Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA
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To identify the risk factors of strabismus surgery among Taiwanese children with severe cerebral palsy (CP) and strabismus. ⋯ In CP children with strabismus who have risk factors of younger CP diagnosis age (age < 4 y), residency in a suburban/rural area, a low birthweight, and the presence of strabismic amblyopia, strabismus surgery should be considered.
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Animal models of trauma have shown that females have better posttraumatic survival; however, results of previous studies on the influence of gender on major trauma patients have been controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the association between gender and survival in major trauma patients. ⋯ There is no gender difference in 30-day or hospital mortality among major trauma patients. However, women admitted for moderate major trauma had higher survival within three days of major trauma.
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Lung ultrasound (LUS) is widely used in intensive care units because it provides timely information noninvasively. The use of LUS is recommended to minimize transfers in critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the pandemic. The clinical efficacies of bedside chest X-ray (CXR) and LUS have not been compared in these patients. ⋯ The LUS findings were more sensitive than those of the CXR in detecting re-expansion of the lungs by showing B-lines instead of consolidations in the BLL fields immediately after recruitment maneuver (RM). Compared with physiological parameters, LUS findings provided more precise information about the parts of the lungs that had been recruited by RM. Therefore, we encourage intensivists to extend their use of LUS in critically ill patients with COVID-19 and ARDS to acquire real-time information for a quick response and minimize the risk of viral transmission.
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The demographic characteristics and transmission dynamics of the community-acquired coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in Taiwan were analyzed for more effective control and prevention of the community transmission of this novel disease. ⋯ The high proportion of asymptomatic cases and the transmissibility in the presymptomatic and asymptomatic periods make control of COVID-19 challenging. Protective measures such as social distancing, wearing face masks, and hand washing are mandatory to prevent community transmission.
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The clinical effect of atrial fibrillation (AF)-related ischemic cardiovascular events in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) remains uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the risk of ischemic events in patients undergoing PD with new-onset AF compared with that in patients without AF and ascertain the association between the CHA2DS2-VASc score and risk of ischemic stroke. ⋯ The risks of ischemic stroke, all-cause death, and in-hospital cardiovascular death were significantly higher in patients undergoing PD with AF than those in patients without AF. The CHA2DS2-VASc score remained associated with the risk of ischemic stroke in patients undergoing PD with AF.