Background/Aims: Since the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there have been concerns about the association between exposure to renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors and the risk and severity of COVID-19. Methods: We performed a case-control study that utilized up-to-date data on the South Korean population provided by the Korean National Health Insurance System. Of the 62,909 patients with hypertension or heart failure tested for COVID-19, there were 1,644 (2.6%) confirmed cases. After case-control matching, multivariable-adjusted conditional logistic regression analysis was performed. Results: Comparison between patients exposed to RAAS inhibitors and those not exposed to RAAS inhibitors revealed that the adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for COVID-19 infection and death were 0.981 (95% CI, 0.849 to 1.135) and 0.875 (95% CI, 0.548 to 1.396), respectively. Subgroup analysis for the major confounders, age and region of diagnosis, resulted in OR of 0.912 (95% CI, 0.751 to 1.108) and 0.942 (95% CI, 0.791 to 1.121), respectively. Conclusions The present study demonstrated no evidence of association between RAAS inhibitor exposure and risk and severity of COVID-19.

Objective: This study aimed to compare therapeutic efficacy and technical outcomes between adjustable electrode (AE) and conventional fixed electrode (FE) for radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of benign thyroid nodules. Materials and Methods: Between 2013 and 2021, RFA was performed on histologically proven benign thyroid nodules. For the AE method, AE length ≥ 1 cm with higher power and < 1 cm with lower power were utilized for ablating feeding vessels and nodules, especially those near anatomical structures, respectively. The therapeutic efficacy (volume reduction rate [VRR], complication rate, and regrowth rate) and technical outcomes (total energy delivery, ablated volume/energy, RFA time, and ablated volume/time) of FE and AE were compared. Continuous parameters were compared using a two-sample t-test or Mann–Whitney U test, and categorical parameters were compared using a chi-squared test or Fisher’s exact test. Results: A total of 182 nodules (FE: 92 vs. AE: 90) in 173 patients (mean age ± standard deviation, 47.0 ± 14.7 years; female, 90.8% [157/173]; median follow-up, 726 days [interquartile range, 441–1075 days]) were analyzed. The therapeutic efficacy was comparable, whereas technical outcomes were more favorable for AE. Both electrodes demonstrated comparable overall median VRR (FE: 92.4% vs. AE: 84.9%, P = 0.240) without immediate major complications. Overall regrowth rates were comparable between the two groups (FE: 2.2% [2/90] vs. AE: 1.1% [1/90], P > 0.99). AE demonstrated a shorter median RFA time (FE: 811 vs. AE: 627 seconds, P = 0.009). Both delivered comparable median energy (FE: 42.8 vs. AE: 29.2 kJ, P = 0.069), but AE demonstrated higher median ablated volume/energy and median ablated volume/time (FE: 0.2 vs. AE: 0.3 cc/kJ, P < 0.001; and FE: 0.7 vs. AE: 1.0 cc/min, P < 0.001, respectively). Conclusion Therapeutic efficacy between FE and AE was comparable. AE demonstrated better technical outcomes than FE in terms of RFA time, ablated volume/energy, and ablated volume/time.

Background: Differentiation of cerebellopontine angle (CPA) schwannoma from meningioma is often a difficult process to identify.Purpose: To identify imaging features for distinguishing CPA schwannoma from meningioma and to investigate the usefulness of susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) in differentiating them. Materials and Methods: Between March 2010 and January 2015, this study pathologically confirmed 11 meningiomas and 20 schwannomas involving CPA with preoperative SWI were retrospectively reviewed. Generally, the following MRI features were evaluated: 1) maximal diameter on axial image, 2) angle between tumor border and adjacent petrous bone, 3) presence of intratumoral dark signal intensity on SWI, 4) tumor consistency, 5) blood-fluid level, 6) involvement of internal auditory canal (IAC), 7) dural tail, and 8) involvement of adjacent intracranial space. On CT, 1) presence of dilatation of IAC, 2) intratumoral calcification, and 3) adjacent hyperostosis were evaluated. All features were compared using Chi-squared tests and Fisher’s exact tests. The univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to identify imaging features that differentiate both tumors. Results: The results noted that schwannomas more frequently demonstrated dark spots on SWI (P = 0.025), cystic consistency (P = 0.034), and globular angle (P = 0.008); schwannomas showed more dilatation of internal auditory meatus and lack of calcification (P = 0.008 and P = 0.02, respectively). However, it was shown that dural tail was more common in meningiomas (P < 0.007). In general, dark spots on SWI and dural tail remained significant in multivariate analysis (P = 0.037 and P = 0.012, respectively). In this case, the combination of two features showed a sensitivity and specificity of 80% and 100% respectively, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.9. Conclusion In conclusion, dark spots on SWI were found to be helpful in differentiating CPA schwannoma from meningioma. It is noted that combining dural tail with dark spots on SWI yielded strong diagnostic value in differentiating both tumors.