Background: The increasing rate of excess body weight (EBW) in the global population has led to growing health concerns, including cancer-related EBW. We aimed to estimate the population attributable fraction (PAF) of cancer incidence and deaths linked to EBW in Korean individuals from 2015 to 2030 and to compare its value with various body mass index cutoffs. Methods: Levin’s formula was used to calculate the PAF; the prevalence rates were computed using the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, while the relative risks of specific cancers related to EBW were estimated based on the results of Korean cohort studies. To account for the 15-year latency period when estimating the PAF in 2020, the prevalence rates from 2015 and attributable cases or deaths from 2020 were used. Results: The PAF attributed to EBW was similar for both cancer incidence and deaths using either the World Health Organization (WHO) Asian-Pacific region standard or a modified Asian standard, with the WHO standard yielding the lowest values. In the Korean population, the PAFs of EBW for cancer incidence were 2.96% in men and 3.61% in women, while those for cancer deaths were 0.67% in men and 3.06% in women in 2020. Additionally, PAFs showed a gradual increase in both sexes until 2030. Conclusion The EBW continues to have a significant impact on cancer incidence and deaths in Korea. Effective prevention strategies targeting the reduction of this modifiable risk factor can substantially decrease the cancer burden.

Background: The increasing rate of excess body weight (EBW) in the global population has led to growing health concerns, including cancer-related EBW. We aimed to estimate the population attributable fraction (PAF) of cancer incidence and deaths linked to EBW in Korean individuals from 2015 to 2030 and to compare its value with various body mass index cutoffs. Methods: Levin’s formula was used to calculate the PAF; the prevalence rates were computed using the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, while the relative risks of specific cancers related to EBW were estimated based on the results of Korean cohort studies. To account for the 15-year latency period when estimating the PAF in 2020, the prevalence rates from 2015 and attributable cases or deaths from 2020 were used. Results: The PAF attributed to EBW was similar for both cancer incidence and deaths using either the World Health Organization (WHO) Asian-Pacific region standard or a modified Asian standard, with the WHO standard yielding the lowest values. In the Korean population, the PAFs of EBW for cancer incidence were 2.96% in men and 3.61% in women, while those for cancer deaths were 0.67% in men and 3.06% in women in 2020. Additionally, PAFs showed a gradual increase in both sexes until 2030. Conclusion The EBW continues to have a significant impact on cancer incidence and deaths in Korea. Effective prevention strategies targeting the reduction of this modifiable risk factor can substantially decrease the cancer burden.

Background: The increasing rate of excess body weight (EBW) in the global population has led to growing health concerns, including cancer-related EBW. We aimed to estimate the population attributable fraction (PAF) of cancer incidence and deaths linked to EBW in Korean individuals from 2015 to 2030 and to compare its value with various body mass index cutoffs. Methods: Levin’s formula was used to calculate the PAF; the prevalence rates were computed using the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, while the relative risks of specific cancers related to EBW were estimated based on the results of Korean cohort studies. To account for the 15-year latency period when estimating the PAF in 2020, the prevalence rates from 2015 and attributable cases or deaths from 2020 were used. Results: The PAF attributed to EBW was similar for both cancer incidence and deaths using either the World Health Organization (WHO) Asian-Pacific region standard or a modified Asian standard, with the WHO standard yielding the lowest values. In the Korean population, the PAFs of EBW for cancer incidence were 2.96% in men and 3.61% in women, while those for cancer deaths were 0.67% in men and 3.06% in women in 2020. Additionally, PAFs showed a gradual increase in both sexes until 2030. Conclusion The EBW continues to have a significant impact on cancer incidence and deaths in Korea. Effective prevention strategies targeting the reduction of this modifiable risk factor can substantially decrease the cancer burden.

Background: The increasing rate of excess body weight (EBW) in the global population has led to growing health concerns, including cancer-related EBW. We aimed to estimate the population attributable fraction (PAF) of cancer incidence and deaths linked to EBW in Korean individuals from 2015 to 2030 and to compare its value with various body mass index cutoffs. Methods: Levin’s formula was used to calculate the PAF; the prevalence rates were computed using the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, while the relative risks of specific cancers related to EBW were estimated based on the results of Korean cohort studies. To account for the 15-year latency period when estimating the PAF in 2020, the prevalence rates from 2015 and attributable cases or deaths from 2020 were used. Results: The PAF attributed to EBW was similar for both cancer incidence and deaths using either the World Health Organization (WHO) Asian-Pacific region standard or a modified Asian standard, with the WHO standard yielding the lowest values. In the Korean population, the PAFs of EBW for cancer incidence were 2.96% in men and 3.61% in women, while those for cancer deaths were 0.67% in men and 3.06% in women in 2020. Additionally, PAFs showed a gradual increase in both sexes until 2030. Conclusion The EBW continues to have a significant impact on cancer incidence and deaths in Korea. Effective prevention strategies targeting the reduction of this modifiable risk factor can substantially decrease the cancer burden.

The Korean Dementia Association (KDA) has been organizing biennial international academic conferences since 2019, with the International Conference of the KDA (IC-KDA) 2023 held in Busan under the theme ‘Beyond Boundaries: Advancing Global Dementia Solutions.’ The conference comprised 6 scientific sessions, 3 plenary lectures, and 4luncheon symposiums, drawing 804 participants from 35 countries. Notably, a Korea– Taiwan Joint Symposium addressed insights into Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Plenary lectures by renowned scholars explored topics such as microbiome-related AD pathogenesis, social cognition in neurodegenerative diseases, and genetic frontotemporal dementia (FTD). On the first day, specific presentations covered subjects like the gut–brain axis and neuroinflammation in dementia, blood-based biomarkers in AD, and updates in AD therapeutics. The second day’s presentations addressed recent issues in clinical neuropsychology, FTD cohort studies, and the pathogenesis of non-AD dementia. The Academic Committee of the KDA compiles lecture summaries to provide comprehensive understanding of the advanced dementia knowledge presented at IC-KDA 2023.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to achieve expert consensus for the evaluation of Emergency medical system operation fund (EMSOF) support projects using the Delphi method in Korea. METHODS: The Delphi study was performed in June 2018. Experts who are members of the policy committee of the Korean Society of Emergency Medicine (KSEM) participated in the study. Respondents were asked to express their level of agreement of appropriateness for the following 6 categories for 21 projects: project contents, amount of support, indicators, performance, overall evaluation, and need to maintain. With a possible score of 9 points, the project categories were classified into 3 groups, inappropriate, moderate and appropriate, based on the median score of the respondents' ratings in each question. RESULTS: Sixteen of the 18 policy committee members participated in the survey. Their average professional work years were 8.2 years. All 21 projects were evaluated as appropriate for content. Amount of support and indicators were evaluated as moderate. Only 5 out of the 21 projects were evaluated as having appropriate indicators. No projects were evaluated as ineffective. Comprehensive evaluation of the projects was evaluated as moderate, and no project was evaluated as inappropriate in fund support. CONCLUSION: Overall, the contents of the EMSOF assistance project were rated high; however, there was a disagreement on the amount of support and evaluation indicators for each project. The results of this study are expected to be used as basic data to improve the use of EMSOF.
Committee Membership ; Consensus ; Delphi Technique ; Emergencies ; Emergency Medicine ; Financial Management ; Korea ; Methods ; Resource Allocation ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This study examined the availability of the age shock index in an assessment of high risk patients with acute cholecystitis in an emergency department. METHODS: Consecutive data of patients who presented to the emergency department with acute cholecystitis during the period, January 2012 and March 2017, were reviewed retrospectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the relationship between the severity of acute cholecystitis and the clinical factors. RESULTS: A total of 242 patients with acute cholecystitis were included in this study. From univariate analyses, age, Murphy's sign, symptom duration, heart rate, respiratory rate, age shock index, hypertension, diabetes, leukocytes, C-reactive protein and blood urea nitrogen were found to be related to the severity of acute cholecystitis. From multivariate analysis, the symptom duration (OR, 4.271; 95% CI, 2.672-6.827), respiratory rate (OR, 1.482; 95% CI, 1.189-1.847), age shock index (OR, 1.609; 95% CI, 1.060-2.442, 10-point interval), leukocytes (OR, 1.283; 95% CI, 1.156-1.424), and diabetes (OR, 4.590; 95% CI, 1.507-13.976) had a positive relationship with the severity of acute cholecystitis. CONCLUSION: The age shock index, which is calculated easily using the patient's age, heart rate, and systolic blood pressure, can be a predicting factor of severe acute cholecystitis in an emergency department.
Blood Pressure ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; C-Reactive Protein ; Cholecystitis ; Cholecystitis, Acute* ; Diagnosis ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Leukocytes ; Multivariate Analysis ; Respiratory Rate ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Assessment ; Shock*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of the measured factors that can be used in an emergency department to assess patients with blow-out fractures (BOFs) who are expected to undergo surgical management. METHODS: This study was conducted on patients with BOFs who attended an emergency department in a tertiary teaching hospital from December 2013 to November 2016. The medical records and radiology findings, such as facial computed tomography (CT), were reviewed retrospectively. The depth of floor displacement (DFD) and cranial-caudal dimension (CCD), which were measured using facial CT, were evaluated to determine the power of the CT parameters as predictors expecting surgical management in BOF patients. Statistical analysis was conducted with SPSS statistics ver. 23.0. RESULTS: The final 44 BOF patients were included in the study. Among them, 21 patients had undergone surgery. From this study, using a threshold DFD value of 0.5 cm, the accuracy of DFD was 86.36%, and the sensitivity and specificity in predicting surgery in BOF patients was 100% and 73.91%, respectively. Using a threshold CCD value of 0.4 cm, the accuracy of CCD was 88.64%, and the sensitivity and specificity in predicting surgery in BOF patients was 100% and 78.26%, respectively. CONCLUSION: With the aid of DFD and CCD, which was measured from facial CT, BOF patients who may require surgical management can be detected easily and more promptly by emergency physicians in emergency settings.
Emergencies ; Emergency Medicine ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Hospitals, Teaching ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Methods* ; Orbital Fractures* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVE: To compare sexual function before and 12 months after between sacrocolpopexy and sacrocervicopexy. METHODS: This retrospective study examined a cohort of 55 sexually active women who underwent either supracervical hysterectomy with sacrocervicopexy (n=28) or total abdominal hysterectomy with sacrocolpopexy (n=27) for stage II to IV pelvic organ prolapse. Pelvic floor support was measured with Pelvic Organ Prolapse-Quantification examination. Pelvic floor function was measured with the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-Short Form 20 and sexual function was measured with Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Function Questionnaire-Short Form 12 (PISQ-12). RESULTS: Baseline pelvic floor symptoms, demographics and PISQ-12 questionnaire scores were similar between the two groups. Overall improvements in sexual function were seen based on PISQ-12 scores in both groups, but were not statistically significant. No differences were seen in PISQ-12 scores regardless of sparing the cervix or surgical route. Responses to the PISQ-12 question of avoiding sexual intercourse because of vaginal bulging showed significant improvement in both group. No recurrences of prolapse occurred. CONCLUSION: In women with pelvic organ prolapse, sexual function after either sacrocolpopexy or sacrocervicopexy was not different. Sexual dysfunction in terms of avoidance of sexual activity because of vaginal bulging was greatly improved in both groups with statistical significance.
Cervix Uteri ; Cohort Studies ; Coitus ; Demography ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Pelvic Floor ; Pelvic Organ Prolapse ; Prolapse ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Sexual Behavior

The use of high-pressure air instruments has become more common. Consequently, there have been a number of cases of orbital emphysema caused by contact with high-pressure air. In this case, a 62-year-old male patient visited an emergency medical center after his left eye was shot by an air compressor gun that was used to wash cars. Lacerations were observed in the upper and lower eyelids of his left eye. Radiological examinations revealed orbital emphysema, optic nerve transection, pneumocephalus, and subcutaneous emphysema in the face, neck, shoulder, and mediastinum. Canalicular injury repair was performed, and the emphysema resolved. However, there was near-complete vision loss in the patient's left eye. Because most optic nerve transections occur after a severe disruption in bone structure, pure optic nerve transections without any injury of the bone structure, as in the present case, is extremely rare.
Compressed Air ; Emergencies ; Emphysema ; Eyelids ; Humans ; Lacerations ; Male ; Mediastinum ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Optic Nerve Injuries* ; Optic Nerve* ; Orbit ; Pneumocephalus ; Shoulder ; Subcutaneous Emphysema