Purpose: Fertility preservation (FP) is an important issue for young survivors of breast cancer. Although international guidelines recommend pre-treatment fertility counseling for women with breast cancer, there is no standardized protocol or referral system for FP in South Korea. There are also barriers to discussing FP that make patient-centered decision making difficult. This study aimed to develop a shared decision making program for FP and compare the rates of FP procedures between the usual care and shared decision making groups. We hypothesized that multidisciplinary shared decision making for FP would increase the rate of FP procedures and patient satisfaction. Methods The multidisciplinary shared decision making for FP in young women with breast cancer (MYBC) is a multicenter, clustered, stepped-wedge, randomized trial. A total of 1100patients with breast cancer, aged 19–40 years, from nine hospitals in South Korea, will be enrolled. They will be randomized at the institutional level and assigned to usual care and shared decision making groups. Four institutions, each of which can recruit more than 200 patients, will each become a cluster, whereas five institutions, each of which can recruit more than 50 patients, will become one cluster, for a total of five clusters. The shared decision making groups will receive multidisciplinary programs for FP developed by the investigator. The primary outcome is the rate of FP procedures; secondary outcomes include fertility results, satisfaction, and quality of life. Outcomes will be measured at enrollment, treatment initiation, and the 1-, 3-, and 5-year follow-ups after starting breast cancer treatment.Discussion: A multidisciplinary shared decision making program for FP is expected to increase fertility rates and satisfaction among young patients with breast cancer. This study will provide the evidence to implement a multidisciplinary system for patients with breast cancer.

An allergy skin test is used to diagnose certain allergies by identifying sensitized allergens. In other words, it is a test for patients who are already sensitized to certain allergens. Because of the prevailing perception that beta-lactam allergy can be dangerous and potentially lethal, the intradermal test has long been routinely performed before use to screen beta-lactam allergy in Korea. The prevalence of penicillin allergy is estimated to be 1% to 2%. However, only 14% of the subjects with perceived penicillin allergy is considered to have true penicillin allergy. Moreover, it is difficult to justify performing a skin test on subjects who are very unlikely to be sensitized to beta-lactam, such as those who never used beta-lactam or never experienced allergy after previous use of beta-lactam.Therefore, allergists recommend beta-lactam skin testing in those who have allergy after the use of beta-lactam. Nevertheless, many hospitals in Korea are conducting routine skin tests on patients regardless of a history of beta-lactam allergy, which are not clinically validated but consume considerable human and material resources. False-positive results can consequently result in inappropriate labeling of beta-lactam allergy, leading to the unnecessary restriction of medication prescriptions and the increase in medical expenses. Herein, the drug allergy working group affiliated with the Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy, and Clinical Immunology announces an expert opinion on the preuse beta-lactam skin test for subjects without a history of beta-lactam allergy based on the objective evidence from the literature and clinical relevance.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Diffuse long coronary artery disease (DLCAD) still has unfavorable clinical outcomes after successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Resolute™ zotarolimus-eluting stent (R-ZES; Resolute™ Integrity) for patients with DLCAD. METHODS: From December 2011 to December 2014, 1,011 patients who underwent PCI using R-ZES for CAD with longer than 25 mm lesion were prospectively enrolled from 21 hospitals in Korea. We assessed the clinical outcome of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) defined as the composite of cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), and clinically-driven target vessel revascularization at 12 months. RESULTS: Mean age was 63.8±10.8 years, 701 (69.3%) patients were male, 572 (87.0%) patients had hypertension, 339 (33.8%) patients had diabetes, 549 (54.3%) patients diagnosed with acute MI and 545 (53.9%) patients had multi-vessel disease (MVD). A total of 1,697 stents were implanted into a total of 1,472 lesions. The mean diameter was 3.07±0.38 mm and the length was 28.27±6.97 mm. Multiple overlapping stents were performed in 205 (13.8%) lesions. A 12-month clinical follow-up was available in 1,004 patients (99.3%). The incidences of MACE and definite stent thrombosis at 12-month were 3.0% and 0.3% respectively. On multivariate Cox-regression analysis, multiple overlapping stents implantation, previous congestive heart failure, MVD, and age ≥75 years were independent predictors of one-year MACE. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that R-ZES has an excellent 1-year clinical outcome in Korean patients with DLCAD.
Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Death ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Prospective Studies ; Stents ; Thrombosis ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Diffuse long coronary artery disease (DLCAD) still has unfavorable clinical outcomes after successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Resolute™ zotarolimus-eluting stent (R-ZES; Resolute™ Integrity) for patients with DLCAD. METHODS: From December 2011 to December 2014, 1,011 patients who underwent PCI using R-ZES for CAD with longer than 25 mm lesion were prospectively enrolled from 21 hospitals in Korea. We assessed the clinical outcome of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) defined as the composite of cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), and clinically-driven target vessel revascularization at 12 months. RESULTS: Mean age was 63.8±10.8 years, 701 (69.3%) patients were male, 572 (87.0%) patients had hypertension, 339 (33.8%) patients had diabetes, 549 (54.3%) patients diagnosed with acute MI and 545 (53.9%) patients had multi-vessel disease (MVD). A total of 1,697 stents were implanted into a total of 1,472 lesions. The mean diameter was 3.07±0.38 mm and the length was 28.27±6.97 mm. Multiple overlapping stents were performed in 205 (13.8%) lesions. A 12-month clinical follow-up was available in 1,004 patients (99.3%). The incidences of MACE and definite stent thrombosis at 12-month were 3.0% and 0.3% respectively. On multivariate Cox-regression analysis, multiple overlapping stents implantation, previous congestive heart failure, MVD, and age ≥75 years were independent predictors of one-year MACE. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows that R-ZES has an excellent 1-year clinical outcome in Korean patients with DLCAD.

Gallbladder (GB) cancer is relatively rare and has a poor prognosis, with a median survival time of less than 3 months. It is resistant to chemotherapy. Therefore, the role of systemic chemotherapy is limited. However, administering the anticancer agent directly into the hepatic artery can result in a higher drug concentration in the cancer tissue. In this paper, we report a case of advanced GB cancer treated with hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) using the port system. The patient received six cycles of HAIC with 5-fluorouracil (750 mg/m²) and cisplatin (25 mg/m²); each cycle lasted for 4 days every month. The tumor showed objective response during HAIC, and the patient survived for 15 months from the first therapy. HAIC using the port system might be a promising therapeutic modality for treating locally advanced GB cancer.
Cisplatin ; Drug Therapy ; Fluorouracil ; Gallbladder Neoplasms ; Gallbladder ; Hepatic Artery ; Humans ; Prognosis

Gallbladder (GB) cancer is relatively rare and has a poor prognosis, with a median survival time of less than 3 months. It is resistant to chemotherapy. Therefore, the role of systemic chemotherapy is limited. However, administering the anticancer agent directly into the hepatic artery can result in a higher drug concentration in the cancer tissue. In this paper, we report a case of advanced GB cancer treated with hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) using the port system. The patient received six cycles of HAIC with 5-fluorouracil (750 mg/m²) and cisplatin (25 mg/m²); each cycle lasted for 4 days every month. The tumor showed objective response during HAIC, and the patient survived for 15 months from the first therapy. HAIC using the port system might be a promising therapeutic modality for treating locally advanced GB cancer.

Although Dieulafoy lesion can occur in any part of the gastrointestinal tract, its occurrence in the rectum is rare. Rectal Dieulafoy lesions have been associated with advanced age, renal failure, burns, liver transplantation and cirrhosis. Here, we report on a case of massive bleeding from a rectal Dieulafoy lesion after lung decortication surgery in a 57-year-old male patient with alcoholic cirrhosis. Although rare, a rectal Dieulafoy lesion should be included in the differential diagnosis of massive lower gastrointestinal bleeding in a patient with cirrhosis.
Alcoholics* ; Burns ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fibrosis ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic* ; Liver Transplantation ; Lung ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rectum ; Renal Insufficiency

Although Dieulafoy lesion can occur in any part of the gastrointestinal tract, its occurrence in the rectum is rare. Rectal Dieulafoy lesions have been associated with advanced age, renal failure, burns, liver transplantation and cirrhosis. Here, we report on a case of massive bleeding from a rectal Dieulafoy lesion after lung decortication surgery in a 57-year-old male patient with alcoholic cirrhosis. Although rare, a rectal Dieulafoy lesion should be included in the differential diagnosis of massive lower gastrointestinal bleeding in a patient with cirrhosis.
Alcoholics ; Burns ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fibrosis ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic ; Liver Transplantation ; Lung ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rectum ; Renal Insufficiency

Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (RAS) may result in hypertension, azotemia, and acute pulmonary edema. We report on a renal angioplasty with stent placement for bilateral RAS in a patient with acute decompensated heart failure and acute kidney injury. A 67-year-old female patient was admitted to our hospital with acute shortness of breath and generalized edema. Echocardiography showed left ventricular wall motion abnormality and the follow up electrocardiography showed T wave inversion in the precordial leads. We performed a coronary angiography to differentiate ischemic heart disease from non-cardiac origin for the cause of the heart failure. The coronary angiography showed no significant luminal narrowing, but bilateral RAS was confirmed on the renal artery angiography, therefore, we performed renal artery revascularization. After the procedure, the pulmonary edema was improved and the serum creatinine was decreased. Two weeks later, an echocardiography showed improvement of the left ventricular systolic function.
Acute Kidney Injury* ; Aged ; Angiography ; Angioplasty ; Azotemia ; Coronary Angiography ; Creatinine ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography ; Edema ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Failure* ; Heart Failure, Systolic ; Heart* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertension, Renovascular ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Phenobarbital ; Pulmonary Edema ; Renal Artery Obstruction* ; Renal Artery* ; Stents

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effect of a new clomiphene citrate (CC) regimen on preventing thin endometrial lining in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients receiving CC plus gonadotropin treatment with a timed intercourse cycle. METHODS: A total of 114 women with PCOS were included in this trial. Patients were divided into two groups and treated in accordance with the controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) protocol. In group A, 104 COS cycles in 67 patients were included, and in each cycle 150 mg CC was given for three days, starting from day 3. In group B, 69 COS cycles in 47 patients were included, in which 100 mg CC was given for five days, starting from day 3. The thickness of the endometrium was measured on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) injection. Timed intercourse was recommended at 24 and 48 hours after the hCG injection. RESULTS: Additional doses of human menopausal gonadotropin and the number of days of hCG administration were not significantly different between the two groups. Endometrial thickness on the day of hCG administration was significantly larger in group A than group B (9.4+/-2.1 mm vs. 8.5+/-1.7 mm, p=0.004). The pregnancy rate was significantly higher in group A than in group B (38.4% vs. 21.7%, p=0.030). CONCLUSION: Three-day CC treatment resulted in a significantly higher pregnancy rate than the standard five-day CC treatment in a timed intercourse cycle in PCOS patients. Facilitating adequate endometrial growth via the early discontinuation of CC might be a crucial factor in achieving a higher pregnancy rate.
Chorionic Gonadotropin ; Clomiphene* ; Endometrium ; Female ; Gonadotropins* ; Humans ; Ovulation Induction ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate