Purpose: Epidemiological data on injuries resulting from ice hockey and their management are lacking in Korea. A comprehensive analysis of such data is crucial for the effective prevention and management of ice hockey injuries. This study aimed to determine the epidemiological profile of ice hockey injuries and their management among elite Korean players. Methods: The descriptive epidemiological study involved three semiprofessional male ice hockey teams and used a retrospective self-reported questionnaire for assessment. The data collected included demographic characteristics such as player positions and stick-side preferences, injured body parts, injury types, treatment methods, and the decision-maker for returning to sports. Results: A total of 68 players were included in the study, of whom 58 (85.3%) experienced moderate-to-severe orthopedic injuries. Among the reported injuries, 93 (77.5%) occurred during the games, with player-to-player contact being the most frequent cause of such injuries. The decision to return to sports in 53 cases (44.2%) was made by the medical staff, whereas players and nonmedical staff made that decision in 67 cases (55.8%). The decision-making process of the medical staff for allowing players to return to sports was significantly associated with the player’s position and whether the injury required surgery. Conclusion The study emphasizes the high prevalence of orthopedic injuries among elite ice hockey players in Korea and the importance of injury prevention strategies. It also highlights the need for increased involvement of medical staff in return-to-play decisions to ensure successful recovery of players and their reintegration into the competition.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease, and the prevalence of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with fibrosis is increasing as the population with NAFLD ages. To date, lifestyle modifications including weight loss, increased physical activity, and dietary changes remain the treatment of choice for NAFLD because there are no approved effective pharmacologic agents. Increased physical activity has therapeutic effects on NAFLD by reducing hepatic fat independent of weight reduction. Indeed, even minimal physical activity below the recommended threshold may have a beneficial impact on NAFLD. Aerobic activity and resistance training have similar effects on NAFLD. Universal recommendations for the optimal intensity and dose of physical activity have not been established. Therefore, physical activity should be tailored based on a patient's clinical characteristics, comorbidities, and fitness capacity. Physical activity also prevents the development of NAFLD and may represent a valuable strategy for reducing the public health burden. However, there are insufficient data supporting the effects of physical activity on the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver to NASH with advanced fibrosis, and on extrahepatic disease-related morbidity and mortality. In this paper, we review the role of physical activity in the management of NAFLD.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: A low vitamin D level has been associated with metabolic syndrome and diabetes. However, an association between a low vitamin D level and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has not yet been definitively established. This study aimed to characterize the relationship between a vitamin D level and NAFLD in Korea. METHODS: A cross-sectional study involving 6,055 health check-up subjects was conducted. NAFLD was diagnosed on the basis of typical ultrasonographic findings and a history of alcohol consumption. RESULTS: The subjects were aged 51.7±10.3 years (mean±SD) and 54.7% were female. NAFLD showed a significant inverse correlation with the vitamin D level after adjusting for age and sex [odds ratio (OR)=0.85, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.75-0.96]. The age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of NAFLD decreased steadily with increasing vitamin D level [OR=0.74, 95% CI=0.60-0.90, lowest quintile (≤14.4 ng/mL) vs highest quintile (≥28.9 ng/mL), p for trend <0.001]. Multivariate regression analysis after adjusting for other metabolic factors revealed that NAFLD showed a significant inverse correlation with both the vitamin D level (>20 ng/mL) [OR=0.86, 95% CI=0.75-0.99] and the quintiles of the vitamin D level in a dose-dependent manner (p for trend=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The serum level of vitamin D, even when within the normal range, was found to be inversely correlated with NAFLD in a dose-dependent manner. Vitamin D was found to be inversely correlated with NAFLD independent of known metabolic risk factors. These findings suggest that vitamin D exerts protective effects against NAFLD.
Adult ; Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/blood/*diagnosis/diagnostic imaging ; Odds Ratio ; Regression Analysis ; Ultrasonography ; Vitamin D/*blood

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with a wide spectrum of metabolic abnormalities. This study aimed to evaluate whether NAFLD is associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) independent of other risk factors. Methods: A total of 3,508 subjects who underwent prostate and hepatic ultrasonography were enrolled. NAFLD was diagnosed and graded by ultrasonographic findings. BPH was defined by total prostate volume. Results: The prevalence of BPH was significantly increased according to NAFLD severity (P < 0.001). The multivariate analysis showed that NAFLD was associated with a 22% increase in the risk of BPH (odds ratio [OR], 1.22; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02–1.45). In non-obese subjects, NAFLD was associated with a 41% increase in the risk of BPH (OR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.14–1.73), and an incremental increase in the risk of BPH according to NAFLD severity was pronounced (adjusted OR [95% CI], 1.32 [1.05–1.68] for mild NAFLD, 1.55 [1.15–2.10] for moderate to severe NAFLD vs. no NAFLD, P for trend = 0.004). However, in the obese population, the association of NAFLD in the risk of BPH was insignificant (P = 0.208). Conclusion NAFLD is associated with an increased risk of BPH regardless of metabolic syndrome, especially in non-obese subjects. An incrementally increased risk of BPH according to NAFLD severity is prominent in non-obese subjects with NAFLD. Thus, physicians caring for non-obese patients with NAFLD may consider assessing the risk of BPH and associated urologic conditions.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Serum bilirubin exerts antioxidant and cytoprotective effects. In addition, elevated serum bilirubin levels are associated with a decreased risk of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. However, few studies have evaluated whether serum bilirubin is associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is closely associated with other metabolic diseases. The aim of this study was thus to elucidate the association between serum total bilirubin levels and NAFLD. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 17,348 subjects undergoing a routine health check-up was conducted. Subjects positive for hepatitis B or hepatitis C virus, or with other hepatitis history were excluded. NAFLD was diagnosed on the basis of typical ultrasonographic findings and an alcohol consumption of less than 20 g/day. RESULTS: The mean age of the subjects was 49 years and 9,076 (52.3%) were men. The prevalence of NAFLD decreased steadily as the serum bilirubin level increased in both men and women (P<0.001 for both). Multivariate regression analysis adjusted for other metabolic risk factors showed that serum bilirubin level was inversely associated with the prevalence of NAFLD [odds ratio (OR)=0.88, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.80-0.97]. Furthermore, there was an inverse, dose-dependent association between NAFLD and serum total bilirubin levels (OR=0.83, 95% CI=0.75-0.93 in the third quartile; OR=0.80, 95% CI=0.71-0.90 in the fourth quartile vs. lowest quartile, P for trend <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Serum bilirubin levels were found to be inversely associated with the prevalence of NAFLD independent of known metabolic risk factors. Serum bilirubin might be a protective marker for NAFLD.
Adult ; Alcohol Drinking ; Bilirubin/*blood ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; DNA, Viral/blood ; Fatty Liver/complications/epidemiology/*ultrasonography ; Female ; Hepatitis B/complications ; Hepatitis C/complications ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; RNA, Viral/blood ; Regression Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Young Adult