No abstract

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the common allergic diseases in children. The presence of allergic diseases was found to have association with the risk of developing attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) in children, but it is still inconclusive. This study was to investigate the longitudinal relationship between AD developed during toddlerhood and subsequent development of ADHD or ASD in later childhood. Toddlers born between 1998 and 2008 and diagnosed with AD at the age younger than 3 years and older than 1 month were retrieved from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. Age- and gender-matched toddlers with no lifetime AD were enrolled as the control group. All enrolled toddlers were followed until 2011 to identify the development of ADHD or ASD. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to analyze the hazard ratios (HRs). The risks associated with allergic comorbidities were analyzed. A total of 18,473 toddlers were enrolled into the AD group. The presence of AD significantly increased the risk of developing ADHD (HR = 2.92, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.48–3.45) or ASD (HR = 8.90, 95% CI = 4.98–15.92) when aged 3 years or older. Children from the AD group with 3 comorbidities together, namely, allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, and asthma, had the greatest risk of developing ADHD and ASD (ADHD: HR = 4.67, 95% CI = 3.81–5.43; ASD: HR = 16.65, 95% CI = 8.63–30.60). In conclusion, toddlers who suffer from AD at the age younger than 3 years are at a higher risk of developing ADHD and ASD during later childhood. Pediatricians taking care of toddlers with AD should have knowledge of this increased risk of developing ADHD and ASD later in life, especially when children have certain comorbidities such as allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, and asthma.

BackgroundPrimary bone cancer (BC) incidence by age has not been surveyed in Asia. MethodsThe incidence patterns of nine subtypes of primary BCs registered between 2003 and 2010 were analyzed from Taiwan cancer registry data. More specific analyses were conducted within age groups (Group I: 0–24 years; Group II: 25–59 years; and Group III: 60–85+ years). ResultsA total of 1,238 newly diagnosed subjects were registered with an age-standardized incidence rate (ASR) of 6.70 per million person-years. Overall, osteosarcoma (OS: 45 %) was the most common, followed by chondrosarcoma (CS: 18 %), and Ewing sarcoma (ES: 8 %). The percentages of cases and ASRs for age groups I, II, and III were 36.3, 43.0, and 20.7 %, and 7.00, 5.48, and 10.28 per million, respectively. Significant male predilections were observed for all BCs combined, and the CS, chordoma, and malignant ameloblastoma subtypes. Our findings demonstrated an upward trend of 4.8 % per year over the study period, and was more significant for females (6.7 %). A significant increase in trend existed in the incidence of BC among females in Group II, and the incidence of OS and ES among females in Group I.ConclusionsThis population-based study has allowed us to confidently define the incidence rates among three age groups of Taiwanese. Despite overall low rates, the upward trend in BC incidence among females may invoke a concern. The results suggest areas for further study into the underlying causes for these cancer trends.

BACKGROUNDCurrently, little information is available on childhood cancer incidence rates in Eastern Asia. The objective of this study was to report the first population-based cancer surveillance of children and adolescents in Taiwan.METHODSData from the Taiwan Cancer Registry were examined for cancer frequencies and incidence rates among individuals ages birth to 19 years from 1995 to 2009. Types of cancers were grouped according to the International Classification of Childhood Cancer. Rates were compared by sex and age. For further comparisons with other countries, rates were age standardized to the 2000 world standard population in 5-year age groups. Trends in incidence rates also were evaluated.RESULTSIn total, 12,315 individuals were diagnosed with childhood cancers, for an age-standardized incidence rate (ASR) of 132.1 per million person-years from 1995 to 2009. The male-to-female incidence rate ratio was 1.19. Overall, leukemias were the most common cancer (ASR, 39.1 per million person-years), followed by central nervous system neoplasms (15.8 per million person-years), and lymphomas (15.3 per million person-years). During the 15-year study period, the incidence rates increased by 1% annually. Compared with other countries, the rate of hepatic tumors was 2 times greater in Taiwan. The rate of germ cell neoplasms in Taiwan was similar to that in the United States and was 1.3 to 1.9 times greater compared with Canada, Brazil, Israel, and Japan.CONCLUSIONSBased on the current data, the observed increase in overall incidence rates was attributable only marginally to improvements in case ascertainment and diagnostic procedures. The high rates of malignant hepatic tumors and germ cell neoplasms in Taiwan suggest variations in the background risk factors. Cancer 2014;120:3545–3553. © 2014 The Authors. Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Cancer Society.The authors examine cancer incidence patterns in children and adolescents based on a national, population-based cancer registry of 12,315 individuals in Taiwan from 1995 to 2009. The high rates of malignant hepatic tumors and germ cell neoplasms in Taiwan suggest variations in background risk factors.