Hypertension is a major cardiovascular risk factor in hemodialysis patients. This study identified the optimal blood pressure (BP) target for Korean hemodialysis patients using the Korean Renal Dialysis System (KORDS) dataset from the Korean Society of Nephrology and a pooled analysis for previous studies. Methods: Hemodialysis patients were classified according to their systolic (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) at intervals of 20 and 10 mmHg, respectively. As a primary and secondary outcome, all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality were evaluated. Subsequently, pooled analysis with previous literatures was performed. Results: Among 70,607 patients, 13,708 (19.4%) died in 2,426 days (interquartile range, 1,256–4,075 days). Mean SBP and DBP were 143.0 ± 19.6 and 78.5 ± 12.0 mmHg. In multivariable Cox regression, the patients with SBP of <120 and ≥180 mmHg showed 1.10- and 1.12-times increased risk of all-cause mortality compared to SBP of 120–140 mmHg. Meanwhile, DBP showed no significant association. In subgroup analysis, patients aged <70 years and without diabetes had a U-shaped SBP-mortality association. Cardiovascular mortality was increased in SBP of ≥160 mmHg compared to 120–140 mmHg, but it was not in <120 mmHg. Pooled analysis with previous studies mostly showed elevated risk in SBP of <120 mmHg, but the risks in 140–160 and 160–180 mmHg were not consistent. Conclusion: Extremely lowering BP (<120 mmHg) or uncontrolled hypertension (≥160 mmHg) should be avoided to optimize survival in Korean hemodialysis patients. Detailed analysis for patients with SBP of 120–160 mmHg should be studied further under uniform BP measurement, along with consideration of risk of intradialytic hypotension. Tailored recommendations regarding patient risk factors also should be considered.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the experiential meaning of child-rearing for marriage immigrant women in Korea in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: Using the hermeneutic descriptive phenomenology framework developed by Colaizzi, 10 marriage immigrant women rearing preschool and school-age children were invited through purposive and snowball sampling from two multicultural support centers in Korea. The participants were rearing one or two children, and their original nationalities were Vietnamese, Japanese, Cambodian, and Chinese. Individual in-depth, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted from September 1 to November 30, 2021. We extracted significant statements from the transcripts, transformed these into abstract formulations, and organized them into theme clusters and themes to authentically capture the essence of the participants’ subjective experiences. Results: Four theme clusters with 14 themes were derived. The four theme clusters identified were “navigating child healthcare alone,” “guilt for not providing a social experience,” “worry about media-dependent parenting,” and “feelings of incompleteness and exclusion.” This study explored the perspectives of mothers raising children as marriage migrant women who experienced physical and emotional health crises due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion The findings underscore that marriage immigrant women encountered heightened challenges in managing their children’s health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic due to linguistic and cultural barriers limiting access to healthcare and information. Additionally, these women experienced considerable emotional stress from perceived inadequacies in providing a holistic social and developmental environment for their children under extensive social restrictions.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the experiential meaning of child-rearing for marriage immigrant women in Korea in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: Using the hermeneutic descriptive phenomenology framework developed by Colaizzi, 10 marriage immigrant women rearing preschool and school-age children were invited through purposive and snowball sampling from two multicultural support centers in Korea. The participants were rearing one or two children, and their original nationalities were Vietnamese, Japanese, Cambodian, and Chinese. Individual in-depth, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted from September 1 to November 30, 2021. We extracted significant statements from the transcripts, transformed these into abstract formulations, and organized them into theme clusters and themes to authentically capture the essence of the participants’ subjective experiences. Results: Four theme clusters with 14 themes were derived. The four theme clusters identified were “navigating child healthcare alone,” “guilt for not providing a social experience,” “worry about media-dependent parenting,” and “feelings of incompleteness and exclusion.” This study explored the perspectives of mothers raising children as marriage migrant women who experienced physical and emotional health crises due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion The findings underscore that marriage immigrant women encountered heightened challenges in managing their children’s health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic due to linguistic and cultural barriers limiting access to healthcare and information. Additionally, these women experienced considerable emotional stress from perceived inadequacies in providing a holistic social and developmental environment for their children under extensive social restrictions.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the experiential meaning of child-rearing for marriage immigrant women in Korea in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: Using the hermeneutic descriptive phenomenology framework developed by Colaizzi, 10 marriage immigrant women rearing preschool and school-age children were invited through purposive and snowball sampling from two multicultural support centers in Korea. The participants were rearing one or two children, and their original nationalities were Vietnamese, Japanese, Cambodian, and Chinese. Individual in-depth, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted from September 1 to November 30, 2021. We extracted significant statements from the transcripts, transformed these into abstract formulations, and organized them into theme clusters and themes to authentically capture the essence of the participants’ subjective experiences. Results: Four theme clusters with 14 themes were derived. The four theme clusters identified were “navigating child healthcare alone,” “guilt for not providing a social experience,” “worry about media-dependent parenting,” and “feelings of incompleteness and exclusion.” This study explored the perspectives of mothers raising children as marriage migrant women who experienced physical and emotional health crises due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion The findings underscore that marriage immigrant women encountered heightened challenges in managing their children’s health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic due to linguistic and cultural barriers limiting access to healthcare and information. Additionally, these women experienced considerable emotional stress from perceived inadequacies in providing a holistic social and developmental environment for their children under extensive social restrictions.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the experiential meaning of child-rearing for marriage immigrant women in Korea in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: Using the hermeneutic descriptive phenomenology framework developed by Colaizzi, 10 marriage immigrant women rearing preschool and school-age children were invited through purposive and snowball sampling from two multicultural support centers in Korea. The participants were rearing one or two children, and their original nationalities were Vietnamese, Japanese, Cambodian, and Chinese. Individual in-depth, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted from September 1 to November 30, 2021. We extracted significant statements from the transcripts, transformed these into abstract formulations, and organized them into theme clusters and themes to authentically capture the essence of the participants’ subjective experiences. Results: Four theme clusters with 14 themes were derived. The four theme clusters identified were “navigating child healthcare alone,” “guilt for not providing a social experience,” “worry about media-dependent parenting,” and “feelings of incompleteness and exclusion.” This study explored the perspectives of mothers raising children as marriage migrant women who experienced physical and emotional health crises due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion The findings underscore that marriage immigrant women encountered heightened challenges in managing their children’s health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic due to linguistic and cultural barriers limiting access to healthcare and information. Additionally, these women experienced considerable emotional stress from perceived inadequacies in providing a holistic social and developmental environment for their children under extensive social restrictions.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the experiential meaning of child-rearing for marriage immigrant women in Korea in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: Using the hermeneutic descriptive phenomenology framework developed by Colaizzi, 10 marriage immigrant women rearing preschool and school-age children were invited through purposive and snowball sampling from two multicultural support centers in Korea. The participants were rearing one or two children, and their original nationalities were Vietnamese, Japanese, Cambodian, and Chinese. Individual in-depth, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted from September 1 to November 30, 2021. We extracted significant statements from the transcripts, transformed these into abstract formulations, and organized them into theme clusters and themes to authentically capture the essence of the participants’ subjective experiences. Results: Four theme clusters with 14 themes were derived. The four theme clusters identified were “navigating child healthcare alone,” “guilt for not providing a social experience,” “worry about media-dependent parenting,” and “feelings of incompleteness and exclusion.” This study explored the perspectives of mothers raising children as marriage migrant women who experienced physical and emotional health crises due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion The findings underscore that marriage immigrant women encountered heightened challenges in managing their children’s health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic due to linguistic and cultural barriers limiting access to healthcare and information. Additionally, these women experienced considerable emotional stress from perceived inadequacies in providing a holistic social and developmental environment for their children under extensive social restrictions.

Background: Remdesivir is widely used for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but controversies regarding its efficacy still remain. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate the effect of remdesivir on clinical and virologic outcomes of severe COVID-19 patients from June to July 2020. Primary clinical endpoints included clinical recovery, additional mechanical ventilator (MV) support, and duration of oxygen or MV support. Viral load reduction by hospital day (HD) 15 was evaluated by calculating changes in cycle threshold (Ct) values. Results: A total of 86 severe COVID-19 patients were evaluated including 48 remdesivirtreated patients. Baseline characteristics were not significantly different between the two groups. Remdesivir was administered an average of 7.42 days from symptom onset. The proportions of clinical recovery of the remdesivir and supportive care group at HD 14 (56.3% and 39.5%) and HD 28 (87.5% and 78.9%) were not statistically different. The proportion of patients requiring MV support by HD 28 was significantly lower in the remdesivir group than in the supportive care group (22.9% vs. 44.7%, P = 0.032), and MV duration was significantly shorter in the remdesivir group (average, 1.97 vs. 5.37 days; P = 0.017). Analysis of upper respiratory tract specimens demonstrated that increases of Ct value from HD 1–5 to 11–15 were significantly greater in the remdesivir group than the supportive care group (average, 10.19 vs. 5.36; P = 0.007), and the slope of the Ct value increase was also significantly steeper in the remdesivir group (average, 5.10 vs. 2.68; P = 0.007). Conclusion The remdesivir group showed clinical and virologic benefit in terms of MV requirement and viral load reduction, supporting remdesivir treatment for severe COVID-19.

Background: Remdesivir is widely used for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but controversies regarding its efficacy still remain. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate the effect of remdesivir on clinical and virologic outcomes of severe COVID-19 patients from June to July 2020. Primary clinical endpoints included clinical recovery, additional mechanical ventilator (MV) support, and duration of oxygen or MV support. Viral load reduction by hospital day (HD) 15 was evaluated by calculating changes in cycle threshold (Ct) values. Results: A total of 86 severe COVID-19 patients were evaluated including 48 remdesivirtreated patients. Baseline characteristics were not significantly different between the two groups. Remdesivir was administered an average of 7.42 days from symptom onset. The proportions of clinical recovery of the remdesivir and supportive care group at HD 14 (56.3% and 39.5%) and HD 28 (87.5% and 78.9%) were not statistically different. The proportion of patients requiring MV support by HD 28 was significantly lower in the remdesivir group than in the supportive care group (22.9% vs. 44.7%, P = 0.032), and MV duration was significantly shorter in the remdesivir group (average, 1.97 vs. 5.37 days; P = 0.017). Analysis of upper respiratory tract specimens demonstrated that increases of Ct value from HD 1–5 to 11–15 were significantly greater in the remdesivir group than the supportive care group (average, 10.19 vs. 5.36; P = 0.007), and the slope of the Ct value increase was also significantly steeper in the remdesivir group (average, 5.10 vs. 2.68; P = 0.007). Conclusion The remdesivir group showed clinical and virologic benefit in terms of MV requirement and viral load reduction, supporting remdesivir treatment for severe COVID-19.

The prognostic role of aberrant serum miRNA expression for predicting response to sorafenib treatment in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients has not been well characterized. We aimed to identify specific serum miRNAs that are associated with positive radiologic responses or improved survival in sorafenib-treated HCC patients. miR-18a, miR-21, miR-139-5p, miR-221, miR-224, and miR-10b-3p, were selected for analysis. Serum samples from 24 patients with advanced stage HCC and 25 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) were analyzed. All of the miRNAs except miR-21 were found to be upregulated in serum samples from HCC patients. None of the miRNAs assayed differed significantly in terms of expression between the responder and non-responder groups among HCC patients. However, miR-10b-3p levels were significantly higher in the subgroup of HCC patients with worse overall survival (fold change = 5.8, P = 0.008). Serum miRNA-10b-3p was upregulated in the presence of macrovascular invasion (MVI), and those with higher serum miRNA-10b-3p had significantly shorter survival during treatment (P = 0.042). Although no single serum miRNA was predictive of response to sorafenib treatment, analysis of serum miR-10b-3p levels may be valuable for diagnosis of HCC and prediction of survival of sorafenib-treated patients.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; MicroRNAs