Health-related quality of life by veterans RAND 12 and healthcare resource utilization in cancer patients with sleep disorders: insights from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.

PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate the joint effects of cancer and sleep disorders on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL), healthcare resource utilization, and expenditures among US adults. METHODS: Utilizing the 2018-2019 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) database, a sample of 25,274 participants was categorized into four groups based on cancer and sleep disorder status. HRQoL was assessed using the VR-12 questionnaire. Generalized linear model (GLM) with a log-linear regression model combined gamma distribution was applied for the analysis of healthcare expenditure data. RESULTS: Individuals with both cancer and sleep disorders (C+/S+) exhibited notably lower physical health (PCS) and mental health (MCS) scores-1.45 and 1.87 points lower, respectively. They also showed significantly increased clinic visits (2.12 times), outpatient visits (3.59 times), emergency visits (1.69 times), and total medical expenditures (2.08 times) compared to those without cancer or sleep disorders (C-/S-). In contrast, individuals with sleep disorders alone (C-/S+) had the highest number of prescription drug usage (2.26 times) and home health care days (1.76 times) compared to the reference group (C-/S-). CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of cancer presence, individuals with sleep disorders consistently reported compromised HRQoL. Furthermore, those with cancer and sleep disorders experienced heightened healthcare resource utilization, underscoring the considerable impact of sleep disorders on overall quality of life. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: The findings of this study address the importance of sleep disorders among cancer patients and their potential implications for cancer care. Healthcare professionals should prioritize screening, education, and tailored interventions to support sleep health in this population.

Embryo transfer impact: a comprehensive national cohort analysis comparing maternal and neonatal outcomes across varied embryo stages in fresh and frozen transfers.

Introduction: The utilization of frozen embryo transfer not only enhances reproductive outcomes by elevating the likelihood of live birth and clinical pregnancy but also improves safety by mitigating the risks associated with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) and multiple pregnancies. There has been an increasing debate in recent years regarding the advisability of making elective frozen embryo transfer the standard practice. Our study aims to determine the optimal choice between fresh and frozen embryo transfer, as well as whether the transfer should occur at the cleavage or blastocyst stage. Method: In this retrospective cohort study conducted in Taiwan, data from the national assisted reproductive technology (ART) database spanning from January 1st, 2013, to December 31st, 2017, were analyzed. The study included 51,762 eligible female participants who underwent ART and embryo transfer. Pregnancy outcomes, maternal complications, and singleton neonatal outcomes were evaluated using the National Health Insurance Database from January 1st, 2013, to December 31st, 2018. Cases were categorized into groups based on whether they underwent fresh or frozen embryo transfers, with further subdivision into cleavage stage and blastocyst stage transfers. Exposure variables encompassed clinical pregnancy rate, live birth rate, OHSS, pregnancy-induced hypertension, gestational diabetes mellitus (DM), placenta previa, placental abruption, preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), gestational age, newborn body weight, and route of delivery. Results: Frozen blastocyst transfers showed higher rates of clinical pregnancy (CPR) and live births (LBR) compared to fresh blastocyst transfers. Conversely, frozen cleavage stage transfers demonstrated lower rates of clinical pregnancy and live birth compared to fresh cleavage stage transfers. Frozen embryo transfers were associated with reduced risks of OHSS but were linked to a higher risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension compared to fresh embryo transfers. Additionally, frozen embryo transfers were associated with a higher incidence of large for gestational age infants and a lower incidence of small for gestational age infants. Conclusion: The freeze-all strategy may not be suitable for universal application. When embryos can develop to the blastocyst stage, FET is a favorable choice, but embryos can only develop to the cleavage stage, fresh embryo transfer becomes a more reasonable option.

Healthcare Utilization and Its Correlates in Comorbid Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

This study investigated the healthcare utilization and medical expenditure of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and identified the associated factors. The healthcare utilization and expenditure of T2DM patients with (case group) and without (control group) GAD between 2002 and 2013 were examined using the population-based Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. Healthcare utilization included outpatient visits and hospitalization; health expenditure included outpatient, inpatient, and total medical expenditure. Moreover, nonpsychiatric healthcare utilization and medical expenditure were distinguished from total healthcare utilization and medical expenditure. The average healthcare utilization, including outpatient visits and hospitalization, was significantly higher for the case group than for the control group (total and nonpsychiatric). The results regarding differences in average outpatient expenditure (total and nonpsychiatric), inpatient expenditure (total and nonpsychiatric), and total expenditure (total and nonpsychiatric) between the case and control groups are inconsistent. Sex, age, income, comorbidities/complications, and the diabetes mellitus complication severity index were significantly associated with outpatient visits, medical expenditure, and hospitalization in the case group (total and nonpsychiatric). Greater knowledge of factors affecting healthcare utilization and expenditure in comorbid individuals may help healthcare providers intervene to improve patient management and possibly reduce the healthcare burden in the future.

Increased risk of sudden sensorineural hearing loss in patients with cervical spondylosis.

Whether cervical spondylosis (CS) is a risk factor for sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) remains unclear. This study used national population-based data to investigate the risk of SSNHL in patients with CS in Taiwan of different ages and sexes. This study used data covering 2 million people in Taiwan, which were obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database. The data that support the findings of this study are available from National Health Insurance Research Database but restrictions apply to the availability of these data, which were used under license for the current study, and so are not publicly available. Data are however available from the corresponding authors upon reasonable request and with permission of National Health Insurance Research Database. This retrospective cohort study enrolled 91,587 patients with a newly diagnosed CS between January 2000 and December 2018. Case and control cohorts were matched 1:1 according to age, sex, and comorbidities. SSNHL incidence rate and risk were compared between the groups. Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The mean follow-up period was 8.80 (SD = 4.12) and 8.24 (SD = 4.09) years in the CS and control cohorts, respectively. The incidence rate of SSNHL in the CS cohort (85.28 per 100 000 person-years) was 1.49-fold significantly higher than that in the non-CS cohort (57.13 per 100,000 person-years) (95% CI 1.32-1.68, P < .001). After age, sex, and selected comorbidities were adjusted for, CS exhibited an independent risk factor for SSNHL (adjusted HR = 1.52; 95% CI 1.34-1.71, P < .001). An age-stratified analysis in this study demonstrated a strong and highly significant association between CS and SSNHL in patients aged < 35 years (IRR = 2.28, 95% CI 1.18-4.39, P = .013). This large-scale Taiwanese-population-based retrospective study found that CS was associated with an increased risk of SSNHL. Acute hearing loss in patients with CS, particularly at a young age, should be carefully evaluated, and prompt treatment for SSNHL should be initiated.

Multitask deep learning on mammography to predict extensive intraductal component in invasive breast cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To develop a multitask deep learning (DL) algorithm to automatically classify mammography imaging findings and predict the existence of extensive intraductal component (EIC) in invasive breast cancer. METHODS: Mammograms with invasive breast cancers from 2010 to 2019 were downloaded for two radiologists performing image segmentation and imaging findings annotation. Images were randomly split into training, validation, and test datasets. A multitask approach was performed on the EfficientNet-B0 neural network mainly to predict EIC and classify imaging findings. Three more models were trained for comparison, including a single-task model (predicting EIC), a two-task model (predicting EIC and cell receptor status), and a three-task model (combining the abovementioned tasks). Additionally, these models were trained in a subgroup of invasive ductal carcinoma. The DeLong test was used to examine the difference in model performance. RESULTS: This study enrolled 1459 breast cancers on 3076 images. The EIC-positive rate was 29.0%. The three-task model was the best DL model with an area under the curve (AUC) of EIC prediction of 0.758 and 0.775 at the image and breast (patient) levels, respectively. Mass was the most accurately classified imaging finding (AUC = 0.915), followed by calcifications and mass with calcifications (AUC = 0.878 and 0.824, respectively). Cell receptor status prediction was less accurate (AUC = 0.625-0.653). The multitask approach improves the model training compared to the single-task model, but without significant effects. CONCLUSIONS: A mammography-based multitask DL model can perform simultaneous imaging finding classification and EIC prediction. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: The study results demonstrated the potential of deep learning to extract more information from mammography for clinical decision-making. KEY POINTS: • Extensive intraductal component (EIC) is an independent risk factor of local tumor recurrence after breast-conserving surgery. • A mammography-based deep learning model was trained to predict extensive intraductal component close to radiologists' reading. • The developed multitask deep learning model could perform simultaneous imaging finding classification and extensive intraductal component prediction.

Four Assessment Tools for Predicting Mortality and Adverse Events in Surgical Patients With Sepsis and Septic Shock: A Comparative Study.

BACKGROUND: The mortality rate for sepsis and septic shock in surgical patients is approximately 36%, which is higher than that of other medical patients. Predisposition, infection/injury, response, and organ dysfunction (PIRO) is currently the most widely used tool for assessing patients with surgical sepsis. However, it is not a standardized assessment tool for surgical patients in general. PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to (a) create a modified PIRO (mPIRO) that adds a count of platelets and does not include a body temperature reading; (b) test the sensitivity and specificity of the mPIRO for predicting mortality and adverse events among patients with surgical sepsis; and (c) compare the predictive accuracy of the mPIRO, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA), quick SOFA, and PIRO tools. METHODS: A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted. Two thousand fifty-five patient medical records were reviewed, with 103 identified as meeting the inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Compared with the other tools, mPIRO ≥ 4 achieved better sensitivity (90.5%) in predicting mortality and high sensitivity (72%) and specificity (80%) in predicting adverse events. mPIRO was the most accurate predictor of mortality (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] = 0.83) among the tools considered. SOFA and mPIRO were the first and second most accurate predictor of adverse events, respectively, with respective AUC values of 0.86 and 0.82. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: mPIRO, which employs an easy-to-use scoring system, is a valid assessment tool with good sensitivity and AUC for predicting both mortality and adverse events in patients with surgical sepsis. We recommend using mPIRO ≥ 3 as an indicator of potential adverse events.

Health-related quality of life, medical resource use and physical function in patients with diabetes mellitus and depression: A cross-sectional analysis from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

BACKGROUND: Patients with either diabetes (DM) or depression (DP) are prone to developing other diseases and require more medical resources than do the general population. This study aimed to examine health-related quality of life, medical resource use, and physical function of patients with both diabetes mellitus and depression, and the magnitude of effects among patients with different combinations of comorbid diseases. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 2009 to 2014. Total 16,159 patients were studied and classified into one of 4 groups: both DM and DP(DM+/DP+), DM+/without DP(DP-), without DM (DM-)/DP+, and DM-/DP-, according to the perceived score in Patient Health Questionnaire and diabetes questionnaire in NHANES. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL), medical resource use, and physical function were measured as outcomes of interests. Multivariate logistic regression models were used. RESULTS: Compared with DM-/DP- patients, the DM+/DP+ (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 2.59; 95 % CI: 1.77-3.80) and DM-/DP+ (AOR: 2.44; 95 % CI: 1.94-3.06) had greater likely to have worse health. In addition, the DM+/DP+ (AOR: 5.40; 95 % CI: 1.30-22.41) and DM+/DP- (AOR: 2.49; 95 % CI: 1.91-3.25) were more likely to have medical visits, and worse physical function. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that both depression and diabetes mellitus worsen HRQoL, increase medical resource use, and decrease physical function. Depression status should be considered by clinicians treating diabetes mellitus patients in order to improve their HRQoL, reduce medical resource use, and improve physical function.

Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Offspring Conceived via In Vitro Fertilization vs Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection.

Importance: Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), the most common type of assisted reproductive technology (ART), might damage the sperm or embryo. The implications of male infertility and ICSI for the neurodevelopmental health of offspring remain unknown. Objective: To analyze the risks of neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring of couples with male or female infertility with or without ICSI use. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study was conducted in Taiwan and used information collected from the national population registry data set, national birth data set, and national ART data set for all live singleton births from January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2016. The follow-up period started from the date of birth until the diagnosis of a disorder or December 31, 2018, whichever occurred first. Data were analyzed from July 1, 2021, to August 1, 2022. Exposures: Male or female infertility with or without ICSI. Main Outcomes and Measures: The outcome was the incidence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and developmental delay in offspring with ART conception. Taiwan's national population registry data set was used to identify ASD, ADHD, and developmental delay diagnosed in outpatient clinic and hospitalization records. Results: The study included 1 575 971 singleton births (mean [SD] age, 5.87 [2.60] years; 819 389 boys [52.0%]), of whom 1 568 257 (99.5%) had natural conception, 2111 (0.1%) had ART conception with male infertility, and 5603 (0.4%) had ART conception with female infertility. The risks of ASD (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.49; 95% CI, 1.61-3.84; P < .001) and developmental delay (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.54-2.39; P < .001) in offspring with ART conception and ICSI use were significantly higher than those in offspring with natural conception. The same results were found in offspring of couples with either male or female infertility and ICSI intervention. Conclusions and Relevance: Results of this study suggest that male infertility was not associated with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring. In both male and female infertility groups, ICSI had unfavorable implications for the neurodevelopmental health of offspring in terms of increased risks of ASD and developmental delay.

Mortality and related risk factors in the co-presentation of tuberculosis and type 2 diabetes mellitus: a population-based study.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are often immunosuppressed and susceptible to infectious diseases. We investigated the mortality and related risk factors of active TB disease in patients with T2DM in Taiwan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data of 1258 patients diagnosed with both T2DM and active TB disease from January 1 to December 31, 2002 (T2DM-TB group) were retrieved from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. Patients in the T2DM-TB group were matched by age, sex, and comorbidities to a control group of 10,064 T2DM patients without TB disease (T2DM group). Patients were followed up since TB diagnosis until death or 31 December 2011. Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis was employed to compare the risk of death between the T2DM group and the T2DM-TB group. RESULTS: A total of 101,837 potentially eligible patients were included in the study. After 1:10 propensity score matching, 1,258 patients were classified in the T2DM-TB group and 10,064 patients in the T2DM group. After adjustment for age, sex and comorbidities, the T2DM-TB group showed a 2.16-fold higher mortality risk than the T2DM group (95% CI = 1.83-2.56, p < .001). The mortality risk remained higher after stratification by year. The log-rank test indicated that male sex, age ≥60 years, hypertension and heart failure were independent risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: TB increases mortality risk in patients with T2DM on long-term follow-up. The independent risk factors for mortality in patients with concurrent T2DM and TB disease include male sex, age ≥60 years, hypertension and heart failure.KEY MESSAGESThe co-presentation of T2DM and TB is an important emerging issue, especially in Asia.This study showed mortality risk was significantly higher in the T2DM-TB group compared with the T2DM group on long-term follow-up.Increased medical attention is necessary for patients with T2DM and a history of TB disease.

Clinical presentations and prognosis of metformin-associated lactic acidosis patients in the intensive care unit: A 20-year survey.

METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 82 adult patients with MALA admitted to the ICU over 20 years. The association between the clinical parameters and mortality post-MALA was estimated using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Patients with MALA admitted to the ICU presented with clinical symptoms mainly associated with the head (40.24%), chest (41.46%), and abdomen (35.37%). Additionally, the PLL distribution significantly varied with age, APACHE II = Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score, various laboratory parameters like nadir arterial bicarbonate level, multiple treatment modalities such as renal replacement therapy, and mortality. The overall mortality rate was 17.07%. After adjustment of age and gender, the significant predictors of mortality were APACHE II score, PLL, vasoactive support, ventilator support, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. CONCLUSIONS: Despite MALA being a rare event, it is necessary to evaluate its clinical characteristics, especially the associated PLL and mortality. In the current study, higher levels of APACHE II score and PLL show a greater likelihood of mortality in MALA patients.

Clinical Patterns of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Ischemic Heart Disease Treatment: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Background and objectives: Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) are widely prescribed to relieve ischemic heart disease (IHD); however, no cohort studies have been conducted on the use of TCMs for patients with IHD. The aim of the study was to analyze TCM prescription patterns for patients with IHD. Materials and Methods: The retrospective population-based study employed a randomly sampled cohort of 4317 subjects who visited TCM clinics. Data were obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) of Taiwan for the period covering 2000 to 2017. Data analysis focused on the top ten most commonly prescribed formulae and single TCMs. We also examined the most common two- and three-drug combinations of TCM in single prescriptions. Demographic characteristics included age and sex distributions. Analysis was performed on 22,441 prescriptions. Results: The majority of TCM patients were male (53.6%) and over 50 years of age (65.1%). Zhi-Gan-Cao-Tang (24.76%) was the most frequently prescribed formulae, and Danshen (28.89%) was the most frequently prescribed single TCM for the treatment of IHD. The most common two- and three-drug TCM combinations were Xue-Fu-Zhu-Yu-Tang and Danshen" (7.51%) and "Zhi-Gan-Cao-Tang, Yang-Xin-Tang, and Gua-Lou-Xie-Bai-Ban-Xia-Tang" (2.79%). Conclusions: Our results suggest that most of the frequently prescribed TCMs for IHD were Qi toning agents that deal with cardiovascular disease through the promotion of blood circulation. The widespread use of these drugs warrants large-scale, randomized clinical trials to investigate their effectiveness and safety.

Short- and long-term recurrence of early-stage invasive ductal carcinoma in middle-aged and old women with different treatments.

Most new cases and the highest mortality rates of breast cancer occur among middle-aged and old women. The recurrence rate of early-stage invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) among women aged ≥ 50 years and receiving different treatments remains unclear. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine these rates. We used Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data for this nationwide population-based cohort study. All women aged ≥ 50 years and diagnosed with early-stage IDC between 2000 and 2015 were identified and divided into three treatment groups, namely, breast conservation therapy (BCT), mastectomy alone (MAS), and mastectomy with radiation therapy (MAS + RT). The recurrence rates of IDC among these groups were then compared. The BCT group had a lower short-term recurrence risk than the MAS and MAS + RT groups (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.00 vs. 2.90 [95% CI 1.36-2.66] vs. 2.07 [95% CI 0.97-4.44]); however, the BCT group also had a higher long-term recurrence risk than MAS and MAS + RT groups (HR 1.00 vs. 0.30 [95% CI 0.26-0.35] vs. 0.43 [95% CI 0.30-0.63]). The high long-term recurrence rate of the BCT group was especially prominent at the 10- and 15-year follow-ups. The results provide valuable evidence of the most reliable treatment strategy for this population. Further studies including more variables and validation in other countries are warranted to confirm our findings.

Associations between dietary patterns and stages of chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: Studies have revealed that patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have dietary patterns different from those of the general population. However, no studies have compared the dietary patterns of between patients with early-stages (stages 1-3a) and late-stages (stages 3b-5) of CKD. Our objective was to investigate the associations between dietary patterns in early and late-stage CKD. METHODS: We analyzed 4480 participants with CKD at various stages based on the data recorded between 2007 and 2016 from the database of the American National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. RESULTS: In total, 3683 and 797 participants had early and late-stage CKD, respectively. Through principal components analysis, the dietary intake dimension was reduced from 63 variables to 3 dietary patterns. We adopted logistic regression for analysis. The three dietary patterns are as follows: (1) saturated fatty acids and mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA); (2) vitamins and minerals; and (3) cholesterols and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). These 3 patterns explained > 50% of dietary nutrient intake. Results indicated that among participants with dietary patterns 2 (vitamins and minerals) and 3 (cholesterols and PUFA), those with low intakes were more likely to have late-stage CKD. The odds ratios for patterns 2 and 3 were 1.74 (95% CI: 1.21-2.50) and 1.66 (95% CI: 1.13-2.43), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that intakes of vitamins and minerals and cholesterols and PUFA were associated with the stages of CKD.

Healthcare burden and factors of type 2 diabetes mellitus with Schizophrenia.

This study investigated healthcare utilization and expenditure for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and schizophrenia and associated factors. Healthcare utilization (outpatient visits and hospitalization) and expenditure (outpatient, inpatient, and total medical expenditure) between 2002 and 2013 of patients with T2DM with schizophrenia (case group) and without (control group) were examined using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. (1) The average total numbers of outpatient visits and hospital admissions of the case group were 35.14 outpatient visits and 1.09 hospital admissions significantly higher than those of the control group in the whole study period (based on every 3-year period). Nonpsychiatric outpatient visits and nonpsychiatric hospital admissions were significantly more numerous for the case group. (2) The total outpatient expenditure, total inpatient expenditure, and total medical expenditure of the case group were NT$65,000, NT$170,000, and NT$235,000 significantly higher than those of the control group, respectively. Nonpsychiatric outpatient expenditure was significantly lower for the case group, but the inpatient and total nonpsychiatric medical expenditure were similar between groups. (3) Patients who were elder of low income, with complications, and high diabetes mellitus complication severity index had higher total numbers of outpatient visits and hospitalizations and medical expenditure. (4) Women had a higher number of outpatient visits but a lower number of hospitalization and medical expenditure. Lower non-psychiatric outpatient expenditure despite more visits indicated non-psychiatrist may not understand schizophrenia patients and cannot communicate well with them, leading to neglect of medical evaluation and treatment that should be carried out.

Pelvic inflammatory disease is associated with ovarian cancer development in women with endometriosis: A cohort study in Taiwan.

OBJECTIVE: Endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease are considered to be risk factors for ovarian cancer, as dysbiosis probably contributes to ovarian cancer development via chronic inflammation and immune response alteration. Therefore, we hypothesized that pelvic inflammatory disease predisposes to ovarian cancer development in women with endometriosis. METHODS: We selected patients who were diagnosed with endometriosis or pelvic inflammatory disease between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2015, in a 2 million longitudinal health and welfare database in Taiwan with cancer and death registries. Patients were divided into five groups: (1) those with endometriosis, (2) those with pelvic inflammatory disease, (3) those with endometriosis diagnosed before pelvic inflammatory disease, (4) those with pelvic inflammatory disease diagnosed before endometriosis, and (5) healthy women. Propensity score matching with inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to adjust for covariates across the study groups. RESULTS: The risk of ovarian cancer was significantly higher in women with endometriosis and subsequent pelvic inflammatory disease than in those with endometriosis alone (hazard ratio 8.07; 95% confidence interval 4.53-14.37; P < 0.001). The same result was found for ovarian cancer incidence per 1000 person-years. CONCLUSION: Our data show that pelvic inflammatory disease is associated with cancer development in women with pre-existing endometriosis.

Association Between Atopic Keratoconjunctivitis and the Risk of Recurrent Corneal Erosion.

Purpose: To investigate the risk of recurrent corneal erosion (RCE) in patients with atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC). Methods: This national, retrospective, matched cohort study enrolled 184,166 newly-diagnosed AKC patients, selected from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database and identified by the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) code 372.05. The control group comprised 184,166 non-AKC patients matched by age, sex, and potential comorbidities and they were selected from the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database, 2000. Information from patients was gathered from 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2011, and both groups were traced from the index date until December 2013. The incidence and risk of RCE (ICD-9-CM code 361.42) was compared between the groups. The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for RCE was obtained by a Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. The Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to calculate the cumulative incidence of RCE. Results: In total, 564 AKC patients and 406 non-AKC controls developed RCE during the follow-up span. The incidence of RCE was 1.45 times higher in AKC patients than in controls (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.27-1.64; P < 0.0001). After adjusting for potential confounders, including diabetes mellitus, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, corneal transplantation, ocular blunt trauma, corneal dystrophy, and band keratopathy, AKC patients were 1.36 times more likely to develop RCE than controls (adjusted HR, 1.36; 95% CI = 1.19-1.54; p < 0.05). Conclusions: AKC Patients had an increased risk of developing RCE and should be informed of this risk.

Association between chronic kidney disease and the most common corneal ectasia disease (keratoconus): a nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Both keratoconus (KCN) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are multifactorial conditions with multiple aetiologies and share several common pathophysiologies. However, the few studies that have described the relationship between KCN and CKD are limited to case reports and small case series. This study aimed to evaluate the association between KCN and CKD. METHODS: The study cohort included 4,609 new-onset keratoconus patients ≥ 12 years identified by the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, code 371.6 and recruited between 2004 and 2011 from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. The age-, sex-, and comorbidity-matched control group included 27,654 non-KCN patients, selected from the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database, 2000. Information for each patient was collected and tracked from the index date until December 2013. The incidence and risk of CKD were compared between the two groups. The adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for CKD were calculated with Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to calculate the cumulative CKD incidence rate. RESULTS: The incidence rate of CKD was 1.36 times higher in KCN patients than in controls without statistically significant difference (95 % confidence interval [CI] = 0.99-1.86, p = 0.06). In total, 29 male KCN patients and 90 male controls developed CKD during the follow-up period. The incidence rate of CKD was 1.92 times (95 % [CI] = 1.26-2.91; p = 0.002) higher in male KCN patients than in controls. After adjusting for potential confounders, including age, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, and diabetes mellitus, male KCN patients were 1.75 times (adjusted HR = 1.75, 95 % [CI] = 1.14-2.68, p < 0.05) more likely to develop CKD. CONCLUSIONS: We found that male KCN patients have an increased risk of CKD. Therefore, it is recommended that male KCN patients should be aware of CKD.

Association between atopic keratoconjunctivitis and the risk of keratoconus.

PURPOSE: To investigate the risk of keratoconus (KCN) in patients with atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC). METHODS: This nationwide, retrospective, matched cohort study included 186 202 newly diagnosed AKC patients who were identified by the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM), code 372.05, and selected from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. The age- and sex-matched control group included 186 202 non-AKC patients selected from the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000. Patient information was collected between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2011, and both groups of patients were tracked from the index date until December 2013. The incidence and risk of KCN (ICD-9-CM, code 371.6) were compared between the groups. A Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was performed to obtain the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for KCN. The cumulative KCN incidence rate was calculated with the Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS: In total, 62 AKC patients and 26 controls developed KCN during the follow-up period. The incidence rate of KCN was 2.49 times (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.57-3.93; p < 0.0001) higher in AKC patients than in controls. After adjusting for potential confounders, AKC patients were 2.25 times more likely to develop KCN than controls (adjusted HR, 2.25; 95% CI = 1.41-3.58; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC) patients had an increased risk of developing KCN. Therefore, AKC patients should be advised of this risk.

Competing risk analysis of the association between dementia and major depressive disorder: a nationwide population-based study in Taiwan.

Objectives: To investigate the association between major depressive disorder (MDD) and the competing risk of Alzheimer's dementia (AD) and non-Alzheimer's dementia (NAD) using a nationwide population-based health insurance database.Methods: From Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database, we extracted claims data of 13,067 patients with MDD and 52,268 non-MDD controls matched by index date, age, sex, geographical area, monthly income, and selected comorbidities through propensity score matching. Follow-up durations in person-years were calculated for each person until dementia diagnosis, death, or the end of 2013. Competing incident risks of AD and NAD between patients with MDD and non-MDD.Results: In this study, 335 (2.6%) of the 13,067 MDD patients and 313 (0.6%) of the 52,268 non-MDDs developed AD. During the follow-up period, 73 (0.59%) of the 13,067 MDD patients developed NAD and 80 (0.15%) of the 52,268 non-MDD developed NAD. The patients with MDD had 4.73 and 3.69 times higher risks of AD (adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio [SHR] 4.73; 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.05-5.52) and NAD (adjusted SHR 3.69; 95% CI 2.68-5.08), respectively, than the controls.Conclusions: The patients with MDD had significantly higher incidence rates of AD and NAD than the controls, in particular among aged 65 and above. Additional studies are required to clarify the underlying pathophysiology between the MDD-dementia association and investigate whether prompt intervention in MDD can reduce the risk of dementia.

Association of hernia with subsequent aortic aneurysm in geriatric patients.

OBJECTIVE: Although inguinal hernia and aortic aneurysm share similar pathogenic mechanisms of collagen and elastin destruction, their clinical association in geriatric patients is inconclusive. We assessed the association between hernia and the subsequent occurrence of aortic aneurysm in geriatric patients. METHODS: Adult patients with hernias between 2000 and 2012 were identified from a longitudinal claims database of 1 million beneficiaries from Taiwan's National Health Insurance program, and a control group of patients without hernia were matched by propensity score in a ratio of 1:3. Patients previously diagnosed with aortic aneurysms or connective tissue diseases were excluded. Follow-up ended on December 31, 2013. The incidence rate of aortic aneurysm was compared between patients with hernia and those without. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate relative hazards. RESULTS: After propensity score matching, there were 16,933 patients with hernia (aged 20-64 years: 10,326; ≥65 years: 6607) and 50,799 patients without hernia (aged 20-64: 30,978; ≥65: 19,821). Patients with hernia had a greater incidence rate and hazard ratio of aortic aneurysm than did patients without hernia (6.4 vs 4.8/10,000 person-years; adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio [sdHR], 1.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.76; P = .03), especially for those aged ≥65 years (15.6 vs 10.4/10,000 person-years; adjusted sdHR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.07-1.94; P = .01) In addition, geriatric patients with hernia were associated with a marginally greater risk of thoracic (adjusted sdHR, 1.66; 95% CI, 0.96-2.86) and abdominal (adjusted sdHR, 1.36; 95% CI, 0.96-1.94) aortic aneurysm rupture. CONCLUSIONS: Geriatric patients with hernia were associated with a greater incidence of aortic aneurysm than were those without.