Purpose: To report the findings of a perception survey on intestinal malrotation conducted by the Korean Association of Pediatric Surgeons (KAPS) in 2021. Methods: The perceptions on intestinal malrotation regarding clinical decision making of the KAPS members were collected through web-based survey. Results: A total of 22 surgeons were answered for this study. The results were presented and discussed at the 37th annual meeting of KAPS, which was held in Seoul on June 18, 2021. Conclusion This study provides the clinical decisions of the KAPS members on the intestinal malrotation. The study is expected to be an important reference for improving pediatric surgeons’ understanding and treatment of intestinal malrotation.

Chemoimmunotherapy (CIT) combines anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies with chemotherapy and has long been the standard first-line treatment for follicular lymphoma (FL). However, a significant subset of patients, particularly those who experience disease progression within 24 months (POD24), continue to experience poor long-term outcomes. Conventional salvage therapies offer limited benefits for high-risk individuals, highlighting the urgent need for novel treatment strategies. T-cell redirecting therapies, including chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell products and bispecific antibodies (BsAbs), have emerged as effective options in the relapsed/refractory (R/R) setting, demonstrating high response rates and durable remissions, even among patients with POD24 or refractory disease. Although CAR T-cell therapies are associated with deeper and more sustained responses, they also have higher toxicity and greater logistical complexity. In contrast, BsAbs such as mosunetuzumab and epcoritamab offer favorable safety profiles, off-the-shelf availability, and the potential for outpatient administration. Ongoing clinical trials are actively investigating the integration of BsAbs into earlier lines of therapy, including frontline settings, with encouraging results. However, in Korea, access to CAR T-cell therapies and BsAbs remains limited to clinical trials, highlighting the need for broader clinical availability. Ultimately, treatment selection and sequencing should be personalized based on patient comorbidities, prior therapies, tumor biology, and urgency of disease control. As the treatment landscape continues to evolve, immunotherapeutic modalities are expected to play a central role in improving the outcomes of patients with FL.

Background and objectives: This study aimed to analyze and present updated trends in atrial fibrillation (AF) epidemiology within the Korean population, providing a foundation for planning and implementing appropriate management and treatment strategies for patients with AF. Patients and methods: We used the Korean National Health Insurance Service database to evaluate the prevalence, incidence, comorbidities, and clinical adverse outcomes of patients with AF in Korea between 2013 and 2022. Results: AF prevalence in Korean adults aged ≥ 20 years doubled (1.1 to 2.2%) between 2013 and 2022, with significant increases observed across various sex and age groups. Similarly, the number of newly diagnosed patients with AF per year increased steadily, with the incidence rising from 184 to 275 per 100,000 person-years, particularly among older populations. Over this period, the mean age of patients with AF increased from 67.7 to 70.3 years, and comorbidities prevalence and CHA2DS2-VASc score rose significantly, indicating a higher stroke risk. Compared with patients without AF, AF was associated with an increased risk of mortality (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.78), ischemic stroke (HR: 2.39), major bleeding (HR: 2.10), myocardial infarction (HR: 1.44), and heart failure admission (HR: 2.42). Conclusion AF prevalence and incidence have steadily increased between 2013 and 2022, with a more pronounced increase in older patients. Patients with AF are increasingly becoming a high-risk population and are at increased risk of clinical adverse outcomes compared to non-AF patients. Therefore, a sustained national effort to improve AF awareness and comprehensive care quality for patients with AF is required.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the time-series changes in provincial diabetes management indices using by results of the 2008-2022 Korea Community Health Survey. Methods: We collected diabetes diagnosis experience rate, treatment rate for people diagnosed with diabetes, annual screening rate for diabetic eye disease complications, and annual screening rate for diabetic kidney disease complications with age-standardized rates from the Regional Health Statistics. The unit of analysis was the nation and 17 provinces and the time-series trend analysis was performed by joinpoint regression using the Joinpoint Regression Program, and the annual percent change (APC) and average APC (AAPC) were estimated, and statistical significance was tested using 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: From 2008-2022, the national AAPC (95% CI) for diabetes diagnosis experience rate steadily increased to 2.77 (2.25-3.27), increasing in all regions, excluding Sejong. The national AAPC for treatment rate for people diagnosed with diabetes was 0.75 (0.47-1.04), with a slight but steady trend toward improvement, excluding Daejeon, Sejong, and Jeonbuk, which showed significant improvement. The national AAPCs for annual screening rates for diabetic eye disease and kidney disease complications were 1.82 (0.99-2.66) and 1.95 (0.60-3. 41), respectively, and the area with the largest change was Sejong. Conclusions In Korea, the diabetes management indices tended to increase and improve, but the trends among provinces varied. Therefore, efforts are needed to address regional disparities in diabetes management.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the time-series changes in provincial diabetes management indices using by results of the 2008-2022 Korea Community Health Survey. Methods: We collected diabetes diagnosis experience rate, treatment rate for people diagnosed with diabetes, annual screening rate for diabetic eye disease complications, and annual screening rate for diabetic kidney disease complications with age-standardized rates from the Regional Health Statistics. The unit of analysis was the nation and 17 provinces and the time-series trend analysis was performed by joinpoint regression using the Joinpoint Regression Program, and the annual percent change (APC) and average APC (AAPC) were estimated, and statistical significance was tested using 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: From 2008-2022, the national AAPC (95% CI) for diabetes diagnosis experience rate steadily increased to 2.77 (2.25-3.27), increasing in all regions, excluding Sejong. The national AAPC for treatment rate for people diagnosed with diabetes was 0.75 (0.47-1.04), with a slight but steady trend toward improvement, excluding Daejeon, Sejong, and Jeonbuk, which showed significant improvement. The national AAPCs for annual screening rates for diabetic eye disease and kidney disease complications were 1.82 (0.99-2.66) and 1.95 (0.60-3. 41), respectively, and the area with the largest change was Sejong. Conclusions In Korea, the diabetes management indices tended to increase and improve, but the trends among provinces varied. Therefore, efforts are needed to address regional disparities in diabetes management.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the time-series changes in provincial diabetes management indices using by results of the 2008-2022 Korea Community Health Survey. Methods: We collected diabetes diagnosis experience rate, treatment rate for people diagnosed with diabetes, annual screening rate for diabetic eye disease complications, and annual screening rate for diabetic kidney disease complications with age-standardized rates from the Regional Health Statistics. The unit of analysis was the nation and 17 provinces and the time-series trend analysis was performed by joinpoint regression using the Joinpoint Regression Program, and the annual percent change (APC) and average APC (AAPC) were estimated, and statistical significance was tested using 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: From 2008-2022, the national AAPC (95% CI) for diabetes diagnosis experience rate steadily increased to 2.77 (2.25-3.27), increasing in all regions, excluding Sejong. The national AAPC for treatment rate for people diagnosed with diabetes was 0.75 (0.47-1.04), with a slight but steady trend toward improvement, excluding Daejeon, Sejong, and Jeonbuk, which showed significant improvement. The national AAPCs for annual screening rates for diabetic eye disease and kidney disease complications were 1.82 (0.99-2.66) and 1.95 (0.60-3. 41), respectively, and the area with the largest change was Sejong. Conclusions In Korea, the diabetes management indices tended to increase and improve, but the trends among provinces varied. Therefore, efforts are needed to address regional disparities in diabetes management.

Background: The Chiari network (CN) is the net-like embryonic remnants of the right valve of the sinus venosus.Catheter entrapment by CN is a not uncommon complication during catheter manipulation inside the right atrium (RA).Case presentation A 49-year-old man with atrial fibrillation was admitted for cryoablation. Transesophageal echo‑ cardiography revealed a prominent CN in the RA. Through the sheath placed in the right femoral vein, a diagnostic electrophysiologic duo-decapolar (DD) catheter (Livewire, St Jude Medical, St Paul, MN) was advanced. The catheter tip was knotted after multiple rotations in the RA to properly locate the DD catheter at the RA wall and coronary sinus (CS). Initial attempts to disentangle the folded catheter tip by traction and rotation maneuvers were unsuccessful.We inserted the large-bore sheath (Sentrant; Medtronic, 20 Fr) into the patient’s left femoral vein and then, captured the folded catheter tip with the 20-mm circular snare catheter (Snare Kit, Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN). Then, we cut the proximal portion of the DD catheter externally and removed it retrogradely through the Flexcath sheath. We found that the catheter tip was entrapped by the fibrous tissue of the CN. After a successful retrieval, cryoablation was conducted as planned. Follow-up echocardiography did not reveal any peri-procedural complications. Conclusions The electrophysiological procedure that exists at the RA entails a potential risk of catheter entrapment manipulating the catheter at the RA. If catheter entrapment occurs during the procedure, the entrapped catheter may be removed via a large-bore sheath using a snare catheter.

Background: Neuroinflammation plays an important role in cognitive decline and memory impairment in neurodegenerative disorders. Previously, we demonstrated that Humulus japonicus (HJ) has anti-inflammatory effects in rodent models of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. The present study aimed to examine the protective potential of HJ extracts against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cognitive impairment and scopolamine-induced amnesia in mouse models. Cognitive improvement of mice was investigated by novel object recognition test. For analyzing effects on neuroinflammation, immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRTPCR) assays were performed. Results: We found that the oral administration of HJ significantly improved cognitive dysfunction induced by LPS in a novel object recognition test. The LPS-induced activation of microglia was notably decreased by HJ treatment in the cortex and hippocampus. HJ administration with LPS also significantly increased the mRNA expression of interleukin (IL)-10 and decreased the mRNA expression of IL-12 in the parietal cortex of mice. The increased expression of LPS-induced complement C1q B chain (C1bq) and triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (Trem2) genes was significantly suppressed by HJ treatment. In addition, HJ administration significantly improved novel object recognition in a scopolamine-induced amnesia mouse model. Conclusions These findings revealed that HJ has a beneficial effect on cognitive impairment and neuroinflammation induced by systemic inflammation and on amnesia induced by scopolamine in mice.

Background: We used machine learning and population-based data for analyzing the determinants of sarcopenia in adult women and developing its decision support systems for various subgroups. Methods: All data was acquired from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and women 18 years and older were included in this research. The variables were selected based on female characteristics and the ability to be acquired in a survey format, and were ranked by importance using Random Forest. From this ranking, four main variables were selected, age, menopause age, menarche age and number of pregnancy. A decision supporting system was constructed based on a tree randomly selected from Random Forest. Results: We defined sarcopenia as -2SD below the appendicular skeletal mass (ASM) index reference of 0.5136, and 89.87% (n = 8,610) were found non-sarcopenic and 10.13% (n = 971) were found sarcopenic. The subjects were divided into 6 groups based on menopausal status and BMI. The obese postmenopausal women had the highest number of sarcopenia, whereas the non-obese premenopausal women had the least number of sarcopenic subjects. In non-obese premenopausal women, which was considered to be at the lowest risk for sarcopenia, the most determining variable was the menarche age, followed by age and number of pregnancies. In obese and postmenopausal women, which was considered to be at the highest risk for sarcopenia, the most influential factor was the menopausal age, followed by age and menarche age. Conclusions We identified the major determinants of sarcopenia using machine learning and population-based data. This study demonstrated the strengths of the random forest as an effective decision support system for each stratified subgroup to find its own optimal cut-off points for the major variables of sarcopenia.

Background: The potential risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission from asymptomatic COVID-19 patients is a concern in dental practice. However, the impact of this risk is not well documented to date. This report describes our dental clinical experience with patients who did not exhibit symptoms of COVID-19 but were later confirmed as positive for COVID-19.Case presentation: Of the 149,149 patients who visited the outpatient clinic of KNUDH and the 3291 patients who visited the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic of KNUH, 3 were later confirmed as having COVID-1 between 1 February 2020 and 28 February 2021. Owing to close contact with these patients during their treatments, 46 dental and medical staff had to undergo quarantine from the date of the patients’ confirmation of COVID-19 infection. Conclusion The presented cases showed the potential existence of asymptomatic COVID-19 patients after dental treatment with aerosol-generating procedures. Clinicians should be aware of the infection prevention measures and try to protect healthcare personnel from secondary infection of COVID-19 during dental treatments.