J Formos Med Assoc
-
PD-L1 is associated with poor efficacy of first- or second-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in untreated EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Whether PD-L1 is also predictive of osimertinib efficacy in pre-treated patients with an acquired EGFR T790 M mutation is unclear. ⋯ PD-L1 expression in pre-treated EGFR T790 M + lung adenocarcinoma is not predictive of osimertinib efficacy, as demonstrated by in vitro, xenograft, and clinical case studies.
-
The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (TCDC) initiated longitudinal sero-epidemiological surveillance of avian influenza viruses (AIVs) targeting poultry workers exposed on affected farms since 2021. Convalescent-phase serum samples were collected from these workers 21-28 days post-outbreak identification. TCDC recontacted participants in subsequent years for repeat serological sampling. ⋯ HI titers against AIV A/H5 2.3.4.4c remained low from 2021 to 2023. For AIV A/H5 2.3.4.4b, HI titer remained low from 2021 to 2022 but increased in more than half of the participants (60%, 72/120) in 2023. This change parallels the increasing AIV A/H5 2.3.4.4b burden indicated by increased outbreaks and warrants continuous monitoring.
-
Telemedicine is an innovative medical care system that facilitates visual communication between patients and healthcare workers (HCWs), mainly in a community-based setting. We investigated the clinical effectiveness of in-patient telemedicine care for patients in quarantine for the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). ⋯ Our study demonstrated the clinical effectiveness and satisfaction of the telemedicine for the care of quarantined COVID-19 patients during hospitalization.
-
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and handgrip strength (HGS) are recognized mortality risk factors. However, the synergistic effect of CVD and HGS on mortality remains unclear. This study investigated the relationship between HGS and mortality in CVD patients. ⋯ Low HGS may be associated with a higher risk of all-cause and CVD mortality among CVD patients. High HGS appears to reduce mortality risk among CVD patients. These findings suggest that HGS may serve as a valuable predictor of mortality risk in CVD patients.