Browsing by Author "Chang, Ko"

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Characteristics of scrub typhus, murine typhus, and Q fever among elderly patients: Prolonged prothrombin time as a predictor for severity
(2019-02-01)
Chang, Ko
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Lee, Nan-Yao
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Ko, Wen-Chien
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Lin, Wei-Ru
;
Chen, Yen-Hsu
Background/purpose: The clinical manifestations of scrub typhus, murine typhus and acute Q fever in the elderly are not clear. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study to identify the characteristics of the elderly aged >= 65 years with a comparison group aged 18-64 years among patients with scrub typhus, murine typhus, or acute Q fever who were serologically confirmed at three hospitals in Taiwan during 2002-2011. Results: Among 441 cases, including 187 cases of scrub typhus, 166 acute Qfever, and 88 murine typhus, 68 (15.4%) cases were elderly patients. The elderly had a higher severe complication rate (10.3% vs. 3.5%, p = 0.022), but did not have a significantly higher mortality rate (1.47% vs. 0.54%, p = 0.396). Compared with those without severe complications, we found the elderly (p = 0.022), dyspnea (p = 0.006), less relative bradycardia (p = 0.004), less febrile illness (p = 0.004), prolonged prothrombin time (PT) (p = 0.002), higher levels of initial C-reactive protein (p = 0.039), blood leukocyte counts (p = 0.01), and lower platelet counts (p = 0.012) are significantly associated with severe complications. Only prolonged prothrombin time was associated with severe complications in multivariate analysis (p = 0.018, CI 95% 0.01-0.66). Among clinical symptoms and laboratory data, multivariate analysis revealed chills was less frequently occurred in the elderly (p = 0.012, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.33-9.99). Conclusion: The elderly cases with scrub typhus, murine typhus, or acute Q fever would be more likely to have severe complications, for which prothrombin time prolongation is an important predictor for severe complications. Copyright (C) 2017, Taiwan Society of Microbiology. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC.
Differences in Mortality and Clinical Manifestations of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever in Taiwan in Different Years: A Comparison for Cases in 2014 and 2015 Epidemics
(2017-01-01)
Chang, Ko
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Huang, Chung-Hao
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Lee, Ing-Kit
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Lu, Po-Liang
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Lin, Chun-Yu
People in southern Taiwan experienced two major dengue outbreaks in 2014 and 2015. The mortality and clinical features were very different between these 2 years. Dengue virus serotype 1 (DENV-1) caused epidemic outbreak in 2014 and DENV-2 was predominant in 2015. The characteristics of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) cases in the 2 years was analyzed. We conducted a retrospective chart review to analyze the clinical and laboratory features of 206 adult patients with DHF in southern Taiwan in 2014 and 2015. The mortality rate of DHF cases in 2015 was higher than that of cases in 2014 (38.7% versus 12.4%, P < 0.0001). Compared with cases in 2014, DHF cases in 2015 had more complications, such as gastrointestinal bleeding (78.5% versus 61.9%, P = 0.01), severe hepatitis (30.1% versus 8%, P < 0.0001), and myocarditis (14% versus 0.9%, P < 0.0001). Among the mortality cases, diabetes, chronic renal failure, proton-pump inhibitors using, platelet transfusion, and Charlson comorbidity index score (Charlson score) were also higher in 2015. Multivariate analysis for the mortality cases revealed that the risk factors were Charlson score (3) 5 (P = 0.02, odds ratio [OR] = 4.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.244-13.307), severe hepatitis (P < 0.0001, OR = 11.97, 95% CI = 3.831-37.396), and acute renal failure (P < 0.0001, OR = 98.76, 95% CI = 10.847-899.22). DHF cases in 2015 had higher mortality and more complications, such as gastrointestinal bleeding, severe hepatitis, and myocarditis, than in 2014 in southern Taiwan. In the 2-year DHF case series, Charlson score >= 5, severe hepatitis, and acute renal failure were independent significant variables for mortality.
IL-28 and IL-29 as protective markers in subject with dengue fever
(2017-06-01)
Hung, Chih-Hsing
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Huang, Chung-Hao
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Wang, Lin
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Huang, Chun-Chi
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Wu, Meng-Chieh
About 400 million people every year are estimated to contract dengue virus infection, which causes prolonged morbidity and sometimes mortality. Interleukin (IL)-28 and IL-29 are relatively newly discovered cytokines and play an important role in our immune defense against pathogens, especially for viral infection. In the present study, we investigated serum IL-28 and IL-29 expression and the relationship to clinical and laboratory parameters in patients with dengue virus infection. Adult patients with dengue (n = 45) and control group (n = 24) were included prospectively. Clinical symptoms and laboratory data were collected from every patient. We investigated IL-28 and IL-29 levels in serum by ELISA. The concentrations of serum IL-28 and IL-29 were significantly higher in subjects with dengue when compared to those of control group. The patients with higher serum IL-28 and IL-29 levels had significantly lower ALAT and peripheral blood neutrophil percentage, but higher peripheral platelet, total white blood cell (WBC), monocyte, and lymphocyte counts. Patients with higher serum IL-28 and IL-29 levels also had more flu-like symptoms, but less vomiting. Increased level of IL-28 and IL-29 was associated with better liver function, platelet and WBC numbers and clinical symptom in subjects with dengue and could potentially serve as a protective marker.
Prognostic Factors in Adult Patients with Dengue: Developing Risk Scoring Models and Emphasizing Factors Associated with Death <= 7 Days after Illness Onset and <= 3 Days after Presentation
(2018-11-01)
Lee, Ing-Kit
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Huang, Chung-Hao
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Huang, Wen-Chi
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Chen, Yi-Chun
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Tsai, Ching-Yen
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral disease that is a threat to global health. However, information relating to mortality <= 7 days after dengue onset and <= 3 days after presentation is limited. We retrospectively analyzed 1086 adults with dengue during a 12-year period. Three scoring models were established: model-1 (death <= 3 days after presentation), model-2 (death <= 7 days after illness onset), and model-3 (overall fatality). In total, 39 patients with fatal dengue were identified, of which 17 and 14 patients died <= 7 days after illness onset and <= 3 days after presentation, respectively. In model-1 (range: 0-4 points), gastrointestinal bleeding <= 72 h after presentation, thrombocytopenia (<50 x 10(9) cells/L) at presentation, and acute kidney injury after hospitalization, using a cutoff level of 2 points, exhibited good discrimination (area under the receiver curve (AUC): 0.975) between survivors and non-survivors. In model-2, the significant predictors were gastrointestinal bleeding <= 72 h after presentation, and hemoconcentration and leukocytosis after hospitalization. Model-2 (range: 0-4 points) showed an AUC of 0.974, with a cutoff value of 2 points. The independent factors in model-2 were the predictors of overall mortality (model-3), which include thrombocytopenia (<50 x 10(9) cells/L) at presentation. Using a cutoff value of 2 points, model-3 (range: 0-7 points) revealed an excellent discrimination between survivors and non-survivors (AUC: 0.963).