Gaps and Similarities in Research Use LOINC Codes Utilized in Korean University Hospitals: Towards Semantic Interoperability for Patient Care.

Background: The accuracy of Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) mappings is reportedly low, and the LOINC codes used for research purposes in Korea have not been validated for accuracy or usability. Our study aimed to evaluate the discrepancies and similarities in interoperability using existing LOINC mappings in actual patient care settings.

Methods: We collected data on local test codes and their corresponding LOINC mappings from seven university hospitals.

Prognostic Efficacy of the Albumin-Bilirubin Score and Treatment Outcomes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Large-Scale, Multi-Center Real-World Database Study.

Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally, with treatment outcomes closely tied to liver function. This study evaluates the prognostic utility of the albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score compared to the traditional Child-Pugh (CP) grading, leveraging real-world evidence from a large-scale, multi-center database.

Methods: The Liver Cancer IN Korea (LINK) research network, a multi-center initiative, retrospectively collected electronic health records from three academic hospitals in South Korea, encompassing HCC patients diagnosed between 2015 and 2020.

Association Between Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Trend of Age-Related Rise in Arterial Stiffness in Individuals With and Without Hypertension or Diabetes.

Background: This study aimed to investigate whether higher cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) can modify the trend of age-related rise in arterial stiffness in individuals with and without hypertension (HTN) or diabetes.

Methods: The study included 4,935 participants who underwent maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing with respiratory gas analysis in a health screening program. CRF was directly measured using peak oxygen uptake during the cardiopulmonary exercise test, while arterial stiffness was evaluated using brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV).

Single-cell analysis of human PBMCs in healthy and type 2 diabetes populations: dysregulated immune networks in type 2 diabetes unveiled through single-cell profiling.

Abnormalities in glucose metabolism that precede the onset of type 2 diabetes (T2D) activate immune cells, leading to elevated inflammatory factors and chronic inflammation. However, no single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) studies have characterized the properties and networks of individual immune cells in T2D. Here, we analyzed peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from non-diabetes and T2D patients by scRNA-seq.

The association between TSH and thyroid hormones in the normal or subclinical dysfunction range with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.

Thyroid hormones modulate the cardiovascular system. However, the effects of subclinical thyroid dysfunction and euthyroidism on cardiac function remain unclear. We investigated the association between left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction and subclinical thyroid dysfunction or thyroid hormones within the reference range.

Diagnostic performance of quantitative ultrasonography for hepatic steatosis in a health screening program: a prospective single-center study.

Purpose: This study compared the diagnostic performance of quantitative ultrasonography (QUS) with that of conventional ultrasonography (US) in assessing hepatic steatosis among individuals undergoing health screening using magnetic resonance imaging-derived proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) as the reference standard.

Methods: This single-center prospective study enrolled 427 participants who underwent abdominal MRI and US. Measurements included the attenuation coefficient in tissue attenuation imaging (TAI) and the scatter-distribution coefficient in tissue scatter-distribution imaging (TSI).

Association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction: A 7-year retrospective cohort study of 3,380 adults using serial echocardiography.

Aim: Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) has been observed in people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in cross-sectional studies but the causal relationship is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the impact of NAFLD and the fibrotic progression of the disease on the development of LVDD, assessed by serial echocardiography, in a large population over a 7-year longitudinal setting.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included the data of 3,380 subjects from a medical health check-up program.

A comparison of the continuous supraclavicular brachial plexus block using the proximal longitudinal oblique approach and the interscalene brachial plexus block for arthroscopic shoulder surgery: A randomised, controlled, double-blind trial.

Background: Continuous interscalene brachial plexus block (ISB) is widely used for arthroscopic shoulder surgery, but the incidence of hemidiaphragmatic paresis (HDP) has been reported to reach 100%. Several methods, including injections distal to the C5-C6 nerve roots, have been attempted to reduce the HDP incidence. However, catheter placement distal to the C5-C6 nerve roots interferes with the surgical site.

Effect of knowledgebase transition of a clinical decision support system on medication order and alert patterns in an emergency department.

A knowledgebase (KB) transition of a clinical decision support (CDS) system occurred at the study site. The transition was made from one commercial database to another, provided by a different vendor. The change was applied to all medications in the institute.

Sex-specific relationship between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and amyloid-β in cognitively unimpaired individuals.

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is known to be associated with a high risk of clinically diagnosed Alzheimer's disease (AD). Additionally, the prevalence of NAFLD and AD is higher in elderly females than in males. However, a sex-specific association between NAFLD and amyloid-beta (Aβ) deposition remains unclear.

Development and validation of multivariable quantitative ultrasound for diagnosing hepatic steatosis.

This study developed and validated multivariable quantitative ultrasound (QUS) model for diagnosing hepatic steatosis. Retrospective secondary analysis of prospectively collected QUS data was performed. Participants underwent QUS examinations and magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF; reference standard).

Prognostic Impact of Elevation of Cancer Antigen 15-3 (CA15-3) in Patients With Early Breast Cancer With Normal Serum CA15-3 Level.

Purpose: Cancer antigen 15-3 (CA15-3) is a serum tumor marker for breast cancer (BC) extensively used in clinical practice. CA15-3 is non-invasive, easily available, and a cost-effective tumor marker for immediate diagnosis, monitoring and prediction of BC recurrence. We hypothesized that an elevation of CA15-3 may have prognostic impact in patients with early BC with normal serum CA15-3 level.

A Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome Could Be Re-termed as a Nutcracker Celiac Ganglion Abdominal Pain Syndrome.

Background/aims: Median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS) is known as chronic recurrent abdominal pain related to compression of the celiac artery by the median arcuate ligament. We aim to seek the specific mechanism of the pain by evaluating symptoms and radiological characteristics on abdominal CT scans.

Methods: We analyzed 35 patients who visited the emergency room for recurrent abdominal pain after cholecystectomy.

Nurses' knowledge and attitudes toward patient-controlled analgesia for postoperative pain control in a tertiary hospital in South Korea.

Background: This study investigated the knowledge and attitude of surgical ward nurses toward patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) to develop educational material for nurses on the use of PCA.

Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study comprising 120 nurses from eight surgical wards in a tertiary hospital in South Korea. A questionnaire addressing 6 domains of knowledge of and attitudes towards PCA was conducted over 1 week and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods.

Correction: Frequent Mobile Electronic Medical Records Users Respond More Quickly to Emergency Department Consultation Requests: Retrospective Quantitative Study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.2196/14487.].

Gender-specific relationship between thigh muscle and fat mass and brain amyloid-β positivity.

Background: The relationship of specific body composition in the thighs and brain amyloid-beta (Aβ) deposition remained unclear, although there were growing evidence that higher muscle and fat mass in thighs had a protective effect against cardiometabolic syndromes. To determine whether muscle mass and fat mass in the thighs affected amyloid-beta (Aβ) positivity differently in relation to gender, we investigated the association of muscle mass and fat mass with Aβ positivity using positron emission tomography (PET) in individuals without dementia.

Methods: We recruited 240 participants (134 [55.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and accelerated loss of skeletal muscle mass: A longitudinal cohort study.

Background And Aims: Whether subjects with NAFLD are at increased risk of sarcopenia is not well established.

Approach And Results: This is a cohort study of 52,815 men and women of 20 years of age or older who underwent at least two health check-up exams with bioelectrical impedance analysis and abdominal ultrasound imaging. Bioelectrical impedance analysis was used to calculate appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM).

Separate and Joint Associations of Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Healthy Vascular Aging With Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Men.

Background: Achieving healthy vascular aging (HVA) is important for decelerating age-related cardiovascular disease risk. We evaluated the interplay between HVA, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), and subclinical atherosclerosis.

Methods: We analyzed data on 3722 men who underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing in a health examination program.

The Prevalence of Thyroid Dysfunction in Korean Women Undergoing Routine Health Screening: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Women are more likely to experience thyroid diseases than men. However, thyroid dysfunction risk in women undergoing the menopausal transition remains largely unknown. We explored the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction across menopausal stages.