The Utilization of Chinese Herbal Products for Hyperthyroidism in National Health Insurance System (NHIRD) of Taiwan: A Population-Based Study.

Background: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) relieves associated symptoms of hyperthyroidism such as heat intolerance, palpitations, tremor, anxiety, weight loss, increased frequency of bowel movements, and shortness of breath. However, there are no studies regarding the core prescription patterns of herbal formula and single herbs for hyperthyroidism in Taiwan.

Materials And Methods: This is a retrospective, observational study using the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) in Taiwan to analyze the prescription patterns of TCM.

Hypothyroidism risk associated with rheumatoid arthritis: A population-based retrospective cohort study.

Studies on the thyroid disease risk in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) associated with comorbidities are limited. This population-based retrospective cohort study investigated the hypothyroidism risk in patients with RA and the role of comorbidities.We used Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database to identify 16,714 RA patients newly diagnosed in 2000 to 2008 and 66,856 control persons without RA, frequency matched by sex, age, and index year.

The risk of fibromyalgia in patients with iron deficiency anemia: a nationwide population-based cohort study.

Since iron is essential for neurotransmitter synthesis, decreased iron stores might lead to reduced production of biogenic amines which phenomenon was shown in Fibromyalgia (FM) patients. The aims are to investigate the association of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and FM and to find the effects of different interventions. We conducted a study using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database.

Chinese Herbal Products for Non-Motor Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease in Taiwan: A Population-Based Study.

Combinations of Chinese herbal products (CHPs) are widely used for Parkinson's disease (PD) in Taiwan. Thereby, we investigated the use of CHPs in patients with PD. This study was a population-based cohort study that analyzed the data of patients with PD from the National Health Insurance Research Database.

Response to iron overload in cultured hepatocytes.

Iron is essential for a variety of physiological processes. Hepatic iron overload acts as a trigger for the progression of hepatic steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In the present study, we aimed to study the effects of iron overload on cellular responses in hepatocytes.

The impact of timing and modalities of dental prophylaxis on the risk of 5-fluorouracil-related oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer: a nationwide population-based cohort study.

Purpose: This study investigated the impact of dental prophylaxis on 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-related oral mucositis (OM) according to the head and neck cancer (HNC) locations and treatment times.

Methods: A total of 13,969 HNC participants, including 482 5-FU-related OM subjects and 13,487 comparisons were enrolled from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database for Catastrophic Illness Patients of Taiwan between 2000 and 2008. All subjects were stratified into subgroups based on the times to perform chlorhexidine use, scaling, and fluoride application before 5-FU administration.

Association between periodontitis and bipolar disorder: A nationwide cohort study.

Whether periodontitis is a risk factor for developing bipolar disorders (BD) has not been investigated. We aimed to determine whether periodontitis is associated with the subsequent development of BD and examine the risk factors for BD among patients with periodontitis.Using ambulatory and inpatient claims data from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD), we identified 12,337 patients who were aged at least 20 years and newly diagnosed with periodontitis between 2000 and 2004.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease among patients with sleep disorders: a Nationwide study of Taiwan.

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common chronic liver diseases. Studies have shown that sleep apnea is associated with NAFLD. However, studies on the association between sleep disorders in general and NAFLD are limited.

Type 1 diabetes is associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism: A retrospective population-based cohort study.

Background: It has been unclear whether diabetes mellitus (DM) is positively associated with a risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). In addition, whether the risk of VTE is altered in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) has rarely been explored.

Aim: We investigated whether patients with T1DM are at a relatively high risk of VTE development.

Chronic retinoic acid treatment induces differentiation and changes in the metabolite levels of brown (pre)adipocytes.

Dietary vitamin A status affects energy metabolism. The present study explored the effect of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on the expression levels of molecules and metabolites of brown adipocytes. Chronic ATRA treatment was initiated during the early stage (days 0-8) or late stage (days 8-12) of adipogenesis.

Incidence of stroke in patients with HIV infection: A population-based study in Taiwan.

Background: Few studies have evaluated whether people infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are at an increased risk of stroke in an Asian population. We investigated the association between HIV infection and the risk of developing stroke by age, calendar year of HIV diagnosis, and follow-up duration in Taiwan.

Methods: Using the claims data of a universal health insurance program, we identified 5,961 patients with HIV and 23,844 matched non-HIV subjects without previous stroke from 1998 to 2005 and followed them up until the end of 2011 to measure the incidence of stroke.

Increased risk of chronic fatigue syndrome following psoriasis: a nationwide population-based cohort study.

Background: The onset of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has been shown to be associated with several immunological conditions such as infections or atopy. The aim of this study was to clarify the risk of chronic fatigue syndrome following the diagnosis of psoriasis, an immune-related dermatological disease, by analyzing the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan.

Method: 2616 patients aged 20 years or older with newly diagnosed psoriasis during 2004-2008 and 10,464 participants without psoriasis were identified.

Peripheral trauma and risk of dystonia: What are the evidences and potential co-risk factors from a population insurance database?

Background: Dystonia is a neurological syndrome typically resulting in abnormal postures.

Objectives: We tested the role of physical injury as potential risk factor for development of dystonia using The National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan.

Methods: We identified 65704 people who were coded in the database as having had peripheral traumatic injuries (ICD-9-CM 807-848 and 860-959) in the year 2000.

Neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia is associated with a subsequent increased risk of childhood-onset type 1 diabetes.

: Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood. Whether neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia increases the risk of T1D remains unclear.: To estimate the association between neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia and phototherapy and the risk of T1D using a large nationwide population-based cohort.

Increased risk of chronic fatigue syndrome in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a population-based retrospective cohort study.

Background: Similarities in the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have been observed as follows: severe disease activity in IBD correlates with severe fatigue, major psychiatric signs, the common use of medication, and bacterial translocation. One of several hypotheses for explaining the mechanisms underlying CFS suggests a similarity to the impaired intestinal mucosa of IBD. "This study investigated the risk of incident CFS among patients with IBD".

Association between asthma and risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a retrospective population-based study.

Objective: The association between asthma and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) has rarely been explored. We investigated whether male asthmatic patients had an increased risk of BPH by conducting this retrospective nationwide population-based study.

Methods: We utilized data derived from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) in Taiwan.

Dry eye syndrome and the subsequent risk of chronic fatigue syndrome-a prospective population-based study in Taiwan.

Background And Aim: The clinical association between dry eye syndrome (DES) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) remain unclear with less evidences. We aimed to investigate the relationship between CFS and DES using a national insurance and prospective cohort study.

Methods: Data from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000 was applied to estimate the incidence of CFS among patients with DES, and their age- and sex-matched controls without DES over a long-term follow-up period.

Increased Risk for Hip Fractures among Patients with Cholangitis: A Nationwide Population-Based Study.

Background: Cholangitis is the infectious disease involving the biliary tract, which may induce systemic inflammation. Bone loss is a well-known sequelae after systemic inflammatory disease, and one grave complication after osteoporosis is hip fracture. We want to know whether cholangitis can contribute to increased risk of hip fracture.

Expression levels of brown/beige adipocyte-related genes in fat depots of vitamin A-restricted fattening cattle1.

Brown/beige adipocytes dissipate energy as heat. We previously showed that brown/beige adipocytes are present in white adipose tissue (WAT) of fattening cattle. The present study examined the effect of vitamin A restriction on mRNA expression of brown/beige adipocyte-related genes.