Complications of Outpatient and Inpatient Renal Biopsy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The evidence indicates that the optimal observation period following renal biopsy ranges between 6 and 8 h. This systematic review and meta-analysis explored whether differences exist in the complication rates of renal biopsies performed in outpatient and inpatient settings. We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from 1985 to February 2020.

Vertebral artery terminating in posterior inferior cerebellar artery: A normal variation with clinical significance.

A vertebral artery (VA) terminating in a posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) is often considered to be a normal variation associated with VA hypoplasia. We aimed to investigate the clinical significance of this cerebrovascular variant. A total of 80 patients with clinically evident cerebrovascular events in posterior circulation were examined by duplex sonography and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA).

Cohort Profile: The Social Environment and Biomarkers of Aging Study (SEBAS) in Taiwan.

The Social Environment and Biomarkers of Aging Study (SEBAS) is a nationally representative longitudinal survey of Taiwanese middle-aged and older adults. It adds the collection of biomarkers and performance assessments to the Taiwan Longitudinal Study of Aging (TLSA), a nationally representative study of adults aged 60 and over, including the institutionalized population. The TLSA began in 1989, with follow-ups approximately every 3 years; younger refresher cohorts were added in 1996 and 2003.

Sex differences in trajectories of depressive symptoms among older Taiwanese: the contribution of selected stressors and social factors.

Objectives: We assessed female-male differences in depressive symptoms among older Taiwanese and quantified the contribution of sex differences in exposure and response to selected covariates in explaining the gap.

Methods: Using data from six survey waves over 18 years for a nationally representative cohort of 4049 Taiwanese aged 60+, we employed growth curve analysis to model individual-level trajectories of depressive symptoms across age.

Results: Among older Taiwanese, women's disadvantage with respect to social position and employment accounted for about 40% of the sex difference in depressive symptoms.

Nativity Differentials in Older Age Mortality in Taiwan: Do They Exist and Why?

Comparisons of migrants versus native populations have become increasingly important as a means of gaining insight into the factors affecting health and mortality levels and the relationship between them. Taiwan underwent a unique migration in 1949-50, as more than a million people, mostly young men, arrived from Mainland China following the Communist civil war victory. The Mainlanders were distinct from the original settlers in several ways: they represented different provinces in China, were better educated, and had distinct occupational profiles.

Perceived stress and physiological dysregulation in older adults.

We use a population-based representative sample of older Taiwanese to investigate links between respondents' perceived levels of stress and a broad set of biological measures. These biomarkers were collected at a single time (2000) and reflect sympathetic nervous system (SNS)-activity, hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-activity, immune function, cardiovascular function, and metabolic pathways. We model the relationship between perceived stress and (1) extreme values for each of 16 individual biological indicators; and (2) a measure of cumulative physiological dysregulation based on the full set of biomarkers.

Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and health: does the relationship differ by sex?

This study uses data from a large, nationally representative sample of older Taiwanese (aged 54 and older in 2000) to investigate sex differences in the relationship between DHEAS and various health outcomes. Data collection included an individual interview, a physical examination, and samples of blood and (12-h) urine. Regression models of health outcomes on DHEAS are estimated in two steps: first, including only controls for age and sex as well as an interaction between DHEAS and sex; and second, adding covariates likely to be related to both DHEAS and health outcomes (e.