Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA最新文献

{"title":"Three decades of pediatric intoxication trends in Taiwan: A retrospective cohort analysis (1985-2020).","authors":"Chih-Wei Lin, Wei-Yu Chen, Yu-Jia Lin, Pei-Chen Tsao, Yu-Sheng Lee, Chien-Chang Juan, Chen-Chang Yang, Mei-Jy Jeng","doi":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001217","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001217","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Pediatric drug intoxication is a significant public health issue worldwide. The present study aimed to delineate the epidemiology, exposure-related conditions, and outcome severity of pediatric drug intoxication cases in Taiwan for over a 36-year period.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This retrospective cohort study analyzed pediatric drug intoxication cases registered in Taiwan's National Poison Control Center (PCC) database between 1985 and 2020. Data on patient demographics, toxic substances, exposure-related conditions, and outcome severity were extracted and analyzed. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the findings.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Altogether, 19,893 pediatric drug intoxication cases were reported. The majority of cases involved boys (54.7%) and the highest percentage of cases occurred in children aged0-2 years (56.4%), but there is a second, relatively lower peak in adolescents, where female cases outnumbered the male cases. Pharmaceuticals were the predominant toxic substances (70.3%), with most drug intoxication cases being acute (97.2%) and occurring at home (88.8%). Witnesses were present in 62.8% of the cases. The outcomes were mostly asymptomatic (51.0%) or involved mild discomfort (34.1%), with severe complications and mortality occurring in 0.76% and in 0.37% of the cases, respectively. Unintentional poisoning accounted for 85.4% of the cases, whereas intentional poisoning was noted in 12.1% of the cases, with the highest rate seen in adolescents aged 15-17 years. Intentional cases mainly involved suicide attempts (68.4%) and predominantly occurred in girls (70.7%).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This analysis of data obtained from Taiwan's National PCC database for over 36 years reveals bimodal trends in pediatric drug intoxication, showing high rates in young children due to unintentional exposures and peaks in intentional poisoning among adolescent girls. Pharmaceuticals were the predominant toxic agents. Future efforts should focus on age- and sex-targeted preventions, public education on medication safety, and age-specific interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":94115,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143401099","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":"Epidemiology and practice patterns of achalasia in Taiwan: A nationwide population-based cohort study.","authors":"Kai-Liang Lin, Wei-Yu Lin, Yen-Po Wang, Jiing-Chyuan Luo, Ming-Chih Hou, Hui-Chu Lang, Ching-Liang Lu","doi":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001214","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001214","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Achalasia is a rare disease of gastrointestinal motility characterized by impaired esophageal peristalsis and reduced esophageal sphincter relaxation. However, data on its epidemiology and outcomes in Taiwan are limited. This study aimed to assess the incidence, characteristics, and clinical management of achalasia in Taiwan.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Patients who were newly diagnosed with achalasia between 2001 and 2013 were recruited from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. The study obtained data on the age, sex, urbanization, socioeconomic status, area of residence, diagnostic methods, and interventional management of the patients. Incidence, diagnostic modalities, treatment methods, malignancy, and mortality outcomes were analyzed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In total, 206 new achalasia cases were identified. The mean annual incidence in Taiwan was 1.64 (95% confidence interval 1.22-2.05) per 100,000 persons. The mean age of the patients at diagnosis was 51.8 years. The age-specific incidence of achalasia peaked in patients aged between 70-80 years and above 80 years. For achalasia diagnosis, endoscopy, computed tomography (CT), barium studies, and manometry were performed in 123 (59.71%), 97 (47.09%), 49 (23.79%), and 11 patients (5.34 %), respectively. During long-term follow-up, seven patients (3.39%) developed esophageal cancer, and 39 patients (18.93%) died. The median survival was 10.65 years after achalasia diagnosis, with a 10-year survival rate of 76.22%.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This is the first population-based epidemiological study on achalasia in Taiwan, revealing the incidence of achalasia before the era of high-resolution manometry. Clinicians should be vigilant about the development of esophageal cancer and mortality during long-term follow-ups. There is also room to enhance the utilization of various diagnostic tools for achalasia.</p>","PeriodicalId":94115,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143367162","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":"SIH-EBP score for prediction of efficacy of epidural blood patching in patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension.","authors":"Hung-Chieh Chen, Tsung-Wei Hou, Po-Lin Chen, Chih-Cheng Wu, Shuu-Jiun Wang, Yen-Feng Wang","doi":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001197","DOIUrl":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001197","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Epidural blood patching (EBP) is the primary treatment for spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH), although multiple attempts may sometimes be necessary. The SIH-EBP score, with a cutoff of ≥3, predicts the response to the first EBP. However, its generalizability requires further confirmation. This study aims to validate the clinical utility of the SIH-EBP score and determine the optimal cutoff for predicting the response to the first EBP in an independent cohort of patients with SIH.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This retrospective study included patients with SIH who received at least one EBP at a tertiary medical center. Clinical data were extracted from electronic medical records, and brain and spinal magnetic resonance images were reviewed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Ninety-six patients (58 female [F]/38 male [M], mean age: 42.67 ± 10.16 years) were screened, with 49 (32 F/17 M, mean age: 41.20 ± 9.13 years) analyzed, including 30 (22 F/8 M, mean age: 41.10 ± 10.14 years) (61.2%) responders. There was a positive correlation between SIH-EBP scores and responder rates ( p = 0.001). A cutoff score of ≥3 was associated with a higher response rate than a score of <3 (80.0% vs 41.7%, p = 0.006) (sensitivity = 73.7%, specificity = 66.7%, accuracy = 69.4%). The optimal cutoff in this cohort was ≥2 (Area under curve (AUC) = 0.77, p < 0.001) (sensitivity = 52.6%, specificity = 90.0%, accuracy = 75.5%).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In this cohort, the SIH-EBP score correlated with response rates to the first EBP. Although a score of ≥3 remains a valid predictor of treatment response, a cutoff of ≥2 proved to be more accurate and specific. However, its practical use is limited by a sensitivity of 52.6%. Further studies are needed to verify its role in other populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":94115,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA","volume":" ","pages":"138-144"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142815431","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":"Effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors on patients with hepatitis B virus infection.","authors":"Hsien-Chen Mon, Pei-Chang Lee, Chen-Ta Chi, Yi-Hsiang Huang","doi":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001202","DOIUrl":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001202","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is regarded as a major health concern worldwide. In patients with chronic HBV infection, exhausted virus-specific CD8+ T cells, resulting from the activation of the programmed cell death protein 1 and programmed death ligand 1 axis, play a key role in the chronicity of infection. Functional cure for HBV, defined as the seroclearance of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), is viewed as the optimal goal of chronic HBV infection treatment because HBsAg loss is associated with a low risk of hepatocellular carcinoma and a relatively favorable prognosis. Both interferon treatment and finite antiviral therapy are associated with positive HBV outcomes. Overall, combining immune checkpoint inhibitors with nucleos(t)ide analogs appears to be a promising approach for achieving HBsAg loss, particularly in patients with low HBsAg levels.</p>","PeriodicalId":94115,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA","volume":" ","pages":"93-97"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142901487","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":"Postoperative rhinosinusitis and microbiological outcomes following endoscopic endonasal approaches: A retrospective analysis of 300 patients.","authors":"Yu-Wen Huang, Wei-Hsin Wang, Ming-Ying Lan","doi":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001192","DOIUrl":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001192","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Endoscopic endonasal approaches (EEAs) are an efficient way to manage skull base lesions; however, studies regarding postoperative rhinosinusitis are limited. This study analyzed the incidence of postoperative rhinosinusitis, the associated risk factors, microbial species, and antibiotic usage in patients who underwent EEA.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Patients who underwent EEAs at a tertiary referral hospital between July 2015 and May 2019 were retrospectively evaluated. Postoperative rhinosinusitis was defined as the presence of a purulent nasal discharge on postoperative endoscopic examination. The mucopus was aspirated and subjected to bacterial culture analysis. The culture results of various groups were analyzed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>This study included 300 patients, and the incidence of post-EEA rhinosinusitis was 59.7%. History of endonasal surgery was an independent predictive factor for post-EEA rhinosinusitis (odds ratio [OR]: 2.54 [1.28-5.05], p = 0.007). Lesions in the anterior skull base were associated with prolonged use of antibiotics for rhinosinusitis during postoperative care (OR: 3.91 [1.32-11.52], p = 0.013). Staphylococcus aureus was the most common causative pathogen (52.3%), followed by methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) (20.7%), Pantoea dispersa (14.4%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (52.3%). P. aeruginosa was more significant in the complex reconstruction group than in the control group. While most patients with post-EEA rhinosinusitis experienced a transient clinical course, one female patient underwent endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) for prolonged rhinosinusitis.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Rhinosinusitis is common in the postoperative stage of the EEA. As it usually lasts for a short duration and is treatable with proper medication, aggressive nasal care during the postoperative period is required to prevent related nasal morbidities.</p>","PeriodicalId":94115,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA","volume":" ","pages":"162-169"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142635292","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":"Metabolic consequences and tubular function after augmentation cystoplasty in children with neurogenic bladder.","authors":"Jei-Wen Chang, Hui-Hsin Yang, Tzu-Ching Lin, Fang-Cheng Kuo, Yu-Hua Fan, Hsin-Hung Chen, Ling-Yu Yang, Chin-Su Liu, Hsin-Lin Tsai","doi":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001172","DOIUrl":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001172","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>While many studies have reported the renal outcomes and metabolic consequences of augmentation cystoplasty (AC), few have focused on changes in renal tubular function. This study investigated the prevalence of metabolic disturbances, renal tubular function, and 24-hour urine chemistry, aiming to evaluate the association between metabolic alterations and urolithiasis after AC.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We investigated serum biochemistry, blood gas, and 24-hour urinary metabolic profile of children who underwent AC between January 2000 and December 2020. The assessed outcomes included metabolic complications, tubular function, and magnesium status. Associations between 24-hour urinary metabolic parameters and urolithiasis formation were also examined.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 25 patients with a mean follow-up period of 13.8 ± 5.7 years were enrolled. The mean age at AC was 7.5 ± 4.4 years, and 22 and 3 patients underwent AC using the ileum and colon, respectively. There were no abnormalities in serum levels of sodium, potassium, chloride, and calcium. Hypomagnesemia (magnesium <1.7 mg/dL) due to renal loss was observed in one patient (4.0%). Six (24.0%) patients had increased urinary β2-microglobulin levels and normal serum levels. The ratio of the maximum rate of tubular phosphate reabsorption to the glomerular filtration rate was low in three (12.0%) patients. Four (16.0%) patients had normal serum magnesium levels but urinary magnesium excretion <40 mg/d. Urolithiasis occurred in 11 patients (44.0%). The most common 24-hour urine metabolic abnormality was hypomagnesiuria (72.0%). No urinary metabolic parameters or daily protein intake were associated with urolithiasis.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>AC for children is safe and does not significantly impact the metabolic profile. Excretions of 24-hour urinary calcium, uric acid, magnesium, and the sodium-to-potassium ratio were not associated with urolithiasis. However, a high prevalence of 24-hour urine magnesium excretion <88 mg/1.73 m 2 was noted. Further prospective studies are needed to investigate longitudinal changes in renal tubular function and 24-hour urine metabolic profiles, particularly magnesium status.</p>","PeriodicalId":94115,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA","volume":" ","pages":"156-161"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142985871","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":"Risk factors for screw loosening in patients with lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis treated with Dynesys dynamic stabilization.","authors":"Yen-Chun Huang, Hsi-Hsien Lin, Shih-Tien Wang, Po-Hsin Chou, Chien-Lin Liu, Yu-Cheng Yao","doi":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001187","DOIUrl":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001187","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Posterior decompression with Dynesys dynamic stabilization (DDS) is an effective treatment option for degenerative spondylolisthesis. However, postoperative pedicle screw loosening (PSL) often results in poor outcomes. Determining possible risk factors may aid in making informed decisions. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence and risk factors for PSL in patients who underwent elective DDS.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a retrospective analysis of 94 patients with L4-L5 grade I degenerative spondylolisthesis who underwent DSS at a single academic institution between May 2008 and February 2015. Screw loosening was defined as the presence of a halo or double-halo sign on plain radiography.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The rate of screw loosening was 4.8% among screws and 11.7% among patients. Multivariable analysis revealed that age >65 years, smoking, segmental range of motion (ROM) >13°, and L1 vertebral body Hounsfield unit <110 were risk factors for PSL after DDS. Five reoperations were performed; however, no instances of screw breakage were observed.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our study identified risk factors for PSL after DDS, including older age, smoking, larger preoperative segmental ROM, and lower L1 vertebral body HU, which could assist in preoperative decision-making and surgical planning.</p>","PeriodicalId":94115,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA","volume":" ","pages":"151-155"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142569811","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":"Association of periodontal disease with the prognosis of chronic kidney disease: A meta-analysis.","authors":"Tao He, Xue Li, Chun-Juan Liao, Xing-Yu Feng, Xiang-Yu Guo","doi":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001178","DOIUrl":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001178","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>To assess the association between periodontal disease (PD) and the prognosis of chronic kidney disease (CKD).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library to identify eligible cohort studies until April 2023. Relative risk (RR) with a 95% CI was used to evaluate the strength of the relationship between PD and CKD prognosis using the random-effects model.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Ten cohort studies involving 10 144 patients with CKD were selected for the meta-analysis. The summary results indicated that PD was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality in patients with CKD (RR: 1.32; 95% CI, 1.10-1.59; p = 0.003). Although no association was observed between PD and the risk of cardiac death in patients with CKD ( p = 0.180), while sensitivity analysis revealed PD may be associated with the risk of cardiac death (RR: 1.31; 95% CI, 1.05-1.64; p = 0.017). In addition, subgroup analyses revealed that the strength of the association of PD with the risks of all-cause mortality and cardiac death varies when stratified by region, sex, and CKD stage.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>PD might exert a harmful effect on the risk of all-cause mortality, with a potential but unconfirmed association with cardiac death in patients with CKD.</p>","PeriodicalId":94115,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA","volume":" ","pages":"170-177"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142407330","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":"Reprogramming patient-induced pluripotent stem cell-specific retinal organoids for deciphering epigenetic modifications of RNA methylation.","authors":"Yueh Chien, Yi-Ping Yang, Tai-Chi Lin, Guang-Yuh Chiou, Aliaksandr A Yarmishyn, Chia-Hao Wang, Lo-Jei Ching, Yi-Ying Lin, Shih-Jen Chen, De-Kuang Hwang, Chih-Chien Hsu","doi":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001198","DOIUrl":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001198","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology has emerged as a powerful tool for disease modeling, providing an innovative platform for investigating disease mechanisms. iPSC-derived organoids, including retinal organoids, offer patient-specific models that closely replicate in vivo cellular environments, making them ideal for studying retinal neurodegenerative diseases where retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are impacted. N6-methyladenosine (m6A), a prevalent internal modification in eukaryotic mRNAs, plays a critical role in RNA metabolic processes such as splicing, stability, translation, and transport. Given the high energy demands of RGCs, mitochondrial dysfunction, which leads to impaired adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, is often central to the progression of retinal neurodegenerative disorders. However, the epigenetic mechanisms underlying m6A modification and their contributions to these conditions remain unclear.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Patient-specific iPSCs were generated from individuals with Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) and differentiated into RGCs within retinal organoids. To analyze m6A methylation, we used quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and focused on differential expression of key m6A-modifying enzymes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>iPSC-derived retinal organoids are adaptable for studying and investigating the epigenetic mechanisms of retinal neurodegenerative diseases. Our data demonstrated the profiling of global m6A-related gene expression levels in LHON patient-derived iPSC-RGCs compared with controls, highlighting specific disruptions in m6A modification pathways.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings suggest that differential m6A modifications may play pivotal roles in the pathogenesis of retinal neurodegenerative diseases and affect the progression of the disease in affected individuals.</p>","PeriodicalId":94115,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA","volume":" ","pages":"116-125"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142879066","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":"Correlation between dental age and chronological age of Taiwanese children on panoramic X-ray images by different evaluation methods.","authors":"Kuo-Ting Sun, Yun-Zhen Wu, Jui-Ting Hsu, Heng-Li Huang","doi":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001182","DOIUrl":"10.1097/JCMA.0000000000001182","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Accurate age estimation is vital in forensic medicine and clinical dentistry. The Demirjian method is commonly used for this purpose, but its applicability to Asian individuals is understudied. The present study evaluated the accuracy of dental age (DA) estimation for Taiwanese children by using the Demirjian, Willems, and modified Demirjian methods, comparing these estimates to those of chronological age (CA) based on panoramic X-ray images.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 232 Taiwanese children aged between 5 and 12 years underwent panoramic X-ray scans. Their permanent teeth were assessed using the Demirjian, Willems, and modified Demirjian methods to estimate DA. Regression analysis was used to determine the correlation between CA and DA, with linear regression equations established using SPSS statistics software to identify differences.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The Willems method had the lowest mean absolute error and the smallest mean difference between DA and CA among the 3 age estimation methods analyzed ( p < 0.001). The R2 value for the difference between DA and CA was 0.831 for the Willems method, 0.813 for the Demirjian method, and 0.782 for the modified Demirjian method ( p < 0.001). The Willems method had the highest correlation with CA, with the linear equation for Taiwanese children being CA = 0.822 × DA + 1.093. For comparison, for the Demirjian method, the equation was CA = 0.894 × DA + 0.165.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The effectiveness of predictive methods varies across ethnicities, and therefore, region-specific formulas are required. For Taiwanese children, the Willems method predicts CA most accurately. This study contributes to the fields of legal medicine and clinical dentistry by demonstrating the accuracy of DA in predicting CA.</p>","PeriodicalId":94115,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA","volume":" ","pages":"108-115"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142484439","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}