Humoral immunity to mumps in a highly vaccinated population in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: A resurgence of mumps was noted recently and outbreaks were increasingly reported in populations with high vaccine coverage. We aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence to mumps in Taiwan, where a two-dose childhood mumps-containing vaccine program, with a high coverage rate, had been implemented for >20 years. METHODS: The anti-mumps IgG was determined in 3552 participants of all ages in Taiwan. The age-specific seropositivity rates were calculated and the sociodemographic variables associated with the seronegative sera were analyzed with a logistic regression method. RESULTS: The overall seroprevalence to mumps was 71%, with a higher rate in adults ≥19 years old than in the pediatric population <19 years old (80.4% versus 62.0%, P < 0.0001). In participants aged 2-20 years, who had been given at least one mumps-containing vaccine, the seropositivity fluctuated across different age subgroups and the lowest rate (36.8%) occurred in the 17-18 years age group. The multivariate analysis identified age within 17-18 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 8.598, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.990-24.722, P < 0.0001), within 19-20 years (aOR 5.076, 95% CI 1.702-15.133, P = 0.0080), and being a resident of the suburban area of northern Taiwan (aOR 1.089, 95% CI 0.823-1.414, P = 0.0008) as independent factors associated with an increased risk of seronegative sera. CONCLUSION: The seropositivity to mumps was unexpectedly low in highly vaccinated generations, and with a significant geographical discrepancy in Taiwan, which may have been responsible for the sustained reports of mumps cases in Taiwan.

Effect of proton pump inhibitors in hospitalization on mortality of patients with hepatic encephalopathy and cirrhosis but no active gastrointestinal bleeding.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a neuropsychiatric complication of decompensated cirrhosis. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), used as potent acid suppressants, are associated with HE occurrence in cirrhotic patients. However, it is still unknown if PPIs contribute to mortality in cirrhotic patients with HE and no active gastrointestinal bleeding. METHODS: We used the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database to identify 1004 cirrhotic patients with HE and no active gastric bleeding, who received oral PPIs between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2013. On the basis of comorbid disorder data, we used propensity score matching at a 1:4 ratio to select 4016 cirrhotic patients with HE and no active gastric bleeding who did not receive PPIs as a comparison group. All patients were followed up for one year from the index time. RESULTS: The overall 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year mortalities were 36.1%, 52.6%, and 70.1% in PPI group, and 27.5%, 41.7%, and 62.4% in non-PPI group. Using Cox regression model analysis with adjustment for age, gender, and other comorbid disorders, we obtained hazard ratios of 1.360 (95% CI: 1.208-1.532, P<0.001), 1.563 (95% CI: 1.314-1.859; P<0.001), and 1.187 (95% CI: 1.008-1.398; P=0.040) for, respectively, 30-day, 30-day to 90-day, and 90-day to 1-year mortality in patients taking PPIs. CONCLUSION: PPIs increase short-term and long-term mortality of cirrhotic patients with HE and no active gastrointestinal bleeding.

The long-term outcomes of cirrhotic patients with pleural effusion.

Background/Aim: A pleural effusion is an abnormal collection of fluid in the pleural space and may cause related morbidity or mortality in cirrhotic patients. Currently, there are insufficient data to support the long-term prognosis for cirrhotic patients with pleural effusion. In this study, we investigated the short- and long-term effects of pleural effusion on mortality in cirrhotic patients and evaluated the benefit of liver transplantation in these patients. Patients and Methods: The National Health Insurance Database, derived from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Program, was used to identify 3,487 cirrhotic patients with pleural effusion requiring drainage between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2010. The proportional hazards Cox regression model was used to control for possible confounding factors. Results: The 30-day, 90-day, 1-year, and 3-year mortalities were 20.1%, 40.2%, 59.1%, and 75.9%, respectively, in the cirrhotic patients with pleural effusion. After Cox proportional hazard regression analysis adjusted by patient gender, age, complications of cirrhosis and comorbid disorders, old age, esophageal variceal bleeding, hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatic encephalopathy, pneumonia, renal function impairment, and without liver transplantation conferred higher risks for 3-year mortality in the cirrhotic patients with pleura effusion. Liver transplantation is the most important factor to determine the 3-year mortalities (HR: 0.17, 95% CI 0.11- 0.26, P < 0.001). The 30-day, 30 to 90-day, 90-day to 1-year, and 1 to 3-year mortalities were 5.7%, 13.4%, 20.4%, and 21.7% respectively, in the liver transplantation group, and 20.5%, 41.0%, 61.2%, and 77.5%, respectively, in the non-liver transplantation group. Conclusion: In cirrhotic patients, the presence of pleural effusion predicts poor long-term outcomes. Liver transplantation could dramatically improve the survival and should be suggested as soon as possible.

Effect of Proton Pump Inhibitors on Mortality in Patients with Cirrhosis and Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis.

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a life-threatening infection in patients with cirrhosis. However, it is unknown whether patients with SBP and cirrhosis who do not have active gastrointestinal bleeding have a poorer prognosis if treated with proton pump inhibitors (PPI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: We used the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database to identify 858 patients with SBP and cirrhosis who were administered PPIs and hospitalized between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2013. One-to-two propensity score matching was performed to select a comparison group based on age, gender, and comorbidities. All patients obtained follow-up for 1 year. RESULTS: The overall 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year mortality was 27.9%, 49.0%, and 73.7%, respectively, in the PPI group and 25.6%, 43.8%, and 67.2%, respectively, in the non-PPI group. After adjusting the Cox regression model for age, gender, and comorbidities, the hazard ratios for PPIs regarding 30-day, 30- to 90-day, and 90-day to 1-year mortality were 1.074 (95% CI 0.917-1.257, P = 0.377), 1.390 (95% CI 1.154-1.673, P = 0.001), and 1.297 (95% CI 1.099- 1.531, P = 0.002), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: PPIs did not increase the short-term mortality of patients with SBP and cirrosis who did not have active gastrointestinal bleeding, but PPIs increased the long-term mortality risk. For these patients, physicians should discontinue PPIs as early as possible.

Increased occurrence of brain abscesses in cirrhotic patients: A population-based 3-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Cirrhotic patients are prone to various infectious diseases. However, it is still unknown if the occurrence of a brain abscess is associated with cirrhosis. The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between the occurrence of a brain abscess and cirrhosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The National Health Insurance Database, which is derived from the Taiwan National Health Insurance program, was used to collect data from 40,878 patients with cirrhosis and from 40,896 randomly selected age- and sex-matched patients. All patients were followed up to identify the occurrence of brain abscesses in 3 years. RESULTS: A total of 143 patients (0.17%) were diagnosed with brain abscesses in the 3-year follow-up period. There were 94 (0.23%) patients with cirrhosis and 49 (0.12%) without cirrhosis (p<0.001). After regression analysis, cirrhotic patients had a higher risk of occurrence of brain abscesses than non-cirrhotic patients (hazard ratio: 1.88, 95% confidence interval: 1.30-2.72; p=0.001). In addition, the risk of occurrence of brain abscesses was higher in complicated cirrhotic patients than in non-complicated cirrhotic patients (adjusted hazard ratio: 2.07, 95% confidence interval: 1.36-3.14; p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Cirrhotic patients, particularly those with complicated cirrhosis, have a higher risk of the occurrence of brain abscesses than non-cirrhotic patients.

Mortality Following Catheter Drainage Versus Thoracentesis in Cirrhotic Patients with Pleural Effusion.

BACKGROUND: Pleural effusion is an abnormal collection of body fluids that may cause related morbidity or mortality in cirrhotic patients. There are insufficient data to determine the optimal method of drainage, for symptomatic relief in cirrhotic patients with pleural effusion. AIMS: In this study, we compare the mortality outcomes of catheter drainage versus thoracentesis in cirrhotic patients. METHODS: The National Health Insurance Database, derived from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Program, was used to identify cirrhotic patients with pleural effusion requiring drainage between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2010. In all, 2556 cirrhotic patients with pleural effusion were selected for the study and divided into the two groups (n = 1278/group) after propensity score matching. RESULTS: The mean age was 61.0 ± 14.3 years, and 68.9% (1761/2556) were men. The overall 30-day mortality was 21.0% (538/2556) and was higher in patients treated with catheter drainage than those treated with thoracentesis (23.5 vs. 18.6%, respectively, P < 0.001 by log-rank test). After Cox proportional hazard regression analysis adjusted by patient sex, age, and comorbid disorders, the risk of 30-day mortality was significantly higher in cirrhotic patients who accepted catheter drainage compared to thoracentesis (hazard ratio 1.30, 95% confidence interval 1.10-1.54, P = 0.003). Old age, hepatic encephalopathy, bleeding esophageal varices, hepatocellular carcinoma, ascites, and pneumonia were associated with higher risks for 30-day mortality. CONCLUSION: In cirrhotic patients with pleural effusion requiring drainage, catheter drainage is associated with higher mortality compared to thoracentesis.

The Effect of Renal Function Impairment on the Mortality of Cirrhotic Patients: A Nationwide Population-Based 3-Year Follow-up Study.

Renal function impairment (RFI) contributes to poor prognosis in cirrhotic patients. However, there have been no studies that seek to identify the effect of different types of RFI on the mortality of cirrhotic patients. We used the National Health Insurance Database, derived from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Program, to identify 44365 cirrhotic patients between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2007. RFI was identified in 2832 cirrhotic patients, including 1075 with acute renal failure (ARF) (169 with hepatorenal syndrome, HRS; 906 with non-hepatorenal syndrome, NHRS), 705 with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and 1052 with end stage renal disease (ESRD). After Cox proportional hazard regression analysis adjusted by gender, age, and comorbid disorders, the 30-day, 30 to 90-day, 90-day to 1-year, and 1 to 3-year mortality hazard ratios (HR) compared to the non-RFI group were: (ARF) 5.19 (4.70-5.74), 3.23 (2.76-3.77), 1.51 (1.26-1.81), and 1.35 (1.13-1.61), respectively; (CKD) 2.70 (2.30-3.18), 2.03 (1.66-2.49), 1.60 (1.34-1.90), and 1.26 (1.06-1.49), respectively; and (ESRD) 1.42 (1.17-1.72), 1.62 (1.35-1.94), 1.90 (1.68-2.15), and 1.67 (1.48-1.89), respectively. Compared to NHRS, the 30-day, 30 to 90-day, 90-day to 1-year, and 1 to 3-year mortality HRs of HRS were 1.03 (0.80-1.32), 2.13 (1.46-3.11), 1.58 (0.90-2.75), and 2.51 (1.41-4.48), respectively, in cirrhotic patients with ARF. These results indicate the effects of CKD and ESRD on the mortality of cirrhotic patients are distributed equally in every survival stage, whereas the effect of ARF appears only in the early stage. Compared to NHRS, HRS contributes to a higher mortality risk at the late survival stage.

The Effect of the First Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis Event on the Mortality of Cirrhotic Patients with Ascites: A Nationwide Population-Based Study in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) contributes to poorer short-term mortality in cirrhotic patients with ascites. However, it is unknown how long the effect of the first SBP event persists in these patients. METHODS: The National Health Insurance Database, derived from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Program, was used to identify and enroll 7,892 cirrhotic patients with ascites who were hospitalized between January 1 and December 31, 2007. All patients were free from episodes of SBP from 1996 to 2006. RESULTS: The study included 1,176 patients with SBP. The overall 30-day, 90-day, 1-year, and 3-year mortality rates in this group were 21.8%, 38.9%, 57.5%, and 73.4%, respectively. The overall 30-day, 90-day, 1-year, and 3-year mortality rates in the non-SBP group were 15.7%, 32.5%, 53.3%, and 72.5%, respectively. After adjusting for gender, age, and other medical comorbidities, the adjusted hazard ratios of SBP for 30-day, 30- to 90-day, 90-day to 1-year, and 1- to 3-year mortality were 1.49 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.30 to 1.71), 1.19 (95% CI, 1.02 to 1.38), 1.04 (95% CI, 0.90 to 1.20), and 0.90 (95% CI, 0.77 to 1.05), respectively, compared with the non-SBP group. CONCLUSIONS: The effect of SBP on the mortality of cirrhotic patients with ascites disappeared in those surviving more than 90 days after the first SBP event.

No difference in mortality between terlipressin and somatostatin treatments in cirrhotic patients with esophageal variceal bleeding and renal functional impairment.

OBJECTIVE: To study the differences in mortality between terlipressin and somatostatin treatments in cirrhotic patients with esophageal variceal bleeding (EVB) and renal functional impairment (RFI). METHODS: The National Health Insurance Database, part of the Taiwan National Health Insurance Program, was used to enroll cirrhotic patients who had received endoscopic variceal ligation plus somatostatin or terlipressin for EVB and who were hospitalized between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2010. The differences in mortality between the two vasoactive agents were compared and the risk factors for 30-day mortality because of EVB were identified. RESULTS: A total of 2324 cirrhotic patients with EVB were enrolled. The 30-day mortality data showed no significant differences between the somatostatin and the terlipressin groups (P=0.232). The risk of 30-day mortality was significantly higher in male patients [hazard ratio (HR): 1.50, P=0.002] and patients with hepatic encephalopathy (HR: 1.82, P<0.001), ascites (HR: 1.32, P=0.008), bacterial infections (HR: 2.10, P<0.001), hepatocellular carcinoma (HR: 2.09, P<0.001), and RFI (HR: 3.89, P<0.001). A subgroup analysis of cirrhotic patients with RFI was carried out. The overall 30-day mortality was higher in patients treated with somatostatin than in those treated with terlipressin (52.6 vs. 42.3%), but the difference failed to reach significance (adjust HR: 1.49, 95% confidence interval: 0.94-2.37, P=0.091). CONCLUSION: RFI was the most important risk factor for 30-day mortality in EVB patients. Terlipressin and somatostatin had similar effects on 30-day mortality in cirrhotic patients with EVB and RFI.

No mortality difference following treatment with terlipressin or somatostatin in cirrhotic patients with gastric variceal hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of terlipressin versus somatostatin as adjuvants to endoscopic treatment in cirrhotic patients with gastric variceal bleeding. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The National Health Insurance Database, derived from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Program, was used to enroll patients who were discharged with International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification diagnoses of cirrhosis and who underwent gastric variceal sclerotherapy for gastric variceal bleeding between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2007. We observed treatment outcomes and identified clinical factors associated with mortality. RESULTS: In total, we enrolled 311 cirrhosis patients who underwent sclerotherapy for active gastric variceal bleeding. Among them, 218 patients received terlipressin, and 93 patients received somatostatin. The overall 30 day mortality rate was 13.2% (41/311). A total of 78 (25.1%) patients underwent second-look endoscopy, but only 12 (7%) needed a second course of gastric variceal sclerotherapy. The overall 30-day mortality rates for patients treated with terlipressin and somatostatin were 13.3% and 12.9%, respectively, showing no statistically significant differences between outcomes in the two treatment groups (P = 0.672). The risk of 30-day mortality was significantly higher in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HR: 3.257, 95% CI: 1.640-6.469, P= 0.001), acute renal failure (HR: 6.261, 95% CI: 2.376-16.499, P< 0.001), or hepatic encephalopathy (HR: 3.091, 95% CI: 1.430-6.680, P= 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Mortality rates did not differ significantly between cirrhosis patients with acute gastric variceal bleeding who received somatostatin or terlipressin as adjuvants to endoscopy.

High Mortality of Cirrhotic Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease.

Ascites, hepatic encephalopathy (HE), and esophageal variceal bleeding (EVB) are 3 major complications in patients with cirrhosis. Limited data exist with which to evaluate the long-term mortality of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in cirrhotic patients with or without complications.The National Health Insurance Database in Taiwan was used to identify patients with cirrhosis hospitalized between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2007. The study group consisted of 1068 cirrhotic patients with ESRD, and the control group consisted of 10,680 randomly selected cirrhotic patients without baseline renal function impairment.The overall 1-year and 3-year mortality rates were 48.5% and 73.1% in the ESRD group, and 32.9% and 55.6% in the control group, respectively. After adjusting for other comorbid disorders, the cirrhotic patients with ESRD showed a statistically significant increase in 3-year mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 1.65; P < 0.001). The HR for 3-year mortality of ESRD cirrhotic patients with recurrent complications was 1.98 (P < 0.001), compared to those with no recent or past complications. The HR of ESRD for 3-year mortality was 1.48 (P < 0.001) in cirrhotic patients with ascites, 1.67 (P < 0.001) in patients with EVB, and 1.19 (P = 0.147) in patients with HE.ESRD increases the mortality rate in patients with cirrhosis. Recurrent complications can account for a 2-fold increase in the 3-year mortality of ESRD cirrhotic patients. ESRD has a smaller impact on the 3-year mortality of cirrhotic patients with HE compared to those with ascites or EVB.

A fourfold increase of oesophageal variceal bleeding in cirrhotic patients with a history of oesophageal variceal bleeding.

INTRODUCTION: Large, recent population-based data for evaluating the predictors of oesophageal variceal bleeding (OVB) among cirrhotic patients is still lacking. This study aimed to determine the cumulative incidence of OVB among cirrhotic patients and identify the predictors of OVB occurrence. METHODS: Patient information on 38,172 cirrhotic patients without a history of OVB, who were discharged between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2007, was obtained from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database for this study. All patients were followed up for three years. Death was the competing risk when calculating the cumulative incidences and hazard ratios (HRs) of OVB. RESULTS: OVB was present in 2,609 patients (OVB group) and absent in 35,563 patients (non-OVB group) at hospitalisation. During the three-year follow-up period, the cumulative incidence of OVB was 44.5% and 11.3% in the OVB and non-OVB group, respectively (p < 0.001). Modified Cox regression analysis showed that the HR of OVB history was 4.42 for OVB occurrence (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.13-4.74). Other predictors for OVB occurrence included hepatocellular carcinoma (HR 1.16, 95% CI 1.09-1.24), young age (HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.98-0.98), ascites (HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.37-1.56), alcohol-related disorders (HR 1.20, 95% CI 1.12-1.28), peptic ulcer bleeding (HR 1.26, 95% CI 1.13-1.41) and diabetes mellitus (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.06-1.23). CONCLUSION: Cirrhotic patients have a fourfold increased risk of future OVB following the first incidence of OVB.

Epidural abscess caused by Veillonella parvula: Case report and review of the literature.

Veillonella parvula, an anaerobic, Gram-negative coccus is part of the normal flora of the oral, gastrointestinal, respiratory, and genitourinary tracts in humans and animals. We herein present a case of epidural abscess caused by V. parvula in a 68-year-old man with sinus squamous cell carcinoma who presented with a 3-week history of low back pain. Blood and pus cultures were positive for Veillonella spp. After sequencing of the 16S ribosomal DNA, the pathogen was identified as V. parvula. Surgical debridement was performed following which the patient received intravenous administration of amoxicillin/clavulanate. To our knowledge, there are only seven reported cases of spinal infection caused by Veillonella spp. and these are reviewed here.

The long-term mortality of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in cirrhotic patients: A 3-year nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: There is no nationwide population-based study for the long-term mortality after single episode of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) in cirrhotic patients. Our study showed the short-term and long-term mortalities, and identified the mortality risk of SBP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The National Health Insurance Database, derived from the Taiwan National Health Insurance program, was used to collect data from 16,992 cirrhotic patients. These cirrhotic patients were classified into three groups: SBP group (n=451, 2.7%), ascites without SBP group (n=2,564, 15.1%), and non-ascites (n=13,977, 82.3%) group. Each patient was followed up to 3 years after the initial hospitalization. RESULTS: The 30-day mortalities in SBP, ascites without SBP, and non-ascites groups were 24.2%, 14.1%, and 8.1%, respectively. The 3-year mortalities in SBP, ascites without SBP, and non-ascites groups were 66.5%, 61.1%, and 41.5%. After Cox's regression analysis adjusted by the patients' age, gender, and underlying medical disorders, the SBP patients (hazard ratio=2.52) and ascites without SBP patients (hazard ratio=1.91) have higher risk for 3-year mortality than those without ascites. CONCLUSION: Cirrhotic patients with SBP have a 2.5-fold increase of 3-year mortality, compared to those without ascites.

High mortality in cirrhotic patients following hemorrhagic stroke.

The impact of hemorrhagic stroke (HS) on the mortality of cirrhotic patients is unknown. To evaluate the morality risk of HS in cirrhotic patients, we used the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database to evaluate cirrhotic patients with HS who were discharged between 1 January and 31 December 2007. In total, there were 321 cirrhotic patients with HS. We randomly selected 3210 cirrhotic patients without HS as a comparison group. The 30 and 90 day mortality rates were 29.6% and 43.0% in the HS group, and 9.1% and 17.7% in the comparison group, respectively (p<0.001). After Cox proportional hazard regression model adjustment of patients' sex, age, and other comorbid disorders, the hazard ratio (HR) for 90 day mortality in the HS group was 3.89 (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.20-4.71, p<0.001), compared to the comparison group. In the subgroup analysis, the HR for 90 day mortality in the subarachnoid hemorrhage and other HS groups were 7.93 (95% CI 5.23-12.0, p<0.001) and 3.51 (95% CI 2.85-4.32, p<0.001), respectively, compared to the comparison group. In conclusion, HS is associated with a very high 90 day mortality risk in cirrhotic patients, in whom subarachnoid hemorrhage can also increase the risk of mortality eight-fold.

The effect of tuberculosis on the mortality of cirrhotic patients: a population-based 3-year follow-up study.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is still unknown if TB, like other infectious diseases contributes a poor prognosis in cirrhotic patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of TB on the mortality of cirrhotic patients. National Health Insurance Database, derived from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Program, was used to identify 434 cirrhotic patients with new diagnosis of TB between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2007. The comparison group consisted of 4340 selected cirrhotic patients without TB in the same period by propensity score matching analysis. The 30-day, 90-day, 1-year and 3-year mortalities were 10.1%, 24.2%, 43.1%, and 63% in the TB group, and 7.9%, 15.5%, 31.2%, and 53.4% in the non-TB group. After Cox proportional hazard regression model adjusted by the patients' gender, age, and comorbid disorders, the hazard ratios (HR) in cirrhotic patients with TB for 30-day, 30 to 90-day, 90-day to 1-year, and 1 to 3-year mortalities were 1.33 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.97-1.83], 1.91 (95% CI 1.45-2.51), 1.46 (95% CI 1.16-1.84), and 1.10 (95% CI 0.88-1.37), compared to the non-TB group. In conclusion, TB is a risk factor for the mortality of cirrhotic patients. The effect focused on the 30-day to 1-year after diagnosis of TB.

Fulminant hepatic failure and acute renal failure as manifestations of concurrent Q fever and cytomegalovirus infection: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Coxiella burnetii is an obligate bacterial pathogen that causes Q fever. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) commonly exists as a latent infection in healthy people. Co-infection with both pathogens is rare. CASE PRESENTATION: We report an immunocompetent 53-year-old male farmer who presented with fulminant hepatic failure and acute renal failure. Empiric antibiotic treatment with intravenous penicillin G and levofloxacin were given, but hepatic and renal functions continued to deteriorate. A subsequent test of serum immunoglobulin M was positive for CMV, and administration of gancyclovir led to gradual recovery. A diagnosis of acute Q fever was confirmed by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) on paired serum samples to demonstrate a significant rise in antibody titers. Antibiotic treatment was adjusted accordingly. CONCLUSION: CMV co-infection should be considered in patients with acute Q fever when they do not respond to standard antimicrobial agents.

Effect of renal function impairment on the mortality of cirrhotic patients with hepatic encephalopathy: a population-based 3-year follow-up study.

Kidney is an important organ to clear neurotoxic substance in circulation. However, it is still unknown about the effect of renal function impairment (RFI) on the mortality of cirrhotic patients with hepatic encephalopathy (HE). We used the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database to identify 4932 cirrhotic patients with HE, hospitalized between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2007. The enrolled patients were followed up individually for 3 years to identify their 3-year mortalities. There were 411 (8.3%) patients with RFI and 4521 (91.7%) patients without RFI. The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of RFI for 3-year mortality was 2.03 (95% CI, 1.82-2.27). In RFI group, there were 157 (38.2%) patients with acute renal failure (ARF), 61 (14.8%) with hepatorenal syndrome (HRS), 93 (22.6%) with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and 100 (24.3%) with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Compared with the non-RFI group, the adjusted HR of ARF for 3-year mortality was 2.57 (95% CI, 2.17-3.06), CKD 1.93 (95% CI, 1.55-2.40), ESRD 1.26 (95% CI, 1.01-1.57), and HRS 3.58 (95% CI, 2.78-4.63). Among ESRD patients, there were 99 patients receiving hemodialysis regularly. Compared with the CKD group, the adjusted HR of ESRD with hemodialysis for 3-year mortality was 0.664 (95% CI, 0.466-0.945). RFI increased the 3-year mortality of cirrhotic patients with HE, especially ARF and HRS. HE patients with ESRD receiving hemodialysis had better 3-year survival rate than those with CKD.

Liver cirrhosis as a real risk factor for necrotising fasciitis: a three-year population-based follow-up study.

INTRODUCTION: Necrotising fasciitis (NF) is often found in patients with diabetes mellitus, chronic renal failure, alcoholism, malignancy or liver cirrhosis. However, it remains unknown whether liver cirrhosis is an independent risk factor for the occurrence of NF. This study aimed to determine whether liver cirrhosis is an independent risk factor for the occurrence of NF, and to identify the relationship between severity of liver cirrhosis and occurrence of NF. METHODS: The National Health Insurance Research Database, maintained by Taiwan's National Health Insurance programme, was retrospectively analysed, and the hospitalisation data of 40,802 cirrhotic patients and 40,865 randomly selected, age­ and gender­matched non­cirrhotic control patients was collected. The medical records of all patients were individually followed for a three­year period from the patients' first hospitalisation in 2004. RESULTS: During the three­year follow­up period, there were 299 (0.7%) cirrhotic patients with NF and 160 (0.4%) non­cirrhotic patients with NF. Cox regression analysis showed that liver cirrhosis was a risk factor for the occurrence of NF during the study period (hazard ratio 1.982; p < 0.001). Among cirrhotic patients, those with complicated liver cirrhosis had a higher risk for the occurrence of NF than patients with non­complicated liver cirrhosis (hazard ratio 1.320; p = 0.028). CONCLUSION: Cirrhotic patients had a higher risk for the occurrence of NF than non­cirrhotic patients, and the risk for NF was especially high among patients with complicated liver cirrhosis.

Treatment of refractory Aspergillus otomycosis with voriconazole: case series and review.

BACKGROUND: Voriconazole is a broad-spectrum azole exhibiting strong anti-Aspergillus activity and good long-term tolerance. However, the evidence for voriconazole efficacy against refractory Aspergillus otomycosis is weak. METHOD: We reviewed the medical records of patients with Aspergillus otomycosis treated with voriconazole from January 2008 to June 2012 in a Taiwanese regional hospital. Demographic data and information regarding underlying diseases, clinical features, treatment and outcome were assessed. RESULTS: In total, 14 cases of Aspergillus otomycosis were treated with voriconazole, including 5 patients with Aspergillus invasive otitis externa. All patients had failed to respond to local treatment, antibiotics or topical agents. One case was lost to follow up. The symptoms of two patients recurred after voriconazole treatment: one patient received a second 12-week course of voriconazole and was cured; and symptoms of the other patient recurred after a second 12-week course of voriconazole, leading to surgical debridement. The remaining 11 patients were cured by voriconazole treatment without extensive surgical debridement. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that voriconazole can be a very effective and convenient therapeutic option for the management of refractory Aspergillus otomycosis.