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Biomedical subjects

P Chou

Publications and source records attributed to P Chou.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Community-based epidemiological study on hypertension in Pu-Li, Taiwan.

A community-based study was carried out by the Yang-Ming Crusade in 1987-1988 in Pu-Li Town, Taiwan. We interviewed 1738 out of 2573 registered residents more than 30 years old and their fasting blood samples were drawn and tested. The prevalences of definite hypertension (greater than or equal to 160/95 mm Hg) and borderline hypertension (140/90 to 160/95 mm Hg) were 18.7% and 16.0%, respectively. To study factors associated with hypertension, univariate analysis was applied first. Stratified analyses by age and sex were used for interaction assessment. Logistic regression was used for multivariate analysis. According to the final model, the significant factors related to definite hypertension were age (greater than or equal to 50 v less than 50 years of age, odds ratio [OR] 2.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.6 to 4.3), physical activity (frequent v infrequent, OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2 to 0.6), alcohol intake (yes v no, OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.1 to 4.6), and cholesterol (greater than or equal to 240 v less than 240 mg/dL, OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.0 to 2.9). Significant factors related to borderline hypertension were age (only for those cholesterol greater than or equal to 240 mg/dL, greater than or equal to 50 v less than 50 years of age, OR 4.1, 95% CI 2.1 to 7.9), cholesterol (only for those age less than 50, greater than or equal to 240 v less than 240 mg/dL, OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.6 to 7.8), physical activity (frequent v infrequent, OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2 to 0.7), and alcohol intake (yes v no, OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.1 to 4.6).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1992

DSM-III-R and the proposed DSM-IV alcohol use disorders, United States 1988: a nosological comparison.

The purpose of the present study was to compare DSM-III-R and the proposed DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse and dependence in a representative sample of the United States general population. Alcohol abuse and dependence diagnostic categories were contrasted in terms of prevalence and overlap. The prevalence of DSM-III-R diagnoses of alcohol abuse and dependence combined (8.63%) was greater than the corresponding DSM-IV diagnoses (6.00%). Disaggregation of abuse and dependence diagnoses showed that the major discrepancy between the classification systems resided between the abuse categories. Reasons for the discrepancies are discussed in terms of differences in the content of the DSM-III-R and DSM-IV abuse categories, in the relationship that each abuse category shares with its respective dependence category, and the impact of the DSM-III-R duration criterion.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Community-based epidemiological study on diabetes in Pu-Li, Taiwan.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and possible risk factors associated with diabetes in Pu-Li, Taiwan. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The project was a community-based cross-sectional study with stratified cluster sampling of residents greater than or equal to 30 yr of age. Medical students conducted home-visit interviews with public health nurses, drew fasting blood samples from 1738 of 2573 registered residents greater than or equal to 30 yr of age in Pu-Li, Taiwan. RESULTS: The prevalence of diabetes, including those with a history of diabetes and newly diagnosed cases determined by modified World Health Organization criteria, was 12.4%. With the standard world population of Segi, the age-adjusted prevalences were 6.9% for previous diabetes and 4.4% for new diabetes. The age-specific prevalence of diabetes increased significantly with age for new diabetes cases but not for previously diagnosed cases. To study factors associated with diabetes, we first applied univariate analysis. Stratified analyses by age and sex were used for interaction assessment. A significant interaction effect on diabetes was found between age and sex. Logistic regression was used for multivariate analysis. The final model showed that, after controlling for all other covariates, the significant factors associated with diabetes were family history of diabetes (father and/or mother, yes vs. no, odds ratio [OR] 3.13, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.17-8.33), obesity (yes vs. no, OR 2.69, 95% CI 1.09-6.63), and age (continuous, OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.00-1.08). Locality and physical activity were not significantly correlated with diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: The age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes in Pu-Li were 6.9% for previous diabetes and 4.4% for new diabetes. Possible risk factors associated with diabetes with logistic regression were family history of diabetes, obesity, and age. Locality and physical activity were not significantly correlated with diabetes.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Fibroma of the meninges in a child: immunohistological and ultrastructural study. Case report.

A case of meningeal fibroma in a 5-year-old girl is described. The lesion presented as a benign intracranial tumor, eroding the frontal bone and protruding under the skin. It was composed of fibroblasts and collagen, embedded in a loose background with focal myxoid changes. The authors describe the patient's clinical presentation and the tumor's histological, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural features, and discuss its differential diagnosis. It is concluded that fibromas of the meninges should be distinguished from fibroblastic meningiomas.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1992

[Effectiveness of screening for cervical cancer in Taiwan. A case-control study].

The cervical cancer screening program in Taiwan was carried out in two phases. This study was based on the Phase II data from April 1, 1979, through June 30, 1984. There were 56 completed data cases of invasive cervical cancer. The purposes of this case-control study was: (1) to estimate an exposure odds ratio; (2) to estimate the prevented fraction (PF), proportion of potential cases that were actually prevented by the Pap smear test in the screened population; and (3) to study factors related to the effectiveness of screening. The protective effect of a previous Pap test was not shown between cases and controls in this study. The PFs were 6% for the screened population and 20% for those having had a previous Pap test. No significant protected effect of a previous Pap test was found in this study, whether in univariate analysis or logistic regression. Possible explanations are: (1) incomplete follow-up for those women with abnormal smears; (2) high false negative rate due to laboratory error, or poor technique in smear taking; (3) infrequent screening with too long a screening interval; (4) low coverage rate of a Pap test; and (5) selection bias.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Mortality trends in the past 20 years in Pu-Li, Taiwan.

This study was based on a survey of the death certificates of Pu-Li Town in Taiwan, issued over the past 20 years from 1966 to 1985. Age-adjusted mortality trends as well as cause-specific mortality trends were analyzed and compared with nationwide Taiwan data. As a whole, Pu-Li had a higher age-adjusted mortality than that of the overall Taiwan area. This finding may result from a higher mortality from tuberculosis in Pu-Li. Based on these data, the five leading causes of death in Pu-Li were cerebro-vascular disease, accident, heart disease, cancer and tuberculosis. Hypertension and diabetes were the 5th and 6th leading causes of death in 1985 and ranked 12th and 13th, respectively, in 1966. This data point out the increasing importance of hypertension and diabetes rates in Pu-Li. Tuberculosis and pneumonia had been controlled, ranking from the 1st and 3rd in 1966 to the 10th and 12th, respectively, in 1985. Suicide, cancer, and accident were usually coded as the single cause of death without other co-existent causes of death noted, so that there was in most instances not much difference between analyses based on the underlying cause of death and multiple causes of death. However, this was not true for hypertension and diabetes. If multiple causes of death were analyzed, only 34.5% of hypertension and 66% of diabetes were coded as the underlying cause of death. 37.2% of cerebro-vascular diseases co-existed with hypertension, and 20.3% of diabetes co-existed with hypertension.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Community-based survey on blood pressure, blood biochemistry and dietary habits in Pu-Li, Taiwan.

The target population of this study were all residents over the age of 30 in Pu-Li. Stratified cluster sampling was employed. Household visits were carried out in 1987 by the Yang-Ming Crusade, organized by well-trained medical students of the National Yang-Ming Medical College. A total of 1,738 persons out of a potential 2,573 eligible subjects were contacted by at least one of the two interviews or a blood draw. The crude and adjusted (for vacant households) rates were 68% and 84% respectively. Age, sex, and education were evenly distributed. The distribution of physiological variables and blood biochemistry were as follows: 23.0 +/- 3.2 for body mass index (BMI = kg/m2; men 22.8 +/- 3.0, women 23.2 +/- 3.3), 129.7 +/- 20.7 mmHg for systolic blood pressure (men 130.4 +/- 19.6 mmHg, women 128.9 +/- 21.8 mmHg), 81.9 +/- 12.9 mmHg for diastolic blood pressure (men 82.9 +/- 12.8 mmHg, women 80.9 +/- 12.9 mmHg), 103.6 +/- 29.6 mg/dl for fasting plasma glucose (men 101.8 +/- 21.9 mg/dl, women 105.2 +/- 35.2 mg/dl), 222.1 +/- 57.2 mg/dl for cholesterol (men 221.9 +/- 56.5 mg/dl, women 222.3 +/- 57.9 mg/dl), 162.7 +/- 115.5 mg/dl for triglyceride (men 170.3 +/- 117.1 mg/dl, women 155.7 +/- 113.6 mg/dl), 5.8 +/- 3.0 mg/dl for uric acid (men 6.5 +/- 4.8 mg/dl, women 5.2 +/- 1.5 mg/dl). Blood pressure and blood biochemistry variables were positively associated with age. Comparatively, men had much more unhealthy life styles than women; due to prevalences for cigarette smoking (56.0% vs. 3.0%), alcohol intake (43.8% vs. 6.6%) and betel-nut chewing (18.2% vs. 0.8%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Flow and image cytometric DNA analysis in Ewing's sarcoma.

Ewing's sarcoma is the second most common bone tumor in childhood, with an overall 5-yr survival of 40%. It is one of the poorly differentiated small spherical cell tumors frequently requiring distinction from rhabdomyosarcoma, neuroblastoma, osteosarcoma, primitive neuroectodermal tumor, and lymphoma. The majority of rhabdomyosarcomas, neuroblastomas, and osteosarcomas are aneuploid, whereas Ewing's sarcomas are usually diploid. To determine whether there is any correlation between DNA content, morphology, site, and survival in Ewing's sarcoma and extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma, 21 tumor samples were studied retrospectively (3 extraosseous Ewing's and 18 Ewing's sarcomas). The DNA analysis was performed on disaggregated paraffin-embedded tissue nuclei by flow (FCM) and image (IC) cytometry and correlated with the histology and clinical history. The DNA ploidy by FCM on 17 of 18 Ewing's sarcoma samples was 12 diploid, 1 aneuploid, and 4 tetraploid. By IC, the DNA ploidy on 16 samples was 13 diploid, 1 aneuploid, and 2 tetraploid. Three samples were nonevaluable (1 by FCM and 2 by IC). The agreement between FCM and IC was 12 of 16 (75%). The extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma tumors were 2 diploid and 1 aneuploid by IC. In this study there was no correlation between the DNA ploidy and either the histology, site, or survival.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Monomorphous histiocytoma in a child. Report of a case with ultrastructural features suggestive of dendritic cell differentiation.

The authors describe a rapidly growing soft tissue tumor of predominantly histiocytic composition in an 8-year-old child. The tumor cells were identified as elements of the mononuclear phagocyte system by histologic, histochemical, immunologic, and electron microscopic study. Despite the presence of a minor fibroblastic component, the tumor did not conform to established criteria for a diagnosis of malignant fibrous histiocytoma. Formation of frequent desmosome-like intercellular junctions raised the possibility of dendritic reticulum cell differentiation, since the latter cells seem to be the only elements of the mononuclear phagocyte system that display such specialized cell junctions. The results of immunostaining were discrepant with those reported for normal dendritic reticulum cells, but the currently available information makes it doubtful that the entire neoplastic spectrum of dendritic cell differentiation can currently be diagnosed in surgical pathology.

Child↗
PubMed1991

An analysis of traffic injuries in Taiwan in relation to alcohol use and economic loss.

Breath alcohol analysis of 449 patients with motor vehicle injuries attending the emergency department of a Taiwan urban general hospital during a 10-week period showed that 19.2 per cent had breath alcohol concentration (BAC greater than 0.002 per cent and 8.5 per cent greater than or equal to 0.05 per cent). Injured males were more likely to have BAC greater than or equal to 0.05 per cent than women (11 per cent vs 0 per cent). Injuries resulting from alcohol-associated collisions were about 6.7 times more likely to occur between 1800 and 0600 than at other time periods. A telephone survey after hospital discharge showed that the risk factors of alcohol use, speed at time of collision and type and site of collision were significantly associated with degree of economic loss resulting from the accidents. Logistic regression analysis showed that the odds of high economic loss associated with BAC greater than 0.002 per cent were three times greater than for persons in whom no alcohol was detected. This is the first study in Taiwan to use breath alcohol analysis in assessing the effect of alcohol consumption on motor vehicle injuries. The results show that alcohol use is an important cause of motor vehicle injuries. Preventive measures such as strict legal control of drunk driving and limitation of the hours that drinking places can stay open at night are recommended to reduce the damage caused by this severe public health problem.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1991

Graft-versus-host disease following ECMO.

Since 1973, over 3,000 newborns have been treated worldwide for respiratory failure with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). ECMO requires transfusion of numerous blood products including platelets and packed red blood cells. Transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) developed in one of the authors' patients following treatment with ECMO. ECMO exposes newborn infants to a large number of blood components. Although a rare complication, GVHD can be prevented by irradiating blood products prior to transfusion. We now irradiate all blood products prior to use during ECMO and recommend that other institutions do the same.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation↗
PubMed1991

Congenital, infiltrating giant-cell angioblastoma. A new entity?

This report describes histopathologic, immunohistologic, and ultrastructural features of a locally aggressive soft-tissue tumor present since birth in an upper extremity of an infant. Because of extensive infiltration of local structures, the lesion had to be treated by amputation. The outstanding histologic feature consisted of nodular cell clusters resembling inflammatory granulomas, often with giant, multinucleated cells. On the basis of our findings, these cellular aggregates were interpreted as distorted attempts at formation of vessels. This interpretation was strengthened by the more obviously vascular structure of the tumor in many areas. A high content of stromal cells positive for factor XIIIa and histocompatability antigen (HLA)-DR was a characteristic that the tumor shared in common with angiomatoid malignant fibrous histiocytoma. However, there were also important differences that singularize the tumor described in the present study. We could find no closely comparable precedent for a lesion with these characteristics in current treatises on infantile soft-tissue tumors.

Female↗
PubMed1991

[The knowledge attitude and practice of cancer prevention among primary school teachers].

This study was based on the data collected through personal interviews by the Yang-Ming Crusade, organized by students of National Yang-Ming Medical College, during the summer vacations in 1983-1985. Arranged by 21 city/country Education Bureaus, the crusaders gave lectures on cancer education for primary school teachers in every city and town throughout the Taiwan area. Totally 36,426 questionnaires were filled out before the lecture meetings. This is a KAP (knowledge, attitude and practice) study of cancer prevention among primary school teachers. The cognizance rates of cervical cancer as the leading cancer and as the most curable one for women in Taiwan were 75.5% and 43.0% respectively. Pap smear and Hemoccult Slide Test were known by 95.9% and 74.0% of the interviewees, mostly from TV (65.6% and 68.9%), followed by hospital and others. The necessity of "early diagnosis and early treatment" was accepted by 91.9% of the interviewees, a periodical check-up for cancer was thought essential by 93.4% of them, and cancer insurance was consent by 90.3% of them. It was agreed by 51.3% of the interviewees and disagreed by 46.7% of them that herbs are effective to cure cancer. Psychological fear (36.8%), physiological pain (30.2%) and worry of interfering family (15.3%) were considered the most dreadful situations by primary school teachers in case of having cancer. Totally 56.4% of the female interviewees had had a Pap Test, 63.8% of them were for prevention. The most frequently consulted person for a Pap Test was husband (30.1%) and, secondly herself (8.0%). The most influencial persons for having a Pap Test were husband (24.8%) and physician (11.1%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Review on cervical cancer screening.

This article reviews literature of cervical cancer screening including the following topics: (1) basic conditions concerning screening; (2) consensus on cervical cancer screening; (3) some limitations and problems of cancer screening; (4) intervals of cervical cancer screening; (5) evaluation of cervical cancer screening; (6) methods for cervical cancer screening; (7) target population for screening (participants of both screening and rescreening); (8) selective screening (teenagers, pregnant women, prostitutes, hospital patients, clinic patients, immunosuppressive patients, and referral); (9) reports on screening programs in various countries; and (10) cost and benefit of screening.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Review on risk factors of cervical cancer.

This article reviews risk factors of cervical cancer which have been studied in the following aspects: (1) sociodemographic factors including educational level, urbanizational level, socioeconomic status, race and marriage; (2) sexual activity including age at first marriage, age at first coitus, multiple marriage, multiple sexual partners, broken marriage, unstable sex relationship, syphilis/gonorrhea history, coital frequency, multiple pregnancies and age at menarche; (3) factors related to husband including circumcision, sperm, smegma, previous wife with cervical cancer and occupations entailed mobility of husband and periods away from home; (4) psychosocial factors including stressful emotional status, deprived economic background and discontent home situation; (5) virus including herpes simplex type 2 and papilloma virus; (6) other factors including smoking, barrier and oral contraceptives.

Female↗
PubMed1990

Flow and image cytometric DNA analysis in rhabdomyosarcoma.

Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common malignant soft-tissue tumor in childhood, with an overall 3-year disease-free survival of 73%. DNA content is known to correlate with prognosis and therapy response in many cancers. To determine the role of DNA content in rhabdomyosarcoma, 23 tumor samples were studied retrospectively: 18 primary tumors and 5 post-chemotherapy recurrences or specimens obtained at second-look surgeries. The DNA analysis was performed on disaggregated paraffin-embedded tissue nuclei by flow and image cytometry and correlated with the histology and clinical history. Of the primary tumors 4 were diploid, 4 polyploid, and 10 aneuploid (9 with a single aneuploid G0G1 peak and 1 multiploid) by flow cytometry. The concordance rate between flow and image cytometry was 19 of 23 (83%); one case did not have flow cytometry available. Most embryonal rhabdomyosarcomas were aneuploid (10 of 12; 83%), and they had a high incidence of recurrence in Stages III and IV (4 of 12; 33%). Although aneuploidy in pediatric cancers may predict a therapeutic response and good prognosis, this was not supported by our findings in rhabdomyosarcoma. The tumor DNA content correlated with the clinical stage but not with the patient's clinical course or tumor histopathological type. DNA content did not appear to be as important a prognostic tool as tumor stage.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Sexual transmission of hepatitis D virus infection in Taiwan.

Multivariate analysis of the risk factors for hepatitis D virus infection among 53 men with acute hepatitis D virus superinfection, 59 men with acute exacerbation of chronic hepatitis B and 54 asymptomatic male hepatitis B carriers revealed that sexual contact with prostitutes and use of nondisposable needles were the factors significantly associated with hepatitis D virus infection in Taiwan (odds ratio = 5.5, 95% confidence interval = 3.3 to 9.2; odds ratio = 2.4, 95% confidence interval = 1.3 to 4.4, respectively). The prevalence of antibody to hepatitis D virus antigen among hepatitis B virus carriers with histories of sexual exposure to prostitutes was 10.3% (14 of 136) and the prevalence of hepatitis D virus antigen among the female prostitutes who were hepatitis B virus carriers was 59% (24 of 51). Among those who admitted to sexual contact with prostitutes, testing for hepatitis D virus antigen revealed positive correlations with the frequency of such sexual contacts and with the frequency of history of venereal diseases. Among the female prostitutes, the prevalence of hepatitis D virus antigen had a positive correlation with the frequency of sexual contact and a negative correlation with age. Analysis of serum hepatitis D virus RNA among those with hepatitis D virus antigen revealed that 4 of the 9 with sexual exposure to prostitutes and 3 of the 24 prostitutes were positive. From these findings, we conclude that these two groups are not only at high risk for hepatitis D virus infection but also form a reservoir of this virus.

Adolescent↗