Thiazolidinedione Use Is Associated with a Borderline Lower Risk of Multiple Myeloma and a Significantly Lower Risk of Death in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Taiwan.

Background: Thiazolidinedione (TZD) exerts anti-proliferative effects on multiple myeloma (MM) cells. However, there has not been any human study investigating the risk of MM associated with TZD use.

Methods: We used Taiwan's National Health Insurance database to identify 423,949 patients who had been newly diagnosed with diabetes mellitus between 1999 and 2005.

Rosiglitazone has a null association with the risk of prostate cancer in type 2 diabetes patients.

Background: This study investigated the risk of prostate cancer in ever users and never users of rosiglitazone in diabetes patients in Taiwan.

Methods: The nationwide database of the National Health Insurance was used to enroll male patients who had a new diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus at an age ≥ 25 years from 1999 to 2005. A total of 11,495 ever users and 11,495 never users of rosiglitazone matched on propensity score were selected and they were followed up for the incidence of prostate cancer from January 1, 2006 until December 31, 2011.

The Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration Is Reduced in Type 2 Diabetes Patients Who Use Metformin.

Background: Whether metformin may reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) requires confirmation. This study compared the risk of AMD between ever users and never users of metformin matched on propensity score (PS) in Taiwanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: We enrolled study subjects from Taiwan's National Health Insurance.

Rosiglitazone Does Not Affect the Risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Study in Taiwanese Type 2 Diabetes Patients.

Human studies on the effect of rosiglitazone on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are still lacking. We investigated whether rosiglitazone might affect IBD risk by using the reimbursement database of Taiwan's National Health Insurance to enroll a propensity-score-matched cohort of ever users and never users of rosiglitazone. The patients should have been newly diagnosed with diabetes mellitus between 1999 and 2006 and should have been alive on 1 January 2007.

Differential Effects of Metformin on Immune-Mediated and Androgen-Mediated Non-Cancer Skin Diseases in Diabetes Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Metformin's effects on non-cancer skin diseases are rarely investigated.

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate immune-mediated (urticaria, allergic contact dermatitis, and psoriasis) and androgen-mediated (acanthosis nigricans, hidradenitis suppurativa, and acne) skin diseases associated with metformin use.

Methods: Metformin initiators (n = 234,585) and non-metformin initiators (n = 125,921) within the initial 12 months of antidiabetic drug prescription during 1999-2009 were followed up until December 31, 2011.

Metformin's effects on varicocele, erectile dysfunction, infertility and prostate-related diseases: A retrospective cohort study.

To investigate the risk of varicocele, erectile dysfunction (ED), infertility, prostatitis, benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer associated with metformin use. A total of 261,838 males, mean age 52.39 years (SD: 11.

Pioglitazone and breast cancer risk in female patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a retrospective cohort analysis.

Background: Whether pioglitazone may affect breast cancer risk in female diabetes patients is not conclusive and has not been investigated in the Asian populations.

Methods: The reimbursement database of Taiwan's National Health Insurance was used to enroll an unmatched cohort and a propensity score-matched cohort of ever users and never users of pioglitazone in female patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes during 1999-2008. The patients were alive on January 1, 2009 and were followed up for breast cancer incidence until December 31, 2011.

Metformin Reduces the Risk of Diverticula of Intestine in Taiwanese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

To investigate the risk of diverticula of intestine associated with metformin use. This retrospective cohort study used the Taiwan's National Health Insurance database to enroll 307,548 ever users and 18,839 never users of metformin. The patients were followed up starting on January 1, 2006 and ending on a date up to December 31, 2011.

Metformin use is associated with a reduced risk of acute appendicitis in Taiwanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

This retrospective cohort study used the nationwide database of Taiwan's National Health Insurance to investigate whether metformin would reduce the risk of acute appendicitis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. We first identified 423,949 patients newly diagnosed of diabetes from 1999 to 2005. After excluding patients having type 1 diabetes mellitus, missing data, previous history of acute appendicitis, aged < 15 years, aged > 80 years and followed up for < 6 months, 338,172 ever users and 21,861 never users of metformin were followed up from January 1, 2006 until December 31, 2011.

Metformin and primary bone cancer risk in Taiwanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: The effect of metformin on primary bone cancer risk has not been researched. This retrospective cohort study investigated the risk of primary bone cancer between metformin initiators and non-metformin initiators in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: A total of 673,532 patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus and had been prescribed antidiabetic drugs for 2 or more times during 1999-2009 were enrolled from Taiwan's National Health Insurance.

Vildagliptin Has a Neutral Association With Dementia Risk in Type 2 Diabetes Patients.

Background And Aims: Animal studies suggested that vildagliptin might exert a beneficial effect on cognitive function. The present study evaluated whether the use of vildagliptin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus might affect dementia risk.

Methods: The database of Taiwan's National Health Insurance was used to enroll an unmatched cohort and a propensity score-matched-pair cohort of ever and never users of vildagliptin from patients with newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus during 2002-2014.

The Effect of Metformin on Male Reproductive Function and Prostate: An Updated Review.

Metformin is the first-line oral antidiabetic drug that shows multiple pleiotropic effects of anti-inflamation, anti-cancer, anti-aging, anti-microbia, anti-atherosclerosis, and immune modulation. Metformin's effects on men's related health are reviewed here, focusing on reproductive health under subtitles of erectile dysfunction (ED), steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis; and on prostate-related health under subtitles of prostate specific antigen (PSA), prostatitis, benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), and prostate cancer (PCa). Updated literature suggests a potential role of metformin on arteriogenic ED but controversial and contradictory effects (either protective or harmful) on testicular functions of testosterone synthesis and spermatogenesis.

Metformin Use Is Associated With a Lower Incidence of Hospitalization for Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

The effect of metformin on the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) requires confirmation. This retrospective cohort study compared the incidence of hospitalization for AF in ever and never users of metformin. Patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus during 1999-2005 were enrolled from Taiwan's National Health Insurance database.

Chronic Metformin Therapy is Associated with a Lower Risk of Hemorrhoid in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Metformin has anti-inflammatory property and reduces the risk of varicose vein in our previous study. To investigate the risk of hemorrhoid, another common disease involving the hemorrhoidal venous plexus, in ever vs. never users of metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Sensory Symptoms in Diabetes Patients in Taiwan.

Background: Diabetic sensory neuropathy has rarely been studied in the Asian populations. This study investigated the prevalence and risk factors of sensory symptoms (SS) in the Taiwanese diabetes patients.

Methods: A total of 1,400 diabetes patients received a health examination together with a structured questionnaire interview for three categories of abnormal sensation of numbness or tingling pain, electric shock, and skin thickness sensation on seven anatomical sites on upper limbs and six sites on lower limbs.

Metformin use is associated with a lower risk of osteoporosis/vertebral fracture in Taiwanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Objectives: To investigate the metformin effect on the risk of osteoporosis (OS) and/or vertebral fracture (VF).

Methods: We enrolled 14 611 pairs of metformin ever and never users matched on propensity score (PS) from Taiwan's National Health Insurance database. All patients had new-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) during 1999-2005 and were free from OS and/or any fracture at the start of follow-up on January 1, 2006.

Metformin and Biliary Tract Cancer in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes.

Aim: This retrospective cohort study evaluated whether metformin use in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus might reduce the risk of biliary tract cancer (BTC); and explored whether metformin use might affect the overall survival in patients who developed BTC.

Methods: New-onset type 2 diabetes patients aged 25-75 years during 1999-2005 were enrolled from the Taiwan's National Health Insurance and followed up until December 31, 2011. A total of 287,995 ever users and 16,229 never users were identified (unmatched original cohort) and a 1:1 matched pairs of 16,229 ever users and 16,229 never users based on propensity score (PS) were created (matched cohort).

Metformin Use and Leukemia Risk in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Background: The effect of metformin on leukemia risk remains unknown.

Methods: The Taiwan's National Health Insurance database was used to enroll 610,089 newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients on at least 2 anti-diabetic prescriptions during 1999-2009. We followed-up these patients until 31 December 2011, in order to determine the incidence of leukemia.

Metformin Use Is Associated with a Lower Risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Aim: Our aim was to compare the risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] between ever users and never users of metformin.

Methods: Patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus from 1999 to 2005 were enrolled from Taiwan's National Health Insurance. A total of 340 211 ever users and 24 478 never users who were free from IBD on January 1, 2006 were followed up until December 31, 2011.

Dementia Risk in Type 2 Diabetes Patients: Acarbose Use and Its Joint Effects with Metformin and Pioglitazone.

This population-based retrospective cohort study investigated dementia risk associated with acarbose in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus by using Taiwan's National Health Insurance database. A cohort of 15,524 matched pairs of ever and never users of acarbose based on propensity score matching was enrolled from new-onset type 2 diabetes patients from 1999 to 2006. Patients who were alive on January 1, 2007, were followed up for dementia until December 31, 2011.

Metformin use is associated with a lower risk of uterine leiomyoma in female type 2 diabetes patients.

Background: Whether metformin may reduce the risk of uterine leiomyoma in type 2 diabetes patients has not been investigated. This retrospective cohort study compared the risk of uterine leiomyoma in ever never users of metformin.

Methods: Female patients with new-onset type 2 diabetes during 1999-2005 were enrolled from the reimbursement database of Taiwan's National Health Insurance and followed up from 1 January 2006 until 31 December 2011.

Enterovirus 71 seroepidemiology in Taiwan in 2017 and comparison of those rates in 1997, 1999 and 2007.

Background: During recent 20 years, enterovirus 71 (EV71) has emerged as a major concern among children, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. To understand current EV71 serostatus, to find risk factors associated with EV71 infection and to establish future EV71 vaccine policy, we performed a seroepidemiology study in Taiwan in 2017.

Methods: After informed consent was obtained, we enrolled preschool children, 6-15-year-old students, 16-50-year-old people.

Metformin is associated with a lower risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Background: Whether metformin use might affect the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) remained to be answered.

Methods: A total of 610,089 newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients with 2 or more times of prescription of antidiabetic drugs during 1999-2009 were enrolled from Taiwan's National Health Insurance database. They were followed up for NHL incidence until December 31, 2011.

Rosiglitazone has a neutral effect on the risk of dementia in type 2 diabetes patients.

This study investigated whether rosiglitazone might increase or reduce dementia risk. Taiwan's National Health Insurance database was used to enroll a cohort of 1:1 matched-pairs of ever and never users of rosiglitazone based on propensity score from patients with new-onset type 2 diabetes during 1999-2006. The patients were alive on January 1, 2007 and were followed up for dementia until December 31, 2011.

Metformin reduces risk of benign nodular goiter in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background Whether metformin might affect the risk of benign nodular goiter in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus has not been investigated. Methods Patients with new-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus during 1999-2005 were enrolled from Taiwan's National Health Insurance database. Analyses were conducted in a propensity score matched-pairs of 20,048 ever users and 20,048 never users of metformin.