Automatic 3D left atrial strain extraction framework on cardiac computed tomography.

Background And Objective: Strain analysis provides insights into myocardial function and cardiac condition evaluation. However, the anatomical characteristics of left atrium (LA) inherently limit LA strain analysis when using echocardiography. Cardiac computed tomography (CT) with its superior spatial resolution, has become critical for in-depth evaluation of LA function.

Deep learning-based automatic left atrial appendage filling defects assessment on cardiac computed tomography for clinical and subclinical atrial fibrillation patients.

Rationale And Objectives: Selecting region of interest (ROI) for left atrial appendage (LAA) filling defects assessment can be time consuming and prone to subjectivity. This study aimed to develop and validate a novel artificial intelligence (AI), deep learning (DL) based framework for automatic filling defects assessment on CT images for clinical and subclinical atrial fibrillation (AF) patients.

Materials And Methods: A total of 443,053 CT images were used for DL model development and testing.

Perception and Willingness to Maintain Continuity of Care by Parents of Children with Asthma in Taiwan.

To investigate caregivers' attitudes toward continuity of care (COC) and their willingness to maintain continuity for their children with asthma under a national health insurance (NHI) system without strict referral management. We sampled 825 individuals from six pediatric outpatient departments in different parts of Taiwan from 2017 to 2018. We used a contingent valuation with a payment card method.

Administrative and Claims Data Help Predict Patient Mortality in Intensive Care Units by Logistic Regression: A Nationwide Database Study.

Background: Increasing attention has been paid to the predictive power of different prognostic scoring systems for decades. In this study, we compared the abilities of three commonly used scoring systems to predict short-term and long-term mortalities, with the intention of building a better prediction model for critically ill patients. We used the data from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) in Taiwan, which included information on patient age, comorbidities, and presence of organ failure to build a new prediction model for short-term and long-term mortalities.

The influence of nurse practitioner staffing on intensive care unit mortality.

Background: In Taiwan, nurse practitioners (NPs) have taken on expanded clinical roles in the intensive care unit (ICU) due to insufficient staffing of attending physicians and resident physicians.

Local Problem: The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of NP staffing on the quality of patient care in ICUs.

Methods: This is a retrospective study that selected patients from the ICUs of three hospitals during 2015.

Comparisons of mortality and rehospitalization between hip-fractured elderly with outpatient rehabilitation and those without: A STROBE-compliant article.

Geriatric patients with hip fractures have high mortality. This study aimed to compare the mortality and rehospitalization of recipient and nonrecipient of outpatient rehabilitation in hip-fractured elderly.This retrospective cohort study used nationwide claims data in Taiwan and included 3585 senior citizen patients admitted for hip fractures between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2012.

The Use of Hypnotics and Mortality--A Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Sleep disorders, especially chronic insomnia, have become major health problem worldwide and, as a result, the use of hypnotics is steadily increasing. However, few studies with a large sample size and long-term observation have been conducted to investigate the relationship between specific hypnotics and mortality.

Methods: We conducted this retrospective cohort study using data from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan.

Can Tracheostomy Improve Outcome and Lower Resource Utilization for Patients with Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation?

Background: It is not clear whether the benefits of tracheostomy remain the same in the population. This study aimed to better examine the effect of tracheostomy on clinical outcome among prolonged ventilator patients.

Methods: Data were from the medical claims data in Taiwan.

Gout and the risk of dementia: a nationwide population-based cohort study.

Introduction: Uric acid was proposed to have anti-oxidant property and possible neuroprotective effects. We examined the association between gout and dementia with population database.

Methods: The study utilized the claims data from the nationwide representative sample of Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD).

The impact of influenza vaccination on hospitalizations and mortality among frail older people.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the benefits of influenza vaccination against hospitalization and mortality on frail elderly people.

Design: The design was a population-based retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Taiwan's National Health Insurance claims data.

Incidence and renal survival of ESRD in the young Taiwanese population.

Background And Objectives: ESRD in the young represents a heavy burden to patients, families, and health care systems. This nationwide retrospective study characterized the incidence of ESRD and analyzed diagnoses associated with renal survival in the young population in Taiwan.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: Through use of Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database, the population of young patients (age<30 years, including children and young adults) with ESRD between January 1998 and December 2009 were enrolled.

The impact of nationwide education program on clinical practice in sepsis care and mortality of severe sepsis: a population-based study in Taiwan.

Objectives: We investigated the effect of a nationwide educational program following surviving sepsis campaign (SSC) guidelines. Physicians' clinical practice in sepsis care and patient mortality rate for severe sepsis were analyzed using a nationally representative cohort.

Methods: Hospitalizations for severe sepsis with organ failure from 1997 to 2008 were extracted from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD), and trends in sepsis incidence and mortality rates were analyzed.

Readmission to the intensive care unit: a population-based approach.

Background/purpose: Readmission to the intensive care unit (ICU) results in increased consumption of medical resources and costs, and has been proposed as a marker for quality of care. ICU readmission rates have been estimated at 4-14% and different risk factors have been proposed by various studies.

Methods: Every admission event to the ICU was recorded and readmission episodes were analyzed using a population-based database from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) for the period from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2006.

Which domain of self-rated health best predicts medical care utilization among Taiwanese adults?

Background: We attempted to identify the domain of self-rated health (SRH) that best predicts medical care utilization among Taiwanese adults. In addition, we examined the association between SRH and different measure of medical care utilization.

Methods: We analyzed data on 11 987 community-dwelling adults aged 18 to 64 years from the 2005 Taiwan National Health Interview Survey (NHIS).

Successful treatment of severe heatstroke with therapeutic hypothermia by a noninvasive external cooling system.

Heatstroke is a life-threatening disease; however, no pharmacologic treatment has proven to be effective. In severe cases with multiple organ dysfunction, the mortality remains high and many patients inevitably develop permanent neurologic damage. We report a near-fatal case of exertional heatstroke with multiple organ dysfunction, including generalized convulsions, acute lung injury, and disseminated intravascular coagulation, successfully treated with induced therapeutic hypothermia (33°C [91.

Novel role of AMP-activated protein kinase signaling in cigarette smoke induction of IL-8 in human lung epithelial cells and lung inflammation in mice.

Cigarette smoke (CS) increases chemokine production in lung epithelial cells (LECs), but the pathways involved are not completely understood. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a crucial regulator of energy homeostasis, may modulate inflammation. Here, we show that cigarette smoke extract sequentially activated NADPH oxidase; increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level; activated AMPK, NF-κB, and STAT3; and induced interleukin 8 (IL-8) in human LECs.

Acute renal failure in severe pancreatitis: A population-based study.

Introduction: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a common illness with varied mortality and morbidity. Patients with AP complicated with acute renal failure (ARF) have higher mortality than patients with AP alone. Although ARF has been proposed as a leading mortality cause for AP patients admitted to the ICU, few studies have directly analyzed the relationship between AP and ARF.

Usefulness of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 in differentiating between typical and atypical community-acquired pneumonia.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical use of inflammatory marker triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells (TREM)-1 at admission for differentiating between typical and atypical bacterial community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

Methods: A prospective, noninterventional study of patients with CAP hospitalized through the emergency department was performed. Surface expression of TREM-1 was analyzed using flow cytometry on peripheral blood cells, and soluble TREM-1 (sTREM-1) concentration was determined in plasma.

Health effects of medical radiation on cardiologists who perform cardiac catheterization.

Background: We investigated the health effects of low-dose radiation on cardiologists exposed to scattered radiation while performing cardiac catheterization (CC) in a hospital setting from 2003 to 2006.

Methods: We performed a 4-year retrospective study on 2, 292 medical doctors, using claims data from all contracted hospitals of the Bureau of National Health Insurance, Taiwan. We gathered statistical data regarding radiation-related diseases using the International Classification of Diseases, 9(th) Revision, Clinical Modification record numbers of each doctor.

General anesthesia in a juvenile with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder accompanied by long-term use of methylphenidate (Concerta).

Methylphenidate, a central stimulant, is used in the treatment of individuals who have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD is a notorious worldwide disorder with a prevalence rate of 8-12% in schoolchildren, which is characterized by hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention. Currently, there have been few reports in the anesthetic literature examining ADHD patients who have had long-term use of methylphenidate, especially the extended-release formulation.

Ginkgo biloba extract confers protection from cigarette smoke extract-induced apoptosis in human lung endothelial cells: Role of heme oxygenase-1.

Cigarette smoking is the major cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which is associated with increased oxidative stress and numbers of apoptotic endothelial cells in the lungs. Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb) is a therapeutic agent for disorders such as vascular insufficiency and Alzheimer's disease. Although EGb is known to possess antioxidant functions, its ability to alleviate cigarette smoke-induced pathophysiological consequences has not been elucidated.

Wood smoke extract promotes both apoptosis and proliferation in rat alveolar epithelial type II cells: the role of oxidative stress and heme oxygenase-1.

Objective: Inhalation of toxic smoke causes oxidant lung injury. Alveolar epithelial type II cells are important in the re-epithelialization of alveolar walls after lung injury. We investigated the responses of alveolar epithelial type II cells to insult by wood smoke extract, and we identified the role of reactive oxygen species and heme oxygenase-1 (an oxidative stress protein) in these responses.

Acute effect of methylprednisolone on the brain in a rat model of allergic asthma.

Asthma affects not only the airways but also the central nervous system (CNS). Corticosteroids are an effective therapeutic agents for asthma. In our study, we investigated the acute effect of ovalbumin (OVA) on the brain and the effectiveness of methylprednisolone (MP) in both the periphery and CNS in a rat model of allergic asthma.