based on the Framingham Heart Study. Results: The AUROC (95% CI) for this DN prediction model with combined clinical factors and wGRS was 0.81 (0.78, 0.84) in the derivation set. Furthermore, by directly using the information of these 66 SNPs, our final prediction model had AUROC values of 0.85 (0.82, 0.87), 0.89 (0.86, 0.91), and 0.77 (0.74, 0.80) in the derivation, internal validation, and external validation sets, respectively. Under the combined model, the results with a cutoff point of 30% showed 70.91% sensitivity, 67.84% specificity, 51.54% positive predictive value, and 82.86% negative predictive value. Conclusions: We developed and internally and externally validated a model with clinical factors and SNPs from genes of multiple CKD-related pathways to predict DN in Taiwan. This model can be used in clinical risk management practice as a screening tool to identify persons who are genetically predisposed to DN for early intervention and prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients who need renal replacement therapy need to face a dialysis modality decision: the choice between hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD). Although the global differences in HD/PD penetration are affected by health-care policies, these two modalities may exert different effects on survival in patients with ESKD. Although Taiwan did not implicate PD as first policy, we still need to compare patients' outcomes using two modalities in a nation-wise database to determine future patients' care and health policies. Methods: We used the nationwide Taiwan Renal Registry Data System (TWRDS) database from 2005 to 2012 and included 52,900 patients (48,371 on HD and 4529 on PD) to determine all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among ESKD patients. Results: Age-matched survival probability from all-cause mortality was significantly lower in patients on PD than in those on HD (p < 0.05). The adjusted hazard ratios of 3-year and 5-year all-cause and cardiovascular mortality were significantly higher in PD compared with HD. The presence of comorbid conditions including myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease (CAD), diabetes mellitus (DM), hypoalbuminemia, hyperferritinemia and hypophosphatemia was related with significantly higher all-cause and CV mortality in PD patients. No significant difference was noted among younger patients <45 years of age regardless of DM and/or comorbid conditions. Conclusion: Although PD did not have the survival advantage compared to HD in all dialysis populations, PD was related with superior survival in younger non-DM patients, regardless of the presence of comorbidities. Similarly, for younger ESKD patients without the risk of CV disease, both PD and HD would be suitable dialysis modalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the feasibility of five separate machine learning (ML) classifiers for predicting disease progression in patients with pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD). The study enrolled 858 patients with CKD treated at a veteran's hospital in Taiwan. After classification into early and advanced stages, patient demographics and laboratory data were processed and used to predict progression to renal failure and important features for optimal prediction were identified. The random forest (RF) classifier with synthetic minority over-sampling technique (SMOTE) had the best predictive performances among patients with early-stage CKD who progressed within 3 and 5 years and among patients with advanced-stage CKD who progressed within 1 and 3 years. Important features identified for predicting progression from early- and advanced-stage CKD were urine creatinine and serum creatinine levels, respectively. The RF classifier demonstrated the optimal performance, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values of 0.96 for predicting progression within 5 years in patients with early-stage CKD and 0.97 for predicting progression within 1 year in patients with advanced-stage CKD. The proposed method resulted in the optimal prediction of CKD progression, especially within 1 year of advanced-stage CKD. These results will be useful for predicting prognosis among patients with CKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Medical comorbidities are prevalent in patients with bipolar disorder. Evaluating longitudinal trends of the incidence of medical illnesses enables implementation of early prevention strategies to reduce the high mortality rate in this at-risk population. However, the incidence risks of medical illnesses in the early stages of bipolar disorder remain unclear. This study investigated the incidence and 5-year trend of medical illnesses following bipolar disorder diagnosis. Methods: We identified 11,884 patients aged 13–40 years who were newly diagnosed as having bipolar disorder during 1996–2012 and 47,536 age- and sex-matched controls (1:4 ratio) who represented the general population from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. We estimated the prevalence and incidence of individual medical illnesses yearly across the first 5 years after the index date. The adjusted incidence rate ratio was calculated to compare the occurrence of specific medical illnesses each year between the bipolar disorder group and control group using the Poisson regression model. Results: Apart from the prevalence, the adjusted incidence rate ratios of most medical illnesses were >1.00 across the first 5-year period after bipolar disorder diagnosis. Cerebrovascular diseases, ischaemic heart disease, congestive heart failure, other forms of heart disease, renal disease and human immunodeficiency virus infection exhibited the highest adjusted incidence rate ratios during the first year. Except for that of renal disease, the 5-year trends of the adjusted incidence rate ratios decreased for cerebrovascular diseases, cardiovascular diseases (e.g. ischaemic heart disease, other forms of heart disease, and vein and lymphatic disease), gastrointestinal diseases (e.g. chronic hepatic disease and ulcer disease) and communicable diseases (e.g. human immunodeficiency virus infection, upper respiratory tract infection and pneumonia). Conclusion: Incidence risks of medical illnesses are increased in the first year after bipolar disorder diagnosis. Clinicians must carefully evaluate medical illnesses during this period because the mortality rates from medical illnesses are particularly high in people with bipolar disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is growing evidence linking low levels of vitamin D3 to an increased risk of many autoimmune diseases. Compared to the general population, hypovitaminosis D is more prevalent among children with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which can be associated with sun exposure avoidance, long-term corticosteroid treatment, and renal disease. Therefore, we launched this study to assess the correlation between 25 (OH) D3 (VitD3) levels and the disease activity of children with SLE (cSLE) in Taiwan. Methods: From September to December 2018, we recruited 31 cSLE patients from the Pediatric Out-patient Department of Taichung Veterans General Hospital. Their basic data, including SLE disease index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K) score, laboratory values, prescribed drugs and VitD3 levels were collected and analyzed statistically. Results: The mean serum VitD3 concentration was 19.7 ± 7.9 ng/mL and SLEDAI-2K 6.2 ± 5.0. Those patients (N = 16) with an SLEDAI-2K≦4 had higher VitD3 levels when compared to those (N = 15) with an SLEDAI-2K>4 (22.9 ± 7.7 vs 16.3 ± 6.7 points, p = 0.020). Five patients not taking systemic corticosteroids (SCS) had significantly higher VitD3 levels and lower SLEDAI-2K than those who took SCS (N = 26). Additionally, we found VitD3 levels to be negatively correlated to SLEDAI-2K (rs = −0.55, p = 0.001) and daily SCS dosages (rs = −0.49, p = 0.005). Conclusion: This study shows that VitD3 deficiency is common in patients with cSLE. It was also noted that serum VitD3 levels negatively correlate to SLEDAI-2K, which can be partially explained by less usage of SCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is growing evidence linking low levels of vitamin D3 to an increased risk of many autoimmune diseases. Compared to the general population, hypovitaminosis D is more prevalent among children with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which can be associated with sun exposure avoidance, long-term corticosteroid treatment, and renal disease. Therefore, we launched this study to assess the correlation between 25 (OH) D3 (VitD3) levels and the disease activity of children with SLE (cSLE) in Taiwan. Methods: From September to December 2018, we recruited 31 cSLE patients from the Pediatric Out-patient Department of Taichung Veterans General Hospital. Their basic data, including SLE disease index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K) score, laboratory values, prescribed drugs and VitD3 levels were collected and analyzed statistically. Results: The mean serum VitD3 concentration was 19.7 ± 7.9 ng/mL and SLEDAI-2K 6.2 ± 5.0. Those patients (N = 16) with an SLEDAI-2K≦4 had higher VitD3 levels when compared to those (N = 15) with an SLEDAI-2K>4 (22.9 ± 7.7 vs 16.3 ± 6.7 points, p = 0.020). Five patients not taking systemic corticosteroids (SCS) had significantly higher VitD3 levels and lower SLEDAI-2K than those who took SCS (N = 26). Additionally, we found VitD3 levels to be negatively correlated to SLEDAI-2K (rs = -0.55, p = 0.001) and daily SCS dosages (rs = -0.49, p = 0.005). Conclusion: This study shows that VitD3 deficiency is common in patients with cSLE. It was also noted that serum VitD3 levels negatively correlate to SLEDAI-2K, which can be partially explained by less usage of SCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the respective use of angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors (ACEis) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) on the outcomes of patients who could be weaned from dialysis-requiring acute kidney injury (AKI-D). Methods: This case–control study enrolled 41,731 patients who were weaned from AKI-D for at least 7 days from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Administration. We further grouped AKI-D patients according to ACEi and ARB use to evaluate subsequent risks of all-cause mortality and re-dialysis. The outcomes included the all-cause mortality and new-onset of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD; re-dialysis) following withdraw from AKI-D. Results: A total of 17,141 (41.1%) patients surviving AKI-D could be weaned from dialysis for at least 7 days. The overall events of mortality were 366 (48.9%) in ACEi users, 659 (52.1%) in ARB users, and 6,261 (41.3%) in ACEi/ARB nonusers, during a mean follow-up period of 1.01 years after weaning from AKI-D. In regard to all-cause of mortality, pre-dialysis ARB users had lower incidence than ACEi users [hazard ratio (HR 0.82), p = 0.017]. Compared with ACEi/ARB nonusers, continuing ARB users had a significantly low risk of long-term all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio 0.51, p = 0.013) after propensity score matching. However, new users of ACEi at the acute kidney disease (AKD) period had a higher risk of re-dialysis after weaning than ACEi/ARB nonusers (aHR 1.82, p < 0.001), whereas neither ACEi nor ARB users confronted significantly increased risks of hyperkalemia after weaning. Conclusions: Compared with patients without ACEi/ARB, those continuing to use ARB before the event and after weaning had low all-cause mortality, while new users of ACEi at AKD had increased risk of re-dialysis. AKI-D patients continuing to use ACEi or ARB did not have higher risk of hyperkalemia. Future prospective randomized trials are expected to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: The aims of the study were to (i) estimate the prevalence of frailty among older adults with type 2 diabetes, and (ii) investigate risk factors associated with frailty in the study group. Background: The high prevalence of frailty among older adults and its adverse health impacts including higher risks for physical disabilities and a higher mortality rate is quickly evolving to become an important public health issue. Design: A cross‐sectional design. Methods: Data were collected from the Clinical Diabetes Centre of our study group. Frailty was assessed using the Chinese version of the Tilburg frailty indicator. Other questionnaires included Activities of Daily Living, Mini‐Mental State Examination, Taiwan Geriatric Depression Scale and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living. Multivariable logistic regression was established to identify factors associated with frailty. The STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology checklist was used preparing the manuscript. Results: A total of 248 subjects were recruited in this study, a total of 66 participants had frailty (26.6%). Our results showed that factors including age, number of chronic diseases, cerebrovascular accident, renal diseases, frequency of falling, frequency of hyperglycaemia, Activities of Daily Living, depression, Mini‐Mental State Examination, and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living ≧1 task disability were correlated with frailty in older adults with type 2 diabetes. After adjusting for confounding factors, multivariate logistic regression analyses showed a significant increase in the probability of frailty by 1.72‐times when comparing type 2 diabetes subjects with depression to those without depression. Conclusion: This study revealed that depression is a significant factor associated with the occurrence of frailty among older adults with type 2 diabetes. Relevance to clinical practice: Our results provided strong clinical evidence showing depression as an important factor associated with the risk of frailty in older individuals with type 2 diabetes. We recommend early detection via routine screenings for symptoms of depression during diabetes care to achieve early prevention or the delay of frailty and its implicated adverse health consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common syndrome that has a significant impact on prognosis in various clinical settings. To evaluate whether new evidence supports changing the current definition/classification/staging systems for AKI suggested by the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) 2012 Clinical Practice Guideline, the Taiwan AKI-TASK Force, composed of 64 experts in various disciplines, systematically reviewed the literature and proposed recommendations about the current nomenclature and diagnostic criteria for AKI. The Taiwan Acute Kidney Injury (TW-AKI) Consensus 2020 was established following the principles of evidence-based medicine to investigate topics covered in AKI guidelines. The Taiwan AKI-TASK Force determined that patients with AKI have a higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease, end-stage renal disease, and death. After a comprehensive review, the TASK Force recommended using novel biomarkers, imaging examinations, renal biopsy, and body fluid assessment in the diagnosis of AKI. Clinical issues with regards to the definitions of baseline serum creatinine (sCr) level and renal recovery, as well as the use of biomarkers to predict renal recovery are also discussed in this consensus. Although the present classification systems using sCr and urine output for the diagnosis of AKI are not perfect, there is not enough evidence to change the current criteria in clinical practice. Future research should investigate and clarify the roles of the aforementioned tools in clinical practice for AKI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Taiwanese government launched a universal pay-for-performance (P4P) program in 2006 to promote multidisciplinary care for patients with stage 3b-5 chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study aimed to understand the enrollments, care processes, and outcomes of the P4P program between 2010 and 2018.Methods: We conducted a population-based study using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Data. We divided the incident dialysis population into joining and not joining P4P groups based on whether patients had joined the pre-ESRD program before dialysis or not. Trends in the medications prescribed, anemia correction, vascular access preparation before dialysis initiation, and cumulative survival rate were compared.Results: The program included more than 100,000 patients with late-stage CKD. Enrollment increased by almost 100% from 2010 to 2018, with increases seen in those over 75 years old (127.5%), male (96.7%), and earlier CKD stages (≥35% stage 3b in 2018). Females were more likely to stay being enrolled. The joining P4P group was prescribed more appropriate medications, such as erythropoietin-stimulating agents and statins. However, a high number of patients were still prescribed metformin (≥40%) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (≥20%). Compared to the not joining P4P group, the patients in the P4P group had better anemia management, dialysis preparation, and post-dialysis survival.Conclusion: The patients in the joining P4P program group were delivered more appropriate CKD care and were associated with better survival outcomes. Polices and action plans are needed to extend the coverage of and enrollment in the P4P program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Renal transplantation (RTX) is the treatment of choice for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Taiwan has the highest incidence and prevalence of ESKD in this world. This is the first study to illustrate the national registry database of RTX.Methods: All patients who received RTX in Taiwan between 2010 and 2018 were enrolled in this study. Demographic data and comorbidities were obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database and Transplantation Society of Taiwan. Graft and patient survival rates were also analyzed.Results: Men were more likely to receive RTX. During the observation periods, > 30% of the recipients were relatively young (20-44 years). The percentage of preemptive RTX (p = 0.014) and living RTX (p = 0.022) increased annually with statistical significance (linear regression model). Recently, recipients had more cardiovascular disease (p = 0.014), diabetes mellitus (p = 0.097), and hypertension (p = 0.021). The mean duration of graft survival increased yearly (p = 0.001). The proportion of patients surviving till age of ≧65 years increased significantly with time (2.2% in 2010, 33.1% in 2018) (p < 0.0001). Younger recipients (<44 years) had significantly better survival than the elderly (≧65 years). Patients with diabetes were more likely to have worse graft and patient survival rates. Recipients enrolled in pre-ESRD care program had better graft and patient survival rates than those not enrolled in these care program.Conclusion: The proportion of preemptive and livingdonor RTX increased but was still low. Despite increased number of commodities in recipients, graft and patient survival have increased recently. Enrolling patients with CKD in pre-ESRD care program was associated with better graft and patient survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: The effects of influenza vaccination (IV) on the outcomes of patients with kidney disease (KD) are not completely understood. We aimed to evaluate and compare the outcomes during admission of KD between elderly patients who did or did not receive an IV within the previous 12 months. Methods: We used health insurance research data in Taiwan and conducted a population-based cohort study that included 22,590 older people aged ≥ 65 years who were hospitalized for KD in 2008–2013. We performed propensity score matching (case-control ratio 1:1) to select 4386 eligible IV recipients and 4386 nonrecipient controls for comparison. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of IV associated with complications and mortality during KD admission were calculated using multivariable logistic regression analyses. Results: During hospitalization for KD, IV was significantly associated with lower risks of 30-day in-hospital mortality (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.39–0.82), septicemia (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.68–0.87), and intensive care (OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.75–0.96). Additionally, IV recipients had a shorter length of hospital stay and lower medical expenditure than nonrecipients. Subgroup analyses further showed that the association of IV with reduced adverse events was confined to patients aged ≥ 75 years. Conclusions: Previous IV was associated with reduced risks of complications and mortality and in elderly patients hospitalized for KD. We raised the possibility and suggested the need to promote IV for this susceptible population of patients with KD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To summarise the evidentiary basis related to causes of inequities in chronic kidney disease among Indigenous Peoples.Methods: We conducted a Kaupapa Māori meta-synthesis evaluating the epidemiology of chronic kidney diseases in Indigenous Peoples. Systematic searching of MEDLINE, Google Scholar, OVID Nursing, CENTRAL and Embase was conducted to 31 December 2019. Eligible studies were quantitative analyses (case series, case-control, cross-sectional or cohort study) including the following Indigenous Peoples: Māori, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Métis, First Nations Peoples of Canada, First Nations Peoples of the United States of America, Native Hawaiian and Indigenous Peoples of Taiwan. In the first cycle of coding, a descriptive synthesis of the study research aims, methods and outcomes was used to categorise findings inductively based on similarity in meaning using the David R Williams framework headings and subheadings. In the second cycle of analysis, the numbers of studies contributing to each category were summarised by frequency analysis. Completeness of reporting related to health research involving Indigenous Peoples was evaluated using the CONSIDER checklist.Results: Four thousand three hundred seventy-two unique study reports were screened and 180 studies proved eligible. The key finding was that epidemiological investigators most frequently reported biological processes of chronic kidney disease, particularly type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease as the principal causes of inequities in the burden of chronic kidney disease for colonised Indigenous Peoples. Social and basic causes of unequal health including the influences of economic, political and legal structures on chronic kidney disease burden were infrequently reported or absent in existing literature.Conclusions: In this systematic review with meta-synthesis, a Kaupapa Māori methodology and the David R Williams framework was used to evaluate reported causes of health differences in chronic kidney disease in Indigenous Peoples. Current epidemiological practice is focussed on biological processes and surface causes of inequity, with limited reporting of the basic and social causes of disparities such as racism, economic and political/legal structures and socioeconomic status as sources of inequities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is known and objective: The drug therapy of critically ill patients requires intensive evaluation and management due to their severity of illness. These patients often require complex medication regimens. This study analysed the pharmaceutical care provided by clinical pharmacists (CPs) in a single medical centre in Taiwan. In addition, we explored the drug‐related problems (DRPs) experienced by patients in intensive care units (ICUs) to determine how to improve the quality and safety of drug therapy. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted from February 2019 to January 2020. The CPs implemented Taiwan's National Health Insurance (NHI) Scheme for Improving Hospital Drug Safety and Quality programme to improve the safety and quality of drug therapy. The CPs included in the study had at least 2 years' clinical experience and had participated in an ICU team for at least 6 consecutive months. They provided individualized drug treatment evaluation and intervention. Content of care was documented in the Clinical Pharmacy Service Record. Results and discussion: A total of 4374 pharmacy care records were evaluated by 12 CPs. The major category of ICU pharmaceutical care was medication reconciliation (n = 2938; 67.2%). Most of the medication interventions were for errors in dosing or dosing frequency (n = 218; 55.8%). Patients with renal dysfunction required more pharmaceutical interventions than did patients with normal renal function (odds ratio = 1.63; 95% confidence interval 1.31‐2.01). The main interventions were related to antimicrobial agents (n = 386; 81.3%). During the study period, 99.2% of interventions were accepted and 90.8% were changed within 24 hours. What is new and conclusion: Increased pharmaceutical interventions for patients with renal dysfunction compared with patients with normal renal function were observed. Most cases of inappropriate frequency of dosing or dosing of antimicrobial agents required intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Taiwan has the highest prevalence and incidence of end-stage renal disease. • Early-stage of kidney disease is usually asymptomatic, so patients must rely on routine urinalysis for detection. • Urinary ACR measured by Siemens Novus with Pro12 dipsticks was shown to be a reliable test for detection of microalbuminuria. Taiwan has the highest end-stage renal disease prevalence in the world, and the costs on the maintenance of dialysis imposes a great financial burden on National Health Insurance. Routine urinalysis provides an opportunity for the early detection of microalbuminuria. We evaluated the accuracy of semi-quantitative chemical methods from Siemens Novus Pro12 dipstick for albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR). We collected 1029 random urine samples and performed urinary analytic tests by Siemens Novus with Pro12 dipsticks and also calculated the urinary ACR. The reference method was performed by Hitachi LST008, a quantitative assay. The percentage of exact agreement in ACR was 81.9% between Siemens Novus and Hitachi LST008. The percentage of agreement within 1 level between the 2 methods was 98.5%. When ACR > 30 mg/g was defined as the threshold for positive results, the sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive values for microalbuminuria were 87.2%, 91.6%, 91.5%, and 87.3%, respectively. There were 778 cases with negative results of urinary protein, analyzed by conventional dipsticks. 149 of 778 (19.2%) cases were positive, measured by Pro12 dipsticks, and 111 of 149 (74.5%) cases were confirmed positive ACR by Hitachi LST008. Urinary ACR measured by Siemens Novus with Pro12 dipsticks was shown to be a reliable test for detection of microalbuminuria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Acute kidney injury (AKI) and acute kidney disease (AKD) are a continuum on a disease spectrum and frequently progress to chronic kidney disease. Benefits of nephrologist subspecialty care during the AKD period after AKI are uncertain.Methods: Patients with AKI requiring dialysis who subsequently became dialysis independent and survived for at least 90 days, defined as the AKD period, were identified from the Taiwanese population's health insurance database. Cox proportional hazard models using death as the competing risk before and after propensity-score matching were applied to evaluate various endpoints.Results: Among a total of 20 260 patients with AKI requiring dialysis who became dialysis independent, only 7550 (37.3%) patients were followed up with by a nephrologist (F/Unephrol group) during the AKD period. During a mean 4.04 ± 3.56 years of follow-up, the patients in the F/Unephrol group were more often administered statin, antihypertensives, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB), diuretics, antiplatelet agents, and antidiabetic agents. The patients in the F/Unephrol group had a lower mortality rate (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.87, P < .001) and were less likely to have major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) (subdistribution HR [sHR] = 0.85, P < .001), congestive heart failure (CHF) (sHR = 0.81, P < .001), and severe sepsis (sHR = 0.88, P = .008) according to the Cox proportional model after adjusting for mortality as a competing risk. During the AKD period, an increase in the frequency of nephrology visits was associated with improved outcomes.Conclusions: In this population-based cohort, even after weaning off acute dialysis, only a minority of patients visited a nephrologist during the AKD period. We showed that nephrology follow-up is associated with a decrease in MACE, CHF exacerbations, and sepsis, as well as lower mortality; thus it may improve outcomes in patients with AKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and kidney stones are common in Taiwan; in particular, CKD has a high prevalence but low self-awareness rate. CKD-related risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, and nephrotoxic drugs are well-known and uncontested; however, kidney stones are relatively less studied and easily overlooked as a risk factor. The objective of this study was to investigate whether kidney stones are a risk factor for CKD.Methods: We conducted a nationwide population-based matched cohort study to assess the risk of incident CKD in people with kidney stones. Data on incident stones formers in the year 2001-excluding those with a history of CKD-were obtained from Taiwan's National Health Insurance database. Stone formers were matched (1:4) to control subjects according to sex, age, and index date. The total observation period of the study was 10 years, and the primary end-point was the occurrence of CKD. Student's t-test and Chi-squared test were used to compare continuous and categorical data, respectively. Logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratio of kidney stone patients with incident CKD relative to the control group. Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to obtain the hazard ratio for development of incident CKD among patients with kidney stones.Results: The incidence of CKD in the kidney stone cohort was 11.2%, which was significantly higher than that of the control group (P < .001). Survival analysis showed that the stones cohort was 1.82 times more likely to experience CKD than the controls. Age, sex, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia increased the risk of CKD incidence (1.04, 1.27, 1.55, 3.31, and 1.25 times, respectively).Conclusion: Kidney stones are a definite risk factor for CKD; therefore, patients with stones are suggested to undergo regular renal function monitoring and receive appropriate treatment to avoid CKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/purpose: The impact of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) on the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is not fully elucidated. We aimed to assess the correlation between NAFLD and CKD in a large population study.Methods: We included consecutive subjects who had received health check-up service at Taipei Veterans General Hospital from 2002 to 2009. NAFLD was diagnosed with abdominal ultrasound, and advanced liver fibrosis was determined with NAFLD fibrosis score (NAFLD-FS). CKD was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2.Results: Among the 29,797 subjects enrolled in this study, NAFLD and CKD were diagnosed in 44.5% and 20.2% of the population, respectively. Subjects with NAFLD had a higher proportion of CKD compared to those without NAFLD (24.1% vs. 17.1%, p < 0.001). However, NAFLD was not related to CKD with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.015 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.954-1.081, p = 0.630) after multivariate analyses. Nevertheless, further analyses revealed that among patients with NAFLD, those with advanced fibrosis were more likely to have CKD after adjusting for confounding factors (OR 2.284, 95% CI 1.513-3.448, p < 0.001).Conclusion: NAFLD per se was not a risk factor for CKD, but NAFLD patients with advanced fibrosis faced a higher possibility of CKD. Hence, patients with NAFLD and advanced fibrosis should be screened for CKD and prompted to receive treatment if the diagnosis was made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Multiple chronic conditions affect people's health-related quality of life (QoL) and the distributions of the conditions may differ between genders. Our goal was to examine gender differences in chronic conditions and QoL among community-living elderly in Taiwan and to examine whether differences in QoL between genders, if present, were attributable to the distribution of chronic conditions. Methods: We used data from the Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (NAHSIT, 2005–2008), which interviewed a representative sample of the Taiwanese population. The survey questions included the SF-36 questionnaire to assess participants' QoL and items for participants' medical history. We used multiple linear regressions to examine the difference in QoL between genders. Results: We included 1179 elders for our analysis; men accounted for 52% (612/1179). The mean age was 73; women were slightly younger. The mean (standard deviation) of SF-36 physical and mental health component score (PCS and MCS) was 44.5 (11.1) and 55.6 (9.0), respectively, and women reported a significantly lower PCS than men (difference − 4.85, p < 0.001). Urinary incontinence, arthritis, stroke, and kidney disease were associated with a clinically meaningful decrease in PCS (≤ − 6.5 points). The difference in PCS between genders was not attenuated after we accounted for chronic conditions in regression analysis. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that women tend to report that their physical health-related QoL is poorer than that of men, and such a difference does not seem to be attributable to the distribution of chronic conditions. Elderly men and women may perceive health-related QoL differently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shared decision making (SDM) is an innovative, emerging clinical medical decision model in Taiwan. This model allows patients to understand the possible benefits, hazards, and risks of different treatment options and to choose the treatment option that best aligns with their values and preferences, thereby reducing patients' decisional conflicts. The survival rate of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) has improved, in part due to the rapid development of medical technologies and treatment modalities. However, survival requires that patients face the choice conflicts associated with renal replacement therapy. All of the various renal replacement therapy treatment options impact the physical state of patients, cause changes in their daily life, and undermine their normal work and social roles. Patients often deal with conflict, uncertainty, and hesitation when they engage in making decisions about renal replacement therapy, as the course of treatment is long-term and the effects accompany the patients for the remainder of their life. This article discusses the decisional conflicts of ESRD patients in renal replacement therapy and its influencing factors. The authors propose the SDM approach to renal replacement therapy as a care reference for clinical health professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Self‐care represents the 'action' element of self‐management. This study aimed to use the chronic kidney disease self‐care (CKDSC) scale to examine factors associated with self‐care and aspects of self‐care deficits among CKD patients in Taiwan. Methods: A cross‐sectional investigation was conducted using the CKDSC scale with 449 CKD patients in Taiwan. The CKDSC is a 16‐item questionnaire with five subscales, including medication adherence, diet control, exercise, smoking behaviours and blood pressure monitoring. Patient demographic and clinical factors taht may affect CKD self‐care were analyzed in the multivariable regression models. Results: Overall CKDSC scores were significantly higher for women (P = 0.020), older patients (P < 0.001), higher education (P = 0.033), BMI <24 kg/m2 (P = 0.005), later CKD stage or participants in the CKD care programme. Early‐stage CKD patients had significantly lower for medication adherence, diet control, and blood pressure monitoring. Patients who participated in the CKD care programme had higher for medication adherence, diet control and regular exercise habits. Conclusion: The CKDSC scale is a tool to assess patient self‐care. However, given the CKDSC tool is in Chinese, future studies should validate it in CKD patients in other languages or countries before it can be considered for general use. Summary at a Glance: This is a cross‐sectional survey study to validate the chronic kidney disease self‐care questionnaire (a 16‐item chronic kidney disease (CKD) self‐care tool) in 449 Taiwanese patients with CKD in the outpatient setting. Factors such as stage of CKD and exposure to pre‐dialysis care programme have predictive value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Leptospirosis is a worldwide prevalent zoonosis and chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a leading global disease burden. Because of pathophysiological changes in the kidney, it has been suggested that these conditions may be associated. However, the extent of this interaction has not been synthetized. We aimed to systematically review and critically appraise the evidence on the association between leptospirosis and CKD. Methodology/Principal findings: Observational studies with a control group were selected. Leptospirosis, confirmed with laboratory methods, and CKD also based on a laboratory assessment, were the exposures and outcomes of interest. The search was conducted in EMBASE, MEDLINE, Global Health, Scopus and Web of Science. Studies selected for qualitative synthesis were assessed for risk of bias following the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. 5,981 reports were screened, and 2 (n = 3,534) were included for qualitative synthesis. The studies were conducted in Taiwan and Nicaragua; these reported cross-sectional and longitudinal estimates. In the general population, the mean estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was lower (p<0.001) in people testing positive for antileptospira antibodies (eGFR = 98.3) than in negative controls (eGFR = 100.8). Among sugarcane applicants with high creatinine, those who were seropositive had lower eGFR (mean difference: -10.08). In a prospective analysis, people with high antileptospira antibodies titer at baseline and follow-up, had worse eGFR (p<0.05). Conclusion: Although the available evidence suggests there may be a positive association between leptospirosis and CKD, whereby leptospirosis could be a risk factor for CKD, it is still premature to draw conclusions. There is an urgent need for research on this association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cardiovascular events associated with oral hypoglycemic agents (OHAs) have raised significant safety concerns. This study assessed the association between dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) and the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with or without chronic kidney disease (CKD). Study design: A retrospective cohort study using Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database. Settings and participants: Our study included patients with type 2 diabetes who received OHAs between March 1, 2009, and December 31, 2012. All eligible subjects were classified into CKD and non-CKD cohorts and further categorized as the DPP-4i and non-DPP-4i users in each cohort. Methods: The DPP-4i and non-DPP-4i groups were matched 1:1 by propensity score to attenuate potential selection bias. Propensity score was estimated by logistic regression, using demographics, co-medications, comorbidities. and adapted diabetic complication severity index at baseline. Outcomes: Outcomes of interest included a composite endpoint of ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, cardiovascular death (major adverse cardiac events [MACE]), and hospitalization for heart failure (hHF). COX proportional hazard models were applied to examine the association between DPP-4i and outcomes of interest. Results: We identified 37,641 and 87,604 patients with type 2 diabetes with and without CKD, respectively. After propensity score matching, 8,213 pairs of CKD patients and 12,313 pairs of non-CKD patients were included for analysis. In the CKD cohort, DPP-4i were associated with a 25% increased risk of hHF (DPP-4i vs. non-DPP-4i incidence/1,000 person-years: 15.0 vs. 9.9, HR = 1.25; 95% CI 1.01–1.54, p = 0.037) but not with the risk of MACE (HR = 0.89, p = 0.144). In the non-CKD cohort, DPP-4i were associated with a lower risk of MACE (DPP-4i vs. non-DPP-4i incidence/1,000 person-years: 9.8 vs. 12.6 HR = 0.73; 95% CI 0.61–0.87, p = 0.0007), but not the risk of hHF (HR = 1.09, p = 0.631). Conclusions: DPP-4i were found to be associated with decreased risk of MACE in the non-CKD cohort in our study. However, DPP-4i were associated with increased risk of hHF in the CKD cohort. DPP-4i in the CKD cohort should be used cautiously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate the appropriate fasting plasma glucose threshold by which to define prediabetes in children and adolescents, based on its ability to predict incident paediatric diabetes. Methods: In a nationwide survey of diabetes and renal disease conducted between 1992 and 2000 in all school‐aged children in Taiwan, those with abnormal results in repeated urine tests received further physical examination and blood tests. Students who had blood tests for at least two time points were selected for the present study (N = 12 119). The incidence of paediatric diabetes, adjusted hazard ratio and predictive power of fasting plasma glucose were analysed. Results: The incidence of paediatric diabetes increased with increasing fasting plasma glucose levels. Groups with fasting plasma glucose >5.6 mmol/l had a higher adjusted hazard ratio. The adjusted hazard ratio of incident diabetes for participants with higher fasting plasma glucose rose continuously when using a higher threshold for fasting plasma glucose. The area under the receiver‐operating characteristic curve for fasting plasma glucose was 0.628 for predicting paediatric diabetes. The association between fasting plasma glucose and incident paediatric diabetes and the area under the receiver‐operating characteristic curve were similar in boys and girls and were higher in the age group 12–18 years. According to receiver‐operating characteristic curve analysis, the optimal thresholds, sensitivity and specificity were 4.75 mmol/l, 65% and 51%, respectively, for those aged 6–11 years and 5.19 mmol/l, 60% and 73%, respectively, for those aged 12–18 years. Conclusion: Fasting plasma glucose is associated with the incidence of paediatric diabetes. The results of the present study can be used as reference data to suggest a cut‐off value to define paediatric prediabetes. What's new?: This is one of the few studies to investigate the plasma glucose threshold to predict incident paediatric diabetes.Using a nationwide dataset, we found that fasting plasma glucose (FPG) level was associated with the incidence of paediatric diabetes.The predictive power of FPG is better in the age group 12–18 years than in the age group 6–11 years.The results of the present study can be used as reference data to suggest a cut‐off value of FPG for paediatric prediabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze the effects of chronic kidney disease (CKD) care programs on clinical outcomes.Design: An observational, retrospective study with medical record review.Setting: Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital.Participants: Patients diagnosed with CKD.Interventions: CKD care programs conducted by nephrologists-based team from 2006 to 2013 in our hospital.Main Outcome Measures: We set 10 goals with treatment target ranges based on the guidelines suggested by the following organizations: Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (2012) and the National Kidney Foundation Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (2003).Results: In total, 1486 patients were enrolled. Their average estimated glomerular filtration rate (ml/min/1.73 m2) was 31.9 at baseline and declined to 28.9 in Year 3 (P < 0.001). The all-goals attainment rate increased from 59.4% at baseline to 60.5% in Year 3, with an especially significant improvement for low-density lipoprotein (from 46.8% to 67.0%) and glycated hemoglobin (from 55.0% to 64.0%). Achievement rates decreased for hemoglobin (from 34.2% to 31.0%), calcium (from 94.6% to 92.3%) and phosphate (from 89.9% to 82.5%) between baseline and Year 3. Albuminuria was the least achieved goal (from 23.4% to 24.0%). Subgroup analysis revealed that estimated glomerular filtration rate did not decline in patients who had a good achievement rate, but decreased significantly in patients with a poor achievement rate.Conclusion: Enrolment in CKD care programs resulted in a significant improvement in goal attainment by patients. Further, a good achievement rate was associated with better preservation of residual renal function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/purpose: Previous studies have reported that the indication and starting dose of allopurinol may be associated with the incidence of hypersensitive reactions. As allopurinol-related severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs) constitute a significant proportion of drug injury relief applications in Taiwan, this study sought to examine allopurinol use and related adverse reactions through an analysis of recent drug injury relief applications.Methods: Allopurinol-related drug injury relief applications from 1999 to 2016 were collected, and descriptive statistical methods were used to analyze recent applications dating from 2011 to 2016.Results: A total of 174 allopurinol-related drug injury relief applications were submitted between 2011 and 2016, with the majority involving cases over the age of 65 (75.3%; mean age of all cases was 69.2). Most allopurinol-related drug injuries concerned the skin (173 out of 174 cases, 99.4%). The majority of cases had other co-morbidities such as cardiovascular disease/hypertension (86.2%), chronic kidney disease (58.6%), or diabetes (46.6%). Over 70% of cases initiated allopurinol at a dose of 100 mg/day or less. Analysis revealed that the greatest number of cases (44.6%) occurred in those with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) between 15 and 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 and who initiated allopurinol at a dose of 100 mg/day.Conclusion: Old age and renal dysfunction are key risk factors for allopurinol hypersensitivity. When considering allopurinol for elderly patients with impaired kidney function, a full risk-benefit assessment, dosage adjustments, and careful monitoring may be warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Chronic kidney disease consumes a huge amount of medical resources and proton pump inhibitors may be a potential factor for the increasing prevalence. This population-based cohort study investigates the risk of chronic kidney disease in a diabetic population using proton pump inhibitors in Taiwan.Methods: This study is based on a specific diabetic database obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database. Individuals with a new diagnosis of diabetes from 2002 to 2013 were enrolled. "Exposure" to proton pump inhibitors was defined as at least one prescription and dosage over 180 DDD (defined daily dose) in one year after the index date. A multivariable Cox proportional hazard model and competing-risk regression model were applied.Results: There were 5994 patients in the final cohort of proton pump inhibitor users and 23,976 patients in the matched controlled cohort based on 1:4 propensity score matching. Compared with no exposure users, PPIs exposure group had more anemia prevalence, anti-hypertension medication and NSAIDs prescriptions. The multivariable Cox proportional hazard model showed that the adjusted hazard ratio of chronic kidney disease was 1.52 (95% CI 1.40-1.65) in diabetic individuals with PPIs exposure, compared with no exposure users.Conclusions: Proton pump inhibitors use is associated with 1.52-fold increased risk of chronic kidney disease in diabetic patients when the dosage is over 180 DDD in one year in Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Benign prostate hyperplasia, a common disease in elderly men, can be surgically treated with transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). Postoperative sexual dysfunction is a major issue and is influenced by many factors. The present study aimed to assess whether the intraoperative resected prostate weight influences the probability of postoperative sexual dysfunction.Methods: This population-based study included 41,574 patients from the Nation Health Insurance Research Database who had undergone TURP once between 1997 and 2013. All patients were divided into three groups according to the resected prostate weight (low, medium, and high groups). Perioperative risk factors influencing sexual function were analyzed. The chi-squared test and Fisher's exact test were used to analyze differences in demographic data. The Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was used to analyze the HRs. All statistical analyses were two-sided, and a P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: Of the 41,574 patients, 1,168 had postoperative sexual dysfunction after surgery. The incidence was not significantly different among the three resected prostate weight groups. Younger patients and patients with histories of chronic renal disease, ischemic heart disease, and obesity had higher prevalence of postoperative sexual dysfunction. Additionally, the onset time of sexual dysfunction was not significantly different among the three resected prostate weight groups.Conclusion: Among patients undergoing TURP in Taiwan, the resected prostate weight does not seem to be related to the presence or onset time of postoperative sexual dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Extensive studies have demonstrated that sleep is an important modulator of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. However, its impact on renal function remains uncertain.Methods: A total of 26,249 adults aged ≥20 years were recruited through voluntary health examinations in Taiwan. Sleep duration was self-reported by questionnaire. Proteinuria was graded semi-quantitatively by dipstick urine test. The associations of sleep duration with proteinuria and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were analyzed.Results: After an average follow-up period of 2.62 years, the crude hazard ratio (HR) for proteinuria progression were 1.92 (95% CI 1.22-3.03), 1.23 (95% CI 1.09-1.39), and 1.18 (95% CI 1.00-1.39) for those with sleep duration < 4, 4-6, and > 8 h compared to those with sleep duration of 6-8 h (the reference group), respectively. The HR remained significant for those with sleep duration < 4 h (adjusted HR 1.65 [95% CI 1.05-2.61]) and 4-6 h (adjusted HR 1.19 [95% CI 1.06-1.35]) after adjustment for age, sex, blood pressure, fasting glucose, body mass index, cholesterols, triglycerides, uric acids, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, income/educational levels, and baseline eGFR. However, eGFR was not significantly different among different sleep duration groups.Discussion: This result indicates short sleep duration is independently associated with the progression of proteinuria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Most studies of long-term renal outcomes after acute critical illness have enrolled patients with pre-existing renal dysfunction. We assessed renal outcomes in patients who did not have pre-existing renal disease and who were admitted to hospital for acute critical illness.Methods: We identified adults who did not have pre-existing renal disease and who were admitted to hospital for acute critical illness between 2000 and 2011, from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. Each patient was matched 1:2 with controls without acute critical illness, according to age, sex and index date. A subset was further matched 1:1 with controls using propensity scores. Outcomes included acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease.Results: We evaluated 33 613 patients with acute critical illness matched to 63 148 controls, of whom 14 218 were propensity matched to 14 218 controls. Patients with acute critical illness had incidence rates per 10 000 person-years of 9.45 for acute kidney injury, 78.3 for chronic kidney disease and 21.0 for end-stage renal disease. In the propensity-matched cohort, patients with acute critical illness had significantly higher risks of acute kidney injury (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 2.92, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.78-4.77), chronic kidney disease (aHR 1.81, 95% CI 1.57-2.08), and end-stage renal disease (aHR 3.60, 95% CI 2.50-5.18). Acute critical illness conferred higher mortality risk among patients who subsequently developed end-stage renal disease (aHR 3.37, 95% CI 2.07-5.49) or chronic kidney disease (aHR 2.16, 95% CI 1.67-2.80).Interpretation: Patients with acute critical illness and without pre-existing renal disease have a higher risk of adverse renal outcomes and subsequent mortality. A resolved episode of critical illness has implications for future renal function surveillance, even in patients without pre-existing renal disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Proteinuria is a common finding in children. It may be due to a benign cause, but it can also represent early renal injury. Of children with persistent proteinuria noted in mass urine screening programs, 35% have a urine protein level greater than 100 mg/dl and many of them are associated with many underlying renal diseases. The aim of this study was to identify the etiology and prognosis of persistent proteinuria in children.Methods: We collected data on urine protein from January 2011 to December 2016 in a tertiary medical center. During this 6-year period, 37,645 children received urinalysis, and 2.3% were found to have persistent proteinuria. We reviewed their medical charts for clinical diagnoses and renal function. According to the level of persistent proteinuria, we divided the children into three groups (mild, moderate, and severe).Results: Most clinical diagnoses in the mild persistent proteinuria group were not readily identifiable. In the moderate and severe groups, acute kidney injury was the leading cause of significant proteinuria, followed by systemic lupus erythematosus, steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome, and congenital urogenital tract anomalies. There were significant differences in the rate of chronic renal insufficiency among the three groups. Prematurity with extremely low birth weight was also a major factor associated with pediatric chronic renal insufficiency.Conclusion: Assessing persistent proteinuria in children is important due to the diverse range of associated diseases or mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To verify self-reported basic and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) with a disability and the results of performance-based tests (namely the Taiwan performance-based IADL (TPIADL), the 2-minute step test (2MST), the 30-second chair-stand test (30-s CST), and handgrip dynamometer measurement) to identify disability early and assess the associations with functional fitness in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods: A cross-sectional study of 99 patients with stage 4-5 CKD and 57 healthy elderly adults were recruited. Self-reported measures were used to collect information on basic (Barthel Index) and IADL (Lawton-Brody scale). Objective measures of the TPIADL and functional fitness (2MST, 30-s CST, handgrip dynamometer) were also assessed. Results: Only IADL, as detected by the TPIADL, were impaired to a greater extent in the CKD patients than those of healthy elderly adults. Among all the patients with CKD, a greater impairment in the TPIADL remained statistically associated with a lower ability in the 2MST. A one step increase in the 2MST score was significantly associated with an improvement of 0.2 s in the total performance time of the TPIADL. Conclusion: Performance-based measures, such as the TPIADL, may detect a functional limitation before it becomes measurable by traditional self-reported basic and IADL scales; functional limitation is mainly associated with cardiac endurance for advanced CKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The vermiform appendix serves as a "safe house" for maintaining normal gut bacteria and appendectomy may impair the intestinal microbiota. Appendectomy is expected to profoundly alter the immune system and modulate the pathogenic inflammatory immune responses of the gut. Recent studies have shown that a dysbiotic gut increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Therefore, we hypothesized that appendectomy would increase the risk of CKD. Methods. This nationwide, population-based, propensity-score-matched cohort study included 10,383 patients who underwent appendectomy and 41,532 propensity-score-matched controls. Data were collected by the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan from 2000 to 2013. We examined the associations between appendectomy and CKD and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The major outcome was a new diagnosis of CKD based on an outpatient diagnosis made at least three times or hospital discharge diagnosis made once during the follow-up period. ESRD was defined as undergoing dialysis therapy for at least 90 days, as in previous studies. Results. The incidence rates of CKD and ESRD were higher in the appendectomy group than in the control cohort (CKD: 6.52 vs. 5.93 per 1,000 person-years, respectively; ESRD: 0.49 vs. 0.31 per 1,000 person-years, respectively). Appendectomy patients also had a higher risk of developing CKD (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.13; 95% CI [1.01-1.26]; P = 0.037) and ESRD (aHR 1.59; 95% CI [1.06-2.37]; P = 0.024) than control group patients. Subgroup analysis showed that appendectomy patients with concomitant diabetes mellitus (aHR 2.08; P = 0.004) were at higher risk of incident ESRD than those without diabetes mellitus. The interaction effects of appendectomy and diabetes mellitus were significant for ESRD risk (P = 0.022); no interaction effect was found for CKD risk (P = 0.555). Conclusions. Appendectomy increases the risk of developing CKD and ESRD, especially in diabetic patients. Physicians should pay close attention to renal function prognosis in appendectomy patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Western dietary patterns have been linked with kidney disease. This study investigated the association between Chinese dietary patterns and kidney disease in a Taiwanese population with type 2 diabetes and evaluated dietary fatty acid patterns, a kidney-related dietary biomarker.Methods and Study Design: We recruited 838 patients with type 2 diabetes and used their dietary and renal data obtained from three repeated measures in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Diet was assessed using food-frequency questionnaires, and factor analysis was performed to identify dietary patterns. Albuminuria was defined by having an albumin-to-creatinine ratio >=30 mg/g and kidney dysfunction by estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73m2. Generalized estimating equation models were used to estimate ORs (95% CIs) of kidney disease adjusted for covariates. Erythrocyte fatty acids were only measured in blood samples collected in 2008.Results: Three dietary patterns were identified: high fat-meat, traditional Chinese food-snack, and fish-vegetable. In the adjusted model, the high fat-meat and traditional Chinese food-snack diets were not associated with any kidney outcomes. The fishvegetable diet was inversely associated with kidney dysfunction (quartile 4 vs 1, OR: 0.75, 0.58-0.97), but not associated with albuminuria. A higher fish-vegetable diet factor score was associated with higher n-3 fatty acid levels.Conclusion: In patients with diabetes, we found greater adherence to a fish-vegetable diet to be associated with better kidney function and greater n-3 fatty acid profiles. The inclusion of repeated dietary assessments and dietary biomarker measurements in future diet-disease research, especially in patient populations, may provide more definitive risk evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors (coxibs) are associated with less upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) than traditional nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (tNSAIDs). However, they also increase the risk of UGIB in high-risk patients. We aimed to identify the risk factors of UGIB in coxibs users. Design. Retrospective cohort study. Setting. 2000-2010 National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan. Subjects. Patients taking coxibs as the study group and patients not taking any coxibs as controls. Methods. After age, gender, and comorbidity matching by propensity score, 12,145 coxibs users and 12,145 matched controls were extracted for analysis. The primary end point was the occurrence of UGIB. Cox multivariate proportional hazard regression models were used to determine the risk factors for UGIB among all the enrollees and coxibs users. Results. During a mean follow-up of three years, coxibs users had significantly higher incidence of UGIB than matched controls (P < 0.001, log-rank test). Cox regression analysis showed that coxibs increased risk of UGIB in all participants (hazard ratio 5 1.37, 95% confidence interval 5 1.19-1.55, P < 0.001). Independent risk factors for UGIB among coxibs users were age, male gender, diabetes, chronic renal disease, cirrhosis, history of peptic ulcer disease, PU bleeding (PUB), Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, and concomitant use of tNSAIDs, acetylsalicylic acid, or thienopyridines. Conclusions. Among coxibs users, H. pylori infection and history of PUB were especially important risk factors for UGIB. Further studies are needed to determine whether proton pump inhibitors might play a protective role in these at-risk patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Elderly patients with aged physical status and increased underlying disease suffered from more postoperative complication and mortality. We design this retrospective cohort study to investigate the relationship between existing comorbidity of elder patients and 30 day post-anesthetic mortality by using International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) from Health Insurance Database.Methods: Patients aged above 65 years old who received anesthesia between 2000 and 2010 were included from 1 million Longitudinal Health Insurance Database in (LHID) 2005 in Taiwan. We use age, sex, type of surgery to calculate propensity score and match death group and survival one with 1:4 ratio (death: survival = 1401: 5823). Multivariate logistic model with stepwise variable selection was employed to investigate the factors affecting death 30 days after anesthesia.Results: Thirty seven comorbidities can independently predict the post-anesthetic mortality. In our study, the leading comorbidities predict post-anesthetic mortality is chronic renal disease (OR = 2.806), acute myocardial infarction (OR = 4.58), and intracranial hemorrhage (OR = 3.758).Conclusions: In this study, we present the leading comorbidity contributing to the postoperative mortality in elderly patients in Taiwan from National Health Insurance Database. Chronic renal failure is the leading contributing comorbidity of 30 days mortality after anesthesia in Taiwan which can be explained by the great number of hemodialysis and prolong life span under National Taiwan Health Insurance. Large scale database can offer enormous information which can help to improve quality of medical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objective The incidence of pyogenic liver abscess in Taiwan appears to be much higher than that in western countries. However, little is known about the incidence of pyogenic liver abscess among patients with predialysis chronic kidney disease. The objective of this study was to assess the association between predialysis chronic kidney disease and the risk of pyogenic liver abscess in Taiwan. Methods This population-based, retrospective, cohort study was conducted to analyse the database of the Taiwan National Health Insurance Program. There were 81118 subjects aged 20-84 years with newly diagnosed chronic kidney disease as the predialysis chronic kidney disease group since 2000-2010, and 81118 randomly selected subjects without chronic kidney disease as the nonchronic kidney disease group. The predialysis chronic kidney disease group and the nonchronic kidney disease group were matched with sex, age and comorbidities. The incidence of pyogenic liver abscess at the end of 2013 was calculated in both groups. Subjects who currently received dialysis therapy before the endpoint were excluded from the study. The multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to assess the hazard ratio ( HR) and 95% confidence interval ( CI) for the risk of pyogenic liver abscess associated with predialysis chronic kidney disease and other comorbidities including alcohol-related disease, biliary stone, chronic liver disease and diabetes mellitus. Results The overall incidence of pyogenic liver abscess was 1·65-fold higher in the predialysis chronic kidney disease group than that in the nonchronic kidney disease group (1·38 vs. 0·83 per 1000 person-years, 95% CI 1·59, 1·71). After adjustment for covariables, the adjusted HR of pyogenic liver abscess was 1·51(95% CI 1·30, 1·76) for the predialysis chronic kidney disease group, comparing with the nonchronic kidney disease group. In addition, the adjusted HR would increase to 3·31 (95% CI 2·61, 4·19) for subjects with predialysis chronic kidney disease and with any comorbidity studied. Conclusion Predialysis chronic kidney disease is associated with 1·5-fold increased risk of pyogenic liver abscess. There seem to be a synergistic effect on the risk of pyogenic liver abscess between predialysis chronic kidney disease and comorbidities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]