Publications by authors named "Kuan-Lang Lai"
Background: Several laboratory data have been identified as predictors of disease severity or mortality in COVID-19 patients. However, the relative strength of laboratory data for the prediction of health outcomes in COVID-19 patients has not been fully explored. This meta-analytical study aimed to evaluate the prediction capabilities of laboratory data on the prognosis of COVID-19 patients during 2020 while mass vaccination has not started yet.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study focuses on developing a safer, egg-free vaccine for H5N1 avian flu to enhance pandemic readiness.
- Participants in the trial received two doses of the vaccine, with results indicating it was safe and well-tolerated, while injection site pain was the most common side effect.
- The vaccine demonstrated strong immunogenicity, especially at the highest dose, with a notable increase in antibody responses, particularly when assessed with horse red blood cells.
Aim: To demonstrate that administering heparanase inhibitor PI-88 at 160 mg/d is safe and promising in reducing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence for up to 3 year following curative resection.
Methods: A total of 143 patients (83.1% of the 172 participants in the phase II study) participated in the follow-up study.
Background/aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after curative treatment adversely influences clinical outcome. It is important to explore adjuvant therapies. This phase II/stage 1 multi-center, randomized trial investigated the safety, optimal dosage and preliminary efficacy of PI-88, a novel heparanase inhibitor, in the setting of post-operative recurrence of HCC according to a Simon's 2-stage design.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDifferences in perspective with regard to Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) may significantly affect long-term care preferences. This study was developed to quantify the direction and magnitude of such differences and to explore factors accounting for HRQOL reporting differences between two groups, namely elderly individuals with chronic conditions and their primary family caregivers. Nurses in seven Taiwanese counties and cities interviewed 267 matched pairs of elderly individuals and primary family caregivers using a 28-item version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) adapted for use in Taiwan.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe main purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the brief version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire as a predictor of mortality amongst the elderly. A total of 689 male residents of veteran homes, all above the age of 65 years, were randomly selected in 2001. The Taiwan version of the WHOQOL-BREF was administered as the baseline, with each of these subjects being interviewed and subsequently followed up for mortality until the end of 2003.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To explore the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and health utility in an institutional elderly population.
Methods: Four hundred sixty-five elderly persons living in long-term care institutions in Taiwan were interviewed using Taiwan's abbreviated version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF), rating scale (RS) and the Time-Trade-Off (TTO) utility measurement.
Results: The WHOQOL-BREF showed acceptable internal consistency (alpha range: 0.
Background And Purpose: Long-term care policies and networks in Taiwan are still in the early stages of development and as such it is important to establish comprehensive care models which clearly define the needs of the elderly and their family members. This study examined the preferences of the elderly and their primary family caregivers in long-term care arrangements.
Methods: Using multi-stage sampling, a total of 1180 subjects (n = 593 elderly people [age > or = 65 years] and n = 587 caregivers) from 7 counties/cities in the north of Taiwan were interviewed by local public health nurses.