Association between Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction and Mortality in Patients with Septic Shock.

Background: The impact of myocardial damage on the prognosis of patients with septic shock is not clearly elucidated because complex hemodynamic changes in sepsis obscure the direct relationship. We evaluated left ventricular (LV) conditions that reflect myocardial damage independently from hemodynamic changes in septic shock and their influence on the prognosis of patients.

Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 208 adult patients who were admitted to the intensive care unit and underwent echocardiography within 7 days from the diagnosis of septic shock.

Differences in visit-to-visit blood pressure variability between normotensive and hypertensive pregnant women.

We evaluated the relationship between blood pressure variability (BPV) and the development of hypertension during pregnancy. A total of 4163 pregnant women with normal blood pressure (BP) before 20 weeks of gestation were included in this study. The visit-to-visit blood pressure variability (VVV) was evaluated using the standard deviation (SD) of the systolic BP taken three times during pregnancy at approximately 10, 20, and 30 weeks of gestation.

Evaluation of the Accuracy of a New Cuffless Magnetoplethysmography Blood Pressure Monitor in Hypertensive Patients.

Objective: There is a growing demand for cuffless blood pressure (BP) measurement as an easy alternative to cuff-occlusion-based BP measurement. We assessed the accuracy of a new cuffless, watch-style BP monitor with a magnetoplethysmography (MPG) sensor compared to two standard auscultatory and oscillatory BP monitors.

Subjects And Methods: A total of 34 patients with uncontrolled hypertension (systolic BP ≥150 mm Hg or diastolic BP ≥95 mm Hg) were enrolled in the study.

Serum Concentrations of Trace Elements Zinc, Copper, Selenium, and Manganese in Critically Ill Patients.

We measured serum concentrations of trace elements and evaluated their clinical significance in relation to treatment outcomes of critically ill patients. A total of 167 participants (105 men and 62 women; average age, 61.4 years; age range, 18-90 years) were enrolled.

A population-based epidemiological study of anaphylaxis using national big data in Korea: trends in age-specific prevalence and epinephrine use in 2010-2014.

Background: Previous reports on anaphylaxis in Asia are limited to relatively small-scale studies. We performed this study to identify the nationwide prevalence of anaphylaxis and epinephrine prescription rates by age groups.

Methods: The total number of patients, yearly and overall prevalence, percentage of emergency department visits, and epinephrine prescription rates were calculated for patients diagnosed with anaphylaxis based on the Korean National Health Insurance database from 2010 to 2014.

Level of mitoses in non-muscle invasive papillary urothelial carcinomas (pTa and pT1) at initial bladder biopsy is a simple and powerful predictor of clinical outcome: a multi-center study in South Korea.

Background: Histologic grade is the most important predictor of the clinical outcome of non-muscle invasive (Ta, T1) papillary urothelial carcinoma (NMIPUCa), but its ambiguous criteria diminish its power to predict recurrence/progression for individual patients. We attempted to find an objective and reproducible histologic predictor of NMIPUCa that correlates well with the clinical outcome.

Methods: A total of 296 PUCas were collected from the Departments of Surgical Pathology of 11 institutions in South Korea.

Bioelectrical impedance analysis values as markers to predict severity in critically ill patients.

Purpose: We investigated bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)-derived parameters in critically ill patients to evaluate any differences between survivors and nonsurvivors.

Methods: We calculated severity scores for 241 critically ill surgical patients (161 male and 80 female; mean age, 62.9years) using three severity scoring systems (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment, and Simplified Acute Physiology Score III).

Ultrasound Elastography of the Neonatal Brain: Preliminary Study.

Objectives: To determine the ultrasound elasticity of the brain in neonates METHODS: Strain elastography was performed in 21 healthy neonates (mean gestational age [GA], 34 weeks; range, 28-40 weeks). Elastographic scores were assigned to the following structures on a 5-point color scale (1-5): ventricle, periventricular white matter, caudate, subcortical, cortical gray matter, and subdural space. Three elastographic images were evaluated in each patient, and median elastographic scores were calculated.

Trigeminal nerve block with alcohol for medically intractable classic trigeminal neuralgia: long-term clinical effectiveness on pain.

Background: Trigeminal nerve block (Tnb) with alcohol for trigeminal neuralgia (TN) may not be used widely as a percutaneous procedure for medically intractable TN in recent clinical work, because it has been considered having a limited duration of pain relief, a decrease in success rate and increase in complications on repeated blocks.

Objectives: To evaluate the clinical outcome of the Tnb with alcohol in the treatment of medically intractable TN.

Methods: Six hundred thirty-two patients were diagnosed with TN between March 2000 and February 2010.

Risk factors of severe hypoglycemia requiring medical assistance and neurological sequelae in patients with diabetes: A case-control study.

Hypoglycemia commonly occurs in patients who are being treated for diabetes. In some cases, these patients suffer from severe hypoglycemia that requires medical assistance and which can unfortunately result in long-term disabilities. Therefore, we investigated risk factors associated with severe hypoglycemia requiring medical assistance (HMA) and the resulting neurological sequelae in patients with diabetes.

Low levels of circulating microRNA-26a/29a as poor prognostic markers in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent curative treatment.

Background/aims: We evaluated the prognostic implication of circulating microRNA (miR)-21, miR-26a, and miR-29a in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who underwent curative treatment.

Methods: The study included 120 hepatitis B virus-related HCC patients who underwent hepatic resection (n=63) or radiofrequency ablation (n=57). MiR-21, miR-26a, and miR-29a expression levels in pretreatment plasma and several clinical variables were analyzed to identify prognostic bio-markers.

Development of Risk Prediction Model for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression of Indeterminate Nodules in Hepatitis B Virus-Related Cirrhotic Liver.

Objectives: This study was performed to evaluate long-term outcome of indeterminate nodules detected on cirrhotic liver and to develop risk prediction model for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression of indeterminate nodules on hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related cirrhotic liver.

Methods: Indeterminate nodules up to 2 cm with uncertain malignant potential detected on computed tomography of cirrhotic liver during HCC surveillance were analyzed retrospectively. HCC risk prediction model of indeterminate nodules in HBV-related cirrhotic liver was deduced based on result of Cox regression analysis.

Conversion and reliability of two urological grading systems in infants: the Society for Fetal Urology and the urinary tract dilatation classifications system.

Background: The urinary tract dilation (UTD) classification system was proposed in 2014.

Objective: To evaluate the correspondence and reliability of two US grading systems for postnatal urinary tract dilatation in infants: the Society for Fetal Urology (SFU) and the UTD systems.

Materials And Methods: We assessed 180 kidneys in infants younger than 1 year.

Characteristics of infarction after encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis in young patients with moyamoya disease.

OBJECTIVE Young patients with moyamoya disease can exhibit infarction after revascularization surgery. This analysis of the characteristics of infarction after encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis (EDAS) in young patients with moyamoya disease was undertaken in an effort to elucidate the infarction mechanism. METHODS The authors retrospectively collected clinical information and reviewed pre- and postoperative MRI studies from cases involving patients younger than 18 years who underwent EDAS for the treatment of moyamoya disease between January 2012 and February 2015.

Treatment outcomes in patients with FIGO stage IB-IIA cervical cancer and a focally disrupted cervical stromal ring on magnetic resonance imaging: A propensity score matching study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare treatment outcomes of primary concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) versus radical hysterectomy (RH) followed by adjuvant RT or CCRT in patients with FIGO stage IB-IIA cervical cancer with focal disruption of the cervical stromal ring on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological data of 156 patients with FIGO stage IB-IIA cervical cancer showing a focal disruption of the stromal ring on MRI between March 2000 and March 2015. Treatment outcomes were compared between the RT-based (n=54) group and RH-based group (n=54) after propensity score matching of each of the patients using a logistic regression model, including age, tumor size on MRI, pelvic lymph node enlargement on MRI, and histology.

Analgesic Effects of Ultrasound-Guided Serratus-Intercostal Plane Block and Ultrasound-Guided Intermediate Cervical Plexus Block After Single-Incision Transaxillary Robotic Thyroidectomy: A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Trial.

Background And Objectives: Single-incision transaxillary robotic thyroidectomy (START) requires substantial tissue disruption, which produces moderate-to-severe pain in the axilla and neck areas during the early postoperative period. This study aimed to investigate the analgesic effects of ultrasound-guided serratus-intercostal plane blocks and intermediate cervical plexus blocks (CPBs) on the early postoperative pain after START.

Methods: We randomized 22 patients to undergo either ultrasound-guided serratus-intercostal plane and intermediate CPBs (the block group, n = 11) or to not undergo any block (the control group, n = 11).

Optimal effect-site concentration of remifentanil for preventing cough during removal of the double-lumen endotracheal tube from sevoflurane-remifentanil anesthesia: A prospective clinical trial.

Opioids are used as a treatment for coughing. Recent studies have reported an antitussive effect of remifentanil during recovery from general anesthesia by suppressed coughing. The coughing reflex may differ throughout the respiratory tract from the larynx to the bronchi.

Clinical Conversion or Reversion of Mild Cognitive Impairment in Community versus Hospital Based Studies: GDEMCIS (Gwangju Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment Study) and CREDOS (Clinical Research Center for Dementia of South Korea).

Background: In keeping with increasing interest in dementia, few recent studies suggest that clinical course of mild cognitive impairment vary across different studies with hospital-based subjects showing higher rates of conversion than community-based subjects.

Objective: The main objective of the present study was to assess whether the clinical conversion or reversion rates differ according to recruitment source.

Methods: The baseline study subjects comprised of patients who were diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment in community-based GDEMCIS or hospital-based CREDOS.

Indoor radon exposure and lung cancer: a review of ecological studies.

Lung cancer has high mortality and incidence rates. The leading causes of lung cancer are smoking and radon exposure. Indeed, the World Health Organization (WHO) has categorized radon as a carcinogenic substance causing lung cancer.

Newly Developed Sarcopenia as a Prognostic Factor for Survival in Patients who Underwent Liver Transplantation.

Introduction: The relationship between a perioperative change in sarcopenic status and clinical outcome of liver transplantation (LT) is unknown. We investigated whether post-LT sarcopenia and changes in sarcopenic status were associated with the survival of patients.

Method: This retrospective study was based on a cohort of 145 patients from a single transplant center who during a mean of 1 year after LT underwent computed tomography imaging evaluation.

Robotic single-site versus laparo-endoscopic single-site surgery for adnexal tumours: a propensity score-matching analysis.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the surgical outcomes of robotic single-site (RSS) and laparo-endoscopic single-site (LESS) surgery for adnexal tumours and evaluate the feasibility of RSS surgery.

Methods: RSS surgery was performed using the da Vinci Single-Site® surgical platform and LESS surgery using a single multi-channel port system. Surgical outcomes were compared between RSS (n = 20) and LESS (n = 228) after 1:4 propensity score matching.

Interleukin-8 level as a prognostic marker in patients with hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma treated with transarterial chemoembolization.

We investigated the association between serum interleukin (IL)-8 levels and post-transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) outcomes in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated HCC. We enrolled 119 TACE-treated patients with HBV-associated HCC; TACE refractoriness and liver transplantation (LT)-free survival were evaluated during follow-up. Pre-TACE serum levels of various cytokines (epidermal growth factor [EGF], fibroblast growth factor 2, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor [G-CSF], interferon-γ, IL-8, IL-12, IL-17A, interferon-γ-inducible protein-10, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, tumor necrosis factor-α and vascular endothelial growth factor) were analyzed.

Robotic single-site versus laparoendoscopic single-site hysterectomy: a propensity score matching study.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the surgical outcomes of robotic single-site (RSS-H) and laparoendoscopic single-site total hysterectomy (LESS-H) and to evaluate the feasibility of RSS-H in patients with benign gynecologic disease.

Methods: The RSS-H was performed using the da Vinci single-site surgical platform, and the LESS-H using a single multi-channel port system at the umbilicus. Among 467 consecutive patients who had undergone total hysterectomy for benign gynecologic disease, surgical outcomes were compared between RSS-H group (n = 25) and LESS-H group (n = 442) after propensity score matching.