Publications by authors named "Min J Kwak"

Objective: This study aimed to examine the diseases requiring surgery during pregnancy, the changes in surgical methods over time, and the characteristics of surgeries performed in different trimesters.

Methods And Materials: A retrospective study conducted at Bundang CHA Hospital between 2006 and 2023 analyzed surgeries performed during pregnancy and compared laparoscopic and open approaches across the three trimesters of pregnancy. Additionally, general (appendicitis, cholecystitis) and gynecologic (heterotopic pregnancy, adnexal torsion) cases were compared.

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  • The study examines how frailty and delirium affect in-hospital mortality and discharge outcomes for older adults hospitalized due to acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF).
  • Data from over 3.5 million hospitalizations showed that both conditions significantly increase the risk of death and the likelihood of a non-home discharge.
  • The most severe outcomes were observed in patients experiencing both high frailty and delirium, indicating a need for greater awareness and intervention strategies for these vulnerable patients.
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Branched-chain hydroxy acids (BCHAs) as bioactive metabolites of Lactobacillaceae include 2-hydroxy isovaleric acid (HIVA), 2-hydroxy isocaproic acid (HICA), and 2-hydroxy-3-methyl isovaleric acid (HMVA). Combining targeted and untargeted metabolomics, this study elucidates differences in extracellular BCHA production in , , and alongside comparing comprehensive metabolic changes. Through targeted metabolomics, BCHA production among 38 strains exhibited strain specificity, except for , which showed significantly lower BCHA production.

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  • * Frailty serves as an important indicator in CVD patients, affecting prevention strategies and complicating their participation in major clinical trials.
  • * The review emphasizes the need for better understanding and management of frailty to improve CVD care and explores future approaches for detecting and modifying frailty in affected individuals.
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  • * Palliative pharmacotherapy, which includes both cardiovascular drugs and essential palliative medicines, is often underutilized in managing symptoms and improving quality of life for patients with cardiovascular diseases.
  • * The statement emphasizes the importance of shared decision-making and a patient-centered approach to medication management, including de-escalating or deprescribing treatments for patients with advanced cardiovascular conditions.
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  • Calcific aortic stenosis serves as a model for understanding cardiovascular issues in older adults, influenced by multiple factors related to aging.
  • Research on transcatheter aortic valve replacement has primarily involved older patients, leading to the recognition of frailty and other geriatric risks as important for better assessing patient conditions.
  • The review emphasizes the need for a comprehensive approach to diagnosis and management of aortic stenosis in older adults, advocating for improved patient engagement and identifying key areas for future research.
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Patients with heart failure (HF) have a high prevalence of polypharmacy, which can lead to drug interactions, cognitive impairment, and medication non-compliance. However, the definition of polypharmacy in these patients is still inconsistent. The aim of this scoping review was to find the most common definition of polypharmacy in HF patients.

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Background: Identifying the underlying etiology of developmental delay/intellectual disability (DD/ID) is challenging but important. The genetic diagnosis of unexplained DD/ID helps in the treatment and prognosis of the disability in patients. In this study, we reported our experience of using whole exome sequencing (WES) of children with unexplained DD/ID.

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Background: The primary aim of this study was to investigate the final adult height (FAH) of girls diagnosed with central precocious puberty (CPP) who were untreated.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 36 girls diagnosed with CPP between 8 and 9 years of age who did not receive treatment, and 206 girls diagnosed with CPP within the same age range who received gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist treatment. Midparental height (MPH), predicted adult height (PAH) obtained using height and bone age (BA) at the time of diagnosis (PAH for BA), and PAH obtained using the Bayley-Pinneau method (PAH by BP) were calculated.

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Delirium is a significant geriatric condition associated with adverse clinical and economic outcomes. The cause of delirium is usually multifactorial, and person-centered multicomponent approaches for proper delirium management are required. In 2017, the John A.

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Background: Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a rare hematologic disorder characterized by uncontrolled terminal complement activation. Eculizumab, a monoclonal antibody C5 inhibitor was introduced in Korea in 2009 and has been the standard treatment option for PNH.

Methods: This study assessed the long-term efficacy/safety of eculizumab in PNH using real-world data from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service.

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Background: Older adults with heart failure often experience adverse drug events with high doses of heart failure medications. Recognizing whether a patient is on a high or low dose intensity heart failure medication can be helpful for daily practice, since it could potentially guide the physician on which symptoms to look for, whether from overdosing or underdosing. However, the current guideline does not provide sufficient information about the dose intensity below the target dose.

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The chemotaxonomic diversity of 20 Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains was investigated using non-targeted metabolite profiling under different culture conditions. Multivariate and metabolic pathway analyses based on GC-MS and LC-MS/MS datasets showed that amino acid metabolism, especially 2-hydroxy acids, was enriched under aerobic conditions (AE), whereas fatty acid & sugar metabolism was increased under anaerobic conditions (AN). Based on the metabolite profiles, L.

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The population worldwide is getting older as a result of advances in public health, medicine, and technology. Older individuals are living longer with a higher prevalence of subclinical and clinical cardiovascular disease (CVD). In 2010, the American Heart Association introduced a list of key prevention targets, known as "Life's Simple 7" to increase CVD-free survival, longevity, and quality of life.

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Background: Older adults hospitalized for heart failure (HF) are at risk for falls after discharge. One modifiable contributor to falls is fall risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs). However, the prevalence of FRIDs among older adults hospitalized for HF is unknown.

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Aims: Randomized clinical trials of hypertension treatment intensity evaluate the effects on incident major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and serious adverse events (SAEs). Occurrences after a non-fatal index event have not been rigorously evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of intensive (<120 mmHg) to standard (<140 mmHg) blood pressure (BP) treatment with mortality mediated through a non-fatal MACE or non-fatal SAE in 9361 participants in the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial.

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Background: To date, PD-L1 expression in tumor tissue, assessed by immunohistochemical stain, is clinically applicable as a predictive companion biomarker for PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor which has been highlighted over the past several years. Before blood-based sPD-L1 enters clinical use, it is critical to establish the reference range. This study was designed to investigate soluble sPD-L1 levels in various cancer patients and normal population.

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Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine whether gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist treatment is effective in preserving final height in patients with central precocious puberty (CPP) or early puberty (EP).

Methods: The medical records of 40 patients with CPP and 206 patients with EP who completed GnRH agonist treatment following diagnosis were analyzed retrospectively. Height and height standard deviation (height SDS) scores based on bone age (BA) were measured and calculated at baseline, after treatment completion, and at final follow-up to compare changes within and between groups.

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Aims: To optimize guideline-directed medical therapy for heart failure, patients may require the initiation of multiple neurohormonal antagonists (NHAs) during and following hospitalization. The safety of this approach for older adults is not well established.

Methods And Results: We conducted an observational cohort study of 207 223 Medicare beneficiaries discharged home following a hospitalization for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) (2008-2015).

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Medical management of heart failure (HF) has evolved and has achieved significant survival benefits, resulting in highly complex medication regimens. Complex medication regimens create challenges for older adults, including nonadherence and increased adverse drug events, especially associated with cognitive impairment, physical limitations, or lack of social support. However, the association between medication complexity and patients' health outcomes among older adults with HF is unclear.

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Older adults with cardiovascular disease (CVD) contend with deficits across multiple domains of health due to age-related physiological changes and the impact of CVD. Multimorbidity, polypharmacy, cognitive changes, and diminished functional capacity, along with changes in the social environment, result in complexity that makes provision of CVD care to older adults challenging. In this review, we first describe the history of geriatric cardiology, an orientation that acknowledges the unique needs of older adults with CVD.

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