Growth hormone (GH) is crucial for childhood growth and body composition. In pediatric GH deficiency (pGHD), the pituitary gland fails to produce sufficient GH, which affects linear growth in childhood. pGHD is conventionally treated with daily recombinant human GH (rhGH); however, because GH therapy lasts throughout childhood, adherence to daily rhGH treatment can be low, resulting in suboptimal effectiveness. Somatrogon is a long-acting GH analog designed to address the challenges associated with daily GH therapy for pGHD. Somatrogon administered once per week is a potential alternative to daily GH therapy. The use of somatrogon is supported by phase II and III clinical trials demonstrating that once-weekly injections are noninferior to once-daily somatropin injections in terms of efficacy, safety, and tolerability and have the advantage of reduced treatment burden. This review summarizes the clinical trials of somatrogon and discusses the therapeutic profile and effects of treating pGHD with reduced injection frequency.

Growth hormone (GH) is crucial for childhood growth and body composition. In pediatric GH deficiency (pGHD), the pituitary gland fails to produce sufficient GH, which affects linear growth in childhood. pGHD is conventionally treated with daily recombinant human GH (rhGH); however, because GH therapy lasts throughout childhood, adherence to daily rhGH treatment can be low, resulting in suboptimal effectiveness. Somatrogon is a long-acting GH analog designed to address the challenges associated with daily GH therapy for pGHD. Somatrogon administered once per week is a potential alternative to daily GH therapy. The use of somatrogon is supported by phase II and III clinical trials demonstrating that once-weekly injections are noninferior to once-daily somatropin injections in terms of efficacy, safety, and tolerability and have the advantage of reduced treatment burden. This review summarizes the clinical trials of somatrogon and discusses the therapeutic profile and effects of treating pGHD with reduced injection frequency.

Growth hormone (GH) is crucial for childhood growth and body composition. In pediatric GH deficiency (pGHD), the pituitary gland fails to produce sufficient GH, which affects linear growth in childhood. pGHD is conventionally treated with daily recombinant human GH (rhGH); however, because GH therapy lasts throughout childhood, adherence to daily rhGH treatment can be low, resulting in suboptimal effectiveness. Somatrogon is a long-acting GH analog designed to address the challenges associated with daily GH therapy for pGHD. Somatrogon administered once per week is a potential alternative to daily GH therapy. The use of somatrogon is supported by phase II and III clinical trials demonstrating that once-weekly injections are noninferior to once-daily somatropin injections in terms of efficacy, safety, and tolerability and have the advantage of reduced treatment burden. This review summarizes the clinical trials of somatrogon and discusses the therapeutic profile and effects of treating pGHD with reduced injection frequency.

Rare endocrine diseases are complex conditions that require lifelong specialized care due to their chronic nature and associated long-term complications. In Korea, a lack of nationwide data on clinical practice and outcomes has limited progress in patient care. Therefore, the Multicenter Networks for Ideal Outcomes of Pediatric Rare Endocrine and Metabolic Disease (OUTSPREAD) study was initiated. This study involves 30 centers across Korea. The study aims to improve the long-term prognosis of Korean patients with rare endocrine diseases by collecting comprehensive clinical data, biospecimens, and patient-reported outcomes to identify complications and unmet needs in patient care. Patients with childhood-onset pituitary, adrenal, or gonadal disorders, such as craniopharyngioma, congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), and Turner syndrome were prioritized. The planned enrollment is 1,300 patients during the first study phase (2022–2024). Clinical, biochemical, and imaging data from diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up during 1980–2023 were retrospectively reviewed. For patients who agreed to participate in the prospective cohort, clinical data and biospecimens will be prospectively collected to discover ideal biomarkers that predict the effectiveness of disease control measures and prognosis. Patient-reported outcomes, including quality of life and depression scales, will be evaluated to assess psychosocial outcomes. Additionally, a substudy on CAH patients will develop a steroid hormone profiling method using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to improve diagnosis and monitoring of treatment outcomes. This study will address unmet clinical needs by discovering ideal biomarkers, introducing evidence-based treatment guidelines, and ultimately improving long-term outcomes in the areas of rare endocrine and metabolic diseases.

Purpose: This study compared COVID-19 vaccination intentions in those with and without chronic diseases (CDs and non-CDs) in South Korea. We hypothesized that the factors associated with COVID-19 vaccination intentions would differ between CDs and non-CDs in South Korea. Methods: Using survey data collected through a Korean online panel in June 2021, we conducted a crosssectional secondary data analysis. Of the 2292 participants, 411 had at least one chronic disease. To construct a comparable dataset, we selected non-CDs via a 1:1 case-control matching for age and gender.We then utilized a multivariable binary logistic regression model to explore the factors contributing to COVID-19 vaccination intentions in CDs and non-CDs. Results: All told, over 75% of participants in both groups indicated that they intended to vaccinate against COVID-19. In both groups, those who mistrusted general vaccine benefits reported significantly lower COVID-19 vaccination intentions. Regarding factors associated with vaccination intentions, CDs identified anxiety regarding coronavirus and exposure to COVID-19 vaccination promotions at the community level, while non-CDs highlighted hesitancy regarding vaccines and confidence in government/health services. Conclusion Improving vaccination acceptance will require the development and implementation of tailored approaches for CDs and non-CDs and efforts to minimize general vaccine mistrust.

Rare endocrine diseases are complex conditions that require lifelong specialized care due to their chronic nature and associated long-term complications. In Korea, a lack of nationwide data on clinical practice and outcomes has limited progress in patient care. Therefore, the Multicenter Networks for Ideal Outcomes of Pediatric Rare Endocrine and Metabolic Disease (OUTSPREAD) study was initiated. This study involves 30 centers across Korea. The study aims to improve the long-term prognosis of Korean patients with rare endocrine diseases by collecting comprehensive clinical data, biospecimens, and patient-reported outcomes to identify complications and unmet needs in patient care. Patients with childhood-onset pituitary, adrenal, or gonadal disorders, such as craniopharyngioma, congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), and Turner syndrome were prioritized. The planned enrollment is 1,300 patients during the first study phase (2022–2024). Clinical, biochemical, and imaging data from diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up during 1980–2023 were retrospectively reviewed. For patients who agreed to participate in the prospective cohort, clinical data and biospecimens will be prospectively collected to discover ideal biomarkers that predict the effectiveness of disease control measures and prognosis. Patient-reported outcomes, including quality of life and depression scales, will be evaluated to assess psychosocial outcomes. Additionally, a substudy on CAH patients will develop a steroid hormone profiling method using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to improve diagnosis and monitoring of treatment outcomes. This study will address unmet clinical needs by discovering ideal biomarkers, introducing evidence-based treatment guidelines, and ultimately improving long-term outcomes in the areas of rare endocrine and metabolic diseases.

Purpose: This study compared COVID-19 vaccination intentions in those with and without chronic diseases (CDs and non-CDs) in South Korea. We hypothesized that the factors associated with COVID-19 vaccination intentions would differ between CDs and non-CDs in South Korea. Methods: Using survey data collected through a Korean online panel in June 2021, we conducted a crosssectional secondary data analysis. Of the 2292 participants, 411 had at least one chronic disease. To construct a comparable dataset, we selected non-CDs via a 1:1 case-control matching for age and gender.We then utilized a multivariable binary logistic regression model to explore the factors contributing to COVID-19 vaccination intentions in CDs and non-CDs. Results: All told, over 75% of participants in both groups indicated that they intended to vaccinate against COVID-19. In both groups, those who mistrusted general vaccine benefits reported significantly lower COVID-19 vaccination intentions. Regarding factors associated with vaccination intentions, CDs identified anxiety regarding coronavirus and exposure to COVID-19 vaccination promotions at the community level, while non-CDs highlighted hesitancy regarding vaccines and confidence in government/health services. Conclusion Improving vaccination acceptance will require the development and implementation of tailored approaches for CDs and non-CDs and efforts to minimize general vaccine mistrust.

Pediatric differentiated thyroid cancers (DTCs), mostly papillary thyroid cancer (PTC, 80-90%), are diagnosed at more advanced stages with larger tumor sizes and higher rates of locoregional and/or lung metastasis. Despite the higher recurrence rates of pediatric cancers than of adult thyroid cancers, pediatric patients demonstrate a lower mortality rate and more favorable prognosis. Considering the more advanced stage at diagnosis in pediatric patients, preoperative evaluation is crucial to determine the extent of surgery required. Furthermore, if hereditary tumor syndrome is suspected, genetic testing is required. Recommendations for pediatric DTCs focus on the surgical principles, radioiodine therapy according to the postoperative risk level, treatment and follow-up of recurrent or persistent diseases, and treatment of patients with radioiodine-refractory PTCs on the basis of genetic drivers that are unique to pediatric patients.

Differentiated thyroid cancer demonstrates a wide range of clinical presentations, from very indolent cases to those with an aggressive prognosis. Therefore, diagnosing and treating each cancer appropriately based on its risk status is important. The Korean Thyroid Association (KTA) has provided and amended the clinical guidelines for thyroid cancer management since 2007. The main changes in this revised 2024 guideline include 1) individualization of surgical extent according to pathological tests and clinical findings, 2) application of active surveillance in low-risk papillary thyroid microcarcinoma, 3) indications for minimally invasive surgery, 4) adoption of World Health Organization pathological diagnostic criteria and definition of terminology in Korean, 5) update on literature evidence of recurrence risk for initial risk stratification, 6) addition of the role of molecular testing, 7) addition of definition of initial risk stratification and targeting thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations according to ongoing risk stratification (ORS), 8) addition of treatment of perioperative hypoparathyroidism, 9) update on systemic chemotherapy, and 10) addition of treatment for pediatric patients with thyroid cancer.

Background: Chronic cough is a common symptom encountered by healthcare practitioners.The global prevalence of chronic cough is 9.6%, with a female predominance. The aim of our study is to reveal the sex differences in prevalence and severity of chronic cough in South Korea, stratified by age and etiology. Methods: This study included adult patients with chronic cough who were recruited from 19 respiratory centers in South Korea. Patients completed the cough numeric rating scale (NRS) and COugh Assessment Test (COAT) questionnaire to assess the severity and multidimensional impact of cough. Results: Among the 625 patients, 419 (67.0%) were females, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:2.03. The mean age was 49.4 years, and the median duration of cough was 12 weeks. The mean NRS and COAT scores were 5.5 ± 1.8 and 9.5 ± 3.6, respectively. Female patients were older (45.3 ± 15.4 vs. 51.6 ± 15.2, P < 0.001) and more likely to have asthma/cough variant asthma (CVA) (26.7% vs. 40.8%, P = 0.001) than male patients. There was no difference in the duration or severity of cough between sexes, regardless of the cause. The male-tofemale ratio was lower for upper airway cough syndrome (UACS), asthma/CVA, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), but not for eosinophilic bronchitis (EB) or unexplained cough. The mean age of female patients was higher in UACS and asthma/CVA, but not in EB, GERD, or unexplained cough. The majority (24.2%) fell within the age category of 50s. The proportion of females with cough increased with age, with a significant rise in the 50s, 60s, and 70–89 age groups. The severity of cough decreased in the 50s, 60s, and 70–89 age groups, with no significant sex differences within the same age group. Conclusion The sex disparities in prevalence and severity of cough varied significantly depending on the age category and etiology. Understanding the specific sex-based difference could enhance comprehension of cough-related pathophysiology and treatment strategies.