Emergency department (ED) triage systems are used to classify the severity and urgency of emergency patients, and Korean medical institutions use the Korean Triage and Acuity Scale (KTAS). During the COVID-19 pandemic, appropriate treatment for emergency patients was delayed due to various circumstances, such as overcrowding of EDs, lack of medical workforce resources, and increased workload on medical staff. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the KTAS in predicting the urgency of emergency patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This study retrospectively reviewed patients who were treated in the ED during the pandemic period from January 2020 to June 2021. Patients were divided into COVID-19–screening negative (SN) and COVID-19–screening positive (SP) groups. We compared the predictability of the KTAS for urgent patients between the two groups. Results From a total of 107,480 patients, 62,776 patients (58.4%) were included in the SN group and 44,704 (41.6%) were included in the SP group. The odds ratios for severity variables at each KTAS level revealed a more evident discriminatory power of the KTAS for severity variables in the SN group (P<0.001). The predictability of the KTAS for severity variables was higher in the SN group than in the SP group (area under the curve, P<0.001). Conclusion During the pandemic, the KTAS had low accuracy in predicting patients in critical condition in the ED. Therefore, in future pandemic periods, supplementation of the current ED triage system should be considered in order to accurately classify the severity of patients.

Background: Atherogenic dyslipidemia, which is frequently associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and insulin resistance, contributes to the development of vascular complications. Statin therapy is the primary approach to dyslipidemia management in T2D, however, the role of non-statin therapy remains unclear. Ezetimibe reduces cholesterol burden by inhibiting intestinal cholesterol absorption. Fibrates lower triglyceride levels and increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels via peroxisome proliferator- activated receptor alpha agonism. Therefore, when combined, these drugs effectively lower non-HDL-C levels. Despite this, few clinical trials have specifically targeted non-HDL-C, and the efficacy of triple combination therapies, including statins, ezetimibe, and fibrates, has yet to be determined. Methods: This is a multicenter, prospective, randomized, open-label, active-comparator controlled trial involving 3,958 eligible participants with T2D, cardiovascular risk factors, and elevated non-HDL-C (≥100 mg/dL). Participants, already on moderate-intensity statins, will be randomly assigned to either Ezefeno (ezetimibe/fenofibrate) addition or statin dose-escalation. The primary end point is the development of a composite of major adverse cardiovascular and diabetic microvascular events over 48 months. Conclusion This trial aims to assess whether combining statins, ezetimibe, and fenofibrate is as effective as, or possibly superior to, statin monotherapy intensification in lowering cardiovascular and microvascular disease risk for patients with T2D. This could propose a novel therapeutic approach for managing dyslipidemia in T2D.

Background: This study aimed to generate a Z score calculation model for coronary artery diameter of normal children and adolescents to be adopted as the standard calculation method with consensus in clinical practice. Methods: This study was a retrospective, multicenter study that collected data from multiple institutions across South Korea. Data were analyzed to determine the model that best fit the relationship between the diameter of coronary arteries and independent demographic parameters. Linear, power, logarithmic, exponential, and square root polynomial models were tested for best fit. Results: Data of 2,030 subjects were collected from 16 institutions. Separate calculation models for each sex were developed because the impact of demographic variables on the diameter of coronary arteries differs according to sex. The final model was the polynomial formula with an exponential relationship between the diameter of coronary arteries and body surface area using the DuBois formula. Conclusion A new coronary artery diameter Z score model was developed and is anticipated to be applicable in clinical practice. The new model will help establish a consensus-based Z score model.

Background: Over the last decade, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) use in critically ill children has increased and is associated with favorable outcomes. Our study aims to evaluate the current status of pediatric ECMO in Korea, with a specific focus on its volume and changes in survival rates based on diagnostic indications. Methods: This multicenter study retrospectively analyzed the indications and outcomes of pediatric ECMO over 10 years in patients at 14 hospitals in Korea from January 2012 to December 2021. Four diagnostic categories (neonatal respiratory, pediatric respiratory, postcardiotomy, and cardiac-medical) and trends were compared between periods 1 (2012–2016) and 2 (2017–2021). Results: Overall, 1065 ECMO runs were performed on 1032 patients, with the annual number of cases remaining unchanged over the 10 years. ECMO was most frequently used for post-cardiotomy (42.4%), cardiac-medical (31.8%), pediatric respiratory (17.5%), and neonatal respiratory (8.2%) cases. A 3.7% increase and 6.1% decrease in pediatric respiratory and post-cardiotomy cases, respectively, were noted between periods 1 and 2.Among the four groups, the cardiac-medical group had the highest survival rate (51.2%), followed by the pediatric respiratory (46.4%), post-cardiotomy (36.5%), and neonatal respiratory (29.4%) groups. A consistent improvement was noted in patient survival over the 10 years, with a significant increase between the two periods from 38.2% to 47.1% (P = 0.004). Improvement in survival was evident in post-cardiotomy cases (30–45%, P = 0.002).Significant associations with mortality were observed in neonates, patients requiring dialysis, and those treated with extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (P < 0.001). In pediatric respiratory ECMO, immunocompromised patients also showed a significant correlation with mortality (P < 0.001). Conclusion Pediatric ECMO demonstrated a steady increase in overall survival in Korea;however, further efforts are needed since the outcomes remain suboptimal compared with global outcomes.

Background: and Objective: The effects of radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) on right ventricular (RV) function are not well known. Methods: Patients who underwent RFCA for AF and underwent pre- and post-procedural echocardiography were enrolled consecutively. Fractional area change (FAC), RV free-wall longitudinal strain (RVFWSL), and RV 4-chamber strain including the ventricular septum (RV4CSL) were measured. Changes in FAC, RVFWSL, and RV4CSL before and after RFCA were compared among paroxysmal AF (PAF), persistent AF (PeAF), and long-standing persistent AF (LSPeAF) groups. Results: A total of 164 participants (74 PAF, 47 PeAF, and 43 LSPeAF; age, 60.8 ± 9.8 years;men, 74.4%) was enrolled. The patients with PeAF and LSPeAF had worse RV4CSL (p<0.001) and RVFWSL (p<0.001) than those with PAF and reference values. Improvements in RVFWSL and RV4CSL after RFCA were significant in the PeAF group compared with the PAF and LSPeAF groups (ΔRV4CSL, 8.4% [5.1, 11.6] in PeAF vs. 1.0% [−1.0, 4.1] in PAF, 1.9% [−0.2, 4.4] in LSPeAF, p<0.001; ΔRVFWSL, 9.0% [6.9, 11.5] in PeAF vs. 0.9% [−1.4, 4.9] in PAF, 1.0% [−1.0, 3.6] in LSPeAF, p<0.001). In patients without recurrence, improvements in RVFWSL and RV4CSL after RFCA were significant in the PeAF group compared to the LSPeAF group. Conclusions RV systolic function is more impaired in patients with PeAF and LSPeAF than in those with PAF. RV systolic function is more improved after RFCA in patients with PeAF than in those with PAF or LSPeAF.