Feasibility of Coronary Angiography and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention via Left Snuffbox Approach.

Background And Objectives: Feasibility of coronary angiography (CAG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) via left snuffbox approach is still concerned. We aimed to investigate efficacy and safety of the left snuffbox approach for CAG and PCI.

Methods: Left snuffbox approach was tried in 150 patients who planned to perform CAG or PCI for suspected myocardial ischemia between 1 November 2017 and 31 March 2018.

Complement C3 Plays a Key Role in Inducing Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses to Influenza Virus Strain-Specific Hemagglutinin-Based or Cross-Protective M2 Extracellular Domain-Based Vaccination.

The complement pathway is involved in eliminating antigen immune complexes. However, the role of the C3 complement system remains largely unknown in influenza virus M2 extracellular (M2e) domain or hemagglutinin (HA) vaccine-mediated protection after vaccination. Using a C3 knockout (C3 KO) mouse model, we found that complement protein C3 was required for effective induction of immune responses to vaccination with M2e-based or HA-based vaccines, which include isotype class-switched antibodies and effector CD4 and CD8 T cell responses.

Effect of Escitalopram vs Placebo Treatment for Depression on Long-term Cardiac Outcomes in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Depression has been associated with poorer medical outcomes in acute coronary syndrome (ACS), but there are few data on the effects of antidepressant treatment on long-term prognosis.

Objective: To investigate the effect on long-term major adverse cardiac events (MACE) of escitalopram treatment of depression in patients with recent ACS.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted among 300 patients with recent ACS and depression enrolled from May 2007 to March 2013, with follow-up completed in June 2017, at Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea.

Results of a 10-Year Experience in Korea Using Drug-Eluting Stents During Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Acute Myocardial Infarction (from the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry).

Limited information exists about characteristics of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Asia. We examined trends in interventional treatment and clinical outcomes for AMI from the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry (KAMIR). The study population was derived from patients in the KAMIR from November 2005 to December 2016.

Serum Copeptin Levels Predict Clinical Outcomes After Successful Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Background: Serum copeptin has been demonstrated to be useful in early risk stratification and prognostication of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, the prognostic value of copeptin after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for clinical outcomes remains uncertain. We investigated the prognostic role of serum copeptin levels immediately after successful PCI as a prognostic marker for major adverse cardiac events (MACE; comprising death, repeat PCI, recurrent MI, or coronary artery bypass grafting) in patients with AMI.

Statins increase the risk of herpes zoster: A propensity score-matched analysis.

Objectives: Statins, which are lipid-lowering agents, have anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties that may affect the occurrence of various infectious diseases. We assessed whether statins increase the risk of herpes zoster (HZ) with propensity score-matching.

Methods: The study was based on the National Health Insurance database and its subset database of the "medical check-up" population of South Korea.

Effects of Bisoprolol Are Comparable with Carvedilol in Secondary Prevention of Acute Myocardial Infarction in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Although the benefits of carvedilol have been demonstrated in the era of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), very few studies have evaluated the efficacy of bisoprolol in the secondary prevention of acute myocardial infarction (MI) in patients treated with PCI. We hypothesized that the effect of bisoprolol would not be different from carvedilol in post-MI patients. A total of 13,813 patients who underwent PCI were treated either with carvedilol or bisoprolol at the time of discharge.

A new risk score for ventricular tachyarrhythmia in acute myocardial infarction with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction.

Background: Ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation (VT/VF) is a major cause of sudden cardiac death after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This study aims to investigate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of VT/VF, to identify the variables associated with VT/VF, and to construct a new scoring system.

Methods: Patients with relatively preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (≥40%) included in the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institutes of Health registry were enrolled in this study.

Combined IFN-γ and TNF-α release assay for differentiating active tuberculosis from latent tuberculosis infection.

Objectives: The IFN-γ-release assay (IGRA) cannot differentiate active tuberculosis (TB) from latent TB infection (LTBI). We hypothesized that the TNF-α-release assay (TARA) combined with IGRA might discriminate active TB from not active TB without LTBI.

Methods: Adult patients with suspected TB, and with unrelated diseases such as herpes zoster as controls, were enrolled in an intermediate TB-burden country.

Comparison of short-term clinical outcomes between Resolute Onyx zotarolimus-eluting stents and everolimus-eluting stent in patients with acute myocardial infarction: Results from the Korea Acute Myocardial infarction Registry (KAMIR).

Background: There are few studies which compare the efficacy and safety of the Resolute Onyx zotarolimus-eluting stent (O-ZES) and everolimus-eluting stent (EES) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Therefore, the present study aimed to compare clinical outcomes of O-ZES and EES in patients with AMI undergoing successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: From January 2016 to December 2016, the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry (KAMIR) enrolled 3,364 consecutive patients.

Effect of the Metabolic Syndrome on Outcomes in Patients Aged <50 Years Versus >50 Years With Acute Myocardial Infarction.

The presence of metabolic syndrome (MS) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality. Moreover, data are lacking on the association of MS with clinical outcomes in young adults with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This study was a retrospective analysis of 2,082 patients with AMI who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention.

Influence of obesity and metabolic syndrome on clinical outcomes of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in men undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: The correlation between obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its impact on cardiovascular disease remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the impact of metabolic status and obesity on clinical outcomes of male patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods: Data from the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institutes of Health registry were used to evaluate the impact of obesity and MetS on patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) from November 2005 to November 2015.

Optimal Timing of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients With Non-ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Complicated by Acute Decompensated Heart Failure (from the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institutes of Health [KAMIR-NIH]).

The optimal timing of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), complicated by acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), is unclear. A total of 1,027 patients with NSTEMI complicated by ADHF who underwent successful PCI were analyzed using a Korean multicenter registry. All patients were divided into 4 groups by the timing of PCI: group 1 (PCI < 2 hour after admission, n = 149), group 2 (2 to 24 hours, n = 577), group 3 (24 to 72 hours, n = 189), and group 4 (≥72 hours, n = 112).

Comparison of Clinical Outcomes Between Ticagrelor and Prasugrel in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction - Results From the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institutes of Health.

Background: There is little information regarding comparison of ticagrelor and prasugrel in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We sought to compare clinical outcomes between ticagrelor and prasugrel in STEMI.

Methods and results: A total of 1,440 patients with STEMI who underwent successful primary percutaneous coronary intervention were analyzed; the data were obtained from the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institutes of Health.

Comparison of the planned one- and elective two-stent techniques in patients with coronary bifurcation lesions with or without acute coronary syndrome from the COBIS II Registry.

Objectives: To evaluate the impacts of stent techniques on long-term clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using drug-eluting stents (DES) for coronary bifurcation lesions in patients with or without acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Background: Few studies have investigated the impacts of stent techniques for treating coronary bifurcation lesions in patients with and without ACS.

Methods: This multicenter registry enrolled 2,897 patients undergoing PCI with DES for coronary bifurcation lesions.

Pre-discharge anemia as a predictor of adverse clinical outcomes in patients with acute decompensated heart failure.

Background/aims: The impact of the timing of anemia during hospitalization on future clinical outcomes after surviving discharge from an index heart failure (HF) has been poorly studied in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF).

Methods: A total of 384 surviving patients with acute ADHF were divided into two groups: an anemia group (n = 270, 199 anemia at admission and 71 pre-discharge anemia) and a no anemia group (n = 114). All-cause mortality and HF re-hospitalization were compared between groups.

A score for decision making during percutaneous coronary intervention in acute myocardial infarction patients with multivessel disease.

Background/aims: The optimal percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) strategy in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with multivessel disease (MVD) is uncertain. This study was designed to develop a novel and simple tool for assessing an individualized and optimized PCI strategy in AMI patients with MVD.

Methods: In total, 5,025 patients with AMI from nine centers at two universities were enrolled in the prospective Convergent Registry of Catholic and Chonnam University for Acute Myocardial Infarction (COREA-AMI) registry from January 2004 through December 2009.

Kinetics of viral load and cytokines in severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome.

Background: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease in China, Japan, and Korea, which is characterized by high fever, thrombocytopenia, and high mortality. It is hypothesized that a cytokine storm plays an important role in the pathophysiology of SFTS. However, limited data have been published on the detailed kinetics of the viral load and cytokine profiles throughout the course of this disease.

Hippo-mediated suppression of IRS2/AKT signaling prevents hepatic steatosis and liver cancer.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major risk factor for liver cancer; therefore, its prevention is an important clinical goal. Ablation of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) or the protein kinase Hippo signaling pathway induces liver cancer via activation of AKT or the transcriptional regulators YAP/TAZ, respectively; however, the potential for crosstalk between the PTEN/AKT and Hippo/YAP/TAZ pathways in liver tumorigenesis has thus far remained unclear. Here, we have shown that deletion of both PTEN and SAV1 in the liver accelerates the development of NAFLD and liver cancer in mice.

Genome sequencing to develop Paenibacillus donghaensis strain JH8 (KCTC 13049=LMG 23780) as a microbial fertilizer and correlation to its plant growth-promoting phenotype.

Paenibacillus donghaensis JH8 (KCTC 13049=LMG 23780) is a Gram-positive, mesophilic, endospore-forming bacterium isolated from East Sea sediment at depth of 500m in Korea. The strain exhibited plant cell wall hydrolytic and plant growth promoting abilities. The complete genome of P.

Impact of Complete Revascularization on Six-Year Clinical Outcomes and Incidence of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction and Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease.

It remains unclear whether complete revascularization (CR) reduces the incidences of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) and adverse cardiac outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and multivessel coronary artery disease (MVD). A total of 453 hemodynamically stable patients with STEMI and MVD were retrospectively evaluated; the patients were divided into 2 groups according to interventional strategy: CR (n = 240) and incomplete revascularization (IR) (n = 213). We analyzed the incidences of ADHF and major adverse cardiac events (MACE; a composite of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, and any revascularization) over a long follow-up period (median 6.