Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common skin disease with a wide range of symptoms. Due to the rapidly changing treatment landscape, regular updates to clinical guidelines are needed. Objective: This study aimed to update the guidelines for the treatment of AD to reflect recent therapeutic advances and evidence-based recommendations. Methods: The Patient characteristics, type of Intervention, Control, and Outcome framework was used to determine 48 questions related to AD management. Evidence was graded, recommendations were determined, and, after 2 voting rounds among the Korean Atopic Dermatitis Association (KADA) council members, consensus was achieved. Results: This guideline provides treatment guidance on advanced systemic treatment modalities for AD. In particular, the guideline offers up-to-date treatment recommendations for biologics and Janus-kinase inhibitors used in the treatment of patients with moderate to severe AD.It also provides guidance on other therapies for AD, along with tailored recommendations for children, adolescents, the elderly, and pregnant or breastfeeding women. Conclusion KADA’s updated AD treatment guidelines incorporate the latest evidence and expert opinion to provide a comprehensive approach to AD treatment. The guidelines will help clinicians optimize patient-specific therapies.

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common skin disease with a wide range of symptoms. Due to the rapidly changing treatment landscape, regular updates to clinical guidelines are needed. Objective: This study aimed to update the guidelines for the treatment of AD to reflect recent therapeutic advances and evidence-based practices. Methods: The Patient characteristics, type of Intervention, Control, and Outcome framework was used to determine 48 questions related to AD management. Evidence was graded, recommendations were determined, and, after 2 voting rounds among the Korean Atopic Dermatitis Association (KADA) council members, consensus was achieved. Results: The guidelines provide detailed recommendations on foundational therapies, including the use of moisturizers, cleansing and bathing practices, allergen avoidance, and patient education. Guidance on topical therapies, such as topical corticosteroids and calcineurin inhibitors, is also provided to help manage inflammation and maintain skin barrier function in patients with AD. Additionally, recommendations on conventional systemic therapies, including corticosteroids, cyclosporine, and methotrexate, are provided for managing moderate to severe AD. Conclusion KADA’s updated AD guidelines offer clinicians evidence-based strategies focused on basic therapies, topical therapies, and conventional systemic therapies, equipping them to enhance quality of care and improve patient outcomes in AD management.

Background: In 2006, the Korean Atopic Dermatitis Association (KADA) working group released the diagnostic criteria for Korean atopic dermatitis (AD). Recently, more simplified, and practical AD diagnostic criteria have been proposed. Objective: Based on updated criteria and experience, we studied to develop and share a consensus on diagnostic criteria for AD in Koreans. Materials and Methods: For the diagnostic criteria, a questionnaire was constructed by searching the English-language literature in MEDLINE and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. A modified Delphi method composed of 3 rounds of email questionnaires was adopted for the consensus process. Fifty-four KADA council members participated in the 3 rounds of votes and expert consensus recommendations were established. Results: Diagnostic criteria for AD include pruritus, eczema with age-specific pattern, and chronic or relapsing history. Diagnostic aids for AD encompass xerosis, immunoglobulin E reactivity, hand–foot eczema, periorbital changes, periauricular changes, perioral changes, nipple eczema, perifollicular accentuation, and personal or family history of atopy. Conclusion This study streamlined and updated the diagnostic criteria for AD in Korea, making them more practicable for use in real-world clinical field.

PURPOSE: Nutritional therapy (NT), such as enteral nutrition (EN) or parenteral nutrition (PN), is essential for the malnourished patients. Although the complications related to NT has been well described, multicenter data on symptoms in the patients with receiving NT during hospitalization are still lacking. METHODS: Nutrition support team (NST) consultations, on which NT-related complications were described, were collected retrospectively for one year. The inclusion criteria were patients who were (1) older than 18 years, (2) hospitalized, and (3) receiving EN or PN at the time of NST consultation. The patients' demographics (age, sex, body mass index [BMI]), type of NT and type of complication were collected. To compare the severity of each complication, the intensive care unit (ICU) admission, hospital stay, and type of discharge were also collected. RESULTS: A total of 14,600 NT-related complications were collected from 13,418 cases from 27 hospitals in Korea. The mean age and BMI were 65.4 years and 21.8 kg/m2. The complications according to the type of NT, calorie deficiency (32.4%, n=1,229) and diarrhea (21.6%, n=820) were most common in EN. Similarly, calorie deficiency (56.8%, n=4,030) and GI problem except for diarrhea (8.6%, n=611) were most common in PN. Regarding the clinical outcomes, 18.7% (n=2,158) finally expired, 58.1% (n=7,027) were admitted to ICU, and the mean hospital days after NT-related complication were 31.3 days. Volume overload (odds ratio [OR]=3.48) and renal abnormality (OR=2.50) were closely associated with hospital death; hyperammonemia (OR=3.09) and renal abnormality (OR=2.77) were associated with ICU admission; “micronutrient and vitamin deficiency” (geometric mean [GM]=2.23) and volume overload (GM=1.61) were associated with a longer hospital stay. CONCLUSION: NT may induce or be associated with several complications, and some of them may seriously affect the patient's outcome. NST personnel in each hospital should be aware of each problem during nutritional support.
Adult ; Body Mass Index ; Demography ; Diarrhea ; Enteral Nutrition ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hyperammonemia ; Intensive Care Units ; Korea ; Length of Stay ; Multicenter Studies as Topic ; Nutrition Therapy ; Nutritional Support ; Parenteral Nutrition ; Referral and Consultation ; Retrospective Studies ; Vitamins

PURPOSE: It has been reported recently that peritoneal protein clearance (Pcl) is a marker of endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular disease in peritoneal dialysis patients. We evaluated whether baseline or longitudinal follow-up Pcl is a factor to consider in predicting the outcome in peritoneal dialysis patients for the follow-up period. METHODS: Patients who initiated continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis at our center from September 1994 to January 2006 and had a baseline peritoneal equilibration test, measurement of dialysis adequacy, and 24-h dialysate Pcl (24hr dialysate protein loss/ [serum albumin/0.4783]) were included. Demography, comorbidities, and biochemical data were retrospectively collected. Follow-up was until death or the end of the period studied (November 2009). RESULTS: A total of 203 patients (56% men, mean age 55.0+/-12.5; 55.2% with diabetes; 22.2% with cardiovascular disease) were included. The mean follow up period was 38 months (3-170 months). Baseline Pcl was 128.2 ml/day. Follow up data of Pcl were not changed from baseline period. Cox's analysis revealed the predictors of mortality (and technical failure) were age and diabetes mellitus but not dialysate/plasma creatinine ratio (D/Pcr) and Pcl. On multivariate analysis, Pcl was negatively correlated with serum albumin and triglyceride and positively correlated with D/Pcr and peritoneal creatinine clearance. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that the changes in Pcl over time were not significant from baseline up to 53 months. Neither baseline nor mean Pcl during the follow-up period were independent predictors for technical or patient survival.
Ascitic Fluid ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Comorbidity ; Creatinine ; Demography ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Dialysis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Peritoneal Dialysis ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory ; Retrospective Studies ; Serum Albumin ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: To translate and culturally adapt a Korean version of the Neck Disability Index (NDI), as well as to validate its use in Korean patient. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The NDI was linguistically translated into Korean and the prefinal version was assessed and modified by a pilot study. The Korean version was tested on 60 patients with degenerative cervical spine disease to verify the reliability and validity. The test-retest reliability, internal consistency, concurrent validity, and construct validity were examined by a comparison with the VAS and SF-36. RESULTS: The intraclass correlation coefficient of test-retest reliability was 0.927. The reliability estimated by the internal consistency reached a Cronbach's alpha of 0.82. The correlation of the NDI with VAS was r=0.489 (p=0.002) and correlation between NDI and SF-36 was r=-0.44 (p<0.01). The physical health component score of SF-36 showed a high correlation with the NDI as well as a high correlation between VAS and mental health component scores of SF-36. CONCLUSION: The Korean version of the NDI is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring the disability in Korean patient with cervical problems and can be useful in future clinical studies in Korea.
Buprenorphine ; Humans ; Korea ; Mental Health ; Neck ; Pilot Projects ; Reproducibility of Results ; Spine

Nontuberculous Mycobacteria, especially Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection is a common opportunistic infection in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). In patients with AIDS, MAC infection more frequently presents as disseminated form rather than localized infection. Disseminated MAC infection is associated with a high mortality rate in patient with AIDS. We report a case of disseminated MAC infection in an AIDS patient involving bone marrow, mediastinal lymph node and lung.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; Bone Marrow ; Humans ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Mycobacterium ; Mycobacterium avium ; Mycobacterium avium Complex ; Nontuberculous Mycobacteria ; Opportunistic Infections

Dengue virus infection is an emerging imported disease in Korea. A total of 4 cases of dengue fever or dengue hemorrhagic fever diagnosed at Soonchunhyang University Hospital in Bucheon between January 2001 and December 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. In addition, relevant domestic literatures from Korean bibliographic databases, which matched 'dengue fever', 'dengue hemorrhagic fever' or 'dengue shock syndrome' as key words, have been reviewed. Ten articles (13 patients) met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. All the patients except for one, who was infected in Africa, were infected in Asian countries: Philippines (4), Indonesia (3), India (2), Cambodia (2), Sri Lanka (1), Thailand (1), Bangladesh (1), Myanmar (1), and Malaysia (1). Clinical manifestations after returning from abroad were as follows: fever (100%), chills (82%), headache (65%), myalgia (53%), nausea (41%), neutropenia (82%), thrombocytopenia (82%), and elevation of AST (82%) and ALT (53%). Most of the patients improved with conservative care except for one who died of dengue shock syndrome.
Africa ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Bangladesh ; Cambodia ; Chills ; Databases, Bibliographic ; Dengue ; Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever ; Dengue Virus ; Fever ; Headache ; Humans ; India ; Indonesia ; Korea ; Malaysia ; Myanmar ; Nausea ; Neutropenia ; Philippines ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock ; Sri Lanka ; Thailand ; Thrombocytopenia

Nontuberculous Mycobacteria, especially Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection is a common opportunistic infection in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). In patients with AIDS, MAC infection more frequently presents as disseminated form rather than localized infection. Disseminated MAC infection is associated with a high mortality rate in patient with AIDS. We report a case of disseminated MAC infection in an AIDS patient involving bone marrow, mediastinal lymph node and lung.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; Bone Marrow ; Humans ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Mycobacterium ; Mycobacterium avium ; Mycobacterium avium Complex ; Nontuberculous Mycobacteria ; Opportunistic Infections

Dengue virus infection is an emerging imported disease in Korea. A total of 4 cases of dengue fever or dengue hemorrhagic fever diagnosed at Soonchunhyang University Hospital in Bucheon between January 2001 and December 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. In addition, relevant domestic literatures from Korean bibliographic databases, which matched 'dengue fever', 'dengue hemorrhagic fever' or 'dengue shock syndrome' as key words, have been reviewed. Ten articles (13 patients) met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. All the patients except for one, who was infected in Africa, were infected in Asian countries: Philippines (4), Indonesia (3), India (2), Cambodia (2), Sri Lanka (1), Thailand (1), Bangladesh (1), Myanmar (1), and Malaysia (1). Clinical manifestations after returning from abroad were as follows: fever (100%), chills (82%), headache (65%), myalgia (53%), nausea (41%), neutropenia (82%), thrombocytopenia (82%), and elevation of AST (82%) and ALT (53%). Most of the patients improved with conservative care except for one who died of dengue shock syndrome.
Africa ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Bangladesh ; Cambodia ; Chills ; Databases, Bibliographic ; Dengue ; Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever ; Dengue Virus ; Fever ; Headache ; Humans ; India ; Indonesia ; Korea ; Malaysia ; Myanmar ; Nausea ; Neutropenia ; Philippines ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock ; Sri Lanka ; Thailand ; Thrombocytopenia