Constipation and risk of death and cardiovascular events in patients on hemodialysis.

Background: Constipation is a common gastrointestinal disorder and is often accompanied by alteration in the gut microbiota. Recently, several studies have disclosed its association with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality in the general population. Despite the high prevalence of constipation, data on the clinical impact of constipation in patients with chronic kidney disease are limited.

Incidence and Risk Factors for Amiodarone-Induced Thyroid Dysfunction: A Nationwide Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Amiodarone is an effective anti-arrhythmic drug; however, it is frequently associated with thyroid dysfunction. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and risk factor of amiodarone-induced dysfunction in an iodine-sufficient area.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 27,023 consecutive patients treated with amiodarone for arrhythmia, using the Korean National Health Insurance database.

Urinary RANTES and MCP-1 as noninvasive biomarkers for differential diagnosis and prediction of treatment response in acute interstitial nephritis.

Background: Although kidney biopsy is definitive for the diagnosis of acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) and acute tubular necrosis (ATN), its invasiveness limits its use. We aimed to identify urine biomarkers for differentiating AIN and ATN and to predict the response of patients with AIN to steroid treatment.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study, biopsy-proven ATN ( = 34) and AIN ( = 55) were included.

Association between calcium channel blocker use and the risk of interstitial lung disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: A longitudinal cohort study.

Introduction: Ca2+ signaling in fibroblasts would be one of the important mediators of lung fibrosis. This study investigated the relationship between calcium channel blocker usage and the risk of developing interstitial lung disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Material And Methods: This cohort study used data from the Korean National Health Screening Cohort spanned from January 1, 2004, to December 31, 2015.

Erythropoiesis-stimulating agent responsiveness and hemoglobin variability is associated with fat tissue index in hemodialysis patients with darbepoetin-alfa treatment: a prospective observational cohort study.

Background: Although the introduction of erythropoietin-stimulating agents (ESAs) has led to better clinical outcomes in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD), fluctuations in hemoglobin (Hb) levels, known as Hb variability, are frequently observed. However, only a few studies have evaluated the association between Hb variability and nutritional status in patients undergoing HD.

Methods: In this prospective study conducted between March 1, 2020, and June 1, 2022, we included 109 patients aged over 20 years undergoing HD and receiving darbepoetin.

Evolving Treatment Landscape of Frontline Therapy for Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma: Current Insights and Future Perspectives.

Cisplatin-based chemotherapy has long been the standard first-line (1L) treatment for metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC). However, up to 50% of patients with mUC may be ineligible for cisplatin owing to comorbidities, necessitating alternative primary treatment options. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have emerged as a vital alternative for those unable to receive cisplatin.

Incidence, risk factors, and prognostic consequences of femoroacetabular cup impingement following hip resurfacing arthroplasty.

Purpose: Hip resurfacing arthroplasty (HRA) is recommended for younger patients seeking higher levels of activity. However, femoroacetabular cup impingement (FACI) between the femoral neck and acetabular prosthesis remains a concern. This study aimed to determine the incidence, risk factors, and prognostic consequences of FACI after HRA.

Association between Antibiotic Use and Subsequent Risk of Breast Cancer: A Nationwide Retrospective Cohort Study in South Korea.

Several studies have revealed a possible association between antibiotic use and breast cancer in the Western population of women. However, its association with the Asian population remains unclear. Data utilized in this nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study was obtained from the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database.

Biomarkers for Short-Term Omalizumab Response in Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria.

Background: Omalizumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting immunoglobulin E (IgE), is approved for adults and adolescents (12 years or older) with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) that does not respond to high-dose antihistamines. In Korea, there is limited research on predictive biomarkers for omalizumab response in CSU patients.

Objective: This retrospective, single-institution study aimed to identify clinical parameters predicting omalizumab response in Korean CSU patients.

Emergency department nurses' reflective thinking and patient safety competency: The mediating effect of patient safety culture.

Aim: This study aimed to identify the mediating effect of patient safety culture on the relationship between reflective thinking and patient safety competency in emergency department nurses.

Background: Given the complexity and the need for timely assessments and interventions in the emergency department, the patient safety competency of nurses is crucial for preventing safety incidents.

Methods: This study utilized a cross-sectional descriptive correlational design with a convenience sample of 200 emergency department nurses.

Written discharge instruction evaluation for mild traumatic brain injury from emergency departments Evaluating written discharge instructions from emergency departments for mild traumatic brain injury.

Aim Of Study: This study aimed to evaluate the completeness and quality of information in written discharge instructions for patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) discharged from the emergency department (ED).

Methods: Copies of written discharge instructions provided to patients with mTBI from academic EDs in South Korea were collected in May 2023. We assessed the completeness of the content based on the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines, which categorize discharge instructions into four parts: general advice, emergencies, common post-concussion symptoms and signs, and advice for recovery, with one point for each item.

FGFR Inhibitors in Urothelial Cancer: From Scientific Rationale to Clinical Development.

In the past decade, the treatment of metastatic urothelial cancer (mUC), including bladder cancer (BC), has transformed significantly with the introduction of diverse therapies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, targeted therapies, and antibody-drug conjugates. This change is partly due to advancements in genomic understanding, particularly next-generation sequencing, which has identified numerous mutations in UC. Among these therapies, erdafitinib, a pan-fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) inhibitor for specific FGFR2 and FGFR3 alterations, is the only targeted therapy approved till now.

Prediction of functional coronary stenosis by computed tomography-derived fractional flow reserve in surgical revascularization.

Objectives: The aims of this study were (1) to compare computed tomography-derived fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) values with graft patency and (2) to establish the cut-off value of CT-FFR for predicting competitive graft flow after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods: Of the 77 patients who underwent isolated CABG with an in situ internal thoracic artery (ITA)-based composite graft and who were also evaluated by preoperative cardiac CT, CT-FFR values were obtained in 74 patients. Early postoperative angiograms were performed in all 74 patients.

Post-Transplant Vitamin D Deficiency in Lung Transplant Recipients: Impact on Outcomes and Prognosis.

Despite the recognized clinical significance of vitamin D deficiency in other solid organ transplant recipients, its specific relevance in lung transplantation remains to be fully understood. In this study, we performed a retrospective observational study on the impact of vitamin D deficiency on clinical outcomes and prognosis in 125 lung transplant recipients (LTRs) from October 2014 to March 2020 at a university hospital in Seoul, South Korea. Among 125 LTRs, 51 patients (40.

Assessing Pain Levels Using Bioelectrical Impedance in Low Back Pain Patients: Clinical Performance Evaluation.

Background/objectives: Musculoskeletal pain is one of the leading causes of years lived with disability worldwide and has a negative impact on daily life and quality of life.

Methods: The purpose of this study was to analyze the electrical characteristics of back pain by measuring and calculating bioelectrical impedance variables (R, Z, PA) in 85 subjects (45 in the Healthy group and 40 in the LBP group). Additionally, impedance measurements were conducted on 20 subjects (10 in the Young group and 10 in the Older group) to assess the impact of aging.

Erratum: Development and Validation of the Korean Version of the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioral Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Screen (ECAS-K).

This corrects the article on p. 454 in vol. 19, PMID: 37488957.

Nationwide trends and incidence of blindness in patients with diabetic retinopathy identified using an age-period-cohort analysis.

Objectives: To estimate the epidemiologic trends of blindness in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) and investigate the age-, period-, and cohort-specific effects on blindness.

Methods: A total of 2.5 million patients with DR aged 20 years or older were included from the Korean National Health Claims database from 2005 to 2019.

Sex-differential effect of waist circumference on new-onset cerebral infarction: a nationwide cohort study.

Introduction: Excessive abdominal adiposity represents a cardiovascular disease risk factor. Waist circumference (WC) reflects abdominal adiposity and is known as an easy-to-measure indicator of obesity. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between WC level and the development of cerebral infarction in Koreans.

Framingham risk score is a useful indicator of posttransplant cardiovascular events and survival among Korean kidney transplant recipients: a nationwide, prospective cohort study.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is an important risk factor for mortality among kidney transplant recipients. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between cardiovascular risk score at kidney transplantation and long-term outcomes of patients.

Methods: In this prospective, observational cohort study, we enrolled kidney transplant recipients who participated in the Korean Organ Transplantation Registry and underwent transplantation between April 2014 and December 2019.

Strategic Advances in Combination Therapy for Metastatic Castration-Sensitive Prostate Cancer: Current Insights and Future Perspectives.

The contemporary treatment for metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC) has evolved significantly, building on successes in managing metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Although androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) alone has long been the cornerstone of mCSPC treatment, combination therapies have emerged as the new standard of care based on recent advances, offering improved survival outcomes. Landmark phase 3 trials demonstrated that adding chemotherapy (docetaxel) and androgen receptor pathway inhibitors to ADT significantly enhances overall survival, particularly for patients with high-volume, high-risk, or de novo metastatic disease.