Aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) has been shown to be an independent predictor of cardiovascular mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease and the general population. Atmospheric particulate- matter (PM) concentrations and their effects on cardiovascular system by affecting arterial stiffness and central hemodynamic parameters had been noted. The purpose of this study was to access the correlation of air pollution variables and PWV in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). This study analyzed 127 HD patients treated at the outpatient HD center. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was measured by using a Vascular Profiler 1000 (VP-1000). Air pollution levels were recorded by a network of 27 monitoring stations near or in the patients’ living areas throughout Taiwan. The 12-month average concentrations of PM with an aerodynamic diameter of <10 and <2.5 mm (PM10 and PM2.5, respectively), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide(CO), and ozone (O3) were included. Multivariate linear regression analyses indicated that systolic blood pressure (SBP) (β = 0.589, P < 0.025), age (β = 0.316, P < 0.001), serum aluminum level (Al) (β = 0.149, P = 0.020), and PM10 (β = 0.133, P = 0.036) were positively correlated with baPWV. This cross-sectional study shows that in HD patients, the environmental PM10 level is associated with the baPWV.

Background: We investigated the mortality rates of patients with and without diabetes mellitus after acute large-dose exposure to organophosphate insecticides. All patients without diabetes mellitus were traced to examine the long-term risk of new-onset diabetes mellitus. Previous reports indicated that organophosphate exposure might increase the risk of new-onset diabetes mellitus.Methods: We analyzed the records of 118 patients referred to Chang Gung Memorial Hospital for management of intentional organophosphate poisoning between 2000 and 2011. Patients were stratified by diabetes mellitus status. Demographic, clinical, laboratory and mortality data were analyzed.Results: Most patients were middle aged (53.45 ± 16.20 years) and male (65.3%) and were referred to our hospital after a relatively short amount of time had elapsed since poisoning (median 3.0 hours). 18 (15.2%) of 118 patients died, including 15 (13.8%) of 109 patients without diabetes mellitus and 3 (33.3%) of 9 with diabetes mellitus. There was no significant difference in mortality between these groups (P = 0.117). In a multivariate Cox regression model, hypotension (P = 0.000), respiratory failure (P = 0.042), coma (P = 0.023), and corrected QT interval prolongation (P = 0.002) were significant risk factors for mortality. Conversely, diabetes mellitus status was not a significant variable in this model. At routine outpatient follow up a median of 1.25 months post exposure, random blood glucose measurements gave no evidence of new-onset diabetes in patients without pre-existing diabetes.Conclusions: Diabetes mellitus status might not increase mortality risk following acute large-dose exposure to organophosphates, and the risk of new-onset diabetes mellitus also might be minimal in the short term. Larger prospective studies with formal testing for diabetes at later times post-exposure are required.

Background and Purpose: There is an overall paucity of data regarding the human toxicity of chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin pesticide mixture. Both organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides are metabolized by carboxylesterases. Thus, its pesticide combination, organophosphates may boost the toxicity of pyrethroids via inhibited its detoxification by carboxylesterases. This study examined the clinical course, laboratory tests, and outcomes of patients with chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin or their pesticide mixture poisoning, and to determine what association, if any, might exist between these findings. Patients and Methods: Between 2000 and 2021, 121 patients poisoned with chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, or their pesticide mixture were treated at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. Patients were categorized as chlorpyrifos (n=82), cypermethrin (n=27) or chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin (n=12) groups. Demographic, clinical, laboratory and mortality data were collected for analysis. Results: The patients experienced a broad range of clinical symptoms, including aspiration pneumonia (44.6%), salivation (42.5%), acute respiratory failure (41.3%), acute kidney injury (13.9%), seizures (7.5%), hypotension (2.6%), etc. Leukocytosis (12,700± 6600 /uL) and elevated serum C-reactive protein level (36.8± 50.4 mg/L) were common. The acute respiratory failure rate was 41.3%, comprising 48.8% in chlorpyrifos, 11.1% in cypermethrin as well as 58.3% in chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin poisoning. Patients with chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin pesticide mixture poisoning suffered higher rates of acute respiratory failure (P=0.001) and salivation (P=0.001), but lower Glasgow Coma Scale score (P=0.011) and serum cholinesterase level (P< 0.001) than other groups. A total of 17 (14.0%) patients expired. The mortality rate was 14.0%, including 17.1% in chlorpyrifos, 3.7% in cypermethrin as well as 16.7% in chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin poisoning. No significant differences in mortality rate were noted (P=0.214). Conclusion: Chlorpyrifos pesticide accounted for the major toxicity of the pesticide mixture. While the data show a higher rate of respiratory failure in the chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin pesticide mixture group than others, other measures of toxicity such as mortality and length of stay were not increased.

There is limited literature analyzing the outcome of human poisoning with methomyl and cypermethrin pesticide mixture. Between 2002 and 2018, a total of 63 patients intoxicated with methomyl, cypermethrin, or their pesticide mixture were treated at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. The patients were categorized into three groups based on the type of pesticide, as methomyl (n = 10), cypermethrin (n = 31), or methomyl and cypermethrin (n = 22). Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and mortality data were obtained for analysis. The patients were aged 54.9 ± 18.9 years. Following ingestion, the patients experienced a wide range of clinical symptoms, including aspiration pneumonia (50.8%), acute respiratory failure (41.3%), acute kidney injury (33.3%), multiple organ failure (19.0%), emesis (19.0%), acute hepatitis (12.7%), diarrhea (7.9%), seizures (4.8%), lacrimation (4.8%), etc. After analysis, it was found that patients with methomyl and cypermethrin poisoning suffered higher incidences of acute respiratory failure (p < 0.001), aspiration pneumonia (p = 0.004), acute kidney injury (p = 0.011), and multiple organ failure (p < 0.001) than the other groups. Laboratory analyses revealed that patients with methomyl and cypermethrin poisoning had a higher creatinine level (p = 0.011), white blood cell count (p < 0.001), and neutrophil count (p = 0.019) than the other groups. A total of seven (11.1%) patients died. The average duration of hospitalization was 9.8 ± 10.0 days. In a multivariate logistic regression model, it was revealed that methomyl pesticide (p = 0.045) or methomyl and cypermethrin pesticide mixture (p = 0.013) were significant risk factors for acute respiratory failure. Nevertheless, no mortality risk factor could be identified. Therefore, the analytical results suggest that methomyl pesticide is the major contributor to the toxicity of methomyl and cypermethrin pesticide mixture poisoning. More research is needed.

Background: Rodenticide poisoning remains a major public health problem in Asian countries. Nevertheless, very few data are available in world literature regarding the outcomes of these patients. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical outcomes of rodenticide poisonings in our hospital and to compare these data with published reports from other international poison centers. Findings: We retrospectively examined the records of 20 patients with rodenticide poisoning (8 brodifacoum, 12 bromadiolone) who were referred to Chang Gung Memorial Hospital between 2000 and 2011. It was found that most of the rodenticide patients were middle-aged adults. Both genders were equally affected and many patients had a past history of major depressive disorder or schizophrenia. Nevertheless, patients with bromadiolone were referred significantly sooner than patients with brodifacoum poisoning (0.1 ± 0.1 versus 5.5 ± 10.5, P < 0.001). Furthermore, it was found that patients with brodifacoum suffered higher incidences of ecchymosis (50.0% versus 0%, P = 0.006) and hematuria (50.0% versus 0%, P = 0.006) than patients with bromadiolone poisoning. Laboratory analysis also demonstrated a poorer hemostatic profile of patients with brodifacoum [prothrombin time (PT), international normalized ratio (INR), 4.3 ± 4.8 versus 1.0 ± 0.1, P = 0.032; PT prolongation, 50.0% versus 0%, P = 0.006; activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) prolongation, 50.0% versus 0%, P = 0.006] than patients with bromadiolone poisoning. At the end of analysis, no patient died of the poisoning. Conclusion: The favorable outcome (zero mortality rate) is comparable to the published reports from other international poison centers. Further studies are warranted.

Background. Anemia and pancytopenia are not uncommon in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Nevertheless, there is insufficient literature analyzing bone marrow pathology in patients with CKD or end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) receiving dialysis. Methods. This observational cohort study included 22 patients with ESKD and 23 patients with CKD that received bone marrow biopsy and aspiration at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. Demographic, hematological, and biochemical data were collected at the time of bone marrow study for analysis. Results. Bone marrow aspiration demonstrated that patients with ESKD had a lower percentage of blasts than patients with CKD (0.52 ± 0.84 versus 1.06 ± 0.78 %, p = 0.033). Bone marrow biopsy revealed that the overall incidence of hypocellular bone marrow was 55.6%. Furthermore, patients with ESKD had higher proportion of hypocellular bone marrow than patients with CKD (72.7% versus 39.1%, p = 0.023). In a multivariate logistic regression model, it was revealed that ESKD status (odds ratio 9.43, 95% confidence interval 1.66–53.63, p = 0.011) and megakaryocyte count within bone marrow (odds ratio 0.48, 95% confidence interval 0.29–0.79, p = 0.004) were significant predictors for bone marrow hypocellularity. Conclusion. Bone marrow hypocellularity is common in patients with kidney dysfunction. Hypocellular marrow occurs more frequently in patients with ESKD than patients with CKD.