Objective: Multiple cohort studies have investigated the potential link between anesthesia and dementia. However, mixed findings necessitate closer examination. This study aimed to investigate the association between anesthesia exposure and the incidence of dementia, considering different anesthesia types and anesthetic agents. Methods: This nationwide cohort study utilized data from the South Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database, covering 62,541 participants, to investigate the correlation between anesthesia exposure and dementia incidence. Results: Results revealed an increased risk of dementia in individuals who underwent general (hazard ratio [HR], 1.318;95% confidence interval [CI], 1.061−1.637) or regional/local anesthesia (HR, 2.097; 95% CI, 1.887−2.329) compared to those who did not. However, combined general and regional/local anesthesia did not significantly increase dementia risk (HR, 1.097; 95% CI, 0.937−1.284). Notably, individual anesthetic agents exhibited varying risks; desflurane and midazolam showed increased risks, whereas propofol showed no significant difference. Conclusion This study provides unique insights into the nuanced relationship between anesthesia, individual anesthetic agents, and the incidence of dementia. While confirming a general association between anesthesia exposure and dementia risk, this study also emphasizes the importance of considering specific agents. These findings under-score the need for careful evaluation and long-term cognitive monitoring after anesthesia.

Objective: Previous studies showed that personality traits, which influences self-perception, anger expression and coping mechanisms, are associated with body dissatisfaction in various ways. However, few studies investigated the role of personality traits on body dissatisfaction in Korea. The aim of this study was to identify specific personality characteristics associated with body dissatisfaction and categorize participants into subgroups of potential clinical significance. Methods: In total, 345 adults in Korea completed the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Examination Self-Report, HEXACO Personality-Inventory-Revised, paranoia, borderline features, antisocial features of the Personality Assessment Inventory, the Ways of Coping Checklist, and the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory. Cluster analysis was performed to categorize participants. Results: It showed that major contributing factors of body dissatisfaction among young adults were identity problems, anger in, and resentment. Cluster analysis resulted in three personality types, cluster 1 exhibited introverted and lack of ability to cope with stress and control anger, cluster 2 was characterized by honesty, humility, extraversion, amiability, and conscientiousness, and cluster 3 displayed socially aversive behavior, highly emotional traits, and passive coping skills. Cluster 2 was associated with lower body dissatisfaction compared to cluster 1 and 3. Conclusion This study indicates the pivotal role of personality traits in understanding and addressing body dissatisfaction. Identification of specific personality types offers insights for tailored treatment strategies, suggesting potential implications for treatment outcomes and prognosis. Clinicians should also be aware of the body dissatisfaction when seeing patients with introverted, socially aversive, emotional personality traits or who lack ability to manage stress and anger.

Background/Aims: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly impacted global health, exacerbated metabolic health issues, and altered lifestyle behaviors. This study examined the sex-specific impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the incidence of metabolic syndrome using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Methods: Data from the KNHANES VII (2018) and VIII (2019–2021), including 15,499 participants, were analyzed. The study population was stratified by sex, and further subdivisions were conducted based on the timeframe relative to the COVID-19 outbreak. Variables such as age, education level, household income, smoking status, and high-risk drinking were analyzed to assess their influence on the prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Results: The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome significantly increased from 28.11% before the outbreak to 29.69% after the outbreak. Both males and females reported significant increases in waist circumference and fasting glucose levels. Age and education level differentially influenced the prevalence of metabolic syndrome between the sex. Smoking was significantly associated with increased prevalence in males, whereas high-risk drinking was associated with increased prevalence in males and decreased prevalence in females. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased the prevalence of metabolic syndrome with notable sex-specific differences. These findings highlight the need for sex-specific public health interventions to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on metabolic health.

Objective: Previous studies showed that personality traits, which influences self-perception, anger expression and coping mechanisms, are associated with body dissatisfaction in various ways. However, few studies investigated the role of personality traits on body dissatisfaction in Korea. The aim of this study was to identify specific personality characteristics associated with body dissatisfaction and categorize participants into subgroups of potential clinical significance. Methods: In total, 345 adults in Korea completed the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Examination Self-Report, HEXACO Personality-Inventory-Revised, paranoia, borderline features, antisocial features of the Personality Assessment Inventory, the Ways of Coping Checklist, and the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory. Cluster analysis was performed to categorize participants. Results: It showed that major contributing factors of body dissatisfaction among young adults were identity problems, anger in, and resentment. Cluster analysis resulted in three personality types, cluster 1 exhibited introverted and lack of ability to cope with stress and control anger, cluster 2 was characterized by honesty, humility, extraversion, amiability, and conscientiousness, and cluster 3 displayed socially aversive behavior, highly emotional traits, and passive coping skills. Cluster 2 was associated with lower body dissatisfaction compared to cluster 1 and 3. Conclusion This study indicates the pivotal role of personality traits in understanding and addressing body dissatisfaction. Identification of specific personality types offers insights for tailored treatment strategies, suggesting potential implications for treatment outcomes and prognosis. Clinicians should also be aware of the body dissatisfaction when seeing patients with introverted, socially aversive, emotional personality traits or who lack ability to manage stress and anger.

Background/Aims: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly impacted global health, exacerbated metabolic health issues, and altered lifestyle behaviors. This study examined the sex-specific impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the incidence of metabolic syndrome using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Methods: Data from the KNHANES VII (2018) and VIII (2019–2021), including 15,499 participants, were analyzed. The study population was stratified by sex, and further subdivisions were conducted based on the timeframe relative to the COVID-19 outbreak. Variables such as age, education level, household income, smoking status, and high-risk drinking were analyzed to assess their influence on the prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Results: The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome significantly increased from 28.11% before the outbreak to 29.69% after the outbreak. Both males and females reported significant increases in waist circumference and fasting glucose levels. Age and education level differentially influenced the prevalence of metabolic syndrome between the sex. Smoking was significantly associated with increased prevalence in males, whereas high-risk drinking was associated with increased prevalence in males and decreased prevalence in females. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased the prevalence of metabolic syndrome with notable sex-specific differences. These findings highlight the need for sex-specific public health interventions to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on metabolic health.

Objective: Previous studies showed that personality traits, which influences self-perception, anger expression and coping mechanisms, are associated with body dissatisfaction in various ways. However, few studies investigated the role of personality traits on body dissatisfaction in Korea. The aim of this study was to identify specific personality characteristics associated with body dissatisfaction and categorize participants into subgroups of potential clinical significance. Methods: In total, 345 adults in Korea completed the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Examination Self-Report, HEXACO Personality-Inventory-Revised, paranoia, borderline features, antisocial features of the Personality Assessment Inventory, the Ways of Coping Checklist, and the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory. Cluster analysis was performed to categorize participants. Results: It showed that major contributing factors of body dissatisfaction among young adults were identity problems, anger in, and resentment. Cluster analysis resulted in three personality types, cluster 1 exhibited introverted and lack of ability to cope with stress and control anger, cluster 2 was characterized by honesty, humility, extraversion, amiability, and conscientiousness, and cluster 3 displayed socially aversive behavior, highly emotional traits, and passive coping skills. Cluster 2 was associated with lower body dissatisfaction compared to cluster 1 and 3. Conclusion This study indicates the pivotal role of personality traits in understanding and addressing body dissatisfaction. Identification of specific personality types offers insights for tailored treatment strategies, suggesting potential implications for treatment outcomes and prognosis. Clinicians should also be aware of the body dissatisfaction when seeing patients with introverted, socially aversive, emotional personality traits or who lack ability to manage stress and anger.

Background/Aims: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly impacted global health, exacerbated metabolic health issues, and altered lifestyle behaviors. This study examined the sex-specific impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the incidence of metabolic syndrome using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Methods: Data from the KNHANES VII (2018) and VIII (2019–2021), including 15,499 participants, were analyzed. The study population was stratified by sex, and further subdivisions were conducted based on the timeframe relative to the COVID-19 outbreak. Variables such as age, education level, household income, smoking status, and high-risk drinking were analyzed to assess their influence on the prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Results: The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome significantly increased from 28.11% before the outbreak to 29.69% after the outbreak. Both males and females reported significant increases in waist circumference and fasting glucose levels. Age and education level differentially influenced the prevalence of metabolic syndrome between the sex. Smoking was significantly associated with increased prevalence in males, whereas high-risk drinking was associated with increased prevalence in males and decreased prevalence in females. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased the prevalence of metabolic syndrome with notable sex-specific differences. These findings highlight the need for sex-specific public health interventions to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on metabolic health.

Background and Objectives: The risk profiles, procedural characteristics, and clinical outcomes for women undergoing bifurcation percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are not well defined compared to those in men. Methods: COronary BIfurcation Stenting III (COBIS III) is a multicenter, real-world registry of 2,648 patients with bifurcation lesions treated with second-generation drug-eluting stents.We compared the angiographic and procedural characteristics and clinical outcomes based on sex. The primary outcome was 5-year target lesion failure (TLF), a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization. Results: Women (n=635, 24%) were older, had hypertension and diabetes more often, and had smaller main vessel and side branch reference diameters than men. The pre- and post-PCI angiographic percentage diameter stenoses of the main vessel and side branch were comparable between women and men. There were no differences in procedural characteristics between the sexes. Women and men had a similar risk of TLF (6.3% vs. 7.1%, p=0.63) as well as its individual components and sex was not an independent predictor of TLF. This finding was consistent in the left main and 2 stenting subgroups. Conclusions In patients undergoing bifurcation PCI, sex was not an independent predictor of adverse outcome.

Background and Objectives: Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for atherosclerosis.Nicotine, a crucial constituent of tobacco, contributes to atherosclerosis development and progression. However, evidence of the association between nicotine and neointima formation is limited. We aimed to evaluate whether nicotine enhances neointimal hyperplasia in the native epicardial coronary arteries of pigs after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents (DES). Methods: After coronary angiography (CAG) and quantitative coronary angiography (QCA), we implanted 20 DES into 20 pigs allocated to 2 groups: no-nicotine (n=10) and nicotine (n=10) groups. Post-PCI CAG and QCA were performed immediately. Follow-up CAG, QCA, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and histopathological analyses were performed 2 months post-PCI. Results: Despite intergroup similarities in the baseline QCA findings, OCT analysis showed that the nicotine group had a smaller mean stent and lumen areas, a larger mean neointimal area, greater percent area stenosis, and higher peri-strut fibrin and inflammation scores than the no-nicotine group. In immunofluorescence analysis, the nicotine group displayed higher expression of CD68 and α-smooth muscle actin but lower CD31 expression than the no-nicotine group. Conclusions Nicotine inhibited re-endothelialization and promoted inflammation and NIH after PCI with DES in a porcine model.

The fundamental principles for treating ankle fractures, as with other intra-articular fractures, are anatomical reduction and stable internal fixation. Despite successful reduction, between 14% and 40% of patients continue to experience persistent pain or unsatisfactory functional outcomes. Furthermore, approximately 1% of patients progress to post-traumatic arthritis, necessitating further surgical intervention. Ankle fractures are frequently accompanied by intra-articular injuries, including osteochondral lesions, ligament tears, and syndesmosis injuries. Arthroscopy is becoming increasingly prevalent in managing acute ankle fractures by assessing intra-articular damage and facilitating accurate reduction. This review examined the role and indications for arthroscopy in ankle fractures, particularly emphasizing its benefits in diagnosing and managing associated injuries, including osteochondral lesions, syndesmosis, and deltoid ligament injuries. Furthermore, arthroscopy facilitates fracture reduction, offering a minimally invasive approach with a shorter recovery period and enhanced visualization. Its use extends to pediatric fractures and complex cases such as Maisonneuve and calcaneal fractures, potentially improving outcomes while minimizing complications. Understanding the evolving indications and benefits of arthroscopy for ankle fractures can lead to improved clinical outcomes and reduced complications.