Age Does Not Impact Cancer Specific Mortality: From Sub-Distributional and Cause-Specific Hazard Analysis in RCC Patients Undergoing Radical Nephrectomy and Thrombectomy.

Objective: To assess the impact of age on cancer-specific mortality (CSM) and other-cause mortality (OCM) in patients undergoing radical nephrectomy with thrombectomy (RNTx) for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with venous thrombus.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 196 patients who underwent RNTx for RCC with venous thrombus between 1990 and 2018 at a single tertiary referral center. Patients were categorized into three age groups: <60, 60-69, and ≥70 years.

Association Between Exercise Systolic Blood Pressure and Risk of Stroke in Men With and Without Cardiovascular Disease.

Purpose: We tested the hypothesis that an exaggerated exercise systolic blood pressure (ESBP) would be associated with the risk of stroke in men with and without a history of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Methods: An ESBP was defined as a maximal systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥ 210 mmHg during graded exercise testing on a stationary bike until volitional fatigue in 2410 men aged 42 to 61 yr at baseline.

Results: Over a median 27-yr follow-up, 419 incident stroke events occurred.

Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract Versus Micronized Purified Flavonoid Fraction for Patients with Chronic Venous Disease: A Randomized Noninferiority Trial.

Background: Venoactive drugs (VADs) based on Vitis vinifera extract are widely used in Korea. However, studies on the clinical effects and head-to-head comparisons with other groups of VADs are limited. This trial aimed to evaluate whether Vitis vinifera seed extract was noninferior to the micronized purified flavonoid fraction (MPFF) in relieving venous symptoms and improving quality of life in patients with chronic venous disease.

Computed tomography-based automated measurement of abdominal aortic aneurysm using semantic segmentation with active learning.

Accurate measurement of abdominal aortic aneurysm is essential for selecting suitable stent-grafts to avoid complications of endovascular aneurysm repair. However, the conventional image-based measurements are inaccurate and time-consuming. We introduce the automated workflow including semantic segmentation with active learning (AL) and measurement using an application programming interface of computer-aided design.

Endotension Following Endovascular Aneurysm Repair: Retrospective Review of Treatment and Clinical Outcome.

Purpose: : Endotension is a rare late complication characterized by an increase in sac size without any type of endoleak following endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR). Due to its rarity, few studies have demonstrated the mechanism behind and the management of endotension. In this study, we aimed to better understand the treatment and the long-term outcome of endotension in a single-center cohort.

Role of PTEN-Induced Protein Kinase 1 as a Mitochondrial Dysfunction Regulator in Cardiovascular Disease Pathogenesis.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a global health challenge, primarily due to atherosclerosis, which leads to conditions such as coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, and peripheral arterial disease. Mitochondrial dysfunction initiates endothelial dysfunction, a key contributor to CVD pathogenesis, as well as triggers the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), energy stress, and cell death in endothelial cells, which are crucial for atherosclerosis development. This review explores the role of PTEN-induced protein kinase 1 (PINK1) in mitochondrial quality control, focusing on its significance in cardiovascular health.

Treatment Outcomes of Patients With Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms.

Background: Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) is a serious complication of abdominal aortic aneurysm associated with high operative mortality and morbidity rates. The present study evaluated the perioperative and long-term outcomes of Korean patients with rAAA based on national health insurance claims data.

Methods: The National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database was searched retrospectively to identify patients with rAAA who underwent endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) and open surgical repair (OSR) from 2009 to 2018.

Technical Tips for Performing Suprahepatic Vena Cava Tumor Thrombectomy in Renal Cell Carcinoma without Using Cardiopulmonary Bypass.

Radical nephrectomy with tumor thrombectomy for advanced renal cell carcinoma is an oncologically relevant approach that can achieve long-term survival even in the presence of distant metastases. However, the surgical techniques pose significant challenges. The objective of this clinical review was to present technical recommendations for tumor thrombectomy in the vena cava to facilitate surgical treatment.

An Epidemiologic Study of the Incidence and Mortality of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in Koreans Aged ≥50 Years from 2009 to 2018 Based on a National Database.

Large-scale population studies of the incidence of and mortality from abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) are needed to develop healthcare policies and priorities. The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence of AAA and the all-cause mortality from it among Koreans aged ≥50 years from 2009 to 2018 using data from the Korean National Health Insurance System Database. The crude and standardized incidence and all-cause mortality of the disease among patients with unruptured AAA were calculated.

Clinical outcomes of graft reconstruction in treating infected abdominal aortic stent grafts following endovascular aortic aneurysm repair: a single-center experience.

Purpose: This study aimed to review our experience with the explantation of infected endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) grafts.

Methods: This single-center, retrospective, observational study analyzed the data of 12 consecutive patients who underwent infected aortic stent graft explantation following EVAR between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2019, of which 11 underwent graft reconstruction following graft removal. The presentation symptoms, infection route, original pathology of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), graft materials, and clinical outcomes were analyzed.

Trends of Blood Transfusion According to Diseases in Korea: A 10-Year Nationwide Cohort Study.

Introduction: Recent guidelines recommend restrictive red blood cell transfusion; therefore, hospitals have started introducing and implementing patient blood management programs. This is the first study to analyze changes in the trends of blood transfusions in the whole population over the past 10 years according to sex, age group, blood component, disease, and hospital type.

Methods: This cohort study analyzed blood transfusion records for 10 years, from January 2009 to December 2018, using nationwide population-based data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening Cohort database.

A multicenter, randomized, open-labelled, non-inferiority trial of sustained-release sarpogrelate versus clopidogrel after femoropopliteal artery intervention.

Optimal antiplatelet therapy after endovascular therapy (EVT) for peripheral artery disease is controversial. This trial aimed to evaluate whether sarpogrelate plus aspirin was non-inferior for preventing early restenosis after femoropopliteal (FP) EVT compared to clopidogrel plus aspirin. In this open-label, prospective randomized trial, 272 patients were enrolled after successful EVT for FP lesions.

Similar long-term outcomes between endovascular aneurysm repair and open surgical repair for abdominal aortic aneurysms in octogenarian patients: a single-center study.

Purpose: Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) has lower perioperative mortality and morbidity rates and shorter hospital stays when compared to open surgical repair (OSR) in octogenarian patients. However, its long-term results remain unclear. Hence, we aimed to analyze and compare the long-term outcomes of OSR and EVAR in this aging population.

Is the platelet function test effective in predicting blood loss in patients undergoing hepatic resection?

Purpose: The platelet function analyzer (PFA)-100/200 is widely used to assess platelet function. However, its role in predicting the perioperative risk of bleeding in patients undergoing liver resection remains controversial. Therefore, we aimed to ascertain whether the platelet function test could be useful in predicting bleeding risk in patients undergoing hepatic surgery.

Long-Term Exposure to Air Pollution and Incidence of Venous Thromboembolism in the General Population: A Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study.

To date, the relationship between air pollutants and venous thromboembolism (VTE) has not been well established. Our aim is to investigate the association between ambient air pollutants and the incidence of VTE using the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Health Screening Cohort (NHIS-HEALS) database. From 2003 to 2015, 338,616 subjects from the general population not previously diagnosed with VTE were included.

Management strategy for extracranial carotid artery aneurysms: A single-center experience.

Abstract: This single-center, retrospective study aimed to describe the anatomic and clinical characteristics of extracranial carotid artery aneurysms (ECAAs) and to compare various ECAA management strategies in terms of outcomes.A total of 41 consecutive patients, who underwent treatment for ECAAs between November 1996 and May 2020, were included in this study. The ECAAs were anatomically categorized using the Attigah and Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) classifications.

The effect of periodontitis on recipient outcomes after kidney transplantation.

Background: Recent several reports have demonstrated that periodontitis is prevalent and adversely affects the survival in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) or end-stage kidney disease. However, its impact on transplant outcomes remains uncertain.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 136 and 167 patients, respectively, who underwent living donor kidney transplantation (KT) at Seoul National University Hospital from July 2012 to August 2016 and Korea University Hospital from April 2008 to October 2018.

Impact of acute kidney injury on graft outcomes of deceased donor kidney transplantation: A nationwide registry-based matched cohort study in Korea.

Background: Favorable long-term and short-term graft survival and patient survival after kidney transplantation (KT) from deceased donors with acute kidney injury (AKI) have been reported. However, few studies have evaluated effects of donor AKI status on graft outcomes after KT in Asian population. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate graft function after KTs from donors with AKI compared to matched KTs from donors without AKI using a multicenter cohort in Korea.

Association between chronic hepatitis B infection and COVID-19 outcomes: A Korean nationwide cohort study.

Background/aims: We measured the association between underlying chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and antiviral use with infection rates among patients who underwent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) testing.

Methods: In total, 204,418 patients who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 between January and June 2020 were included. For each case patient (n = 7,723) with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test, random controls (n = 46,231) were selected from the target population who had been exposed to someone with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) but had a negative SARS-CoV-2 test result.

Metabolic syndrome and the risk of COVID-19 infection: A nationwide population-based case-control study.

Background And Aims: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a chronic, low-grade inflammatory disease. This study aimed to investigate the impact of MetS on the risk and severity of COVID-19.

Methods And Results: We investigated a nationwide cohort with COVID-19 including all patients who underwent the test for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Korea.