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Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a common genetic disorder characterized by a lifelong elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level. The relationship between FH and ischemic stroke is still controversial. We enrolled ischemic stroke patients prospectively in our neurological ward, and divided them into two groups according to LDL-C levels with a threshold of 130 mg/dl. Targeted sequencing was performed in all stroke patients for LDLR, APOB, and PCSK9 genes. The fifty-eight high-LDL subjects were older, prevalence of previous myocardial infarction/stroke history was lower, and the first stroke age was older compared with values in the sixty-three low-LDL cases. The prevalence of FH in Han-Chinese stroke patients was 5.0%, and was 10.3% in those with a higher LDL-C level. We identified six carriers, who had higher percentages of large vessel stroke subtype (66.7% vs. 15.4%) and transient ischemic attack (33.3% vs. 3.8%), previous myocardial infarction/stroke history (50.0% vs. 11.5%), statin use (50.0% vs. 11.5%), and increased carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) (0.9-1.2mm vs.0.7-9.0mm) compared with the other hypercholesterolemic patients without pathogenic variants. Ischemic stroke patients carrying FH pathogenic variants seemed to have a higher risk for large artery stroke and transient ischemic attack. The IMT exam could be useful to screen for FH in hypercholesterolemic stroke patients.

Aim Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with unfavorable outcomes in patients with ischemic stroke. One major metabolic derangement of CKD is dyslipidemia, which can be managed by statins. This study aimed to investigate whether the association of statins with post-stroke outcomes would be affected by renal function. Methods We evaluated the association of statin therapy at discharge with 3-month outcomes according to the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 50,092 patients with acute ischemic stroke from the Taiwan Stroke Registry from August 2006 to May 2016. The outcomes were mortality, functional outcome as modified Rankin Scale (mRS), and recurrent ischemic stroke at 3 months after index stroke. Results Statin therapy at discharge was associated with lower risks of mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.41; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.34 to 0.50) and unfavorable functional outcomes (mRS 3-5; aHR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.76 to 0.84) in ischemic stroke patients. After stratification by eGFR, the lower risk of mortality associated with statins was limited to patients with an eGFR above 15 mL/min/1.73 m2. Using statins at discharge was correlated with a lower risk of unfavorable functional outcomes in patients with an eGFR of 60-89 mL/min/1.73 m2. Statin therapy in patients with an eGFR of 60-89 mL/min/1.73 m2 may be associated with a higher risk of recurrent ischemic stroke compared with nonusers (aHR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.57). Conclusions In patients with acute ischemic stroke, the associations of statins with mortality and functional outcomes was dependent on eGFR.

Aeromonas dhakensis is an emerging human pathogen which causes fast and severe infections worldwide. Under the gradual pressure of lacking useful antibiotics, finding a new strategy against A. dhakensis infection is urgent. To understand its pathogenesis, we created an A. dhakensis AAK1 mini-Tn10 transposon library to study the mechanism of A. dhakensis infection. By using a Caenorhabditis elegans model, we established a screening platform for the purpose of identifying attenuated mutants. The uvrY mutant, which conferred the most attenuated toxicity toward C. elegans, was identified. The uvrY mutant was also less virulent in C2C12 fibroblast and mice models, in line with in vitro results. To further elucidate the mechanism of UvrY in controlling the toxicity in A. dhakensis, we conducted a transcriptomic analysis. The RNAseq results showed that the expression of a unique hemolysin ahh1 and other virulence factors were regulated by UvrY. Complementation of Ahh1, one of the most important virulence factors, rescued the pore-formation phenotype of uvrY mutant in C. elegans; however, complementation of ahh1 endogenous promoter-driven ahh1 could not produce Ahh1 and rescue the virulence in the uvrY mutant. These findings suggest that UvrY is required for the expression of Ahh1 in A. dhakensis. Taken together, our results suggested that UvrY controls several different virulence factors and is required for the full virulence of A. dhakensis. The two-component regulator UvrY therefore a potential therapeutic target which is worthy of further study.

Purpose: Postoperative endophthalmitis caused by nontuberculous mycobacterium is a rare but devastating complication after intraocular surgery. However, optimal treatment strategies remain undetermined in view of its rarity. Methods: We investigated the cases of culture-proven postoperative Mycobacteroides abscessus subsp. abscessus endophthalmitis in southern Taiwan, focusing on clinical manifestations and microbiological study, and aimed to describe clinical staging and to propose a therapeutic modality for this disease. Results: Twelve cases, including two published cases, were treated in two medical centers in southern Taiwan between Aug. 2011 and Dec. 2016, and all ever received cataract surgery at one clinic. Their disease courses could be categorized into four distinct stages, i.e., the initial, quiescent, recurrent, and end stage, and some cases experienced 1–4 cycles of quiescent-recurrent stages. Although all eyes ended up with phthisis or were eviscerated, the affected eyes receiving pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) tended to become quiescent and survived longer than those without PPV (adjusted hazard ratio: 13.9, p

BackgroundInnate immunity, armed with pattern recognition receptors including Toll-like receptors (TLR), is critical for immune cell activation and the connection to anti-microbial adaptive immunity. However, information regarding the impact of age on the innate immunity in response to SARS-CoV2 adenovirus vector vaccines and its association with specific immune responses remains scarce.MethodsFifteen subjects between 25-35 years (the young group) and five subjects between 60-70 years (the older adult group) were enrolled before ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) vaccination. We determined activation markers and cytokine production of monocyte, natural killer (NK) cells and B cells ex vivo stimulated with TLR agonist (poly (I:C) for TLR3; LPS for TLR4; imiquimod for TLR7; CpG for TLR9) before vaccination and 3-5 days after each jab with flow cytometry. Anti-SARS-CoV2 neutralization antibody titers (surrogate virus neutralization tests, sVNTs) were measured using serum collected 2 months after the first jab and one month after full vaccination.ResultsThe older adult vaccinees had weaker vaccine-induced sVNTs than young vaccinees after 1st jab (47.2±19.3% vs. 21.2±22.2%, p valuend jab. Imiquimod, LPS and CpG strongly induced CD86 expression in IgD+CD27- naïve and IgD-CD27+ memory B cells in the young group. In contrast, only the IgD+ CD27- naïve B cells responded to these TLR agonists in the older adult group. Imiquimode strongly induced the CD86 expression in CD14+ monocytes in the young group but not in the older adult group. After vaccination, the young group had significantly higher IFN-γ expression in CD3- CD56dim NK cells after the 1st jab, whilst the older adult group had significantly higher IFN-γ and granzyme B expression in CD56bright NK cells after the 2nd jab (all p value dim and CD56bright NK cells after the first vaccination and CD86 expression in CD14+ monocyte and IgD-CD27-double-negative B cells after LPS and imiquimod stimulation correlated with vaccine-induced antibody responses.ConclusionsThe innate immune responses after the first vaccination correlated with the neutralizing antibody production. Older people may have defective innate immune responses by TLR stimulation and weak or delayed innate immune activation profile after vaccination compared with young people.

Objective: Most patients with spinal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage require an epidural blood patch (EBP); however, the response to treatment is varied. This study aimed to compare the MRI findings at follow-up between EBP effective and non-effective groups and to identify imaging findings that predict EBP treatment failure. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 48 patients who received EBP treatment for spinal CSF leakage. These patients were stratified into two groups: EBP effective (n = 27) and EBP non-effective (n = 21) using the results of the 3 month MRI as the end point. Results: Compared to the EBP non-effective group, the patients in the EBP effective group had a lower spinal CSF leakage number (2.67 vs 12.48; p = 0.001), lower spinal epidural fluid accumulation levels (3.00 vs 7.48; p = 0.004), brain descend (11.11% vs 38.10%; p = 0.027), pituitary hyperemia (18.52% vs 57.14%; p = 0.007), and decreased likelihood of ≥three numbers of spinal CSF leakage (25.93% vs 90.48%; p = 0.001) in the post-EBP MRI. Clinical non-responsiveness (OR: 57.84; 95% CI: 3.47–972.54; p = 0.005) and ≥three numbers of spinal CSF leakage (OR: 15.13; 95% CI: 1.45–159.06; p = 0.023) were associated with EBP failure. Between these variables, ≥three numbers of spinal CSF leakage identified using the post-EBP MRI demonstrated greater sensitivity in predicting EBP failure compared to clinical non-responsiveness (90.48% vs 61.9%). Conclusion: The number of spinal CSF leakage identified using the post-EBP MRI with a cut-off value of three is an effective predictor of EBP failure. Advances in knowledge: Compared to clinical responsiveness, the post-EBP MRI provided a more objective approach to predict the effectiveness of EBP treatment in patients with spinal CSF leakage.

A 46-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with 2-day fever and cough at seven days after returning from Macau. COVID-19 and pneumonia was diagnosed based on the positive real-time RT-PCR tests for oropharyngeal swab samples and the presence of anti-SARS-COV-2 IgG starting from the illness day 11 and post-exposure 18–21 days.

Background Endovascular repair with stent-graft is a treatment option for patient with common iliac artery aneurysm (CIAA). However, the preservation of the internal iliac artery (IIA) is a concern. The commercially available iliac branched device (IBD) requires a common iliac length of at least 5 cm, which is usually too long for Asian people. Here, we report our medium-term results of using tailor-made IBD for patients with short common iliac artery (CIA) with and without abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Methods A selected iliac limb of the AAA stent-graft was unloaded from the delivery system. A 6-mm fenestration hole was made at the length of the CIA from the proximal end. The edge of the hole was reinforced with the soft and radiopaque tip of a 0.014´´ wire. Then, the iliac limb was reloaded into the introduced sheath as the tailor-made IBD. It was inserted from the selected side of the femoral artery and deployed. The ipsilateral IIA was cannulated through the fenestration hole. Then, a balloon-expandable or self-expandable covered stent with an appropriate size was deployed as the bridging stent-graft. Results Between March 2013 and March 2017, a total of 10 patients received the tailor-made IBDs. One patient died of systemic thromboembolism 2 days after the operation. The bridging stent-grafts remained patent in all patients, except one occluded at 1 year after operation. Conclusion A tailor-made IBD is an easy-to-apply, alternative option for preserving the IIA perfusion in short CIAA patients with and without AAA.

Purpose To evaluate the effect of renal stent-graft placement on kidney function and size alternation in chronic aortic dissection. Materials and Methods Twenty-five consecutive patients with chronic aortic dissection after thoracic endovascular aortic repair who underwent renal stent-graft placement between January 2015 and December 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Forty-three patients with chronic aortic dissection who received thoracic endovascular aortic repair in the same period were reviewed as a control group for kidney volume comparison. Results Twenty-five stent-grafts were deployed over 25 renal arteries. Overall renal function was assessed by the slope of the regression line constructed from the plots of creatinine clearance versus time within 2 years after the procedure (–0.2810 vs –0.3146 mL/min–1/mo–1, P = .868), kidney volume at 12 months (129.4 ± 40.9 vs 137.0 ± 44.2 cm2, P = .193) and effective renal plasma flow at 6 months (106.3 ± 46.9 vs 124.4 ± 55.5 mL/min, P = .050) and was not significantly deteriorated. Seven treated patients (87.5%) with a renal artery supplied by a false lumen had a decrease in kidney volume, as did 14 patients (56%) in the control group (P = .206). Three patients with a dissected renal artery (75%) in the stent-graft group had an increase in kidney volume compared with 1 patient (11.1%) in the control group (P = .052). Conclusions Occlusion of the re-entry tear by a stent-graft in the renal artery remains a safe strategy to promote false lumen thrombosis. The stent-graft poses a potential risk of reducing the kidney volume in kidneys supplied by the false lumen but may provide a positive effect in kidney volume with a concomitant dissected renal artery in chronic aortic dissection.

Aim: Although a lower level of non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was reported to be inversely associated with spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), no enough evidence has verified whether lipid profiles modify hemorrhagic transformation and functional outcomes in patients with acute ischemic treated with thrombolysis. Methods: This multicenter cohort study included 2373 patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with intravenous thrombolysis between December 2004 and December 2016. Of these, 1845 patients were categorized into either the hyperlipidemia or non-hyperlipidemia group. Symptomatic ICH (SICH) rates within 24–36 h of thrombolytic onset and functional outcomes at 30 and 90 days were longitudinally surveyed. Models of predicting hemorrhagic transformation were used to validate our findings. Results: For enrolled 1845 patients, SICH rates were ≥ 2-fold reduced for the hyperlipidemia group by the NINDS (adjusted RR: 0.488 [0.281–0.846], p = 0.0106), the ECASS II (adjusted RR: 0.318 [0.130–0.776], p = 0.0119), and SITS-MOST standards (adjusted RR: 0.214 [0.048–0.957], p = 0.0437). The favorable functional rates between the two groups were not significantly different. Lower levels of LDL-C were showed in robust association with SICH. With a cut-off LDL-C value of < 130 mg/dL, new models are more robust and significant in predicting hemorrhagic transformation within 24–36 h. Conclusions: This study supports the strong association between reduced LDL-C and increased SICH, but not for functional outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with intravenous thrombolysis. LDL-C level of < 130 mg/dL is supposed to a candidate marker for predicting SICH within 24–36 h.

Background: Dengue is an important mosquito-borne tropical viral disease and dual infection, though rare, has been regarded as a risk factor for severe disease and mortality. However, few studies focused on bloodstream infections (BSIs) and empirical antibiotic therapy rarely addressed. Methods: Dengue patients with concurrent or subsequent BSIs between July 1 and December 31, 2015 were included. Clinical information, laboratory data, and drug susceptibility data were collected. Results: Totally 80 patients, with an in-hospital mortality rate of 32.5%, were included and categorized into three groups. 32 patients in Group I (BSI onset within 48 h after admission), 32 in Group II (between 48 h and one week), and 16 in Group III (more than one week). Patients in Group I were older (mean age: 75.6 vs. 72.6 or 69.6 years; P = 0.01) and had a higher Charlson comorbidity index (3.1 vs. 1.8 or 1.9; P = 0.02) than those in Group II or III. Streptococcus species (28.9%, 11/38) and Escherichia coli (23.7%, 9/38) were major pathogens in Group I. Enterobacteriaceae (38.2%, 13/34) isolates predominated in Group II. Fatal patients more often received inappropriate empirical antibiotic than the survivors (61.5% vs. 35.2%; P = 0.03). According to susceptibility data, pathogens in Group I and II shared similar susceptibility profiles, and levofloxacin, cefepime, or piperacillin/tazobactam, can be empirically prescribed for those hospitalized within one week. Conclusions: BSI pathogens vary among dengue patients. For adults with dengue and suspected BSI hospitalized within one week, empirical antimicrobial agents are recommended. Keywords: Severe dengue, Sepsis, Bacteremia, Candidemia, Empirical therapy, Concurrent infection, Fatality

Banding of the ascending aorta has been introduced as a less complex procedure to optimize the proximal landing zone of the stent graft in hybrid aortic arch surgery. However, data about the long-term results and effects of this technique are still limited. We aimed to study the efficacy of banding of the ascending aorta in hybrid aortic arch repair. The study included 11 high-risk patients with dilated ascending aorta (wider than 38 mm in diameter) undergoing ascending aortic banding for hybrid arch repair. Clinical outcomes, including technical success, endoleaks, perioperative mortality and morbidity, and sequential remodeling of the ascending aorta were investigated. The average diameter of the ascending aorta had been reduced (p = 0.02) from 42.1 mm (range = 39.0-46.4) to 37.2 mm (range = 35.6-38.6) after banding procedure. The technical success rate was 100.0%. No type I endoleak occurred, but 2 cases of distal stent graft-induced new entry required re-interventions. The 5-year survival and freedom from aortic events rates both were 81.8%. The ascending aortic diameter remained stable and no proximal migration of the stent graft was observed during the study period. The 5-year results validated the durability of this therapeutic modality, especially in high-risk patients.

Background: Asians with atrial fibrillation carry a higher risk of ischemic stroke than non-Asians even under treatment of nonvitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants. The purpose of the study was to observe the feasibility of intravenous thrombolytic therapy after administering a reversal agent, idarucizumab, in dabigatran-treated patients with acute ischemic stroke in Taiwan. Methods: Dabigatran-treated patients with acute ischemic stroke who received intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) after idarucizumab reversal were enrolled in the retrospective nationwide study. The clinical data, treatment course, and outcomes were recorded. Stroke severity was evaluated using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score. Any intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) after rt-PA was detected by neuroimaging studies. Results: Ten dabigatran-treated patients (6 men, mean age 71.10 ± 7.96 years) with acute ischemic stroke were included. Before stroke, the mean CHA2DS2-VASc score was 4.50 ± 1.57 and 8 patients (80%) received dabigatran 110 mg twice daily. All patients were treated with 5 g idarucizumab, following which the activated partial thromboplastin time normalized. Intravenous rt-PA (mean dose .78 mg/kg) was initiated a mean time of 11.11 minutes after idarucizumab infusion. The NIHSS score improved significantly after thrombolysis (16.0 ± 6.67 at admission to 9.38 ± 4.75 at discharge, P = .016). ICH developed in 3 patients (30%). Two of them were asymptomatic and 1 patient suffered from symptomatic ICH leading to mortality. Conclusion: Our data reconfirmed the feasibility of intravenous rt-PA for Asian stroke patients after reversal of dabigatran effect with idarucizumab.

Background: The natural history of vertebrobasilar artery (VBA) stenosis or occlusion remains understudied. Methods: Patients with diagnosis of ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) who were noted to have VBA stenosis based on computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging or catheter-based angiogram were selected from Taiwan Stroke Registry. Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine the hazards ratio (HR) of recurrent stroke and death within 1 year of index event in various groups based on severity of VBA stenosis (none to mild: 0–49%; moderate to severe: 50–99%: occlusion: 100%) after adjusting for differences in demographic and clinical characteristics between groups at baseline evaluation. Results: None to mild or moderate to severe VBA stenosis was diagnosed in 6972 (66%) and 3,137 (29.8%) among 10,515 patients, respectively, and occlusion was identified in 406 (3.8%) patients. Comparing with patients who showed none to mild stenosis of VBA, there was a significantly higher risk of recurrent stroke (HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.01–1.45) among patients with moderate to severe VBA stenosis. There was a nonsignificantly higher risk of recurrent stroke (HR 1.49, 95% CI 0.99–2.22) and significantly higher risk of death (HR 2.21, 95% CI 1.72–2.83), among patients with VBA occlusion after adjustment of potential confounders. Conclusions: VBA stenosis or occlusion was relatively prevalent among patients with TIA or ischemic stroke and associated with higher risk of recurrent stroke and death in patients with ischemic stroke or TIA who had large artery atherosclerosis.

Clinical presentations of dengue fever (DF) are diverse and non-specific, causing unpredictable progression and outcomes. Its progression and severity have been associated with cytokine levels alteration. In this study, dengue patients were classified into groups following the 2009 WHO dengue classification scheme to investigate the cytokine signature at different severity of the disease: dengue without warning sign symptoms (A), dengue with warning signs (B), severe dengue (C), other fever (OF) and healthy (Healthy). We analyzed 23 different cytokines simultaneously, namely IL-1b, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-17A, IL-33, CD14, CD54, CD62E, CD62L, CD62p, CD106, CD121b, CD154, CD178, GM-CSF, IFN-g, MIF, ST2 and TNF from patients admitted to National Cheng Kung University Hospital during the 2015 Taiwan dengue outbreak. Cytokines TNF, CD54, CD62E, CD62L, CD62P, GM-CSF, IL-1b, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-17A, INF-g and MIF were elevated while CD106, CD154, IL-4 and L-33 were decreased when compared to the control. IL-10 demonstrated to be a potential diagnostic marker for DF (H and A group, AUC = 0.944, H and OF group, AUC = 0.969). CD121b demonstrated to be predictive of the SD (A and B group, AUC = 0.744, B and C group, AUC = 0.775). Our results demonstrate the cytokine profile changes during the progression of dengue and highlight possible biomarkers for optimizing effective intervention strategies.

Objective To compare surgical outcomes between 27 and 25-gauge vitrectomy in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) with tractional retinal detachment (TRD) Methods This retrospective study was conducted to compare the intraoperative status, operation time, use of instruments, endotamponade substance, wound suture number, and iatrogenic break, between 27 and 25-gauge vitrectomy in 43 eyes afflicted by PDR with TRD. The post-surgical results, best-corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, recurrent vitreous haemorrhage, and re-operation rate were regularly followed up for 6 months. Results Patients in the 25 and the 27-gauge groups did not differ significantly in terms of pre-surgical conditions, such as age, gender, pre-existing glaucoma, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and the severity of their TRD. The mean operation time was 56.7 minutes in the 27-gauge group and 63.7 minutes in the 25-gauge group (p = 0.94). There is significantly less use of micro forceps in the 27-gauge group (p = 0.004). No difference between micro scissors and chandelier usage were noted; neither was their difference in iatrogenic retinal breaks. Significantly fewer wound sutures were noted in the 27-gauge group (p < 0.001). The post-operative results revealed no significant difference in ocular hypertension, hypotony, BCVA improvement, recurrent vitreous haemorrhage and re-operation rate. Conclusions The 27-gauge vitrectomy system offers comparable surgical outcomes in PDR with TRD. The 27-gauge vitrectomy system is suitable for complicated retinal surgery.

OBJECTIVES Although commercial iliac branch devices offer a new and valid endovascular approach to treating iliac aneurysm and effectively preserve antegrade flow of the internal iliac artery, their use may not be suited for all types of challenging anatomy, especially isolated common iliac artery aneurysm. Our custom-made iliac bifurcation device has a unique design and excludes both combined and isolated iliac branch aneurysm. This study validated the efficacy and safety of the custom device by comparing clinical outcomes between groups receiving commercial and custom devices. METHODS Data of consecutive patients receiving iliac bifurcation device implantation for iliac aneurysm with or without concomitant endovascular repair for abdominal aortic aneurysm from January 2010 to May 2019 were reviewed. RESULTS Iliac bifurcation device implantation with or without concomitant abdominal aortic aneurysm stent grafting was completed in 46 patients (commercial, n = 35; custom, n = 11). No significant differences were observed regarding postoperative complications, occlusion or endoleak. Comparisons of primary (80.8% vs 85.7%, P = 0.88) and secondary (86.5% vs 85.7%, P = 0.85) patency and freedom from reintervention (88.2% vs 100%, P = 0.33), all-cause mortality (78.6% vs 100%, P = 0.25) and aneurysm-related mortality (100% vs 100%, P = 1.00) also indicated no differences at a 5-year surveillance point. Furthermore, the iliac aneurysms of the groups displayed similar shrinkage 1 year after procedures. CONCLUSIONS For iliac aneurysm, the novel custom-made iliac bifurcation device is an adaptable design not inferior to commercial devices with regard to postoperative complications, bridge occlusion, endoleak and short-term aneurysm remodelling. It provides an alternative for treatment, particularly when certain anatomic challenges are present. Clinical trial registration 2018-07-050BC, 2017-01-023ACF.

Background As the COVID-19 epidemic increases in severity, the burden of quarantine stations outside emergency departments (EDs) at hospitals is increasing daily. To address the high screening workload at quarantine stations, all staff members with medical licenses are required to work shifts in these stations. Therefore, it is necessary to simplify the workflow and decision-making process for physicians and surgeons from all subspecialties. Objective The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how the National Cheng Kung University Hospital artificial intelligence (AI) trilogy of diversion to a smart quarantine station, AI-assisted image interpretation, and a built-in clinical decision-making algorithm improves medical care and reduces quarantine processing times. Methods This observational study on the emerging COVID-19 pandemic included 643 patients. An “AI trilogy” of diversion to a smart quarantine station, AI-assisted image interpretation, and a built-in clinical decision-making algorithm on a tablet computer was applied to shorten the quarantine survey process and reduce processing time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results The use of the AI trilogy facilitated the processing of suspected cases of COVID-19 with or without symptoms; also, travel, occupation, contact, and clustering histories were obtained with the tablet computer device. A separate AI-mode function that could quickly recognize pulmonary infiltrates on chest x-rays was merged into the smart clinical assisting system (SCAS), and this model was subsequently trained with COVID-19 pneumonia cases from the GitHub open source data set. The detection rates for posteroanterior and anteroposterior chest x-rays were 55/59 (93%) and 5/11 (45%), respectively. The SCAS algorithm was continuously adjusted based on updates to the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control public safety guidelines for faster clinical decision making. Our ex vivo study demonstrated the efficiency of disinfecting the tablet computer surface by wiping it twice with 75% alcohol sanitizer. To further analyze the impact of the AI application in the quarantine station, we subdivided the station group into groups with or without AI. Compared with the conventional ED (n=281), the survey time at the quarantine station (n=1520) was significantly shortened; the median survey time at the ED was 153 minutes (95% CI 108.5-205.0), vs 35 minutes at the quarantine station (95% CI 24-56; P Conclusions The AI trilogy improved our medical care workflow by shortening the quarantine survey process and reducing the processing time, which is especially important during an emerging infectious disease epidemic.

Background Evidence on association between body composition and outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is limited for Asian patients. This study investigated the prognostic role of body composition parameters in Taiwanese patients undergoing TAVI. Materials and methods Data of consecutive patients undergoing TAVI for severe aortic stenosis between May 1, 2010 and August 31, 2019 were prospectively collected in this observational study. The association between body composition parameters (body mass index [BMI], body surface area [BSA], lean body mass [LBM], and LBM index) and cumulative mortality was analyzed using Cox proportional hazard regression model. Results A total of 221 patients (mean age 81.4 years), including 125 (56.6%) males, were included with median follow-up duration of 23.8 months. In males, multivariate analysis revealed that higher BMI (P = 0.035), BMI ≥ 20 kg/m2 (P = 0.026), and higher LBM index (P = 0.023) significantly predicted lower overall all-cause cumulative mortality. In females, none of the body composition parameters was significantly associated with all-cause cumulative mortality. Paradoxical association between BMI and estimated all-cause cumulative mortality was only significant among male patients. Conclusion In Taiwanese TAVI patients, the prognostic effects of BMI and LBM index on cumulative mortality were only observed in males, not in females. Sex differences must be considered when stratifying risk among patients undergoing TAVI.

To compare the outcomes of using iliac branch devices (IBD) and the crossover chimney (COCh) technique for preserving the internal iliac artery (IIA) during endovascular aortic repair in patients with common iliac aneurysm (CIA).From February 2010 to July 2016, we recruited 61 consecutive and elective patients. Thirty of them received the IBD, and the remaining 31 received the COCh. Their medical chart was reviewed retrospectively, and computed tomographic angiography was performed at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively and then yearly as a follow-up.The median follow-up time was 19.72 ± 5.45 months. The technical success rate reached 100% in both groups. The 12-month and 24-month primary IIA patency rates between IBD and COCh group were 90.00% versus 93.54% (p = 0.67) and 83.33% versus 93.54% (p = 0.25). The numbers of stents were 1.00 ± 0.00 and 1.93 ± 0.24 in the IBD and COCh group (p 0.001). No significant difference was observed for the incidence of type 1a (IBD/COCh = 3.33%/6.45%, p 0.99) and type 2 endoleak (IBD/COCh = 13.33%/12.90%, p 0.99) between two groups. Neither type 1b or type 3 endoleak nor delayed aortic rupture appeared in our series. The postoperative complication rates did not exhibit significant differences either. Free from reintervention was also similar in both groups (IBD/COCh = 22.50 ± 4.62/23.00 ± 3.87 months, p = 0.64).The IBD and COCh techniques exhibited similar success rates and IIA patency rates at the 24-month follow-up. Both these techniques are feasible for the preservation of IIA in patients with CIA.

Background A subgroup of patients with acute minor stroke (AMS) or transient ischemic attack (TIA) become disabled due to disease progression (DP) or recurrent stroke within 3 months. The aim of this article is to identify the risk factors for DP in AMS/TIA patients. In the literature, no studies focused on computed tomography perfusion (CTP) in AMS/TIA patients at the acute stage. Methods This retrospective study included patients with AMS or TIA (onset of symptoms ≤4.5 hours, baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS] score of 0-4). DP was defined as a deterioration of NIHSS score of ≥2 points during hospitalization or modified Ranking Scale ≥2 at 3-month follow-up. Clinical data and imaging results were retrieved and measured for statistical analysis. Results From 2011 to 2017, total 135 patients were eligible for further analysis: 28 patients (20.7%, DP group) and 107 patients (79.3%, non-DP group). The DP group had significantly higher larger penumbra volumes (p = 0.028). In univariate model of the logistic regression, patients with the following risk factors tended to have unfavorable outcome: female gender, higher HbA1c, chronic kidney disease stage ≥3b, intracranial atherosclerosis, and penumbra volume were associated unfavorable outcome, but larger deadcore volume was not. In further multivariate analysis, only penumbra volume >5 cm (p = 0.049, odds ratio [OR] = 3.21, 95% CI: 1.00-10.27) had the statistical significance. The cut-point value of the penumbra volume for unfavorable outcome in AMS/TIA patients was 4.73 cm. Conclusion One fifth of the AMS/TIA patients had unfavorable outcome at 90 days. In CTP performed within 4.5 hours after the onset of AMS/TIA, the penumbra volume (>5 cm) was a significant risk factor for DP, and the cut-point value was 4.73 cm. Further studies could be designed to involve this subgroup of patients for more aggressive treatment.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to compare the volume alteration and effective renal plasma flow of kidneys supplied by false lumens (FLs) with those of kidneys supplied by true lumens (TLs), to show the discrepancy in perfusion between the two lumens. We sought to corroborate malperfusion of FL-supplied kidneys with imaging characteristics observed on CT angiography. MATERIALS AND METHODS. A retrospective analysis was conducted using prospectively collected data for 87 patients with a diagnosis of residual chronic aortic dissection between 2005 and 2013 who had one kidney perfused by a TL and the other kidney perfused by a FL. RESULTS. Overall, at follow-up, FL-supplied kidneys had a mean (± SD) effective renal plasma flow (117.5 ± 42.6 vs 146.6 ± 41.0 mL/min; p = 0.004) and volume (131.1 ± 37.1 vs 146.5 ± 33.3 cm3; p = 0.004) that were lower than those of TL-supplied kidneys. Multivariate analysis revealed the presence of a proximal major inlet (odds ratio, 0.306; 95% CI, 0.103-0.910; p = 0.033) and large FL area (odds ratio, 0.104; CI, 0.012-0.880; p = 0.038) as factors protecting against malperfusion of FL-supplied kidneys. In patients with dissected renal arteries, the FL-supplied kidney had low effective renal plasma flow (mean, 88.5 ± 26.8 vs 149.6 ± 43.5 mL/min; p = 0.004) and diminished volume (mean, 120.4 ± 30.4 vs 152.3 ± 24.6 cm3; p = 0.001). CONCLUSION. In the present study, kidneys perfused by FLs showed decreased volume and reduced effective renal plasma flow during follow-up, particularly those kidneys with dissected renal arteries, a small FL area at the renal level, and lack of a proximal major inlet. Further studies are warranted to identify the clinical relevance of malperfusion in FL-supplied kidneys.

The application of cefepime breakpoint for carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) bacteraemia has not been explored. Adult cases of monomicrobial bloodstream infection (BSI) caused by cefepime-susceptible [minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ≤8 mg/L] K. pneumoniae isolates with carbapenem resistance between 2010 and 2015 were reviewed. Patients treated with cefepime were compared with those treated by other active agents using a propensity score-matched analysis to assess therapeutic effectiveness. The primary endpoint was 30-day crude mortality. A total of 114 patients experienced cefepime-susceptible CRKP bacteraemia and 40 (35.1%) died during hospitalisation. A total of 33 patients (28.9%) received cefepime therapy. Fifteen patients (13.2%) had BSI due to carbapenemase-producing isolates, and 86.7% (13/15) of carbapenemase-producing isolates were classified as cefepime susceptible dose-dependent (SDD). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, 30-day mortality was independently associated with the presence of a critical illness [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 12.89, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.88-42.83; P0.001], pneumonia (aOR = 5.97, 95% CI 1.65-21.76; P = 0.007) and rapidly fatal underlying disease (aOR = 6.43, 95% CI 1.30-31.09; P = 0.02). In contrast, cefepime-based therapy (aOR = 0.03, 95% CI 0.003-0.38; P = 0.006) and combination therapy (aOR = 0.09, 95% CI 0.02-0.36; P = 0.001) were protective against a fatal outcome. Based on current breakpoints for Enterobacterales, cefepime therapy was not associated with an unfavourable outcome for CRKP BSI with MIC-based dosing strategies. However, the susceptibility result of SDD to cefepime should alert clinicians for possible therapeutic failure.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text., Background and Purpose: Among patients with a transient ischemic attack or minor ischemic strokes, those with ipsilateral atherosclerotic stenosis of cervicocranial vasculature have the highest risk of recurrent vascular events. Methods: In the double-blind THALES (The Acute Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack Treated With Ticagrelor and ASA for Prevention of Stroke and Death) trial, we randomized patients with a noncardioembolic, nonsevere ischemic stroke, or high-risk transient ischemic attack to ticagrelor (180 mg loading dose on day 1 followed by 90 mg twice daily for days 2–30) or placebo added to aspirin (300–325 mg on day 1 followed by 75–100 mg daily for days 2–30) within 24 hours of symptom onset. The present paper reports a prespecified analysis in patients with and without ipsilateral, potentially causal atherosclerotic stenosis ≥30% of cervicocranial vasculature. The primary end point was time to the occurrence of stroke or death within 30 days. Results: Of 11 016 randomized patients, 2351 (21.3%) patients had an ipsilateral atherosclerotic stenosis. After 30 days, a primary end point occurred in 92/1136 (8.1%) patients with ipsilateral stenosis randomized to ticagrelor and in 132/1215 (10.9%) randomized to placebo (hazard ratio 0.73 [95% CI, 0.56–0.96], P=0.023) resulting in a number needed to treat of 34 (95% CI, 19–171). In patients without ipsilateral stenosis, the corresponding event rate was 211/4387 (4.8%) and 230/4278 (5.4%), respectively (hazard ratio, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.74–1.08]; P=0.23, Pinteraction=0.245). Severe bleeding occurred in 4 (0.4%) and 3 (0.2%) patients with ipsilateral atherosclerotic stenosis on ticagrelor and on placebo, respectively (P=NS), and in 24 (0.5%) and 4 (0.1%), respectively, in 8665 patients without ipsilateral stenosis (hazard ratio=5.87 [95% CI, 2.04–16.9], P=0.001). Conclusions: In this exploratory analysis comparing ticagrelor added to aspirin to aspirin alone, we found no treatment by ipsilateral atherosclerosis stenosis subgroup interaction but did identify a higher absolute risk and a greater absolute risk reduction of stroke or death at 30 days in patients with ipsilateral atherosclerosis stenosis than in those without. In this easily identified population, ticagrelor added to aspirin provided a clinically meaningful benefit with a number needed to treat of 34 (95% CI, 19–171). Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT03354429.

Outcomes of acute type A aortic dissection repair may be improved when VasoRing connectors (VRC [Sunwei Technology, Taipei, Taiwan]) are used to facilitate aortic anastomosis. In the present study, we compared the results of acute type A aortic dissection repair using VRC and conventional suture technique.A total of 68 patients who underwent acute type A aortic dissection repair by total arch replacement and antegrade frozen elephant trunk procedure at our institution were enrolled. Records of patients receiving aorta anastomosis with VRC (n = 33) and conventional suture (n = 35) were retrospectively compared. All the surgical results were collected and analyzed.The results showed that the VRC group exhibited significance in total operative time (326 ± 80 minutes versus 362 ± 34 minutes, p = 0.023), cardiopulmonary bypass time (97 ± 10 minutes versus 134 ± 15 minutes, p0.001), aortic cross-clamp time (97 ± 10 minutes versus 134 ± 15 minutes, p0.001), and circulatory arrest time (15 ± 4 minutes versus 50 ± 8 minutes, p 0.001) compared with the suture group. Use of VRC for aortic anastomosis led to significantly less perioperative blood loss (442 ± 75 mL versus 849 ± 419 mL, p 0.001) compared with conventional suture for aortic anastomosis There was no reoperation for postoperative bleeding in the VRC group whereas reoperation for postoperative bleeding occurred in 20% of the suture group (0% versus 20%, p = 0.011). Postoperative blood loss, amount of blood transfusion, and acute kidney injury requiring hemodialysis were also significantly less in the VRC group than the suture group.Use of VRC shortened operative time and improved bleeding control incorporating standard methods for aortic anastomoses during acute type A aortic dissection repair by total arch replacement and antegrade frozen elephant trunk procedure. Long-term follow-up and randomized comparison are needed to confirm VRC efficacy.

Background Hepatic dysfunction and coagulopathy are common in acute dengue illness. We analyzed the trajectories of the above parameters in the survivors and fatal patients in the outbreak in Tainan, 2015. Methods A retrospective study was conducted using data from a tertiary hospital between January and December 2015. Multilevel modeling (MLM) was used to identify the changes in aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), and platelet counts from Day 0 to Day 7 of the onset of dengue infection. The machine-learning algorithm was used by purity measure assumption to calculate the accuracy of serum transaminases and coagulation variables to discriminate between the fatal and survival groups. Results There were 4,069 dengue patients, of which 0.9% died in one week after illness onset (i.e., early mortality). Case fatality rate was the highest for those aged ≥70 years. Both AST and ALT values of the fatal group were significantly higher than those of the survivor group from Day 3 (AST median, 624 U/L vs. 60 U/L, p < 0.001; ALT median, 116 U/L vs. 29 U/L, p = 0.01) of illness onset and peaked on Day 6 (AST median, 9805 U/L vs. 90 U/L, p < 0.001; ALT median, 1504 U/L vs. 49 U/L, p < 0.001). AST ≥ 203 U/L, ALT ≥ 55 U/L, AST2/ALT criteria ≥337.35, or AST/platelet count ratio index (APRI) ≥ 19.18 on Day 3 of dengue infection had a high true positive rate, 90%, 78%, 100%, or 100%, respectively, of early mortality. The platelet counts of the fatal group declined significantly than those of the survivor group since Day 3 of illness onset (median, 19 x103/μl vs. 91 x103/μl, p < 0.01), and aPTT values of the fatal group significantly prolonged longer since Day 5 (median, 68.7 seconds vs. 40.1 seconds, p < 0.001). Conclusions AST, ALT, and platelet counts should be monitored closely from Day 0 to Day 3 of dengue infection, and aPTT be followed up on Day 5 of infection to identify the individuals at risk for early mortality., Author summary Dengue fever (DF) is currently one of the most severe public health problems. Clinical presentations of dengue are diverse and non-specific, often with unpredictable clinical progression and outcome. Hepatic dysfunction and abnormal coagulation factors are common in acute dengue illness, reflected by abnormal alanine aminotransferase (AST), aspartate aminotransferase (ALT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), and platelet counts. However, there is no information available about the monitoring frequency required, which could help identify those dengue patients who are likely to die, especially during epidemic outbreaks with limited healthcare resources. We examined all the laboratory-confirmed dengue patients who admitted to the major tertiary hospital in Tainan during the 2015 dengue outbreak, and the different trajectories of hepatic function and coagulation factors between survivors and rapidly fatal dengue patients were analyzed. Although there were no differences in AST, ALT, aPTT, and platelet counts between the survivor and fatal groups on the day DF symptoms first appeared, the differences increased from the early stages of infection and became more prominent during the early stages of the illness. The necessity of monitoring the AST, ALT, aPTT, and platelet count frequently during the febrile phase is emphasized by this study.

Background Endovascular therapy has become the first-line treatment for most peripheral artery diseases, but re-entry into the true lumen is not always possible, particularly in some cases of chronic total occlusion (CTO). We previously reported a novel hybrid Viabahn-assisted bypass (VAB) technique to facilitate revascularization of the femoro-popliteal CTO. This study assessed the midterm results of VAB technique.Methods and Results:Between January 2013 and April 2017, 440 patients received femoro-popliteal intervention and 17 of them (mean age, 76.2 years; 11 male patients) were treated using the VAB technique. The technical success was 100%. The mean follow-up period was 27.4±14.4 months (range, 6-50 months). Two patients underwent major amputation at 6 and 11 months postoperatively, but they died of acute myocardial infarction and of sepsis, respectively. Another 3 patients received re-intervention because of edge stenosis of the Viabahn stent graft. Another patient had acute Viabahn thrombosis and was treated using open thrombectomy. The primary and secondary patency rates at 12 months were both 88.2%, and at 24 months they were 69.2% and 84.6%, respectively. Conclusions The VAB technique could be a safe and feasible alternative treatment for long femoro-popliteal CTO when conventional treatments fail. The technical success is high, and the midterm patency rates are acceptable.

Background/purpose: Legionella pneumophila had been recognized as a pathogen for both healthcare-associated and community-acquired pneumonia. We aimed to evaluate clinical features and outcomes of patients with Legionnaires' disease at a tertiary medical center in southern Taiwan. Methods: From January 2005 to December 2013, a retrospective study of adult cases of Legionnaires' disease was conducted in a 1200-bed tertiary hospital. Their medical records were reviewed for further evaluation and analysis. Results: A total of 61 cases of Legionnaires' disease were identified during the study period. Their mean age was 61.1 years, with male predominance (43, 70.5%). Among them, 30 (49.2%) had healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP), 20 (32.8%) had community-acquired pneumonia, and notably 11 (18.0%) were caregivers. Patients with healthcare-associated pneumonia tend to have higher Charlson comorbidity scores than those with community-acquired pneumonia (3.6 ± 2.4 vs. 1.9 ± 1.9, p = 0.008) and caregivers (0.5 ± 0.5, p

Purpose: To report a retrospective analysis of risk factors for edge restenosis after Viabahn stent-graft treatment of superficial femoral artery (SFA) occlusive disease and determine any protective effect of drug-coated balloons (DCBs) used at the time of stent-graft implantation. Methods: Between October 2011 and July 2016, 110 patients (mean age 73.3±7.6 years; 78 men) were treated with the Viabahn stent-graft for long SFA occlusions. Thirty-eight (34.5%) patients had DCB reinforcement at the distal edge of the stent-graft. For analysis, the population was divided into groups of no edge stenosis patients (n=88; mean lesion length 22.4±4.2 cm) and edge stenosis patients (n=22; mean lesion length 23.5±5.7 cm). The clinical outcomes, ankle-brachial indices, computed tomography angiography findings, and patency were compared at a minimum of 12 months. Logistic regression analysis was employed to determine risk factors for edge stenosis; the results are presented as the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval. Results: No differences in clinical or procedural characteristics were identified except the higher incidence of diabetes (p=0.008) and greater need for retrograde access (p=0.033) in the edge stenosis group. DCB reinforcement reduced the incidence of edge stenosis (p=0.021) and target lesion revascularization (TLR; p=0.010) and resulted in a significantly higher 1-year primary patency rate (92.1% vs 76.4%, p=0.042). However, multivariate analysis revealed only poor distal runoff (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.83, p=0.020) as a predictor of edge stenosis. Conclusion: The risk of edge stenosis after Viabahn implantation was higher in patients with poor distal runoff. DCB reinforcement over the distal edge reduced edge stenosis, decreased 1-year TLR, and improved 1-year primary patency.

Background In chronic type B aortic dissection, late distal stent graft–induced new entry (SINE) has a possible negative role in long-term aortic remodeling. This study aimed to investigate the impact of SINE occurrence on survival by evaluating true and false lumen remodeling in thoracic and abdominal segments at midterm surveillance. Methods This study enrolled 65 patients with chronic type B aortic dissection (DeBakey type IIIb), who had received hybrid thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) and had completed surveillance for at least 3 years. The 3-year survival rate was 84.7%. The patients were classified into non-SINE (n = 47) and SINE (n = 18) groups. Serial computed tomography scans were used to analyze volumetric change, true and false lumens, and thrombus volume from arch to aortic bifurcation level. Results The SINE event occurred at a median of 22.5 months. In the SINE group, there was a significant interruption of the abdominal true lumen expansion in the second year (median 0.01 [interquartile range (IQR), –0.03 to 0.12] in the non-SINE group versus median –0.04 [IQR, –0.12 to 0.04] in the SINE group; p = 0.014). There was a significantly worse thoracic false lumen remodeling in the SINE group compared with the non-SINE group in the third year after the SINE event occurred (median 0 [IQR, –0.09 to 0.05] in the non-SINE group versus median 0.06 [IQR, 0 to 0.13] in the SINE group; p = 0.038). Conclusions For chronic aortic dissection, late occurrence of distal SINE could influence abdominal true lumen expansion and thoracic false lumen shrinkage. Early reintervention for distal SINE could improve aortic remodeling in chronic aortic dissection.

Background and aims Renal dysfunction is a potent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, including stroke. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of admission estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) levels on short-term (1-month) and long-term (1-year) mortality in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Methods From the Taiwan Stroke Registry data, we classified ischemic stroke patients, identified from April 2006 to December 2015, into 5 groups by eGFR at admission: ≥ 90, 60–89, 30–59, 15–29, and Results Among 52,732 ischemic stroke patients, 1480 died within one month. The 1-month mortality rate was over 5-fold greater in patients with eGFR Conclusions After acute ischemic stroke, patients with reduced eGFR are at elevated risks of short-term and long-term deaths in a graded relationship.

Background Superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome is a major complication that occurs when a growing lung malignancy compresses the SVC extrinsically. Current treatment options include radiotherapy or chemotherapy to shrink the tumor or endovascular stenting of the SVC to restore flow. Herein, we report a case series treated in a single institution to demonstrate the safety, effectiveness, and outcomes of salvage and primary stenting for malignant SVC obstruction. Methods A total of 12 male patients with malignant superior vena cava obstruction caused by lung cancer underwent SVC stenting from October 2009 to May 2015. Data were reviewed retrospectively, including demographic and clinical characteristics, procedural details, and outcomes. Results Seven patients had received radiotherapy prior to SVC stenting, while the other five patients received stenting as first-line therapy for SVC syndrome. Only one patient experienced initial symptomatic improvement after radiotherapy, and symptoms of SVC syndrome recurred one year later. Wallstents ® (Boston Scientific, Natick MA, USA) were used in all patients. Preoperatively, the mean narrowest SVC diameter measured by CT was 2.16 mm (0–5.5 mm). Technical success was achieved in all patients without complications such as pulmonary embolism, rupture or bleeding. Postoperative mean narrowest SVC diameter measured by CT during follow-up was 11.17 mm (8–13.5 mm). Symptoms of SVC syndrome such as arm and face swelling and dyspnea improved within 1–5 days in all patients. After median follow-up duration of 11.5 months, only one patient presented recurrent SVC syndrome due to in-stent thrombosis two months after stenting. Conclusion Salvage SVC stenting remains a safe and effective treatment for patients with SVC obstruction after failure of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Primary stenting may be considered at initial presentation of SVC syndrome to improve patients' quality of life.

We investigated the impact of serum cholesterol levels on 30-day mortality after ischemic stroke in dialysis patients.From the Taiwan Stroke Registry data, we identified 46,770 ischemic stroke cases, including 1101 dialysis patients and 45,669 nondialysis patients from 2006 to 2013.Overall, the 30-day mortality was 1.46-fold greater in the dialysis group than in the nondialysis group (1.75 versus 1.20 per 1000 person-days). The mortality rates were 1.64, .62, 2.82, and 2.23 per 1000 person-days in dialysis patients with serum total cholesterol levels of 120 mg/dL, 120-159 mg/dL, 160-199 mg/dL, and ≥200 mg/dL, respectively. Compared to dialysis patients with serum total cholesterol levels of 120-159 mg/dL, the corresponding adjusted hazard ratios of mortality were 4.20 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01-17.4), 8.06 (95% CI = 2.02-32.2), and 6.89 (95% CI = 1.59-29.8) for those with cholesterol levels of 120 mg/dL, 160-199 mg/dL, and ≥200 mg/dL, respectively.Dialysis patients with serum total cholesterol levels of ≥160 mg/dL or 120 mg/dL on admission are at an elevated hazard of 30-day mortality after ischemic stroke.

Background: Diagnosis of spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) relies on the ability of medical staff to recognize cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage at the spine. However, difficulties with interobserver discrepancy sometimes occurred while reading magnetic resonance myelography (MRM) because clear image definition was lacking. In this study, we tried to determine which pattern of CSF distribution is more reliable for diagnosis of CSF leakage by using MRM. Methods: From January 2012 to August 2014, 19 SIH patients and 27 healthy controls (HC) were recruited into our study; 10 of the 19 patients were recovered (SIH-R) after treatment. Whole spine MRM was performed using the 3D-SPACE (three-dimensional sampling perfection with application-optimized contrasts using different flip-angle evolutions) sequence, and interpreted by two experienced neuroradiologists. Two 4-point classification systems of CSF distribution were used to evaluate the three-dimensional maximum intensity projection (3D MIP) and the thin-slice axial multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) images, respectively. Results: The interobserver agreement between the two readers interpreting the 3D MIP and thin-slice axial MPR MRM were moderate to good (κ=0.60–0.78). Grade 3 of 3D MIP and Type D of axial MPR MRM were only noticed in the SIH. Overall, Grade 3 of MIP and Type D of MPR showed significant difference (p 70%. Conclusion: Grade 3 on 3D MIP and Type D on axial MPR MRM were definite criteria of MRM for localizing CSF leakage, and Type C in the T-spine was a probable leakage sign with high sensitivity and NPV.

The purpose of this study was to determine factors associated with entire aortic remodeling after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) in patients with type B dissection. The patients with type B (IIIb) dissections who underwent TEVAR from 2006 to 2013 with minimum of 2 years of follow-up computed tomography data were retrospectively reviewed. Based on the status of false lumen remodeling of entire aorta, patients were divided into three groups: complete regression, total thrombosis, and inadequate regression with patent abdominal false lumen. A total of 90 patients (72 males, 18 females; mean age 56.6 ± 16.4 years) were included and divided into the complete regression (n = 22), total thrombosis (n = 18), and inadequate regression (n = 50) groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that dissection extension to iliac arteries, increased preoperative number of dissection tear over abdominal aorta, and decreased preoperative abdominal aorta bifurcation true lumen ratio, as compared between the inadequate and complete regression groups, were associated with a persistent false lumen (odds ratio = 33.33, 2.304, and 0.021; all, p ≤ 0.012). Comparison of 6, 12, and 24 months postoperative data revealed no significant differences at any level, suggesting that the true lumen area ratio might not change after 6 months postoperatively. Increased preoperative numbers of dissection tear around the abdominal visceral branches, dissection extension to the iliac arteries, and decreased preoperative true lumen area ratio of abdominal aorta are predictive of entire aortic remodeling after TEVAR in patients with type B dissection. III.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Studies on using antiplatelet agents for secondary prevention in ischaemic stroke patients with renal dysfunction are limited. The Taiwan Stroke Registry database was used to compare the efficacy of antiplatelet agents. METHODS From the Taiwan Stroke Registry data, 39 174 acute ischaemic stroke patients were identified and were classified into three groups by antiplatelet agent: aspirin, clopidogrel and dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with a combination of aspirin and clopidogrel. The re-stroke incidence and 1-year mortality were stratified by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) levels at admission: ≥90, 60-89 and

Background Being woman is associated with higher survival rates after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) despite the increase in periprocedural complications. The left ventricle (LV) remodelling process that follows TAVR is considered to play an important role. We aim to investigate whether gender difference affects the process of LV remodelling after TAVR. Materials and Methods A total of 100 patients (50 men and 50 women) after TAVR were enrolled. Echocardiography was performed at baseline before the TAVR procedure and repeated upon discharge, and at three, nine and 12 months post‐TAVR. Results Women exhibited an early regression of LV mass and the LV mass index (LVMi) decreased 12.0% from 148.3 ± 48.0 to 130.5 ± 43.7 g/m2 at just a median of 17 days after the procedure (P

Background To compare the efficacy, safety, and results of Viabahn versus bare-metal stents (BMS) in chronic total occluded (CTO) long femoropopliteal lesions. Methods From April 2009 to August 2014, a total 97 patients (71.2 ± 9.7, 45-90 years old, 70 males) with occluded femo-ropopliteal lesions underwent Viabahn (55 patients) or BMS (42 patients) implantation. The clinical findings, procedural factors, and overall outcomes were collected and analyzed. Results The average lesion length was 22.1 ± 4.8 cm in the Viabahn group and 17.8 ± 3.3 cm in the BMS group. Both groups had a 100% technical success rate. Although there was no difference between the groups in complication, mortality, and major amputation rates, the Viabahn group had a significantly better average post-operative ankle brachial index (ABI) at 1-year and 2-year follow-ups. The Viabahn group also had significantly less in-stent restenosis (ISR) and target lesion revascularization (TLR) compared with the BMS group. Nevertheless, the two groups shared similar 2-year primary patency rates (63.6% vs. 50.0%, p = .178) and 2-year secondary patency rates (85.5% vs. 81.0%, p = .554). Conclusion Both Viabahn and BMS were efficient treatments for long femoropopliteal CTO lesions. However, the Viabahn group had significantly improved results compared with the BMS group in TLR and ISR, but the difference was not sufficient enough to result in different primary and secondary patency rates.

Objective This study investigated predisposing factors of distal stent graft-induced new entry (SINE). Methods Data from November 2006 to May 2012 were abstracted retrospectively from the records of 73 patients with complicated type B aortic dissection who had received stent graft treatment in our institution. Diameters of the true and false lumen, area and circumference of the true lumen, prestent and poststent oversize, taper, and mismatch ratio were recorded and analyzed to see if there were any significant differences between the SINE (n = 19) and non-SINE (n = 54) population and between those in whom the initial endograft was inserted from the proximal thoracic aorta (n = 49) or the distal thoracic aorta (n = 24). Results A distal-first sequence of stent graft deployment produced significantly fewer instances of distal SINE. The area oversizing ratio of the distal end of the stent graft was greater in the SINE vs non-SINE groups (3.76 ± 1.7 vs 2.63 ± 2.57; P = .002) and in the proximal-first vs distal-first deployment sequence groups (3.67 ± 2.57 vs 1.39 ± 0.90; P Conclusions Minimizing the preprocedure distal oversizing ratio with a distal small graft-first procedure could reduce the risk of late distal SINE for Stanford type B aortic dissection. Furthermore, the area ratio is a potentially more sensitive modality for size assessment and prediction of distal SINE occurrence.

Background/PurposeAeromonas and Vibrio are important water-borne pathogens causing substantial morbidity and mortality in cirrhotic patients in Taiwan, but the differences in clinical manifestations of Aeromonas and Vibrio bacteremia have not been reported in detail.MethodsFrom January 2003 to September 2013, cirrhotic patients with monomicrobial Aeromonas or Vibrio bacteremia at a medical center in Taiwan were included in this study.ResultsThe study population consisted of 77 cirrhotic patients with Aeromonas bacteremia and 48 patients with Vibrio bacteremia. Both pathogens clustered during the summer season; Vibrio bacteremia was more correlated with higher temperatures (Vibrio: r2 = 0.95, p

Background This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that elevated blood pressure at the early stage is associated with unfavorable outcome in acute ischemic stroke patients with stenosis of less than 50% of the culprit artery. Methods Patients with acute ischemic stroke onset within 48 hours and stenosis of less than 50% of the culprit artery from a prospective stroke registry were analyzed. A modified Rankin Scale score of 1 or lower at 3 months was defined as a favorable late outcome. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to analyze the association between hemodynamic parameters and outcome. Results One hundred thirty-six patients fulfilled the selection criteria. Patients with favorable outcome had lower pulse pressure at emergency department (ED) triage, lower systolic blood pressure (SBP) at 24 hours, lower pulse pressure at 24 hours, and lower heart rate (HR) at 24 hours. The univariate logistic regression analysis showed that history of stroke, elevated SBP at 24 hours, elevated HR at 24 hours, elevated pulse pressure at 24 hours, and higher National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score at ED triage were associated with a less favorable late outcome. Two separate models of multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that pulse pressure at ED triage and pulse pressure at 24 hours, respectively, were significantly associated with less favorable outcome. Conclusions Elevated pulse pressure at the early stage is independently associated with unfavorable late outcome in acute ischemic stroke patients with culprit artery stenosis less than 50%.

Background and purpose The optimal dose of alteplase for acute ischemic stroke among geriatric patients is unclear. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of a low-dose (0.6 mg/kg) and standard-dose (0.9 mg/kg) alteplase for varying severity of Asian geriatric stroke patients. Methods The favorable functional outcome on day 90 after stroke onset, and the symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH) rate following 24–36 h of intravenous alteplase were measured. The baseline NIHSS of 4–8, 9–13, ≥14 were defined as mild, moderate, and high severity, respectively. Results Totally, 249 geriatric patients treated with low-dose (n = 108) and standard-dose (n = 141) alteplase. Compared to standard-dose alteplase, low-dose alteplase had decrease in favorable functional outcome (22.2% versus 34.8%), and no difference in SICH rates was observed. For mild severity patients, the mortality was significantly increased with standard-dose alteplase (the NNT/NNH = 22.9/8.0 for mild severity, the NNT/ NNH = 15.0/14.7 for moderate severity, and the NNT/NNH = 13.5/19.6 for high severity). Conclusions Standard-dose and low-dose alteplase were comparable in reducing major disability, but low-dose alteplase for mild stroke showed much reduced mortality on day 90 for octogenarians.

Objectives Our objective was to examine the role of the provisional extension to induce complete attachment (PETTICOAT) aortic dissection repair technique with bare metal stents (BMSs) in abdominal remodeling of residual DeBakey type I aortic dissection. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with chronic aneurysm formation and residual DeBakey type I aortic dissection (ie, original acute aortic dissection DeBakey type I after primary surgical open repair) who underwent arch reoperation with frozen elephant trunk replacement or endovascular debranching with or without an abdominal BMS between December 2006 and December 2016. We analyzed diameters and volumes in 3 dimensions for the true and false lumens of the thoracic and abdominal aorta as well as the thrombosis percentage of the false lumen between the non-BMS (non-PETTICOAT) and BMS (PETTICOAT) groups. Results Forty-seven patients who had completed at least 1 year of follow-up were included. The non-BMS (without abdominal BMS) and BMS groups had significant differences in abdominal true lumen diameter and volumetric change at the first postoperative examination and at the examination 1 year after surgery (26.8 mL, median [19.4-34.1 mL, interquartile range (IQR)]) in non-BMS vs 42.5 mL, median [31.1-57.9 mL, IQR]) in BMS (postoperative survey [F test, 33.775; P = .000]) and (30.1 mL, median [20.5-34.1 mL, IQR] in non-BMS vs 46.6 mL, median [31.3-57.4 mL, IQR]) in BMS (12-month survey [F test, 14.001; P = .001]). The abdominal false lumen thrombosis percentage was higher in the BMS group than in the non-BMS group (25.6%, median [16.4%-58.9%, IQR] in non-BMS vs 54.0%, median [36.7%-65.3%, IQR] in the BMS group (F test, 6.318; P = .016). Conclusions Following reintervention for chronic residual DeBakey type I aortic dissection, PETTICOAT abdominal dissection BMS effectively expanded the thoracic and abdominal true lumen and augmented false lumen thrombosis percentage during the first postoperative year.

The ProGlide® vascular closure device (Abbott Vascular, Redwood City, CA, USA) is approved for the closure of arterial punctures (typically 5-21 Fr sheath; maximum outer diameter, 26 Fr). However, a failure rate of about 2-8% is reported. This study was conducted to analyse factors predisposing to failure when the devices were used for the closure of large hole (16-26 Fr) arteriotomies, and to determine the predictive cut off values of predisposing factors.In this retrospective study, the ProGlide® device was used to achieve vascular access site closure in 458 patients undergoing repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm, thoracic aortic aneurysm, type B aortic dissection, or transcatheter aortic valve implantation. The primary endpoint was device failure, defined as inability to achieve common femoral artery (CFA) closure; successful repair, development of acute lower limb ischaemia and haemodynamic compromise; or delayed pseudoaneurysm formation during the follow up period, requiring open repair.Overall, ProGlide® failure occurred in 7.6% of cases. Factors that predisposed to failure included a history of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) (p .001), the presence of CFA calcification (p .001), the depth of the skin puncture site ≥ 33 mm (p .001), body mass index (BMI) of ≥28.7 kg/mFactors such as BMI, history of PAD, the presence of CFA calcification, the depth of the skin puncture site, and sheath size are significantly associated with ProGlide® failure. Hence, careful patient and device selection and operating procedure are paramount to achieve successful outcomes.

Objective Common femoral artery (CFA) occlusive disease remains a debatable site for endovascular therapy, and the outcome of drug-eluting balloon (DEB) angioplasty in treating CFA occlusive disease is largely unknown. This study compared the efficacy, safety, and short-term patency rate of DEB angioplasty and femoral endarterectomy for treatment of CFA occlusive disease. Methods From March 2013 to June 2016, there were 100 patients with symptomatic CFA occlusive disease who were retrospectively reviewed. Forty patients were treated with DEB angioplasty and 60 were treated with femoral endarterectomy. Each patient received regular follow-up. Patency rate, ankle-brachial index, target lesion revascularization, and adverse events were assessed. Results Technical success was 100% in all patients. The DEB group had a lower 1-year primary patency rate (75.0% vs 96.7%; P = .003), but the secondary patency rate was similar between the two groups (97.5% vs 98.3%; P = 1.000). At 2-year follow-up, the primary patency was lower in the DEB group (57.1%) than in the endarterectomy group (94.1%; P = .001), whereas the secondary patency rate had no significant difference (90.5% vs 97.1%; P = 1.000). Both groups had significant improvement in ankle-brachial index. Freedom from target lesion revascularization was lower in the DEB group both at 1 year (75.0% vs 96.7%; P = .003) and at 2 years (57.1% vs 94.1%; P = .001). There was no significant difference in the incidence of complications and adverse events. Conclusions Femoral endarterectomy has a better primary patency rate compared with DEB angioplasty in treating CFA occlusive disease without significant increase in complications. In patients not suitable for endarterectomy, DEB angioplasty provides a similar secondary patency rate and could be considered an alternative treatment.

Poorly controlled blood glucose was reported to cause deterioration of acute ischemic stroke. In this study, we investigated whether an elevated admission serum glucose level in the 3-h time window of intravenous thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke determined poor functional outcomes among Chinese population.This was a prospective cohort study. From December 1, 2004 to December 31, 2016, a total of 2370 patients were enrolled and categorized into two cohorts by blood glucose levels of ≥200 and200 mg/dl in the 3 h after stroke onset. The primary objective was to determine whether admission hyperglycemia increased major disability and death at 30 and 90 days, which was defined by a modified Rankin Scale of 3-6. The secondary objective was to determine whether admission hyperglycemia increased the symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH) at 90 days. The number needed to harm (NNH) and patient expected event rate (PEER) were evaluated for both the primary and secondary objectives.The primary outcome occurred in 216 of 305 patients (70.8%) in the blood glucose ≥200 mg/dl cohort and in 951 of 1587 patients (59.9%) in the blood glucose200 mg/dl cohort at 30 days, and in 191 of 287 patients (66.6%) in the blood glucose ≥200 mg/dl cohort and in 827 of 1517 patients (54.5%) in the blood glucose200 mg/dl cohort at 90 days. Patients with admission hyperglycemia had significantly increased major disability and death at 30 (adjusted relative risk (RR): 1.194 [1.073-1.329], p = 0.0012) and 90 days (adjusted RR: 1.203 [1.079-1.340], p = 0.0008). Admission hyperglycemia increased the risk of the occurrence of SICH by nearly 2-fold (adjusted RR: 1.891 [0.977-3.657], p = 0.0585 with the SITS-MOST criteria and adjusted RR: 1.884 [1.138-3.121], p = 0.0139 with the NINDS criteria). NNH values of admission hyperglycemia in major disability and death at 30 and 90 days were 9 and 10, and NNH values of SICH by the SITS-MOST NINDS criteria were 44 and 34, respectively.The study evidenced the association and temporal relationship of admission hyperglycemia causing deterioration of functional outcomes and increased SICH among Chinese population with acute ischemic stroke treated with intravenous thrombolysis.

Background Tainan experienced the most severe dengue epidemic in Taiwan in 2015. This study investigates the association between the signs and symptoms at the time of reporting with the adverse dengue prognoses. Methods A descriptive study was conducted using secondary data from the Dengue Disease Reporting System in Tainan, Taiwan, between January 1 and December 31, 2015. A multivariate stepwise logistic regression was used to identify the risk factors for the adverse prognoses: ICU admissions and mortality. Results There were 22,777 laboratory-confirmed reported cases (mean age 45.6 ± 21.2 years), of which 3.7% were admitted to intensive care units (ICU), and 0.8% were fatal. The most common symptoms were fever (92.8%), myalgia (26.6%), and headache (22.4%). The prevalence of respiratory distress, altered consciousness, shock, bleeding, and thrombocytopenia increased with age. The multivariate analysis indicated that being in 65–89 years old age group [Adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR):4.95], or the 90 years old and above age group (aOR: 9.06), and presenting with shock (aOR: 8.90) and respiratory distress (aOR: 5.31) were significantly associated with the risk of ICU admission. While old age (aOR: 1.11), respiratory distress (aOR: 9.66), altered consciousness (aOR: 7.06), and thrombocytopenia (aOR: 2.55) were significantly associated with the risk of mortality. Conclusions Dengue patients older than 65 and those with severe and non-specific signs and symptoms at the time of reporting were at a higher risk of ICU admission and mortality. First-line healthcare providers need to be aware of the varied presentations between the different age groups to allow early diagnosis and in-time management, which would prevent ICU admissions and fatalities in dengue patients., Author summary Clinical presentations of dengue fever (DF) are diverse and non-specific and often have unpredictable progression and outcomes. The patients in the 2015 dengue epidemics in Taiwan were predominantly much older than in other countries in Southeast Asia. However, limited data are available in Taiwan on dengue patients with adverse prognoses who were admitted to ICU or on those with fatal complications. All suspected dengue cases were reported to the Dengue Disease Reporting System in Taiwan. We examined patients who had laboratory-confirmed dengue in Tainan during the 2015 dengue outbreak and analyzed secondary data from the reporting system. Of these patients, 3.7% were admitted to ICU, and 0.8% died. Patients who received adverse prognoses were generally of older age, had a critical presentation at the time of reporting, and experienced a rapid progress of the disease, highlighting that people with severe and non-specific signs and symptoms at the time of reporting were at a higher risk of ICU admission and mortality.

Background Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has emerged as an alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement for patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS) who have a high surgical risk. In Taiwan, this is the first study reporting TAVI outcomes at a single center offering two different transcatheter heart valve technologies via four types of approaches. Our aim was to compare 30-day and 6-month Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 (VARC-2) outcomes of the two valves. Methods We reported the procedural, 30-day, and 6-month VARC-2 outcomes of high-risk patients who were consecutively treated with the Medtronic CoreValve (MCV) or with the Edwards SAPIEN valve or SAPIEN XT valve (ESV; Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA, USA) delivered via four types of approaches. Results From May 2010 to December 2013, 30 consecutive patients with severe AS underwent TAVI: 15 patients were treated with the MCV and 15 patients were treated with the ESV. The transfemoral approach was the most frequently used route (13 MCV and 6 ESV), followed by the transapical approach (9 ESV), trans-subclavian approach (1 MCV), and direct aortic approach (1 MCV). There were no procedural deaths. “Device success” was achieved in 29 (96.7%) patients, and is defined as the absence of procedural mortality, correct positioning of one prosthetic heart valve into the proper anatomical location, and intended performance of the heart valve without moderate or severe regurgitation. The VARC-2–defined combined safety endpoint at 30 days was comparable between patients treated with the ESV and the MCV (33.3% vs. 20%, respectively; group, p = 0.409). At the 6-month follow up, the combined efficacy endpoint was not significantly different between the two groups (13.3% in the ESV group vs. 20% in the MCV group; p = 0.624). There was only one (3.3%) patient who required permanent pacemaker implantation. Conclusion For the first time in Taiwan, we have demonstrated that TAVI using either device is complementary and feasible for treating a wide range of patients by using a careful selection of approaches. Favorable overall procedural success rates and 30-day and 6-month outcomes were achieved with both devices.