Risk of subsequent health disorders among living kidney donors.

Few studies have investigated the risk of physiological sequelae in living kidney donors (KDs). We conducted a population-based cohort study using the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan, which covers more than 99% of citizens.We comprehensively investigated the risk of medical disorders after kidney donation in living KDs using a maximum follow-up of 13 years. From January 1997 to December 2010, 1081 living KDs and 1082 age- and sex-matched non-KDs were eligible. Primary outcomes comprised end-stage renal disease, chronic kidney disease, stroke, cancer, acute myocardial infarction, acute renal failure (ARF), and diabetes.The adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for developing ARF, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, cancer, end-stage renal disease, acute myocardial infarction, and stroke were similar between the KD and non-KD cohorts (P > .05). Although differences in the adjusted HRs of ARF were nonsignificant, the cumulative incidence rate of ARF 13 years after donation was 7.48 per 1000 person-years in the KD cohort compared with 3.46 in the matched non-KD cohort. The incidence rate ratio for ARF between donors and nondonors significantly increased to 2.16 (95% confidence interval, 1.61-2.71).Living KDs experienced no significant health disorders following kidney donation but should be alert to the higher incidence rate of ARF.

Chronic Pancreatitis Correlates With Increased Risk of Cerebrovascular Disease: A Retrospective Population-Based Cohort Study in Taiwan.

The aim of this study is to explore whether there is a relationship between chronic pancreatitis and cerebrovascular disease in Taiwan. Using the claims data of the Taiwan National Health Insurance Program, we identified 16,672 subjects aged 20 to 84 years with a new diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis from 2000 to 2010 as the chronic pancreatitis group. We randomly selected 65,877 subjects aged 20 to 84 years without chronic pancreatitis as the nonchronic pancreatitis group. Both groups were matched by sex, age, comorbidities, and the index year of diagnosing chronic pancreatitis. The incidence of cerebrovascular disease at the end of 2011 was measured. The multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to measure the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for cerebrovascular disease risk associated with chronic pancreatitis and other comorbidities. The overall incidence of cerebrovascular disease was 1.24-fold greater in the chronic pancreatitis group than that in the nonchronic pancreatitis group (14.2 vs. 11.5 per 1000 person-years, 95% CI = 1.19-1.30). After controlling for confounding factors, the adjusted HR of cerebrovascular disease was 1.27 (95% CI = 1.19-1.36) for the chronic pancreatitis group as compared with the nonchronic pancreatitis group. Woman (adjusted HR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.31-1.51), age (every 1 year, HR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.04-1.05), atrial fibrillation (adjusted HR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.02-1.48), chronic kidney disease (adjusted HR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.31-1.67), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (adjusted HR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.16-1.40), diabetes mellitus (adjusted HR = 1.82, 95% CI = 1.72-1.92), hypertension (adjusted HR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.56-1.76), and peripheral atherosclerosis (adjusted HR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.06-1.51) were other factors significantly associated with cerebrovascular disease. Chronic pancreatitis is associated with increased hazard of subsequent cerebrovascular disease.

Iodinated Contrast Medium Exposure During Computed Tomography Increase the Risk of Subsequent Development of Thyroid Disorders in Patients Without Known Thyroid Disease: A Nationwide Population-Based, Propensity Score-Matched, Longitudinal Follow-Up Study.

To investigate the association between iodinated contrast medium (ICM) exposure during computed tomography (CT) and the subsequent development of thyroid disorders in patients without known thyroid disease in Taiwan, an iodine-sufficient area. We conducted a population-based cohort study by using data from 1996 to 2012 in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. A total of 33,426 patients who underwent ICM-enhanced CT were included as the study cohort. To avoid selection bias, we used propensity score and matched for the index year (defined as the year of first ICM exposure) to retrieve 33,426 patients as the comparison cohort. No patients in the 2 cohorts had any known thyroid disease before the index year. Patients with a history of amiodarone treatment or coronary angiography and those with <1 year follow-up were excluded. Participants were followed until a new diagnosis of thyroid disorder or December 31, 2011. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated using the Cox proportional hazards regression. An association was identified between ICM exposure and the subsequent development of thyroid disorders after adjustment for potential confounders (adjusted HR = 1.17; 95% CI: 1.07-1.29; P = 0.001). Male patients and patients' ages ≥40 years in the ICM-exposure cohort had a higher adjusted HR for developing thyroid disorders than did those in the non-ICM-exposure cohort. Hypothyroidism had the highest adjusted HR (HR = 1.37; 95% CI: 1.06-1.78; P < 0.05) among all thyroid disorders and had a higher risk of development or detection during >0.5-year post-ICM exposure compared with that during ≤0.5-year post-ICM exposure (HR = 1.26; 95% CI: 1.01-1.58; P < 0.05). Repeated ICM exposure increased the risk of thyroid disorders in patients who accepted >1 time of ICM per year on average compared with those who accepted ≤1 time per year on average (adjusted HR = 3.04; 95% CI: 2.47-3.73; P < 0.001). This study identified ICM exposure during CT as a risk factor for the subsequent development of thyroid disorders in patients without known thyroid disease, particularly in patients with repeated exposure.

Gastrointestinal hemorrhage in warfarin anticoagulated patients: incidence, risk factor, management, and outcome.

BACKGROUND: Warfarin reduces the incidence of thromboembolism but increases the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB). GIB during warfarin anticoagulation is rarely evaluated in Asian patients. AIMS: This study aimed at investigating the incidence, risk factors, management, and outcome of GIB in Taiwanese patients treated with warfarin. METHODS: We analyzed a cohort of warfarin anticoagulated patients between July 1993 and May 2012. Clinical data were retrieved in a chart-reviewing manner. RESULTS: A total of 401 warfarin anticoagulated patients were enrolled. The incidence of GIB was 3.9% per patient-years. Multivariate analysis with Cox regression showed that age >65 years old (RR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.2-5.5), a mean international normalized ratio >2.1 (RR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.0-4.2), a history of GIB (RR: 5.1, 95% CI: 1.9-13.5), and cirrhosis (RR: 6.9, 95% CI: 2.0-24.5) were independent factors predicting GIB. 27.3% of the GIB patients had rebleeding after restarting warfarin while thromboembolic events were found in 16.7% of the patients discontinuing warfarin therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Warfarin was associated with a significant incidence of GIB in Taiwanese patients. The intensity of anticoagulation should be monitored closely during warfarin therapy, especially in patients with risk factors of GIB.