Potential risk factors for delayed neurological sequelae and myocardial injury following acute carbon monoxide poisoning: A retrospective study.

Background: Acute carbon monoxide poisoning (COP) has been a common cause of emergency hospital visits over the past decade. Besides the immediate symptoms of poisoning, carbon monoxide exposure can cause various long-term complications, especially delayed neurological sequelae (DNS) and myocardial injury (MI).

Methods: This study retrospectively enrolled 502 patients with COP, including complete collection data, from the Taiwan National Poison Control Center between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2015.

Impacts of medication adherence and home healthcare on the associations between polypharmacy and the risk of severe hypoglycemia among elderly diabetic patients in Taiwan from 2002 to 2012: A nationwide case-crossover study.

Aim: To assess how medication adherence and home healthcare support influence the role of polypharmacy in induced hypoglycemia events among elderly diabetic patients.

Methods: This case-crossover study retrieved records on diabetic patients >=65 years with severe hypoglycemia from 2002 to 2012 in Taiwan. Case period defined as 1-3 days before severe hypoglycemia was compared with a preceding control period of the same length, with an all-washout period of 30 days.

A Nationwide Study on the Risks of Complications and Healthcare Costs of Snakebite Envenomation in Taiwan.

In Taiwan, six medically important venomous snakes, Trimeresurus stejnegeri stejnegeri, Protobothrops mucrosquamatus, Deinagkistrodon acutus, Daboia siamensis, Naja atra, and Bungarus multicinctus, are found. However, comprehensive research on the complications and associated healthcare costs of snakebite envenomation (SBE) is lacking. We retrospectively analyzed pertinent information from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database dated January 2002 to December 2014.

Assessment of iodine nutritional status and gestational thyroid function reference ranges during the first trimester of pregnancy in Taiwan.

Background: Iodine nutrition is critical for fetal neurodevelopment in the first trimester of pregnancy, a period associated with dramatic changes in thyroid function. The aim of this study was to evaluate iodine nutritional status and thyroid function reference ranges in the first trimester in Taiwan.

Methods: Pregnant women aged 20 years and above in the first trimester were recruited in Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan from March 2019 to July 2022.

Risk of circulatory diseases associated with proton-pump inhibitors: a retrospective cohort study using electronic medical records in Thailand.

Background: Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are prescribed to treat gastric acidrelated diseases, while they may also have potential risks to population health. Recent studies suggested that a potential mechanism explaining the association between PPIs and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) includes the inhibition of the nitratenitritenitric oxide (NO) pathway. However, previous observational studies showed controversial results of the association.

Predictive factors for severe outcomes in substance abuse-related emergency visits: A 5-year retrospective analysis at a medical center in Taiwan.

Background: Substance abuse is a considerable medical issue worldwide, yet current surveillance systems in Taiwan offer limited insights into the clinical characteristics and outcomes of substance abuse patients. This study aimed to delineate the epidemiology of emergency department visits related to substance abuse at a hospital in Taiwan and to identify factors predictive of severe complications or mortality.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on substance abuse-related emergency department visits at a medical center in Taiwan between 2009 and 2013.

Iodine Concentration in the Breast Milk and Urine as Biomarkers of Iodine Nutritional Status of Lactating Women and Breastfed Infants in Taiwan.

Breast milk iodine concentration (BMIC) can be different when median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) is similar. The BMIC, UIC/creatinine (Cr), estimated 24-h urinary iodine excretion (24-h UIE) of lactating women in Taiwan is unknown. This study enrolled lactating women from Taipei Veterans General Hospital (August 2021-February 2023).

Determination of the Elemental Iodine in Human Breast Milk by Inductively Coupled Plasma mass Spectrometry.

Adequate iodine status in lactating women is defined by a maternal median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) ≧ 100 µg/L. However, the above-mentioned criterion does not account for the secretion of iodine into breast milk and could not truly reflect the amount of iodine delivered to the infants. Measuring breast milk median iodine concentration (BMIC) is crucial, but the method to measure BMIC has not been developed and validated in Taiwan.

Nationwide and long-term epidemiological research of snakebite envenomation in Taiwan during 2002-2014 based on the use of snake antivenoms: A study utilizing National Health Insurance Database.

Introduction: In Taiwan, six venomous snake species with medical importance have been found; however, long-term epidemiological data of snakebite envenomation (SBE) is lacking. This study aimed to explore the epidemiology of SBE based on the distribution and use of different antivenoms in different parts of Taiwan to facilitate the development of prevention strategies and resource allocation.

Methods And Results: This retrospective study was conducted using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database from 2002 to 2014.

Measurements of elemental iodine in soy sauces in Taiwan using a modified microplate method.

Background: Soy sauce is widely used in a variety of Asian dishes to enhance flavor. Soybean and most soybean products, including soy sauces, are listed as prohibited foods in a low iodine diet. However, the iodine content in soy sauces is largely unknown.

Outcomes of wasp and bee stings in Taiwan.

Background: The families of Hymenoptera causing commonly poisonous animal stings in Taiwan include (bee) and (wasp). This study aimed to investigate the epidemiologic, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of the severity of envenomation following wasp or bee stings in Taiwan.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study by identifying all wasp and bee sting-related envenomation reported to the Taiwan National Poison Control Center between January 2001 and November 2021.

Analytical validation of an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry method for urinary iodine concentration measurements in Taiwan.

Background: Urinary iodine concentration (UIC) measured by Sandell-Kolthoff spectrophotometric method has been used in the Nutrition and Health Surveys in Taiwan but this method is time consuming and produces toxic waste from arsenic trioxide. The aim of this study was to develop and validate an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) system to determine UIC in Taiwan.

Methods: Samples and iodine calibrators were diluted 100-fold into an aqueous solution containing Triton X-100, 0.

Estimates of Chronic Kidney Diseases Associated with Proton-Pump Inhibitors Using a Retrospective Hospital-Based Cohort in Thailand.

Purpose: Potential adverse outcomes of Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) have increasingly been reported. The potential risks to PPIs include hypomagnesemia and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Unlike a real-world electronic medical record (RW-EMR) with active-comparator design, claim databases and special population cohort with non-user design, using in previous studies, resulted in a wide range of strength of association with indication bias.

Emergency department visits due to new psychoactive substances and other illicit drugs in Taiwan: preliminary results of the Taiwan Emergency Department Drug Abuse Surveillance (TEDAS) project.

Introduction: The use of new psychoactive substances (NPSs) has markedly increased worldwide; thus, it is important to monitor NPS-related effects. The Taiwan Emergency Department Drug Abuse Surveillance (TEDAS) project aims to assess the patterns of recreational drug use in patients presenting to emergency departments (EDs) across the country. Here, we report the preliminary results of this project.

Quantifying the Effects of Climate Factors on Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: A Retrospective Study in Taiwan.

Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is the leading cause of poisoning death worldwide, but associations between CO poisoning and weather remain unclear. To quantify the influence of climate parameters (e.g.

Real-world effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for delayed neuropsychiatric sequelae after carbon monoxide poisoning.

To assess real-world effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on delayed neuropsychiatric sequelae (DNS) after carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning we conducted a retrospective review of patients with CO poisoning admitted to Linkou Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan's largest medical center, during 2009-2015. We included patients developing DNS after CO poisoning and compared improvements in neuropsychiatric function, with and without HBOT, after 12 months post-DNS to understand differences in recovery rates. DNS improvement-associated factors were also evaluated.

Pre-existing chronic kidney disease and hypertension increased the risk of cardiotoxicity among colorectal cancer patients treated with anticancer drugs.

Background: This population-based study was to investigate the potential risk factors of cardiotoxicity among colorectal cancer (CRC) patients treated with anticancer drugs.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study using the National Health Insurance Research Database to identify the CRC patients receiving chemotherapy (CT) alone or CT combined with targeted therapies between 2000 and 2013. The patients enrolled were those who had the first diagnosis of CRC established ≥20 years and had no cancer history three years before the incident diagnosis of CRC.

Urate-lowering Therapy and Chronic Kidney Disease Development in Patients with Gout.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has emerged as a global health concern. Many studies have identified an association between hyperuricemia and CKD, and some studies have revealed that urate-lowering therapy (ULT) can attenuate CKD progression. However, only a few studies have explored the role of ULT in the prevention of new onset CKD.

Iodine nutritional status of lactating women in northern Taiwan in 2019.

Background: Pregnant and lactating women are vulnerable to iodine deficiency. This study was conducted to evaluate the iodine nutritional status of lactating women in northern Taiwan.

Methods: Women recruited from Taipei Veterans General Hospital (TVGH) in 2019 provided a spot urine sample and completed a Food Frequency Questionnaire.

Presentations of tetramethylammonium hydroxide dermal exposure and the valuable potential of diphoterine solution in decontamination: a retrospective observational study.

Background: Tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) is a quaternary ammonium compound that is both a base corrosive and a cholinergic agonist, and it is widely used in the photoelectric and semiconductor industries. It causes corrosive skin injuries and systemic cholinergic toxicity with death primarily resulting from respiratory failure without efficacious early decontamination.

Methods: A retrospective observational study was performed of all cases of TMAH exposure reported to the Taiwan Poison Control Center between July 2010 and October 2017.

Serum uric acid and blood pressure among adolescents: data from the Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (NAHSIT) 2010-2011.

Purpose: Elevated serum uric acid (UA) is frequently observed in adults with high blood pressure (BP); however, data from adolescents are limited. We examined the association between serum UA and BP in a nationally representative sample of Taiwan adolescents.

Material And Methods: Some 1384 participants, aged 14-19 years, from the Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan 2010-2011 were included for the study.

Associations between Levels of Urinary Oxidative Stress of 8-OHdG and Risk of Atopic Diseases in Children.

The oxidative stress biomarker of urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) was reported to be changed in patients with allergic diseases. Measurement of urinary oxidative products is noninvasive. However, correlations between the severity levels of atopic diseases and oxidative stress remain unclear.

Effects of modified version of the Hospital Elder Life Program on post-discharge cognitive function and activities of daily living among older adults undergoing total knee arthroplasty.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effects of a modified Hospital Elder Life Program (mHELP) on post-discharge cognition and physical function among older adults undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA), and to evaluate the incidence of postoperative delirium.

Design: Non-randomized intervention trial.

Setting And Participants: A total of 140 patients aged 60 years and older scheduled for elective orthopedic surgery at our institution between August 2017 and December 2018 were included.