A Rare Autochthonous Case of Hepatic Hydatid Cyst in the Non-Endemic Region of Taiwan.

BACKGROUND Hepatic hydatid cyst disease, caused by the parasite Echinococcus granulosus, is endemic in certain rural areas of the world, but not in most of East Asia outside Mainland China. In Taiwan, only one autochthonous case has been reported over the past 40 years. We present the case of an urban 91-year-old female patient without international travel history for more than 40 years.

Participation in cancer screening among people living with HIV at a university hospital.

Between March and October, 2018, 1248 people living with HIV completed questionnaire interviews for cancer screening, of whom 46.9% (n = 585) completed free-of-charge cancer screening. Time constraint (50.

Controllable growth of carbon nanosheets in the montmorillonite interlayers for high-rate and stable anode in lithium ion battery.

A novel insertable and pseudocapacitive Li ion material for highly ordered layered montmorillonite/carbon is explored in the present study. The commercially available protonated montmorillonite and 3,3'-diaminobenzidine act as starting materials to synthesize the layered material via hydrothermal intercalation, oxidative polymerization and carbonization. This method of preparing montmorillonite/carbon nanocomposite exhibits several advantages.

Impact of initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy according to the WHO recommendations on the survival of HIV-positive patients in Taiwan.

Background/purpose: Early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) reduces the risks for serious infections and mortality. We aimed to assess the outcomes of initiating ART among HIV-positive Taiwanese according to the CD4 cut-off values by the WHO recommendations.

Methods: We reviewed medical records of patients with newly diagnosed HIV infection between 2004 and 2015 and 3 groups of patients were defined according to the timing of ART initiation based on CD4 count recommended by WHO: Group 1 between 2004 and 2009; Group 2 between 2010 and 2012; and Group 3 between 2013 and 2015.

Estimated risk of cardiovascular disease among the HIV-positive patients aged 40 years or older in Taiwan.

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an emerging cause of morbidity and mortality among HIV-positive patients receiving successful combination antiretroviral therapy, but their CVD risk has been rarely investigated in Asia-Pacific region. We aimed to assess the CVD risk of HIV-positive Taiwanese outpatients.

Methods: We did cross-sectional questionnaire interviews to collect information of HIV-positive Taiwanese patients aged 40-79 at the HIV clinics of a medical center from 1 March to 31 August, 2017.

Male Patients with Longstanding Type 2 Diabetes Have a Higher Incidence of Hypoglycemia Compared with Female Patients.

Introduction: To explore whether there was a gender difference in the risk of hypoglycemia during intensive insulin therapy in patients with longstanding type 2 diabetes (T2D). This was a post hoc analysis of a single-center, open-label and prospective trial.

Methods: All subjects were admitted as inpatients, underwent a standard bread meal test at baseline and received a 7-day continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) therapy for achieving glycemic control.

Comparison of Efficacy and Safety of Lispro and Aspart Evaluated by Continuous Glucose Monitoring System in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes.

Objective: To compare the effect of the rapid-acting insulin analogues (RAIAs) aspart (NovoRapid) and lispro (Prandilin) on glycemic variations by continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) in patients within newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) receiving continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) and metformin intensive therapy.

Methods: This is a single-blind randomized controlled trial. A total of 110 patients with newly diagnosed T2DM and with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c%) above 9% was hospitalized and randomly divided into two groups: group Asp (NovoRapid group) and group Lis (Prandilin group).

Management of glycemic variation in diabetic patients receiving parenteral nutrition by continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) therapy.

To compare the continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) or insulin glargine based multiple injections (MDI) therapy on glycemic variations in diabetic patients receiving PN outside of intensive care settings. This was a single-center, randomized, open-label trial. Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) who were receiving parenteral nutrition (PN) were recruited.

Young onset type 2 diabetic patients might be more sensitive to metformin compared to late onset type 2 diabetic patients.

It is unknown whether YOD (young onset diabetes) and LOD (late onset diabetes) require similar insulin doses for intensive insulin therapy with a metformin add-on to achieve glycemic control. We analyzed data from our two previously performed randomized, controlled open-label trials. Patients were randomized to receive either continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) therapy or CSII combined with metformin therapy for 4 weeks.

Effects of Vildagliptin Add-on Insulin Therapy on Nocturnal Glycemic Variations in Uncontrolled Type 2 Diabetes.

Introduction: To investigate whether vildagliptin add-on insulin therapy improves glycemic variations in patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes (T2D) compared to patients with placebo therapy.

Methods: This was a 24-week, single-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Inadequately controlled T2D patients treated with insulin therapy were recruited between June 2012 and April 2013.

Prevalence of Integrase Strand Transfer Inhibitors (INSTI) Resistance Mutations in Taiwan.

Antiretroviral therapy containing an integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) plus two NRTIs has become the recommended treatment for antiretroviral-naive HIV-1-infected patients in the updated guidelines. We aimed to determine the prevalence of INSTI-related mutations in Taiwan. Genotypic resistance assays were performed on plasma from ARV-naïve patients (N = 948), ARV-experienced but INSTI-naive patients (N = 359), and raltegravir-experienced patients (N = 63) from 2006 to 2015.

Presence of Tablet Remnants of Nevirapine Extended-Release in Stools and Its Impact on Virological Outcome in HIV-1-Infected Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: Nevirapine extended-release (NVP-XR) taken once daily remains an effective antiretroviral agent for patients infected with HIV-1 strains that do not harbor resistance mutations. Presence of tablet remnants of NVP XR in stools was reported in 1.19% and 3.

Risk of recurrent nontyphoid Salmonella bacteremia in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients with short-term secondary prophylaxis in the era of combination antiretroviral therapy.

Background/purpose: Nontyphoid Salmonella (NTS) bacteremia causes high mortality and recurrence rates in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. This study aimed to investigate the risk of recurrent NTS bacteremia in the era of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART).

Methods: The medical records of consecutive HIV-infected patients with NTS bacteremia from January 2006 to June 2014 were reviewed.

Detection of human parvovirus 4 viremia in the follow-up blood samples from seropositive individuals suggests the existence of persistent viral replication or reactivation of latent viral infection.

Background: The transmission routes for human parvovirus 4 (PARV4) infections in areas with high seroprevalence are not known. In the work described here, persistent PARV4 viral replication was investigated by conducting a longitudinal study.

Methods: Ten healthcare workers each provided a blood sample at the beginning of the study (first sample) and 12 months later (second sample).

Comorbidities among the HIV-infected patients aged 40 years or older in Taiwan.

Background: With the widespread use of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), life expectancy of HIV-infected patients has significantly prolonged. An increasing number of HIV-infected patients are aging and concurrent use of medications are not uncommon for management of metabolic complications and cardiovascular diseases related to aging and prolonged exposure to cART.

Methods: We reviewed medical records of all HIV-infected patients aged 40 years or older who had been followed at a university hospital for HIV care in Taiwan between January and December 2013.

Skin rash related to once-daily boosted darunavir-containing antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected Taiwanese: incidence and associated factor.

Objectives: The study aimed to investigate the incidence of and associated factors with skin rashes among HIV-infected Taiwanese patients who received once-daily darunavir (DRV) boosted by ritonavir (RTV) (800/100 mg) plus 2 nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs).

Methods: We reviewed the medical records of HIV-infected patients who switched to once-daily DRV/RTV-containing regimens between January 2012 and November 2013. Patients who switched from 2 NRTIs plus non-NRTI (nNRTI) or other protease inhibitor (PI) to 2 NRTIs plus PIs other than DRV were chosen as comparators.

Autoimmune diseases-related arthritis in HIV-infected patients in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Background: Autoimmune diseases-related arthritis has been rarely reported in HIV-1-infected patients. We aimed to investigate the incidence and clinical manifestations of autoimmune diseases-related arthritis in HIV-infected patients in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in Taiwan.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of all HIV-infected patients who had a diagnosis of autoimmune arthritis between 1993 and 2013.

Differential impact of resistance-associated mutations to protease inhibitors and nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors on HIV-1 replication capacity.

The effects of drug resistance on HIV-1 replication capacity have been studied, but data from clinical isolates are few. We accessed the patients with HIV-1 infection at the National Taiwan University Hospital who experienced virological failure. Genotypic susceptibility and replication capacity of clinical HIV-1 isolates were measured.

Reduced bone mineral density among HIV-infected patients in Taiwan: prevalence and associated factors.

Background: Reduced bone mineral density (BMD) is an emerging threat to the successful long-term management of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among patients with access to combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Data on the prevalence and associated factors of reduced BMD in Asian populations remain scarce.

Methods: From March 2002 to April 2006, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among HIV-infected patients aged ≥ 20 years at the National Taiwan University Hospital.

Incidence of acute pancreatitis in human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients with hypertriglyceridemia: is it really high?

Objective: To assess the incidence of acute pancreatitis in human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients with triglyceride (TG) greater than 500 mg/dL after highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Methods: Sequential TG levels during follow-up and episodes of acute pancreatitis were retrospectively reviewed in 347, 417, and 571 patients enrolled in periods 1 (2000-2002), 2 (2003-2005), and 3 (2006-2008), respectively. The incidence of acute pancreatitis, defined as consistent clinical symptoms and elevated amylase and/or lipase levels, was estimated.

Trends of transmitted drug resistance of HIV-1 and its impact on treatment response to first-line antiretroviral therapy in Taiwan.

Objectives: To determine the impact of transmitted drug resistance (TDR) of HIV-1 on treatment outcome in areas where routine testing for drug resistance mutations may not be available before combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) is initiated.

Methods: Genotypic resistance assays were performed on HIV isolates from archived blood samples obtained from 1349 antiretroviral-naive HIV-1-infected patients in Taiwan from 2000 to 2010. Resistance mutations were interpreted with the use of the HIVdb program of the Stanford University HIV Drug Resistance Database.

Differential clinical and virologic impact of hepatitis B virus genotypes B and C on HIV-coinfected patients receiving lamivudine-containing highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Background:  The impact of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes B and C on the clinical, immunologic, and virologic outcomes of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients with chronic HBV infection remains largely unknown.

Methods:  Between January 1997 and December 2008, we enrolled 96 HIV-infected patients with HBV genotype B coinfection and 49 with genotype C coinfection; the patients were followed prospectively until December 2010. Clinical and immunologic outcomes in the context of HBV genotypes as well as the emergence of HBV DNA mutations conferring lamivudine resistance (rtM204I/V) were determined.

Placental transmission of human parvovirus 4 in newborns with hydrops, Taiwan.

In studying the epidemiology of parvovirus 4 (PARV4) in Taiwan, we detected DNA in plasma of 3 mothers and their newborns with hydrops. In 1 additional case, only the mother had PARV4 DNA. Our findings demonstrate that PARV4 can be transmitted through the placenta.

Admissions to intensive care unit of HIV-infected patients in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy: etiology and prognostic factors.

Introduction: Although access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has prolonged survival and improved life quality, HIV-infected patients with severe immunosuppression or comorbidities may develop complications that require critical care support in intensive care units (ICU). This study aimed to describe the etiology and analyze the prognostic factors of HIV-infected Taiwanese patients in the HAART era.

Methods: Medical records of all HIV-infected adults who were admitted to ICU at a university hospital in Taiwan from 2001 to 2010 were reviewed to record information on patient demographics, receipt of HAART, and reason for ICU admission.

Late diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus infection in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy: role of socio-behavioral factors and medical encounters.

Background/purpose: Despite provision of free-of-charge human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care and antiretroviral therapy in Taiwan, a substantial proportion of patients experience late HIV diagnosis. We investigated the risk factors for late HIV diagnosis in Taiwan.

Methods: Structured interviews were conducted among newly diagnosed HIV-infected patients to collect data on demographics, socio-behavioral variables and clinical profiles within 1 year preceding HIV diagnosis from August 2006 to July 2008.