Efficacy and safety of enavogliflozin, a novel SGLT2 inhibitor, in Korean people with type 2 diabetes: A 24-week, multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase III trial.

Aims: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a novel sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor, enavogliflozin 0.3 mg monotherapy, in Korean people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) inadequately controlled with diet and exercise.

Materials And Methods: This study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted in 23 hospitals.

Safety and Effectiveness of Transforaminal Epiduroscopic Laser Ablation in Single Level Disc Disease: A Case-Control Study.

Background: The non-operative treatment of herniated intervertebral discs has long been a fundamental challenge. A novel technique of laser ablation to ablate the nucleus pulposus under a transforaminal epiduroscope (TELA system, Lutronics, Seoul, Republic of Korea) was recently developed.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of transforaminal epiduroscopic laser ablation (TELA) for selective ablation of the nucleus pulposus in single-level disc disease.

The SNP rs3128965 of HLA-DPB1 as a genetic marker of the AERD phenotype.

Background: Two common clinical syndromes of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) hypersensitivity, aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) and aspirin-exacerbated cutaneous disease (AECD), were subjected to a genome-wide association study to identify strong genetic markers for aspirin hypersensitivity in a Korean population.

Methods: A comparison of SNP genotype frequencies on an Affymetrix Genome-Wide Human SNP array of 179 AERD patients and 1989 healthy normal control subjects (NC) revealed SNPs on chromosome 6 that were associated with AERD, but not AECD. To validate the association, we enrolled a second cohort comprising AERD (n = 264), NC (n = 238) and disease-control (aspirin tolerant asthma; ATA, n = 387) groups.

Lumbar disc rehydration postimplantation of a posterior dynamic stabilization system.

Biological attempts at disc regeneration are promising; however, disc degeneration is closely related to other predisposing factors such as alteration of disc height, intradiscal pressure, load distribution, and motion. The restoration of the physiological status of the affected spinal segment is thus necessary prior to attempts at disc regeneration. Dynamic stabilization systems now offer the potential of a mechanical approach to intervertebral disc regeneration.

Biomechanical comparison of single-level posterior versus transforaminal lumbar interbody fusions with bilateral pedicle screw fixation: segmental stability and the effects on adjacent motion segments.

Object: Both posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) have been frequently undertaken for lumbar arthrodesis. These procedures use different approaches and cage designs, each of which could affect spine stability, even after the addition of posterior pedicle screw fixation. The objectives of this biomechanical study were to compare PLIF and TLIF, each accompanied by bilateral pedicle screw fixation, with regard to the stability of the fused and adjacent segments.

Biomechanical analysis of the range of motion after placement of a two-level cervical ProDisc-C versus hybrid construct.

Study Design: The study design was that of an in vitro human cadaveric biomechanical analysis.

Objectives: The objective of this study was the biomechanical analysis of the range of motion (ROM) of a 2-level intact spine control versus total, then operative- and adjacent-segment ROM after (1) 2-level ProDisc-C placement (PP), (2) anterior cervical discectomy and fusions (ACDFs), and (3) hybrid constructs of both. Follower load and multidirectional testing were performed in each instance.

IL-13 Gene Polymorphisms are Associated With Rhinosinusitis and Eosinophilic Inflammation in Aspirin Intolerant Asthma.

Purpose: Aspirin-intolerant asthma (AIA) is characterized by moderate to severe asthma that is aggravated by aspirin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Affected patients frequently have chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyposis due to persistent upper and lower airway inflammation with marked eosinophilia. IL-13 plays a crucial role in the development of allergic asthma by inducing airway eosinophilia and hyper-reactivity and it has been correlated with an increased eosinophil count.

The BioFlex System as a Dynamic Stabilization Device : Does It Preserve Lumbar Motion?

Objective: This study examines whether functional motion is present at one or more years after Bioflex System placement. BioFlex System is a flexible rod system which has been used to preserve motion at the area of implantation. There has not been a scientific study showing how much motion is preserved after implantation.

Imaging correlation of the degree of degenerative L4-5 spondylolisthesis with the corresponding amount of facet fluid.

Object: The aim of this study was to correlate the degree of L4-5 spondylolisthesis on plain flexion-extension radiographs with the corresponding amount of L4-5 facet fluid visible on MR images.

Methods: Patients underwent evaluation at the Neurosurgical Spine Clinics of Stanford University Medical Center and National Health Insurance Medical Center (Goyang, South Korea) between January 2006 and December 2007. Only patients who were diagnosed with L4-5 degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) and who had both lumbosacral flexion-extension radiographs and MR images available for review were eligible for this study.

Polymethylmethacrylate-augmented screw fixation for stabilization of the osteoporotic spine : a three-year follow-up of 37 patients.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy, radiological findings, clinical outcomes and complications in patients with lumbar stenosis and osteoporosis after the use of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) augmentation of a cannulated pedicle screw.

Methods: Thirty-seven patients with degenerative spinal stenosis and osteoporosis (T-score < -2.5) underwent lumbar fusion using the Dream Technology Pedicle Screw (DTPS, Dream Spine Total Solutions, Dream STS, Seoul, Korea) between 2005 and 2007.

Change of lumbar motion after multi-level posterior dynamic stabilization with bioflex system : 1 year follow up.

Objective: This study examined the change of range of motion (ROM) at the segments within the dynamic posterior stabilization, segments above and below the system, the clinical course and analyzed the factors influencing them.

Methods: This study included a consecutive 27 patients who underwent one-level to three-level dynamic stabilization with Bioflex system at our institute. All of these patients with degenerative disc disease underwent decompressive laminectomy with/without discectomy and dynamic stabilization with Bioflex system at the laminectomy level without fusion.

Association of interleukin-18 gene polymorphisms with hepatitis B virus clearance.

The outcome of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection can be affected by host immune factors. Interleukin-18 (IL-18) was originally discovered as an interferon-gamma-inducing factor and plays a critical role in immune response. We assessed the association between the clearance of HBV infection and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the IL-18 gene.

Association of CRTH2 gene polymorphisms with the required dose of antihistamines in patients with chronic urticaria.

Introduction: Chronic urticaria (CU), defined as the recurring incidence of wheals with or without angioedema for more than 6 weeks, is a common disorder associated with mast cell activation, degranulation, and histamine release. Considering the association between the CRTH2 gene and mast cells, we investigated the association of this gene polymorphism with the CU phenotype and antihistamine drug requirement in patients with CU.

Materials & Methods: Two groups consisting of 384 patients with CU and 231 patients as normal controls (NCs) were enrolled from the Department of Allergy and Rheumatology, Ajou University Hospital, Suwon, Korea.

Association of three sets of high-affinity IgE receptor (FcepsilonR1) polymorphisms with aspirin-intolerant asthma.

Background And Objective: The high-affinity IgE receptor comprises a tetramer of the ligand-binding alpha chain, a signal-augmenting beta chain, and a signal-transducing gamma chain dimer on mast cells. We hypothesized that the three subsets of the FCER1 gene may play a role in the development of the aspirin-intolerant asthma (AIA) phenotype and analyzed these genetic polymorphisms in association with clinical parameters in AIA patients.

Subjects And Methods: Six polymorphisms of FCER1 (FCERIA-344C>T, FCER1A-95T>C, MS4A2-109T>C, MS4A2 E237G, FCER1G-237A>G, FCER1G-54G>T) were genotyped in 126 AIA patients compared to 177 patients with aspirin-tolerant asthma (ATA) and 222 normal health controls (NC).

Association of four-locus gene interaction with aspirin-intolerant asthma in Korean asthmatics.

Introduction: Aspirin-intolerant asthma (AIA), a major clinical presentation of aspirin hypersensitivity, affects 10% of adult asthmatics. The genetic risk factors involved in the susceptibility to AIA have recently been investigated, but multilocus single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with this susceptibility has not been evaluated.

Methods: We examined 246 asthmatic patients: 94 having aspirin intolerance and 152 having aspirin tolerance.

Synovial cyst in the cervical region causing severe myelopathy.

The authors describe a case of an 80-year-old man with a gradual weakness of the lower extremities not linked to any known traumatic episode over the 2 weeks before admission. CT scan and MRI of the spine revealed a cystic formation, measuring about 1 cm in diameter, at C7-T1 at the left posterolateral site at the level of the articular facet. During surgery, the mass appeared to be in the ligamentum flavum at the level of the articular facet and was in contact with the dura mater.