Factors Associated with Postoperative Pain Trajectory, Nausea and Vomiting After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Retrospective Study.

Objectives: Postoperative pain, nausea and vomiting adversely affect postoperative rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We aimed to identify factors associated with postoperative pain trajectory and postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and evaluated the effects of different analgesic modalities.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients undergoing unilateral primary TKA from 2017 to 2022.

Vulnerable parafoveal microcirculation quadrant in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of vision loss among adults. This study evaluates Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) vessel density (VD) as a marker for DR in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. An observational study was conducted with 47 type 2 DM patients and 21 healthy controls.

Crocetin Enhances Temozolomide Efficacy in Glioblastoma Therapy Through Multiple Pathway Suppression.

Background: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive type of brain tumor that is difficult to remove surgically. Research suggests that substances from saffron, namely crocetin and crocin, could be effective natural treatments, showing abilities to kill cancer cells.

Methods: Our study focused on evaluating the effects of crocetin on glioma using the U87 cell line.

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG ameliorates hyperuricemia in a novel model.

Hyperuricemia (HUA) is a metabolic syndrome caused by abnormal purine metabolism. Although recent studies have noted a relationship between the gut microbiota and gout, whether the microbiota could ameliorate HUA-associated systemic purine metabolism remains unclear. In this study, we constructed a novel model of HUA in geese and investigated the mechanism by which Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) could have beneficial effects on HUA.

Prognostic factors and outcomes of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, a retrospective hospital-based study.

Objective: Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) affects immunocompromised hosts and is associated with higher risks of respiratory failure and mortality. However, the clinical outcomes of different IPA types have not been identified.

Methods: Between September 2002 and May 2021, we retrospectively enrolled patients with IPA in Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan.

General anesthesia with local infiltration reduces urine retention rate and prolongs analgesic effect than spinal anesthesia for hemorrhoidectomy.

Introduction: Postoperative pain and complications pose significant challenges following a hemorrhoidectomy. Attaining effective anesthesia with minimal complications is crucial. The ideal anesthesia method for ambulatory hemorrhoidectomy remains uncertain.

Optimizing methadone dose adjustment in patients with opioid use disorder.

Introduction: Opioid use disorder is a cause for concern globally. This study aimed to optimize methadone dose adjustments using mixed modeling and machine learning.

Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at Taichung Veterans General Hospital between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2020.

Association of atypical anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody with comorbidities and outcome in a hospital-based population.

Introduction: Atypical anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (a-ANCA) is characterized by a positive fluorescence staining other than typical cytoplasmic or perinuclear ANCA. ANCA is associated with increased risk of dialysis and mortality in patients with ANCA vasculitis. However, comorbidities related to a-ANCA and whether a-ANCA exhibits an increased risk for renal failure and mortality remain unclear.

Effects of a low-protein nutritional formula with dietary counseling in older adults with chronic kidney disease stages 3-5: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Although combining a low-protein diet (LPD) with oral nutritional supplements increases treatment adherence and nutritional status in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), the effect of this combination approach in older adults remains unclear. This study examined the impact of a 6% low-protein formula (6% LPF) with diet counseling in older adults with stage 3-5 CKD.

Methods: In this three-month randomized controlled study, 66 patients (eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.

Efficacy and Safety of a High-Energy, Low-Protein Formula Replacement Meal for Pre-Dialysis Chronic Kidney Disease Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

High-energy, low-protein formulas (HE-LPFs) are commonly used as oral nutritional supplements (ONSs) to help provide extra calories to patients who are adhering to a low-protein diet (LPD) after diagnosis with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of an HE-LPF as either a partial or a total replacement for one meal in pre-dialysis CKD patients. Stage 4-5 CKD patients received either a once-daily HE-LPF (HE-LPF group) or normal food (control group) for a period of 4 weeks while following an LPD.

The Effectiveness of an Upper Limb Rehabilitation Program on Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients after Mastectomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of an upper limb rehabilitation program on the quality of life in patients who had been first diagnosed breast cancer and subsequently underwent mastectomy.

Data Sources: This randomized controlled trial enrolled 48 breast cancer patients who underwent mastectomy at a medical center in Taiwan. The patients were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n = 24) or control group (n = 24).

Effect of acupressure on alleviating constipation among inpatients with stroke during the acute phase: A randomized controlled trial.

Background And Purpose: This study aimed to explore the effects of acupressure in alleviating constipation among inpatients with stroke in neurological departments.

Material And Methods: This was a two-arm, parallel, randomized, controlled trial conducted between September 2020 and August 2021. In total, 128 inpatients with stroke at the acute phase from neurological departments were randomly assigned at a 1:1 ratio to either an acupressure group (ST25, CV12, and CV6) or a sham acupressure group for twice-daily therapy at 4 min per intervention for 7 days.

Polymorphism at codon 31 of CDKN1A (p21) as a predictive factor for bevacizumab therapy in glioblastoma multiforme.

Glioblastoma (GBM), a prevalent and malignant brain tumor, poses a challenge in surgical resection due to its invasive nature within the brain parenchyma. CDKN1A (p21, Waf-1), a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, plays a pivotal role in regulating cell growth arrest, terminal differentiation, and apoptosis. The existence of natural variants of CDKN1A has been associated with specific cancer types.

Potential alleviation of bone mineral density loss with Janus kinase inhibitors in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by localized bone loss, general osteoporosis and increased fracture risks. Tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi), non-tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (non-TNFi) biologic, Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi) had shown the suppression effects to osteoclast activation and improvement of bone mineral density (BMD). Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (ACPA) is associated with osteoclast activation and the resultant bone loss.

The correlation between trajectories of serum C3 variability and clinical course in Pediatric-onset systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the usefulness which 2-year trajectories of C3 variability have in predicting clinical remission and systemic corticosteroids (SCS) use in pediatric patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (pSLE).

Methods: We recruited 189 confirmed pSLE patients from the electronic database of our hospital, all had undergone SCS treatment. The follow up period was 4.

The diagnostic and prognostic value of a line immunoblot assay in Taiwanese patients with systemic sclerosis.

Background And Aims: We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance and prognostic value of disease-specific antibodies and anti-Ro52 using a commercial line immunoblot assay (LIA) in Taiwanese patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively enrolledall individuals at the Taichung Veterans General Hospital. We evaluated the diagnostic performance of LIA, anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) and also the association between the autoantibodies and the clinical phenotype using multivariable logistic regression.

Association of Hydroxychloroquine Use with a Dose-Dependent Decrease in Mortality Risk in Patients with Elderly-Onset Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Introduction: Elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis (EORA) is associated with an increased mortality risk; however, the effect of conventional synthetic, biologics or targeted synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (csDMARDs, bDMARDs or tsDMARDs) on the EORA-specific mortality risk is unknown. In this study, we investigated the risk factors for all-cause mortality of patients with EORA.

Methods: Data of EORA patients diagnosed with RA at age > 60 years between January 2007 and June 2021 were extracted from the electronic health record of Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan.

Effects of Dietary Tryptophan on Growth Performance, Plasma Parameters, and Internal Organs of 1-28-Day-Old Sichuan White Geese.

Although the nutrient requirements of geese during the growing stage are known, the dietary requirement of amino acids during the starting period remains unclear. Optimum nutrient supplementation during the starting period is crucial for improved survival rates, body-weight gain, and marketing weight in geese. Our study focused on the effect of dietary tryptophan (Trp) supplementation on the growth performance, plasma parameters, and internal-organ relative weights in 1-28-day-old Sichuan white geese.

Chronic kidney disease, preoperative use of antispasmodics and lower resected prostate volume ratios are risk factors for postoperative use of adrenergic Alpha-blockers and antispasmodics.

Objectives: Transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) and laser prostate surgery are common surgeries for benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). We conducted an investigation using hospital database to evaluate the clinical factors associated with post-operative usage of alpha-blockers and antispasmodics.

Methods: This study was conducted using retrospective clinical data from the hospital database, which contained newly diagnosed BPH patients between January 2007 and December 2012 who subsequently received prostate surgery.