Publications by authors named "Li-Na Kuo"
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is commonly treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). However, adverse events from such treatment can lead to treatment discontinuation and additional medical expenditures. Ambulatory care from oncology pharmacists in patient education and symptom management can benefit patients with NSCLC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and histamine-2 receptor (H2) antagonists change the gastric pH and reduce the intestinal absorption of nonheme iron. Case reports and case-control studies have demonstrated that absorption of iron is affected by gastric acidity, but the clinical importance of these drug-drug interactions has remained uncertain.
Objectives: The present case-control study employed 2 million longitudinal claims in 2011-2018 in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database to investigate the impact of PPIs/H2 antagonists on the occurrence of iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA).
How platinum-induced nephrotoxicity occurs? Machine learning prediction in non-small cell lung cancer patients.
Comput Methods Programs Biomed
June 2022
Article Synopsis
- Platinum-induced nephrotoxicity is a serious side effect of chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer patients, which can hinder treatment effectiveness and affect patient survival.
- This study collected clinical and genomic data from 118 patients undergoing platinum chemotherapy and compared various machine learning models to predict the risk of nephrotoxicity.
- The artificial neural network model incorporating both clinical and genomic features outperformed others, achieving high accuracy (approximately 92.3%) and indicating that these models could help oncologists take preventive measures against nephrotoxicity.
Article Synopsis
- Mobile health technologies were used to educate diabetes patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on enhanced delivery methods via social media.
- The Taipei Medical University-LINE Oriented Video Education program consisted of 51 educational videos and quizzes provided to an intervention group, alongside usual care, over a 3-month period.
- Results indicated no significant differences in diabetes management (HbA levels) between the intervention and control groups, though both groups showed improved knowledge about diabetes by the end of the study.
Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of the collaboration between oncology pharmacists and anaesthesiologists for improving pain control management in cancer patients.
Methods: This retrospective case-control pilot study enrolled inpatients with active cancer and a pain score of >3 at least once per day for 3 consecutive days. The study group was selected from June 2018 to January 2019.
Background: Nonadherence to medications, failure to prevent exposure to asthma triggers, lack of knowledge about using medications, and fixed mindsets contribute to poor asthma control in children. Digital learning could provide a new strategy for improving health-related outcomes in children with asthma.
Objective: The aim of this study is to develop and design a digital educational program, titled Module of Inhaler and Asthma Triggers for Children (MIRACLE), for Indonesian children with asthma.
AST-120, an oral spherical activated carbon, may delay the need for kidney dialysis and improve uremia symptoms because it can adsorb acidic and basic organic compounds, especially small-molecule uremic toxins. However, previous studies produced no conclusive evidence regarding the benefits of AST-120 in delaying the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Therefore, this systematic review and network meta-analysis evaluated the effects of AST-120 in patients with CKD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The study compared the predictive outcomes of artificial neural network, support vector machine and random forest on the occurrence of anti-tuberculosis drug-induced hepatotoxicity.
Methods: The clinical and genomic data of patients treated with anti-tuberculosis drugs at Taipei Medical University-Wanfang Hospital were used as training sets, and those at Taipei Medical University-Shuang Ho Hospital served as test sets. Features were selected through a univariate risk factor analysis and literature evaluation.
Cancers in Taiwan: Practical insight from epidemiology, treatments, biomarkers, and cost.
J Formos Med Assoc
December 2020
Cancer is the leading cause of death in Taiwan, and the overall incidence rate has gradually increased. The four most common cancers in Taiwan are colorectal, lung, breast and liver cancers. With the rise in incidence, the clinical use and costs of all anticancer drugs have steadily increased.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective/methods: The Longitudinal Health Insurance Database (LHID) 2010 was used to identify gout cases and their number of gout flares.
Results: Out of 21,376 gout patients, a total of 3561 (16.7%) had frequent gout flares (≥3 gout flares/year).
Background: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is one of the most abundant neurotrophins in the adult brain, and it plays important roles in modulating synaptic plasticity and synaptogenesis. This study attempted to elucidate the role of the BDNF variant rs6265 in emotional symptoms following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).
Methods: To investigate the association between BDNF Val66Met polymorphism (rs6265) and emotional symptoms in mTBI patients, we recruited 192 mTBI patients and evaluated their Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores in the first and sixth week after mTBI.
Objectives: To better understand the economic burden of gout patients in Taiwan, a nationwide retrospective study was conducted to compare the healthcare costs and utilization between gout and gout-free patients.
Methods: The Longitudinal Health Insurance Database (LHID) 2010 was used to identify gout cases and matched gout-free controls. Gout cases were defined as having (1) at least three instances of diagnoses of gout on medical claims, or (2) one diagnosis of gout with at least one gout-related pharmacy claim in 2011.
Preliminary physician and pharmacist survey of the National Health Insurance PharmaCloud system in Taiwan.
Comput Methods Programs Biomed
October 2017
Article Synopsis
- The PharmaCloud system was launched by Taiwan's National Health Insurance Administration in 2013 to unify patients' medication information across various healthcare institutions.
- A national survey conducted between July and September 2015 gathered feedback from 895 pharmacists and 105 physicians regarding their satisfaction with the system, revealing significant areas for improvement in system quality.
- The study found that while satisfaction levels were moderate, pharmacists expressed higher satisfaction than physicians, and a preference emerged for the NHIA to handle patient consent rather than individual institutions, highlighting the need for ongoing improvements and policy standardization.
Th2 and Th17 cells are both associated with developing ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and asthma. Th2 cells are also associated with allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis (AD). The prevalence of such allergic diseases in AS patients is unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe effect of medication therapy management service combined with a national PharmaCloud system for polypharmacy patients.
Comput Methods Programs Biomed
October 2016
Article Synopsis
- * It involved patients taking five or more medications between March 2013 and March 2014, who completed a questionnaire to measure their knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding medication before and after the service, with follow-ups after three months.
- * Results showed significant improvements in patients' attitudes, practices, and medication adherence scores, highlighting the PharmaCloud system's role in enhancing medication management, though further research is needed on its cost-effectiveness.
Clinical evaluation of tigecycline in the treatment of nosocomial infection in a hospital in Taiwan.
Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther
December 2014
Objective: Clinical information on tigecycline use in serious nosocomial infections is limited, and the efficacy is uncertain. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the utilization pattern and the effectiveness of tigecycline in a tertiary medical center in Taiwan.
Methods: A retrospective study of the clinical and microbiological outcome of all patients treated with tigecycline for at least 72 hours over a 2-year period was conducted in a 730-bed teaching hospital.
Infection risk in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with etanercept or adalimumab.
Comput Methods Programs Biomed
October 2014
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to compare infection risks between rheumatoid arthritis patients taking etanercept and those taking adalimumab using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database.
- Results showed that etanercept users had a significantly higher risk of serious infections compared to adalimumab users, with hazard ratios indicating increased risk even after adjusting for various factors.
- The findings suggest important differences in infection risk between the two medications, particularly among certain subgroups such as older patients and females.
Article Synopsis
- The study evaluated a pharmacist-led medication reconciliation program to improve the accuracy of medication histories for patients admitted to the hospital, using data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance.
- Out of 3,013 patients assessed, 243 (8%) had medication discrepancies, with 19% of those discrepancies potentially leading to moderate to severe harm, and the average intervention time was about 18 minutes.
- Key risk factors for medication discrepancies included the number of medications taken before admission, the patient's age, recent outpatient visit frequency, and the number of specialist visits prior to hospitalization.
Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of warfarin in Taiwanese patients.
Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther
February 2013
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the appropriate International Normalized Ratio (INR) range for Taiwanese patients on warfarin, focusing on the safety and effectiveness of the treatment within the Asian demographic.
- Findings show that an INR range of 2.0 to 2.4 is linked to fewer complications and better outcomes, while higher INR levels (above 3) significantly increase event rates.
- Older age (over 73) is identified as a risk factor for thromboembolic events, suggesting that managing INR levels and patient age are crucial for warfarin therapy effectiveness.