Purpose: To evaluate the repeatability of corneal epithelial thickness (CET) measurements in normal eyes and eyes diagnosed with corneal disease using the epithelial thickness map (ETM) of anterior-segment optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods: In this retrospective study, patients with three OCT scans using the ETM mode of Cirrus OCT between October 2021 and January 2024 were reviewed. Two groups of subjects were included: (1) normal subjects with no history of ophthalmic surgery, corneal diseases, and topical antiglaucoma medication uses; and (2) subjects with corneal diseases including dry eye syndrome, recurrent corneal erosion, pterygium, and others. A total of 57 eyes of 57 normal subjects and 106 eyes of 76 patients with corneal disease were included. ETM was analyzed in 25 zones (one zone within 0–2 mm diameter, eight zones within 2–5 mm diameter, eight zones within 5–7 mm diameter, and eight zones within 7–9 mm diameter). Repeatability was evaluated by calculating intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), coefficient of variation (CoV), within-subject standard deviation (Sw), and Bland-Altman plot. Results: Among a total of 25 sectors, the normal eyes showed high repeatability (ICC, >0.75; CoV, 2.160%–5.292%; Sw, 0.760– 1.653 μm) in 23 sectors, and corneal diseases patients also showed high repeatability (ICC, >0.75; CoV, 4.167%–9.606%; Sw, 1.298–3.340 μm) in 22 sectors. However, the wide range of 95% limit of agreement width of Bland-Altman plot presented in corneal disease group and some peripheral zones in normal eyes indicates some variability of CET measurements. Conclusions Except for a few peripheral sectors, ETM of Cirrus OCT provides repeatable CET measurements in normal eyes; however in corneal disease group, repeatability was not consistently high. To measure CET accurately, performing multiple measurements is advised especially in patients with corneal disease and patients in whom peripheral CET values.

Purpose: To evaluate the repeatability of corneal epithelial thickness (CET) measurements in normal eyes and eyes diagnosed with corneal disease using the epithelial thickness map (ETM) of anterior-segment optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods: In this retrospective study, patients with three OCT scans using the ETM mode of Cirrus OCT between October 2021 and January 2024 were reviewed. Two groups of subjects were included: (1) normal subjects with no history of ophthalmic surgery, corneal diseases, and topical antiglaucoma medication uses; and (2) subjects with corneal diseases including dry eye syndrome, recurrent corneal erosion, pterygium, and others. A total of 57 eyes of 57 normal subjects and 106 eyes of 76 patients with corneal disease were included. ETM was analyzed in 25 zones (one zone within 0–2 mm diameter, eight zones within 2–5 mm diameter, eight zones within 5–7 mm diameter, and eight zones within 7–9 mm diameter). Repeatability was evaluated by calculating intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), coefficient of variation (CoV), within-subject standard deviation (Sw), and Bland-Altman plot. Results: Among a total of 25 sectors, the normal eyes showed high repeatability (ICC, >0.75; CoV, 2.160%–5.292%; Sw, 0.760– 1.653 μm) in 23 sectors, and corneal diseases patients also showed high repeatability (ICC, >0.75; CoV, 4.167%–9.606%; Sw, 1.298–3.340 μm) in 22 sectors. However, the wide range of 95% limit of agreement width of Bland-Altman plot presented in corneal disease group and some peripheral zones in normal eyes indicates some variability of CET measurements. Conclusions Except for a few peripheral sectors, ETM of Cirrus OCT provides repeatable CET measurements in normal eyes; however in corneal disease group, repeatability was not consistently high. To measure CET accurately, performing multiple measurements is advised especially in patients with corneal disease and patients in whom peripheral CET values.

Purpose: To evaluate the repeatability of corneal epithelial thickness (CET) measurements in normal eyes and eyes diagnosed with corneal disease using the epithelial thickness map (ETM) of anterior-segment optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods: In this retrospective study, patients with three OCT scans using the ETM mode of Cirrus OCT between October 2021 and January 2024 were reviewed. Two groups of subjects were included: (1) normal subjects with no history of ophthalmic surgery, corneal diseases, and topical antiglaucoma medication uses; and (2) subjects with corneal diseases including dry eye syndrome, recurrent corneal erosion, pterygium, and others. A total of 57 eyes of 57 normal subjects and 106 eyes of 76 patients with corneal disease were included. ETM was analyzed in 25 zones (one zone within 0–2 mm diameter, eight zones within 2–5 mm diameter, eight zones within 5–7 mm diameter, and eight zones within 7–9 mm diameter). Repeatability was evaluated by calculating intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), coefficient of variation (CoV), within-subject standard deviation (Sw), and Bland-Altman plot. Results: Among a total of 25 sectors, the normal eyes showed high repeatability (ICC, >0.75; CoV, 2.160%–5.292%; Sw, 0.760– 1.653 μm) in 23 sectors, and corneal diseases patients also showed high repeatability (ICC, >0.75; CoV, 4.167%–9.606%; Sw, 1.298–3.340 μm) in 22 sectors. However, the wide range of 95% limit of agreement width of Bland-Altman plot presented in corneal disease group and some peripheral zones in normal eyes indicates some variability of CET measurements. Conclusions Except for a few peripheral sectors, ETM of Cirrus OCT provides repeatable CET measurements in normal eyes; however in corneal disease group, repeatability was not consistently high. To measure CET accurately, performing multiple measurements is advised especially in patients with corneal disease and patients in whom peripheral CET values.

Purpose: To evaluate the repeatability of corneal epithelial thickness (CET) measurements in normal eyes and eyes diagnosed with corneal disease using the epithelial thickness map (ETM) of anterior-segment optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods: In this retrospective study, patients with three OCT scans using the ETM mode of Cirrus OCT between October 2021 and January 2024 were reviewed. Two groups of subjects were included: (1) normal subjects with no history of ophthalmic surgery, corneal diseases, and topical antiglaucoma medication uses; and (2) subjects with corneal diseases including dry eye syndrome, recurrent corneal erosion, pterygium, and others. A total of 57 eyes of 57 normal subjects and 106 eyes of 76 patients with corneal disease were included. ETM was analyzed in 25 zones (one zone within 0–2 mm diameter, eight zones within 2–5 mm diameter, eight zones within 5–7 mm diameter, and eight zones within 7–9 mm diameter). Repeatability was evaluated by calculating intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), coefficient of variation (CoV), within-subject standard deviation (Sw), and Bland-Altman plot. Results: Among a total of 25 sectors, the normal eyes showed high repeatability (ICC, >0.75; CoV, 2.160%–5.292%; Sw, 0.760– 1.653 μm) in 23 sectors, and corneal diseases patients also showed high repeatability (ICC, >0.75; CoV, 4.167%–9.606%; Sw, 1.298–3.340 μm) in 22 sectors. However, the wide range of 95% limit of agreement width of Bland-Altman plot presented in corneal disease group and some peripheral zones in normal eyes indicates some variability of CET measurements. Conclusions Except for a few peripheral sectors, ETM of Cirrus OCT provides repeatable CET measurements in normal eyes; however in corneal disease group, repeatability was not consistently high. To measure CET accurately, performing multiple measurements is advised especially in patients with corneal disease and patients in whom peripheral CET values.

Although WHO declared the end of the public health emergency for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2), XBB lineages continue to evolve and emerge globally. In particular, XBB.1.5 and XBB.1.16 are raising concerns because of their high immune evasion, leading to apprehensions regarding vaccine efficacy reduction and potential reinfection. We aimed to investigate the COVID-19 outbreak in Korea and predict the likelihood of reinfection by testing neutralizing activity against live viruses from the S clade and 19 Omicron sublineages.We found a significant risk of infection with the currently prevalent XBB lineage for individuals who were either vaccinated early or infected during the initial Omicron outbreak. Vaccinated individuals were better equipped than unvaccinated individuals to produce neutralizing antibodies for other SARS-CoV-2 variants upon infection. Therefore, unvaccinated individuals do not easily develop neutralizing activity against other variants and face the highest risk of reinfection by the XBB lineage. Our study provides important information to facilitate the development of strategies for monitoring populations that would be the most susceptible to new COVID-19 outbreaks.

Background: Flow cytometric immunophenotyping of hematolymphoid neoplasms (FCIHLN) is essential for diagnosis, classification, and minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring. FCI-HLN is typically performed using in-house protocols, raising the need for standardization. Therefore, we surveyed the current status of FCI-HLN in Korea to obtain fundamental data for quality improvement and standardization. Methods: Eight university hospitals actively conducting FCI-HLN participated in our survey.We analyzed responses to a questionnaire that included inquiries regarding test items, reagent antibodies (RAs), fluorophores, sample amounts (SAs), reagent antibody amounts (RAAs), acquisition cell number (ACN), isotype control (IC) usage, positiveegative criteria, and reporting. Results: Most hospitals used acute HLN, chronic HLN, plasma cell neoplasm (PCN), and MRD panels. The numbers of RAs were heterogeneous, with a maximum of 32, 26, 12, 14, and 10 antibodies used for acute HLN, chronic HLN, PCN, ALL-MRD, and multiple myeloma-MRD, respectively. The number of fluorophores ranged from 4 to 10. RAs, SAs, RAAs, and ACN were diverse. Most hospitals used a positive criterion of 20%, whereas one used 10% for acute and chronic HLN panels. Five hospitals used ICs for the negative criterion. Positiveegative assignments, percentages, and general opinions were commonly reported. In MRD reporting, the limit of detection and lower limit of quantification were included. Conclusions This is the first comprehensive study on the current status of FCI-HLN in Korea, confirming the high heterogeneity and complexity of FCI-HLN practices. Standardization of FCI-HLN is urgently needed. The findings provide a reference for establishing standard FCI-HLN guidelines.

Purpose: Research on the relationship between diet and dementia among Koreans are lacking. This study investigated the association between dietary habits and dementia progression over 3 years in patients with Alzheimer’s disease dementia (ADD). Materials and Methods: This study included 705 patients with mild-to-moderate ADD. Dietary habits were assessed using the Mini Dietary Assessment Index, comprising 10 questions. Outcome measures included the Clinical Dementia Rating scale-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB), Seoul-Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, Caregiver-Administered Neuropsychiatric Inventory (CGA-NPI), and neuropsychological test battery (NTB) z-scores, which were evaluated annually over 3 years. Results: In Q10 (eat all food evenly without being picky), the 3-year mean differences in CDR-SB (increases in scores represent worsening) compared to the “rarely” group were -1.86 [95% confidence interval (CI)=-3.64 – -0.09, p=0.039] for the “usually” group and -2.23 (95% CI=-4.40 – -0.06, p=0.044) for the “always” group. In Q7 (add salt or soy sauce to food when eating), the 3-year mean differences in CDR-SB compared to the “always” group were -2.47 (95% CI=-4.70 – -0.24, p=0.030) for the “usually” group and -3.16 (95% CI=-5.36 – -0.96, p=0.005) for the “rarely” group. The “rarely” and “usually” groups in Q7 showed significantly less decline in NTB z-score and CGA-NPI compared to the “always” group. Conclusion Eating a balanced diet and reducing salt intake were associated with a slower decline in dementia severity, cognition, and behavioral alterations in patients with ADD.

Purpose: To evaluate the repeatability of corneal epithelial thickness (CET) measurements in normal eyes and eyes diagnosed with corneal disease using the epithelial thickness map (ETM) of anterior-segment optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods: In this retrospective study, patients with three OCT scans using the ETM mode of Cirrus OCT between October 2021 and January 2024 were reviewed. Two groups of subjects were included: (1) normal subjects with no history of ophthalmic surgery, corneal diseases, and topical antiglaucoma medication uses; and (2) subjects with corneal diseases including dry eye syndrome, recurrent corneal erosion, pterygium, and others. A total of 57 eyes of 57 normal subjects and 106 eyes of 76 patients with corneal disease were included. ETM was analyzed in 25 zones (one zone within 0–2 mm diameter, eight zones within 2–5 mm diameter, eight zones within 5–7 mm diameter, and eight zones within 7–9 mm diameter). Repeatability was evaluated by calculating intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), coefficient of variation (CoV), within-subject standard deviation (Sw), and Bland-Altman plot. Results: Among a total of 25 sectors, the normal eyes showed high repeatability (ICC, >0.75; CoV, 2.160%–5.292%; Sw, 0.760– 1.653 μm) in 23 sectors, and corneal diseases patients also showed high repeatability (ICC, >0.75; CoV, 4.167%–9.606%; Sw, 1.298–3.340 μm) in 22 sectors. However, the wide range of 95% limit of agreement width of Bland-Altman plot presented in corneal disease group and some peripheral zones in normal eyes indicates some variability of CET measurements. Conclusions Except for a few peripheral sectors, ETM of Cirrus OCT provides repeatable CET measurements in normal eyes; however in corneal disease group, repeatability was not consistently high. To measure CET accurately, performing multiple measurements is advised especially in patients with corneal disease and patients in whom peripheral CET values.

Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) has been used for over a century and has been demonstrated to be effective in treating patients with various allergic diseases. AIT allergens can be administered through various routes, including subcutaneous, sublingual, intralymphatic, oral, or epicutaneous routes. Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) has recently gained clinical interest, and it is considered an alternative treatment for allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma. This review provides an overview of the current evidence-based studies that address the use of SLIT for treating AR, including (1) mechanisms of action, (2) appropriate patient selection for SLIT, (3) the current available SLIT products in Korea, and (4) updated information on its efficacy and safety. Finally, this guideline aims to provide the clinician with practical considerations for SLIT.