Comparison of Surgical Resection and Radiofrequency Ablation in Elderly Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background/aims: The aim of this study was to examine whether the efficacy of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and surgical resection (SR) are comparable for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) less than 3 cm in elderly individuals aged 65 years or older.

Methods: We used the National Health Insurance Service claims data in Korea, which was linked with liver cancer stage data from the Central Cancer Registry of the National Cancer Center, as well as death data from the National Statistical Office. Out of the 9213 registrants, we focused on 141 patients who underwent SR and 225 patients who underwent RFA when they were 65 years or older.

Anaphylactic shock induced by polyethylene glycol after bowel preparation for the colorectal cancer surgery: A case report.

Background: Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is widely used as an additive because of its hydrophilic and chemically inert properties. However, there are been increasing reports of PEG allergies, including anaphylaxis, although they are still rare. This case report aims to raise awareness, that the commonly used bowel cleansing agent containing PEG can cause serious allergic reactions.

Risk of dyslipidemia in chronic hepatitis B patients taking tenofovir alafenamide: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The aim of this study was to demonstrate how tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) and other hepatitis B treatment drugs differentially impact lipid profiles in chronic hepatitis B patients.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library to identify studies on the changes in cholesterol level in hepatitis B patients who underwent TAF therapy. The changes in lipid profiles (e.

Predicting Health Risks of Adult Asthmatics Susceptible to Indoor Air Quality Using Improved Logistic and Quantile Regression Models.

The increasing global patterns for asthma disease and its associated fiscal burden to healthcare systems demand a change to healthcare processes and the way asthma risks are managed. Patient-centered health care systems equipped with advanced sensing technologies can empower patients to participate actively in their health risk control, which results in improving health outcomes. Despite having data analytics gradually emerging in health care, the path to well established and successful data driven health care services exhibit some limitations.

Clinicopathologic and genomic characteristics of mucinous gastric adenocarcinoma.

Background: Mucinous gastric adenocarcinoma (MGC) is a rare but distinctive histologic subtype of gastric cancer (GC). The clinico-pathologic and genomic characteristics of MGC have not been well evaluated.

Methods: We collected individual data from five cohorts targeting the microsatellite instability (MSI) of GC (n = 5089) to evaluate the clinico-pathologic characteristics of MGC.

Performance improvement of machine learning techniques predicting the association of exacerbation of peak expiratory flow ratio with short term exposure level to indoor air quality using adult asthmatics clustered data.

Large-scale data sources, remote sensing technologies, and superior computing power have tremendously benefitted to environmental health study. Recently, various machine-learning algorithms were introduced to provide mechanistic insights about the heterogeneity of clustered data pertaining to the symptoms of each asthma patient and potential environmental risk factors. However, there is limited information on the performance of these machine learning tools.

Shear-Wave and Strain Ultrasound Elastography of the Supraspinatus and Infraspinatus Tendons in Patients with Idiopathic Adhesive Capsulitis of the Shoulder: A Prospective Case-Control Study.

Objective: To compare the elasticity of the supraspinatus tendon (SST) and infraspinatus tendon (IST) in patients with idiopathic adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder (ACS) with those in the control groups and to evaluate the relationship between age and tendon elasticity.

Materials And Methods: The Institutional Review Board approved this prospective, case-control study, which was conducted between November 2017 and March 2018, and informed consent was obtained from all participants. Control groups comprised healthy individuals or those with asymptomatic contralateral shoulders.

A 52-week extension study of switching from gemigliptin vs sitagliptin to gemigliptin only as add-on therapy for patients with type 2 diabetes who are inadequately controlled with metformin alone.

We investigated the long-term efficacy and safety of gemigliptin and the efficacy and safety of gemigliptin treatment after once-daily treatment with sitagliptin 100 mg, in patients with type 2 diabetes. This was a 28-week extension of a 24-week, randomized, double-blind, parallel study of gemigliptin or sitagliptin added to ongoing metformin therapy. After randomization to sitagliptin 100 mg qd (S), gemigliptin 25 mg bid (G1) or gemigliptin 50 mg qd (G2) and after completing 24 weeks of treatment, 118 patients switched from gemigliptin 25 mg bid to 50 mg qd (G1/G2), 111 patients continued gemigliptin 50 mg qd (G2/G2) and 106 patients switched from sitagliptin 100 mg qd to gemigliptin 50 mg qd (S/G2).

Effect of topical loteprednol etabonate with lid hygiene on tear cytokines and meibomian gland dysfunction in prosthetic eye wearers.

PurposeTo assess tear cytokine levels and clinical outcomes in meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) in the blind eye of patients wearing an ocular prosthesis after 2 months of treatment with topical loteprednol etabonate and eyelid scrubs with warm compresses.Patients and methodsThis study included patients with MGD wearing a unilateral ocular prosthesis for more than 1 year. All patients topically received 0.

In Vitro Synergistic Effects of Antimicrobial Combinations on Extensively Drug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii Isolates.

Background: Extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii are a threat to hospitalized patients. We evaluated the effects of antimicrobial combinations on XDR P. aeruginosa and A.

T2 Relaxation Values of the Talar Trochlear Articular Cartilage: Comparison Between Patients With Lateral Instability of the Ankle Joint and Healthy Volunteers.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the difference between the T2 relaxation values of the talar trochlear cartilage in patients with lateral instability of the ankle joint and the values in healthy volunteers.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective assessment was conducted of images from 13 MRI examinations of the ankles of 12 patients who underwent lateral ankle ligament repair with an arthroscopically proven normal talar trochlear cartilage. Thirteen ankle MRI examinations of 12 healthy age- and sex-matched volunteers were prospectively performed.

Comparison Between Continuous Buried Suture and Interrupted Buried Suture Methods for Double Eyelid Blepharoplasty.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to compare the surgical outcomes between interrupted and continuous buried suture methods in double eyelid blepharoplasty in Koreans.

Methods: Medical records of 204 patients (392 eyes) who underwent double eyelid operation by buried suture method and who were followed up for at least more than 3 months were reviewed. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the buried suture method; an interrupted group (88 patients) and a continuous group (116 patients).

Development of Thyroid-Associated Ophthalmopathy in Patients Who Underwent Total Thyroidectomy.

Purpose: To report clinical characteristics of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) in patients who previously underwent total thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer or a benign mass of the thyroid.

Materials And Methods: Of the patients who were diagnosed with TAO from March 2008 to March 2012, we performed a retrospective chart review on those who had undergone total thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer or a benign mass of the thyroid before the occurrence of ophthalmopathy.

Results: Of the 206 patients diagnosed with TAO, seven (3.

Change in quality of life of patients undergoing silicone stent intubation for nasolacrimal duct stenosis combined with dry eye syndrome.

Aims: To investigate the effect of silicone stent intubation (SI) on the quality of life of patients diagnosed with nasolacrimal duct stenosis and dry eye syndrome.

Methods: This study is a prospective, interventional case series. Consecutive 30 patients diagnosed with nasolacrimal duct stenosis and reflex tearing due to dry eye syndrome were included.

Combined orbital floor wedge implant and fornix reconstruction for postenucleation sunken socket syndrome.

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of simultaneous correction of a postenucleation sunken socket syndrome and deficient inferior fornix with a porous polyethylene wedge and oral mucosa graft.

Methods: In this study, the authors retrospectively reviewed 24 patients who underwent simultaneous correction of postenucleation sunken socket syndrome by wedge implants and deficient inferior fornix by oral mucosa graft from January of 2009 until December of 2011. Upper and lower fornix depths were measured and exophthalmometry was performed before and 6 months after surgery.

Graded decompression of orbital fat and wall in patients with Graves' orbitopathy.

Purpose: To investigate the results of graded decompression of orbital fat and walls in Graves' orbitopathy (GO) considering the degree of proptosis reduction at surgery and preoperative computed tomography (CT) findings.

Methods: This is a retrospective interventional case series. Graded orbital fat and wall decompression was performed in 90 orbits of 55 patients.

Clinical characteristics of Graves' orbitopathy in patients showing discrepancy between levels from TBII assays and TSI bioassay.

Objective: To investigate clinical characteristics of patients with Graves' orbitopathy (GO) who showed discrepancies between levels of thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI) and thyrotropin-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin (TBII).

Design: Comparative case series.

Patients: A total of 317 patients with GO in whom Mc4-TSI and M22-TRAb (third-generation TBII) were measured simultaneously.

Effects of nasopore packing on dacryocystorhinostomy.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of placement of the absorbable packing material Nasopore at the anastomosis site of newly formed mucosal flaps on postoperative re-bleeding, discomfort, and on the success rate of dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR).

Methods: A review of the medical records of patients with primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction that underwent external or endonasal DCR by a single surgeon was performed. The degree of re-bleeding, discomfort, and postoperative results, including anatomical success, functional success and postoperative nasal findings such as granulation, synechiae, and membrane formation were compared in patients whose anastomosis site was packed with either Nasopore or Merocel, a non-absorbable packing material.

Nasolacrimal duct obstruction after maxillary orthognathic surgery.

Purpose: To report cases of nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) after maxillary orthognathic surgery.

Materials And Methods: The authors reviewed the clinical manifestations, dacryocystographic images, and orbital computed tomographic scans of 10 patients who were diagnosed with NLDO after undergoing maxillary orthognathic surgery.

Results: Six of the 10 patients (60%) complained of epiphora immediately after the surgery.

Meibomian gland dysfunction in longstanding prosthetic eye wearers.

Purpose: To determine whether meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is a possible cause of ocular discomfort in patients wearing an ocular prosthesis, with the paired normal eye used as a control.

Methods: Thirty consecutive patients with a unilateral ocular prosthesis completed a questionnaire designed to identify MGD-related ocular symptoms. Both eyelids of each patient underwent slit lamp examination, meibography imaging, and Fourier-domain (FD) optical coherence tomography (OCT) scanning.

Sonography of the pediatric thyroid: a pictorial essay.

The purpose of this article is to review the various pediatric thyroid diseases using sonographic images. These diseases included congenital hypothyroidism (dysgenesis [aplasia; ectopy; hypoplasia], dyshormonogenesis, transient hypothyroidism), thyroglossal duct cyst, Graves' disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, suppurative thyroiditis, nodular hyperplasia (goiter) and thyroid mass. Thyroid sonogram is the primary method used for thyroid disease and can be used for guiding of fine needle aspiration to obtain a more accurate diagnosis for suspected thyroid lesions.