Journal of the Chinese Medical Association - Articles in Press

Linear endoscopic ultrasound for clinically suspected bile duct stones - Corrected Proof

Lien-Fu Lin, Pi-Teh Huang — 2012-05-17

Abstract: Background: Radial endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is a less invasive imaging modality used to evaluate common bile duct stones (CBDS) and is as accurate as endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERCP). Patients classified as high risk for suspected CBDS were found to have stones in only two-thirds of cases, and an argument could be made for performing EUS in these high-risk patients. There are very few reports of linear EUS for CBDS detection. Our aim was to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of linear EUS in patients with suspected CBDS in intermediate- and high-risk groups.Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data for 30 patients with suspected CBDS assessed using linear EUS. The inclusion criteria were acute epigastric pain, abnormal liver function test (LFT), and CBDS not detected by transabdominal ultrasound or computed tomography. The exclusion criteria were failure to insert a linear EUS endoscope into the duodenum and Billroth II gastrectomy. ERCP was performed in patients with positive CBDS on linear EUS. Cases with negative CBDS after linear EUS examination were followed in terms of clinical symptoms and LFT for at least for 3 months as outpatients.Results: There were 17 male and 13 female patients with a mean age of 53 (±17.6) years. Twelve cases were positive for CBDS, of which 11 were confirmed by ERCP and one was a false positive. In cases with negative CBDS on linear EUS, the median follow-up duration was 9 (3–12) months. The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy were 100%, 94.7%, 91.7%, 100%, and 96.7%, respectively. CBDS was positive in 56% (9/16) of high-risk patients and 14.3% (2/14) of intermediate-risk patients.Conclusion: Linear EUS is sensitive for the detection of CBDS. It detected 56% of CBDS in a high-risk group and 14.2% in an intermediate-risk group and therefore is a useful assessment tool in patients with high or intermediate risk of CBDS.

Association between chronic insomnia and depression in elderly adults - Corrected Proof

Ying-Sheue Chen — 2012-05-14

Insomnia is not just a common symptom of various psychiatric or physical disorders, but is itself categorized as a primary psychiatric disorder. Aside from the manifestations of difficulty initiating sleep, fragmented sleep, early-morning wakenings, and overall poor sleep efficiency, the subjective feeling of inadequate or non-restorative sleep the next morning, as well as psychosocial distress or dysfunction caused, are even more crucial in the diagnosis of insomnia. The duration of insomnia required for diagnosis as “chronic” has varied from as little as 1 month to as long as 6 months, depending upon the criteria used. The increased incidence of chronic insomnia has been related to concomitant medical and psychiatric disorders, which are frequently present among the elderly. When insomnia becomes chronic, it will invariably increase medical problems significantly, and impact a patient's quality of life, cognitive and psychosocial function adversely, while further exaggerating the already existing psychiatric or medical conditions. Somatic comorbidities associated with aging are known to be risk factors for insomnia and depression. Therefore, chronic insomnia will further aggravate the heavy burden of medically ill elderly patients and their caregivers.

Children with food refusal: An assessment of parental eating attitudes and their styles of coping with stress - Corrected Proof

2012-05-14

Abstract: Background: In this study, we aimed to assess the eating attitudes and stress coping styles of parents whose children presented to the clinic complaining of food refusal.Methods: The parents of 31 children aged ≥3 years, presented to the clinic with the complaint of food refusal. The control group consisted of 30 healthy children with no prior history of food refusal, and their parents. In both groups, birth features, body mass indexes (BMIs), eating attitudes and stress coping styles of the parents were assessed. The parents of both groups were studied, in part utilizing the eating attitudes test (EAT), and the coping styles of stress scale (CSSS).Results: Our study found that body weights and BMI values of the fathers in the study group were significantly lower than fathers in the control group. There was no significant difference in EAT scores between the two groups; however, where the children’s body weight and height for age percentile was under 25%, the parents had significantly lower EAT scores. When CSSS scores were assessed, the optimistic approach score of the mother and the self-confident score of the father were found to be significantly high in both groups.Conclusion: The parental perception and definition of eating problemsdoes not necessarily indicate the presence of an eating disorder in a child. In fact, the eating attitudes of the fathers were related to the low percentile weight and height values of the children, and a child’s food refusal was not dependent on the stress coping style used by the parent.

The role of autologous bone graft in surgical treatment of hypertrophic nonunion of midshaft clavicle fractures - Corrected Proof

2012-05-14

Abstract: Background: This study was conducted to evaluate the results of treating hypertrophic nonunion of mid-shaft clavicle fracture with a limited contact dynamic compression plate (LC-DCP) without autologous cancellous bone graft.Methods: From 1995 to 2008, 51 cases of hypertrophic nonunion of mid-shaft clavicle fracture were managed with open reduction and internal fixation by LC-DCP without bone graft involvement. Of these 51 cases, 30 had nonunion after failure of initial surgical treatment (Group 1), and 21 had nonunion after failure of conservative treatment (Group 2). Preoperative and postoperative case management were the same for both groups, with the average follow-up period being 20.4 months (range 18–36). Our study evaluated the radiographic results and functional outcomes of these cases according to the quick disability of arm, shoulder, and hand score.Results: All 51 cases resulted in uneventful unions. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding patient demography, cause of injury, preoperative and postoperative functional scores, length of operation, union time, and duration of hospitalization (p>0.05).Conclusion: LC-DCP fixation is an effective method for treating hypertrophic nonunion of mid-shaft clavicle fracture. Local bone graft is sufficient to achieve necessary union, and autologous bone graft from other sites of the body appears unnecessary.

Role of preoperative PET-CT in assessing mediastinal and hilar lymph node status in early stage lung cancer - Corrected Proof

Wei-Yang Lin, Wen-Hu Hsu, Ko-Han Lin, Shyh-Jen Wang — 2012-05-14

Abstract: Background: Positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography (PET-CT) is important in the assessment and workup of lung cancer staging. However, inconsistencies between clinical image results obtained and pathologic findings of surgical specimens are still very common, particularly in patients with clinical early stage lung cancer. We sought to clarify the role of PET-CT in predicting mediastinal lymph node status preoperatively in clinical early stage lung cancer patients.Methods: The cases were collected retrospectively from January 2008 to February 2009. All patients were good surgical candidates, and clinically early-stage during the pre-op evaluation, which included CT, PET scan, and cardiopulmonary tests. All patients underwent surgery, with complete pathological evaluation of mediastinal LNs. The pathological status and PET SUVmax of mediastinal LNs were collected to calculate the ROC curve, and to determine the best cut-off value of PET SUVmax. Other cofactors, including sex, tumor size, tumor SUVmax, histology type, and lobar distribution, were analyzed utilizing correlation study, Chi-square test, and t-test for significance.Results: A total of 83 patients were enrolled into the study. The majority of the cases were in pathological early stage (Stage I: 67.5%, Stage II: 12%). The cut-off point of mediastinal LN SUVmax was 1.6 calculated by ROC curve (sensitivity: 40%, specificity: 88.7%, negative predictive rate: 95.1%). The hilar LN SUVmax was found to have a poor correlation to the final pathologic status of hilar nodes with insignificant p value (0.487). Tumor SUVmax and increased hilar LN uptake (SUVmax > 2.0) were found to be significantly correlated with the pathologic status of mediastinal LNs. The false positive rates by PET-CT scan in N1 and N2 nodes were 70% and 78%, respectively, primarily due to inflammatory process (as anthracosis the leading cause).Conclusion: Integrated PET-CT is a useful tool for predicting the negativity of mediastinal LN status pre-operatively in clinically early stage (Stages I and II) lung cancer but may be relatively inaccurate in predicting hilar LN status and largely confounded by false positives caused by inflammatory process.

Impact of hospice care on end-of-life hospitalization of elderly patients with lung cancer in Taiwan - Corrected Proof

2012-05-14

Abstract: Background: This study investigated the impact of hospice care on end-of-life elderly patients with lung cancer in Taiwan.Methods: Data were collected from deceased inpatients with lung cancer who were at least 65 years old, using the National Health Insurance Research Database of 2004.Results: A total of 1282 patients were enrolled, of whom 277 (21.6%) received hospice care (hospice-care group) and the other 1005 (78.4%) received general acute ward care (control group). The patients' age, gender, and institution of hospitalization did not differ significantly between the two groups, and most of the patients had chosen medical centers and their affiliated hospices for terminal care. The hospice-care group had a significantly shorter hospital stay and lower costs of hospitalization than the control group, with patients cared for primarily by family physicians and radiation oncologists (all p<0.05). The hospice-care group had an elevated incidence of co-morbid diabetes mellitus, higher scores on the Charlson Comorbidity Index, fewer acute lower respiratory conditions, and fewer invasive procedures than the control group (all p<0.05). Natural opium alkaloids were the most commonly prescribed drugs in the hospice-care group, whereas parenteral solutions were most frequently requested in the control group.Conclusion: Hospice care has provided a humane and cost-efficient pathway for end-of-life elderly patients with lung cancer. Parenteral nutrition/hydration should be limited for terminal care patients. Opioids should be promoted for the relief of pain and dyspnea in acute ward care. Family physicians and radiation oncologists play important roles in hospice care. Compared with the prevalence of hospice care in the United Kingdom and other developed countries, hospice care in Taiwan is in the position to be expanded.

Prevalence of hepatitis B and hepatitis C in patients with chronic schizophrenia living in institutions - Corrected Proof

2012-05-01

Abstract: Background: Preventing and managing hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is an important public health issue worldwide, and Taiwan is one of the countries where viral hepatitis is most endemic. Previous studies have shown that patients with serious mental illnesses have a higher risk for hepatitis infection. We investigated the prevalence of HBV and HCV among institutionalized patients with chronic schizophrenia in Taiwan.Methods: A total of 590 patients were recruited into the study. HBV surface antigen, HCV antibody, and liver function were determined for all participants.Results: The seroprevalence of HBV surface antigen was 10.4% (males 12.6%, females 7.0%), and that of anti-HCV was 1.9% (males 2.6%, females 0.8%).Conclusion: Our study showed that the prevalences of HBV and HCV among institutionalized patients with chronic schizophrenia were no higher than the prevalences in the general population in Taiwan. The commodious environment and medical resources of the hospital where the patients were living might have prevented an elevation of HBV and HCV infection in those with schizophrenia, supplementing the continuing benefits from the HBV vaccination that was introduced in 1984.

To add or not to add? An empirical study on droperidol and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia - Corrected Proof

Yi-Min Kuo, Mei-Yung Tsou, Wen-Kuei Chang, Kwok-Hon Chan, Kuang-Yi Chang — 2012-05-01

Abstract: Background: Droperidol is commonly added to intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IVPCA) regimens as an antiemetic agent. Although some studies have demonstrated its safety and efficacy, it is not clear whether adding droperidol to IVPCA infusate without an extra loading dose can effectively reduce the incidence and severity of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in real-life clinical settings.Methods: Patients receiving IVPCA in this retrospective survey were classified into two groups based on their IVPCA regimens. The droperidol group used morphine 1mg/mL with droperidol 50μg/mL, and the non-droperidol group was given morphine 1mg/mL alone. The incidence and severity of PONV were compared between the two groups during the 3-day course of IVPCA treatment using logistic regression and ordinal logistic regression. Propensity score methodology was applied to adjust for potential confounders.Results: Among the 186 patients enrolled, 94 patients received IVPCA with droperidol, and 92 patients received a pure morphine solution. There was no significant difference in patient attributes between the two groups. On the 1st postoperative day, there was no significant difference in incidence or severity of PONV between the two groups. From the 2nd day onward, the patients in the droperidol group had significantly fewer and less severe episodes of PONV (relative risk 0.34 and 0.31, respectively). The overall effects of droperidol on PONV and its severity during the whole IVPCA course were also statistically significant, whether or not adjustment for propensity score was made. However, although a statistically significant decrease in nausea was observed in the droperidol group after the 1st day, no significant difference in the incidence of vomiting between the two groups was noted during the study.Conclusion: A loading dose should be considered on the 1st postoperative day. Our study suggests just how beneficial droperidol can be to IVPCA users in practical clinical settings, showing that droperidol can reduce with some significance the amount and severity of nausea suffered by patients postoperatively, even if the frequency of patient vomiting remains unchanged.

Renal mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma with an aorto-caval mass mimicking metastatic lymphadenopathy - Corrected Proof

2012-05-01

Abstract: A 54-year-old female had a 9-cm left renal mass with a 12-cm aorto-caval mass lesion mimicking an enlarged lymph node. Retroperitoneal dissection and left radical nephrectomy were performed, and pathology revealed a left renal mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma combined with a retroperitoneal ganglioneuroma. The patient has had no local recurrence or distant metastasis after 3 years' follow-up. A misdiagnosis of metastatic renal cell carcinoma may be upheld by the primary imaging studies. Even in the targeted therapy era, cytoreductive nephrectomy is still an important step in the diagnosis and treatment of suspicious metastatic renal cell carcinomas.

Drug abuse-related accidents leading to emergency department visits at two medical centers - Corrected Proof

2012-04-30

Abstract: Background: Drug abuse is becoming more prevalent in Taiwan, as evidenced by increasing reports of drug trafficking and drug abuse-related criminal activity, and the wide use of more contemporary illicit drugs. Consequently, drug abuse-related accidents are also expected to occur with greater frequency. However, no study has yet specifically evaluated the prevalence, pattern, and outcomes of drug abuse-related accidents among patients visiting emergency departments (EDs) in Taiwan.Methods: We conducted an ambidirectional study with patients who visited the EDs of Taipei Veterans General Hospital (TVGH) and China Medical University Hospital (CMUH) due to drug abuse-related accidents from January 2007 through September 2009. Information on the patients’ baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes was collected and analyzed.Results: During the study period, a total of 166 patients visited the EDs of one of the two study hospitals due to drug abuse-related accidents. This yielded a prevalence of drug abuse of 0.1% among all patients visiting the ED due to accident and/or trauma. Fifty-six out of the 166 patients visited the ED at TVGH, most patients being between 21 and 40 years old. Opioids (41.1%) were the drugs most commonly abused by the patients, followed by benzodiazepines (32.1%). More than two-thirds of the patients (n=38, 67.9%) required hospitalization, and three patients died (5.4%). In contrast, 110 patients with drug abuse-related accidents visited the ED at CMUH during the study period. Most of these subjects had abused benzodiazepines (69.1%), were between 21 and 40 years old, and were female. Fewer than one-fifth of the patients (n=19, 17.3%) required hospitalization, with no deaths reported. There were significant between-hospital differences in terms of patient gender, drugs of choice, injury mechanisms, method and time of the ED visit, triage levels, and need for hospitalization.Conclusion: Although the prevalence of drug abuse-related accidents was low, and only three patient deaths were reported in this study, many patients presented to the EDs with severe effects and later required hospitalization. Better and timely management of such patients will help to minimize the adverse health impacts associated with drug abuse. Governmental agencies and all healthcare professionals should also work together to fight against the surging trend of drug abuse in Taiwan.

Acute life-threatening arrhythmias caused by severe hyperkalemia after induction of anesthesia in an infant with methylmalonic acidemia - Corrected Proof

2012-04-30

Abstract: Methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) is a very rare genetic disease of metabolism that progressively leads to neurological and renal sequelae. This report describes an unusual case of a patient with MMA who developed severe hyperkalemia and severe dysrhythmia during anesthesia. A 13-month-old male infant with MMA underwent urgent insertion of a port-a-cath under general anesthesia. A life-threatening arrhythmia suddenly occurred, with severe hyperkalemia (up to 7.4 mmol/L), immediately following induction of anesthesia. Emergent resuscitation was successfully carried out, with a complete neurological recovery after 7 days after surgery. Although MMA is a rare complication, the possibility of severe hyperkalemia should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with MMA presenting with wide QRS complex tachycardia. The management and intraoperative complications of this disorder are reported here, and the available literature is reviewed.

Electrophysiological characterization of Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 1A in Taiwan - Corrected Proof

2012-04-30

Abstract: Background: Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 1A (CMT1A) is the most common type of hereditary neuropathy. The demyelinating pathology of CMT1A results in significant nerve conduction slowing such that a nerve conduction study (NCS) is important in the clinical assessment of CMT1A. In this study, we analyzed and reported the electrophysiological features of a large Taiwanese cohort with CMT1A.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the NCS data of 106 Taiwanese patients with CMT1A. We also compared the electrophysiological parameters of the CMT1A patients with those of 20 patients with early-onset Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 1B (CMT1B).Results: The patients with CMT1A had a significant but variable degree of slowed nerve conduction. The median motor nerve conduction velocities (MNCVs) varied from 10.0 to 37.3m/s in the entire CMT1A cohort but were more concordant in patients within a family (p<0.001). In each patient, the MNCVs among different nerves were concordant (p<0.001), and the MNCVs tended to remain steady longitudinally. Moreover, younger patients had a slower MNCV than older patients within the CMT1A population (p<0.001). The average median MNCV was significantly faster in the CMT1A patients than in the CMT1B patients (21.8±6.2m/s and 16.3±3.6m/s; p<0.001).Conclusion: This study provides basic electrophysiological knowledge about CMT1A in Taiwan. The findings also suggest that the electrophysiological variability in the CMT1A cohort may be at least partially attributable to unknown genetic factors. These data emphasize the role of MNCV in the clinical assessment of CMT1A. A median or ulnar MNCV below 38m/s can be a sensitive criterion for supporting the diagnosis of CMT1A. A median MNCV can sometimes help to distinguish CMT1A from CMT1B, and CMT1A should be considered in patients with median MNCVs near or above 24m/s. Moreover, the MNCV may to some degree reflect the severity of CMT1A.