Search

Abstract Background This study aimed to determine whether primary parathyroid cancer patients were associated with increased metabolic and cardiovascular comorbidities in comparison to the general population. Methods We used the National Taiwan Cancer Registry Database to construct a cohort of patients with parathyroid cancer from January 1, 2004, to December 31, 2019. We compared the incidence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, atrial fibrillation, coronary heart disease, and heart failure with the general population matched based on a propensity score in a one-to-five fashion. Results A total of 72 parathyroid cancer patients and 360 matched general population (mean age: 55 years; 59% women) were included, with different exclusive numbers for each metabolic and cardiovascular comorbidity cohort. The number of cases based on a total of 2347.7 person-years of observation included 53 deaths, 29 hypertension, 9 diabetes, 13 hyperlipidemia, 10 atrial fibrillation, 18 coronary artery disease, and 13 heart failure. According to multivariate analysis, parathyroid cancer remained significantly associated with diabetes [hazard ratio (HR): 9.28; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.72–50.07], hyperlipidemia (HR: 5.86; 95% CI: 1.61–21.31), and heart failure (HR: 4.46; 95% CI: 1.18–16.84). Sub-distribution of competing mortality events and subgroup analysis showed robust evidence of metabolic and cardiovascular comorbidities. This national cohort study demonstrated that adult parathyroid cancer patients had a significantly higher incidence of diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and heart failure than the general population. Conclusions An increased risk of metabolic and cardiac comorbidities among parathyroid cancer patients required great caution.

Purpose: Patients with osteoporosis are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Several antiosteoporosis medications have been demonstrated with the benefit of preventing osteoporosis. Our aim is to assess the CVD risks associated with antiosteoporosis medications using the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan between 2000 and 2016.Methods: Among 41,102 patients of 40+ years old with newly diagnosed osteoporosis, 69.1% (N = 28,387) of patients were included in the user cohort of antiosteoporosis medicines, of whom 13, 472 developed CVD by the end of 2016, while 14,915 did not. Using the nested case–control analysis in the user cohort (88.0% women and 77.4% elderly), we applied conditional logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) of eight types of CVD for the users of denosumab, bisphosphonate, teriparatide, and hormone replacement therapy (HRT).Results: The adjusted ORs of overall CVDs were 0.13 (95% CI: 0.12–0.15) for denosumab users, 0.52 (95% CI: 0.45–0.61) for teriparatide users, and 0.80 (95% CI: 0.76–0.85) for bisphosphonate users. The HRT users were at higher odds of coronary artery and peripheral artery diseases, heart failure, pulmonary embolism, and deep vein thrombosis.Conclusion: Denosumab, teriparatide, and bisphosphonate may have more protective effects against CVD than hormone therapy. Physicians may take subsequent cardiovascular risks into account when choosing an adequate antiosteoporosis medication for patients with osteoporosis.

Abstract Background The associations with cancer and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) had inconsistent results. The study aimed to investigate the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) between populations with and without cancer. Methods Patients with common cancers in Taiwan were enrolled in the study between 2007 and 2018 using the Taiwan Cancer Registry. We focused on colorectal cancer, women’s breast cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, oral cancer, prostate cancer, and thyroid cancers. The study endpoint was fatal and non-fatal CVD, which was defined as ischemic heart disease and ischemic stroke according to the National Health Insurance Research Database. We compared the risk of CVD between patients with cancer and age- and sex-matched (1:1 ratio) participants who did not have cancer or CVD. Multivariable adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained from Cox regression analysis. To evaluate the chronological trend, we estimated the HRs and 95% CI yearly since the diagnosis. Results Among the 552,485 cancer patients (mean age, 60.6 years; women, 47.7%) during the median follow-up period of 4.1 years, 32,634 cases of fatal and non-fatal CVD were identified. Compared with that noted in the non-cancer population, the overall fully adjusted HR with 95% CI was 1.28 (1.25, 1.30) in the cancer population. The CVD risk was the highest in the first year, the adjusted HR with 95% CI was 2.31 (2.23, 2.40), and this risk decreased yearly. Conclusions Patients with cancer had a significantly higher risk of fatal or non-fatal CVD. The risk was the highest in the first year since diagnosis and decreased yearly.

Abstract Treatment with levothyroxine and radioiodine contribute alternative cardiovascular function in adults with thyroid cancer. The risks of long-term cardiovascular conditions among thyroid cancer patients is unknown. This study aimed to compare the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD), ischemic stroke (IS), and atrial fibrillation (AF) among adults with thyroid cancer with that of the general population, especially when stratified by age (

ObjectiveTo determine the association between thyroid cancer and coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, cerebrovascular disease, and cardiovascular disease mortality.MethodsThe PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for eligible studies from inception to September 22, 2022. Keywords included “thyroid cancer”, “atrial fibrillation”, “coronary artery disease”, “cerebrovascular disease”, and “mortality”. Primary outcomes included the incidence of coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, atrial fibrillation, and cardiovascular disease mortality among patients with thyroid cancer. Secondary outcomes included cardiovascular disease events among those with thyroid cancer that received or did not receive radioactive iodine or lenvatinib. Estimates were pooled using fixed- and random-effects meta-analysis.ResultsA total of 771,220 patients who underwent thyroidectomy in 15 studies were included. Risk for cerebrovascular disease (risk ratio [RR] 1.15 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.10–1.21]) and atrial fibrillation [RR 1.59 (95% CI: 1.45–1.73)] were significantly increased. Risk for coronary artery disease was significantly increased [RR 1.12 (95% CI: 1.08–1.17)] in the common effect model. Cardiovascular disease mortality associated with thyroid cancer was not significant [RR 0.93 (95% CI: 0.59–1.45)]. Radioactive iodine had a neutral effect on cardiovascular disease [RR 1.00 (95% CI: 0.87–1.16)], and there was no beneficial nor harmful effect among different RAI doses.ConclusionsThyroid cancer was significantly associated with a higher risk for cerebrovascular disease and atrial fibrillation; however, the hazard risk was not different between patients with and without radioactive iodine treatment. Thyroid cancer treatment should be individualized considering the potential harms and benefits to cardiovascular health.

The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between dietary patterns and the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among Taiwanese individuals. Data were collected using a nationwide cohort study (2001–15) from the Triple-High Database. Dietary intake was assessed using the twenty-group food frequency questionnaire and used to calculate alternate Mediterranean diet (aMED) and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) scores. Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least-squares (PLS) regression were used to derive dietary patterns, with incident T2DM as the outcome. Multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios and 95 % confidence intervals were calculated using time-dependent Cox proportional hazards (Cox PH) regression analysis, and subgroup analyses were performed. A total of 4705 participants were enrolled in the study, and 995 had newly developed T2DM during the median 5⋅28-year follow-up period (30⋅7 per 1000 person-years). Six dietary patterns were extracted (PCA: Western, prudent, dairy and plant-based; PLS: health-conscious, fish-vegetable and fruit-seafood). The highest aMED score quartile had a 25 % (hazard ratio 0⋅75; 95 % CI 0⋅61, 0⋅92; P = 0⋅039) lower risk of T2DM than the lowest quartile. This association remained significant after adjustment (adjusted hazard ratio 0⋅74; 95 % CI 0⋅60, 0⋅91; P = 0⋅010), and no effect modifier was found for aMED. The DASH scores, PCA and PLS dietary patterns were not significant after adjustment. In conclusion, high adherence to a MED-type dietary pattern by Taiwanese foods was associated with a lower risk of T2DM in the Taiwanese population, regardless of unhealthy lifestyle habits.

AimsTo explore the effect of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RAs) on glycemic control and weight reduction in adults.MethodsDatabases were searched from August 2021 to March 2022. Data were analyzed using mean difference (MD) values with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Both random-and fixed-effect models were employed. Heterogeneity was explored using pre-specified subgroup analyses and meta-regression. Structural equation modeling fitting was used for the multivariate meta-analysis.ResultsA total of 31 double-blind randomized controlled trials with 22,948 participants were included in the meta-analysis. The MD and 95% CI of the pooled GLP1-RA-induced change in the glycated hemoglobin level was -0.78% (-0.97%, -0.60%) in the random-effects model and -0.45% (-0.47%, -0.44%) in the fixed-effect model, with a high heterogeneity (I2 = 97%). The pooled body weight reduction was -4.05 kg (-5.02 kg, -3.09 kg) in the random-effects model and -2.04 kg (-2.16 kg, -1.92 kg) in the fixed-effect model (I2 = 98%). The standardized pooled correlation coefficient between HbA1c levels and body weight was -0.42. A negative correlation between glycemic control and weight reduction was obtained.ConclusionLong-acting GLP-1 RAs significantly reduced the glycated hemoglobin level and body weight in adults.

Abstract The protective effect of different healthy lifestyle scores for the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) was reported, although the comparisons of performance were lacking. We compared the performance measures of CVDs from different healthy lifestyle scores among Taiwanese adults. We conducted a nationwide prospective cohort study of 6042 participants (median age 43 years, 50.2% women) in Taiwan’s Hypertensive, Hyperglycemia and Hyperlipidemia Survey, of whom 2002 were free of CVD at baseline. The simple and weighted the Mediterranean diet related healthy lifestyle (MHL) scores were defined as a combination of normal body mass index, Mediterranean diet, adequate physical activity, non-smokers, regular healthy drinking, and each dichotomous lifestyle factor. The World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research cancer prevention recommended lifestyle and Life's Simple 7 following the guideline definition. The incidence of CVD among the four healthy lifestyle scores, each divided into four subgroups, was estimated. During a median 14.3 years follow-up period, 520 cases developed CVD. In the multivariate-adjusted Cox proportional hazard models, adherence to the highest category compared with the lowest one was associated with a lower incidence of CVD events, based on the simple (hazard ratio [HR] 0.43, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.2–0.94) and weighted MHL scores (HR 0.44, 95% CI 0.28–0.68). Additionally, age played a role as a significant effect modifier for the protective effect of the healthy lifestyle scores for CVD risk. Specifically, the performance measures by integrated discriminative improvement showed a significant increase after adding the simple MHL score (integrated discriminative improvement: 0.51, 95% CI 0.16–0.86, P = 0.002) and weighted MHL score (integrated discriminative improvement: 0.38, 95% CI 0.01–0.74, P = 0.021). We demonstrated that the healthy lifestyle scores with an inverse association with CVD and reduced CVD risk were more likely for young adults than for old adults. Further studies to study the mechanism of the role of lifestyle on CVD prevention are warranted.

Abstract Background Blood lipids are essential components for cellular growth. An inverse association between serum lipid levels and risk of cancer has led to a controversy among previous studies. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to investigate the association between blood lipids change and risk of cancer incidence. Methods A cohort of 4130 Taiwanese adults from the Taiwanese Survey on the Prevalence of Hypertension, Hyperglycemia, and Hyperlipidemia database underwent repeated examinations in 2002 and 2007. Six groups were established based on the combined baseline (lower/higher) and interval change (decreasing/stable/increasing) in plasma lipid levels. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard model was used to investigate the relationship between lipids change and all-cause cancer incidence. Results Two hundred and forty cancer events developed over a median follow-up of 13.4 years. Comparing these with individuals with decreasing lower-baseline lipid levels, cancer risk reduction was demonstrated in those with increasing lower-baseline total cholesterol (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.27 to 0.85), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C; aHR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.92), and non–high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) (aHR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.31 to 0.92) levels. A decreased risk for cancer incidence also presented in participants with stable lower-baseline, decreasing and increasing higher-baseline LDL-C levels, and with decreasing and stable higher-baseline non-HDL-C levels. Conclusions The interval decline in lower-baseline total cholesterol, LDL-C, and non-HDL-C levels was linked to a higher risk for all-cause cancer incidence. More attention to a potential cancer risk may be warranted for an unexplained fall in serum lipids.

Abstract High baseline atherogenic lipid level has been an established risk factor for the risk of cardiovascular events. Evidence concerning the role of lipid changes in cardiovascular and death risks are inconclusive. A cohort study was conducted based on the Taiwanese Survey on Hypertension, Hyperglycemia, and Hyperlipidemia (n = 4072, mean 44.8 years, 53.5% women) assessing lipid levels of the participants repeatedly measured in 2002 and 2007. Combined baseline and changes in lipid levels were classified into four groups—stable or decreasing lipid changes and increasing lipid changes with low- and high-risk baseline lipid levels. Developing cardiovascular events (n = 225) and all-cause deaths (n = 345) were ascertained during a median follow-up of 13.3 years. Participants with increasing and higher total cholesterol level were more likely to develop cardiovascular risks. Similar patterns for cardiovascular events were observed across other lipid profile changes. However, participants with increasing total cholesterol, LDL-C, and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) levels were more likely to be at a lower risk for all-cause deaths. Baseline and changes in total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL-C levels were positively associated with the risk of cardiovascular diseases, whereas baseline and changes in total cholesterol and LDL-C and non-HDL-C levels were inversely associated with all-cause deaths.

Abstract To determine the association between combined lifestyle factors, including healthy diet, moderate alcohol consumption, non-smoking, physical activity, and optimal weight, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among younger and older adults. We conducted a literature search using PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and EBSCO databases up to November 30, 2019 and performed dose–response analysis, subgroup analysis and meta-regression with odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Twenty cohort studies involving 1,090,261 participants with 46,288 cardiovascular events and mean follow-up duration of 12.33 years were included. Compared with the group with the lowest number of healthy lifestyle factors, the group with the highest number had lower CVD risk [pooled hazard ratio, 0.37 (95% CI 0.31–0.43)]. With age as an effect modifier, the lifetime risk of CVD was 0.31 (95% CI 0.24–0.41) at age 37.1–49.9 years, 0.36 (95% CI 0.30–0.45) at age 50.0–59.9 years and 0.49 (95% CI 0.38–0.63) at age 60.0–72.9 years. The hazard ratio of CVD significantly increased from 37.1 to 72.9 years of age [slope in multivariate meta-regression: 0.01 (95% CI

Background: Previous findings on using Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP1-RA) as an antidepressant were conflicting, lacking large-scale studies. We used population-based data to investigate depression and anxiety risk in diabetic patients receiving the medication.Methods: From claims records of the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) of Taiwan, we identified cohorts of 10,690 GLP1-RA users and 42,766 propensity score-matched patients without GLP1-RA use from patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) diagnosed in 2011–2017, matched by age, gender, index year, occupation, urbanization, comorbidities, and medications. Incidence, hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of depression and/or anxiety were estimated by the end of 2017.Results: The overall combined incidence of anxiety and/or depression was lower in GLP1-RA users than in non-users (6.80 versus 9.36 per 1,000 person-years), with an adjusted HR adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of 0.8 (95% CI: 0.67–0.95) after controlling for covariates. The absolute incidence reduction was greater in anxiety (2.13 per 1,000 person-years) than in depression (0.41 per 1,000 person-years). The treatment effectiveness was significant for women. Patients taking GLP1-RA for longer than 180 days had the incidence of anxiety reduced to 2.93 per 1,000 person-years, with an aHR of 0.41 (95%CI: 0.27–0.61), compared to non-users. Dulaglutide could significantly decrease risks of both anxiety and depression.Conclusion: Patients with DM receiving GLP1-RA therapy have a greater reduction of the risk of anxiety than that of depression. Our findings strengthen previous research that advocated possible anti-depressant or anxiolytic effects of GLP1-RA and may lead to improved treatment adherence among patients with DM.

Background This study assessed the associations of metabolic obesity phenotypes with the risk of atrial fibrillation (Afib). Methods This prospective cohort study categorized Taiwanese adults according to their body mass index (BMI) and metabolic health status at baseline. We assigned the participants to the underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2), normal weight (BMI = 18.5–23.9 kg/m2), and overweight/obesity groups (BMI ≥ 24 kg/m2). Metabolically healthy was defined as absence of hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia and the presence of healthy metabolic profiles. Results In total, 5,742 adults were included. During a median follow-up of 13.7 years, 148 patients developed Afib. Compared to the metabolically healthy normal weight group, the risk of Afib was significantly higher than those in the metabolically unhealthy overweight/obesity (hazard ratio = 2.20, 95% confidence interval [1.12–4.33]) and metabolically unhealthy normal weight groups (HR = 2.64, 95% CI [1.34–5.17]). Additionally, the point estimate suggested a 1.97-fold greater risk among the metabolically healthy overweight/obesity group, although this difference was not significant given the wide confidence interval (HR = 1.97, 95% CI [0.80–4.86]). Conclusion Our results demonstrated the relationships of metabolic health and weight regarding the risk of Afib in Taiwanese adults. The Afib risk among metabolic and obesity phenotypes is associated with a metabolically unhealthy status. A trend toward a higher Afib risk with obesity among metabolically healthy subjects was observed. However, the result was not robust and it still suggested further study.

ObjectivesTo investigate the relationship between metabolically healthy obesity and cardiovascular disease risk in Taiwanese individuals.MethodsTaiwanese individuals were recruited from a nationwide, representative community-based prospective cohort study and classified according to body mass index as follows: normal weight (18.5-23.9 kilogram (kg)/meter(m)2) and obesity/overweight (≥24 kg/m2). Participants without diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia and who did not meet the metabolic syndrome without waist circumference criteria were considered metabolically healthy. The study end points were cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality. Multivariable adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were obtained from a Cox regression analysis.ResultsAmong 5 358 subjects (mean [standard deviation] age, 44.5 [15.3] years; women, 48.2%), 1 479 were metabolically healthy with normal weight and 491 were metabolically healthy with obesity. The prevalence of metabolically healthy obesity/overweight was 8.6% in the Taiwanese general population, which included individuals who were >20 years old, not pregnant, and did not have CVD (n = 5,719). In the median follow-up period of 13.7 years, 439 cardiovascular disease events occurred overall and 24 in the metabolically healthy obesity group. Compared with the reference group, the metabolically healthy obesity group had a significantly higher cardiovascular disease risk (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.74, 95% confidence interval: 1.02, 2.99).ConclusionsIndividuals with metabolically healthy obesity have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and require aggressive body weight control for cardiovascular disease control.

Although previous studies have investigated the relationship between fracture risk and type 2 diabetes (T2D), cohort studies that estimate composite osteoporosis risk are lacking. This retrospective cohort study sought to determine the risk of osteoporosis in Taiwanese patients with T2D. Patients diagnosed with T2D between 2002 and 2015 identified through the 2002 Taiwan Survey of Hypertension, Hyperglycemia, and Hyperlipidemia were included. A total of 1690 men and 1641 women aged ≥40 years linked to the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) were followed up to the end of 2015 to identify the incidences of osteoporosis through ICD9-CM codes for osteoporosis or osteoporotic fractures or usage of anti-osteoporotic agents according to Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical codes determined from NHIRD. The person year approach and Kaplan-Meier analysis were then used to estimate the incidences and cumulative event rates, whereas the Cox proportional hazard model was used to calculate adjusted hazard ratios (HR) for osteoporosis events. A total of 792 new osteoporosis events were documented over a median follow-up duration of 13.6 years. Participants with T2D had higher osteoporosis risk [adjusted HR: 1.37, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.11-1.69] compared with those without T2D. Subgroup analyses revealed that age had a marginally significant effect, indicating that T2D had a more pronounced effect on osteoporosis risk in younger population (

The intrinsic magnetic topological insulator MnBi2Te4 has attracted much attention due to its special magnetic and topological properties. To date, most reports have focused on bulk or flake samples. For material integration and device applications, the epitaxial growth of MnBi2Te4 film in nanoscale is more important but challenging. Here, we report the growth of self-regulated MnBi2Te4 films by the molecular beam epitaxy. By tuning the substrate temperature to the optimal temperature for the growth surface, the stoichiometry of MnBi2Te4 becomes sensitive to the Mn/Bi flux ratio. Excessive and deficient Mn resulted in the formation of a MnTe and Bi2Te3 phase, respectively. The magnetic measurement of the 7 SL MnBi2Te4 film probed by the superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) shows that the antiferromagnetic order occurring at the Néel temperature 22 K is accompanied by an anomalous magnetic hysteresis loop along the c-axis. The band structure measured by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) at 80 K reveals a Dirac-like surface state, which indicates that MnBi2Te4 has topological insulator properties in the paramagnetic phase. Our work demonstrates the key growth parameters for the design and optimization of the synthesis of nanoscale MnBi2Te4 films, which are of great significance for fundamental research and device applications involving antiferromagnetic topological insulators.

Background: Osteoporosis or cardiovascular disease prevalence increase with age. Osteoporosis medicine’s cardiovascular safety should be monitored. We evaluate the cardiovascular effects of antiosteoporosis medications, namely hormone therapies, bisphosphonates, parathyroid hormone analogs, anti-receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand, and romosozumab. Method: We performed a standard, random-effect, pairwise meta-analysis for cardiovascular disease risk to estimate the available direct evidence of each drug class. The literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.gov on December 31, 2021. Parallel group randomized and controlled trials were eligible if they compared one kind of anti-osteoporosis agents. For every possible pairwise comparison, the association between treatment and outcomes was obtained using odds. Results: The search yielded 10,162 records. Screening and full-text article analysis identified 77 trials, including 106,982 patients, comparing five classes of anti-osteoporosis drugs and a placebo. Antireceptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand, revealed a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease than placebo (risk ratio 1.25 [95% confidence interval 1.07% to 1.45%]). The Surface Under the Cumulative Ranking confirmed that anti-receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand use was most likely to result in cardiovascular disease in patients with osteoporosis; it had a significantly higher risk of coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, angina, and transient ischemic accident (risk ratio 1.26 [95% confidence interval 1.01% to 1.58%]). Conclusions and Relevance: In this network meta-analysis of clinical trials of patients with osteoporosis, different classes of anti-osteoporosis medications were associated with different effects on cardiovascular events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obesity in old individuals is increasing at alarming rates, and this population is more vulnerable to the deleterious metabolic effects of obesity than younger individuals. However, at present, there is no ideal obesity model to evaluate the interaction of aging and obesity. Methods: The development of a metabolic damage model in response to a fixed period of high-fat diet (HFD) feeding was examined in mice of different ages. Mice aged 6 weeks (young group) and 44 weeks (elderly group) were fed a standard diet or HFD for 12 weeks, and their metabolic characteristics were studied. Inflammation was determined by the serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS) level. Gut microbiota composition was analyzed from stool samples. Results: After 12-week feeding, weight gain; elevated serum levels of cholesterol, triglyceride, and LPS; increased homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA-IR); fat accumulation; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) activity score (NAS); and gut microbiota changes occurred in response to HFD feeding in both young and elderly groups (p

Patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) present with comorbid complications with implications for healthcare utilization. To date, little is known about the effects of GERD treatment with a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) on patients' subsequent healthcare utilization for acute respiratory infections (ARIs). This population-based study compared ARI episodes captured through outpatient visits, one year before and one year after GERD patients received PPI treatment. We used retrospective data from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005 in Taiwan, comparing 21,486 patients diagnosed with GERD from 2010 to 2012 with 21,486 age-sex matched comparison patients without GERD. Annual ARI episodes represented by ambulatory care visits for ARI (visits during a 7-day period bundled into one episode), were compared between the patient groups during the 1-year period before and after the index date (date of GERD diagnosis for study patients, first ambulatory visit in the same year for their matched comparison counterpart). Multiple regression analysis using a difference-in-difference approach was performed to estimate the adjusted association between GERD treatment and the subsequent annual ARI rate. We found that the mean annual ARI episode rate among GERD patients reduced by 11.4%, from 4.39 before PPI treatment, to 3.89 following treatment (mean change = -0.5 visit, 95% confidence interval (CI) = (-0.64, -0.36)). In Poisson regression analysis, GERD treatment showed an independent association with the annual ARI rate, showing a negative estimate (with p

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0072097.].

This retrospective cohort study aimed to examine the relationship between herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) and the subsequent risk of dementia using a population-based database. We retrieved the study sample from the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005. The study group included 846 patients with HZO, and the comparison group included 2538 patients without HZO. Each patient was individually followed for a 5-year period to identify those patients who subsequently received a diagnosis of dementia. We performed a Cox proportional hazards regression to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) along with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for dementia during the follow-up period between patients with HZO and comparison patients. The respective incidence rates of dementia per 1000 person-years were 10.15 (95% CI: 7.22~13.87) and 3.61 (95% CI: 2.61~4.89) for patients with HZO and comparison patients. The Cox proportional analysis showed that the crude HR of dementia during the 5-year follow-up period was 2.83 (95% CI: 1.83-4.37) for patients with HZO than comparison patients. After adjusting for patients' characteristics and comorbidities, HZO patients were still at a 2.97-fold greater risk than comparison patients for developing dementia. Furthermore, we found that of sampled male patients, the crude HR of dementia for patients with HZO was as high as 3.35 (95% CI = 1.79-6.28) compared to comparison patients. This study demonstrated an association between HZO and dementia. Clinicians must be alert to suspect dementia in patients with cognitive impairment who had prior HZO.

BACKGROUND:Physicians are considered to be the most informed consumers in the use of medical services since they have more information about diseases or medical technology. However, although plenty of researchers have suggested that different medical seeking behavior exists among physicians, very few empirical studies have been conducted to investigate differences in medical utilization between physicians and the general population. OBJECTIVE:We explored differences in the utilization of healthcare services between physicians and the general population using a population-based dataset. DESIGN:A cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS:Data for this study were sourced from the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000. We included 1426 physicians and 1426 sex- and age-matched comparison subjects. METHODS:We used Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests to explore differences in variables of healthcare resource utilization between physicians and comparison subjects. We further used Kruskal-Wallis tests to examine differences in variables of healthcare resource utilization between physician practice location and comparison subjects. RESULTS:We found that physicians had significantly fewer outpatient visits (13.2 vs. 15.7, p

The etiology of chronic urticaria (CU) is diverse, with chronic infections and inflammation being reported as considerable contributing factors. Although the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was found to be significantly elevated in patients with CU, no one has specifically estimated the effects on CU following hyperlipidemia. This study aimed to examine the association between hyperlipidemia and CU using a population-based dataset in Taiwan. This study included 9798 adults with CU as cases and 9798 sex- and age-matched controls. These patients were examined for whether they had received a prior diagnosis of hyperlipidemia. We used conditional logistic regression analyses to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and its corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) for having been previously diagnosed with hyperlipidemia between cases and controls. In total, 7066 (36.1%) patients had received a prior diagnosis of hyperlipidemia, including 4287 (43.8%) among CU cases and 2779 (28.4%) among controls. The conditional logistic regression revealed that the OR of prior hyperlipidemia for cases was 1.97 (95% CI: 1.85~2.09) compared to the controls. Furthermore, compared to patients without CU, patients with CU independently experienced a 1.65-fold (95% CI = 1.55~1.76; p

Although the vermiform appendix is commonly considered a vestigial organ, adverse health consequences after an appendectomy have garnered increasing attention. In this study, we investigated the risks of gallstone occurrence during a 5-year follow-up period after an appendectomy, using a population-based dataset. We used data from the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005. The exposed cohort included 4916 patients who underwent an appendectomy. The unexposed cohort was retrieved by randomly selecting 4916 patients matched with the exposed cohort in terms of sex, age, and year. We individually tracked each patient for a 5-year period to identify those who received a diagnosis of gallstones during the follow-up period. Cox proportional hazard regressions were performed for the analysis. During the 5-year follow-up period, the incidence rate per 1000 person-years was 4.71 for patients who had undergone an appendectomy, compared to a rate of 2.59 for patients in the unexposed cohort (p

Most available studies focusing on the association between neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and dementia have conflicting results. This study aimed to investigate the association between previously diagnosed AMD and dementia using a population-based dataset in Taiwan.Data for this case-control study were retrospectively collected from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. We identified 13,402 subjects who had a diagnosis of dementia as cases, and 40,206 subjects without dementia as controls. A conditional logistic regression was used to examine the association of dementia with previously diagnosed neovascular AMD.We found that of the study sample of 53,608 subjects, 1.01% had previously diagnosed neovascular AMD, 1.35% and 0.90% for cases and the controls, respectively (p

Prior studies indicate a possible association between depression and cholecystectomy, but no study has compared the risk of post-operative depressive disorders (DD) after cholecystectomy. This retrospective follow-up study aimed to examine the relationship between cholecystectomy and the risk of DD in patients with gallstones in a population-based database.Using ambulatory care data from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000, 6755 patients who received a first-time principal diagnosis of gallstones at the emergency room (ER) were identified. Among them, 1197 underwent cholecystectomy. Each patient was then individually followed-up for two years to identify those who were later diagnosed with DD. Cox proportional hazards regressions were performed to estimate the risk of developing DD between patients with gallstone who did and those who did not undergo cholecystectomy.Of 6755 patients with gallstones, 173 (2.56%) were diagnosed with DD during the two-year follow-up. Among patients who did and those who did not undergo cholecystectomy, 3.51% and 2.36% later developed depressive disorder, respectively. After adjusting for the patient's sex, age and geographic location, the hazard ratio (HR) of DD within two years of gallstone diagnosis was 1.43 (95% CI, 1.02-2.04) for patients who underwent cholecystectomy compared to those who did not. Females, but not males, had a higher the adjusted HR of DD (1.61; 95% CI, 1.08-2.41) for patients who underwent cholecystectomy compared to those who did not.There is an association between cholecystectomy and subsequent risk of DD among females, but not in males.

Although obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is not a life-threatening disease, very few studies have compared differences in healthcare service utilization between patients with and those without OSA in an Asian population according to different age groups. This study attempted to investigate differences in healthcare service utilization between patients with and those without OSA in different age groups in Taiwan.Sampled subjects and data on their health service utilization were retrieved from the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005. We included 568 patients with OSA and 2840 subjects without OSA. Each subject was followed for a 1-year period to evaluate their healthcare resource utilization. Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests were performed to compare differences in healthcare utilization between patients with and those without OSA during the 1-year follow-up period.As to all healthcare service utilization, patients with OSA had significantly more outpatient visits (30.3 vs. 18.6), outpatient costs (US$1231.2 vs. US$764.8), inpatient days (1.8 vs. 1.2), inpatient costs (US$563.6 vs. US$276.7), and total costs (US$1794.8 vs. US$1041.5) than comparison subjects during the 1-year follow-up period. Moreover, patients with OSA aged 40~49 and 50~59 years respectively incurred 2.11- and 2.02-fold higher total costs compared to patients without OSA. However, patients with OSA aged over 70 years did not have higher total costs compared to those without OSA.This study found that patients with OSA had greater healthcare service utilization than those without OSA. Additionally, patients with OSA in the 40~49- and 50~59-year age groups had about 2-fold higher total costs of healthcare services than those without OSA.

Many studies have reported a possible association of an appendectomy with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, findings of the relationship between an appendectomy and RA remain inconsistent. Furthermore, all such studies were conducted in Western societies, and relevant studies on the relationship between an appendectomy and RA in Asian countries are still lacking. In this study, we investigated the relationship between an appendectomy and the subsequent risk of RA using a population-based dataset. We retrieved data for this retrospective cohort study from the Taiwan "Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005". We included 4,294 subjects who underwent an appendectomy in the study cohort and 12,882 matched subjects in the comparison cohort. We individually tracked each subject for a 5-year period from their index date to identify those who developed RA. A stratified Cox proportional hazard regression was performed to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) and its corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) for the subsequent development of RA during the 5-year follow-up period between subjects who underwent an appendectomy and comparison subjects. Of the sampled subjects, 93 (0.54%) received a diagnosis of RA during the 5-year follow-up period: 33 from the study cohort (0.77% of subjects who underwent an appendectomy) and 60 from the comparison cohort (0.47% of comparison subjects) (p

BackgroundPsoriasis is a prevalent autoimmune disorder. Various studies have reported on the relationship between psoriasis and chronic diseases but very few have explored the association between psoriasis and subsequent acute infection. This retrospective cohort study aimed to compare the risk of pneumonia between subjects with and those without psoriasis.MethodsThe medical records of 14,022 patients with psoriasis and 14,022 without psoriasis were obtained from the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000. Each patient was followed-up for a three-year period. Cox proportional hazard regressions were performed to compare difference of subsequent pneumonia incidence between subjects with and those without psoriasis.ResultsThere were 206 (1.47%) subjects with psoriasis and 138 (0.98%) without psoriasis hospitalized for pneumonia. By Cox proportional hazard regressions analysis, the HR (hazard ratio) of pneumonia requiring hospitalization for patients with psoriasis was 1.50 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.21-1.86) compared to patients without psoriasis. The adjusted HR was 1.40 (95% CI: 1.12-1.73). The adjusted HR of pneumonia hospitalization for subjects with mild and severe psoriasis was 1.36 (95% CI: 1.09-1.70) and 1.68 (95% CI: 1.12-2.52), respectively, compared to those without psoriasis.ConclusionsPatients with psoriasis have significantly higher incidence of pneumonia compared to those without psoriasis.