Clinical implications of dextrocardia based on four visceroatrial situs studies.

Background: Previous studies on congenital heart diseases (CHD) associated with dextrocardia were based on selective patient databases and did not reflect the full spectrum of dextrocardia in the general population. Additionally, these studies had complex classification and presentation. Nor did these studies elaborate on the distribution of the associated CHD's complexity, the various segmental connections, and associated CHD among the four visceroatrial situs.

C1-C2 subluxation in enthesitis-related arthritis: two case reports and literature review of ten cases.

Background: C1-C2 subluxation is a rare complication of enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA). If left untreated, it may lead to functional impairment or cervical spinal cord compression. This study aims to highlight key points regarding the management of C1-C2 subluxation in ERA.

Volumetric Changes after Coblation Ablation Tongue (CAT) in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients.

Background: Obstruction of the tongue is commonly seen in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This study proposed whole tongue treatment using coblation ablation tongue (CAT) and aimed to explore the potential association between the dimensions of a tongue and the severity of OSA, to inspect volumetric changes of the tongue after CAT, and to search for factors that influence outcome of tongue volume change.

Methods: The prospective study enrolled 12 OSA patients (all male, average age: 35 years, average apnea/hypopnea index (AHI): 45.

Expectant management of prolonged hemolysis following complete transcatheter coil closure of a patent ductus arteriosus after previous pulmonary artery banding: a case report.

Background: Transcatheter coil occlusion has been the treatment of choice for closure of small patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). In spite of its safety, complications such as hemolysis still occasionally occur. And the hemolysis almost always occurs following partial transcatheter closure of PDA; hence, it occurs extremely rarely following complete transcatheter closure of PDA without residual ductal flow.

Efficacy of Intravenous Immunoglobulin/Exchange Transfusion Therapy on Gestational Alloimmune Liver Disease.

Gestational alloimmune liver disease (GALD) is a rare but critical cause of neonatal liver failure. After discovering the maternal-fetal alloimmune mechanism, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) with or without exchange transfusion (ET) has gradually replaced antioxidant cocktails as the first-line therapy. Whether such therapy changes the outcome of neonates with GALD is yet to be defined.

Point-of-Care Ultrasound May Reduce Misdiagnosis of Pediatric Intussusception.

Intussusception, the most common abdominal emergency in early childhood, is frequently misdiagnosed at initial presentation. The effect of using point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) by emergency medicine physicians on pediatric intussusception misdiagnosis rate remains unclear. Here, we summarize outcomes and misdiagnoses before and after training junior and senior physicians on using POCUS for diagnosing intussusception and compared their performance levels.

Nanotechnology and Nanocarrier-Based Drug Delivery as the Potential Therapeutic Strategy for Glioblastoma Multiforme: An Update.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and malignant brain tumor with poor prognosis. The heterogeneous and aggressive nature of GBMs increases the difficulty of current standard treatment. The presence of GBM stem cells and the blood brain barrier (BBB) further contribute to the most important compromise of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Clinical and endocrinological manifestations of childhood-onset craniopharyngioma before surgical removal: A report from one medical center in Taiwan.

Background: Craniopharyngiomas are benign tumors of embryologic origin located in the sellar region. Patients have both neurological and endocrinological symptoms. Symptoms may be subtle in the early clinical course, which leads to delayed diagnosis.

Rare Cases of Pediatric Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide Secreting Tumor With Literature Review: A Challenging Etiology of Chronic Diarrhea.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) secreting tumor (VIPoma) is a rare disease, presenting with profuse diarrhea, electrolyte imbalance, and possibly fatal outcome. The diagnosis and treatment are challenging, and no consensus guideline of management is available. The pediatric incidence remains unclear.

Pathological and Incidental Findings in 403 Taiwanese Girls With Central Precocious Puberty at Initial Diagnosis.

Whether girls with central precocious puberty (CPP) should undergo routine brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to identify potential intracranial pathologies is controversial. To evaluate the brain MRI results of girls with CPP and identify the clinical and endocrine predictors of brain abnormalities. This retrospective study obtained data from pediatric endocrine clinics at Chang Gung Children's Hospital.

Correlation of Temporal Parameters of Laryngeal Excursion by Using Force-Sensing Resistor Sensors with Hyoid Motion in Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Study.

Small flexible force-sensing resistor (FSR) sensors can detect laryngeal excursion during swallowing, but the detected laryngeal excursion has not been correlated with videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) results. Here, we tested the correlation of temporal parameters between the laryngeal excursion recording by FSR sensor and the hyoid motion recording by VFSS under simultaneously swallowing test recordings. Swallowing measurements were recorded in a radiological suite by simultaneously using VFSS and FSR sensors to detect hyoid motion and laryngeal excursion, respectively.

Pulmonary function evaluation in pediatric patients with primary immunodeficiency complicated by bronchiectasis.

Background: Primary immunodeficiency (PID) accompanying with recurrent respiratory infections is thought to have a devastating effect on lung function. However, the associations between the airway structural abnormalities on chest computed tomography (CT), severity of dyspnea, and deterioration of pulmonary function test (PFT) have not been fully addressed.

Methods: Children diagnosed with PID in a tertiary referred center in northern Taiwan were enrolled.

Parapharyngeal fat pad area at the subglosso-supraglottic level is associated with corresponding lateral wall collapse and apnea-hypopnea index in patients with obstructive sleep apnea: a pilot study.

The aim of this study was to assess associations between fat pad areas at various anatomic levels and the sites of lateral wall collapse and disease severity in adult patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Forty-one patients with OSA who prospectively underwent drug-induced sleep computed tomography were included. Areas of parapharyngeal fat pads and degrees of lateral wall collapse at three representative anatomic levels (nasopharynx, oropharynx, and subglosso-supraglottis), and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) were measured.

Nanofibrous vildagliptin-eluting stents enhance re-endothelialization and reduce neointimal formation in diabetes: in vitro and in vivo.

Background: The high lifetime risk of vascular disease is one of the important issues that plague patients with diabetes mellitus. Systemic oral vildagliptin administration favors endothelial recovery and inhibits smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation. However, the localized release of vildagliptin in the diabetic vessel damage has seldom been investigated.

Association between cardiovascular anomalies and karyotypes in Turner syndrome patients in Taiwan: A local cohort study.

Background: Turner syndrome (TS) is characterized by growth failure, primary ovarian failure, cardiac anomalies, and other anomalies. Cardiovascular abnormalities such as bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), coarctation of the aorta (CoA), aortic stenosis (AS), and aortic dilatation (AD) account for some cases of TS-related early mortality. In this study, we investigated the correlations between cardiovascular phenotypes and karyotypes in TS.

Distribution of lymphadenopathy in patients with Kikuchi disease.

Background: Cervical lymphadenopathy is among the cardinal manifestations of Kikuchi disease (KD). The incidences and locations of extra-cervical lymph nodes (LNs) involvement in KD have not been comprehensively reported.

Methods: From 2003 to 2016, 60 patients with pathologically confirmed KD and with computed tomography and/or whole-body inflammation scans at diagnosis were retrospectively identified.

Risk factors for child maltreatment by the utilization of medical service and socioeconomic environment in Taiwan.

Child maltreatment is complicated by cultural, welfare, and socioeconomic factors. However, the relationship between child maltreatment and socioeconomic factors has not been completely understood. We investigated risk factors for child abuse and neglect in Taiwan.

Promoting vascular healing using nanofibrous ticagrelor-eluting stents.

Objective: The current treatment of atherosclerotic coronary heart disease with limus-eluting stents can lead to incomplete endothelialization and substantial impairment of arterial healing relative to treatment with bare-metal stents. The sustained and local delivery of ticagrelor, a reversibly binding P2Y12 receptor inhibitor, using hybrid biodegradable nanofibers/stents, was developed to reduce neointimal formation and endothelial dysfunction.

Methods: In this investigation, a solution of ticagrelor, poly(D,L)-lactide-co-glycolide, and hexafluoro isopropanol was electrospun to fabricate ticagrelor-eluting nanofibrous drug-eluting stents.

Drug-Induced Sleep Computed Tomography-Directed Upper Airway Surgery for Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Pilot Study.

Objective: A surgical response to upper airway (UA) surgery for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) depends on adequate correction of collapsible sites in the UA. This pilot study aimed to examine the surgical response to UA surgery directed by drug-induced sleep computed tomography (DI-SCT) for OSA.

Study Design: Prospective case series.