J Formos Med Assoc
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Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a novel disease associated with COVID-19. The COVID-19 epidemic peaked in May 2022 in Taiwan, and we encountered our first case of MIS-C in late May 2022. We aimed to present patients' clinical manifestations and identify risk factors for shock. ⋯ MIS-C patients with high initial procalcitonin levels have higher risks of experiencing shock and may need ICU admission.
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Increased uses rather an extensive misuse of antibiotics due to easy availability and easy access have resulted in antibiotic resistance as a global crisis. The speed of discovery of new antibiotics has slowed down recently. Therefore, there is a need to reduce the rate of increase in resistance against the presently available antibiotics, or else many infections may be left untreatable or difficult to be treated due to the high prevalence of resistance. ⋯ Hence, recent molecular methods like qPCR can be used for detection. In this review, we present an overview of various methods useful for the detection of antibiotic resistance, with emphasis on their advantages and limitations. The review also emphasizes qPCR to be the most preferred method out of all because of various advantageous factors.
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To analyze the associations between development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and regular use of aspirin or non-aspirin non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NA-NSAIDs). ⋯ Regular use of aspirin or NA-NSAIDs had protective effects on AMD and neovascular AMD. The effect of aspirin was observed in all patients, while the effect of NA-NSAIDs was observed only in people without arthritis.
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The approved standard dose of pembrolizumab (200 mg administrated every 3 weeks) for cancer treatment imposes a significant financial burden on patients. However, no study has analyzed the clinical outcomes of low-dose pembrolizumab among individuals diagnosed with gynecologic cancer. The primary objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of a low-dose pembrolizumab regimen in real-world clinical practice. ⋯ Low-dose pembrolizumab may be a cost-effective and safe treatment option without compromising clinical outcomes in patients with refractory gynecologic cancers.
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To investigate whether two brands of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) from the same manufacturer lead to varied effects when administered to patients with Kawasaki disease. ⋯ Compared with brand T, brand P prolonged the fever and hospitalization durations after IVIG treatment and increased the proportion of IVIG treatment unresponsiveness, but it did not infer the coronary arteries sequelae.