PURPOSE: To calculate the injury rate of skiers and snowboarders, to document the risk factors affecting injury, and to investigate the characteristics of the cause, kind and region of injury. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was conducted at 4 major Kangwon - province ski resorts during the 2004 - 2005 winter season with 373 skiers and snowboarders. The statistical SPSS was used to analyze data that included chi-square, fisher's exact test, and multiple logistic regression. The mean mark of the safety rule by separating the skiers and snowboarders was compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The injury and wound experience rates of the snowboarders (46.5%, 34.2% respectively) were higher than those of the skiers (33.2%, 25.5% respectively). The proportion of injury and wound for the skiers was 76.7% and for the snowboarders was 73.6%. The occurrence of injuries was higher among those with ski career of 5 to 9 years (p=0.012), those with a higher level of ski skills (p=0.002), those who used the higher slope (p=0.002) and those who skied 15 to 19 times(p=0.004). Based on the results of logistic regression analysis, the significant risk factors for skiers were career, level, slope and visit number. Leg injuries accounted for 40.9% of total injuries among skiers, which was followed by arm injuries (35.9%) and head injuries (15.4%)(p=0.033). CONCLUSIONS: The study therefore emphasizes safety training for individual skiers and overall conditions of ski resorts.
Arm Injuries ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Gangwon-do ; Health Resorts ; Leg Injuries ; Logistic Models ; Risk Factors ; Seasons ; Skiing* ; Wounds and Injuries ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The empirical use of a chemotherapy regimen shows different results in individual breast cancer patient treatment. Recent studies showed the effectiveness of the adenosine triphosphate-based chemotherapy response assay (ATP-CRA). However, little is known about the correlation between chemosensitivity and breast cancer molecular subtypes. Therefore, we investigated whether the result of ATP-CRA is associated with a molecular subtype of breast cancer. METHODS: Two hundred eighty-seven patients diagnosed with breast cancer and receiving ATP-CRA at Mokdong Hospital, Ewha Womans University between September 2007 and December 2010 were enrolled in this study. Hormone receptor status, HER2/neu expression, and results of chemosensitivity tests of the patients was analyzed. RESULTS: In all of four subtypes, the combination of two agents showed significant higher mean cell death rate than a single agent. Within the breast cancer cell lines in this study, the range of chemosensitivity response was very wide and varied for each patient. For this reason, the molecular subtype of breast cancer is inconclusive in choosing an effective chemotherapeutic agent and in vitro chemosensitivity test, prior to therapy, could be a useful method for planning chemotherapy for each patient. CONCLUSION: Chemosensitivity response to anticancer agents was found to vary depending on the individual breast cancer patients. The molecular subtype of breast cancer is inconclusive to choose the effective chemotherapeutic agent and the in vitro chemosensitivity test, prior to therapy, could be more useful for planning chemotherapy for each patient.
Adenosine ; Adenosine Triphosphate ; Antineoplastic Agents ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Cell Death ; Cell Line ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Female ; Humans

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to report the authors' preliminary experience using the Amplatzer Vascular Plug (AVP) (St. Jude Medical, Plymouth, MN, USA) for parent artery occlusion of the internal carotid artery (ICA) or vertebral artery (VA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between September 2008 and December 2015, we performed 52 therapeutic parent artery occlusions (PAOs) by an endovascular technique. Among them, 10 patients underwent PAO of the carotid or vertebral arteries using AVPs. Clinical and radiographic data of these patients were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: The devices were used for VA dissection that presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in five patients, traumatic arteriovenous fistula (AVF) in two patients, spontaneous AVF in one patient, recurrence of carotid-cavernous fistula (CCF) in one patient, and symptomatic unruptured giant ICA aneurysm in one patient. The devices were used in conjunction with detachable and/or pushable coils and in the extracranial segments of the ICA or VA. Complete occlusion of the parent artery was achieved in all patients. There was one intra-procedural rupture of the VA dissection during coiling prior to using the device. CONCLUSION: Results from the current series suggest that the AVP might be used for therapeutic PAO in the extracranial segments of the ICA or VA.
Aneurysm ; Arteries* ; Arteriovenous Fistula ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Endovascular Procedures ; Fistula ; Humans ; Parents* ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Vertebral Artery*

Objective: To compare the accuracy for detecting breast cancer in the diagnostic setting between the use of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), defined as DBT alone or combined DBT and digital mammography (DM), and the use of DM alone through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Materials and Methods: Ovid-MEDLINE, Ovid-Embase, Cochrane Library and five Korean local databases were searched for articles published until March 25, 2020. We selected studies that reported diagnostic accuracy in women who were recalled after screening or symptomatic. Study quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool. A bivariate random effects model was used to estimate pooled sensitivity and specificity. We compared the diagnostic accuracy between DBT and DM alone using meta-regression and subgroup analyses by modality of intervention, country, existence of calcifications, breast density, Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System category threshold, study design, protocol for participant sampling, sample size, reason for diagnostic examination, and number of readers who interpreted the studies. Results: Twenty studies (n = 44513) that compared DBT and DM alone were included. The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.90 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.86–0.93) and 0.90 (95% CI 0.84–0.94), respectively, for DBT, which were higher than 0.76 (95% CI 0.68–0.83) and 0.83 (95% CI 0.73–0.89), respectively, for DM alone (p < 0.001). The area under the summary receiver operating characteristics curve was 0.95 (95% CI 0.93–0.97) for DBT and 0.86 (95% CI 0.82–0.88) for DM alone. The higher sensitivity and specificity of DBT than DM alone were consistently noted in most subgroup and meta-regression analyses. Conclusion Use of DBT was more accurate than DM alone for the diagnosis of breast cancer. Women with clinical symptoms or abnormal screening findings could be more effectively evaluated for breast cancer using DBT, which has a superior diagnostic performance compared to DM alone.

Objective: To compare the accuracy for detecting breast cancer in the diagnostic setting between the use of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), defined as DBT alone or combined DBT and digital mammography (DM), and the use of DM alone through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Materials and Methods: Ovid-MEDLINE, Ovid-Embase, Cochrane Library and five Korean local databases were searched for articles published until March 25, 2020. We selected studies that reported diagnostic accuracy in women who were recalled after screening or symptomatic. Study quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool. A bivariate random effects model was used to estimate pooled sensitivity and specificity. We compared the diagnostic accuracy between DBT and DM alone using meta-regression and subgroup analyses by modality of intervention, country, existence of calcifications, breast density, Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System category threshold, study design, protocol for participant sampling, sample size, reason for diagnostic examination, and number of readers who interpreted the studies. Results: Twenty studies (n = 44513) that compared DBT and DM alone were included. The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.90 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.86–0.93) and 0.90 (95% CI 0.84–0.94), respectively, for DBT, which were higher than 0.76 (95% CI 0.68–0.83) and 0.83 (95% CI 0.73–0.89), respectively, for DM alone (p < 0.001). The area under the summary receiver operating characteristics curve was 0.95 (95% CI 0.93–0.97) for DBT and 0.86 (95% CI 0.82–0.88) for DM alone. The higher sensitivity and specificity of DBT than DM alone were consistently noted in most subgroup and meta-regression analyses. Conclusion Use of DBT was more accurate than DM alone for the diagnosis of breast cancer. Women with clinical symptoms or abnormal screening findings could be more effectively evaluated for breast cancer using DBT, which has a superior diagnostic performance compared to DM alone.

Purpose: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted the emergency medical care system worldwide. We analyzed the changes in the management of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and compared the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 eras. Materials and Methods: From March to October of the COVID-19 era (2020), 83 consecutive patients with ICH were admitted to four comprehensive stroke centers. We retrospectively reviewed the data of patients and compared the treatment workflow metrics, treatment modalities, and clinical outcomes with the patients admitted during the same period of pre-COVID-19 era (2017–2019). Results: Three hundred thirty-eight patients (83 in COVID-19 era and 255 in pre-COVID-19 era) were included in this study. Symptom onset/detection-to-door time [COVID-19; 56.0 min (34.0–106.0), pre-COVID-19; 40.0 min (27.0–98.0), p=0.016] and median door to-intensive treatment time differed between the two groups [COVID-19; 349.0 min (177.0–560.0), pre-COVID-19; 184.0 min (134.0–271.0), p<0.001]. Hematoma expansion was detected more significantly in the COVID-19 era (39.8% vs. 22.1%, p=0.002). At 3-month follow-up, clinical outcomes of patients were worse in the COVID-19 era (Good modified Rankin Scale; 33.7% in COVID-19, 46.7% in pre-COVID-19, p=0.039). Conclusion During the COVID-19 era, delays in management of ICH was associated with hematoma expansion and worse outcomes.

Purpose: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted the emergency medical care system worldwide. We analyzed the changes in the management of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and compared the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 eras. Materials and Methods: From March to October of the COVID-19 era (2020), 83 consecutive patients with ICH were admitted to four comprehensive stroke centers. We retrospectively reviewed the data of patients and compared the treatment workflow metrics, treatment modalities, and clinical outcomes with the patients admitted during the same period of pre-COVID-19 era (2017–2019). Results: Three hundred thirty-eight patients (83 in COVID-19 era and 255 in pre-COVID-19 era) were included in this study. Symptom onset/detection-to-door time [COVID-19; 56.0 min (34.0–106.0), pre-COVID-19; 40.0 min (27.0–98.0), p=0.016] and median door to-intensive treatment time differed between the two groups [COVID-19; 349.0 min (177.0–560.0), pre-COVID-19; 184.0 min (134.0–271.0), p<0.001]. Hematoma expansion was detected more significantly in the COVID-19 era (39.8% vs. 22.1%, p=0.002). At 3-month follow-up, clinical outcomes of patients were worse in the COVID-19 era (Good modified Rankin Scale; 33.7% in COVID-19, 46.7% in pre-COVID-19, p=0.039). Conclusion During the COVID-19 era, delays in management of ICH was associated with hematoma expansion and worse outcomes.

Purpose: Advances in chemotherapeutic and targeted agents have increased pathologic complete response (pCR) rates after neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NST). Vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB) has been suggested to accurately evaluate pCR. This study aims to confirm the non-inferiority of the 5-year disease-free survival of patients who omitted breast surgery when predicted to have a pCR based on breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and VAB after NST, compared with patients with a pCR who had undergone breast surgery in previous studies. Methods The Omission of breast surgery for PredicTed pCR patients wIth MRI and vacuumassisted bIopsy in breaST cancer after neoadjuvant systemic therapy (OPTIMIST) trial is a prospective, multicenter, single-arm, non-inferiority study enrolling in 17 tertiary care hospitals in the Republic of Korea. Eligible patients must have a clip marker placed in the tumor and meet the MRI criteria suggesting complete clinical response (post-NST MRI size ≤ 1 cm and lesion-to-background signal enhancement ratio ≤ 1.6) after NST. Patients will undergo VAB, and breast surgery will be omitted for those with no residual tumor. Axillary surgery can also be omitted if the patient was clinically node-negative before and after NST and met the stringent criteria of MRI size ≤ 0.5 cm. Survival and efficacy outcomes are evaluated over five years.Discussion: This study seeks to establish evidence for the safe omission of breast surgery in exceptional responders to NST while minimizing patient burden. The trial will address concerns about potential undertreatment due to false-negative results and recurrence as well as improved patient-reported quality of life issues from the omission of surgery. Successful completion of this trial may reshape clinical practice for certain breast cancer subtypes and lead to a safe and less invasive approach for selected patients.