Long-term risk of mesenteric ischemia in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a 13-year nationwide cohort study in an Asian population.

Background: It is unclear whether patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have higher risks of developing mesenteric ischemia.

Methods: We enrolled 9,363 patients who had been hospitalized because of IBD between January 1998 and December 2010, along with 37,452 control patients who were matched at a 1:4 proportion for age, sex, and index year. We accounted the cumulative incidences and hazard ratios (HRs) of developing mesenteric ischemia during the 13-year study period.

Subsequent ischemic events associated with lower extremity amputations in patients with type 2 diabetes: a population-based cohort study.

Aims: To explore the risk of subsequent ischemic events in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients who had lower extremity amputations (LEAs) were compared with DM patients without LEAs.

Methods: A population-based cohort study was conducted utilizing the data of 2011 patients with newly diagnosed DM with and without LEAs sourced from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000 (LHID 2000) of the Taiwan National Health Insurance (NHI) program between 1996 and 2008.

Main Outcome Measures: Relative risks (RRs), hazard ratios (HRs), and disease-free rates for various ischemic events.

A high risk of hyperlipidemia in epilepsy patients: a nationwide population-based cohort study.

Purpose: This study evaluated the effect of epilepsy on the development of hyperlipidemia (HL) in Taiwan.

Methods: We conducted a nationwide population-based cohort study based on data obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan. We identified 990 cases involving patients whose epilepsy was newly diagnosed between 2000 and 2005, and we also selected a comparison cohort comprising 3960 patients without epilepsy.

Increased risk of first-ever stroke in younger patients with atrial fibrillation not recommended for antithrombotic therapy by current guidelines: a population-based study in an East Asian cohort of 22 million people.

Objective: To assess the risk of first-ever ischemic stroke in younger patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who have none of the CHA2DS2-VASc (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years, diabetes mellitus, previous stroke/transient ischemic attack, vascular disease, age 65-74 years, sex category [female sex]) risk factors (excluding female sex) by using the National Health Insurance research database in Taiwan.

Patients And Methods: From 22,842,778 insured people, we identified 24,612 hospitalized patients with newly diagnosed AF between January 1, 2002, and December 31, 2004, as the AF group and randomly selected 98,448 age- and sex-matched persons without AF as the non-AF group. Both groups were followed up until December 31, 2010, to estimate ischemic stroke incidences in relation to other stroke risk factors.

Risk of subsequent asthma in children with febrile seizures: a nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study.

Background: No study has reported a relationship between febrile seizures and asthma; thus, we examined the association between these two disorders.

Methods: We identified 991 cases of children with febrile seizures as the case cohort, and the control group was matched according to age, sex, urbanization level, and their parents' occupation at a 1:4 ratio. We applied the Cox proportional hazards regression model to estimate the hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for asthma among the children with febrile seizures.

Hepatitis B virus infection and the risk of male infertility: a population-based analysis.

Objective: To evaluate the risk of male infertility among patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

Design: A nationwide, population-based cohort study.

Setting: Not applicable.

Chronic hepatitis C virus infection is associated with the development of rheumatoid arthritis: a nationwide population-based study in taiwan.

Objective: The association between chronic hepatitis virus infection and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remains debatable. This nationwide population-based cohort study assessed the risk of RA among patients with a chronic infection of hepatitis B and/or C virus.

Materials And Methods: We used data extracted from the claims of 1,000,000 randomly sampled individuals covered under the Taiwan National Health Insurance program.

The association between spinal cord injury and acute myocardial infarction in a nationwide population-based cohort study.

Study Design: A spinal cord injury (SCI) retrospective cohort study was derived from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan.

Objective: We evaluated risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in patients newly diagnosed with SCI.

Summary Of Background Data: According to information of the World Health Organization, cardiovascular diseases are the most frequent causes of death in patients with SCI compared with those in the general population.

Association of zolpidem use and subsequent increased risk of epilepsy: a population-based, case-control study.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of long-term zolpidem use on the subsequent risk of epilepsy.

Method: We used data from the National Health Insurance system of Taiwan to conduct a population-based case-control study. We identified 4,972 newly diagnosed epilepsy patients (ICD-9-CM code 345) for the period of 2005-2010 as cases.

Rheumatoid arthritis increases the risk of nontuberculosis mycobacterial disease and active pulmonary tuberculosis.

Background: Few studies have examined the association of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with nontuberculosis mycobacterium (NTM) disease and pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB).

Methods: We identified 29 131 patients with RA from the catastrophic illness registry who were diagnosed from 1998-2008; 116 524 patients without RA from inpatient data files were randomly frequency matched according to sex, age, and index year and used as a comparison group. Both groups were followed-up until the end of 2010 to measure the incidence of NTM disease and active PTB.

Atrial fibrillation associated with increased risk of venous thromboembolism. A population-based cohort study.

Whether atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains controversial. From Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000 (LHID2000), we identified 11,458 patients newly diagnosed with AF. The comparison group comprised 45,637 patients without AF.

Increased risk of tuberculosis in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus: results from a population-based cohort study in Taiwan.

The studies on the risk of tuberculosis (TB) in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) alone are limited. We examined this relationship using a population-based retrospective cohort study. From claims data of the National Health Insurance system of Taiwan, we identified 5195 patients with T1DM newly diagnosed from 2002 to 2011 and 20,780 randomly selected controls without T1DM, frequency matched by age, sex, and year of diagnosis.

Genetic Variations in the Kir6.2 Subunit (KCNJ11) of Pancreatic ATP-Sensitive Potassium Channel Gene Are Associated with Insulin Response to Glucose Loading and Early Onset of Type 2 Diabetes in Childhood and Adolescence in Taiwan.

To investigate the role of E23K polymorphism of the KCNJ11 gene on early onset of type 2 diabetes in school-aged children/adolescents in Taiwan, we recruited 38 subjects with type 2 diabetes (ages 18.6 ± 6.6 years; body mass index percentiles 83.

Hepatitis C virus infection increases the risk of developing peripheral arterial disease: a 9-year population-based cohort study.

Background & Aims: The relationship between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) development remains unclear.

Methods: Health insurance claims data were used to construct a cohort of HCV-infected patients diagnosed during the period 1998-2011. Patients younger than 20 years and those with history of hepatitis B or PAD were excluded.

Sleep disorders increase the risk of osteoporosis: a nationwide population-based cohort study.

Background: This study evaluated the relationship between sleep disorders (SDs) and osteoporosis risk in Taiwan.

Methods: From the Taiwan National Health Insurance data, we identified 44,690 newly diagnosed SD patients (846 with apnea and 43,844 without) from 1998 to 2001 and 89,380 comparisons without SD in the same period frequency matched by sex, age and diagnosis year. Incident osteoporosis was measured by the end of 2010.

Risk of epilepsy in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus - a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) affects central and peripheral nervous systems, manifesting neuropsychiatric disorders that vary from subtle signs to life-threatening complications. This study compared the risk of epilepsy between a general population and patients with SLE.

Methods: From the national insurance claims data of the Taiwan National Health Research Institutes, we identified 32,301 patients with newly diagnosed SLE from 1997-2010 and, for comparison, 129,204 randomly selected people without SLE; the frequencies of both groups were matched by sex, age, and diagnosis date.

Obstructive sleep apnea patients having surgery are less associated with glaucoma.

Objective. To investigate if different treatment strategy of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was associated glaucoma risk in Taiwanese population. Methods.

The association of peptic ulcer and schizophrenia: a population-based study.

Background: The association of schizophrenia with peptic ulcer is not conclusive. In the last 30years, there has been little evaluation of peptic ulcer among schizophrenia patients.

Methods: To explore the relation of peptic ulcer and schizophrenia during this new phase, we used the data from Taiwan insurance claims, identified 1496 schizophrenia patients (ICD-9-CM: 295) and selected 5984 non-schizophrenia controls that were frequency-matched by sex, age, and index year with schizophrenia patients during the years 1998-2001.

Laparoscopic appendectomy versus open appendectomy in pregnancy: a population-based analysis of maternal outcome.

Background: Laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) is the standard treatment of acute appendicitis for the general population; however, there is still some doubt regarding its safety for pregnant patients. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate and compare the maternal outcome of pregnant patients with acute appendicitis following either an open appendectomy (OA) or LA from a population-based database.

Methods: This study is based on the National Health Insurance Research Database.

A population-based nested case-control study: the use of 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors and the increased risk of osteoporosis diagnosis in patients with benign prostate hyperplasia.

Background: 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors (5ARIs) are the potent androgen responsible for the development and enlargement of the prostate gland by decreasing dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This results in inhibition of the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone and markedly suppresses serum dihydrotestosterone levels. Testosterone replacement therapy improves bone density in men with hypogonadal osteoporosis.

Association Between Zolpidem Use and Glaucoma Risk: A Taiwanese Population-Based Case-Control Study.

Background: To date, the relationship between zolpidem use and subsequent risk of glaucoma in a Taiwanese population has not been assessed.Methods: We used data from the National Health Insurance system to investigate whether zolpidem use was related to glaucoma risk. A 1:4 matched case-control study was conducted.

Reduction of surgery rate in endometriosis patients who take Chinese medicine: a population-based retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: Female patients have frequently utilized Chinese medicine (CM) to treat symptoms that could possibly be related to endometriosis. The objective of this population-based retrospective cohort study was to evaluate the relationship between CM use and subsequent surgery among patients with endometriosis.

Design: A total of 8,283 CM users were identified among the 22,488 endometriosis patients found in the National Health Insurance reimbursement database between 2000 and 2010.

A nationwide population-based cohort study on tonsillectomy and subsequent cancer incidence.

Objectives/hypothesis: Tonsillectomy is related to increased risk of certain types of cancer. This study evaluates the possible association between tonsillectomy and cancer in Taiwan.

Methods: Data from the National Health Insurance system of Taiwan was used.

Atopic diseases and systemic lupus erythematosus: an epidemiological study of the risks and correlations.

Both atopic diseases and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are immune disorders that may lead to physical complications or multi-system comorbidities. This population-based case-control study was designed to evaluate the risk of SLE associated with atopic diseases. Using a national insurance claims dataset in Taiwan, we identified 1673 patients newly diagnosed with SLE and 6692 randomly selected controls frequency matched for gender, age and index date.

Advanced complicated diabetes mellitus is associated with a reduced risk of thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture: a population-based cohort study.

Background: Studies have associated diabetes mellitus (DM) with the reduced risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm and thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection. We used the national insurance data of Taiwan to examine these correlations for an Asian population. The association was also evaluated by DM severity.