Tzu Chi Medical Journal最新文献

{"title":"Benefits of bladder point-of-care ultrasound for acute ischemic stroke and application of AGN3 criteria.","authors":"Cheng-Lun Hsiao, Wan-Ling Chang, Pei-Ya Chen, Shinn-Kuang Lin","doi":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_294_24","DOIUrl":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_294_24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>We investigated the benefits of bladder point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) during acute ischemic stroke (AIS) by applying AGN3 criteria.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Three groups of inpatients with AIS were retrospectively enrolled. Group A (between January 2011 and March 2014) comprised 1104 patients who did not undergo bladder POCUS. Group B (between May 2014 and February 2017) comprised 824 patients for whom relaxed bladder POCUS criteria were applied. Group C (between July 2021 and October 2023) comprised 920 patients for whom AGN3 criteria were applied (i.e., age ≥75 years, female gender, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS] total score ≥5, NIHSS conscious score ≥1, and NIHSS leg score ≥2).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The proportions of patients who met the AGN3 criteria were 76%, 73%, and 72% in Groups A, B, and C, respectively. Only 33% of Group B and 50% of Group C patients who met the AGN3 criteria underwent bladder POCUS. The incidence of urinary tract infection (UTI) was highest in Group A (6.9%), followed by Groups B (4%) and C (2.1%). The optimal cutoff postvoid residual urine volume for predicting UTI was ≥100 mL. The hospital length of stay (LOS) was longer in Group A (13.6 days) than in Groups B and C (11.9 and 12.1 days, respectively). A C-statistic of 0.814 was estimated using the AGN3 criteria. AGN3 score ≥2 was the optimal cutoff value for predicting UTI.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Bladder POCUS is beneficial for reducing the incidence of UTI and shortening hospital LOS. Patients with AGN3 score ≥2 were at higher risk of UTI and required bladder POCUS studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":45873,"journal":{"name":"Tzu Chi Medical Journal","volume":"38 1","pages":"97-103"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12885448/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146158665","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Allogeneic human umbilical cord blood for acute ischemic stroke: Phase I clinical trial.","authors":"Raymond Y Lo, Yuncin Luo, Shu-Cin Chen, Jen-Hung Wang, Chen-Yu Ko, Ying-Jie Chen, Yu-Chin Su, Tong-Young Lee, Jonas C Wang, Shinn-Zong Lin","doi":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_249_24","DOIUrl":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_249_24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Transplantation of human umbilical cord blood cells (hUCB) may enhance neuroprotection, and thus, the intravenous (IV) infusion of hUCB in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is being tested for its safety and efficacy.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>We conducted a 12-month, open-label, and single-center, phase I trial of hUCB treatment in AIS patients at the age of 45-80 years, with magnetic resonance imaging evidence of acute infarction in the internal carotid artery supplied territory and the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score between 6 and 18. Eligible participants received a single-dose IV infusion of hUCB followed by the two doses of mannitol infusion within 9 days after the onset of stroke symptoms. The primary endpoint was the incidence of adverse events (AEs) and the secondary endpoints were the changes in NIHSS, Barthel index (BI), and Berg Balance Scale (BBS) scores.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Six patients (Male: Female = 3: 3) were enrolled with a mean age at 65.8 years. A total of 40 AEs occurred in six participants during this study, which included nine serious adverse events. Only transient erythema multiforme and hematuria were probably and possibly related to hUCB infusion, respectively. The mean NIHSS score was 11.5 at baseline and it significantly improved at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after treatment (mean change from baseline: -4.0, -5.3, -6.8, -7.0, and -7.3). The mean BI score was 22.5 at baseline and it significantly increased at 3 and 6 months after treatment (mean change from baseline: 26.7 and 42.5, respectively). The BBS score increased numerically but did not reach statistical significance. The changes in cytokine levels and spleen size were unremarkable.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The IV hUCB was safe and well tolerated in AIS patients, and the preliminary efficacy results demonstrated its therapeutic potential, supporting the conduct of a randomized, placebo controlled, phase II clinical trial in future.</p>","PeriodicalId":45873,"journal":{"name":"Tzu Chi Medical Journal","volume":"37 3","pages":"321-327"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12306862/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144754780","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Therapeutic peptides and their delivery using lipid-based nanoparticles.","authors":"Jui-Hung Yen, Chun-Chun Chang, Tien-Yuan Wu, Chin-Hao Yang, Hao-Jen Hsu, Je-Wen Liou","doi":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_321_24","DOIUrl":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_321_24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Therapeutic peptides have become an intensively anticipated research field for novel drug discovery and design owing to their high specificity, efficacy, and biocompatibility. The advances in computer technology and structural biology, together with the invention of chemical peptide synthesis methods, have led to tremendous progress in this research field. Over the years, more than 100 peptide-based therapeutics have been approved for clinical use, and many others are currently under clinical trials. However, the <i>in vivo</i> application of therapeutic peptides is hindered by intrinsic disadvantages of peptides, such as poor stability against enzymatic degradations, short <i>in vivo</i> half-life, and low oral bioavailability. Therefore, strategies for efficiently protecting the peptides inside the body and facilitating the delivery of peptides to their targets are required. Lipid-based nanoparticles are considered a versatile class of carriers for drug delivery. Their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and ability to interact with biological membranes make them ideal platforms for <i>in vivo</i> delivery of peptides. Here, by leveraging examples, we aim to provide a comprehensive review of the current status of therapeutic peptide developments and lipid-based nanoparticles as drug carriers. Recent attempts to utilize lipid-based nanoparticles as platforms for the oral delivery of therapeutic peptides are also discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":45873,"journal":{"name":"Tzu Chi Medical Journal","volume":"37 3","pages":"223-234"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12306875/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144754793","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Gut-derived uremic toxins and cardiovascular health in chronic kidney disease.","authors":"Ming-Chun Chen, Chiu-Huang Kuo, Yu-Li Lin, Bang-Gee Hsu","doi":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_293_24","DOIUrl":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_293_24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Uremic toxins (UTs) are bioactive compounds that accumulate in chronic kidney disease (CKD) due to impaired renal clearance, exacerbating disease progression and cardiovascular (CV) complications. These toxins originate from endogenous metabolism, gut microbiota, and dietary intake and include protein-bound UTs such as p-cresyl sulfate, indoxyl sulfate, and indole acetic acid, as well as small, water-soluble toxins such as trimethylamine-N-oxide and phenylacetylglutamine. Their accumulation promotes oxidative stress, inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction, contributing to vascular damage and associated with CV risk. Current management strategies focus on dietary interventions, prebiotics, probiotics, oral sorbents, emerging pharmacological approaches, and advanced dialysis techniques, but clinical outcomes remain inconsistent. Recent trials have demonstrated the potential of agents such as sevelamer, high-amylose-resistant starch, and AST-120 to reduce UT levels and improve certain vascular markers. However, more robust, long-term studies are necessary to fully establish the therapeutic efficacy and optimize treatment strategies to mitigate the impact of gut-derived UTs on CKD and CV health.</p>","PeriodicalId":45873,"journal":{"name":"Tzu Chi Medical Journal","volume":"37 3","pages":"264-274"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12306874/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144754784","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A comprehensive review of surgical techniques for chronic Achilles tendon rupture.","authors":"Kuang-Ting Yeh, Wen-Tien Wu, Chia-Ming Chang, Tzai-Chiu Yu, Ing-Ho Chen, Chen-Chie Wang","doi":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_250_24","DOIUrl":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_250_24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Chronic Achilles tendon rupture (CATR) represents a significant clinical challenge, often necessitating surgical intervention to restore function, alleviate pain, and prevent long-term complications. The complex nature of CATR, characterized by tendon retraction, scar formation, and poor tissue quality, requires a tailored, evidence-based approach. This review comprehensively examines current surgical strategies for managing CATR, focusing on their indications, advantages, outcomes, and associated complications. A detailed literature search of 20 studies published between 2010 and 2023 identified key surgical techniques, including end-to-end repair, tendon transfers, autografts, synthetic grafts, and allografts. Surgical recommendations were stratified by defect size and patient factors. Small defects (<2 cm) are effectively managed with end-to-end repair or tendon transfers, offering rapid recovery and restoration of tendon continuity. Medium defects (2-5 cm) benefit from techniques such as V-Y plasty or semitendinosus autografts, providing additional length and biomechanical stability. Larger defects (>5 cm) often necessitate advanced procedures, including free tendon grafts, synthetic materials, or allografts, particularly for older patients or those with poor tissue quality. Minimally invasive techniques, such as endoscopic flexor hallucis longus transfer, have shown promise in reducing recovery times and complications. A structured decision-making framework is proposed to guide surgical choices, ensuring patient-specific, optimal outcomes. Emerging techniques further expand the possibilities for managing this challenging condition, emphasizing the need for innovation and individualized care in CATR treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":45873,"journal":{"name":"Tzu Chi Medical Journal","volume":"37 3","pages":"247-254"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12306872/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144754779","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nucleolar immunohistochemical expression of H3K27me3 in a pediatric cerebellar lesion: A true or false positive?","authors":"Gabriele Gaggero, Chiara Trambaiolo Antonelli, Gianluca Piatelli, Claudia Milanaccio","doi":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_289_24","DOIUrl":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_289_24","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":45873,"journal":{"name":"Tzu Chi Medical Journal","volume":"38 1","pages":"123-124"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12885447/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146158690","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reciprocal regulation between B lymphoma Mo-MLV insertion region 1 homolog and type I insulin-like growth factor receptor in pemetrexed-resistant lung cancer cells.","authors":"Huan-Ting Shen, Peng-Ju Chien, Gwo-Tarng Sheu, Bing-Yen Wang, Wen-Wei Chang","doi":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_288_24","DOIUrl":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_288_24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The objective of this study was to investigate the role of type I insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-1R) in pemetrexed-resistant lung cancer cells and its interaction with B lymphoma Mo-MLV insertion region 1 homolog (BMI1), previously identified as a key resistance gene.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The study started with the analysis of the activation of IGF-1R in pemetrexed-resistant A549 (A400) lung cancer cells by Western blot analysis of its form of phosphorylation. Cancer stem cell (CSC) activity was assessed by tumor sphere culture. IGF-1R inhibition was performed by picropodophyllin (PPP), an IGF-1R inhibitor, or by shRNA-mediated RNA silencing. A Nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency (NOD/SCID) mouse xenograft model was used to access <i>in vivo</i> pemetrexed sensitivity. To further understand the relationship between IGF-1R and BMI1, both BMI1 knockdown and overexpression experiments were performed to assess IGF-1R phosphorylation by western blot.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Increased IGF-1R phosphorylation was found in A400 cells, and subsequent IGF-1R inhibition resulted in a reduction in CSC activity in these resistant cells. In the <i>in vivo</i> studies, PPP treatment effectively suppressed tumor growth and reduced BMI1 expression in A400 tumor tissue. Further investigation showed that BMI1 knockdown in A400 cells resulted in decreased IGF-1R phosphorylation, whereas BMI1 overexpression in A549 cells resulted in increased IGF-1R phosphorylation, indicating an interaction between these two proteins.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>A novel reciprocal regulatory relationship between IGF-1R and BMI1 has been identified in lung cancer cells, suggesting potential therapeutic strategies to combat pemetrexed resistance in lung cancer patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":45873,"journal":{"name":"Tzu Chi Medical Journal","volume":"37 3","pages":"285-292"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12310109/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144754789","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pathophysiology and potential treatment modalities in women with recurrent urinary tract infection.","authors":"Wei-Ju Liao, Yuan-Hong Jiang, Jia-Fong Jhang, Sheng-Fu Chen, Yu Khun Lee, Cheng-Ling Lee, Tien-Lin Chang, Hann-Chorng Kuo","doi":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_286_24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_286_24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Urinary tract infection (UTI) of the urinary bladder is a common bacterial infection that predominantly affects women, with many experiencing recurrent episodes. Recurrent UTIs (rUTIs) are associated with significant physical, psychological, and social difficulties. Further, they are closely related to lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD). LUTD affects bladder function and structure, thereby contributing to urinary urgency, frequency, and incontinence, which, in turn, increases the risk of recurrent infections due to impaired urothelial defense mechanisms. The current study explored the pathophysiology of LUTD in women with rUTIs. Potential treatments for rUTIs include long-term prophylactic antibiotics, probiotics, D-mannose, vaccines, small molecule inhibitors, and stem cell therapy. Moreover, it evaluated the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy as a treatment modality for LUTD. PRP has regenerative and anti-inflammatory properties. Hence, it can be a promising option for enhancing urothelial barrier integrity and reducing infection recurrence. Repeated intravesical PRP injections are effective in improving bladder symptoms and decreasing UTI recurrences by enhancing the proliferative ability of the urothelium in patients with rUTIs. Further, this review examined the potential predictors of successful PRP treatment outcomes such as cytokine and urothelial biomarker levels, which provided insights into patient selection and individualized treatment strategies. Identifying the predictive biomarkers of treatment responsiveness is essential for optimizing PRP therapy. Hence, to improve the clinical outcomes and quality of life of patients with rUTIs, future research should focus on refining the use of PRP, exploring combination therapies, and validating biomarkers.</p>","PeriodicalId":45873,"journal":{"name":"Tzu Chi Medical Journal","volume":"37 2","pages":"117-124"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12048121/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144040882","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rare APOE p.Gly4Glu: A putative disease-causing variant for early-onset Alzheimer's disease identified by next-generation sequencing.","authors":"Chu-Ting Wu, Liang-Hsuan Hu, Hui-Ying Weng, Yen-Ming Liu, Yung-Feng Lin, Shih-Feng Tsai, Raymond Y Lo, Yung-Hao Ching","doi":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_117_24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_117_24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>We aimed to identify the early-onset Alzheimer's disease (EOAD)-causing variants in the Eastern Taiwanese population.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Twenty-one patients diagnosed with EOAD in the memory clinic at Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital were enrolled during 2014-2018. We conducted whole-exome sequencing to identify the disease-causing variations and validated by Sanger sequencing. SIFT, PolyPhen-2, and AlphaFold were applied to predict the functional impact of the identified variants.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Two unrelated normolipidemic EOAD patients were carrying a rare heterozygous <i>APOE</i> variant (<i>rs373985746</i>, NC_000019.10:g. 44905879<i>G>A</i>, NM_001302688.2:c. 11<i>G</i>><i>A</i>, and NP_001289617.1:p.Gly4Glu) with the allele frequency as 0.000206. Sanger sequencing uncovered the ∑ haplotypes in which the c.11G>A variation resided. SIFT predicted that the variant severely impacts protein structure and, maybe thus, function. AlphaFold predicted a dysfunctional conformation of the mutant APOE precursor a protein (p.Gly4Glu).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our data strongly suggest that the rare p.Gly4Glu variant is associated with EOAD but does not cause dyslipidemia.</p>","PeriodicalId":45873,"journal":{"name":"Tzu Chi Medical Journal","volume":"37 2","pages":"175-180"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12048122/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144020646","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase variants strongly associated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and diabetes mellitus risk in a Taiwanese population: A Mendelian randomization study.","authors":"Lung-An Hsu, Ming-Sheng Teng, De-Min Duan, Kuan-Hung Yeh, Semon Wu, Yu-Lin Ko","doi":"10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_247_24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_247_24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR) is a rate-limiting enzyme involved in cholesterol synthesis. The common <i>HMGCR</i> variants are associated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. We aimed to identify novel <i>HMGCR</i> variants influencing the lipid profiles of Taiwanese and assess the causal links between LDL-C levels and diabetic risk based on HMGCR genotypes.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Genome-wide genotyping of 108,880 participants from Taiwan Biobank was used for the association studies and Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Regional association and stepwise linear regression analyses showed <i>HMGCR</i> rs3064191, rs150454634, and rs13354746 variants were independently associated with total cholesterol (TC), LDL-C, and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) levels with the former two variants in strong linkage disequilibrium with <i>HMGCR</i> rs3846662, a variant influencing exonal alternative splicing, and <i>HMGCR</i> rs191835914 (p.Y311S), an Asian-specific nonsynonymous mutation, respectively. Multivariate MR analyses showed significant associations between weighted genetic risk scores using LDL-C-determining <i>HMGCR</i> variants and using genome-wide association study identifying LDL-C-determining 47 variants and the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) (<i>P</i> = 0.0011 and <i>P</i> = 1.66 × 10^-8, respectively).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The <i>HMGCR</i> variants exhibited significant associations with TC, LDL-C, and non-HDL-C levels as well as causally with DM risk in our Taiwanese population. <i>HMGCR</i> genotypes may play an important role and serve as a reference for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases in the clinical settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":45873,"journal":{"name":"Tzu Chi Medical Journal","volume":"37 2","pages":"181-188"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12048127/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144024281","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}