Background: Inflammasomes are key in the initiation of inflammatory responses and serve to de-fend the organism. However, when the immune system is imbalanced, these complexes contribute to tumor progression. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of non-canonical inflammasomes on glioma malignancy. Methods: We performed bioinformatics analysis to confirm the expression of canonical andnon-canonical inflammasome-related molecules according to the degree of malignancy through immunohistochemical examination of glioma tissues obtained with patient consent from our institution. Results: Bioinformatics analysis confirmed that the expression levels of non-canonical inflam-masome-related molecules were significantly higher in tumor tissues than in normal tissues, and they also increased according to malignancy, which adversely affected the survival rate. Furthermore, in gliomas, positive correlations were found between N-form gasdermin-D, a key molecule associated with the non-canonical inflammasome, and other related molecules, including NLRP3, caspase-1, caspase-4, and caspase-5. These results were verified by immunohistochemical examination of glioma tissues, and the expression levels of these molecules also increased significantly with increasing grade.In addition, the features of pyroptosis were confirmed. Conclusion This study identified the potential of non-canonical inflammasomes as aggressiveness markers for gliomas and presented a perspective for improving glioma treatment.

. Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease with obvious male preponderance. Males show more severe radiographic manifestations compared with females. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of sex and estrogen on the radiographic progression of AS. Methods. A total of 101 patients with AS were included in this study. All of the radiographs were scored using the modified Stoke AS Spine Score (mSASSS). Serum levels of 17β-estradiol (E2), dickkopf-1 (Dkk1), and leptin were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The generalized estimating equations model was used to evaluate factors associated with spinal radiographic progression. Results. The mean age at disease onset was 27.3±10.7 years, and 16 patients (15.8%) were female. In the multivariable analysis, body mass index (β-coefficient=0.12; β=0.047) and levels of Dkk1 (β-coefficient=−0.11; β＜0.001), and female (β-coefficient=−1.40; β=0.001) were associated with radiographic progression. Among male patients with AS, baseline C-reactive protein (β=0.11; β=0.005) and mSASSS (β=0.21; p=0.030) were also associated with radiographic progression. E2 and leptin levels were not significantly related to the radiographic progression. Conclusion. Although female patients were associated with less radiographic progression in AS, there was no significant relationship between serum estrogen level and radiographic progression. Results of current study suggests that genetic factors or other environmental factors associated with female may influence radiographic progression in patients with AS.

The KOrean College of Rheumatology BIOlogics and targeted therapy (KOBIO) registry is a nationwide observational cohort that captures detailed data on exposure of patients to biologic and targeted synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). This registry was launched in December 2012 with an aim to prospectively investigate clinical manifestations and outcomes of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriatic arthritis who initiated a biologic or targeted synthetic DMARD or switched to another. Demographic data, disease activity, current treatment, adverse events, terms based on Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities, and so on are registered for patients who are then followed up annually in a web-based unified platform. The KOBIO registry also recruits and collects data of patients with RA on conventional DMARDs for comparison. As of today, more than 5,500 patients were enrolled from 47 academic and community Rheumatology centers across Korea. The KOBIO registry has evolved to become a powerful database for clinical research to improve clinical outcomes and quality of treatment.

The KOrean College of Rheumatology BIOlogics and targeted therapy (KOBIO) registry is a nationwide observational cohort that captures detailed data on exposure of patients to biologic and targeted synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). This registry was launched in December 2012 with an aim to prospectively investigate clinical manifestations and outcomes of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriatic arthritis who initiated a biologic or targeted synthetic DMARD or switched to another. Demographic data, disease activity, current treatment, adverse events, terms based on Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities, and so on are registered for patients who are then followed up annually in a web-based unified platform. The KOBIO registry also recruits and collects data of patients with RA on conventional DMARDs for comparison. As of today, more than 5,500 patients were enrolled from 47 academic and community Rheumatology centers across Korea. The KOBIO registry has evolved to become a powerful database for clinical research to improve clinical outcomes and quality of treatment.

Objective: To identify the prevalence and characteristics of neuropathic pain (NP) in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and to investigate associations between NP and demographic or disease-related variables. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients with SCI whose pain was classified according to the International Spinal Cord Injury Pain classifications at a single hospital. Multiple statistical analyses were employed. Patients aged <19 years, and patients with other neurological disorders and congenital conditions were excluded. Results: Of 366 patients, 253 patients (69.1%) with SCI had NP. Patients who were married or had traumatic injury or depressive mood had a higher prevalence rate. When other variables were controlled, marital status and depressive mood were found to be predictors of NP. There was no association between the prevalence of NP and other demographic or clinical variables. The mean Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) of NP was 4.52, and patients mainly described pain as tingling, squeezing, and painful cold. Females and those with below-level NP reported more intense pain. An NRS cut-off value of 4.5 was determined as the most appropriate value to discriminate between patients taking pain medication and those who did not. Conclusion In total, 69.1% of patients with SCI complained of NP, indicating that NP was a major complication. Treatment planning for patients with SCI and NP should consider that marital status, mood, sex, and pain subtype may affect NP, which should be actively managed in patients with an NRS ≥4.5.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the fate of abstracts presented at scientific meetings of the Korean College of Rheumatology (KCR). METHODS: This study examined the abstracts presented at annual meetings of the KCR from 2005 to 2014. Only original studies were selected, excluding case reports. A manual search was conducted using PubMed, KoreaMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase to track the published articles. The abstracts were considered to have been published if the authors, title, study design, and results were the same for a published article. In addition, they were considered published if the author and the study design matched, even if the results of the abstract and the results of the published articles were not identical. RESULTS: A total of 928 abstracts from 2005 to 2014 were analyzed. Of the 928 abstracts, 468 (50.43%) abstracts were published in a peer-reviewed journal and the mean time to publication was 19 months. Of the 468 abstracts, 414 were published in a science citation index extended (SCI[E]) journal, and 54 were published in non-SCI(E) journals. The proportion of SCI(E) articles increased annually. The average impact factor for the SCI(E) journals was 2.93. In subgroup analysis, the abstracts that were awarded the best oral or best poster presentation were more likely to be published as full-length articles with a higher impact factor than the abstracts not awarded. CONCLUSION: Half of the abstracts presented in the KCR annual meetings were published in a peer-reviewed journal. Approximately 90% of the articles were published in a SCI(E) journal.
Awards and Prizes ; Korea ; Publications ; Rheumatology*

OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the association between rheumatoid factor (RF) positivity and bone mineral density (BMD) in male Korean subjects without any history of joint disease. METHODS: Of 84,344 males who had undergone a comprehensive health checkup program in 2012, 1,390 male health examinees were recruited, whose BMD and RF results were available. A RF titer ≥20 IU/mL was considered positive. BMD was measured at lumbar spine (L1~L4) or hip (femoral neck and total hip) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: The association between RF positivity and BMD was assessed by multiple linear regression analysis. The mean age was 52.7±10.9 years (range 19~88 years), and RF was detected in 64 subjects (4.6%). Demographics and laboratory data were not different between RF-positive and -negative subjects except hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), which was more frequently seen in RF-positive subjects (15.6% vs. 4.3%, p=0.001). RF-positive subjects had significantly lower BMD compared to RF-negative subjects in lumbar spine but not in total hip regardless of the existence of HBsAg (1.17±0.16 g/cm2 vs. 1.10±0.18 g/cm2, p=0.002 in total subjects; 1.17±0.16 g/cm2 vs. 1.10±0.18 g/cm2, p=0.004 in HBsAg-negative subjects). After adjusting for multiple confounders, RF positivity was negatively associated with lumbar spine BMD (B=−0.088 and standard error=0.035, p=0.011). CONCLUSION: Our results show that the presence of RF could have an unfavorable impact on bone density in apparently normal males. Additional studies to elucidate the osteoimmunological mechanism of rheumatoid factor are warranted.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Arthritis* ; Bone Density ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Demography ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hip ; Humans ; Joint Diseases ; Linear Models ; Male* ; Men's Health ; Neck ; Rheumatoid Factor* ; Spine

Catabacter hongkongensis is an anaerobic gram-positive coccobacillus that was first isolated in Hong Kong. It is infectious and causes high mortality in patients with rare but underlying diseases. Alistipes indistinctus is an anaerobic gram-negative coccobacillus. This bacterium is a common member of the human intestinal microbiota. We report a case of C. hongkongensis and A. indistinctus isolated from blood cultures of a patient with acute appendicitis. A 35-year-old female patient with no specific medical history was admitted to the hospital due to abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea experienced on the day before admission. On admission, laboratory tests revealed leukocytosis, neutropenia, and elevated C–reactive protein and procalcitonin levels. Following an abdominal computed tomography showing acute appendicitis with suspected perforation, emergency surgery was performed. Growth was observed in two anaerobic blood culture bottles after four days. After further culturing of the bacteria on Brucella Blood Agar, two types of bacteria were obtained. The two bacterial isolates, one gram-positive and one gram-negative, were unable to be identified using matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Thus, 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis was performed, resulting in identification of the bacteria as C. hongkongensis and A. indistinctus. The patient was administered antibiotics and discharged two days after surgery. Although MALDI-TOF MS enables fast and accurate identification of bacteria, C. hongkongensis and A. indistinctus were not listed in the spectral library, and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis was useful for identifying the two bacteria.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Agar ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Appendicitis ; Bacteria ; Brucella ; Diarrhea ; Emergencies ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Genes, rRNA ; Hong Kong ; Humans ; Leukocytosis ; Mass Spectrometry ; Mortality ; Nausea ; Neutropenia ; Sequence Analysis ; Vomiting

BACKGROUND: There was no practical guideline for the management of patients with central nervous system tumor in Korea for many years. Thus, the Korean Society for Neuro-Oncology (KSNO), a multidisciplinary academic society, has developed the guideline for glioblastoma. Subsequently, the KSNO guideline for World Health Organization (WHO) grade II cerebral glioma in adults is established. METHODS: The Working Group was composed of 35 multidisciplinary medical experts in Korea. References were identified by searching PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases using specific and sensitive keywords as well as combinations of keywords regarding diffuse astrocytoma and oligodendroglioma of brain in adults. RESULTS: Whenever radiological feature suggests lower grade glioma, the maximal safe resection if feasible is recommended globally. After molecular and histological examinations, patients with diffuse astrocytoma, isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-wildtype without molecular feature of glioblastoma should be primarily treated by standard brain radiotherapy and adjuvant temozolomide chemotherapy (Level III) while those with molecular feature of glioblastoma should be treated following the protocol for glioblastomas. In terms of patients with diffuse astrocytoma, IDH-mutant and oligodendroglioma (IDH-mutant and 1p19q codeletion), standard brain radiotherapy and adjuvant PCV (procarbazine+lomustine+vincristine) combination chemotherapy should be considered primarily for the high-risk group while observation with regular follow up should be considered for the low-risk group. CONCLUSION: The KSNO's guideline recommends that WHO grade II gliomas should be treated by maximal safe resection, if feasible, followed by radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy according to molecular and histological features of tumors and clinical characteristics of patients.
Adult ; Astrocytoma ; Brain ; Central Nervous System ; Drug Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glioblastoma ; Glioma ; Humans ; Isocitrate Dehydrogenase ; Korea ; Oligodendroglioma ; Radiotherapy ; World Health Organization

BACKGROUND: There was no practical guideline for the management of patients with central nervous system tumor in Korea in the past. Thus, the Korean Society for Neuro-Oncology (KSNO), a multidisciplinary academic society, developed the guideline for glioblastoma successfully and published it in Brain Tumor Research and Treatment, the official journal of KSNO, in April 2019. Recently, the KSNO guideline for World Health Organization (WHO) grade III cerebral glioma in adults has been established. METHODS: The Working Group was composed of 35 multidisciplinary medical experts in Korea. References were identified by searches in PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases using specific and sensitive keywords as well as combinations of keywords. Scope of the disease was confined to cerebral anaplastic astrocytoma and oligodendroglioma in adults. RESULTS: Whenever radiological feature suggests high grade glioma, maximal safe resection if feasible is globally recommended. After molecular and histological examinations, patients with anaplastic astrocytoma, isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-mutant should be primary treated by standard brain radiotherapy and adjuvant temozolomide chemotherapy whereas those with anaplastic astrocytoma, NOS, and anaplastic astrocytoma, IDH-wildtype should be treated following the protocol for glioblastomas. In terms of anaplastic oligodendroglioma, IDH-mutant and 1p19q-codeletion, and anaplastic oligodendroglioma, NOS should be primary treated by standard brain radiotherapy and neoadjuvant or adjuvant PCV (procarbazine, lomustine, and vincristine) combination chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: The KSNO's guideline recommends that WHO grade III cerebral glioma of adults should be treated by maximal safe resection if feasible, followed by radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy according to molecular and histological features of tumors.
Adult ; Astrocytoma ; Brain ; Brain Neoplasms ; Central Nervous System ; Drug Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Glioblastoma ; Glioma ; Humans ; Isocitrate Dehydrogenase ; Korea ; Lomustine ; Oligodendroglioma ; Radiotherapy ; World Health Organization