J Formos Med Assoc
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Review Case Reports
Rare cause of ascites and pleural effusion: The first case report and literature review of pseudo-pseudo Meig's syndrome in Taiwan.
Pseudo-pseudo Meigs' syndrome (PPMS) exhibits patients with ascites, pleural effusion, elevated CA-125, and diagnosed of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) eventually without evidence of ovarian or pelvic tumor. It's a rare diagnosis but it has a good response to treatment. We here present an 82-year-old female, who was found to have ascites, pleural effusion, and elevated CA-125. ⋯ PPMS is an important differential diagnosis in female patients with ascites, pleural effusion, and elevated CA-125. A survey of the pelvic tumor should be done first to exclude Meigs' syndrome or pseudo-Meigs' syndrome. SLE flare-up should be kept in mind even in the elderly.
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COronaVIrus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused tremendous casualties and morbidities worldwide. Multisystem manifestations, including muscle weakness, dyspnea, cognitive decline, dysphagia, and dysarthria are frequently reported among critically ill patients. The resultant activity limitations and participation restrictions call for an organized and multidisciplinary approach to rehabilitation. Taiwan had a rapid surge in community infection cases from May to July 2021, and our team established a team-based approach in response to the rehabilitation needs for the in-patients, especially the critically-ill group. ⋯ Our clinical experience suggests considerable benefits can be obtained from a well-organized and multidisciplinary rehabilitation approach for severe COVID-19 patients.
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Gastric cancer is an inflammation-related cancer triggered by Helicobacter pylori infection. Understanding of the natural disease course has prompted the hypothesis that gastric cancer can be prevented by administering a short-course antibiotic treatment to eradicate the H. pylori infection and interrupt this carcinogenic cascade. Results from randomized controlled trials and cohort studies have repeatedly confirmed this concept, which has moved attention from individual management of H. pylori infection to population-wide implementation of screening programs. ⋯ Second, provision of knowledge and effective feedback to frontline general practitioners, including choice of diagnostic tests, selection of eradication regimens, and the indication of endoscopic examination, ensures the quality of care and increases the likelihood of desired treatment responses. Third, initiatives to raise population awareness are designed regarding the impact of H. pylori infection and risky lifestyle habits on the stomach health. These programs, with increased accessibility and geographic coverage in progress, will accelerate the decline in morbidity, mortality, and associated costs of this preventable malignancy.
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Orthokeratology (Ortho-K), atropine eye drops and combined atropine with Ortho-K are proven to be effective ways to prevent myopic progression in many studies, but there is scarce evidence regarding the comparative efficacy of different dosages of atropine,Ortho-K, and combined atropine with Ortho-K for childhood myopia. ⋯ In conclusion, we found that atropine (0.01%-1%), Ortho-K, and 0.01% atropine combined with Ortho-K could significantly slow down myopia progression. The atropine efficacy followed a dose-related pattern; moreover, Ortho-K and low-dose atropine showed similar efficacy. There was a synergistic effect of using 0.01% atropine combined with Ortho-K, and it showed comparable efficacy to that of high-dose atropine.
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Limited data exist on asthma medication patterns in Taiwan. The objectives of the SABINA III cross-sectional study in Taiwan were thus, to describe patient demographics and clinical features and estimate short-acting β2-agonist (SABA) and inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) prescriptions per patient. ⋯ Despite treatment by specialists and fully reimbursed healthcare, findings indicate room for improvement in asthma control and SABA prescription practices in Taiwan, emphasizing the need to adhere to latest evidence-based guidelines.