Purpose: We aimed to compare the final adult height (FAH) of male patients with central precocious puberty (CPP) after treatment with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa). Specifically, we compared FAH with the target height (TH) and the predicted adult height (PAH) before and after GnRHa treatment to quantify height gain and identify predictive factors. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 92 male patients with CPP and known FAH after GnRHa treatment at the Department of Pediatrics of Severance Children’s Hospital between January 2000 and June 2024. Results: The mean duration of GnRHa treatment was 2.7±1.3 years. A significant 1.1±0.9 years narrowing was observed in the difference between bone age (BA) and chronological age (CA) during treatment (P<0.001). TH was 172.4±3.4 cm. FAH was 173.6±6.4 cm. FAH was greater than TH by 1.2±5.9 cm (P=0.047). PAH before and after treatment was 179.9±8.1 and 181.2±7.4 cm, respectively. PAH was increased by 1.3±4.9 cm (P=0.012) after treatment. As the PAH standard deviation score (SDS) before GnRHa treatment increased, FAH tended to exceed TH. In contrast, higher testosterone levels before treatment are associated with FAH falling below TH. A longer duration of treatment and taller TH are associated with an FAH SDS greater than height SDS before treatment. Conversely, a greater weight SDS, BA–CA difference, and testis size before treatment are associated with FAH SDS being less than height SDS before GnRHa treatment. Conclusion GnRHa treatment improved FAH and inhibited bone maturation in male patients with CPP.

Purpose: This study explored the experiences of physicians and nurses providing end-oflife care in Korean acute care hospitals. It aimed to identify the challenges faced in caring for dying patients and to suggest strategies for improving hospital-based end-of-life care. Methods: A qualitative exploratory design was employed using focus group interviews.Eleven healthcare professionals (five physicians and six nurses) working in tertiary or general hospitals participated in the study between July and August 2018. The interviews were conducted using a semi-structured guide covering seven thematic areas. All sessions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically following Braun and Clarke’s framework. Results: Six major themes emerged: (1) communication with patients and families, (2) physical care for dying patients, (3) psychological and spiritual support, (4) hospital environment and system constraints, (5) moral distress and emotional burden on healthcare providers, and (6) suggestions for improvement. The participants described difficulties in open communication, limited resources for comfort care, emotional strain from invasive treatment at the end of life, and the absence of standardized institutional protocols.They emphasized the need for structured communication training, multidisciplinary collaboration, and integration of palliative care principles into acute care practice. Conclusion Physicians and nurses play a pivotal yet emotionally demanding role in providing end-oflife care in acute hospitals. Institutional reforms, including education, protocol development, and supportive environments, are essential to ensuring dignified, patient-centered care and sustain healthcare providers in their professional roles.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effects of multisensory stimulation including sequential and continuous visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile, and proprioceptive stimuli related to food intake during the anticipatory stage on swallowing function, and to use the findings as a basis for sensory stimulation therapy for patients with dysphagia. Methods: Twenty healthy adults aged 20 to 50 years were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group.The experimental group completed a simulated “strawberry eating” task involving strawberry scent, audiovisual cues of someone eating, and the act of bringing a strawberry to their mouth. The control group performed an unrelated task (typing sentences). Each task lasted 5 minutes. Surface electromyography (sEMG; VitalStimⓇ Plus) of the suprahyoid muscles measured the time to first swallow, total number of swallows, interval between swallows, and Maximal Voluntary Contraction (MVC)%. Group differences were analyzed using the Mann–Whitney U test. Results: Compared with the controls, the experimental group had a significantly shorter time to first swallow (18.0±9.9 vs. 64.0±40.9 s), more swallows (13.1±3.8 vs. 5.4±3.4), and shorter intervals between swallows (22.2±9.8 s vs. 71.9±35.4 s; all P＜0.05). The MVC% was higher in the experimental group (14.8±10.4 vs. 7.9±4.5). However, the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion The multisensory stimulation provided during the anticipatory stage of the feeding task was found to facilitate a faster swallowing reflex and increase swallowing frequency.

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: Axitinib, a potent and selective inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor (VEGFR) tyrosine kinase 1,2 and 3, is used in chemotherapy because it inhibits tumor angiogenesis by blocking the VEGF/VEGFR pathway. In veterinary medicine, attempts have been made to apply tyrosine kinase inhibitors with anti-angiogenic effects to tumor patients, but there are no studies on axitinib in canine mammary gland tumors (MGTs). Objectives: This study aimed to confirm the antitumor activity of axitinib in canine mammary gland cell lines. Methods: We treated canine MGT cell lines (CIPp and CIPm) with axitinib and conducted CCK, wound healing, apoptosis, and cell cycle assays. Additionally, we evaluated the expression levels of angiogenesis-associated factors, including VEGFs, PDGF-A, FGF-2, and TGF-β1, using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, we collected canine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), activated them with concanavalin A (ConA) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and then treated them with axitinib to investigate changes in viability. Results: When axitinib was administered to CIPp and CIPm, cell viability significantly decreased at 24, 48, and 72 h (p < 0.001), and migration was markedly reduced (6 h, p < 0.05; 12 h, p < 0.005). The apoptosis rate significantly increased (p < 0.01), and the G2/M phase ratio showed a significant increase (p < 0.001). Additionally, there was no significant change in the viability of canine PBMCs treated with LPS and ConA. Conclusion In this study, we confirmed the antitumor activity of axitinib against canine MGT cell lines. Accordingly, we suggest that axitinib can be applied as a new treatment for patients with canine MGTs.

The Valeri method, introduced in 1972 with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as a cryoprotective agent, has evolved into a no-wash technique widely employed for cryopreservation of platelets. Cryopreserved platelets (CP) are a viable alternative to liquid platelets (LP) and address the limitations of LP. CP have an extended shelf file, are a reliable supply for rare blood types, and can be transported to challenging terrains for use in military settings and remote areas and places where blood supply is imbalanced. Despite CP exhibiting a lower recovery rate compared to LP, the superior hemostatic efficacy makes it advantageous for use in bleeding patients. Some countries have already implemented CP for civilian use in disasters caused by natural hazards or human-induced events, and clinical trials are underway to expand applications among civilians. The absence of national regulations and standardized guidelines for CP preparation and evaluation is a significant obstacle to the extensive use of CP. A consensus is needed among academic societies, blood centers, the military, and governments to lend support and interest in the development of CP as a viable alternative to LP. This review presents information on the initial attempts to produce CP, in vitro changes of thawed CP, utilization of CP, and the current usage status in various countries. The goal was to evaluate the potential need to introduce CP domestically and provide insights on the strengths and challenges.

Objective: This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of lurasidone (160 mg/day) compared to quetiapine XR (QXR; 600 mg/day) in the treatment of acutely psychotic patients with schizophrenia. Methods: Patients were randomly assigned to 6 weeks of double-blind treatment with lurasidone 160 mg/day (n=105) or QXR 600 mg/day (n=105). Primary efficacy measure was the change from baseline to week 6 in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total score and Clinical Global Impressions severity (CGI-S) score. Adverse events, body measurements, and laboratory parameters were assessed. Results: Lurasidone demonstrated non-inferiority to QXR on the PANSS total score. Adjusted mean±standard error change at week 6 on the PANSS total score was -26.42±2.02 and -27.33±2.01 in the lurasidone and QXR group, respectively. The mean difference score was -0.91 (95% confidence interval -6.35–4.53). The lurasidone group showed a greater reduction in PANSS total and negative subscale on week 1 and a greater reduction in end-point CGI-S score compared to the QXR group. Body weight, body mass index, and waist circumference in the lurasidone group were reduced, with significantly lower mean change compared to QXR. Endpoint changes in glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein levels were also significantly lower. The most common adverse drug reactions with lurasidone were akathisia and nausea. Conclusion Lurasidone 160 mg/day was found to be non-inferior to QXR 600 mg/day in the treatment of schizophrenia with comparable efficacy and tolerability. Adverse effects of lurasidone were generally tolerable, and beneficial effects on metabolic parameters can be expected.

A 10-year-old, spayed female Maltese dog was tentatively diagnosed with granulomatous meningoencephalitis (GME) on magnetic resonance imaging. The meningoencephalitis was classified as aseptic GME because cerebral fluid analysis did not reveal an infectious aetiology. Two months after leflunomide treatment (Arava; Sanofi; 4 mg/kg/day), the patient developed non-regenerative, macrocytic, and normochromic anemia. As the patient’s anaemia began after the administration of leflunomide, and other differentials for anaemia had been ruled out, the leflunomide was determined to be the cause and this treatment ended. After 15 days, the anaemia resolved spontaneously. This is the first report of reversible aplastic anaemia following treatment with leflunomide in a canine patient with GME.

This retrospective case series assessed the effectiveness of commercially available oral fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for treating chronic enteropathies in eight animals, five dogs, and three cats, between 2020 and 2023 at the Seoul National University Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. Chronic enteropathies, often resistant to conventional therapies, present a significant challenge in veterinary medicine. To assess oral capsule FMT’s effectiveness (Doggybiome ® one capsule daily for dogs and Kittybiome ^® one capsule daily for cats) as a universal adjunctive therapy for chronic enteropathies across species not responding to traditional treatments. This retrospective case series applied a uniform evaluation of gastrointestinal symptoms and treatment efficacy, utilizing established scoring systems (Canine Inflammatory Bowel Disease Activity Index [CIBDAI] and Canine Chronic Enteropathy Clinical Activity Index [CCECAI] for dogs, Feline Chronic Enteropathy Activity Index [FCEAI] for cats) before and one month after FMT. This approach ensured consistency in hypothesis testing across the study population. Results revealed significant improvements in clinical indices post-FMT, with notable reductions in the CIBDAI, CCECAI, and FCEAI scores (p < 0.05). Additionally, symptoms such as anorexia, lethargy, diarrhea, vomiting, and weight loss showed marked improvement, with normalization of appetite and activity levels observed in most cases. No adverse effects were reported, indicating the safety and tolerability of this treatment. This study highlights the potential of oral capsule FMT as a viable therapeutic option for dogs and cats with chronic enteropathies unresponsive to conventional treatments, providing a new avenue for clinical management. Further research is warranted to expand these findings and explore the microbiome changes associated with FMT in veterinary patients.