Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting the sacroiliac joints and axial spine. Along with pharmacotherapy, non-pharmacological interventions for axSpA are crucial and constitute the cornerstone of treatment. Here, we review the evidence for non-pharmacological treatment of axSpA as a basis for the 2023 Korean treatment recommendations for patients with axSpA. The effectiveness of the core non-pharmacological approaches, such as education, smoking cessation, and exercise, has been reaffirmed. High-quality research on surgical treatment is limited. However, total hip replacement is advised in patients with ongoing pain or disability and visible structural damage to the hip on imaging. Urgent spinal intervention should be considered in cases of acute spinal pain with neurological deficiency or concurrent unstable fractures. Evidence for complementary therapies, including spas and acupuncture, remains insufficient.

Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting the sacroiliac joints and axial spine. Along with pharmacotherapy, non-pharmacological interventions for axSpA are crucial and constitute the cornerstone of treatment. Here, we review the evidence for non-pharmacological treatment of axSpA as a basis for the 2023 Korean treatment recommendations for patients with axSpA. The effectiveness of the core non-pharmacological approaches, such as education, smoking cessation, and exercise, has been reaffirmed. High-quality research on surgical treatment is limited. However, total hip replacement is advised in patients with ongoing pain or disability and visible structural damage to the hip on imaging. Urgent spinal intervention should be considered in cases of acute spinal pain with neurological deficiency or concurrent unstable fractures. Evidence for complementary therapies, including spas and acupuncture, remains insufficient.

Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting the sacroiliac joints and axial spine. Along with pharmacotherapy, non-pharmacological interventions for axSpA are crucial and constitute the cornerstone of treatment. Here, we review the evidence for non-pharmacological treatment of axSpA as a basis for the 2023 Korean treatment recommendations for patients with axSpA. The effectiveness of the core non-pharmacological approaches, such as education, smoking cessation, and exercise, has been reaffirmed. High-quality research on surgical treatment is limited. However, total hip replacement is advised in patients with ongoing pain or disability and visible structural damage to the hip on imaging. Urgent spinal intervention should be considered in cases of acute spinal pain with neurological deficiency or concurrent unstable fractures. Evidence for complementary therapies, including spas and acupuncture, remains insufficient.

Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting the sacroiliac joints and axial spine. Along with pharmacotherapy, non-pharmacological interventions for axSpA are crucial and constitute the cornerstone of treatment. Here, we review the evidence for non-pharmacological treatment of axSpA as a basis for the 2023 Korean treatment recommendations for patients with axSpA. The effectiveness of the core non-pharmacological approaches, such as education, smoking cessation, and exercise, has been reaffirmed. High-quality research on surgical treatment is limited. However, total hip replacement is advised in patients with ongoing pain or disability and visible structural damage to the hip on imaging. Urgent spinal intervention should be considered in cases of acute spinal pain with neurological deficiency or concurrent unstable fractures. Evidence for complementary therapies, including spas and acupuncture, remains insufficient.

Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting the sacroiliac joints and axial spine. Along with pharmacotherapy, non-pharmacological interventions for axSpA are crucial and constitute the cornerstone of treatment. Here, we review the evidence for non-pharmacological treatment of axSpA as a basis for the 2023 Korean treatment recommendations for patients with axSpA. The effectiveness of the core non-pharmacological approaches, such as education, smoking cessation, and exercise, has been reaffirmed. High-quality research on surgical treatment is limited. However, total hip replacement is advised in patients with ongoing pain or disability and visible structural damage to the hip on imaging. Urgent spinal intervention should be considered in cases of acute spinal pain with neurological deficiency or concurrent unstable fractures. Evidence for complementary therapies, including spas and acupuncture, remains insufficient.

Background and Objectives: Although cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is highly recommended in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD), participation in CR is low mainly due to access barriers. Home-based CR (HBCR) has been recommended to overcome access barriers.Exercise is a core component of CR and should be developed and implemented based on individual characteristics. We aimed to assess physical activity behaviors, exercise preferences, and exercise barriers to understand physical activity characteristics of CVD patients. Methods: Participants were patients between the ages 19 to 75 years with a history of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) or myocardial infarction (MI). They completed a cross-sectional survey at a tertiary hospital's outpatient clinic from April to June 2021. Survey data included physical activity levels, patterns, preference, and barriers of exercise. Results: Participants (n=189; 143 males, 46 females, 62.1±12.0 years) were diagnosed as either HFrEF (n=160, 84.7%) or a history of MI (n=97, 51.3%). Only 26.5% of patients engaged in moderate to vigorous exercise for more than 150 minutes per week. Participants preferred exercising alone or with families. Walking (65.6%) and resistance exercises (35.4%) were favored, with outdoor (37%) and home-based (30.2%) settings preferred over fitness centers (10.6%) and hospitals (0.5%). Barriers to exercise included fatigue (34.4%), poor health perception (31.7%), and low fitness levels (30.7%). Conclusions The results of this study can be used to develop tailored HBCR programs that consider individual preferences and address specific barriers, facilitating adequate physical activity engagement.

Background and Objectives: Although cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is highly recommended in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD), participation in CR is low mainly due to access barriers. Home-based CR (HBCR) has been recommended to overcome access barriers.Exercise is a core component of CR and should be developed and implemented based on individual characteristics. We aimed to assess physical activity behaviors, exercise preferences, and exercise barriers to understand physical activity characteristics of CVD patients. Methods: Participants were patients between the ages 19 to 75 years with a history of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) or myocardial infarction (MI). They completed a cross-sectional survey at a tertiary hospital's outpatient clinic from April to June 2021. Survey data included physical activity levels, patterns, preference, and barriers of exercise. Results: Participants (n=189; 143 males, 46 females, 62.1±12.0 years) were diagnosed as either HFrEF (n=160, 84.7%) or a history of MI (n=97, 51.3%). Only 26.5% of patients engaged in moderate to vigorous exercise for more than 150 minutes per week. Participants preferred exercising alone or with families. Walking (65.6%) and resistance exercises (35.4%) were favored, with outdoor (37%) and home-based (30.2%) settings preferred over fitness centers (10.6%) and hospitals (0.5%). Barriers to exercise included fatigue (34.4%), poor health perception (31.7%), and low fitness levels (30.7%). Conclusions The results of this study can be used to develop tailored HBCR programs that consider individual preferences and address specific barriers, facilitating adequate physical activity engagement.

Tuberculous pericarditis is an extrapulmonary manifestation of tuberculosis that is most commonly associated with pericardial thickening, effusion, and calcification. We present a case of tuberculous pericarditis mimicking a malignant pericardial tumor in a 77-year-old male. CT revealed an irregular and nodular pericardial thickening. MRI revealed high signal intensity on T1-weighted fat-suppressed images and peripheral rim enhancement after gadolinium administration. MRI can be helpful in determining the differential diagnoses in cases of tuberculous pericarditis with nonspecific imaging findings.

Tuberculous pericarditis is an extrapulmonary manifestation of tuberculosis that is most commonly associated with pericardial thickening, effusion, and calcification. We present a case of tuberculous pericarditis mimicking a malignant pericardial tumor in a 77-year-old male. CT revealed an irregular and nodular pericardial thickening. MRI revealed high signal intensity on T1-weighted fat-suppressed images and peripheral rim enhancement after gadolinium administration. MRI can be helpful in determining the differential diagnoses in cases of tuberculous pericarditis with nonspecific imaging findings.

Background and Objectives: Although cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is highly recommended in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD), participation in CR is low mainly due to access barriers. Home-based CR (HBCR) has been recommended to overcome access barriers.Exercise is a core component of CR and should be developed and implemented based on individual characteristics. We aimed to assess physical activity behaviors, exercise preferences, and exercise barriers to understand physical activity characteristics of CVD patients. Methods: Participants were patients between the ages 19 to 75 years with a history of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) or myocardial infarction (MI). They completed a cross-sectional survey at a tertiary hospital's outpatient clinic from April to June 2021. Survey data included physical activity levels, patterns, preference, and barriers of exercise. Results: Participants (n=189; 143 males, 46 females, 62.1±12.0 years) were diagnosed as either HFrEF (n=160, 84.7%) or a history of MI (n=97, 51.3%). Only 26.5% of patients engaged in moderate to vigorous exercise for more than 150 minutes per week. Participants preferred exercising alone or with families. Walking (65.6%) and resistance exercises (35.4%) were favored, with outdoor (37%) and home-based (30.2%) settings preferred over fitness centers (10.6%) and hospitals (0.5%). Barriers to exercise included fatigue (34.4%), poor health perception (31.7%), and low fitness levels (30.7%). Conclusions The results of this study can be used to develop tailored HBCR programs that consider individual preferences and address specific barriers, facilitating adequate physical activity engagement.