Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA
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Multicenter Study
One-year outcomes of the treat-and-extend regimen using aflibercept for the treatment of diabetic macular edema.
Optimal regimen using intravitreal aflibercept injections for diabetic macular edema (DME) in clinical practice remains to be elucidated. The purpose of this study is to evaluate a treat-and-extend (TAE) approach using intravitreal aflibercept in participants with center-involved DME. ⋯ This straightforward and practical TAE regimen using intravitreal aflibercept injections resulted in favorable clinical outcomes with minimal treatment burden for DME at week 52.
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Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a disease characterized by recurring, short-lived, electric shock-like pain experienced on one side of the face. Microvascular decompression (MVD) is one of the most effective surgical interventions for resolving TN caused by neurovascular compression. This study aimed to determine the predictive and prognostic factors of surgical outcomes. ⋯ In our study, atypical TN and severe venous compression were associated with poor outcomes. Regrouping atypical TN into precise diagnosis represents an immediate priority according to our result. The preoperative BNI score could be used as an effective predictive tool for the outcome of MVD surgery.
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We used evidence-based medicine to suggest guidelines of nutritional support for Taiwanese patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). ⋯ By examining evidence-based research, we provide practicable nutritional guidelines for AKI patients.
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For patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related decompensated cirrhosis, poor prognosis was documented due to the development of portal hypertension-related complications and hepatocellular carcinoma. Sofosbuvir-based direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) has revolutionized the treatment landscape of HCV, particularly in this subpopulation. To date, real-world efficacy, tolerability, and safety profiles for Taiwanese HCV-related decompensated cirrhosis treated by DAAs have not been reported. ⋯ For patients with HCV-related decompensated cirrhosis, which has been considered a contraindication for interferon-based therapy, sofosbuvir-based all-oral DAAs provided high treatment efficacy, acceptable safety, and good tolerability.
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Observational Study
Clinicopathological characteristics and treatment outcomes of luminal B1 breast cancer in Taiwan.
Hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor II (HER2)-negative luminal B1 breast cancer is associated with a higher risk of disease relapse than luminal A breast cancer. Therefore, we assessed and compared the distant metastasis pattern and clinical outcomes associated with luminal B1 and luminal A breast cancer in an Asian population. ⋯ Luminal B1 breast cancer has aggressive tumor biology compared with luminal A breast cancer in the follow-up period. However, there was no significant difference in the disease relapse pattern between the groups.