Publications by authors named "Chun-Ta Huang"
Background: High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) has emerged as a promising intervention for post-extubation oxygen therapy, with the potential to reduce the need for reintubation. However, it remains unclear whether using a higher flow setting provides better outcomes than the commonly used flow rate of 30-50 L/min.
Research Question: Does setting the flow rate of HFNC at 60 L/min versus 40 L/min for post-extubation care result in different extubation outcomes?
Study Design And Methods: This randomized controlled trial assigned intubated patients to receive HFNC at either a 60 L/min or 40 L/min flow rate following extubation.
Article Synopsis
- Clinical shadowing allows preclinical medical students to observe doctors, helping them understand important clinical competencies through reflective writings.
- A thematic analysis was conducted on 155 reflective writings from students at National Taiwan University, revealing that patient care was the most frequently noted competency, followed by systems-based practice and medical knowledge.
- The majority of reflections were categorized as concrete experiences, indicating that students primarily learned through direct observation rather than through abstract thinking or reflection.
Article Synopsis
- A study was conducted using data from Taiwanese insurance claims to evaluate the long-term impact of hyperglycemic crisis (HC) on the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients.* -
- The findings revealed that patients experiencing HC at diagnosis had a significantly higher incidence of CKD compared to those without HC, with a two-fold risk increase.* -
- The risk of CKD was found to be highest in patients with combined diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state (HHS), indicating that tailored medical interventions are essential for this high-risk group.*
Article Synopsis
- * Results showed high reliability in measurements (ICC of 0.968), with deviations in chest size significantly impacting readings, while variations in height and weight had little effect.
- * The findings emphasize the necessity for strict adherence to procedural guidelines to ensure accurate ReDS results, highlighting its reliability and potential for clinical use in lung fluid assessment.
Article Synopsis
- The study explored the effects of the probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum on macrophage polarization, nerve protection, and neuropathic pain in rats following nerve injury.
- Results indicated that L. plantarum reduced neuropathic pain and inflammation, improved nerve health, and increased anti-inflammatory cytokine release by altering macrophage activity and promoting beneficial metabolites like short-chain fatty acids.
Background: Dapagliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor, is an epochal oral antidiabetic drug that improves cardiorenal outcomes. However, the effect of early dapagliflozin intervention on left ventricular (LV) remodeling in patients with type 2 diabetes free from cardiovascular disease remains unclear.
Methods And Results: The ELUCIDATE trial was a prospective, open-label, randomized, active-controlled study that enrolled 76 patients with asymptomatic type 2 diabetes with LV ejection fraction ≥50%, randomized to the dapagliflozin 10 mg/day add-on or standard-of-care group.
Article Synopsis
- The study compared patient experiences during bronchoscopy using topical anesthesia (TA) versus monitored anesthesia care (MA) to find out if TA could suffice in resource-limited settings.
- It involved 350 patients, uncovering that while MA provided a better overall satisfaction rating (8.9 vs. 8.2), TA yielded comparable results for less invasive or shorter procedures.
- The findings suggest that while MA is preferable for most cases, TA alone can be effective in specific situations, making it a viable option in settings with limited resources.
Background: Impact of lung fluid content changing during exercise has not been investigated in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Using a novel point-of-care measurement system (remote dielectric sensing (ReDS) system), we aimed to investigate changes in lung fluid content before and after 6-minute walk test (6MWT); especially, differences between patients with and without comorbid heart failure (HF) were evaluated.
Methods: From June 2021 to July 2022, patients with COPD referred for 6MWT were prospectively enrolled.
Background: The effectiveness of using a spray nozzle to deliver lidocaine for superior topical airway anaesthesia during non-sedation flexible bronchoscopy (FB) remains a topic of uncertainty when compared with conventional methods.
Methods: Patients referred for FB were randomly assigned to receive topical lidocaine anaesthesia the bronchoscope's working channel (classical spray (CS) group) or through a washing pipe equipped with a spray nozzle (SN group). The primary outcome was cough rate, defined as the total number of coughs per minute.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the bioactive properties of leaves, which are often discarded, by using a pilot-scale ultrasonic-assisted extraction process to obtain active compounds.
- Under optimal extraction conditions, the study found a significant amount of phenolic content and evaluated various biological activities including antioxidant, antiaging, and antimicrobial effects, with specific concentrations required for effectiveness.
- The leaf extract (CALE) demonstrated promising potential for use in cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries due to its beneficial properties, low toxicity, and high skin absorption efficiency.
Purpose: Despite the importance of radial endobronchial ultrasound (rEBUS) in transbronchial biopsy, researchers have yet to apply artificial intelligence to the analysis of rEBUS images.
Materials And Methods: This study developed a convolutional neural network (CNN) to differentiate between malignant and benign tumours in rEBUS images. This study retrospectively collected rEBUS images from medical centres in Taiwan, including 769 from National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin-Chu Branch, Hsinchu Hospital for model training (615 images) and internal validation (154 images) as well as 300 from National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH-TPE) and 92 images were obtained from National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin-Chu Branch, Biomedical Park Hospital (NTUH-BIO) for external validation.
Purpose: The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) is often used to evaluate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients' functional capacity, with 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) and related measures being linked to mortality and hospitalizations. This study investigates the prognostic value of pace variability, a significant indicator in sports medicine, during the 6MWT for COPD patients.
Patients And Methods: We retrospectively screened consecutive COPD patients who had been prospectively enrolled in a pay-for-performance program from January 2019 to May 2020 to determine their eligibility.
Objectives: Glia (i.e., astrocyte and microglia) activation in the central nervous system plays a critical role in developing neuropathic pain.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The T790M mutation is the major resistance mechanism to first- and second-generation TKIs in EGFR-mutant NSCLC. This study aimed to investigate the utility of droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) for detection of T790M in plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), and explore its impact on prognosis.
Methods: This prospective study enrolled 80 advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients treated with gefitinib, erlotinib, or afatinib for TKI-sensitizing mutations between 2015 and 2019.
Background: Previous studies showed that same-hospital readmission is associated with better outcomes than different-hospital readmission. However, little is known about whether readmission to the same care unit (same-care unit readmission) after infectious hospitalization performs better than readmission to a different care unit at the same hospital (different-care unit readmission).
Methods: This retrospective study screened patients rehospitalized within 30 days following admission to two acute medical wards for infectious diseases from 2013 to 2015 and included only those readmitted for unplanned medical reasons.
Background: A successful family meeting is key to family-centered care and may foster communication and improve the level of satisfaction of the family in terms of communication. In this study, we evaluated whether a proactive communication channel could improve the level of satisfaction of family members following a family meeting in a general medical ward setting.
Methods: We conducted a pre- and post-study to compare the level of satisfaction of a family with a family meeting before (N = 39) and after (N = 29) intervention in two general medical wards of a tertiary-care referral center.
Article Synopsis
- Helicobacter pylori infection and high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) are linked to a higher risk of colorectal neoplasms, potentially working together to increase this risk even more.
- A meta-analysis of 27 studies was conducted to assess how prevalent diabetes and H. pylori infections in various populations affect the risk of colorectal adenomas in adults.
- The findings indicated that as the prevalence of diabetes increased, the risk of developing colorectal adenomas associated with H. pylori infection also rose significantly, underscoring the importance of both factors in colorectal health.
Objectives: Both cefoperazone-sulbactam (CFP-SUL) and piperacillin-tazobactam (PIP-TAZ) are β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor antibiotics and have a similar antimicrobial spectrum. However, comparative clinical efficacy and safety of CFP-SUL and PIP-TAZ for the treatment of pneumonia remain largely unknown, especially in elderly patients.
Methods: Based on a multi-centre registry database, patients aged ≥65 years, diagnosed with severe community-acquired pneumonia (SCAP), hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) or ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), and given empirical therapy with CFP-SUL or PIP-TAZ were included in the analysis.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the link between hypothyroidism and cardiovascular issues, particularly focusing on heart deformations and their predictive value in asymptomatic subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH).
- Researchers analyzed data from over 4,000 individuals, categorizing them based on thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels to assess the impact on heart function.
- Results showed that those with SCH had significant alterations in heart strain measurements and were at a higher risk for conditions like atrial fibrillation and heart failure, suggesting that monitoring heart deformation could help predict cardiovascular risks in these patients.
Article Synopsis
- This study evaluated the effectiveness of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial biopsy (EBUS-TBB) for diagnosing malignant peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs), comparing procedures done with and without a guide sheath (GS).
- Results showed that both EBUS-TBB groups had similar diagnostic yields (79% vs. 78%), and while the complication rates seemed lower with the GS, it was not statistically significant.
- The use of a GS significantly increased the procedure time (29 min vs. 24 min), leading to the conclusion that GS guidance does not enhance diagnosis but may reduce complications at the cost of longer procedures.
Context: Individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM) are susceptible to various infections.
Objective: We estimated the risk of herpes zoster (HZ) among individuals with DM compared with individuals in the general population.
Methods: We searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and PerioPath databases from their inception to January 30, 2021, for studies on the risk of HZ in individuals with DM.
Background: Heterogeneity in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has led to many statistically negative clinical trials. Etiology is considered an important source of pathogenesis heterogeneity in ARDS but previous studies have usually adopted a dichotomous classification, such as pulmonary versus extrapulmonary ARDS, to evaluate it. Etiology-associated heterogeneity in ARDS remains poorly described.
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