Publications by authors named "Cheng-Hao Weng"
Introduction: Chronic nickel accumulation is harmful to multiple organ systems, and nickel is classified as a human carcinogen. Nevertheless, few studies have examined serum nickel concentrations in end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients receiving chronic hemodialysis, and the relationship of serum nickel with clinical outcomes remains unclear.
Methods: This prospective observational study recruited 409 hemodialysis patients in 2019 and followed them for 18 months.
Environmental PM Exposure: An Ignored Factor Associated with Blood Cadmium Level in Hemodialysis Patients.
Ther Clin Risk Manag
January 2025
Background: The negative impacts of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM) are well known. Patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (HD) have significantly higher blood cadmium levels (BCLs) than healthy individuals.
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- The study investigates how urea is transported across cell membranes through urea transporters (UT), presenting 11 cryo-EM structures of various UT states with and without inhibitors.* -
- Findings reveal how urea binds to transporters through a specific recognition motif, and how different types of inhibitors can block this transport via unique mechanisms.* -
- This research enhances our understanding of urea transport and inhibition, potentially aiding in the development of new diuretics that selectively target human urea transporters.*
Presentation of glomerulocystic disease in a young onset diabetes: A case report.
Medicine (Baltimore)
January 2024
Rationale: This case report presents a challenging medical scenario involving a young adult male who exhibited an unusual combination of symptoms, including abrupt weight loss, declining renal function, proteinuria, and concurrent onset of diabetes mellitus. Remarkably, the patient had no previous medical history or family history of similar conditions, necessitating a comprehensive investigation.
Patient Concerns: On March 10, 2021, a 25-year-old male sought medical attention due to the aforementioned symptoms.
Assessing Cross-Sectional Association of Uremic Pruritus with Serum Heavy Metal Levels: A Single-Center Study.
Diagnostics (Basel)
November 2023
(1) Background: Uremic pruritus (UP) is a common and taxing symptom in patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). We have previously shown that blood lead levels (BLLs) and blood aluminum levels (BALs) were separately positively associated with UP in MHD patients. We also found that blood cadmium levels (BCLs) were positively associated with all-cause mortality and cardiovascular-related mortality in MHD patients.
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- BK Polyomavirus (BKPyV) is a common issue for kidney transplant patients, leading to serious complications, and there are currently no effective antiviral treatments.
- The study explored how Interferon alpha (IFNα) and its induced protein MxA could potentially fight BKPyV using lab experiments and animal models.
- Results showed that IFNα successfully inhibits BKPyV and that MxA plays a key role in this process by interacting with BKPyV TAg, affecting its localization and ultimately enhancing the antiviral effect.
Article Synopsis
- - The study investigates the toxicity and clinical impact of chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin pesticide mixtures, focusing on how organophosphate pesticides may exacerbate the toxicity of pyrethroids due to impaired detoxification mechanisms in the body.
- - Data was collected from 121 patients treated for poisoning between 2000 and 2021, categorized by type of pesticide exposure, and included analysis of clinical symptoms, laboratory findings, and mortality rates.
- - Results showed a high incidence of acute respiratory failure (41.3%) and other symptoms, with the mixture group displaying more severe health outcomes, including higher rates of acute respiratory failure and increased death rates compared to other groups.
Article Synopsis
- End-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients often have coronary artery disease and are treated with coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, although they face higher risks of complications post-surgery.
- A 45-year-old male ESRD patient developed a massive pancreatic pseudocyst two weeks after CABG, leading to significant abdominal pain and requiring treatment.
- The case underscores the rarity of such large pseudocysts in ESRD patients post-CABG and highlights the need for careful monitoring during recovery due to factors like prolonged surgery and postoperative hypotension.
Hungry bone syndrome in peritoneal dialysis patients after parathyroid surgery.
Endocr Connect
October 2023
Article Synopsis
- Secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) is a frequent issue in end-stage kidney disease patients, and hungry bone syndrome (HBS) can develop after parathyroid surgery in dialysis patients, but there's limited research on predicting HBS outcomes.
- A study of 66 peritoneal dialysis patients showed that those with HBS had lower postoperative calcium and higher levels of alkaline phosphatase and potassium compared to those without HBS, indicating potential risk factors for developing HBS after surgery.
- The study found that while HBS was common (71.2%) in patients post-surgery, there were no significant differences in the recurrence of hyperparathyroidism or mortality rates between those with and without HBS after an average follow
Article Synopsis
- Globus pallidus necrosis (GPN) is a common brain imaging finding in patients who have suffered from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, and current guidelines recommend imaging for those with conscious disturbances.
- Researchers developed an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm using a random forest classifier to predict GPN in CO intoxicated patients, analyzing data from 261 patients over a 19-year period.
- The AI model achieved an accuracy of 79.2%, with notable predictors including platelet count, carboxyhemoglobin levels, and the Glasgow Coma scale, indicating a promising but still needing further validation approach to diagnosis.
Article Synopsis
- Limited research exists on the effects of methomyl and cypermethrin pesticide mixtures, with a study analyzing 63 patients treated for poisoning at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital from 2002 to 2018.
- The study found that patients exposed to the combination of methomyl and cypermethrin experienced higher rates of severe health issues, including acute respiratory failure and aspiration pneumonia, compared to those poisoned by just one of the pesticides.
- Despite a mortality rate of 11.1% and a mean hospitalization stay of almost 10 days, specific mortality risk factors were not identified, indicating a need for further investigation into the toxic effects of these pesticides.
Article Synopsis
- There is variability in the incidence of hungry bone syndrome after parathyroidectomy in dialysis patients, with published rates ranging from 15.8% to 92.9%.
- A study involving 120 hemodialysis patients found that the majority underwent subtotal parathyroidectomy, with a high incidence of hungry bone syndrome occurring shortly after surgery, lasting on average over 11 months.
- Notably, patients with hungry bone syndrome exhibited lower calcium and parathyroid hormone levels post-surgery and had a lower recurrence of hyperparathyroidism compared to those without the syndrome; preoperative blood ferritin levels were found to negatively predict the syndrome's onset.
Background: Nucleos(t)ide analogues (NUCs) were proved to reduce hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, but data were limited on their efficacy in cirrhotic CHB patients. Methods: A total of 447 cirrhotic CHB patients treated with tenofovir/entecavir were retrospectively analyzed and divided into HCC (n = 48) and non-HCC (n = 399) groups. The median follow-up period was 62.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHemodialysis Treatment for Patients with Lithium Poisoning.
Int J Environ Res Public Health
August 2022
Background: Hemodialysis is often recommended to treat severe lithium poisoning. Nevertheless, the application rate of hemodialysis in patients with lithium poisoning is varied across different groups and the effect of hemodialysis is still undetermined. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the hemodialysis rate of patients with lithium poisoning and to explore the clinical features of lithium-poisoned-patients treated or untreated with hemodialysis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBlood Aluminum Levels in Patients with Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis.
Int J Environ Res Public Health
March 2022
Article Synopsis
- - This study examined blood aluminum levels in 1,175 dialysis patients, finding a low prevalence of abnormal levels (2.2% had levels ≥2 µg/dL) and identified a correlation with factors like drug use and several clinical measures.
- - Patients with abnormal aluminum levels were more likely to be treated with sevelamer and showed higher platelet counts, triglycerides, and total iron binding capacity compared to those with normal levels.
- - The authors suggest that the observed links between cardiothoracic ratio, elevated platelet counts, triglyceride levels, and abnormal blood aluminum deserve further research for better understanding and management in dialysis patients.
Introduction: Diabetic patients normally have enlarged or normal-sized kidneys throughout their lifetime, but some diabetic uremic patients have small kidneys. It is uncertain if kidney size could have any negative impact on outcome in hemodialysis patients.
Methods: This longitudinal, observational cohort study recruited 301 diabetic hemodialysis patients in 2015, and followed until 2019.
Combination Biomarker of Immune Checkpoints Predict Prognosis of Urothelial Carcinoma.
Biomedicines
December 2021
Article Synopsis
- * An analysis of data from 308 UC patients revealed that the expression of certain immune checkpoint markers is linked to advanced UC and worse prognosis, suggesting they might serve as independent biomarkers for survival.
- * The study found that early-stage UC tumors are often "cold," with few immune cells, while about 30% of late-stage tumors show an abundance of cytotoxic T cells, indicating that these cells are inhibited; this highlights the potential for transforming cold tumors into hot ones to improve treatment outcomes.
Trend in blood lead levels in Taiwanese adults 2005-2017.
PLoS One
January 2022
This study examined the trend of blood lead levels (BLLs) in Taiwanese adults and analyzed the variations in the BLL between Linkou (northern) and Kaohsiung (southern) hospital branches. Between 2005 and 2017, 3,804 adult participants received blood lead tests at the Linkou (n = 2,674) and Kaohsiung (n = 1,130) branches of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. The geometric mean of BLL was 2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBone Marrow Hypocellularity in Patients with End-Stage Kidney Disease.
Healthcare (Basel)
October 2021
Background: Anemia and pancytopenia are not uncommon in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Nevertheless, there is insufficient literature analyzing bone marrow pathology in patients with CKD or end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) receiving dialysis.
Methods: This observational cohort study included 22 patients with ESKD and 23 patients with CKD that received bone marrow biopsy and aspiration at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital.
Cytokine-mediated inflammation is involved in the pathophysiology of paraquat toxicity. Nevertheless, few human studies have examined fluctuations in circulating cytokine levels. Blood samples were obtained from 21 patients with paraquat poisoning and compared to those of 18 healthy controls.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTorus Mandibularis in Patients Receiving Hemodialysis.
Int J Environ Res Public Health
September 2021
Article Synopsis
- A study investigated the prevalence of torus mandibularis in 322 hemodialysis patients at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, revealing a 7.8% occurrence rate among participants.
- Findings indicated that most cases were symmetric, nodular, under 2 cm in size, and located in the premolar region, with significant poor oral hygiene noted among the patients.
- The study found that younger age and higher blood phosphate levels were strongly associated with the presence of torus mandibularis, highlighting potential risk factors for this condition in dialysis patients.
This study analysed the clinical patterns and outcomes of elderly patients with organophosphate intoxication. A total of 71 elderly patients with organophosphate poisoning were seen between 2008 and 2017. Patients were stratified into two subgroups: survivors (n = 57) or nonsurvivors (n = 14).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnvironmental Cadmium Exposure and Dental Indices in Orthodontic Patients.
Healthcare (Basel)
April 2021
Background: Previous studies have shown that environmental cadmium exposure could disrupt salivary gland function and is associated with dental caries and reduced bone density. Therefore, this cross-sectional study attempted to determine whether tooth decay with tooth loss following cadmium exposure is associated with some dental or skeletal traits such as malocclusions, sagittal skeletal pattern, and tooth decay.
Methods: Between August 2019 and June 2020, 60 orthodontic patients with no history of previous orthodontics, functional appliances, or surgical treatment were examined.
Although patients with diabetes mellitus mostly present with enlarged or normal-sized kidneys throughout their life, a small proportion of patients have small kidneys. This longitudinal study enrolled 83 diabetic patients treated with peritoneal dialysis (PD) between 2015 and 2019. Patients were stratified into two groups, those with enlarged or normal (n = 67) or small (n = 16) kidneys, based on their kidney sizes before dialysis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWith increasing numbers of patients surviving acute intoxication phase, long-term complication after paraquat intoxication is a topic worth exploring, such as osteonecrosis (ON) of femoral head. We reviewed 86 paraquat-intoxicated survivors between 2000 and 2012 in Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, a 3700-bed tertiary hospital in Taiwan. With all the patients underwent same detoxification protocol in the acute stage, 17.
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