Background: Mid-facial aging is associated with various changes, particularly around the lower eyelid, where these changes manifest as herniation of orbital fat, sagging of soft tissue around the zygoma, and the tear trough deformity. We improved the lower eyelid contour via transconjunctival orbital fat removal and the use of either an autologous fat graft or filler injection. Methods: Between June 2016 and July 2018, 100 patients aged 23–48 years underwent autologous fat grafts (group A: 50 patients, 100 eyes) or filler injections (group B: 50 patients, 100 eyes). The mean follow-up period was approximately 3 months. The results of surgery were evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS) to assess patient satisfaction and with preoperative and postoperative scores determined by three plastic surgeons according to the grading system for lower eyelid contour deformity devised by Barton et al. Results: The mean VAS score was 8.48 in group A and 8.92 in group B, but the difference was not statistically significant. The percentage of postoperative improvement from preoperative grade I deformity to grade 0 was 97.7% in group A and 100% in group B. The percentage of improvement from preoperative grade II deformity to grade 0 was 96.0% in group A and 96.1% in group B, and the percentage of improvement from grade III deformity to grade 0 in was 66.7% in group A and 75% in group B. Conclusions Filler injection can be an alternative to fat grafting for improvement of the lower eyelid contour after transconjunctival orbital fat removal.

Acromegaly is a chronic disorder caused by excessive growth hormone (GH) secretion. In most cases, the excess GH originates from GH-producing pituitary adenomas. Surgery is the preferred first-line treatment for patients with acromegaly, but medical management is considered when the disease persists after surgery or in cases where patients refuse surgery or are poor candidates for surgery. Somatostatin analogues are commonly used to treat acromegaly. The Korean Endocrine Society and the Korean Neuroendocrine Study Group have developed a position statement for the use of somatostatin analogues in the medical treatment of acromegaly. This position statement is based on evidence from the current literature and expert opinions. In the case of discrepancies among expert opinions, the experts voted to determine the recommended approach.
Acromegaly ; Expert Testimony ; Growth Hormone ; Humans ; Octreotide ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; Somatostatin

The Korean Endocrine Society (KES) published clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of acromegaly in 2011. Since then, the number of acromegaly cases, publications on studies addressing medical treatment of acromegaly, and demands for improvements in insurance coverage have been dramatically increasing. In 2017, the KES Committee of Health Insurance decided to publish a position statement regarding the use of somatostatin analogues in acromegaly. Accordingly, consensus opinions for the position statement were collected after intensive review of the relevant literature and discussions among experts affiliated with the KES, and the Korean Neuroendocrine Study Group. This position statement includes the characteristics, indications, dose, interval (including extended dose interval in case of lanreotide autogel), switching and preoperative use of somatostatin analogues in medical treatment of acromegaly. The recommended approach is based on the expert opinions in case of insufficient clinical evidence, and where discrepancies among the expert opinions were found, the experts voted to determine the recommended approach.
Acromegaly ; Consensus ; Expert Testimony ; Insurance Coverage ; Insurance, Health ; Octreotide ; Somatostatin

Acromegaly is a chronic disorder caused by excessive growth hormone (GH) secretion. In most cases, the excess GH originates from GH-producing pituitary adenomas. Surgery is the preferred first-line treatment for patients with acromegaly, but medical management is considered when the disease persists after surgery or in cases where patients refuse surgery or are poor candidates for surgery. Somatostatin analogues are commonly used to treat acromegaly. The Korean Endocrine Society and the Korean Neuroendocrine Study Group have developed a position statement for the use of somatostatin analogues in the medical treatment of acromegaly. This position statement is based on evidence from the current literature and expert opinions. In the case of discrepancies among expert opinions, the experts voted to determine the recommended approach.

BACKGROUND: The clinical utility of ankle-brachial index (ABI) is not clear in subjects with less severe or calcified vessel. Therefore, we investigated the usefulness of color Doppler ultrasonography for diagnosing peripheral artery disease (PAD) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) subjects. METHODS: We analyzed 324 T2DM patients who concurrently underwent ABI and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) measurements and color Doppler ultrasonography from 2003 to 2006. The degree of stenosis in patients with PAD was determined according to Jager's criteria, and PAD was defined as grade III (50% to 99% stenosis) or IV stenosis (100% stenosis) by color Doppler ultrasonography. Logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were performed to evaluate the risk factors for PAD in patients with ABI 0.91 to 1.40. RESULTS: Among the 324 patients, 77 (23.8%) had ABI 0.91 to 1.40 but were diagnosed with PAD. Color Doppler ultrasonography demonstrated that suprapopliteal arterial stenosis, bilateral lesions, and multivessel involvement were less common in PAD patients with ABI 0.91 to 1.40 than in those with ABI ≤0.90. A multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that older age, current smoking status, presence of leg symptoms, and high CIMT were significantly associated with the presence of PAD in patients with ABI 0.91 to 1.40 after adjusting for conventional risk factors. CIMT showed significant power in predicting the presence of PAD in patients with ABI 0.91 to 1.40. CONCLUSION: Color Doppler ultrasonography is a useful tool for the detection of PAD in T2DM patients with ABI 0.91 to 1.40 but a high CIMT.
Ankle Brachial Index ; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Leg ; Logistic Models ; Peripheral Arterial Disease ; Risk Factors ; ROC Curve ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study aimed to investigate whether the apolipoprotein (Apo) B/ApoA-I ratio is associated with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) subjects with low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels less than 100 mg/dL. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 845 subjects aged with T2DM 40 to 75 years who had visited Huh's Diabetes Center in Seoul, Republic of Korea for CIMT measurement. Traditional fasting lipid profiles, ApoB and ApoA-I levels were examined. CIMT was measured at three points on the far wall of 1 cm long section of the common carotid artery in the proximity of the carotid bulb. The mean value of six measurements from right and left carotid arteries were used as the mean CIMT. In this study, carotid atherosclerosis was defined as having a focal plaque or diffuse thickening of the carotid wall (mean CIMT ≥ 1.0 mm). RESULTS: The prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis increased with ApoB/ApoA-I ratio. The ApoB/ApoA-I ratio, expressed as both quartiles (odds ratio [OR], 2.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21 to 3.79; p for trend = 0.014) and continuous values (OR, 10.05; 95% CI, 3.26 to 30.97; p < 0.001), was significantly associated with a higher risk for carotid atherosclerosis, regardless of conventional cardiovascular disease risk factors. The optimal ApoB/ApoA-I ratio cutoff value for detecting carotid atherosclerosis was 0.57, based on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis with a sensitivity of 58.0% and a specificity of 55.1%. CONCLUSIONS A high ApoB/ApoA-I ratio was significantly associated with carotid atherosclerosis in T2DM patients with LDL-C levels less than 100 mg/dL.

PURPOSE: Chemerin has been suggested to be linked to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the relationship between visceral adiposity and chemerin levels remains unclear in subjects with T2DM. In this study, we investigated the relationship between serum chemerin levels and visceral adiposity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 102 subjects newly diagnosed with T2DM. The relationships between serum chemerin levels and clinical and biochemical parameters were examined. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine the predictable factors of serum chemerin levels. RESULTS: Serum chemerin levels showed significant positive correlations with body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), visceral fat thickness (VFT), insulin levels, the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, and levels of triglycerides (log-transformed) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, while showing significant negative correlations with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. After adjusting for BMI and WC, VFT showed a significant relationship with serum chemerin levels (r=0.222, p=0.027). Moreover, VFT was an independent predictive factor of serum chemerin levels (β=0.242, p=0.041). CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that chemerin is linked to metabolic syndrome components. Moreover, serum chemerin levels were associated significantly with obesity, especially visceral adipose tissue, in subjects with T2DM.
Adiposity* ; Body Mass Index ; C-Reactive Protein ; Cholesterol ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Homeostasis ; Insulin ; Insulin Resistance ; Intra-Abdominal Fat ; Linear Models ; Lipoproteins ; Obesity ; Triglycerides ; Waist Circumference*

BACKGROUND: Improvements in the degree of marginal reflex distance 1 (MRD1) were compared before and after use of the frontalis transfer (FT) method and closed silicone rod frontalis suspension surgery (SS) for severe blepharoptosis under general or local anesthesia with or without minimal sedation. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records and photographs of 76 patients who had visited our institute between 2006 and 2013 because of severe blepharoptosis with poor levator function and treated by the same senior doctor. RESULTS: In total, 104 eyes (63 patients) were included after applying exclusion criteria; 71 eyes (44 patients) were corrected using FT, and 33 eyes (19 patients) were corrected using the frontalis sling method with a silicone rod. Among the general FT, local FT, general SS, and local SS groups, the mean preoperative MRD1 was not significantly different. Postoperative MRD1 was highest in the local FT group. CONCLUSIONS: Both FT and SS positively increased MRD1, regardless of the anesthesia used; however, the change in MRD1 of the general SS group was the lowest (1.11+/-0.848 mm). Further, general FT, local FT, and local SS groups had an approximate 2 mm or greater increase in the differences between postoperative and preoperative MRD1. Specifically, the local FT group had a definite positive correlation with postoperative MRD1.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, Local ; Blepharoptosis ; Eyelids ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Reflex ; Silicon* ; Silicones*

BACKGROUND: Correction of unilateral blepharoptosis is unexpectedly difficult because healthy eye is often affected by Hering's law. METHODS: We measured changes of marginal reflex distance (MRD1) on the unaffected eyelids between preoperative and 3-month postoperative photographs after ptosis correction. This study analyzed 134 unilateral blepharoptosis patients with ptosis correction from February 2002 to February 2011. Fifty patients among them were negative in Hering's law dependence test. From the preoperative and postoperative photographs the MRD1 of unaffected upper eyelids were measured and adjusted with the average pupil diameter of Koreans. Mean age was 34.4 and male was 30 and female was 20. Average follow-up periods were 14 months. RESULTS: Thirteenth unaffected eyes (26%) showed decreased MRD1, and 3 patients (6%) showed decreased MRD1 value over 1.0 mm. Then 3 patients needed additional operations for correction of preoperatively unaffected but ptotic eyelids. CONCLUSION: There were no meaningful data statistically in the value of MRD1 in every unaffected eye of the patients and in the difference between preoperative and postoperative MRD1 of groups divided according to severity, causes, and types of operation.
Blepharoptosis ; Eye ; Eyelids ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Jurisprudence ; Male ; Neurophysiology ; Pupil ; Reflex

PURPOSE: The nasal bone fracture is known as the most common facial fracture, with the postoperative results and the patient's satisfaction known to be lower than other facial fractures. The patient's satisfaction is firstly related to the accurate comprehension of the spatial relationship in the fractured nasal bone and secondly to the accurate reduction based on accurate comprehension. The aim of this study is to evaluate the objective usefulness of the three-dimensional (3D) imaging. METHODS: The survey was conducted on 10 randomly selected cases of nasal bone fractures among the 46 cases with 3D computed tomography (CT) during the past one year. It was requested upon 4 plastic residents and 4 plastic surgeons to draw 3D aspect of fractured nasal bone directly on the printed photos of cadaver nasal bone, based on simple X-ray and twodimensional (2D) CT. They were compared with the real fractured nasal bone aspects based on the 3D image and marked the difference in the 10-point scale of 0 to 10. RESULTS: The average score of the 4 residents was 1.62 and that of the 4 surgeons was 4.47 out of 10 by simple X-ray. The average score of the 4 residents was 5.67 and that of the 4 surgeons was 7.25 out of 10 by 2D CT. CONCLUSION: It was surmised that the precise analysis and accurate comprehension of the spatial relationship of the fractured nasal bone using the 3D image, as based on the 2D CT images, can produce more favorable satisfaction levels in the patients.
Cadaver ; Comprehension ; Facial Bones ; Humans ; Nasal Bone