Publications by authors named "Dan-Tzu Lin-Tan"
Uremic pruritus (UP) is a common symptom in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). The pathogenesis of UP is complex. Aluminum (Al) is a common metal and is toxic to patients undergoing HD.
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- Acute heart failure (AHF) is linked to high mortality rates in critically ill patients, and while cadmium exposure increases mortality in general populations, its impact on AHF patients remains unclear.
- A study involving 153 AHF patients in ICUs found that urinary cadmium levels on the first day of admission were higher in survivors than non-survivors, with significant correlations to kidney injury and serum albumin levels.
- The urinary cadmium level on the first day was identified as an independent predictor of mortality, suggesting it could be a valuable indicator for hospital outcomes in AHF patients, though further research is needed to confirm these findings.
Association of low serum aluminum level with mortality in hemodialysis patients.
Ther Clin Risk Manag
September 2016
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the link between serum aluminum levels (SAL) and mortality in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients, focusing on those with SAL below the recommended threshold of 20 µg/L.
- A total of 901 MHD patients were monitored for a year, revealing that higher SAL quartiles were linked to increased risk of death, mostly from cardiovascular issues.
- The conclusion emphasizes the need to minimize aluminum exposure in MHD patients, as even acceptable SAL levels may still pose serious health risks.
The adverse effects of increased blood lead levels have been well discussed. Several antioxidant agents have been reported to offer protection from lead toxicity and to reduce blood lead levels (BLL). Given that erythropoietin (EPO) also has antioxidant properties, the aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the role of EPO and other clinical variables on BLL in hemodialysis (HD) patients.
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- A study involving 306 chronic peritoneal dialysis patients over 36 months examined the effects of blood cadmium levels (BCLs) on health outcomes and mortality.
- Patients were divided into three groups based on their BCLs, with findings indicating that those with higher BCLs were older, had more health issues like diabetes, and lower levels of serum albumin and lean body mass compared to those with lower BCLs.
- The results showed that higher BCLs were significantly associated with increased risks of malnutrition, low turnover bone disease, and higher mortality rates, suggesting that chronic PD patients should minimize exposure to cadmium.
Background: Determine the effect of the day 1 urinary excretion of cadmium (D1-UE-Cd) on mortality of patients admitted to a coronary care unit (CCU).
Methods: A total of 323 patients were enrolled in this 6-month study. Urine and blood samples were taken within 24 h after CCU admission.
Previous studies of general populations indicated environmental exposure to low-level cadmium increases mortality. However, the effect of cadmium exposure on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients is unclear.A total of 937 MHD patients from 3 centers in Taiwan were enrolled in this 36-month observational study.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWhether high body mass index (BMI) has an effect on progressive diabetic nephropathy in type II diabetes mellitus (DM) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 3 or 4 remains unclear. This prospective study aimed to investigate the relationship between BMI and progression of renal function deterioration in type II DM patients with CKD stage 3 or 4.A total of 105 type II DM patients with CKD stage 3 or 4 participated in this 24-month prospective observational study.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Malnutrition is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular death and may cause protein-energy wasting in individuals with chronic kidney disease. A previous study demonstrated that blood cadmium levels (BCLs) were associated with malnutrition in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. However, the correlation between cadmium exposure and malnutrition remains unclear in chronic peritoneal dialysis (CPD) patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Paraquat poisoning is characterized by acute lung injury, pulmonary fibrosis, respiratory failure, and multi-organ failure, resulting in a high rate of mortality and morbidity. The objectives of this study were to identify predictors of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in cases of paraquat poisoning and determine the association between these parameters.
Materials And Methods: In total, 187 patients were referred for management of intentional paraquat ingestion between 2000 and 2010.
Background: Studies on risk factors of mortality in elderly patients with hemodialysis usually focus on comorbidities, nutrition, and inflammation. Discussion on the correlation between living environment and mortality of these patients is limited.
Methods: A total of 256 elderly hemodialysis patients participated in this 2-year prospective observational study.
Background: Studies of the correlation between education levels and mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients are rare. The aim of this multi-center study was to investigate the relationship between education levels and 3-year mortality rates in HD patients.
Methods: A total of 935 HD patients from 3 HD centers participated in this 3-year prospective observational study.
Whether environmental lead exposure has a long-term effect on progressive diabetic nephropathy in type II diabetic patients remains unclear. A total of 107 type II diabetic patients with stage 3 diabetic nephropathy (estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) range, 30-60 mL/min/1.73 m(2)) with normal body lead burden (BLB) (<600 μ g/72 hr in EDTA mobilization tests) and no history of exposure to lead were prospectively followed for 2 years.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Paraquat poisoning is characterized by multi-organ failure and pulmonary fibrosis with respiratory failure, resulting in high mortality and morbidity. The objective of this study was to identify predictors of mortality in cases of paraquat poisoning. Furthermore, we sought to determine the association between these parameters.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Thousands of paraquat (PQ)-poisoned patients continue to die, particularly in developing countries. Although animal studies indicate that hemoperfusion (HP) within 2-4 h after intoxication effectively reduces mortality, the effect of early HP in humans remains unknown.
Methods: We analyzed the records of all PQ-poisoned patients admitted to 2 hospitals between 2000 and 2009.
Background: Infertility affects approximately 10-15% of reproductive-age couples. Poor semen quality contributes to about 25% of infertile cases. Resulting from the direct effect on testicular function or hormonal alterations, heavy metals exposure has been related to impaired semen quality.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To evaluate the treatment outcomes and costs of early keratectomy in the management of moderate Fusarium keratitis.
Methodology/principal Findings: Consecutive cases of culture proven Fusarium keratitis treated at our hospital between January 2004 to December 2010 were included in this retrospective study. There were 38 cases of moderate keratitis with infiltrates between 3 to 6 mm in diameter and depth of infiltration not exceeding the inner 1/3 of the cornea.
Background: A previous study in type 2 diabetic patients with high-normal body lead burdens showed that EDTA chelation therapy for 3 months slows progressive diabetic nephropathy during a 12-month follow-up. The effect of a longer course of therapy on kidney function decrease over a longer follow-up is not known.
Study Design: A 12-month run-in phase, then a randomized single-blind study with a 27-month intervention.
Introduction: This retrospective observational study examined the clinical features, the degrees of toxic hepatitis, physiological markers and clinical outcomes after intentional paraquat poisoning and sought to determine what association, if any, might exist between these findings.
Methods: A total of 187 patients were referred for management of intentional paraquat ingestion between 2000 and 2010. Patients were categorized into two groups according to their hepatic complication, i.
In May 2011, the illegal use of the phthalate plasticizer di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in clouding agents for use in foods and beverages was reported in Taiwan. This food scandal has caused shock and panic among the majority of Taiwanese people and has attracted international attention. Phthalate exposure is assessed by ambient monitoring or human biomonitoring.
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- A study involving 927 maintenance hemodialysis patients investigated the link between blood lead levels and mortality over 18 months.
- Patients were categorized based on their blood lead levels: high, middle, and low, with results showing higher mortality rates among those with high blood lead levels.
- The findings indicated that high blood lead levels significantly increased the risk of death from all causes, cardiovascular issues, and infections compared to low blood lead levels.
Purpose: To clarify the efficacy of repeated methylprednisolone (MP) and cyclophosphamide (CP) pulse therapy and daily dexamethasone (DEX) therapy in patients with severe paraquat (PQ) poisoning.
Methods: A total of 111 patients with severe PQ poisoning and dark-blue color in urine tests within 24 h of intoxication were included prospectively. The control group consisted of 52 patients who were admitted between 1998 and 2001 and who received high doses of CP (2 mg/kg per day) and DEX (5 mg every 6 h) for 14 days.
Article Synopsis
- The study examined the impact of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) on nondiabetic patients undergoing maintenance peritoneal dialysis (PD).
- A total of 362 patients were analyzed over a 2-year period, classifying them into diabetic, nondiabetic with IFG, and nondiabetic with normal glucose levels.
- Results indicated that IFG significantly increased the risk of mortality, alongside age, suggesting that IFG is a treatable risk factor in this patient population.