Risk of suicide in patients with atrial fibrillation receiving different oral anticoagulants: a nationwide analysis using target trial emulation framework.

BACKGROUND: The suicide risk in patients with atrial fibrillation receiving novel oral anticoagulants or warfarin has not been evaluated in real-world practice. Moreover, reducing vitamin K levels may increase the suicide risk, underscoring the importance of selecting appropriate oral anticoagulants to prevent unintended outcomes. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the association between different types of oral anticoagulants and the risk of attempted and completed suicide among patients with atrial fibrillation. METHODS: This nationwide study retrieved data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database from 2012 to 2020. This study included patients with atrial fibrillation aged 20 years and older who newly received oral anticoagulant treatment, and who had no contraindications for NOACs and no history of suicide-related events. The main outcomes were suicide-related outcomes, including attempted suicide and completed suicide. This study employed the target trial emulation framework to improve the causal inference for the observed association.  RESULTS: A total of 103,768 (71.74%) patients taking NOACs and 40,877 (28.26%) patients taking warfarin were included in this study. Compared to those receiving warfarin, patients receiving NOACs were associated with a lower risk of suicide-related outcomes (HR, 0.82; 95% CIs, 0.69-0.96). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this cohort study suggested that patients receiving NOACs were associated with a lower risk of suicidal attempts but similar risk of complete suicide, compared to those receiving warfarin. Considering the risk of suicide, NOACs could be the preferred anticoagulants for patients with atrial fibrillation.

Do We Need to Administer Fludrocortisone in Addition to Hydrocortisone in Adult Patients With Septic Shock? An Updated Systematic Review With Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials and an Observational Study With Target Trial Emulation.

OBJECTIVES: This systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy and safety of hydrocortisone combined with fludrocortisone or hydrocortisone alone, compared with placebo in adult patients with septic shock. DATA SOURCES: By extending a prior Cochrane review, databases, including PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov , along with other relevant websites, were searched until August 31, 2023. STUDY SELECTION: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies using target trial emulation were included. DATA EXTRACTION: The primary outcome was short-term mortality with an emphasis on 28- or 30-day mortality as the main measure and in-hospital or ICU mortality as the nearest surrogate of this measure. Three of the most common adverse events, namely, gastroduodenal bleeding, superinfection, and hyperglycemia, were also considered. DATA SYNTHESIS: A total of 19 studies involving 95,841 patients were included. Hydrocortisone plus fludrocortisone showed the lowest short-term mortality versus placebo (odds ratio [OR]: 0.79; 95% credible interval [CrI], 0.64-0.99; number needed to treat [NNT]: 21, range: 12-500; low certainty of evidence) in terms of informative priors. The surface under the cumulative ranking curve values for hydrocortisone plus fludrocortisone, hydrocortisone alone, and placebo were 0.9469, 0.4542, and 0.0989, respectively. Consistent results were observed in RCTs alone and those using a daily 200-mg dose of hydrocortisone. Although gastroduodenal bleeding or superinfection showed no clear increase, hyperglycemia risk increased. The ORs were 0.53 for placebo versus hydrocortisone plus fludrocortisone and 0.64 for placebo versus hydrocortisone alone, with very low certainty of evidence. CONCLUSIONS: In adults with septic shock, hydrocortisone plus fludrocortisone improved short-term survival with minimal adverse events compared with hydrocortisone alone or placebo. However, these findings are not definitive due to the limited certainty of evidence and wide NNT range. Additional large-scale, placebo-controlled RCTs are needed to provide conclusive evidence.

Association of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and the risk of retinal vascular occlusion: A real-world retrospective cohort study in Taiwan.

AIMS: Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) are proposed to alleviate the development of inflammatory eye diseases. However, the association between SGLT2i and retinal vascular occlusion remains unclear. Therefore, this study aims to explore the effects of SGLT2i on the incidence of retinal vascular occlusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective cohort study analysed electronic medical records data from the largest multi-institutional database in Taiwan. Individuals who initiated SGLT2is and dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors (DPP4is) between 2016 and 2019 were included in our analysis. To conduct a homogenous comparison, inverse probability of treatment weighting with propensity scoring was employed. The primary outcome was retinal vascular occlusion, and the secondary outcomes were retinal vascular occlusion-related complications (macular oedema, vitreous haemorrhage, and tractional retinal detachment) and conditions requiring vitreoretinal intervention (intravitreal injection, retinal laser therapy, and vitrectomy). RESULTS: In total, 12,074 SGLT2i users and 39,318 DPP4i users were included. The incidence rate of retinal vascular occlusion in the SGLT2i and DPP4i groups was 1.2 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.9-1.4) and 1.6 (95% CI, 1.3-1.8) events per 1000 person-years, respectively, which yielded a subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR) of 0.74 (95% CI, 0.55-0.99). Similar risk reductions were observed in the retinal vascular occlusion-related complications (SHR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.69-0.84) and conditions requiring vitreoretinal intervention (SHR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.77-0.94). CONCLUSIONS: In this multi-institutional study in Taiwan, SGLT2i use was associated with a reduced risk of retinal vascular occlusion. Further prospective studies are required to ascertain this association.

Hydrochlorothiazide Use and Risk of Skin Cancer: A Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) exposure has been linked to increased skin cancer in Caucasian (white) populations, especially squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), but not basal cell carcinoma (BCC). This study aimed to evaluate and compare skin cancer risks associated with HCTZ- and other antihypertensives use. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study utilized Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. We identified patients aged 20 years and older, newly receiving antihypertensive medications between 2004 and 2015. We calculated the medication possession ratio (MPR) for the first 2 years of treatment to determine patient eligibility and treatment classification, whereby only patients with MPR above 80% were included. These were subsequently categorized by the type of antihypertensives they received, namely HCTZ, other thiazide diuretics, non-thiazide diuretics or non-diuretic antihypertensives. Cox proportional hazards model was used to evaluate skin cancer risks, and these were then classified as SCC or BCC. RESULTS: Our study included 41 086, 27 402, 19 613, and 856 782 patients receiving HCTZ, other thiazide diuretics, non-thiazide diuretics, and non-diuretic antihypertensives, respectively. We found BCC risks were similar when comparing HCTZ with other thiazides (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.54-1.33), non-thiazide diuretics (0.93; 0.51-1.67), and non-diuretic antihypertensives (0.91; 0.66-1.26). We observed a higher SCC risk in the HCTZ group, compared to other thiazides (1.24; 0.74-2.08), non-thiazide diuretics (1.32; 0.70-2.51), and non-diuretic antihypertensives (1.23; 0.87-1.73), although the confidence intervals (CIs) were wide and crossed the null. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that skin cancer need not be of major concern to physicians when prescribing antihypertensives for an Asian population.

Risk of age-related macular degeneration in men receiving 5α-reductase inhibitors: a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies suggest that 5α-reductase inhibitors (5ARIs) for benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) result in abnormal retinal anatomical alteration. OBJECTIVE: To compare age-related macular degeneration (AMD) incidence in BPH patients receiving 5ARIs or tamsulosin. DESIGN: Retrospective, population-based cohort study using new-user and active-comparator design. SETTING: General population. SUBJECTS: Males with BPH, newly receiving 5ARIs or tamsulosin from 2010 to 2018. METHODS: Data were extracted from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. We used Cox proportional hazards model with 1:4 propensity score (PS) matching, based on intention-to-treat analysis to determine the risk of incident AMD. Sensitivity analyses included an as-treated approach and weighting-based PS methods. We also separately reported the risks of incident AMD in patients receiving finasteride and dutasteride to determine risk differences among different 5ARIs. RESULTS: We included 13 586 5ARIs users (mean age: 69 years) and 54 344 tamsulosin users (mean age: 68.37 years). After a mean follow-up of 3.7 years, no differences were observed in the risk of incident AMD between 5ARIs and tamsulosin users [hazard ratio (HR): 1.06; 95% confidence intervals (95% CI): 0.98-1.15], with similar results from sensitivity analyses. However, increased risk of incident age-related macular degeneration was observed in patients receiving dutasteride [HR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.02-1.25], but not in those receiving finasteride [HR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.87-1.12], in the subgroup analyses. CONCLUSIONS: We found no difference between 5ARIs and tamsulosin regarding the incidence of AMD in BPH patients. However, the risk profiles for AMD differed slightly between dutasteride and finasteride, suggesting that the potency of androgen inhibition is a factor related to AMD incidence.

Augmented reality visualization for ultrasound-guided interventions: a pilot randomized crossover trial to assess trainee performance and cognitive load.

BACKGROUND: Augmented reality (AR) technology involving head-mounted displays (HMD) represents a significant innovation in medical education, particularly for training in guided invasive procedures. Novice physicians often face challenges in simultaneously identifying anatomical landmarks and performing procedures when learning point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). Our primary objective was to determine the effectiveness of AR in enhancing physician training for ultrasound-guided interventions using AR visual overlays. The secondary objective was to compare cognitive load between traditional ultrasound training settings and AR-assisted training settings. METHODS: This randomized crossover study, conducted from 2021 to 2022, compared performance and cognitive load of trainees attempting accurate central venous catheter (CVC) placement using an AR-HMD to display ultrasound images (AR-US), compared with standard ultrasound without visual overlay (S-US). We enrolled 47 trainees, including 22 final-year undergraduate medical students and 25 postgraduate physicians (years 1-4) from three hospitals in Taiwan. All participants had basic training in US-guided CVC placement but lacked AR-US experience. Performance and cognitive load were assessed using time measurements and NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX), covering the dimensions of Mental-, Physical- and Temporal Demand, and Performance, Effort and Frustration. RESULTS: We found AR technology reduced the time required for critical steps in CVC placement, while minimizing users' neck strain. Female and junior trainees using AR-US identified anatomy and localized veins faster than those using S-US. Using AR-US, female trainees significantly outperformed males in anatomical identification [mean difference (MD): -10.79 s (95% CI: -2.37 to -19.21)]. The NASA-TLX cognitive load assessment showed mental workload trending lower in all dimensions except performance while using AR-US, compared to S-US. Similarly, junior trainees' effort- and frustration scores were lower [MD: -2.73 (95% CI: -5.04 to -0.41) and -2.41 (95% CI: -4.51 to -0.31), respectively], as were female trainees' effort scores [MD: -3.07 (95% CI: -6.10 to -0.03)] when using AR-US, compared to S-US, whereby these differences were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: AR technology helped improve trainee performance and reduced cognitive load during ultrasound-guided CVC placement. These findings support the application of AR technology to enhance physician training in ultrasound-guided interventional procedures, suggesting that AR-HMDs could be a valuable tool in medical education. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered with Clinicaltrials.gov on 20/09/2023 as a clinical trial, under the identifier NCT06055400.

Long-term use and risk of major adverse cardiac events: Comparing enzalutamide and abiraterone in chemotherapy-naïve patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

This is a retrospective cohort study by analyzing a multi-institutional electronic medical records database in Taiwan to compare long-term effectiveness and risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in chemotherapy-naïve metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients treated with enzalutamide (ENZ) or abiraterone (AA). Patients aged 20 years and older and newly receiving androgen receptor targeted therapies ENZ or AA from September 2016 to December 2019 were included. We followed patients from initiation of therapies to the occurrence of outcomes (prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response rate, PSA progression free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and MACE), death, the last clinical visit, or December 31, 2020. We performed multivariable Cox proportional hazard models to compare ENZ and AA groups for the measured outcomes. A total of 363 patients treated with either ENZ (n = 157) or AA (n = 206) were identified. The analysis found a significantly higher proportion of patients with a PSA response rate higher than 50% among those receiving ENZ than among those receiving AA (ENZ vs AA: 75.80% vs 63.59%, P = .01). However, there was no significant difference in PSA PFS (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.86; 95% CI 0.63-1.17) and OS (0.68: 0.41-1.14) between the use of ENZ and AA in chemotherapy-naïve mCRPC patients. Regarding the cardiovascular (CV) safety outcome, there was a significantly lower risk of MACE in patients receiving ENZ, compared to patients receiving AA (0.20: 0.07-0.55). The findings suggest that enzalutamide may be more efficacious for PSA response and suitable for chemotherapy-naïve mCRPC patients with high CV risk profile.

Cardiovascular risk in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with targeted synthetic and biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs: A multi-centre cohort study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare the cardiovascular safety of interleukin-6 inhibitors (IL-6i) and Janus Kinase inhibitors (JAKi) to tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using population-based electronic databases from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea. We identified newly diagnosed patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who received b/tsDMARDs first time. We followed patients from b/tsDMARD initiation to the earliest outcome (acute coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure, venous thromboembolism and systemic embolism) or censoring events (death, transformation of b/tsDMARDs on different targets, discontinuation and study end). Using TNFi as reference, we applied generalized linear regression for the incidence rate ratio estimation adjusted by age, sex, disease duration and comorbidities. Random effects meta-analysis was used for pooled analysis. RESULTS: We identified 8689 participants for this study. Median (interquartile range) follow-up years were 1.45 (2.77) in Hong Kong, 1.72 (2.39) in Taiwan and 1.45 (2.46) in Korea. Compared to TNFi, the adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRRs) (95% confidence interval [CI]) of IL-6i in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea are 0.99 (0.25, 3.95), 1.06 (0.57, 1.98) and 1.05 (0.59, 1.86) and corresponding aIRR of JAKi are 1.50 (0.42, 5.41), 0.60 (0.26, 1.41), and 0.81 (0.38, 1.74), respectively. Pooled aIRRs showed no significant risk of cardiovascular events (CVEs) associated with IL-6i (1.05 [0.70, 1.57]) nor JAKi (0.80 [0.48, 1.35]) compared to TNFi. CONCLUSION: There was no difference in the risk of CVE among RA patients initiated with IL-6i, or JAKi compared to TNFi. The finding is consistent in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea.

Risk of heart failure in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation and diabetes taking different oral anticoagulants: a nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) is a critical complication in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and diabetes mellitus (DM). Recent preclinical studies suggested that non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) can potentially suppress the progression of cardiac fibrosis and ischemic cardiomyopathy. Whether different oral anticoagulants influence the risk of HF in older adults with AF and DM is unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the risk of HF in elderly patients with AF and DM who were administered NOACs or warfarin. METHODS: A nationwide retrospective cohort study was conducted based on claims data from the entire Taiwanese population. Target trial emulation design was applied to strengthen causal inference using observational data. Patients aged ≥ 65 years with AF and DM on NOAC or warfarin treatment between 2012 and 2019 were included and followed up until 2020. The primary outcome was newly diagnosed HF. Propensity score-based fine stratification weightings were used to balance patient characteristics between NOAC and warfarin groups. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: The study included a total of 24,835 individuals (19,710 NOAC and 5,125 warfarin users). Patients taking NOACs had a significantly lower risk of HF than those taking warfarin (HR = 0.80, 95% CI 0.74-0.86, p < 0.001). Subgroup analyses for individual NOACs suggested that dabigatran (HR = 0.86, 95% CI 0.80-0.93, p < 0.001), rivaroxaban (HR = 0.80, 95% CI 0.74-0.86, p < 0.001), apixaban (HR = 0.78, 95% CI 0.68-0.90, p < 0.001), and edoxaban (HR = 0.72, 95% CI 0.60-0.86, p < 0.001) were associated with lower risks of HF than warfarin. The findings were consistent regardless of age and sex subgroups and were more prominent in those with high medication possession ratios. Several sensitivity analyses further supported the robustness of our findings. CONCLUSIONS: This nationwide cohort study demonstrated that elderly patients with AF and DM taking NOACs had a lower risk of incident HF than those taking warfarin. Our findings suggested that NOACs may be the preferred oral anticoagulant treatment when considering the prevention of heart failure in this vulnerable population. Future research is warranted to elucidate causation and investigate the underlying mechanisms.

Risk of retinal vein occlusion in colorectal cancer patients receiving anti-vascular endothelial growth factors - a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) treatment has been associated with an increased risk of thromboembolic events. Therefore, the use of anti-VEGFs for patients with colorectal cancers (CRC) has raised concerns about the potential risk of retinal vein occlusion (RVO), an ocular disease caused by embolism or venous stasis. This study aims to evaluate the risk of RVO in patients with CRC treated with anti-VEGFs. METHOD: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Taiwan Cancer Registry and National Health Insurance Database. The study cohort comprised patients newly diagnosed with CRC between 2011 and 2017, who received anti-VEGF treatment. For each patient in the study cohort, a control group comprising four patients newly diagnosed with CRC, but not receiving anti-VEGF treatment, was randomly selected. A washout period of 12 months was implemented to identify new cases. The index date was defined as the date of the first prescription of anti-VEGF drugs. The study outcome was the incidence of RVO, as identified by ICD-9-CM (362.35 and 362.36) or ICD-10-CM codes (H3481 and H3483). Patients were followed from their index date until the occurrence of RVO, death or the end of the study period. Covariates, including patients' age at index date, sex, calendar year of CRC diagnosis, stage of CRC and comorbidities related to RVO, were included. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) with adjustments for all covariates to compare the risk of RVO between the anti-VEGF and control groups. RESULTS: We recruited 6285 patients in the anti-VEGF group and 37,250 patients in the control group, with mean ages of 59.49 ± 12.11 and 63.88 ± 13.17 years, respectively. The incidence rates were 1.06 per 1000 person-years for the anti-VEGF group, and 0.63 per 1000 person-years for the controls. There was no statistically significant difference in RVO risk between the anti-VEGF and control groups (HR: 2.21, 95% CI: 0.87-5.61). CONCLUSION: Our results indicated no association between use of anti-VEGF and occurrence of RVO among CRC patients, although the crude incidence rate of RVO was higher in patients receiving anti-VEGF, compared to control patients. Future study with larger sample size is required to confirm our findings.

Comparison of clinical outcomes between aggressive and non-aggressive intravenous hydration for acute pancreatitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Current practice guidelines for optimal infusion rates during early intravenous hydration in patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) remain inconsistent. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare treatment outcomes between aggressive and non-aggressive intravenous hydration in severe and non-severe AP. METHODS: This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We systematically searched PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on November 23, 2022, and hand-searched the reference lists of included RCTs, relevant review articles and clinical guidelines. We included RCTs that compared clinical outcomes from aggressive and non-aggressive intravenous hydration in AP. Meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model for participants with severe AP and non-severe AP. Our primary outcome was all-cause mortality, and several secondary outcomes included fluid-related complications, clinical improvement and APACHE II scores within 48 h. RESULTS: We included a total of 9 RCTs with 953 participants. The meta-analysis indicated that, compared to non-aggressive intravenous hydration, aggressive intravenous hydration significantly increased mortality risk in severe AP (pooled RR: 2.45, 95% CI: 1.37, 4.40), while the result in non-severe AP was inconclusive (pooled RR: 2.26, 95% CI: 0.54, 9.44). However, aggressive intravenous hydration significantly increased fluid-related complication risk in both severe (pooled RR: 2.22, 95% CI 1.36, 3.63) and non-severe AP (pooled RR: 3.25, 95% CI: 1.53, 6.93). The meta-analysis indicated worse APACHE II scores (pooled mean difference: 3.31, 95% CI: 1.79, 4.84) in severe AP, and no increased likelihood of clinical improvement (pooled RR:1.20, 95% CI: 0.63, 2.29) in non-severe AP. Sensitivity analyses including only RCTs with goal-directed fluid therapy after initial fluid resuscitation therapy yielded consistent results. CONCLUSIONS: Aggressive intravenous hydration increased the mortality risk in severe AP, and fluid-related complication risk in both severe and non-severe AP. More conservative intravenous fluid resuscitation protocols for AP are suggested.

Incidence, prescription patterns and risk factors of antipsychotic initiation in elderly stroke survivors.

OBJECTIVES: Epidemiological data regarding antipsychotic initiation in elderly patients with stroke are limited. We aimed to investigate the incidence, prescription patterns and determinants of antipsychotic initiation in elderly patients with stroke. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study to identify patients aged above 65 years who had been admitted for stroke from the National Health Insurance Database (NHID). The index date was defined as the discharge date. The incidence and prescription pattern of antipsychotics were estimated using the NHID. To evaluate the determinants of antipsychotic initiation, the cohort identified from the NHID was linked to the Multicenter Stroke Registry (MSR). Demographics, comorbidities and concomitant medications were obtained from the NHID. Information including smoking status, body mass index, stroke severity and disability was retrieved by linking to the MSR. The outcome was antipsychotic initiation after the index date. Hazard ratios for antipsychotic initiation were estimated using the multivariable Cox model. RESULTS: In terms of prognosis, the first 2 months after a stroke was the highest-risk period for antipsychotic use. A high burden of coexisting diseases carried an increased risk of antipsychotic use; in particular, chronic kidney disease (CKD) had the highest adjusted hazard ratio (aHR = 1.73; 95% CI 1.29-2.31) as compared with other risk factors. Furthermore, stroke severity and disability were significant risk factors for antipsychotic initiation. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicated that elderly stroke patients with chronic medical conditions, particularly CKD, and a higher stroke severity and disability were at greater risk of psychiatric disorders during the first 2 months after a stroke. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NA.

Trends of polypharmacy among older people in Asia, Australia and the United Kingdom: a multinational population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Polypharmacy among older people represents a global challenge due to its association with adverse drug events. The reported prevalence of polypharmacy varies widely across countries, and is particularly high in Asian countries. However, there is no multinational study using standardised measurements exploring variations in prescribing trends. OBJECTIVE: To compare polypharmacy trends in older people in Asia, Australia and the United Kingdom. DESIGN: Multinational, retrospective, time-trend, observational study using a common study protocol. SETTING: Outpatient and community settings. SUBJECTS: All individuals aged ≥ 65 years between 2013 and 2016. METHODS: We defined polypharmacy as the concomitant use of ≥5 medications for ≥45 days per year. We estimated the annual prevalence of polypharmacy and calculated average annual percentage change (AAPC) to assess the time trends. RESULTS: A total of 1.62 million individuals were included in this study. The highest prevalence of polypharmacy was observed in Hong Kong (46.4%), followed by Taiwan (38.8%), South Korea (32.0%), the United Kingdom (23.5%) and Australia (20.1%) in 2016. For the time trend, the Asian region showed a steady increase, particularly in Hong Kong and South Korea (AAPC: Hong Kong, 2.7%; South Korea, 1.8%; Taiwan, 1.0%). However, Australia and the United Kingdom showed a decreasing trend (Australia, -4.9%; the United Kingdom, -1.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Polypharmacy prevalence in older people was higher in Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea, with an increasing trend over time, compared with Australia and the United Kingdom. Our findings underline the necessity to monitor polypharmacy among older people in Asia by conducting government-level interventions and introducing medicine-optimisation strategies.

Diabetes-Related Complications and Mortality in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Receiving Different Oral Anticoagulants : A Nationwide Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Evidence about the association between types of oral anticoagulants and hazards of diabetes complications is limited in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and diabetes mellitus (DM). OBJECTIVE: To compare the hazards of diabetes complications and mortality between patients with AF and DM receiving non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) and those receiving warfarin. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Nationwide data obtained from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. PATIENTS: Patients with AF and DM receiving NOACs or warfarin between 2012 and 2017 in Taiwan were enrolled. Treatment groups were determined by patients' first initiation of oral anticoagulants. MEASUREMENTS: Hazards of diabetes complications (macrovascular complications, microvascular complications, and glycemic emergency) and mortality in the NOAC and warfarin users were investigated with a target trial design. Cause-specific Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs). Propensity score methods with stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting were applied to balance potential confounders between treatment groups. RESULTS: In total, 19 909 NOAC users and 10 300 warfarin users were included. Patients receiving NOACs had significantly lower hazards of developing macrovascular complications (HR, 0.84 [95% CI, 0.78 to 0.91]; P < 0.001), microvascular complications (HR, 0.79 [CI, 0.73 to 0.85]; P < 0.001), glycemic emergency (HR, 0.91 [CI, 0.83 to 0.99]; P = 0.043), and mortality (HR, 0.78 [CI, 0.75 to 0.82]; P < 0.001) than those receiving warfarin. Analyses with propensity score matching showed similar results. Several sensitivity analyses further supported the robustness of our findings. LIMITATION: The claims-based data did not allow for detailed data on patients' lifestyles and laboratory examinations to be obtained. CONCLUSION: Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants were associated with lower hazards of diabetes complications and mortality than warfarin in patients with AF and DM. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital.

Associations of thiazide use with skin cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Previous findings on the associations of thiazide use with skin cancers were conflicting. This study aimed to examine the associations of individual thiazide use with skin cancer risk, differentiated by subtypes of skin cancers, geographic regions, and cumulative doses of individual thiazides. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for relevant studies on January 5, 2022, scanned the references of included studies, and consulted experts. We included case-control and cohort studies or randomized trials reporting the associations of individual thiazide or thiazide-like diuretics use with skin cancers. Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) and melanoma were analysed separately. A random-effects model meta-analysis was conducted for pooled odds ratio (OR) and hazard ratio (HR) for skin cancers related to individual thiazide use. RESULTS: We included 15, 5, and 5 case-control or cohort studies reporting the risk for skin cancers associated with hydrochlorothiazide, bendroflumethiazide, and indapamide use, respectively, with 17,848,313 participants. The meta-analysis showed associations of hydrochlorothiazide use with increased risk of NMSC (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.08-1.24; HR 1.26, 95% CI 1.04-1.54), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.06-1.65; HR 1.61, 95% CI 0.97-2.67), and melanoma (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.02-1.20; HR 1.03, 95% CI 0.93-1.14). The increased risks for SCC were associated with high cumulative doses of hydrochlorothiazide (OR 2.56, 95% CI 1.43-4.57; HR 1.20, 95% CI 1.00-1.45). Hydrochlorothiazide use was associated with different subtypes of melanoma including superficial spreading (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.05-1.33), nodular (OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.08-1.39), and lentigo maligna melanoma (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.08-1.65). Various cumulative doses of hydrochlorothiazide were associated with increased odds for melanoma. However, the associations of hydrochlorothiazide use with increased risk of NMSC and melanoma only appeared in non-Asian countries. No meaningful increase in the risk for skin cancers was associated with bendroflumethiazide and indapamide. CONCLUSIONS: Hydrochlorothiazide is associated with an increased risk for NMSC (especially SCC) and melanoma in non-Asian countries, whereas bendroflumethiazide and indapamide are not associated with a meaningful risk for skin cancers. Healthcare professionals and patients should be informed of the different risk profiles of skin cancers associated with different thiazides, cumulative doses, and regions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42021234317 .

Metabolic events associated with the use of antipsychotics in children, adolescents and young adults: a multinational sequence symmetry study.

It is known that younger patients treated with antipsychotics are at increased risk of metabolic events; however, it is unknown how this risk varies according to ethnicity, the class of antipsychotic and the specific product used, and by age group. We conducted a multinational sequence symmetry study in Asian populations (Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Thailand) and non-Asian populations (Australia and Denmark) to evaluate the metabolic events associated with antipsychotics in both Asian and non-Asian populations, for typical and atypical antipsychotics, and by the subgroups of children and adolescents, and young adults. Patients aged 6-30 years newly initiating oral antipsychotic drugs were included. We defined a composite outcome for metabolic events which included dyslipidemia, hypertension and hyperglycemia. We calculated the sequence ratio (SR) by dividing the number of people for whom a medicine for one of the outcome events was initiated within a 12-month period after antipsychotic initiation by the number before antipsychotic initiation. This study included 346,904 antipsychotic initiators across seven countries. Antipsychotic use was associated with an increased risk of composite metabolic events with a pooled adjusted SR (ASR) of 1.22 (95% CI 1.00-1.50). Pooled ASRs were similar between Asian (ASR, 1.22; 95% CI 0.88-1.70) and non-Asian populations (ASR, 1.22; 95% CI 1.04-1.43). The pooled ASR for typical and atypical antipsychotics was 0.98 (95% CI 0.85-1.12) and 1.24 (95% CI 0.97-1.59), respectively. No difference was observed in the relative effect in children and adolescents compared to young adults. The risk of metabolic events associated with antipsychotics use was similar in magnitude in Asian and non-Asian populations despite the marked difference in drug utilization patterns.

Differences in outcomes of hospitalizations for heart failure after SGLT2 inhibitor treatment: effect modification by atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

BACKGROUND: The treatment effects on hospitalization for heart failure (hHF) from sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors may vary among type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients depending on whether or not they have established atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD). We aimed to examine differences in hHF outcomes after dapagliflozin or empagliflozin use between T2D patients with and without a history of established ASCVD. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective multi-institutional cohort study in Taiwan. We included T2D patients newly receiving dapagliflozin or empagliflozin during 2016-2019, and followed them up until December 31, 2020. We implemented 1:1 propensity score matching to create homogenous groups for comparisons. We generated Cox proportional hazard models to compare the risk of hHF between dapagliflozin and empagliflozin (reference group). We included interaction terms of SGLT2 inhibitor and ASCVD history in the regression models to examine effect modification by ASCVD. RESULTS: We included a total cohort of 9,586 dapagliflozin new users and 9,586 matched empagliflozin new users. The overall hHF risks were similar for dapagliflozin and empagliflozin (HR: 0.90, 95% CI 0.74-1.09). However, differential hHF risks between dapagliflozin and empagliflozin were observed only in the subgroup without ASCVD (HR: 0.67, 95% CI 0.49-0.90), while not in the subgroup with ASCVD (HR: 1.12, 95% 0.87-1.45), and the p-value for examining interaction was 0.0097. CONCLUSION: In this study, history of established ASCVD was associated with different hHF risks among SGLT2 inhibitors. For T2D patients without ASCVD, dapagliflozin may offer a more favorable hHF reduction effect, compared to empagliflozin, in clinical practice. Future prospective studies should be conducted to validate our findings.

Trends in coagulation factor replacement therapy and medical costs in patients with haemophilia in Taiwan: A population-based, 15-year analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Taiwan's National Health Insurance Program approved reimbursement of prophylactic coagulation factor replacement therapy (CFRT) for patients with haemophilia (PWH) in 2014. AIM: To examine 15-year trends and the impact of reimbursement for prophylactic CFRT on its utilization and related medical costs for PWH. METHODS: We analysed Taiwan's National Health Insurance Database from 2003 to 2017. We included patients with haemophilia A (PWHA) or B (PWHB) receiving coagulating factor. Female patients were excluded because of small sample size. We analysed annual consumption of CFRT units and medical costs. High proportion of days covered (PDC) with CFRT served as an indicator for prophylactic treatment since it reflects routine use of CFRT. We applied interrupted time series analysis (ITSA) to evaluate the impact of reimbursement for prophylactic CFRT on usage patterns and medical costs. RESULTS: We included 896 male PWHA and 181 male PWHB, with 38.1% and 37.0% aged under 18 years, respectively. By ITSA, we found the trends in coagulation factor consumption and PDC significantly increased after reimbursement for prophylactic CFRT in both PWHA and PWHB (p values for trend change <0.05). The overall medical costs per patient increased with increasing consumption of coagulation factor; however, ITSA revealed non-CFRT cost decreased after reimbursement of prophylactic CFRT for both PWHA and PWHB (p values <.05). CONCLUSION: Reimbursement for prophylactic CFRT facilitated growth in rates of prophylactic CFRT and increased related costs, but curbed rising non-CFRT costs. These findings provide strong grounds for future cost-effectiveness studies to leverage prophylactic CFRT for its therapeutic benefits.

Risk of diabetic macular oedema with sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors in type 2 diabetes patients: A multi-institutional cohort study in Taiwan.

AIMS: To investigate the risk of diabetic macular oedema (DMO) associated with the use of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study by analysing a large multi-institutional electronic medical records database in Taiwan. We included adult patients with T2DM without DMO newly receiving either SGLT2 inhibitors or glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) during the period 2016 to 2018. We used propensity scores with inverse probability of treatment weighting to generate comparable groups. The study outcome was incident DMO, determined by clinical diagnosis during outpatient visits or admissions. We followed patients from the index date to either DMO occurrence, last clinical visit, patient death, or December 31, 2020. We performed Cox proportional hazards regression models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the risk of DMO. RESULTS: We included 9986 new users of SGLT2 inhibitors (mean [SD] age 59.6 (12.1) years, median [interquartile range {IQR}] glycated haemoglobin [HbA1c] 70 (61-81)mmol/mol, estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] 89.1 [71.4-108.7] mL/min/1.73 m2 and urine albumin-creatinine ratio [UACR] 26.1 [9.7-117.6] mg/g) and 1067 new users of GLP-1RAs (mean [SD] age 58.4 (41.5) years, median [IQR] HbA1c 73 [64-84] mmol/mol, eGFR 91.6 [68.6-114.0] mL/min/1.73 m2 and UACR 37.6 [11.1-153.2] mg/g) with similar baseline characteristics. Lower DMO risks were observed among patients newly receiving SGLT2 inhibitors (7.9/1000 person-years), compared to those receiving GLP-1RAs (10.7/1000 person-years) with an HR of 0.75 (95% CI 0.64-0.88). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest use of SGLT2 inhibitors was associated with lower risk of DMO in T2DM patients in clinical practice, compared to use of GLP-1RAs. Future studies are necessary to confirm this observation.

The Chang Gung Research Database: Multi-institutional real-world data source for traditional Chinese medicine in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: The Chang Gung Research Database (CGRD), the largest multi-institutional electronic medical records collection in Taiwan, has been used to establish real-world evidence related to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). We aimed to evaluate patient characteristics and representativeness of TCM patients in CGRD. METHODS: We identified a cohort of patients who had TCM records both from CGRD and from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Database (NHIRD) during 2010-2015 to investigate the representativeness of CGRD for TCM uses. The NHIRD was considered as reference because it covers all medical claims from 99.9% of the entire Taiwanese population. We investigated the coverage rates of TCM patients within CGRD compared to NHIRD, and compared the characteristics of patients between CGRD and NHIRD including age, sex, and 15 health conditions. RESULTS: We identified 71 002 average annual patients within the CGRD, which accounted for 1.1% of the patients from the NHIRD. The patients from CGRD were older than those from NHIRD (≥65: 16.6% vs. 9.9% for CGRD vs. NHIRD). The ratios of female over male patients were 1.7 vs. 1.5 for CGRD vs. NHIRD. We found higher patient coverage rates for patients with major comorbidities in CGRD, specifically for neoplasm (9.2%) and mental disorders (6.0%). The most frequently prescribed Chinese herbal medicines in CGRD included Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-San, Xiang-Sha-Liu-Jun-Zi-Tang and Gui-Lu-Er-Xian-Jiao. CONCLUSION: Higher patient coverage rates were found in CGRD for TCM patients with major comorbidities. Investigators should note possible selection bias since TCM patient disorders may be more severe in CGRD than in the NHIRD.