Higher caloric intake through enteral nutrition is associated with lower hospital mortality rates in patients with candidemia and shock in Taiwan.

Background: Candidemia is associated with markedly high intensive care unit (ICU) mortality rates. Although the Impact of Early Enteral vs. Parenteral Nutrition on Mortality in Patients Requiring Mechanical Ventilation and Catecholamines (NUTRIREA-2) trial indicated that early enteral nutrition (EN) did not reduce 28-day mortality rates among critically ill patients with shock, the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) guidelines recommend avoiding EN in cases of uncontrolled shock.

Elevated concurrent carotid atherosclerosis rates in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) compared to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD): A cross-sectional observational study.

Background And Aim: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been recognized as an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Recently, there has been a shift towards diagnosing metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), offering simplified criteria and improved risk assessment. However, the association between MAFLD and carotid atherosclerosis remains poorly understood.

The Long-Term Functional and Oncologic Outcomes of Kidney-Sparing Surgery in Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma.

Background: This study investigated the utilization of kidney-sparing surgery (KSS) as an alternative option to radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) in managing upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) patients.

Objective: Our study aimed to compare the functional outcomes and oncological outcomes between KSS and RNU.

Material And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 252 patients with UTUC without clinical node positivity or metastasis who had been treated with either RNU or KSS.

Pre-treatment pan-immune-inflammation value as a prognostic marker of pazopanib in soft tissue sarcoma.

Background: Increasingly, more evidence has shown that inflammation stress and the tumor microenvironment pose a negative effect on targeted therapy. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is considered to be a surrogate biomarker of inflammation and can predict pazopanib treatment effect in non-adipocytic soft-tissue sarcoma (STS). The role of the pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV) in STS is still yet to be determined.

Enhancing chronic migraine preventive therapy: low-level 810 nm laser acupuncture as an add-on treatment for patients with unsatisfactory pharmacological effect, a pilot single-blind randomized controlled trial.

Background: Laser acupuncture is a proven non-invasive treatment with effects comparable to traditional acupuncture in different types of headaches, but there is still insufficient evidence for chronic migraine (CM) in adults. We aim to investigate the efficacy and safety of laser acupuncture (LA) as an add-on preventive therapy on CM.

Methods: A single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted from January 2022 to November 2023.

Impact of the Ottawa model on opiate screening and smoking cessation in methadone-treated patients with opioid use disorder: A retrospective cohort analysis.

Introduction: Approximately 60 million individuals worldwide used opioids in 2021, constituting 1.2% of the global adult population. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of integrated treatment strategies for opioid use disorder and nicotine use disorder by assessing the impact of smoking cessation within a methadone treatment framework.

Exploring the interplay of depression, sleep quality, and hearing in tinnitus-related handicap: insights from polysomnography and pure-tone audiometry.

Background: Tinnitus affects approximately 740 million adults globally, involving hearing, emotion, and sleep systems. However, studies using polysomnography and pure-tone audiometry (PTA) are limited. We aimed to assess the correlation between tinnitus and hearing, sleep quality, characteristics, and depression using polysomnography and PTA.

A Summed Score From Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test Parameters Predicts 1-Year Mortality in Newly Diagnosed Interstitial Lung Disease.

Background: Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is a unique diagnostic tool that assesses the functional capacity of the heart, lungs, and peripheral oxidative system in an integrated manner. However, the clinical utility of CPET for evaluating interstitial lung disease (ILD) remains uncertain. The objective of this study was to determine the predictive value of CPET for mortality in subjects with ILD.

Urinary non-albumin protein-creatinine ratio is an independent predictor of mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes: a retrospective cohort study.

Albuminuria is a well-known predictor of chronic kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). However, proteinuria is associated with chronic complications in patients without albuminuria. In this retrospective cohort study, we explored whether non-albumin proteinuria is associated with all-cause mortality and compared the effects of non-albumin proteinuria on all-cause mortality between patients with and without albuminuria.

The concomitant use of the renin-angiotensin system inhibitors and survival outcomes of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma: an analysis from a tertiary center.

Background: The limited efficacy of chemotherapy in improving survival in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) necessitates the exploration of novel strategies to overcome treatment resistance.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the impact of combining renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockers with chemotherapy on survival outcomes in patients with PDAC.

Design: Patients with PDAC were enrolled in the retrospective study.

Cost-effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors in treating metastatic urothelial cancer.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) is an important treatment option for metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) patients. A lot of clinical evidence proved the survival benefits of ICI, but cost-effectiveness of the treatment remains unclear. This study evaluates the cost-effectiveness of the ICIs treatment in different sequences among mUC patients.

A composite score based on cardiovascular parameters can predict the mortality risk of patients with newly diagnosed interstitial lung disease: A prospective observational study.

Background: It is crucial to identify factors that can predict the risk of mortality in patients newly diagnosed with interstitial lung disease (ILD). This study sought to develop and assess a composite scoring system for mortality prediction among ILD patients based on cardiovascular parameters, which were previously reported as predictors of survival.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled patients with newly diagnosed ILD and monitored their survival status for 24 months.

Multidisciplinary-derived clinical score for accurate prediction of long-term mortality in fibrotic lung disease patients.

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) stands out as one of the most aggressive forms of interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), currently without a definitive cure. Multidisciplinary discussion (MDD) is now considered a cornerstone in diagnosing and differentiating ILD subtypes. The Gender-Age-Physiology (GAP) score, developed to assess IPF prognosis based on sex, age, forced vital capacity, and diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO), is limited in not considering dyspnea and functional impairment during the walking test.

Remission and long-term remission of pediatric-onset systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objectives: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease with diverse clinical presentations and prognoses. Remission can be achieved with or without glucocorticoid (GC) use, and several recent studies have suggested that long-term remission can be achieved in a small portion of patients. Nevertheless, few studies have investigated remission or long-term remission in the pediatric-onset SLE subgroup.

The Epidemiological Analysis of COVID-19 Outbreaks in Nursing Homes during the Period of Omicron Variant Predominance.

Background: The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the epidemic trend and risk factors associated with COVID-19 outbreaks in nursing homes during the period of Omicron variant predominance.

Methods: The study analyzed the risk factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and death among the 327 residents and 129 healthcare workers (HCWs) in three hospital-affiliated nursing homes through a multivariate Cox regression model.

Results: The rates of receiving a COVID-19 booster dose were 70.

The efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy for older adults with stage II/III gastric cancer: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Adjuvant chemotherapy is recommended as the standard treatment for patients with stage II/III resected gastric cancer. However, it is unclear whether older patients also benefit from an adjuvant chemotherapy strategy. This study aimed to investigate the clinical impact of adjuvant chemotherapy in older patients with stage II/III gastric cancer.

Predicting portal venous anomalies by left-sided gallbladder or right-sided ligamentum teres hepatis: A large scale, propensity score-matched study.

Background: Right-sided ligamentum teres (RSLT) is often associated with portal venous anomalies (PVA) and is regarded as a concerning feature for hepatobiliary intervention. Most studies consider RSLT to be one of the causes of left-sided gallbladder (LGB), leading to the hypothesis that LGB must always be present with RSLT. However, some cases have shown that right-sided gallbladder (RGB) can also be present in livers with RSLT.

GJB2 p.V37I Mutation Associated With Moderate Nonsyndromic Hearing Loss in an Adult Taiwanese Population.

Background: Gap junction protein beta 2 ( GJB2 ) p.V37I mutations are the most important hereditary cause of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in Taiwan. Hearing outcomes are associated with hearing levels at baseline and the duration of follow-up.