This report presents the latest statistics on the stroke population in South Korea, sourced from the Clinical Research Collaborations for Stroke in Korea-National Institute for Health (CRCS-K-NIH), a comprehensive, nationwide, multicenter stroke registry. The Korean cohort, unlike western populations, shows a male-to-female ratio of 1.5, attributed to lower risk factors in Korean women. The average ages for men and women are 67 and 73 years, respectively.Hypertension is the most common risk factor (67%), consistent with global trends, but there is a higher prevalence of diabetes (35%) and smoking (21%). The prevalence of atrial fibrillation (19%) is lower than in western populations, suggesting effective prevention strategies in the general population. A high incidence of large artery atherosclerosis (38%) is observed, likely due to prevalent intracranial arterial disease in East Asians and advanced imaging techniques.There has been a decrease in intravenous thrombolysis rates, from 12% in 2017–2019 to 10% in 2021, with no improvements in door-to-needle and door-to-puncture times, worsened by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. While the use of aspirin plus clopidogrel for noncardioembolic stroke and direct oral anticoagulants for atrial fibrillation is well-established, the application of direct oral anticoagulants for non-atrial fibrillation cardioembolic strokes in the acute phase requires further research. The incidence of early neurological deterioration (13%) and the cumulative incidence of recurrent stroke at 3 months (3%) align with global figures. Favorable outcomes at 3 months (63%) are comparable internationally, yet the lack of improvement in dependency at 3 months highlights the need for advancements in acute stroke care.

Background/Aims: The prospective Crohn’s Disease Clinical Network and Cohort Study is a nationwide multicenter cohort study of patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) in Korea, aiming to prospectively investigate the clinical features and long-term prognosis associated with CD. Methods: Patients diagnosed with CD between January 2009 and September 2019 were prospectively enrolled. They were divided into two cohorts according to the year of diagnosis: cohort 1 (diagnosed between 2009 and 2011) versus cohort 2 (between 2012 and 2019). Results: A total of 1,175 patients were included, and the median follow-up duration was 68 months (interquartile range, 39.0 to 91.0 months). The treatment-free durations for thiopurines (p<0.001) and anti-tumor necrosis factor agents (p=0.018) of cohort 2 were shorter than those of cohort 1. Among 887 patients with B1 behavior at diagnosis, 149 patients (16.8%) progressed to either B2 or B3 behavior during follow-up. Early use of thiopurine was associated with a reduced risk of behavioral progression (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.50 to 0.90), and family history of inflammatory bowel disease was associated with an increased risk of behavioral progression (aHR, 2.29; 95% CI, 1.16 to 4.50). One hundred forty-one patients (12.0%) underwent intestinal resection, and the intestinal resection-free survival time was significantly longer in cohort 2 than in cohort 1 (p=0.003). The early use of thiopurines (aHR, 0.35;95% CI, 0.23 to 0.51) was independently associated with a reduced risk of intestinal resection. Conclusions The prognosis of CD in Korea appears to have improved over time, as evidenced by the decreasing intestinal resection rate. Early use of thiopurines was associated with an improved prognosis represented by a reduced risk of intestinal resection.

To develop a clinical practice guideline for vaccination in patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic disease (AIIRD), the Korean College of Rheumatology and theKorean Society of Infectious Diseases developed a clinical practice guideline according to the clinical practice guideline development manual. Since vaccination is unlikely to cause AIIRD or worsen disease activities, required vaccinations are recommended. Once patients are diagnosed with AIIRD, treatment strategies should be established and, at the same time, monitor their vaccination history. It is recommended to administer vaccines when the disease enters the stabilized stage. Administering live attenuated vaccines in patients with AIIRD who are taking immunosuppressants should be avoided. Vaccination should be considered in patients with AIIRD, prior to initiating immunosuppressants. It is recommended to administer influenza, Streptococcus pneumoniae, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, herpes zoster, measlesmumps- rubella virus, human papillomavirus, and tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis vaccines in patients with AIIRD; such patients who planned to travel are generally recommended to be vaccinated at the recommended vaccine level of healthy adults. Those who live in a household with patients with AIIRD and their caregivers should also be vaccinated at levels that are generally recommended for healthy adults.

The objective of this study was to investigate factors affecting the return home one year after a stroke. The subjects of this study consisted of patients who participated in a large-scale multi-objective cohort study of initial stage stroke patients who were admitted to 9 representative hospitals in Korea. We analyzed the distribution of the subjects who had experienced stroke a year earlier by distinguishing the group who returned home and the other group that was hospitalized in rehabilitation hospitals. Based on this distribution, we evaluated the demographic, environmental, clinical, and psychological factors that can affect the return home. Overall, there were 464 subjects in the ‘Return home’ group and 99 subjects in the ‘Rehabilitation hospitalization’ group. job status, inconvenient housing structures, residential types, diagnosis, Functional Ambulation Categories, modified Rankin Scale, Korea-Modified Barthel Index, Function Independence Measure, Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination, Korean version of Frenchay Aphasia Screening Test, Psychosocial Well-being Index-Short Form, Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form, EuroQol-five Dimensional showed a significant difference between the 2 groups one year after the stroke. The factors affecting the return home one year after a stroke include functional status, activities of daily living, cognition, depression, stress, quality of life, job status. It is expected that factors affecting the rehabilitation of patients with stroke can be considered as basic data for establishing rehabilitation goals and treatment plans.

The objective of this study was to investigate factors affecting the return home one year after a stroke. The subjects of this study consisted of patients who participated in a large-scale multi-objective cohort study of initial stage stroke patients who were admitted to 9 representative hospitals in Korea. We analyzed the distribution of the subjects who had experienced stroke a year earlier by distinguishing the group who returned home and the other group that was hospitalized in rehabilitation hospitals. Based on this distribution, we evaluated the demographic, environmental, clinical, and psychological factors that can affect the return home. Overall, there were 464 subjects in the ‘Return home’ group and 99 subjects in the ‘Rehabilitation hospitalization’ group. job status, inconvenient housing structures, residential types, diagnosis, Functional Ambulation Categories, modified Rankin Scale, Korea-Modified Barthel Index, Function Independence Measure, Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination, Korean version of Frenchay Aphasia Screening Test, Psychosocial Well-being Index-Short Form, Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form, EuroQol-five Dimensional showed a significant difference between the 2 groups one year after the stroke. The factors affecting the return home one year after a stroke include functional status, activities of daily living, cognition, depression, stress, quality of life, job status. It is expected that factors affecting the rehabilitation of patients with stroke can be considered as basic data for establishing rehabilitation goals and treatment plans.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aphasia ; Cognition ; Cohort Studies ; Depression ; Diagnosis ; Housing ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Patient Discharge ; Psychology ; Quality of Life ; Rehabilitation ; Stroke ; Walking

The objective of this study was to investigate factors affecting the return home one year after a stroke. The subjects of this study consisted of patients who participated in a large-scale multi-objective cohort study of initial stage stroke patients who were admitted to 9 representative hospitals in Korea. We analyzed the distribution of the subjects who had experienced stroke a year earlier by distinguishing the group who returned home and the other group that was hospitalized in rehabilitation hospitals. Based on this distribution, we evaluated the demographic, environmental, clinical, and psychological factors that can affect the return home. Overall, there were 464 subjects in the ‘Return home’ group and 99 subjects in the ‘Rehabilitation hospitalization’ group. job status, inconvenient housing structures, residential types, diagnosis, Functional Ambulation Categories, modified Rankin Scale, Korea-Modified Barthel Index, Function Independence Measure, Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination, Korean version of Frenchay Aphasia Screening Test, Psychosocial Well-being Index-Short Form, Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form, EuroQol-five Dimensional showed a significant difference between the 2 groups one year after the stroke. The factors affecting the return home one year after a stroke include functional status, activities of daily living, cognition, depression, stress, quality of life, job status. It is expected that factors affecting the rehabilitation of patients with stroke can be considered as basic data for establishing rehabilitation goals and treatment plans.

To develop a clinical practice guideline for vaccination in patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic disease (AIIRD), the Korean College of Rheumatology and the Korean Society of Infectious Diseases developed a clinical practice guideline according to the clinical practice guideline development manual. Since vaccination is unlikely to cause AIIRD or worsen disease activities, required vaccinations are recommended. Once patients are diagnosed with AIIRD, treatment strategies should be established and, at the same time, monitor their vaccination history. It is recommended to administer vaccines when the disease enters the stabilized stage. Administering live attenuated vaccines in patients with AIIRD who are taking immunosuppressants should be avoided. Vaccination should be considered in patients with AIIRD, prior to initiating immunosuppressants. It is recommended to administer influenza, Streptococcus pneumoniae, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, herpes zoster, measles-mumps-rubella virus, human papillomavirus, and tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis vaccines in patients with AIIRD; such patients who planned to travel are generally recommended to be vaccinated at the recommended vaccine level of healthy adults. Those who live in a household with patients with AIIRD and their caregivers should also be vaccinated at levels that are generally recommended for healthy adults.

PURPOSE: Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide and the second most common cancer among Korean women. The prognosis of breast cancer is poor in patients with other primary cancers. However, there have been few clinical studies regarding this issue. Therefore, we analyzed the characteristics and prognosis of patients with breast cancer with multiple primary cancers (MPCs). METHODS: Data from the Korean Breast Cancer Society Registry were analyzed. Data from enrolled patients who underwent surgery for breast cancer were analyzed for differences in prognosis dependent on the presence of MPCs, and which MPC characteristics affected their prognosis. RESULTS: Among the 41,841 patients analyzed, 913 patients were found to have MPCs, accounting for 950 total MPCs. There was a significant difference in survival rates between the breast cancer only group and the MPC group. The 5-year survival rates were 93.6% and 86.7% and the 10-year survival rates were 87.5% and 70.4%, respectively. Among the 913 patients with MPCs, patients with two or more MPCs had significantly worse prognoses than patients with a single MPC. With respect to the time interval between breast cancer and MPC occurrence, patients with a 5-year or greater interval had significantly better prognoses than patients with less than 1 year between occurrences. Among MPCs, thyroid cancer was the most common primary cancer. However, this type was not related to the prognosis of breast cancer. Gynecologic cancer, colorectal cancer, upper gastrointestinal cancer, and lung cancer were related to breast cancer prognosis. CONCLUSION: MPCs were a poor prognostic factor for patients with breast cancer. Two or more MPCs and a shorter time interval between occurrences were worse prognostic factors. Although MPCs were a poor prognostic factor, thyroid cancer did not affect the prognosis of patients with breast cancer.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; Neoplasms, Multiple Primary ; Prognosis* ; Survival Rate ; Thyroid Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate factors associated with the risk of articular surface perforation during anchor placement for arthroscopic acetabular labral repair using follow-up computed tomographic arthrography (CTA). METHODS: Forty-six patients (29 males and 17 females) underwent arthroscopic labral repair using 142 suture anchors (55 large anchors and 87 small anchors). The patients were followed with CTA 1 year postoperatively. Anchor position was assessed by the insertion angle and the distance of the suture anchor tip from the articular cartilage. The incidence of malposition of suture anchors was assessed in follow-up CTA. The location and incidence of malposition were compared between two groups divided according to the diameter of suture anchor. RESULTS: The mean insertion angle and distance were significantly different between the groups. Of the 142 anchors, 15 (11%) were placed in the cartilage-bone transitional zone. Articular involvement was most common at the 3 o'clock position of the suture anchor (six out of 33 anchors, 18.2%). Both the insertion angle and distance showed small values in the articular involvement group. CONCLUSIONS: The radiographic analysis of the placement of suture anchors after arthroscopic labral refixation based on follow-up CTA demonstrates that articular involvement of anchors is related to the location on the acetabular rim (clock position) and anchor diameter.
Acetabulum* ; Arthrography ; Cartilage, Articular ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Suture Anchors

PURPOSE: The impact of postoperative ipsilateral neck radiotherapy (INRT) versus bilateral neck radiotherapy (BNRT) on the clinical outcomes of patients with tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma was analyzed retrospectively. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between October 2001 and June 2012, 241 patients with T1-2 and N0-N2b tonsillar carcinoma from 16 institutes underwent postoperative INRT (n=84) or BNRT (n=157) following a tonsillectomy. Seventy patients were identified from each group by propensity score matching and compared in terms of the overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), locoregional relapse-free survival (LRRFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) rates calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method with a log-rank test. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 55 months (range, 3 to 133 months). The survival outcomes in the INRT and BNRT groups were similar: 5-year OS (92.8% vs. 94.0%, p=0.985), DFS (80.5% vs. 94.2%. p=0.085), LRRFS (88.1% vs. 97.1%, p=0.083), and DMFS (92.7% vs. 97.0%, p=0.370). Subgroup analysis revealed no contralateral neck recurrence in 61 patients with T1-2N0-2a regardless of the treatment groups. For 79 patients with N2b, contralateral neck recurrence was more common in the INRT group than in the BNRT group (7.9% vs. 0.0%), but the difference was not significant (p=0.107). The overall grade ≥ 2 toxicities were lower in the INRT group: acute (45.7% vs. 74.3%, p=0.001) and late (4.3% vs. 31.4%, p < 0.001), respectively. CONCLUSION: INRT is an attractive strategy for patients with T1-2N0-2a tonsillar carcinoma compared to BNRT. For patients with N2b, there was a small risk of contralateral neck recurrence when treated with INRT, but its impact on the OS was limited with successful salvage treatment.
Academies and Institutes ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Epithelial Cells* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Methods ; Neck* ; Palatine Tonsil* ; Propensity Score* ; Radiotherapy* ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Salvage Therapy ; Tonsillar Neoplasms ; Tonsillectomy