Pay-for-performance in Taiwan: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the empirical literature.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the impact of pay-for-performance (P4P) programmes on healthcare in Taiwan.

Study Design: This was a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods: A systematic literature search was performed using the PubMed, Medline, Embase, Cochrane review, Scopus, Web of Science and PsycINFO databases up to July 2023.

The symbiotic experiences of residents with and without dementia co-living in Taiwan's long-term care facilities: a phenomenological study.

Background: In Taiwan, residents with and without dementia mostly co-live in long-term care facilities. The behavioral and psychiatric symptoms of dementia residents often pose challenges for others living together. This study explored the symbiotic experiences of residents without dementia co-living with those with dementia in long-term care facilities in Taiwan to present their experiences of living together.

Diabetic retinopathy as a potential risk factor for ptosis: A 13-year nationwide population-based cohort study in Taiwan.

Purpose: To determine the risk of ptosis among diabetic retinopathy (DR) patients.

Methods: This is a population-based, retrospective, matched-cohort study where DR patients were recruited from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) to investigate the risk of developing ptosis. Preexisting co-factors of interest included smoking status and medical comorbidities of hyperlipidemia and hypertension.

Using the Diabetes Care System for a County-Wide Hepatitis C Elimination: An Integrated Community-Based Shared Care Model in Taiwan.

Introduction: Despite the serious risks of diabetes with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, this preventable comorbidity is rarely a priority for HCV elimination. We aim to examine how a shared care model could eliminate HCV in patients with diabetes (PwD) in primary care.

Methods: There were 27 community-based Diabetes Health Promotion Institutes in each township/city of Changhua, Taiwan.

Monitoring the Efficacy of High-Flow Nasal Cannula Oxygen Therapy in Patients with Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure in the General Respiratory Ward: A Prospective Observational Study.

High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) is widely used to treat hypoxemic respiratory failure. The effectiveness of HFNC treatment and the methods for monitoring its efficacy in the general ward remain unclear. This prospective observational study enrolled 42 patients who had acute hypoxemic respiratory failure requiring HFNC oxygen therapy in the general adult respiratory ward.

Incremental yield of serial sputum examinations in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in Taiwan: Findings of a pragmatic trial.

Background: Presumptive tuberculosis (TB) cases commonly had two to three sputum examinations in Taiwan. The incremental yield of serial sputum examinations has not been assessed before.

Methods: In a pragmatic trial, presumptive TB patients with a frontline nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) were classified as group A.

Non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries due to a type-A thymoma: A case report.

Introduction: Myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) has become an increasingly recognized subgroup in patients with acute myocardial infarction, with a recent cohort study reporting a prevalence of 8.8%. This report describes a patient who presented with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) due to an incidental anterior mediastinal mass.

[Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Health-Related Quality of Life in Older Adults With Preoperative Knee Osteoarthritis].

Background: Knee osteoarthritis is prevalent in older adults worldwide. Quality of life was negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Purpose: This study was designed to examine osteoarthritis severity and health-related quality of life (QOL) in older adults with knee osteoarthritis before total knee replacement during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify the related predictors of QOL.

Prevention and management of tuberculosis in solid organ transplantation: A consensus statement of the transplantation society of Taiwan.

Solid organ transplant recipients have an increased risk of tuberculosis (TB). Due to the use of immunosuppressants, the incidence of TB among solid organ transplant recipients has been consistently reported to be higher than that among the general population. TB frequently develops within the first year after transplantation when a high level of immunosuppression is maintained.

Associations between psychological responses and quality of life at early and late time of quarantine among residents of a collective quarantine facility in central Taiwan.

Objectives: Few countries required people living in collective facilities to undergo quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic, which could lead to more psychological effects than quarantine at home or hotels. This study assessed the changes in depression, anxiety, and quality of life (QOL) among residents of a collective quarantine facility in central Taiwan.

Methods: Between April and November 2020, 660 collective quarantine facility residents participated in the survey conducted on the first and last days of the 14-day quarantine period.

Impact of LncRNA GAS5 Genetic Variants and the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Phenotypes on the Clinicopathological Characteristics of Lung Adenocarcinoma Patients.

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the combined effect of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in long non-coding RNA growth arrest-specific 5 (GAS5) and the phenotypes of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) on the clinicopathological characteristics of lung adenocarcinoma. The present study examined the relationship between the single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; rs145204276 Ins/Del, rs55829688 T/C) and the clinicopathological factors in 539 lung adenocarcinoma patients with or without EGFR mutations. We found that the genotype distributions of the two SNPs between different EGFR genotypes were similar after adjusting for age, gender and smoking history.

Prevalence of sleep disorders in children with chronic kidney disease: a meta-analysis.

Background: The reported prevalence of sleep disorders in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) varies greatly. A quantitative meta-analysis to estimate the prevalence of sleep disorders among pediatric CKD patients may provide further information.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to estimate the prevalence of sleep disorders in children with CKD.

Delivery Capacity and Anticancer Ability of the Berberine-Loaded Gold Nanoparticles to Promote the Apoptosis Effect in Breast Cancer.

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were fabricated with biocompatible collagen (Col) and then conjugated with berberine (BB), denoted as Au-Col-BB, to investigate the endocytic mechanisms in Her-2 breast cancer cell line and in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC). Owing to the superior biocompatibility, tunable physicochemical properties, and potential functionalization with biomolecules, AuNPs have been well studied as carriers of biomolecules for diseases and cancer therapeutics. Composites of AuNPs with biopolymer, such as fibronectin or Col, have been revealed to increase cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation.

Anti-Inflammatory Fibronectin-AgNP for Regulation of Biological Performance and Endothelial Differentiation Ability of Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

The engineering of vascular regeneration still involves barriers that need to be conquered. In the current study, a novel nanocomposite comprising of fibronectin (denoted as FN) and a small amount of silver nanoparticles (AgNP, ~15.1, ~30.

Elimination of Hepatitis C Virus in a Dialysis Population: A Collaborative Care Model in Taiwan.

Rationale & Objective: Hemodialysis facilities are high-risk environments for the spread of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Eliminating HCV from all dialysis facilities in a community may be achieved more effectively under a collaborative care model.

Study Design: Quality improvement study of multidisciplinary collaborative care teams including nephrologists, gastroenterologists, and public health practitioners.

Percutaneous endoscopic unilateral laminotomy and bilateral decompression under 3D real-time image-guided navigation for spinal stenosis in degenerative lumbar kyphoscoliosis patients: an innovative preliminary study.

Background: The aim of this study is to introduce a new method of percutaneous endoscopic decompression under 3D real-time image-guided navigation for spinal stenosis in degenerative kyphoscoliosis patients without instability or those who with multiple comorbidities. Decompression alone using endoscope for kyphoscoliosis patient is technical demanding and may result in unnecessary bone destruction leading to further instability. The O-arm/StealthStation system is popular for its ability to provide automated registration with intraoperative, postpositioning computed tomography (CT) which results in superior accuracy in spine surgery.

Enhanced Biocompatibility and Differentiation Capacity of Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Poly(dimethylsiloxane) by Topographically Patterned Dopamine.

Controlling the behavior of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) through topographic patterns is an effective approach for stem cell studies. We, herein, reported a facile method to create a dopamine (DA) pattern on poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS). The topography of micropatterned DA was produced on PDMS after plasma treatment.

Chemotherapy-induced necrotising tumour lysis and perforation of a huge gastric cancer simulating emphysematous pancreatitis.

A 56-year-old man was diagnosed to have a huge gastric cancer extending from the lesser curvature of the stomach to the pancreas with multiple hepatic and peritoneal metastases. Two days after completing chemotherapy with cisplatin plus high dose leucovorin and fluorouracil, drastic necrotising tumour lysis led to gastric perforation and septic shock most likely due to bacterial peritonitis. The image of tumour lysis looked like an emphysematous pancreatitis.

Nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease epidemiology in Taiwan: A systematic review.

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are critical emerging global infectious pathogens. Though NTM can be mere colonizers when isolated from human specimens, NTM are also responsible for diverse human infections. NTM-lung disease (NTM-LD) is the most common human disease entity.

Association of Carbonic Anhydrase 9 Polymorphism and the Epithelial Growth Factor Receptor Mutations in Lung Adenocarcinoma Patients.

Carbonic anhydrase 9 (CA9) plays a vital role in lung cancer progression. The current study explored the effect of CA9 gene polymorphisms and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations on the clinicopathological characters of lung adenocarcinoma. In this study, three loci of CA9 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (rs2071676 A>G, rs3829078 A>G, and rs1048638 C>A) were genotyped using the TaqMan allelic discrimination method in 193 EGFR wild type individuals and 281 EGFR mutation subjects.

Enhanced directly-observed treatment short-course for tuberculosis control program in mountain areas of Taiwan.

Introduction: Directly Observed Treatment Short course (DOTS) is one of the most cost-effective approaches for TB treatment. However, TB incidence rates remain high in the mountain areas of Taiwan. A lay health advisor (LHA) strategy is integrated into DOTS as an Enhanced-DOTS (E-DOTS) to provide trustworthy, culturally-specific services in mountain areas that consider the characteristics of local ethnic groups.

Improved appropriateness of anti-tuberculosis prescription by the expert prescription review program in Taiwan.

Background: A nationwide program initiated by Taiwan CDC was conducted by the Taiwan Society of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease to improve the appropriateness of anti-TB prescriptions in Taiwan.

Methods: All anti-TB prescriptions from 12 hospitals across Taiwan were reviewed by experienced pulmonologists, according to the 2011 Taiwan TB treatment guidelines, between May and October 2013. The investigation period was divided into three stages: May to June, July to August, and September to October.