Incidence of and Risk Factors for Acute Kidney Injury During Antituberculosis Treatment: A Prospective Cohort Study and Literature Review.

Introduction: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is occasionally detected in patients receiving anti-tuberculosis (TB) treatment. This prospective cohort study is the first to investigate the incidence, risk factors, and renal outcomes of AKI during anti-TB treatment.

Methods: This study was conducted from January 1, 2016, to May 31, 2018.

Toll-like receptor and matrix metalloproteinase single-nucleotide polymorphisms, haplotypes, and polygenic risk score differentiated between tuberculosis disease and infection.

Objectives: The association of toll-like receptors (TLRs) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) among latent tuberculosis (TB) infection and active TB remained less studied.

Methods: We recruited participants with TB disease (active TB) (n = 400) and TB infection (latent TB infection) (n = 203) in this study. We genotyped SNPs in TLR1, TLR2, TLR4, MMP1, MMP8, MMP9, MMP12, and tissue inhibitor of MMP2.

Effectiveness of Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Biopsy Combined With Tissue Culture for the Diagnosis of Sputum Smear-Negative Pulmonary Tuberculosis.

Background: Microorganisms of tuberculosis (TB) are frequently difficult to identify from the airway specimen; therefore, lung biopsy for further histologic and microbiologic study is required. Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial biopsy (EBUS-TBB) is used for the diagnosis of pulmonary malignancy, but is rarely in the TB population. The purpose of this study was to verify the effectiveness and safety of EBUS-TBB with histologic study and tissue culture in the diagnosis of sputum smear-negative pulmonary TB.

Functional Status After Pulmonary Rehabilitation as a Predictor of Weaning Success and Survival in Patients Requiring Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation.

Comprehensive rehabilitation programs are recommended for patients with prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) to facilitate functional recovery and ventilator weaning, but whether the functional status after rehabilitation influences outcome has not been clearly evaluated. This study aimed to investigate the association between post-rehabilitation functional status and weaning and survival outcome in PMV patients. We retrospectively enrolled PMV patients admitted to the respiratory care center (RCC), a post-ICU weaning facility with protocolized rehabilitation program, from January 2016 through December 2017.

Exploring Volatile Organic Compounds in Breath for High-Accuracy Prediction of Lung Cancer.

(1) Background: Lung cancer is silent in its early stages and fatal in its advanced stages. The current examinations for lung cancer are usually based on imaging. Conventional chest X-rays lack accuracy, and chest computed tomography (CT) is associated with radiation exposure and cost, limiting screening effectiveness.

Effect of β-Blocker in Treatment-Naïve Patients With Advanced Lung Adenocarcinoma Receiving First-Generation EGFR-TKIs.

Background: Through activation of adrenergic receptors, chronic stress can trigger the secretion of neurotransmitters and hormones that enhance tumor growth, increase angiogenesis, and promote drug resistance. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of β-blockers in patients receiving first-line epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) for lung adenocarcinoma.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study enrolled patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma under first-line EGFR-TKIs between 2011 and 2014 in the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan.

Nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease epidemiology in Taiwan: A systematic review.

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are critical emerging global infectious pathogens. Though NTM can be mere colonizers when isolated from human specimens, NTM are also responsible for diverse human infections. NTM-lung disease (NTM-LD) is the most common human disease entity.

Rapid on-site cytologic evaluation by pulmonologist improved diagnostic accuracy of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial biopsy.

Background/purpose: Rapid on-site cytologic evaluation (ROSE) has been shown to improve the diagnostic accuracy of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial biopsy (EBUS-TBB). However, ROSE by a cytopathologist or cytotechnologist is not always available during the procedure. The purposes of this study were to verify that a pulmonologist, after receiving training in cytology, could accurately assess an EBUS-TBB specimen on-site, and to evaluate the contribution of ROSE to EBUS-TBB.

Differed IL-1 Beta Response between Active TB and LTBI Cases by Ex Vivo Stimulation of Human Monocyte-Derived Macrophage with TB-Specific Antigen.

Background: The difference of macrophage-specific interleukin-1 beta (IL-1b) response between latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and active tuberculosis (TB) remains less studied.

Method: We performed this prospective study and recruited active TB patients, contacts with LTBI, and uninfected contacts. The gene and protein expression of human monocyte-derived macrophage (hMDM) after ex vivo stimulation by early secretory antigenic target-6KD (ESAT-6) and tuberculin purified protein derivatives (PPD) was studied by real-time PCR and flow cytometry.

Non-small cell lung cancer harbouring non-resistant uncommon EGFR mutations: Mutation patterns, effectiveness of epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors and prognostic factors.

Introduction: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harbouring EGFR exon 19 deletions or L858R mutation usually respond to epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs), whereas T790M mutation and exon 20 insertion are frequently resistant to EGFR-TKIs. EGFR mutations other than those above are seldom investigated.

Methods: In this multicentre, retrospective study, we enrolled NSCLC patients with non-resistant uncommon EGFR mutations, which were defined as mutations other than L858R, exon 19 deletions, exon 20 insertions and T790M.

Use of Antiplatelet Agents and Survival of Tuberculosis Patients: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

While evidence is accumulating that platelets contribute to tissue destruction in tuberculosis (TB) disease, it is still not known whether antiplatelet agents are beneficial to TB patients. We performed this retrospective cohort study and identified incident TB cases in the Taiwan National Tuberculosis Registry from 2008 to 2014. These cases were further classified into antiplatelet users and non-users according to the use of antiplatelet agents prior to the TB diagnosis, and the cohorts were matched using propensity scores (PSs).

Association of Metformin Use With End-Stage Renal Disease in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Nationwide Cohort Study Under the Pay-for-Performance Program.

Animal studies have demonstrated that metformin exerts a renoprotective effect. Human studies of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) regarding the association of metformin use with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are lacking. Patients with type 2 DM and without a history of kidney disease who were enrolled under the pay-for-performance program of the National Health Insurance in Taiwan were identified.

CD8 response measured by QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus and tuberculosis disease status.

Background: Clinical application of the CD8 response as measured by the newer interferon gamma release assay, QuantiFERON-TB Gold-Plus (QFT-Plus), remains to be investigated.

Method: We performed this prospective study and recruited active TB patients, contacts with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and contacts without LTBI in two centres in northern Taiwan in 2017. Subjects were tested with both QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) and QFT-Plus.

Twelve-dose weekly rifapentine plus isoniazid for latent tuberculosis infection: A multicentre randomised controlled trial in Taiwan.

Unlabelled: Treatment of latent tuberculosis (TB) infection (LTBI) effectively prevents its progression to active TB. However, long treatment duration and drug-related hepatotoxicity limit the effectiveness of the 9-month daily isoniazid (9H). Data on the 3-month weekly rifapentine plus isoniazid (3 HP) in Asian populations are currently unavailable.

Differentiating malignant and benign lymph nodes using endobronchial ultrasound elastography.

Background/purpose: Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) elastography is a new technique that provides information on tissue compressibility during endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA). The purposes of this study were to evaluate the utility of EBUS elastography in differentiating malignant and benign mediastinal lymph nodes (LNs) and to explore the factors that influence its accuracy.

Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients who underwent EBUS-TBNA from October 2016 to July 2017 was performed.

Differentiating metastatic lymph nodes in lung cancer patients based on endobronchial ultrasonography features.

Aim: The aim of this study was to identify easy and relatively effective ultrasound criteria for metastatic mediastinal lymph node prediction.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients who underwent endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) from March 2014 to September 2016 was performed. We used the following EBUS sonographic features for metastatic lymph node prediction: 1) length of the short axis, 2) shape, 3) margin, 4) echogenicity, 5) central hilar structure, and 6) coagulation necrosis sign.

Acute biliary events during anti-tuberculosis treatment: hospital case series and a nationwide cohort study.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the major infectious diseases worldwide. Adverse reactions are common during TB treatment. Few reports, however, are available on treatment-related acute biliary events (ABEs), such as cholelithiasis, biliary obstruction, acute cholecystitis, and cholangitis.

Learning curve and advantages of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration as a first-line diagnostic and staging procedure.

Background: Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is now the standard for mediastinal lymph node staging of lung cancer. Training and maintenance of technical skills is very important in order to apply new techniques in clinical use.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed of patients who underwent EBUS-TBNA from November 2009 to December 2015.

Tuberculosis contact investigation in an intermediate burden setting: implications from a large tuberculosis contact cohort in Taiwan.

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