1.The Role of Knowledge and Personal Experience in Shaping Stigma Associated With COVID-19 and Mental Illness
Ji-Min YOO ; Ju-Wan KIM ; Seon-Young KIM ; Seunghyong RYU ; Ju-Yeon LEE ; Sook-In JUNG ; Jae-Min KIM ; Sung-Wan KIM
Psychiatry Investigation 2025;22(1):110-116
Objective:
Stigma influences perceptions of mental illness and novel diseases like coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), often impeding healthcare access despite advancements in medical treatment. This study compares the stigma associated with COVID-19 and mental illness to identify factors that could help reduce stigma.
Methods:
An online survey was conducted in May 2023 among 1,500 participants aged 19 to 65 in South Korea, using a panel from Embrain, an online survey service. The survey assessed stigma and distress related to COVID-19 and mental illness using a validated questionnaire. It collected demographic and clinical data, evaluated COVID-19-related stigma, fear, and knowledge, and measured prejudice and attitudes toward psychiatric treatment. Personality traits were assessed using the Big Five Inventory (BFI)-10. Factors significantly associated with stigma scores were entered into linear regression analysis.
Results:
COVID-19-related stigma scores were significantly negatively correlated with knowledge of COVID-19 and positively correlated with fear of infection and age. Individuals with a history of COVID-19 infection had significantly lower scores on COVID-19-related stigma. Similarly, mental illness stigma was negatively correlated with knowledge of psychiatric treatment and positively correlated with age, as well as conscientiousness and neuroticism in the BFI. Personal experience with individuals with mental illness was associated with significantly lower stigma scores.
Conclusion
This study suggests that the mechanism-making stigma was similar in cases of traditional mental illness and a novel infectious disease. Both cognitive and experiential factors influence stigma. Educating the public about the disease and enabling interactions with affected individuals emerge as effective strategies for stigma reduction.
2.No difference in inflammatory mediator expression between mast cell-rich and mast cell-poor rosacea lesions in Korean patients: a comparative study
Jin Ju LEE ; Bo Ram KWON ; Min Young LEE ; Ji Yeon BYUN ; Joo Young ROH ; Hae Young CHOI ; You Won CHOI
The Ewha Medical Journal 2025;48(1):e78-
3.Association between acid-suppressive drugs and risk of psoriasis: retrospective study using Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort
Ji Hyun KIM ; Joon-hong MIN ; Young Woo JO ; Jae Woo KWON ; Young HER
The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine 2025;40(1):57-64
Background/Aims:
Psoriasis is a common inflammatory skin disorder following non-specific triggers. Involvement of immune system is widely accepted for pathogenesis studies have demonstrated importance of gut microbiota in pathogenesis of inflammatory skin diseases. Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) and histamine-2 receptor antagonist (H2RA) are acid-suppressive drugs widely used for acid related gastrointestinal diseases, and prolonged use has been associated with altered gut microbiota. This study aimed to investigate association between psoriasis and acid suppressing drugs in Korean population.
Methods:
This study was conducted with 3,662 patients diagnosed with psoriasis between 2002 and 2013 in NHIS-NSC. A total of 14,648 controls were matched at 1:4 based on sex, age, and gastrointestinal disease. ORs were estimated to determine the association between acid suppressing drug use and psoriasis.
Results:
Our study found a statistically significant association between the prolonged use of acid-suppressive drugs and the development of psoriasis in the Korean population. Specifically, patients with gastrointestinal diseases who used histamine-2 receptor antagonists (H2RA) or proton pump inhibitors (PPI) for extended periods exhibited a higher risk of developing psoriasis. The adjusted odds ratio for psoriasis was 1.89 (95% CI, 1.66–2.17) with long-term use, indicating a clear dose-response relationship.
Conclusions
Results from our study indicate that prolonged use of H2RA or PPI is associated with the risk of psoriasis among patients with gastrointestinal diseases in Korean population. The risk was increased in dose-response trend after adjusting for confounding variables. Clinicians should be aware of risks associated with prolonged use of acid suppressing drugs.
4.The characteristics of Korean elderly multiple myeloma patients aged 80 years or over
Sang Hwan LEE ; Hee-Jeong CHO ; Joon Ho MOON ; Ji Yoon JUNG ; Min Kyoung KIM ; Mi Hwa HEO ; Young Rok DO ; Yunhwi HWANG ; Sung Hwa BAE
The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine 2025;40(1):115-123
Background/Aims:
Multiple myeloma (MM) predominantly affects elderly individuals, but studies on older patients with MM are limited. The clinical characteristics and survival outcomes of patients with MM aged 80 years or over were retrospectively analyzed.
Methods:
This retrospective multicenter study was conducted to investigate the clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and survival outcomes of patients aged 80 years or over who were newly diagnosed with MM at five academic hospitals in Daegu, Korea, between 2010 and 2019.
Results:
A total of 127 patients with a median age of 83 years (range, 80–93 yr) were enrolled: 52 (40.9%) with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS) > 2, 84 (66.1%) with International Staging System (ISS) stage III disease, and 93 (73.2%) with a Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) > 4. Chemotherapy was administered to 86 patients (67.7%). The median overall survival was 9.3 months. Overall survival was significantly associated with ECOG PS > 2 (HR 2.26, 95% CI 1.43–3.59), ISS stage III (HR 1.99, 95% CI 1.18–3.34), and chemotherapy (HR 0.34, 95% CI 0.21–0.55). There was no statistically significant difference in event-free survival according to the type of anti-myeloma chemotherapy administered. The early mortality (EM) rate was 28.3%.
Conclusions
Even in patients with MM aged 80 years or over, chemotherapy can result in better survival outcomes than supportive care. Patients aged ≥ 80 years should not be excluded from chemotherapy based on age alone. However, reducing EM in elderly patients with newly diagnosed MM remains challenging.
5.Toxicity and efficacy study of a combination of two retinoic acids in an ApoE knockout mouse model of atherosclerosis
Da Som JEONG ; Ji-Young LEE ; Hyo-Jeong HAN ; Soo Min KO ; Dong Hyun LEE ; Yerin LEE ; Young-Sik PARK ; Byong-Cheol SHIN ; Woo-Chan SON
The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 2025;29(2):179-189
Atherosclerosis is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease, characterized by inflammation and lipid accumulation in arterial walls, leading to plaque formation. Elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is a primary risk factor for atherosclerosis. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), a metabolite of vitamin A, has demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects and potential in regulating vascular injury. 9-cisretinoic acid (9cRA) is an active metabolite of vitamin A and activates the retinoid X receptor. This study investigates whether potassium retinoate (PA9RA), a synthetic combination of ATRA and 9cRA, offers superior efficacy in treating atherosclerosis compared to established treatments such as clopidogrel and atorvastatin. Male ApoE -/- mice were fed a Western-type diet and treated with PA9RA, clopidogrel, or atorvastatin for 10 weeks. The body weight, organ weight, serum biochemistry, and histopathology, including atherosclerotic lesion area and liver steatosis were assessed. PA9RA treatment led to a significant reduction in body weight and inguinal fat, with the 45 mg/kg/day dose showing marked efficacy in decreasing atherosclerotic lesion size and ameliorating liver steatosis. Histopathological evaluation revealed decreased foam cell formation and improved liver histology in PA9RA-treated groups compared to controls. Notable side effects included epidermal hyperplasia and gastric hyperplasia at high doses of PA9RA. PA9RA exhibits superior efficacy over clopidogrel and atorvastatin in ameliorating atherosclerosis and fatty liver in ApoE –/–mice. This study highlights PA9RA's potential as a promising therapeutic agent for atherosclerosis. Further research is needed to elucidate its mechanisms of action and assess long-term safety and efficacy.
6.Subacromial Steroid Injection Is Safe and Effective in Patients with Persistent Painful Stiffness after Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: a Level III Retrospective Cohort Study in Korea
Ajay WANKHADE ; Hyeon Jang JEONG ; Young Ki MIN ; Ji Hyun YEO ; Je Kyun KIM ; Joo Han OH
The Korean Journal of Sports Medicine 2025;43(1):30-36
Purpose:
Persistent postoperative stiffness is a common complication after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR).We hypothesized that a subacromial steroid injection (SAI) may improve the early outcomes in patients with persistent stiffness without increasing steroid-associated complications. Therefore, we evaluated the effectiveness and safety of SAI in patients with persistent stiffness 3 months after ARCR.
Methods:
We retrospectively analyzed 300 ARCR cases performed between January 2012 and May 2014, in which repair integrity was confirmed at postoperative 3 months. Patients were divided into SAI and control groups. The SAI group received a single SAI (triamcinolone 40 mg and ropivacaine 52.5 mg) to address postoperative stiffness, with no additional SAI thereafter. The control group did not receive any injections until the final follow-up. Functional and radiological outcomes were compared between the two groups.
Results:
The mean follow-up period was 18.1±4.7 months (range, 12.1–37.2 months), with no difference between groups (p=0.731). At the time of injection, the range of motion was significantly lower in the SAI (all p<0.001). However, functional outcomes were comparable between the two groups at 3 months after injection and the final follow-up (all p> 0.05). The healing failure rate at the final follow-up also did not differ between the SAI and control groups (14.9% vs. 13.2%, p=0.671).
Conclusion
This short-term follow-up study suggests that the administration of a single SAI to treat persistent stiffness at 3 months after ARCR may improve functional recovery without increasing the risk of healing failure.
7.Higher Physical Activity is Associated with Reduced Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Korean Men
Seo Eun HWANG ; Jae Moon YUN ; Su Hwan CHO ; Kyungha MIN ; Ji Young KIM ; Hyuktae KWON ; Jin Ho PARK
The World Journal of Men's Health 2025;43(1):166-173
Purpose:
Identifying and managing risk factors for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) is crucial because it impacts the quality of life of elderly individuals. Lifestyle factors, including physical activity (PA), and their relationship with LUTS have not been well studied. This objective of this study was to investigate the association between PA and LUTS.
Materials and Methods:
A total of 7,296 men were included in this cross-sectional study. PA was quantified in metabolic equivalent (MET)-hours per week, and LUTS severity was assessed using the international prostate symptom score. Logistic regression was used to analyze the association between PA and LUTS, including voiding and storage symptoms.
Results:
The average age of the participants was 57.8 years, and the prevalence of LUTS was 41.3%. After adjusting for potential confounders, PA was inversely associated with the prevalence and severity of moderate-to-severe LUTS, showing a dose-response pattern (all p for trend <0.01). Compared to the minimal activity group, which engaged in <5 MET-hours per week of PA, the odds ratios for moderate to severe LUTS were 0.83 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.72–0.97) for men engaging in 15–30 MET-hours per week, 0.82 (95% CI: 0.71–0.95) for 30–60 MET-hours per week, and 0.72 (95% CI: 0.62–0.84) for ≥60 MET-hours per week. The possible protective effect of PA was still observed in the additional analysis for voiding and storage symptoms showing the same dose-response pattern (all p for trend <0.01).
Conclusions
A higher PA level was associated with a lower prevalence and severity of total, voiding, and storage LUTS in a dose-dependent manner in Korean men.
8.Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Level, the Lower the Better? Analysis of Korean Patients in the Treat Stroke to Target Trial
Hanim KWON ; Jae-Chan RYU ; Jae-Kwan CHA ; Sang Min SUNG ; Tae-Jin SONG ; Kyung Bok LEE ; Eung-Gyu KIM ; Yong-Won KIM ; Ji Hoe HEO ; Man Seok PARK ; Kyusik KANG ; Byung-Chul LEE ; Keun-Sik HONG ; Oh Young BANG ; Jei KIM ; Jong S. KIM
Journal of Stroke 2025;27(2):228-236
Background:
and Purpose The Treat Stroke to Target (TST) was a randomized clinical trial involving French and Korean patients demonstrating that a lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, <70 mg/dL) target group (LT) experienced fewer cerebro-cardiovascular events than a higher target (90–110 mg/dL) group (HT). However, whether these results can be applied to Asian patients with different ischemic stroke subtypes remains unclear.
Methods:
Patients from 14 South Korean centers were analyzed separately. Patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack with evidence of atherosclerosis were randomized into LT and HT groups. The primary endpoint was a composite of ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, coronary or cerebral revascularization, and cardiovascular death.
Results:
Among 712 enrolled patients, the mean LDL-C level was 71.0 mg/dL in 357 LT patients and 86.1 mg/dL in 355 HT patients. The primary endpoint occurred in 24 (6.7%) of LT and in 31 (8.7%) of HT group patients (adjusted hazard ratio [HR]=0.78; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.45–1.33, P=0.353). Cardiovascular events alone occurred significantly less frequently in the LT than in the HT group (HR 0.26, 95% CI 0.09–0.80, P=0.019), whereas there were no significant differences in ischemic stroke events (HR 1.12, 95% CI 0.60–2.10, P=0.712). The benefit of LT was less apparent in patients with small vessel disease and intracranial atherosclerosis than in those with extracranial atherosclerosis.
Conclusion
In contrast to the French TST, the outcomes in Korean patients were neutral. Although LT was more effective in preventing cardiovascular diseases, it was not so in stroke prevention, probably attributed to the differences in stroke subtypes. Further studies are needed to elucidate the efficacy of statins and appropriate LDL-C targets in Asian patients with stroke.
9.Association between Breakfast Consumption Frequency and Chronic Inflammation in Korean Adult Males: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016–2018
Eun Ji HAN ; Eun Ju PARK ; Sae Rom LEE ; Sang Yeoup LEE ; Young Hye CHO ; Young In LEE ; Jung In CHOI ; Ryuk Jun KWON ; Soo Min SON ; Yun Jin KIM ; Jeong Gyu LEE ; Yu Hyeon YI ; Young Jin TAK ; Seung Hun LEE ; Gyu Lee KIM ; Young Jin RA
Korean Journal of Family Medicine 2025;46(2):92-97
Background:
Skipping breakfast is associated with an increased risk of chronic inflammatory diseases. This study aimed to examine the association between breakfast-eating habits and inflammation, using high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) as a marker.
Methods:
A total of 4,000 Korean adult males with no history of myocardial infarction, angina, stroke, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, or current smoking were included. Data from the 2016–2018 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used for analysis. The frequency of breakfast consumption was assessed through a questionnaire item in the dietary survey section asking participants about their weekly breakfast consumption routines over the past year. Participants were categorized into two groups, namely “0–2 breakfasts per week” and “3–7 breakfasts per week”; hs-CRP concentrations were measured through blood tests.
Results:
Comparing between the “infrequent breakfast consumption (0–2 breakfasts per week)” and “frequent breakfast consumption (3–7 breakfasts per week)” groups, the mean hs-CRP was found to be significantly higher in the “infrequent breakfast consumption” group, even after adjusting for age, body mass index, physical activity, alcohol consumption, systolic blood pressure, blood pressure medication, fasting blood glucose, and triglycerides (mean hs-CRP: frequent breakfast consumption, 1.36±0.09 mg/L; infrequent breakfast consumption, 1.17±0.05 mg/L; P-value=0.036).
Conclusion
Less frequent breakfast consumption was associated with elevated hs-CRP levels. Further large-scale studies incorporating adjusted measures of daily eating patterns as well as food quality and quantity are required for a deeper understanding of the role of breakfast in the primary prevention of chronic inflammatory diseases.
10.Association of Lipoprotein(a) with Progression of Coronary Artery Calcification: Retrospective Longitudinal Study
Anna LEE ; Hyun-Min KOH ; Ji-Yong JANG ; Hye-Rang BAK ; Hye-Jin JANG ; Jun-Young HUH ; Nak-Gyeong KO
Korean Journal of Family Medicine 2025;46(3):176-184
Background:
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is a major health concern, and lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) is an independent risk factor. However, there is limited evidence regarding Lp(a) and the risk of ASCVD in Asian populations. This study aimed to assess the predictive value of changes in coronary artery calcification (CAC) for ASCVD risk associated with Lp(a) level.
Methods:
Participants (n=2,750) were grouped according to their Lp(a) levels, and the association between Lp(a) and CAC progression was examined. CAC progression was defined as the occurrence of incident CAC or a difference ≥2.5 between the square root (√) of baseline and follow-up coronary artery calcium scores (CACSs) (Δ√transformed CACS). To adjust for differences in follow-up periods, Δ√transformed CACS was divided by the follow- up period (in years).
Results:
Over an average follow-up of 3.07 years, 18.98% of participants experienced CAC progression. Those with disease progression had notably higher Lp(a) levels. Higher Lp(a) tertiles correlated with increased baseline and follow-up CACS, CAC progression (%), and Δ√transformed CACS. Even after adjustment, higher Lp(a) levels were associated with CAC progression. However, annualized Δ√transformed CACS analysis yielded no significant results.
Conclusion
This study demonstrated an association between elevated Lp(a) levels and CAC progression in a general population without ASCVD. However, longer-term follow-up studies are needed to obtain meaningful results regarding CAC progression. Further research is necessary to utilize Lp(a) level as a predictor of cardiovascular disease and to establish clinically relevant thresholds specific to the Korean population.

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