BACKGROUND: Postherpetic neuralgia(PHN) is a distressing complication of herpes zoster that can persist for months or even years. Information on this condition is important because antiviral therapy may change the clinical course of the disease. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to estimate prevalence of PHN according to several risk factors. METHODS: We observed prevalence of PHN in 96 patients who had herpes zoster with severe pain and treated with antiviral therapy during the admission. Also, we compared them by age group, dermatomal distribution, and starting day of antiviral therapy, respectively. RESULTS: The prevalence of PHN according to the age was 5.9% in patients younger than 49 years, 40.0% in 50~59 years, 46.9% in 60~69 years, and 58.8% in 70 years and older. Sex and dermatomal distribution were not predictors of PHN. The odds ratio per one day difference in antiviral therapy was 1.62(95% confidence interval, 1.56 to 2.23). CONCLUSION: In herpes zoster with severe pain, age and starting day of antiviral therapy may be significant predictors of PHN.
Herpes Zoster* ; Humans ; Neuralgia, Postherpetic* ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between obesity and migraine.

METHODSThe online databases inlcuding PubMed, EMBASE, Wanfang, CNKI and Chinese Biological Medicine Database were searched for studies assessing the relationship between obesity and migraine according to the Cochrane Collaboration guidelines. Stata12.0 software was used for meta- analysis. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the relationship between obesity and the risk of migraine.

RESULTA total of 14 studies involving 193 274 individuals were included in the analysis. The results of meta-analysis showed that obese individuals had an increased risk of migraine by 19% as compared with normal weight individuals [OR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.02-1.38; P=0.029) and by 19% as compared with non-obese individuals (OR, 1.19; 95%CI, 1.02-1.38; P=0.024).

CONCLUSIONObesity is associated with an increased risk of migraine.

INTRODUCTION: A promising strategy for HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer (mBC) is to target the veascular endothelial growth factor receptor using bevecizumab. Several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have consistently demonstrated improvement in progression-free survival (PFS).
METHODS: This meta-analysis was undertaken to determine the added benefit of bevacizumab (BV) to chemotherapy in HER2-negative locally recurrent and mBC. RCTs that compared the efficacy and safety of BV+chemotherapy to placebo+chemotherapy in the first- or second-line setting were selected. The primary outcome was PFS. The secondary outcome measures were overall survival (OS) and objective response rate (ORR). Analysis of safety was done by pooling grades 3-5 toxicities. Four RCTs were included in the meta-analysis: E2100, AVADO, RIBBON-1, and RIBBON-2.
RESULTS: The use of BV+chemotherapy showed statistically significant improvement in PFS (HR 0.73 [0.65, 0.82] 95% Cl, p<0.0001); subgroup analysis of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) also showed statistically significant increase in PFS (HR 0.56 [0.47, 0.67] 95% Cl, P<0.00001). The ORR was statistically significant with a risk ratio of 1.36 in favour of BV (P<0.00001). OS did not reach statistical significance (HR 0.85 [0.56, 1.27] 95% Cl, p=0.42). Grades 3-5 toxicities were consistently higher in the BV arm with a risk ratio of 1.90 (p<0.00001).
CONCLUSION: BV prolongs PFS and increases ORR in patients with HER2-negative locally-recurrent and mBC. OS was comparable in both arms. Toxicities significantly increased with the addition of BV to chemotherapy, but fatal reactions were rare in all four trials. The addition of BV to conventional first- or second-line chemotherapy is justified in TN mBC since there is still no standard treatment fot this. 

BACKGROUND: Exposure to organic dust has been widely investigated as a potential risk factor for asthma with different results. To clarify a potential relationship, we performed the present meta-analysis to integrate the results of studies examining the association of organic dust exposure with asthma. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search in the electronic databases including EMBASE, PubMed and Cochrane Library databases (up to August 2018) was conducted. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) for organic dust exposure and asthma were retrieved and pooled to generate summary effect estimates in Revman 5.2. RESULTS: Database searches retrieved 1,016 records. A total of 17 studies containing 3,619 cases and 6,585 controls were finally included in our meta-analysis. The summary estimates suggested that organic dust exposure was positively associated with asthma (OR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.26–1.75; P < 0.00001), whether among population-based case-control studies (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.13–1.35; P < 0.00001) or hospital-based case-control studies (OR, 2.79; 95% CI, 1.27–6.12; P = 0.01). Subgroup analysis showed that paper/wood (OR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.38–1.90; P < 0.00001), flour/grain (OR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.11–1.97; P = 0.008), and textile dust (OR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.08–2.09; P = 0.02) exposure were significantly associated with asthma. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the studies evaluated, our meta-analysis results prompt that organic dust exposure is a risk factor inducing asthma, although precise analysis focus on specific organic dust materials is still warranted.
Asthma ; Case-Control Studies ; Dust ; Odds Ratio ; Risk Factors ; Textiles

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to investigate the prevalence of the menisci lesions in national park workers and work factors affecting this prevalence. METHODS: The study subjects were 698 workers who worked in 20 Korean national parks in 2014. An orthopedist visited each national park and performed physical examinations. Knee MRI was performed if the McMurray test or Apley test was positive and there was a complaint of pain in knee area. An orthopedist and a radiologist respectively read these images of the menisci using a grading system based on the MRI signals. To calculate the cumulative intensity of trekking of the workers, the mean trail distance, the difficulty of the trail, the tenure at each national parks, and the number of treks per month for each worker from the start of work until the present were investigated. Chi-square tests was performed to see if there were differences in the menisci lesions grade according to the variables. The variables used in the Chi-square test were evaluated using simple logistic regression analysis to get crude odds ratios, and adjusted odds ratios and 95 % confidence intervals were calculated using multivariate logistic regression analysis after establishing three different models according to the adjusted variables. RESULTS: According to the MRI signal grades of menisci, 29 % were grade 0, 11.3 % were grade 1, 46.0 % were grade 2, and 13.7 % were grade 3. The differences in the MRI signal grades of menisci according to age and the intensity of trekking as calculated by the three different methods were statistically significant. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed for three models. In model 1, there was no statistically significant factor affecting the menisci lesions. In model 2, among the factors affecting the menisci lesions, the OR of a high cumulative intensity of trekking was 4.08 (95 % CI 1.00–16.61), and in model 3, the OR of a high cumulative intensity of trekking was 5.84 (95 % CI 1.09–31.26). CONCLUSION: The factor that most affected the menisci lesions among the workers in Korean national park was a high cumulative intensity of trekking.
Knee* ; Logistic Models ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Odds Ratio ; Parks, Recreational* ; Physical Examination ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors*

OBJECTIVES: To identify the psychosocial well-being status in a rural community, and examine the association between the psychosocial well-being status and adverse lipid profile. METHOD: In 2001, we surveyed 575 subjects in Yangpyoung, Kyounggido, including medical examination, fasting-blood sample and questionnaires for the psychosocial well-being status, socioeconomic position and behavioral risk factors. The logistic regression analysis was used to examine explanatory factors of the psychosocial well-being status, and association between the psychosocial well-being status and adverse lipid profiles. RESULT: The association between the psychosocial well-being status and adverse lipid profiles was not strong. The total cholesterol and triglyceridelevels were associated with psychosocial well-being. The adjusted odds ratio for moderate psychosocial well-being relating to total cholesterol was 1.90 (95%CI, 0.82-4.04), but that for triglyceride was 0.65 (95%CI, 0.36-1.21). The HDL-Cholesterol and LDL-Cholesterol level were not associated with the psychosocial well-being status. CONCLUSION: The total cholesterol and psychosocial well-being status were weakly associated, but the between the psychosocial well-being status and adverse lipid profiles were not consistent.
Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cholesterol ; Logistic Models ; Methods ; Odds Ratio ; Risk Factors ; Rural Population ; Social Class ; Triglycerides

PURPOSE: To investigate the clinical efficacy of intracameral amphotericin injection and to evaluate risk factors affecting primary treatment success in fungal infection invading the anterior segment of the eye. METHODS: Twenty-six eyes of 26 patients diagnosed with fungal infection in the anterior segment were studied. The initial treatment regimen was a topical 0.15% amphotericin application and itraconazole oral administration after culture. Amphotericin (5 ug/0.1 ml, 0.1 cc) was repeatedly injected intracamerally when the infection intensified. Penetrating keratoplasty was conducted for eyes unresponsive to intracameral amphotericin injection. The relative risk ratios of ulcer size, infiltration depth, culture positivity, and hypopyon were compared in each treatment group to evaluate the treatment response. RESULTS: Of patients with fungal infection, 30.7% were cured with intracameral amphotericin injection, while 30.7% needed penetrating keratoplasty. Intracameral amphotericin injection was needed in the presence of large corneal ulcers (>14 mm2), hypopyon, positive fungal culture, use of steroid eye drops, and deep infiltration at initial examination. Large ulcer size (>14 mm2) was the main risk factor for needing penetrating keratoplasty. Of the eyes Candida infection, 66.5% needed evisceration. CONCLUSIONS: Large ulcer size and the isolation of Candida were poor prognostic factors related to the efficacy of intracameral amphotericin injection.
Administration, Oral ; Amphotericin B* ; Candida ; Humans ; Itraconazole ; Keratoplasty, Penetrating ; Odds Ratio ; Ophthalmic Solutions ; Risk Factors* ; Ulcer

PURPOSE: This study was aimed to determine the optimum low-density lipoprotein : high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL : HDL-C) ratio for predicting coronary heart disease(CHD) in Korean people. METHODS: It was analyzed this data of 5,431 adults who had undergone health examinations in a hospital in Gyeonggi-do between January 2006 and December 2007. The covariation of the coronary risk factors such as age, HbA1C, systolic blood pressure(SBP), and waist-to-stature ratio(WSR) were analyzed by using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The LDL : HDL-C ratio in the male and female groups was mostly distributed between 1.5 and 4.0. The LDL : HDL-C ratio was the most significant cholesterol-related parameter influencing CHD(male: B = .306, p = .054, female : B = .940, p = .010), followed by LDL-C and total cholesterol. It was observed a sharp increase in the odds ratios for LDL : HDL-C ratios of 2.25 - 2.50(male) and 2.00 - 2.25(female). A significant difference was observed in both male(2.25 : chi-square = 2.494, p = .072) and female(2.00 : chi-square = 413.742, p = .000) groups. CONCLUSION: The risk level of CHD was set to 2.25 for males and 2.00 for females. Therefore, the optimum LDL : HDL-C ratio for Koreans should be far lower than that for the people in western countries.
Adult ; Cholesterol ; Coronary Disease ; Female ; Heart ; Humans ; Lipoproteins ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Odds Ratio ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: A genetic aberration in the MTHFR gene has been shown to result in reduced MTHFR enzyme activity and induced hyperhomocysteinemia. Recently, a second genetic polymorphism in MTHFR at position 1298 was reported. However, the association between the A1298C MTHFR polymorphism and ischemic stroke has not been reported. Therefore, we attempted to determine whether the MTHFR C677T and A1298C gene polymorphisms were associated with ischemic stroke. METHODS: We enrolled 220 ischemic stroke patients and 203 healthy individuals and compared their fasting plasma homocysteine levels and analyzed the MTHFR C677T and A1298C polymorphisms. RESULTS: Plasma homocysteine levels were significantly higher (p<0.05) in ischemic stroke patients (10.86 +/- 5.07 micro mol/L) than in control subjects (9.39 +/- 2.98 micro mol/L). Despite a clear association between 677TT genotype and elevated homocysteine level, there was no association between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and ischemic stroke. On the other hand, the odds ratio and 95% CI adjusted for other risk factors were 1.80 (1.08 to 3.00) for the 1298AC genotype, and 8.98 (1.00 to 80.42) for the 1298CC genotype. The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for the 1298AC/CC genotypes were also significantly higher than that in the controls (AOR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.19 to 3.24). However, in the analysis of combined genotypes with C677T and A1298C polymorphism, the AOR was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: MTHFR A1298C gene polymorphism may be an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke. Our findings suggest that prediction of ischemic stroke may be possible by analyzing genetic defects.
Fasting ; Genotype ; Hand ; Homocysteine ; Humans ; Hyperhomocysteinemia ; Odds Ratio ; Plasma ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Risk Factors* ; Stroke*

BACKGROUND: Immunoglogulin A(IgA) nephropathy is the most common primary glomerular disease throughout the world. 30-50% of patients with IgA nephropathy(IgAN) have high serum IgA concentrations. However, we do not know if the degree of elevation in IgA level increases the likelihood of having IgAN. Neither do we know if the IgA level has any association with pathological findings of IgAN. METHODS: We analyzed the relationships between IgAN and the levels of serum IgA which has been a routine part of the study in all patients with glomerulonephritis in our institution for the last 4 years. We reviewed 270 patients in whom the pathological diagnosis and the results of their IgA levels were both available. RESULTS: Of 80 patients who were IgA nephropathy, 26 patients(32.5%) had higher than normal cut- off value of serum IgA(385 mg/dL). In contrast, 8.9 % of patients with other types of glomerulonephropathies showed the values above normal(p<0.0001). The risk ratio for an increase of one unit of the IgA level was 1.0025(logistic regression, p=0.0043), which was increased to 1.0079 when patients with low complement levels were excluded from the analysis. The data were also analyzed according to the immunofluorescence microscopic findings of IgAN, which were found to have no significant correlation with IgA concentrations. CONCLUSION: The IgA level is a risk factor for IgAN throughout the whole range. However, it does not correlate with the IgA deposition in the renal tissue. We believe that this study will help understanding the interpretation of IgA levels in patients with IgAN.
Complement System Proteins ; Diagnosis ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Glomerulonephritis ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A* ; Odds Ratio ; Risk Factors