Objective: To classify life stages for companion dogs and cats by identifying clusters in age-specific disease proportions derived from medical records, providing a data-driven foundation for health examination programs. Methods: We collected 505,667 medical records from 82 veterinary facilities in South Korea between 2020 and 2023. Diagnoses were standardized using GPT-4o and S-BioBERT. Following preprocessing, data from 27 facilities yielded 222,706 canine and 39,910 feline records for the final analysis. Principal component analysis and K-means clustering (K = 4) were applied to age-specific disease proportions to identify life stages.The 10 most highest-proportion diagnoses diseases were determined for each cluster. Results: Canine life stages were classified as ≤ 1 year, 2–5 years, 6–10 years, and 11–15+ years.Feline life stages were 1–2 years, 3–8 years, 9–12 years, and 13–15+ years. In dogs, developmental diseases were common in the youngest age group, while chronic diseases were more prevalent in older groups. In cats, oral and urinary diseases were high-ranking, conjunctivitis was most common in the early stage, and chronic diseases increased with age. Conclusions and Relevance: Age-specific diagnosis patterns support four practical life stages for dogs and cats in South Korea. These boundaries can inform evidence-based preventive examination schedules, animal health policy, and pet insurance product design.

We aimed to develop evidence-based recommendations for treating axial spondylarthritis (axSpA) in Korea. The development committee was constructed, key clinical questions were determined, and the evidence was searched through online databases including MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, KoreaMed, and KMbase. Systematic literature reviews were conducted, quality of evidence was determined, and draft recommendations were formulated according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluations methodology. Recommendations that reached 80% consensus among a voting panel were finalized. Three principles and 21 recommendations were determined. Recommendations 1 and 2 pertain to treatment strategies, regular disease status assessment, and rheumatologist-steered multidisciplinary management. Recommendations 3 and 4 strongly recommend patient education, exercise, and smoking cessation. Recommendations 5~12 address pharmacological treatment of active disease using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, glucocorticoids, sulfasalazine, biologics, and Janus kinase inhibitors.Recommendations 13~16 address treatment in stable disease. We suggest against spa and acupuncture as therapies (Recommendation 17). Recommendations 18 and 19 pertain to total hip arthroplasty and spinal surgery. Monitoring of comorbidities and drug toxicities are recommended (Recommendations 20 and 21). Recommendations for axSpA treatment in a Korean context were developed based on comprehensive clinical questions and evidence. These are intended to guide best practice in the treatment of axSpA.

We aimed to develop evidence-based recommendations for treating axial spondylarthritis (axSpA) in Korea. The development committee was constructed, key clinical questions were determined, and the evidence was searched through online databases including MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, KoreaMed, and Kmbase. Systematic literature reviews were conducted, quality of evidence was determined, and draft recommendations were formulated according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluations methodology. Recommendations that reached 80% consensus among a voting panel were finalized. Three principles and 21 recommendations were determined. Recommendations 1 and 2 pertain to treatment strategies, regular disease status assessment, and rheumatologist-steered multidisciplinary management. Recommendations 3 and 4 strongly recommend patient education, exercise, and smoking cessation. Recommendations 5–12 address pharmacological treatment of active disease using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, glucocorticoids, sulfasalazine, biologics, and Janus kinase inhibitors. Recommendations 13–16 address treatment in stable disease. We suggest against spa and acupuncture as therapies (Recommendation 17). Recommendations 18 and 19 pertain to total hip arthroplasty and spinal surgery. Monitoring of comorbidities and drug toxicities are recommended (Recommendations 20 and 21). Recommendations for axSpA treatment in a Korean context were developed based on comprehensive clinical questions and evidence. These are intended to guide best practice in the treatment of axSpA.

Background: The risk of device thrombosis and device-oriented clinical outcomes with bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) was reported to be significantly higher than with contemporary drug-eluting stents (DESs). However, optimal device implantation may improve clinical outcomes in patients receiving BVS. The current study evaluated mid-term safety and efficacy of Absorb BVS with meticulous device optimization under intravascular imaging guidance. Methods: The SMART-REWARD and PERSPECTIVE-PCI registries in Korea prospectively enrolled 390 patients with BVS and 675 patients with DES, respectively. The primary endpoint was target vessel failure (TVF) at 2 years and the secondary major endpoint was patientoriented composite outcome (POCO) at 2 years. Results: Patient-level pooled analysis evaluated 1,003 patients (377 patients with BVS and 626 patients with DES). Mean scaffold diameter per lesion was 3.24 ± 0.30 mm in BVS group.Most BVSs were implanted with pre-dilatation (90.9%), intravascular imaging guidance (74.9%), and post-dilatation (73.1%) at proximal to mid segment (81.9%) in target vessel.Patients treated with BVS showed comparable risks of 2-year TVF (2.9% vs. 3.7%, adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.283, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.487–3.378, P = 0.615) and 2-year POCO (4.5% vs. 5.9%, adjusted HR, 1.413, 95% CI, 0.663–3.012,P = 0.370) than those with DES. The rate of 2-year definite or probable device thrombosis (0.3% vs. 0.5%, P = 0.424) was also similar. The sensitivity analyses consistently showed comparable risk of TVF and POCO between the 2 groups. Conclusion With meticulous device optimization under imaging guidance and avoidance of implantation in small vessels, BVS showed comparable risks of 2-year TVF and device thrombosis with DES.

Purpose: This study aimed to understand the coping experiences of spouses of males with gambling disorders. Methods: This study used narrative inquiry. Four spouses were recruited from Gam-Anon family groups. In-depth, semi-structured interviews with each participant were conducted from November to December 2020. Results: The coping experiences of spouses ranged from daily stress to traumatic stress. The coping strategy was modified and developed by the perception of their husbands' gambling. Changes in participants' coping strategies were related to emotions that arose from the context of social interaction and internal emotions. The coping experiences of spouses were the process of learning a new way of recognizing the true meaning of life and finding happiness. Conclusion This study proposed an efficient coping strategy for families of people with gambling disorder by understanding the spouse's coping experiences. Reducing social stigma and creating a supportive environment for families of people with gambling disorders is essential, and perceived social support can be related to the spouse's adoption of effective coping strategies.

Purpose: This study aimed to understand the coping experiences of spouses of males with gambling disorders. Methods: This study used narrative inquiry. Four spouses were recruited from Gam-Anon family groups. In-depth, semi-structured interviews with each participant were conducted from November to December 2020. Results: The coping experiences of spouses ranged from daily stress to traumatic stress. The coping strategy was modified and developed by the perception of their husbands' gambling. Changes in participants' coping strategies were related to emotions that arose from the context of social interaction and internal emotions. The coping experiences of spouses were the process of learning a new way of recognizing the true meaning of life and finding happiness. Conclusion This study proposed an efficient coping strategy for families of people with gambling disorder by understanding the spouse's coping experiences. Reducing social stigma and creating a supportive environment for families of people with gambling disorders is essential, and perceived social support can be related to the spouse's adoption of effective coping strategies.

Lung transplantation is the only treatment for end-stage lung disease, but the problem of donor shortage is unresolved issue. Herein, we report the first case of living-donor lobar lung transplantation (LDLLT) in Korea. A 19-year-old woman patient with idiopathic pulmonary artery hypertension received her father's right lower lobe and her mother's left lower lobe after pneumonectomy of both lungs in 2017. The patient has recovered well and is enjoying normal social activity. We think that LDLLT could be an alternative approach to deceased donor lung transplantation to overcome the shortage of lung donors.
Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Korea* ; Living Donors ; Lung Diseases ; Lung Transplantation* ; Lung* ; Pneumonectomy ; Pulmonary Artery ; Tissue Donors ; Young Adult

Cyanidin-3β-D-glycoside (C3G), which is widely distributed in herbal medicines and functional foods, exhibits anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-scratching behavioral effects. Orally administered C3G is metabolized to protocatechuic acid (PA) by gut microbiota. Therefore, we compared the anti-colitic effect of C3G to that of PA in mice with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis. Orally administered C3G and PA preventively and curatively ameliorated TNBS-induced colitis parameters, including macroscopic colitis score, colon shortening, and increase of myeloperoxidase activity. Treatment with C3G or PA also inhibited the expression of cyclooxygenase-2, inducible NO synthatase, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α and the activation of NF-κB in the colon of mice with TNBS-induced colitis. Furthermore, these also inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced NF-κB activation and TNF-α expression in peritoneal macrophages. The anti-colitic effect of PA was more effective than C3G. Orally administered PA more potently attenuate colitis than C3G by inhibiting NF-κB activation and the anti-colitic efficacy of C3G may be dependent on the biotransformation of C3G to PA by gut microbiota.
Animals ; Biotransformation ; Colitis* ; Colon ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; Functional Food ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Interleukin-6 ; Macrophages, Peritoneal ; Mice* ; Peroxidase