Background and Objectives: Early diastolic mitral annular tissue (e’) velocity is a commonly used marker of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic implications of e’ velocity in patients with mitral regurgitation (MR). Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 1,536 consecutive patients aged <65 years with moderate or severe chronic primary MR diagnosed between 2009 and 2018. The primary and secondary outcomes were all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, respectively.According to the current guidelines, the cut-off value of e’ velocity was defined as 7 cm/s. Results: A total of 404 individuals were enrolled (median age, 51.0 years; 64.1% male; 47.8% severe MR). During a median 6.0-year follow-up, there were 40 all-cause mortality and 16 cardiovascular deaths. Multivariate analysis revealed a significant association between e’ velocity and all-cause death (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.770; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.634–0.935; p=0.008) and cardiovascular death (aHR, 0.690; 95% CI, 0.477–0.998;p=0.049). Abnormal e’ velocity (≤7 cm/s) independently predicted all-cause death (aHR, 2.467; 95% CI, 1.170–5.200; p=0.018) and cardiovascular death (aHR, 5.021; 95% CI, 1.189–21.211; p=0.028), regardless of symptoms, LV dimension and ejection fraction. Subgroup analysis according to sex, MR severity, mitral valve replacement/repair, and symptoms, showed no significant interactions. Including e’ velocity in the 10-year risk score improved reclassification for mortality (net reclassification improvement [NRI], 0.154; 95% CI, 0.308– 0.910; p<0.001) and cardiovascular death (NRI, 1.018; 95% CI, 0.680–1.356; p<0.001). Conclusions In patients aged <65 years with primary MR, e’ velocity served as an independent predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular deaths.

Alternative complement pathway dysregulation plays a key role in glomerulonephritis (GN) and is associated with C3 deposition. Herein, we examined pathological and clinical differences between cases of primary GN with C3-dominant (C3D-GN) and nondominant (C3ND-GN) deposition. Methods: We extracted primary GN data from the Korean GlomeruloNEphritis sTudy (KoGNET). C3D-GN was defined as C3 staining two grades greater than C1q, C4, and immunoglobulin via immunofluorescence analysis. To overcome a large difference in the number of patients between the C3D-GN and C3ND-GN groups (31 vs. 9,689), permutation testing was used for analysis. Results: The C3D-GN group exhibited higher serum creatinine (p ≤ 0.001), a greater prevalence of estimated glomerular filtration rate of <60 mL/min/1.72 m2 (p ≤ 0.001), higher (but not significantly so) C-reactive protein level, and lower serum C3 level (p ≤ 0.001). Serum albumin, urine protein/creatinine ratio, number of patients who progressed to end-stage renal disease, and all-cause mortality were comparable between groups. Interstitial fibrosis and mesangial cellularity were greater in the C3D-GN group (p = 0.04 and p = 0.01, respectively) than in the C3ND-GN group. C3 deposition was dominant in the former group (p < 0.001), in parallel with increased subendothelial deposition (p ≤ 0.001). Conclusion: Greater progression of renal injury and higher mortality occurred in patients with C3D-GN than with C3ND-GN, along with pathologic differences in interstitial and mesangial changes.

Background and Objectives: The prognostic or safety implication of renin-angiotensinaldosterone system inhibitors (RASi) in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are not well established, mainly due to concerns regarding left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction aggravation. We investigated the implications of RASi in a sizable number of HCM patients. Methods: We enrolled 2,104 consecutive patients diagnosed with HCM in 2 tertiary university hospitals and followed up for five years. RASi use was defined as the administration of RASi after diagnostic confirmation of HCM. The primary and secondary outcomes were all-cause mortality and hospitalization for heart failure (HHF). Results: RASi were prescribed to 762 patients (36.2%). During a median follow-up of 48.1months, 112 patients (5.3%) died, and 94 patients (4.5%) experienced HHF. Patients using RASi had less favorable baseline characteristics than those not using RASi, such as older age, more frequent history of comorbidities, and lower ejection fraction. Nonetheless, there was no difference in clinical outcomes between patients with and without RASi use (log-rank p=0.368 for all-cause mortality and log-rank p=0.443 for HHF). In multivariable analysis, patients taking RASi showed a comparable risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 0.70, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.43–1.14, p=0.150) and HHF (HR, 1.03, 95% CI, 0.63–1.70, p=0.900). In the subgroup analysis, there was no significant interaction of RASi use between subgroups stratified by LVOT obstruction, left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction, or maximal LV wall thickness. Conclusions RASi use was not associated with worse clinical outcomes. It might be safely administered in patients with HCM if clinically indicated.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical experience with arthroscopic debridement for septic arthritis of the shoulder joint and to report on our patient outcomes. Methods: The retrospective analysis included 36 shoulders (male:female, 15:21), contributed by 35 patients (mean age, 63.8 years) treated by arthroscopy for septic arthritis of the shoulder between November 2003 and February 2016. The mean follow-up period was 14.3 months (range, 12–33 months). An additional posterolateral portal and a 70º arthroscope was used to access the posteroinferior glenohumeral (GH) joint and posteroinferior subacromial (SA) space, respectively. Irrigation was performed with a large volume of fluid (25.1±8.1 L). Multiple suction drains (average, 3.3 drains) were inserted into the GH joint and SA space and removed 8.9±4.3 days after surgery. Intravenous antibiotics were administered for 3.9±1.8 weeks after surgery, followed by oral antibiotic treatment for another 3.6±1.9 weeks. Results: Among the 36 shoulders, reoperation was required in two cases (5.6%). The average range of motion achieved was 150.0º for forward flexion and T9 for internal rotation. The mean simple shoulder test score was 7.9±3.6 points. Nineteen shoulders (52.8%) had acupuncture or injection history prior to the infection. Pathogens were identified in 15 shoulders, with Staphylococcus aureus being the most commonly identified pathogen (10/15). Both the GH joint and the SA space were involved in 21 shoulders, while 14 cases involved only the GH joint and one case involved only the SA space. Conclusions Complete debridement using an additional posterolateral portal and 70º arthroscope, a large volume of irrigation with >20 L of saline, and multiple suction drains may reduce the reoperation rate.

BACKGROUND: In the present multi-institutional study, the prevalence and clinicopathologic characteristics of non-invasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP) were evaluated among Korean patients who underwent thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).METHODS: Data from 18,819 patients with PTC from eight university hospitals between January 2012 and February 2018 were retrospectively evaluated. Pathology reports of all PTCs and slides of potential NIFTP cases were reviewed. The strict criterion of no papillae was applied for the diagnosis of NIFTP. Due to assumptions regarding misclassification of NIFTP as non-PTC tumors, the lower boundary of NIFTP prevalence among PTCs was estimated. Mutational analysis for BRAF and three RAS isoforms was performed in 27 randomly selected NIFTP cases.RESULTS: The prevalence of NIFTP was 1.3% (238/18,819) of all PTCs when the same histologic criteria were applied for NIFTP regardless of the tumor size but decreased to 0.8% (152/18,819) when tumors ≥1 cm in size were included. The mean follow-up was 37.7 months and no patient with NIFTP had evidence of lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, or disease recurrence during the follow-up period. A difference in prevalence of NIFTP before and after NIFTP introduction was not observed. BRAF(V600E) mutation was not found in NIFTP. The mutation rate for the three RAS genes was 55.6% (15/27).CONCLUSIONS: The low prevalence and indolent clinical outcome of NIFTP in Korea was confirmed using the largest number of cases to date. The introduction of NIFTP may have a small overall impact in Korean practice.
Carcinoma, Papillary ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Genes, ras ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Korea ; Lymph Nodes ; Mutation Rate ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pathology ; Prevalence ; Protein Isoforms ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroidectomy

Investigations into the development of new therapeutic agents for lung inflammatory disorders have led to the discovery of plant-based alternatives. The rhizomes of Anemarrhena asphodeloides have a long history of use against lung inflammatory disorders in traditional herbal medicine. However, the therapeutic potential of this plant material in animal models of lung inflammation has yet to be evaluated. In the present study, we prepared the alcoholic extract and derived the saponin-enriched fraction from the rhizomes of A. asphodeloides and isolated timosaponin A-III, a major constituent. Lung inflammation was induced by intranasal administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to mice, representing an animal model of acute lung injury (ALI). The alcoholic extract (50–200 mg/kg) inhibited the development of ALI. Especially, the oral administration of the saponin-enriched fraction (10–50 mg/kg) potently inhibited the lung inflammatory index. It reduced the total number of inflammatory cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Histological changes in alveolar wall thickness and the number of infiltrated cells of the lung tissue also indicated that the saponin-enriched fraction strongly inhibited lung inflammation. Most importantly, the oral administration of timosaponin A-III at 25–50 mg/kg significantly inhibited the inflammatory markers observed in LPS-induced ALI mice. All these findings, for the first time, provide evidence supporting the effectiveness of A. asphodeloides and its major constituent, timosaponin A-III, in alleviating lung inflammation.
Acute Lung Injury ; Administration, Intranasal ; Administration, Oral ; Alcoholics ; Anemarrhena* ; Animals* ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Herbal Medicine ; Humans ; Lung* ; Mice ; Models, Animal* ; Plants ; Pneumonia* ; Rhizome*

Lymphangiomas are malformations of the lymphatic system accounting for approximately 5% of all benign tumors in infants and children. Abdominal lymphangiomas are rare, and can arise from either the retroperitoneum, gastrointestinal tract, or the mesentery of the abdominal viscera. Lymphangioma involving the whole mesentery is particularly rare. Most lymphangiomas are detected during infancy or childhood, but intraabdominal lymphangiomas such as mesentery are not found until adulthood. We report here on a patient with uncommon lymphangioma involving the whole mesentery who presented with fever and abdominal pain. This patient is unusual because he was confirmed through core needle biopsy which showed variable sized lymphatic spaces representing a immunoreactive for D2-40 antibody with involvement of the whole mesentery. No cases of mesenteric lymphangioma confirmed preoperatively have been previously reported in Korea.
Abdominal Pain ; Biopsy, Large-Core Needle* ; Child ; Fever ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Infant ; Korea ; Lymphangioma* ; Lymphatic System ; Mesentery* ; Viscera

BACKGROUND: Data regarding the prescription status of individuals with diabetes are limited. This study was an analysis of participants from the relationship between cardiovascular disease and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity in patients with type 2 diabetes (REBOUND) Study, which was a prospective multicenter cohort study recruited from eight general hospitals in Busan, Korea. We performed this study to investigate the current status of prescription in Korean type 2 diabetic patients. METHODS: Type 2 diabetic patients aged 30 years or more were recruited and data were collected for demographics, medical history, medications, blood pressure, and laboratory tests. RESULTS: Three thousands and fifty-eight type 2 diabetic patients were recruited. Mean age, duration of diabetes, and HbA1c were 59 years, 7.6 years, and 7.2%, respectively. Prevalence of hypertension was 66%. Overall, 7.3% of patients were treated with diet and exercise only, 68.2% with oral hypoglycemic agents (OHAs) only, 5.3% with insulin only, and 19.2% with both insulin and OHA. The percentage of patients using antihypertensive, antidyslipidemic, antiplatelet agents was similar as about 60%. The prevalence of statins and aspirin users was 52% and 32%, respectively. CONCLUSION: In our study, two thirds of type 2 diabetic patients were treated with OHA only, and one fifth with insulin plus OHA, and 5% with insulin only. More than half of the patients were using each of antihypertensive, antidyslipidemic, or antiplatelet agents. About a half of the patients were treated with statins and one third were treated with aspirin.
Aspirin ; Blood Pressure ; Busan ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cohort Studies ; Demography ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Diet ; Drug Therapy ; Hospitals, General* ; Humans ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors ; Hypertension ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; Insulin ; Korea ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; Prescriptions* ; Prevalence ; Prospective Studies ; Pulse Wave Analysis

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is an oncogenic virus in cervical cancer and most invasive carcinomas (ICs) are caused by HPV16 and 18. However, the roles and contributions of other uncommon and rare genotypes remain uncertain. METHODS: HPV genotypes were retrospectively assessed using an HPV DNA chip that can specify up to 32 HPV genotypes. We arbitrarily regarded genotypes accounting for less than 6% of the total as uncommon and rare genotypes. RESULTS: A total of 3,164 HPV-positive cases were enrolled. In groups 2A, 2B, 3, and unclassified HPV genotypes, 2.4% of cases with uncommon HPV genotypes (68, 26, 34, 53, 66, 69, 70, 73, 40, 42, 43, 44, 54, 55, 61, 62, 6, and 11) showed high grade squamous intraepithelial lesions and ICs. There were no HPV32- and 57-infected cases. CONCLUSIONS: We found that the uncommon and rare HPV genotypes may provide incremental etiologic contributions in cervical carcinogenesis, especially HPV68, 70, and 53. Further studies on these uncommon and rare HPV genotypes will be of importance in establishing the significance of genotypes in different regions, especially in planning a strategy for further vaccine development as well as follow-up on the effectiveness of the currently used vaccines.
Carcinogenesis ; Cervix Uteri ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Genotype* ; Humans* ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Oncogenic Viruses ; Retrospective Studies ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; Vaccines

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between thyroid hormone levels and infarct severity in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed thyroid hormone levels, infarct severity, and the extent of transmurality in 40 STEMI patients evaluated via contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: The high triiodothyronine (T3) group (> or = 68.3 ng/dL) exhibited a significantly higher extent of transmural involvement (late transmural enhancement > 75% after administration of gadolinium contrast agent) than did the low T3 group (60% vs. 15%; p = 0.003). However, no significant difference was evident between the high- and low-thyroid-stimulating hormone/free thyroxine (FT4) groups. When the T3 cutoff level was set to 68.3 ng/dL using a receiver operating characteristic curve, the sensitivity was 80% and the specificity 68% in terms of differentiating between those with and without transmural involvement. Upon logistic regression analysis, high T3 level was an independent predictor of transmural involvement after adjustment for the presence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and the use of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (odds ratio, 40.62; 95% confidence interval, 3.29 to 502; p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: The T3 level predicted transmural involvement that was independent of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor use and DM positivity.
Aged ; Area Under Curve ; Biological Markers/blood ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Contrast Media/diagnostic use ; Coronary Angiography ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Myocardial Infarction/blood/*diagnosis/pathology/radiography ; Myocardium/*pathology ; Odds Ratio ; Predictive Value of Tests ; ROC Curve ; Retrospective Studies ; Severity of Illness Index ; Thyroxine/blood ; Triiodothyronine/*blood