Inferior Outcomes of Fludarabine-Cyclophosphamide-Rituximab Chemotherapy in Korean Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Patients with Concurrent Thrombocytopenia and Anemia.

: Anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies combined with alkylator-based chemotherapy enhance survival in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). However, the risks of infection and bone marrow suppression may mean that new, targeted therapies are more appropriate for some patients than fludarabine-cyclophosphamide-rituximab (FCR). In the Republic of Korea, where insurance limits coverage to novel agents, FCR therapy should be carefully considered for patients with CLL.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Seizure Control in Pediatric Epilepsy: Risk Factors and Clinical Outcomes.

Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder in children, associated with significant morbidity and socioeconomic burden. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted healthcare delivery, potentially exacerbating seizure control among pediatric epilepsy patients. This study aimed to evaluate the pandemic's impact on seizure characteristics and identify risk factors contributing to seizure exacerbation in children with epilepsy.

The Role of Small Bowel Capsule Endoscopy in Determining the Treatment Strategy for Duodenal Follicular Lymphoma: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

: In this single-center retrospective study, we aimed to verify the extent of duodenal follicular lymphoma (DFL) and investigate the role and clinical significance of video capsule endoscopy (VCE) in the treatment process. : We analyzed the clinical and imaging data of 40 patients diagnosed with DFL. : Imaging workup and bone marrow biopsies revealed DFL only in the gastrointestinal tract (stage I) in 22 patients and in local lymph nodes (stage II), distant lymph nodes (stage II), pancreas (stage IIE), and extranodal regions (stage IV) in 1, 3, 1, and 13 patients, respectively.

Immune Gene Expression Profiling in Individuals with Turner Syndrome, Graves' Disease, and a Healthy Female by Single-Cell RNA Sequencing: A Comparative Study.

Turner syndrome (TS) can be determined by karyotype analysis, marked by the loss of one X chromosome in females. However, the genes involved in autoimmunity in TS patients remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to analyze differences in immune gene expression between a patient with TS, a healthy female, and a female patient with Graves' disease using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis of antigen-specific CD4(+) T cells.

[How to Achieve Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in The Korean Society of Gastroenterology?].

With the increasing emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in organizations and institutions, academic societies in gastroenterology and hepatology are beginning to take actionable steps toward achieving DEI. The successful implementation of DEI initiatives leads to excellence in the field, improved patient outcomes, particularly in areas where health disparities are prevalent, and advances in the gastrointestinal discipline. Such implementation also results in a workforce that better reflects the growing diversity of the population.

Lung cancer organoid-based drug evaluation models and new drug development application trends.

Lung cancer is a malignant tumor with high incidence and mortality rates in both men and women worldwide. Although anticancer drugs are prescribed to treat lung cancer patients, individual responses to these drugs vary, making it crucial to identify the most suitable treatment for each patient. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an anticancer drug efficacy prediction model that can analyze drug efficacy before patient treatment and establish personalized treatment strategies.

Risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in Asian patients with primary biliary cholangitis: A nationwide and hospital cohort study.

Background & Aims: Large-scale studies on the association between primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Asians are scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence of HCC and its risk factors in a nationwide cohort.

Methods: The data of 4,882 patients with PBC and 38,603 matched controls were extracted from the Korean National Health Insurance Service (2007-2020) and analyzed.

Sarcopenic Obesity: A Comprehensive Approach for Postmenopausal Women.

Sarcopenic obesity, characterized by the concurrent presence of muscle loss and obesity, poses significant health challenges, especially in the elderly. This review explores the impact of sarcopenic obesity on disability, metabolic health, comorbidities, and potential management strategies. With the aging global population, the prevalence of sarcopenic obesity is expected to increase, necessitating a comprehensive management approach.

Korean Gastric Cancer Association-Led Nationwide Survey on Surgically Treated Gastric Cancers in 2023.

Purpose: Since 1995, the Korean Gastric Cancer Association (KGCA) has been periodically conducting nationwide surveys on patients with surgically treated gastric cancer. This study details the results of the survey conducted in 2023.

Materials And Methods: The survey was conducted from March to December 2024 using a standardized case report form.

Tear film lipid layer thickness and blink dynamics in patients with blepharospasm.

Background: This study investigates the effect of botulinum toxin A on lipid layer thickness (LLT) and blink dynamics in patients with benign essential blepharospasm (BEB) compared to dry eye disease (DED) patients.

Methods: We reviewed the medical records of patients with dry eye disease (DED) and BEB treated with botulinum toxin A (BoT A) injections. Data on demographics, lipid layer thickness (LLT), meiboscore, and blink dynamics measured using a LipiView II interferometer before and 2 months after BoT A were collected.

Incidence and risk of infections in patients with ankylosing spondylitis receiving biologic therapies: A prospective observational study using the KOBIO registry.

Objective: This study aimed to assess infection occurrence of infection and risk factors among ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients treated with biologics in a real-world setting.

Methods: This prospective observational cohort study included AS patients from the Korean College of Rheumatology BIOlogics (KOBIO) registry who initiated or switched to biologic agent between December 2012 and July 2023. The primary outcome was the first occurrence of any infection, ranging from mild to severe, classified by organ system.

Long-Term Efficacy and Safety of Denosumab: Insights beyond 10 Years of Use.

Osteoporosis management in post-menopausal women focuses on fracture prevention, with denosumab as a key therapeutic option. Despite its proven efficacy in reducing fracture risk and increasing bone mineral density (BMD) over 10 years, its long-term impact remains uncertain. We evaluated the literature on its efficacy and safety beyond the initial decade.

Cumulative Burden of Fatty Liver and Kidney Cancer in Young Men: A National Population-Based Study.

This national population-based study aimed to assess the cumulative burden of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) measured via the fatty liver index (FLI) and its association with kidney cancer risk in young men aged 20-39. : Using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database, we examined a cohort of 1,007,906 men (age 20-39) who underwent four consecutive annual check-ups from 2009 to 2012. The FLI, calculated from body mass index values, waist circumference, triglyceride levels, and gamma-glutamyl transferase levels, was used to quantify the cumulative burden of NAFLD (FLI ≥ 60).

Radiofrequency Ablation for Recurrent Thyroid Cancers: 2025 Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology Guideline.

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive treatment modality used as an alternative to surgery in patients with benign thyroid nodules, recurrent thyroid cancers (RTCs), and primary thyroid microcarcinomas. The Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology (KSThR) initially developed recommendations for the optimal use of RFA for thyroid tumors in 2009 and revised them in 2012 and 2017. As new meaningful evidence has accumulated since 2017 and in response to a growing global interest in the use of RFA for treating malignant thyroid lesions, the task force committee members of the KSThR decided to update the guidelines on the use of RFA for the management of RTCs based on a comprehensive analysis of current literature and expert consensus.

Risk of depression in glaucoma patients with vision impairment: A nationwide cohort study.

Purpose: We aimed to investigate the risk of developing depression in individuals with primary open-angle glaucoma with associated vision impairment.

Methods: We conducted a nationwide, population-based cohort study using data from the Korean National Health Information Database and National Disability Registry. We assessed baseline characteristics such as age, sex, income level, lifestyle factors, anthropometric data, lab results, and Charlson Comorbidity Index scores through diagnostic codes and health screening data.

Diagnostic Performance and Safety of Ultrasound-Guided Core Needle Biopsy for Diagnosing Lymphoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Lymphoma arises from transformed lymphoid cells. Although surgical excision biopsy is the standard diagnostic tool for patients with lymphoma, image-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) or core needle biopsy (CNB) is considered an alternative diagnostic option.

Objective: To assess the diagnostic accuracy and safety of ultrasound (US)-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) in patients with lymphoma.

Study Protocol of the Korean EGFR Registry: A Multicenter Prospective and Retrospective Cohort Study in Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer Patients With EGFR Mutation.

Introduction: The provision of treatment for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients has increased in Korea. However, multicenter studies on the clinicopathologic dataset and treatment outcomes, using a large-scale dataset, have not been conducted. The current study is a prospective and retrospective multicenter observational cohort study that registers all stages of EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients.

Poststroke Ipsilesional Motor Performance: Microstructural Biomarkers and Their Associations With Executive Function.

Background: Unilateral hemispheric stroke can impair the ipsilesional motor performance, which is crucial for attaining optimal functional outcomes poststroke. However, the specific brain structures contributing to ipsilesional motor performance impairment remain unclear.

Objective: To explore the link between ipsilesional motor performance and the microstructural integrity of relevant neural pathways.

Influence of Organ-Specific Extranodal Involvement on Survival Outcomes in Stage IV Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma.

Background: The prognostic significance of extranodal sites in stage IV diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) remains uncertain, making it challenging to select appropriate treatment strategies for individual patients. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the influence of different extranodal sites on prognosis in young patients with stage IV DLBCL who achieved complete remission (CR) following initial chemo-immunotherapy and to explore the potential of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) as a consolidation treatment for specific patient subgroups.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data from 119 patients with DLBCL aged < 60 years who achieved CR after chemo-immunotherapy between 2008 and 2020.

Differential Efficacy of Advanced Therapies in Inducing Remission in Ulcerative Colitis Based on Prior Exposure to TNF Antagonists.

Background And Aims: We sought to ascertain how prior exposure to tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists impacts treatment response with various classes of advanced therapies in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods: Through a systematic review of multiple databases through June 30, 2024, we identified 17 randomized controlled trials in 8871 adults with moderate-severe UC who were treated with different advanced therapies vs placebo, and reported efficacy in induction of clinical remission, stratified by prior exposure to TNF antagonists. We calculated the ratio of odds ratio of achieving remission with active drug vs placebo, in TNF antagonist-naïve vs TNF antagonist-exposed patients.

Therapeutic Efficacy and Safety of Memantine for Children and Adults With ADHD With a Focus on Glutamate-Dopamine Regulation: A Systematic Review.

Pharmacotherapy plays a crucial role in treating attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, current medications for ADHD have limitations and potential adverse effects. Glutamate, a neurotransmitter that directly and indirectly modulates dopamine neurotransmission, is considered a new therapeutic target for ADHD.