OBJECTIVES: Stroke remains the second leading cause of death in Korea. This study was designed to estimate the crude, age-adjusted and age-specific incidence rates, as well as the case fatality rate of stroke, in Korea from 2011 to 2020. METHODS: We utilized data from the National Health Insurance Services from January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2020, to calculate incidence rates and 30-day and 1-year case fatality rates of stroke. Additionally, we determined sex and age-specific incidence rates and computed age-standardized incidence rates by direct standardization to the 2005 population. RESULTS: The crude incidence rate of stroke hovered around 200 (per 100,000 person-years) from 2011 to 2015, then surged to 218.4 in 2019, before marginally declining to 208.0 in 2020. Conversely, the age-standardized incidence rate consistently decreased by 25% between 2011 and 2020. When stratified by sex, the crude incidence rate increased between 2011 and 2019 for both sexes, followed by a decrease in 2020. Age-standardized incidence rates displayed a downward trend throughout the study period for both sexes. Across all age groups, the 30-day and 1-year case fatality rates of stroke consistently decreased from 2011 to 2019, only to increase in 2020. CONCLUSIONS Despite a decrease in the age-standardized incidence rate, the total number of stroke events in Korea continues to rise due to the rapidly aging population. Moreover, 2020 witnessed a decrease in incidence but an increase in case fatality rates.

Background: Recently, a metabolic syndrome severity score (MS score) using a dataset of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys has been developed. We aimed to determine whether the newly developed score is a significant predictor of cardiovascular (CV) events among the Korean population. Methods: From the Korean National Health Insurance System, 2,541,364 (aged 40 to 59 years) subjects with no history of CV events (ischemic stroke or myocardial infarction [MI]), who underwent health examinations from 2009 to 2011 and were followed up until 2014 to 2017, were identified. Cox proportional hazard model was employed to investigate the association between MS score and CV events. Model performance of MS score for predicting CV events was compared to that of conventional metabolic syndrome diagnostic criteria (Adult Treatment Program III [ATP-III]) using the Akaike information criterion and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Results: Over a median follow-up of 6 years, 15,762 cases of CV events were reported. MS score at baseline showed a linear association with incident CV events. In the multivariable-adjusted model, the hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) comparing the highest versus lowest quartiles of MS score were 1.48 (1.36 to 1.60) for MI and 1.89 (1.74 to 2.05) for stroke. Model fitness and performance of the MS score in predicting CV events were superior to those of ATP-III. Conclusion The newly developed age- and sex-specific continuous MS score for the Korean population is an independent predictor of ischemic stroke and MI in Korean middle-aged adults even after adjusting for confounding factors.

Background: Recently, a metabolic syndrome severity score (MS score) using a dataset of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys has been developed. We aimed to determine whether the newly developed score is a significant predictor of cardiovascular (CV) events among the Korean population. Methods: From the Korean National Health Insurance System, 2,541,364 (aged 40 to 59 years) subjects with no history of CV events (ischemic stroke or myocardial infarction [MI]), who underwent health examinations from 2009 to 2011 and were followed up until 2014 to 2017, were identified. Cox proportional hazard model was employed to investigate the association between MS score and CV events. Model performance of MS score for predicting CV events was compared to that of conventional metabolic syndrome diagnostic criteria (Adult Treatment Program III [ATP-III]) using the Akaike information criterion and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Results: Over a median follow-up of 6 years, 15,762 cases of CV events were reported. MS score at baseline showed a linear association with incident CV events. In the multivariable-adjusted model, the hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) comparing the highest versus lowest quartiles of MS score were 1.48 (1.36 to 1.60) for MI and 1.89 (1.74 to 2.05) for stroke. Model fitness and performance of the MS score in predicting CV events were superior to those of ATP-III. Conclusion The newly developed age- and sex-specific continuous MS score for the Korean population is an independent predictor of ischemic stroke and MI in Korean middle-aged adults even after adjusting for confounding factors.

BACKGROUND: Continuous metabolic syndrome (MS) severity scores that can track metabolic risk in individuals over time have been developed for Western populations. The present study aimed to develop gender- and age-specific equations for MS severity scores in Korean adults. METHODS: Using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES) IV (2010–2012) and VI (2013–2015), we performed a confirmatory factor analysis of single MS factor that allowed for differential loadings across groups to generate gender- and age-specific, continuous MS severity scores. Then, we validated this equation in a different dataset of Korean adults. RESULTS: In confirmatory analysis, waist circumference had the highest factor loading, indicating that waist circumference had the strongest correlation with MS among Korean adults. Lower factor loadings (< 0.4) among Korean adults aged 40–59 years were noted for systolic blood pressure and fasting glucose. MS severity score values were significantly correlated with metabolic parameters, including high-sensitivity C-reactive-protein, glycated hemoglobin, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance. Furthermore, MS severity scores well predicted traditional MS according to receiver operating characteristic analysis in a validation dataset (KNHANES VII). In a longitudinal cohort dataset, participants diagnosed with Adult Treatment Program III (ATP-III) MS after an initial assessment had progressively higher baseline MS severity scores in relationship to their time until ATP-III MS diagnosis. CONCLUSION: The new MS severity score equations for Korean adults proposed in this study provide a clinically-accessible continuous measure of MS for potential use in identifying adults at higher risk for MS-related diseases and following changes within individuals over time.
Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Cohort Studies ; Dataset ; Diagnosis ; Epidemiology ; Fasting ; Glucose ; Hemoglobin A, Glycosylated ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Insulin Resistance ; Korea ; Nutrition Surveys ; Obesity ; ROC Curve ; Waist Circumference

No abstract available.
Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use ; Ascites/diagnosis/prevention & control/therapy ; Cholagogues and Choleretics/therapeutic use ; Fatty Liver/diagnosis/diet therapy ; Fatty Liver, Alcoholic/diagnosis/drug therapy ; Hemorrhage/prevention & control/therapy ; Hepatic Encephalopathy/diagnosis/prevention & control/therapy ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/diagnosis/drug therapy ; Hepatitis C, Chronic/diagnosis/drug therapy ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis/*diagnosis/drug therapy/pathology/*therapy ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary/drug therapy ; Vasodilator Agents/therapeutic use

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the oncologic and reproductive outcomes of patients with ovarian yolk sac tumor after bleomycin, etoposide, cisplatin (BEP) chemotherapy following surgery. METHODS: Of 145 patients with histologically confirmed malignant ovarian germ cell tumor, 43 had yolk sac tumor and received BEP chemotherapy after surgery. A retrospective analysis of these patients was performed. RESULTS: The mean age of 43 patients was 24.8 years (range, 7 to 59 years). Thirty eight patients were nulliparous. Of 179 BEP chemotherapy cycles, grade 1~2 hematologic and non-hematologic adverse events occurred in 46 cycles in 21 patients. Thirty nine patients showed complete remission, 1 patient showed partial remission, and 3 patient had progressive disease during BEP chemotherapy. After median follow-up time of 57 months (range, 3 to 153 months), 5 patients had recurrent disease and three of them died of disease. The 5-year recurrence free survival rate and overall survival rate were 86% and 94%, respectively. After chemotherapy, all but one premenarchal patients had normal menstruation. Of them 5 patients tried to conceive and 3 of them succeeded in pregnancy. CONCLUSION: BEP chemotherapy was very safe and effective in patients with ovarian yolk sac tumor. Survival outcomes are excellent and reproductive outcomes are promising after BEP chemotherapy.
Bleomycin ; Cisplatin ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Endodermal Sinus Tumor ; Etoposide ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Menstruation ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal ; Pregnancy ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Yolk Sac

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Our study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of MMF as compared with intravenous cyclophosphamide as induction therapy for proliferative lupus nephritis in Koreans. METHODS: Forty-three patients who were diagnosed with proliferative lupus nephritis (WHO Class III and IV) between Jan 2000 and Dec 2006 were included in this study. Nineteen patients were treated with oral MMF (initial dose: 1.0 g/day and then it was increased to 2.0 g/day) and 24 patients were treated with 0.75-1.0 g/m2 of monthly intravenous cyclophosphamide (CP) followed by subsequent treatment with oral corticosteroid (initial dose 1 mg/kg/day and then it was slowly tapered down) for 6 months. The demographic and laboratory findings, the response rate and the adverse events were reviewed retrospectively and these were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: A complete response occurred in 7 out of the 19 patients (36.8%) treated with MMF and in 8 out of the 24 patients (33.3%) treated with CP, and the difference was not significantly different between the two groups (p=0.66). A partial response was achieved in 52.6% and 45.8%, respectively. There were no significant differences of the laboratory findings such as serum albumin, C3, C4, the urine protein/creatinine ratio and serum creatinine after treatment for 6 months. In addition, both groups had similar rates of adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that for the treatment of lupus nephritis, MMF was as effective as IV cyclophosphamide with similar adverse events. This finding suggests that MMF could be an alternative treatment for active lupus nephritis as induction therapy.
Creatinine ; Cyclophosphamide ; Humans ; Lupus Nephritis ; Mycophenolic Acid ; Retrospective Studies ; Serum Albumin

Idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis (IRPF) is a rare disease characterized by a retroperitoneal inflammatory proliferative fibrosing process. Hashimoto's thyroiditis is the most common inflammatory condition of the thyroid gland; and is a frequently-occurring autoimmune disorder manifesting predominantly in middle-aged women. We report a rare association of IRPF with Hashimoto's thyroiditis in a 67-year-old man demonstrating good response to steroid therapy.
Aged ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use ; Hashimoto Disease/*complications/drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Pregnenediones/therapeutic use ; Retroperitoneal Fibrosis/*complications/drug therapy/pathology

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to elucidate the usefulness of urinary betaig-h3 concentrations in differential diagnosis of isolated microscopic hematuria patients. METHODS: Seventy-seven patients, in whom renal biopsy was performed due to microscopic hematuria without proteinuria, were enrolled. The patients were divided into two groups, IgAN group (patients with IgA nephropathy, N=37) and NM group (patients with normal or minor change on renal biopsy, N=40), and the clinical characteristics and laboratory findings were compared between the two groups. TGF-beta and betaig-h3 concentrations in urine were determined by ELISA and were compared between the two groups. To establish the optimal cut-off value of betaig-h3/creatinine (Cr) ratio for the diagnosis of IgA nephropathy, a receiver operating characteristic curve was constructed and the sensitivity and specificity were calculated. RESULTS: A comparative analysis revealed no significant differences in age and sex ratio between the two groups. There were no differences in serum IgG, IgA, IgM, C3, and C4 levels between the two groups. The urinary betaig-h3/Cr ratio was significantly higher in the IgAN group compared to the NM group (6.632.6 vs. 4.462.6 ng/mg, p<0.05), whereas there was no significant difference in the urinary TGF-/Cr ratio between the two groups (14.82.1 vs. 13.75.1 pg/mg, p>0.05). A cut-off betaig-h3/Cr ratio 4.5 has a sensitivity of 85.0% and a specificity of 77.8%. CONCLUSION: The urinary betaig-h3/Cr ratio was a good predictor for the diagnosis of IgA nephropathy. Therefore, renal biopsy should be considered in isolated microscopic hematuria patients with high urinary betaig-h3/Cr ratio.
Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA ; Hematuria* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Proteinuria ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sex Ratio ; Transforming Growth Factor beta

PURPOSE: Lower technical survival rate of CAPD compared to hemodialysis is still concerned. We aimed to evaluate the characteristics of long-term CAPD survivors in pre-dialysis and early phase of CAPD for estimating predictive markers for long-term maintenance of CAPD. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed records of long-term CAPD patients (LT group, >100 months, n=51) and short-term patients (ST group, <50 months, n=102) who were age-sex matched with the LT group in a 2:1 ratio. Clinical characteristics, serial biochemical parameters, Kt/V, and peritoneal equilibrium test (PET) within 1 month and at 1 year of CAPD were analyzed. RESULTS: LT group had lower prevalence of diabetes, higher pre-dialysis serum albumin, creatinine, % LBM at 1 month of CAPD and lower peritonitis rate compared to ST group. However, dialysis adequacy, residual renal function and transport status showed no differences between two groups at 1 month and 1 year of CAPD. In multivariate analysis, diabetes, peritonitis rate and %LBM were independent risk factors for failure of long-term maintenance of CAPD. Moreover, patients with high %LBM were more likely to be in LT group, had longer CAPD maintenance duration, and lower peritonitis rate. In multiple linear regression analysis for risk factors associated with peritonitis, %LBM at 1 month and pre-dialysis serum albumin were independently associated with peritonitis rate. CONCLUSION: The present study revealed that non-diabetic history, higher %LBM and lower peritonitis rate are important predictors of long-term CAPD survival. Also, poor nutritional status assessed by %LBM and serum albumin level was independently associated with high frequency of peritonitis.
Creatinine ; Dialysis ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Malnutrition ; Multivariate Analysis ; Nutritional Status ; Peritoneal Dialysis ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory* ; Peritonitis* ; Prevalence ; Renal Dialysis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Serum Albumin ; Survival Rate ; Survivors