OBJECTIVE: The structural alteration of brain shown in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) can originate from both alcohol effects and genetic or developmental processes. We compared surface-based parameters of patients with AUD with healthy controls to prove the applicability of surface-based morphometry with head size correction and to determine the areas that were sensitive to brain alteration related to AUD. METHODS: Twenty-six abstinent male patients with AUD (alcohol group, mean abstinence=13.2 months) and twenty-eight age-matched healthy participants (control group) were recruited from an inpatient mental hospital and community. All participants underwent a 3T MRI scan. Surface-based parameters were determined by using FreeSurfer. RESULTS: Every surface-based parameter of the alcohol group was lower than the corresponding control group parameter. There were large group differences in the whole brain, grey and white matter volume, and the differences were more prominent after head size correction. Significant group differences were shown in cortical thicknesses in entire brain regions, especially in parietal, temporal and frontal areas. There were no significant group differences in surface areas, but group difference trends in surface areas of the frontal and parietal cortices were shown after head size correction. CONCLUSION: Most of the surface-based parameters in alcohol group were altered because of incomplete recovery from chronic alcohol exposure and possibly genetic or developmental factors underlying the risk of AUD. Surface-based morphometry with controlling for head size is useful in comparing the volumetric parameters and the surface area to a lesser extent in alcohol-related brain alteration.
Brain* ; Head ; Healthy Volunteers ; Hospitals, Psychiatric ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male* ; Neuroimaging* ; Parietal Lobe ; Rabeprazole ; White Matter

Background: This study explored the clinical variables related to public workers' stress and anxiety regarding the viral epidemic, and the mediating effect of resilience on the relationship between their depression and anxiety in response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: A total of 938 public workers answered anonymous questionnaires in May 2020.The survey included rating scales such as the Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics-9 (SAVE-9), Patients Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale 2 items (CD-RISC 2), and subjects also answered whether they were employed in COVID-19 related fields. Results: Married, female, junior, public workers reported a higher level of stress and anxiety in response to the viral epidemic. Furthermore, high levels of stress and anxiety toward the epidemic are defined by high PHQ-9, high GAD-7, and low CD-RISC 2 scores. It could also be seen that resilience mediated the effect of depression in public workers and their stress and anxiety levels toward the epidemic. Conclusion It is important to reduce the psychological burden of public workers and manage their mental health to help them cope with the epidemic wisely and efficiently. Among many mental health factors, psychological resilience represents an essential target for psychological intervention among public workers.

Background: This study explored the clinical variables related to public workers' stress and anxiety regarding the viral epidemic, and the mediating effect of resilience on the relationship between their depression and anxiety in response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: A total of 938 public workers answered anonymous questionnaires in May 2020.The survey included rating scales such as the Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics-9 (SAVE-9), Patients Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale 2 items (CD-RISC 2), and subjects also answered whether they were employed in COVID-19 related fields. Results: Married, female, junior, public workers reported a higher level of stress and anxiety in response to the viral epidemic. Furthermore, high levels of stress and anxiety toward the epidemic are defined by high PHQ-9, high GAD-7, and low CD-RISC 2 scores. It could also be seen that resilience mediated the effect of depression in public workers and their stress and anxiety levels toward the epidemic. Conclusion It is important to reduce the psychological burden of public workers and manage their mental health to help them cope with the epidemic wisely and efficiently. Among many mental health factors, psychological resilience represents an essential target for psychological intervention among public workers.

PURPOSE: This study examined the diagnostic accuracy of an imaging study to find the factors that affect the presence of residual tumors after an unplanned excision of sarcomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-eight patients, who underwent a re-excision after unplanned surgery between January 2008 and December 2014, were enrolled in this study. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed before reoperation in all patients. Positron emission tomography (PET)-computed tomography was performed on 54 patients. A wide re-excision and histology diagnosis were performed in all cases. The clinical variables were evaluated using univariate logistic regression and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: The presence of a deep-seated tumor increases the risk of remnant tumors (odds ratio: 3.21, p=0.02, 95% confidence interval: 1.25–8.30). The sensitivity for detecting residual tumors is high in MRI (sensitivity 0.79). CONCLUSION: Deep-seated tumors have a significantly higher risk of remnant tumors. Because the negative predictive value of MRI and PET scans is very low, reoperation should be performed regardless of a negative result.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Reoperation ; Risk Factors ; Sarcoma

BACKGROUND: Acute renal failure (ARF) with severe loin pain and patchy renal vasoconstriction (PRV) is a syndrome presenting with sudden loin pain after anaerobic exercise. We aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and the efficacy of diagnostic imaging studies of patients with this syndrome. METHODS: We retrospectively selected 17 patients with ARF accompanied by loin or abdominal pain who showed multiple patchy wedge-shaped delayed contrast enhancements on a computerized tomography scan. Information about the clinical characteristics, including the nature of pain and combined symptoms, suspected causes, such as exercise, drug or alcohol intake, and renal hypouricemia, and the results of laboratory and imaging tests were gathered. RESULTS: The mean age of patients with episodes of ARF accompanied by loin pain was 23.0+/-6.5 (range 16-35) years old. Pain was mainly located in the loin (70.6%) or abdominal area (76.5%) and continued for approximately 3.5+/-4.0 days. Exercise was suspected as a primary cause of disease in 12 (70.6%) patients. Maximal serum creatinine was 5.42+/-3.16 (1.4-12.1) mg/dL 3.1+/-1.8 (1-7) days after the onset of pain. The peak level of serum uric acid was 9.41+/-2.91 (6.0-15.8) mg/dL. All of the patients recovered to near-normal renal function, and one patient showed hypouricemia after recovery. CONCLUSION: ARF with severe loin pain and PRV can present with loin or abdominal pain, even without a history of anaerobic exercise. Careful history taking and appropriate imaging studies are critical in the diagnosis and management of this syndrome.
Abdominal Pain ; Acute Kidney Injury ; Creatinine ; Diagnostic Imaging ; Humans ; Renal Tubular Transport, Inborn Errors ; Retrospective Studies ; Uric Acid ; Urinary Calculi ; Vasoconstriction

Background/Aims: Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is a risk factor for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Our recent study suggested that antiviral treatment may reduce the incidence of NHL in CHB patients. This study compared the prognoses of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients receiving antiviral treatment and HBV-unassociated DLBCL patients. Methods: This study comprised 928 DLBCL patients who were treated with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) at two referral centers in Korea. All patients with CHB received antiviral treatment. Time-to-progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS) were the primary and secondary endpoints, respectively. Results: Among the 928 patients in this study, 82 were hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive (the CHB group) and 846 were HBsAg-negative (the non-CHB group). The median follow-up time was 50.5 months (interquartile range [IQR]=25.6–69.7 months). Multivariable analyses showed longer TTP in the CHB group than the non-CHB group both before inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW; adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]=0.49, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.29–0.82, p=0.007) and after IPTW (aHR=0.42, 95% CI=0.26–0.70, p<0.001). The CHB group also had a longer OS than the non-CHB group both before IPTW (HR=0.55, 95% CI=0.33–0.92, log-rank p=0.02) and after IPTW (HR=0.53, 95% CI=0.32–0.99, log-rank p=0.02). Although liver-related deaths did not occur in the non-CHB group, two deaths occurred in the CHB group due to hepatocellular carcinoma and acute liver failure, respectively. Conclusions Our findings indicate that HBV-associated DLBCL patients receiving antiviral treatment have significantly longer TTP and OS after R-CHOP treatment than HBV-unassociated DLBCL patients.