Background and Objectives: This study is the first to report on voice changes by gender and duration of infection in Korean post-COVID-19 patients. It analyzes the prevalence of voice-related symptoms, gender differences in acoustic parameters, and temporal recovery patterns of voice function.Materials and Method In this study, 85 patients with COVID-19 were recruited, voice-related symptoms were surveyed, and voice recordings of all participants were collected and analyzed by acoustic speech analysis. Results: The average age of 85 COVID-19 confirmed patients was 31 (range: 26.0–45.5) years old, and there were 35 males and 50 females. Voice analysis using the GRBAS scale and acoustic parameters was conducted among male and female patients. Results revealed varying distributions of GRBAS scores among males and females, with males exhibiting lower fundamental frequency (F0) but higher jitter and shimmer compared to females. When compared to normal adult voice values, female patients demonstrated a significant reduction in fundamental frequency, while male patients exhibited a significant increase in speaking fundamental frequency (SFF) alongside elevated jitter and shimmer. Additionally, analysis of voice parameters over time since COVID-19 diagnosis showed no significant differences among males, whereas females exhibited a significant increase in SFF after 90 days, approaching normal values. Conclusion This study emphasizes the significant impact of COVID-19 on voice production, with notable sex-specific differences and recovery patterns. These findings provide a foundation for developing targeted rehabilitation strategies to improve vocal outcomes in post-COVID-19 patients.

Background and Objectives: This study is the first to report on voice changes by gender and duration of infection in Korean post-COVID-19 patients. It analyzes the prevalence of voice-related symptoms, gender differences in acoustic parameters, and temporal recovery patterns of voice function.Materials and Method In this study, 85 patients with COVID-19 were recruited, voice-related symptoms were surveyed, and voice recordings of all participants were collected and analyzed by acoustic speech analysis. Results: The average age of 85 COVID-19 confirmed patients was 31 (range: 26.0–45.5) years old, and there were 35 males and 50 females. Voice analysis using the GRBAS scale and acoustic parameters was conducted among male and female patients. Results revealed varying distributions of GRBAS scores among males and females, with males exhibiting lower fundamental frequency (F0) but higher jitter and shimmer compared to females. When compared to normal adult voice values, female patients demonstrated a significant reduction in fundamental frequency, while male patients exhibited a significant increase in speaking fundamental frequency (SFF) alongside elevated jitter and shimmer. Additionally, analysis of voice parameters over time since COVID-19 diagnosis showed no significant differences among males, whereas females exhibited a significant increase in SFF after 90 days, approaching normal values. Conclusion This study emphasizes the significant impact of COVID-19 on voice production, with notable sex-specific differences and recovery patterns. These findings provide a foundation for developing targeted rehabilitation strategies to improve vocal outcomes in post-COVID-19 patients.

Background and Objectives: This study is the first to report on voice changes by gender and duration of infection in Korean post-COVID-19 patients. It analyzes the prevalence of voice-related symptoms, gender differences in acoustic parameters, and temporal recovery patterns of voice function.Materials and Method In this study, 85 patients with COVID-19 were recruited, voice-related symptoms were surveyed, and voice recordings of all participants were collected and analyzed by acoustic speech analysis. Results: The average age of 85 COVID-19 confirmed patients was 31 (range: 26.0–45.5) years old, and there were 35 males and 50 females. Voice analysis using the GRBAS scale and acoustic parameters was conducted among male and female patients. Results revealed varying distributions of GRBAS scores among males and females, with males exhibiting lower fundamental frequency (F0) but higher jitter and shimmer compared to females. When compared to normal adult voice values, female patients demonstrated a significant reduction in fundamental frequency, while male patients exhibited a significant increase in speaking fundamental frequency (SFF) alongside elevated jitter and shimmer. Additionally, analysis of voice parameters over time since COVID-19 diagnosis showed no significant differences among males, whereas females exhibited a significant increase in SFF after 90 days, approaching normal values. Conclusion This study emphasizes the significant impact of COVID-19 on voice production, with notable sex-specific differences and recovery patterns. These findings provide a foundation for developing targeted rehabilitation strategies to improve vocal outcomes in post-COVID-19 patients.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α blocker therapy on the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society Health Index (ASAS-HI) among patients who have failed conventional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Methods: A comparative study was conducted involving axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) patients treated with either TNF-α blocker or conventional therapy. Patient data, including demographics, disease characteristics, and ASAS-HI scores, were collected before and after treatment. Statistical analysis was performed to compare changes in ASAS-HI scores between the TNF-α blocker and the conventional therapy group. Results: The study population consisted of patients with axSpA, with a mean age of 38.3 years in conventional treatment group and 29.3 years in TNF-α blocker group. Most variables, including C-reactive protein levels, other comorbidities, and disease assessment scores showed no significant difference between groups. Longitudinal analysis within each treatment group from Week 0 to 12 showed no significant change in the conventional treatment group, whereas the TNF-α blocker group experienced a significant reduction in ASAS-HI scores, demonstrating the effectiveness of the treatment. The TNF-α blocker group exhibited a significantly greater improvement in ASAS-HI scores compared to the conventional therapy group. The Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index and the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index demonstrated strong positive correlations with ASAS-HI scores, indicating higher disease activity and functional limitation are associated with worse health outcomes in patients. Conclusion The research demonstrates that ASAS-HI scores significantly improve with TNF-α blocker therapy in axSpA patients, underscoring ASAS-HI's effectiveness as a tool for evaluating drug responses.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of light-emitting diode therapy (LEDT) in the management of pain and stiffness in patients with refractory hand tenosynovitis to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Methods: A total of 12 patients were enrolled in the study and received LEDT twice a week for four weeks. Sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected, and the visual analog scale (VAS) pain and stiffness scores of each hand were assessed every two weeks. The thickness of the flexor tendon in the patients’ hand was evaluated using ultrasonography. To investigate the molecular effects of LEDT, we measured the expression levels of type III collagen in tendon cells, with and without LEDT treatment. Results: After undergoing LEDT, participants showed clinically significant improvements in VAS pain scores at weeks 2, 4, and 8 compared to their baseline, and in VAS stiffness scores at weeks 4 and 8. According to the ultrasonography results, there was a decreasing tendency in tendon thickness for each finger in week 8 compared to the baseline, but the difference was not statistically significant. No adverse events were reported. Additionally, our results indicated a significant increase in type III collagen levels in the LEDT group compared to the control group (1.48±0.18 vs. 0.99±0.02, p=0.031), indicating a potential molecular mechanism for the observed clinical improvements. Conclusion LEDT may provide a viable alternative to pharmacological treatments in the future, due to its simple and easy method of administration.

Objective: Using microRNA (miR) as a biomarker has been a new way for diagnosing many diseases. Although many studies on miR-biomarker have been published, researches on miR-biomarker in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) are limited. Therefore, the objective of this study was to valiate a candidate serum miR as a novel disease-specific novel miR for AS. Methods: Total RNAs were extracted from sera samples of patients with AS (n=57), patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (n=37), or healthy controls (HC) (n=19). Through serum miR screening by microarray, differential levels of miR were subsequently validated by real time PCR. At the time of serum sampling, clinical values such as sex, age, disease duration, AS-disease activity score, uveitis, peripheral arthritis, enthesitis, human leukocyte antigen-B27 presence, and recent medication were evaluated. Results: We found that the expression level of serum miR-3620-3p in AS was notably lower than that in RA or HC. The receiver–operator characteristics curve for determining the diagnostic accuracy showed an area under the curve of 0.919 (p＜0.001) with a sensitivity of 87.1% and a specificity of 86.0%. Correlation studies showed that the expression level of miR-3620-3p was only associated with the development of uveitis (p＜0.05). Conclusion Serum miR-3620-3p can be as a new biomarker for diagnosing AS.

Purpose: Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (ATRT) is a highly aggressive malignancy with peak incidence in children aged less than 3 years. Standard treatment for central nervous system ATRT in children under the age of 3 years have not been established yet. The objective of this study was to analyze characteristics and clinical outcomes of ATRT in children aged less than 3 years. Materials and Methods: A search of medical records from seven centers was performed between January 2005 and December 2016. Results: Forty-three patients were enrolled. With a median follow-up of 90 months, 27 patients (64.3%) showed at least one episode of disease progression (PD). The first date of PD was at 160 days after diagnosis. The 1- and 3-year progression-free survivals (PFS) were 51.2% and 28.5%, respectively. The 1- and 3-year overall survivals were 61.9% and 38.1%, respectively. The 3-year PFS was improved from 0% in pre-2011 to 47.4% in post-2011. Excluding one patient who did not receive any further therapy after surgery, 27 patients died due to PD (n=21), treatment-related toxicity (n=5), or unknown cause (n=1). In univariate analysis, factors associated with higher 3-year PFS were no metastases, diagnosis after 2011, early adjuvant radiotherapy, and high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT). In multivariate analysis, the use of HDCT and adjuvant radiotherapy remained significant prognostic factors for PFS (both p < 0.01). Conclusion Aggressive therapy including early adjuvant radiotherapy and HDCT could be considered to improve outcomes of ATRT in children under the age of 3 years.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence of edentulism according to the socio-demographic variables of Korean adults between 2007 and 2018 and to analyze the trends. METHODS: This study was conducted using raw data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) from 2007 to 2018. Edentulism was defined as the absence of upper and lower teeth or the retained root of the missing teeth. To obtain the prevalence of edentulism, complex sample frequency analysis and regression analysis were performed according to the socio-demographic variables to represent the national population. The Korean population structure in 2005 was exploited as a standard population to calculate age-standardized edentulism. RESULTS: The prevalence of edentulism in 2016-2018 was 9.7% in the Korean elderly, and the change of age-standardized edentulism steadily declined over time from 2007, 12.8%. In particular, it decreased by approximately 20% in the period between 2016 and 2018 compared to that in 2007 for those in their 80s. The trend of the prevalence according to gender decreased significantly in women. According to the level of education, the greatest decrease was seen in the group with the lowest education, although the prevalence itself was higher than that seen in those who were more educated. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of edentulism among the older Korean population has decreased over time. However, the concern is on those with lower education and men as these groups are still at higher risk for edentulism.

Purpose: Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (ATRT) is a highly aggressive malignancy with peak incidence in children aged less than 3 years. Standard treatment for central nervous system ATRT in children under the age of 3 years have not been established yet. The objective of this study was to analyze characteristics and clinical outcomes of ATRT in children aged less than 3 years. Materials and Methods: A search of medical records from seven centers was performed between January 2005 and December 2016. Results: Forty-three patients were enrolled. With a median follow-up of 90 months, 27 patients (64.3%) showed at least one episode of disease progression (PD). The first date of PD was at 160 days after diagnosis. The 1- and 3-year progression-free survivals (PFS) were 51.2% and 28.5%, respectively. The 1- and 3-year overall survivals were 61.9% and 38.1%, respectively. The 3-year PFS was improved from 0% in pre-2011 to 47.4% in post-2011. Excluding one patient who did not receive any further therapy after surgery, 27 patients died due to PD (n=21), treatment-related toxicity (n=5), or unknown cause (n=1). In univariate analysis, factors associated with higher 3-year PFS were no metastases, diagnosis after 2011, early adjuvant radiotherapy, and high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT). In multivariate analysis, the use of HDCT and adjuvant radiotherapy remained significant prognostic factors for PFS (both p < 0.01). Conclusion Aggressive therapy including early adjuvant radiotherapy and HDCT could be considered to improve outcomes of ATRT in children under the age of 3 years.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence of edentulism according to the socio-demographic variables of Korean adults between 2007 and 2018 and to analyze the trends. METHODS: This study was conducted using raw data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) from 2007 to 2018. Edentulism was defined as the absence of upper and lower teeth or the retained root of the missing teeth. To obtain the prevalence of edentulism, complex sample frequency analysis and regression analysis were performed according to the socio-demographic variables to represent the national population. The Korean population structure in 2005 was exploited as a standard population to calculate age-standardized edentulism. RESULTS: The prevalence of edentulism in 2016-2018 was 9.7% in the Korean elderly, and the change of age-standardized edentulism steadily declined over time from 2007, 12.8%. In particular, it decreased by approximately 20% in the period between 2016 and 2018 compared to that in 2007 for those in their 80s. The trend of the prevalence according to gender decreased significantly in women. According to the level of education, the greatest decrease was seen in the group with the lowest education, although the prevalence itself was higher than that seen in those who were more educated. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of edentulism among the older Korean population has decreased over time. However, the concern is on those with lower education and men as these groups are still at higher risk for edentulism.