Lung Nodules and Masses in Non-HIV Immunocompromised Patients: A Clinical Imaging Algorithmic Approach.

Topic Importance: The incidence of pulmonary nodules and masses in non-HIV immunocompromised patients has significantly increased due to advancements in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and solid organ transplantation (SOT) and the widespread use of chemotherapy and immunosuppressive therapies. Differentiating between infectious and noninfectious causes is critical for appropriate diagnosis and management, especially because radiologic and clinical presentations can be nonspecific.

Review Findings: This review provides a practical framework for evaluating pulmonary nodules and masses in non-HIV immunocompromised patients, incorporating clinical, immunologic, and radiologic features.

Integrated proteomic and genomic analysis to identify predictive biomarkers for valproate response in bipolar disorder: a 6-month follow-up study.

Background: Several genetic studies have been undertaken to elucidate the intricate interplay between genetics and drug responses in bipolar disorder (BD). However, there has been notably limited research on biomarkers specifically linked to valproate, with only a few studies investigating integrated proteomic and genomic factors in response to valproate treatment. Therefore, this study aimed to identify biological markers for the therapeutic response to valproate treatment in BD.

Feasibility of Imaging Modalities Combined with a Silicone Gel-Filled Breast Implant in Korean Women.

With the occurrence of breast implant crises in Korea, it has become increasingly important to detect complications earlier in patients receiving a device. We have therefore combined imaging modalities with an implant-based augmentation mammaplasty. In this study, we assessed the short-term treatment outcomes and safety of the Motiva Ergonomix Round SilkSurface (Establishment Labs Holdings Inc.

Impact of nationwide hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance on the prognosis in patients with chronic liver disease.

Background/aims: This study aimed to investigate the effect of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance using the Korea National Liver Cancer Screening Program on the receipt of curative treatment for HCC and mortality in patients with chronic liver disease.

Methods: This population-based cohort study from the Korean National Health Insurance Service included 2003 to 2015 claims data collected from 1,209,825 patients aged ≥40 years with chronic hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis C, and liver cirrhosis. Patients were divided according to HCC surveillance using ultrasonography and serum alpha-fetoprotein every 6-12 months.

Final Overall Survival, Safety, and Quality of Life Results From a Phase 2 Study of Crizotinib in East Asian Patients With -Positive Advanced NSCLC.

Introduction: Crizotinib provided meaningful clinical benefit in the initial analysis of a phase 2 study in East Asian patients with advanced -positive NSCLC (NCT01945021). Nevertheless, overall survival (OS) data were immature. Here, we present the final OS, quality of life (QoL), and safety data after an additional 3 years of follow-up.

Growth pattern during early infancy, body mass index during childhood and childhood asthma.

Background: There is a lack of longitudinal studies of associations between growth from infancy to childhood and asthma development.

Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of weight change during infancy, body mass index (BMI) and the interaction of these factors on the risk of childhood asthma.

Methods: We enrolled children born in 2008 and 2009 at full-term and with normal birth weight.

Clinical impact of frailty on treatment outcomes of elderly patients with relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma treated with lenalidomide plus dexamethasone.

We compared efficacy and safety, according to frailty, of elderly patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) treated with lenalidomide and dexamethasone (Rd), for whom bortezomib treatment had failed. Patients, 164 (52.9%) and 146 (47.

Pomalidomide, cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone for elderly patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma: A study of the Korean Multiple Myeloma Working Party (KMMWP-164 study).

Patients with transplant-ineligible relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) have a short life expectancy, especially when they have failed both the proteasome inhibitor and immunomodulator therapies. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of pomalidomide, cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone (PCd) in elderly patients with RRMM. This phase 2 clinical trial recruited 55 elderly patients with RRMM.

The effectiveness and safety of lenalidomide and dexamethasone in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma in real-world clinical practice: a study of the Korean Multiple Myeloma Working Party (KMMWP-151 study).

Although lenalidomide plus dexamethasone (RD) is a therapeutic option for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM), limited real-world clinical data exist. The purpose of this study was to estimate efficacy and safety of RD in RRMM patients of the clinical practice. Data from patients at 25 university hospitals in South Korea between October 2009 and December 2016 were collected retrospectively.

Relationship between the time required for transfer and outcomes in patients with appendicitis: Experience at a tertiary military hospital in South Korea.

A few studies have compared patients who were directly admitted with patients who were transferred to a tertiary facility for an appendectomy. However, there have been no reports of an association between the time to transfer and outcome in patients who underwent an appendectomy. As the only tertiary military hospital in South Korea, we occasionally encountered patients who were delayed for transfer due to the military environment.

Alterations in the Transcriptional Programs of Myeloma Cells and the Microenvironment during Extramedullary Progression Affect Proliferation and Immune Evasion.

Purpose: In multiple myeloma, extramedullary progression is associated with treatment resistance and a high mortality rate. To understand the molecular mechanisms controlling the devastating progression of myeloma, we applied single-cell RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) to myeloma in the bone marrow and myelomatous pleural effusions or ascites.

Experimental Design: Bone marrow or extramedullary myeloma samples were collected from 15 patients and subjected to single-cell RNA-seq.

Is auditory brainstem response a prognostic factor in patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss?

Serum thyroid hormone levels are closely related to the normal functioning of the cochlea. However, the relationship between initial auditory brainstem response (ABR) results and levels of thyroid hormone remained unclear until we adopted ABR as a prognostic factor in Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) patients. This investigation aimed to elucidate the association between ABR and outcomes in patients with ISSNHL.

Association of metabolic syndrome with the incidence of hearing loss: A national population-based study.

Background & Aims: Sensorineural hearing loss (HL) is one of the most common public health problems, and its prevalence increases with increasing life expectancy. An association between HL and metabolic syndrome (MetS) is suspected. Although previous epidemiological studies have investigated the association between the two variables, there have been conflicting conclusions.

Clinical Activity, Tolerability, and Long-Term Follow-Up of Durvalumab in Patients With Advanced NSCLC.

Introduction: Durvalumab is a selective, high-affinity human immunoglobulin G1 monoclonal antibody that blocks programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) binding to programmed death 1. Here we report safety and clinical activity in the NSCLC cohort of a phase I/II trial that included multiple tumor types (Study 1108; NCT01693562).

Methods: Patients with stage IIIB-IV NSCLC (squamous or nonsquamous) received durvalumab 10 mg/kg every 2 weeks for 12 months or until confirmed progressive disease or unacceptable toxicity.

Antiepileptic Drugs in Children : Current Concept.

An epileptic seizure is defined as the transient occurrence of signs and/or symptoms due to abnormally excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain. The type of seizure is defined by the mode of onset and termination, clinical manifestation, and by the abnormal enhanced synchrony. If seizures recur, that state is defined as epilepsy.

Outcomes of cardiac resynchronization therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation accompanied by slow ventricular response.

It remains unclear as to whether cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) would be as effective in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) accompanied by slow ventricular response (AF-SVR, < 60 beats/min) as in those with sinus rhythm (SR). Echocardiographic reverse remodeling was compared between AF-SVR patients (n = 17) and those with SR (n = 88) at six months and 12 months after CRT treatment. We also evaluated the changes in QRS duration; New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class; and long-term composite clinical outcomes including cardiac death, heart transplantation, and heart failure (HF)-related hospitalization.

Oculodentodigital Dysplasia with a Novel Mutation in Diagnosed by Targeted Gene Panel Sequencing: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Oculodentodigital dysplasia (ODDD; MIM #164200), a rare genetic disorder characterized by abnormal craniofacial, dental, ocular, and digital features, is caused by mutations in the gap junction alpha-1 () gene. We report a case of a 6-year-old male who presented with dysmorphic facial features (short palpebral fissure, thin nose with hypoplastic alae nasi, and flat face), bilateral syndactyly, abnormal dentition, and proportionate short stature with growth hormone deficiency. A novel de novo heterozygous missense mutation (c.

Normative wideband absorbance measures in healthy neonates in Korea: A preliminary study.

Introduction: The usefulness of wideband absorbance (WBA) in newborns is well-demonstrated. However, it is still not clear whether there might be a difference according to ethnicity with respect to ambient WBA; therefore, further investigation is necessary to evaluate ethnic-specific normative WBA values in newborns.

Methods: Twenty-one newborns (41 ears) were recruited from the well-baby nursery at a tertiary referral center.

Neural substrates of cognitive reserve in Alzheimer's disease spectrum and normal aging.

The concept of cognitive reserve (CR) originated from discrepancies between the degree of brain pathology and the severity of clinical manifestations. CR has been characterized through CR proxies, such as education and occupation complexity; however, such approaches have inherent limitations. Although several methods have been developed to overcome these limitations, they fail to reflect the entire Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology.

Staged hybrid procedure versus radiofrequency catheter ablation in the treatment of atrial fibrillation.

The treatment effect of the hybrid procedure, consisting of a thoracoscopic ablation followed by an endocardial radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA), is unclear. A total of 117 ablation-naïve patients who underwent either the staged hybrid procedure (n = 72) or RFCA alone (n = 105) for drug-refractory, non-valvular persistent or long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) were enrolled. The primary outcome is occurrence of total atrial arrhythmia, defined as a composite of AF, sustained atrial tachycardia (AT), and atypical atrial flutter (AFL) after index procedure.

Treating synchronous bilateral ocular adnexal marginal zone lymphoma: the consortium for improving survival of lymphoma study.

Both-side synchronous involvement has been reported to account for 7-24% of ocular adnexal marginal zone lymphoma (OAML). We conducted a retrospective analysis to identify the clinical features and treatment outcomes of synchronous bilateral OAML (SB-OAML) by treatment modality. We analyzed patients with a histologic diagnosis of SB-OAML, excluding metachronous bilateral involved OAML.

Frequent atrial premature complexes during exercise: A potent predictor of atrial fibrillation.

Background: The clinical significance of atrial premature complexes (APCs) during exercise is unclear.

Hypothesis: Frequent APCs during exercise provides prognostic information.

Methods: A total of 998 patients were divided into 2 groups based on the presence of frequent APCs during treadmill testing (>5 beats per stage): the FAPC group (n = 128) vs the non-FAPC group (n = 870).

Platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) retains independent prognostic significance in advanced stage marginal zone lymphoma patients treated with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone combination chemotherapy (R-CVP): Consortium for Improving Survival of Lymphoma trial.

Background: Rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CVP) is one of the effective chemotherapeutic regimens for patients with advanced stage marginal zone lymphoma (MZL). However, prognostic factors that affect the outcome of treatment for MZL are not well understood.

Methods: Between August 2006 and June 2013, patients with newly diagnosed stage III and IV MZL treated with R-CVP as a first-line therapy from 15 institutions were retrospectively analyzed.