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A letter to the editor is presented in response to an article on ramifications of the implementation of a diabetes pay-for-performance program in Taiwan in the January 2012 issue.

Purpose: Long-acting insulin analogues were developed to facilitate consistent glycemic control without excessive hypoglycemia. However, structural modifications of the insulin molecule can alter biological responses and binding characteristics with specific receptors. The aim of this study was to estimate the risk of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy (STDR) associated with treatment using long-acting insulin analogues compared with intermediate-acting insulin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: A retrospective cohort consisting of patients with T2DM aged 20 years of age and older with newly initiated treatment with long-acting insulin analogues (glargine and detemir) and intermediate-acting human insulin was identified from the National Health Insurance database between January 2004 and December 2006 and was subdivided into different cohorts. The risk of the development of STDR was determined by Cox regression models and compared between different cohorts. Findings: Of the 46,739 eligible patients, initiators of insulin glargine, insulin detemir, and neutral protamine Hagedorn (NPH) insulin were identified for comparison using propensity-score matching methods. Long-acting insulin analogues were not associated with changed risk for STDR by intention-to-treat and time-varying use approaches between either matched or unmatched cohorts. Implications: The strategies that aim at preventing diabetic retinopathy by treating T2DM patients with long-acting insulin analogues remain further prospective studies with longer follow-up period to validate our observations within an appropriate dosage range and to further evaluate the safety of long-acting insulin analogues on reducing the progression of diabetic retinopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To facilitate priority-setting in health policymaking, we compiled the best available information to estimate the adult mortality (>30 years) burden attributable to 13 metabolic, lifestyle, infectious, and environmental risk factors in Taiwan. Methods: We obtained data on risk factor exposure from nationally representative health surveys, cause-specific mortality from the National Death Registry, and relative risks from epidemiological studies and meta-analyses. We applied the comparative risk assessment framework to estimate mortality burden attributable to individual risk factors or risk factor clusters. Results: In 2009, high blood glucose accounted for 14,900 deaths (95% UI: 11,850-17,960), or 10.4% of all deaths in that year. It was followed by tobacco smoking (13,340 deaths, 95% UI: 10,330-16,450), high blood pressure (11,190 deaths, 95% UI: 8,190-14,190), ambient particulate matter pollution (8,600 deaths, 95% UI: 7,370-9,840), and dietary risks (high sodium intake and low intake of fruits and vegetables, 7,890 deaths, 95% UI: 5,970-9,810). Overweight-obesity and physical inactivity accounted for 7,620 deaths (95% UI: 6,040-9,190), and 7,400 deaths (95% UI: 6,670-8,130), respectively. The cardiometabolic risk factors of high blood pressure, high blood glucose, high cholesterol, and overweight-obesity jointly accounted for 12,120 deaths (95% UI: 11,220-13,020) from cardiovascular diseases. For domestic risk factors, infections from hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) were responsible for 6,300 deaths (95% UI: 5,610-6,980) and 3,170 deaths (95% UI: 1,860-4,490), respectively, and betel nut use was associated with 1,780 deaths from oral, laryngeal, and esophageal cancer (95% UI: 1,190-2,360). The leading risk factors for years of life lost were similar, but the impact of tobacco smoking and alcohol use became larger because the attributable deaths from these risk factors occurred among young adults aged less than 60 years. Conclusions: High blood glucose, tobacco smoking, and high blood pressure are the major risk factors for deaths from diseases and injuries among Taiwanese adults. A large number of years of life would be gained if the 13 modifiable risk factors could be removed or reduced to the optimal level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We performed this population-based study to investigate the effects of atorvastatin and rosuvastatin on renal function in patients with type 2 diabetes. From the Taiwan National Health Insurance Pay-for-Performance program for diabetes mellitus database, 2006 to 2009, type 2 diabetic patients aged 40 to 100 years with the first prescription of atorvastatin or rosuvastatin were identified. All the data were linked to the National Health Insurance claims database, 2000 to 2010, to construct longitudinal health care data. The Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation was used to calculate the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and the eGFRs between baseline and the end of follow-up (maximum 2 years) were compared. Totally, 3,601 new users of atorvastatin and 1,968 new users of rosuvastatin were included. The median follow-up was 238 days in atorvastatin users and 210 days in rosuvastatin users. The eGFR at baseline was 72.3 ± 25.9 ml/min/1.73 m² in atorvastatin users and 73.7 ± 27.3 ml/min/1.73 m² in rosuvastatin users. In both statin groups, we found no significant change in eGFR (+0.1 ml/min/1.73 m², 95% confidence interval -0.4 to 0.7, p = 0.62 in atorvastatin users; -0.1 ml/min/1.73 m², 95% confidence interval -0.8 to 0.6, p = 0.77 in rosuvastatin users). In conclusion, neither treatment with atorvastatin nor rosuvastatin was associated with a significant change of renal function in type 2 diabetic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have found lower risk of childhood cancer among Asian children. We aim to characterize the recent incidence and incidence-trend of childhood cancer in Taiwan after the National Health Insurance program was launched in March 1995. Data were extracted from the Taiwan Cancer Registry, a population-based database established in 1979. Cases diagnosed at age 0-14 from 1996 to 2010 were analyzed and categorized according to the International Classification of Childhood Cancer, Third Edition (ICCC-3). In total, 8032 childhood cancer cases were included, with a microscopic verification rate of 93.9%. The overall age-standardized rate (ASR) of incidence adjusted to the 2000 World Standard Population is 125.0 cases/million, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.3. The top five cancer types (ICCC-3 subgroup[s]; ASR per million) are acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ia, 30.3), acute myeloid leukemia (Ib; 9.4), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (IIb,c,e, 9.0), extracranial germ cell tumor (Xb,c; 8.3), and neuroblastoma (IVa; 7.8). The median age of diagnosis was 6 years for both genders. During the study period, the ASR of childhood cancer has been increasing at a rate of 1.2% per year (95% confidence interval, 0.6-1.7%). In contrast to Western countries, China, Japan, and Taiwan have lower incidence of childhood cancer; however, Taiwan's incidence rates of childhood germ cell tumors and hepatic tumors are higher. In conclusion, this population-based study reveals that the incidence rate of childhood cancer in Taiwan is rising consistently. The high incidence of germ cell tumors warrants further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study that evaluated the association of risks for influenza and tuberculosis (TB) in patients who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) with treatment of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). Compared were estimates of non-ICS treatment with ICS regimen for influenza and TB risks. Results showed higher risk of TB for patients with ICS treatment but not for influenza and lower TB events for COPD patients who have undergone ICS treatment in endemic areas.

Introduction: Uterine cancer was the most rapidly increasing malignancy and the second most common gynecologic malignancy in Taiwan. Methods: We analyzed the secular trend of uterine cancer incidence and compare the survival of women with uterine carcinomas and uterine sarcomas in Taiwan. Data on women diagnosed with uterine cancer between 1979 and 2008 were obtained from the Taiwan cancer registry. Survival data were analyzed by using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression methods. Results: Records of 11,558 women with uterine carcinomas and 1,226 women with uterine sarcomas were analyzed. The age-adjusted incidence rate of endometrioid adenocarcinoma increased from 0.83 per 100,000 women per year between 1979 and 1983 to 7.50 per 100,000 women per year between 2004 and 2008. The 5-year survival rate of women with endometrioid adenocarcinoma (83.2%) was higher than that for women with clear cell carcinoma (58.3%), serous carcinoma (54.4%), and carcinosarcoma (35.2%) (p<0.0001, log-rank test). The 5-year survival rates of women with low grade endometrial stromal sarcoma, endometrial stromal sarcoma, leiomyosarcoma (LMS), and adenosarcoma were 97.5%, 73.5%, 60.1%, and 77.2%, respectively (p<0.0001, log rank test). The histologic type of endometrioid adenocarcinoma, young age, and treatment period after 2000 were independent, favorable prognostic factors in women with uterine carcinomas by multivariate analysis. The histologic type of LMS, old age, and treatment period after 2000 were independent, poor prognostic factors in women with uterine sarcomas by multivariate analysis. Conclusions: An increase over time in the number of patients with endometrioid adenocarcinomas was noted in this 30- year, nationwide, population-based study. Histologic type, age and treatment period were survival factors for uterine cancers. A more comprehensive assessment of uterine cancers and patient care should be undertaken on this increasingly common type of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preclinical and observational studies raise the concern about the safety of insulin glargine in terms of cancer initiation and promotion. This study is designed to examine cancer incidence associated with use of insulin glargine vs. intermediate/long-acting human insulin (HI). Methodology: A retrospective cohort study using the Taiwan National Health Insurance claims database was conducted to identify adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and without a history of cancer who initiated insulin glargine (n = 10,190) or intermediate/long-acting HI (n = 49,253) during 2004-2007. Exclusive users were followed from the date of insulin initiation to the earliest of cancer diagnosis, death, disenrollment, or December 31 2007. We estimated adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) with Cox proportional hazards models adjusting for baseline propensity score. Findings: The incidence rate of all cancer per 1,000 person-years was 13.8 for insulin glargine initiators (179 cases) and 16.0 for intermediate/long-acting HI initiators (1,445 cases) during an average follow-up of 2 years. No significant difference in overall cancer risk between insulin glargine initiators and HI initiators was found. For men, however, the adjusted hazard ratio of insulin glargine use as compared with intermediate/long-acting HI was 2.15 (95% CI 1.01-4.59) for pancreatic cancer, and 2.42 (95% CI 1.50-8.40) for prostate cancer. The increased risk was not observed among women. Conclusions: Insulin glargine use did not increase the risk of overall cancer incidence as compared with HI. The positive associations with pancreatic and prostate cancer need further evaluation and validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The long-term outcome of patients with both diabetes and schizophrenia remains unclear., Aims: To explore whether having schizophrenia increases the risk of advanced complications and mortality in people with diabetes., Method: This is a population-based matched cohort study using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. A total of 11 247 participants with diabetes and schizophrenia and 11 247 participants with diabetes but not schizophrenia were enrolled. We used Cox proportional hazard models to determine the effect of schizophrenia on macrovascular and microvascular complications, and all-cause mortality., Results: The adjusted hazard ratios were 1.49 (95% CI 1.32-1.68) for macrovascular complications, 1.05 (95% CI 0.91-1.21) for microvascular complications and 3.68 (95% CI 3.21-4.22) for all-cause mortality in patients with diabetes and schizophrenia compared with those patients with diabetes but not schizophrenia., Conclusions: Patients with both diabetes and schizophrenia had an increased risk of macrovascular complications and all-cause mortality but did not have statistically significant elevated risk of microvascular complications., (© The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2015.)