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Introduction
Skills and Expertise
Publications
Publications (79)
Objective:
To evaluate the relationship between alanine transaminase (ALT) level and biphasic insulin secretion (BPIS) in healthy elderly Han Chinese individuals.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study enrolled healthy elderly participants aged ≥60 years that were part of a health examination programme. In order to explore the correlation and sever...
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients have a high risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). Thallium-201 myocardial perfusion scan (Th-201 scan) is a non-invasive and extensively used tool in recognizing CAD in clinical settings. In this study, we attempted to compare the predictive accuracy of evaluating abnormal Th-201 scans using traditional mul...
Introduction:
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a known risk factor for tuberculosis (TB), leading to an approximate three-fold higher risk of developing active TB. However, epidemiological studies on the prevalence of latent TB infection (LTBI) in DM patients are lacking. In this study, we investigated the presence of LTBI and determined risk factors for...
A link between sex hormones and B-cell activating factor (BAFF), a crucial immunoregulator of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), may exist. The study aimed to elucidate the role of estrogen (E2) in regulating BAFF in Graves' disease (GD). In clinical samples, serum BAFF levels were higher in women than in men in both the GD and control groups. seru...
Aim
Patients with chronic hepatitis C are frequently treated with interferon (IFN)-α. Autoimmune thyroid disease occurs in 20% ~ 40% of IFN-α-treated patients. In this study, the effects of IFN-α administration on triggering and regulating autoimmune thyroiditis in various animal models were evaluated.
Main methods
Exogenous IFN-α was given to nai...
Background: High platelet count was noted in people with metabolic syndrome. A significant association between platelet count and various metabolic parameters had also been reported. However, all the studies hypothesized that these associations are linear relationships. This work investigated the potential non-linear relationships between platelet...
Introduction
Interferon (IFN)-β is known as an environmental trigger for the occurrence of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD). However, the association of another type-1 IFN, IFN-β, with AITD is unknown.
Material and methods
In the study, we explored the association of serum IFN-β levels with AITD in an ethnic Chinese (i.e., Taiwanese) population....
The Increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been observed in younger adults. Insulin resistance [IR], decreased first-, second-phase insulin secretion, and glucose effectiveness (GE) (IR, first phase insulin secretion [FPIS], second phase insulin secretion [SPIS], and GE), denoted as diabetes factors (DF), are core for developi...
Background
Inflammatory cytokines participate in immune reactions and the pathogenesis of autoimmunity. Herein, we quantified four groups of inflammatory cytokines, including interferons (IFNs), the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily (TNFSF), interleukin (IL)-related cytokines, and bone and extracellular matrix remodeling-related cytokines to...
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) increases coronary artery disease (CAD) risk. In this study, we used T2DM clinical variables to predict abnormality in thallium-201 myocardial perfusion scans (Th-201 scans). These clinical variables were summed stress score (SSS), summed rest score, and summed difference score (SDS), with data obtained from 368 male...
Cytokines and growth factors participate in immune responses, and the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. Herein, we simultaneously examined differential levels of 29 circulating factors to determine their associations in female patients with overt autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD). We enrolled 40 patients with Graves’ disease (GD), 20 patients wi...
It has been established that prediabetes can causes significant comorbidities, particularly in the elderly. The deterioration of glucose metabolism are generally considered to be results of the impairment of the 4 factors: first, second insulin secretion (FPIS, SPIS, respectively), glucose effectiveness (GE), and insulin resistance. In this study,...
Background:
This study evaluated the relative influence of insulin resistance (IR), first-phase insulin secretion (FPIS), second-phase insulin secretion (SPIS), and glucose effectiveness (GE) in determining the difference between fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and postprandial plasma glucose (PPG) (ΔPG), in a Chinese population with type 2 diabetes (...
Background:
Both hepatitis B (HB) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are related to metabolic syndrome (MetS); however, this relationship remains controversial. In this study, we determined the effects of NAFLD and HB infection on the risk of MetS among elderly individuals.
Methods:
In total, 24,500 individuals aged >65 years were enroll...
Interferon (IFN)-α treatment predisposes patients to the occurrence of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD).
Methods:
We investigated associations of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of molecules participating in the IFN-α signature, including rs2304204 and rs2304206 of IFN regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), rs1061501 of IRF7, and rs7708392 of TNFA1P...
Objective:
We denote the four major factors related to the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D) as "diabetes factor" (DF); increased insulin resistance (IR); decreased glucose effectiveness (GE); and the first-and-second-phase of insulin secretion (FPIS, SPIS). The level of hemoglobin (Hb) was found to be related to IR and FPIS, but no-known studi...
A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has not been fixed in the paper.
Background
Osteopontin (OPN) is recognized as a potent immunoregulator of autoimmune disease. In the study, we tried to explore the association of serum OPN levels with autoimmune thyroid disease, including Graves’ disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), in an ethnic Chinese population.
Methods
We enrolled 131 patients with GD, 33 patients with...
Melatonin (MLT) plays a significant role in both innate and adaptive immunity, and dysregulation of the MLT signature can modify autoimmune disease phenotypes. In this study, the influence of exogenous MLT administration on regulating autoimmune thyroiditis animal models was evaluated. An experimental autoimmune thyroiditis model was established in...
Background
Dysregulation of the type 1 interferon (IFN)‐related signaling pathway predisposes one to autoimmune diseases. Possible associations of single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of Secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) and B lymphocyte kinase (BLK) of the type 1 IFN‐related signaling pathway with autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) in an ethnic Ch...
A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.
Introduction
The increased incidence of young‐onset type 2 diabetes mellitus (YDM) is a major health problem. In this study, we tried to identify metabolic syndrome (MetS) components that could be used to predict YDM.
Methods
Thirteen thousand and nine hundred healthy young adults were enrolled and followed for 6‐117 months. The Cox proportional h...
Background
Diabetes is characterized by increased insulin resistance (IR) and decreased insulin secretion. The roles of glucose effectiveness (GE), first- and second-phase insulin secretion (FPIS, SPIS) are often overlooked. We denote these factors as diabetic factors (DF). Hemoglobin (Hb) has been shown to be related to IR and FPIS, but not to SPI...
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189115.].
Aim:
Elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) are tightly associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, it is unclear whether the combination of normal CRP and ALT increases probability of the presence of MetS.
Materials and methods:
We enrolled 433 Chinese in health screening with both CRP and ALT in...
Aim
The present study evaluated the relative influence of body mass index (BMI) on insulin resistance (IR), first-phase insulin secretion (FPIS), second-phase insulin secretion (SPIS), and glucose effectiveness (GE) at a fixed fasting plasma glucose level in an older ethnic Chinese population.
Methods
In total, 265 individuals aged 60 years with a...
Serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (γ-GT) is implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adults. The relationships between γ-GT and cardiometabolic dysregulation remains unclear in adolescents. We enrolled 7,072 Taiwanese adolescents and followed them for a median of 6.8 years. The optimal cut-off values (CoVs) o...
Background
Melatonin plays an important role in immunity and has been linked to autoimmune diseases. Possible associations of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of melatonin receptor type 1A (MTNR1A) and 1B (MTNR1B), with autoimmune thyroid disease in an ethnic Chinese (i.e., Taiwanese) population were examined.
Materials and methods
Totally,...
Supplementary figures and tables.
(PDF)
Hypertension and prehypertension can increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes. However, whether the harmful effects of high blood pressure (BP) are also seen with high normotension remains unknown. This 10-year longitudinal follow-up study aimed to investigate the relationships among normal-range BP, metabolic syndr...
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS), have become the most powerful tool to search the numerous potential risk genetic loci for the susceptibility of many complicated diseases in recent years. However, despite of the more comprehensive analysis of GWAS, there are some limitations for the method. First, it is difficult to identify true causal vari...
Background:
This study investigated the association of serum B-lymphocyte activating factor (BAFF) levels with autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) in a Chinese population.
Materials and methods:
We enrolled 221 patients with AITD [170 patients with Graves' disease (GD), 51 patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT)], and 124 healthy controls. Seru...
Background:
Glucose effectiveness (GE) is the capacity of glucose to increase its own uptake and to maintain endogenous hepatic glucose output under basal insulin levels. In addition to decreased insulin sensitivity (IS) and impaired insulin secretion, GE plays a critical role in glucose balance in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). In the stud...
Aim:
Impaired insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion (ISEC) are major pathophysiologies of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). ISEC has two phases: the first and second phases (second ISEC). In this study, we derived equations to identify patients with second ISEC deficiency (ISEC-D).
Methods:
Data from 96 patients, namely 19 with a normal fasting plasma...
Background
The B-lymphocyte-activating factor (BAFF) is associated with B-cell functions, and gene polymorphisms of the BAFF have been linked to autoimmune diseases (AIDs). In this study, we explored possible associations of two BAFF single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs1041569 and rs2893321, with autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs) in an ethn...
Supplementary Figures and Tables.
(PDF)
Objectives:
Insulin secretion has 2 phases, first-phase and second-phase insulin secretion (SPIS). The purpose of our study was to validate the SPIS derived from the modified low-dose graded glucose infusion test (MLDGGI) by using the standard SPIS derived from the low-dose graded glucose infusion test (LDGGI).
Methods:
Fourteen participants wer...
The concept of using single criterion of normal blood pressure with systolic blood pressure (SBP) < 140 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) < 90 mmHg for all ages is still disputable. The aim of the study is to identify the cutoff value of normotension in different age and sex groups.
Totally, 127,922 (63,724 men and 64,198 women) were enrolled...
Both decreased insulin sensitivity, and impaired insulin secretion are 2 major pathophyisologies for type 2 diabetes (T2DM). There are two phases of ISEC-the first (1st ISEC) and second phase (2nd ISEC). In this study, we tried to build an equation to predict 2nd ISEC.
Totally, 82 subjects, including 15 with normal fasting glucose, 26 with pre-diab...
Background:
Hyperglycemia increases prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS), type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). But the role of normoglycemia on the development of T2D and CVD in elderly population remains unclear.
Aim:
To determine an optimal cut-off for fasting plasma glucose (FPG) to predict MetS and subsequent risk of T2...
Iodine deficiency causes a broad spectrum of disorders across all ages. Mandatory salt iodization in Taiwan successfully reduced the goiter rate from 21.6% to 4.3% in schoolchildren surveyed in 1971. The program continued until 2003 when salt iodization was changed from mandatory to voluntary. The purpose of this study was to investigate the iodine...
The occurrence of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) is known to have a major adverse effect on interferon (INF)-α treatment. The genetic variant of the INF regulatory factor 8 (IRF8), a type 1 INF regulator, is associated with susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus and multiple sclerosis. In this study, we investigated possible associations...
Nonalchoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been reported as a hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome (MetS); it is common and accounts for 80% of the cases with abnormal liver function tests (LFTs). In addition, several studies have proved that there is a correlation between abnormal LFTs and MetS. Therefore, LFTs may represent the abnormal...
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has an important implication from a preventive medicine perspective as early recognition and intervention will reduce associated mortality and morbidity. To better identify patients at risk for developing MetS and cardiovascular disease, we conduct a combined cross-sectional and longitudinal study to shed light on the elev...
Aims. There are two phases of insulin secretion, the first (FPIS) and second phase (SPIS). In this study, we built equations to predict FPIS with metabolic syndrome (MetS) components and fasting plasma insulin (FPI). Methods. Totally, 186 participants were enrolled. 75% of participants were randomly selected as the study group to build equations. T...
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is characterized by both decreased insulin sensitivity and impaired insulin secretion. The 2 phases of insulin secretion are the first-phase insulin secretion (1st ISEC) and the second-phase insulin secretion. In this study, we tried to build clinical-metabolic models to predict the 1st ISEC defi.ciency (ISEC-D) in n...
Objective:
To compare four different blood pressure (BP) measurements-systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and pulse pressure (PP)-in predicting future metabolic syndrome (MetS) among the normotensive elderly population, and to estimate the optimal cutoff value of the best single measurement for clinical practice....
The current study presents a case of persistent hypoglycemia as the initial manifestation of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), as well as a systematic review of the management of hypoglycemia associated with HCC. A 42-year-old female presented with loss of consciousness and a blood glucose level of 30 mg/dl (normal range, 80-140 mg/dl). Abdo...
Taiwan was an iodine deficiency area and endemic goiter was common in 1940's. Mandatory salt iodization started in 1967, and a 1971 survey indicated that goiter rates in children decreased from 21.6% to 4.3%. To understand iodine status before the change of national salt iodization program in 2003, from mandatory to voluntary salt iodization, we re...
Decreased insulin sensitivity (IS) and impaired insulin secretion are major pathological features of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). The product of these factors is the disposition index (DI). We aimed to develop an equation for predicting DI. We enrolled 167 participants in our study. We randomly assigned 126 (75%) of the participants to the study group,...
Objectives:
The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is proposed to predict future occurrence of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. There are some other "non-traditional" risk factors such as hematogram components that are also related to the same endpoints as MetS. In this four-year longitudinal study, we used hematogram components to build models for pr...
The relationship between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and uric acid (UA) has been explored in many studies, but there is paucity of information on hypo-uricemia and MetS. The current study aimed to elucidate the relationship between the lower end of UA and MetS in elderly. Subjects aged ≥60 years who underwent routine health checkups were enrolled, an...
Background:
The white blood cell (WBC) count was one of the first inflammatory markers associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS). Recently, two longitudinal studies have demonstrated a cause and effect relationship between MetS and WBC counts among middle-aged adults. However, no study has used WBC cutoff values to predict MetS in the elderly.
Me...
The major contributors to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes are impaired insulin action and insulin secretion, including second phase insulin secretion (2(nd) ISEC). This study aimed to compare surrogates derived from the mixed meal tolerance test (MTT) with 2(nd) ISEC derived from modified low-dose graded glucose infusion (M-LDGGI) in patients w...
Aim:
Cardiovascular disease and diabetes are important causes for mortality in older people. Both hypertension and prehypertension are correlated with them. Recently, health promotion and disease prevention in postmenopausal women have become an essential issue of public health policy. The present study aimed to evaluate whether the harmful effect...
Objective:
The prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) increases with increasing fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels in an elderly population with pre-diabetes or diabetes. However, it remains unknown whether the relationship between elevated FPG and increased risks of MetS exists in older women with normoglycemia...
Background:
Low-grade inflammatory status was thought to be a major underlying mechanism in MetS. White blood cell (WBC) count was one of the inflammatory markers identified to be associated with MetS. Moreover, not only WBC but also hemoglobin (Hb) and platelet (PLT) were all associated with MetS.
Objective:
In this study, we tried to build mod...
Objective:
Impaired insulin sensitivity (SI) and β-cell function are the two main causes of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and are related to low-grade inflammation status. Trivalent chromium has shown to improve SI in our previous study. This might be due to the ability of decreasing interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) shown in animal...
Background
With the growing number of elderly population in Taiwan and many other countries, the role of metabolic syndrome (MetS) has become more important recently. Although had been reported in different age groups, the relationship between platelet and MetS in the geriatric population still remains unknown.
Methods
We included 1187 Taiwanese m...
Background:
Diffuse sclerosing variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (DSPC) is a rare variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). We report a 61-year-old female of DSPC whose course was complicated by multiple metastases and an elevated serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level.
Summary:
The patient presented with upper back pain. X-ray show...
Insulin resistance is one of the important underlying abnormalities of type 2 diabetes. The effect of thiazolidinedione on liver functions has been controversial in different studies. In this study, we evaluated the effect of rosiglitazone on liver enzymes in subjects with type 2 diabetes with and without abnormal liver function.
Seventy-three pati...
We conducted this study to investigate whether subjects with high-normal systolic blood pressure (SBP) have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and/or diabetes compared to subjects with low-normal SBP, using metabolic syndrome (MetS) as a risk factor for future CVD/diabetes.The study included 6133 apparently healthy Taiwanese men aged...
It has been reported that low normal circulating thyrotropin (TSH) levels correlate with lower bone mineral density (BMD) in the Korean postmenopausal female. The goal of this study is to evaluate this relationship in different sex and age groups in a Chinese population.
A total of 2,957 subjects in Taiwan, 1,343 males and 1,614 females, aged from...
Agranulocytosis is an uncommon but serious complication of Graves' disease under thionamide therapy. In some patients removal of circulating thyroid hormones and thyroid antibodies by plasmapheresis is an effective adjunctive therapeutic option. In perioperative settings, however, plasmapheresis may cause excess bleeding intraoperatively due to coa...
The traditional sulfonylureas with long half-lives have sustained stimulatory effects on insulin secretion compared to the short-acting insulin secretagogue. In this study, we used the frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIGT) to evaluate the insulin sensitivity (IS), glucose sensitivity (SG), and acute insulin response after gl...