Is early use of sodium-glucose cotransporter type 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) necessary even in diabetic patients without cardiovascular disease: a prospective study regarding the effect of SGLT2i on left ventricular diastolic function.

Background: There are insufficient studies to determine whether sodium-glucose cotransporter type 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) will help reduce early diabetic cardiomyopathy, especially in patients without documented cardiovascular disease.

Methods: We performed a single center, prospective observation study. A total of 90 patients with type 2 diabetes patients without established heart failure or atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease were enrolled.

Surgical Outcomes of Lateral Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction Versus Repair for Posterolateral Rotatory Instability of the Elbow: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: The aim of surgical treatment for posterolateral rotatory instability (PLRI) of the elbow is to restore the integrity of the lateral ulnar collateral ligament (LUCL), with ligamentous reconstruction being the preferred option for recurrent symptomatic PLRI. However, there is no clinical evidence demonstrating the superiority of reconstruction versus repair. Treatment options currently depend on the cause of the LUCL injury and surgeon preference.

A Comprehensive Health Screening Program Reveals the Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

: We investigated the prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and associated risk factors in Korean subjects who underwent comprehensive health screening examinations. : This single health screening center-based cross-sectional study included a total of 73,574 consecutive participants older than 30 years who underwent a health screening examination, including fundus photography, between October 2003 and December 2010. Weighted prevalence and risk factors for AMD were evaluated.

Clinicopathological Features and Oncological Outcomes of Germline Partner and Localizer of Breast Cancer 2-Mutated Breast Cancer in Korea.

Purpose: The partner and localizer of breast cancer 2 (PALB2) mutation is a predisposition to breast cancer development. However, limited clinical data are available for the Korean population. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the characteristics and oncological outcomes of patients with PALB2-mutated and non-mutated PALB2 in Korea.

Comparison of warm sitz bath and electronic bidet with a lower-force water flow for postoperative management after hemorrhoidectomy (BIDLOW).

Aim: Electronic bidets can be a substitute for sitz baths, but no study has examined the use of electronic bidets to manage anal problems.

Methods: A randomized, controlled, single-blind, multicenter, parallel group trial was performed. Patients who underwent hemorrhoidectomy were randomly assigned (1:1) to use the electronic bidet or warm sitz baths for 7 days after hemorrhoidectomy.

Concurrent Association of Multifocality, Bilaterality, and Recurrence in Pediatric Papillary Thyroid Cancer Patients.

Purpose: Pediatric papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is recommended to perform aggressive surgery to reduce the risk of recurrence. This study was designed to evaluate the concurrent association between multifocality, bilaterality, and the risk of recurrence in pediatric PTC.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective cohort study included pediatric patients (age <19 years) who underwent total thyroidectomy for PTC between 1996 and 2014 in a single tertiary center.

High sleep reactivity in shift workers is associated with increased sleep disturbance, mood problems, and reduced quality of life.

Introduction: Shift work disrupts circadian rhythms, causing sleep and mood problems. Sleep reactivity-the sensitivity of sleep to stress-may affect how shift workers cope with these disruptions. This study investigated the relationship between sleep reactivity and shift work, exploring associations between sleep reactivity and sleep disturbance, mood symptoms, and quality of life in shift workers.

[Guideline for Minimizing Radiation Exposure of Interventionalists during Fluoroscopy-guided Interventional Procedures].

As fluoroscopy-guided interventional procedures gain popularity, the associated health threats from radiation exposure to interventionalists during these procedures are increasing. Therefore, an understanding of the potential risks of radiation and careful consideration on minimizing exposure to radiation during the procedures are of paramount importance. The Korean Pancreatobiliary Association has developed a clinical practice guideline to minimize radiation exposure during fluoroscopy-guided interventional procedures.

Influence of prestroke glycemic status on outcomes by age in patients with acute ischemic stroke and diabetes mellitus.

Background: This study aimed to explore the association between admission HbA1c and the risk of 1-year vascular outcomes stratified by age group in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods: This study analyzed prospective multicenter data from patients with AIS and DM. Admission HbA1C were categorized as:≤6.

Asciminib add-on to imatinib demonstrates sustained high rates of ongoing therapy and deep molecular responses with prolonged follow-up in the ASC4MORE study.

Background: Up to 65% of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who are treated with imatinib do not achieve sustained deep molecular response, which is required to attempt treatment-free remission. Asciminib is the only approved BCR::ABL1 inhibitor that Specifically Targets the ABL Myristoyl Pocket. This unique mechanism of action allows asciminib to be combined with adenosine triphosphate-competitive tyrosine kinase inhibitors to prevent resistance and enhance efficacy.

Risk of long-term post-stroke dementia using a linked dataset of patients with ischemic stroke without a history of dementia.

Background: Post-stroke dementia (PSD) is a common and disabling sequela of stroke. However, the long-term incidence of PSD after an ischemic stroke and factors which predict its occurrence are incompletely understood. Linkage of large health datasets is being increasing used to study long-term outcomes after disease.

Genome-Wide Approach of Gene-Nutrient Intake Interaction Study for Essential Hypertension in a Large Korean Cohort (KoGES).

There is limited evidence on gene-nutrient interaction associated with hypertension (HTN). We examined interactions between genotypes and various nutrients that influenced high blood pressure (BP). Data were obtained from a total of 50,808 participants from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES).

Correlation between impaired brachial flow-mediated dilation and hemorrhagic transformation after acute reperfusion therapy.

Objective: Hemorrhagic transformation (HT) represents a critical complication of reperfusion therapy, often resulting in unfavorable functional outcomes. Our objective was to explore the correlation between endothelial function, assessed through flow-mediated dilation (FMD), and the occurrence of HT in patients undergoing acute reperfusion therapy.

Materials And Methods: In our retrospective analysis, we investigated patients with emergent large vessel occlusion (ELVO) who underwent acute reperfusion therapy and assessment through FMD, calculated as %FMD = (peak diameter - baseline diameter)/baseline diameter×100.

Dexmedetomidine and Nitrous Oxide as Anesthetic Agents for Electroconvulsive Therapy: A Case Report.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a therapeutic intervention that induces generalized seizures under general anesthesia. This case report compares the efficacy of dexmedetomidine (DEX) and nitrous oxide (N2O) to that of propofol during ECT procedures. A 33-year-old woman with a 15-year history of schizophrenia and recurrent psychotic episodes underwent ECT.

Alport syndrome and eye.

Alport syndrome, characterized by renal failure, hearing loss, and ocular abnormalities due to collagen type IV gene mutations, exhibits distinctive ocular manifestations in the various ocular tissues including the cornea, lens, and retina. Ophthalmological examinations, providing noninvasive visibility of basement membrane anomalies caused by collagen type IV mutations, can have a role in Alport syndrome diagnostics. Lenticonus, macular fleck, and other abnormalities also can serve as indicators of inheritance patterns and predictors of severe mutations or early-onset renal failure.

National trends in surgical treatment and clinical outcomes among patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage in the Republic of Korea.

Objective: In this study, changes in treatment methods and patient prognosis were analyzed using a Korean nationwide medical insurance information database.

Methods: Patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage who received surgical treatment for cerebral aneurysm from 2005 to 2020 were included. The specific surgery type was classified using the surgical code and according to whether stents were used.

Cost-effectiveness of Fractional Flow Reserve Versus Intravascular Ultrasound to Guide Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Results From the FLAVOUR Study.

Background And Objectives: The Fractional Flow Reserve and Intravascular Ultrasound-Guided Intervention Strategy for Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Intermediate Stenosis (FLAVOUR) trial demonstrated non-inferiority of fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided PCI. We sought to investigate the cost-effectiveness of FFR-guided PCI compared to IVUS-guided PCI in Korea.

Methods: A 2-part cost-effectiveness model, composed of a short-term decision tree model and a long-term Markov model, was developed for patients who underwent PCI to treat intermediate stenosis (40% to 70% stenosis by visual estimation on coronary angiography).

Effects of closed- versus open-system intensive care units on mortality rates in patients with cancer requiring emergent surgical intervention for acute abdominal complications: a single-center retrospective study in Korea.

Background: In this study, we aimed to compare the in-hospital mortality of patients with cancer who experienced acute abdominal complications that required emergent surgery in open (treatment decisions made by the primary attending physician of the patient's admission department) versus closed (treatment decisions made by intensive care unit [ICU] intensivists) ICUs.

Methods: This retrospective, single-center study enrolled patients with cancer admitted to the ICU before or after emergency surgery between November 2020 and September 2023. Univariate and logistic regression analyses were conducted to explore the associations between patient characteristics in the open and closed ICUs and in-hospital mortality.

Factors Associated with Metabolically Unhealthy Obesity and Its Relation to Food Insecurity in Korean Adults with Obesity.

Objectives: The association between food insecurity and metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) in the population with obesity is unclear. We evaluated factors associated with MUO and the relationship between food insecurity and MUO in individuals with obesity.

Methods: We analyzed data from 5191 adults with obesity (body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m) from the 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2019-2021.

Relationship Between the Risk of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Cardiovascular Health in Middle-Aged Korean Men and Women: A Nationwide Study.

Cardiovascular health (CVH) can be conceptualized as encompassing seven health behaviors and metabolic factors that contribute to cardiovascular disease. We explored the relationship between the risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and CVH among middle-aged Korean adults. Data from 5909 participants, aged between 40 and 64 years, in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2019-2021) were analyzed.

Surgical outcomes and complication rates of arthroscopic-assisted fixation versus open fixation for coronoid fractures: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Coronoid fractures often occur with complex elbow dislocations, accounting for 15% of elbow fractures. The effectiveness of open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) versus arthroscopic-assisted reduction internal fixation (ARIF) surgeries for coronoid fractures remains uncertain. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of these two surgical approaches in treating varus posteromedial injuries.

Endovascular Treatment With Targeted Embolization of Cavernous Sinus Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas: A Single-Center Study.

Objective: To assess the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of targeted embolization for cavernous sinus dural arteriovenous fistulas (CSDAVF).

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study investigated patients with CSDAVF who underwent endovascular treatment at a tertiary hospital between October 1991 and March 2023. Treatment strategies were determined based on clinical symptoms and shunt characteristics.