Objective: To determine the factors influencing the life satisfaction of people with physical disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, considering demographics, disability-related characteristics, health behaviors, and psychosocial characteristics. Methods: We used cross-sectional data from 301 respondents of the 2021/2022 survey of the Korean Health Cohort Study for People with Physical Disabilities. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the research subjects’ characteristics, and chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression were used to identify the determinants of life satisfaction. Results: Among socio demographic variables, occupation had a strong association with life satisfaction. Significant health behavior variables included daily regular meals, weight control effort, and chronic pain. All psychosocial characteristics (perceived stress, depression, suicidal ideation, cognitive function assessment, subjective health status, family satisfaction, income satisfaction) were strongly associated with life satisfaction. Results of the analysis of factors affecting life satisfaction showed that unemployment, lack of regular exercise, elevated stress, suicidal thoughts, and dissatisfaction with family contributed to increased life dissatisfaction. Conclusion Economic support through job creation that considers the specific characteristics of people with disabilities, and social access through community integration services that encourage participation in social activities, should be prioritized.

Objective: To determine the factors influencing the life satisfaction of people with physical disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, considering demographics, disability-related characteristics, health behaviors, and psychosocial characteristics. Methods: We used cross-sectional data from 301 respondents of the 2021/2022 survey of the Korean Health Cohort Study for People with Physical Disabilities. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the research subjects’ characteristics, and chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression were used to identify the determinants of life satisfaction. Results: Among socio demographic variables, occupation had a strong association with life satisfaction. Significant health behavior variables included daily regular meals, weight control effort, and chronic pain. All psychosocial characteristics (perceived stress, depression, suicidal ideation, cognitive function assessment, subjective health status, family satisfaction, income satisfaction) were strongly associated with life satisfaction. Results of the analysis of factors affecting life satisfaction showed that unemployment, lack of regular exercise, elevated stress, suicidal thoughts, and dissatisfaction with family contributed to increased life dissatisfaction. Conclusion Economic support through job creation that considers the specific characteristics of people with disabilities, and social access through community integration services that encourage participation in social activities, should be prioritized.

Objective: To determine the factors influencing the life satisfaction of people with physical disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, considering demographics, disability-related characteristics, health behaviors, and psychosocial characteristics. Methods: We used cross-sectional data from 301 respondents of the 2021/2022 survey of the Korean Health Cohort Study for People with Physical Disabilities. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the research subjects’ characteristics, and chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression were used to identify the determinants of life satisfaction. Results: Among socio demographic variables, occupation had a strong association with life satisfaction. Significant health behavior variables included daily regular meals, weight control effort, and chronic pain. All psychosocial characteristics (perceived stress, depression, suicidal ideation, cognitive function assessment, subjective health status, family satisfaction, income satisfaction) were strongly associated with life satisfaction. Results of the analysis of factors affecting life satisfaction showed that unemployment, lack of regular exercise, elevated stress, suicidal thoughts, and dissatisfaction with family contributed to increased life dissatisfaction. Conclusion Economic support through job creation that considers the specific characteristics of people with disabilities, and social access through community integration services that encourage participation in social activities, should be prioritized.

Purpose: Intensive cytotoxic chemotherapy increases the risk of infection in patients with cancer by inducing bone marrow suppression and mucosal injury. Febrile neutropenia (FN) is the most important clinical adverse event in patients with cancer receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy. To prevent FN, standard precautions including hand and respiratory hygiene are generally recommended, but the exact effect of non-pharmacologic intervention has not been clearly proven in the clinical setting. We aimed to compare the incidence of FN between the pre-coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) era vs. the postCOVID-19 era. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled patients with breast cancer who received an adriamycin and cyclophosphamide (AC) regimen containing adjuvant chemotherapy at Jeju National University Hospital. We compared the incidence of FN between the pre- and post-COVID-19 period and analyzed characteristics of the event and other clinical risk factors. Results: In total, 149 patients were enrolled, including 94 who received AC chemotherapy in the pre-COVID-19 era and 55 who received it in the post-COVID-19 era. Sixteen patients (10.7%) experienced FN. Fourteen (14.9%) and 2 events (3.6%) occurred in pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 eras, respectively. The post-COVID-19 era was the only risk factor for FN (P = 0.032). Conclusion We found an association between FN occurrence and the COVID-19 outbreak, providing indirect evidence of the importance of non-pharmacological measures to reduce FN risk in patients with breast cancer. Further research is required to confirm the standard precautions for FN prevention in patients with cancer.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a prevalent cardiac arrhythmia associated with significant morbidity and mortality, posing a considerable burden on healthcare systems. In Republic of Korea, the prevalence and incidence of AF have increased in recent years. There have also been significant changes in the trends of antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) use and procedural treatments for AF. Objectives: This study aims to review the trends in AF treatment strategies in Republic of Korea, particularly focusing on the utilization of antiarrhythmic drugs and catheter ablation. Methods: The Korean National Health Insurance Service (K-NHIS) data were used to identify AF patients from 2013 to 2022. AAD usage and catheter ablation procedures were analyzed annually. AADs were classified into Class IC and III drugs. Trends in beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and digoxin prescriptions were also examined. The primary endpoint was the trend of AAD use and AF catheter ablation (AFCA) over 10 years. Results: In 2022, 940,063 patients had a prior diagnosis of AF. From 2013 to 2022, the use of AADs increased from 12.1 to 16.4% among prevalent AF patients. Beta-blockers were the most commonly prescribed rate control medication, while the use of calcium channel blockers and digoxin declined. The frequency of AFCA procedures also increased, from 0.5% of prevalent AF patients in 2013 to 0.7% in 2022. Younger patients, males, and those with lower CHA2DS2-VASc scores were more likely to receive AFCA. Regional variations in treatment patterns were observed, with Seoul exhibiting higher rates of procedural treatments and AAD prescriptions. Conclusions Over the past decade, there has been a significant increase in the use of AADs and AFCA procedures in Republic of Korea. These trends reflect recent advancements in AF management advocating a refined rhythm control strategy.

Background: An idiopathic outflow tract premature ventricular complex (OT-PVC) is a common arrhythmia, and the accuracy of site of origin prediction using the 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) algorithm is not high. There are no studies about a systematic strategy that can provide practical help to electrophysiologists in OT-PVC mapping and ablation. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the proposed ablation protocol and establish an optimal catheter ablation strategy by simultaneously investigating and synthesizing various indicators observed during the mapping procedure. Methods: and designThis study (ABOUT-PVC) was designed as a prospective multicenter study to enroll 210 patients from 11 tertiary university hospitals over an estimated 27 months. Patients with idiopathic OT-PVC requiring catheter ablation will receive the procedure through a proposed ablation strategy and will be followed up for at least 12 months. The primary outcome is the acute procedural success rate. The secondary outcomes are clinical success rate, procedure time, complication rate, symptom relief, and changes in echocardiographic parameters. Conclusions The ABOUT-PVC study was designed to investigate the efficacy and safety of the proposed ablation strategy and establish an optimal catheter ablation strategy. We expect this study to overcome the limitations of the ECG prediction algorithms and provide a practical guide to electrophysiologists, increasing the procedure’s success rate and reducing complications and procedure time.

Background: In the Rivaroxaban Once-daily oral direct factor Xa inhibition Compared with vitamin K antagonism for prevention of stroke and Embolism Trial in Atrial Fibrillation (ROCKET AF) trial, rivaroxaban 20 mg was the on-label dose, and the dose-reduction criterion for rivaroxaban was a creatinine clearance of < 50 mL/min. Some Asian countries are using reduced doses label according to the J-ROCKET AF trial. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of a high-dose rivaroxaban regimen (HDRR, 20/15 mg) and low-dose rivaroxaban regimen (LDRR, 15/10 mg) among elderly East Asian patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) in real-world practice. Methods: This study was a multicenter, prospective, non-interventional observational study designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban in AF patients > 65 years of age with or without renal impairment. Results: A total of 1,093 patients (mean age, 72.8 ± 5.8 years; 686 [62.9%] men) were included in the analysis, with 493 patients allocated to the HDRR group and 598 patients allocated to the LDRR group. A total of 765 patients received 15 mg of rivaroxaban (203 in the HDRR group and 562 in the LDRR group). There were no significant differences in the incidence rates of major bleeding (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.64; 95% confidential interval [CI], 0.21–1.93), stroke (adjusted HR, 3.21; 95% CI, 0.54–19.03), and composite outcomes (adjusted HR, 1.13;95% CI, 0.47–2.69) between the HDRR and LDRR groups. Conclusion This study revealed the safety and effectiveness of either dose regimen of rivaroxaban in an Asian population for stroke prevention of AF. Considerable numbers of patients are receiving LDRR therapy in real-world practice in Asia. Both regimens were safe and effective for these patients.

Background: Preauricular sinus (PAS) is a common congenital anomaly, and complete excision is recommended to prevent recurrence. However, PAS has a high recurrence rate as a result of incomplete removal due to the high variability of the sinus ramifications, making its treatment challenging. In this study, we standardized the surgical procedure to reduce the complications and recurrence rate and compared the postoperative results between the non-standardized and the standardized groups. Methods: This retrospective study included 97 patients (120 ears) who had undergone PAS excision by a single surgeon between October 2014 and September 2022 and underwent at least 6 months of follow-up. After October 2018, all patients were treated using the standardized method, which comprised the use of magnifying glasses, exploration with a lacrimal probe, the use of methylene blue staining, and excision of a piece of surrounding normal tissue and related cartilage in continuity with the specimen. There were 38 patients (45 ears) in the non-standardized group and 59 patients (75 ears) in the standardized group. Results: Recurrence was observed in six of 120 ears, indicating an overall recurrence rate of 5.0%. Recurrence occurred in five ears (11.1%) in the non-standardized group and one ear (1.3%) in the standardized group. The standardized group had a significantly lower recurrence rate (p= 0.027) than the non-standardized group. Conclusion We defined a standardized sinectomy protocol and used it for the surgical treatment of PAS. With this standardized method, we were able to reduce the rates of complications and recurrence without the use of a long incision.

Background: It has become important to identify and manage risk factors for subclinical atrial fibrillation (AF) with an increase in its detection rate. Thus, this research aimed to investigate whether alcohol consumption contrib‑ utes to the development of subclinical AF. Methods: This prospective study enrolled 467 patients without AF from a multicenter pacemaker registry. The incidence of subclinical AF (episodes of atrial rate > 220 beats per minute without symptoms) was compared between alcohol-drinking and non-drinking groups. Results: During followup (median 18 months), the incidence and risk of long-duration atrial high-rate episodes (AHRE) ≥ 24 h were increased in the alcohol group compared to the non-alcohol group [5.47 vs. 2.10 per 100 personyears, adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 2.83; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.14–7.04; P = 0.03]. After propensity score match‑ ing, the incidence and risk of long-duration AHRE were higher in the alcohol group (6.97 vs. 1.27 per 100 personyears, adjusted HR, 7.84; 95% CI, 1.21–50.93; P = 0.03). The mean burden of long-duration subclinical AF was higher in the alcohol group than in the non-alcohol group (0.18 vs. 1.61% during follow-up, P = 0.08). Conclusion Alcohol consumption was associated with an increased risk of subclinical AF. Long-duration AHRE inci‑ dence and AHRE burden were higher in alcohol drinkers than in non-drinkers.

Background: The prognostic significance of resting heart rate and its therapeutic target in atrial fibrillation (AF) is uncertain. We sought to investigate the relationship between resting heart rate and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with non-paroxysmal AF (non-PAF). Methods: In this propensity score-weighted, multi-center prospective cohort study, 3217 patients with non-PAF were analyzed. Patients were categorized according to the baseline resting heart rate and cardiovascular outcomes were accessed for a median follow-up of 30 months. The primary outcome was a composite of cardiovascular death, heart failure hospitalization, and myocardial infarction/critical limb ischemia. Results: Freedom from primary outcome was longest among patients with resting heart rate 80–99 beats per minute (bpm) whereas shortest among those with ≤ 59 bpm (weighted log rank, p = 0.008). Compared with heart rate ≥ 100 bpm, resting heart rate 80–99 and 60–79 bpm was associated with reduced risk of primary outcome (weighted hazard ratio [WHR] 0.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.32–0.84, p = 0.008 and WHR 0.58, 95% CI 0.37–0.92, p = 0.021 for heart rate 80–99 and 60–79 bpm, respectively). Using weighted restricted cubic spline curves, there was a U-shaped association between the resting heart rate and primary outcome with reduced risk of primary outcome in heart rate range of 68–99 bpm. This association was maintained regardless of atrioventricular node (AVN) blocker use or persistent/permanent AF (p for interaction 0.767 for AVN blocker use and 0.720 for AF type). Conclusion Resting heart rate was associated with cardiovascular outcomes in patients with non-PAF and those with resting heart rate between 68 and 99 bpm had lower risk of adverse cardiovascular events regardless of AVN blocker use or persistent/permanent AF.