Background: Human adenovirus (HAdV) is a common cause of acute respiratory disease (ARD) and has raised significant concerns within the Korean military. Here, we conducted a comprehensive epidemiological analysis of HAdV-associated ARD by evaluating its prevalence, clinical outcomes, and prognosis. Methods: We reviewed data from multiple sources, including the New Defense Medical Information System, Defense Medical Statistical Information System, Ministry of National Defense, Army Headquarters, Navy Headquarters, Air Force Headquarters, and Armed Forces Medical Command. We analyzed data of patients who underwent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for respiratory viruses between January 2013 and July 2022 in all 14 Korean military hospitals. The analysis included the PCR test results, demographic characteristics, health care utilization, and prognosis including types of treatments received, incidence of pneumonia, and mortality. Results: Among the 23,830 individuals who underwent PCR testing at Korean military hospitals, 44.78% (10,670 cases) tested positive for respiratory viruses. Across all military types and ranks, HAdV was the most prevalent virus, with a total of 8,580 patients diagnosed, among HAdV, influenza virus, human metapneumovirus, human parainfluenza virus, and human respiratory syncytial virus. HAdV-infected patients exhibited higher rates of healthcare use compared to non-HAdV-infected patients, including a greater number of emergency visits (1.04 vs. 1.02) and outpatient visits (1.31 vs. 1.27), longer hospitalizations (8.14 days vs. 6.84 days), and extended stays in the intensive care unit (5.21 days vs. 3.38 days).Furthermore, HAdV-infected patients had a higher proportion of pneumonia cases (65.79%vs. 48.33%) and greater likelihood of receiving advanced treatments such as high flow nasal cannula or continuous renal replacement therapy. Conclusion Our findings indicate that HAdV posed a significant public health concern within the Korean military prior to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Given the potential for a resurgence of outbreaks in the post-COVID-19 era, proactive measures, such as education, environmental improvements, and the development of HAdV vaccines, are crucial for effectively preventing future outbreaks.

Purpose: Cancer patients need ongoing care from healthcare providers to maintain continuity of treatment. Much research has been conducted on digital health services for providing continuous management of discharged cancer patients. This review aimed to identify nurse-led digital health interventions for discharged cancer patients. Methods: This scoping review was conducted using JBI methodology. The population was post-discharge adult cancer patients, the concept was nurse-led digital health intervention, and the context was open. Databases including PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, KoreaMed, and RISS were searched.Data were summarized about the general characteristics of the article, participants, interventions, and outcomes. Results: Fifty-seven studies were included, with ten studies that focused on the elderly. One third of the participants included in this review had colorectal cancer (32.7%). Telephone was the most frequently used format, while the others were applications, the internet, and telemonitoring. The nurses’ main roles consisted of counseling, symptom monitoring, and education. Conclusion The development of nurseled digital health intervention for the elderly will be necessary, and studies using more diverse technologies will need to be conducted. Digital health interventions for post-discharge colorectal cancer patients could be applied in practice. Nurses should provide emotional support while providing digital health interventions.

Background: Numerous patients around the globe are dying from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). While age is a known risk factor, risk analysis in the young generation is lacking. The present study aimed to evaluate the clinical features and mortality risk factors in younger patients (≤ 50 years) with a critical case of COVID-19 in comparison with those among older patients (> 50 years) in Korea. Methods: We analyzed the data of adult patients only in critical condition (requiring high flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy or higher respiratory support) hospitalized with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 at 11 hospitals in Korea from July 1, 2021 to November 30, 2021 when the delta variant was a dominant strain. Patients’ electronic medical records were reviewed to identify clinical characteristics. Results: During the study period, 448 patients were enrolled. One hundred and forty-two were aged 50 years or younger (the younger group), while 306 were above 50 years of age (the older group). The most common pre-existing conditions in the younger group were diabetes mellitus and hypertension, and 69.7% of the patients had a body mass index (BMI) > 25 kg/m 2 .Of 142 younger patients, 31 of 142 patients (21.8%, 19 women) did not have these pre-existing conditions. The overall case fatality rate among severity cases was 21.0%, and it differed according to age: 5.6% (n = 8/142) in the younger group, 28.1% in the older group, and 38% in the ≥ 65 years group. Age (odds ratio [OR], 7.902; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.754–18.181), mechanical ventilation therapy (OR, 17.233; 95% CI, 8.439–35.192), highest creatinine > 1.5 mg/dL (OR, 17.631; 95% CI, 8.321–37.357), and combined blood stream infection (OR, 7.092;95% CI, 1.061–18.181) were identified as independent predictors of mortality in total patients.Similar patterns were observed in age-specific analyses, but most results were statistically insignificant in multivariate analysis due to the low number of deaths in the younger group.The full vaccination rate was very low among study population (13.6%), and only three patients were fully vaccinated, with none of the patients who died having been fully vaccinated in the younger group. Seven of eight patients who died had a pre-existing condition or were obese (BMI > 25 kg/m 2 ), and the one remaining patient died from a secondary infection. Conclusion About 22% of the patients in the young critical group did not have an underlying disease or obesity, but the rate of obesity (BMI > 25 kg/m2 ) was high, with a fatality rate of 5.6%. The full vaccination rate was extremely low compared to the general population of the same age group, showing that non-vaccination has a grave impact on the progression of COVID-19 to a critical condition. The findings of this study highlight the need for measures to prevent critical progression of COVID-19, such as vaccinations and targeting young adults especially having risk factors.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is often accompanied by secondary infections, such as invasive aspergillosis. In this study, risk factors for developing COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) and their clinical outcomes were evaluated. Methods: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included critically ill COVID-19 patients from July 2020 through March 2021. Critically ill patients were defined as patients requiring high-flow respiratory support or mechanical ventilation. CAPA was defined based on the 2020 European Confederation of Medical Mycology and the International Society for Human and Animal Mycology consensus criteria. Factors associated with CAPA were analyzed, and their clinical outcomes were adjusted by a propensity score-matched model. Results: Among 187 eligible patients, 17 (9.1%) developed CAPA, which is equal to 33.10 per 10,000 patient-days. Sixteen patients received voriconazole-based antifungal treatment. In addition, 82.4% and 53.5% of patients with CAPA and without CAPA, respectively, received early high-dose corticosteroids (P = 0.022). In multivariable analysis, initial 10-day cumulative steroid dose > 60 mg of dexamethasone or dexamethasone equivalent dose) (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 3.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03–13.79) and chronic pulmonary disease (adjusted OR, 4.20; 95% CI, 1.26–14.02) were independently associated with CAPA. Tendencies of higher 90-day overall mortality (54.3% vs. 35.2%, P= 0.346) and lower respiratory support-free rate were observed in patients with CAPA (76.3% vs. 54.9%, P = 0.089). Conclusion Our study showed that the dose of corticosteroid use might be a risk factor for CAPA development and the possibility of CAPA contributing to adverse outcomes in critically ill COVID-19 patients.

Background: Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) induces remission in pediatric Crohn's disease (CD). The exact mechanism of EEN therapy in CD is unknown, but alteration of the intestinal microflora after EEN is thought to affect mucosal healing. To determine the link between EEN therapy and therapeutic efficacy in CD, we established a murine model of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis and applied EEN therapy. Methods: Eight-week-old C57BL/6 mice were administered DSS for 4 days to induce colitis, and either normal chow (NC) or EEN was administered for the following 4 days. The mice were grouped according to the feeding pattern after DSS administration: DSS/NC and DSS/ EEN groups. The clinical course was confirmed via daily observation of the weight and stool. Fecal samples were collected and 16sRNA sequencing was used. The mice were sacrificed to confirm colonic histopathology. Results: Weight reduction and increase in disease activity were observed as the day progressed for 4 days after DSS administration. There was significant weight recovery and improvement in disease activity in the EEN group compared to that in the NC group. Verrucomicrobia and Proteobacteria abundances tended to increase and Bacteroidetes abundance decreased in the EEN group. In the EEN group, significant changes in the β-diversity of the microbiota were observed. In the analysis of microbiome species, abundances of Akkermansia muciniphila, Clostridium cocleatum, mucin-degrading bacteria, Flintibacter butyricus, and Parabacteroides goldsteinii, which are beneficial microbiota, were significantly increased in the EEN group compared to those in the NC group. More abundant mucins were confirmed in the colonic histopathology of the EEN group. These microbial and histopathological differences suggested that EEN might improve colitis symptoms in a murine colitis model by promoting mucin recycling and subsequently inducing the healing effect of the gut barrier. Conclusion EEN showed clinical efficacy in a murine model of colitis. Based on the increase in mucin-degrading bacteria and the pathological increase in mucin production after EEN administration, it can be observed that mucin plays an important role in the therapeutic effect of EEN.

Central hypoventilation syndrome is a rare and fatal condition resulting from various central nervous system disorders that is characterized by a failure of automatic breathing. We report a case of central hypoventilation syndrome following posterior circulation stroke whose pulmonary function was improved by respiratory rehabilitation. A 59-year-old woman with a history of hemorrhagic stroke of the bilateral cerebellum was hospitalized due to pneumonia. A portable ventilator was applied via tracheostomy, recurrent episodes of apnea and hypercapnia impeded weaning. A respiratory rehabilitation program including chest wall range of motion exercise, air stacking exercise, neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on abdominal muscles, upper extremity ergometer, locomotor training, high-frequency chest wall oscillator, mechanical insufflation, and exsufflation was employed, as spirometry showed a severe restrictive pattern. A spontaneous breathing trial was started, and a portable ventilator was applied for 8 hours, only during nighttime, to prevent sudden apneic event. After 4 weeks of treatment, follow-up spirometry showed much improved respiratory parameters. This case suggests that respiratory rehabilitation can improve pulmonary function parameters and quality of life in central hypoventilation syndrome.
Abdominal Muscles ; Apnea ; Central Nervous System Diseases ; Cerebellum ; Electric Stimulation ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypercapnia ; Hypoventilation ; Insufflation ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonia ; Quality of Life ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Rehabilitation ; Respiration ; Respiratory Center ; Spirometry ; Stroke ; Thoracic Wall ; Tracheostomy ; Upper Extremity ; Ventilators, Mechanical ; Weaning

Subtle dysfphagia, which is increased post-swallowing remnants, is a frequent finding in the elderly with various etiologies. These changes in swallowing are frequently overlooked by physicians. On the other hand, subtle changes evident on a videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) may suggest hidden disease. Therefore, clinicians should evaluate incidental dysphagia. Case 1: A 65-year-old man with no relevant medical history, presented with dysphagia and residual sensation during meals. VFSS showed moderate post-swallowing remnants in the vallecular fossa and pyriformis sinus. Further examination revealed prostate cancer with multiple bone metastases including the skull. Case 2: A 60-year-old man complained of residual sensation after swallowing, which started 2 months ago. He had a history of lung cancer. Pharyngeal residue was observed on VFSS. A brain metastasis was observed on MRI. Post-swallowing residue is often neglected or overlooked by clinicians who regard them as the features of aging. The present cases show that mild dysphagia with increased post-swallowing remnants may be an initial presentation of a hidden malignancy with metastasis. Physicians should consider unexplained dysphagia or tongue atrophy as possible initial presentations of hidden malignancies.
Aged ; Aging ; Atrophy ; Brain ; Deglutition ; Deglutition Disorders* ; Hand ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Meals ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Sensation ; Skull ; Tongue

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of physical therapy (PT) intervention on spasticity in patients with cerebral palsy (CP), and to assess the degree of deterioration of spasticity when regular PT is interrupted in those patients. METHODS: We recruited 35 children with spastic CP who visited our hospital for PT, and whose Modified Tardieu Scale (MTS) scores were serially recorded including before and after a 10-day public holiday time frame period. The outcome measures were the angle of range of motion (ROM) of dorsiflexion of the ankle joint (R1 and R2) in the knee flexion and extension positions as assessed using the MTS. RESULTS: The range of dorsiflexion of the ankle joint (R1 and R2) after the holiday period was significantly decreased as compared with that measured ROM noted before the holiday period, regardless of the knee position, age, or gross motor function. The dynamic component of the MTS (R2–R1) showed a slight decrease in the knee flexion position. CONCLUSION: Interruption of regular PT aggravated spasticity and decreased ankle joint ROM in children with spastic CP. Our findings suggest that regular PT in the care continuum for children with CP is crucial for the maintenance of ROM in the spastic ankle joints.
Ankle Joint ; Cerebral Palsy ; Child ; Continuity of Patient Care ; Holidays ; Humans ; Knee ; Muscle Spasticity ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Range of Motion, Articular

We report a female proband carrying a de novo 5q34-q35.2 deletion breakpoint, and review the unique skeletal phenotype and possible genotype related to this mutation. The patient presented with a persistent head tilt and limited head rotation. Non-contrast-enhanced three-dimensional computed tomography of the cervical spine revealed several malformations including a bone cleft in the right pars interarticularis, a bone defect in both C5 lamina and the transverse foramen at C2–C3, agenesis of the right articular process of C5, bony fusion of C4–C5, and subluxation of the craniocervical joints. Several deformities of the cervical spine seen in this patient have not been associated with the 5q deletion. A review of 5q-related mutations suggests that abnormalities associated with MSX2 gene might cause cervical spine abnormalities.
Chromosome Deletion ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Female ; Genotype ; Head ; Humans ; Joints ; Phenotype ; Spine*

OBJECTIVE: 3-Methylcrotonyl CoA carboxylase deficiency (3MCCD) is classified as organic acid disease due to leucine catabolism. It is among the most common inborn errors of metabolism identified on newborn screening test using tandem mass spectrometry. There is a broad spectrum of clinical presentations. 3-Methylcrotonyl CoA carboxylase converts 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA to 3-methylglutaconyl-CoA using biotin as a coenzyme in mitochondria. Restricting protein diets and supplementing carnitine, glycine, and biotin are known treatments. We reported this study to find out clinical symptoms, type of gene mutation, and effect of treatment. METHODS: This study was based on retrospective data of patients with 3MCCD in Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital and Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital between April 2009 to August 2016. RESULTS: All 10 infants were born term infants and had no symptoms. During the neonatal period, abnormalities were detected in the new born screening test using tandem mass spectrometry, 3-hydroxyisovalerylcarnitine was increased. 3-Methylcrotonylglycine (3MCG) and 3-hydroxyisovalreric acid (3HIVA) were examined in urine organic acid assay. The results showed that 3MCG was increased in all 10 children. Except for three of the 10 children, 3HIVA was increased. Genetic tests were performed on all 10 children. MCCC1 gene mutations were detected in four patients and MCCC2 mutations were detected in six patients. After diagnosis, all children were recommended leucine-restricted diets, and seven of the 10 patients started to feed on leucine free formula for the treatment of 3MCCD. CONCLUSION: According to our data, all patients has no symptoms and are shown normal development. There were no clinical symptoms or changes in prognosis according to gene mutation type.
Biotin ; Carnitine ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Diet ; Glycine ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Leucine ; Mass Screening ; Metabolism ; Metabolism, Inborn Errors ; Mitochondria ; Neonatal Screening ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry