Study Protocol of the Korean EGFR Registry: A Multicenter Prospective and Retrospective Cohort Study in Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer Patients With EGFR Mutation.

Introduction: The provision of treatment for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients has increased in Korea. However, multicenter studies on the clinicopathologic dataset and treatment outcomes, using a large-scale dataset, have not been conducted. The current study is a prospective and retrospective multicenter observational cohort study that registers all stages of EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients.

Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels and Survival Outcomes in Advanced Biliary Tract Cancer: Results From the NIFTY Trial.

Background: Numerous studies have explored the role of vitamin D in various cancers; however, its impact on advanced biliary tract cancers (BTC) within a prospective cohort remains to be investigated. This preplanned subgroup analysis of the NIFTY trial evaluated the prognostic implications of serum vitamin D levels in patients with advanced BTC undergoing second-line chemotherapy.

Methods: From the 174 patients in the NIFTY trial, a total of 173 patients (99.

Prognostic Performance of the Next-Generation Sequencing-Based Multigene Assay in Early Breast Cancer Patients Treated According to the 21-Gene Assay Results.

Purpose: Multigene assays guide treatment decisions in early-stage hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. OncoFREE, a next-generation sequencing assay using 179 genes, was developed for this purpose. This study aimed to evaluate the concordance between the Oncotype DX (ODX) Recurrence Score (RS) and the OncoFREE Decision Index (DI) and to compare their performance.

Prevalence and trends of cigarette smoking among adults with HIV infection compared with the general population in Korea.

Objectives: This study compared the current smoking prevalence among adults with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection to that of the general Korean population and analyzed changes in smoking prevalence and cessation rates from 2009 to 2020.

Methods: The study included a total of 10,980 adults with HIV infection who underwent a health screening examination (National Health Insurance Service-National Health Information Database; NHIS-NHID), 1,230 individuals with HIV infection who participated in the Korea HIV/AIDS Cohort (KoCosHIV), and 76,783 participants from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). We estimated the current smoking prevalence and the quit ratio, defined as the ratio of former smokers to ever-smokers.

Long-term treatment outcomes of popliteal artery entrapment syndrome by the Korean Rare vascular Ailments Research Experts.

Objective: Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome (PAES) results from an anomalous relationship between the popliteal artery and the myofascial structures of the popliteal fossa. The long-term treatment outcomes are not well known because of the rarity of the disease. This study aimed to establish a nationwide collective dataset, and analyze treatment outcomes.

First clinical report of the international single-port robotic rectal cancer registry.

Background: Rectal cancer surgery remains a significant technical challenge. The development and implementation of a new technology offer hope for more accurate and precise surgery. To evaluate whether single-port robotic (SPr) technology helps achieve this goal, an international SPr registry was established.

Screening for Lung Cancer, Overdiagnosis, and Healthcare Utilization: A Nationwide Population-Based Study.

Introduction: Guideline-discordant low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening may cause lung cancer (LC) overdiagnosis, but its extent and consequences are unclear. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of self-initiated, non-reimbursed LDCT screening in a predominantly non-smoking population and its impact on LC epidemiology and healthcare utilization.

Methods: This nationwide cohort study analyzed data from Korea's National Health Information Database and 11 academic hospital screening centers (1999-2022).

Crosstalk between lipocalin-2 and IL-6 in traumatic brain injury: Closely related biomarkers.

Clinical biomarkers are crucial for diagnosing and predicting outcomes in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). In this study, we performed an unbiased analysis of plasma proteins in acute TBI patients using bead-based multiplex assays and identified a strong positive correlation between LCN2 and IL-6 levels. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that LCN2 and IL-6 are closely related circulating biomarkers for TBI.

Reperfusion injury or cytokine storm? Utilizing plasmapheresis in severe trauma-induced multiorgan failure: a case report.

Reperfusion injury can cause tissue damage due to ischemia, with severe cases potentially resulting in multiorgan failure. Cytokine storm, a life-threatening systemic inflammatory state characterized by elevated levels of circulating cytokines and hyperactive immune cells, can also lead to tissue damage and multiorgan failure. Reperfusion injury and cytokine storm sometimes exhibit similar clinical features, necessitating specific treatment in severe cases.

Association between severity of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency and computed tomography-based morphological severity in patients with chronic pancreatitis.

The association between pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI) and morphologic findings in chronic pancreatitis has not yet been fully studied. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between PEI severity and computed tomography (CT)-based morphological severity in patients with chronic pancreatitis. This nationwide survey included 180 Korean participants with chronic pancreatitis aged 18 years or older between January 2018 and December 2021.

Risk factors for urinary retention after robot-assisted radical cystectomy with orthotopic neobladder diversion: a multicenter study.

To determine risk factors for urinary retention (UR) after robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RALC) with orthotopic neobladder diversion. A total of 269 patients who underwent RALC with orthotopic neobladder diversion from 2008 to 2019 at seven tertiary hospitals were retrospectively analyzed. There were 68 patients who had UR (UR arm) and 201 patients who did not have UR (no-UR arm).

Endoscopic vacuum therapy for gastrointestinal transmural defects: a literature review.

Endoscopic vacuum therapy (EVT) has emerged as a transformative approach for managing gastrointestinal (GI) transmural defects, offering a less invasive and more promising alternative to surgery. Initially developed to address anastomotic leaks after rectal surgery, the application of EVT has expanded to include other locations within the GI tract. This review investigated the principles, indications, procedures, outcomes, challenges, and future perspectives of EVT for the management of GI transmural defects.

Identifying clinical and proteomic markers for early diagnosis and prognosis prediction of major psychiatric disorders.

Background: To clarify if blood proteins can predict disease progression among individuals at clinical high-risk of severe mental illness (CHR-SMI), we developed a statistical model incorporating clinical and blood protein markers to distinguish the transition group (who developed severe mental illness) (CHR-SMI-T) and from non-transition group (CHR-SMI-NT) at baseline.

Methods: Ninety individuals (74 at CHR-SMI: 16 patients) were monitored for ≤4 years and were the focus of predictive models. Three predictive models (1 [100 clinical variables], 2 [158 peptides], and 3 [100 clinical variables +158 peptides]) were evaluated using area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) values.

AST-001 versus placebo for social communication in children with autism spectrum disorder: A randomized clinical trial.

Aim: This study examined the efficacy of AST-001 for the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children.

Methods: This phase 2 clinical trial consisted of a 12-week placebo-controlled main study, a 12-week extension, and a 12-week follow-up in children aged 2 to 11 years with ASD. The participants were randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio to a high-dose, low-dose, or placebo-to-high-dose control group during the main study.

Excess Deaths in Korea During the COVID-19 Pandemic: 2020-2022.

Objectives: Excess deaths, an indicator that compares total mortality rates before and during a pandemic, offer a comprehensive view of the pandemic's impact. However, discrepancies may arise from variations in estimating expected deaths. This study aims to compare excess deaths in Korea during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic using 3 methods and to analyze patterns using the most appropriate method.

The role of lateral pelvic lymph node dissection in advanced rectal cancer: a review of current evidence and outcomes.

Metastatic lateral pelvic lymph nodes (LPNs) in rectal cancer significantly impact the prognosis and treatment strategies. Western practices emphasize neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT), whereas Eastern approaches often rely on LPN dissection (LPND). This review examines the evolving role of LPND in the context of modern treatments, including total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT), and the impact of CRT on the management of clinically suspicious LPNs.

Identification of risk factors and clinical outcomes for symmetric peripheral gangrene: A new scoring system using a common data model database.

Symmetrical peripheral gangrene (SPG) is a destructive clinical condition where amputation is often the final treatment option. We aimed to identify the predictors of SPG using the common data model (CDM) and propose a new scoring system for predicting hospitalized patients at risk of developing SPG. A cohort of patients treated with intravenous noradrenaline, epinephrine, and vasopressin between 2011 and 2020 was retrospectively analyzed using the CDM database.

Clinical Impact of Self-Recognition of Recurrent Acute Myocardial Infarction: From KRMI-RCC.

: Self-recognition of recurrent myocardial infarction (re-MI) may be essential for reducing prehospital time contrast to awareness of re-MI symptoms. However, data on the current status and clinical impact of self-recognition of re-MI are limited in the contemporary period. Thus, this study aimed to increase this body of knowledge.