Browsing by Author "Lee, Chung-Lin"

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An At-Risk Population Screening Program for Mucopolysaccharidoses by Measuring Urinary Glycosaminoglycans in Taiwan
(2019-12-01)
Lin, Hsiang-Yu
;
Lee, Chung-Lin
;
Lo, Yun-Ting
;
Tu, Ru-Yi
;
Chang, Ya-Hui
Background: The mucopolysaccharidoses (MPSs) are a group of rare lysosomal storage disorders characterized by the accumulation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and which eventually cause progressive damage to various tissues and organs. We developed a feasible MPS screening algorithm and established a cross-specialty collaboration platform between medical geneticists and other medical specialists based on at-risk criteria to allow for an earlier confirmative diagnosis of MPS. Methods: Children (<19 years of age) with clinical signs and symptoms compatible with MPS were prospectively enrolled from pediatric clinics between July 2013 and June 2018. Urine samples were collected for a non-specific total GAG analysis using the dimethylmethylene blue (DMB) spectrophotometric method, and the quantitation of three urinary GAGs (dermatan sulfate (DS), heparan sulfate (HS), and keratan sulfate (KS)) was performed by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The subjects with elevated urinary GAG levels were recalled for leukocyte enzyme activity assay and genetic testing for confirmation. Results: Among 153 subjects enrolled in this study, 13 had a confirmative diagnosis of MPS (age range, 0.6 to 10.9 years-three with MPS I, four with MPS II, five with MPS IIIB, and one with MPS IVA). The major signs and symptoms with regards to different systems recorded by pediatricians at the time of the decision to test for MPS were the musculoskeletal system (55%), followed by the neurological system (45%) and coarse facial features (39%). For these 13 patients, the median age at the diagnosis of MPS was 2.9 years. The false negative rate of urinary DMB ratio using the dye-based method for these 13 patients was 31%, including one MPS I, two MPS IIIB, and one MPS IVA. However, there were no false negative results with urinary DS, HS and KS using the MS/MS-based method. Conclusions: We established an at-risk population screening program for MPS by measuring urinary GAG fractionation biomarkers using the LC-MS/MS method. The program included medical geneticists and other medical specialists to increase awareness and enable an early diagnosis by detecting MPS at the initial onset of clinical symptoms.
BI-PREDICTION COMBINING TEMPLATE AND BLOCK MOTION COMPENSATIONS
(2011)
Lee, Chung-Lin
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Chen, Chun-Chi
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Chen, Yi-Wen
;
Wu, Mu-Hsuan
;
Wu, Chung-Hao
This paper introduces a bi-prediction scheme with only a motion overhead as for unidirectional prediction. It combines motion vectors found by template and block matchings with the overlapped block motion compensation (OBMC). An optimal window function is designed based on a model-based framework. Additionally, the concept of adaptive motion merging is incorporated to enable a template-matching-free implementation. Three algorithms featuring different performance and complexity trade-offs are implemented using the TMuC-0.9_HM software and tested with the common test conditions. Relative to the anchor, the best of them achieves an average BD-rate saving of 2.2%, with a minimum of 0.2% and a maximum of 4.7%.
Functional independence of Taiwanese patients with mucopolysaccharidoses
(2019-08-01)
Lee, Chung-Lin
;
Lin, Hsiang-Yu
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Chuang, Chih-Kuang
;
Chiu, Huei-Ching
;
Tu, Ru-Yi
Background Information on functional strengths and weaknesses of mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) patients is important for early intervention programs and enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). Methods We used the Functional Independence Measure for Children (WeeFIM) questionnaire to assess the functional skills of 63 Taiwanese MPS patients (median age, 13 years 3 months; range, 3-20 years) from January 2012 to December 2018. Results Mean total WeeFIM score was 75.4 of a potential score of 126. Mean total WeeFIM scores of each type (MPS I, MPS II, MPS IIIB, MPS IVA, and MPS VI) were 103.8, 76.2, 41.6, 92.2, and 113.6, respectively. Mean scores for self-care, mobility, and cognition domains were 30 (maximum 56), 23 (maximum 35), and 22 (maximum 35), respectively. MPS type IIIB patients had the lowest scores in self-care, mobility, cognition, and total domains compared to other types of MPS. All patients with ERT in MPS I, II, and IVA had higher scores in self-care and mobility domains than patients without ERT. Most patients required assistance for self-care skills, especially in grooming and bathing. Conclusion MPS patients require support and supervision in self-care tasks. For cognition tasks, MPS IIIB patients also require help. This questionnaire is useful to identify the strengths and limitations of MPS patients.
Mucopolysaccharidosis III in Taiwan: Natural history, clinical and molecular characteristics of 28 patients diagnosed during a 21-year period
(2018-09-01)
Lin, Hsiang-Yu
;
Chuang, Chih-Kuang
;
Lee, Chung-Lin
;
Tu, Ru-Yi
;
Lo, Yun-Ting
Mucopolysaccharidosis type III (MPS III, Sanfilippo syndrome) has a variable age of onset and variable rate of progression. However, information regarding the natural history of this disorder in Asian populations is limited. A retrospective analysis was carried out for 28 patients with MPS III (types IIIA [n=3], IIIB [n=23], and IIIC [n=2]; 15 males and 13 females; median age, 8.2 years; age range, 2.7-26.5 years) seen in six medical centers in Taiwan from January 1996 through October 2017. The median age at confirmed diagnosis was 4.6 years. The most common initial symptom was speech delay (75%), followed by hirsutism (64%) and hyperactivity (54%). Both z scores for height and weight were negatively correlated with age (r=-.693 and -0.718, respectively; p<.01). The most prevalent clinical manifestations were speech delay (100%) and intellectual disability (100%), followed by hirsutism (93%), hyperactivity (79%), coarse facial features (68%), sleep disorders (61%), and hepatosplenomegaly (61%). Ten patients (36%) had epilepsy, and the median age at the first seizure was 11 years. Thirteen patients (46%) experienced at least one surgical procedure. At the time of the present study, 7 of the 28 patients had passed away at the median age of 13.0 years. Molecular studies showed an allelic heterogeneity without clear genotype and phenotype correlations. MPS IIIB is the most frequent subtype among MPS III in the Taiwanese population. An understanding of the natural history of MPS III may allow early diagnosis and timely management of the disease facilitating better treatment outcomes.
Relationships among Height, Weight, Body Mass Index, and Age in Taiwanese Children with Different Types of Mucopolysaccharidoses
(2019-12-01)
Lin, Hsiang-Yu
;
Lee, Chung-Lin
;
Chiu, Pao Chin
;
Niu, Dau-Ming
;
Tsai, Fuu-Jen
Background: Children with mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) generally appear unaffected at birth but may develop multiple clinical manifestations including profound growth impairment as they grow older. Each type of MPS has a variable age at onset and variable rate of progression, however, information regarding growth in Asian children is limited. Methods: This retrospective analysis included 129 Taiwanese patients with MPS (age range, 0.7 to 19.5 years, median age, 7.9 years) from eight medical centers in Taiwan from January 1996 through December 2018. Results: The mean z scores for the first recorded values of height, weight, and body mass index in the patients' medical records were -4.25, -1.04, and 0.41 for MPS I (n = 9), -2.31, 0.19, and 0.84 for MPS II (n = 49), -0.42, 0.08, and -0.12 for MPS III (n = 27), -6.02, -2.04, and 0.12 for MPS IVA (n = 30), and -4.46, -1.52, and 0.19 for MPS VI (n = 14), respectively. MPS IVA had the lowest mean z scores for both height and weight among all types of MPS, followed by MPS VI, MPS I, MPS II, and MPS III, which showed the mildest growth retardation. Both z scores for height and weight were negatively correlated with increasing age for all types of MPS (p < 0.01). Of 32 patients younger than 5 years of age, 16 (50%), and 23 (72%) had positive z scores of height and weight, respectively. A substantial number of younger patients with MPS I, II, III, and IVA had a positive height z score. The median age at diagnosis was 3.9 years (n = 115). Conclusions: The patients with MPS IVA had the most significant growth retardation among all types of MPS, followed by MPS VI, MPS I, MPS II, and MPS III. The height and weight of the MPS patients younger than 2-5 years of age were higher than those of healthy individuals, however, their growth significantly decelerated in subsequent years. Understanding the growth curve and potential involved in each type of MPS may allow for early diagnosis and timely management of the disease, which may improve the quality of life.