J Formos Med Assoc
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Case Reports
Molecular diagnosis and therapy for Plasmodium ovale infection of a returned traveler from East Africa.
Malaria is an infectious disease caused by Plasmodium parasites that are mainly transmitted through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. The average annual number of malaria cases was less than ten in Taiwan in the last five years. Most of the cases were caused by Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum, and were primarily diagnosed in travelers who returned from Southeast Asia and Africa. Here, we report the first case of Plasmodium ovale infection within five years that was confirmed by peripheral blood smear examination and molecular identification in a 25-year-old Asian female patient who returned from Uganda.
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Observational Study
Clinical outcomes and prognostic factors for prolonged mechanical ventilation in patients with acute stroke and brain trauma.
Neurological dysfunction is a common condition necessitating prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV). We investigated the clinical features and outcomes of patients with acute neurological diseases requiring PMV. ⋯ Reduced RCC GCS score is an independent prognostic factor for weaning failure, and is associated with increased in-hospital mortality rates in patients with acute stroke and brain trauma requiring PMV.
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Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common skin disease. At present, there is little evidence regarding its impact on patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Taiwan. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between AD severity and patients' HRQoL in Taiwan. ⋯ Higher AD severity is associated with poorer HRQoL in Taiwanese AD patients, with AD's effects on symptoms, feelings, and work/school being the most troublesome. Meanwhile, demographic factors did not affect HRQoL significantly.
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Target temperature management (TTM) is a recommended therapy for patients after cardiac arrest (PCA). The TaIwan Network of Targeted Temperature ManagEment for CARDiac Arrest (TIMECARD) registry was established for PCA who receive TTM therapy in Taiwan. We aim to determine the variables that may affect neurologic outcomes in PCA who undergo TTM. ⋯ In the TIMECARD registry, some PCA baseline characteristics, cardiac arrest events, cardiopulmonary resuscitation characteristics, and post-arrest management characteristics were significantly associated with neurologic outcomes.
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The present study was designed to evaluate the local cardiology infrastructure and services for heart failure (HF) care in Taiwan hospitals and to compare the HF care with the hospitals in European countries. ⋯ Our analysis clearly demonstrated discrepancies in cardiology subspecialties and CRT/ICD accessibilities between European countries and Taiwan. Variations in HF-focused services and facilities plus HF-directed medications have demonstrated significant differences among Taiwanese hospitals with or without HF care team.