Mackay Medical University

Multi-Locus Molecular Findings in Pediatric-Onset Inherited Metabolic Disorders: An Eight-Year Series of Outsourced Genomic Testing in Taiwan

Background/Objectives: Outsourced genomic testing can identify additional findings in patients with inherited metabolic disorders (IEMs), including lysosomal storage diseases. We examined these findings in a selected Taiwanese series. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 13 patie...

Transthoracic Echocardiography-Assisted, Low-Fluoroscopy Left Bundle Branch Area Pacing: A Comparison of Implantation Approaches and Lead Types

Background: Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE)-assisted left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) is a potential supplementary to fluoroscopy-guided implantation and may reduce radiation. Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility and long-term stability of TTE-assisted, low-fluorosc...

Association between the overnight urinary cortisol-to-creatinine ratio and self-reported osteoporosis in community-dwelling Taiwanese adults: a population-based cross-sectional study

Chronic psychosocial stress is increasingly recognized as an important determinant of healthy aging and may contribute to osteoporosis through activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. However, the association between physiological variation in endogenous corti...

Myostatin‐dependent detrusor remodelling mediates contractility impairment in diabetic rats’ bladder – a maximal elastance analysis

Abstract The role of myostatin, an endogenous myokine mediating the pathological progression of myopathy, in contractility impairments of the chronically diabetic bladder remains unclear. This study examined whether maximal elastance (mE) reliably and validly assesses bladder con...

Mitochondrial Quality Control in Inherited Mitochondrial Cardiomyopathy: Convergent Pathobiology and a Testable Therapeutic Framework

Inherited mitochondrial cardiomyopathies arise from pathogenic variants affecting oxidative phosphorylation, mitochondrial DNA maintenance, cardiolipin remodeling, protein import, cofactor metabolism, and mitochondrial dynamics or proteostasis. These disorders may be cardiac-pred...

Mistreatment, gender differences, and reporting behaviors among medical students in clinical training in Taiwan: a nationwide cross-sectional study

Mistreatment in the clinical learning environment remains a serious threat to medical students’ professional development and well-being, yet Taiwan lacks nationwide evidence to inform reform. This study aimed to examine the prevalence, patterns, and gender-specific features of mi...

Transcriptional analysis of co-stimulatory molecules in ankylosing spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease where T-cell dysregulation plays a pivotal role. A balance of co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory molecules governs the activation of T cells. This study aimed to investigate the mRNA expression profiles of the...

EXPRESS: Effects of Aerobic, Resistance, and Combined Exercise on Inflammatory Markers in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND: The comparative effectiveness of different exercise modalities on systemic inflammation in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) remains poorly defined. OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate and rank the effects of aerobic exercise (AE), resistance training (RT), an...

Two Faces of the Right Ventricle in Fabry Cardiomyopathy: Septal-Coupled and Atrial-Coupled Strain Patterns and Their Differential Associations with Enzyme Replacement Therapy

Right ventricular global longitudinal strain (RVGLS) and right ventricular free-wall longitudinal strain (RVFWLS) are both used to assess right ventricular involvement, but they include different myocardial components. We examined their cross-sectional correlates and longitudinal...

Early Antiviral Therapy in Pediatric Outpatients and Risk of Influenza-Related Hospitalization

OBJECTIVES: Evidence on the effectiveness of antiviral therapy in preventing influenza-related severe illness and hospitalization among children remains limited. We hypothesized that early administration of antiviral therapy within 48 hours of symptom onset would significantly re...

Disproportionate Subgaleal Hemorrhage in an Infant: Abuse or Bleeding Disorder?

Subgaleal hemorrhage is uncommon in infants beyond the newborn period and, when disproportionate to the reported causal trauma, raises suspicion for child abuse. We describe a 9-month-old girl who developed a large right subgaleal and small epidural hematoma after a 50 cm fall. I...