Objective: The Daegu region experienced the first wave of the pandemic at the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in Korea. Other non-COVID-19-related treatments during a community outbreak, such as cardiovascular diseases, were expected to impact emergency departments. In acute myocardial infarctions, time is an important factor affecting the patient outcome. This study examined how community COVID-19 outbreak affected STsegment elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) care in emergency departments. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on patients visiting five emergency departments in the Daegu area who were diagnosed with STEMI from February 18 to April 17 each year from 2018 to 2020. The demographic characteristics, prehospital variables, in-hospital time variables, and treatment results were collected. The cases were divided into the pre-COVID period and the COVID period for comparison. Results: The study included 254 patients (194 pre-COVID, 60 during COVID). The symptom-to-door time did not differ. Although the door-to-first doctor time was shortened (4 min vs. 2 min, P=0.01), the rate of coronary angiogram along with the door-to-angiogram time and the door-to-balloon time did not change. The length of stay in the emergency department was delayed during COVID-19 (median, 136 min vs. 404 min; P<0.01). The in-hospital length of stay and mortality were similar in both groups. Conclusion The time to treat STEMI was not delayed significantly during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in the Daegu area compared with the pre-pandemic period. Mortality did not change. The length of stay was elongated significantly in the emergency department but not in the hospital.

Objective: The Daegu region experienced the first wave of the pandemic at the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in Korea. Other non-COVID-19-related treatments during a community outbreak, such as cardiovascular diseases, were expected to impact emergency departments. In acute myocardial infarctions, time is an important factor affecting the patient outcome. This study examined how community COVID-19 outbreak affected STsegment elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) care in emergency departments. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on patients visiting five emergency departments in the Daegu area who were diagnosed with STEMI from February 18 to April 17 each year from 2018 to 2020. The demographic characteristics, prehospital variables, in-hospital time variables, and treatment results were collected. The cases were divided into the pre-COVID period and the COVID period for comparison. Results: The study included 254 patients (194 pre-COVID, 60 during COVID). The symptom-to-door time did not differ. Although the door-to-first doctor time was shortened (4 min vs. 2 min, P=0.01), the rate of coronary angiogram along with the door-to-angiogram time and the door-to-balloon time did not change. The length of stay in the emergency department was delayed during COVID-19 (median, 136 min vs. 404 min; P<0.01). The in-hospital length of stay and mortality were similar in both groups. Conclusion The time to treat STEMI was not delayed significantly during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in the Daegu area compared with the pre-pandemic period. Mortality did not change. The length of stay was elongated significantly in the emergency department but not in the hospital.

Objective: The Daegu region experienced the first wave of the pandemic at the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in Korea. Other non-COVID-19-related treatments during a community outbreak, such as cardiovascular diseases, were expected to impact emergency departments. In acute myocardial infarctions, time is an important factor affecting the patient outcome. This study examined how community COVID-19 outbreak affected STsegment elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) care in emergency departments. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on patients visiting five emergency departments in the Daegu area who were diagnosed with STEMI from February 18 to April 17 each year from 2018 to 2020. The demographic characteristics, prehospital variables, in-hospital time variables, and treatment results were collected. The cases were divided into the pre-COVID period and the COVID period for comparison. Results: The study included 254 patients (194 pre-COVID, 60 during COVID). The symptom-to-door time did not differ. Although the door-to-first doctor time was shortened (4 min vs. 2 min, P=0.01), the rate of coronary angiogram along with the door-to-angiogram time and the door-to-balloon time did not change. The length of stay in the emergency department was delayed during COVID-19 (median, 136 min vs. 404 min; P<0.01). The in-hospital length of stay and mortality were similar in both groups. Conclusion The time to treat STEMI was not delayed significantly during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in the Daegu area compared with the pre-pandemic period. Mortality did not change. The length of stay was elongated significantly in the emergency department but not in the hospital.

Background: Biologics effectively improve psoriatic skin lesions, but their impact on itch relief remains unclear. Objective: To evaluate itch improvement in severe psoriasis patients treated with ustekinumab or guselkumab. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed patients with severe psoriasis who completed initial efficacy evaluations after treatment with either biologic. Itch severity was assessed using numerical rating scale (NRS), visual analog scale, and verbal rating scale. NRS improvement was evaluated after three injections. Results: Among 108 patients (74 on ustekinumab, 34 on guselkumab), 77 (71.3%) had moderate-to-severe itch (NRS ≥4) at baseline. Of these, 63 (81.8%) achieved an NRS improvement of ≥4 points. Ustekinumab showed greater itch relief compared to guselkumab in NRS (p=0.033). On the other hand, guselkumab showed more reduction for psoriatic skin lesions than ustekinumab in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (p=0.040). In the moderate-to-severe itch group, patients with large plaques experienced significantly greater improvement in NRS than those with small plaques (p=0.012). Conclusion While guselkumab is generally preferred for psoriatic skin lesions, ustekinumab may provide superior itch relief.

In a prehospital setting, the narrow therapeutic window of epinephrine necessitates its cautious administration to avoid anaphylaxis. In this case, a 46-year-old man presented severe anaphylactic symptoms. Following the standard protocol, the emergency medical technician (EMT) administered intramuscular epinephrine; however, symptoms persisted. Under the oversight of the emergency medical services (EMS) medical director, an additional intravenous bolus of epinephrine was administered, unfortunately leading to atrial fibrillation. This case underscores the potential risks of intravenous epinephrine, which is not typically recommended for anaphylaxis without continuous monitoring. Since 2019, Korea has initiated a pilot program to expand the EMT scope of practice, which gives them the authority to administer epinephrine for anaphylaxis. The ultimate decision regarding epinephrine use for anaphylaxis, emphasizing patient safety, rests with the EMS medical director. Proper training for EMTs, coupled with the EMS medical director’s comprehensive knowledge and meticulous protocol adherence, can ensure patient safety and optimal outcomes.

Cervicofacial necrotizing fasciitis (CNF) of the face is a rare and potentially life-threatening bacterial infection that requires immediate intervention. CNF involving the buccal fat pad particularly demands surgical drainage, with attention to the surrounding anatomical structures to prevent vascular or nerve damage. In this study, we reviewed the anatomy of buccal fat pads to suggest appropriate surgical approaches. A retrospective chart review was conducted on seven patients with CNF who had a buccal fat pad abscess requiring surgical incision and drainage between January 2022 and August 2023. Abscesses within the central buccal fat pad and its pterygoid extensions were drained via intraoral incisions. Abscesses in the temporal extension were addressed by the Dingman approach. All patients underwent our surgical drainage regimen combined with proper intravenous antibiotics, leading to successful treatment of CNF without significant functional sequelae, with an average stay of 18.71 days. The buccal fat pad, which corresponds to the deep space of the face, is surrounded by vital structures such as the facial artery, vein, nerve, and parotid duct. When treating abscesses in the buccal fat pad, it is important to understand the relationship of the fat pad to other vital structures for optimal outcomes.

In a prehospital setting, the narrow therapeutic window of epinephrine necessitates its cautious administration to avoid anaphylaxis. In this case, a 46-year-old man presented severe anaphylactic symptoms. Following the standard protocol, the emergency medical technician (EMT) administered intramuscular epinephrine; however, symptoms persisted. Under the oversight of the emergency medical services (EMS) medical director, an additional intravenous bolus of epinephrine was administered, unfortunately leading to atrial fibrillation. This case underscores the potential risks of intravenous epinephrine, which is not typically recommended for anaphylaxis without continuous monitoring. Since 2019, Korea has initiated a pilot program to expand the EMT scope of practice, which gives them the authority to administer epinephrine for anaphylaxis. The ultimate decision regarding epinephrine use for anaphylaxis, emphasizing patient safety, rests with the EMS medical director. Proper training for EMTs, coupled with the EMS medical director’s comprehensive knowledge and meticulous protocol adherence, can ensure patient safety and optimal outcomes.

In a prehospital setting, the narrow therapeutic window of epinephrine necessitates its cautious administration to avoid anaphylaxis. In this case, a 46-year-old man presented severe anaphylactic symptoms. Following the standard protocol, the emergency medical technician (EMT) administered intramuscular epinephrine; however, symptoms persisted. Under the oversight of the emergency medical services (EMS) medical director, an additional intravenous bolus of epinephrine was administered, unfortunately leading to atrial fibrillation. This case underscores the potential risks of intravenous epinephrine, which is not typically recommended for anaphylaxis without continuous monitoring. Since 2019, Korea has initiated a pilot program to expand the EMT scope of practice, which gives them the authority to administer epinephrine for anaphylaxis. The ultimate decision regarding epinephrine use for anaphylaxis, emphasizing patient safety, rests with the EMS medical director. Proper training for EMTs, coupled with the EMS medical director’s comprehensive knowledge and meticulous protocol adherence, can ensure patient safety and optimal outcomes.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze types and rates of symptoms according to vaccine type and to identify the characteristics of patients who visited emergency departments (EDs) with adverse reactions after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination. Methods: The medical records of 1,020 patients who visited the EDs of five participating tertiary hospitals from February 26, 2021 to July 31, 2021, and reported adverse reactions after vaccination with a COVID-19 vaccine to the Korean Disease Control and Prevention Agency or diagnosed with a disease code U129 at time of ED discharge were retrospectively analyzed. Symptoms, examinations, treatments received at EDs, and hospital outcomes were compared with respect to vaccine type. Results: Of the 1,020 study subjects, 559 received the ChAdOx1-S vaccine, 52 the Ad.26.COV2.S vaccine, 331 the BNT162b2 vaccine, and 77 the mRNA-1273 vaccine. The adenovirus-vectored vaccines (ChAdOx1-S and Ad.26.COV2.S) had the highest myalgia and headache complaint rates during the 24 hours following vaccination. However, the mRNA vaccines (BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273) had the highest chest pain and fever complaint rates at 7 days post-vaccination. Furthermore, 4.7% of the study subjects required hospitalization, and three died during hospitalization. Conclusion Patients who visited EDs with adverse reactions after COVID-19 vaccination had various ages and experienced symptoms that depended on vaccine type. Most patients were discharged following ED symptom management, but caution should be exercised as several patients experienced potentially serious adverse events.

Background: Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), a synthetic, biocompatible, and biodegradable polymer, has been safely used in several clinical applications. Recently, PLLA has been widely used in the field of dermatology to treat wrinkles in aging skin. Reportedly, PLLA directly acts on dermal fibroblasts causing a significant increase in the expression of type I collagen. However, little is known about the effect of PLLA on adipocytes. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the effect of PLLA on adipocytes and examine its potential in treating deep wrinkles engendered by the loss of subcutaneous fat because of aging and photoaging. Methods: To elucidate the effect of PLLA on skin photoaging, cultured 3T3-L1 adipocytes were irradiated with ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. Oil red O staining was used to detect lipid accumulation in the adipocytes. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were performed to detect types IV and VI collagen mRNA and protein levels, respectively, under different conditions. Results: The differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells enhanced adipogenesis and the expression of types IV and VI collagens, both of which were inhibited by UVB irradiation. Following this irradiation, PLLA stimulated adipogenesis and the expression of types IV and VI collagens. Conclusion PLLA may provide the beneficial effect on adipocytes from the aspect of adipogenesis and collagen expression in the subcutaneous adipose tissues.