Background: Histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6), belonging to class IIb of histone deacetylases, regulates theacetylation of the cytoplasmic protein α-tubulin. The overexpression of HDAC6 is linked to the development oftumors, and inhibiting HDAC6 is known to trigger apoptosis in multiple myeloma cells. In addition to its application in cancer treatment, bortezomib, a proteasome inhibitor, is widely used in managing multiple myeloma and has shown effectiveness in patients with both newly diagnosed and relapsed disease. However, the treatment regimen may be delayed or discontinued due to the risk of peripheral neuropathy, a significant non-hematologic side effect. Methods: Animal models of peripheral neuropathy induced by various anti-cancer drugs were established, confirming the potential of HDAC6 inhibitors as a treatment for this condition. Six- to eight-week-old male Sprague Dawley rats were utilized to create these models. Mechanical allodynia and electron microscopy served as indicators of peripheral neuropathy. The HDAC6 inhibitor CKD-011 was administered at doses of 5, 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg. Results: In an animal model of bortezomib-induced peripheral neuropathy, CKD-011, an HDAC6 inhibitor, effectively ameliorated peripheral neuropathy. Similarly, CKD-011 administration demonstrated recovery from peripheral neuropathy in models induced with oxaliplatin, paclitaxel, and cisplatin. Conclusions These findings suggest that HDAC6 inhibitors have the potential to mitigate peripheral neuropathy induced by chemotherapeutic agents.

Purpose: We investigated the results of endoscopic fenestration for deeply located intracranial cysts (DLICs), risk factors for reoperation, and symptom improvement. Materials and Methods: We included 51 patients with DLICs who underwent endoscopic fenestration between November 2006 and October 2022. The median age was 5±20 years (6 days–67 years), and 36 (70.6%) patients were aged <20 years. The male-tofemale ratio was 1.3:1. The ventriculoscope was used to fenestrate the cysts, which had diameters under 4.5 mm. The volume of DLICs was measured separately on serial magnetic resonance imaging, and the patients were followed up for 32±40 months. Results: The mean preoperative volume of DLICs was 63.5±87.4 cm, 3 , which decreased to 23.7±56.2 cm 3postoperatively, with a 45.4%±32.1% decrease rate in 32 months. All DLICs were approached appropriately, avoiding the eloquent areas. Overall, 39 (76.5%) patients showed symptom improvement after a single operation, which was preserved without recurrence, whereas 12 (23.5%) underwent a second operation [shunting (17.6%) or repeating the endoscopic fenestration (5.9%)] owing to symptom aggravation and recurrent cysts. Patients aged <12 months showed 7.4 times more re-operation rate (p>0.046) and 7.4 times less symptom improvement (p=0.038) compared to those with older age. Females showed 6.5 times more re-operation rate (p=0.037) and 7.1 times less symptom improvement (p=0.027) than males. No patients experienced complications such as cerebrospinal fluid leakage, postoperative hemorrhage, or infection. Conclusion Endoscopic surgery is feasible for the treatment of DLICs. Female sex and age <12 months are risk factors for re-operation and less symptom improvement.

Background/Aims: The Korean guidelines for Helicobacter pylori treatment were revised in 2020, however, the extent of adherence to these guidelines in clinical practice remains unclear. Herein, we initiated a prospective, nationwide, multicenter registry study in 2021 to evaluate the current management of H.pylori infection in Korea. Methods: This interim report describes the adherence to the revised guidelines and their impact on firstline eradication rates. Data on patient demographics, diagnoses, treatments, and eradication outcomes were collected using a web-based electronic case report form. Results: A total of 7,261 patients from 66 hospitals who received first-line treatment were analyzed.The modified intention-to-treat eradication rate for first-line treatment was 81.0%, with 80.4% of the prescriptions adhering to the revised guidelines. The most commonly prescribed regimen was the 14-day clarithromycin-based triple therapy (CTT; 42.0%), followed by tailored therapy (TT; 21.2%), 7-day CTT (14.1%), and 10-day concomitant therapy (CT; 10.1%). Time-trend analysis demonstrated significant increases in guideline adherence and the use of 10-day CT and TT, along with a decrease in the use of 7-day CTT (all p<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that guideline adherence was significantly associated with first-line eradication success (odds ratio, 2.03; 95% confidence interval, 1.61 to 2.56; p<0.001). Conclusions The revised guidelines for the treatment of H. pylori infection have been increasingly adopted in routine clinical practice in Korea, which may have contributed to improved first-line eradication rates. Notably, the 14-day CTT, 10-day CT, and TT regimens are emerging as the preferred first-line treatment options among Korean physicians.

Objectives: Nursing documentation consumes approximately 30% of nurses’ professional time, making improvements in efficiency essential for patient safety and workflow optimization. This study compares traditional nursing documentation methods with a generative artificial intelligence (AI)-based system, evaluating its effectiveness in reducing documentation time and ensuring the accuracy of AI-suggested entries. Furthermore, the study aims to assess the system’s impact on overall documentation efficiency and quality. Methods: Forty nurses with a minimum of 6 months of clinical experience participated. In the pre-assessment phase, they documented a nursing scenario using traditional electronic nursing records (ENRs). In the post-assessment phase, they used the SmartENR AI version, developed with OpenAI’s ChatGPT 4.0 API and customized for domestic nursing standards; it supports NANDA, SOAPIE, Focus DAR, and narrative formats. Documentation was evaluated on a 5-point scale for accuracy, comprehensiveness, usability, ease of use, and fluency. Results: Participants averaged 64 months of clinical experience. Traditional documentation required 467.18 ± 314.77 seconds, whereas AI-assisted documentation took 182.68 ± 99.71 seconds, reducing documentation time by approximately 40%. AI-generated documentation received scores of 3.62 ± 1.29 for accuracy, 4.13 ± 1.07 for comprehensiveness, 3.50 ± 0.93 for usability, 4.80 ± 0.61 for ease of use, and 4.50 ± 0.88 for fluency. Conclusions Generative AI substantially reduces the nursing documentation workload and increases efficiency. Nevertheless, further refinement of AI models is necessary to improve accuracy and ensure seamless integration into clinical practice with minimal manual modifications. This study underscores AI’s potential to improve nursing documentation efficiency and accuracy in future clinical settings.

Background: and Purpose Treatments for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) such as eculizumab, ravulizumab, satralizumab, and inebilizumab have significantly advanced relapse prevention, but they remain expensive. Rituximab is an off-label yet popular alternative that offers a cost-effective solution, but its real-world efficacy needs better quantification for guiding the application of newer approved NMOSD treatments (ANTs). This study aimed to determine real-world rituximab failure rates to anticipate the demand for ANTs and aid in resource allocation. Methods: We conducted a nationwide retrospective study involving 605 aquaporin-4-antibody-positive NMOSD patients from 22 centers in South Korea that assessed the efficacy and safety of rituximab over a median follow-up of 47 months. Results: The 605 patients treated with rituximab included 525 (87%) who received continuous therapy throughout the follow-up period (median=47 months, interquartile range=15–87 months). During this period, 117 patients (19%) experienced at least 1 relapse. Notably, 68 of these patients (11% of the total cohort) experienced multiple relapses or at least 1 severe relapse.Additionally, 2% of the patients discontinued rituximab due to adverse events, which included severe infusion reactions, neutropenia, and infections. Conclusions This study has confirmed the efficacy of rituximab in treating NMOSD, as evidenced by an 87% continuation rate among patients over a 4-year follow-up period. Nevertheless, the occurrence of at least one relapse in 19% of the cohort, including 11% who experienced multiple or severe relapses, and a 2% discontinuation rate due to adverse events highlight the urgent need for alternative therapeutic options.

Purpose: Since 1995, the Korean Gastric Cancer Association (KGCA) has been periodically conducting nationwide surveys on patients with surgically treated gastric cancer. This study details the results of the survey conducted in 2023. Materials and Methods: The survey was conducted from March to December 2024 using a standardized case report form. Data were collected on 86 items, including patient demographics, tumor characteristics, surgical procedures, and surgical outcomes. The results of the 2023 survey were compared with those of previous surveys. Results: Data from 12,751 cases were collected from 66 institutions. The mean patient age was 64.6 years, and the proportion of patients aged ≥71 years increased from 9.1% in 1995 to 31.7% in 2023. The proportion of upper-third tumors slightly decreased to 16.8% compared to 20.9% in 2019. Early gastric cancer accounted for 63.1% of cases in 2023.Regarding operative procedures, a totally laparoscopic approach was most frequently applied (63.2%) in 2023, while robotic gastrectomy steadily increased to 9.5% from 2.1% in 2014.The most common anastomotic method was the Billroth II procedure (48.8%) after distal gastrectomy and double-tract reconstruction (51.9%) after proximal gastrectomy in 2023.However, the proportion of esophago-gastrostomy with anti-reflux procedures increased to 30.9%. The rates of post-operative mortality and overall complications were 1.0% and 15.3%, respectively. Conclusions The results of the 2023 nationwide survey demonstrate the current status of gastric cancer treatment in Korea. This information will provide a basis for future gastric cancer research.

Background: Complete revascularization has demonstrated better outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and multivessel disease. However, in the case of left main (LM) culprit lesion AMI with multivessel disease, there is limited evidence to suggest that complete revascularization is better. Methods: We reviewed 16,831 patients in the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry who were treated from July 2016 to June 2020, and 399 patients were enrolled with LM culprit lesion AMI treated with percutaneous coronary intervention. We categorized the patients as those treated with complete revascularization (n=295) or incomplete revascularization (n=104). The study endpoint was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, ischemia-driven revascularization, stent thrombosis, and stroke. We performed propensity score matching (PSM) and analyzed the incidence of MACCE at 1 year. Results: After PSM, the two groups were well balanced. There was no significant difference between the two groups in MACCE at 1 year (12.1% vs. 15.2%; hazard ratio, 1.28; 95% confidence interval, 0.60–2.74; p=0.524) after PSM. The components of MACCE and major bleeding were also not significantly different. Conclusion There was no significant difference in clinical outcomes between the groups treated with complete or incomplete revascularization for LM culprit lesion AMI with multivessel disease.