Purpose: This study was conducted to update the practice guidelines for intravenous infusion therapy published in 2017, focusing on the most recent evidence for peripheral intravenous infusion therapy. Methods: The guideline update was conducted using the 22-step methodology. Results: The updated guidelines consist of 17 domains and 235 recommendations (including 284 sub-recommendations). The domains are as follows: general instructions (5 items), peripheral catheter selection (7), catheter insertion site selection (11), management during peripheral catheter insertion (10), post-insertion management (30), perfusion and locking (17), blood sampling via peripheral catheters(6), exchange and removal of peripheral catheters (6), infusion set management (14), add-on devices (32), complications (25), chemotherapy infusions (10), PCA infusions (7), parenteral nutrition (20), transfusion therapy (23), education (5), and documentation and reporting (7). The evidence levels for these recommendations are as follows: 27(9.5%) at level I, 3 (1.1%) at level I A/P, 118 (41.5%) at level II, and 136 (47.9%) at level III.Recommendation grades are categorized as follows: 30 (10.6%) at level A, 118 (41.5%) at level B, and 136(47.9%) at level C. Of these, 73 (25.7%) recommendations were newly developed, 49 (17.3%) underwent major revisions, and 147 (51.7%) underwent minor revisions. Conclusion The updated practice guideline, based on the latest evidence, is anticipated to enhance nursing practice related to peripheral intravenous infusion therapy.

Background: Barriers to treatment with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) for patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in South Korea remain incompletely characterized. We analyze a nationwide prospective cohort to determine patient-level features associated with delayed presentation and non-treatment of potential IVT-eligible patients. Methods: We identified consecutive patients with AIS from 01/2011 to 08/2023 from a multicenter and prospective acute stroke registry in Korea. Patients were defined as IVT candidates if they presented within 4.5 hours from the last known well, had no lab evidence of coagulopathy, and had National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) ≥ 4. Multivariable generalized linear mixed regression models were used to investigate the associations between their characteristics and the IVT candidates or the use of IVT among the candidates. Results: Among 84,103 AIS patients, 41.0% were female, with a mean age of 69 ± 13 years and presentation NIHSS of 4 [interquartile range, 1–8]. Out of these patients, 13,757 (16.4%) were eligible for IVT, of whom 8,179 (59.5%) received IVT. Female sex (adjusted risk ratio [RR], 0.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.86–0.94) and lower years of education (adjusted RR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.84–0.97 for 0–3 years, compared to ≥ 13 years) were associated with a decreased likelihood of presenting as eligible for IVT after AIS; meanwhile, young age (adjusted RR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.01–1.24 for ≤ 44 years, compared to 75–84 years) was associated with an increased likelihood of being an IVT candidate. Among those who were eligible for IVT, only age was significantly associated with the use of IVT (adjusted RR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.03–1.16 for age 65–74 and adjusted RR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.76–0.90 for ≥ 85 years, respectively). Conclusion Most patients with AIS present outside IVT eligibility in South Korea, and only 60% of eligible patients were ultimately treated. We identified increased age, female sex and lower education as key features on which to focus interventions for improving IVT utilization.

The applicability of the Phoenix criteria and Phoenix Sepsis Score in higher-resource pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) outside the United States requires further validation. A retrospective cohort study analyzed electronic health records of 1,304 PICU admissions under 18 years old with suspected infection between February 2017 and December 2023. The score was calculated using two methods: 24-hour assessment, based on worst sub-scores within 24 hours of admission, and prompt assessment, using values closest to admission within 6 hours before or after. Based on the 24-hour assessment, in-hospital mortality was 8.3% for sepsis and 10.3% for septic shock. The score demonstrated an area under the precision-recall curve of 0.42 (95% confidence interval, 0.31–0.55) for in-hospital mortality. Results were consistent across both assessment methods. The Phoenix criteria and the Phoenix Sepsis Score are reliable predictors of mortality outcomes. Further investigation in diverse clinical settings is warranted.

Purpose: This study examined nationwide data regarding laparoscopic and robotic surgery for colorectal cancer (CRC) in Korea. Methods: Nationwide data concerning patients who underwent surgery for CRC from 2019 to 2023 were obtained from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database. Results: From 2019 to 2023, a total of 109,573 patients with CRC underwent surgical resection in Korea. Among these, open, laparoscopic, and robotic surgery comprised 17.2%, 71.5%, and 11.3%, respectively. Open surgery decreased from 18.3% in 2019 to 15.2% in 2023, whereas robotic surgery increased from 10.3% in 2019 to 12.7% in 2023. Regarding rectal cancer, the rate of robotic surgery increased from 23.0% in 2019 to 28.2% in 2023, and the rate of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) increased from 86.9% in 2019 to 89.2% in 2023.Patients with National Health Insurance had significantly shorter lengths of hospital stay after surgery than those with medical aid for all surgical methods (p < 0.0001). With respect to hospital size, 74,282 CRC surgeries (67.8%) were performed in tertiary general hospitals and 33,050 (30.2%) in general hospitals. By the region, 47,140 cases (43.0%) were performed in Seoul, 19,961 (18.2%) in Gyeonggi, and 7,417 (6.8%) in Daegu. Ostomy was created in 16,222 CRC surgeries (14.8%). Conclusion The rate of MIS adoption for CRC in Korea has increased, reaching 84.7% in 2023. The rate of laparoscopic surgery exceeded 70% and has plateaued. In contrast, the rate of robotic surgery adoption has steadily increased, particularly for rectal cancer, where it surpassed 28% in 2023.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic, disabling, and functional bowel disorder that significantly affects social functioning and reduces quality of life and increases social costs. The Korean Society of Neurogastroenterology and Motility published clinical practice guidelines on the management of IBS based on a systematic review of the literature in 2017, and planned to revise these guidelines in light of new evidence on the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of IBS. The current revised version of the guidelines is consistent with the previous version and targets adults diagnosed with or suspected of having IBS. These guidelines were developed using a combination of de novo and adaptation methods, with analyses of existing guidelines and discussions within the committee, leading to the identification of key clinical questions. Finally, the guidelines consisted of 22 recommendations, including 3 concerning the definition and risk factors of IBS, 4 regarding diagnostic modalities and strategies, 2 regarding general management, and 13 regarding medical treatment. For each statement, the advantages, disadvantages, and precautions were thoroughly detailed. The modified Delphi method was used to achieve expert consensus to adopt the core recommendations of the guidelines. These guidelines serve as a reference for clinicians (including primary care physicians, general healthcare providers, medical students, residents, and other healthcare professionals) and patients, helping them to make informed decisions regarding IBS management.

Background: Although the presence of both obesity and reduced muscle mass presents a dual metabolic burden and additively has a negative effect on a variety of cardiometabolic parameters, data regarding the associations between their combined effects and left ventricular diastolic function are limited. This study investigated the association between the ratio of skeletal muscle mass to visceral fat area (SVR) and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) in patients with preserved ejection fraction using random forest machine learning. Methods: In total, 1,070 participants with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction who underwent comprehensive health examinations, including transthoracic echocardiography and bioimpedance body composition analysis, were enrolled. SVR was calculated as an index of sarcopenic obesity by dividing the appendicular skeletal muscle mass by the visceral fat area. Results: In the random forest model, age and SVR were the most powerful predictors of LVDD. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that older age (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.11; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07 to 1.15) and lower SVR (adjusted OR, 0.08; 95% CI, 0.01 to 0.57) were independent risk factors for LVDD.SVR showed a significant improvement in predictive performance and fair predictability for LVDD, with the highest area under the curve noted in both men and women, with statistical significance. In non-obese and metabolically healthy individuals, the lowest SVR tertile was associated with a greater risk of LVDD compared to the highest SVR tertile. Conclusion Decreased muscle mass and increased visceral fat were significantly associated with LVDD compared to obesity, body fat composition, and body muscle composition indices.

Background: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutation testing is crucial for the administration of tyrosine kinase inhibitors to treat non–small cell lung cancer. In addition to traditional tissue-based tests, liquid biopsies using plasma are increasingly utilized, particularly for detecting T790M mutations. This study compared tissue- and plasma-based EGFR testing methods. Methods: A total of 248 patients were tested for EGFR mutations using tissue and plasma samples from 2018 to 2023 at Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital. Tissue tests were performed using PANAmutyper, and plasma tests were performed using the Cobas EGFR Mutation Test v2. Results: All 248 patients underwent tissue-based EGFR testing, and 245 (98.8%) showed positive results. Of the 408 plasma tests, 237 (58.1%) were positive. For the T790M mutation, tissue biopsies were performed 87 times in 69 patients, and 30 positive cases (38.6%) were detected. Plasma testing for the T790M mutation was conducted 333 times in 207 patients, yielding 62 positive results (18.6%). Of these, 57 (27.5%) were confirmed to have the mutation via plasma testing. Combined tissue and plasma tests for the T790M mutation were positive in nine patients (13.4%), while 17 (25.4%) were positive in tissue only and 12 (17.9%) in plasma only. This mutation was not detected in 28 patients (43.3%). Conclusions Although the tissue- and plasma-based tests showed a sensitivity of 37.3% and 32.8%, respectively, combined testing increased the detection rate to 56.7%. Thus, neither test demonstrated superiority, rather, they were complementary.

Background: and Purpose Previous research on patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) has shown a 0.5% incidence of major gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) requiring blood transfusion during hospitalization. The existing literature has insufficiently explored the long-term incidence in this population despite the decremental impact of GIB on stroke outcomes. Methods: We analyzed the data from a cohort of patients with AIS admitted to 14 hospitals as part of a nationwide multicenter prospective stroke registry between 2011 and 2013. These patients were followed up for up to 6 years. The occurrence of major GIB events, defined as GIB necessitating at least two units of blood transfusion, was tracked using the National Health Insurance Service claims data. Results: Among 10,818 patients with AIS (male, 59%; mean age, 68±13 years), 947 (8.8%) experienced 1,224 episodes of major GIB over a median follow-up duration of 3.1 years. Remarkably, 20% of 947 patients experienced multiple episodes of major GIB. The incidence peaked in the first month after AIS, reaching 19.2 per 100 person-years, and gradually decreased to approximately one-sixth of this rate by the 2nd year with subsequent stabilization. Multivariable analysis identified the following predictors of major GIB: anemia, estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 , and a 3-month modified Rankin Scale score of ≥4. Conclusion Patients with AIS are susceptible to major GIB, particularly in the first month after the onset of AIS, with the risk decreasing thereafter. Implementing preventive strategies may be important, especially for patients with anemia and impaired renal function at stroke onset and those with a disabling stroke.

Purpose: To evaluate the compatibility and usability of test results obtained from the IDRA and Keratograph 5M in clinical settings by comparing their performance in patients with dry eye disease. Methods: From December 27 to 30, 2022, a study was conducted on 30 patients diagnosed with dry eye utilizing both the Keratograph 5M and IDRA devices. The parameters compared and analyzed included lipid layer thickness, tear meniscus height, tear film break-up time, and meibography. A paired t-test was used for statistical comparison. The lipid layer thickness in the Keratograph 5M was graded on a scale from 0 to 4 based on thickness. Results: No significant differences were found between the two devices in tear film break-up time, tear meniscus height, and meibography (p = 0.148, 0.072, 0.124, respectively). However, the tear lipid layer thickness measured by IDRA showed a proportional relationship with the grade assigned by the Keratograph 5M (Kendall R = 0.217, p = 0.037; Spearman R = 0.260, p = 0.045). Conclusions The IDRA device offers the advantage of performing multiple dry eye tests; simultaneously, thereby saving time compared to the Keratograph 5M. Both devices can be used compatibly with IDRA particularly advantageous for providing a numerical value for tear lipid layer thickness which enhances the convenience of dry eye diagnosis and treatment.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, management, and comorbidities of diabetes mellitus among Korean adults. Methods: Data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2019–2022) were analyzed to assess the prevalence, treatment, risk factors, and comorbidities of diabetes. Comparisons between young and older adults with diabetes were emphasized. Results: Among Korean adults aged ≥30 years, the prevalence of diabetes is 15.5% during 2021–2022. Of these, 74.7% were aware of their condition, 70.9% received antidiabetic treatment, and only 32.4% achieved glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) <6.5%. Moreover, 15.9% met the integrated management targets, which included HbA1c <6.5%, blood pressure <140/85 mm Hg, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol <100 mg/dL. In young adults aged 19 to 39 years, the prevalence of diabetes was 2.2%. Among them, 43.3% were aware of their condition, 34.6% received treatment, and 29.6% achieved HbA1c <6.5%. Obesity affected 87.1%, and 26.9% had both hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. Among adults aged ≥65 years, the prevalence of diabetes was 29.3%, with awareness, treatment, and control rates of 78.8%, 75.7%, and 31.2%, respectively. Integrated management targets (HbA1c <7.5%, hypertension, and lipids) were achieved by 40.1%. Conclusion Diabetes mellitus remains highly prevalent among Korean adults, with significant gaps in integrated glycemic, blood pressure, and lipid control. Older adults with diabetes show higher awareness and treatment rates but limited integrated management outcomes. Young adults with diabetes bear a significant burden of obesity and comorbidities, alongside low awareness and treatment rates. Therefore, early intervention programs, education, and strategies tailored to younger populations are urgently required.