Fu Jen Catholic University

About: Fu Jen Catholic University is a education organization based out in Taipei, Taiwan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Medicine. The organization has 6842 authors who have published 9512 publications receiving 171005 citations. The organization is also known as: FJU & Fu Jen.

Variability in hemoglobin A1c predicts all-cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Abstract: Background To evaluate the relationship between hemoglobin A1c variability and all-cause mortality in type 2 diabetic patients. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study in type 2 diabetic patients followed for at least 2years between 2003 and 2009. A1C variability was determined from the standard deviation or coefficient of variation of serial A1C values (A1C SD or A1C CV ). Subjects were categorized into either the high or low A1C variability group according to their A1C CV median. Hazard ratios (HRs) of various factors for all-cause mortality were determined from Cox's proportional hazard models. Results A total of 881 subjects (422 men, 459 women) were included and 73 (8.3%) died during follow-up. The follow-up period was 4.7±2.3years. All-cause mortality was higher in subjects with high A1C CV (11.0% vs. 5.4%, p=0.002). In the Kaplan–Meier failure curve, subjects with higher A1C CV demonstrated a trend of higher mortality (p=0.1). In multivariate Cox's proportional hazards models, A1C SD and A1C CV significantly predicted all-cause mortality with an HR of 1.987 (p=0.02) and 1.062 (p=0.013), respectively, after adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, duration of diabetes, mean systolic blood pressure, use of antihypertensives and statins, mean LDL-cholesterol, smoking status, chronic kidney disease, and mean A1C values (A1C MEAN ). The ability of A1C SD and A1C CV to predict all-cause mortality was more evident in subjects with relatively low A1C MEAN. Conclusions A1C variability is an important risk factor for all-cause mortality in type 2 diabetic patients.

Effects of postpartum exercise program on fatigue and depression during "doing-the-month" period.

Abstract: This study explored the effectiveness of an exercise program on reducing levels of fatigue and depression among postpartum women who were "doing-the-month" in a maternity center in Taiwan. Previous studies related to postpartum have focused on depression rather than women's feelings of fatigue, and no study related to exercise has previously been conducted in a Taiwan maternity center. A low-intensity exercise program was specifically designed and administered to 31 subjects in the study's intervention group. Another 30 subjects (the control group) followed a traditional, non-physically active postpartum care regimen. Those in the intervention group were required to participate in at least 6 exercise program sessions during their one month postpartum stay. All subjects were asked to fill out a fatigue and depression questionnaire before and after the program. A Fatigue Symptom Checklist (FSC) was used to measure fatigue, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CESD) was used to confirm the development of depression. Results showed statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of fatigue levels, with statistical improvements (p < .05) registered by the intervention group in terms of levels of physical and psychological fatigue and fatigue symptoms. However, no significant changes in depression between the two groups were found. Study results demonstrate that a low-intensity exercise program can offer a good platform for clinicians and researchers to help reduce fatigue in postpartum women.

Nasal surgery for snoring in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

Abstract: Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of nasal surgery to relieve snoring and to identify predictive factors. Study Design: Prospective comparative study. Methods: Fifty-two consecutive patients (51 males; mean age, 38 yr; body mass index, 25.4 ± 5.2 kg/m2) were enrolled. All patients had been previously diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (apnea/hypopnea index, 38.5 ± 33.2 events/hr) and symptomatic nasal obstruction secondary to deviated nasal septum. Septomeatoplasty alone was the treatment in this study cohort. Snoring was assessed by Snore Outcome Survey (SOS), and nasal obstruction was assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS) and anterior rhinomanometry at baseline and approximately 3 months after nasal surgery. Results: Body mass index remained unchanged (P > .05) after surgery. Significantly improved SOS (P .05) in SOS score changes. Conclusions: In patients with obstructive sleep apnea suffering from both snoring and nasal obstruction, nasal surgery for deviated septum relieves snoring in 12%. The tonsil size affects the outcome of nasal surgery for snoring.