Publications by authors named "Hyunji Koo"

Recurrent painful ophthalmoplegic neuropathy (RPON), previously known as ophthalmoplegic migraine, is a disorder typically characterized by recurrent episodes of unilateral headache concurrent with ipsilateral ocular cranial nerve paresis which primarily affects children. Diagnosis is mostly one of exclusion, based on clinical symptoms, supplemented by imaging for enhanced or distorted oculomotor nerves. We present a case of RPON in a 24-year-old adult female with unique features of unilateral left headache with ipsilateral pupillary dilation spreading to bilateral dilation and no MRI findings of oculomotor nerve enhancement.

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There are studies on the effect of low-dose amitriptyline on pain control, but there is a lack of studies on the use of amitriptyline for chronic pain and the factors associated with the prescription of traditional doses. We used a national sample cohort of patients aged ≥ 18 years who were prescribed amitriptyline along with chronic pain, without psychiatric disorders, between 2002 to 2015. We categorized the prescriptions into 2 groups according to the daily dose: low doses (≤25 mg) and traditional doses (>25 mg).

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study aimed to investigate whether different dosages of tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) affect the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with chronic pain.
  • - Researchers followed 16,660 patients (half using TCAs and half not), finding that low doses of TCAs, especially nortriptyline, were associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular problems, while overall TCA use did not significantly elevate risk.
  • - The conclusion highlights the need for careful monitoring of patients on long-term, low-dose TCAs to prevent increased cumulative doses that could raise cardiovascular risks.
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Pharmacotherapy of vascular anomalies has limited efficacy and potentially limiting toxicity. Targeted nanoparticle (NP) drug delivery systems have the potential to accumulate within tissues where the vasculature is impaired, potentially leading to high drug levels (increased efficacy) in the diseased tissue and less in off-target sites (less toxicity). Here, we investigate whether NPs can be used to enhance drug delivery to bioengineered human vascular networks (hVNs) that are a model of human vascular anomalies.

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Tramadol is a weak opioid that is commonly used for chronic low back pain (LBP). Despite its effectiveness, duplicated use of tramadol, which may indicate abuse or dependence, may exacerbate potential adverse reactions. This population-based, cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the prevalence of duplication of tramadol and its associated factors among patients with LBP.

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This paper proposes non-contact heartbeat sensor using LC oscillator for personal healthcare. The signals from chest and wrist are measured using LC oscillator and electrodes. The proposed sensor can detect human heartbeat signal without direct contact to skin and is readily a portable heartbeat monitoring sensor.

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