A unified consensus statement on medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) has not yet been established among the Asian member countries or regions of the Asian Federation of Osteoporosis Societies (AFOS). This study aimed to develop a consensus on MRONJ in patients with osteoporosis across these countries and regions. In this study, the term “Asia-Pacific” refers specifically to the Asian member countries and regions of AFOS. A structured survey consisting of nine MRONJ-related questions was distributed across 10 countries and regions to assess the level of agreement and summarize regional perspectives. In addition, a manual literature review and voting were conducted to evaluate the current evidence on MRONJ. The key aspects of MRONJ, including definition, staging, diagnosis, pathogenesis, risk factors, management, and prevention, were generally consistent among the AFOS countries and regions. The annual incidence and incidence rate of MRONJ associated with low-dose antiresorptive therapy in patients with osteoporosis ranged from 0.025% to 0.136% and 21 to 283 cases per 100,000 person-years, respectively. However, evidence regarding the benefits of drug discontinuation before dental surgery, such as tooth extraction, remains insufficient. Large-scale, multinational studies across AFOS countries and regions are warranted to determine the incidence of MRONJ better and evaluate the impact of antiresorptive drug discontinuation before dental procedures. These findings may contribute to the devel opment of effective evidence-based strategies for preventing MRONJ in patients with osteoporosis.

Rectal cancer, which accounts for approximately 40% of colorectal cancers, remains a major clinical concern. Recent advances in diagnostic imaging, surgical techniques, radiotherapy, and systemic treatment have steadily improved rectal cancer outcomes. Considering this, the Korean Rectal Cancer Multidisciplinary (KRCM) Committee has aimed to provide clinicians and policymakers with up-to-date, evidence-based clinical practice guidelines to support optimal decision-making, reflecting current evidence, the Korean healthcare context, and patient values and preferences. The Clinical Practice Guidelines for Rectal Cancer version 2.0 were developed through multidisciplinary collaboration with related academic societies, building upon and updating the KRCM Clinical Practice Guidelines version 1.0 (titled “Multidisciplinary guidelines for the management of rectal cancer”). These consensus guidelines of the KRCM were established based on a comprehensive literature review, evidence synthesis, with recommendation development guided by the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) methodology, and consideration of applicability in real-world clinical practice under the national health insurance system. Each recommendation has been presented with its strength and level of evidence.

Sarcopenia is a major geriatric syndrome characterized by progressive loss of muscle mass and strength, resulting in disability and mortality. This narrative review synthesizes international consensus recommendations and Korean evidence to guide context-specific sarcopenia management strategies. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and KoreaMed (January 2000–November 2025) were searched, focusing on randomized trials, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, clinical practice guidelines, and large observational studies. Global diagnostic frameworks have evolved from muscle mass-based definitions toward multidimensional models that incorporate muscle strength and physical performance. Exercise and nutrition remain the mainstay treatments, with resistance-based training and adequate protein intake. Currently, pharmacologic options with proven clinical benefit are limited. In Korea, growing evidence supports the effectiveness of community-based sarcopenia interventions, underscoring the need for standardized, integrated delivery models that bridge the fragmented healthcare system and enable sustainable implementation.

Background: We compared the immunoglobulin (IG) heavy chain (IGH) leader and FR1 primer sets to measure clone sizes and detect immunoglobulin heavy chain variable (IGHV) region somatic hypermutations (SHMs) in Korean patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). We also analyzed IGH and immunoglobulin kappa (IGK) to identify Korean-specific IGs in CLL. Methods: Next-generation sequencing (NGS)–based gene rearrangements and IGHV SHMs were assessed in 40 patients using IGH leader, IGH FR1, and IGK primers. Flow cytometry, karyotyping, interphase FISH, and NGS-based variant analyses were performed for 165 genes. Results: Clonal IGH and IGK rearrangements were detected in 100.0% and 97.5% of patients, respectively. Clonal size was generally smaller per NGS than per flow cytometry, particularly when using the IGH leader (median: 52.5%) versus the IGH FR1 primer set (73.2%). IGHV SHMs occurred in approximately 70% of patients; 10% showed primer set discrepancies. The incidence of IGHV SHMs was low in patients at high risk (i.e., with TP53 abnormalities; complex karyotypes; and ATM, NOTCH1, SF3B1, or BIRC3 variants). IGHV3 was the most common IGHV (58.3%), and IGHV4-34 was most frequently identified (14.6%). IGHV1 and IGHV1-69 usage differed significantly between Koreans and westerners. IGHJ4 was the most common IGHJ (56.3%). A single IGKV–IGKJ gene rearrangement was most frequently observed (18.9%), whereas intron-KDE was the most common rearrangement (30.6%). Conclusions NGS may underestimate CLL clonal size, particularly when using the IGH leader primer set. IGHV SHMs were inversely associated with negative prognostic factors.Our data suggest ethnic differences in CLL pathogenesis.

The extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) CTX-M-55, a CTX-M-15 variant distinguished by an amino-acid substitution (Ala77Val), has enhanced enzymatic activity due to higher structural stability. In Korea, CTX-M-55 remains insufficiently characterized, particularly in the context of urinary tract infections (UTIs). We identified CTX-M-55 among uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolates and compared its microbiological characteristics with those of CTX-M-15. In total, 247 E. coli isolates were collected from patients with acute pyelonephritis at Hanyang University Seoul Hospital, an 860-bed tertiary-care hospital, between July 2019 and December 2021. ESBL production was confirmed using a double-disk synergy test, and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined. Resistance genes were detected using PCR, and CTX-M-15 sequences were analyzed. Among 38 isolates detected using PCR, eight were confirmed as CTX-M-55 using further sequence analysis. CTXM-55 showed (P > 0.05) a trend toward increased resistance to aztreonam, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, and cefepime, while showing decreased resistance to amoxicillin/clavulanate and piperacillin/tazobactam. CTX-M-55 had higher MIC 50 values than CTX-M-15 for ceftazidime ( > 16 vs. 8 µg/mL), cefepime (32 vs. 1 µg/mL), and piperacillin/tazobactam (0.5 vs.0.25 µg/mL). Virulence factors and coexisting resistance genes did not significantly differ.Our findings suggest that, given its increased resistance to ceftazidime and cefepime, CTXM-55 should be considered when treating UTIs in Korea.

Background: Long working hours have been associated with adverse physical and mental health outcomes; however, evidence regarding their relationship with satisfaction with work environment remains limited, particularly when long working hours are defined using a specific daily threshold. This study examined the association between working ≥10 hours per day and satisfaction with work environment among Korean wage workers, focusing on the cumulative number of such workdays per month. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the 7th Korean Working Conditions Survey. A total of 24,269 wage workers aged ≥18 years were included after excluding self-employed workers, unpaid family workers, shift workers, and respondents with missing data. Working ≥10 hours per day was categorized as 0, 1–9, and ≥10 days per month. Satisfaction with work environment was categorized as satisfied or dissatisfied. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for dissatisfaction with work environment according to the number of long working days, adjusting for demographic and occupational characteristics. Results: Compared with workers who did not work ≥10 hours per day, those who worked 1–9 days and ≥10 days per month showed progressively higher levels of dissatisfaction with work environment. After adjustment for demographic and occupational factors, the odds of dissatisfaction with work environment were significantly higher among workers who worked ≥10 hours per day for 1–9 days per month (OR: 1.380; 95% CI: 1.145–1.665) and ≥10 days per month (OR: 2.106; 95% CI: 1.627–2.725), demonstrating a dose–response relationship. Conclusions Among the analytic sample of Korean wage workers included in this study, working ≥10 hours per day was associated with greater dissatisfaction with work environment, with a dose–response pattern according to the number of long working days per month.

Background: Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are used in various products, and PFAS have been detected in outdoor clothing. PFAS can be absorbed into the human body via oral ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. In this study, we examined the association between the frequency of using outdoor clothing and serum PFAS concentrations in the Korean population using data from cycle 4 (2018–2020) of the Korean National Environmental Health Survey. Methods: Data from 2,993 adult participants were analyzed. The participants were classified into low-concentration and high-concentration groups based on the 75th percentile concentration of serum PFAS. The use of outdoor clothing was categorized into three groups: non-use, <4 times a week, and ≥4 times a week. The odds ratio (OR) for serum PFAS levels associated with use of outdoor clothing was determined through logistic regression analysis, adjusted for demographic characteristics, health-related factors, PFAS-treated items, dietary factors, and ventilation time. Results: ORs for high serum PFAS were higher in groups using outdoor clothing compared to the non-user group. In males, the adjusted ORs for the < 4 times a week and ≥ 4 times a week outdoor clothing usage group were as follows: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), 1.26 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.10–1.44) and 1.70 (1.40–2.07); perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), 1.49 (1.16–1.92) and 1.70 (1.22–2.37); and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), 1.34 (1.19–1.51) and 1.68 (1.38–2.05), respectively. In females, the respective ORs were as follows: PFOA 1.32 (95% CI: 1.19–1.46) and 1.53 (1.01–2.32); PFHxS, 1.46 (1.08–1.96) and 2.63 (2.10–3.29); PFNA, 1.38 (1.22–1.55) and 1.45 (1.07–1.96). Conclusions In adults, elevated serum PFAS levels were associated with increased frequency of using outdoor clothing.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of the National Health Screening Program for Infants and Children (NHSPIC) in the early diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) utilizing data from the National Health Insurance Database of South Korea. Methods: We enrolled children born between 2011 and 2018 who completed the first to fourth stages of the NHSPIC. A positive finding was defined as a recommendation for further evaluation during one or more stages. Participants were categorized into the positive and negative finding groups. Following 1:1 propensity score matching, 82,138 participants were assigned to each group. Results: Comparative analysis revealed that participants with positive findings exhibited a higher risk of developing all seven NDDs, particularly for autism spectrum disorder (hazard ratio [HR], 19.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 17.48–22.20), intellectual disability (HR, 17.11; 95% CI, 14.69–19.93), developmental language disorder (HR, 11.74; 95% CI, 10.73– 12.84), and cerebral palsy (HR, 11.34; 95% CI, 8.67–14.84). The HR for learning disability was 4.31 (95% CI, 2.94–6.34), whereas attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder had an HR of 3.57 (95% CI, 3.37–3.78). Tic disorder had the lowest HR (HR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.48–1.82). Additionally, HRs were calculated for each NHSPIC stage, demonstrating the utility of specific stages in the early detection of each NDD. Conclusion Developmental screening tests in the NHSPIC contributed to the early diagnosis of NDDs. This study underscores the significance of the NHSPIC and provides foundational evidence to inform and enhance policies related to child health screenings.