Association between Scabies Treatment and Parkinson's Disease: A Nationwide, Population-Based Study.

BACKGROUND: Scabies is typically treated with scabicides like lindane, which poses a risk for acute neural toxicity. Lindane's prolonged use, particularly in agriculture, is linked to neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. This study aimed to evaluate whether scabies patients, particularly those treated with topical lindane, are at increased risk of developing PD. METHODS: A nationwide population-based cohort study was conducted using data from Taiwan's National Health Research Institutes claims database from 2000 to 2018. The study included 27,173 patients with scabies, matched to a control group, with both groups followed for up to 18 years. The primary outcome was the incidence of newly diagnosed PD, and the hazard ratio (HR) for PD was calculated, focusing on those treated with topical lindane. RESULTS: Among the 54,346 patients, 1639 (3.0%) were newly diagnosed with PD, with 993 (60.6%) from the scabies group and 646 (39.4%) from the control group. Scabies patients had an adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of 1.46 (95% CI 1.32-1.63) for developing PD compared to controls. However, patients treated with topical lindane had a significantly lower aHR for PD at 0.15 (95% CI 0.12-0.19; p < 0.001), with a lower cumulative incidence of PD also observed in this group (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Scabies patients are at a 1.46-fold increased risk of developing PD, but those treated with lindane exhibit a significantly lower risk, suggesting potential protective effects of lindane against PD.

Injection Site Reactions Before and After Intramuscular Injection Technique Revision: A Postmarketing Analysis of NALDEBAIN® From 2017 to 2022.

BACKGROUND: The NALDEBAIN® has been available since 2017, and high incidence of injection reactions in the phase 3 study has been reported. Since the first year in the market, the injection site reactions were still the majority of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in pharmacovigilance reports. The new intramuscular (IM) instruction and package was introduced in the middle of 2018. In this retrospective study, we analyzed the pharmacovigilance data and published postmarketing studies to investigate the impact of IM injection-related reactions in Taiwan between the period of 2017-2022. METHODS: Individual case safety reports (ICSRs) and ADRs were classified by system organ class and preferred term. The reporting rate of ICSRs was used to evaluate the impact of the new IM instruction and package. RESULTS: A total of 37 ICSRs were identified from pharmacovigilance reports. Among them, 51% of IM injection-related reactions were reported after one single dose of NALDEBAIN administration. The reporting rate of IM injection-related reactions in pharmacovigilance data dropped from 125.00 to 3.56 per ten thousand exposures after IM instruction and package revision in 2018. In addition, the percentage of IM injection-related reactions also reduced in postmarketing studies from 27.5% to 4.5%. There were no serious IM injection-related reactions found in the pharmacovigilance and postmarketing dataset. CONCLUSION: Injection site reactions were common after intramuscularly administered oil-based agents during the first year which is later markedly reduced by changing the length of the needle and injection education.

Multimodal Analgesia With Extended-Release Dinalbuphine Sebacate for Perioperative Management: Expert Opinion and Consensus.

BACKGROUND: The insufficient treatment of postoperative pain is considered a major barrier to enhanced patient recovery following surgery. Opioids remain the standard therapy for postoperative pain; however, the epidemic crisis of opioid abuse in the US has resulted in opioid-sparing multimodal analgesia (MMA) strategies in anesthesia practice. Complete perioperative pain management, particularly after discharge, may be undermined, resulting in chronic postsurgical pain. Thus, anesthesiologists and pain physicians should provide comprehensive MMA guidance for perioperative pain management. METHODS: The Taiwan Pain Society organized a working group, which included experts in the field of anesthesia, pain, and surgery. This group performed an extensive literature search, quality review, and drafted a consensus, which was discussed by experts and edited for feedback. Recommendations covered consent instruction, treatment interventions, intramuscular injection techniques, and prophylaxis for postoperative adverse events. RESULTS: This consensus included (1) a comparison of the pharmacology and pharmacokinetics between nalbuphine and dinalbuphine sebacate, (2) recommendations to help clinicians establish MMA with extended-release dinalbuphine sebacate injection, and (3) management of common adverse events during the perioperative pain period. CONCLUSION: Extended-release dinalbuphine sebacate combined with the MMA strategy can reduce the medical burden and improve the quality of recovery following surgery.

Emodin, a Natural Anthraquinone, Increases Uric Acid Excretion in Rats with Potassium Oxonate-Induced Hyperuricemia.

The treatment of hyperuricemia and gout is mostly based on lowering serum uric acid levels using drugs, such as allopurinol, or increasing urinary excretion of uric acid. However, some patients still experience adverse reactions to allopurinol and turn to Chinese medicine as an alternative. Therefore, it is crucial to design a preclinical study to obtain more convincing data on the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout with Chinese medicine. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic effect of emodin, a Chinese herbal extract, in a rat model of hyperuricemia and gout. In this study, we used 36 Sprague-Dawley rats, which were randomly divided into six groups for experimentation. Hyperuricemia was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injections of potassium oxonate. The efficacy of emodin in reducing serum uric acid levels was demonstrated by comparing the positive control group with groups treated with three different concentrations of emodin. The inflammatory profiles, including interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α levels, were unaffected by emodin treatment. In the experimental results, it was observed that the serum uric acid concentration in the vehicle control group was 1.80 ± 1.14, while the concentrations in the moderate and high concentration emodin groups were 1.18 ± 0.23 and 1.12 ± 0.57, resulting in no significant difference in uric acid concentration between these treatment groups and the control group, indicating that emodin has a therapeutic effect on hyperuricemia. The increase in the fractional excretion of uric acid (FEUA) demonstrated that emodin promoted urinary uric acid excretion without significantly affecting the inflammatory profile. Thus, emodin reduced the serum uric acid concentration to achieve effective treatment of hyperuricemia and gout by increasing urinary excretion. These results were supported by the measured serum uric acid and FEUA levels. Our data have potential implications for the treatment of gout and other types of hyperuricemia in clinical practice.

Role of pigment epithelium-derived factor in stem/progenitor cell-associated neovascularization.

Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) was first identified in retinal pigment epithelium cells. It is an endogenously produced protein that is widely expressed throughout the human body such as in the eyes, liver, heart, and adipose tissue; it exhibits multiple and varied biological activities. PEDF is a multifunctional protein with antiangiogenic, antitumorigenic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic, neurotrophic, and neuroprotective properties. More recently, PEDF has been shown to be the most potent inhibitor of stem/progenitor cell-associated neovascularization. Neovascularization is a complex process regulated by a large, interacting network of molecules from stem/progenitor cells. PEDF is also involved in the pathogenesis of angiogenic eye disease, tumor growth, and cardiovascular disease. Novel antiangiogenic agents with tolerable side effects are desired for the treatment of patients with various diseases. Here, we review the value of PEDF as an important endogenous antiangiogenic molecule; we focus on the recently identified role of PEDF as a possible new target molecule to influence stem/progenitor cell-related neovascularization.

Protective effect of Flos carthami extract against ethylene glycol-induced urolithiasis in rats.

Flos carthami (FC), also known as Carthamus tinctorius, is a traditional Chinese herbal plant that has been prescribed since centuries for treating various symptoms related to blood circulation improvement. This study aimed to investigate the effects of FC on calcium oxalate (CaOx) formation in ethylene glycol (EG)-fed rats. A total of 50 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into the following 6 groups: group 1, as the normal control (n = 5); group 2 received gastric gavages of starch and 0.75% EG (placebo, n = 5) as a stone inducer; group 3 (n = 10) received EG and potassium citrate as positive controls; group 4 (n = 10) received 0.75% EG and 300 mg/day FC; group 5 (n = 10) was treated with EG and 600 mg/day FC; group 6 (n = 10) received with EG and 1,200 mg/day FC. For all experimental animals, 24-h urine and blood samples were analyzed at the beginning and end of the experiment. Kidney tissue was histopathologically examined using a polarized light microscope, and crystal deposits were evaluated by a semi-quantitative scoring method; these scores were significantly lower in the FC groups (600 and 1,200 mg/day) than in the placebo group. Thus, FC administration appeared to inhibit the deposition of CaOx crystal EG-fed rats. We, therefore, consider that FC may be effective for preventing stone disease, albeit with certain side effects, such as a bleeding tendency. Further clinical trials are needed for evaluating its benefits and possible side effects.

Impact of shock wave lithotripsy on heart rate variability in patients with urolithiasis.

The physiological response of the cardiac autonomic nervous system during shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) remains unclear. Heart rate variability (HRV) is an index of cardiac autonomic balance. This study aimed to analyze HRV during SWL in patients with urolithiasis. Electrocardiograms of patients who underwent SWL were obtained. Recordings were obtained before and after SWL. For each time point, the recordings were obtained continuously for 6 min, after which R wave-to-R wave (RR) intervals were extracted. The time digital sequence derived from RR intervals was the HRV signal. Time-domain analysis revealed that the mean of RR intervals (MRR) and standard deviation of normal beat-to-normal beat (NN) intervals (SDNN), but not the square root of the mean squared difference of successive NNs (RMSSD) or triangular interpolation of NN intervals (TINN), significantly increased during SWL. The increase in SDNN persisted after SWL but MRR returned to the initial level. Frequency-domain analysis revealed that very low frequency (VLF), low frequency (LF), and LF/high frequency (HF) ratio significantly increased after SWL, while there was no statistically significant difference in HF. Thus, the patients had significantly high MRR and SDNN during SWL and significantly high SDNN, VLF, LF, and LF/HF ratio after SWL. SWL could alter the functioning of the cardiac autonomic nervous system, resulting in reduction in sympathetic activity and increase in parasympathetic activity. Further studies with larger samples are required to confirm these findings and understand the underlying mechanisms.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on ST36 and SP6 acupoints prevents hyperglycaemic response during anaesthesia: a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Hyperglycaemia is a common result of stress signals caused by pain and surgical procedure. Volatile anaesthetics also directly manipulate glucose homeostasis by affecting pancreatic insulin release and induce hyperglycaemia without surgical stress. We determined the preoperative application of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) to the Chinese acupoints ST36 (Zusanli) and SP6 (Sanyinjiao) as a complementary therapy for controlling plasma glucose and improving insulin resistance during anaesthesia. METHODS: We designed a single-blind, randomised controlled clinical study of female patients, scheduled for elective hysterectomy. The 52 patients consented to enrolment and were assigned to receive either TENS (n = 26) on bilateral ST36 and SP6 acupoints with continuous mode at a frequency of 15 Hz and the intensity of 10 mA synchronously for 30 min or non-stimulation (placebo group, n = 26) preoperatively. Haemodynamics, blood glucose and plasma insulin were measured during general anaesthesia. RESULTS: At baseline, there was no significant difference between the TENS group and the placebo group in plasma glucose and insulin levels as well as homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index. In the placebo group, plasma glucose, insulin and HOMA index increased during induction of general anaesthesia, surgical incision, and throughout the operation. Plasma glucose and insulin levels as well as HOMA index were significantly lower in the TENS group as compared to the placebo group at different time points after discontinuation of TENS application. These results indicate the positive effect of prevention of hyperglycaemia and the increased sensitivity of plasma insulin in the TENS group. CONCLUSION: We found TENS at bilateral ST36 and SP6 acupoints to be an alternative means of managing the plasma glucose level and improving insulin resistance perioperatively.

Electroacupuncture at Bilateral ST36 Acupoints: Inducing the Hypoglycemic Effect through Enhancing Insulin Signal Proteins in a Streptozotocin-Induced Rat Model during Isoflurane Anesthesia.

In rats with 2-deoxy-2-(3-(methyl-3-nitrosoureido)-d-glucopyranose streptozotocin- (STZ-) induced insulin-dependent diabetes (IDDM), continuous 15 Hz electrical stimulation at bilateral ST36 acupoints for 30 and 60 minutes has been shown to prevent hyperglycemia. We hypothesized that the mechanism of action in STZ-induced IDDM rats is that electrical stimulation at bilateral ST36 acupoints is effective in improving insulin receptor substrate type 1 (IRS-1) and glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) protein expressions associated with counteracting both plasma glucose and free fatty acid (FFA) levels during isoflurane anesthesia. In this study, twenty-six healthy male Wistar rats, weighing 250-350 g and aged 8-10 weeks were tested. Rats in the experimental electroacupuncture (EA) group (n = 13) received 15 Hz electrical stimulation at bilateral ST 36 acupoints for 30 and 60 minutes. Rats in the control group (n = 13) were handled but not subjected to the stimulation treatment. In both IDDM and normal Wistar rats, we observed a negative change in plasma glucose levels when rats were given the EA treatment, but a positive change in plasma glucose without EA treatment relative to baseline. Within the IDDM group, a negative change in FFA levels was observed when rats were given the EA treatment, while a positive change in the FFA level was shown without the EA treatment. In the expressed protein signals, we found a significant elevation in both GLUT4 and IRS-1 proteins in the IDDM group treated by EA. Moreover, we found a significant mean difference between GLUT4 and IRS-1 protein expression levels relative to ß-actin. Our findings suggested that EA at bilateral ST36 acupoints could serve as an effective strategy for lowering plasma glucose by decreasing free fatty acid levels and improving the expression of IRS-1 and GLUT4 proteins in a STZ-IDDM rat model during isoflurane anesthesia.

Association of interleukin-18 gene polymorphisms with calcium oxalate kidney stone disease.

OBJECTIVE: The interleukin-18 (IL-18) encoding gene has three common single-nucleotide polymorphisms at -607C/A, -137G/C and +105A/C, which have been reported to be associated with several diseases. The aim of this study is to test whether IL-18 polymorphisms could act as genetic markers for renal stone disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A control group of 104 healthy subjects, and 272 patients with recurrent calcium oxalate stones were examined. Polymerase chain reaction-based restriction endonuclease analysis was used to detect IL-18 polymorphisms. RESULTS: The patient and control groups differed significantly in genotypic expression of the IL-18 +105A/C polymorphism. The prevalence of the A/C + C/C genotypes in the patients was higher than that in the controls. The allelic frequency of IL-18 +105A/C differed significantly between the patients and the controls. The odds ratio (OR) of the A/C heterozygote of IL-18 +105A/C associated with urolithiasis was 2.772. The OR of the A/C + C/C genotypes of IL-18 +105A/C associated with urolithiasis was 3.097. The OR per copy of the C allele of IL-18 +105A/C associated with urolithiasis was 4.143. There were also significant differences in the prevalence of genotype IL-18 -137G/C polymorphisms between the patients and controls. The distribution of the G/G homozygote in the patients was higher than that in the controls. There was no significant difference in genotype and allelic frequency at the IL-18 -607C/A polymorphism between patients and control subjects. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that IL-18 +105A/C polymorphisms may play a role in the development of urolithiasis.

Identification of melamine/cyanuric acid-containing nephrolithiasis by infrared spectroscopy.

Melamine-contaminated milk formula caused infant nephrolithiasis in some areas of China. Its combination with cyanuric acid causes crystallization in renal tubules. Following this renal damage and even renal failure that require long-term hemodialysis has been reported. Therefore, correct and timely diagnosis of these complex diseases is critical. Melamine containing stone is a combination of equal molar ratios of common stone compositions that has been reported from previous animal studies. We have previously identified the compositions of urinary tract stones with infrared (IR) spectroscopy. We hypothesized that the absorbance of wavelength of IR can identify melamine/cyanuric acid in the presence of mixing human stone compositions. In this study, we made an artificial stone composition and examine under IR absorbance by mixing equal molar ratios of melamine/cyanuric acid with different types of human urinary stones, and established a reference of IR analysis for the identification of melamine/cyanuric acid-containing human urinary tract stones. Knowledge of the precise stone composition allowed institution of appropriate prophylactic dietary and medical therapy and this may help in the prevention of urinary stone recurrence. The results are promising that melamine and cyanuric acid can be identified clearly in a low percentile (approximately 1%) of stone mixture pellet. Therefore, IR seems to be an ideal tool for the identification of melamine/cyanuric acid-containing stones.

Honokiol and magnolol as multifunctional antioxidative molecules for dermatologic disorders.

Chinese herbs have been and still are widely used as important remedies in Oriental medicine. Over the recent years, a variety of biologically active constituents have been isolated from these sources and confirmed to have multifunctional activity in experimental studies. Honokiol is a small-molecule polyphenol isolated from the genus Magnolia. It is accompanied by other related polyphenols, including magnolol, with which it shares certain biological properties. Recently, honokiol and magnolol have been found to have anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, and anti-microbial properties in preclinical models, without appreciable toxicity. These findings have increased interest in bringing honokiol and magnolol to the clinic as novel therapeutic agents in dermatology. In this review, the findings concerning the major mechanisms of action of honokiol and magnolol are described. Knowledge of the multiple activities of honokiol and magnolol can assist with the development of honokiol and magnolol derivatives and the design of clinical trials that will maximize the potential benefit of honokiol and magnolol in the patient setting for dermatologic disorders.

Platelet-Rich Plasma Ameliorates Cyclophosphamide-Induced Acute Interstitial Cystitis/Painful Bladder Syndrome in a Rat Model.

BACKGROUND: Interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS) could be treated to ameliorate urothelial injury. Here, we investigated the efficacy of intravesical instillation with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and hyaluronic acid for acute IC/PBS. METHODS: The effects of PRP and hyaluronic acid on the proliferation of normal human fibroblast cells (HFCs) were assessed. Additionally, thirty virgin female rats were randomized into five groups: group 1, saline-injected control; group 2, cyclophosphamide (CYP) plus intravesical instillation with normal saline; group 3, CYP plus intravesical instillation with hyaluronic acid (1 mg/mL); group 4, CYP plus intravesical instillation with PRP; and group 5, CYP plus intravesical instillation with PRP plus hyaluronic acid. A cystometry and histological assessments were performed. The expression of cell junction-associated protein zonula occludens-2 (ZO-2) and inflammatory cytokine interleukin 6 (IL-6) was also measured. RESULTS: Low dose PRP increased proliferation in HFCs. The acute IC/PBS rats showed significantly lower voiding interval values. Voiding interval values were significantly higher in the CYP plus intravesical instillation with PRP group than in the CYP-induced acute IC/PBS group. Additionally, the expression of ZO-2 was increased and IL-6 was decreased in the CYP plus intravesical instillation with PRP group compared with the CYP-induced acute IC/PBS group. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that PRP modulate urothelial repair, which ameliorate the increase in urination frequency in rats treated with CYP. Overall, PRP may confer potential benefits by acting as urothelial repair modulators.

Antioxidative and hepatoprotective effects of magnolol on acetaminophen-induced liver damage in rats.

Acute liver failure (ALF), an often fatal condition characterized by massive hepatocyte necrosis, is frequently caused by drug poisoning, particularly with acetaminophen (N-acetyl-p-aminophenol/APAP). Hepatocyte necrosis is consecutive to glutathione (GSH) depletion and mitochondrial damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction. Magnolol, one major phenolic constituent of Magnolia officinalis, have been known to exhibit potent antioxidative activity. In this study, the anti-hepatotoxic activity of magnolol on APAP-induced toxicity in the Sprague-Dawley rat liver was examined. After evaluating the changes of several biochemical parameters in serum, the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were elevated by APAP (500 mg/kg) intraperitoneal administration (8 and 24 h) and reduced by treatment with magnolol (0.5 h after APAP administration; 0.01, 0.1, and 1 mug/kg). Histological changes around the hepatic central vein, lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance/TBARS), and GSH depletion in liver tissue induced by APAP were also recovered by magnolol treatment. The data show that oxidative stress followed by lipid peroxidation may play a very important role in the pathogenesis of APAP-induced hepatic injury; treatment with lipid-soluble antioxidant, magnolol, exerts anti-hepatotoxic activity. Our study points out the potential interest of magnolol in the treatment of toxic ALF.

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen) for Treatment and Prevention of Urolithiasis: A Drosophila Animal Study.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been prescribed for the treatment of stone disease for thousands of years. Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen) was previously shown to have potential for treatment of stone disease in animal and clinical studies. In this study, we further studied the antiurolithiasis effect of Danshen in a fly model. Wild-type male Drosophila melanogaster CS flies were used in this study, with 0.25% ethylene glycol (EG) as a lithogenic agent. 2% potassium citrate (K-citrate) was the positive control agent for prevention (all agents added at the start of experiment) and treatment (drugs added after 2-week addition of lithogenic agent) studies compared with 15, 30, and 60 µg/ml of Danshen extract. In the prevention study, both 2% K-citrate and Danshen (30 and 60 µg/ml) significantly inhibited EG-induced calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystal formation. In the treatment study, only 2% K-citrate and high-dose of Danshen (60 µg/ml) significantly inhibited EG-induced CaOx crystal formation. Survival analysis for EG with Danshen was compared with that for EG with K-citrate. The mean lifespan was significantly reduced by administration of EG, and the results in the Danshen group were similar to those in the control group. In conclusion, Danshen revealed both preventive and treatment effects on CaOx crystal formation in a fly model.

Thyroid diseases increased the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: A nation-wide cohort study.

Thyroid function may alter carbohydrate metabolism via influence of insulin, which may in terms of derangement of thyroid function and insulin function result in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). We investigated the association of thyroid disorders with T2D by a cohort study of the Taiwan nationwide health insurance database.A sub-dataset of the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) was used in this study. The thyroid disease (both hyper- and hypo-thyroidism) group was chosen from patients older than 18 years and newly diagnosed between 2000 and 2012. The control group consisted of randomly selected patients who never been diagnosed with thyroid disease and 4-fold size frequency matched with the thyroid disease group. The event of this cohort was T2D (ICD-9-CM 250.x1, 250.x2). Primary analysis was performed by comparing the thyroid disease group to the control group and the second analysis was performed by comparing the hyperthyroidism subgroup, hypothyroidism subgroup, and control group.The occurrence of T2D in the thyroid disease group was higher than the control group with hazard ratio (HR) of 1.23 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.16-1.31]. Both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism were significantly higher than control. Significantly higher HR was also seen in female patients, age category of 18 to 39-year-old (y/o) and 40 to 64 y/o subgroups. Higher occurrence of T2D was also seen in thyroid disease patients without comorbidity than in the control group with HR of 1.47 (95% CI = 1.34-1.60). The highest HR was found in the half-year follow-up.There was a relatively high risk of T2D development in patients with thyroid dysfunctions, especially in the period of 0.5 to 1 year after presentation of thyroid dysfunctions. The results suggest performing blood sugar tests in patients with thyroid diseases for early detection and treatment of T2D.

Composite auditory evoked potential index versus bispectral index to estimate the level of sedation in paralyzed critically ill patients: a prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Electromyographic activity (EMG) has been reported to elevate the Bispectral Index (BIS) in patients not receiving neuromuscular blockade while under sedation in the intensive care unit (ICU). We investigated the change of the composite A-line autoregressive index (AAI) and BIS after administration of muscle relaxants in sedated surgical ICU patients. METHODS: We prospectively investigated 38 patients who required administration of a muscle relaxant while continuously sedated with midazolam hydrochloride and fentanyl citrate to achieve a Ramsay Sedation Scale value equal to 5. BIS, EMG activity of BIS (EMG-BIS), signal quality index of BIS, AAI, EMG activity of AAI (EMG-AAI), and acceleromyography at the adductor pollicis muscle were recorded simultaneously every 5 min for 30 min before and after neuromuscular blockade. Student's t-test, the Wilcoxon's signed ranks test, and the Spearman test were calculated using the standard statistics software SPSS 10.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). RESULTS: After administration of a muscle relaxant, BIS (58.61+/-7.45 vs 44.68+/-6.65, P<0.001), EMG-BIS (37.33+/-7.15 vs 27.24+/-1.51, P<0.001), AAI (34.11+/-10.96 vs 15.97+/-6.69, P<0.001), and EMG-AAI (59.58+/-9.57 vs 1.00+/-0.00, P<0.001) decreased significantly. Significant correlations between BIS and EMG-BIS (rs=0.75, P<0.001) and AAI and EMG-AAI (rs=0.87, P<0.001) were also found during the baseline period. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that, in sedated ICU patients, BIS and AAI markedly decreased after administration of myorelaxant, and the decreased BIS and AAI values after neuromuscular blockade were correlated to those usually seen in the state of surgical anesthesia, respectively.

Treatment of Urolithiasis with Medicinal Plant Salvia miltiorrhiza: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Danshen), a common medicinal plant in traditional Chinese medicine, has been tested effectively to prevent urolithiasis in animals; nevertheless, the clinical application for urolithiasis remains unclear. We thus investigated the clinical effect of Danshen by analyzing the database from the Taiwan National Institute of Health. The cohort "Danshen-users" was prescribed Chinese herb medicine Danshen after the initial diagnosis of calculus. The control group (non-Danshen-users) was not given Danshen after the initial diagnosis of calculus. The date of first using Danshen after new diagnosis date of calculus was considered as index date. The outcome variables were categorized into two categories: the first category included calculus surgical treatment, including extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, ureteroscopy, percutaneous nephrostomy with fragmentation, and ureterolithotomy; the second category included any bleeding disorders, including gastrointestinal bleeding, intracranial hemorrhage, and blood transfusions. The incidence of calculus surgical treatment in the Danshen-users was less than that in the non-Danshen-users: 1.071% in 1,000 person-years (200 people followed up for 5 years) and 3.142% in 1,000 person-years, respectively. The adjusted hazard ratio for calculus surgical treatment in the Danshen-users was 0.34 (95% confidence intervals: 0.31-0.38) as compared to the non-Danshen-users. When stratified by sex, the incidence of calculus surgical treatment in Danshen-users was 0.685% in 1,000 person-years and 1.575% in 1,000 person-years for women and men, respectively, which was lower than that in non-Danshen-users. Danshen decreased the ratio of subsequent stone treatment after the first treatment in the study population; there was no increased bleeding risk due to long-term Danshen use.

Traditional Chinese medicine decreases the obstructive uropathy risk in uterovaginal prolapse: A nationwide population-based study.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a popular treatment for voiding dysfunction in Eastern countries. However, no previous studies have investigated the effects of TCM on preventing obstructive uropathy in uterovaginal prolapse women. We conducted a large-scale nationwide population-based cohort study to investigate the relationship between TCM and obstructive uropathy in uterovaginal prolapse women. This is a retrospective cohort study with the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). The study population was newly diagnosed uterovaginal prolapse patients between 1997 and 2010 year. Among patients, 762 uterovaginal prolapse patients in this cohort. Significant adjusted HRs of urine retention or hydronephrosis in Cox proportional hazard models were uterovaginal prolapse (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.74, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.43-2.14), age 40 to 64 years (1.51, 1.01-2.27), ≥60 years (3.52, 2.32-5.34), DM (1.52, 1.23-1.89), hypertension (1.38, 1.13-1.7), constipation (1.35, 1.05-1.75), urinary tract calculi (1.54, 1.06-2.23), and TCM users (0.34, 0.28-0.41). The Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a higher incidence rate of urine retention or hydronephrosis in the uterovaginal prolapse cohort compared with that of the without uterovaginal prolapse cohort. The results of this nationwide population-based study support a relationship between TCM and a reduced risk of obstructive uropathy in uterovaginal prolapse women.

Hyperthyroidism is not a significant risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia: A nationwide population-based study.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common disorder in the aging male population. Despite evidence that thyroid status impacts the prostate, the objective of this study was to examine whether patients with hyperthyroidism were at a greater risk for BPH.This study is a retrospective nationwide population-based cohort study of the Chinese population. Data for this study were retrieved from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). Overall, 1032 male patients aged 40 years or older with hyperthyroidism diagnosed between 2000 and 2006 were included in the hyperthyroidism group, and 4128 matched controls without hyperthyroidism were included in the non-hyperthyroidism group. Both groups were monitored until the end of 2011. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to compute and compare the risk of BPH between study participants with and those without hyperthyroidism.Patients with hyperthyroidism exhibited a greater incidence of BPH (18.51% vs 15.53%) than did the controls. Furthermore, the hazard ratio (HR) of the hyperthyroidism group was 1.24 times that of the control group [95% confidence interval (95% CI 1.05-1.46)] signifying that there is a significant 24% increase in the risk of BPH with the presence of hyperthyroidism. This increased risk of BPH with hyperthyroidism, however, failed to remain significant (adjusted HR = 1.11, 95% CI = 0.94-1.3) after adjusting for covariates of age (adjusted HR = 2.72, 95% CI = 2.32-3.2), diabetes (adjusted HR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.17-1.68), hypertension (adjusted HR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.49-2.03), hyperlipidemia (adjusted HR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.03-1.53), neurogenic bladder, cystitis (adjusted HR = 1.23, 95% CI = 0.58-2.59), urethral stricture (adjusted HR = 2.01, 95% CI = 0.28-14.47), urethritis (adjusted HR = 1.52, 95% CI = 0.72-3.21), and urinary tract infection (adjusted HR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.31-2.39).After adjustment for comorbidities and covariates, hyperthyroidism was not found to be a significant risk factor of BPH in our male study subjects. Further research is warranted to validate our results and elucidate the association of the pathophysiology of these 2 diseases.