J Formos Med Assoc
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Infertility and the economic burden of treatment can impose considerable psychosocial stress with negative consequences for the quality of life for all involved. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of government subsidies for infertility treatment on the quality of life among infertile women undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer. ⋯ The government subsidy for infertility treatment was negatively correlated with clinical and live birth rates while positively correlated with quality of life.
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Stereotactic arrhythmia radioablation (STAR) has proven to be effective in refractory ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VT). We report the long-term results in first Asian series of STAR for refractory VT in a group of Taiwanese. ⋯ In patients with medication and catheter ablation refractory VT, STAR is associated with a marked acute reduction in the burden of VT. The acute response of VT burden reduction helps to bridge patients to the next treatment step of heart failure, including medical optimization or surgical management, and enhance clinical outcomes.
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Clinical and experimental evidence have demonstrated the protective benefits of colchicine in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) through its potential anti-inflammatory effect. However, investigations on the Asian population are limited. ⋯ Low-dose colchicine led to a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular death than non-users among patients with a recent myocardial infarction. They benefit from early, in-hospital initiation of colchicine after AMI.
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While Reddy proposed the H2FPEF diagnostic algorithm to aid in diagnosing heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), certain parameters like age and obesity are not suitable for Asian population, especially given the increasing incidence of HFpEF in younger individuals. Therefore, this study aimed to develop an easy-to-use nomogram with non-invasive indices that can be used in outpatient clinics in Taiwan to quickly estimate the probability of HFpEF and help decide whether further invasive cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) is needed. ⋯ The noninvasive HFpEF nomogram provides a preliminary estimation of the probability of HFpEF in Taiwanese outpatients with unexplained dyspnea and fatigue, which may help the decision-making on further invasive CPET.
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Carotid artery web (CaW) is a rare focal fibromuscular dysplasia that can lead to embolic strokes with large vessel occlusion. This condition can be effectively treated with endovascular thrombectomy (EVT). Our study aims to assess the prevalence of CaW among patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) who underwent EVT and to compare the clinical characteristics of CaW with other carotid artery pathologies. ⋯ In conclusion, CaW is a rare finding among Asian patients with carotid artery disease who undergo for AIS. It is more prevalent in younger patients with a limited number of vascular risk factors.