The efficacy and acceptability of anti-inflammatory omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplements in sepsis management: a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Sepsis is a critical medical condition associated with high mortality for patients. Current pharmacological strategies for sepsis management or prevention had not achieved satisfactory results. The omega-3 fatty acids, with anti-inflammatory benefits, are considered to be promising agents for sepsis management/prevention. The aim of this network meta-analysis (NMA) is to compare the efficacy of various dosages and formulations of fish oil supplements for sepsis management and sepsis prevention. The current NMA consisted of two parts: (1) sepsis management and (2) sepsis prevention. The PubMed, ClinicalKey, Embase, ProQuest, Cochrane CENTRAL, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were systematically searched to date of February 22nd, 2024 for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). RCTs were eligible for inclusion if they enrolled participants with a diagnosis of sepsis or who with high risk for sepsis. All NMA procedures were conducted under the frequentist model. The primary outcomes assessed are (1) mortality rate in sepsis treatment or (2) incidence of sepsis in sepsis prevention. Our NMA, based on 28 RCTs and 1718 participants (mean age=51.6 years, mean female proportion=35.6 %), showed that (1) high dose parenteral fish oil supplement yield the lowest mortality rate in sepsis management in adult patients, and (2) high dose enteral fish oil supplement yield the lowest incidence of sepsis in pediatric patients. This study provides compelling evidence that high-dose fish oil supplements provide beneficial effects for both sepsis management and sepsis prevention. Our findings provide a preliminary rationale for future large-scale RCTs to investigate the role of fish oil supplementation in sepsis management or prevention.

Renal protective effect of metformin in type 2 diabetes patients.

BACKGROUND: Inhibiting the development and progression of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is an important issue, but the renoprotective effect of metformin is still controversial. AIMS: To assess the renoprotective effect of metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: This retrospective observational multicenter cohort study included 316,693 patients with type 2 diabetes from seven hospital. After age, gender, medical year, baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), urine protein (dipstick), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) and propensity score matching; a total of 13,096 metformin and 13,096 non-metformin patients were included. The main results were doubling of serum creatinine, eGFR ≤ 15 mL/min/1.73 m2 and end stage kidney disease (ESKD). RESULTS: After conducting a multivariable logistic regression analysis on the variables, the metformin group was revealed to have better renal outcomes than non-metformin group, including a lower incidence of doubling of serum creatinine (hazard ratio [HR], 0.71; 95% CI, 0.65-0.77), eGFR ≤ 15 mL/min/1.73 m2 (HR 0.61; 95% CI 0.53-0.71), and ESKD (HR 0.55; 95% CI 0.47-0.66). The subgroup analyses revealed a consistent renoprotective effect across patients with various renal functions. Furthermore, when considering factors such as age, sex, comorbidities, and medications in subgroup analyses, it consistently showed that the metformin group experienced a slower deterioration in renal function across nearly all patient subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Metformin decreased the risk of renal function deterioration.

Role of Peritoneal Equilibration Test in Assessing Folate Transport During Peritoneal Dialysis.

OBJECTIVES: Low plasma folate levels have been reported in patients undergoing hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis (PD) in clinical studies. However, folate transport has never been mentioned as a factor contributing to low plasma folate levels in patients undergoing PD. The peritoneal equilibrium test (PET) assesses the plasma creatinine level and glucose transport abilities. This study aimed to evaluate the association between plasma folate levels and folate transport during PD based on PET grades. METHODS: This study recruited 50 patients who underwent PD for ≥3 months and were categorized according to PET grades. Data regarding plasma folate levels and dialysate folate were collected. The primary outcomes were the relationship between the PET grade and plasma folate level and between the PET grade and dialysate-to-plasma folate concentration ratio (D/P folate). Furthermore, the difference in the plasma folate level and D/P folate between men and women was assessed. RESULTS: The plasma folate level and the D/P folate significantly differed among the 4 PET groups (both P < .001). PET grade was significantly negatively correlated with plasma folate levels (r = -0.56, P < .001) and positively correlated with D/P folate (r = 0.686, P < .001). In subgroup analysis, neither the plasma folate level nor the D/P folate significantly differed between men and women. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides clinical evidence that the PET grade is associated with the plasma folate level and D/P folate, regardless of sex. Larger cohort studies are warranted to assess the importance of folate supplementation during PD based on PET grades.

Phosphate burden induces vascular calcification through a NLRP3-caspase-1-mediated pyroptotic pathway.

AIMS: The aim of this study is to clarify the role of NLRP3 inflammasome in phosphate burden-induced vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) calcification. MAIN METHODS: VSMC calcification was induced using a high concentration of inorganic phosphate. After pharmacological inhibition or genetic silencing of the NLRP3 inflammasome, pyroptosis, or potassium efflux, the cells were examined by RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence, and western blotting to identify the NLRP3-mediated pathway for VSMC calcification. KEY FINDINGS: Calcified VSMCs with α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) disarray presented features of pyroptosis, including caspase-1 maturation, cleaved gasdermin D (GSDMD), and a high supernatant level of lactate dehydrogenase A. Pharmacological inhibitions of caspase-1 and pyroptosis attenuated VSMC calcification, whereas interleukin-1ß receptor antagonism did not. Unlike canonical NLRP3 activation, osteogenic VSMCs did not upregulate NLRP3 expression. However, NLRP3 genetic silencing or inhibitions, which targets different domains of the NLRP3 protein, could ameliorate VSMC calcification by aborting caspase-1 and GSDMD activation. Furthermore, potassium efflux through the inward-rectifier potassium channel, and not through the P2X7 receptor, triggered NLRP3 inflammasome activation and VSMC calcification. SIGNIFICANCE: In the present study, we identified a potassium efflux-triggered NLRP3-caspase-1-mediated pyroptotic pathway for VSMC calcification that is unique and different from the canonical NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Therefore, targeting this pathway may serve as a novel therapeutic strategy for vascular calcification.

Examining Health Literacy in Taiwanese Smoking Cessation Populations: A Multidimensional Evaluation of Sociodemographic Factors and Domain-Specific Competencies.

BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking is a serious global health issue. Limited studies previously analyzed health literacy components in patients undergoing smoking cessation interventions. This study focuses on individuals enrolled in smoking cessation services and investigates the distribution of health literacy in three domains (health care, disease prevention, and health promotion) and four abilities (access, understand, appraise, and apply health information). The study also explores the correlation between background factors (age, BMI, etc.) and health literacy, as well as the differences in health literacy levels among different background variables (gender, etc.). METHODS: 228 individuals completed the health literacy questionnaire. Descriptive statistical analysis, Pearson Correlation, and a Chi-Squared Test were employed to investigate the various health literacy levels and background variables. RESULTS: 68% had excellent or sufficient health literacy. A total of 32% were considered problematic or to have inadequate health literacy. Of the three domains of health literacy, participants performed better in the healthcare domain. More than one-third were problematic in accessing and appraising information. CONCLUSIONS: this paper, being the pilot study in providing an analysis of health literacy components in individuals undergoing smoking cessation, could serve as a useful reference for devising interventions for different population groups in trying to maximize successful cessation rates.

Evaluation of the Impact of Remote Monitoring Using the Sharesource Connectivity Platform on Adherence to Automated Peritoneal Dialysis in 51 Patients.

BACKGROUND This study from a single center in Taiwan aimed to evaluate the impact of remote patient monitoring (RPM) using the Sharesource connectivity platform on adherence to automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) in 51 patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS We analyzed data on 51 patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) under APD. They were treated with a traditional APD machine HomeChoice (phase 1), changed to new APD machine HomeChoice Claria for 12 weeks (phase 2), then connected to the Sharesource platform for another 12 weeks (phase 3), and were followed up for 1 year. The non-adherence rate was compared between the 3 phases. The secondary outcomes included peritonitis rate, hospitalization rate, and hospitalization days, 1 year before and after receiving a new APD machine. Patients were subdivided into good and poor adherence (>1 episode of non-adherence in phase 1) groups for further analysis. RESULTS The average non-adherence rates were 10.5%, 5.1%, and 4.9% in phases 1, 2, and 3, respectively, although differences were not significant. Serum potassium (P<0.0001) and C-reactive protein (CRP) (P=0.026) levels significantly decreased in phase 3. The 1-year peritonitis rate, hospitalization rate, and number of days of hospitalization showed no significant changes. Subgroup analysis revealed that the non-adherence rate in the poor adherence group decreased from 48.4% in phase 1 to 14.2% and 12.4% in phases 2 and 3, respectively (P=0.007). CONCLUSIONS Remoting monitoring using the Sharesource connectivity platform increased dialysis adherence in APD treatment, especially in patients with poor adherence. Serum potassium level and inflammation status were also improved by this system.

All-Cause Standardized Mortality Ratio in Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are at a higher mortality risk compared with the general population. Previous studies have described a relationship between mortality and patients with ESRD, but the data on standardized mortality ratio (SMR) corresponding to different causes of death in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) are limited. This study was designed as a nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study. Incident dialysis patients between January 2000 and December 2015 in Taiwan were included. Using data acquired from the Taiwan Death Registry, SMR values were calculated and compared with the overall survival. The results showed there were a total of 128,966 patients enrolled, including 117,376 incident HD patients and 11,590 incident PD patients. It was found that 75,297 patients (58.4%) died during the period of 2000-2017. The overall SMR was 5.21. The neoplasms SMR was 2.11; the endocrine, nutritional, metabolic, and immunity disorders SMR was 13.53; the circulatory system SMR was 4.31; the respiratory system SMR was 2.59; the digestive system SMR was 6.1; and the genitourinary system SMR was 27.22. Therefore, more attention should be paid to these diseases in clinical care.

Long-term mortality rates of young stroke in Taiwan: A decade-long epidemiology population-based study.

Introduction: Stroke remains a leading cause of death worldwide. Stroke in young adults is an important issue, gaining extra attention in recent years. This study aims to investigate the mortality after stroke in young adults in Taiwan. Patients and methods: This is a registry- and population-based study in Taiwan of patients aged 20-50 years with first-ever stroke between 1999 and 2012, with follow-up until January 1, 2022. Patients and mortalities were identified through Taiwan National Health Insurance database. Results: The study population included 65,097 patients with stroke (mean age, 42.6 ± 6.6 years; 30.5% woman). There were 23,481 (36.1%) intracranial hemorrhage, 37,522 (57.6%) ischemic stroke, and 4094 (6.3%) stroke not otherwise specified. At the end of follow-up, a total of 18,248 deaths (28.0%) occurred during a median follow-up of 9.8 years (interquartile range, 6.4-13.7 years). Conclusion: Taiwan young adults who were 30-day survivors of first-ever stroke have significantly higher long-term mortality rates when compared to other population-based studies.

The use of a low-flux hemo-dialyzer is associated with impaired platelet aggregation in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis.

In patients with chronic hemodialysis (HD), both abnormal thrombotic and bleeding events are commonly observed. Uremic platelet dysfunction is one of the important attributing factors. Moreover, HD may also result in aggregation dysfunction of platelets during the therapeutic procedure. However, how the HD process affects platelet and coagulation function is unknown and dialyzer membrane flux could have an impact on it. We aimed to compare the impacts of low-flux and high-flux HD on the platelet function of patients undergoing chronic HD. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the HD unit of E-Da hospital in Taiwan. A total of 78 patients with maintenance HD three times per week for more than one year, including 40 with high- and 38 with low-flux hemodialysis, were recruited. Their platelet functions were evaluated using an in vitro platelet function analyzer (PFA-100) before and after the HD session. Of the 78 patients undergoing HD, 60 (76%) had prolonged pre-dialysis collagen/epinephrine (CEPI) and collagen/adenosine diphosphate closure times. Those receiving low-flux dialyzer had a significant increase in CEPI closure time (pre-dialysis 212.3 ±â€…62.1 seconds. post-dialysis 241.5 ±â€…64.3 seconds, P = .01), but not collagen/adenosine diphosphate closure time, after HD. After adjusting confounding factors, only the low-flux dialyzer demonstrated an independent association with the prolonged CEPI closure time after HD therapy (odds ratio = 23.31, 95% CI: 1.94-280.61, P = .01). We observed that impaired platelet aggregation is prevalent in patients undergoing chronic HD. Therefore, the use of low-flux dialyzers may further worsen platelet aggregation after dialysis. Patients with uremic bleeding diathesis should take precautions. We suggest that further studies using flow cytometry should be conducted to explore the mechanism of dialysis flux and platelet activity during HD.

Antibody Response and Adverse Events of AZD1222 COVID-19 Vaccination in Patients Undergoing Dialysis: A Prospective Cohort Study.

This study observed the antibody response and adverse events of AZD1222 (Oxford/AstraZeneca) vaccination in dialysis patients. A prospective cohort study was conducted in E-Da Healthcare Group hospitals between 1 July and 30 November 2021. Patients receiving hemodialysis (HD, n = 204) or peritoneal dialysis (PD, n = 116) were enrolled alongside healthy subjects (control, n = 34). Anti-SARS-CoV-2 S1 RBD IgG antibodies were measured before the first vaccination (T0), four to six weeks afterwards (T1), one week before the second dose (T2), and four to six weeks afterwards (T3). Adverse events were recorded one week after each dose. The positive IgG rates in the HD (T1: 72%; T2: 62%) and PD (T1: 69%; T2: 70%) groups were lower than the control group (T1: 97%; T2: 91%), with lower median antibody titers. At T3, the positive antibody response rates (HD: 94%; PD: 93%; control: 100%) and titers were similar. Titers were higher after the second dose in all groups. Adverse events were more severe after the first dose and less common with HD than PD or controls. Dialysis patients exhibited lower antibody responses than controls after the first dose of the AZD1222 vaccine but achieved similar responses after consecutive vaccination. Age, health status, two vaccine doses, and alcohol consumption may influence antibody levels.

A Mice Model of Chlorhexidine Gluconate-Induced Peritoneal Damage.

Peritoneal fibrosis is an important complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD). To investigate and address this problem, an appropriate animal model of PD is required. The present protocol establishes a chlorhexidine gluconate (CG) induced peritoneal fibrosis model that mimics the condition of a patient with PD. Peritoneal fibrosis was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 0.1% of CG in 15% ethanol for 3 weeks (administered every other day), for a total of nine times in male C57BL/6 mice. Peritoneal functional tests were then performed on day 22. After the mice were sacrificed, the parietal peritoneum of the abdominal wall and the visceral peritoneum of the liver were harvested. They were thicker and more fibrotic when analyzed microscopically after Masson's trichrome staining. The ultrafiltration rate decreased, and glucose mass transport indicated a CG-induced increase in peritoneal permeability. The PD model thus established may have applications in improving PD technology, dialysis efficacy, and prolonging patient survival.

Protein energy wasting-based nutritional assessment predicts outcomes of acute ischemic stroke and solves the epidemiologic paradox.

OBJECTIVE: Overweight and hyperlipidemia, the two established risk factors for acute ischemic stroke, are paradoxically associated with favorable outcomes. The paradox may be resolved by the concept of protein energy wasting (PEW), in which total cholesterol level and body mass index are used as nutritional indexes for predicting outcomes of chronic kidney disease. METHODS: Among 12 271 people with acute ischemic stroke and chronic kidney disease, 2086 were defined as being at risk of PEW-with a body mass index <22 kg/m2 plus either a serum albumin level <38 g/L or a total cholesterol level <4.14 mmol/L (160 mg/dL) without the use of lipid-lowering drugs-and all the others were a control group. The hazards of PEW for mortality and functional outcomes were evaluated using propensity score matching and multivariate Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: Based on the propensity score, 2081 PEW participants were matched to the same number of non-PEW control participants. PEW was associated with a higher mortality risk at 3 mo (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.42) and 1 y (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.33; 95% CI1.13-1.52). PEW was also associated with poor functional outcomes (modified Rankin Scale score >2) at 1 mo (adjusted odds ratio, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.08-1.61) and 3 mo (adjusted odds ratio, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.03-1.56). CONCLUSIONS: According to the PEW-based assessment system, a modest decrease in body mass index and total cholesterol levels suggests malnutrition and is associated with adverse outcomes of acute ischemic stroke.

Association between ADAMTS13 deficiency and cardiovascular events in chronic hemodialysis patients.

A mild decrease of ADAMTS13 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospodin type 1 motif 13) could attribute to stroke and coronary heart disease in general population. However, the role of ADAMTS13 in hemodialysis (HD) patients remains to be explored. This cross-sectional and observational cohort study enrolled 98 chronic HD patients and 100 normal subjects with the aims to compare the ADAMTS13 activity between chronic HD patients and normal subjects, and to discover the role of ADAMTS13 on the newly developed cardiovascular events for HD patients in a 2-year follow-up. Our HD patients had a significantly lower ADAMTS13 activity than normal subjects, 41.0 ± 22.8% versus 102.3 ± 17.7%, p < 0.001. ADAMTS13 activity was positively correlated with diabetes, triglyceride and hemoglobin A1c, and negatively with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in HD patients. With a follow-up of 20.3 ± 7.3 months, the Cox proportional hazards model revealed that low ADAMTS13, comorbid diabetes, and coronary heart diseases have independent correlations with the development of cardiovascular events. Our study demonstrated that chronic HD patients have a markedly decreased ADAMTS13 activity than normal subjects. Although ADAMTS13 seems to correlate well with diabetes, high triglyceride and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, ADAMTS13 deficiency still carries an independent risk for cardiovascular events in chronic HD patients.

Smoking Status and Functional Outcomes in Young Stroke.

Objective: Stroke in young adults is uncommon, and the etiologies and risk factors of stroke in young adults differ from those in older populations. Smoker's paradox is an unexpected favorable outcome, and age difference is used to explain the association between smoking and the favorable functional outcome. This study aimed to investigate the existence of this phenomenon in young stroke patients. Methods: We analyzed a total of 9,087 young stroke cases registered in the nationwide stroke registry system of Taiwan between 2006 and 2016. Smoking criteria included having a current history of smoking more than one cigarette per day for more than 6 months. After matching for sex and age, a Cox model was used to compare mortality and function outcomes between smokers and non-smokers. Results: Compared with the non-smoker group, smoking was associated with older age, higher comorbidities, and higher alcohol consumption. Patients who report smoking with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores of 11-15 had a worse functional outcome (adjusted odds ratio, 0.81; 95% confidence interval, 0.76 - 0.87). Conclusion: Smokers had a higher risk of unfavorable functional outcomes at 3 months after stroke, and therefore, we continue to strongly advocate the importance of smoking cessation.

Evaluation of the 10 Years' Association Between DXA Screening and Mortality in Patients Who Received Vertebroplasty in the Taiwan Population.

BACKGROUND: Osteoporotic fractures are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality affecting population worldwide. All guidelines recommended vertebral fracture assessment by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). This study aimed at evaluation of any associated benefits of screening with DXA in patients who had received vertebroplasty in Taiwan. METHODS: Data were obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) in Taiwan. We retrospectively compared the data of patients, who were admitted for vertebroplasty, whether they received DXA screening or not. The outcomes of interest were recurrence of spinal fracture and mortality during a follow-up period of 10 years. RESULTS: From this Taiwan national database, the screening rate of osteoporosis in patient who received vertebroplasty was 11.7%. The mean age in the non-DXA screened cohort (n=32,986) was 74.03±12.21 years (71.98% female). In the DXA screened cohort (n=4361), the mean age was 76.43±9.19 years (79.91% female). During the 10-year follow-up period, after matching, non-DXA patients had significantly higher mortality rates than their DXA counterparts, which were 42.37% and 37.73% (p-value < 0.0001), respectively. The re-fracture rates between non-DXA and DXA patients were not significantly different at 17.26% and 16.89% (p-value = 0.1766), respectively. CONCLUSION: The rate of DXA screening before patients receiving vertebroplasty was extremely low, at 11.7%. Our results showed that DXA screening before vertebroplasty in spinal fractures patients had lower mortality. From this national retrospective cohort study, routine screening of osteoporosis in spinal fracture patients can lead to reduction in mortality.

The Association of Urinary Sclerostin and Renal Magnesium Handling in Type 2 Diabetic Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease.

INTRODUCTION: Sclerostin could enhance renal excretion of calcium (Ca) and phosphate (P). The association between sclerostin and magnesium (Mg) has not yet discovered. In patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) or chronic kidney disease (CKD), higher serum sclerostin and altered renal excretion of Ca, P, and Mg were detected. Therefore, we tried to evaluate if there was any association between sclerostin and fractional excretion of Ca, P, and Mg (FeCa, FeP, and FeMg) in T2DM with CKD. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, 43 T2DM patients without CKD or with CKD stage 1-5 were enrolled. Values of parameters, including serum and urine sclerostin, were collected at baseline and 6 months later. For baseline data, the Mann-Whitney U test, χ2 test, or Spearman's correlation were used. For multivariate repeated measurement analysis, generalized estimating equation (GEE) model was utilized. RESULTS: Patients with lower estimated glomerular filtration rate had higher serum sclerostin, FeP, FeMg, and lower FeCa. By correlation analysis, serum sclerostin was negatively associated with FeCa (p = 0.02) and positively associated with FeP (p = 0.002). The urine sclerostin to creatinine ratio (Uscl/Ucre) was positively correlated with FeP (p = 0.007) and FeMg (p = 0.005). After multivariate analyses by GEE model, serum sclerostin was still inversely associated with FeCa, while Uscl/Ucre was significantly associated with FeMg. On the other hand, FeP lost its associations with serum sclerostin or Uscl/Ucre. CONCLUSION: In our study population of T2DM patients with or without CKD, the inverse correlation between serum sclerostin and FeCa could not be explained by the calciuric effect of sclerostin. In addition, a newly discovered positive association between urinary sclerostin and FeMg indicated a possible role of urinary sclerostin in regulating renal Mg handling especially over distal convoluted tubules.

Novel Application of Magnetite Nanoparticle-Mediated Vitamin D3 Delivery for Peritoneal Dialysis-Related Peritoneal Damage.

PURPOSE: Vitamin D3 is useful for the treatment of peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related peritoneal damage, but its side effects, such as hypercalcemia and vascular calcification, limit its applicability. Thus, we developed vitamin D-loaded magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and determined their therapeutic efficacy and side effects in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Alginate-modified MNPs were combined with 1α, 25 (OH)2D3 to generate vitamin D-loaded nanoparticles. The particles were conjugated with an antibody against peritoneum-glycoprotein M6A (GPM6A). The particles' ability to target the peritoneum was examined following intraperitoneal administration to mice and by monitoring their bio-distribution. We also established a PD animal model to determine the therapeutic and side effects of vitamin D-loaded MNPs in vivo. RESULTS: Vitamin D-loaded MNPs targeted the peritoneum better than vitamin D3, and had the same therapeutic effect as vitamin D3 in ameliorating peritoneal fibrosis and functional deterioration in a PD animal model. Most importantly, the particles reduced the side effects of vitamin D3, such as hypercalcemia and body weight loss, in mice. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D-loaded MNPs could be an ideal future therapeutic option to treat PD-related peritoneal damage.

Adjunctive Statin Therapy Reduces Mortality After Acute Hemorrhagic Stroke.

BACKGROUND: Statin treatment improves clinical outcomes in patients with ischemic strokes, although there is no evidence regarding the safety of statin therapy in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). This study aimed at evaluating the effects of continuing statin treatment after ICH. METHODS: Data were obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. We retrospectively compared the data of patients with and without statin exposure after ICH. The outcomes of interest were recurrence of hemorrhagic stroke and mortality during a follow-up period of 10 years. RESULTS: During the 10-year follow-up period, the mortality rate was 32.73% in the statin group and 42.77% in the non-statin group. Statin therapy in patients with acute ICH with dyslipidemia can decrease mortality. CONCLUSION: Statin therapy reduced the risk of 10-year mortality in patients who experienced acute hemorrhagic stroke.

Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Mortality in Patients With Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Taiwan.

Objective: Lower serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels are associated with increased intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) risk. However, reverse causality and residual confounding has not attracted public attention. Therefore, we assessed whether people with LDL-C have increased risk of mortality adjusting for potential confounders using two large Taiwan cohorts. Methods: The Mei-Jhao (MJ) cohort has 414,372 adults participating in a medical screening program with 378 ICH deaths within 15 years of follow-up (1994-2008). Cox proportional hazards regressions estimated hazard death ratios according to LDL-C levels. We identified 4,606 ICH patients from the Taiwan Stroke Registry (TSR) and analyzed the impact of LDL-C on 3-month mortality. Results: Low cholesterol (LDL-C <100 mg/dL), found in 1/4 of the MJ cohort, was highly prevalent (36%) among young adults (age 20-39). There was a graded relationship between cholesterol and mortality for ICH [Hazard ratio, 1.56; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.13-2.16]. Compared with patients with an LDL-C of 110-129 mg/dL in TSR, the risk for mortality was 1.84 (95% CI, 1.28-2.63) with an LDL-C of <100 mg/dL. Conclusion: Lower serum LDL-C level independently predicts higher mortality after acute ICH. While its causative role may vary, low cholesterol may pose potential harms in Taiwan.

Risk of Serious Falls Between Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: A Nationwide Population-based Cohort Study.

The association between serious falls and dialysis modality [hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD)] is unclear. A nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study with 127,823 end-stage renal disease patients aged over 18 years was conducted with the unmatched cohort of 101,304 HD and 7,584 PD patients retrieved from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database during 2000-2013. A total of 7,584 HD and 7,584 PD patients matched at 1:1 ratio by propensity score were enrolled to the study. Serious falls were defined by the diagnostic codes, E code, and image studies. Cox regression model and competing-risk model were used for statistical analysis. HD patients were older and had more comorbidities at baseline than PD patients. After matching and adjustment, HD patients had a higher risk of serious falls than PD patients [sHR 1.27 (95% CI 1.06-1.52)]. Females, elders, a history of falls before dialysis, comorbidity with stroke or visual problems, using diuretics, α-blockers, and mydriatics were associated with higher risks of serious falls among dialysis patients. The risk of serious falls was higher in HD patients than PD patients. Health professionals should create age-friendly environments, reduce unnecessary medications, and raise patients' awareness of falls in daily life.