Smoking and sodium intake (SI) have been evaluated as risk factors for kidney disease; however, the data are inconsistent. We assessed the association between SI and cotinine-verified smoking status and the risk of albuminuria. Methods: An observational study using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2008–2011 and 2014– 2018) was performed. We included 37,410 adults with an estimated glomerular filtration rate of ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2. The smoking status was assumed based on the urine cotinine/creatinine ratio (Ucot/Ucrea). SI was estimated from spot urine sodium using the Kawasaki formula. Results: Ucot/Ucrea levels were significantly higher in current smokers (920.22 ± 9.00 ng/mg) than in ex-smokers and nonsmokers (48.31 ± 2.47 and 23.84 ± 1.30 ng/mg) (p < 0.001). Ucot/Ucrea levels were significantly higher in second-hand smokers than in participants without a history of smoking (p < 0.001). Ucot/Ucrea levels were positively associated with SI (p for trend < 0.001). Smoking status was not associated with albuminuria. SI had a linear relationship with albuminuria (p < 0.001). In groups with the highest Ucot/Ucrea levels, the highest SI quartile indicated a significantly higher risk of albuminuria than that in the lowest quartile (risk ratio, 2.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.26–3.92; p = 0.006). The risk of albuminuria was not significant in groups with the lowest and middle tertile adjusted for multiple risk factors. Conclusion: Smokers consume higher dietary sodium and dietary SI was positively related to the risk of albuminuria. Smoking is not associated with albuminuria as a single factor. The risk of albuminuria is the higher in participants with smoking and high SI.

The prevalence of obesity in adults and children is rapidly increasing worldwide. Obesity is among the main causes of chronic diseases and various problems, including economic consequences and they can also be affected by genetic, environmental, psychological, and socioeconomic factors. Dietary modification is a well-known and important factor in weight control, in particular, dietary macronutrient composition, food selection, dietary patterns, and energy restriction can affect weight reduction. Therefore, this systematic review aims to provide basic evidence for identifying the optimal macronutrient composition for managing obesity in Korean children and adolescents. We searched literature through an international database, studies were selected using our eligibility criteria and quality was assessed via a risk of bias tool. In our results, several studies have demonstrated that dietary macronutrient modifications affect body composition and metabolic markers in children and adolescents. In contrast, hypocaloric diets, regardless of macronutrient composition, are reportedly effective for weight loss in obese children. However, these findings were based on intervention studies that examined the association between dietary macronutrient composition and obesity in non-Korean children and adolescents. Therefore, in the future, more intervention studies are needed to elucidate this relationship and evidence between macronutrients and obesity in Korean children and adolescents.

The prevalence of obesity in adults and children is rapidly increasing worldwide. Obesity is among the main causes of chronic diseases and various problems, including economic consequences and they can also be affected by genetic, environmental, psychological, and socioeconomic factors. Dietary modification is a well-known and important factor in weight control, in particular, dietary macronutrient composition, food selection, dietary patterns, and energy restriction can affect weight reduction. Therefore, this systematic review aims to provide basic evidence for identifying the optimal macronutrient composition for managing obesity in Korean children and adolescents. We searched literature through an international database, studies were selected using our eligibility criteria and quality was assessed via a risk of bias tool. In our results, several studies have demonstrated that dietary macronutrient modifications affect body composition and metabolic markers in children and adolescents. In contrast, hypocaloric diets, regardless of macronutrient composition, are reportedly effective for weight loss in obese children. However, these findings were based on intervention studies that examined the association between dietary macronutrient composition and obesity in non-Korean children and adolescents. Therefore, in the future, more intervention studies are needed to elucidate this relationship and evidence between macronutrients and obesity in Korean children and adolescents.

The prevalence of obesity in adults and children is rapidly increasing worldwide. Obesity is among the main causes of chronic diseases and various problems, including economic consequences and they can also be affected by genetic, environmental, psychological, and socioeconomic factors. Dietary modification is a well-known and important factor in weight control, in particular, dietary macronutrient composition, food selection, dietary patterns, and energy restriction can affect weight reduction. Therefore, this systematic review aims to provide basic evidence for identifying the optimal macronutrient composition for managing obesity in Korean children and adolescents. We searched literature through an international database, studies were selected using our eligibility criteria and quality was assessed via a risk of bias tool. In our results, several studies have demonstrated that dietary macronutrient modifications affect body composition and metabolic markers in children and adolescents. In contrast, hypocaloric diets, regardless of macronutrient composition, are reportedly effective for weight loss in obese children. However, these findings were based on intervention studies that examined the association between dietary macronutrient composition and obesity in non-Korean children and adolescents. Therefore, in the future, more intervention studies are needed to elucidate this relationship and evidence between macronutrients and obesity in Korean children and adolescents.

The prevalence of obesity in adults and children is rapidly increasing worldwide. Obesity is among the main causes of chronic diseases and various problems, including economic consequences and they can also be affected by genetic, environmental, psychological, and socioeconomic factors. Dietary modification is a well-known and important factor in weight control, in particular, dietary macronutrient composition, food selection, dietary patterns, and energy restriction can affect weight reduction. Therefore, this systematic review aims to provide basic evidence for identifying the optimal macronutrient composition for managing obesity in Korean children and adolescents. We searched literature through an international database, studies were selected using our eligibility criteria and quality was assessed via a risk of bias tool. In our results, several studies have demonstrated that dietary macronutrient modifications affect body composition and metabolic markers in children and adolescents. In contrast, hypocaloric diets, regardless of macronutrient composition, are reportedly effective for weight loss in obese children. However, these findings were based on intervention studies that examined the association between dietary macronutrient composition and obesity in non-Korean children and adolescents. Therefore, in the future, more intervention studies are needed to elucidate this relationship and evidence between macronutrients and obesity in Korean children and adolescents.

Pure-tone audiometry, using an audiometer, is the fundamental hearing test for diagnosing hearing loss. The requirements of the devices and the detailed process for calibrating the related equipment are described in international standards. However, traceable calibration and uncertainty evaluation processes are not widely accepted or applied to the qualification and maintenance of audiometric equipment. Here, we briefly review standard measurement systems for audiometric devices and introduce their calibration procedures. The uncertainty of each calibration process was investigated, and its impact on hearing test results was considered. Our findings show that the traceability of each procedure can be secured, satisfying the uncertainty requirement and being sufficiently smaller than the permissible deviation from the audiometer requirement. To guarantee the objectivity and reliability of hearing tests and maintain low uncertainty, close cooperation and mutual understanding between the metrology field and the medical community are necessary.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Many studies have revealed an association between fat mass and the obesity-related gene (FTO) and obesity. On the other hand, no meta-analysis was conducted with data from only Koreans. Therefore, this study performed a meta-analysis using Korean data to provide evidence for the association between FTO single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the risk of obesity among Korean adults.SUBJECT/METHODS: Meta-analysis was finally conducted with data extracted from seven datasets of four studies performed on Korean adults after the screening passed. Five kinds of FTO SNPs (rs9939609, rs7193144, rs9940128, rs8050136, and rs9926289) were included, and the relationship between FTO SNPs and body mass index (BMI) was investigated using linear regression with an additive model adjusted for covariants, such as age, sex, and area. RESULTS: The minor alleles of FTO SNPs were associated with increased BMI (odds ratio [OR], 1.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21–1.42). In sub-group analysis, FTO rs9939609 T>A was significantly associated with BMI (OR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.06–1.42). The other FTO SNPs together were significantly associated with BMI (OR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.25–1.49). The publication bias was not observed based on Egger’s test. CONCLUSIONS This meta-analysis showed that minor alleles in the FTO SNPs were significantly associated with an increased BMI among Korean adults. This meta-analysis is the first to demonstrate that minor alleles in the FTO SNPs contribute significantly to the increased risk of obesity among Korean adults using data from a Korean population.

This study explores the internal standards for hearing tests and benefits of implementing international standard protocols, including the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and discusses how ISO and IEC standards provide a framework for designing, calibrating, assessing hearing test instruments and methods, and exchanging and comparing data globally. ISO and IEC standards for hearing tests improve accuracy, reliability, and consistency of test results by applying standardized methods and environments. Moreover, they promote international harmonization and data interoperability, enabling information exchange and research collaboration. Those standards for hearing tests are beneficial but have challenges and limitations, such as variation in equipment and calibration, lag in updating standards, variation in implementation and compliance, and lack of coverage of clinical aspects, cultural diversity, and linguistic diversity. These affect the quality and interpretation of test results. Adapting ISO or IEC standards locally would improve their applicability and acceptability, while balancing customization and compatibility with global standards.

Vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) is a rare but life-threatening complication. VITT strongly mimics heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) and shares clinical features. Heparin is commonly used to prevent coagulation during hemodialysis.Therefore, nephrologists might encounter patients needing dialysis with a history of heparin exposure who developed thrombotic thrombocytopenia after vaccination. A 70-year-old male presented with acute kidney injury and altered mental status due to lithium intoxication. He needed consecutive hemodialysis using heparin. Deep vein thrombosis of left lower extremity and accompanying severe thrombocytopenia of 15,000/µL on 24 days after vaccination and at the same time, nine days after heparin use. Anti-platelet factor 4 antibody test was positive.Anticoagulation with apixaban and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) infusion resolved swelling of his left calf and thrombocytopenia. There were no definitive diagnostic tools capable of differentiating between VITT and HIT in this patient. Although VITT and HIT share treatment with IVIG and non-heparin anticoagulation, distinguishing between VITT and HIT will make it possible to establish a follow-up vaccination plan in a person who has had a thrombocytopenic thrombotic event. Further research is needed to develop the tools to make a clear distinction between the clinical syndromes.

Recent several reports have demonstrated that periodontitis is prevalent and adversely affects the survival in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) or end-stage kidney disease. However, its impact on transplant outcomes remains uncertain. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 136 and 167 patients, respectively, who underwent living donor kidney transplantation (KT) at Seoul National University Hospital from July 2012 to August 2016 and Korea University Hospital from April 2008 to October 2018. We divided patients into three groups according to stages of periodontitis based on a new classification system. Results: Patients with severe periodontitis were older, had a higher prevalence of diabetes, a higher body mass index and C-reactive protein level, a lower cardiac output, and were more likely to be smokers, indicating its association with chronic systemic inflammation. After KT, stage IV periodontitis was independently associated with a lower incidence of acute T cell-mediated rejection, suggesting the possible effect of periodontitis on immune function. However, 1-year and 3-year estimated glomerular filtration rates were not different. Among the KT recipients followed up more than 3 years, new-onset cardiovascular disease occurred in nine patients, and coronary artery disease occurred more frequently in patients with stage IV periodontitis. However, diabetes was the independent predictor of new-onset coronary artery disease in multivariate logistic regression analysis. Conclusion: Our findings showed that periodontitis might be an important player in determining posttransplant outcomes in recipients. Further interventional trials to test whether treating periodontitis could modify transplant outcome are needed.