Diabetes mellitus is a risk factor for incident chronic kidney disease: A nationwide cohort study

Objective

Diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease are multifactorial conditions with multiple etiologies that share similar pathophysiologies. This nationwide cohort study examined the impact of diabetes mellitus on the follow-up development of chronic kidney disease.

Methods

By retrieving the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005, 5121 patients with diabetes mellitus were included in this study and 5121 patients without diabetes mellitus, who were matched according to sex, age, and Charlson comorbidity index made up the control group. The adjusted hazard ratios for chronic kidney disease were calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate the cumulative incidence of chronic kidney disease rate in the diabetes mellitus and control groups.

Results

After adjusting for sex, age, and Charlson comorbidity index score, the diabetes mellitus group had a 1.380 times higher (95% CI: 1.277-1.492) risk of developing chronic kidney disease than the control group. Further stratified analysis showed that patients with diabetes mellitus had a significantly higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease regardless of their sex, age, and Charlson comorbidity index score, compared to those without diabetes mellitus.

Conclusions

There is a possibility that diabetes mellitus serves as an independent risk factor for chronic kidney disease development. Early screening and monitoring of diabetes mellitus appear to be of great importance in the prevention of chronic kidney disease.

Thyroid cancer risk in women after hysterectomy: A nationwide cohort study

OBJECTIVES

Hysterectomy is commonly performed for benign uterine pathologies but there is some controversy over whether it is associated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer. This study examines the associations of hysterectomy with ovarian conservation or with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and thyroid cancer incidence in Taiwan.

METHODS

We analyzed data from a nationwide health insurance claims database and identified 29,577 women aged ≥30 years who underwent hysterectomy with ovarian conservation or hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy between 2000 and 2016. Propensity score-matching analyses were performed at ratios of 1:1 for the hysterectomy and no-hysterectomy groups, to reduce selection bias. We monitored thyroid cancer occurrence in both groups until 2017. Cox regression was used to calculate hazard ratios with 95 % confidence intervals and determine thyroid cancer risk in women who underwent hysterectomy.

RESULTS

The study comprised 29,577 patients who underwent any hysterectomy and 29,577 participants who did not. The mean follow-up period was 10.03 ± 4.92 years. Patients who underwent hysterectomy had higher thyroid cancer incidence (4.72 per 10,000 person-years) than those who did not (3.06 per 10,000 person-years) and a greater risk of any thyroid cancer (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.40; 95 % confidence interval = 1.08-1.82). However, there was no association between hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and thyroid cancer incidence (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that women who undergo hysterectomy are at a higher risk of developing thyroid cancer than those who do not.

Prediction of incidence of neurological disorders in HIV-infected persons in Taiwan: a nested case-control study

BACKGROUND

Neurological disorders are still prevalent in HIV-infected people. We aimed to determine the prevalence of neurological disorders and identify their risk factors in HIV-infected persons in Taiwan.

METHODS

We identified 30,101 HIV-infected people between 2002 and 2016 from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan, and analyzed the incidence of neurological disorders. We applied a retrospective, nested case-control study design. The individuals with (case group) and without (control group) a neurological disorder were then matched by age, sex and time. Factors associated with neurological disorders were analyzed using a conditional logistic regression model, and a nomogram was generated to estimate the risk of developing a neurological disorder.

RESULTS

The incidence of neurological disorders was 13.67 per 1000 person-years. The incidence remained stable during the observation period despite the use of early treatment and more tolerable modern anti-retroviral therapy. The conditional logistic regression model identified nine clinical factors and comorbidities that were associated with neurological disorders, namely age, substance use, traumatic brain injury, psychiatric illness, HIV-associated opportunistic infections, frequency of emergency department visits, cART adherence, urbanization, and monthly income. These factors were used to establish the nomogram.

CONCLUSION

Neurological disorders are still prevalent in HIV-infected people in Taiwan. To efficiently identify those at risk, we established a nomogram with nine risk factors. This nomogram could prompt clinicians to initiate further evaluations and management of neurological disorders in this population.

Decreased trends of using dental amalgam filling for decayed teeth in Taiwan from 1997 to 2013

Background/purpose

Mercury within dental amalgam has been criticized for the potential toxicity and environmental hazard. Phasing down the use of dental amalgam is the transition for amalgam free dentistry. However, little is known about dental amalgam filling (AMF) in Taiwan. In this study, time trends of AMF were measured by using National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD).

Materials and methods

A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the AMF data in registered database compiled by Taiwanese NHIRD from 1997 to 2013. The AMF data were further analyzed according to sex, age, and geographic location, respectively. Time trends of dental visits for AMF and medical expenses for AMF were also evaluated.

Results

The average annual AMF ratio was 8.965% of nationwide population in Taiwan. The prevalence of AMF was significantly decreased both in male and female from 1997 to 2013 (P for trend <0.0001). The decreased pattern of AMF was found by the age stratification (P for trend <0.0001). The significant fall of AMF was also displayed in six districts (P for trend <0.0001). The number of dental visits were ranged from 821,749 in 1997 to 1,313,734 in 2013. However, time trends of dental visits for AMF were significantly decreased (P for trend <0.0001). The medical expenses for AMF were simultaneous significantly decreased from 1997 to 2013 (P for trend <0.0001).

Conclusion

Form the results of this nationwide population-based database, a significant decrease of AMF in Taiwan was observed during past 17 years.

Increased incidence of alcohol use disorder and alcohol-related psychiatric disorders in patients with obstructive sleep apnea: A nationwide population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and alcohol-related diseases (ARDs), including alcohol use disorder, alcohol-related psychiatric disorders, alcoholic liver disease, alcoholic polyneuropathy alcoholic cardiomyopathy, and alcoholic gastritis, are both highly prevalent conditions. Alcohol consumption is associated with a higher risk of sleep apnea. However, whether OSA increases the risk of ARD has not, as yet, been studied comprehensively. Our study aimed to determine whether OSA increases the subsequent risk of ARD.

METHODS

This study utilized the data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Database between 2000 and 2015. We identified 7722 individuals newly diagnosed with OSA and randomly selected sex-, age-, and index date-matched (1:3) 22,166 controls without OSA, with a total of 29,888 subjects. We used the Fine and Gray's survival analysis to estimate the effects of OSA on ARD.

RESULTS

The OSA cohort had an adjusted hazard ratio of subsequent ARDs as 1.486 (95% Confidence Interval: 1.301-1.698), when comparing the cohort without OSA. The Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the cumulative incidence of ARDs was significantly higher in the OSA cohort than in the controls in the first year of follow-up, till the end of the follow-up. A post-hoc analysis showed that OSA was associated with alcohol use disorder, alcohol-related psychiatric disorders, and alcoholic liver disease, but not alcoholic polyneuropathy, alcoholic cardiomyopathy, and alcoholic gastritis. The use of psychoactive medication, including the sedative-hypnotics, antidepressants or antipsychotics were associated with a lower risk of ARDs.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrates that the OSA patients are at a higher risk of developing ARDs.

Chinese herbal medicine might be associated with a lower rate of joint replacement in patients with osteoarthritis: A 12-year population-based matched cohort analysis

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

To determine whether adjuvant Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) treatment is associated with the risk of joint replacement in osteoarthritis (OA) patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective study used a population-based national health insurance (NHI) database from 2000 to 2012 in Taiwan. A total of 125,023 newly diagnosed OA patients were selected from one million beneficiaries of longitudinal health insurance database. Based on applying ten selected frequently used CHM formulas for OA, patients were divided into CHM user and non-CHM user. One-CHM to four-non-CHM user were propensity score matched with age, gender, monthly income, urbanization, comorbidities, Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and index year were adjusted to reduce selection bias and confounding. Cox regression model was used for comparing the hazard ratios (HR) for the risk of joint replacement and Kaplan-Meier curve for the proportion of joint replacement.

RESULTS

OA patients who were female, younger (20-60 years), higher income and lived in urbanization location were found to preferred using CHM. Younger CHM users had a lower adjusted HR (0.63) of the risk of joint replacement (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.42-0.94). Compared to non-CHM user, HR among CHM users (≥225 days annually) is 0.48 (95% CI = 0.31-0.76). The proportion of joint replacement in younger non-CHM user began to rise notably with time (log-rank test, p = 0.026). However, this benefit by CHM did not apply to older (over 60 years) OA patients.

CONCLUSION

This study suggested that adjuvant CHM might be associated with a lower rate of joint replacement in OA patients. CHM therapy might be considered in OA patients to reduce the need of joint replacement.

Human papillomavirus symptomatic infection associated with increased risk of new-onset alopecia areata: A nationwide population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND

We investigated the correlation between a history of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and alopecia areata risk.

METHODS

The study cohort comprised 30,001 patients with newly diagnosed HPV infection between 2000 and 2012; and with use of computer-generated randomly numbers, patients not had HPV infection were randomly selected as the comparison cohort. HPV infection cohort were matched to comparison individuals at a 1:1 ratio by age, gender and index year. All study individuals were followed up until they developed alopecia areata, withdraw from the insurance program, lost to follow-up, or until the end of 2013. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to analyze the risk of alopecia areata with hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) between the HPV and control cohort.

RESULTS

The adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of alopecia areata for HPV patients relative to controls was 2.55 (95% C.I. = 1.88-3.47) after adjusting sex, age and comorbidities. Subgroup analysis indicated that patients with HPV infections had a significantly greater risk of alopecia areata for both genders, all age subgroups, and those with mental disorder diseases.

CONCLUSIONS

A history of HPV infection is associated with the development of subsequent alopecia areata in Taiwanese subjects.

Osteoporosis and the risk of temporomandibular disorder in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

INTRODUCTION

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of chronic morbidity and mortality worldwide. The coexistence of COPD and temporomandibular disorder (TMD) has been noted, and dysfunctional mastication resulting from TMD can worsen individuals' nutritional status. This association between COPD and TMD has been rarely discussed in previous studies. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether osteoporosis increases the risk of TMD in COPD and whether anti-osteoporosis medications can prevent TMD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective nationwide population-based study utilized the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. We enrolled 52,652 COPD patients between 2000 and 2015: 13,163 with osteoporosis and 39,489 without osteoporosis. Groups of COPD patients with and without osteoporosis were age- and sex-matched. A multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to evaluate the risk of TMD development in COPD patients with and without osteoporosis over 15 years.

RESULTS

There was a higher risk of TMD occurrence in COPD patients with osteoporosis than in those without osteoporosis (adjusted hazard ratio 2.564, P < 0.001) after adjusting for demographic variables and associative comorbidities. Osteoporosis, hypertension, vertebral compression fracture, and nonpsychotic mental disorders were risk factors contributing to TMD development in patients with COPD. Anti-osteoporosis medications were associated with the prevention of TMD development concomitant with osteoporosis and COPD (adjusted hazard ratio 0.617, P = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with COPD and osteoporosis are at a higher risk of developing TMD, and anti-osteoporosis medications can prevent the development of TMD in this context.

Ketoanalogue supplements reduce mortality in patients with pre-dialysis advanced diabetic kidney disease: A nationwide population-based study

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Metabolism dysregulation and protein energy wasting occur in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and are associated with poor survival, especially in patients prior to starting dialysis. Accumulating evidence indicates that dietary supplementation with ketoanalogues (KAs, a mixture of branched-chain amino acids) exerts a variety of beneficial effects for patients with CKD. However, the role of KAs in diabetic kidney disease (DKD), one of the major causes of CKD, is still controversial. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of KA supplements on survival in patients with stage 5 DKD who have not yet started dialysis (DKD-5-ND).

METHODS

We analyzed a nationwide cohort retrieved from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan to study the long-term impact of KA supplements in patients with DKD-5-ND. We enrolled 15,782 incident pre-dialysis DKD patients between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2007. Landmark analysis was used to eliminate immortal bias, and overlap weighting was used to balance differences between the KA users and nonusers in the beginning. The primary study endpoint was all-cause mortality, and the occurrence of permanent dialysis (presenting the end-stage renal disease, ESRD) and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) was also evaluated. All patients were followed for five years or until death.

RESULTS

The prevalence of KA usage in the DKD-5-ND patients was 6.3%. The 5-year all-cause mortality rate in the KA users was lower than that in the nonusers (34.7% vs 42.7%). After adjusting for known covariates, the KA users still had a lower risk of mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 0.73, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.66-0.82). In addition, the incidence of ESRD was also slightly lower among the KA users (90.9% for users vs 91.2% for nonusers, adjusted cause-specific hazard ratio [aCSHR]: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.61-0.69), and the occurrence of MACEs was lower (adjusted incidence rate ratios [aIRR]: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86). Although the all-cause mortality was higher among patientsolder than 70 years (60.5% for KA users vs 46.5% for nonusers) the risk reduction seemed prominent among older patients (aHR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.56-0.76 for patients aged ≥70 years; aHR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.71-0.96 for patients aged < 70 years). The reduction in risks of mortality was consistent in subgroup analysis and sensitivity tests.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of KA supplements seemed to be beneficial for patients with DKD-5-ND; further in-depth analysis of using KA for these patients is warranted.

Patients with comorbid rheumatoid arthritis are predisposed to peritonsillar abscess: real-world evidence

PURPOSE

The peritonsillar abscess (PTA)-rheumatoid arthritis (RA) association remains unclear. Here, the effects of RA on PTA incidence and prognosis are elucidated.

METHODS

We compared PTA incidence and prognosis of 30,706 RFCIP-registered patients with RA (RA cohort) with matched individuals without RA from another database of 1 million randomly selected people representing Taiwan's population (non-RA cohort).

RESULTS

The RA cohort had significantly higher PTA incidence [incidence rate ratio (IRR) (95% CI) 1.73 (1.10-2.71), P = 0.017) and cumulative incidence (P = 0.016, Kaplan-Meier curves). Cox regression analyses demonstrated RA cohort to have an estimated 1.72-fold increased PTA risk (95% CI 1.09-2.69, P = 0.019). PTA was more likely within the first 5 years of RA diagnosis (for < 1, 1-5, and ≥ 5 postdiagnosis years, IRRs: 2.67, 2.31, and 1.10, respectively, and P = 0.063, 0.021, and 0.794, respectively; average onset duration: 4.3 ± 3.3 years after RA diagnosis). PTA increased length of hospital stay significantly and risk of complication with deep neck infection nonsignificantly [6.5 ± 4.5 vs 4.6 ± 2.8 days (P = 0.045) and 18.52% vs 7.81% (P = 0.155), respectively]. Moreover, RA-cohort patients not receiving RA therapy exhibited 5.06-fold higher PTA risk than those receiving RA-related therapy (95% CI 1.75-14.62, P = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with RA, PTA incidence is the highest within 5 years of RA diagnosis, and RA therapy is essential for reducing PTA risk.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4.

Psychiatric consultations as a modifiable factor for repeated suicide attempt-related hospitalizations: A nationwide, population-based study

BACKGROUND

The risk of mortality and morbidity increased in repeated suicide attempts. This study aimed to investigate how psychiatric consultations, a modifiable factor, affects the risk of repeated suicide attempts in patients.

METHODS

The National Health Insurance Research Database was used in this study. All inpatients aged ≧10 with suicide attempts were recruited in Taiwan from 2000 through 2015. Both the cross-sectional and cohort studies were used to evaluate the risk of repeated suicide attempts associated with psychiatric consultations.

RESULTS

In the cross-sectional approach, a total of 88,161 suicide attempts and 7,997 with repeated suicide attempts were found. Multivariable logistic regression found that the patients with psychiatric consultations were associated with the decreased risk of repeated suicide attempt-related hospitalization (SARD), as per the adjusted odds ratio of 0.527 (95% confidence interval [CI]=0.416-0.859, p <0.001). In the retrospective cohort approach, the Fine and Gray's survival analysis revealed that the patients with psychiatric consultations were associated with a lower risk of repeated SARD (adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio [SHR] =0.533( 95% CI, 0.332-0.850, p <0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, psychiatric consultations for the patients could be a modifiable factor, which were associated with the decreased risk of repeated suicide attempts. The age of clinicians and their experience could be the primary variable above and beyond the mental illness or the performed suicide attempt method.

Core prescription pattern of Chinese herbal medicine for depressive disorders in Taiwan: a nationwide population-based study

Background

Depressive disorders (DD) affect not only mood and behavior but also various physical functions. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been shown to have some benefits in treating DD. However, one formula or one single herb might be not show high efficacy when used to treat depression. Thus, this study aimed to examine the core prescription pattern of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) among patients with DD in Taiwan as a reference for related research and clinical applications.

Methods

All patients, who had been diagnosed with major depressive disorder or minor depression or dysthymia without any other baseline diseases and had at least one CHM outpatient clinical visit from 2002 to 2011, were extracted from three randomly sampled cohorts, namely the 2000, 2005 and 2010 cohorts of the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) of Taiwan. The collected data was analyzed to explore the patterns of herbal products.

Results

There were 197,146 patients with a diagnosis of DD and of these 1806 subjects had only a diagnosis of DD and utilized CHM. The most common formula was Gan-Mai-Da-Zao-Tang (12.19%), while Suan-Zao-Ren (3.99%) was the most commonly prescribed single herb. The core pattern of prescriptions consisted of a combination of Gan-Mai-Da-Zao-Tang, Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-San, Chai-Hu-Jia-Long-Gu-Mu-Li-Tang, He-Huan-Pi, Yuan-Zhi and Shi-Chang-Pu.

Conclusions

This study describes the CHM core prescription pattern used to treat patients in Taiwan with DD and it is a potential candidate for study in future pharmacological or clinical trials targeting DD.

Regulation effect and mechanism of Sheng-Hua-Tang on female reproductive system: From experimental transcriptomic analysis to clinical applications

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Sheng-Hua-Tang (SHT) is commonly used to treat female illnesses, especially postpartum conditioning. However, its effects and mechanisms on female reproductive system remain unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of SHT on female brain-ovary-uterus axis from bench to clinic.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Mice were administrated SHT (200 mg/kg) orally for seven consecutive days. Brain, ovary, and uterus tissues were then collected for microarray analysis. A nationwide database analysis and a pilot randomized, open-label clinical trial were further applied to evaluate the clinical application and effects of SHT on postpartum women.

RESULTS

Microarray analysis showed that oral administration of SHT induced a cascade reaction of gene expression, with 17, 883, and 1592 genes were significantly regulated by SHT in brain, ovary, and uterus, respectively. Population-based analysis of one million subjects in Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database between 1997 and 2013 showed that SHT was commonly used in menstrual disorders in female population, especially dysmenorrhea, abnormal uterine bleeding, and variation of menstrual cycle. Clinical trial on postpartum women showed that oral administration SHT for one week alleviated uterine contraction pain and breast swelling pain. Furthermore, Mmp2, Mmp3, Mmp9, Mmp11, Mmp15, Oxtr, Plrl, and Tph2 gene expression affected by SHT in mice were correlated with clinical effects of SHT in human subjects.

CONCLUSION

This report provided the scientific evidences of mechanisms and clinical efficacies of SHT. Moreover, our findings might afford insights for clinical doctors in terms of SHT prescription.

Risk of acute mesenteric ischemia in patients with diabetes: A population-based cohort study in Taiwan

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Diabetes is a common and complex endocrine disorder that often results in hyperglycemia, which has been strongly implicated in several cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events that cause disability. Acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) is a vascular emergency with high mortality rates. We conducted a population-based cohort study that utilizes data from medical claims databases to investigate whether diabetes increases the risk of AMI.

METHODS

Using claims data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance program, 66,624 diabetic patients were enrolled from 1998 to 2009, and a comparison group of 266,496 individually matched subjects without diabetes was selected. The two groups were followed up until diagnosis of AMI, death, or the end of 2011. Incidence rates of AMI were assessed in both groups. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the hazard ratios of diabetes for AMI.

RESULTS

The diabetes cohort had a higher incidence rate than the comparison cohort for AMI (0.56 vs. 0.29 per 1,000 person-years). After adjusting for sex, age, comorbidity, and health system utilization, the adjusted hazard ratio of diabetes was 1.32 (95% confidence interval 1.11-1.56) for AMI. The risk of AMI associated with diabetes was greater in men (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.48, 95% confidence interval 1.17-1.87) than in women (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.17, 95% confidence interval 0.92-1.49).

CONCLUSIONS

There was an increased risk of AMI in patients with diabetes. However, further research is required to understand whether this association is causal or due to a common set of risk factors.

Integrative Chinese herbal medicine therapy reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: A nationwide matched cohort study

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common condition that affects 5%-10% of women of reproductive age worldwide. Patients with PCOS have a high degree of insulin resistance and are at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The currently available therapeutic approaches for PCOS mainly focus on symptomatic treatment.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to determine whether Chinese herbal medicine (CMH)-based interventions could reduce the risk of T2DM in PCOS patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective study randomly selected 1 million enrollees from the National Health Insurance Database and identified 3797 patients who were newly diagnosed with PCOS in 1997-2010. After 1:1 frequency-matched by age, diagnosis of PCOS year and index days, we selected 342 eligible patients in each group.

RESULTS

The incidence of T2DM in the CHM group was significantly lower than that in the non-CHM group (hazard ratio = 0.31; 95% confidence interval, 0.15-0.64; p = 0.0014) after a mean follow-up period of 5.2 years (4.20 years for the comparison cohort). Five herbal formulas and two single herbs showed protective effects, and Paeonia lactiflora was a common ingredient in the five formulas.

CONCLUSIONS

Thus, CHM may help prevent T2DM-related complications in patients with PCOS. Further clinical and pharmacological analysis based on these findings is expected in the future.

Utilization of a central venous catheter insertion care bundle in Taiwan: A cross-sectional analysis of the National Health Insurance Research Database

Objectives

The objectives of this study are to explore medical care utilization associated with promoting the central venous catheter (CVC) care bundle plan using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD).

Materials and Methods

We performed a cross-sectional, secondary analysis of the data from patients who were admitted to a medical center for the first time between July 1, 2010, and June 30, 2012, in the NHIRD. The control group was patients who were admitted at nine medical center hospitals that participated in the pilot plan, and the study group was patients who were admitted at other ten medical center hospitals that did not participate in the pilot plan, and the differences between groups were analyzed.

Results

After implementing the CVC care bundle, the average hospital stay decreased significantly (18.43 ± 12.96 vs. 15.49 ± 10.16, P < 0.05). In addition, the study group patients were clinically less likely to require antibiotics than the control group (odds ratio = 0.33, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.07, 1.71] vs. 0.62, 95% CI = [0.40, 0.96], P = 3768), and their medical expenses were lower (220, 618 ± 226, 419 vs. 208, 079 ± 193, 610, P > 05). Furthermore, the incidence rate of CVC-associated sepsis decreased from 12.59% to 5.66%.

Conclusions

By implementing the CVC care bundle in clinical practice in accordance with national policies, medical utilization decreased, thereby considerably improving medical resource usage. These results confirmed that implementing the CVC care bundle possibly decreased medical utilization in clinical practice.

Trends, demographics, and conditions of emergency dental visits in Taiwan 1997-2013: A nationwide population-based retrospective study

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

The disparate or irregular dental care was associated with acute clinical problems that may lead to care seeking for emergency visits. The aim of this study was to determine the time trends, demographics, and conditions of emergency dental (ED) visits in Taiwan.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted to analyze the insurance reimbursement of dental care services in National Health Insurance Research Database. The demographic characteristics and age-period effects of ED visits were estimated by multivariate Poisson regression. In addition, the top causes of ED visits were evaluated and stratified by traumatic and non-traumatic conditions.

RESULTS

The prevalence of ED visits were 3.18, 5.44, and 4.83 (per 10,000 persons) in 1997, 2002, and 2013, respectively. The primary diagnosis code for ED visits was 522 'pulp and periapical tissues'. Pulpitis (522.0), cellulitis (528.3), acute periodontitis (523.3), and caries (521.0) were the top 4 non-traumatic reasons for seeking ED visits. The top 3 traumatic conditions were open wound of internal structures of mouth without mention of complication (873.6), open wound of face without mention of complication (873.4), and loss of teeth due to trauma (525.1). The higher prevalence of ED visits were found in male (aRR = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.49-1.51), 6 y/o group (aRR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.53-1.59), east region (aRR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.25-1.29), and dependent coverage group (aRR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.14-1.19).

CONCLUSION

Taken together, these demographic data could serve as a reference for the authorities concerned to improve the current situation of ED in Taiwan.

Antepartum urinary tract infection and postpartum depression in Taiwan - a nationwide population-based study

Background

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections in pregnant women due to anatomic and physiologic changes in the female urinary tract during pregnancy, and antepartum UTIs can cause adverse pregnancy outcomes that may induce mental stress. There have only been a few studies, however, investigating antepartum UTIs and mental stress. As such, the present study was conducted in order to investigate the association between antepartum UTIs and postpartum depression (PPD).

Methods

We used data from the 2000–2013 National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) of Taiwan. Data regarding a total of 55,087 singleton pregnancies was utilized, including data regarding 406 women who were newly diagnosed with PPD in the first 6 months postpartum. The associations between PPD and antepartum UTIs or other risk factors were examined by multiple logistic regression analysis.

Results

The logistic regression analysis results indicated that PPD was associated with antepartum UTIs (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.27; 95% confidence interval [CI] (1.07–1.65). Furthermore, the risk of PPD was higher in women with an upper antepartum UTI (aOR 2.97 (1.31, 6.77) than in those with a lower antepartum UTI (aOR 1.21 (1.02, 1.58)).

Conclusions

Antepartum UTIs, particularly upper antepartum UTIs, are significantly associated with PPD. This information may encourage physicians to pay greater attention to the mental health of women who have suffered upper UTIs during their pregnancies.

Increased risk of pyogenic liver abscess in patients with alcohol intoxication: A population-based retrospective cohort study

We designed a population-based retrospective cohort study to investigate the association between the event of alcohol intoxication and the risk of pyogenic liver abscess. The present study enrolled 245,076 patients with a history of alcohol intoxication from 2000 to 2010 and matched each of them with four comparison patients, with similar mean age and sex ratios. We determined the cumulative incidences and adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) of liver abscess. A significant association was observed between alcohol intoxication and liver abscess. The incidence density rate of liver abscess was 3.47-fold greater in the alcohol intoxication (AI) cohort than in the non-AI cohort (12.2 vs. 3.43 per 10,000 person-years), with an adjusted HR (aHR) of 2.64 (95% CI = 2.26 to 3.08). This population-based study positively associated the event of alcohol intoxication with increased risk of liver abscess. Our findings warrant further large-scale and in-depth investigations in this area.

Effects of pioglitazone on the incidence of dementia in patients with diabetes

AIMS

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) agonists exert neuroprotective effects in the brain. Therefore, in this population-based cohort study, we investigated the effects of pioglitazone, a PPAR-γ agonist, on the risk of dementia.

METHODS

By using claims data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database, we included 6401 patients with diabetes who were treated with pioglitazone and 12,802 age- and sex-matched patients with diabetes who were never treated with pioglitazone from 2004 to 2009 and who were free of dementia at baseline.

RESULTS

In total, 113 (1.8%) and 323 (2.5%) patients in the pioglitazone-treated and comparison cohorts, respectively, developed dementia during the 5-year follow-up. The risk of dementia decreased by 23% in the pioglitazone-treated cohort compared with that in the comparison cohort after adjustment for age, sex, hypertension, and stroke (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.77; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.62-0.96). In addition, the adjusted HRs (95% CIs) for dementia were 0.50 (0.34-0.75, P=.001) in high-cumulative dose users, 0.53 (0.36-0.77, P<.001) in long-term users, and 0.66 (0.49-0.90, P=.009) in high-mean daily dose users.

CONCLUSIONS

Pioglitazone is a time- and dose-dependent protective factor against dementia in patients with diabetes. The risk of dementia is lower in long-term and high-dose pioglitazone users than in never users of pioglitazone.

Complementary traditional Chinese medicine use in Children with cerebral palsy: a nationwide retrospective cohort study in Taiwan

Background

Complementary traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used to treat patients with cerebral palsy (CP). However, large-scale surveys examining its use in the treatment of CP and associated disorders are lacking.

Methods

We enrolled 11,218 patients ≤ 18 years of age with CP in the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database from 1995 to 2011. Patients were categorized as TCM users (n = 6,997; 62.37%) and non-TCM users (n = 4,221; 37.63%) based on the inclusion of TCM in their treatment plan.

Results

Children with higher proportions of complementary TCM use were male, younger, and lived in urbanized areas. Most TCM users (n = 5332, 76.2%) visited TCM outpatient departments more than 20 times per year. In both groups, the three most common reasons for clinical visits were problems of the nervous system, respiratory system, and digestive system. Acupuncture was commonly used in problems of injury, musculoskeletal system and connective tissue, and nervous system. Chinese herbal medicine was used to improve the primary symptoms of CP in patients, as well as its associated disorders. The incidence rate ratios in allergic rhinitis, dyspepsia, menstrual disorders, and musculoskeletal system and connective tissue diseases among TCM users were significantly higher than non-TCM users. Although patients receiving complementary TCM therapies had higher medical expenditure for utilizing outpatient clinical consultations, their medical costs for visiting ER and hospitalization were significantly lower than that of non-TCM user within one year of the diagnosis of CP.

Conclusion

This study was a large-scale survey to characterize patterns of complementary TCM use among children with CP. The complementary use of TCM in children with CP was considerably high. Future clinical trials and basic researches can be developed based on the findings of this study.

Demographic and medication characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine users among colorectal cancer survivors: A nationwide database study in Taiwan

Chinese herbal product (CHP) is the major type of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and widely used to relief the symptom of colorectal cancer. The aim of the study was to analyze the utilization of CHP for treating patients with colorectal cancer in Taiwan. The usage of CHP, frequency of services, and prescription pattern for colorectal cancer were analyzed from a randomly sampled cohort of 1 million beneficiaries from the National Health Insurance Research Database. The odds ratios for utilization of CHP were estimated with logistic regression model. 2846 patients were newly diagnosed as colorectal cancer during 1998–2008 in the million cohort in Taiwan. 42.7% (n = 1214) of them used CHP. Colorectal cancer was the most common diagnosis coded by TCM doctor, followed by symptoms, signs, and ill-defined conditions. Costusroot and Amomum Six Gentlemen Decoction (香砂六君子湯 xiāng shā liù jūn zǐ tāng) was the most frequently prescribed formula for treating colorectal cancer. Among the top 10 most frequently prescribed CHP for treating colorectal cancer, six containing Ginseng Radix (人參, ​Panax ginseng) and two containing Astragali Radix (黃耆, Astragalus membranaceus), which are reported to have potential beneficial synergistic effects on colorectal cancer cells. CHP containing Ginseng Radix or Astragali Radix are the most frequently prescribed for colorectal cancer and their effects should be taken into account by healthcare providers.

Characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine use in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Taiwan: A nationwide population-based study

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Large-scale study of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) usage among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is lacking. The aim of this study is to evaluate the TCM usage among RA patients in Taiwan.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We examined the "registry for catastrophic illness patient dataset" of the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD; n=23 million people) in Taiwan. Patients (n=25,263) newly diagnosed as RA in 2001-2009 were included and then followed-up until the end of 2011. Based on the medical utilization, they were further categorized into TCM users (n= 6891; 27.3%) and non-TCM users (n=18,372; 72.7%). The demographic data and core prescription patterns of the TCM users were analyzed.

RESULTS

Compared to non-TCM user, TCM users were younger (mean age: 49.6 versus 54.0 years), had a higher female/male ratio (82.7%/17.3% versus 74.1%/25.9%), resided in more urbanized area. Herbal remedies were the most commonly used therapeutic approach (76.4%), followed by combining acupuncture (21.1%). The frequency of outpatient visits in TCM users was higher across all disease categories except circulatory system. The most commonly prescribed formula and herb was Shang-Jong-Shiah-Tong-Yong-Tong-Feng-Wan and Rhizoma Corydalis, respectively. The analysis of core pattern revealed that Dang-Gui-Nian-Tong-Tang, Shu-Jing-Huo-Xie-Tang, Gui-Zhi-Shao-Yao-Zhi-Mu-Tang, Myrrha and Olibanum, were among the most frequently used combinations. RA patients who had anxiety and depression, allergic rhinitis, osteoporosis, menstrual disorder, and menopausal syndrome were prone to have more TCM visits compared to non-TCM users.

CONCLUSIONS

Our population-based study revealed the high prevalence and specific usage patterns of TCM in the RA patients in Taiwan. The information could be used for further pharmacological investigation and clinical trials.

Prescription patterns of traditional Chinese medicine for peptic ulcer disease in Taiwan: A nationwide population-based study

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Peptic ulcer disease is a common digestive disease. There is a lack of large-scale survey on the use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the treatment of peptic ulcer disease. This study aimed to investigate the utilization of TCM for the treatment of peptic ulcer disease in Taiwan.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We analyzed a random sample comprised of one million individuals with newly diagnosed peptic ulcer disease between 2001 and 2010 from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. Demographic characteristics and TCM usage, including Chinese herbal formulas and the single herbs prescribed for patients with peptic ulcer disease, were analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 96,624 newly diagnosed subjects with peptic ulcer disease were included. 14,983 (15.5%) patients were TCM users. People residing in highly urbanized areas, younger people and female (compared with male) were more likely to use TCM. With regard to the comorbidities, TCM users had a lower prevalence of coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive lung disease, diabetes mellitus and liver cirrhosis and stroke. The average time between onset of peptic ulcer disease and the first visit to a TCM clinic was 4.7 months. Majority of the patients (n=14,449; 96.4%) received only Chinese herbal remedies. The most frequently prescribed Chinese herbal formula and single herb was Ban-Xia-Xie-Xin-Tang (Pinelliae Decoction to Drain the Epigastrium) and Hai-Piao-Xiao (Os Sepiae), respectively. The core pattern analysis showed that combination of Ban-Xia-Xie-Xin-Tang, Hai-Piao-Xiao (Os Sepiae), Yan-Hu-Suo (Rhizoma Corydalis), Bei-Mu (Bulbus Fritillariae Thunbergii) and Chuan-Lian-Zi (Fructus Toosendan) was most frequently used for peptic ulcer disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study identified the core prescription patterns of TCM for patients with peptic ulcer disease in Taiwan. Further basic and clinical studies are necessary to elucidate the efficacy and mechanisms.

Prescription patterns of Chinese herbal products for patients with fractures in Taiwan: A nationwide population-based study

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used in the treatment of fracture for thousands of years. However, large-scale surveys examing the utilization of Chinese herbal products (CHPs) for treating fractures and their related symptoms are lacking. This study aimed to investigate the prescription patterns of CHPs among patients with fractures in Taiwan.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The TCM usage in patients with fractures was analyzed using a sample of one million individuals randomly selected from the National Health Insurance Research Database who were newly diagnosis with fractures in 2001-2008, with a followed-up period through 2010.

RESULTS

We identified 115,327 patients who were newly diagnosed with fractures in the study population. Among them, 4.97% (n=5731) adjunctively utilized TCM for fracture treatment. TCM users were mostly young or middle-aged, female, and resided in highly urbanized areas. With regard to the comorbidities of fractures, TCM users had a lower prevalence of coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive lung disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and stroke than non-TCM users, except for osteoporosis. Shu-jing-huo-xue-tang was the most frequently prescribed Chinese herbal formula, while Rhizoma Drynariae (Gu-sui-bu) was the most common single herb for patients with fractures. The CHPs were found to cover not only bone healing but also fracture-related symptoms. TCM users had lower medical expenditure for hospitalization for the first six months after incident fractures than non-TCM users (1749±2650 versus 2274±3159 US dollars, p<0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study identified the TCM utilization for patients with fractures in Taiwan. Integration of TCM treatment reduced the medical costs for hospitalization. Further basic research and clinical studies to investigate the mechanism and clinical efficacies of CHPs are warranted.

Prescription patterns of Chinese herbal products for patients with uterine fibroid in Taiwan: A nationwide population-based study

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Uterine fibroid (myoma) is one of the most common diseases in women. Although there are several studies on the efficacy of Chinese herbs, there is a lack of large-scale survey on the use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the treatment of uterine fibroid. This study aimed to investigate the utilization of Chinese herbal products for patients with uterine fibroid, prescribed by licensed TCM doctors in Taiwan.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A random sample comprised of one million individuals with newly diagnosed uterine fibroid between 2002 and 2010 from the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database was analyzed. Demographic characteristics, TCM usage, the frequency as well as average daily dose of Chinese herbal formulas and the single herbs prescribed for patients with uterine fibroid, were analyzed.

RESULTS

Overall, 35,786 newly diagnosed subjects with uterine fibroid were included. Majority of these patients (87.1%; n=31,161) had visited TCM clinics. Among them, 61.8% of their visits used Chinese herbal remedies. Patients less than 45 years of age tended to use TCM more frequently than elder patients. Gui-Zhi-Fu-Ling-Wan (Cinnamon Twig and Poria Pill) was the most frequently prescribed Chinese herbal formula, while San-Leng (Rhizoma Sparganii) was the most commonly prescribed single herb.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study identified the characteristics and prescription patterns of TCM for patients with uterine fibroid in Taiwan. Further basic mechanistic studies and clinical trials are needed to confirm the therapeutic effects and mechanisms.

Detection of a negative correlation between prescription of Chinese herbal products containing coumestrol, genistein or daidzein and risk of subsequent endometrial cancer among tamoxifen-treated female breast cancer survivors in Taiwan between 1998 and 2008: A population-based study

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Tamoxifen users sometimes seek complementary and alternative medicine advice for treatment of a variety of illness and co-administer with phytoestrogen-containing herbs, resulting in an increasing concern of its influence in subsequent endometrial cancer risk. Our study aims to determine the prevalence of Chinese herbal products containing coumestrol, genistein, or daidzein and their association with subsequent endometrial cancer risk among tamoxifen-treated breast cancer survivors in Taiwan.

METHODS

We selected all patients who were newly diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and received tamoxifen treatment between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 2008, from the National Health Insurance Research Database. Among the 26,656 tamoxifen-treated breast cancer survivors, we evaluated the usage, frequency of service, and prescription of Chinese herbal products containing coumestrol, genistein, or daidzein. The logistic regression method was employed to calculate the odds ratios for utilization of those herbal products. Cox proportional hazard regression was set to calculate the hazard ratios of endometrial cancer associated with such usage.

RESULTS

Of the patients surveyed, 36.2% (n=9652) of the tamoxifen-treated breast cancer survivors examined in the study had consumed Chinese herbal products containing coumestrol, genistein, or daidzein during the study period. Exposure to Ge Gen(Puerariae Radix) specifically was the most extensive. For it, the population consumed an average cumulative dose of above 180g. Compared to those who had never used Chinese herbal products, breast cancer survivors who had taken Chinese herbal products containing coumestrol, genistein, or daidzein concurrently with tamoxifen treatment did not have a higher hazard ratio for subsequent development of endometrial cancer.

CONCLUSION

Among those tamoxifen-treated female breast cancer survivors in Taiwan, consumption of Chinese herbal products containing coumestrol, genistein, or daidzein is negatively correlated with subsequent endometrial cancer risk.