Proton Pump Inhibitors Use in Patients With Ischemic Stroke on Dual Antiplatelet Therapy at Low Risk of Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding.

Background: Current guidelines lack recommendations regarding the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for preventing upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) among patients at low risk for UGIB treated with dual antiplatelet therapy for ischemic stroke (IS). Our objective was to assess the effectiveness of PPIs in lowering the risk of significant UGIB in this patient group.

Methods And Results: A retrospective cohort study was conducted involving patients at low risk for UGIB admitted for IS between 2014 and 2018 and treated with dual antiplatelet therapy.

The Intraoperative Use of a Drain Line for Gas-Insufflation One-Step Single-Port Transaxillary (GOSTA) Robotic Thyroidectomy.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the intraoperative use of a drain line for smoke suction during robotic thyroidectomy using a gas insufflation one-step single-port transaxillary (GOSTA) approach and its impact on surgical outcomes.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: University tertiary care facility.

2024 European Heart Rhythm Association/Heart Rhythm Society/Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society/Latin American Heart Rhythm Society expert consensus statement on catheter and surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation.

In the last three decades, ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) has become an evidence-based safe and efficacious treatment for managing the most common cardiac arrhythmia. In 2007, the first joint expert consensus document was issued, guiding healthcare professionals involved in catheter or surgical AF ablation. Mounting research evidence and technological advances have resulted in a rapidly changing landscape in the field of catheter and surgical AF ablation, thus stressing the need for regularly updated versions of this partnership which were issued in 2012 and 2017.

Risk of Heart Disease in Patients With Amputation: A Nationwide Cohort Study in South Korea.

Background: Amputation confers disabilities upon patients and is linked to substantial morbidity and death attributed to heart disease. While some studies have focused on traumatic amputees in veterans, few studies have focused on traumatic amputees within the general population. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the risk of heart disease in patients with traumatic amputation with disability within the general population using a large-scale nationwide population-based cohort.

European and US Guideline-Based Statin Eligibility, Genetically Predicted Coronary Artery Disease, and the Risk of Major Coronary Events.

Background: A study was designed to investigate whether the coronary artery disease polygenic risk score (CAD-PRS) may guide lipid-lowering treatment initiation as well as deferral in primary prevention beyond established clinical risk scores.

Methods And Results: Participants were 311 799 individuals from the UK Biobank free of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and lipid-lowering treatment at baseline. Participants were categorized as statin indicated, statin indication unclear, or statin not indicated as defined by the European and US guidelines on statin use.

Integrative Assessment of Cardiopulmonary Fitness Using Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test With Supine Bicycle Echocardiography in Patients Presenting Dyspnea.

Background: Cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) with supine bicycle echocardiography (SBE) enables comprehensive physiologic assessment during exercise. We characterized cardiopulmonary fitness by integrating CPET-SBE parameters and evaluated its prognostic value in patients presenting with dyspnea.

Methods And Results: We retrospectively reviewed 473 consecutive patients who underwent CPET-SBE for dyspnea evaluation.

Long-Term Functional Outcome in Patients With Isolated Thalamic Stroke: The KOSCO Study.

Background: Information on the long-term prognosis in patients with isolated thalamic stroke is sparse. We report the functional outcomes of patients with thalamic stroke up to 24 months from the KOSCO (Korean Stroke Cohort for Functioning and Rehabilitation) study.

Methods And Results: Isolated thalamic stroke was defined as the presence of lesions solely in the thalamus, excluding cases with lesions in other brain parenchyma areas apart from the thalamus, as identified by brain magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography scans.

Impact of Cardiac Rehabilitation Health Insurance Coverage on Cardiac Rehabilitation Use in Korea Using an Interrupted Time Series.

Background: Since 2017, the cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program in Korea has been included in the coverage provided by the National Health Insurance to alleviate financial burden. Our study aimed to identify changes in the CR program use according to the implementation of CR coverage.

Methods And Results: We obtained data from the electronic medical records of a tertiary hospital in Seoul, Korea from January 2014 to February 2020.

Differing Efficacy of Dapagliflozin Versus Empagliflozin on the Risk of Incident Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Real-World Observation Using a Nationwide, Population-Based Cohort.

Background: Meta-analyses of large clinical trials investigating SGLT2 (sodium-glucose cotransporter-2) inhibitors have suggested their protective effects against atrial fibrillation in patients with type 2 diabetes. However, the results were predominantly driven from trials involving dapagliflozin.

Methods And Results: We used a nationwide, population-based cohort of patients with type 2 diabetes who initiated either dapagliflozin or empagliflozin between May 2016 and December 2018.

Association of Bypass Surgery and Mortality in Moyamoya Disease.

Background: Patients with moyamoya disease (MMD) have a high risk of stroke or death. We investigated whether extracranial to intracranial bypass surgery can reduce mortality by preventing strokes in patients with MMD.

Methods And Results: This nationwide retrospective cohort study encompassed patients with MMD registered under the Rare Intractable Diseases program via the Relieved Co-Payment Policy between 2006 and 2019, using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database.

Assessment of vocal fold movement through anterior-posterior view of videofluoroscopic swallowing study.

Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the value of using videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) for assessing vocal fold paralysis.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients who underwent VFSS with a vocal fold testing maneuver from June 2020 to February 2022, and who had undergone laryngoscopy within 2 weeks before or after VFSS. The vocal fold testing maneuver consisted of making an 'e' sound for about 2-3 seconds during VFSS anterior-posterior (AP) view.

Sex-Specific Comparison Between Triglyceride Glucose Index and Modified Triglyceride Glucose Indices to Predict New-Onset Hypertension in Middle-Aged and Older Adults.

Background Triglyceride and glucose (TyG) index and TyG-related indices combined with obesity-related markers are considered important markers of insulin resistance. We aimed to examine the association between the TyG index and modified TyG indices with new-onset hypertension and their predictive ability stratified by sex. Methods and Results We analyzed data from 5414 Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study participants aged 40 to 69 years.

Association of Dental Diseases and Oral Hygiene Care With the Risk of Heart Failure in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

Background To evaluate the association of dental diseases and oral hygiene care with incidence of heart failure (HF) among patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods and Results This study included 173 927 patients with type 2 diabetes aged ≥40 years, who underwent Korean National Health Insurance Service health examinations in 2008 and were followed up until the end of 2017. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs for HF were estimated using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis.