The Significance of an Initial Controlling Nutritional Status Score in Predicting the Functional Outcome, Complications, and Mortality in a First-Ever Ischemic Stroke.

Background And Purpose: Nutritional status can influence the outcomes and mortality of various diseases. The association between initial nutritional status and ischemic stroke outcomes, however, remains poorly understood. This study investigated whether the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score at admission could predict functional recovery, complications, and survival following an ischemic stroke.

Estimated economic costs of dental implants among older South Korean adults, 2015-2018.

Objective: Dental implants are a considerable financial burden for elderly people and their caregivers. This study aimed to calculate the estimated economic costs of dental implants on the Korean older population.

Materials And Methods: The economic costs of dental implants for adults aged 75 years and older were estimated from a societal perspective, considering both direct and indirect expenditures.

Association between Height and Functional Outcomes of Patients 6 Months after a Stroke: A Multicenter Prospective Observational Cohort Study.

Many physical factors influence post-stroke functional outcomes. However, few studies have examined the influence of height on these outcomes. Here, data from the Korean Stroke Cohort for Functioning and Rehabilitation were used and patients' height was categorized into three groups: short (lower 25%), middle (middle 50%), and tall (upper 25%).

Predictors of Burden for First-Ever Stroke Survivor's Long-Term Caregivers: A Study of KOSCO.

Long-term changes in caregiver burden should be clarified considering that extended post-stroke disability can increase caregiver stress. We assessed long-term changes in caregiver burden severity and its predictors. This study was a retrospective analysis of the Korean Stroke Cohort for Functioning and Rehabilitation.

Trend in the Incidence of Severe Partial Edentulism among Adults Using the Korean National Health Insurance Service Claim Data, 2014-2018.

Purpose: Missing teeth is one of the most important indicators of oral health behavior and the result of dental caries, periodontal disease, and injuries. This study examined a trend in the incidence of severe partial edentulism (SPE) using the Korean National Health Insurance Service (KNHIS) data.

Materials And Methods: Data of adults aged ≥20 years were obtained from the KNHIS for the 2014-2018 period.

Long-Term Functional Outcome in Patients With Isolated Thalamic Stroke: The KOSCO Study.

Background: Information on the long-term prognosis in patients with isolated thalamic stroke is sparse. We report the functional outcomes of patients with thalamic stroke up to 24 months from the KOSCO (Korean Stroke Cohort for Functioning and Rehabilitation) study.

Methods And Results: Isolated thalamic stroke was defined as the presence of lesions solely in the thalamus, excluding cases with lesions in other brain parenchyma areas apart from the thalamus, as identified by brain magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography scans.

Incidence of Altered Level of Consciousness in Hemorrhagic Stroke Survivors: Associated Factors From a Korean Nationwide Study.

Objective: This study aimed to demonstrate the incidence of altered level of consciousness after hemorrhagic stroke and identify factors associated with altered level of consciousness at 3 mos after stroke.

Design: This study used data from a prospective multicenter cohort study conducted in nine hospitals in Korea and included 1677 patients with first-ever hemorrhagic stroke. Patients were dichotomized into those with and without altered level of consciousness at 3 mos after stroke.

Predictors of quality of life at 6 months in patients with mild stroke: A prospective observational cohort study.

Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the factors affecting the long-term quality of life of patients with mild stroke and evaluate the differences according to age and sex.

Materials And Methods: The Korean Stroke Cohort for functioning and rehabilitation data was used, and patients with mild stroke with a National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score of < 5 were included. Quality of life after 6 months was analyzed using EuroQol-5 dimensions.

What, Where, and How to Collect Real-World Data and Generate Real-World Evidence to Support Drug Reimbursement Decision-Making in Asia: A reflection Into the Past and A Way Forward.

Background: Globally, there is increasing interest in the use of real-world data (RWD) and real-world evidence (RWE) to inform health technology assessment (HTA) and reimbursement decision-making. Using current practices and case studies shared by eleven health systems in Asia, a non-binding guidance that seeks to align practices for generating and using RWD/RWE for decision-making in Asia was developed by the World Data n Aia for Halth Technology Assessment in Reimbursement (REALISE) Working Group, addressing a current gap and needs among HTA users and generators.

Methods: The guidance document was developed over two face-to-face workshops, in addition to an online survey, a face-to-face interview and pragmatic search of literature.

Clustering and prediction of long-term functional recovery patterns in first-time stroke patients.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to cluster long-term multifaceted functional recovery patterns and to establish prediction models for functional outcome in first-time stroke patients using unsupervised machine learning.

Methods: This study is an interim analysis of the dataset from the Korean Stroke Cohort for Functioning and Rehabilitation (KOSCO), a long-term, prospective, multicenter cohort study of first-time stroke patients. The KOSCO screened 10,636 first-time stroke patients admitted to nine representative hospitals in Korea during a three-year recruitment period, and 7,858 patients agreed to enroll.

Gender differences in mortality and long-term functional outcomes after first-ever ischemic stroke: A prospective cohort study.

Background: Although many studies about survival rates and functional outcomes after stroke have been published, studies on gender differences have reported conflicting results.

Aims: To determine whether there are differences in mortality and functional outcomes during the first 5 years after a first-ever ischemic stroke in Korean males and females.

Method: This is an interim analysis of the Korean Stroke Cohort for Functioning and Rehabilitation, a prospective multicenter cohort study.

Contributing Factors to the Burden on Primary Family Caregivers of Stroke Survivors in South Korea.

The purpose of this study is to identify the factors associated with the burden on primary family caregivers of stroke patients at home without care services. For this study, the Korean Stroke Cohort for Functioning and Rehabilitation (KOSCO) data were used. Of the total 8010 caregivers, 1133 family caregiver burden was assessed with the shortened Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI) 3 months after stroke.

The Primary Process and Key Concepts of Economic Evaluation in Healthcare.

Economic evaluations in the healthcare are used to assess economic efficiency of pharmaceuticals and medical interventions such as diagnoses and medical procedures. This study introduces the main concepts of economic evaluation across its key steps: planning, outcome and cost calculation, modeling, cost-effectiveness results, uncertainty analysis, and decision-making. When planning an economic evaluation, we determine the study population, intervention, comparators, perspectives, time horizon, discount rates, and type of economic evaluation.

Comparison between the International Classification of Primary Care and the International Classification of Diseases Classifications in Primary Care in Korea.

Background: The International Classification of Primary Care-2 (ICPC-2) is a classification method designed for primary care. Although previous studies have found that ICPC-2 is a useful tool for demonstrating the relationship between patients' expectations and health providers' diagnoses, its utility of ICPC-2 has yet to be fully studied in Korea. This study aimed to evaluate the practicality of ICPC-2 in Korean primary care.

Comparative effectiveness of bisphosphonate treatments for the prevention of re-fracture in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Long-term usage of glucocorticoids results in a loss of bone mass and a higher risk of fracture, and the most common cause of secondary osteoporosis is glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP). For preventing GIOP, bisphosphonate (BP) is widely used. However, analysis on BP's effect on the prevention of re-fracture is insufficient.

Multifaceted Assessment of Functional Outcomes in Survivors of First-time Stroke.

Importance: Because stroke causes diverse functional deficits, understanding the long-term recovery pattern of each functional domain may inform prognosis and therapeutic strategies.

Objective: To observe long-term changes in functional status and residual disability in survivors of first-time stroke.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This cohort study was an interim analysis of the Korean Stroke Cohort for Functioning and Rehabilitation.

Clinical Characteristics and Risk Factors of First-Ever Stroke in Young Adults: A Multicenter, Prospective Cohort Study.

Stroke in young adults has catastrophic consequences and has increased in prevalence, contrary to the trends of most other diseases. This study aimed to determine the major characteristics and risk factors for stroke in younger adults compared with older adults. From the Korean Stroke Cohort for Functioning and Rehabilitation, 10,584 patients with first-ever stroke between August 2012 and March 2015 were enrolled retrospectively and divided into younger (age ≤ 45) and older groups (age > 45).

Corporate social responsibility of pharmaceutical industry in Korea.

Global pharmaceutical companies in Korea argue that the development of innovative drugs should be recognized as a social contribution, yet it has been countered by various stakeholders. The need to distinguish between philanthropic activities and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of pharmaceutical companies and reaching consensus in the Korean context has been raised. We sought to evaluate the CSR status of Korean pharmaceutical companies and collect the stakeholders' opinions to define philanthropic activities and CSR related to pharmaceutical companies in Korea.

Socioeconomic burden of pneumonia due to multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Korea.

We aimed to estimate the socioeconomic burden of pneumonia due to multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MRAB) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MRPA). We prospectively searched for MRAB and MRPA pneumonia cases and matched them with susceptible-organism pneumonia and non-infected patients from 10 hospitals. The matching criteria were: same principal diagnosis, same surgery or intervention during hospitalisation, age, sex, and admission date within 60 days.

Health and economic impact of a smoking cessation program in Korean workplaces.

Smoking is a leading cause of diseases and death, with significant socioeconomic consequences. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the health and economic effectiveness of a workplace smoking cessation program. A total of 89 smokers from seven workplaces in Korea were the participants of the program.

Understanding of the Lower Extremity Motor Recovery After First-Ever Ischemic Stroke.

Background: We aimed to verify the validity of the proportional recovery model for the lower extremity.

Methods: We reviewed clinical data of patients enrolled in the Korean Stroke Cohort for Functioning and Rehabilitation between August 2012 and May 2015. Recovery proportion was calculated as the amount of motor recovery over initial motor impairment, measured as the Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Lower Extremity score.

Factors associated with the opposition to COVID-19 vaccination certificates: A multi-country observational study from Asia.

Background: There are ongoing calls to harmonise and increase the use of COVID-19 vaccination certificates (CVCs) in Asia. Identifying groups in Asian societies who oppose CVCs and understanding their reasons can help formulate an effective CVCs policy in the region. However, no formal studies have explored this issue in Asia.