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Objective: To assess the association between polycystic ovary syndrome and pancreatic cancer in Taiwan. Methods: We used the 2013–2020 claims data of Taiwan National Health Insurance Program. A case‐control study was performed, including female subjects 20 years or older with and without pancreatic cancer. Cases comprised female subjects diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, identified based on diagnosis codes. Controls were selected from female subjects without pancreatic cancer and matched to cases on age and comorbidities. Polycystic ovary syndrome was identified through diagnosis codes. A conditional logistic regression model was used to assess the association between polycystic ovary syndrome and pancreatic cancer, with results presented as odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: This case‐control study included 12,466 cases with pancreatic cancer and 49,864 matched controls. The proportions of polycystic ovary syndrome were 2.6% among cases with pancreatic cancer and 1.4% among controls without pancreatic cancer (p < 0.001). After controlling for confounding factors, the conditional logistical regression model revealed a statistically significant association between polycystic ovary syndrome and pancreatic cancer, with an OR of 1.38 (95% CI = 1.21–1.59, p < 0.001). Conclusion: This case‐control study reveals that there is a statistically significant association between polycystic ovary syndrome and pancreatic cancer. More studies are needed to provide robust evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Coronary artery disease (CAD) and herpes zoster represent significant health burdens, and their potential interrelationships remain understudied. This cohort study aimed to address the existing knowledge gap by systematically exploring whether people with CAD are at increased risk for developing herpes zoster. Methods Using the 2006–2015 claims data of the National Health Insurance Program in Taiwan, we identified participants aged ≥20 years with a new diagnosis of CAD as the CAD group. We selected sex- and age-matched participants without CAD as the non-CAD group. The incidence rate of herpes zoster at the end of follow-up was calculated. A multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to measure the hazard ratio and 95% CI for herpes zoster associated with covariables. Results The overall incidence rate of herpes zoster was 1.14-fold greater in the CAD group as compared with the non-CAD group (6.52 vs 5.74 per 1000 person-years; 95% CI, 1.08–1.20). After controlling for covariables, the adjusted hazard ratio of herpes zoster was 1.21 (95% CI, 1.14–1.27) for the CAD group as compared with the non-CAD group. Conclusions This cohort study provides valuable insights into the potential association between CAD and the risk of developing herpes zoster. The findings may have implications for preventive strategies of herpes zoster in people with CAD. Further research and collaboration with diverse groups will be critical to validate and extend our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate the potential association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and colon polyps in Taiwan. Methods. We utilized 2006–2015 claims data of the Taiwan National Health Insurance Program as a data source. A case-control study was conducted, involving individuals 20 years or older with and without colon polyps. Cases comprised individuals diagnosed with colon polyps, identified through diagnosis codes. Controls were selected from individuals without colon polyps, matched to cases based on sex, age, and comorbidities. NAFLD was identified based on diagnosis codes. The logistic regression model with odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) was employed to assess the association between NAFLD and colon polyps. Results. The study included 16,890 cases with colon polyps and 67,560 matched controls without colon polyps. The mean age was 57 years old and about 61% of study subjects were males. Among cases with colon polyps, 1.0% had a diagnosis of NAFLD, whereas only 0.4% exhibited NAFLD in the control group. After adjustment for confounding variables, a multivariable logistic regression model revealed a statistically significant association between NAFLD and colon polyps, with an odds ratio of 2.32 (95% CI = 1.91–2.82). Conclusion. This case-control study suggests a positive association between NAFLD and colon polyps. These results contribute to our understanding of the potential links between NAFLD and gastrointestinal health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]