Correlation of maintenance chemotherapy and improved survival in patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic head adenocarcinoma receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy and concurrent chemoradiotherapy.

To assess the efficacy of maintenance chemotherapy in the management of unresectable locally advanced pancreatic head adenocarcinoma (PHA) cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT). This study, a large-scale head-to-head propensity score matching (PSM) cohort study, employed real-world data. PSM was used to evaluate the impact of maintenance chemotherapy on overall survival and cancer-specific survival in patients with unresectable locally advanced PHA who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy and CCRT.

Maintenance chemotherapy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after standard concurrent chemoradiotherapy: a national propensity score matching cohort study.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a common and aggressive cancer, and its standard treatment is concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Maintenance chemotherapy is often used to help prevent cancer recurrence, but its efficacy for patients with ESCC receiving CCRT remains unclear. We conducted a large head-to-head propensity score matching cohort study to estimate the effects of maintenance chemotherapy on overall survival and cancer-specific survival in patients with ESCC receiving standard CCRT.

Cost-effectiveness of diabetic retinopathy screening for newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients: A nationwide population-based propensity score-matched cohort study.

Aims: This study investigated the association between the frequency of screening for diabetic retinopathy (DR) versus the development of DR and corresponding medical expenses among patients newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: This longitudinal, population-based study used the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (2004 to 2020) as a data source. Propensity score matching (PSM) (sex, age, comorbidities and concurrent medication use) was employed in the grouping of T2DM patients according to different frequency of DR screening.

Prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Using Home Sleep Test in Taiwan During the Coronavirus Disease Pandemic.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a common disorder associated with serious sequelae. The current gold standard diagnostic method, polysomnography, is costly and time consuming and requires patients to stay overnight at a facility.

Aim: This study aimed to reveal the prevalence of OSAS in general adult population using a home sleep test (HST) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Data-driven, two-stage machine learning algorithm-based prediction scheme for assessing 1-year and 3-year mortality risk in chronic hemodialysis patients.

Life expectancy is likely to be substantially reduced in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis (CHD). However, machine learning (ML) may predict the risk factors of mortality in patients with CHD by analyzing the serum laboratory data from regular dialysis routine. This study aimed to establish the mortality prediction model of CHD patients by adopting two-stage ML algorithm-based prediction scheme, combined with importance of risk factors identified by different ML methods.

Effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on clinical cancer survival in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Purpose: According to the preclinical data, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors (SGLT2is) may exert anticancer effects. Here, we clarified the cancer-specific mortality (primary outcome) and all-cause mortality (secondary outcome) of SGLT2is and their dose-dependency in patients with cancer undergoing standard curative treatments.

Methods: We analyzed data from patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) diagnosed with cancer between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2018, enrolled from the Taiwan Cancer Registry database.

Impact of Pre-Transplant Parathyroidectomy on Graft Survival: A Comparative Study of Renal Transplant Patients (2005-2015).

BACKGROUND Hyperparathyroidism poses significant risks for patients prior to kidney transplantation. However, the outcomes of patients who undergo parathyroidectomy before renal transplantation compared to those without such a procedure remain uncertain. This real-world data study aimed to examine the clinical outcomes of both patient groups.

Improving Patient Safety in the X-ray Inspection Process with EfficientNet-Based Medical Assistance System.

Patient safety is a paramount concern in the medical field, and advancements in deep learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have opened up new possibilities for improving healthcare practices. While AI has shown promise in assisting doctors with early symptom detection from medical images, there is a critical need to prioritize patient safety by enhancing existing processes. To enhance patient safety, this study focuses on improving the medical operation process during X-ray examinations.

Varicose veins are associated with an increased risk of mitral valve regurgitation: a nationwide population-based cohort study.

Background: Varicose veins (VV) and mitral valve regurgitation (MR) are both common diseases. The aim was to investigate whether VV are associated with an increased risk of MR.

Methods: We conducted a nationwide cohort study to assess the association between VV and risk of developing MR.

Using the H2O Automatic Machine Learning Algorithms to Identify Predictors of Web-Based Medical Record Nonuse Among Patients in a Data-Rich Environment: Mixed Methods Study.

Background: With the advent of electronic storage of medical records and the internet, patients can access web-based medical records. This has facilitated doctor-patient communication and built trust between them. However, many patients avoid using web-based medical records despite their greater availability and readability.

Bibliometric and Visualized Analysis of Good Death Research from 2001-2021.

Quantitative analysis via bibliometric field analyses is a recent, gradually emerging method. We conducted a bibliometric study to investigate the authors' scientific influence and contributions and evaluate trends and research foci in good death-related literature using the Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection. A total of 1,157 publications were selected for the analysis.

H1-antihistamine use and head and neck cancer risk in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

This study aimed to examine the association between the use of H1-antihistamines (AHs) and head and neck cancer (HNC) risk in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Data from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan were analyzed for the period from 2008 to 2018. A propensity-score-matched cohort of 54,384 patients each in the AH user and nonuser groups was created and analyzed using Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards regression.

Identifying the predictors of severe psychological distress by auto-machine learning methods.

Social stress in daily life and the COVID-19 pandemic have greatly impacted the mental health of the population. Early detection of a predisposition to severe psychological distress is essential for timely interventions. This paper analyzed 4036 samples participating in the 2019-2020 National Health Information Trends Survey (HINTS) and identified 57 candidate predictors of severe psychological distress based on univariate chi-square and -test analyses.

Comparison of medical resource consumption between oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma with and without sarcopenia: A nationwide population-based cohort study.

Purpose: No study has compared long-term medical resource consumption between patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) with and without sarcopenia receiving curative surgery.

Patients And Methods: Generalized linear mixed and logistic regression models were employed to evaluate the number of postoperative visits and medical reimbursement for head and neck cancer or complications and the number of hospitalizations for treatment-related complications over 5 years after curative surgery, respectively.

Results: The mean difference (95% CI) in total medical claims amounts between the nonsarcopenia and sarcopenia groups were new Taiwan dollars (NTD) 47 820 (35 864-59 776, p < 0.

Statin Use During Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy With Improved Survival Outcomes in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Propensity Score-Matched Nationwide Cohort Study.

Introduction: To determine the effect of statin use during concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) on overall survival and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC)-specific survival in patients with ESCC receiving standard CCRT.

Methods: In this propensity score-matching cohort study, we used data from the Taiwan Cancer Registry Database and National Health Insurance Research Database to investigate the effects of statin use during the period of CCRT on overall survival and ESCC-specific survival.

Results: Statin use during the period of CCRT was found to be a considerable and independent prognostic factor for overall survival and ESCC-specific survival.

The effect of statin medication on the incidence of oral squamous cell carcinoma among betel-nut chewers.

Background: This study examines the relationship between statin use and oral cancer squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) risk in a cohort of 47 942 betel nut chewers.

Methods: The study used individual 1:1 matching and propensity score matching to compare statin users and nonusers.

Results: The incidence rate of OCSCC was significantly lower in statin users compared to nonusers (17.

Gender Differences in the Nonspecific and Health-Specific Use of Social Media Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Trend Analysis Using HINTS 2017-2020 Data.

The use of social media has changed since the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, little is known about the gender disparity in social media use for nonspecific and health-specific issues before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on a gender difference perspective, this study aimed to examine how the nonspecific and health-specific uses of social media changed in 2017-2020.

The Impact of Sarcopenia Onset Prior to Cancer Diagnosis on Cancer Survival: A National Population-Based Cohort Study Using Propensity Score Matching.

Purpose: The relationship between the onset of sarcopenia prior to cancer diagnosis and survival outcomes in various types of cancer is not well understood. To address this gap in knowledge, we conducted a propensity score-matched population-based cohort study to compare the overall survival of cancer patients with and without sarcopenia.

Patients And Methods: In our study, we included patients with cancer and divided them into two groups based on the presence or absence of sarcopenia.

Miniaturized Quad-Band Filter Design Using Substrate Integrated Coaxial Cavity.

We propose a miniaturized quad-band filter (QBF), designed using substrate-integrated coaxial cavities (SICCs). The employed SICC structure consists of two vertically stacked substrates with a large circular patch embedded in between. The embedded patch is segmented unevenly into four pieces, which are shorted to the cavity's bottom wall through one or two blind vias.

Serum Intact Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 Levels Are Negatively Associated with Bone Mineral Density in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients.

(1) Background: Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is predominantly secreted from bone and plays an important role in mineral balance in chronic kidney disease. However, the relationship between FGF23 and bone mineral density (BMD) in chronic hemodialysis (CHD) patients remains unclear. (2) Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study that involved 43 stable outpatients on CHD.

Impact of COVID-19 Preventative Measures on Otolaryngology in Taiwan: A Nationwide Study.

Background: Taiwan always had low case rates of COVID-19 compared with other countries due to its immediate control and preventive measures. However, the effects of its policies that started on 2020 for otolaryngology patients were unknown; therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the nationwide database to know the impact of COVID-19 preventative measures on the diseases and cases of otolaryngology in 2020.

Method: A case-compared, retrospective, cohort database study using the nationwide database was collected from 2018 to 2020.