Gestational Exposure to Maternal Systemic Glucocorticoids and Childhood Risk of CKD.

Rationale & Objective: The potential effects of antenatal glucocorticoid exposure on the health of children are unclear. We examined the association of gestational exposure to maternal systemic glucocorticoids and the risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD) in childhood.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Guideline-Adherent Hypertension in Children and Adolescents: A Multi-Institutional Database Analysis from Taiwan.

Background/aims: Childhood-onset hypertension is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and adult mortality. This study aimed to assess guideline-adherent hypertension among Taiwanese youth and the agreement on hypertension between the 2017 American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines and the 2004 Fourth Report.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we collected outpatient blood pressure (OBP) measurements obtained during routine care visits from a large healthcare delivery system between 2009 and 2018 to evaluate the rate of guideline-adherent hypertension and assess patient-related factors of pediatric hypertension.

Cardiovascular diseases morbidity and mortality among children, adolescents and young adults with dialysis therapy.

Background: The age-specific burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality in pediatric and young adult patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) remains unclear. We aimed to examine the prevalence and incidence of CVD and all-cause mortality in children and adolescents compared with adults with dialysis in Taiwan.

Methods: This retrospective observational cohort study comprised 3,910 patients with more than 2 time point receipts of dialysis therapy in a year, including 156 aged <12 years (children), 250 aged 13-20 years (adolescents), 1,036 aged 21-30 years (young adults) and 2,468 aged 31-40 years (adults) in a large healthcare delivery system in Taiwan (2003-2017).

Kidney Function Trajectory within Six Months after Acute Kidney Injury Inpatient Care and Subsequent Adverse Kidney Outcomes: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Timing and extent of kidney function recovery after an acute kidney injury (AKI) episode are associated with chronic kidney disease onset and progression. This study aimed to categorize AKI recovery patterns within 6 months after index hospital discharge and associate them with kidney outcomes. This was a retrospective cohort study of 234,867 patients, hospitalized between 2010 and 2017, and classified as AKI or no AKI.

Trajectory of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in patients with chronic kidney disease and its association with cardiovascular disease.

Background: The role of longitudinal temporal trends in LDL-C in cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetes is unclear. This study categorized the long-term LDL-C trajectory and determined its association with the incidence of atherosclerotic CVD in patients with CKD according to diabetes status and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).

Methods: The risk of atherosclerotic CVD was estimated in 137,127 Taiwanese patients with CKD using six LDL-C trajectory classes determined by the latent class mixed model as optimal, near optimal, above optimal, borderline, sustained high, and declined high over 5 years.

Differences in health-related quality of life in children with chronic kidney disease as reported by children and parent proxies.

Background: Correlation between reports of children and parent for health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is not well studied. This study aims to assess the degree of agreement between child self- and parent proxy-rated HRQOL and to identify factors associated with discordance at baseline and during follow-up in Taiwanese children with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods: This study includes pediatric patients aged 5-18 years with confirmed CKD.

Continuity and Completeness of Electronic Health Record Data for Patients Treated With Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: Findings From Healthcare Delivery Systems in Taiwan.

To evaluate the continuity and completeness of electronic health record (EHR) data, and the concordance of select clinical outcomes and baseline comorbidities between EHR and linked claims data, from three healthcare delivery systems in Taiwan. We identified oral hypoglycemic agent (OHA) users from the Integrated Medical Database of National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH-iMD), which was linked to the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD), from June 2011 to December 2016. A secondary evaluation involved two additional EHR databases.

Changing trends in dialysis modalities utilization and mortality in children, adolescents and young adults with acute kidney injury, 2010-2017.

The aim of the study was to assess trends in the relative use of dialysis modalities in the hospital-based pediatric cohort and to determine risk factors associated with in-hospital morality among pediatric patients receiving dialysis for acute kidney injury (AKI). Patients aged < 20 years who received dialysis between 2010 and 2017 were identified from electronic health records databases of a Taiwan's healthcare delivery system. The annual uses of intermittent hemodialysis (HD), continuous and automated peritoneal dialysis (PD) and continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT) were assessed using Cochran-Armitage Tests for trend.

Trends in Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Isolates in a Taiwanese Child Cohort with Urinary Tract Infections between 2004 and 2018.

The aim of this study was to investigate the annual incidence of isolates in urinary tract infections (UTIs) and the antimicrobial resistance of the third-generation cephalosporin (3GCs) to , including the factors associated with the resistance in hospitalized children in Taiwan. A large electronic database of medical records combining hospital admission and microbiological data during 2004-2018 was used to study childhood UTIs in Taiwan. Annual incidence rate ratios (IRR) of in children with UTIs and its resistant rate to the 3GCs and other antibiotics were estimated by linear Poisson regression.

The association between denture self-satisfaction rates and OHRQoL - a follow-up study.

Backgroud: The objectives of this study were to try to identify the key dimension in satisfaction from the combination of satisfaction clusters, and its effect on the change of OHRQoL(Oral Health-related Quality of Life) of elderly denture users.

Methods: This follow-up study was conducted in subjects aged 65 years and over. All participants (n = 2128) completed questionnaires before and approximately 6 months after receiving complete denture.

Factors pertaining to long-term mortality following emergency visits for head and neck cancer.

Background/purpose: Avoiding mortality has been the ultimate goal in the management of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients with emergency department (ED) visits, however, risk factors and causes of mortality are not well studied. The objective of the present study is to verify the factors associated with long-term mortality of patients with HNC who visited ED.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively collected data of 1660 HNC patients who made ED visits from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000 during 2000-2012 in Taiwan.

Continuity of care and multiple chronic conditions impact frequent use of outpatient services.

This study investigated the association between care continuity and chronic conditions in relation to highly frequent use of outpatient service in order to find constructive suggestions to bring efficient, high-quality care for patients with multiple chronic conditions. The National Health Insurance database was used and 333,294 patients were identified from 2007 to 2009. The continuity of care index indicates the dispersion of a patient's ambulatory visits among providers.

Assessing a conceptual model with both oral health and health related quality of life in community-dwelling elders.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to test a hypothesized conceptual model for both the clinical and non-clinical status of oral health and health related quality of life (OHRQoL & HRQoL) among community-dwelling elders.

Materials And Methods: Study participants (n = 517), who were recruited as part of a Taiwanese elderly community survey, were collected via dental examinations and questionnaires. We collected measures of clinical variables, self-reported symptom status, OHRQoL, nutritional status and HRQoL.

Incidence, clinical characteristics, and associated diseases in patients with immune thrombocytopenia: A nationwide population-based study in Taiwan.

Introduction: Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an immune-mediated disease; it has been reported to be associated with several diseases. The data on ITP in patients with hepatitis B, tuberculosis, or thyroid diseases are relatively scarce. In addition, these diseases are not rare in Taiwan, together with hepatitis C and Helicobacter pylori which are also related to ITP.

Periodontal surgery improves oral health-related quality of life in chronic periodontitis patients in Asian population.

The effect of periodontal surgery on patients' quality of life was investigated. Sixty patients received regenerative surgery or resective osseous surgery. Oral health-related quality of life and health-related quality of life instruments were used to assess the participants' quality of life before surgery and 4 weeks after surgery.

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Investigation on Ultralow Melting Temperature Behavior of Dimethyl Sulfoxide-Water Solutions.

On the basis of the molecular understanding that DMSO has a trigonal pyramidal geometry with one highly polarized sulfinyl group and two hydrophobic methyl groups, we used NMR technology to rationalize why DMSO can act as antifreeze for aqueous solutions. A series of DMSO-water, DMSO-methanol, and acetone-water binary solutions with various molar ratios were tested in specified low temperature conditions. The freezing test results indicated that only DMSO-water solutions with the DMSO-water molar ratio (n) in a specific range can form apparent ultralow freezing temperature solutions.

The Responsiveness of Patients' Quality of Life to Dental Caries Treatment-A Prospective Study.

The objective of this study was to determine the responsiveness of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) (oral health impact profile [OHIP] and oral impact on daily performance [OIDP]) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) (World Health Organization quality of life scale, brief [WHOQOL-BREF]) in dental caries restoration treatment. The study also aimed to assess the influence of treatment on the responsiveness of patients' quality of life (QoL). A total of 126 patients (aged 16-40 years) received dental caries restoration treatment with a 2-week follow-up and pre- and posttreatment interviews by questionnaire.

Association of dietary calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium intake with caries status among schoolchildren.

The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between caries experience and daily intake of calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), and Ca/P ratio. A total of 2248 schoolchildren were recruited based on a population-based survey. Each participant received a dental examination and questionnaire interviews about the 24-hour dietary recalls and food frequency.

The association of responsiveness in oral and general health-related quality of life with patients' satisfaction of new complete dentures.

Purpose: The objective was to determine the responsiveness properties of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) short-forms and 36-item Short-Form (SF-36) in complete denture treatment, and further to evaluate the association between patients' satisfaction and improvements in oral and general health-related quality of life (OHRQoL and HRQoL) after fitting of new, complete dentures.

Methods: Study data were obtained from the 'Dentures for the Elders through Public Funding' study conducted in Kaohsiung County. A total of 224 subjects received denture treatments with 6-month follow-up and pre-/post-treatment interviews by questionnaire.

Application of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) among Taiwanese elderly.

Purpose: To validate the Chinese (Taiwan) version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-49T) and develop a short form of the OHIP (OHIP-14T) for the elderly.

Methods: A total of 1402 subjects, aged 65 and above, received a personal interview and oral examination. Internal consistency, measured by Cronbach's alpha, and test-retest reliability were assessed by intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) during a 2-week interval.

Comparing factors affecting commencement and cessation of betel quid chewing behavior in Taiwanese adults.

Background: Betel quid is the fourth most common used substance in the world after tobacco, alcohol and caffeine. Although factors related to betel quid chewing or cessation of behaviors were reported previously, few studies simultaneously compared both behaviors in the same population. In addition, it is essential to consider time-to-event concept, since the chance of developing or stopping habit may vary over time.