Purpose: In an aging human population, vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) are frequently encountered, particularly in female, and the prevalence of sarcopenia is also high. This study analyzed the clinical characteristics of elderly female with sarcopenia and the relationship between vertebral sagittal spinal–pelvic parameters and osteoporotic VCFs. Materials and Methods: The database was searched retrospectively for 157 female aged 60 years or older who visited the Gachon University Gil Medical Center from October 2021 to September 2022. The subjects were divided into a VCF group (58 patients, 36.9%) and a non-fracture group (99 patients, 63.1%). The clinical characteristics, including age, body mass index (BMI), bone mineral density (BMD), relative skeletal muscle index (RSMI, sarcopenia<5.45 kg/m2 ), and sagittal spinopelvic parameters in the two groups were compared. Results: Patients with sarcopenia had a 2.94-fold higher risk of developing VCF compared to those without sarcopenia (odds ratio=2.94, p=0.009). In addition, the risk of VCF increased as the RSMI decreased (odds ratio=1.24, p=0.012). The RSMI showed significant associations with age, BMI, BMD, and sagittal spinopelvic parameters, including T1 pelvic angle (TPA), sagittal vertical axis, sacral slope, lumbar lordosis, and thoracic lumbar kyphosis. Multivariate regression analysis for VCF, RSMI, sarcopenia, and TPA showed significant results alongside BMI and BMD. Conclusion RSMI is an important indicator for diagnosing sarcopenia and can serve as a potential factor for predicting the risk of VCF.

Epidermal cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) is a tumor-associated antigen (TAA), which has been considered as a cancer vaccine candidate. The EpCAM protein fused to the fragment crystallizable region of immunoglobulin G (IgG) tagged with KDEL endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention signal (EpCAM-FcK) has been successfully expressed in transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi) and purified from the plant leaf. In this study, we investigated the ability of the plant-derived EpCAM-FcK (EpCAM-FcKP ) to elicit an immune response in vivo. The animal group injected with the EpCAM-FcKP showed a higher differentiated germinal center (GC) B cell population (~9%) compared with the animal group injected with the recombinant rhEpCAM-Fc chimera (EpCAM-FcM ). The animal group injected with EpCAM-FcKP (~42%) had more differentiated T follicular helper cells (Tfh) than the animal group injected with EpCAM-FcM (~7%). This study demonstrated that the plant-derived EpCAM-FcK fusion antigenic protein induced a humoral immune response in mice.

PURPOSE: To identify the prognostic factors related to tumor recurrence and progression in Korean patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected and analyzed for 2412 NMIBC patients from 15 centers who were initially diagnosed after transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) from January 2006 to December 2010. Using univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models, the prognostic value of each variable was evaluated for the time to first recurrence and progression. RESULTS: With a median follow-up duration of 37 months, 866 patients (35.9%) experienced recurrence, and 137 (5.7%) experienced progression. Patients with recurrence had a median time to the first recurrence of 10 months. Multivariable analysis conducted in all patients revealed that preoperative positive urine cytology (PUC) was independently associated with worse recurrence-free survival [RFS; hazard ratio (HR) 1.56; p<0.001], and progression-free survival (PFS; HR 1.56; p=0.037). In particular, on multivariable analysis conducted for the high-risk group (T1 tumor/high-grade Ta tumor/carcinoma in situ), preoperative PUC was an independent predictor of worse RFS (HR 1.73; p<0.001) and PFS (HR 1.96; p=0.006). On multivariable analysis in patients with T1 high-grade (T1HG) cancer (n=684), better RFS (HR 0.75; p=0.033) and PFS (HR 0.33; p<0.001) were observed in association with the administration of intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) induction therapy. CONCLUSION: A preoperative PUC result may adversely affect RFS and PFS, particularly in high-risk NMIBC patients. Of particular note, intravesical BCG induction therapy should be administered as an adjunct to TURBT in order to improve RFS and PFS in patients with T1HG cancer.
Aged ; Carcinoma in Situ/*mortality/*pathology/therapy ; Disease Progression ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/*mortality/*pathology ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/*mortality/*pathology/therapy

PURPOSE: A rapid growth in the socioeconomic status of Koreans has triggered an unprecedented explosion of health information for the general population. Despite its obvious benefits, this increase in information could also result in potentially harmful effects for both consumers and professionals who do not use it appropriately. Thus, this study was conducted to evaluate the quality and accuracy of health information on erectile dysfunction from 10 nationwide daily newspapers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study analyzed health information from 10 nationwide daily newspapers in Korea from January 2011 through December 2011. We reviewed the health information for quality by using evidence-based medicine tools and evaluated the accuracy of the information provided. Articles that simply summarized scientific congresses or journal articles and that did not include direct quotations were excluded, as were advertisements. RESULTS: A total of 47 articles were gathered. Among them, 27 (57.4%) contained inaccurate or misleading statements on the basis of an evidence-based medicine evaluation. These statements included using inappropriate surrogate outcomes as clinical endpoints (three cases, 6.4%), extrapolating nonhuman results to humans (two cases, 4.3%), exaggerating the significance of results (eight cases, 17.0%), and using incorrect words (14 cases, 29.8%). The rate of error was higher in the information from Korean sources than in that from international sources (22 cases vs. 5 cases). CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 57% of all articles on erectile dysfunction from 10 nationwide daily newspapers were found to contain inaccuracies.
Erectile Dysfunction* ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; Explosions ; Humans ; Korea* ; Male ; Periodicals* ; Social Class

Telomerase play a key role in the maintenance of telomere length and chromosome integrity. We have evaluated the association between telomerase activity and the risk of lung cancer in peripheral blood. Telomerase activity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was measured by a PCR-designed telomeric repeat amplification protocol in 63 lung cancer patients and 190 healthy controls that were matched for age, gender, and smoking status. Telomerase activity was significantly lower in the lung cancer patients than in controls (mean +/- standard deviation; 1.32 +/- 1.65 vs 2.60 +/- 3.09, P < 1 x 10(-4)). When telomerase activity was categorized into quartiles based on telomerase activity in the controls, the risk of lung cancer increased as telomerase activity reduced (Ptrend = 1 x 10(-4)). Moreover, when the subjects were categorized based on the median value of telomerase activity, subjects with low telomerase activity were at a significantly increased risk of lung cancer compared to subjects with high telomerase activity (adjusted odds ratio = 3.05, 95% confidence interval = 1.60-5.82, P = 7 x 10-4). These findings suggest that telomerase activity may affect telomere maintenance, thereby contributing to susceptibility to lung cancer.
Age Factors ; Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear/enzymology/immunology ; Lung Neoplasms/*enzymology/*etiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; Risk Factors ; Sex Factors ; Smoking ; Telomerase/*blood

BACKGROUND: Estrogens act on estrogen receptors distributed in articular cartilages, synovial membrane, and ligaments, which are thought to be related with degenerative changes. Meanwhile, progesterone is known to have a weak anabolic action on bone formation This study evaluates the effects of estrogen and progesterone hormone on bone/cartilage turnover in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. METHODS: Thirty-five 7-month-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups and then ovariectomized bilaterally except the sham control group. The first and the second group acting as controls did not receive hormonal therapy, the third group received estrogen, the fourth group received progesterone, and the fifth group received combination of both hormones 10 weeks after surgery. Evaluations were done using the serum levels of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) for cartilage turnover, collagen type I C-telopeptide (CTX-1) and osteocalcin (OC) for bone turnover at 11, 15, 19 weeks after OVX and histology using the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) osteoarthritis (OA) cartilage histopathology assessment system. RESULTS: Significantly less cartilage degradation (decreased levels of COMP) was found in the combined hormone treated group in comparison with OVX group. Similarly, both hormonal treatment resulted in increased bone formation and decreased bone resorption i.e., a low overall bone turnover status (decrease in the serum OC and CTX-1 levels). CONCLUSIONS: Combined estrogen and progesterone therapy was found to be convincing in terms of reducing the severity of OA in this experimental model.
Animals ; Biological Markers/blood/metabolism ; Bone Remodeling/*drug effects ; Bone and Bones/chemistry/drug effects ; Cartilage/chemistry/*drug effects ; Collagen Type I/blood/metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Estrogens/*pharmacology ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins/blood/metabolism ; Female ; Glycoproteins/blood/metabolism ; Histocytochemistry ; Hormone Replacement Therapy/*methods ; Osteoarthritis/blood/*drug therapy ; Osteocalcin/blood/metabolism ; Ovariectomy ; Progesterone/*pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

PURPOSE: We evaluated the usefulness of radiographic parameters for osteoporosis by analyzing the results of radiographic parameters determined by digital hip radiographs and bone mineral density T-scores, as assessed by Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors reviewed 100 subjects in the hip fracture group and 50 in the non-fracture control group. Digital hip radiographs were assessed to determine the values of Singh index, Canal-to-Calcar Ratio, and Cortical Thickness Index (CTI). Bone mineral density was assessed by DEXA. RESULTS: Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) results of the CTI were above 0.8 in the fracture group. Compared to the control group, the fracture group showed higher ICCs. Interobserver ICCs were especially lower in the control group. There were statistically significant correlations between CTI and DEXA (r=0.50~0.58, p<0.05). In the analysis of ROC curves, a mean threshold for CTI set a value of 0.54 (0.53~0.55), and mean sensitivity and specificity were 75.5% (69~79%) and 67.8% (65~78%), respectively. CONCLUSION: CTI showed reasonable reliability and correlation with DEXA results. CTI was a useful radiographic parameter to alert the surgeon to recommend referral for osteoporosis evaluation in elderly hip fracture patients.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Aged ; Bone Density ; Hip ; Humans ; Osteoporosis ; Referral and Consultation ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Damage to soft tissues, chondral surfaces, and the menisci may result from imprise or overly aggressive establishment of portals in arthroscopic knee surgeries. In this note, we address the relationship between the skin and the capsule at portal sites according to knee positions. Understanding the skin-capsular mismatch may facilitate arthroscopic procedures and indirectly reduce the operation time.
Arthroscopy ; Knee ; Skin

Rapidly destructive coxarthrosis may be caused by osteoarthritis, osteonecrosis of the femoral head and rheumatoid arthritis, but its etiology has not been clarified. Rapidly destructive coxarthrosis generally occurs in old age patients and the patients clinically show severe pain, but a relatively preserved range of motion. Rapidly destructive coxarthrosis is characterized by a rapid destruction, resorption and subluxation of the femoral head, destruction of the articular area in the acetabulum, above 50% or 2 mm/year loss of the joint space and minimal osteophyte formation. The radiologic changes are dramatic and they may mimic neuropathic or septic arthritis. We report here on three cases of rheumatoid arthritis that had acute destruction of the hip joint and rapid resorption of the femoral head, and we also review the relevant medical literature. We recommend taking repetitive radiographs for rheumatoid arthritis patients who suffer with continuing severe hip pain.
Acetabulum ; Arthritis, Infectious ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Head ; Hip ; Hip Joint ; Humans ; Hydrazines ; Joints ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteoarthritis, Hip ; Osteonecrosis ; Osteophyte ; Range of Motion, Articular