Purpose: This study aimed to identify the risk factors for peripheral intravenous catheter-related phlebitis in hospitalized neurosurgery patients. Methods: This study involved 443 neurosurgery patients who were admitted to a general hospital in Seoul. The analysis included 982 intravenous lines. Data were retrospectively extracted from electronic medical records for the period between November 1, 2022, and May 31, 2023. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, x 2 test, and logistic regression. Results: The incidence rate of phlebitis was 13.6%, with the majority of cases classified as grade 2. Gender, present diseases, length of hospital stay, needle gauge size, and cardiovascular drugs were identified as risk factors for phlebitis in neurosurgery patients. Conclusion This study is significant as it provides basic data for the prevention and management of peripheral phlebitis in hospitalized neurosurgery patients. The risk factors identified in this study should be incorporated into nursing education to implement a systematic peripheral intravenous management program, and appropriate peripheral intravenous catheter-related nursing interventions are necessary based on the characteristics of each patient.

South Korea’s current vaccination policies leave a surveillance gap for non-National Immunization Program (NIP) vaccines. In this study, we proposed a sentinel surveillance approach for monitoring the safety of non-NIP vaccines. Vaccination data were collected retrospectively among patients hospitalized with pre-defined adverse events of special interest (AESI) by reviewing electronic medical records in five university hospitals. This approach incorporates expert assessment to determine the causal relationship. We confirmed that 16 patients had received non-NIP vaccines among 860 patients diagnosed with AESI.We concluded one case of preeclampsia was possibly related to tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis vaccination. We propose a multi-hospital-based, retrospective assessment system for predefined AESIs as an alternative to active vaccine safety monitoring method. These efforts are expected to enhance both the accuracy and timeliness of safety monitoring in South Korea.

Background: Shortage of organ donors in the Republic of Korea has become a major problem. To address this, it has been questioned whether heart transplant (HTx) allocation should be modified to reduce priority of older patients. We aimed to evaluate post-HTx outcomes according to recipient age and specific pre-HTx conditions using a nationwide prospective cohort. Methods: We analyzed clinical characteristics of 628 patients from the Korean Organ Transplant Registry who received HTx from January 2015 to December 2020. Enrolled recipients were divided into three groups according to age. We also included comorbidities including ambulatory status. Non-ambulatory status was defined as pre-HTx support with either extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, continuous renal replacement therapy, or mechanical ventilation. Results: Of the 628 patients, 195 were < 50 years, 322 were 50–64 years and 111 were ≥ 65years at transplant. Four hundred nine (65.1%) were ambulatory and 219 (34.9%) were nonambulatory. Older recipients tended to have more comorbidities, ischemic cardiomyopathy, and received older donors. Post-HTx survival was significantly lower in older recipients (P = 0.025) and recipients with non-ambulatory status (P < 0.001). However, in contrast to non-ambulatory recipients who showed significant survival differences according to the recipient’s age (P = 0.004), ambulatory recipients showed comparable outcomes (P = 0.465). Conclusion Our results do not support use of age alone as an allocation criterion. Transplant candidate age in combination with some comorbidities such as non-ambulatory status may identify patients at a sufficiently elevated risk at which suitability of HTx should be reconsidered.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the risk factors for peripheral intravenous catheter-related phlebitis in hospitalized neurosurgery patients. Methods: This study involved 443 neurosurgery patients who were admitted to a general hospital in Seoul. The analysis included 982 intravenous lines. Data were retrospectively extracted from electronic medical records for the period between November 1, 2022, and May 31, 2023. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, x 2 test, and logistic regression. Results: The incidence rate of phlebitis was 13.6%, with the majority of cases classified as grade 2. Gender, present diseases, length of hospital stay, needle gauge size, and cardiovascular drugs were identified as risk factors for phlebitis in neurosurgery patients. Conclusion This study is significant as it provides basic data for the prevention and management of peripheral phlebitis in hospitalized neurosurgery patients. The risk factors identified in this study should be incorporated into nursing education to implement a systematic peripheral intravenous management program, and appropriate peripheral intravenous catheter-related nursing interventions are necessary based on the characteristics of each patient.

Objective: To compare coronary artery dimension-adjusted subtended myocardial mass between patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and a normal population without detectable atherosclerosis, and between HCM patients with and without chest pain. Materials and Methods: Twenty-five patients with HCM but no detectable atherosclerosis on coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) were included in the study. This group comprised 14 patients with chest pain and 11 patients without chest pain. They were matched with 25 healthy participants based on sex, age, coronary dominance pattern, and body surface area. The minimal lumen area (MLA) and subtended myocardial volume (V sub) were assessed in the left main (LM), proximal left anterior descending (pLAD), proximal left circumflex (pLCx), and proximal right coronary (pRCA) arteries. Additionally, an index of the subtended myocardial mass adjusted for the MLA, calculated as V sub/MLA 2 , was determined. Results: MLA was significantly larger in patients with HCM compared to the control group in LM (20.93 ± 6.31 mm 2 vs.15.24 ± 3.90 mm 2 , P< 0.001), pLAD (14.28 ± 3.55 mm 2 vs. 11.36 ± 2.07 mm 2, P = 0.001), pLCx (10.94 ± 3.60 mm 2 vs. 9.15 ± 2.93 mm 2 , P = 0.045), and pRCA (13.41 ± 4.85 mm 2 vs. 11.22 ± 3.20 mm 2 , P = 0.018). Despite an increase in coronary luminal area, patients with HCM exhibited significantly higher V sub/MLA 2 compared to the control group in both the pLAD (403.56 ± 200.35 mm -1 vs. 241.70 ± 85.87 mm -1 , P < 0.001) and the pRCA (186.06 ± 95.07 mm -1 vs. 125.07 ± 70.18 mm -1 , P= 0.007). V sub/MLA 2 was significantly elevated in patients with chest pain compared to those without in the pLAD (473.75 ± 227.38 mm -1 vs. 314.24 ± 110.74 mm -1 , P = 0.018) and the pLCx (417.04 ± 182.65 mm -1 vs. 275.29 ± 112.97 mm -1 , P = 0.044). Conclusion CCTA-derived V sub/MLA 2 may more accurately reflect the balance between myocardial blood supply and demand, offering insights into the occurrence of demand angina in patients with HCM without obstructive coronary artery disease.

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive treatment modality used as an alternative to surgery in patients with benign thyroid nodules, recurrent thyroid cancers (RTCs), and primary thyroid microcarcinomas. The Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology (KSThR) initially developed recommendations for the optimal use of RFA for thyroid tumors in 2009 and revised them in 2012 and 2017. As new meaningful evidence has accumulated since 2017 and in response to a growing global interest in the use of RFA for treating malignant thyroid lesions, the task force committee members of the KSThR decided to update the guidelines on the use of RFA for the management of RTCs based on a comprehensive analysis of current literature and expert consensus.

The prevalence of postpartum depression (PPD) in Asia is reported to range from 13.53% to 22.31%. However, there remains a gap in the identification of PPD, particularly regarding cultural cutoff points. Therefore, the purpose of this scoping review was to determine the prevalence and associated factors of PPD in Eastern, South-eastern, Western, and Southern Asian countries and analyze the cutoff points of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) used across these countries. Following Arksey and O'Malley’s five-step scoping review framework, the population was defined as mothers, the concept as the EPDS, and the context as the Asian region. A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. The data analysis focused on demographic characteristics, EPDS cutoffs and features, PPD prevalence, and its associated factors. Nineteen studies were selected. Most countries used translated versions of the EPDS with demonstrated reliability and validity. The cutoff scores varied, with most using scores of 10 or higher. The prevalence of PPD ranged from 5.1% to 78.7%. Key associated factors for PPD included cultural factors such as relationships with in-laws and preferences for the newborn’s sex. To improve the accuracy of PPD screening in Asia, the EPDS should be used consistently, and appropriate cutoff criteria must be established. In addition, prevention strategies and programs that reflect the cultural characteristics and social context of Asia need to be developed for the early detection and prevention of PPD.

Background/Aims: Adiponectin, a hormone primarily produced by adipocytes, typically shows an inverse relationship with body mass index (BMI). However, some studies have reported a positive correlation between the two. Thus, this study aimed to examine the relationship between adiponectin level and BMI in diabetic patients, focusing on the impact of past obesity on current adiponectin levels. Methods: We conducted an observational study analyzing data from 323 diabetic patients at Kyungpook National University Hospital. Based on past and current BMIs, participants were categorized into never-obese (nn, n = 106), previously obese (on, n = 43), and persistently obese (oo, n = 73) groups based on a BMI threshold of 25 kg/m2. Adiponectin level and BMI were key variables. Kaplan–Meier analysis assessed their impact on all-cause mortality up to August 2023, with survival differences based on adiponectin quartiles and follow-up starting from patient enrollment (2010–2015). Results: The analysis revealed a significant inverse correlation between adiponectin level and past maximum BMI. The on group exhibited approximately 10% lower adiponectin levels compared to the nn group. This association remained significant after adjusting for current BMI, age, and sex, highlighting the lasting influence of previous obesity on adiponectin levels. Furthermore, survival analysis indicated that patients in the lowest adiponectin quartile had reduced survival, with a statistically significant trend (p = 0.062). Conclusions Findings of this study suggest that lower adiponectin levels, potentially reflecting past obesity, are associated with decreased survival in diabetic patients, underscoring a critical role of adiponectin in long-term health outcomes.

Background/Aims: Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) is associated with prognosis in patients with COVID-19. However, there is limited data on the correlation between the prognosis of COVID-19 and varying KL-6 levels at different time points. We investigated the optimal cutoff values of the initial and peak serum KL-6 levels to predict mortality and evaluated their correlation with mortality. Methods: This retrospective cohort study collected data on serially collected serum KL-6 levels in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 between October 2020 and January 2022 at a single tertiary hospital in South Korea. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and Youden index were used to determine the cutoff points for the initial and peak KL-6 levels that best predicted 30-day mortality. The association between the initial and peak KL-6 values was assessed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression models. Results: A total of 349 patients were included in this study. The mean initial and peak KL-6 levels were significantly higher in the non-survivor group than in the survivor group. The initial and peak KL-6 values that best predicted 30-day mortality were 491.85 U/mL and 660.05 U/mL, respectively. An initial KL-6 level greater than 491.85 U/mL and a peak KL-6 level greater than 660.05 U/mL were significantly associated with 30-day mortality. Conclusions The initial and peak levels of KL-6 were significantly associated with 30-day mortality in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. These findings suggest that serially monitoring blood KL-6 levels could be a valuable prognostic indicator for COVID-19.

Background: High-resolution chest computed tomography (CT) is a crucial assessment tool for diagnosing Birt-Hogg-Dubé (BHD) syndrome. This study aimed to analyze differences of lung cysts between BHD and other cystic lung diseases. Methods: From January 2020 to December 2022, patients with multiple lung cysts who underwent chest CT at Gangnam Severance Hospital were included. Results: Over a 3-year period (from January 2020 to December 2022), out of 52,823 patients who underwent a chest CT scan, 301 (0.6%) patients with multiple lung cysts were enrolled in this study. Of enrolled patients, 24 (8.0%) were diagnosed with BHD. In patients with BHD, 95.8% exhibited bilateral cysts, and 83.3% showed basal predominance. The cysts’ maximal diameter averaged 32.1 mm (interquartile range, 26.5 to 43.5). Additionally, 95.8% of patients with BHD had diverse cyst sizes and morphologies. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that bilateral cysts (odds ratio [OR], 12.393; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.613 to 274.682; p=0.038), basal predominance (OR, 8.511; 95% CI, 2.252 to 39.392; p=0.002), maximum diameter (OR, 1.053; 95% CI, 1.009 to 1.108; p=0.032), and diversity of morphology (OR, 19.513; 95% CI, 2.833 to 398.119; p=0.010) were significant factors associated with BHD diagnosis. A multivariate prediction model for BHD diagnosis demonstrated a sensitivity of 95.83%, a specificity of 81.22%, and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.951 (95% CI, 0.914 to 0.987). Conclusion Distinguishing features of lung cysts from other cystic lung diseases include bilateral cysts, basal dominance, large size, and irregular shape.