Parry-Romberg syndrome is a rare acquired disease of unknown etiology that is classically characterized by progressive atrophy of the skin, subcutaneous tissues, and underlying bone structures. Eyelid myokymia is a disorder of involuntary, fine, continuous, undulating muscle fiber contractions, which is seen as a rippling of the overlying periorbital area. We report a patient with Parry-Romberg syndrome presenting eyelid myokymia.

Background: and Purpose We performed a population-based study to determine the prevalence and incidence of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) in South Korea using data from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) database. Methods: Data recorded in the HIRA database between January 2016 and December 2020 were analyzed. The inclusion criteria in this study for patients with CIDP were a diagnostic code of G61.8 in the seventh and eighth revision of the Korean Standard Classification of Disease and a >3-month history of oral immunosuppressant use. The age-adjusted incidence rate and prevalence of CIDP in South Korea were also analyzed. Results: CIDP was newly diagnosed in 953 patients during the study period. The mean age at diagnosis was 58.36 years, and the male-to-female ratio was 1.74. The age-adjusted incidence rates were 0.22, 0.21, 0.23, 0.30, and 0.25 per 100,000 person-years in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, respectively. The age-adjusted prevalence was estimated at 1.16 per 100,000 persons in 2020. Age and the Elixhauser Comorbidity Index were associated with the in-hospital mortality of patients with CIDP. Infection and cardiovascular disease (CVD) were also significantly associated with the in-hospital mortality of those patients. Acute-onset CIDP was initially diagnosed in an estimated 101 out of 953 patients with CIDP. Conclusions The prevalence and incidence rates of CIDP in South Korea were comparable between this nationwide cohort study and previous studies. Common comorbidities such as CVD and diabetes should be appropriately monitored in patients with CIDP to prevent a poor prognosis and socioeconomic burden.

Purpose: Dietary habits are strongly related to the symptoms of people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Therefore, personalized nutrition management can help reduce symptoms and improve the quality of life of people with IBS. This study assessed the effectiveness of a personalized web-based nutrition management based on the types of food that trigger IBS symptoms. Methods: Sixty Korean adults with IBS according to Rome IV criteria in their 20s and 30s were enrolled in this study. The data from the final 49 patients who completed a three-month personalized nutrition intervention were analyzed. The general information, anthropometry, dietary intake survey, and gut microbiota were examined pre and post-intervention. The gut microbiota analysis included the relative abundance and the Shannon index. The food intake was recorded for two days for personalized nutrition education, followed by three months of personalized nutrition intervention. Statistical analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test in SPSS 26.0, with the significance set to p < 0.05. Results: The relative abundance of the gut microbiota changed after personalized nutrition management, with a significant decrease in the presence of Veillonella (p = 0.048). Furthermore, when the gut microbiota was analyzed according to the type of food that triggers symptoms, the diversity was increased significantly in the high fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs) type (p = 0.031) and FODMAPs-containing gluten-type personalized nutrition intervention types (p < 0.001). Conclusions Gut microbial diversity and gut microbiota distribution changed after using web-based personalized nutrition management. Hence, personalized nutrition management that considers trigger foods may improve IBS symptoms.

The aim of this study was to examine normal bronchi in dogs by using virtual bronchoscopy (VB) and to evaluate the utility of VB in clinical practice. The bronchi of six dogs without tracheobronchial disease were visualized by VB. Airways from the tracheal bifurcation to the lobar bronchi were well visualized in all dogs. Segmental and subsegmental bronchi were also well identified, but the degree and number of those varied with dog size. The mean numbers of segmental and subsegmental bronchi identified in the six dogs were 41.83 and 50.17, respectively, whereas, the mean numbers in medium- and large-sized dogs were 55.00 and 82.67, respectively, and in small-sized dogs, the means were 28.67 and 17.67, respectively. Although there were size-dependent differences in VB visualization of the bronchi, it was possible to identify peripheral airways to the subsegmental bronchi level, which can rarely be accomplished via conventional bronchoscopy. VB is the noninvasive method that can be used to examine bronchial anatomy, and our results suggest that VB can be useful for evaluating bronchi, including segmental and subsegmental ones that cannot be examined routinely by conventional bronchoscopy. Thus, VB has potential as an alternative to conventional bronchoscopy in the examination of bronchi in dogs.
Animals ; Bronchi ; Bronchoscopy* ; Dogs* ; Methods

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is generally known as selective involvement of central nervous system. However, in recent years, some evidences have been found that NMOSD invades other peripheral organs. Especially, skeletal muscle involvement of NMOSD has been documented scantily and further studies must be required. Here, we describe a patient who first had generalized fatigue, mild weakness, and myalgia with increased level of serum creatine kinase and was finally diagnosed with myopathy associated with NMOSD.
Central Nervous System ; Creatine Kinase ; Fatigue ; Humans ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Muscular Diseases ; Myalgia ; Myotonia ; Myotonic Disorders ; Neuromyelitis Optica

Objectives: Sarcopenia is one of the most representative factors of senescence, and nutritional status is known to affect sarcopenia. This study was performed to analyze the relationships between energy and protein intake and sarcopenia. Methods: The study subjects were 3,236 individuals aged ≥ 65 that participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2008 ~ 2011. General characteristics and anthropometric and 24-hour dietary recall data were analyzed. Sarcopenia was diagnosed using a formula based on appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) and body weight. Logistic regression was performed to determine relationships between sarcopenia risk and energy and protein intakes. Results: For energy intake, the odds ratio (OR) of sarcopenia in women was significantly higher those with the lowest intake [OR = 1.680, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.213-2.326] than those with the highest intake (P for trend = 0.001). Regarding protein intake per kg of body weight, the odds ratio of sarcopenia was significantly higher for those that consumed < 0.8 g/kg of protein daily than those that consumed > 1.2g/kg for men (OR = 2.459, 95% CI = 1.481-4.085) and women (OR = 2.178, 95% CI = 1.423-3.334). Conclusions This study shows a link between sarcopenia and energy and protein intake levels and suggests that energy and protein consumption be promoted among older adults to prevent sarcopenia.

Background: Quantitative evaluation of renal cortical echogenicity (RCE) has been tried anddeveloped in human and veterinary medicine. Objectives: The objective of this study was to propose a method for evaluating RCEquantitatively and intuitively, and to determine associations between ultrasonographic renalstructural distinction and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in canine chronickidney disease (CKD). Methods: Data were collected on 63 dogs, including 27 with normal kidney function and 36CKD patients. Symmetric dimethylarginine and creatinine concentrations were measuredfor calculating eGFR. RCE was evaluated as 3 grades on ultrasonography images accordingto the distinction between the renal cortex and outer medulla. The RCE grade of each kidneywas measured. Results: There was a significant difference in eGFR between the group normal and CKD (p< 0.001). As mean of RCE grades (the mean values of each right and left kidney's RCE grade)increases, the proportion of group CKD among the patients in each grade increases (p <0.001). Also, severity of RCE (classified as "high" if any right or left kidney evaluated as RCEgrade 3, "low" otherwise) and eGFR is good indicator for predicting group CKD (p < 0.001). Conclusions The degree of distinction between the renal cortex and the outer medulla isclosely related to renal function including eGFR and the RCE grade defined in this study canbe used as a method of objectively evaluating RCE.

Exercise is one of the most common stressors in horses. Although various physiological parameters such as cortisol respond to exercise, there is no reliable parameter for the measurement of exercise-induced stress in sport horses. This study was performed to discover a new biomarker with high sensitivity for exercise-induced stress. The expression of fos mRNA was increased more than 10-fold in horse blood samples collected after an hour of exercise, as compared with before the exercise. The plasma cortisol levels were also increased after the exercise, but only by about two-fold. The fos mRNA levels were well-correlated with plasma cortisol concentrations. These findings suggest that fos mRNA expression in blood may be useful for the measurement of exercise-induced stress in horses.
Horses* ; Hydrocortisone ; Plasma ; RNA, Messenger ; Sports

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to categorize surgery-related medical terminologies used in South and North Korea and to compare and analyze discrepancies observed in the terms. METHODS: This study collected medical terminology used in the North Korean medical book “Surgery” and compared it to medical terminology found in the medical glossary of South Korea. The order of the subtitle was described according to the Instruction to Authors. RESULTS: In total, there were 2,168 individual medical terms, of which only 1,004 words (46.3%) were identical to South Korean medical terms. There were 581 similar terms (26.8%), 265 different terms (12.2%), and 318 terms that are nonexistent in South Korea (14.7%). CONCLUSION: Less than half of the medical terms used in North Korea match those used in South Korea. It is expected that the prolongation of the current division of South and North Korea will only worsen this discrepancy. Further efforts to bridge the gap through academic exchange between South Korea and North Korea are required in preparation for an era of reunification.
Democratic People's Republic of Korea* ; Korea ; Republic of Korea