Clinical trials

This study aims to investigate the effects of a single session of facial rejuvenation acupuncture on skin structure and personal satisfaction with facial appearance. As facial aging involves complex changes in muscles, skin, and soft tissues, facial acupuncture is considered a potential minimally invasive treatment to help restore balance and promote tissue repair. Researchers will enroll 60 healthy adults aged 30 to 60 who are concerned about facial aging. Participants will be randomly assigned to either an immediate intervention group or a waitlist control group. The intervention group will receive one session of facial acupuncture at the start of the study. The control group will continue their normal daily skincare routine for 6 weeks, after which they will receive the same single acupuncture treatment. All participants will be monitored weekly for 6 weeks. The research team will use non-invasive tools, including high-frequency skin ultrasound, 3D facial scanning, and a digital complexion analysis system, to objectively measure changes in skin thickness, facial volume, and wrinkles. Participants will also complete questionnaires at various time points to share their satisfaction with their appearance, self-confidence, and quality of life.

This prospective cohort study examines the relationship between maternal methyl-nutrient status during pregnancy and offspring neurodevelopment. It integrates maternal dietary, biomarker, genetic, and microbiome data and follows children up to 24 months.

1. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and feasibility of transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) treatment in patients with schizophrenia. Subjects are individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia who will receive non-invasive, low-intensity pulsed ultrasound stimulation targeting the hippocampus and its surrounding regions. Evaluations will be conducted before and after the treatment sessions, including electrocardiograms (ECG), blood biochemistry tests, psychiatric symptom assessments, depression level assessments, and cognitive function assessments. 2. The primary objective is to assess the safety of this intervention in patients with schizophrenia. The secondary objective is to explore whether the current stimulation parameters may lead to improvements in the assessed symptoms. Ultimately, this study aims to support the future application of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound as a potential intervention to alleviate symptoms of schizophrenia and improve patients' quality of daily life.

This study is a longitudinal, multicenter, single-blind, two-arm randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the effectiveness of Multi-Modal Cognitive Processing Therapy (MMCPT) for individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Participants will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group receiving MMCPT or a control group receiving treatment-as-usual (TAU). The intervention follows the standard CPT manual developed by Resick and consists of twelve weekly 90-minute individual sessions. The primary outcomes include PTSD symptom severity assessed by the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) and the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). Secondary outcomes include sleep quality (actigraphy, PSQI), anxiety (STAI), depression (HDRS-17), remission rate, and posttraumatic growth (PTGI). Assessments will occur at baseline, mid-treatment, post-treatment, and at 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month follow-ups.

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women worldwide. With advances in treatment, survival rates have steadily increased; however, postoperative complications continue to affect patients' quality of life, with upper extremity lymphedema being among the most prevalent. Breast cancer related lymphedema (BCRL) can result in arm swelling, pain, restricted mobility, and psychological distress, all of which negatively impact daily functioning and social partici pation . Previous studies have demonstrated that regular and moderate upper extremity exercise does not exacerbate lymphedema; instead, it may improve shoulder mobility, muscular strength, and contribute to edema control. In addition, therapeutic modalities such as pneumatic compression pumps and manual lymphatic drainage have been proven effective in reducing swelling and enhancing patient comfort . Recent systema tic reviews further support the beneficial effects of exercise interventions on upper limb function and quality of life in breast cancer survivors. Therefore, combining upper extremity exercise with pneumatic compression therapy may re present a promising integrative intervention to improve lymphedema and related functional limitations. This study aims to investigate the effects of such a combined approach on breast cancer patients with lymphedema by comparing outcomes across multiple ti me points, including arm circumference measurements, shoulder range of motion, upper extremity function (DASH), and quality of life (FACT B), with the goal of establishing a more comprehensive rehabilitation model.

The AIR-CPR project aims to improve survival rates for patients with Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) by utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to optimize chest compression locations. Current guidelines recommend a standardized compression point (the lower half of the sternum), yet recent research indicates that this position can compress the aortic valve in approximately 48.7% of patients, significantly reducing the chances of successful resuscitation. This study will develop a deep learning model based on YOLO v8 to analyze real-time arterial pressure waveforms to identify proper aortic valve opening and closing. By identifying specific waveform features that humans cannot easily distinguish, the AI will guide rescuers to adjust the compression site-typically toward the left ventricle-to ensure optimal blood output. The project seeks to transform CPR from a standardized "one-size-fits-all" approach into a personalized, precision medicine intervention.

This study will elucidate the role of 3D transvaginal ultrasound in assessing (1) cervical vascularity and blood flow in patients with cervical cancer and cervical intraepithelial neoplasm, and (2) tumor vascularity and blood flow in patients with ovarian cancer.

The goal of this observational study is to understand how often staged operations are performed in abdominal trauma patients without meeting standard clinical criteria, and to explore related clinical characteristics and outcomes. The main questions it aims to answer are: How frequently are staged operations performed when not clinically indicated? What are the clinical features and outcomes of patients who undergo non-indicated staged operations? What are the risk factors for delayed reoperation among patients who initially received a single operation? Researchers will review medical records of patients who underwent exploratory laparotomy for abdominal trauma at Far Eastern Memorial Hospital between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2024. Participants will be grouped based on whether they had a single or staged operation, and whether their initial operation met established criteria for a staged approach. Clinical characteristics and outcomes will be compared across groups.

The optimal medication for women with nocturia remains uncertain. This clinical trial aimed to determine the most effective medication for women with overactive bladder and nocturia. Its primary objectives were to answer the following questions: Which medication is most effective for women with nocturia? Which medication has the least effect on heart rate variability in women with nocturia?

The actual role of POLE mutations in high-risk endometrial cancer is undetermined. The main question it aims to answer is: What is the prevalence of POLE mutations in high-risk endometrial cancer case? What is the impact of POLE mutations in real world high-risk endometrial cancer case?

The goal of this observational cross-sectional study is to evaluate whether the combined use of Mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise (Mini-CEX) and Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) can assess the independent clinical competence of occupational therapy interns at Far Eastern Memorial Hospital. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Does the performance on Mini-CEX correlate with the interns' ability to perform independently? 2. Does the use of EPAs provide additional insight into interns' readiness for unsupervised clinical practice? Participants will: 1. Provide informed consent at the sixth week of their internship. 2. Undergo assessment with Mini-CEX and EPAs during their eighth week of clinical training. 3. Complete demographic questionnaires including age, gender, study habits, prior university experience, parental occupation, and residence area.

This study evaluates the impact of early tracheostomy speaking valve intervention on communication ability, depression levels, and quality of life in ventilator-dependent patients during the weaning phase. Participants will be randomly assigned to either an experimental group using the Passy-Muir speaking valve or a control group employing standard non-verbal communication methods. Structured questionnaires will be used at multiple time points to assess changes in patient outcomes. The study aims to provide evidence supporting the use of speaking valves to enhance communication and emotional well-being in tracheostomy patients, potentially improving recovery and care strategies.

This study aims to compare intravenous chemotherapy versus intraperitoneal chemotherapy in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer.

Amyloid deposition in the heart is called cardiac amyloidosis (CA); 95% is immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis (AL) and transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR). Hereditary (ATTRm) or wild-type (ATTRwt) depends on whether the ATTRm gene is mutated or not. The most common mutation in Taiwan is A97S, 80% have left ventricular hypertrophy. The good prognosis depends on early diagnosis and correct treatment strategy. Bone-avid tracers such as 99mTc-PYP/DPD/HMDP could detect CA. The mechanism is not clear yet, which may be related to the microcalcification. AL amyloidosis is mostly between visual score grade 0-2, and ATTR-CM is usually grade≥2 on PYP scan, or heart to contralateral (H/CL) ratio, and it might replace invasive myocardial biopsy. However, there are no large-scale clinical studies, lack of standardization data, and limited information in comparison between clinical and imaging parameters. The project will enroll patients with suspected or diagnosed with CA according to CA diagnostic algorithm. Clinical data and image parameters are collected and compared. The project aims to set up prediction models based on the multi-parameters of PYP scan using artificial intelligence technology, including imaging registration and alignment technology, and standardization. The investigators further use the key cardiovascular data elements and imaging-derived database using model training network to extract image features to develop the diagnostic and prognostic prediction models, which are expected to validate the clinical significance and improve patient-centric performance and efficient clinical decision making.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is hallmarked by the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and may present various symptoms including arrhythmia and heart failure. Mutations in the genes related to sarcomeric proteins and metabolic disorders are known causes of HCM. However, it remains required to further explore the prevalence of HCM in the context of Taiwanese' genetic background. Additionally, certain rare diseases that affect the heart, including Fabry disease, cardiac amyloidosis, may present LVH, which makes precise diagnosis among HCM and these diseases more challenging. In this TSOC multi-center registry, we aim to systematically evaluate the clinical, genetic, biochemical features,prevalence, and possible natural course of HCM and relevant rare diseases such as Fabry disease in Taiwan. In the meanwhile, we may also generate the specific "red-flag" signs of Fabry disease in Taiwan.

Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess the therapeutic effect on overactive bladder symptoms, sexual function, heart rate variability, arterial stiffness, atherosclerosis, sleep, and depression between tibolone and E2V/MPA. From the results, the investigators will compare the effect of tibolone versus E2V/MPA on overactive bladder symptoms, sexual function, autonomic function, arterial stiffness, atherosclerosis, sleep and depression.

The goal of this randomized clinical trial is to investigate the efficacy and safety of antireflux mucosal ablation (ARMA) for patients with refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The trial aim to evaluate : * Efficacy of ARMA comparing with medical treatment alone (proton pump inhibitor (PPI)), using GERD-Health Related Quality of Life Questionnaire (GERD- HRQL questionnaire), improvement of acid exposure time and DeMeester score * Safety and complications of ARMA Participants will be randomly divided into 2 groups. The intervention group will be undergone ARMA, and the control group will be undergone sham endoscopic treatment. The primary endpoint will be symptoms relief (GERD-HRQL decreases \> 50%). The secondary endpoint will be dosage adjustment of PPI, complications, improvement of acid exposure time and DeMeester score.

The incidence of endometrial cancer is gradually increasing nowaday. Sonography can be used to evaluate the endometrial volume, the vascularity and the blood flow. This study will analyze the role of preoperative endometrial blood flow in the outcome of endometrial cancer patients.