Taipei Veterans General Hospital

Carotid energy pulsatility index provides complementary hemodynamic information to renal function in a community-based cohort

Abstract Conventional hemodynamic, including Carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), characteristic impedance (Zc), and brachial pulse pressure, do not directly quantify pulsatile energy transmission through the arterial system. Carotid energy pulsatility index (PI), derived...

Nonselective beta-blockers and hepatic encephalopathy in liver cirrhosis:A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND: Liver cirrhosis leads to portal hypertension and related complications, including ascites, esophageal varices, and hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Non-selective beta blockers (NSBBs) decrease portal pressure, but it is not yet clear whether they contribute to HE developm...

Interventricular septal thickness for cardiomyopathic phenotype enrichment in patients with established left ventricular hypertrophy

We evaluated whether interventricular septal thickness in diastole (IVSd) ≥ 15 mm enriches cardiomyopathic phenotypes among adults with established left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and whether broader clinical-echocardiographic features improve triage. We studied 1,127 adults u...

Supine With Moderate Frog Leg Positioning Optimizes Femoral Vein Exposure and May Reduce Arterial Injury Risk During Femoral Venipuncture

The overlap between the femoral vein (FV) and femoral artery (FA) complicates FV cannulation. This study used ultrasonography to evaluate the combined effects of body position and passive knee bending on FV size and exposure. In 103 healthy participants, femoral vessels were imag...

Treatment of distal femoral malignant bone tumors with freezing tank–assisted pedicle-freezing: a retrospective study of 31 patients

Biological reconstruction with recycled autografts is an established option for limb salvage after bone tumor resection, but complications such as graft failure and nonunion remain concerns. Pedicle freezing was introduced in 2010 and showed potential in reducing nonunion. Howeve...

¹⁸F-sodium fluoride PET/CT as a complementary measure of osteoblastic disease burden in axial spondyloarthritis: a prospective exploratory study

PURPOSE: To determine whether SIJ ¹⁸F-NaF uptake is associated with MRI-defined inflammation and structural damage and whether it provides a complementary measure of osteoblastic disease burden. METHODS: In this prospective exploratory study, 43 adults with chronic low back pain...

Lumikine Attenuates Ventilation-Induced Lung Injury in Mice with Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Lung Fibrosis

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces pulmonary fibrosis by increasing microvascular permeability and inducing severe inflammation and extracellular matrix accumulation. Mechanical ventilation (MV), although life-sustaining, can increase inflammatory cytokine production, oxidative str...

Efficacy and Safety of EG12014 (Biosimilar Trastuzumab) Compared to Reference Trastuzumab in HER2-Positive Early Breast Cancer: A Phase III Randomized Study

Trastuzumab biosimilar EG12014 (Herwenda ® ; EirGenix/Sandoz) was approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in 2023. We aim to demonstrate equivalent efficacy, and to compare safety, immunogenicity, and pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles, of EG12014 and reference trastuzumab (re...

Mitral Valve Lithotripsy With SmartCrack Balloon for Severe Calcified Mitral Stenosis: First‐in‐Human Experience

Background Mitral stenosis due to mitral annular calcification and calcific rheumatic heart disease (CRHD) remains challenging to treat. This first‐in‐human study evaluated the safety and feasibility of the dedicated SmartCrack lithotripsy balloon in patients with severe mitral s...

Age-related clinical characteristics and treatment patterns in hospitalized orbital cellulitis: a real-world federated database study

Orbital cellulitis is an uncommon but potentially severe infection that can cause vision-threatening complications and death. Differences in clinical characteristics and management between pediatric and adult patients remain incompletely characterized at the population level. Thi...

A mixed-methods study of a combined modeling video and OSCE-based teaching intervention for prenatal nutrition counseling self-efficacy among nursing–midwifery students

With this study, we examined changes in prenatal nutrition counseling self-efficacy among nursing–midwifery students through a modeling video and Objective Structured Clinical Examination-based intervention during prenatal medical visits. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods de...

LDLR variants and higher LDL-C levels are associated with premature coronary disease requiring revascularization in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia-a TCVGH-TPMI cohort analysis

The specific impacts of LDLR and APOB variants on premature coronary artery disease (CAD) that requires revascularization are less explored in Han Chinese with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). We investigated these genetic drivers within the Taichung Veterans General Hospital-...

Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) assessing microvascular and macrovascular health in healthy octogenarians

Subclinical cardiovascular abnormalities are recognized as primary risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Most studies explore microcirculation, while the associations of peripheral microvascular structures and abnormalities have been understudied. This study aimed to use...

Perioperative glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist exposure and persistent postoperative opioid use among adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a propensity score-matched cohort study

Persistent postoperative opioid use remains an important perioperative concern, particularly in adults with type 2 diabetes, who may be more vulnerable to adverse postoperative recovery. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) may influence postoperative recovery thr...

Machine learning-based prediction of intraoperative desaturation risk in pediatric dental sedation using preoperative data

Dental sedation in children is widely used to reduce anxiety and facilitate successful dental procedures. However, intraoperative desaturation remains a significant safety concern. This study aimed to evaluate whether machine learning models using only readily available preoperat...

Long-term outcome between two different revascularization strategies for patients with left main coronary artery disease and concomitant chronic total occlusion of right coronary artery disease

Objectives Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for left main coronary artery (LMCA) disease is technically demanding if there is a concomitant chronic total occlusion (CTO) of the right coronary artery (RCA). Which vessel to be revascularized in first attempt was not evaluat...

Cilostazol Treatment for Intracerebral Hemorrhage: Targeting Dural Lymphatics

BACKGROUND: The meningeal lymphatic system contributes to hematoma resolution and neurological recovery after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). We previously demonstrated that intraperitoneal cilostazol administration promotes dural lymphatic growth and enhances clearance of intrac...

Early hearing improvement predicts complete recovery in sudden hearing loss

BACKGROUND: Early prediction of recovery in sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) remains challenging. Early hearing improvement (EHI) may serve as a simple prognostic marker, but its quantitative relationship with complete recovery (CR) has not been well defined. We investig...

Decline in dementia patients during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cohort study in Taiwan

Background: The cognitive consequences of COVID-19 in patients with dementia remain uncertain. This study examined whether COVID-19 infection was associated with cognitive decline. Methods: From October 2020 to October 2022, COVID-19-naïve patients with dementia were recruited fr...

Milvexian with Antiplatelet Therapy after Acute Coronary Syndrome Event

BackgroundPatients are at increased risk for recurrent ischemic events after an acute coronary syndrome event. Milvexian, an oral factor XIa inhibitor, may reduce the risk of major adverse clinical events with minimal bleeding risk. MethodsIn this phase 3, randomized, placebo-con...