Effect of obstructive sleep apnea on cerebrovascular compliance and cerebral small vessel disease.

Reduced cerebrovascular compliance is the major mechanism of cerebral small vessel disease (SVD). Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) also promotes SVD development, but the underlying mechanism was not elucidated. We investigated the association among OSA, cerebrovascular compliance, and SVD parameters.

Skeletal effects of combined bisphosphonates treatment and parathyroidectomy in osteoporotic patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.

Introduction: Bone loss caused by primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is an indication for parathyroidectomy (PTX). However, whether adding bisphosphonates would be superior to PTX alone to increase bone mass remains unclear. We thus aimed to compare the skeletal effects of the combination treatment of bisphosphonates and PTX with PTX alone.

Risk factors and prognosis in very low birth weight infants treated for hypotension during the first postnatal week from the Korean Neonatal Network.

Hypotension in the early stages of life appears in 20% of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. The gestational age and birth weight are the risk factors highly related to the postnatal hypotension. Other risk factors slightly differ between different studies.

Indices of ACTH-stimulated adrenal venous sampling as predictors of postsurgical outcomes in primary aldosteronism.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the impact of indices of adrenal venous sampling (AVS) on postsurgical outcomes in patients with primary aldosteronism (PA).

Design And Patients: This retrospective study determined biochemical and clinical outcomes based on ACTH-stimulated AVS parameters (lateralisation index [LI], contralateral ratio [CLR], and ipsilateral ratio [ILR]) in 251 patients with PA at 3 months after surgery.

Results: Modified complete biochemical success was achieved in 8 of 12 (66.

Intravesical Prostatic Protrusion and Prognosis of Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer: Analysis of Long-Term Data over 5 Years with Machine-Learning Algorithms.

We aim to investigate the significance of intravesical prostate protrusion (IPP) on the prognosis of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) after the transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TURBT). For newly diagnosed NMIBC, we retrospectively analyzed the association between prognosis and IPP for at least a 5-year follow-up. A degree of IPP over 5 mm in a preoperative CT scan was classified as severe.

Association between telomere length and hepatic fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Telomere length has been linked to the prevalence and progression of metabolic disease. However, clinical implications of telomere length in biopsy-proven non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association of telomere length with the histological severity of NAFLD.

Association between circulating bile acid alterations and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis independent of obesity and diabetes mellitus.

Background And Aims: Bile acid (BA) dysregulation is related to not only metabolic diseases but also nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We investigated whether circulating BA levels are altered according to the histological severity of NAFLD independent of metabolic derangements.

Methods: Global metabolic profiling and targeted BA analysis using sera collected from biopsy-proven no-NAFLD (n = 67), nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) (n = 99), and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH, n = 75) subjects were performed sequentially.

Mild cognitive impairment and abnormal brain metabolic expression in idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder.

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a common feature of isolated rapid-eye-movement sleep behavior disorder (iRBD). Here, we assessed cognitive functions and MCI in a prospective iRBD cohort and investigated their association with disease-specific brain metabolic patterns.

Methods: Forty-four patients with polysomnography-confirmed iRBD performed a standardized battery of neuropsychological examinations every two years.

Location of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and the awareness time interval: a nationwide observational study.

Aims: A short awareness time interval (ATI, time from witnessing the arrest to calling for help) and bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) are important factors affecting neurological recovery after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). This study investigated the association of the location of OHCA with the length of ATI and bystander CPR.

Methods: This population-based observational study used the nationwide Korea OHCA database and included all adults with layperson-witnessed OHCA with presumed cardiac aetiology between 2013 and 2017.

Histological severity of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with 10-year risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Background And Aim: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). However, few studies have investigated the association between the histological severity of NAFLD and ASCVD. Therefore, we investigated whether the histological severity of NAFLD is associated with ASCVD risk.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and sarcopenia additively increase mortality: a Korean nationwide survey.

Background: Sarcopenia is an independent risk factor not only for advanced-stage non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) but also for mortality. We investigated the association of sarcopenia and/or NAFLD with mortality among the Korean general population.

Methods: Individuals aged 35-75 years without any history of cancer, ischaemic heart disease, ischaemic stroke, or secondary causes of chronic liver disease were selected from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 2008 to 2015.

A PNPLA3 Polymorphism Confers Lower Susceptibility to Incident Diabetes Mellitus in Subjects With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Background And Aims: We investigated the association between the patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing-3 (PNPLA3) rs738409 genotype and the risk of diabetes mellitus (DM) using a biopsy-confirmed nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) cohort and a longitudinal observational cohort.

Methods: Associations between genotypes and the prevalence of DM were evaluated with stratification according to the histological severity of NAFLD in the Boramae cohort (n = 706). A longitudinal cohort consisting of nondiabetic individuals with ≥2 health checkups was then selected to investigate the risk of incident DM according to the genotype (the GENIE cohort; n = 4998).

Disease-specific eQTL screening reveals an anti-fibrotic effect of AGXT2 in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background & Aims: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) poses an increasing clinical burden. Genome-wide association studies have revealed a limited contribution of genomic variants to the disease, requiring alternative but robust approaches to identify disease-associated variants and genes. We carried out a disease-specific expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) screen to identify novel genetic factors that specifically act on NAFLD progression on the basis of genotype.

Differential Effectiveness of Tenofovir and Entecavir for Prophylaxis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients Depending on Coexisting Cirrhosis and Prior Exposure to Antiviral Therapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Goals: This meta-analysis evaluated the comparative effectiveness of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) versus entecavir (ETV) in reducing the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Background: It is unclear whether TDF or ETV is more effective in reducing the risk of HCC in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with or without underlying cirrhosis.

Methods: We searched the MEDLINE database through April 13, 2020, for studies involving CHB treated with TDF and/or ETV.

Association between the number of prehospital defibrillation attempts and neurologic outcomes in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients without on-scene return of spontaneous circulation.

Objective: Delivery of prehospital defibrillation for shockable rhythms by emergency medical service providers is crucial for successful resuscitation in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients. The optimal range of prehospital defibrillation attempts for refractory shockable rhythms is unknown. This study evaluated the association between the number of prehospital defibrillation attempts and neurologic outcomes in OHCA patients.

Clinical, Imaging, and Laboratory Markers of Premanifest Spinocerebellar Ataxia 1, 2, 3, and 6: A Systematic Review.

Background And Purpose: Premanifest mutation carriers with spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) can exhibit subtle abnormalities before developing ataxia. We summarized the preataxic manifestations of SCA1, -2, -3, and -6, and their associations with ataxia onset.

Methods: We included studies of the premanifest carriers of SCA published between January 1998 and December 2019 identified in Scopus and PubMed by searching for terms including 'spinocerebellar ataxia' and several synonyms of 'preataxic manifestation'.

Longitudinal Changes in Isolated Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder-Related Metabolic Pattern Expression.

Background: It remains unclear whether and how the isolated rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (iRBD)-related metabolic pattern (RBDRP) changes with disease progression in iRBD.

Objective: To examine longitudinal changes in RBDRP expression in iRBD patients and to explore trajectories of relative metabolic activities of individual brain regions constituting RBDRP.

Methods: In this cohort study, 25 iRBD patients (mean age [±standard deviation], 69.

Relationships between the changes in flexion contracture and standing flexion angle of the knee and sagittal spinal alignment after total knee arthroplasty.

Background: The sagittal spinal alignment interacts with the lower extremity in patients with combined degenerative disease of the spine and lower extremity. This study aimed to clarify the relationships between the reciprocal changes in sagittal alignment of the knee, pelvis, and spine after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in osteoarthritis patients.

Methods: Prospectively, 36 patients who underwent primary TKA for severe knee osteoarthritis were enrolled.

Individualized Polygenic Risk Score Identifies NASH in the Eastern Asia Region: A Derivation and Validation Study.

Introduction: Strong evidence indicates that multiple genetic and environmental risk factors play a role in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). We aimed to develop and validate a novel nomogram, incorporating both genetic and clinical factors, for predicting NASH.

Methods: A total of 1,070 Asian individuals with biopsy-confirmed nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) from 2 countries (China and South Korea) were recruited.

The safety and efficacy of CKD-497 in patients with acute upper respiratory tract infection and bronchitis symptoms: a multicenter, double-blind, double-dummy, randomized, controlled, phase II clinical trial.

Background: Acute upper respiratory tract infection (AURI) together with acute bronchitis is the most common illness worldwide. Botanical medicines used as expectorants and antitussives have proven to be effective while also having excellent safety margins. We aimed at evaluating the efficacy and safety of a new botanical drug, CKD-497, in patients with AURI and acute bronchitis.