In this article, on page 173, the title has been spelled incorrectly.

The name of author should be corrected as the following: from "Min Hwang" to "So Min Hwang".

Objective: With the increase in the elderly population worldwide, there has been a corresponding increase in the proportion of elderly patients who visit the emergency department (ED). Therefore, research on the elderly not only aids in the treatment of diseases but also assists in the efficient utilization of limited medical resources. Respiratory symptoms are one of the most common and sometimes life-threatening symptoms in elderly patients. Knowing the factors that can predict the prognosis in advance can help with rapid diagnosis and immediate treatment. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted from September 2019 to March 2020 at an ED in an urban area. Patients with respiratory symptoms who were treated in the critical care area of the ED were reviewed. The ED clinical data were compared with the outcomes in the ED. Results: A total of 750 patients were screened, of which 703 were elderly patients. Many clinical factors showed variations between the elderly and non-elderly patients. Oxygen volume, elevated lactate level, elevated troponin level, hypocalcemia, and hypothermia were related with ED death or ICU admission among the elderly. Conclusion We identified several clinical factors with respect to elderly ED patients with respiratory symptoms that were related to the clinical outcomes and can be used for decision-making and prediction of poor outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking is an important modifiable cardiovascular risk factor, which is known to acutely increase arterial stiffness. But the chronic effects of smoking on arterial stiffness are still controvertial. We studied the effects of chronic cigarette smoking on arterial stiffness in Korean subjects. METHODS: Our subjects included those >18 years of age (n=2685, 991 females) who had undergone a pulse wave velocity from July 2004 to June 2008. They were classified into two groups, smokers (n=641) and non-smokers (n=2044). In addition to the pulse wave velocity (PWV), we reviewed the highly sensitive C-reactive protein levels in a random manner when it was available. RESULTS: Males were predominant in the smokers group. Smokers had significantly higher heart-femoral PWVs than non-smokers (1083.6+/-264.1 cm/sec vs. 1041.3+/-257.3 cm/sec; p<0.001). There was no linear relationship between smoking duration and PWV (r= -0.225, p=0.506) even after adjusting for age, sex, and body mass index. Furthermore, there was no difference in the ankle-brachial index between the two groups. On the multivariate regression analysis, age, male gender, hypertension, and diabetes were independent predictors of increased arterial stiffness. CONCLUSION: In this study, chronic cigarette smoking increased central arterial stiffness in Korean subjects.
Ankle Brachial Index ; Body Mass Index ; C-Reactive Protein ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Korea ; Male ; Pulse Wave Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Tobacco Products ; Vascular Stiffness

Penetrating facial wounds are uncommon and are usually life threatening because of the possibility of brain damage. There are three possible pathways for penetrating the cranium through the orbit: via the orbital roof, via the superior orbital fissure, or between the optic canal and lateral wall of the orbit. Brain injuries resulting from the penetrating wounds show extensive parenchymal damage, hemorrhage, and brain edema. Transorbital penetrating wounds can lead to diverse lesions of the optical apparatus, including the eye globe, the optical nerve, and the chiasm. Moreover, intracerebral structures may be hurt, and bleeding and infection may occur. Early diagnosis and prompt debridement are the fundamental factors affecting the outcome of a penetrating facial wound. An 87-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department with a grinder impacted into the medial aspect of the right eye. On presentation, the man was fully conscious with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 15 and complained of a visual disturbance of the right eye. Computed tomography demonstrated a right orbital medial and inferior wall fracture, a frontal bone fracture, and a contusional hemorrhage in frontal lobe of the brain. A craniotomy with hematoma removal and repair of the orbital floor was done. He showed no neurological deficits except right visual loss. This appears to be the first report of a man with a penetrating facial wound caused by a grinder, who presented with a potentially disastrous craniocerebral injury that did not lead to any serious neurological seguelae.
Aged, 80 and over ; Brain ; Brain Edema ; Brain Injuries ; Contusions ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Craniotomy ; Debridement ; Early Diagnosis ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Frontal Bone ; Frontal Lobe ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Orbit ; Skull ; Wounds and Injuries* ; Wounds, Penetrating

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Although human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) transplantation has been known to improve ventricular function, the potential proarrhythmic effects have not yet been studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We monitored the heart rhythm of 6 dogs for 4 weeks after transplantation of hMSC (1x10(7), epicardial injection) (hMSC group) and in 5 Sham dogs after the injection of the vehicle alone. Cardiac sympathetic nerve sprouting {nerve growth factor (NGF)-beta; tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)} and gap junction expression {connexin (Cx) 43} were evaluated in 10 dogs (5 hMSC and 5 Sham) that survived longer than 4 weeks. RESULTS: The hMSC group expressed higher levels of NGF-beta messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) (56.0+/-66.8 fold; p<0.01) with TH+ sympathetic nerves (0.51+/-0.40 vs. 0.15+/-0.13% area; p<0.03) than the Sham control. In contrast, the hMSC group expressed lower levels of Cx43 mRNA (0.59+/-0.29 fold, p<0.001) and Cx43+ (1.64+/-1.79 vs. 2.12+/-1.07% area, p<0.001) than the Sham control. The incidences of ventricular fibrillation were 33.3% and 0% in the hMSC group and Sham control, respectively. One of the dogs with ventricular fibrillation (VF) in the hMSC group died suddenly. CONCLUSION: hMSC transplantation may be proarrhythmic since NGF-beta expression increased with cardiac sympathetic hyperinnervation and the expression of Cx43 and the gap junction decreased.
Animals ; Connexin 43 ; Dogs ; Gap Junctions ; Heart ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Nerve Growth Factor ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger ; Salicylamides ; Tachycardia, Ventricular ; Transplants ; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase ; Ventricular Fibrillation ; Ventricular Function

Blepharoplasty is one of the most common anti-aging operations. Although rare, complications such as ectropion may occur. Thus, we introduced an operative technique to prevent ectropion of the lower lid after blepharoplasty. From January 2012 to August 2013, we performed a nonincisional suspension suture (NISS) technique for 30 patients who visited our clinic for lower blepharoplasty. These patients had a distance of greater than 7 mm on the distraction test and were suspected of having horizontal lid laxity. We performed a slit incision 3 mm superior to the junction between the lateral epicanthus and the orbital bone during lower blepharoplasty. We passed a 7-0 nylon suture through the subcutaneous layer and the orbicularis oculi muscle. Then, we punctured the tarsal plate at the lateral limbus and fixed it to the lateral orbital rim by puncturing the periosteum. We tied a suspension knot through the slit incision. Thirty patients had satisfactory results without major complications, such as scleral exposure or ectropion. The NISS technique could be an effective method by which to prevent postoperative ectropion in cases with a mild to moderate degree lower lid laxity. The use of a NISS procedure is also a simple surgical technique, which saves time and is minimally invasive.
Blepharoplasty* ; Ectropion* ; Eyelids* ; Humans ; Nylons ; Orbit ; Periosteum ; Surgical Procedures, Minimally Invasive ; Sutures*

BACKGROUND: Phlebotomy performed for laboratory testing has the potential to cause anemia in newborns and infants. This study investigated the minimum specimen volume required for an automated immunohematology analyzer DAYmate S. METHODS: Three combinations of tubes were evaluated: I. 6 mL EDTA tube, II. 0.5 mL microtainer (on top of 3 mL EDTA tube), and III. 1 mL sample cup (on top of 6 mL EDTA tube). ABO/RhD cell typing was done using centrifuged red cells; unexpected antibody screening was carried out using plasma, and Type & Screening was conducted using whole blood samples. The lowest specimen volume capable of performing 10 repetitive tests without errors was investigated. RESULTS: ABO/RhD cell typing could be performed from I. 30 μL, II. 25 μL, and III. 25 μL. Unexpected antibody screening could be performed from I. 170 μL, II. 150 μL, and III. 140 μL. According to the hematocrit levels, Type & Screening could be performed from 30%, I&III 650 μL, II. 800 μL; 40%, I&III 650 μL, II. 900 μL; and 50%, I&III 1,000 μL, II. Testing using specimen volumes below 1,000 μL was difficult. CONCLUSION: By separating red cells and plasma, pre-transfusion testing of ABO/RhD cell typing and unexpected antibody screening could be conducted with very small specimen volumes using DAYmate S compared to Type & Screening using whole blood. The application of small-sized sample tubes was more competitive and this is expected to be very useful for preventing iatrogenic anemia in neonates and infants less than 4 months old.
Anemia ; Edetic Acid ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Mass Screening* ; Phlebotomy ; Plasma

Background: Dapsone has been used for a long time to treat skin diseases. Although various drug-related side effects and adverse reactions to dapsone have been reported, most studies have addressed only one or two specific reactions to dapsone. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the overall adverse reactions to dapsone in Koreans and their relationship with patient demographics. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted by reviewing the electronic medical records from 2005 to 2020. The association between adverse drug reactions and dapsone use was assessed using the Naranjo scale. Correlations between variables and adverse reactions were analyzed using univariate and logistic regression analyses. Results: The overall incidence of adverse drug reactions to dapsone was 7.7% (41 of 533 patients). The incidence was significantly higher in female than in male, and predictable adverse reactions were significantly higher (6.8%, 36 of 533 patients) than in unpredictable cases (0.9%, 5 of 533 patients). The most common adverse event was methemoglobinemia/anemia (3.0%, 16 of 533 patients), and the least common was hypersensitivity syndrome, which occurred in only one case (0.2%, 1 of 533 patients). With the exception of hypersensitivity syndrome, which is a severe drug-related side effects and adverse reactions, most patients recovered after drug discontinuation. Conclusion Dapsone can be used relatively safely for various chronic diseases if medical personnel are aware of its adverse reactions.