In forensic medicine, age estimation commonly involves assessing age-related changes in teeth and skeletal structures. Vertebral morphological alterations, such as osteophyte formation, serve as age indicators. Recent studies using deep-learning techniques, such as neural networks, for age estimation from radiographic images have been conducted, reporting significantly higher accuracy than previous studies. This study aimed to estimate age using neural network-based deep-learning techniques applied to computed tomography (CT) cross-sectional images of the spine and evaluate its feasibility. Postmortem CT scans of 214 cadavers with varying decomposition levels were used. Coronal and sagittal cross-sectional images penetrating the center of each vertebral body were extracted for the 11th and 12th thoracic vertebrae and the first to fifth lumbar vertebrae. Using these images, along with the chronological ages of deceased individuals, an age estimation model was developed through regression analysis in PyTorch, employing a convolutional neural networks architecture with five-fold cross-validation. The model achieved a mean absolute error of 5.385 years, root mean squared error of 7.029 years, and coefficient of determination of 0.793. Although the sample size was relatively small, the results suggested the potential applicability of vertebral imagingbased age estimation in the Korean population. Further research using a larger dataset may improve the accuracy and reliability of the model.

The sixth edition of the Korean Medication Algorithm Project for Depressive Disorder (KMAP-DD) was published in 2025. This review compared KMAP-DD 2025 with four major international clinical practice guidelines: Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments Clinical Guidelines for the Management of Major Depressive Disorders, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Depression Guideline, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Clinical Practice Guidelines for Mood Disorders, and British Association for Psychopharmacology Guideline. While KMAP-DD is based on expert consensus, and others on evidence-based methods, overall treatment strategies for depressive episodes were fairly consistent. Especially, KMAP-DD 2025 offers more structured recommendations in areas lacking strong evidence, such as premenstrual dysphoric disorder, perinatal depression, and depression with medical comorbidities. KMAP-DD 2025 also reflected Korean clinical practice patterns emphasizing rapid symptom relief and early use of combination strategies. Despite limitations as a consensus-based guideline, KMAP-DD 2025 complements evidence-based approaches and provides practical, situation-specific guidance for real-world clinical decision-making in Korea.

Vaccines are highly effective, but rare or delayed adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) require post-licensure surveillance beyond clinical trials. Korea lacks a comprehensive, active, database-based framework, yet key assets exist: nationwide claims databases (National Health Insurance Service/Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service), the national immunization registry (Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s Immunization Registry Information System) for National Immunization Program (NIP) and non-NIP vaccines, and increasingly standardized hospital electronic health records.We propose a federated, code to data architecture with data linkages between these data.Implementation should adopt a common data model (CDM), standardized case definitions, latency accounting, and transparent public reporting under strong privacy governance. Major challenges include multi step administrative approvals for data linkage, incomplete capture of adult non-NIP vaccinations, heterogeneous hospital data structures, and strict data protection constraints. Strategic priorities are to streamline statutory and administrative processes for public health use, mandate or enable claims-based capture of adult vaccinations, enhance CDM based interoperability, and develop secure hubs for aggregated outputs. With these measures, Korea will be well positioned to establish a scalable active surveillance system capable of detecting rare AEFIs, supporting transparent and evidence-based communication, and ensuring equitable injury compensation grounded in domestic data.

Background: The incidence of preterm birth in Korea increased from 6.5% in 2013 to 9.7% in 2020. Very low birth weight (VLBW) infants, defined as those weighing < 1,500 g, are particularly vulnerable to numerous health risks. Breast milk provision reduces the incidence of complications in this vulnerable population. The objective of this study was to examine the rate and factors associated with breast milk provision at neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) discharge and to investigate its potential effects on growth and developmental outcomes at 18–24 months corrected age (CA). Methods: We conducted this cohort study using data from over 70 NICUs participating in the Korean Neonatal Network. VLBW infants born between January 2019 and December 2020 at a gestational age of 23 +0 to 31 +6 weeks were included. Discharge feeding types were analyzed of 2,490 infants, while follow-up assessments of growth and neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18–24 months of CA were available for 1,426 infants. Propensity score matching was used for comparative analysis. Results: The rate of breast milk provision at discharge among VLBW infants was 55.9% in 2019 and 56.5% in 2020. Factors that were positively associated with breast milk feeding included higher maternal education level and antenatal steroid use. In contrast, maternal hypertensive disorders, cesarean section, and severe neonatal morbidities (e.g., necrotizing enterocolitis) were correlated with lower breast milk feeding rates at the time of discharge.The provision of breast milk at discharge was not associated with a higher risk of suboptimal growth (below two standard deviations) compared to control infants at 18–24 months of CA. Neurodevelopmental assessments indicated that breast milk was associated with a reduced risk of developmental delay (adjusted odds ratio, 0.72; 95% confidence interval, 0.56–0.94) at follow-up. Conclusion Breast milk provision to VLBW infants at NICU discharge in Korea was comparable to that in other countries. This nationwide study highlights the critical role of breast milk in promoting the neurodevelopment of VLBW infants. Future efforts should focus on identifying the barriers to breast milk provision to improve health outcomes in vulnerable populations.

Purpose: To evaluate the provision of physiotherapy services at 40 Korea Professional Golfers’ Association (KPGA) Tour tournaments during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Methods: Data from 300 registered KPGA Tour players (150 per season) who utilized physiotherapy services during 40 tournaments from April to November were analyzed. Services were categorized as physical contact (manual therapy, extracorporeal shock wave therapy, cryotherapy, high-intensity laser, interferential current therapy, high-frequency therapy and noncontact (warm-up, cool-down). Records included golf-related injury sites and treatment methods. Results: Physiotherapy services were provided over 200 days, with 9,126 total visits and 10,565 treatments (average 264 treatments per tournament). Physical contact treatments comprised 8,634 of all interventions (81.9%), with noncontact treatments at 1,931 (18.1%). Among 7,972 recorded golf-related injuries, spinal issues accounted for 63.6%, lower limb 23.0%, and upper limb 13.4%. Lower back injuries were most prevalent (33.1%), followed by neck and upper back. Manual therapy was the predominant treatment (61%), followed by warm-up and taping. Conclusion This study provides insights into physiotherapy service utilization on the KPGA Tour and suggests effective intervention methods for golf-related injuries. Results indicate that physiotherapy services play an important role in injury prevention and treatment, supporting the establishment of systematic injury management systems for professional golfers.

Pediatric kidney disease has a relatively lower prevalence than do other pediatric conditions and has a notably different etiology from kidney diseases observed in adults. Furthermore, the pediatric population is unique in that they experience ongoing growth and development, distinguishing them from adult patients. Consequently, pediatric patients with kidney disease require more specialized and meticulous nutritional management than do adults. To address this need and promote optimal dietary practices for pediatric patients with kidney disease, pediatric nephrologists from the Korean Society of Pediatric Nephrology and nutritionists from the Korean Society of Clinical Nutrition have collaborated to establish nutritional guidelines specifically tailored to Korean dietary patterns. These guidelines offer detailed, nutrient-specific recommendations covering energy, protein, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium consumption while providing practical, culturally relevant guidance intended to support both pediatric patients and their caregivers.

Purpose: To develop the 2025 update to the Korean colorectal cancer (CRC) screening guidelines by systematically evaluating recent evidence, integrating domestic data, and addressing changes since the 2015 guideline revision, thereby providing an evidence-based standard for clinicians and policymakers. Methods: A multidisciplinary committee developed the guidelines using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology. The process included formulation of three key questions addressing screening efficacy, diagnostic accuracy, and optimal screening age and interval. A systematic review of international guidelines and primary literature was conducted, yielding 327 eligible studies. In addition, a utility-based analysis using a Markov model was performed to determine optimal screening ages and intervals. Results: The evidence synthesis identified high-certainty evidence supporting the use of the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) for reducing CRC mortality and moderate-certainty evidence for colonoscopy. Evidence for computed tomographic colonography (CTC) and stool DNA testing was rated as very low certainty. Based on the evidence review and cost-utility analysis, the committee conditionally recommends CRC screening for asymptomatic, average-risk adults aged 45–74 years using either colonoscopy every 10 years or FIT every 1–2 years. CTC and stool DNA testing were not recommended owing to insufficient evidence. Conclusion The 2025 Korean Guidelines for Colorectal Cancer Screening present updated, evidence-based recommendations tailored to the domestic healthcare context. By conditionally endorsing both colonoscopy and FIT for individuals aged 45–74 years, these guidelines aim to improve population-level screening effectiveness and reduce the burden of CRC in South Korea.

Objective: We investigated the distribution of AI viruses in fecal samples from wild bird habitats (and nearby poultry-farm areas) surveyed between September and March from 2019 to 2025 and identified associated epidemiological risk factors. Methods: Samples were screened for influenza A (M, H5, H7) genes using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR), subjected to virus isolation in embryonated chicken eggs, and subtyped by PCR and sequencing. Host species were identified through DNA barcoding. Relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals were estimated for province, month, and waterfowl density. Results: Overall prevalence of HPAI and low pathogenic AI (LPAI) virus was 0.10% and 3.21%, respectively. HPAI virus was continuously isolated since 2020–2021, except 2019– 2020, while LPAI prevalence steadily increased (3.01%–4.35%). Twelve hemagglutinin (H1–H12) subtypes were identified in 1,722 isolates, and H3 (16.5%) was the most prevalent, followed by H5 (11.1%) and H7 (5.2%). LPAI H5N3 (55.7%) and H7N7 (75.5%) were the predominant H5 and H7 subtypes, respectively. Detection was higher in western coastal provinces, and higher mallard/spot-billed duck density and sampling in September– December were associated with increased risk. Conclusions and Relevance: Continued surveillance of migratory-bird habitats can provide early warning of HPAIV incursions and support targeted biosecurity measures in high-risk regions and seasons.