Te-Chao Fang

Taipei Medical University | TMU · Department of Internal Medicine

Background: Hemodialysis patients are at an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and are excluded from preauthorization COVID-19 vaccine trials; therefore, their immunogenicity is uncertain. Methods: To compare the antibody responses to homologous ChAdOx1 and mRNA-1273 SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in hemodialysis patients, 103 age- and sex-matched h...

Blue light is part of the natural light spectrum that emits high energy. Currently, people are frequently exposed to blue light from 3C devices, resulting in a growing incidence of retinopathy. The retinal vasculature is complex, and retinal vessels not only serve the metabolic needs of the retinal sublayers, but also maintain electrolyte homeostas...

Urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) is a crucial activator of the fibrinolytic system that modulates tissue remodeling, cancer progression, and inflammation. However, its role in membranous nephropathy (MN) remains unclear. To clarify this issue, an established mouse model mimicking human MN induced by cationic bovine serum albumin (cBSA) in BALB...

Whether valacyclovir-associated neurotoxicity (VAN) occurs more frequently in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on dialysis is unknown. This is the first population-based study to examine the risk of VAN associated with ESRD patients on dialysis. Among 2,284,800 patients diagnosed as having herpes zoster from 2002 to 2016, patients with...

High fructose intake has been implicated in obesity and metabolic syndrome, which are related to increased cardiovascular mortality. However, few studies have experimentally examined the role of renin–angiotensin system blockers and calcium channel blockers (CCB) in obesity. We investigated the effects of valsartan (an angiotensin II receptor block...

Objective Plasma dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) levels were significantly lower in patients with colorectal and liver cancers, and animal studies also showed DPP4 inhibitors (DPP4is) have procarcinogenic effects in colorectal cancer. Until now, whether DPP4is therapy affects the progression of liver cancer and colorectal cancer in patients with T2DM...

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients tend to have a reduced immune response to infection and vaccination. The efficacy of current available COVID-19 vaccines in CKD patients has not been widely evaluated. Methods: In the present study, three hundred and eight chronic dialysis patients received ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (Oxford-AstraZeneca, AZ...

Purpose of the study The risk of bone fracture is high in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and aggressive treatment to reduce fragility fracture risk is the major strategy. However, the outcomes of osteoporosis medications in patients with CKD remain unclear. Study design Patients with stage 3–5 CKD during 2011–2019 were enrolled. Patie...

Purpose of the study: The risk of bone fracture is high in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and aggressive treatment to reduce fragility fracture risk is the major strategy. However, the outcomes of osteoporosis medications in patients with CKD remain unclear. Study design: Patients with stage 3-5 CKD during 2011-2019 were enrolled. P...

Uremic toxins, such as indoxyl sulfate (IS) and kynurenine, accumulate in the blood in the event of kidney failure and contribute to further bone damage. To maintain the homeostasis of the skeletal system, bone remodeling is a persistent process of bone formation and bone resorption that depends on a dynamic balance of osteoblasts and osteoclasts....

Objective: Apart from dietary restriction and medical therapy, the benefits of cardiovascular protection offered by polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplements in patients with ESRD receiving maintenance dialysis remain unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effects of PUFAs on blood pressure, heart rate (HR), HR variabil...

Background and objectives Patients with kidney failure have a high risk of cardiovascular disease due to cardiac remodeling, left ventricular fibrosis, and hyperaldosteronism, all of which can be potentially mitigated by mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists. However, because of the fear of hyperkalemia, the use of mineralocorticoid receptor antag...

Background The optimal anticoagulant for end-stage renal disease patients for stroke prophylaxis is unknown. The efficacy and safety of warfarin in this population are debatable. In addition, real-world evidence of direct oral anticoagulants in patients with end-stage renal disease is limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outc...

In recent decades, the obesity epidemic has resulted in morbidity and mortality rates increasing globally. In this study, using obese mouse models, we investigated the relationship among urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA), metabolic disorders, glomerular filtration rate, and adipose tissues. Two groups, each comprised of C57BL/6J and BALB/c male...

Irisin, a novel myokine, is believed to be the crucial factor in converting white adipose tissue to beige adipose tissue. For this paper, we studied the relationship among irisin and components of metabolic syndrome (MetS), and insulin secretion and resistance in schoolchildren of Taiwan. Subjects receiving routine annual health examination at elem...

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is cumulative worldwide and an increasing public health issue. Aside from the widely known protein restriction and medical therapy, less evident is the renal protection of nutrition supplements in CKD patients. This systematic review (SR), using a Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE...

The effects of ketoanalogues (KA) supplementation on mortality and progression to dialysis in patients with pre-dialysis stage 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD) receiving a low-protein diet (LPD) remain ambiguous. From Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database during 1996-2011, 165 patients with pre-dialysis CKD on an LPD (0.6 g/kg/day) wit...

Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) is a common metabolic disorder worldwide. In addition to the chief feature of long-standing hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, and a number of complications develop in parallel. It is believed that an adequate control of blood glucose levels can cause these complications to go into remissi...

The association between gout and injury remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the injury risk in patients with gout. Using the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database (LHID) from 2000 to 2010 in Taiwan, patients with gout (group CFG) and those without gout (group C) were enrolled for further analysis. The CFG group was separated into two...

Background and aim Several studies showed plasma dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) levels were significantly lower in patients with colorectal and liver cancers, and animal studies also showed DPP4 inhibitors (DPP4is) have procarcinogenic effects in colorectal cancer. The aims of this study were to investigate the association between cumulative defined...

Indoxyl sulfate (IS) is a chronic kidney disease (CKD)-specific renal osteodystrophy metabolite that affects the nuclear factor of activated T-cells, cytoplasmic 1 (NFATc1), a transcription factor promoting osteoclastogenesis. However, the mechanisms underlying the regulation of NFATc1 by IS remain unknown. It is intriguing that the Aryl hydrocarbo...

The effectiveness and safety of direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) in hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients with renal insufficiency remain controversial. Therefore, this network meta-analysis aims to assess effectiveness and safety of DAAs in populations with different renal function. The pooled data were obtained from Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PubM...

Objectives: There are higher incidence of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) in hemodialysis (HD) patients than in the general population. Long-term outcomes of HD patients with new-onset SSHL have yet to be investigated although SSHL is considered as an independent risk of cardiovascular diseases in the general population. We examined the r...

Activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) has been implicated in cardiovascular disease and inflammation. This study examined the effects of ATF3 knockout (KO) on blood pressure, glucose intolerance, dyslipidemia, inflammation, and visceral adiposity in mice fed who did and did not consume a high-fructose diet. Male mice were divided into four group...

The effect of dyslipidemia on peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients based on the presence of residual renal function (RRF; renal creatinine clearance >2 mL/min/1.73 m 2) is unknown. Data from the Taiwan Renal Registry Data System between 2005 and 2012 were analyzed to estimate the association between dyslipidemia and mortality in PD patients. Long-term...

Objective Cardiovascular risk factors are associated with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) in the general population. However, long-term mortality and major kidney events in patients with new-onset POAG remain unclear. Methods Using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database between 1997 and 2011, 15 185 patients with a new diagnosis...

Table S1. The Rate of Metformin Users Among Patients with Ischemic or Hemorrhagic Stroke

Background Metformin use reduces the incidence and severity of stroke in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). The benefits of metformin for stroke have not been examined in hemodialysis patients with DM. Methods and Results Using the National Health Insurance Research Database, we identified 17 760 patients with DM and new‐onset hemodialys...

The benefit of antithrombotic therapy in hemodialysis (HD) patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and high thromboembolic risk has not been proved. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of antithrombotic therapy on HD patients with AF and high thromboembolic risk. We analysed the outcomes of 1,197 HD patients with AF having CHA2DS2-V...

Renin–angiotensin system in visceral fat plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome in fructose-fed rats. However, the effects of renin inhibition on visceral adiposity in metabolic syndrome are not fully investigated. We investigated the effects of renin inhibition on visceral adiposity in fructose-fed rats. Male Wistar–Kyoto r...

Effects of aliskiren on (A) food intake and (B) body weight gain in fructose-fed hypertensive rats. Con: control rats were fed the normal chow diet; Fru: rats were fed the high-fructose diet for 8 weeks; FruA: rats received the same treatment as Group Fru, and aliskiren was concurrently administered; FruB: rats received the same treatment as Group...

Angiotensin II levels of the periaortic brown adipose tissue of thoracic aorta and the kidney in the control rats fed with the normal chow diet. (DOC)

Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and associated complications are common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and can increase morbidity and mortality. A longitudinal 5-year observational study was conducted to investigate whether the use of anti-diabetic medications or not affected survival rates of diabetic dialysis patients. Met...

This paper reports a comprehensive comparison for mortality and technique failure rates between automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) in Taiwan. A propensity-score matched cohort study was conducted by retrieving APD and CAPD patients identified from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Da...

Some statins (simvastatin, lovastatin, and atorvastatin) are metabolized by cytochrome P450s 3A4 (CYP3A4). Inhibitors of CYP3A4 including some calcium channel blockers (CCBs) might increase statin blood concentration, owing to drug–drug interactions. Risk of adverse events such as acute kidney injury might occur following the coprescription of CYP3...

Importance Retinal vascular occlusion is considered a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases in the general population. However, the long-term outcomes of patients who undergo incident hemodialysis and subsequently develop retinal vascular occlusion have not been examined.Objective To determine the mortality rate and subsequent prevalence of sys...

A 30-year-old woman was sent to the emergency room after alcohol and paraquat ingestion. After three sessions of hemoperfusion via the indwelling double-lumen catheter, the patient could tolerate ambient air and her urine output was good. However, on the 10th day of hospitalization, she had a sudden onset of dyspnea and hypoxia. Pulmonary embolism...

Background: Hemodialysis (HD) patients with bone fractures have an increased risk for death. However, the risks for mortality and atherosclerotic complications in incident HD patients subsequently with bone fractures are unknown. Methods: Data derived from the Taiwan National Health Institute Research Database between January 1997 and December 2...

Besides regulating calcium homeostasis, the effects of vitamin D on vascular tone and metabolic disturbances remain scarce in the literature despite an increase intake with high-fructose corn syrup worldwide. We investigated the effects of calcitriol, an active form of vitamin D, on vascular relaxation, glucose tolerance, and visceral fat pads in f...

Tenofovir is an effective and widely used antiretroviral drug for the treatment of both human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus infection. Although large clinical studies and postmarketing data support a benign renal profile for tenofovir, numerous cases of kidney injury have raised concerns about its nephrotoxic potential. Here, w...

Background and Aims The outcomes of Chinese patients undergoing dialysis after coronary revascularization are unknown. We examined the outcomes of Taiwanese dialysis patients after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), or coronary stenting. Methods Using data from the National Health Institu...

The significant role of vitamin D has always been valued, and its additional pleiotropic effects have been explored in this century. Vitamin D and its metabolites function to maintain calcium balance and regulate the kidneys, heart and immune system. Vitamin D's anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic and anti-fibrotic effect is important in intracellula...

The impact of renal dysfunction has not been well evaluated among cirrhotic patients having bacterial infections other than spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP). We aimed to examine the impact of renal function impairment (RFI) among cirrhotic patients with non-SBP bacterial infections. Data of 7134 cirrhotic patients with non-SBP bacterial infe...

Coronary artery disease (CAD) carries a high risk of mortality in dialysis patients. End-stage renal disease is considered to increase the vulnerability of patients with atherosclerosis superimposed on artery calcification. Recently, an increasing prevalence of CAD in dialysis patients has been attributed to a lack of effective prevention and treat...

The novel roles of vitamin D were discovered and valued in this century. In addition to the maintenance of calcium and phosphorus balance, vitamin D regulates the function of the kidneys, heart, and immune system. Moreover, its anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, and antifibrotic roles have gained considerable attention. Vitamin D is also important f...

It is unknown whether human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) can improve the renal function of patients suffering from acute kidney injury. Moreover, before beginning clinical trials, it is necessary to investigate this renoprotective effect of hUC-MSCs in a xenogeneic model of acute kidney injury. However, no previous studi...

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers can improve insulin resistance and vascular dysfunction in insulin-resistant rats; however, there are few reports on the effects of direct renin inhibitors on these conditions. We investigated the effects of a direct renin inhibitor, aliskiren, on insulin resistanc...

The renin-angiotensin system plays a major role in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of aliskiren, a direct renin inhibitor, on the metabolic syndrome of fructose-fed rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups (n = 6 for each group). Group Con: rats were fed a standard chow...

Objective: The cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) is a novel and accurate method, independent of the effect of blood pressure, and is used as a predictor of arterial stiffness (AS). However, the application of CAVI to identify the prevalence and clinical correlates of AS in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients remains under investigation. The objectiv...

An increased incidence of cancer in chronic dialysis patients has not been confirmed in the Chinese population. The aim of this population-based study was to examine the risk of various types of cancers in chronic dialysis patients in Taiwan. Data of 92 348 chronic dialysis patients extracted from the National Health Institutes Research Database du...

Arterial stiffness is an independent predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, particularly in patients with chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The objective of this study was to determine the risk factors for de novo arterial stiffness in long-term dialysis patients. A total of 59 dialysis patients without initia...

Objective: Securin, the product of PTTG (pituitary tumor transforming gene), is overexpressed in several tumors, and plays important roles in cancer progression and invasion. In our previous report, securin expression was observed in transitional cell carcinoma (TCC; the most common pathological pattern of bladder cancer) cell lines, including BFTC...

Leptin correlates with body fat content and plays a pivotal role in inflammatory response. This study aimed to investigate the relationships of fasting serum leptin levels and the anthropometric fat components among peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Fasting blood samples were obtained from 40 PD patients. Leptin levels were measured using a commer...

Electrocardiogram is previously verified as a new biometric for human identification. However, it is uncertain if changes of cardiovascular conditions may cause any difference. The research investigates if cardiovascular conditions may impact ECG biometrics. A longitudinal and cross-section investigation is applied on peritoneal dialysis patients....

Objective Patients with bladder cancer have responded poorly to oxaliplatin therapy in clinical trials. Blockade of receptor tyrosine kinases is considered a good strategy in cancer therapy. Our previous studies have demonstrated the crucial roles of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and its receptor tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) in transiti...

Metabolic syndrome is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease and predicts hospitalization in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. An inverse association between circulating adiponectin and metabolic syndrome has been observed in humans. However, no data are available on the relationship between metabolic syndrome and serum adiponectin l...

Objective Hyperhomocysteinemia and increased inflammatory cytokines are independent risk factors in patients with renal diseases. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is an antioxidant that is known to decrease inflammatory cytokines and plasma total homocysteine (tHcy). Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare normal saline injection with and without int...

Disseminated cryptococcosis infection occurs mainly in the immunocompromised host. There are only a few reports describing disseminated cryptococcosis in immunocompetent patients. Here, we describe the case of a 46-year-old healthy man who presented with primary adrenal insufficiency with hyponatremia, hyperkalemia and skin pigmentation. Contrast-e...

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are increasing worldwide. Patients with these conditions are strongly prone to the development of and death from cardiovascular disease. Emerging data suggest that the process of development of incident CKD in patients with MetS is independent of that for diabetes and hype...

Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a potent inhibitor of osteoclasts and plays an important role in bone metabolism. Relatively high serum levels of OPG have been observed in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis compared with age-matched controls. No data, however, are available on the relationship between low bone density and serum OPG levels in postmenop...