2.Ocular and optic nerve complications following SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination
Mc Neil VALENCIA ; Muhammad Umair ALI ; Seung Won LEE
Precision and Future Medicine 2026;10(1):2-26
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), primarily affects the respiratory system but can also involve multiple organs, including the often-overlooked ocular system. An increasing number of population-based and retrospective case series studies have reported that ocular and neuro-ophthalmic complications are temporally associated with COVID-19 infection and vaccination. Furthermore, some data suggest a modest increase in ocular adverse events (OAEs) following infection or vaccination, particularly among individuals with autoimmune or pre-existing ocular conditions. The proposed immune-mediated mechanisms include immune responses following vaccination that may contribute to demyelination through molecular mimicry, a phenomenon in which antigens share structural or functional similarities with host self-antigens. In this review, we summarize studies published between 2019 and June 2025, retrieved from PubMed and Google Scholar databases. Studies were selected based on their clinical relevance and contribution to the understanding of OAEs in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination. Thematic tables highlight the clinical spectrum of reported ocular manifestations, ranging from common conditions such as uveitis, optic neuritis, retinal vascular occlusions, and cranial nerve palsies to rarer entities, including acute macular neuroretinopathy, thyroid eye disease, and papillophlebitis. This review presents recent evidence on the proposed pathophysiological mechanisms and risk profiles of COVID-19-related OAEs, with the aim of improving awareness, promoting timely ophthalmic evaluation, and supporting surveillance and future research to clarify causality and inform preventive strategies.
3.Cerebrospinal fluid leak from trauma to congenital meningocele of a 40-year-old woman in Korea: a case report
Woojae MYUNG ; Hyun Seok DO ; Jae Rim KIM ; Mi Ji LEE ; Eugene LEE
Precision and Future Medicine 2026;10(1):57-62
Intracranial hypotension typically presents with orthostatic headache caused by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) hypovolemia, most commonly resulting from spontaneous or iatrogenic CSF leaks. Traumatic rupture of an occult congenital sacral meningocele following a minor injury is exceptionally rare and may be diagnostically challenging. We report the case of a 40-year-old woman in Korea who developed sudden severe orthostatic headache immediately after a minor coccygeal contusion. Magnetic resonance myelography demonstrated a 5.8-cm dural ectasia/meningocele at the S3 level with a focal CSF fistula extending into the presacral space, accompanied by a tethered cord and an intradural lipoma. Given the anticipated risks associated with definitive surgical repair, a targeted trans-sacrococcygeal epidural blood patch was administered, resulting in substantial symptomatic improvement. This case highlights that while most post-traumatic CSF leaks occur at the cervical or thoracic level, occult spinal dysraphism should be considered a rare predisposing factor in post-traumatic orthostatic headache, particularly when trauma involves the sacrococcygeal region or when standard imaging findings are unrevealing. This finding also suggests that targeted caudal epidural blood patches may serve as a reasonable and less invasive treatment option when surgical intervention carries a high risk.
4.Remission of diabetes with glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody positivity that developed after the administration of olanzapine: a case report
Kyuho KIM ; Soo Hyun SEO ; Yun Ji HONG ; Woojae MYUNG ; Bomi KIM ; Chang Ho AHN ; Sung Hee CHOI ; Hak Chul JANG ; Tae Jung OH
Precision and Future Medicine 2026;10(1):51-56
Olanzapine is a second-generation antipsychotic drug associated with the development of type 2 diabetes. However, the development and remission of diabetes with glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibody (Ab) positivity related to olanzapine treatment have not been reported. Here, we present the case of a 33-year-old man taking olanzapine who was diagnosed with diabetes with GAD Ab positivity complicated by diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). After discontinuation of the drug and tight glycemic control, his diabetes remitted, and the GAD Ab became negative spontaneously after 18 months. The classification of diabetes is challenging because of overlapping autoimmune and metabolic features. Olanzapine may have contributed to pancreatic β-cell apoptosis, which could potentially trigger autoimmunity and the development of type 1 diabetes-like features (DKA as the initial presentation, a low C-peptide level, and GAD Ab positivity). The rapid amelioration of hyperglycemia and weight reduction may be responsible for the remission of diabetes after the discontinuation of olanzapine.
5.Comparative survival outcomes of surgical resection versus radiotherapy after FOLFIRINOX in borderline resectable and locally advanced pancreatic cancer
Jiwon YU ; Jeong Ha LEE ; Hyunju SHIN ; Hee Chul PARK ; Joon Oh PARK ; Jung Yong HONG ; Minsuk KWON ; Ji Eun SHIN ; Kyu Taek LEE ; Kwang Hyuck LEE ; Jong Kyun LEE ; Joo Kyung PARK ; Young Hoon CHOI ; Jin Seok HEO ; In Woong HAN ; Sang Hyun SHIN ; Hongbeom KIM ; Ji Hye MIN ; Jeong Il YU
Precision and Future Medicine 2026;10(1):39-50
Purpose:
This study evaluated the clinical outcomes and prognostic factors in patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer (BRPC) and locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) treated with upfront FOLFIRINOX followed by local-regional therapy (LRT), surgical resection (SR), and radiotherapy (RT). We aimed to identify specific patient subgroups for which RT may serve as a reasonable alternative to SR for local tumor control.
Methods:
We retrospectively analyzed 116 patients (SR group, n= 70; RT group, n= 46) at a single center between 2015 and 2020. Survival outcomes were compared based on LRT modalities, focusing on identifying subgroups in which RT provided an efficacy comparable to that of SR.
Results:
Among 116 patients, the SR group achieved a significantly higher 5-year overall survival (OS) than the RT group (27.1% vs. 8.7%, P< 0.0001), despite similar progression-free survival (P= 0.23). Significant prognostic factors for OS included carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) response in BRPC (P= 0.02) and radiologic partial response in LAPC (P= 0.05). Subgroup analysis revealed that, while SR provided a survival advantage in CA19-9 responders, no significant difference in OS was observed between SR and RT in CA19-9 non-responders (P= 0.37).
Conclusion
Although surgery remains the gold standard, RT may be considered a justifiable local alternative for CA19-9 non-responders and surgically ineligible patients with LAPC, yielding comparable outcomes in these specific, biologically unfavorable subgroups.
6.Causal effects of fluid intelligence on psychiatric disorders
Sunyeup KIM ; Gahyun KIM ; Minyoung KIM ; Kyung-Hun SUNG ; Seunghyup LEE ; Youngoh BAE ; Seung Won LEE
Precision and Future Medicine 2026;10(1):27-38
Purpose:
Fluid intelligence (FI), a core cognitive function involved in reasoning and problem-solving, has been linked to psychiatric outcomes in observational studies. However, causal inferences remain challenging due to confounding and reverse causation. This study aimed to investigate the causal effects of FI on 10 major psychiatric disorders using Mendelian randomization (MR).
Methods:
We performed a phenome-wide association study-based two-sample MR analysis to evaluate the effects of genetically proxied FI on 10 psychiatric disorders. Genome-wide association study summary statistics were obtained from large-scale European cohort studies. The inverse-variance-weighted method served as the primary analytical method, and complementary sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess pleiotropy and heterogeneity.
Results:
Higher FI was causally associated with a reduced risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (odds ratio [OR], 0.72; P< 0.001), schizophrenia (OR, 0.69; P= 0.016), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (OR, 0.93; P= 0.006). In contrast, FI was positively associated with an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD; OR, 1.43; P < 0.001) and anorexia nervosa (OR, 1.39; P= 0.005). No significant associations were observed for major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or postpartum depression. Sensitivity analyses supported the robustness of these findings, with no evidence of directional pleiotropy or undue influence of individual single-nucleotide polymorphisms.
Conclusion
This study provides genetic evidence that higher FI exerts divergent causal effects across psychiatric disorders, protective in externalizing and stress-related conditions (ADHD, PTSD, and schizophrenia) but associated with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental and internalizing conditions (ASD and anorexia nervosa). These findings highlight the need for a nuanced understanding of cognitive capacity in psychiatric vulnerability and guide preventive strategies tailored to disorder-specific cognitive profiles.
8.Statins: a tale of two pathways—cardiovascular savior, renal ineffectual
Precision and Future Medicine 2025;9(1):43-52
Statins are effective in improving outcomes in the general population. However, in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), clinical outcomes and therapeutic approaches require careful interpretation from multiple perspectives. Managing dyslipidemia in CKD presents unique challenges requiring a comprehensive understanding of alterations in lipid metabolism in renal dysfunction. This review explored the key factors influencing statin efficacy, safety, and guideline recommendations in the CKD population, with a focus on lipid-lowering strategies tailored to renal function.
9.Clinical implications of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and lung cancer
Precision and Future Medicine 2025;9(1):35-42
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is characterized by chronic progressive fibrosis of the lungs of unknown etiology. The prognosis of IPF is poor, with a median survival of 3 to 5 years. Lung cancer is one of the most frequently associated comorbidities of IPF, often resulting in grave outcomes. Patients with IPF have a higher risk for lung cancer than the general population. Lung cancer frequently develops in older male IPF patients with smoking history. Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common histological type, followed by adenocarcinoma. Such cancers typically develop abutting or within fibrosis. One of the major obstacles in making therapeutic decisions for these patients is the complications after treatment and subsequent poor prognosis. Numerous studies have reported post-treatment complications, such as acute exacerbation of IPF, pneumonia, and persistent air leakage, and their impact on survival. Higher mortality rates have consistently been reported among patients diagnosed with both IPF and lung cancer compared to those with either IPF or lung cancer alone. Thorough risk assessment for complications, selection of appropriate therapeutic modality, and use of antifibrotic agents, such as pirfenidone or nintedanib, may help prevent complications and improve survival. Nevertheless, further research is necessary to establish optimal treatment strategies for patients diagnosed with IPF and lung cancer.
10.How to use new transrectal ultrasound in prostate cancer detection and biopsy for beginners and experts
Precision and Future Medicine 2025;9(1):25-34
Many radiologists and urologists believe that many prostate cancers are invisible under transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) imaging. Frequently, they use TRUS only as a guiding tool or fuse TRUS images with magnetic resonance images for prostate biopsy in men with high prostate specific antigen. However, TRUS software and hardware have been developed and have potential to depict many prostate cancers. Currently, there are only a few papers dealing with how to use TRUS for detection and biopsy of prostate cancers. The aim of this review is to describe the new TRUS techniques, imaging features, and biopsy techniques.

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