Purpose: To study the short-term intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering effect and optic nerve head (ONH) blood flow improvement after switching from latanoprost 0.005% w/v to latanoprostene bunod 0.024% w/v. Methods: This prospective study ran from May 2022 to December 2022 and included 40 patients with open-angle glaucoma who switched from latanoprost 0.005% w/v to latanoprostene bunod 0.024% w/v. The IOP, ONH blood flow, and conjunctival hyperemia, corneal erosion, and eyelid pigmentation status were measured 3 months after switching. We recorded all possible side effects. Results: The baseline IOP significantly dropped from 17.53 ± 6.49 to 16.00 ± 8.06 mmHg at 3 months (p = 0.032). The best-corrected visual acuity did not significantly change (0.24 ± 0.19 to 0.23 ± 0.16); neither did eyelid pigmentation (1.16 ± 0.78 to 1.16 ± 0.82) nor the corneal erosion score (0.58 ± 0.85 to 0.39 ± 0.76). Conjunctival hyperemia significantly decreased from 2.00 ± 0.69 to 1.67 ± 0.63 (p = 0.010). Neither the whole-image vessel density nor the peripapillary vessel density significantly changed. However, pruritus became significantly worse after the change (p = 0.008). Conclusions In the short term, latanoprostene bunod 0.024% w/v lowered the IOP more effectively than did latanoprost 0.005% w/v. However, there was no significant change in ONH blood flow after the switch.

Purpose: The corona virus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in mandatory masking of patients and physicians during outpatient visits. This study evaluated the changes in intraocular pressure (IOP) according to mask use. Methods: This prospective study enrolled 30 healthy volunteers (60 eyes). IOP was measured via Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT) for the subjects wearing one of four commonly used masks: dental, bi-folding Korean Filter (KF)94, tri-folding KF94, and dust masks. Subjects with IOP measurement errors of more than 5 mmHg were rechecked with another GAT type. Results: The mean IOP measured via GAT before mask wearing was 13.7 ± 1.7 mmHg. It was 13.5 ± 2.1, 14.0 ± 2.3, 14.3 ± 2.5, and 13.8 ± 1.6 mmHg with the dental, bi-folding KF94, tri-folding KF94, and dust masks, respectively. There were no significant differences in IOP according to mask type (p = 0.635). IOP errors above 5 mmHg were detected in three subjects who had contact between the GAT feeler arm and tri-folding KF94 mask during IOP measurement. Conclusions The IOP as measured via GAT is artificially elevated by mechanical interference from the tri-fold KF94 mask. To minimize such mask-induced artifacts in GAT measurements, compress the patient’s mask or change the mask type to prevent any contact during measurement.

Korean Society of Thyroid-Head and Neck Surgery appointed a Task Force to provide guidance on the implementation of a surgical treatment of oral cancer. MEDLINE databases were searched for articles on subjects related to “surgical management of oral cancer” published in English. Results were restricted to systematic reviews, randomized control trials/controlled clinical trials, and observational studies. The quality of evidence was rated with use RoBANS (Risk of Bias Assessment Tool for Nonrandomized Studies) and AMSTAR (A Measurement Tool to Assess the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews). Evidence-based recommendations for practice were ranked according to the American College of Physicians grading system. Additional directives are provided as expert opinions and Delphi questionnaire when insufficient evidence existed. The Committee developed 68 evidence-based recommendations in 34 categories intended to assist clinicians and patients and counselors, and health policy-makers. Proper surgical treatment selection for oral cancer, which is directed by patient- and subsite-specific factors, remains the greatest predictor of successful treatment outcomes. These guidelines are intended for use in conjunction with the individual patient's treatment goals.
Advisory Committees ; Bias (Epidemiology) ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Counseling ; Expert Testimony ; Humans ; Mouth Neoplasms ; Neck ; Republic of Korea

In this study, the marker compounds of Curcumae Rhizoma (CR) were simultaneously quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with a photodiode array detector and the anti-inflammatory effects of CR extract and marker compounds in human benign prostatic hyperplasia epithelial-1 (BPH-1) cell lines were investigated. The marker components (4S,5S)-(+)-germacrone-4,5-epoxide, furanodienone, and germacrone, were separated on Gemini C₁₈ columns (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 µm) at 40 ℃ by using a gradient of two mobile phases eluting at 1.0 mL/min. Prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) levels in Human BPH-1 cells were determined with an ELISA kit. The coefficients of determination in a calibration curve of each analyte were all 0.9997. The limits of detection and quantification of the three compounds were 0.10 – 0.32 µg/mL and 0.30 – 0.98 µg/mL, respectively. The content of three compounds, (4S,5S)-(+)-germacrone-4,5-epoxide, furanodienone, and germacrone, in the CR sample were found to be 5.79 – 5.92 mg/g, 4.72 – 4.86 mg/g, and 1.06 – 1.09 mg/g, respectively. Regarding pharmacological activity against benign prostatic hyperplasia, CR and its components significantly suppressed PGE₂ levels of BPH-1 cells. The established analysis method will help to improve quality assessment of CR samples and related products. In addition, CR and its components exhibit anti-inflammatory activity in BPH-1 cells, suggesting the inhibitory efficacy of these compounds against the pathogenesis of BPH.
Calibration ; Cell Line ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Curcuma ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Limit of Detection ; Methods ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Rhizome

No abstract available.
Heart Neoplasms ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation* ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells* ; Leukemia ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma* ; Recurrence* ; Stem Cell Transplantation

PURPOSE: We evaluated the role of adjuvant therapy in stage IIIA endometrioid adenocarcinoma patients who underwent surgery followed by radiotherapy (RT) alone or chemoradiotherapy (CTRT) according to risk group. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A multicenter retrospective study was conducted including patients with surgical stage IIIA endometrial cancertreated by radical surgery and adjuvant RT or CTRT. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed. RESULTS: Ninety-three patients with stage IIIA disease were identified. Nineteen patients (20.4%) experienced recurrence, mostly distant metastasis (17.2%). Combined CTRT did not affect DFS (74.1% vs. 82.4%, p=0.130) or OS (96.3% vs. 91.9%, p=0.262) in stage IIIA disease compared with RT alone. Patients with age ≥ 60 years, grade G2/3, and lymphovascular space involvement had a significantly worse DFS and those variables were defined as risk factors. The high-risk group showed a significant reduction in 5-year DFS (≥ 2 risk factors) (49.0% vs. 88.0%, p < 0.001) compared with the low-risk group (< 2). Multivariate analysis confirmed that more than one risk factor was the only predictor of worse DFS (hazard ratio, 5.45; 95% confidence interval, 2.12 to 13.98; p < 0.001). Of patients with no risk factors, a subset treated with RT alone showed an excellent 5-year DFS and OS (93.8% and 100%, respectively). CONCLUSION: We identified a low-risk subset of stage IIIA endometrioid adenocarcinoma patients who might be reasonable candidates for adjuvant RT alone. Further randomized studies are needed to determine which subset might benefit from combined CTRT.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Carcinoma, Endometrioid ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Chemoradiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Disease-Free Survival ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; Female ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Radiotherapy ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: Chronic use of topical hypotensive agents induces several side effects caused by preservatives. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of prostaglandin analogs with varying concentrations of benzalkonium chloride (BAC), preservative-free (PF), and alternative preservatives on mouse corneal tissue. METHODS: Thirty-five, 8- to 10-week-old female C57BL/6 mice (five mice for each group) were used for this study. To the control group, we applied normal saline, and to each drug-treated group we applied 0.02% BAC, bimatoprost 0.01% (with BAC 0.02%), latanoprost 0.005% (with BAC 0.02%), travoprost 0.004% (with 0.001% polyquad) or tafluprost 0.0015% with/without 0.001% BAC, once a day (9 p.m.) for 4 weeks. Corneal fluorescein staining was evaluated in all groups. After harvest, the corneal tissues were embedded in paraffin and then Hematoxylin-Eosin stain was performed for histopathological examination. Immunofluorescence staining was done against TNF-alpha, IL-6, HLA DR, pJNK, and pAkt. RESULTS: In corneal fluorescein staining, severe punctate epithelial keratitis was seen in the groups of 0.02% BAC, 0.02% BAC containing bimatoprost 0.01% and latanoprost 0.005%. The surface desquamation, irregular surface, loss of cell borders, anisocytosis and stromal shrinkage were observed in the groups of BAC-containing eye drops. Moreover, the groups treated with BAC-containing eye drops have high inflammatory markers, significantly decreased cell viability-related signal, pAkt, and higher apoptosis-inducing signal, pJNK, than the control group. On the other hand, travoprost 0.004% and PF tafluprost 0.0015% have less cellular morphologic changes, lower inflammation, and higher cellular viability than BAC-containing formulations. CONCLUSIONS: Corneal damage, increased inflammation and apoptosis and low cell viability were observed in BAC-containing groups. PF or alternatively preserved glaucoma medications seem to be a reasonable and viable alternative to those preserved with BAC.
Animals ; Cell Survival ; Conjunctiva/drug effects/*pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Epithelium, Corneal/drug effects/*pathology ; Female ; Glaucoma/*drug therapy/pathology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Ophthalmic Solutions ; Preservatives, Pharmaceutical ; Prostaglandins, Synthetic/*administration & dosage

PURPOSE: We evaluated the prognostic significance of T3 subtypes and the role of adjuvant radiotherapy in patients with resected the American Joint Committee on Cancer stage IIB T3N0M0 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: T3N0 NSCLC patients who underwent resection from January 1990 to October 2009 (n = 102) were enrolled and categorized into 6 subgroups according to the extent of invasion: parietal pleura chest wall invasion, mediastinal pleural invasion, diaphragm invasion, separated tumor nodules in the same lobe, endobronchial tumor <2 cm distal to the carina, and tumor-associated collapse. RESULTS: The median overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were 55.3 months and 51.2 months, respectively. In postoperative T3N0M0 patients, the tumor size was a significant prognostic factor for survival (OS, p = 0.035 and DFS, p = 0.035, respectively). Patients with endobronchial tumors within 2 cm of the carina also showed better OS and DFS than those in the other T3 subtypes (p = 0.018 and p = 0.016, respectively). However, adjuvant radiotherapy did not cause any improvement in survival (OS, p = 0.518 and DFS, p = 0.463, respectively). Only patients with mediastinal pleural invasion (n = 25) demonstrated improved OS and DFS after adjuvant radiotherapy (n = 18) (p = 0.012 and p = 0.040, respectively). CONCLUSION: The T3N0 NSCLC subtype that showed the most favorable prognosis is the one with endobronchial tumors within 2 cm of the carina. Adjuvant radiotherapy is not effective in improving survival outcome in resected T3N0 NSCLC.
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* ; Diaphragm ; Disease-Free Survival ; Humans ; Joints ; Pleura ; Prognosis ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant* ; Thoracic Wall

Leflunomide, a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug, is effective for rheumatoid arthritis as monotherapy or combination therapy with methotrexate. The most common adverse effects are diarrhea, dyspepsia, nausea, abdominal pain, oral ulcer, hepatotoxicity, skin rash, hypertension, weight loss, and interstitial lung disease. The occurrence of pulmonary cryptococcosis in leflunomide treatment has not been reported in Korea. A 74-year-old woman was admitted to hospital due to asymptomatic pulmonary nodule. She was diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis and treated with leflunomide 5 months ago due to treatment failure with methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine, and sulfasalazine. Chest radiograph and computed tomography showed solitary pulmonary nodule in her right lower lung. Pulmonary cryptococcosis was confirmed by needle biopsy of lung stained with Gomori methenamine silver and mucicarmine. The lesion was improved after antifungal therapy for 3 months.
Abdominal Pain ; Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Biopsy, Needle ; Cryptococcosis* ; Diarrhea ; Dyspepsia ; Exanthema ; Female ; Humans ; Hydroxychloroquine ; Hypertension ; Korea ; Lung ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; Methenamine ; Methotrexate ; Nausea ; Oral Ulcer ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Solitary Pulmonary Nodule ; Sulfasalazine ; Treatment Failure ; Weight Loss

Rituximab is a chimeric murine-human monoclonal antibody that is directed against the specific B-cell CD20 antigen, which has recently been successfully used in active or refractory systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) manifestations, such as nephritis, thrombocytopenia, and vasculitis. We report a case of a 25-year-old woman diagnosed with diffuse alveolar hemorrhage of SLE refractory to steroid pulse therapy. The patient was treated successfully with rituximab as a part of the immunosuppressive regimen.
Adult ; Antigens, CD20 ; B-Lymphocytes ; Female ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Nephritis ; Thrombocytopenia ; Vasculitis ; Rituximab