Purpose: We present a dehazing algorithm using dark channel prior (DCP) and bright channel prior (BCP) to enhance the quality of retinal images obtained through conventional fundus photography. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on retinal images from patients who visited Gangnam Sacred Heart Hospital between January 2000 and September 2022. These images were captured using a digital fundus camera (KOWA Nonmyd 8S Fundus Camera, KOWA Company, Nagoya, Japan) without pupil dilation. We used two mathematical algorithms: DCP only and DCP and BCP combined. The original, DCP-processed, and DCP & BCP-processed images were compared. Fisher's exact test was used to identify significant quality improvements. Results: The DCP and the newly proposed DCP plus BCP algorithm effectively eliminated haze and enhanced the contrast of cataract images. Notably, DCP demonstrated limited improvements in fundus photographs from patients with small pupils, whereas the proposed DCP plus BCP method effectively revealed previously obscured retinal details and vessels. However, these methods exhibited limited performance in severe cataracts compared to the clear images obtained after surgery. The quality enhancement with the proposed method was significant in photographs of patients with cataracts (p = 0.032) and small pupils (p < 0.01). Conclusions Our algorithm produced clearer images of blood vessels and optic disc structures, while significantly reducing artifacts in fundus images from patients with small pupils or cataracts. The proposed algorithm can provide visually enhanced images, potentially aiding physicians in the diagnosis of retinal diseases in patients with cataracts.

Background/Aims: Drugs with anticholinergic properties (DAPs) are associated with adverse health outcomes in older patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the factors that determine the prescribing of more DAPs in long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) in Korea. In addition, the current patterns of DAP prescription were explored using a novel platform, which can collect data from LTCHs. Methods: This was a Health-RESPECT (integrated caRE Systems for elderly PatiEnts using iCT) sub-study, which is a pragmatic, cluster-randomized, controlled trial. The Health-RESPECT platform was used to collect prescribed medication data of 466 patients (aged ≥ 65 years) from seven LTCHs. DAPs were identified using the Korean Anticholinergic Burden Scale (KABS). Physical frailty, cognitive function, functional status, and quality of life were evaluated. Results: Among 466 LTCH patients, 88.8% (n = 414) were prescribed DAPs, and the prevalence of high KABS (≥ 3) was 70.4% (n = 328). The drugs that contributed most to the total KABS were quetiapine (20.7%), chlorpheniramine (19.5%), tramadol (9.8%), cimetidine (5.8%), and furosemide (3.6%). Polypharmacy, higher body mass index, less dependence, better communication and cognitive functions, and poorer quality of life were associated with high KABS. Conclusions Although the patients with a high burden of DAPs were less dependent and had better cognitive and communication functions, they had poorer quality of life. DAP use in LTCH patients should be monitored carefully, and the risk/ benefit relationship for their use should be considered.

Background: Reducing the total anticholinergic burden (AB) in older adults is recommended owing to the several peripheral and central adverse effects. This study aimed to identify the AB status of patients admitted to geriatric centers for assessing the influence of the pharmacist-involved multidisciplinary geriatric team care on reducing the AB. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 328 older patients hospitalized in geriatric centers from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019, who received comprehensive geriatric assessment and pharmaceutical interventions from a multidisciplinary geriatric team. We measured the total AB scores for the medications at the time of admission and upon hospital discharge using the Korean Anticholinergic Burden Scale (KABS). The pre-admission factors associated with high AB (KABS score ≥3) at the time of admission were identified. Results: The proportion of patients with high AB significantly decreased from 41.8% (136/328) at the time of admission to 25.0% (82/328) on discharge (p<0.001). The pre-admission AB of patients transferred from skilled nursing facilities (odds ratio[OR]: 2.85, 95% CI: 1.26- 3.75), taking more than 10 medications (OR: 3.70, 95% CI: 1.55-8.82), suffering from delirium (OR: 2.80, 95% CI: 1.04-7.50), or depression (OR: 2.78, 95% CI: 1.04-7.41) were significantly high. Antipsychotics were the most frequent classes of drugs that contributed to the total KABS score at the time of admission, followed by antihistamines. Conclusions This study demonstrated that the multidisciplinary teams for geriatric care are effective at reducing AB in older adults. The factors associated with high AB should be considered when targeting pharmaceutical care in geriatric individuals.

Objective: This study estimated the incidence of driving-related adverse events and examined the association of cognitive function with the risk of future driving-related adverse events in the elderly Korean male population. Methods: We analyzed 1,172 male drivers aged 60 years or older in the Korean Longitudinal Study on Cognitive Aging and Dementia (KLOSCAD). Using the data from Korean National Police Agency, we classified the participants into three groups: safe driving (drove for 2 years after baseline without a traffic accident or repeated violations), driving cessation (stopped driving), and risky driving (one or more traffic accidents or repeated violations). We estimated the incidences of driving cessation and risky driving, and examined the effect of cognitive function on their risks. Results: The incidence of driving cessation and risky driving in the Korean male drivers aged 60 years or older was 19.3 and 69.9 per 1,000 person-years respectively and increased in the late 80s. Drivers with better baseline Word List Memory Test scores showed less risky driving (OR=0.94, p=0.039). Conclusion Driving-related adverse events increased in late 80s, and better memory function was protective against these events.

Objective: Cardiovascular diseases are representative risk factors for the onset of cognitive decline. The purpose of this study was to confirm the relationship between diastolic blood pressure and cognitive function in elderly people in Korea. Methods: Data from subjects who were enrolled in the prospective Korean Longitudinal Study on Cognitive Aging and Dementia were used in this study. Data from 701 subjects whose diastolic blood pressure range did not change (≤79 mm Hg or ≥80 mm Hg) over 2 years were analyzed. To analyze the differences in cognitive function between the groups at the 2-year follow-up, an analysis of covariance was performed with covariates, which were significantly different between the two groups, and the baseline cognitive function. Results: Significant differences were observed between the two groups, and the mean scores on the constructional praxis (η2=0.010) and word list recall tests (η2=0.018) in the diastolic blood pressure ≥80 mm Hg group were higher than those in the diastolic blood pressure ≤79 mm Hg group at the 2-year follow-up. Conclusion These results indicate that maintaining a DBP below 79 mm Hg presents a greater risk of cognitive decline in Korean elderly people.

Background: Previous studies have shown that body composition is associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and perimenopause is associated with increased fat mass and decreased lean body mass. Muscle wasting is common among patients with CKD. Sarcopenic obesity (SO) refers to excess adiposity with decreased muscle mass. However, little is known about the relationship between SO and renal function decline. Here, we identified the relationship between SO and decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in postmenopausal women. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study based on the data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2008–2011). We analyzed 4,560 postmenopausal women who underwent dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Sarcopenia was defined based on weight-adjusted appendicular skeletal muscle mass. Obesity was defined based on body mass index. The eGFR was calculated using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation. Subjects were classified into four groups: normal, obese, sarcopenic, and sarcopenic obese. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association between SO and decreased eGFR. The results were adjusted for variable confounders. Results: In the unadjusted model, the odds ratio (OR) of decreased eGFR for SO was 1.67 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23–2.26). The obese and sarcopenic groups had ORs of 0.67 (95% CI, 0.44–1.03) and 0.70 (95% CI, 0.44–1.10), respectively. After controlling for confounding variables, there was also a significant association between SO and decreased eGFR (adjusted OR, 1.48; 95% Cl, 1.05–2.07). Conclusion SO was independently associated with decreased eGFR in postmenopausal Korean women.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the association between normal-but-low folate levels and cognitive function in the elderly population using a prospective cohort study. METHODS: We analyzed 3,910 participants whose serum folate levels were within the normal reference range (1.5–16.9 ng/mL) at baseline evaluation in the population-based prospective cohort study named the “Korean Longitudinal Study on Cognitive Aging and Dementia.” The association between baseline folate quartile categories and baseline cognitive disorders [mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia] was examined using binary logistic regression analysis adjusting for confounding variables. The risks of incident MCI and dementia associated with the decline of serum folate level during a 4-year follow-up period were examined using multinomial logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The lowest quartile group of serum folate (≥1.5, ≤5.9 ng/mL) showed a higher risk of cognitive disorders than did the highest quartile group at baseline evaluation (odds ratio 1.314, p=0.012). Over the 4 years of follow-up, the risk of incident dementia was 2.364 times higher among subjects whose serum folate levels declined from the 2nd–4th quartile group to the 1st quartile than among those for whom it did not (p=0.031). CONCLUSION: Normal-but-low serum folate levels were associated with the risk of cognitive disorders in the elderly population, and a decline to normal-but-low serum folate levels was associated with incident dementia. Maintaining serum folate concentration above 5.9 ng/mL may be beneficial for cognitive status.
Aged ; Cognition ; Cognition Disorders ; Cognitive Aging ; Cohort Studies ; Confounding Factors (Epidemiology) ; Dementia ; Folic Acid ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Longitudinal Studies ; Prospective Studies ; Reference Values

BACKGROUND: This study used the data of Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBS) to confirm the relationship between electronic cigarette use for smoking cessation among Korean adolescents and demographic, health behavior, and school-life factors. METHODS: Data were taken from the 13th KYRBS in 2017. In this study on 62,276 adolescents, characteristics of 1,244 electronic cigarette users were compared with those of non-electronic cigarette users. The 1,244 adolescent electronic cigarette users were evaluated for characteristics related to smoking cessation. Among the related characteristics, demographic factors comprised sex, grade, economic status, weekly allowance, and residence type. Health status-related factors comprised physical activity, lifetime drinking experience, smoking amount, subjective health perception, and stress perception. School characteristics included school type, academic performance, and smoking cessation education. Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were performed using complex sample analysis. RESULTS: The proportion of current electronic cigarette users was 2.2% (boys, 3.3%; girls, 0.9%). Of the 41.5% of cigarette users willing to quit smoking, 11% used electronic cigarettes for this purpose. Among the electronic cigarette users, characteristics related to smoking cessation were grade, weekly allowance, and residence type, but logistic regression analysis revealed that increases in grade (odds ratio [OR], 2.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21–3.35) and living with family (OR, 4.17; 95% CI, 1.89–9.18) were associated with smoking cessation. CONCLUSIONS: According to the 13th KYRBS in 2017, adolescents were likely to use electronic cigarette for smoking cessation when they are older and live with their families.
Adolescent ; Demography ; Diagnostic Self Evaluation ; Drinking ; Education ; Electronic Cigarettes ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Motor Activity ; Risk-Taking ; Smoke ; Smoking Cessation ; Smoking ; Tobacco Products

BACKGROUND: This study used the data of Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBS) to confirm the relationship between electronic cigarette use for smoking cessation among Korean adolescents and demographic, health behavior, and school-life factors. METHODS: Data were taken from the 13th KYRBS in 2017. In this study on 62,276 adolescents, characteristics of 1,244 electronic cigarette users were compared with those of non-electronic cigarette users. The 1,244 adolescent electronic cigarette users were evaluated for characteristics related to smoking cessation. Among the related characteristics, demographic factors comprised sex, grade, economic status, weekly allowance, and residence type. Health status-related factors comprised physical activity, lifetime drinking experience, smoking amount, subjective health perception, and stress perception. School characteristics included school type, academic performance, and smoking cessation education. Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were performed using complex sample analysis. RESULTS: The proportion of current electronic cigarette users was 2.2% (boys, 3.3%; girls, 0.9%). Of the 41.5% of cigarette users willing to quit smoking, 11% used electronic cigarettes for this purpose. Among the electronic cigarette users, characteristics related to smoking cessation were grade, weekly allowance, and residence type, but logistic regression analysis revealed that increases in grade (odds ratio [OR], 2.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21–3.35) and living with family (OR, 4.17; 95% CI, 1.89–9.18) were associated with smoking cessation. CONCLUSIONS According to the 13th KYRBS in 2017, adolescents were likely to use electronic cigarette for smoking cessation when they are older and live with their families.

OBJECTIVE: Due to an unprecedented rate of population aging, South Korea is facing a dementia epidemic. For this reason, the Korean Longitudinal Study on Cognitive Aging and Dementia (KLOSCAD) was launched in 2009 with support from the Korean Health Industry Development Institute to investigate the epidemiology, biopsychosocial risk factors, and outcomes of dementia and dementia-related conditions. METHODS: The KLOSCAD is the first nationwide multi-center population-based prospective cohort study. In October 2010, 12,694 individuals were randomly sampled from residents aged 60 years or older who lived in 13 districts across South Korea. In the baseline assessment, which was conducted from November 2010 through October 2012, 6,818 (53.7%) individuals participated. Follow-up assessments have been conducted every two years, with the first follow-up assessment conducted between November 2012 and October 2014, and the second between November 2014 and October 2016. The third is now in progress, and will span from November 2016 to October 2018. Diagnosis of cognitive disorders, neuropsychological battery, behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, activities of daily living, physical and neurologic examination and laboratory tests, life styles, quality of life, and identification of death were evaluated in each assessment. RESULTS: The cumulative drop-out rate at the second follow-up assessment was 38.7%. Dementia and mild cognitive impairment were 5.0% and 27.0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The KLOSCAD may provide strong scientific evidence for advancing the fight against dementia both in Korea and globally.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aging ; Cognitive Aging* ; Cohort Studies ; Dementia* ; Diagnosis ; Epidemiology ; Follow-Up Studies ; Korea ; Life Style ; Longitudinal Studies* ; Mild Cognitive Impairment ; Neurologic Examination ; Prospective Studies ; Quality of Life ; Risk Factors