Effect of preoperative heart failure on arteriovenous access patency and prognosis in patients on hemodialysis.

Background: The risk of arteriovenous (AV) access failure is associated with hemodynamic factors, clinical factors, or technical issues. Although several studies have shown the detrimental effects of AV access on heart function, few studies have assessed whether heart function affects AV access patency. We investigated the impact of cardiac function on AV access patency.

Aspirin Monotherapy vs No Antiplatelet Therapy in Stable Patients With Coronary Stents Undergoing Low-to-Intermediate Risk Noncardiac Surgery.

Background: Current guidelines recommend the perioperative continuation of aspirin in patients with coronary drug-eluting stents (DES) undergoing noncardiac surgery. However, supporting evidence is limited.

Objectives: This study aimed to compare continuing aspirin monotherapy vs temporarily holding all antiplatelet therapy before noncardiac surgery in patients with previous DES implantation.

Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract Versus Micronized Purified Flavonoid Fraction for Patients with Chronic Venous Disease: A Randomized Noninferiority Trial.

Background: Venoactive drugs (VADs) based on Vitis vinifera extract are widely used in Korea. However, studies on the clinical effects and head-to-head comparisons with other groups of VADs are limited. This trial aimed to evaluate whether Vitis vinifera seed extract was noninferior to the micronized purified flavonoid fraction (MPFF) in relieving venous symptoms and improving quality of life in patients with chronic venous disease.

Quantitative Evaluation of the Real-World Harmonization Status of Laboratory Test Items Using External Quality Assessment Data.

Background: In recent decades, the analytical quality of clinical laboratory results has substantially increased because of collaborative efforts. To effectively utilize laboratory results in applications, such as machine learning through big data, understanding the level of harmonization for each test would be beneficial. We aimed to develop a quantitative harmonization index that reflects the harmonization status of real-world laboratory tests.

Complete Obstruction, a Real Risk Factor: A Comprehensive Study on Obstruction in Stage IIA Colon Cancer With Propensity Score Matching Analysis.

Microabstract: This study evaluates the prognostic significance of obstructions in stage IIA colon cancer, distinguishing between partial and complete obstructions. It employs a retrospective review of 1914 patients with propensity score matching to analyze oncologic outcomes. Findings reveal complete obstruction as a significant risk factor for poorer outcomes, emphasizing the necessity for further research to refine treatment strategies, particularly regarding the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy across obstruction types.

The crosstalk between cholangiocytes and hepatic stellate cells promotes the progression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and periductal fibrosis during Clonorchis sinensis infection.

Unlabelled: ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Clonorchis sinensis infection is one of the risk factors that provokes chronic inflammation, epithelial hyperplasia, periductal fibrosis and even cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Disrupted or aberrant intercellular communication among liver-constituting cells leads to pathological states that cause various hepatic diseases. This study was designed to investigate the pathological changes caused by C.

Effect of changes in lymphocyte subsets at diagnosis in acute myeloid leukemia on prognosis: association with complete remission rates and relapse free survivals.

We prospectively investigated whether the characteristics of lymphocyte subsets at diagnosis in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients are different from healthy controls and affect treatment outcomes. A total of 91 AML patients classified into 3 genetic risk subgroups (favorable/intermediate/poor) according to 2022 NCCN guidelines were enrolled. We measured lymphocyte subsets by flow cytometry with peripheral blood samples at diagnosis and compared results with healthy controls.

Preoperative sequential short-course radiation therapy and FOLFOX chemotherapy versus long-course chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer: a multicenter, randomized controlled trial (SOLAR trial).

Background: Preoperative (chemo)radiotherapy has been widely used as an effective treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC), leading to a significant reduction in pelvic recurrence rates. Because early administration of intensive chemotherapy for LARC has more advantages than adjuvant chemotherapy, total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) has been introduced and evaluated to determine whether it can improve tumor response or treatment outcomes. This study aims to investigate whether short-course radiotherapy (SCRT) followed by intensive chemotherapy improves oncologic outcomes compared with traditional preoperative long-course chemoradiotherapy (CRT).

The clinical implication of minimally invasive versus open pancreatoduodenectomy for non-pancreatic periampullary cancer: a systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis.

Background: Most studies on minimally invasive pancreatoduodenectomy (MIPD) combine patients with pancreatic and periampullary cancers even though there is substantial heterogeneity between these tumors. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the role of MIPD compared to open pancreatoduodenectomy (OPD) in patients with non-pancreatic periampullary cancer (NPPC).

Methods: A systematic review of Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane databases was performed by two independent reviewers to identify studies comparing MIPD and OPD for NPPC (ampullary, distal cholangio, and duodenal adenocarcinoma) (01/2015-12/2021).

MuSiC-ViT: A multi-task Siamese convolutional vision transformer for differentiating change from no-change in follow-up chest radiographs.

A major responsibility of radiologists in routine clinical practice is to read follow-up chest radiographs (CXRs) to identify changes in a patient's condition. Diagnosing meaningful changes in follow-up CXRs is challenging because radiologists must differentiate disease changes from natural or benign variations. Here, we suggest using a multi-task Siamese convolutional vision transformer (MuSiC-ViT) with an anatomy-matching module (AMM) to mimic the radiologist's cognitive process for differentiating baseline change from no-change.

A New Strategy for Evaluating the Quality of Laboratory Results for Big Data Research: Using External Quality Assessment Survey Data (2010-2020).

Background: To ensure valid results of big data research in the medical field, the input laboratory results need to be of high quality. We aimed to establish a strategy for evaluating the quality of laboratory results suitable for big data research.

Methods: We used Korean Association of External Quality Assessment Service (KEQAS) data to retrospectively review multicenter data.

Optimal surgical management of duodenal fistula in Crohn's disease: a Korean multicenter cohort study.

Purpose: Duodenal fistula in Crohn's disease (CDF) is a rare condition with an unclear optimal surgical management approach. We reviewed a Korean multicenter cohort of CDF surgery cases and assessed their perioperative outcomes to evaluate the effectiveness of the surgical interventions.

Methods: The medical records of patients who underwent CD surgery between January 2006 and December 2021 from three tertiary medical centers were retrospectively reviewed.

Interpretation and clinical utility of indocyanine-green fluorescence imaging (IFI) in robot-assisted anorectal-function saving operations (ASOs): A propensity-score matched analysis of 872 prospectively enroled patients undergoing IFI.

Background: This study suggested a novel physiological evaluation of indocyanine-green fluorescence imaging (IFI), and its utility associated with anastomotic leakage/stricture (AL/AS) and prognosis.

Methods: This study focussed on the utility of IFI, comparing IFI + versus IFI- groups (n = 878 vs. 339), optimised by propensity-score matching.

Synergistic therapeutic combination with a CAF inhibitor enhances CAR-NK-mediated cytotoxicity via reduction of CAF-released IL-6.

Background: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the tumor microenvironment (TME) contribute to an impaired functionality of natural killer (NK) cells that have emerged as a promising therapeutic modality. The interaction between CAFs and NK cells within the TME exerts major inhibitory effects on immune responses, indicating CAF-targeted therapies as potential targets for effective NK-mediated cancer killing.

Methods: To overcome CAF-induced NK dysfunction, we selected an antifibrotic drug, nintedanib, for synergistic therapeutic combination.

Unsupervised anomaly detection with generative adversarial networks in mammography.

Breast cancer is a common cancer among women, and screening mammography is the primary tool for diagnosing this condition. Recent advancements in deep-learning technologies have triggered the implementation of research studies via mammography. Semi-supervised or unsupervised methods are often used to overcome the limitations of supervised learning, such as manpower and time, for labeling in clinical situations where abnormal data are significantly lacking.

Image Turing test and its applications on synthetic chest radiographs by using the progressive growing generative adversarial network.

The generative adversarial network (GAN) is a promising deep learning method for generating images. We evaluated the generation of highly realistic and high-resolution chest radiographs (CXRs) using progressive growing GAN (PGGAN). We trained two PGGAN models using normal and abnormal CXRs, solely relying on normal CXRs to demonstrate the quality of synthetic CXRs that were 1000 × 1000 pixels in size.

Accuracy of the New Creatinine-based Equations for Estimating Glomerular Filtration Rate in Koreans.

Background: New creatinine-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) equations, including the 2021 Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (2021 CKD-EPI) and European Kidney Function Consortium (EKFC) equations, have been introduced recently. We assessed the performance of the 2021 CKD-EPI and EKFC equations in the Korean population.

Methods: We analyzed 1,654 Korean patients aged ≥18 years who underwent chromium-51-ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid GFR measurements (mGFR).

Association between measured or calculated small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and oxidized low-density lipoprotein in subjects with or without type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: Small dense low-density lipoprotein (sdLDL) possesses atherogenic potential and is predicted to be susceptible to atherogenic modifications, which further increases its atherogenicity. However, studies on the association between measured or estimated sdLDL cholesterol (sdLDL-C) levels and atherogenic modification in diverse population groups are lacking.

Methods: Surplus serum samples were collected from male subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) under treatment (n = 300) and without DM (non-DM; n = 150).

Pathologic Implications of Magnetic Resonance Imaging-detected Extramural Venous Invasion of Rectal Cancer.

Background: Extramural venous invasion (EMVI) is a poor prognostic factor in rectal cancer. Recent advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allow for the detection of EMVI before surgery. This study aimed to analyze the correlations between MRI-detected EMVI (MR-EMVI) and pathologic parameters in patients with rectal cancer.