Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Care between Family Physicians, Endocrinologists, and Other Internists in Taiwan: A Retrospective Population-Based Cohort Study.

(1) Background: We aimed to determine whether physicians of different specialties perform differently in the monitoring, cost control, and prevention of acute outcomes in diabetes care. (2) Methods: Using data from the Health and Welfare Data Science Center, participants with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (n = 206,819) were classified into three cohorts based on their primary care physician during the first year of diagnosis: family medicine (FM), endocrinologist, and other internal medicine (IM). The three cohorts were matched in a pairwise manner (FM (n = 28,269) vs.

Automatic segmentation of paravertebral muscles in abdominal CT scan by U-Net: The application of data augmentation technique to increase the Jaccard ratio of deep learning.

Sarcopenia, characterized by a decline of skeletal muscle mass, has emerged as an important prognostic factor for cancer patients. Trunk computed tomography (CT) is a commonly used modality for assessment of cancer disease extent and treatment outcome. CT images can also be used to analyze the skeletal muscle mass filtered by the appropriate range of Hounsfield scale.

Dual normative commitments mediating the relationship between perceived investment in employees' development and intention to leave among the healthcare workforce in underserviced areas of Taiwan.

Introduction: To study the factors affecting the intent to leave of healthcare workers who serve in underserviced areas of Taiwan, the authors tested the mediating role of both professional and organizational commitment in the relationship between perceived investment of employee development and intention to leave among these healthcare workers.

Method: This study was designed as a cross-sectional study using a well-organized questionnaire with major study variables consisting of perceived investment in employees' development (PIED), Meyer's occupational and organizational normative commitment, and intent to leave. In total, 692 healthcare workers from 48 health centers were enrolled for study; 616 people, including 415 (68.

Side effects and medication adherence of tyrosine kinase inhibitors for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in Taiwan.

Nonadherence is common in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and leads to treatment failure and poor outcomes. Side effects due to treatment are also common in patients with CML. However, no study has investigated the link between side effects and medication adherence for patients with CML in Taiwan.

Investigation of treatment pattern, medical resource utilization and demographic prognostic factors in older patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma: A nationwide population-based study.

Background: This nationwide population study aimed to investigate treatment patterns, medical resource utilization and demographic prognostic factors in older Taiwanese patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).

Patients And Methods: This study was conducted using the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) of Taiwan. The older patients (65years or older) diagnosed with NHL between 1997 and 2008 were identified for analysis.

Distinct clinical characteristics of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria in patients in Southern Taiwan: A multicenter investigation.

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is an extremely rare acquired disorder. The aim of this study was to investigate the demographics, clinical manifestations, and outcomes of PNH patients in southern Taiwan. Data on PNH patients diagnosed over a 30-year period (1985-2015) were retrospectively collected from four tertiary medical centers in southern Taiwan.

Characteristics and outcomes of patients with emergency department revisits within 72 hours and subsequent admission to the intensive care unit.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the characteristics and outcomes of patients with emergency department (ED) revisits within 72 hours and subsequent admission to the intensive care unit (ICU).

Materials And Methods: The medical records of all adult patients revisiting the ED of a single tertiary referral medical center with ICU admissions between January 2012 and September 2014 were reviewed in terms of patient characteristics, clinical manifestations, diagnoses, triage according to the Taiwan Triage and Acuity Scale, causes of revisits, and mortality.

Results: The majority of the 51 patients reviewed were male (64.

Risk of osteoporosis and pathologic fractures in cancer patients who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a nationwide retrospective cohort study.

Background: Long-term data on post-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) osteoporosis and fracture are limited. This study evaluated the long-term risk of osteoporosis and fracture in cancer patients who underwent HSCT.

Results: The incidence density rate of osteoporosis was 12.

Do healthier lifestyles lead to less utilization of healthcare resources?

Background: Governments are urged to determine methods to control the use of medical resources and curb the rise of healthcare costs. The question is, do health behaviors have an impact on the use of medical resources? This study aims to identify and understand the difference in the number of outpatient visits and health examinations based on various health behaviors and to determine whether patients seek medical care for illness from the same physicians.

Methods: This study used the dataset derived from the Department of Budget, Accounting and Statistics of Kaohsiung, Taiwan in 2005.

Characteristics of Taiwanese patients of PNH in the international PNH registry.

Background: Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a rare and acquired hematopoietic stem cell disease, with florid clinical presentations. Although this disease has been characterized in the western countries, its clinical and laboratory features in Taiwan have not yet been reported.

Results: As a part of an international prospective, non-interventional, observational registration trial of PNH, we have analyzed 63 patients recruited between 2009 and 2015 in Taiwan, with comparison to the 3857 patients in the rest of the world (ROW).

Rapid Screening for Deleted Form of β-thalassemia by Real-Time Quantitative PCR.

Background: Thalassemia is the most common single gene disease in human beings. The prevalence rate of β-thalassemia in Taiwan is approximately 1-3%. Previously methods to reveal and diagnose severe deleted form of α- or β-thalassemia were insufficient and inappropriate for prenatal diagnosis.

Medication adherence to oral anticancer drugs: systematic review.

Many studies have demonstrated that non-adherence to oral anticancer drugs (OACDs) has challenged treatment efficacy. Otherwise, few validated tools exist to measure patients' adherence to medication regimen in clinical practice. To synthesize previous studies on adherence by cancer patients taking OACDs, especially in targeted therapy, a systematic search of several electronic databases was conducted.

Longitudinal risk of herpes zoster in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma receiving chemotherapy: A nationwide population-based study.

This study investigated the incidence of and risk factors for herpes zoster in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) who were receiving anti-lymphoma treatment. The overall incidence density of herpes zoster was 12.21% (472/3865); 11.

Risk of second primary cancer in patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma receiving rituximab-containing chemotherapy: a nationwide population-based study.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the risk of second primary cancer (SPC) in patients receiving rituximab-containing chemotherapy.

Patients And Methods: A nationwide, population-based study was conducted using the National Health Insurance Database of Taiwan. Propensity score matching was performed to correct sample selection bias and logistic regression analysis was used to calculate odds ratios.

Utilization of 18F-FDG PET/CT as a staging tool in patients with newly diagnosed lymphoma.

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of 2-fluorine-18-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose ((18)F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in the initial staging and prediction of bone marrow involvement in patients with newly diagnosed lymphoma. A total of 185 patients with newly diagnosed lymphoma were enrolled. All patients received PET/CT and bone marrow biopsy as part of a staging work-up.

MALAT1 long non-coding RNA is overexpressed in multiple myeloma and may serve as a marker to predict disease progression.

Background: The pathogenesis of multiple myeloma involves complex genetic and epigenetic events. This study aimed to investigate the role and clinical relevance of the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) in multiple myeloma.

Methods: Bone marrow mononuclear cells were collected for analysis.

Acute cerebral infarct with elevated factor VIII level during the thrombocytopenic stage after hematopoietic stem cell transplant.

Thromboembolism is a complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplant. However, a literature search showed no previous reports of cerebral infarction during the thrombocytopenic stage after hematopoietic stem cell transplant. A 35-year-old woman with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (precursor B-cell type) was treated with hematopoietic stem cell transplant after induction and consolidation chemotherapy.

Interruption and non-adherence to long-term adjuvant hormone therapy is associated with adverse survival outcome of breast cancer women--an Asian population-based study.

This study aimed to evaluate the survival rate of women with breast cancer (BC) comparing persistence versus interruption and adherence versus non-adherence to adjuvant hormonal therapy (HT) in Asian population. Newly-diagnosed BC women from 2003 to 2010 were retrospectively identified from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. HT prescriptions were extracted to define treatment interruption and medication possession ratio.

Imatinib adherence associated clinical outcomes of chronic myeloid leukaemia treatment in Taiwan.

Background: Since the launch of imatinib, chronic myeloid leukaemia has become a chronic condition requiring costly long-term treatment. Emerging evidence from several short-term studies has raised concerns on the detrimental clinical outcomes and waste of resources associated with poor adherence to imatinib.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effects of long-term imatinib adherence on clinical treatment responses and mortality.