Clinical trials

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of ultrasound-guided bilateral transversus abdominis plane block combined with rectus sheath block on postoperative pain and recovery after robotic colectomy under an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol.

The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of a standardized Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formula versus beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) on muscle strength and bone health in pre-frail older adults . Pre-frailty is a critical stage where functional decline may still be reversed through proper intervention. The study will enroll 90 participants aged 65 years or older who meet the criteria for pre-frailty. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the TCM group (receiving a standardized herbal powder formula) or the HMB group (receiving nutritional supplement tablets) for 24 weeks . The primary objective is to evaluate the change in handgrip strength from baseline to Week 12 . Researchers will also assess changes in skeletal muscle mass, bone mineral density, and overall physical performance . The goal is to determine if the TCM formula is an effective alternative or complementary intervention for managing geriatric frailty.

This randomized, open label, head to head clinical trial directly compares tirzepatide and semaglutide in adults with obesity and metabolic syndrome (N=120, age 20-65, 1:1 randomization). Participants undergo deep phenotyping at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months, including DXA (regional fat, lean mass, and BMD), MRI PDFF (liver fat), 7 site skinfold thickness, grip strength, fasting biochemistry, and AI processed 12 lead ECGs. Centralized biobanking of serum, plasma, and PBMCs enables targeted and discovery multi omic analyses.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of two different educational models in improving the use of the "My Health Bank" App (a Personal Health Record system in Taiwan) among adults aged 50 and older. As Taiwan's population ages, digital health management has become essential, yet older adults often face a "digital divide." Participants will be randomly assigned to either a "Intensive Guided Learning group" (receiving one-on-one human instruction) or a "Flexible Self-study group" (using self-learning materials co-created with Generative AI). The study aims to compare the outcomes of these two groups in terms of enhancing digital health literacy, self-efficacy, and actual App usage behavior to identify more effective and scalable digital health education strategies.

This study aims to investigate the immediate neurophysiological and autonomic effects of two noninvasive brain stimulation protocols-prolonged intermittent theta-burst stimulation (prolonged iTBS) and high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS)-in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) comorbid with major depressive disorder (MDD). Using a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled crossover design, changes in prefrontal cortical activity measured by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and autonomic nervous system function measured by heart rate variability (HRV) will be assessed before and immediately after a single stimulation session.

This multicenter retrospective study evaluates whether artificial intelligence-enabled electrocardiography (AI-ECG) can identify individuals at high risk for left ventricular dysfunction and whether targeted guideline-directed medical therapy can mitigate subsequent risk. Using a large multicenter cohort of patients with preserved left ventricular systolic function, the investigators applied an AI-ECG-based risk stratification approach and emulated a target trial to examine the association between guideline-directed therapies and the risk of incident left ventricular functional decline.

This randomized trial will test whether Antrodia cinnamomea supplement improves quality of life in lung cancer patients receiving platinum-based chemotherapy. Participants at Tri-Service General Hospital will be randomized to receive either Antrodia cinnamomea capsules or placebo for 3 months, with follow-up to 6 months (24 weeks). Primary outcomes include nausea/vomiting scores, sleep quality, quality of life, and cancer symptoms.

Knee osteoarthritis(OA) is a common degenerative joint disease that often leads to knee pain, stiffness, and a decline in quality of life among middle-aged and elderly individuals. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a regenerative treatment method that involves drawing a small amount of the patient's own blood and using centrifugation process to produce PRP. PRP, which is rich in growth factors and anti-inflammatory cytokines, facilitate the repair of damaged tissues and has been used in treating knee OA. Self-repair factor (SRF), an advanced form of PRP, is created using multi-step centrifugation and proprietary processes to increase platelet concentration. This enhancement may offer superior repair efficacy and faster recovery compared to traditional PRP. To explore this potential, we designed a randomized, double-blind, clinical trial to compare the effectiveness of SRF and PRP in treating degenerative knee osteoarthritis.

This is a multi-center, retrospective study evaluating the performance of an artificial intelligence-enabled electrocardiography (AI-ECG) algorithm in detecting reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF ≤ 40%). All included patients from participating hospitals must have undergone a digital 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) and an echocardiogram with assessment of LVEF within seven days. The AI-ECG algorithm will be applied to evaluate its diagnostic performance, which will be further assessed across subgroups stratified by demographic characteristics and clinical factors.

Background: Physically inactive and poor sleep quality are at increased risk for non-communicable diseases. Nurses were the most vulnerable inactive healthcare personnel who may not meet global physical activity recommendations because of complicated rotation shifts and heavy working loading. Wearable devices initiate behavior intervention combined with smartphone applications could offer new opportunities for social connection by a convenient way for nurses to improve physical activity and sleep quality. Objectives: To evaluate the effects of wearable devices initiate behavioral intervention on body composition, physical activity, sleep quality and stress of nurses in hospital working place. Method: This is a randomized controlled trial that will recruit 120 nurses and randomly assign them into two groups from a hospital working place. The nurses in the intervention group will receive 12-week wearable devices to initiate behavioral intervention. The nurses in the comparison group will only receive 12-week wearable devices monitoring. Data will be collected at baseline and 12-week and 24-week follow-up. The body composition will be measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). The physical activity and sleep quality will be monitored by the Fitbit wearable device and application. The mediator parameter of the stress will be measured by salivary amylase activity (SAA). We will control the internal validity to assure the quality of training, treatment fidelity, identify barriers and facilitators of implementation, and assess participants' satisfaction. General estimating equations (GEE) will be applied to examine the effects of time and group interaction.

This study aims to investigate the combined use of corticosteroid injections and ESWT for SIJ pain.

Transarterial microembolization (TAME) is a novel treatment option for chronic musculoskeletal pain, especially suitable for patients who have not responded to conservative treatment or are unsuitable for surgical procedures. This minimally invasive technique primarily targets abnormal neovascularization for embolization, relying heavily on precise information provided by various imaging techniques to ensure the effectiveness and safety of the treatment. This study aims to explore the application of integrating preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evidence of patient pain and intraoperative high-resolution synchronous imaging information from fused computed tomography (CT) and angiography systems. This integration is intended to enhance preoperative planning, intraoperative guidance, and final treatment outcome assessment, focusing on its crucial contribution to treatment success. It is hoped that this approach will provide pain intervention physicians with reliable diagnostic tools and safe treatment methods, thereby improving treatment outcomes for patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain.

This is a prospective observational case study, focusing on the clinical effectiveness of oral strong opioids for pain management following common orthopedic surgeries.The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of multimodal analgesia with oral strong opioids, reduce common opioid-related side effects, and improve patient compliance and satisfaction.

Study Objectives\* 1. Provide a systematic evaluation of the treatment outcomes in patients with hemophilia A 2. Emphasize the importance and clinical benefits of rFVIII-Fc in joint and bone health. 3. Compare the clinical outcomes from 1 year before and after switching to EHL. 4. Exploratory: Identify biomarkers that could provide more useful and convenient evaluations of joint and bone health. (Time-saving and easy to monitor)

Background: Neuropsychiatric conditions, such as insomnia, anxiety, depression, and pain are the most common symptoms experienced by nurses after acute infection of COVID-19. Although medication can assist nurses to improve these symptoms simultaneously in a short period of time, they are at risk of overuse of benzodiazepine hypnotics. Previous research supports the usefulness of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) as self-management strategies in adults with insomnia, anxiety, depression, and pain. However, their effects on post COVID-19 condition have not been researched, and no previous head-to-head study compared the effects on these two approaches on insomnia and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Aim: To investigate the effects of CBT-I on insomnia, anxiety, depression, and pain in nurses with post COVID-19 condition. Methods: In this two-arm, parallel randomized controlled trial, 100 participants will be 1:1 randomly assigned to one of two groups (CBT-I and control). The intervention phase will last 6 weeks, followed by a three-month follow-up. Primary outcomes are insomnia severity and sleep quality, whereas anxiety, depression, pain, and health-related quality of life are secondary outcomes. These variables will be assessed before and after the intervention, and at 1, 2, and 3 months after the end of the intervention. Additionally, discontinuing benzodiazepine hypnotics will be measured at 3 months after the end of the intervention. Discussion: This study will provide evidence of the effects of CBT-I on improving insomnia, anxiety, depression, and pain among nurses with post COVID-19 condition. Results could also enhance means by which to discontinue benzodiazepine hypnotics.