Objective: Acute coronary syndrome often requires urgent intervention. The 2023 European Society of Cardiology guidelines recommend invasive procedures within 24 hours for high-risk cases. Nevertheless, there have been limited studies on non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) in South Korea. This study compared the risk of complications based on the timing of intervention. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted on patients with chest pain and elevated high-sensitivity troponin T from January to December 2021 in the emergency department. Patients were categorized into early (≤24 hr) and late (>24 hr) intervention groups. Primary outcomes (death, restenosis, or stroke) at 12 months were compared. Survival and subgroup analyses were performed to examine the factors affecting the outcomes in the two groups. Results: Three hundred seventy six patients were enrolled in the study, and 115 patients were excluded. Among 261 patients, 106 and 155 patients were in the early intervention group (≤24 hr), and late intervention group (>24 hr), respectively. The primary outcome (death or restenosis) showed no significant difference (hazard ratio [HR] in the early intervention group at 12 mo; 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63-1.70; P=0.905). However, risk of stroke was lower in the early intervention group (HR in the early, 0.08; 95% CI, 0.00-0.66; P=0.013). Subgroup analysis showed no significant advantage for early intervention. Conclusion In NSTEMI patients, early intervention does not reduce death or restenosis but lowers stroke incidence. No specific risk factors favored early intervention.

Objective: Acute coronary syndrome often requires urgent intervention. The 2023 European Society of Cardiology guidelines recommend invasive procedures within 24 hours for high-risk cases. Nevertheless, there have been limited studies on non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) in South Korea. This study compared the risk of complications based on the timing of intervention. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted on patients with chest pain and elevated high-sensitivity troponin T from January to December 2021 in the emergency department. Patients were categorized into early (≤24 hr) and late (>24 hr) intervention groups. Primary outcomes (death, restenosis, or stroke) at 12 months were compared. Survival and subgroup analyses were performed to examine the factors affecting the outcomes in the two groups. Results: Three hundred seventy six patients were enrolled in the study, and 115 patients were excluded. Among 261 patients, 106 and 155 patients were in the early intervention group (≤24 hr), and late intervention group (>24 hr), respectively. The primary outcome (death or restenosis) showed no significant difference (hazard ratio [HR] in the early intervention group at 12 mo; 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63-1.70; P=0.905). However, risk of stroke was lower in the early intervention group (HR in the early, 0.08; 95% CI, 0.00-0.66; P=0.013). Subgroup analysis showed no significant advantage for early intervention. Conclusion In NSTEMI patients, early intervention does not reduce death or restenosis but lowers stroke incidence. No specific risk factors favored early intervention.

Objective: Acute coronary syndrome often requires urgent intervention. The 2023 European Society of Cardiology guidelines recommend invasive procedures within 24 hours for high-risk cases. Nevertheless, there have been limited studies on non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) in South Korea. This study compared the risk of complications based on the timing of intervention. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted on patients with chest pain and elevated high-sensitivity troponin T from January to December 2021 in the emergency department. Patients were categorized into early (≤24 hr) and late (>24 hr) intervention groups. Primary outcomes (death, restenosis, or stroke) at 12 months were compared. Survival and subgroup analyses were performed to examine the factors affecting the outcomes in the two groups. Results: Three hundred seventy six patients were enrolled in the study, and 115 patients were excluded. Among 261 patients, 106 and 155 patients were in the early intervention group (≤24 hr), and late intervention group (>24 hr), respectively. The primary outcome (death or restenosis) showed no significant difference (hazard ratio [HR] in the early intervention group at 12 mo; 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63-1.70; P=0.905). However, risk of stroke was lower in the early intervention group (HR in the early, 0.08; 95% CI, 0.00-0.66; P=0.013). Subgroup analysis showed no significant advantage for early intervention. Conclusion In NSTEMI patients, early intervention does not reduce death or restenosis but lowers stroke incidence. No specific risk factors favored early intervention.

We present a case of fetal cardiac hemangioma that caused fetal arrhythmia and reduced ventricular contractibility. At 31 weeks and 1 day of gestation, a 29-year-old primiparous mother was referred to our institution due to an abnormal ultrasound finding, suspicious of a fetal cardiac mass occupying the right atrium (RA). The blood flow from the RA to the right ventricle (RV) was decreased. Additional evaluation through FetalHQ (GE Healthcare Korea) revealed diminished RV contractility. At gestational age 35 weeks and 1 day, the fetus had developed paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. We decided to perform an emergency cesarean section to prevent further impairment in fetal cardiac circulation. Postnatal echocardiography showed a pedunculated mass on the free wall of the RA, and the cardiac movements were affected with atrial flutter. Immediate mass excision was performed.Pathological analysis confirmed that the mass was a juvenile capillary hemangioma. The newborn stayed admitted for postoperative care and recovered healthy without any signs of cardiac arrhythmia.

We present a case of fetal cardiac hemangioma that caused fetal arrhythmia and reduced ventricular contractibility. At 31 weeks and 1 day of gestation, a 29-year-old primiparous mother was referred to our institution due to an abnormal ultrasound finding, suspicious of a fetal cardiac mass occupying the right atrium (RA). The blood flow from the RA to the right ventricle (RV) was decreased. Additional evaluation through FetalHQ (GE Healthcare Korea) revealed diminished RV contractility. At gestational age 35 weeks and 1 day, the fetus had developed paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. We decided to perform an emergency cesarean section to prevent further impairment in fetal cardiac circulation. Postnatal echocardiography showed a pedunculated mass on the free wall of the RA, and the cardiac movements were affected with atrial flutter. Immediate mass excision was performed.Pathological analysis confirmed that the mass was a juvenile capillary hemangioma. The newborn stayed admitted for postoperative care and recovered healthy without any signs of cardiac arrhythmia.

We present a case of fetal cardiac hemangioma that caused fetal arrhythmia and reduced ventricular contractibility. At 31 weeks and 1 day of gestation, a 29-year-old primiparous mother was referred to our institution due to an abnormal ultrasound finding, suspicious of a fetal cardiac mass occupying the right atrium (RA). The blood flow from the RA to the right ventricle (RV) was decreased. Additional evaluation through FetalHQ (GE Healthcare Korea) revealed diminished RV contractility. At gestational age 35 weeks and 1 day, the fetus had developed paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. We decided to perform an emergency cesarean section to prevent further impairment in fetal cardiac circulation. Postnatal echocardiography showed a pedunculated mass on the free wall of the RA, and the cardiac movements were affected with atrial flutter. Immediate mass excision was performed.Pathological analysis confirmed that the mass was a juvenile capillary hemangioma. The newborn stayed admitted for postoperative care and recovered healthy without any signs of cardiac arrhythmia.

We present a case of fetal cardiac hemangioma that caused fetal arrhythmia and reduced ventricular contractibility. At 31 weeks and 1 day of gestation, a 29-year-old primiparous mother was referred to our institution due to an abnormal ultrasound finding, suspicious of a fetal cardiac mass occupying the right atrium (RA). The blood flow from the RA to the right ventricle (RV) was decreased. Additional evaluation through FetalHQ (GE Healthcare Korea) revealed diminished RV contractility. At gestational age 35 weeks and 1 day, the fetus had developed paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. We decided to perform an emergency cesarean section to prevent further impairment in fetal cardiac circulation. Postnatal echocardiography showed a pedunculated mass on the free wall of the RA, and the cardiac movements were affected with atrial flutter. Immediate mass excision was performed.Pathological analysis confirmed that the mass was a juvenile capillary hemangioma. The newborn stayed admitted for postoperative care and recovered healthy without any signs of cardiac arrhythmia.

We present a case of fetal cardiac hemangioma that caused fetal arrhythmia and reduced ventricular contractibility. At 31 weeks and 1 day of gestation, a 29-year-old primiparous mother was referred to our institution due to an abnormal ultrasound finding, suspicious of a fetal cardiac mass occupying the right atrium (RA). The blood flow from the RA to the right ventricle (RV) was decreased. Additional evaluation through FetalHQ (GE Healthcare Korea) revealed diminished RV contractility. At gestational age 35 weeks and 1 day, the fetus had developed paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. We decided to perform an emergency cesarean section to prevent further impairment in fetal cardiac circulation. Postnatal echocardiography showed a pedunculated mass on the free wall of the RA, and the cardiac movements were affected with atrial flutter. Immediate mass excision was performed.Pathological analysis confirmed that the mass was a juvenile capillary hemangioma. The newborn stayed admitted for postoperative care and recovered healthy without any signs of cardiac arrhythmia.

This report presents guidelines for the systematic management of packaging, storage, transportation, and traceability of source cells used for organoid research. Given the important role of source cells in organoid studies, it is important to ensure the preservation of their quality and integrity throughout transportation and distribution processes. The proposed guidelines, therefore, call for a cohesive strategy through these stages to minimize the risks of contamination, deterioration, and loss–threats that significantly compromise the safety, efficacy, and efficiency of source cells. Central to these guidelines is the quality control measures that include roles and responsibilities across the entire supply chain, with recommendations specific to packaging materials, transportation facilities, and storage management. Furthermore, the need for an integrated management system is emphasized, spanning from source cell collection to the final application. This system is crucial for maintaining the traceability and accountability of source cells, facilitating the sharing, distribution, and utilization on a global scale, and supporting to advance organoid research and development.

Background: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) were more susceptible to poor outcomes owing to respiratory muscle weakness and immunotherapy. Several studies conducted in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic reported higher mortality in patients with MG compared to the general population. This study aimed to investigate the clinical course and prognosis of COVID-19 in patients with MG and to compare these parameters between vaccinated and unvaccinated patients in South Korea. Methods: This multicenter, retrospective study, which was conducted at 14 tertiary hospitals in South Korea, reviewed the medical records and identified MG patients who contracted COVID-19 between February 2022 and April 2022. The demographic and clinical characteristics associated with MG and vaccination status were collected. The clinical outcomes of COVID-19 infection and MG were investigated and compared between the vaccinated and unvaccinated patients. Results: Ninety-two patients with MG contracted COVID-19 during the study. Nine (9.8%) patients required hospitalization, 4 (4.3%) of whom were admitted to the intensive care unit. Seventy-five of 92 patients were vaccinated before contracting COVID-19 infection, and 17 were not. During the COVID-19 infection, 6 of 17 (35.3%) unvaccinated patients were hospitalized, whereas 3 of 75 (4.0%) vaccinated patients were hospitalized (P < 0.001). The frequencies of ICU admission and mechanical ventilation were significantly lower in the vaccinated patients than in the unvaccinated patients (P = 0.019 and P = 0.032, respectively). The rate of MG deterioration was significantly lower in the vaccinated patients than in the unvaccinated patients (P = 0.041). Logistic regression after weighting revealed that the risk of hospitalization and MG deterioration after COVID-19 infection was significantly lower in the vaccinated patients than in the unvaccinated patients. Conclusion This study suggests that the clinical course and prognosis of patients with MG who contracted COVID-19 during the dominance of the omicron variant of COVID-19 may be milder than those at the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic when vaccination was unavailable. Vaccination may reduce the morbidity of COVID-19 in patients with MG and effectively prevent MG deterioration induced by COVID-19 infection.