Positive association of fasting plasma glucose with bone mineral density in non-diabetic elderly females.

Introduction: Previous studies involving diabetics have shown different associations between fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and bone mineral density (BMD). The different effects of FPG on BMD are due to varying effects of antidiabetic drugs, glycemic control and diabetic complications in the diabetic patients. It is necessary to identify the association in subjects without diabetes.

Physical activities mediate the correlations between serum creatinine and bone mineral density in Chinese.

Background: The relationship between serum creatinine (CR) and osteoporosis under normal renal function and the possible mediating effects mediated by physical activity (PA) are largely unknown.

Methods: A total of 4,137 elderly Chinese subjects were recruited. Three models including different covariates were established.

Evaluation of plasma cytokine protein array profile: the highlighted PDGF-BB in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: The cytokines play critical roles in the complex pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but the specific cytokines are still in need of being discovered. This multi-stage study was performed to identify novel RA cytokines in plasma and further understand the pathological mechanism of the identified cytokines.

Method: The plasma cytokine protein profile was evaluated by using Human Cytokine Antibody Array 440 in 18 subjects (RA: healthy control = 9:9).

Multi-omics integrative analysis identified SNP-methylation-mRNA: Interaction in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Genetic variants have potential influence on DNA methylation and thereby regulate mRNA expression. This study aimed to comprehensively reveal the relationships among SNP, methylation and mRNA, and identify methylation-mediated regulation patterns in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Based on in-house multi-omics datasets from 43 Chinese Han female subjects, genome-wide association trios were constructed by simultaneously testing the following three association pairs: SNP-methylation, methylation-mRNA and SNP-mRNA.

Association of Plasma Irisin with Bone Mineral Density in a Large Chinese Population Using an Extreme Sampling Design.

Irisin, a myokine produced by skeletal muscle in response to physical exercise, promotes trans-differentiation of white adipose tissue into brown adipose tissue. Recent evidences suggested that irisin also plays an important role in the control of bone metabolism. This study aimed to ascertain the relationship between plasma irisin and bone mineral density (BMD) in Chinese population by adoption of an extreme sampling method.

Relative abundance of mature myostatin rather than total myostatin is negatively associated with bone mineral density in Chinese.

Myostatin is mainly secreted by skeletal muscle and negatively regulates skeletal muscle growth. However, the roles of myostatin on bone metabolism are still largely unknown. Here, we recruited two large populations containing 6308 elderly Chinese and conducted comprehensive statistical analyses to evaluate the associations among lean body mass (LBM), plasma myostatin, and bone mineral density (BMD).

The distribution and functional relevance analysis of runs of homozygosity (ROHs) in Chinese Han female population.

Extended homozygosity is a genomic region in which the copies inherited from parents are identical, and has obvious inter-individual differences in length and frequency. Runs of homozygosity (ROHs), regarded as a type of structure variations, may have potential capacity in regulating gene transcription. To learn more about the genome-wide distribution of ROH regions in humans and understand the potential roles, this study applied ROH-based approach to quantify and characterize ROHs in 41 Chinese Han female subjects, and test potential associations between ROHs and mRNA expressions by eQTL analysis to ascertain whether ROHs are relevant to gene transcription in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

Thyroid Disturbance in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Infection: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background And Aims: The involvement of thyroid autoimmunity and dysfunction in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection before interferon-α (IFN-α) therapy remains controversial. We performed this meta-analysis to evaluate the association of HCV infection with the presence of anti-thyroid antibodies and dysthyroidism.

Methods: A literature search was carried out to collect articles dated up to August 2015 to identify observational studies which compared the prevalence of anti-thyroid antibodies and thyroid dysfunction in IFN-α naïve chronic HCV-infected subjects with non-HCV infected controls.

Impact of HCV Infection on Diabetes Patients for the Risk of End-Stage Renal Failure.

Both diabetes mellitus (DM) and hepatitis C virus infection (HCVI) are associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The aim of this study was to evaluate whether HCVI increases the risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in patients with DM.The National Health Insurance Research database of Taiwan was used to conduct this study.

[Serum carbohydrate antigen-125 levels in patients with bronchiectasis].

Objective: To evaluate the level of serum carbohydrate antigen-125(CA125) and its related factors in patients with bronchiectasis.

Methods: The clinical data of 504 patients with bronchiectasis in Zhejiang Putuo People's Hospital from June 2009 to June 2014 were collected in the study.The patients were divided into CA125 elevated group and CA125 normal group according to serum CA125 level,and the differences of serum CA125,age,gender, white blood cell(WBC),C-reactive protein(CRP), blood glucose and other test indicators were compared between two groups.

Outcomes of catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aims: Over the past decade, catheter ablation (CA) has become an established therapy for symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF). Atrial fibrillation is common in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients, and restoring sinus rhythm is of great clinical benefit to them. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the available data to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of CA for AF in patients with HCM.

Clinical implications and outcome prediction in chronic hemodialysis patients with lower serum potassium×uric acid product.

Background: The aims of this study were to evaluate correlations between serum potassium (S[K]) and uric acid (S[UA]) in hemodialysis patients and to determine whether lower levels of both S[K] and S[UA] were associated with poor long-term prognoses in these patients.

Methods: A cohort of 424 maintenance hemodialysis patients (58±13 years of age; 47% male; 39% with diabetes) from a single center were divided into tertiles based on the product of S[K]×S[UA] (K×UA): Group 1: low K×UA: n=141; Group 2: median K×UA: n=141; and Group 3: high K×UA: n=142. The longest observation period was 60 months.

Precedent fluctuation of serum hs-CRP to albumin ratios and mortality risk of clinically stable hemodialysis patients.

Background: A high sensitivity C-reactive protein to albumin ratio (hs-CRP/Alb) predicts mortality risk in patients with acute kidney injury. However, it varies dynamically. This study was conducted to evaluate whether a variation of this marker was associated with long-term outcome in clinically stable hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Methadone maintenance treatment programme reduces criminal activity and improves social well-being of drug users in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) has been implemented in China since 2004 and has expanded into a nationwide programme. This study aims to evaluate changes in social functioning, family relations and drug-related criminal behaviour among MMT clients in China.

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Sex difference for urologic malignancy risk in uremic patients after kidney transplantation: a population-based study.

Background: High urologic malignancy incidence has been reported in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients, especially of female sex. This study was undertaken to evaluate whether female recipients still carry an aggravated risk of this malignancy after kidney transplantation (KT).

Methods: The claims data from the Bureau of National Health Insurance of Taiwan were used for analysis.

Comparison of the impact of "fast decline" in residual renal function and "initial anuria" on long-term outcomes in CAPD patients.

Background: Residual renal function (RRF) is pivotal to long-term outcomes, while rapid RRF decline (RRFD) is associated with mortality risk for continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients. This study was conducted to compare the impact of "initial anuria" and rapid RRFD on the long-term prognosis of CAPD patients.

Method: According to the timing of anuria and the slope of RRFD, a total of 255 incident CAPD patients were divided into 3 groups.

End-stage renal disease after hypertensive disorders in pregnancy.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the long-term postpartum risk of end-stage renal disease in women with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. Although most women with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy recover after delivery, some may experience acute renal failure.

Study Design: We searched Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database to identify women with hypertensive disorders in pregnancies and deliveries between 1998 and 2002.

Increased risk of mortality among haemodialysis patients with or without prior stroke: a nationwide population-based study in Taiwan.

Background & Objectives: Patients with prior stroke (PS) undergoing chronic dialysis are at a high risk of mortality. However, little is known about the cumulative risk and survival rate of dialysis patients with long-term follow up. The aim of this study was to assess risks for mortality between patients with and without PS undergoing chronic haemodialysis (HD).

[Value of quality of life evaluation in prognosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

Objective: To evaluate the quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by COPD Assessment Test (CAT) and Body Mass Index, Airflow Obstruction, Dyspnea, Exercise Capacity Index (BODE).

Methods: One hundred patients with stable COPD admitted in Putuo People's Hospital were recruited in the study. CAT and BODE index were measured for each patient.

Long-term survival and predictors for mortality among dialysis patients in an endemic area for chronic liver disease: a national cohort study in Taiwan.

Background: Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are at a higher risk for chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis (LC) and mortality than the general population. Optimal modalities of renal replacement therapy for ESRD patients with concomitant end-stage liver disease remain controversial. We investigated the long-term outcome for chronic liver disease among dialysis patients in an endemic area.

Reverse epidemiology of hypertension-mortality associations in hemodialysis patients: a long-term population-based study.

Background: Although hypertension (HTN) is a predictor of mortality, recent data have questioned the link between baseline HTN and mortality in incident hemodialysis (HD) patients. We used Taiwan's National Health Insurance claim data (NHRI-NHIRD-99182) to investigate the association.

Methods: In 1999, this longitudinal cohort study enrolled 5752 new HD patients.

[Deviation of ST-segment and detection of infarction related artery in patients with acute inferior wall infarction].

Objective: To explore the characteristics of ST-segment deviation in patients with acute ST elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI)having only one vessel lesion in either left circumflex artery (LCX) or right coronary artery (RCA).

Methods: All AMI (acute myocardial infarction) patients were admitted into Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 1996 to March 2009. They underwent coronary angiography (CAG).

[ST segment deviation in acute myocardial infarction with isolated disease of left anterior descending artery].

Objective: To analyze the characteristics of the electrocardiogram (ECG) of left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) occlusion in patients with acute ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods: Patients included were those diagnosed with STEMI in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 1996 to March 2009, and underwent coronary angiography (CAG). The infarction related artery (IRA) was LAD, and there were no significant stenosis in left circumflex artery and right coronary artery.

[Analysis on the correlation between SF-36 and QOL-35 in patients and coronary artery disease].

Objective: To analyze the correlation between SF-36 and QOL-35 and the consistency of the two kinds of life-quality questionnaires when evaluating the quality of life in patients with coronary heart disease.

Methods: 781 in-hospital-patients, who underwent coronary angiography from June 2008 to April 2009, were included in this study. Quality of life was measured by the Chinese versions of SF-36 and QOL-35.