Development and Validation of a Visualized Posture Risk Assessment Questionnaire for Low Back Pain in Daily Activities: A Study in Taiwan.

Background/objectives: A proper posture is essential for musculoskeletal health, and a poor posture can lead to low back pain. To address the limitations of traditional text-based questionnaires, this study developed and validated a visualized posture assessment questionnaire for evaluating daily postures related to low back pain. The questionnaire was administered in Taiwan and designed using Traditional Chinese language.

Effect of adding neuromuscular electrical stimulation for patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Healthcare providers have faced challenges for patients with moderate and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in conducting their pulmonary rehabilitation due to dyspnea and exercise intolerance. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) has been used to improve the muscle group's power and endurance without adding pulmonary workload, which might be used as a potential adjuvant rehabilitation method and thus to improve patients' pulmonary functions.

Methods: This was a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

The association between comprehensive patient-centered care and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for patients with chronic viral hepatitis-A pathway analysis.

Background: Patient-centered care (PCC) is a crucial objective for enhancing healthcare in the 21st century. PCC has demonstrated effectiveness in caring for patients with chronic conditions. However, the process from PCC to patient outcomes has not been thoroughly studied, particularly for patients with chronic hepatitis.

Prognostic utility of preoperative platelet-to-albumin ratio in surgically treated oral cavity cancer patients.

Background: This study aimed to explore the prognostic utility of the preoperative platelet-to-albumin ratio (PAR) among patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed of 355 patients with surgically-treated OSCC between 2008 and 2017. The optimal PAR cutoff for patient stratification was determined through X-tile analysis.

Atezolizumab-induced encephalitis with subdural hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage in a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma.

We report the case of a 76-year-old man who was diagnosed with advanced stage hepatocellular carcinoma and was treated with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab therapy. Two weeks after 1st dose, he presented with acute changes in consciousness followed by hypothermia. A cerebrospinal fluid test showed an elevated cell count, total protein, and albumin.

A Rare Presentation of Chronic Appendicitis in the Right Upper Quadrant: A Case Report.

Chronic appendicitis is a rare cause of chronic abdominal pain that can be difficult to diagnose. We present a patient with chronic right upper quadrant pain that was finally diagnosed as chronic appendicitis. This 71-year-old male had no systemic diseases and presented to our outpatient clinic with right upper quadrant pain for one month.

The Bacterial Compositions of Nasal Septal Abscess in Patients with or without Diabetes.

The nasal septal abscess (NSA) is a rare but potentially fatal disease causing intracranial infection. Treatments for NSA include antibiotics, surgical incision and drainage. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a risk factor for NSA.

Prognostic Role of High-Sensitivity Modified Glasgow Prognostic Score for Patients With Operated Oral Cavity Cancer: A Retrospective Study.

Aim: We probed the prognostic value of the preoperative high-sensitivity modified Glasgow prognostic score (HS-mGPS), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) for patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) to identify patients with the highest risk of having poor survival outcomes.

Materials And Methods: We executed a retrospective assessment of the records of 303 patients with OSCC who had been subjected to curative surgery between January 2008 and December 2017. The HS-mGPS was categorized using C-reactive protein and albumin thresholds of 3 mg/L and 35 g/L, respectively.

The Pathogenic Bacteria of Deep Neck Infection in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes, and Without Diabetes from Chang Gung Research Database.

Deep neck infection (DNI) is a lethal emergent condition. Patients with types 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus (T1DM and T2DM, respectively) are predisposed to DNI and have poorer prognoses. The mainstay of the treatment is surgical drainage and antibiotics; however, the pathogenic bacteria of T1DM-DNI have not been studied before.

The Correlation Between Click-Evoked Auditory Brainstem Responses and Future Behavioral Thresholds Determined Using Universal Newborn Hearing Screening.

This retrospective study was undertaken to assess the correlation between click-evoked auditory brainstem responses and behavioral hearing tests. We recruited a total of 16646 infants born in Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Taiwan, from 2012 to 2018 for such assessment purpose. Their data including the click-evoked auditory brainstem response (ABR), referral, and diagnostic follow-up were collected.

Strategic Approach to Massive Chylous Leakage after Neck Dissection.

(1) Background: A high volume of chylous leakage (>1 L/day) is a potentially lethal complication after neck dissection. However, a strategic treatment for when the leakage progresses from high to massive (>4 L/day) is lacking. (2) Methods: The PubMed database was searched for articles on neck dissection-associated chylous leakage.

Malignant Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder of Nasopharynx in Myelodysplastic Disorder.

(1) Background: Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a hematological disease and occurs because of immunosuppression after organ transplantation. Only a few studies have reported PTLD in the nasopharynx. In most cases, PTLD developed after solid organ transplantation, and cases of PTLD after bone marrow transplantation, are uncommon.

Increased Risk of Nasal Septal Abscess After Septoplasty in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Objective/hypothesis: To investigate the risk of nasal septal abscess (NSA) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) after septoplasty.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study through Taiwan National Health Insurance database.

Methods: The Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database was used to conduct this retrospective cohort study.

Effectiveness of -acetylcysteine in autism spectrum disorders: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Objective: Currently, pharmaceutical treatment options for autism spectrum disorder are limited. Brain glutaminergic dysregulation is observed in autism spectrum disorder. -acetylcysteine, which can be converted to glutathione and subsequently release glutamate into the extracellular space, and thus reduce glutamatergic neurotransmission at synapses, is considered a potential drug for autism spectrum disorder treatment.

Effects of ultraviolet and blue-light filtering on sleep: a meta-analysis of controlled trials and studies on cataract patients.

Purpose: Two types of intraocular lenses (IOLs), namely ultraviolet-filtering IOL (UVF-IOL) and blue-light-filtering IOL (BF-IOL), are used to replace the aging lens in cataract patients. This provides a clinical scenario to investigate the BF and UVF effects on circadian rhythm. We revisited this topic and conducted an updated meta-analysis investigating the effects of UVF-IOL and BF-IOL on sleep quality.

Urinary trypsinogen-2 level and local complications of acute pancreatitis.

Background And Aim: Local complications of acute pancreatitis (AP) carry risks of morbidity/mortality. This study aimed to assess whether urinary trypsinogen-2 levels and Bedside Index for Severity in Acute Pancreatitis (BISAP) score on admission predicted subsequent local complications.

Methods: One hundred and forty-four consecutive patients with AP were prospectively followed till 6 months after discharge.

Comparative Assessment of Two Robot-Assisted Therapies for the Upper Extremity in People With Chronic Stroke.

Objective: We investigated the effects on motor and daily function of robot-assisted therapies in people with chronic stroke using the Bi-Manu-Track (BMT) and InMotion 3.0 (IMT) compared with control treatment (CT).

Method: In this comparative efficacy trial, 30 participants were randomized to receive BMT, IMT, or CT.

Is the 90th Percentile Adequate? The Optimal Waist Circumference Cutoff Points for Predicting Cardiovascular Risks in 124,643 15-Year-Old Taiwanese Adolescents.

Adolescent obesity has increased to alarming proportions globally. However, few studies have investigated the optimal waist circumference (WC) of Asian adolescents. This study sought to establish the optimal WC cutoff points that identify a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) among 15-year-old ethnically Chinese adolescents.

Serum Vascular Adhesion Protein-1 Predicts End-Stage Renal Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

Background: Diabetes is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) worldwide. Vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1) participates in inflammation and catalyzes the deamination of primary amines into aldehydes, hydrogen peroxide, and ammonia, both of which are involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications. We have shown that serum VAP-1 is higher in patients with diabetes and in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and can predict cardiovascular mortality in subjects with diabetes.

Association between comorbidities and dementia in diabetes mellitus patients: population-based retrospective cohort study.

Aims: Most diabetes mellitus (DM) patients have several comorbidities; the correlation of these comorbidities with dementia in DM requires clarification.

Methods: Using claims data from Taiwan National Health Insurance, we identified 33,709 DM adults before the year 2000 and randomly selected 67,066 non-DM patients matched by sex and age. Subjects were followed until diagnosis with dementia, excluded due to death/withdrawal from the insurance program, or followed until 2011.

Ovarian cancer-related hypophosphatemic osteomalacia--a case report.

Context: Tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO) is a rare paraneoplastic syndrome caused primarily by benign mesenchymal tumors. It has been associated with malignancies in rare cases. High serum levels of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 23 reported in a group of patients with ovarian cancer had normal serum phosphate levels.