Treatment response, risk of relapse and clinical characteristics of Taiwanese patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.

Background/purpose: The long-term disease course and efficacy of maintenance therapies have rarely been investigated in Asian patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD).

Methods: Medical records of patients fulfilling the 2015 International Consensus Diagnostic Criteria for NMOSD at three medical centers in Taiwan were systematically analyzed. Linear regression analysis was performed to investigate factors related to annualized relapse rate (ARR); survival analysis was used to estimate the relapse-free intervals among therapies.

Efficacy of robot-assisted gait training in multiple sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Multiple sclerosis is a progressive disease responsible for gait disabilities and cognitive impairment, which affect functional performance. Robot-assisted gait training is an emerging training method to facilitate body-weight-supported treadmill training in many neurologic diseases. Through this study, we aimed to determine the efficacy of robot-assisted gait training in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Trial of Satralizumab in Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder.

Background: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system and is associated with autoantibodies to anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4-IgG) in approximately two thirds of patients. Interleukin-6 is involved in the pathogenesis of the disorder. Satralizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting the interleukin-6 receptor.

A prospective, observational study on conversion of clinically isolated syndrome to multiple sclerosis during 4-year period (MS NEO study) in Taiwan.

Importance: CIS to MS conversion rates vary depending on population cohorts, initial manifestations, and durations of follow-up.

Objective: To investigate conversion rate of patients from CIS to MS and the prognostic significance of demographic and clinical variables in Taiwanese population.

Design: Nationwide, prospective, multi-centric, observational study from November 2008 to November 2014 with 4 years follow-up.

Type II diabetes mellitus and the incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and ALS incidence using the National Health Insurance Research Database and Serious Disabling Disease database of Taiwan.

Methods: This was a population-based cohort study. The index date was the date of the first T2DM diagnosis + 365 days.

Repetitive intrathecal injection of human NMO-IgG with complement exacerbates disease severity with NMO pathology in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis mice.

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is recognized as a different CNS autoimmune disease from multiple sclerosis (MS). Whether NMO-IgG contributes directly to the pathogenesis of NMO or is just a serologic marker of autoimmune responses of the disease needs to be clarified. We created MOG-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mice by passively transferring NMO-IgG to model the pathogenic findings in NMO patients.

Finding diseases associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a total population-based case-control study.

Objective: To investigate diseases associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) by using a total population-based medical database.

Methods: This study included 705 ALS patients aged older than 15 years diagnosed from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2013, along with 14,100 controls matching in sex, age, residence, and insurance premium. Data from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) and Serious Disabling Diseases (SDD) database in Taiwan were used to conduct a total population-based case-control study.

Incidence, prevalence, and medical expenditures of classical amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Taiwan, 1999-2008.

Background/purpose: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rare disease, which makes the estimation of incidence and prevalence difficult in Taiwan. This study was conducted to investigate the incidence, prevalence, and medical expenditure of ALS in Taiwan.

Methods: Patients who had at least one service claim either as an outpatient or inpatient between the years 2004 and 2007 and were over 15 years of age with a primary diagnosis of ALS were identified from the National Health Insurance Research Database.

Evaluation and characterization of a high-resolution melting analysis kit for rapid carrier-screening test of spinal muscular atrophy.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a common autosomal recessive disorder in humans, caused by the homozygous absence of the survival motor neuron gene 1 (SMN1). SMN2, a copy gene, influences the severity of SMA. Several assays have been described for molecular diagnosis or carrier screening of SMA.

Mutational analysis of MATR3 in Taiwanese patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Mutations in the MATR3 gene were just recently identified to cause familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and their role in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in various populations remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and spectrum of mutations in MATR3 in a Taiwanese ALS cohort of Han Chinese origin. Mutational analyses of MATR3 were carried out by direct nucleotide sequencing in a cohort of 207 unrelated patients with ALS.

Aspirin use associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a total population-based case-control study.

Background: The association of aspirin use and nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) risk is unclear. This study determined whether use of any individual compound is associated with ALS risk by conducting a total population-based case-control study in Taiwan.

Methods: A total of 729 patients with newly diagnosed ALS who had a severely disabling disease certificate between January 1, 2002, and December 1, 2008, comprised the case group.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis risk: a total population-based case-control study.

Importance: Although several studies have shown that use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) potentially decreased amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) risk in animal models, to our knowledge, there has been no human study in the literature discussing this issue.

Objective: To investigate the association between the use of ACEIs and the risk for developing ALS.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This case-control study was conducted using the total population of Taiwanese citizens seen in general medical practice; therefore, the findings can be applied to the general population.

Extensive molecular genetic survey of Taiwanese patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Identification of genetic mutations has been of burgeoning importance in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in recent years. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and spectrum of mutations in major ALS-causing genes in a Taiwanese ALS cohort of Han Chinese origin. Mutational analyses of the SOD1, TARDBP, FUS, OPTN, VCP, UBQLN2, SQSTM1, PFN1, HNRNPA1, and HNRNPA2B1 genes were carried out by direct sequencing in 161 unrelated patients with ALS, including 30 with familial ALS (FALS) and 131 with sporadic ALS (SALS).

Poor responses to interferon-beta treatment in patients with neuromyelitis optica and multiple sclerosis with long spinal cord lesions.

Interferon-beta (IFN-β) treatment may not be effective in neuromyelitis optica (NMO). Whether the poor response to IFN-β is related to long spinal cord lesions (LSCL) or the NMO disease entity itself is unclear. We evaluated the spinal cord involvement of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and NMO, as well as the response after receiving IFN-β.

Beta2-adrenergic agonist use and the risk of multiple sclerosis: a total population-based case-control study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the use of fenoterol, a beta2-adrenergic agonist, was associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) risk by conducting a total population-based case-control study in Taiwan.

Methods: A total of 578 patients with newly diagnosed MS who had a severely disabling disease (SDD) certificate between January 1, 2002 and December 1, 2008 comprised the case group. These cases were compared with 2890 gender-, age-, residence-, and insurance premium-matched controls.

Climatic factors associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a spatial analysis from Taiwan.

Few studies have assessed the spatial association of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) incidence in the world. The aim of this study was to identify the association of climatic factors and ALS incidence in Taiwan. A total of 1,434 subjects with the primary diagnosis of ALS between years 1997 and 2008 were identified in the national health insurance research database.

Underlying cause and place of death among patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Taiwan: a population-based study, 2003-2008.

Background: Few studies have assessed cause of death among patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We investigated underlying cause and place of death among patients with ALS in Taiwan during 2003-2008.

Methods: The data source was the Taiwan National Health Insurance database for the period 2003-2008.

Tumefactive multiple sclerosis in Taiwan.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is less common in Asia, including Taiwan, and some characteristics of MS in Asians differ from those of Caucasians. Tumefactive brain lesion is even rarer in MS patients.

Objective: To review patients with tumefactive MS and compare them with those in other studies investigating tumefactive demyelinating lesions and our Taiwanese typical MS patients.

Impact of disease-modifying therapies on the survival of patients with multiple sclerosis in Taiwan, 1997-2008.

Background: Little is known about the impact of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) on the survival of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) throughout the world.

Objective: We conducted this study to investigate the association between DMTs and the survival of patients with MS in Taiwan.

Methods: A total of 1,240 individuals who had a primary diagnosis of MS and a seriously disabling disease certificate in Taiwan between 1 January 1997 and 1 December 2008 were followed up until 31 December 2009 to check what medical services were provided to them and whether they had a date of death recorded in the national mortality database.

Multiple sclerosis incidence associated with the soil lead and arsenic concentrations in Taiwan.

Background: Few studies in the world have assessed the incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS) with soil heavy metal concentrations. We explored the association of soil heavy metal factors and the MS incidence in Taiwan.

Methods: There were 1240 new MS cases from the National Health Insurance Research Database and were verified with serious disabling disease certificates, 1997-2008.

The utilization of hospice care among patients with motor neuron diseases: the experience in Taiwan from 2005 to 2010.

Background: The nature and extent of how patients with motor neuron diseases (MNDs) utilize hospice care in Taiwan remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the use of hospice care in Taiwan by patients with MND, and those factors that affect the extent, the cost, and the quality of their hospice treatment and care.

Methods: We analyzed data from hospice care inpatient claims of MNDs, using the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan during 2005-2010.

α-Lipoic acid enhances endogenous peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor-γ to ameliorate experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice.

ALA (α-lipoic acid) is a natural, endogenous antioxidant that acts as a PPAR-γ (peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor-γ) agonist to counteract oxidative stress. Thus far, the antioxidative and immunomodulatory effects of ALA on EAE (experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis) are not well understood. In this study, we found that ALA restricts the infiltration of inflammatory cells into the CNS (central nervous system) in MOG (myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein)-EAE mice, thus reducing the disease severity.