Gang Liu, Jinfeng Zhu, Pengbo Zhang, Tingting Zhang, Zheng Cui, Fanglei Jiao, Wenjun Le, Xiaofeng Li, Bingdi Chen
{"title":"Exploring the diagnostic and prognostic significance of circulating tumor cells in stage II-IV colorectal cancer using a nano-based detection method.","authors":"Gang Liu, Jinfeng Zhu, Pengbo Zhang, Tingting Zhang, Zheng Cui, Fanglei Jiao, Wenjun Le, Xiaofeng Li, Bingdi Chen","doi":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001143","DOIUrl":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001143","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality globally, underscoring the urgency for a noninvasive and effective biomarker to enhance patient prognosis. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs), a potential marker for real-time tumor monitoring, are limited in clinical utility due to the low sensitivity of existing detection methods. Previously, we introduced a novel nano-based CTCs detection method that relies on the electrical properties of cell surfaces, thus eliminating the need for specific molecular biomarkers. In this study, we used this technique to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of CTCs in stage II-IV CRC.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 194 participants were included, consisting of 136 CRC patients and 58 healthy individuals. The peripheral blood of the participants was collected, and CTC enumeration was performed utilizing the nano-based detection method that we newly developed. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and multivariate Cox proportional-hazards analysis were used to assess the effectiveness of CTCs for diagnosing CRC and predicting patient prognosis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The nano-based method demonstrated an ability to differentiate CRC patients from healthy individuals with a sensitivity of 84.6% and a specificity of 94.8%. Furthermore, baseline CTC levels were predictive of progression-free survival (PFS) in CRC patients, with lower levels associated with longer PFS compared to higher levels (4.5 vs 8.0 months at 15 CTCs/mL, p = 0.016; 4.4 vs 8.0 months at 20 CTCs/mL, p = 0.028). We also explored the dynamic changes in the number of CTCs after 1 to 5 cycles of chemotherapy. Patients with increasing CTC levels typically experienced disease progression (PD), while those with decreasing levels often achieved a partial response (PR) or maintained stable disease (SD). These findings suggest that the dynamic fluctuations in CTC counts are closely tied to the clinical course of the disease.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our study indicates the potential of nano-based CTCs detection in diagnosing and predicting outcomes for patients with stage II-IV CRC.</p>","PeriodicalId":94115,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA","volume":" ","pages":"945-952"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142010166","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Antihyperlipidemic drugs mitigate the elevated incidence of peptic ulcer disease caused by hyperlipidemia: A cohort study.","authors":"Pei-Hsien Chen, Chiu-Lin Tsai, Yow-Wen Hsieh, Der-Yang Cho, Fuu-Jen Tsai, Cheng-Li Lin, Hsien-Yin Liao","doi":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001145","DOIUrl":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001145","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Several risk factors for peptic ulcer disease (PUD) have been identified; however, the recurrence rate of PUD remains high even with standard ulcer treatments. High cholesterol levels have been proposed as a risk factor for PUD, but clinical evidence remains limited. Therefore, this database study investigated whether hyperlipidemia increases PUD risk and whether antihyperlipidemic drugs reduce this risk.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A long-term cohort design was adopted, and Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database was used to enroll patients diagnosed with hyperlipidemia between 2000 and 2016. Patients without hyperlipidemia were randomly matched based on variables such as age and gender to establish a comparison cohort at a 1:1 ratio. Another cohort study was conducted to determine whether antihyperlipidemic drugs or red yeast rice prescriptions can reduce the incidence of PUD in patients with hyperlipidemia.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The overall incidence of PUD was 1.48 times higher in the hyperlipidemia cohort (203,235 patients) than in the nonhyperlipidemia cohort (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.46-1.50; p < 0.001). Among the patients with hyperlipidemia, those who used antihyperlipidemic drugs with or without red yeast rice prescriptions exhibited a lower risk of developing PUD relative to those who did not use them; the adjusted hazard ratios were 0.33 (95% CI, 0.21-0.52) and 0.81 (95% CI, 0.78-0.84), respectively. When the cumulative exposure to antihyperlipidemic drugs and red yeast rice prescriptions increased, the risk of developing PUD showed a decreasing trend, which was statistically significant for antihyperlipidemic drugs but not for red yeast rice.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Hyperlipidemia is associated with a higher risk of PUD, which can be reduced through the administration of antihyperlipidemic drugs with or without red yeast rice prescriptions.</p>","PeriodicalId":94115,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA","volume":" ","pages":"961-968"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141908740","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yu-Kai Huang, Yu-Hua Fan, Alex Tong-Long Lin, William J Huang, Chih-Chieh Lin
{"title":"Enhancing the autologous fascial sling procedure: A novel fixation method for treating stress urinary incontinence in female patients.","authors":"Yu-Kai Huang, Yu-Hua Fan, Alex Tong-Long Lin, William J Huang, Chih-Chieh Lin","doi":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001141","DOIUrl":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001141","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Synthetic mid-urethral sling surgery has long been the standard surgical treatment for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) worldwide. Using an autologous fascial sling is an alternative to reduce adverse events. We evaluated the treatment outcomes of a novel fixation method applied to the autologous transobturator fascial (TOF) sling procedure for female patients with SUI.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective study was conducted between 2017 and 2020, including 33 patients with SUI who underwent mid-urethral TOF sling surgery with the novel fixation method. We used a self-locking feature (V-LOC™) that was fixed to each side of skin layer above the obturator foramen, and the tension of the fascia sling was adjusted by manipulating the V-LOC™ suture. We analyzed all data collected through questionnaires, including Urinary Distress Inventory-Short Form (UDI-6), Incontinence Impact Questionnaire-Short Form (IIQ-7), Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS), and Clinical Global Impressions of Improvement (CGI-I). Adverse events were also recorded.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>This study included 33 female patients aged 39 to 79 (mean 59.76 years). Following the procedure, there was a significant reduction in the total scores of UDI-6, IIQ-7, and OABSS (preoperative 9.73 ± 4.35, 10.21 ± 5.79, 6.06 ± 4.03 and postoperative 3.52 ± 3.41, 0.85 ± 3.67, 3.06 ± 2.90, respectively) ( p < 0.001). Further analysis of each sub-score of the questionnaires revealed significant improvement in certain symptoms. The mean total score of CGI-I was 2.00 ± 0.80. The maximum flow rate was documented for 18 patients, and no significant reduction was observed after the procedure ( p = 0.804). Complications reported included voiding dysfunction in two patients (6.1%), inguinal pain in one patient (3.0%), and mild delayed wound healing in one patient (3.0%).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This modified TOF sling surgery with a novel fixation method by V-LOC™ suture offers feasibility and adjustability as its main advantages. Our study demonstrated significant improvements in patient outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":94115,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA","volume":" ","pages":"940-944"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141895115","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The trend and ripple effects of retractions in primary health care: A bibliometric analysis.","authors":"Kuan-Chen Lin, Yu-Chun Chen, Ming-Hwai Lin, Tzeng-Ji Chen","doi":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001149","DOIUrl":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001149","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In primary health care, the dissemination of retracted publications through literature reviews, guidelines, and recommendations can have a significant and lasting impact. Despite this potential threat, the retraction consequences and patterns in this domain have not been extensively explored. Therefore, this study investigates the characteristics and ripple effects of retracted papers in primary health care literature.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Retracted publications indexed in PubMed from 1984 to 2022 in primary health care journals underwent bibliometric analysis. The dataset included detailed publication information, from which we derived annual retraction rates and examined trends by journal, authorship, and geographic origin. We further evaluated the extent of influence exerted by retracted papers through postretraction citation analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In 44 primary health care journals, 13 articles were retracted over the study period, representing a retraction rate of 0.01%-notably lower than the aggregate rate for all PubMed journals. Despite this, we observed a recent surge in retraction frequency, especially in the last decade. The median interval to retraction was 15 months, with scientific misconduct, specifically fabrication, and plagiarism, as the predominant reasons. After retraction, the articles continued to exert considerable influence, averaging 25 citations per article with a 78.1% postretraction citation prevalence.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Retractions resulting from scientific misconduct in primary health care are increasing, with a substantial portion of such work continuing to be cited. This trend underscores the urgent need to improve research ethics and develop mechanisms that help primary care physicians discern reliable information, thereby reducing the reliance on compromised literature.</p>","PeriodicalId":94115,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA","volume":"87 10","pages":"927-932"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142515467","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Winners of the 2023 honor awards for excellence at the annual meeting of the Chinese Medical Association-Taipei: Part V.","authors":"Chia-Hao Liu, Peng-Hui Wang","doi":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001139","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001139","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":94115,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA","volume":"87 10","pages":"899-900"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142901489","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Acute and preventive medical treatment of cluster headache in Taiwan: A narrative review.","authors":"Fu-Chi Yang, Chia-Lin Tsai, Guan-Yu Lin, Chun-Pai Yang, Wei-Ta Chen","doi":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001148","DOIUrl":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001148","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cluster headache (CH) is a debilitating neurological disorder characterized by severe, unilateral pain, and ipsilateral autonomic symptoms. Chronic CH is exceedingly rare in Taiwan, constituting approximately 1% of all CH cases. This narrative review provides an up-to-date overview of the acute and preventive treatment strategies for CH in Taiwan, focusing on currently available pharmacological options in the country. The treatment approach for CH in Taiwan involves a stepwise strategy. High-flow oxygen and triptan nasal sprays are the mainstays of acute treatment, providing rapid relief, and good tolerability. Transitional treatments, such as oral steroids and suboccipital steroid injections, serve as a crucial bridge between acute and long-term preventive therapies, offering temporary relief while minimizing side effects through a carefully limited duration. For preventive treatment, verapamil is the first-line option, with lithium and topiramate being the second-line alternatives. Among the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) monoclonal antibodies, galcanezumab has demonstrated efficacy in the prevention of episodic CH. Preventive treatments are personalized to individual patients, starting with low doses and close monitoring for adverse effects. Neuromodulatory therapies, such as noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation, show promise for chronic and refractory CH but have limited availability in Taiwan. In conclusion, despite the availability of various acute and preventive treatment options, unmet needs in the management of CH in Taiwan remain. In particular, increased awareness and education among healthcare professionals to improve the diagnosis and management of CH in Taiwan should be implemented.</p>","PeriodicalId":94115,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA","volume":" ","pages":"912-919"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141918424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mu-Hong Chen, Tung-Ping Su, Ju-Wei Hsu, Shih-Jen Tsai
{"title":"Autism, youth suicide, and psychedelics: A review of the 21st century evidence.","authors":"Mu-Hong Chen, Tung-Ping Su, Ju-Wei Hsu, Shih-Jen Tsai","doi":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001150","DOIUrl":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001150","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The concurrent rise in the prevalence of autism and youth suicide has drawn public health and professional attention. The renaissance of psychedelics in psychiatry occurred in the early 21st century and may suggest a hope for the therapeutic effect of psychedelics in autism and suicide. The psychedelics' molecular entities are the compounds that modulate the serotoninergic and glutamatergic systems, which play a crucial role in the pathomechanisms underlying autism and suicide. This systematic review comprehensively discussed the prevalence trends of autism and youth suicide globally and in Taiwan and discussed an association between autism and suicidality based on the 21st century clinical and preclinical literature. Furthermore, this review proposed a possible neurobiological connection between autism, suicide, and psychedelics. Finally, this review discussed the potential therapeutic applications of psychedelics in autism and youth suicide.</p>","PeriodicalId":94115,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA","volume":"87 10","pages":"904-911"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142515466","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"TBK1 p.Y153Qfs*9 variant may be associated with young-onset, rapidly progressive amyotrophic lateral sclerosis through a haploinsufficiency mechanism.","authors":"Shih-Yu Fang, Pei-Chien Tsai, Kang-Yang Jih, Fang-Chi Hsu, Yi-Chu Liao, Chih-Chao Yang, Yi-Chung Lee","doi":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001147","DOIUrl":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001147","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>TBK1 variants have been implicated in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia spectrum disorder. The current study elucidated the clinical and molecular genetic features of a novel TBK1 variant identified in a patient with young-onset, rapidly progressive ALS.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The coding regions of TBK1 , SOD1 , TARDBP , and FUS were genetically analyzed using Sanger sequencing. Repeat-primed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to survey the GGGGCC repeat in C9ORF72 . The study participant underwent a comprehensive clinical evaluation. The functional effects of the TBK1 variant were analyzed through in vitro transfection studies.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We identified a novel frameshift truncating TBK1 variant, c.456_457delGT (p.Y153Qfs*9), in a man with ALS. The disease initially manifested as right hand weakness at the age of 39 years but progressed rapidly, with the revised ALS Functional Rating Scale score declining at an average monthly rate of 1.92 points in the first year after diagnosis. The patient had no cognitive dysfunction. However, Technetium-99m single photon emission tomography indicated hypoperfusion in his bilateral superior and middle frontal cortices. In vitro studies revealed that the p.Y153Qfs*9 variant resulted in a truncated TBK1 protein product, reduced TBK1 protein expression, loss of kinase function, reduced interaction with optineurin, and impaired dimerization.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The heterozygous TBK1 p.Y153Qfs*9 variant may be associated with young-onset, rapidly progressive ALS through a haploinsufficiency mechanism.</p>","PeriodicalId":94115,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA","volume":" ","pages":"920-926"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141908742","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The pivotal role of head and neck surgeons in advancing thyroid ablation practices.","authors":"Tzu-Yen Huang, Tsung-Lin Yang","doi":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001173","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001173","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Thyroid ablation techniques are becoming increasingly popular across various specialties, leading to significant advancements in the treatment of thyroid and head and neck diseases. Head and neck surgeons (HNS) play a pivotal role in advancing thyroid ablation practices due to several key advantages: their detailed understanding of the thyroid and head and neck anatomy, extensive experience with ultrasound and ultrasound-guided interventions, ability to manage post-ablation conditions, capability to perform surgeries if necessary, and expertise in voice assessment, rehabilitation, and management. In this narrative review, we combine a comprehensive literature review with our own decade-long experience in promoting thyroid ablation to demonstrate that HNS are essential in advancing these techniques, ensuring safety, and improving patient quality of life.</p>","PeriodicalId":94115,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142305027","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Winners of the 2023 honor awards for excellence at the annual meeting of the Chinese Medical Association-Taipei: Part III.","authors":"Peng-Hui Wang, Szu-Ting Yang","doi":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001126","DOIUrl":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001126","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":94115,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA","volume":" ","pages":"815-816"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141447918","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}