Impact of urinary tract infection requiring hospital admission on short-term, mid-term and long-term renal outcomes in adult CKD patients - A potentially modifiable factor for CKD progression.

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) or acute pyelonephritis can lead to renal scarring and impact the subsequent renal function progression. The aims of this study were to investigate the changes in renal function related to UTI requiring hospital admission (UTI/HA) and the association between UTI/HA and long-term renal outcomes in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods: This was a multicenter, retrospective observational study.

Late creation of vascular access increased post-hemodialysis mortality, hospitalization, and health-care expenditure: A population-based cohort study in Taiwan.

Background/purpose: The optimal timing of vascular access (VA) creation for hemodialysis (HD) and whether this timing affects mortality and health-care utilization after HD initiation remain unclear. Thus, we conducted a population-based study to explore their association.

Methods: We used Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database to analyze health-care outcomes and utilization in a cohort initiating HD during 2003-2013.

Association of retinopathy severity with cardiovascular and renal outcomes in patients with type 1 diabetes: a multi-state modeling analysis.

This study aimed to assess the impact of diabetic retinopathy (DR) severity on the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in T1D patients. Patients diagnosed with T1D between 1999 and 2013 were identified from patient-level data of Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research database. A total of 1135 patients were included and classified into mild DR (n = 454), severe DR (n = 227), or non-DR (n = 454) by using propensity score matching.

Healthcare utilization and expenditure among individuals with end-stage kidney disease in Taiwan.

Background/purpose: The prevalence of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in Taiwan has been increasing in recent decades. ESKD care and medical expenditures constitute an important part of the entire healthcare system.

Methods: This study analyzed data collected from the National Health Insurance (NHI) Research Database from 2010 to 2018.

Seasonal Change in Home Blood Pressure Monitoring Is Associated With Renal Outcome and Mortality in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease.

Blood pressure (BP) variation may result in poor cardiovascular and renal outcomes. We investigated the pattern of seasonal BP change and its association with outcomes in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) living in southern Taiwan. We conducted a retrospective analysis of a prospective observational cohort consisting of outpatients with CKD for the period between December 2014 and December 2019.

Cryoglobulinemic glomerulonephritis with underlying occult HBV infection and Waldenström macroglobulinemia: A case report.

Introduction: Occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, defined as negative hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) but detectable HBV DNA in serum and liver tissue, has very rarely been described in cryoglobulinemia (CG) patients. This case report sheds light on the possible link between occult HBV infection and CG.

Patient Concerns: A 76-year-old man presented with rapidly deteriorating renal function within 1 year.

Rosuvastatin Failed to Improve Arteriovenous Fistula Patency for Hemodialysis in Diabetic Patients - A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Very limited therapeutic strategies exist to prevent the primary failure of arteriovenous (AV) fistulas in patients with diabetes.

Objectives: To investigate whether rosuvastatin could improve the primary patency of AV fistulas in diabetic patients with stage 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods: This was a double-blind randomized clinical trial.

Hepatic and cardiovascular safety of acarbose among type 2 diabetes patients with end-stage renal disease: A nationwide population-based longitudinal study.

Aim: To assess the relationship between acarbose and hepatotoxicity, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and mortality among type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD).

Methods: 32,531 T2D patients with ESRD were identified from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database in 2000~∼2012 and followed up until 2013. 19.

Association of Dysfunction of Vascular Access for Hemodialysis With Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events - A Group-Based Trajectory Model Analysis.

Background: An unconventional risk factor, "dysfunction of hemodialysis vascular access", was demonstrated to be associated with subsequent major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in our previous study. However, applying this suggestion in a clinical scenario may be not intuitive. A group-based trajectory model was applied to further recognize those patients with the highest risks for MACE.

Serum sclerostin levels are positively related to bone mineral density in peritoneal dialysis patients: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Sclerostin, an antagonist of the Wingless-type mouse mammary tumor virus integration site (Wnt) pathway that regulates bone metabolism, is a potential contributor of chronic kidney disease (CKD)-mineral and bone disorder (MBD), which has various forms of presentation, from osteoporosis to vascular calcification. The positive association of sclerostin with bone mineral density (BMD) has been demonstrated in CKD and hemodialysis (HD) patients but not in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. This study assessed the association between sclerostin and BMD in PD patients.

Assessing the effect of oral activated vitamin D on overall survival in hemodialysis patients: a landmark analysis.

Background: Patients with end stage renal disease have a high all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Secondary hyperparathyroidism and vitamin D deficiency are considered part of the mechanism for the excess mortality observed. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between vitamin D use and all-cause mortality.

Clinical and microbiological characteristics of peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis caused by Escherichia coli in southern Taiwan.

Peritonitis is a serious complication and major cause of treatment failure in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD). Escherichia coli is the major pathogen in extraintestinal Gram-negative infections, including PD-related peritonitis. The outcomes of E.

A Cohort Study of Adult Patients with Severe Dengue in Taiwanese Intensive Care Units: The Elderly and APTT Prolongation Matter for Prognosis.

Background: There was a large dengue outbreak in Taiwan in 2015, in which the ages of the affected individuals were higher than those in other countries. The aim of this study was to explore the characteristics and prognostic factors for adults with severe dengue in intensive care units (ICUs).

Methods: All adults admitted to ICUs with dengue virus infection (DENV) at a medical center from July 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015 were enrolled.

Changes of immunogenic profiles between a single dose and one booster influenza vaccination in hemodialysis patients - an 18-week, open-label trial.

Annual influenza vaccination is recommended, but its efficacy in dialysis population is still controversial. Here we aimed to compare the dynamic changes of immune response between various influenza vaccination protocols in hemodialysis patients. A 18-week open label, non-randomized, controlled trial was conducted during 2011-2012.

Parathyroidectomy Associates with Reduced Mortality in Taiwanese Dialysis Patients with Hyperparathyroidism: Evidence for the Controversy of Current Guidelines.

Parathyroidectomy is recommended by the clinical guidelines for dialysis patients with unremitting secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT). However, the survival advantage of parathyroidectomy is debated because of the selection bias in previous studies. To minimize potential bias in the present nationwide cohort study, we enrolled only dialysis patients who had undergone radionuclide parathyroid scanning to ensure all patients had severe SHPT.

A Population-Based Cohort Study of All-Cause and Site-Specific Cancer Incidence Among Patients With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus in Taiwan.

Background: The relationship between type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and cancer incidence remains unclear. We sought to assess the all-cause and site-specific cancer incidence in patients with T1DM.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study design was employed, in which 14 619 patients with T1DM were retrieved from Taiwan's National Health Insurance medical claims between 2000 and 2007.

Compliance Index, a Marker of Peripheral Arterial Stiffness, may Predict Renal Function Decline in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease.

Background: Compliance index derived from digital volume pulse (CI-DVP), measuring the relationship between volume and pressure changes in fingertip, is a surrogate marker of peripheral arterial stiffness. This study investigated if CI-DVP can predict renal function deterioration, cardiovascular events and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods: In this prospective observational study, 149 CKD patients were included for final analysis.

Association Between Vascular Access Dysfunction and Subsequent Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Patients on Hemodialysis: A Population-Based Nested Case-Control Study.

The association between dialysis vascular access dysfunction and the risk of developing major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in hemodialysis patients is unclear and has not yet been investigated. We analyzed data from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan to quantify this association. Adopting a case-control design nested within a cohort of patients who received hemodialysis from 2001 to 2010, we identified 9711 incident cases of MACE during the stage of stable maintenance dialysis and 19,422 randomly selected controls matched to cases on age, gender, and duration of dialysis.

Incidence of end stage renal disease among type 1 diabetes: a nationwide cohort study in Taiwan.

The aim of our study was to estimate the risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in Taiwanese people; in addition, our goal was to determine how the age, year, and sex at registration of T1DM affects the risk. Population-based cohort study. A nationwide cohort study of 7203 Taiwanese patients with T1DM registered in 1999 to 2010 was followed up until ESRD, death, or the end of follow-up on December 31, 2010.

Early identification of microorganisms in blood culture prior to the detection of a positive signal in the BACTEC FX system using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry.

Background: Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is a valuable method for rapid identification of blood stream infection (BSI) pathogens. Integration of MALDI-TOF MS and blood culture system can speed the identification of causative BSI microorganisms.

Materials And Methods: We investigated the minimal microorganism concentrations of common BSI pathogens required for positive blood culture using BACTEC FX and for positive identification using MALDI-TOF MS.

Incidence of progression from newly diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus to end stage renal disease and all-cause mortality: a nationwide cohort study in Taiwan.

Aim: End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is a common finding in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and may contribute to mortality. The purpose of the study was to investigate the incidence of ESRD and all-cause mortality and their risk factors in patients newly diagnosed with SLE in Taiwan.

Methods: This nationwide cohort study used data from the National Health Insurance Research Database.

Guideline interaction: a study of interactions among drug-disease contraindication rules.

To study the interactions among the drug-disease contraindiction guidelines in a real clinical setting by using clinical databases.