Publications by authors named "Haesung Nam"

Article Synopsis
  • This study examined how different obesity-related measurements relate to mortality among middle-aged and elderly people, comparing their effectiveness to the body mass index (BMI).
  • It involved analyzing data from nearly 20,000 participants over an average follow-up of 13.5 years, using various body measurements like waist and hip circumference.
  • The findings indicated that while alternative obesity indices improved mortality prediction compared to traditional methods, their effectiveness was not significantly better than that of the BMI model.
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Objectives: We estimated the population prevalence of antibodies to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), including unreported infections, through a Korea Seroprevalence Study of Monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Retention and Transmission (K-SEROSMART) in 258 communities throughout Korea.

Methods: In August 2022, a survey was conducted among 10,000 household members aged 5 years and older, in households selected through two stage probability random sampling. During face-to-face household interviews, participants self-reported their health status, COVID-19 diagnosis and vaccination history, and general characteristics.

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Background And Objectives: In previous studies, high homocysteine levels were associated with high cardiovascular mortality. However, these results were inconsistent with those of randomized controlled trials. We aimed to evaluate the causal role of homocysteine on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

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Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the potential interaction between kidney function and the non-linear association between serum calcium levels and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality.

Methods: This study included 8927 participants enrolled in the Dong-gu Study. Albumin-corrected calcium levels were used and categorized into 6 percentile categories: <2.

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Article Synopsis
  • * It analyzed data from 8,977 participants and found that while higher bilirubin levels correlated with an increased risk of AF in observational analysis, this connection didn't hold true in the MR analysis.
  • * The results suggest that the earlier observed association may not be causal, indicating the potential influence of reverse causality or other unmeasured factors.
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This study evaluated the associations of liver fibrosis biomarkers [non-alcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis score (NFS), fibrosis-4 (FIB-4), aspartate aminotransferase/platelet ratio index (APRI), and BARD score] with mortality in Korean adults aged ≥50 years. We analyzed 7,702 subjects who participated in Dong-gu Study. The associations of liber fibrosis biomarkers with mortality were investigated using Cox proportional hazards models.

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Background And Objectives: Previous observational studies presented a positive association between alcohol and atrial fibrillation (AF). However, previous studies using genetic polymorphisms on the causal relationship between alcohol consumption and AF have reported conflicting results. This study aimed to evaluate the causality between alcohol consumption and AF using the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 () rs671 polymorphism, which is the genetic variant with the most potent effect on drinking behavior.

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Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a new infectious disease with a high mortality rate and increased incidence in Republic of Korea since the first case was reported in 2013. The average mortality rate varies by region and year but remains high in Asia. This study aimed to evaluate the spatial and temporal patterns of SFTS cases reported to the national Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

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Introduction: Many previous studies have reported a positive relationship between alcohol and bone mineral density (BMD). However, the causality between alcohol and BMD has not been fully evaluated.

Materials And Methods: This study enrolled 8892 participants from the Dong-gu study.

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Objectives: We examined the associations of individual and regional-level perceived stress and depression with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in Korean adults.

Methods: We used data from the 2017 Korea Community Health Survey, which included 216,713 adults living within 254 municipal districts. As individual-level independent variables, perceived stress (higher vs.

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Objectives: This study aimed to identify regional differences in the high-risk drinking rate among yearly alcohol users in Korea and to identify relevant regional factors for each quintile using quantile regression.

Methods: Data from 227 counties surveyed by the 2017 Korean Community Health Survey (KCHS) were analyzed. The analysis dataset included secondary data extracted from the Korean Statistical Information Service and data from the KCHS.

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Objective: To assess the associations among the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR), and all-cause and CVD mortality rate and to compare the performances of eGFR, eGFR, and eGFR using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis in Korean adults aged ≥ 50 years.

Methods: Of the 9,260 subjects who participated in the baseline survey of a prospective longitudinal study conducted in Korea, 9,009 (men: 3,574 (39.7%); women: 5,435 (60.

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Aim: This study investigated the change in self-rated health (SRH) status among elderly Koreans and sought influential factors affecting SRH by reference to data collected during the Korean Community Health Survey 2008-2017.

Methods: We obtained raw data from the Korea Community Health Survey for 10 years (2008-2017), which included sociodemographic and health information on Koreans aged ≥65 years (242 552 men and 349 586 women). SRH was measured using the SRH scale and divided into not-poor and poor.

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Objectives: This study developed an information and communication technology (ICT)-based comprehensive health and social-needs assessment (CHSNA) system based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) with the aim of enhancing person-centered community care for community residents and supporting healthcare professionals and social workers who provide healthcare and social services in the community.

Methods: Items related to a CHSNA tool were developed and mapped with ICF codes. Experts validated the CHSNA system design and process using the Delphi method, and a pilot test of the initial version of the system was conducted.

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The purpose of this study was to develop an ICT-based care-management support system and to assess its validity and applicability through pilot testing. The system links users' health and social needs to community resources. Users and care managers participated in each step of care management through an interactive decision support system.

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We developed a comprehensive health and social-need assessment system to evaluate the diverse needs of elders with chronic illnesses in the community and to enhance the connection of their needs to health and social services. A comprehensive needs-assessment tool and profiles were integrated into the ICT system. We found that care managers could assess elders' needs comprehensively and connect those needs to suitable health and social services systematically.

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This study evaluated the association between falls and the fear of falling (FOF) with the risk of all-cause mortality in Korean adults. The study enrolled 4,386 subjects aged 50 years and over who participated in the Dong-gu Study. Falls in the past year were categorized as yes or no.

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Although the kidneys play a leading part in the biosynthesis of vitamin D, there is no consensus regarding the relationship of the vitamin D concentration with kidney function. Thus, we aimed to estimate the correlation among 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR) in participants aged ≥50 y in Korea. This study consisted of 9,166 people who participated in a basic survey of the Dong-gu Study.

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Levels of vitamin D and parathyroid hormone (PTH) are closely associated with renal function. We evaluated the associations among 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels, PTH levels, and mortality, and whether these associations varied by renal function. We used data from the Dong-gu Study, a population-based cohort in Korean adults.

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Article Synopsis
  • - A serologic study investigated the rate of asymptomatic MERS coronavirus infection among healthcare and non-healthcare workers, focusing on individuals exposed to MERS patients during the 2015 outbreak.
  • - Out of 1,610 contacts tested, only 7 were found ELISA-positive, leading to an overall asymptomatic infection rate of 0.060%, with just one case confirmed through additional testing.
  • - The confirmed asymptomatic case involved a hospitalized individual with pre-existing health conditions and highlights the importance of expanding serologic studies to include asymptomatic hospital contacts.
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Increased parathyroid hormone (PTH) was associated with cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in CKD patients. Our aim was to investigate the associations among estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR) and PTH independent of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D). This study included 9,162 individuals who completed the baseline survey of the Dong-gu Study, which was conducted in Korea from 2007 to 2010.

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Objectives: During the outbreak of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in Korea in 2015, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) confirmed a case of MERS in a healthcare worker in Daejeon, South Korea. To verify the precise route of infection for the case, we conducted an in-depth epidemiological investigation in cooperation with the KCDC.

Methods: We reviewed the MERS outbreak investigation report of the KCDC, and interviewed the healthcare worker who had recovered from MERS.

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  • The study aimed to enhance preventive strategies against scrub typhus in Korea by analyzing differences in prevention behaviors between farmers in Korea and Japan.
  • Conducted in Jeollabuk-do (Korea) and Fukuoka Prefecture (Japan), the survey included 406 Korean and 216 Japanese farmers, utilizing face-to-face interviews for data collection.
  • Results indicated that Korean farmers had less effective agricultural practices and lower weeding frequency compared to their Japanese counterparts, despite having greater knowledge about scrub typhus, highlighting the need for tailored preventive behavior programs.
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Background: Although previous studies reported an association between serum vitamin D and parathyroid hormone (PTH) with carotid atherosclerosis or arterial stiffness, these were inconsistent. We examined the independent association between serum vitamin D and PTH with multiple subclinical markers of atherosclerosis.

Methods: A total of 8,217 subjects who participated in the Dong-gu Study in Korea were included in the final analysis.

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Objectives: Thrombolytic therapy is associated with favorable clinical outcomes after successful and rapid recanalization in patients with acute ischemic stroke. This study aimed to evaluate the cost benefits and clinical outcomes at 1 year after intraarterial thrombectomy (IAT) by the rapidity of the successful recanalization.

Materials & Methods: Clinical outcomes of and medical costs incurred by 230 patients with acute ischemic stroke who underwent IAT were compared by the rapidity from symptom onset to successful recanalization (2b/3 thrombolysis in cerebral infarction grade): ≤6-hr ( = 143), >6-hr ( = 31), and no-recanalization ( = 56).

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