Biomedical subjects

Ching-Yu Cheng

Publications and source records attributed to Ching-Yu Cheng.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2003

Epidemiologic study of age-related cataracts among an elderly Chinese population in Shih-Pai, Taiwan.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors for age-related cataracts in a metropolitan elderly Chinese population in Shihpai, Taipei, Taiwan. DESIGN: Population-based cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 2045 subjects at least 65 years of age were invited to participate, and 1361 (66.6%) participated in the survey. METHODS: An eye examination, including lens opacity grading, was conducted by ophthalmologists using the Lens Opacity Classification System III (LOCS III). A structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Interviewers also collected information on subjects' blood pressure, lifestyle (cigarette smoking and alcohol intake), medical history, and waist and hip circumferences. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Subjects were defined as having age-related cataracts if there was any type of lens opacity with an LOCS III grade of more than 2 in one or both eyes. When both eyes of an individual had age-related cataracts, the more affected eye was used for analysis. RESULTS: Among the 1361 participants, 806 were diagnosed with age-related cataracts. The prevalence was 59.2% (95% confidence interval, 56.6%-61.8%). Women had a higher prevalence of cataracts than men (64.0% vs. 56.1%, P = 0.004). The prevalence of age-related cataracts increased with age (P = 0.001). Nuclear opacity was the most prevalent type (38.9%), followed by cortical opacity (21.9%) and posterior subcapsular opacity (9.2%). On the basis of the final logistic regression model, after controlling for all other covariates, increased age and female gender were factors that were associated with an increased risk for all types of cataracts. Besides age and gender, the most significant risk factor for nuclear cataracts was current cigarette smoking; the significant predictors for cortical cataracts were higher systolic blood pressure, a history of cigarette smoking in the past, and history of diabetes; the significant predictor for posterior subcapsular cataracts was higher systolic blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: The increasing prevalence of age-related cataracts with age highlights the need to seek appropriate medical services and for preventative interventions. Elderly people often ignore the importance of seeking vision services and care to prevent blindness or visual impairment. These findings suggest that the elderly need to be educated regarding the importance of eye care by physicians and hygiene authorities in Taiwan.

Age Distribution↗

PubMed2003

Prevalence of dry eye among an elderly Chinese population in Taiwan: the Shihpai Eye Study.

PURPOSE: To describe the epidemiology of dry eye in an elderly Chinese population in Taipei, Taiwan. DESIGN: A population-based cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: The Shihpai Eye Study was a population-based survey of eye diseases in the elderly (> or =65 years) in Shihpai, Taipei, Taiwan. Noninstitutionalized residents, as of July 1999, were identified by using the official household registration database. A total of 2045 subjects were selected, and 1361 (66.6%) people participated in the study. Among them, 822 (60.4%) were men. METHODS: Trained interviewers administered a standardized questionnaire pertaining to dry-eye symptoms. Objective examinations of dry eye included tear film breakup time, Schirmer test, fluorescein stain of the cornea, and anatomic assessment of the meibomian glands via slit-lamp biomicroscopy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Frequency of dry-eye symptoms and positive dry-eye tests. RESULTS: In this population, 33.7% (459/1361) were symptomatic, defined as reporting 1 or more dry-eye symptoms often or all of the time. Women were more likely to report frequent symptoms of dry eye (odds ratio, 1.49; 95% confidence interval, 1.19-1.87). Among those who were symptomatic, 78.9% (362/459) had a low tear film breakup time (< or =10 seconds), 62.5% (287/459) had a low Schirmer test result (< or =5 mm), and 61.7% (283/459) had abnormal anatomic features of the meibomian glands. Furthermore, 85.4% (392/459) were symptomatic and had either a low Schirmer score or an abnormal meibomian gland assessment. Of those symptomatic, 49.9% (229/459) indicated that they had visited an eye doctor, 5.4% (25/459) responded that they had been diagnosed with dry eye, and 47.5% (218/459) reported current use of eyedrops. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of population-based data of dry eye that includes symptoms and signs in elderly Asians. The prevalence of dry eye, although varied according to definition, is relatively higher in this study than that reported for whites. Further studies are needed to determine whether this is due to racial or environmental factors.

Age Distribution↗

PubMed2003

Refractive errors in an elderly Chinese population in Taiwan: the Shihpai Eye Study.

PURPOSE: Few epidemiologic data are available on refractive status in elderly Asians. The purpose of the study was to determine prevalence and risk factors associated with refractive errors in a metropolitan elderly Chinese population in Taiwan. METHODS: A population-based survey was conducted in the Shihpai district of Taipei, Taiwan. A total of 2045 residents aged 65 years or more were randomly selected and invited to complete a comprehensive questionnaire and undertake a detailed ocular examination, including best corrected visual acuity and measurements of refractive error, using autorefraction. Of the subjects, 1361 (66.6%) participated in the ocular examination. Spherical equivalent (SE) was calculated in diopters (D), and data from right eyes were reported. RESULTS: The age- and sex-adjusted prevalence rates were determined for myopia (SE<-0.5 D, 19.4%; SE<-1.0 D, 14.5%), high myopia (SE<-6.0 D, 2.4%), hyperopia (SE>+0.5 D, 59.0%; SE>+1.0 D, 44.2%), astigmatism (cylinder<-0.5 D, 74.0%; cylinder<-1.0 D, 45.3%), and anisometropia (SE difference between right and left eyes>0.5 D, 45.2%; SE difference>1.0 D, 21.8%). The prevalence of myopia, astigmatism, and anisometropia significantly increased with age (all P<0.01). The prevalence of hyperopia tended to decrease with age. There was no gender difference in prevalence rates in any type of refractive error, except that women had a higher rate of hyperopia (SE>+1.0 D) than men (P=0.004). Multivariate regression analysis showed that myopia was weakly associated with higher educational level. The severity of lens nuclear opacity was positively associated with the rates of myopia and negatively associated with the rates of hyperopia. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of myopia in this elderly Chinese population is not much higher than in similarly aged elderly white populations, compared with a much greater difference in prevalence among younger Chinese versus white people. This suggests that changing environmental factors may account for the increased prevalence of myopia in younger cohorts of Chinese.

Age Distribution↗

PubMed2003

Association between visual impairment and depression in the elderly.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Visual disturbances greatly influence daily activities and social activities of the elderly. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between impaired vision and depression among the elderly in a metropolitan community. METHODS: A population-based survey of eye diseases among subjects 65 years of age and older was conducted in Taipei between July 1, 1999, and December 31, 2000. A total of 2045 subjects were invited to participate, and 1361 (66.6%) participated in the survey. A structured questionnaire was used for door-to-door data collection. Interviewers also collected information on subjects' demographic characteristics, medical history, and from the Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form (GDS-S). Those subjects who had been interviewed were invited to the hospital for detailed eye examinations, including best-corrected visual acuity measurement. RESULTS: Among the participants, the prevalence of impaired vision (visual acuity less than 6/12 in the better eye) was 7.2% and the percentage with depression (GDS-S scores of > or = 5) was 8.8%. Impaired vision [p < 0.05, odds ratio (OR) = 2.11], female gender (p < 0.05, OR = 2.03), cardiovascular disease (p < 0.05, OR = 1.72), and stroke (p < 0.05, OR = 2.85) were significantly associated with depression in multivariate analyses. Multiple logistic regression models were used to evaluate the impact of impaired vision on each depressive item of the GDS-S. After controlling for all other covariates, impaired vision was a positive predictor for the following 4 items of the GDS-S: elderly with impaired vision feel unhappy most of the time [OR = 1.73; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.01 to 2.88]; they do not think it is wonderful to be alive now (OR = 2.13; 95% CI = 1.21 to 3.64); they feel worthless the way they are now (OR = 2.23; 95% CI = 1.24 to 3.90); and they feel that their situation is hopeless (OR = 1.95; 95% CI = 1.03 to 3.52). CONCLUSIONS: Visual impairment was associated with feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness in this community population of older adults. However, elderly people often ignore disturbances or impact associated with worsening vision. There is an ongoing need for public education regarding the need for elderly people to pay active attention to visual care in their later life.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2002

Changes in intraocular pressure and ocular perfusion pressure after latanoprost 0.005% or brimonidine tartrate 0.2% in normal-tension glaucoma patients.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and compare the effects of latanoprost 0.005% once daily and brimonidine tartrate 0.2% twice daily in patients with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG). DESIGN: A randomized, open-label, crossover study. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-eight NTG patients with progressive visual field defects/optic disc excavation, new disc hemorrhage, or field defects that threatened fixation. INTERVENTION: Patients were randomly allocated to one of two groups. Patients in group 1 were treated with latanoprost, lubricant, and brimonidine for 4 weeks each, whereas patients in group 2 were treated with brimonidine, lubricant, and latanoprost for 4 weeks each. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Intraocular pressure (IOP), pulse rate, and blood pressure were measured at 8 am, 12 noon, and 4 pm after each 4-week treatment. Ocular perfusion pressure (OPP) was calculated. RESULTS: Latanoprost and brimonidine reduced the average IOP by 3.6 +/- 1.9 mmHg (P < 0.001) and 2.5 +/- 1.3 mmHg (P < 0.001), respectively, with a significant difference between the two regimens (P = 0.009). Both drugs significantly reduced IOP at each time point. Latanoprost decreased IOP significantly more than did brimonidine at 8 am (11.7 +/- 2.2 mmHg vs. 13.7 +/- 2.1 mmHg, P = 0.004) and 4 pm (11.4 +/- 2.1 mmHg vs. 13.2 +/- 2.9 mmHg, P = 0.004), but IOP was equal between the two agents at 12 noon (11.5 +/- 2.6 mmHg vs. 11.5 +/- 2.3 mmHg, P = 0.967). IOP was maintained at 12 mmHg or lower in 18 (66.7%) of 27 patients after treatment with latanoprost and in 9 (33.3%) of 27 patients after treatment with brimonidine. Latanoprost monotherapy reduced IOP by 30% in 8 patients (29.6%), but brimonidine monotherapy did not reduce IOP by that much in any of the patients. OPP increased after latanoprost treatment (P < 0.001) but did not increase after brimonidine treatment (P = 0.355). There was no significant change in pulse rate or blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: Both latanoprost and brimonidine reduce IOP in NTG patients. Brimonidine has a peak IOP-lowering effect equal to that of latanoprost but produces a higher mean diurnal IOP than does latanoprost because of its shorter effect. Latanoprost might favorably alter optic disc blood perfusion by increasing OPP.

Adrenergic alpha-Agonists↗

PubMed2002

Use of latanoprost to reduce acute intraocular pressure rise following neodymium: Yag laser iridotomy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of latanoprost in reducing acute intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation after neodymium:Yag laser iridotomy (LI). METHODS: Primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) eyes were randomized to receive premedication with latanoprost and pilocarpine or with pilocarpine only before LI. Postoperative IOP changes were compared with Wilcoxon signed-ranks test using the fellow eyes of 47 patients who had one eye in each group. RESULTS: Postoperative pressure spikes were significantly lower (p = 0.010) in the latanoprost group (4.1 +/- 5.0 mmHg) than in the control group (6.7 +/- 7.0 mmHg). Mean elevation of IOP was less in the latanoprost group than in the control group at 1 hour (2.5 +/- 4.8 versus 4.1 +/- 4.7 mmHg, p = 0.013) and 2 hours (0.8 +/- 5.6 versus 4.4 +/- 8.1 mmHg, p = 0.003) postoperatively. Eleven eyes in the latanoprost group (23.4%) and 20 eyes in the control group (42.6%) developed a rise in IOP > or = 6 mmHg (p = 0.048). CONCLUSION: Latanoprost may reduce the pressure rise following LI in PACG eyes, but its application is limited by a late onset of effect.

Acute Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Internet cancer support groups: a feminist analysis.

Internet Cancer Support Groups (ICSGs) are an emerging form of support group on Internet specifically for cancer patients. Previous studies have indicated the effectiveness of ICSGs as a research setting or a data-collection method. Yet recent studies have also indicated that ICSGs tend to serve highly educated, high-income White males who tend to be at an early stage of cancer. In this article, a total of 317 general ICSGs and 229 ethnic-specific ICSGs searched through Google.com, Yahoo.com, Msn.com, AOL.com, and ACOR.org are analyzed from a feminist perspective. The written records of group discussions and written memos by the research staff members were also analyzed using content analysis. The idea categories that emerged about these groups include (a) authenticity issues; (b) ethnicity and gender issues; (c) intersubjectivity issues; and (d) potential ethical issues. The findings suggest that (a) researchers adopt multiple recruitment strategies through various Internet sites and/or real settings; (b) researchers raise their own awareness of the potential influences of the health-related resources provided by ICSGs and regularly update their knowledge related to the federal and state standards and/or policies related to ICSGs; and (c) researchers consider adopting a quota-sampling method.

Female↗