Myopia, particularly high myopia, is a significant risk factor for several ocular pathologies including cataract, glaucoma, and retinal detachment. Excessive axial elongation associated with high myopia can induce biomechanical stretching, increasing the risk of serious complications like posterior staphyloma and myopic maculopathy. Global meta-analyses estimate that approximately 10 million people were visually impaired due to myopic maculopathy in 2015, with 3 million being blind. Recent nationwide surveys in South Korea revealed a prevalence of 65.4% for myopia and 6.9% for high myopia in children and adolescents, highlighting the urgent need for effective management. Delaying the onset and slowing the progression of myopia during childhood and adolescence is crucial for reducing the potential lifetime risk of these complications. This consensus statement, prepared by the Korean Myopia Society for the Korean Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (KAPOS), reviews the current evidence for myopia control interventions and provides management strategies applicable to the South Korean clinical setting. Key interventions covered include lifestyle modifications (outdoor time, near work adjustment), optical methods (myopia-control spectacle lenses, dual-focus soft contact lenses, orthokeratology), and pharmacologic treatment (low-concentration atropine), as well as combination therapies. The statement also addresses patient selection, treatment outcome evaluation using spherical equivalent and axial length changes, and the crucial aspects related to treatment cessation and the rebound effect.

Background: Research on the relationship between the progression of interstitial lung abnormalities (ILA) and serum biomarkers, including white blood cell differential counts and Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6), is limited. This study aimed to examine the clinical characteristics of patients with ILA and evaluate the association between disease progression and serum biomarkers. Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed data from 159 patients (63 with ILA and 74 with interstitial lung diseases) between October 2021 and September 2022. Data collected included clinical characteristics, pulmonary function tests, chest computed tomography (CT), complete blood cell counts, and KL-6 levels. In 52 of these patients who had previously undergone chest CT, the utility of serum biomarkers in reflecting radiologic progression was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Results: Patients with ILA exhibited clinical characteristics similar to those with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Serum KL-6 levels did not correlate with forced vital capacity or diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide in patients with ILA. Among the 52 patients with ILA, 13 demonstrated radiologic progression. Serum KL-6 displayed moderate predictive performance, with area under the curves ranging from 0.57 to 0.89 (p=0.014) for radiologic progression. Levels of KL-6 greater than 400 U/mL were more frequently observed in patients with radiologic progression (61.5% vs. 20.5%, p=0.006). In multivariate analysis, age and KL-6 were independently associated with radiologic progression in patients with ILA. Conclusion Serum KL-6 levels may serve as a potential indicator of ILA progression in asymptomatic patients. Those with KL-6 levels exceeding 400 U/mL should be closely monitored for radiologic progression.

Background: In patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), sites of metastatic involvement have been reported to be associated with a difference in survival. However, the frequency and survival according to different sites of metastases in Korean patients with mRCC remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the frequency of metastatic site involvement and the association between sites of metastatic involvement and survival in Korean patients with mRCC. Methods: This retrospective study used the multicenter cohort of the Korean Renal Cancer Study Group mRCC database to identify patients who started targeted therapy between December 2005 and March 2018. Data on the frequency of metastatic organ involvement at the time of mRCC diagnosis and oncologic outcomes according to different sites of metastasis were analyzed. Results: A total of 1,761 patients were eligible for analysis. Of the 1,761 patients, 1,564 (88.8%) had clear cell RCC, and 1,040 (59.1%) had synchronous metastasis. The median number of metastasis sites was 2 (interquartile range [IQR], 1–6). The median age at the initiation of systemic therapy was 60 years (IQR, 29–88), 1,380 (78.4%) were men, and 1,341 (76.1%) underwent nephrectomy. Based on the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium model, patients were stratified into favorable-, intermediate-, and poor-risk groups with 359 (20.4%), 1,092 (62.0%), and 310 (17.6%) patients, respectively. The lung (70.9%), lymph nodes (37.9%), bone (30.7%), liver (12.7%), adrenal gland (9.8%), and brain (8.2%) were the most common sites of metastasis, followed by the pancreas, pleura, peritoneum, spleen, thyroid, and bowel. Among the most common sites of metastasis (> 5%), the median cancer-specific survival (CSS) ranged from 13.9 (liver) to 29.1 months (lung). An association was observed between liver, bone, and pleural metastases and the shortest median CSS (< 19 months). Conclusion In Korean patients with mRCC, metastases to the lung, lymph nodes, bone, liver, adrenal gland, and brain were more frequent than those to other organs. Metastases to the liver, bone, and pleura were associated with poor CSS. The findings of this study may be valuable for patient counseling and guiding future study designs.

This report presents a unique case of an endocervical polyp-mimicking malignancy on pelvic MRI in a 45-year-old female. The MRI depicted a multilocular cystic lesion with an enhancing solid component, raising suspicion for malignancy. However, histopathological examination definitively revealed a benign endocervical polyp. This case highlights the limitations of diagnosing cervical lesions solely on MRI features, emphasizing the potential for benign conditions to mimic malignancy.

Purpose: This study investigated whether the respiratory phase during pleural puncture in CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy (PTNB) affects complications. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 477 lung biopsy CT scans performed during free breathing. The respiratory phases during pleural puncture were determined based on the table position of the targeted nodule using CT scans obtained during free breathing. We compared the rates of complications among the inspiratory, mid-, and expiratory respiratory phases. Logistic regression analysis was performed to control confounding factors associated with pneumothorax. Results: Among the 477 procedures, pleural puncture was performed during the expiratory phase in 227 (47.6%), during the mid-phase in 108 (22.6%), and during the inspiratory phase in 142 (29.8%). The incidence of pneumothorax was significantly lower in the expiratory puncture group (40/227, 17.6%; p = 0.035) and significantly higher in the mid-phase puncture group (31/108, 28.7%; p = 0.048). After controlling for confounding factors, expiratory-phase puncture was found to be an independent protective factor against pneumothorax (odds ratio = 0.571; 95% confidence interval = 0.360–0.906; p = 0.017). Conclusion Our findings suggest that pleural puncture during the expiratory phase may reduce the risk of pneumothorax during image guided PTNB.

This study aimed to investigate differences in intrinsic prefrontal functional connectivity according to the presence of cognitive impairment in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Methods: We prospectively enrolled 37 patients with ESRD who had been undergoing hemodialysis for more than 6 months and had no history of neurological or psychiatric disorders. All patients with ESRD underwent the Korean version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-K) to assess cognitive function. The NIRSIT Lite device (OBELAB Inc.) was used to acquire fNIRS data, and the NIRSIT Lite Analysis Tool program was used to process the data and generate a functional connectivity matrix. We obtained functional connectivity measures by applying graph theory to the connectivity matrix using the BRAPH (brain analysis using graph theory) program. Results: Of the 37 patients with ESRD, 23 had cognitive impairment, whereas 14 patients showed no cognitive impairment. Intrinsic prefrontal functional connectivity was significantly different between groups. Network measures of strength, global efficiency, and mean clustering coefficient were lower in ESRD patients with cognitive impairment than in those without cognitive impairment (4.458 vs. 5.129, p = 0.02; 0.397 vs. 0.437, p = 0.03; and 0.316 vs. 0.421, p = 0.003; respectively). There were no significant correlations between MoCA-K scores and clinical characteristics. Conclusion: We demonstrated a significant association between cognitive function and intrinsic prefrontal functional connectivity in patients with ESRD. ESRD patients with cognitive impairment have reduced connectivity and segregation in the prefrontal brain network compared to those without cognitive impairment.

Emphysematous prostatitis with an abscess is an extremely rare but lethal infection, characterized by the accumulation of gas and purulent exudates. Due to its rarity, severity, and nonspecific presentation, prompt diagnosis and treatment are crucial to achieve favorable clinical outcomes. This report presents a 43-year-old male with hemodialysis-dependent end-stage kidney disease who reported a 3-day history of fever, urinary incontinence, dysuria, and dyspnea. His condition rapidly deteriorated due to septic shock caused by emphysematous prostatitis with an abscess. Following extensive treatment including long-term parenteral antibiotics, polymyxin B hemoperfusion filter treatment, abscess drainage via transurethral resection of the prostate, and suprapubic cystostomy, the patient successfully recovered.

Osteopathia striata with cranial sclerosis (OSCS) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by skeletal abnormalities, cranial sclerosis, and various associated features. In this case report, we present the case of a patient with OSCS who complained of unilateral facial palsy. We discuss the clinical presentation, radiological findings, and genetic analysis, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis and multidisciplinary management in these cases.

Background and Objectives: Various materials are used to perform post-mastoidectomy mastoid obliteration (MO) to reduce the risk of recurrent infections, stasis of secretions, or caloric dizziness. Autologous materials used as fillers for MO tend to be insufficient owing to shrinkage over time or inadequate volume of these substances. Synthetic materials are unsatisfactory for MO because of the risk of rejection and extrusion. We investigated the safety and effectiveness of bone allografts for post-mastoidectomy MO. Subjects and Methods: We reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent mastoidectomy with MO between January 2013 and January 2021. In the MO group, bone allografts were additionally used to fill the residual mastoid cavity. In the canal wall down (CWD) group, all patients underwent CWD mastoidectomy with use of additional inferiorly based mucoperiosteal flaps. Results: The study included the MO group (23 ears) and the CWD group (53 ears). In the MO group, compared with the preoperative status, we observed a decrease in the tendency of the air-bone gap postoperatively. Compared with the CWD group, the total complication rate showed a decreasing tendency in the MO group. Conclusions No patient showed post-MO shrinkage of the grafted bone allograft or otorrhea. Further large-scale studies are warranted to confirm the advantages of bone allografts for MO, including maintenance with time and sufficient amount.