Timing of the first cannulation and survival of arteriovenous grafts in hemodialysis patients: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

Arteriovenous graft (AVG) is an important vascular access route in hemodialysis patients. The optimal waiting time between AVG creation and the first cannulation is still undetermined, therefore the current study investigated the association between ideal timing for cannulation and AVG survival. This retrospective cohort study used data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database, which included 6,493 hemodialysis patients with AVGs between July 1 2008 and June 30 2012.

Prevalence and related drug cost of comorbidities in HIV-infected patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy in Taiwan: A cross-sectional study.

Background: To determine the prevalence of chronic comorbidities and associated medication costs in Taiwanese HIV patients in order to increase awareness of the disease burden among healthcare providers and patients.

Methods: HIV-diagnosed patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART; 2010-2013) were identified from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database with the corresponding International Classification of Diseases, ninth revision (ICD-9) code. Comorbidities (type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, major depressive disorder, acute coronary syndrome, and cholelithiasis/nephrolithiasis) were identified according to ICD-9 or relevant medication use.

The Prognostic Significance of Puncture Timing to Survival of Arteriovenous Fistulas in Hemodialysis Patients: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study.

(1) Background: A functional shunt is critical to hemodialysis, but the ideal timing of shunt cannulation is still not established. In this study, we assessed the association between ideal puncture timing and shunt survival. (2) Methods: This retrospective cohort study using data from the Taiwan Health and Welfare database, which included 26885 hemodialysis patients with arteriovenous fistulas from 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2012.

Persistence and adherence to rivastigmine in patients with dementia: Results from a noninterventional, retrospective study using the National Health Insurance research database of Taiwan.

Introduction: The objective of the study was to assess adherence and persistence of patients treated with rivastigmine versus donepezil.

Methods: Persistence was calculated as the time from the first prescription date of rivastigmine/donepezil until discontinuation/medication switch/end of available data, whichever occurred first. Adherence was calculated as proportion of days covered and medication possession ratio.

Genetic variations in Toll-like receptors (TLRs 3/7/8) are associated with systemic lupus erythematosus in a Taiwanese population.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs), as innate immunity sensors, play critical roles in immune responses. Six SNPs of TLR3, TLR7, and TLR8 were genotyped to determine their associations with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and clinical manifestations of SLE. TLR7 SNP rs3853839 was independently associated with SLE susceptibility in females (G vs.