Use of antipsychotic drugs during radiotherapy in adult cancer patients in Korea: a nationwide retrospective cohort study based on the national health insurance service database.

Background: Antipsychotic drugs (APDs) are used for treating mental illnesses and are also used by cancer patients. This study aimed to evaluate APD use in adult cancer patients who received radiotherapy (RT) in South Korea and assess the effects of APD use during RT on survival.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study utilized the National Health Insurance Service database database of Korea.

Contrast Agent Selection to Prevent Recurrent Severe Hypersensitivity Reaction to Iodinated Contrast Media Based on Nationwide Database.

Objective: To investigate the incidence of severe iodinated contrast media (ICM)-related hypersensitivity reaction (HSR) and to find the optimal alternative ICM to reduce the risk of severe HSR recurrence.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 23,383,183 cases of ICM administration between January 2015 and December 2019 from the nationwide health insurance database. We classified ICMs based on generic profiles and the presence of N-(2,3-dihydroxypropyl) carbamoyl side chains.

Adjuvant intravenous immunoglobulin administration on postoperative critically ill patients with secondary peritonitis: a retrospective study.

Background: The use of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in sepsis patients from bowel perforation is still debatable. However, few studies have evaluated the effect of IVIG as an adjuvant therapy after source control. This study aimed to analyze the effect of IVIG in critically ill patients who underwent surgery due to secondary peritonitis.

Quantitative pupillary light reflex assessment for prognosis of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Background: A non-reactive pupil in standard pupillary light reflex (sPLR) is regarded as a factor predicting neurological sequelae at 1-month after carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. An automated pupillometer is used in the intensive care unit to quantitatively assess PLR. Quantitative PLR (qPLR) was superior to sPLR using penlight for prognosis of various neurological diseases.

Remnant cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and incident cardiovascular disease among Koreans: a national population-based study.

Aims: The synergistic association of remnant cholesterol (remnant-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels with incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) in various subgroups of Koreans was investigated.

Methods And Results: Using the national health insurance data, we included subjects aged between 40 and 70 years without a history of CVD and at least two health screenings between 2009 and 2011. The subjects were divided into four groups by LDL-C and remnant-C levels.

Validation of age- and sex-dependent association of uric acid and incident hypertension in rural areas.

Background: A previous study based on urban areas suggested the age- and sex-dependent association of uric acid (UA) and incident hypertension. We aimed to investigate whether this association is valid even in rural areas with different lifestyle.

Methods: Data from the cardiovascular disease association study, a prospective cohort study based on rural residents, was analyzed.

Effectiveness and safety of non-vitamin K direct oral anticoagulants in atrial fibrillation patients with bioprosthetic valve.

Background: Non-vitamin K direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) is effective for prevention of embolic events in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. However, the effectiveness and safety of DOAC in AF patients who have bioprosthetic heart valve (BPHV) is largely unknown.

Methods: We retrospectively identified patients with AF and BPHV, using the diagnostic code and medical device and surgery information from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database, between 2013 and 2018.

Association between lifestyle factors and metabolic syndrome in general populations with depressive symptoms in cross-setional based cohort study of Ansung-Ansan.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is caused by both genetic and environmental factors, such as daily calorie intake, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Lifestyle factors, such as alcohol consumption, are considered to be related to the prevalence of MetS and plays an essential role in the pathogenesis and prognosis of depression.

Methods: We investigated the bidirectional association between lifestyle factors and MetS among Korean adults with depressive symptoms in third wave of a community-based cohort study.

Optimal Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels in Adults Without Diabetes Mellitus: A Nationwide Population-Based Study Including More Than 4 Million Individuals From South Korea.

Background: Although the strong association between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is well-known, the threshold LDL-C level at which the risk of CVD begins to increase in individuals without diabetes mellitus (DM) remains unknown. We aimed to evaluate the association between incident CVD and serum LDL-C levels with or without statin use in individuals without DM.

Methods: We identified 4,182,117 individuals without previous CVD who underwent a health screening examination in 2009 and 2011 from the Korean National Health Insurance Cohort database.

Digital Biomarkers in Living Labs for Vulnerable and Susceptible Individuals: An Integrative Literature Review.

Purpose: The study aimed to identify which digital biomarkers are collected and which specific devices are used according to vulnerable and susceptible individual characteristics in a living-lab setting.

Materials And Methods: A literature search, screening, and appraisal process was implemented using the Web of Science, Pubmed, and Embase databases. The search query included a combination of terms related to "digital biomarkers," "devices that collect digital biomarkers," and "vulnerable and susceptible groups.

Reference diameter and characteristics of the distal radial artery based on ultrasonographic assessment.

Background/aims: While distal radial artery (DRA) access is increasingly being used for diagnostic coronary angiography, limited information is available regarding DRA size. We aimed to determine the DRA reference diameters of Korean patients and identify the predictors of DRA diameter < 2.3 mm.

Randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the safety of 6'-Sialyllactose in healthy adults.

Sialyllactoses (SL) are an abundant component of human milk. There have been many studies on the biological effects of SL in humans. SL can be produced using an economical method of enzyme synthesis.

Survival impact of adherence to tyrosine kinase inhibitor in chronic myeloid leukemia.

Background/aims: Adherence to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) has become a critical aspect of care in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). We aimed to examine the association of TKI adherence with overall survival (OS) outcomes in Korean patients diagnosed with CML and treated with TKIs using data from the National Health Information Database.

Methods: This study included 2,870 CML patients diagnosed between 2005 and 2013.

Evaluation of Adherence to Guideline for Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction and with or without Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: This study evaluated the relationship between guideline adherence for heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) at discharge and relevant clinical outcomes in patients with acute HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) with or without atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: We analyzed Korean Acute Heart Failure Registry data for 707 patients with HFpEF with documented AF and 687 without AF. Guideline adherence was defined as good or poor according to the prescription of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, β-blockers, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists.

A Novel One-Step Knife Approach Can Reduce the Submucosal Injection Time of Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection: A Single-Blinded Randomized Multicenter Clinical Trials.

Background/aims: : Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a curative treatment modality for early gastric neoplasms; however, ESD can be a time-consuming process. To overcome this pitfall, we developed the one-step knife (OSK) approach, which combines an endoscopic knife and injection needle on a single sheath. We aimed to evaluate whether this approach could reduce the ESD procedure time.

Differential association of metabolic syndrome and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol with incident cardiovascular disease according to sex among Koreans: a national population-based study.

Aims: To investigate sex differences in the association of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and/or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) with the incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease (CCVD).

Methods And Results: A total of 4 702 458 individuals, aged between 40 and 70, without a previous diagnosis of CCVD, underwent at least two health screenings between 2009 and 2011. Of them, 4 193 878 individuals (48.

Inference of a causal relation between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and hypertension using mendelian randomization analysis.

Background: It is known in some studies that higher the LDL-C, the greater the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. However, studies of the causal effects between LDL-C and hypertension are limited by their observational study design, and genetic epidemiology studies of associations between LDL-C and hypertension are lacking, as are studies using data for Koreans. In this study, we confirmed the causal effect of LDL-C on hypertension using Korean chip data.

Age and sex dependent association of uric acid and incident hypertension.

Background And Aims: A previous meta-analysis suggested that the relationship between hyperuricemia and hypertension may be stronger in younger individuals and women. We aimed to investigate the age and sex dependent association of uric acid (UA) and incident hypertension.

Methods And Results: We analyzed data from the Health Examinees Study, a community-based prospective cohort study conducted in Korea from 2004 to 2013.