Comparing Low- or Standard-Dose Alteplase in Endovascular Thrombectomy: Insights From a Nationwide Registry.

BACKGROUND: Timely intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular thrombectomy are the standard reperfusion treatments for large vessel occlusion stroke. Currently, it is unknown whether a low-dose thrombolytic agent (0.6 mg/kg alteplase) can offer similar efficacy to the standard dose (0.9 mg/kg alteplase). METHODS: We enrolled consecutive patients in the multicenter Taiwan Registry of Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke who had received combined thrombolysis (within 4.5 hours of onset) and thrombectomy treatment from January 2019 to April 2023. The choice of low- or standard-dose alteplase was based on the physician's discretion. The outcomes included successful reperfusion (modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction score, 2b-3), symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage, 90-day modified Rankin Scale score, and 90-day mortality. The outcomes between the 2 groups were compared using multivariable logistic regression and inverse probability of treatment weighting-adjusted analysis. RESULTS: Among the 2242 patients in the Taiwan Registry of Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke, 734 (33%) received intravenous alteplase. Patients in the low-dose group (n=360) were older, had more women, more atrial fibrillation, and longer onset-to-needle time compared with the standard-dose group (n=374). In comparison to low-dose alteplase, standard-dose alteplase was associated with a lower rate of successful reperfusion (81% versus 87%; adjusted odds ratio, 0.63 [95% CI, 0.40-0.98]), a numerically higher incidence of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (6.7% versus 3.9%; adjusted odds ratio, 1.81 [95% CI, 0.88-3.69]), but better 90-day modified Rankin Scale score (functional independence [modified Rankin Scale score, 0-2], 47% versus 31%; adjusted odds ratio, 1.91 [95% CI, 1.28-2.86]), and a numerically lower mortality rate (9% versus 15%; adjusted odds ratio, 0.73 [95% CI, 0.43-1.25]) after adjusting for covariates. Similar results were observed in the inverse probability of treatment weighting-adjusted models. The results were consistent across predefined subgroups and age strata. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the lower rate of successful reperfusion and higher risk of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage with standard-dose alteplase, standard-dose alteplase was associated with a better functional outcome in patients receiving combined thrombolysis and thrombectomy.

Taxane/anthracycline combinations reduced incidence of breast cancer recurrence in young women across molecular subtypes: a real-world evidence of Taiwan from 2011 to 2019.

PURPOSE: Adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with breast cancer generally have poor prognoses and a higher risk of secondary cancers compared to those at the same cancer stage. Notably, AYA patients in Asia exhibit a higher incidence rate of breast cancer, with Luminal A as the predominant molecular subtype, which contrasts with the trends observed in Western countries. This study aims to compare the efficacy of Taxane/Anthracycline combination-based regimens (TACB) versus Anthracycline-based regimens (AB) in AYA patients with stage I-II breast cancer, focusing on different molecular subtypes. METHODS: This study utilized data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) and the Taiwan Cancer Registry (TCR) from 2011 to 2019. The study cohort included patients aged 15 to 39 years who were diagnosed with stage I-II breast cancer and received either TACB or AB regimens. Propensity score matching and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to calculate the hazard ratios (HR) for recurrence. RESULTS: The results showed that TACB regimens significantly reduced the risk of recurrence compared to AB regimens across all patients (aHR 0.73, 95% CI 0.55-0.97). Specifically, for low/middle-recurrence risk groups, the aHR was 0.68 (95% CI 0.49-0.96), and for high-recurrence risk groups, it was 0.43 (95% CI 0.21-0.87). The analysis further indicated no significant differences in recurrence risk between AYA and non-AYA patients using TACB regimens. CONCLUSION: The TACB regimens showed a more favorable prognosis than AB regimens across all molecular subtypes. Furthermore, TACB regimens not only outperformed AB treatments but also closed the gap in prognostic outcomes between AYA and non-AYA patients. We believe the findings of this study are highly reliable and can provide valuable guidance for physicians in choosing the most appropriate treatment strategies for AYA patients with stage I-II breast cancer.

Neurodevelopmental disorders in children born to mothers involved in maternal motor vehicle crashes.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the association between maternal MVCs during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs, including intellectual disability, ADHD, ASD, and infantile cerebral palsy) in children. METHODS: This population-based cohort of live births in Taiwan was analyzed, comparing children born to mothers involved in MVCs during pregnancy with those without such exposure. Children were linked to the insurance database to identify the possible diagnosis of NDDs. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to estimate the relative hazards. RESULTS: A total of 19,277 children with maternal MVCs and 76,015 children without exposure were included. Children exposed to maternal MVCs during the first two trimesters or whose mothers sustained mild to severe injuries showed a higher risk of intellectual disability. Severe maternal injuries also increased the risk of infantile cerebral palsy (aHR = 3.86; 1.27-11.78). MVCs in the third trimester, or mild maternal injuries, were associated with a higher risk of ASD (third trimester: aHR = 1.40; 1.04-1.87; mild injuries: aHR = 1.38; 1.09-1.74). CONCLUSION: Children exposed to maternal MVCs with severe injuries had a higher risk of intellectual disability and cerebral palsy. Third-trimester exposure may increase the risk of ASD. However, these findings should be interpreted cautiously as genetic factors may contribute to the observed association. IMPACT: There is some evidence linking maternal MVCs during pregnancy to the development of neurodevelopmental disorders in children. Children of mothers with severely injured were more likely to suffer from infantile cerebral palsy and intellectual disability. The risk of autism spectrum disorder is higher in children whose mothers are involved in MVCs during the late stage of pregnancy, and there is also an increased risk of intellectual disability during the first two trimesters.

Beyond the waves: Unraveling pandemic outcomes with genomic insights and immunity analysis - Evidence from 14 countries.

OBJECTIVE: Although the World Health Organization and many governments have recategorized COVID-19 as a generally mild to moderately severe disease, consecutive pandemic waves driven by immune escape variants have underscored the need for timely and accurate prediction of the next outbreak. Nevertheless, little attention has been paid to translating genomic data and infection- and vaccine-induced immunity into direct estimates. METHODS: We retrieved epidemiologic and genomic data shortly before pandemic waves across 14 developed countries from late 2021 to mid-2022 and examined associations between early-stage variant competition, infection- and vaccine-induced immunity, and the time intervals between wave peaks. We applied regression analysis and the generalized estimating equation method to construct an inferential model. RESULTS: Each per cent increase in the proportion of a new variant was associated with a 1.0% reduction in interpeak intervals on average. Curvilinear associations between vaccine-induced immunity and outcome variables were observed, suggesting that reaching a critical vaccine distribution rate may decrease the caseload of the upcoming wave. CONCLUSIONS: By leveraging readily accessible pre-outbreak genomic and epidemiologic data, our results not only substantiate the predictive potential of early variant fractions but also propose that immunity acquired through infection alone may not sufficiently mitigate transmission. Conversely, a rapid and widespread vaccination initiative appears to be correlated with a decrease in disease incidence.

Association between high-density lipoprotein and functional outcome of ischemic stroke patients in a Taiwanese population.

Despite recent findings indicating a paradoxical association between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, the impact of HDL-C on subsequent outcomes after ischemic stroke remains unclear. The study aims to investigate the relationships between HDL-C levels and post-stroke functional outcomes while examining the potential modifying influence of HDL-C-related single nucleotide polymorphisms identified through genome-wide association studies. This cohort study included 1,310 patients diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke (AIS), all of whom had their admission serum lipid profile and genotyping information. Participants were categorized into four groups based on gender and HDL-C level. Prognostic outcomes were assessed using a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 1, 3, and 12 months post-admission. Multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic spline regression analysis were used to assess the associations between HDL-C levels and outcomes. The mean age of patients was 61.17 ± 12.08 years, and 69.31% were men. After adjusting confounders, patients with the highest HDL-C level group had a significantly higher risk of poor functional outcomes at 1, 3, and 12 months following stroke compared to the reference group. Restricted cubic splines depicted a nonlinear association between HDL-C levels and poor prognosis in both men and women. The ABCA1 gene rs2575876 AA genotype combined with abnormal HDL-C levels exhibited a significantly heightened risk of post-stroke adverse outcomes at 1 and 3 months compared to patients with normal HDL-C levels and GG + GA genotype. These findings suggest that the combined effects of ABCA1 genetic variants with either low or high HDL-C levels could further heighten this risk.

Understanding and alleviating informal caregiver burden through the development and validation of a caregiver strain index-based model in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Quantifying the informal caregiver burden is important for understanding the risk factors associated with caregiver overload and for evaluating the effectiveness of services provided in Long-term Care (LTC). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop and validate a Caregiver Strain Index (CSI)-based score for quantifying the informal caregiver burden, while the original dataset did not fully cover evaluation items commonly included in international assessments. Subsequently, we utilized the CSI-based score to pinpoint key caregiver burden risk factors, examine the initial timing of LTC services adoption, and assess the impact of LTC services on reducing caregiver burden. METHODS: The study analyzed over 28,000 LTC cases in Southern Taiwan from August 2019 to December 2022. Through multiple regression analysis, we identified significant risk factors associated with caregiver burden and examined changes in this burden after utilizing various services. Survival analysis was employed to explore the relationship between adopting the first LTC services and varying levels of caregiver burden. RESULTS: We identified 126 significant risk factors for caregiver burden. The most critical factors included caregiving for other disabled family members or children under the age of three (ß = 0.74, p < 0.001), the employment status of the caregiver (ß = 0.30-0.53, p < 0.001), the frailty of the care recipient (ß = 0.28-0.31, p < 0.001), and the behavioral symptoms of dementia in care recipients (ß = 0.28-2.60, p < 0.05). Generally, caregivers facing higher burdens sought LTC services earlier, and providing home care services alleviated the caregiver's burden. CONCLUSION: This comprehensive study suggests policy refinements to recognize high-risk caregivers better early and provide timely support to improve the overall well-being of both informal caregivers and care recipients.

Impact of Telemedicine on Blood Glucose Control and Ophthalmic Screenings for Patients with Diabetes in Remote Areas During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Real-World Study in Northern Taiwan.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of telemedicine on ophthalmic screening and blood glucose control for patients with diabetes in remote areas of Northern Taiwan during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: Telemedicine was implemented in Shiding and Wanli Districts using a 5G platform from April 2021 to December 2022. Patients with poorly controlled diabetes received real-time consultations from endocrinologists at Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, 50 km away, for medication adjustment, diet control, and lifestyle recommendations. The study also provided cloud-upload blood glucose meters for self-monitoring and regular medical advice from hospital nurses. Ophthalmic screenings included fundus imaging, external eye image, and intraocular pressure measurement, with instant communication and diagnosis by ophthalmologists through telemedicine. A satisfaction questionnaire survey was conducted. Results: The study enrolled 196 patients with diabetes. Blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels were significantly reduced after applying telemedicine (p = 0.01 and p = 0.005, respectively). Ophthalmic screenings led to hospital referrals for 16.0% with abnormal fundus images, 15.6% with severe cataract or anterior segment disorders, and 27.9% with ocular hypertension or glaucoma. Fundus screening rates remained high at 86.3% and 80.4% in 2022, mainly using telemedicine, comparable with the traditional screening rate in the past 5 years. The overall satisfaction rate was 98.5%. Conclusions: Telemedicine showed effectiveness and high satisfaction in managing diabetes and conducting ophthalmic screenings in remote areas during the COVID-19 pandemic. It facilitated early diagnosis and treatment of ocular conditions while maintaining good blood glucose control and fundus screening rates.

Exploring concepts and trends in informal caregiver burden: systematic review using citation network and content analysis.

BACKGROUND: With the increase in the aging population, informal caregivers have become an essential pillar for the long-term care of older individuals. However, providing care can have a negative impact and increase the burden on caregivers, which is a cause for concern. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to comprehensively depict the concept of "informal caregiver burden" through bibliometric and content analyses. METHODS: We searched the Web of Science (WoS) database to obtain bibliometric data and included only papers published between 2013 and 2022. We used content analysis to extract and identify the core concepts within the text systematically. RESULTS: Altogether, 934 papers were included in the bibliometric analysis, from which we selected 19 highly impactful papers for content analysis. The results indicate that researchers have focused on exploring the factors that impact informal caregiver burden. Meanwhile, there has been a widespread discussion regarding the caregiver burden among those caring for recipients with specific illnesses, such as dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer, as these illnesses can contribute to varying levels of burden on informal caregivers. In addition, questionnaires and interviews emerged as the predominant methods for data collection in the realm of informal caregiver research. Furthermore, we identified 26 distinct assessment tools specifically tailored for evaluating burden, such as caregiver strain index (CSI). CONCLUSION: For future studies, we suggest considering the intersectionality of factors contributing to the burden on informal caregivers. This approach could enhance the well-being of both caregivers and older care recipients.

Identifying differential trajectories and predictors for depressive symptoms in adolescents using latent class growth analysis: A population-based cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: This study investigated the differential trajectories and relevant determinants of depressive symptoms in adolescents by following cohorts that included junior, senior, and vocational high school adolescents, over a 3-year period in Taiwan. METHODS: Longitudinal data were obtained from 575 adolescents who participated in the Taiwan Adolescent to Adult Longitudinal Study. Data analysis included latent class growth with time-varying covariate, univariate, and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: A three-class ("low but increasing trajectory," "moderate and stable trajectory," and "high but decreasing trajectory") model fit the data of the cohort. Our findings indicated that 29%, 38%, and 33% of the adolescents were in the low but increasing, moderate and stable, and high but decreasing trajectories, respectively. After confounders were controlled for, bullying experiences were identified as a risk factor for depressive symptoms. The protective factors against depressive symptoms included resilience and peer and social support. CONCLUSIONS: The transitions between different educational stages critically influence the depressive symptoms of adolescents, and the adolescents follow different depressive trajectories, that have different etiology. Therefore, identifying adolescents at high risk for depression and designing student-centered intervention programs through individualized and multidimensional assessment of depressive symptoms are crucial for adolescents.

Exposure to ambient air pollutants with kidney function decline in chronic kidney disease patients.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been a global public health problem with many adverse outcomes, but data are lacking regarding the relationship between air pollutants and risk of renal progression in patients with CKD. This study was to investigate whether 1-year average exposure to ambient air pollutants -CO, NO, NO2, SO2, O3, PM2.5, and PM10-is related to renal function deterioration among patients with CKD. A total of 5301 CKD patients were included in this study between October 2008 and February 2016. To estimate each patient's exposure to ambient air pollution, we used the 24-h ambient air pollution concentration monitoring data collected one year prior to renal progression or their last renal function assessment. Renal progression was considered when estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decreased more than 25% from the baseline eGFR. Cox proportional hazard regression was performed to calculate hazard ratios (HRs). Among 5301 patients with CKD, 1813 (34.20%) developed renal progression during the 30.48 ± 14.99-month follow-up. Patients with the highest quartile exposure to CO [HR = 1.53 (95% CI: 1.24, 1.88)], NO [HR = 1.38 (95% CI: 1.11, 1.71)], NO2 [HR = 1.63 (95% CI: 1.36, 1.97)], SO2 [HR = 2.27 (95% CI: 1.83, 2.82)], PM2.5 [HR = 7.58 (95% CI: 5.97, 9.62)], and PM10 [HR = 3.68 (95% CI: 2.84, 4.78)] had a significantly higher risk of renal progression than those with the lowest quartile exposure. In the multipollutant model, the analyses yielded to similar results. These results reinforce the importance of measures to mitigate air pollution and strategies to prevent worsening of kidney function in patients with CKD. One-year high exposure to ambient CO, NO, NO2, SO2, PM2.5, and PM10 is significantly associated with deteriorated kidney function in patients with CKD among Taiwanese adults.

Long-term exposure to ozone and sulfur dioxide increases the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus among aged 30 to 50 adult population.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Worldwide, the information regarding the associations between long-term exposure to ozone (O3) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) and the development of type 2 diabetes remains scarce, especially in Asia. This study aimed to investigate the long-term effects of exposure to ambient O3 and SO2 on the incidence of type 2 diabetes with consideration of other air pollutants in Taiwanese adults aged 30 to 50 years. METHODS: A total of 6,426,802 non-diabetic participants aged between 30 and 50 years old were obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database between 2005 and 2016. Incident type 2 diabetes was the main diagnosis at medical visits. Air quality data were provided by the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration. The air pollutant concentrations for each participant were estimated using the ordinary kriging method to interpolate daily concentrations of O3, SO2, carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), suspended fine particles (with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm; PM2.5), and suspended particles (with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10 µm; PM10) in residential districts across Taiwan. Six-year average concentrations of pollutants were calculated from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2010, and data were categorized into quartiles. We performed Cox regression models to analyze the long-term effects of exposure to O3 and SO2 on the incidence of type 2 diabetes. RESULTS: The hazard ratio (HR) for the incidence of diabetes per each interquartile range (IQR) increase in ozone exposure (3.30 ppb) was 1.058 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.053, 1.064) and 1.011 (95% CI: 1.007, 1.015) for SO2 exposure (1.77 ppb) after adjusting for age, sex, socioeconomic status, urbanization level, temperature, humidity, and chronic comorbidities (Model 3). Furthermore, for every 3.30 ppb increase of O3, the HR for incident type 2 diabetes was 1.093 (95% CI: 1.087, 1.100) after controlling factors shown in Model 3 plus SO2 and PM2.5. On the other hand, for every 1.77 ppb increase of SO2, the HR for incident type 2 diabetes was 1.073 (95% CI: 1.068, 1.079) after controlling factors shown in Model 3 plus NO2 and PM2.5. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term exposure to ambient O3 and SO2 was associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes for Taiwanese population. Exposure to O3 and SO2 may play a role in the adult early-onset type 2 diabetes.

Association of chronic diseases and lifestyle factors with suicidal ideation among adults aged 18-69 years in Eswatini: evidence from a population-based survey.

BACKGROUND: How chronic diseases and lifestyle affect suicidal ideation in the sub-Saharan region remains unclear. We investigated the association of chronic diseases and lifestyle with suicidal ideation in the past year and the potential modifying role of sociodemographic status on this association. The findings can guide suicide prevention interventions. METHODS: We analyzed 3026 respondents from the World Health Organization STEPwise approach to noncommunicable disease risk factor surveillance conducted in Eswatini in 2014. The outcome was past-year suicidal ideation, and the main predictors were chronic diseases and lifestyle. Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate predictors, and subgroup analysis was performed to assess effect modification. RESULTS: The prevalence of past-year suicidal ideation was 9.9%. After adjustment for covariates, including sex, marital status, employment status, and education level, individuals aged 18-30 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.27, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.22-4.22) were more likely to have had past-year suicidal ideation than those aged 45-69 years. After adjustment for covariates among employed individuals, having high blood pressure (aOR: 3.38, 95% CI: 1.54-7.40), not exercising (aOR: 2.65, 95% CI: 1.09-6.39), drinking alcohol (aOR: 2.40, 95% CI: 1.14-5.05), being aged 18-30 years (aOR: 3.50, 95% CI: 1.01-12.1), and being exposed to threats (aOR: 2.37, 95% CI: 1.01-5.53) were significantly associated with past-year suicidal ideation. CONCLUSIONS: Among currently employed individuals, having high blood pressure, not exercising, and drinking alcohol were associated with past-year suicidal ideation. The findings highlight the importance of developing and strengthening systems for early identification of suicidal ideation risk.

The Effects of Continuous Usage of a Diabetes Management App on Glycemic Control in Real-world Clinical Practice: Retrospective Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of digital technology in improving diabetes management has typically been demonstrated through studies such as randomized controlled trials, which have reported a steeper reduction in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) values for patients who adopted a digital solution. However, evidence from real-world clinical practice is still limited. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of digital interventions by tracking HbA1c improvements over 1 year in real-world clinical settings. METHODS: Patients used the Health2Sync mobile app to track self-measured outcomes and communicate with health care professionals (HCPs). HCPs used the web-based Patient Management Platform to monitor patient data, view test results from clinical laboratories, and communicate with patients. Patients who have been onboarded for at least 13 months and have consecutive HbA1c findings for 5 quarters were included in the analysis. They were then stratified into 3 groups (high, mid, and low retention) based on their level of use of Health2Sync in the first 6 months of onboarding. A mixed model was built to compare the slopes of the rate of reduction in HbA1c among the groups. In addition, these patients' retention on the app from the seventh to the 12th month was verified through multiple comparisons. RESULTS: A sample of 2036 users was included in the analysis. With the mixed model coefficient estimates, we found that app users had significant HbA1c percentage reductions as the passed quarter count increased (t=-9.869; P<.001), and that effectiveness increased in the high (t=-5.173) and mid retention (t=-6.620) groups as the interaction effects were significantly negative compared to that in the low retention group (P<.001) in the passed quarter count. The low retention group also had the highest average HbA1c value at the end of 13 months (high: 7.01%, SD 1.02%; mid: 6.99%, SD 1.00%; low: 7.17%, SD 1.14%) (Bonferroni correction: high vs low, P=.07; mid vs low, P=.02; high vs mid, P>.99). The level of use of the app remained consistent in the seventh to the 12th month after onboarding (high: 5.23 [SD 1.37] months, mid: 2.43 [SD 1.68] months, low: 0.41 [SD 0.97] months) (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis shows that continuous usage of the diabetes management app is associated with better glycemic control in real-world clinical practice. Further studies are required to reveal the efficacy for specific diabetes types and to observe effects beyond 1 year.

Enhancing Data Linkage to Break the Chain of COVID-19 Spread: The Taiwan Experience.

Digital technology has been widely used in health care systems and disease management, as well as in controlling the spread of COVID-19. As one of the most successful countries in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan has successfully used digital technology to strengthen its efforts in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. Taiwan has a well-established National Health Insurance System (NHIS), which provides a great opportunity to develop a nationwide data linkage model in an agile manner. Here we provide an overview of the application of data linkage models for strategies in combating COVID-19 in Taiwan, including NHIS centralized data linkage systems and "from border to community" information-driven data linkage systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, we discuss the dual role of digital technologies in being an "enabler" and a "driver" in early disease prevention. Lastly, Taiwan's experience in applying digital technology to enhance the control of COVID-19 potentially highlights lessons learned and opportunities for other countries to handle the COVID-19 situation better.

Untargeted metabolomics predicts the functional outcome of ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Metabolites in blood have been found associated with the occurrence of vascular diseases, but its role in the functional recovery of stroke is unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the untargeted metabolomics at the acute stage of ischemic stroke is able to predict functional recovery. METHODS: One hundred and fifty patients with acute ischemic stroke were recruited and followed up for 3 months. Fasting blood samples within 7 days of stroke were obtained, liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry were applied to identify outcome-associated metabolites. The patients' clinical characteristics and identified metabolites were included for constructing the outcome prediction model using machine learning approaches. RESULTS: By using multivariate analysis, 220 differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) were discovered between patients with favorable outcomes (modified Rankin Scale, mRS ≤ 2 at 3 months, n = 77) and unfavorable outcomes (mRS ≥ 3 at 3 months, n = 73). After feature selection, 63 DEMs were chosen for constructing the outcome prediction model. The predictive accuracy was below 0.65 when including patients' clinical characteristics, and could reach 0.80 when including patients' clinical characteristics and 63 selected DEMs. The functional enrichment analysis identified platelet activating factor (PAF) as the strongest outcome-associated metabolite, which involved in proinflammatory mediators release, arachidonic acid metabolism, eosinophil degranulation, and production of reactive oxygen species. CONCLUSION: Metabolomics is a potential method to explore the blood biomarkers of acute ischemic stroke. The patients with unfavorable outcomes had a lower PAF level compared to those with favorable outcomes.

Tobacco control within and beyond WHO MPOWER: outcomes from Taiwan SimSmoke.

INTRODUCTION: Adult smoking prevalence in Taiwan rapidly declined from 26.5% in 2005 to 20.0% in 2015. Nevertheless, future projections on smoking-attributable deaths and current per capita consumption do not paint an equally bright picture. METHODS: We used SimSmoke, a tobacco control simulation model to assess the impact of tax increases and other policies by predicting past and projecting over future decades smoking rates and smoking-attributable mortality. RESULTS: The model accurately depicts the decline in smoking prevalence observed in Taiwan from 2000 to 2015. Nonetheless, under the 'status quo' scenario, smoking-attributable mortality is projected to continue growing, peaking at 26 602 annual deaths in 2039 and cumulative deaths >1 million by 2044. By comparing projections with current policies with a counterfactual scenario based on the 2000 policy levels, SimSmoke estimates that tobacco control in Taiwan has been able to reduce smoking prevalence by 30% in 2015 with 450 000 fewer smoking-attributable deaths by 2060. Modified scenarios show that doubling the retail price of cigarettes and fully implementing the remaining MPOWER measures would avert approximately 45 000 lives by 2040 and 130 000 by 2060. CONCLUSIONS: Tobacco will be a leading cause of death in Taiwan for the coming decades, showing yet again the long-term consequences of smoking on public health. The MPOWER package, even if adopted at the highest level with a large tax increase, is unlikely to reduce smoking prevalence to the endgame goal of 5% in the next five decades.

Taiwanofungus camphoratus Combined With Amphotericin B for Metastatic Cancer Patients Unresponsive to or Unwilling to Undergo Chemotherapy: A Pilot Study.

CONTEXT: Taiwanofungus camphoratus is a parasitic mushroom found in the heartwood of Cinnamomum kanehirai and is used as a nutritional supplement. It has an anticancer action, both alone and synergistically with amphotericin B (AmB). OBJECTIVE: The study intended to assess the efficacy of a T camphoratus ethanol extract (TCEE) combined with AmB for patients with metastatic cancer whose cancer did not respond to multiline chemotherapy or who were unwilling to receive chemotherapy. DESIGN: The research team performed a retrospective analysis as a pilot study. SETTING: The study took place at a single hospital (Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan). PARTICIPANTS: Participants were 9 patients at the hospital who were terminally ill with metastatic cancer. INTERVENTIONS: The participants had received daily doses of 2-3 g of the TCEE in combination with a weekly dose of 20-25 mg of AmB in 500 cc of 5% glucose water, given intravenously in 4-6 h. OUTCOME MEASURES: Outcome measures included (1) a primary evaluation index measuring the efficacy of the treatment; (2) a measure of tumor burden that was estimated using the response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST 1.1), (3) a secondary evaluation index measuring survival duration, and (4) safety. RESULTS: The mean treatment time was 54.4 ± 18.3 wk. At the end of the study, 2 patients showed a continued complete response, 1 patient had a continued partial response, and 1 patient showed a stable disease. The other 5 participants had times to progression ranging from 24 to 48 wk, with a mean of 35.6 wk. The mean survival time was 57.8 ± 18.5 wk, and 5 patients were still alive at the end of the study. CONCLUSIONS: For patients whose metastatic cancer did not respond to multiline chemotherapy or who were unwilling to receive chemotherapy, the use of TCEE as an adjuvant therapy to AmB resulted in tumor suppression and a delay in time to disease progression. The preliminary results reported here can be used to guide a future, more extensive clinical study of the combination.

Validation of the Mandarin Version of the Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care (AM-PAC) "6-Clicks" Among Patients in Acute Rehabilitation.

IMPORTANCE: A standardized functional measure that can be used across rehabilitation care settings in Taiwan is urgently needed. OBJECTIVE: To generate a Mandarin version of the Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care (AM-PAC) "6-Clicks" for patients in acute care. DESIGN: Mixed-methods study with a cross-sectional design. SETTING: Acute care wards of three teaching hospitals in Taiwan. PARTICIPANTS: A sample of 231 neurological patients in acute care (62.3% female; mean age = 63.2 yr, standard deviation = 14.6). OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The 6-Clicks consist of three subscales: Basic Mobility, Daily Activity, and Applied Cognition. They were translated into Mandarin, and their internal consistency, test-retest reliability, interrater reliability, and convergent validity were tested. RESULTS: All subscales of the Mandarin version of the 6-Clicks showed good internal consistency (α = .97-.98). Test-retest and interrater reliabilities were excellent for all subscales (intraclass correlation coefficients >.8). Convergent validity was supported by strong correlations of the Basic Mobility and Daily Activity subscales with the Barthel Index (r = .73 and .72, respectively) and between the Applied Cognition subscale and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (r = .82). CONCLUSION: Our results provide psychometric evidence supporting the use of the Mandarin version of the 6-Clicks in acute care settings in Taiwan. WHAT THIS ARTICLE ADDS: This study confirms the appropriateness of the use of the Mandarin version of the AM-PAC "6-Clicks" with patients in acute rehabilitation, making it a valuable addition to validated measures available for use by occupational therapists in Taiwan.

Exploiting a low tax system: non-tax-induced cigarette price increases in Taiwan 2011-2016.

INTRODUCTION: This study aims to analyse the non-tax-induced price increasing strategies adopted by tobacco industry in Taiwan, a high-income country with comprehensive tobacco control policies but low tobacco taxes and a declining cigarette market. METHODS: Using governmental tax, price and inflation data, we analysed cigarette sales volume, affordability, affordability elasticity of demand, market share, pricing and net revenue of the top five tobacco companies in Taiwan from 2011 to 2016 when no tax increases occurred. RESULTS: Total revenue after tax grew significantly for all the major transnational tobacco companies between 2011 and 2016 at the expense of the state-owned Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation. In terms of market share, Japan Tobacco (JT) was the leading company, despite experiencing a small decline, while British American Tobacco and Imperial Brands remained stable, and Philip Morris International increased from 4.7% to 7.0%. JT adopted the most effective pricing strategy by increasing the real price of its two most popular brands (Mevius and Mi-Ne) and, at the same time, doubling the sales of its cheaper and less popular brand Winston by leaving its nominal retail price unaltered. CONCLUSIONS: Low and unchanged tobacco taxes enable tobacco companies to use aggressive pricing and segmentation strategies to increase the real price of cigarettes without making them less affordable while simultaneously maintaining customers' loyalty. It is crucial to continue monitoring the industry's pricing strategies and to regularly increase taxes to promote public health and to prevent tobacco industry from profiting at the expense of government revenues.

Psychiatric Disorders After Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Nationwide Population-Based Study in Taiwan.

PURPOSE: To investigate the risk for psychiatric disorders in patients newly diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) from two longitudinal groups of children with and without ADHD. STUDY DESIGN: In total, 1,745 children newly diagnosed with ADHD and 6,980 participants without ADHD were identified from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database in 2005 and followed until 2010. Risks for psychiatric disorders in the ADHD and non-ADHD groups were compared. RESULTS: The ADHD group was 3.82 times more likely to develop psychiatric disorders than their counterparts. The ADHD group showed the highest risk for oppositional defiant disorder, followed by adult ADHD and autism spectrum disorder. Moreover, the time effects of psychiatric disorders in the ADHD group were significant. Patients with ADHD subtypes had a significant risk for psychiatric disorders compared to their counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: A high risk for psychiatric disorders was revealed in this study among children with ADHD. Childhood ADHD, the duration after the ADHD diagnosis, and the ADHD subtype were associated with psychiatric disorders. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Various psychiatric disorders were observed in children after they had been newly diagnosed with ADHD, indicating a need for integrated care that includes medical practitioners, family members, social workers, and early intervention workers for patients newly diagnosed with ADHD to decrease the risk for comprehensive psychiatric disorders.