The omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is known to have high infectivity and is more likely to evade vaccine immunity. However, booster vaccination is expected to strengthen cross-reactive immunity, thereby increasing the vaccine effectiveness (VE). This study aimed to evaluate the relative VE of the 3-dose (booster) vaccination compared with the 2-dose primary series vaccination in healthcare workers during omicron variant-dominant periods. During the omicron-dominant period from February 1, 2022 to February 28, 2022, a 1:1 matched case-control study was conducted.Healthcare workers with positive SARS-CoV-2 test results were classified as positive cases, whereas those with negative results served as controls. Compared with the 2-dose primary series vaccination, booster vaccination with mRNA vaccine showed moderate VE (53.1%).However, in multivariate analysis including the time elapsed after vaccination, the significant VE disappeared, reflecting the impact of recent vaccination rather than the third dose itself.

PURPOSE: The diagnosis of Kawasaki disease depends on clinical symptoms, which makes it difficult to diagnose early in patients with only cervical lymphadenopathy. The purpose of this study is to understand the clinical characteristics of cervical-lymph-node-first presentation of Kawasaki disease and compare them with those of typical Kawasaki disease. METHODS: We surveyed 283 patients who were admitted to Hallym Sacred Heart Hospital and were diagnosed with Kawasaki disease from January 2012 to December 2014. The patients were divided into two groups: cervical-lymph-node-first presentation of Kawasaki disease (LKD, N=24) and typical Kawasaki disease (KD, N=259). The medical records were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: The mean age of the LKD group was higher than that of the KD group (P=0.04). At admission, the LKD patients had on average 1.62 out of 5 symptoms, whereas the KD patients had 3.47. The time from fever to diagnosis and administration of IV immunoglobulin was longer in the LKD group than in the KD group (P<0.001). The mean C-reactive protein of the LKD group was higher than that of the KD group (P=0.01). There were no statistical differences in the presence of coronary artery complications between the two groups at two weeks or at two months after diagnosis (P=0.52, P=0.08). CONCLUSIONS: The Kawasaki disease patients with fever and cervical lymphadenopathy usually do not present obvious clinical symptoms, which makes it hard to diagnose in the early phase of disease. Clinician must pay attention when examining these patients.
C-Reactive Protein ; Child ; Coronary Vessels ; Diagnosis ; Fever ; Heart ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Medical Records ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome* ; Retrospective Studies

Acute maxillary sinusitis is a common disorder affecting children. Untreated acute sinusitis can develop into chronic sinusitis, and complications, such as orbital cellulitis or abscess, can occur. Maxillary sinusitis of odontogenic origin is not a well-recognized condition and is frequently missed in children. As an odontogenic source of sinusitis, the dentigerous cyst is one of the most prevalent types of odontogenic cysts, and it is associated with the crown of an unerupted or developing tooth. This report concerns a nine-year-old boy who was diagnosed with maxillary sinusitis originating from a dentigerous cyst with supernumerary teeth. The boy visited our pediatric clinic presenting with rhinorrhea and nasal obstruction and was initially diagnosed with maxillary sinusitis only. With antibiotic treatment, his symptoms seemed to improve, but after 2 months, he came to our clinic with left facial swelling with persistent rhinorrhea and nasal obstruction. Radiographic examinations of the sinuses were performed, and he was diagnosed with maxillary sinusitis originating from a dentigerous cyst with supernumerary teeth. After a surgical procedure involving the removal of the dentigerous cyst with supernumerary teeth, the symptoms of sinusitis gradually diminished. There are only very few cases in the pediatric medical literature that remind us that odontogenic origin can cause maxillary sinusitis in children. Our patient can act as a reminder to general pediatricians to include dentigerous cysts in the differential diagnosis of maxillary sinusitis.
Abscess ; Child* ; Crowns ; Dentigerous Cyst* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Male ; Maxillary Sinus* ; Maxillary Sinusitis* ; Nasal Obstruction ; Odontogenic Cysts ; Orbital Cellulitis ; Sinusitis ; Tooth ; Tooth, Supernumerary*

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to examine whether the degree of fetal smallness in small for gestational age (SGA) infants would increase the risk of catch-up-growth failure at 12 and 24 months corrected age (CA), and whether the high-calorie nutritional support would improve catch-up growth between 12 and 24 months CA. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study on 103 preterm infants born between January 2010 and December 2011. Logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate whether the birth weight z-score would be an independent risk factor for catch-up growth failure at 12 or 24 months CA. Among the 46 infants with failed catch-up growth at 12 months CA, 16 infants were provided high-calorie nutritional support, including nutritional supplements and medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oil at the pediatric gastroenterology clinic. RESULTS: Of 103 preterm infants, 34 infants (33%) were SGA and 69 infants (67%) were appropriate for gestational age (AGA). One birth weight z-score decrement increased the odds for catch-up growth failure 2.9 times at 12 months CA and 3.0 times at 24 months CA after adjustment for major neonatal morbidities. The increase in z-score between 12 and 24 months CA was significantly greater in the infants provided nutritional support than in the infants who were not provided nutritional support. CONCLUSION: The birth weight z-score can be used as a predictor of catch-up growth failure. High-calorie nutritional support may improve weight gain during the second year in preterm infants with failed catch-up growth at 12 months CA.
Birth Weight* ; Cohort Studies ; Gastroenterology ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Logistic Models ; Nutritional Support ; Parturition* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Triglycerides ; Weight Gain

BACKGROUND: Most immune reactions related to transfusion and transplantation are caused by IgM ABO antibodies. However, IgG also plays an important role in these reactions. Therefore, a method to measure antibodies, including IgG, is necessary. We investigated ABO antibody titers of healthy individuals using a column agglutination technique (CAT) with or without dithiothreitol (DTT) and compared them with titers obtained using a conventional tube method. METHODS: Among healthy adults who underwent a medical examination, 180 individuals (60 with blood group A, 60 with group B, and 60 with group O) were selected. Antibody titrations were performed using the immediate spin (IS) tube, anti-human globulin (AHG) tube, and CAT with or without DTT methods. RESULTS: Higher median values of anti-B and anti-A titers in groups A and B individuals, respectively, were obtained using the IS method than using the AHG method. Higher values for group O individuals were obtained using the AHG method. Higher median titers of anti-B and anti-A in group O individuals were obtained using CAT without DTT than using the AHG method. Median titers of anti-B and anti-A in all blood groups were higher in CAT without DTT than in CAT with DTT, especially for group O individuals. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend CAT with and without DTT for titration of anti-A and anti-B, especially in group O individuals, to provide more sensitive results that include IgG data. Adjustment of insurance coverage of fees associated with antibody titration might be necessary, considering the actual cost of reagents and personnel.
ABO Blood-Group System/*immunology ; Adult ; *Agglutination Tests/instrumentation ; Antibodies/*analysis/immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged

The pneumonia severity index (PSI) and CURB-65 are widely used tools for the prediction of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). This study was conducted to evaluate validation of severity scoring system including the PSI and CURB-65 scores of Korean CAP patients. In the prospective CAP cohort (participated in by 14 hospitals in Korea from January 2009 to September 2011), 883 patients aged over 18 yr were studied. The 30-day mortalities of all patients were calculated with their PSI index classes and CURB scores. The overall mortality rate was 4.5% (40/883). The mortality rates per CURB-65 score were as follows: score 0, 2.3% (6/260); score 1, 4.0% (12/300); score 2, 6.0% (13/216); score 3, 5.7% (5/88); score 4, 23.5% (4/17); and score 5, 0% (0/2). Mortality rate with PSI risk class were as follows: I, 2.3% (4/174); II, 2.7% (5/182); III, 2.3% (5/213); IV, 4.5% (11/245); and V, 21.7% (15/69). The subgroup mortality rate of Korean CAP patients varies based on the severity scores and CURB-65 is more valid for the lower scores, and PSI, for the higher scores. Thus, these variations must be considered when using PSI and CURB-65 for CAP in Korean patients.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cohort Studies ; Community-Acquired Infections/*mortality ; Female ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonia/*mortality ; Prospective Studies ; Republic of Korea ; *Severity of Illness Index ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: Recently, an increase in well-differentiated rectal neuroendocrine tumors (WRNETs) has been noted. We aimed to evaluate transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) for the treatment of WRNETs. METHODS: Between December 1995 and August 2009, 109 patients with WRNETs underwent TEM. TEM was performed for patients with tumors sizes of up to 20 mm and without a lymphadenopathy. These patients had been referred from other clinics after having been diagnosed with WRNETs by using a colonoscopic biopsy; they had undergone a failed endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) or endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and exhibited an involved resection margin and remaining tumor after ESD or EMR, regardless of the distance from the anal verge. This study included 38 patients that had more than three years of follow-up. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 51.3 +/- 11.9 years, the mean tumor size was 8.0 +/- 3.9 mm, and no morbidity occurred. Thirty-five patients were asymptomatic. TEM was performed after a colonoscopic resection in 13 cases because of a positive resection margin, a residual tumor or a non-lifting lesion. Complete resections were performed in 37 patients; one patient with a positive margin was considered surgically complete. In one patient, liver metastasis and a recurrent mesorectal node occurred after five and 10 years, respectively. CONCLUSION: TEM might provide an accessible and effective treatment either as an initial or as an adjunct after a colonoscopic resection for a WRNET.
Humans ; Liver ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Microsurgery ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Neuroendocrine Tumors

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the role of pre-operative chest computed tomography (CT) compared with abdominopelvic CT (AP-CT) and chest radiography (CXR) for detecting pulmonary metastasis in patients with primary colorectal cancer (CRC). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 619 patients with primary CRC who simultaneously received a preoperative chest CT (chest CT group), AP-CT with hilar extension, and CXR (CXR group). RESULTS: In the chest CT group, there were 297 (48.0%) normal, 198 (32%) benign, 96 (15.5%) indeterminate, 26 (4.2%) metastasis, and two lung cancers. Eighteen patients (2.9%) in the CXR group who had no pulmonary metastasis were diagnosed with pulmonary metastasis on a chest CT. The sensitivity and accuracy were 83.9% and 99.0% in the chest CT group, respectively, and 29.0% and 91.5% in the CXR group, respectively (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0003). CONCLUSION: Chest CT appears to improve the accuracy of pre-operative staging in patients with CRC and is useful for the early detection of pulmonary metastasis as a baseline study for abnormal lung nodules.
Colorectal Neoplasms ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Retrospective Studies ; Thorax

PURPOSE: An anorectal melanoma (AM) is a very rare tumor. However, sufficient data supporting effective surgical options for the disease do not exist. This retrospective review aimed to analyze treatment outcomes for an AM. METHODS: From June 1999 to December 2008, we retrospectively reviewed a prospectively collected consecutive series of 19 patients who had undergone a surgical resection for an AM at a single institute. Surgical method and clinicopathological factors were analyzed. RESULTS: The median age was 61.4 years (range, 46 to79 years). Main symptoms were an anal mass, hematochezia, perianal pain, tenesmus, fecal incontinence, and bowel habit change. The average duration of symptoms before diagnosis was 7.8 months (range, 1 to 36 months). S-100 and HMB-45 were positive in all patients, even in non-melanin pigmentation. There were 12 abdominoperineal resections (APRs) and 7 wide local excisions (WEs). The APR showed longer overall survival when compared with the WE (64.1 months vs. 10.9 months, P < 0.001). No patients who underwent a WE survived more than 13 months. CONCLUSION: A high index of suspicion is necessary to establish the diagnosis for an AM in patients with anal symptoms, and S-100 and HMB-45 can be useful markers for an AM. Even with the small number of cases and the short follow-up, our data suggest that an APR for an AM may provide longer survival than a WE.
Fecal Incontinence ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Melanoma ; Pigmentation ; Prospective Studies ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: Simulation-based training is becoming more wide-spread in clinical education because of the increased technology of patient simulators in conjunction with their increased use by many medical centers. Simulation-based training enhances the learning, clinical skills and judgment of the trainees. However, the effect of repetition of simulation-based training has not yet been evaluated. The purpose of this presentation will be to examine whether the number of experiences could have an influence on the interest of the trainee. METHODS: Simulation-based training was designed as an introductory course for new interns and residents. The training course was divided into three sessions: Airway management training, cardiac massage training and advance cardiac life support mega code training. All the trainees were divided into the new interns and residents group. The two group's performances during conducting the three sessions were monitored by video equipment. All the trainees were debriefed and given a post intervention survey to assess their satisfaction with the simulation-based training. RESULTS: A total of 110 trainees completed the survey. On a four point scale, the students rated their stimulation of interest, the usefulness of the knowledge that they learned and if they enjoyed the simulation. There were no significant differences in the effectiveness of the three sessions of simulation-based training among the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Simulation is a powerful tool to get trainees excited about applying the skills they learned in the classroom. Most trainees in both groups agreed that the exercises were a great experience helpful and exciting. We postulate that the repetition of simulation-based training will not decrease the effectiveness of the training.
Airway Management ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Clinical Competence ; Exercise ; Heart Massage ; Humans ; Judgment ; Learning