Purpose: This study aimed to assess combined effects of early oral feeding after Cesarean section (C/S) under regional anesthesia on bowel function, gastrointestinal complications and surgical recovery. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using KISS, RISS, PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, CENTRAL and Google Scholar to identify randomized clinical trials comparing early oral feeding (EOF) with delayed oral feeding (DOF) after C/S. Outcome variables were bowel function and gastrointestinal complications and surgical recovery. Effect size was calculated using weighted mean differences (WMDs) and relative risks (RRs), with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Seven studies involving 1,911 patients from 568 studies, 7 studies were included in meta-analysis. EOF was significantly associated with shorter time to recover bowel movement compared with DOF (WMD, - 2.50; CI, - 3.50~- 1.50). EOF was not associated with nausea (RR, 1.15; CI, 0.87~1.53) and vomiting (RR, 0.96; CI, 0.65~1.42), but lower incidence of abdominal distension (RR, 0.70; CI, 0.50~0.98). EOF was significantly associated with shorter time to discontinuation of intravenous fluids (WMD, - 8.88; 95% CI, - 16.65~- 1.11) and removal of urinary catheter (WMD, - 15.23; CI, - 25.62~- 4.85). Conclusion This meta-analysis provides evidence that EOF after C/S under regional anesthesia not only accelerates return of bowel function and surgical recovery but also reduces gastrointestinal complications. These results suggest that EOF should be offered to women who have undergone C/S to improve the recovery experience and reduce overall medical costs.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to estimate the medical expenditures for poisoning patients in Korea using data from National Health Insurance and the Korea Health Panel Survey. Methods: The operational definition of poisoning was the presence of Korean Standard Classification of Diseases codes from T36 to T65. The number of poisoning patients, the amount of legal copayments, and benefit and non-benefit costs were extracted from both databases. The frequency of emergency, inpatient, and outpatient treatment utilization by poisoning patients was determined, and medical expenses were calculated. Linear regression analyses were performed to investigate factors affecting the medical expenses of poisoning patients. Results: The number of poisoning patients increased from 97,965 in 2011 to 147,984 persons in 2020. Medical expenses also increased by 74% from Korean won (KRW) 30.1 billion to KRW 52.3 billion, and benefit costs also increased by 79%. The average outpatient cost per person was KRW 67,660, and the inpatient cost was KRW 1,485,103. The average non-benefit medical expenses were KRW 80,298, accounting for about 16.2% of the total expenses. Multivariable analysis showed that the total expenditure was associated with economic status and disabilities. Conclusion The average medical expenditure per poisoning patient was KRW 534,302 in 2020, and poisoning-related costs gradually increased during the study period. Further research on the economic burden of poisoning should include indirect costs and reflect disease-adjusted life years.

Purpose: Given the morphological characteristics of schistocytes, thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) score can be beneficial as it can be automatically and accurately measured. This study aimed to investigate whether serial TMA scores until 48 h post admission are associated with clinical outcomes in patients undergoing targeted temperature management (TTM) after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated a cohort of 185 patients using a prospective registry. We analyzed TMA scores at admission and after 12, 24, and 48 hours. The primary outcome measures were poor neurological outcome at discharge and 30-day mortality. Results: Increased TMA scores at all measured time points were independent predictors of poor neurological outcomes and 30-day mortality, with TMA score at time-12 showing the strongest correlation [odds ratio (OR), 3.008; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.707–5.300; p<0.001 and hazard ratio (HR), 1.517; 95% CI, 1.196–1.925; p<0.001]. Specifically, a TMA score ≥2 at time-12 was closely associated with an increased predictability of poor neurological outcomes (OR, 6.302; 95% CI, 2.841–13.976; p<0.001) and 30-day mortality (HR, 2.656; 95% CI, 1.675–4.211; p<0.001). Conclusion Increased TMA scores predicted neurological outcomes and 30-day mortality in patients undergoing TTM after OHCA. In addition to the benefit of being serially measured using an automated hematology analyzer, TMA score may be a helpful tool for rapid risk stratification and identification of the need for intensive care in patients with return of spontaneous circulation after OHCA.

BACKGROUND: The hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway is known to play a critical role in various malignancies, but its clinicopathologic role in breast cancer is yet to be established. METHODS: Tissue microarray blocks from 334 cases of breast cancer were prepared. The expression of six Hh signaling proteins including sonic hedgehog (Shh), patched (Ptch), smoothened (Smo), and the glioma-associated oncogene (Gli)-1, Gli-2, and Gli-3 were analyzed immunohistochemically. RESULTS: The expression of Hh signaling proteins was significantly correlated with some prognostic factors including the correlation of lymph node metastasis with the expression of Shh (p=0.001) and Ptch (p=0.064), the correlation of the stages with Shh and Gli-3 expression (p=0.007 and p=0.024, respectively), the correlation of the nuclear grade with the Smo (p=0.004) and Gli-3 (p=0.000), and the correlation of the histologic grade with the Ptch (p=0.016), Smo (p=0.007), and Gli-3 (p=0.000). The Shh, Ptch, Smo, Gli-1, and Gli-2 expression was significantly different between the phenotypes (p=0.000, p=0.001, p=0.004, p=0.039, and p=0.031, respectively). Gli-2 expression was correlated with a worse overall survival outcome (p=0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Hh pathway activation is correlated with a more aggressive clinical behavior in breast carcinomas. The comparison of phenotypes suggested that the Hh pathway may be a useful therapeutic target for breast carcinoma. Patients with Gli-2 expression had a significantly lower overall survival rate and, therefore, it showed promise as a prognostic marker.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Hedgehog Proteins ; Hedgehogs ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Oncogene Proteins ; Oncogenes ; Phenotype ; Proteins ; Survival Rate ; Trans-Activators

BACKGROUND: The microtubule-associated protein Tau binds to both inner and outer surfaces of microtubules, leading to tubulin assembly and microtubule stabilization. The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of Tau, alpha-tubulin, and betaIII-tubulin expression in breast carcinoma and to assess their relationships with disease progression in the context of taxane treatment. METHODS: Immunohistochemical expressions of Tau, alpha-tubulin, and betaIII-tubulin were assessed in 183 breast cancer cases. Expression was correlated with clinicopathologic parameters, disease progression and overall survival. RESULTS: Tau expression was correlated with lymph node metastasis and estrogen receptor (ER) positivity (p=.003 and p<.001, respectively). Loss of alpha-tubulin was significantly correlated with distant metastasis (p=.034). Loss of betaIII-tubulin was correlated with lymph node metastasis and ER positivity (p=.004 and p<.001, respectively). In taxane-treated cases, Tau expression and loss of alpha-tubulin and betaIII-tubulin expression were related to disease progression (p=.001, p=.028, and p=.030, respectively). Tau expression was associated with a worse survival rate in taxane-treated patients (p=.049). CONCLUSIONS: Tau expression and loss of alpha-tubulin and betaIII-tubulin expression were correlated with aggressive behavior in taxane-treated breast cancer. Further evaluation of Tau, alpha-tubulin and betaIII-tubulin may be useful in predicting clinical behavior and seeking therapeutic measures in taxane-based chemotherapy for breast cancer.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Disease Progression ; Drug Therapy ; Estrogens ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Microtubules ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Survival Rate ; tau Proteins ; Taxoids ; Tubulin*

BACKGROUND: Transcriptional activating mutations of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) are associated with more aggressive thyroid cancer. We evaluated the significance of TERT promoter mutations in Korean patients with classic papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). METHODS: Genomic DNA was isolated from four thyroid cancer cell lines and 35 fresh-frozen PTC tissues. TERT promoter mutations (C228T and C250T) and the BRAF V600E mutation were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction amplification and direct sequencing. RESULTS: The CC228229TT mutation in the TERT promoter was detected in BCPAP cells and the C250T mutation was found in 8505C cells. No TERT promoter mutation was observed in Cal-62 or ML-1 cells. The C228T mutation was found in only 1 of 35 (2.8%) PTCs and no C250T mutations were detected in any of the study subjects. The BRAF V600E mutation was found in 20 of 35 (57.1%) PTCs. One patient with the C228T TERT mutation also harbored the BRAF V600E mutation and developed a recurrence. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of somatic TERT promoter mutations was low in Korean patients with classic PTC. Therefore, the prognostic role of TERT promoter mutations might be limited in this patient cohort.
Cell Line ; Cohort Studies ; DNA ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence* ; Recurrence ; Telomerase ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms*

BACKGROUND: Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP) is a rare complication of thyrotoxicosis characterized by acute attacks of muscle weakness and hypokalemia. Recently, variation in several genes was suggested to be associated with TPP. This study evaluated the genetic predisposition to TPP in terms of the β2-adrenergic receptor (ADRB2), androgen receptor (AR), and γ-aminobutyric acid receptor α3 subunit (GABRA3) genes. METHODS: This study enrolled 48 men with Graves disease (GD) and TPP, and 48 GD patients without TPP. We compared the frequencies of candidate polymorphisms between the two groups. RESULTS: The frequency of the Gly16/Gly16 genotype in ADRB2 was not significantly associated with TPP (P=0.32). More CAG repeats (≥26) in the AR gene were not correlated with TPP (odds ratio [OR], 2.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.81 to 8.09; P=0.08). The allele frequency of the TT genotype in the GABRA3 gene was not associated with TPP (OR, 1.83; 95% CI, 0.54 to 6.74; P=0.41). CONCLUSION: The polymorphisms in the ADRB2, AR, and GABRA3 genes could not explain the genetic susceptibility to TPP in Korean men with GD.
Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Graves Disease* ; Humans ; Hypokalemia ; Male ; Muscle Weakness ; Paralysis* ; Receptors, Androgen ; Thyrotoxicosis

Purpose: An inverse relationship between cancer and neurodegenerative disease, which presents the possibility of a reduced risk of dementia in cancer patients, has been suggested previously. However, a nationwide longitudinal population-based study of specific types of cancer with due consideration of treatment effects has not been conducted. Materials and Methods: This nationwide population-based cohort study used data obtained in a 12-year period (January 2007- December 2018) in the Korean National Health Insurance claims database. All female breast cancer patients (age ≥ 50 years) diagnosed between 2009 and 2010 were included after excluding those with physician visits for any cancer during a 2-year period (2007-2008). Patients with senile cataract constituted the control group. The main study outcome was the risk of developing dementia. Results: From a total of 90,396 and 85,906 patients with breast cancer and cataract, respectively, patients without behavior codes were excluded. Data for 15,407 breast cancer patients and 7,020 controls were analyzed before matching. After matching for comorbidities and age, either group comprised 2,252 patients. The median follow-up time was 104.1±24.0 months after matching. After matching, breast cancer was a predictor of a lower risk of for dementia (hazard ratio, 0.091; 95% confidence interval, 0.075 to 0.111; p < 0.001). In breast cancer patients, receiving chemotherapy and endocrine therapy did not significantly affect the incidence of dementia. Conclusion Breast cancer was associated with a remarkably decreased risk of dementia. The findings strongly suggest an inverse relationship between cancer and neurodegeneration, regardless of the adverse effects of cancer treatment on cognitive function.

Purpose: We investigated the feasibility of preoperative 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/ computed tomography (CT) radiomics with machine learning to predict microsatellite instability (MSI) status in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Materials and Methods: Altogether, 233 patients with CRC who underwent preoperative FDG PET/CT were enrolled and divided into training (n=139) and test (n=94) sets. A PET-based radiomics signature (rad_score) was established to predict the MSI status in patients with CRC. The predictive ability of the rad_score was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) in the test set. A logistic regression model was used to determine whether the rad_score was an independent predictor of MSI status in CRC. The predictive performance of rad_score was compared with conventional PET parameters. Results: The incidence of MSI-high was 15 (10.8%) and 10 (10.6%) in the training and test sets, respectively. The rad_score was constructed based on the two radiomic features and showed similar AUROC values for predicting MSI status in the training and test sets (0.815 and 0.867, respectively; p=0.490). Logistic regression analysis revealed that the rad_score was an independent predictor of MSI status in the training set. The rad_score performed better than metabolic tumor volume when assessed using the AUROC (0.867 vs. 0.794, p=0.015). Conclusion Our predictive model incorporating PET radiomic features successfully identified the MSI status of CRC, and it also showed better performance than the conventional PET image parameters.