Post-operative oropharyngeal rehabilitation suppress oxidative stress and inflammation in obstructive sleep apnea patients with transoral robotic surgery.

Purpose: To demonstrate the effects of postoperative oropharyngeal rehabilitation on inflammatory mediators and antioxidant capacity in adults with obstructive sleep apnea.

Methods: This quasi-experimental study enrolled participants without blinding between January 2020 and December 2022. Patients with obstructive sleep apnea were divided into a conservative treatment group (n = 17), surgery group (n = 23), or surgery combined with oropharyngeal rehabilitation (surgery + rehabilitation) group (n = 19).

Trends in palliative care utilization among older adult decedents with and without cancer in Taiwan: a population-based comparative study.

Background: The leading causes of death among the older adults have shifted from cancer to non-cancer conditions such as ischemia heart diseases, stroke, and dementia, affecting end-of-life care needs. This study examined the difference in the proportion of palliative care utilization in relation to specific causes of death and compared the trends in palliative care utilization between older adult decedents with and without cancer in Taiwan from 2010 to 2020.

Methods: The study utilized data from the Health and Welfare Data Science Center in Taiwan, covering demographic and healthcare variables for 588,010 decedents aged 65+ years who died between 2010 and 2020.

Effects of osteoporosis treatment and multicomponent integrated care on intrinsic capacity and happiness among rural community-dwelling older adults: the Healthy Longevity and Ageing in Place (HOPE) randomised controlled trial.

Background: Monitoring and improving intrinsic capacity (IC) and well-being are essential for older adults to maintain functional abilities. However, evidence of effective interventions to improve IC and happiness is scarce. This study examined the effects of multicomponent interventions in the Healthy Longevity and Ageing in Place (HOPE) randomised controlled trial on IC and happiness among rural community-dwelling older adults.

Addressing healthcare disparities and improving osteoporosis management in rural communities: a cluster randomized control trial.

Unlabelled: Rural communities face healthcare challenges. This study assessed a multicomponent intervention to improve hospital visits and anti-osteoporosis medication (AOM) treatment rates. A total of 567 patients were randomized into three groups.

The role of socioeconomic factors in sex differences in intrinsic capacity among older adults: A cross-sectional study in Taiwan.

Objectives: The World Health Organization's Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) framework launched in 2019 is used to assess the intrinsic capacity of older individuals. Older women may face greater socioeconomic disadvantages, which can impact their physical and mental well-being. Therefore, we examined sex differences in intrinsic capacity and the influence of socioeconomic status.

Statin Use and the Risk of Graves' Orbitopathy: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

Statin use is reported to reduce the risk of Graves' orbitopathy (GO) in Western populations. However, study regarding the protective effect of statins against GO in Asians with Graves' disease (GD) is scarce. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of statins in preventing GO in Asian GD patients.

Associations between tooth loss, denture use, and dementia in older Taiwanese adults.

Background: The literature has mainly focused on the association between tooth loss and dementia, and evidence regarding the separate and joint effects of tooth loss and denture use on the risk of dementia is limited. This study investigated the links among tooth loss, denture use, and dementia risk in Taiwanese adults aged 65 years or older.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study utilized data from the 2009 National Health Interview Survey and 2008-2017 National Health Insurance claim records, including the records of 2247 individuals free from dementia treatment in 2008-2009.

Institutional variation of smoking cessation success in Taiwan: A multi-level analysis of the National Second-Generation Tobacco Cessation Program Data.

Introduction: Although the relationships between personal factors and smoking abstinence are well-documented, institutional variation in smoking abstinence remains underexplored. This study investigates institutional variation in the six-month smoking abstinence prevalence among institutions participating in Taiwan's Second-Generation Tobacco Cessation Program (SGTCP) and examines institutional characteristics associated with smoking cessation success.

Methods: The analysis included 304,757 pharmacotherapy and health education sessions from 160,336 participants who received smoking cessation services across 2420 institutions under the SGTCP between 2000 and June 2022.

Intrinsic Capacity and Life Quality Among Taiwanese Older People: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Intrinsic capacity (IC), an internal composite ability proposed by the World Health Organization, is fundamental to older people's health. The present study examined potential models explaining the association between IC and quality of life (QoL) among older people in Taiwan. Frailty, basic activities of daily living (BADL), and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) were hypothesized to be mediators in the association between IC and QoL.

Long Dosing Intervals of Parenteral Antiosteoporosis Medications and the Decrease in Societal Fracture Risk: An 11-Year Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between different dosing intervals of antiosteoporosis medications (AOMs) and the subsequent fracture risk among patients with newly initiated AOM therapies.

Patients And Methods: In a nationwide population-based cohort study based on Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database, osteoporosis patients with 50 years of age or older who newly initiated AOM from January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2018 (n=336,229) were included. We categorized AOMs into short dosing intervals (oral AOMs) or long dosing intervals (parenteral AOMs).

Feasibility and Psychometric Properties of Integrated Care for Older People Screening Tool for Taiwanese (ICOPES-TW) Cognitive Screening Test.

Background: Intrinsic capacity, a concept proposed by the World Health Organization, includes multidimensions to better understand older adults' health conditions for successful healthy aging. One of the key dimensions of intrinsic capacity is cognition. The present study aimed to examine if the cognitive test in Integrated Care for Older People Screening Tool for Taiwanese (ICOPES-TW) is a suitable instrument for screening cognition impairment.

5 G new radio fiber-wireless converged systems by injection locking multi-optical carrier into directly-modulated lasers.

The integration of fiber-optical wireless convergence with fifth generation new radio is crucial in building high-performance access networks. This approach not only provides high-transmission-rates but also ensures broad coverage, which is vital for future networks. Here we report fifth generation new radio fiber-wireless converged systems by injection locking multi-optical carrier into directly-modulated lasers.

Comparative accuracy of CA-153 and KL-6 as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for interstitial lung disease.

Backgrounds: To discern the potential of KL-6 and CA-153 as diagnostic tools for interstitial lung disease (ILD), understand their relationship with GAP (Gender, Age, and Physiology) stage, and analyze their predictive capacities alongside CT features. This research aims to enhance ILD detection and management in autoimmune patients, emphasizing the diagnostic utility of these biomarkers.

Methods: From Mar 2017 to Mar 2024, 398 patients from Taichung Veterans General Hospital's Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology with autoimmune diseases were prospectively enrolled.

Neurodevelopmental disorders in children born to mothers involved in maternal motor vehicle crashes.

Background: To evaluate the association between maternal MVCs during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs, including intellectual disability, ADHD, ASD, and infantile cerebral palsy) in children.

Methods: This population-based cohort of live births in Taiwan was analyzed, comparing children born to mothers involved in MVCs during pregnancy with those without such exposure. Children were linked to the insurance database to identify the possible diagnosis of NDDs.

Survival After the Diagnosis of Mild-to-Moderate Alzheimer's Disease Dementia: A 15-Year National Cohort Study in Taiwan.

Objectives: Pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions are mostly designed for patients with early Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia. Long-term case management and planning for the remainder of life with disability require an estimation of the survival duration.

Methods: This cohort study utilized data from the National Health Insurance Research Database, Taiwan, to identify incident cases of mild-to-moderate AD dementia diagnosed from 2000 to 2002, followed through December 31, 2017.

Inclusion of blood pressure parameter increases predictive capability of severe obstructive sleep apnea: A decision tree approach.

Few studies included objective blood pressure (BP) to construct the predictive model of severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This study used binary logistic regression model (BLRM) and the decision tree method (DTM) to constructed the predictive models for identifying severe OSA, and to compare the prediction capability between the two methods. Totally 499 adult patients with severe OSA and 1421 non-severe OSA controls examined at the Sleep Medicine Center of a tertiary hospital in southern Taiwan between October 2016 and April 2019 were enrolled.