Purpose: To investigate the outcomes of brolucizumab reinjection after intraocular inflammation (IOI) development. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed patients with brolucizumab injections from April 2021 to January 2024. Patients who developed IOI after brolucizumab were included and categorized into subgroups depending on reinjection, discontinuation, and further IOI development. Results: A total of 472 eyes of 432 patients received brolucizumab injections. Thirty-eight cases developed IOI at least once, and 25 continued brolucizumab. Sixteen cases had no more IOI events, and nine experienced a second or more IOI events. Among the nine cases, three maintained brolucizumab injections despite IOI recurrence. The incidence of IOI was 8.1% based on the number of eyes (38 of 472 eyes) and 2.0% based on the number of brolucizumab injections (50 of 2,468 injections). The incidence of occlusive retinal vasculitis was 0.2% (1 of 472 eyes). The recurrence rate was 23.7% (9 of 38 eyes). The average number of injections between the first brolucizumab injection and the injection date on which IOI first developed was 2.15 times in the no-reinjection group, 3.44 times in the no-IOI-recurrence group, and 2.0 times in the second-IOI-episode group. Time to IOI occurrence in cases with first IOI episode was 18.60 ± 16.73 days, with 15 cases developing IOI within 1 week. Conclusions This study elucidates the real-world incidence of brolucizumab associated IOIs, with a description of information related to reinjections after the IOI episodes. A comprehensive understanding of brolucizumab reinjection is essential for its optimal utilization.

Objective: This study aims to understand the structure of meaning in life among patients with cancer through the validation of the Meaning in Life Scale among Korean patients (K-MiLS) with cancer. Methods: From August 2021 to November 2022, participants were recruited from multiple sites in South Korea. Participants completed related questionnaires, including the MiLS, on the web or mobile. Test-retest reliability was assessed between 2 and 4 weeks after the initial assessment. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and Pearson’s correlations were used to evaluate the reliability and validity of the MiLS. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the sociodemographic and disease-related variables correlated with the MiLS. Regarding concurrent validity, a hierarchical regression analysis was performed. Results: The results (n=345) indicated that the K-MiLS has a four-factor structure: Harmony and Peace; Life Perspective, Purpose, and Goals; Confusion and Lessened Meaning; and Benefits of Spirituality. Regarding convergent and discriminant validity, K-MiLS was negatively correlated with Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory while showing a significantly positive correlation with the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, Self-Compassion Scale, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General, and Functional Social Support Questionnaire. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that the demographic variable influencing MiLS was religious affiliation. Conclusion The K-MiLS had a multidimensional four-factor structure similar to that of the original version. It is also a reliable and valid measure for assessing cancer survivors’ meaning in life after a cancer diagnosis.

Purpose: To investigate the outcomes of brolucizumab reinjection after intraocular inflammation (IOI) development. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed patients with brolucizumab injections from April 2021 to January 2024. Patients who developed IOI after brolucizumab were included and categorized into subgroups depending on reinjection, discontinuation, and further IOI development. Results: A total of 472 eyes of 432 patients received brolucizumab injections. Thirty-eight cases developed IOI at least once, and 25 continued brolucizumab. Sixteen cases had no more IOI events, and nine experienced a second or more IOI events. Among the nine cases, three maintained brolucizumab injections despite IOI recurrence. The incidence of IOI was 8.1% based on the number of eyes (38 of 472 eyes) and 2.0% based on the number of brolucizumab injections (50 of 2,468 injections). The incidence of occlusive retinal vasculitis was 0.2% (1 of 472 eyes). The recurrence rate was 23.7% (9 of 38 eyes). The average number of injections between the first brolucizumab injection and the injection date on which IOI first developed was 2.15 times in the no-reinjection group, 3.44 times in the no-IOI-recurrence group, and 2.0 times in the second-IOI-episode group. Time to IOI occurrence in cases with first IOI episode was 18.60 ± 16.73 days, with 15 cases developing IOI within 1 week. Conclusions This study elucidates the real-world incidence of brolucizumab associated IOIs, with a description of information related to reinjections after the IOI episodes. A comprehensive understanding of brolucizumab reinjection is essential for its optimal utilization.

Objective: This study aims to understand the structure of meaning in life among patients with cancer through the validation of the Meaning in Life Scale among Korean patients (K-MiLS) with cancer. Methods: From August 2021 to November 2022, participants were recruited from multiple sites in South Korea. Participants completed related questionnaires, including the MiLS, on the web or mobile. Test-retest reliability was assessed between 2 and 4 weeks after the initial assessment. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and Pearson’s correlations were used to evaluate the reliability and validity of the MiLS. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the sociodemographic and disease-related variables correlated with the MiLS. Regarding concurrent validity, a hierarchical regression analysis was performed. Results: The results (n=345) indicated that the K-MiLS has a four-factor structure: Harmony and Peace; Life Perspective, Purpose, and Goals; Confusion and Lessened Meaning; and Benefits of Spirituality. Regarding convergent and discriminant validity, K-MiLS was negatively correlated with Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory while showing a significantly positive correlation with the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, Self-Compassion Scale, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General, and Functional Social Support Questionnaire. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that the demographic variable influencing MiLS was religious affiliation. Conclusion The K-MiLS had a multidimensional four-factor structure similar to that of the original version. It is also a reliable and valid measure for assessing cancer survivors’ meaning in life after a cancer diagnosis.

Background: Shortage of organ donors in the Republic of Korea has become a major problem. To address this, it has been questioned whether heart transplant (HTx) allocation should be modified to reduce priority of older patients. We aimed to evaluate post-HTx outcomes according to recipient age and specific pre-HTx conditions using a nationwide prospective cohort. Methods: We analyzed clinical characteristics of 628 patients from the Korean Organ Transplant Registry who received HTx from January 2015 to December 2020. Enrolled recipients were divided into three groups according to age. We also included comorbidities including ambulatory status. Non-ambulatory status was defined as pre-HTx support with either extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, continuous renal replacement therapy, or mechanical ventilation. Results: Of the 628 patients, 195 were < 50 years, 322 were 50–64 years and 111 were ≥ 65years at transplant. Four hundred nine (65.1%) were ambulatory and 219 (34.9%) were nonambulatory. Older recipients tended to have more comorbidities, ischemic cardiomyopathy, and received older donors. Post-HTx survival was significantly lower in older recipients (P = 0.025) and recipients with non-ambulatory status (P < 0.001). However, in contrast to non-ambulatory recipients who showed significant survival differences according to the recipient’s age (P = 0.004), ambulatory recipients showed comparable outcomes (P = 0.465). Conclusion Our results do not support use of age alone as an allocation criterion. Transplant candidate age in combination with some comorbidities such as non-ambulatory status may identify patients at a sufficiently elevated risk at which suitability of HTx should be reconsidered.

Background: Shortage of organ donors in the Republic of Korea has become a major problem. To address this, it has been questioned whether heart transplant (HTx) allocation should be modified to reduce priority of older patients. We aimed to evaluate post-HTx outcomes according to recipient age and specific pre-HTx conditions using a nationwide prospective cohort. Methods: We analyzed clinical characteristics of 628 patients from the Korean Organ Transplant Registry who received HTx from January 2015 to December 2020. Enrolled recipients were divided into three groups according to age. We also included comorbidities including ambulatory status. Non-ambulatory status was defined as pre-HTx support with either extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, continuous renal replacement therapy, or mechanical ventilation. Results: Of the 628 patients, 195 were < 50 years, 322 were 50–64 years and 111 were ≥ 65years at transplant. Four hundred nine (65.1%) were ambulatory and 219 (34.9%) were nonambulatory. Older recipients tended to have more comorbidities, ischemic cardiomyopathy, and received older donors. Post-HTx survival was significantly lower in older recipients (P = 0.025) and recipients with non-ambulatory status (P < 0.001). However, in contrast to non-ambulatory recipients who showed significant survival differences according to the recipient’s age (P = 0.004), ambulatory recipients showed comparable outcomes (P = 0.465). Conclusion Our results do not support use of age alone as an allocation criterion. Transplant candidate age in combination with some comorbidities such as non-ambulatory status may identify patients at a sufficiently elevated risk at which suitability of HTx should be reconsidered.

Purpose: The career ladder system is a pivotal strategy for securing excellent nurses. The aim of this study is to understand hospital nurses’ experiences of participating in the career ladder system and to explore the essence of this system. Methods: In February 22 to March 3, 2022, nurses employed at a general hospital in South Korea were selected for this study using snowball and purposive sampling. Data were collected from interviews with three focus groups, the compositions of which are as follows: group 1, 6 participants; group 2, 5 participants; and group 3, 6 participants. All interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and subsequently analyzed using qualitative research methods. Results: The following six categories were derived under the overall theme of “the arduous journey to discovering a nurse’s true name”: (1) rites of passage to becoming the ideal nurse; (2) unexpected challenges in the promotion preparation process; (3) biased criteria for evaluating nursing competencies; (4) unclear changes in roles and perceptions after promotion; (5) self-discovered pride and fulfillment as a nurse; and (6) the unspoken struggles of evaluators. Conclusion The findings suggest that the career ladder system fosters nurses’ professional growth and self-actualization. However, for effective implementation, nurses’ deep understanding and systematic management of the career ladder system are essential. This study offers valuable insights and benchmarks for healthcare institutions aiming to adopt the system.

Purpose: Compassion is integral to nursing, yet the concept of compassionate care is not thoroughly understood. This study aimed to clarify the nature of compassionate care among Korean clinical nurses using a hybrid model. Methods: This study utilized a mixed methods approach involving hybrid concept analysis to explore the nature and attributes of compassionate care, encompassing both theoretical and empirical stages. In the theoretical stage, the domains, attributes, and a preliminary definition of compassionate care were formulated. In the fieldwork stage, in-depth interviews with 18 nurses were conducted to gather insights, which were integrated in the final stage. Results: Compassionate care was categorized into three domains: cognitive, relational, and behavioral, with 11 defining attributes. It was defined as the capacity to recognize individual patient needs, engage empathetically with their suffering, establish trust through emotional connection, and deliver therapeutic partnership, specialized, personalized, ethical, and holistic care. Conclusion This study advances the understanding of compassionate care in nursing by providing a multidimensional framework. It lays the groundwork for future research and practical applications, emphasizing the need for measurement tools and strategies to promote compassionate care among clinical nurses.

Purpose: Radio-Tartaglia syndrome (RTS; Mendelian Inheritance in Man [MIM]: 619312) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder with few reported cases and limited research. It has recently been reported that the clinical features of RTS overlap with those of 1p36 deletion syndrome (1p36DS), a common chromosomal deletion characterized by clinical and molecular heterogeneity. This study aims to report on a Korean patient with RTS and compare the clinical and molecular features with those of patients with 1p36DS. Methods: A 3-year-old boy was brought to the hospital and underwent whole genome sequencing to evaluate developmental delay and multiple anomalies. This led to the identification of a de novo truncating variant in SPEN. We retrospectively investigated cases of 1p36DS that were either newly diagnosed at our institution or previously reported in the literature and databases. Results: The clinical profile of RTS includes developmental delay/intellectual disability, hypotonia, feeding difficulties, congenital heart defects, and facial dysmorphisms. SPEN is frequently found within the deleted region associated with 1p36DS. However, in all reported Korean cases of 1p36DS, the deletions were distal and did not involve SPEN; despite this, the clinical features of the disorder overlap considerably with those of RTS. Conclusion SPEN is a newly identified gene that plays a role in various developmental processes. Therefore, it is essential to include SPEN in genetic testing when diagnosing patients suspected of having a neurodevelopmental disorder. Additional research is required to explore the molecular and clinical features, as well as the prognosis, of patients with either an isolated SPEN mutation or one that co-occurs with 1p36DS.

Purpose: Radio-Tartaglia syndrome (RTS; Mendelian Inheritance in Man [MIM]: 619312) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder with few reported cases and limited research. It has recently been reported that the clinical features of RTS overlap with those of 1p36 deletion syndrome (1p36DS), a common chromosomal deletion characterized by clinical and molecular heterogeneity. This study aims to report on a Korean patient with RTS and compare the clinical and molecular features with those of patients with 1p36DS. Methods: A 3-year-old boy was brought to the hospital and underwent whole genome sequencing to evaluate developmental delay and multiple anomalies. This led to the identification of a de novo truncating variant in SPEN. We retrospectively investigated cases of 1p36DS that were either newly diagnosed at our institution or previously reported in the literature and databases. Results: The clinical profile of RTS includes developmental delay/intellectual disability, hypotonia, feeding difficulties, congenital heart defects, and facial dysmorphisms. SPEN is frequently found within the deleted region associated with 1p36DS. However, in all reported Korean cases of 1p36DS, the deletions were distal and did not involve SPEN; despite this, the clinical features of the disorder overlap considerably with those of RTS. Conclusion SPEN is a newly identified gene that plays a role in various developmental processes. Therefore, it is essential to include SPEN in genetic testing when diagnosing patients suspected of having a neurodevelopmental disorder. Additional research is required to explore the molecular and clinical features, as well as the prognosis, of patients with either an isolated SPEN mutation or one that co-occurs with 1p36DS.