BACKGROUND: Meralgia paresthetica (MP) is a mononeuropathy affecting the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. The disease is often diagnosed clinically, but electrophysiological tests play an important role. The aim of this study is to clarify clinical characteristics of MP as well as the role of sensory nerve conduction study (NCS) in the diagnosis of MP. METHODS: Sixty-five consecutive patients with clinical diagnosis of MP between March 2001 and June 2012 were retrospectively reviewed at a single tertiary center. General demographics, clinical characteristics and sensory NCS findings were investigated. Measurements of sensory NCS included the baseline-to-peak amplitude, side-to-side amplitude ratio and the conduction velocity. To compare between the normal and abnormal NCS groups, independent t-tests and chi-square test were performed. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients had male predominance (56.9%) with mean age of 48.4+/-13.4 years (range: 16-75). Seven patients (13.5%) had undergone operation or procedure before the symptom onset. The sensory nerve action potentials were obtainable in 52 (80%) of 65 clinically diagnosed MP patients. Sensory NCS revealed abnormalities in 38 patients (73.1%), and others (n=14, 26.9%) showed normal findings. Between the normal and abnormal NCS groups, there is no statistically significant difference on demographics or clinical features. CONCLUSIONS: We clarify the clinical features and sensory NCS findings of MP patients. Due to several limitations of sensory NCS, the diagnosis of MP could be accomplished both clinically and electrophysiologically.
Action Potentials ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Demography ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Male ; Mononeuropathies ; Neural Conduction ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Echocardiography*

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to analyze the socioeconomic factors that affect atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk.METHODS: We used data from 3,704 individuals between 40 and 79 years of age, who participated in the Korean National Health Examination and Nutrition Survey in 2016. Socioeconomic groups were categorized by income and education level. We analyzed the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) from logistic regression for the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk in each group.RESULTS: Using logistic regression analysis, the odds ratios and 95% CIs of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk based on high, middle, and low socioeconomic factors were 1.0, 1.597 (95% CI, 1.279–1.993), and 5.689 (95% CI, 4.030–8.032), respectively. The results after adjusting for covariates (age, gender, obesity, alcohol consumption) also showed statistical significance.CONCLUSION: We conclude that socioeconomic factors such as income and education level are correlated with increased atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk.
Cardiovascular Diseases ; Education ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Nutrition Surveys ; Obesity ; Odds Ratio ; Socioeconomic Factors

A 59-year-old male presented with multiple hyperpigmented skin with hyperkeratotic scaly patches on hands, feet and face. Bismuth containing compound had been prescribed two months before then due to epigastric pain, an adverse effect of steroid pulse therapy for acute rejection of transplanted kidney. Laboratory findings showed acute kidney injury and elevated liver enzyme. He stopped taking bismuth containing compound and all symptoms were gone after two months. Although there is no report on interaction between bismuth and immunosuppressant, it requires precaution to prescribe bismuth containing compounds in transplanted patients with acute kidney injury.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Bismuth ; Foot ; Hand ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; Kidney ; Kidney Transplantation ; Liver ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rejection (Psychology) ; Skin ; Transplants

Background: Muscle strength has been suggested as a cardiovascular marker. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between hand grip strength and biomarkers of cardiovascular disease in the Korean population. Methods: A total of 9,083 participants aged 20–80 years from Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2015–2016 were investigated. Results: Among men, both relative and dominant hand grip strength showed a positive association with diastolic blood pressure in those aged 65–80 years (95% confidence interval, P-value of dominant and relative hand grip strength: β=0.06, 0.01; P<0.05). Among women, relative and dominant hand grip strength showed a positive relationship to diastolic blood pressure in those aged 20–64 years (β=0.06, 0.01; P<0.001). Body mass index was positively associated with dominant hand grip strength in younger women (β=0.18, P<0.05), whereas it was positively associated with relative hand grip strength in all sex and age groups. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein showed a negative association with relative and dominant hand grip strength in all women, although the same association was observed only in younger men. Diabetes was inversely related to hand grip strength in younger women and men. Conclusion Increased hand grip strength may be associated with lower C-reactive protein in women and with less risk of diabetes in the Korean adult population. Further prospective studies are needed for the determination of causality between cardiometabolic markers and hand grip strength.

In November 2021, 14 international travel-related severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) B.1.1.529 (omicron) variant of concern (VOC) patients were detected in South Korea. Epidemiologic investigation revealed community transmission of the omicron VOC. A total of 80 SARS-CoV-2 omicron VOC-positive patients were identified until December 10, 2021 and 66 of them reported no relation to the international travel.There may be more transmissions with this VOC in Korea than reported.