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.

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence, status, severity, frequency, and impact on life of drooling in children with cerebral palsy. Methods: A total of 74 children with cerebral palsy, aged 2-6 years (53.68±17.33 months), who exhibited drooling symptoms were assessed using the Drooling Severity and Frequency Scale (DSFS) and the Drooling Impact Scale (DIS) to determine the status, severity, frequency, and impact of drooling in drooling group and control group. The study also examined differences in drooling-related factors based on gender, age, and prematurity status. Results: The overall prevalence of drooling was 60.8%, 35.6% in those with spastic quadriplegia, and 77.8% in children at Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level III-V. Significant differences were found in drooling severity based on gender, prematurity, and age. Higher scores were observed for drooling severity and frequency, frequency of wiping the mouth, and the impact of drooling on the child’s life compare to control group.Although a few had undergone drooling-related treatments, many parents expressed a desire to receive treatment. It was reported that treatment for drooling was primarily provided by occupational therapists through referrals to rehabilitation medicine, with dysphagia rehabilitation and oral motor therapy being the main interventions. Conclusion By utilizing standardized assessment tools, the severity of drooling according to the specific conditions of children with disabilities was assessed. It is believed that the necessary steps to be taken include identifying the cause of drooling and setting appropriate treatment goals, followed by the provision for a suitable intervention.

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence, status, severity, frequency, and impact on life of drooling in children with cerebral palsy. Methods: A total of 74 children with cerebral palsy, aged 2-6 years (53.68±17.33 months), who exhibited drooling symptoms were assessed using the Drooling Severity and Frequency Scale (DSFS) and the Drooling Impact Scale (DIS) to determine the status, severity, frequency, and impact of drooling in drooling group and control group. The study also examined differences in drooling-related factors based on gender, age, and prematurity status. Results: The overall prevalence of drooling was 60.8%, 35.6% in those with spastic quadriplegia, and 77.8% in children at Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level III-V. Significant differences were found in drooling severity based on gender, prematurity, and age. Higher scores were observed for drooling severity and frequency, frequency of wiping the mouth, and the impact of drooling on the child’s life compare to control group.Although a few had undergone drooling-related treatments, many parents expressed a desire to receive treatment. It was reported that treatment for drooling was primarily provided by occupational therapists through referrals to rehabilitation medicine, with dysphagia rehabilitation and oral motor therapy being the main interventions. Conclusion By utilizing standardized assessment tools, the severity of drooling according to the specific conditions of children with disabilities was assessed. It is believed that the necessary steps to be taken include identifying the cause of drooling and setting appropriate treatment goals, followed by the provision for a suitable intervention.

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence, status, severity, frequency, and impact on life of drooling in children with cerebral palsy. Methods: A total of 74 children with cerebral palsy, aged 2-6 years (53.68±17.33 months), who exhibited drooling symptoms were assessed using the Drooling Severity and Frequency Scale (DSFS) and the Drooling Impact Scale (DIS) to determine the status, severity, frequency, and impact of drooling in drooling group and control group. The study also examined differences in drooling-related factors based on gender, age, and prematurity status. Results: The overall prevalence of drooling was 60.8%, 35.6% in those with spastic quadriplegia, and 77.8% in children at Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level III-V. Significant differences were found in drooling severity based on gender, prematurity, and age. Higher scores were observed for drooling severity and frequency, frequency of wiping the mouth, and the impact of drooling on the child’s life compare to control group.Although a few had undergone drooling-related treatments, many parents expressed a desire to receive treatment. It was reported that treatment for drooling was primarily provided by occupational therapists through referrals to rehabilitation medicine, with dysphagia rehabilitation and oral motor therapy being the main interventions. Conclusion By utilizing standardized assessment tools, the severity of drooling according to the specific conditions of children with disabilities was assessed. It is believed that the necessary steps to be taken include identifying the cause of drooling and setting appropriate treatment goals, followed by the provision for a suitable intervention.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of lacrimal endoscopy on operation time in silicone tube intubation for patients with nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Methods: We conducted retrograde chart review of 168 eyes of 107 patients who were diagnosed with acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction and underwent silicone tube intubation from January 2019 to February 2023. We analyzed relationship between use of lacrimal endoscopy and operation time, and effect of operation time on success rate of surgery according to use of lacrimal endoscopy. Results: Of 168 eyes, 58 eyes underwent silicone tube intubation with lacrimal endoscopy, and 110 eyes underwent silicone tube intubation without lacrimal endoscopy. Average operation time was 10.98 ± 2.24 minutes in the group with lacrimal endoscopy, and 12.44 ± 4.08 minutes in the group without lacrimal endoscopy. Operation time in the group with lacrimal endoscopy was relatively shorter and statistically significant (p = 0.003). When analyzing correlation between operation time and success rate, success rate decreased by 0.877 times when operation time increased by 1 minute in the entire group, and there was statistical significance (p = 0.022). There was no statistical significance in the correlation between operation time and success rate in the group with lacrimal endoscopy. And in the group without lacrimal endoscopy, success rate decreased by 0.865 times when operation time increased by 1 minute, and there was statistical significance (p = 0.019). Conclusions In silicone tube intubation for nasolacrimal duct obstruction, Lacrimal endoscopy is considered an effective treatment that can shorten operation time and prevent complications while accurately diagnosing cause and extent of obstruction by investigating the inside of the nasolacrimal duct.

This study investigated the association between serum phosphate level and mortality in acute kidney injury (AKI) patients undergoing continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT) and evaluated whether this association differed according to disease severity. Methods: Data from eight tertiary hospitals in Korea were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were classified into four groups (low, normal, high, and very high) based on their serum phosphate level at baseline. The association between serum phosphate level and mortality was then analyzed, with further subgroup analysis being conducted according to disease severity. Results: Among the 3,290 patients identified, 166, 955, 1,307, and 862 were in the low, normal, high, and very high phosphate groups, respectively. The 90-day mortality rate was 63.9% and was highest in the very high group (76.3%). Both the high and very high groups showed a significantly higher 90-day mortality rate than did the normal phosphate group (high: hazard ratio [HR], 1.35, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21–1.51, p < 0.001; very high: HR, 2.01, 95% CI, 1.78–2.27, p < 0.001). The low group also exhibited a higher 90-day mortality rate than did the normal group among those with high disease severity (HR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.09–1.99; p = 0.01) but not among those with low disease severity. Conclusion: High serum phosphate level predicted increased mortality in AKI patients undergoing CKRT, and low phosphate level was associated with increased mortality in patients with high disease severity. Therefore, serum phosphate levels should be carefully considered in critically ill patients with AKI.

Background: The optimal level of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) to prevent adverse clinical outcomes is unknown in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: We analyzed 707 patients with CKD G1-G5 without kidney replacement therapy and T2DM from the KoreaN Cohort Study for Outcome in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease (KNOW-CKD), a nationwide prospective cohort study. The main predictor was time-varying HbA1c level at each visit. The primary outcome was a composite of development of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) or all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes included the individual endpoint of MACEs, all-cause mortality, and CKD progression. CKD progression was defined as a ≥50% decline in the estimated glomerular filtration rate from baseline or the onset of end-stage kidney disease. Results: During a median follow-up of 4.8 years, the primary outcome occurred in 129 (18.2%) patients. In time-varying Cox model, the adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for the primary outcome were 1.59 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01 to 2.49) and 1.99 (95% CI, 1.24 to 3.19) for HbA1c levels of 7.0%–7.9% and ≥8.0%, respectively, compared with <7.0%. Additional analysis of baseline HbA1c levels yielded a similar graded association. In secondary outcome analyses, the aHRs for the corresponding HbA1c categories were 2.17 (95% CI, 1.20 to 3.95) and 2.26 (95% CI, 1.17 to 4.37) for MACE, and 1.36 (95% CI, 0.68 to 2.72) and 2.08 (95% CI, 1.06 to 4.05) for all-cause mortality. However, the risk of CKD progression did not differ between the three groups. Conclusion This study showed that higher HbA1c levels were associated with an increased risk of MACE and mortality in patients with CKD and T2DM.