Purpose: This study aims to analyze the learning curve of hand-assisted laparoscopic living donor nephrectomy (HLDN) conducted by a trained gastrointestinal surgeon. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the perioperative clinical data of 96 consecutive patients who underwent HLDN from May 2013 to March 2023. The learning curve was evaluated using the cumulative sum (CUSUM) test based on operation time and risk-adjusted CUSUM for postoperative complications. Patients were divided into three groups (novice, development, and competency phases) based on changes in operation time. Patient demographics and perioperative outcomes were compared between each group. Results: Among the patients, 35 were male, with a mean age of 48.9 ± 11.3 years and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 24.5 ± 3.2 kg/m 2 . The novice phase (phase 1) included the first 30 cases, with the development phase (phase 2) up to the 65th case. Operation times were significantly different across phases, averaging 263.2 ± 33.4, 211.1 ± 34.4, and 161.1 ± 31.3 minutes for phases 1, 2, and 3, respectively (P < 0.001). Blood loss decreased gradually across phases (phase 1, 264.7 ± 144.4 mL; phase 2, 239.7 ± 166.3 mL; phase 3, 198.8 ± 103.5 mL), though not statistically significant. BMI impacted operation time only in phase 1. Overall postoperative complications occurred in 13 cases (Clavien-Dindo grade I, 4 cases;grade II, 9 cases), with no significant differences across phases. Conclusion HLDN can be safely performed by a trained gastrointestinal surgeon, with approximately 30 cases needed to achieve proficiency.

Purpose: Despite the increasing use of immediate breast reconstruction (IBR), its oncologic safety in the setting of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) needs to be comprehensively clarified in breast cancer management. The objective of the present study was to analyze the oncologic safety of IBR following NACT. Methods: In total, 587 patients with breast cancer who underwent a total mastectomy (TM) with IBR after NACT between 2008 and 2017 at a single institution were retrospectively reviewed. The reviewed patients with IBR following skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM) or nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) were matched 1:3 to patients who underwent TM alone after NACT. Matching variables included age, clinical T and N stages before NACT, response to NACT, pathologic T and N stages, and molecular subtypes. Results: After propensity score matching, 95 patients who underwent IBR following SSM/ NSM after NACT (IBR group) and 228 patients who underwent TM alone after NACT (TM group) were selected. The median follow-up period was 73 (range, 5–181) months after matching. After matching, there were no significant differences between the two groups in 5-year locoregional recurrence-free survival (88.8% vs. 91.2%, p = 0.516), disease-free survival (67.3% vs. 76.6%, p = 0.099), distant metastasis-free survival (71.9% vs. 81.9%, p = 0.057), or overall survival (84.1% vs. 91.5, p = 0.061) rates. In multivariate analyses, conducting IBR was not associated with increased risks for locoregional recurrence, any recurrence, distant metastasis, or overall death. Conclusion Our findings suggest that IBR following SSM/NSM elicits comparable long-term oncologic outcomes to those of TM alone in the setting of NACT.

Background: The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved empagliflozin for reducing cardiovascular mortality and heart failure (HF) hospitalization in patients with both HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). However, limited data are available on the generalizability of empagliflozin to clinical practice. Therefore, we evaluated real-world eligibility and potential cost-effectiveness based on a nationwide prospective HF registry. Methods: A total of 3,108 HFrEF and 2,070 HFpEF patients from the Korean Acute Heart Failure (KorAHF) registry were analyzed. Eligibility was estimated by inclusion and exclusion criteria of EMPagliflozin outcomE tRial in Patients With chrOnic heaRt Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction (EMPEROR-Reduced) and EMPagliflozin outcomE tRial in Patients With chrOnic heaRt Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction (EMPEROR-Preserved) trials and by FDA & EMA label criteria. The cost-utility analysis was done using a Markov model to project the lifetime medical cost and quality-adjusted life year (QALY). Results: Among the KorAHF patients, 91.4% met FDA & EMA label criteria, while 44.7% met the clinical trial criteria. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of empagliflozin was calculated at US$6,764 per QALY in the overall population, which is far below a threshold of US$18,182 per QALY. The cost-effectiveness benefit was more evident in patients with HFrEF (US$5,012 per QALY) than HFpEF (US$8,971 per QALY). Conclusion There is a large discrepancy in real-world eligibility for empagliflozin between FDA & EMA labels and clinical trial criteria. Empagliflozin is cost-effective in HF patients regardless of ejection fraction in South Korea health care setting. The efficacy and safety of empagliflozin in real-world HF patients should be further investigated for a broader range of clinical applications.

Background: There is insufficient data on the benefits of empiric antibiotic combinations for hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP). We aimed to investigate whether empiric antipseudomonal combination therapy with fluoroquinolones decreases mortality in patients with HAP. Methods: This multicenter, retrospective cohort study included adult patients admitted to 16 tertiary and general hospitals in Korea between January 1 and December 31, 2019.Patients with risk factors for combination therapy were divided into anti-pseudomonal non-carbapenem β-lactam monotherapy and fluoroquinolone combination therapy groups.Primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to reduce selection bias. Results: In total, 631 patients with HAP were enrolled. Monotherapy was prescribed in 54.7% (n = 345) of the patients, and combination therapy was prescribed in 45.3% (n = 286).There was no significant difference in 30-day mortality between the two groups (16.8% vs.18.2%, P = 0.729) or even after the PSM (17.5% vs. 18.2%, P = 0.913). After the PSM, adjusted hazard ratio for 30-day mortality from the combination therapy was 1.646 (95% confidence interval, 0.782–3.461; P = 0.189) in the Cox proportional hazards model. Moreover, there was no significant difference in the appropriateness of initial empiric antibiotics between the two groups (55.0% vs. 56.8%, P = 0.898). The proportion of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens was high in both groups. Conclusion Empiric anti-pseudomonal fluoroquinolone combination therapy showed no survival benefit compared to β-lactam monotherapy in patients with HAP. Caution is needed regarding the routine combination of fluoroquinolones in the empiric treatment of HAP patients with a high risk of MDR.

Background and Objectives: Identifying patients with high bleeding risk (HBR) is important when making decisions for antiplatelet therapy strategy. This study evaluated the impact of ticagrelor monotherapy after 3-month dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) according to HBR in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients treated with drug eluting stents (DESs). Methods: In this post-hoc analysis of the TICO trial, HBR was defined by 2 approaches: meeting Academic Research Consortium for HBR (ARC-HBR) criteria or Predicting Bleeding Complications in Patients Undergoing Stent Implantation and Subsequent DAPT (PRECISEDAPT) score ≥25. The primary outcome was a 3–12 months net adverse clinical event (composite of major bleeding and adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events). Results: Of the 2,980 patients without adverse events during the first 3 months after DES implantation, 453 (15.2%) were HBR by ARC-HBR criteria and 504 (16.9%) were HBR by PRECISE-DAPT score. The primary outcome rate was higher in HBR versus non-HBR patients (by ARC-HBR criteria: hazard ratio [HR], 2.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.76– 4.69; p<0.001; by PRECISE-DAPT score: HR, 3.09; 95% CI, 1.92–4.98; p<0.001). Ticagrelor monotherapy after 3-month DAPT was associated with lower primary outcome rate than ticagrelor-based 12-month DAPT regardless of HBR by ARC-HBR criteria, with similar magnitudes of therapy effect for HBR and non-HBR patients (p-interaction=0.400). Results were consistent by PRECISE-DAPT score (p-interaction=0.178). Conclusions In ACS patients treated with DESs, ticagrelor monotherapy after 3-month DAPT was associated with lower rate of adverse clinical outcomes regardless of HBR, with similar magnitudes of therapy effect between HBR and non-HBR.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02494895

Background/Aims: Most studies on hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) have been conducted in intensive care unit (ICU) settings. This study aimed to investigate the microbiological and clinical characteristics of non-ICU-acquired pneumonia (NIAP) and to identify the factors affecting clinical outcomes in Korea. Methods: This multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted in patients admitted to 13 tertiary hospitals between July 1, 2019 and December 31, 2019. Patients diagnosed with NIAP were included in this study. To assess the prognostic factors of NIAP, the study population was classified into treatment success and failure groups. Results: Of 526 patients with HAP, 379 were diagnosed with NIAP. Overall, the identified causative pathogen rate was 34.6% in the study population. Among the isolated organisms (n = 113), gram-negative bacilli were common pathogens (n = 91), such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 25), Acinetobacter baumannii (n = 23), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 21). The multidrug resistance rates of A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa, and K. pneumoniae were 91.3%, 76.0%, and 57.1%, respectively. Treatment failure was significantly associated with K. pneumoniae (odds ratio [OR], 3.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.35 to 9.05; p = 0.010), respiratory viruses (OR, 3.81; 95% CI, 1.34 to 10.82; p = 0.012), hematological malignancies (OR, 3.54; 95% CI, 1.57 to 8.00; p = 0.002), and adjunctive corticosteroid treatment (OR, 2.40; 95% CI, 1.27 to 4.52; p = 0.007). Conclusions The causative pathogens of NIAP in Korea are predominantly gram-negative bacilli with a high rate of multidrug resistance. These were not different from the common pathogens of ICU-acquired pneumonia.

Background: Plastic waste generates pollutants in the process of incineration or landfilling, and accumulates in water or marine organisms, causing adverse effects on the environment and the human body. Recently, various eco-friendly oral hygiene products (Eco-OHPs) such as bamboo toothbrushes and biodegradable plastic toothbrushes have been developed. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the current level of awareness and purchasing status of eco-OHPs among adults who are interested in eco-friendly products. Methods: This study included adults aged ＞19 years who regularly visited eco-friendly shops and online sites; the online survey links were distributed during their visits to eco-friendly Internet cafés and companies. Of the 22 questions, seven assessed the participants’ general characteristics, three assessed the general oral hygiene care products used, six assessed the level of awareness of Eco-OHPs, and six assessed the purchasing status of Eco-OHPs. Frequency analysis, chi-square test, and regression analysis were performed using SPSS software. Results: Among the respondents, 108 (51.4%) were aware of Eco-OHPs, and 79 (37.6%) had experience purchasing Eco-OHPs. The most common reason for not purchasing was the lack of information about related brands or products (74, 56.5%). The most common platform used in obtaining information was the Internet (general: 31.5%, eco-friendly: 46.3%), such as Social Network Service, Internet cafes, and blogs. The experience in purchasing Eco-OHPs was affected by whether the respondents recognized the possibility of contributing to environmental preservation, availability of vendors, product safety, and the number of eco-friendly products purchased. Conclusion In order to expand the use of Eco-OHPs, various efforts such as promotion of eco-friendly characteristics, determination of related vendors, reliable analysis of product safety, and expansion of product experience opportunities are required.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify factors influencing organizational commitment among male nurses in Korea. Methods: This study was conducted from July to September, 2018. Data were collected from 166 male nurses whom worked for more than 6 months in secondary or tertiary hospitals in Korea. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and multiple regression. Results: Organizational commitment showed significant differences in age (t = -4.69, p < 0.001), marital status (t = -2.95, p = 0.004), total nursing career (F = 4.91, p = 0.003), total career in the present hospital (F = 4.98, p = 0.002), total career in the present department (F = 5.47, p = 0.001), affiliation in the hospital (t = 2.28, p = 0.024) and annual average income (t = -2.55, p = 0.012). Organizational commitment correlated positively with gender role conflict (r = 0.28, p < 0.001) and job satisfaction (r = 0.21, p = 0.008). The major factors influencing organizational commitment were identified as gender role conflict (B = 0.11, p < 0.001), job satisfaction (B = 0.29, p < 0.001) and age (B = 4.77, p = 0.018), which explains 23% of the variance in organizational commitment. Conclusion The factors identified in this study which influenced organizational commitment in male nurses, could be used to assign nursing tasks and rotations. Interventional or education programs may be prepared to improve organizational commitment of male nurses.

Purpose: : The purpose of this study was to understand and describe the experiences of the advanced nurse practitioner (APN) system used by healthcare providers including APNs, doctors who worked with APNs, and APN master’s course professors at a graduate school. Methods: : Qualitative data were collected via snowball sampling. The participants were nine APNs, six doctors, and three professors. They were divided into three focus groups, each of which consisted of all three types of healthcare providers. Data were collected via interviews with the three focus groups conducted from September to October 2019. All interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. The transcribed data then underwent qualitative content analysis. Results: : Based on the data, we extracted four themes and 14 categories. The themes were “Role and system of APNs started according to healthcare environment changes”, “Optimal healthcare provider to ensure quality of care”, “Confused role and system of APNs due to incomplete medical law”, and “Tasks for the stable operation of the APN system.” Conclusion : For quality treatment and safety of patients, a legal basis must be established for the APN system. For its stable operation, social consensus regarding legislation about APNs’ scope of practice is required. Finally, a discussion is necessary about the integration of APNs’ 13 fields.