Purpose: Postoperative complications following gastric cancer surgery significantly impact patient outcomes, yet standardized definitions for these events have not been consistently applied across institutions in Korea. This study aimed to develop a consensus-based, standardized complication classification system specific to gastrectomy for gastric cancer as part of the Korean Quality Improvement Platform in Surgery (K-QIPS) initiative. Methods: As part of K-QIPS, a dedicated task force team (TFT) was formed with surgical experts from fourteen high-volume hospitals across Korea. The TFT conducted ten formal meetings to review existing literature and international guidelines, and incorporated findings from randomized controlled trials. The final complication list was developed through expert consensus and structured into a standardized framework. A Data Entry Manual was created to support consistent data collection by surgical clinical reviewers. Results: The TFT defined specific postoperative complications following gastrectomy for gastric cancer, including anastomotic leakage, duodenal stump leakage, pancreatic fistula, intra-abdominal and luminal bleeding, delayed gastric emptying, and internal hernia. Notably, internal hernia was described in standardized form for the first time. General complications were developed first and overlapped in part with the gastric cancer-specific list. The task force also produced a Data Entry Manual that provides practical instructions to ensure consistency and accuracy in complication reporting. Conclusion This nationwide consensus initiative established the first standardized complication classification system for gastric cancer surgery in Korea. The proposed definitions and data entry system are expected to improve complication reporting, enable multicenter research, support surgical quality benchmarking, and ultimately enhance patient outcomes.

This study examined sleep-related characteristics among university students and the associations between sleep quality, dietary habits, and diet quality.Three hundred and ninety-three university students (206 men and 187 women) enrolled at universities in the Chungcheong region of Korea participated in this study between November and December 2023. Data on the general characteristics, dietary habits, sleep status, and the Nutrition Quotient (NQ) for adults were collected using a structured questionnaire. The sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index– Korean version (PSQI-K). The participants were classified into a good sleeper group (PSQI-K≤5) and a poor sleeper group (PSQI-K≥6). The dietary habits and NQ scores were compared according to the sleep quality. Compared with good sleepers, poor sleepers had a significantly higher prevalence of eating alone at least once per day (P<0.01) and higher scores for unhealthy dietary behaviors, including overeating, eating quickly, a preference for salty food, skipping meals, and irregular meal timing (P<0.05). Although the total NQ scores and balance and practice domain scores did not differ according to sleep quality, the moderation domain scores were significantly lower among poor sleepers, particularly in men (P<0.05). In conclusion, poor sleep quality among university students was associated with unhealthy dietary habits and lower diet quality related to dietary restraint. These findings highlight the importance of improving sleep quality as a part of health education and dietary intervention programs for university students.

Pediatric hypertension (HTN) is a significant, growing health concern worldwide and also in Korea. Diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of HTN in Korean children and adolescents are uncertain due to limitations in using the current international guidelines, since the recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and European Society of Hypertension (ESH) guidelines differ. Furthermore, these are guidelines for Western youth, who are racially and ethnically different from Koreans. In addition, reference blood pressure values for all pediatric age groups, which are essential for the diagnosis of HTN according to these two guidelines, are absent in Korea. Therefore, HTN guidelines for Korean children and adolescents should be established. The Korean Working Group of Pediatric Hypertension established clinical guidelines for the diagnosis, evaluation, and management of HTN in Korean children and adolescents. These guidelines were based on reported clinical evidence, expert recommendations, and AAP and ESH guidelines. The characteristics of Korean youth and the Korean medical and insurance system were considered during the establishment of the guidelines. By providing recommendations suitable for Korean youth, these guidelines will help in the prevention and management of childhood HTN, thus relieving the burden of cardiovascular disease in adulthood in Korea.

This study investigated the clinical characteristics and kidney outcomes of childhood-onset lupus nephritis (LN), and risk factors associated with prognosis. Methods: We enrolled 216 patients with histologically diagnosed LN during childhood. The Korean Society of Pediatric Nephrology organized a retrospective cohort study of childhood-onset LN in 13 major pediatric nephrology centers in South Korea. Results: The mean age at kidney biopsy was 13.2 ± 3.22 years. The main forms of presentation were nephrotic syndrome and/or hematuria in 152 patients (70.4%), and the most common histological finding was World Health Organization (WHO) class IV in 138 patients (63.9%), followed by WHO class III in 34 patients (15.7%). In the outcome analysis, the mean follow-up period of the patients was 7.8 ± 5.11 years. At last follow-up, 32 patients (14.8%) developed advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). Male sex and failure to achieve remission at 12 months of treatment were significant risk factors for developing advanced CKD (hazard ratio of 2.57 and 2.29, respectively). Conclusion: Our study demonstrated the clinical characteristics and long-term outcomes of patients with childhood-onset LN. Male sex and failure to achieve remission in the first year of treatment were predictive of advanced CKD. Therefore, prompt awareness and close monitoring of these high-risk patients are needed, which may further improve the prognosis of children with LN.

The Korea Nurses’ Health Study (KNHS) is an ongoing, large-scale, prospective cohort study of women nurses, focusing on the effects of occupational, environmental, and lifestyle factors on the health of women. The first KNHS survey was performed in 2013-2014 (n=20,613). As of December 2023, 11 follow-up surveys have been conducted. Participants who were pregnant were asked to participate in the early pregnancy survey (n=2,179) and postpartum survey after giving birth (n=2,790). The main variables included socio-demographic, work-related, lifestyle, physical, mental, and women’s health factors. Blood, urine, and toenail samples were collected from a participant subgroup of the first survey (n=1,983). The subgroups of the second survey completed a food frequency questionnaire in 2019 (n=300) and 2021 (n=871). In 2020, a subgroup of the first survey answered a coronavirus disease 2019-related survey (n=975). To examine various health-related factors in young adults, new participants were added to the KNHS cohort in the 11th (n=1,000) and 12th (n=1,002) surveys. The KNHS cohort will help identify health and illness determinants in Korean women. Data can be accessed at https://coda.nih.go.kr/frt/index.do.

Paragangliomas, a term used for tumors of extra-adrenal origin, are chromaffin cell tumors that secrete catecholamines. Approximately one in three patients with paraganglioma has a gene mutation associated with familial paraganglioma syndromes (FPGLs), resulting from mutations in one of the subunits of the succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) gene. Most extraadrenal paragangliomas involve the head and neck, and only 2% of paragangliomas are found in the mediastinum. We report the case of a 37-year-old woman with a posterior mediastinal paraganglioma attached to the heart and recurrent glomus jugulare who underwent glomus tumor resection at the age of 17 years. Genetic testing revealed a mutation in the SDH subunit B gene associated with FPGL type 4 (FPGL4). This case report describes the features of multimodal imaging of a posterior mediastinal paraganglioma and explain how a multidisciplinary approach led to the diagnosis of FPGL4.

Background and Objectives: Concerns remain that early aspirin cessation may be associated with potential harm in subsets at high risk of ischemic events. This study aimed to assess the effects of P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy after 3-month dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) vs.prolonged DAPT (12-month or longer) based on the ischemic risk stratification, the CHADSP2A2RC, after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: This was a sub-study of the SMART-CHOICE trial. The effect of the randomized antiplatelet strategies was assessed across 3 CHADS-P2A2RC risk score categories. The primary outcome was a major adverse cardiac and cerebral event (MACCE), a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. Results: Up to 3 years, the high CHADS-P2A2RC risk score group had the highest incidence of MACCE (105 [12.1%], adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 2.927; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.358–6.309; p=0.006) followed by moderate-risk (40 [1.4%], adjusted HR, 1.786; 95% CI, 0.868–3.674; p=0.115) and low-risk (9 [0.5%], reference). In secondary analyses, P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy reduced the Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) types 2, 3, or 5 bleeding without increasing the risk of MACCE as compared with prolonged DAPT across the 3 CHADS-P2A2RC risk strata without significant interaction term (interaction p for MACCE=0.705 and interaction p for BARC types 2, 3, or 5 bleeding=0.055). Conclusions The CHADS-P2A2RC risk score is valuable in discriminating high-ischemicrisk patients. Even in such patients with a high risk of ischemic events, P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy was associated with a lower incidence of bleeding without increased risk of ischemic events compared with prolonged DAPT.

Mediastinal vascular malformations are rare and their diagnosis can be challenging. Imaging is vital for diagnosing mediastinal vascular malformations and can help avoid unnecessary invasive procedures. Herein, we report the detailed CT and MRI findings of a rare low-flow mediastinal vascular malformation in an asymptomatic 63-year-old male.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and toxicities of skin-directed radiotherapy (RT) in primary cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 57 CTCL lesions treated with skin-directed RT between January 2000 and December 2022. Lesions were categorized into three distinct groups: early-stage disease treated with local RT, advanced-stage disease treated with local RT, and advanced-stage disease treated with total skin electron beam therapy (TSEBT). Treatment outcomes, including response rates, recurrence patterns, and local progression probability, were assessed for each group. Results: Mycosis fungoides (MF) constituted 90.9% of the advanced-stage pathologies, while CD4+ primary cutaneous small/medium T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder was common in the early stage lesions (55%). Median RT doses were 30.6 Gy, 27 Gy, and 32 Gy for the local RT with early stage, the local RT with advanced stage, and TSEBT with advanced stage, respectively. The complete response rates were high across the groups: 95.5%, 70.8%, and 90.9%, respectively. Seven local recurrences (29.2%) occurred in the local RT group with advanced stage, while seven patients (63.6%) in the TSEBT group experienced local failure. All recurrences were observed in lesions and patients with MF. Acute toxicities were mainly grade 1 or 2, with no grade 3 or higher events. No significant association between RT dose and local progression rates in MF lesions was found. Conclusion Skin-directed RT in CTCL is effective for local control and well-tolerated with less toxicity.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and toxicities of skin-directed radiotherapy (RT) in primary cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 57 CTCL lesions treated with skin-directed RT between January 2000 and December 2022. Lesions were categorized into three distinct groups: early-stage disease treated with local RT, advanced-stage disease treated with local RT, and advanced-stage disease treated with total skin electron beam therapy (TSEBT). Treatment outcomes, including response rates, recurrence patterns, and local progression probability, were assessed for each group. Results: Mycosis fungoides (MF) constituted 90.9% of the advanced-stage pathologies, while CD4+ primary cutaneous small/medium T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder was common in the early stage lesions (55%). Median RT doses were 30.6 Gy, 27 Gy, and 32 Gy for the local RT with early stage, the local RT with advanced stage, and TSEBT with advanced stage, respectively. The complete response rates were high across the groups: 95.5%, 70.8%, and 90.9%, respectively. Seven local recurrences (29.2%) occurred in the local RT group with advanced stage, while seven patients (63.6%) in the TSEBT group experienced local failure. All recurrences were observed in lesions and patients with MF. Acute toxicities were mainly grade 1 or 2, with no grade 3 or higher events. No significant association between RT dose and local progression rates in MF lesions was found. Conclusion Skin-directed RT in CTCL is effective for local control and well-tolerated with less toxicity.