Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA
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Immunosuppressant-related acceleration of fibrosis has been documented in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients who receive organ transplantation (Tx), and sustained virological response (SVR) rates for these patients by pegylated interferon (IFN)-based therapy are generally poor and associated with unfavorable safety profiles. In addition, IFN treatment varies by patient and poses a high risk of post-renal Tx graft rejection. This study was aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of all oral direct acting antivirals (DAAs) for CHC patients following organ Tx. ⋯ Highly responsive treatment and favorable tolerability were achieved by all oral DAAs in this difficult-to-treat patient population.
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Venomous snakebites are common during hot seasons in Taiwan. However, rarely is venom spat directly into the subject's eyes, causing eye injury. Despite being uncommon, analytical data regarding venom-spit ophthalmia in Taiwan have been lacking. This study thus aimed to conduct an epidemiological survey on Naja atra venom-spit ophthalmia in Taiwan during the past decades to improve future care of such patients. ⋯ Although Naja atra venom-spit ophthalmia in Taiwan is uncommon, the risk for transient ocular symptoms and corneal/conjunctival injury does exists. Prompt ocular irrigation and professional ophthalmic care after envenomation help prevent serious ocular sequelae. Moreover, superior outcomes were not achieved with the use of antivenom. Nonetheless, further studies are required to clarify the role antivenoms play in venom-spit ophthalmia.
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To evaluate the change of erectile function (EF) in sexually active male overactive bladder (OAB) patients treated with Mirabegron. Mirabegron, a selective β3 adrenoceptor agonist, approved for the treatment of OAB, has been reported to relax human and rat corpus cavernosum and might have beneficial effect on EF. ⋯ This preliminary study demonstrates that mirabegron treatment of men with OAB improved OAB symptoms, but has no beneficial effect on EF.
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While migrants in Taiwan are entitled to universal health care, barriers to health care services exist. We aimed to explore challenges encountered by migrants when accessing health care services and potential strategies to overcome these barriers. ⋯ While migrants benefit from the current support and welfare system, our study found substantial gaps that need to be filled including a lack of professional medical interpreters and training programs, a lack of legal framework for medical interpreting, and inadequacy in the dispersal of information on existing resources that may facilitate the integration of migrants into society and the health care system. Overcoming these barriers may improve migrants' access to health services.
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Although epidural analgesia (EA) provides reliable pain relief after major operations, few studies have explored how postoperative pain trajectories change over time in patients receiving EA and the associated factors. This study aimed to model the dynamic features of pain trajectories after surgery and investigate factors associated with their variations using latent curve analysis. ⋯ Latent curve analysis provided insights into the dynamic nature of variations in postoperative pain trajectories. Further studies investigating more factors associated with pain trajectories are warranted to elucidate the mechanisms behind the transitions of pain scores over time after surgery.