Objective: We aimed to present the study design and baseline cross-sectional participant characteristics of biobank innovations for chronic cerebrovascular disease with Alzheimer’s disease study (BICWALZS) participants. Methods: A total of 1,013 participants were enrolled in BICWALZS from October 2016 to December 2020. All participants underwent clinical assessments, basic blood tests, and standardized neuropsychological tests (n=1,013). We performed brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, n=817), brain amyloid positron emission tomography (PET, n=713), single nucleotide polymorphism microarray chip (K-Chip, n=949), locomotor activity assessment (actigraphy, n=200), and patient-derived dermal fibroblast sampling (n=175) on a subset of participants. Results: The mean age was 72.8 years, and 658 (65.0%) were females. Based on clinical assessments, total of 168, 534, 211, 80, and 20 had subjective cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Alzheimer’s dementia, vascular dementia, and other types of dementia or not otherwise specified, respectively. Based on neuroimaging biomarkers and cognition, 199, 159, 78, and 204 were cognitively normal (CN), Alzheimer’s disease (AD)-related cognitive impairment, vascular cognitive impairment, and not otherwise specified due to mixed pathology (NOS). Each group exhibited many differences in various clinical, neuropsychological, and neuroimaging results at baseline. Baseline characteristics of BICWALZS participants in the MCI, AD, and vascular dementia groups were generally acceptable and consistent with 26 worldwide dementia cohorts and another independent AD cohort in Korea. Conclusion The BICWALZS is a prospective and longitudinal study assessing various clinical and biomarker characteristics in older adults with cognitive complaints. Details of the recruitment process, methodology, and baseline assessment results are described in this paper.

Purpose: To derive the optimized intraocular lens (IOL) constants from automated and manifest refraction after cataract surgery in Korean patients, and to evaluate whether there is a difference in optimized IOL constants according to the refraction method. Methods: This retrospective multicenter cohort study enrolled 4,103 eyes of 4,103 patients who underwent phacoemulsification and in-the-bag IOL implantation at 18 institutes. Optimized IOL constants for the SRK/T, Holladay, Hoffer Q, and Haigis formulas were calculated via autorefraction or manifest refraction of samples using the same biometry and IOL. The IOL constants derived from autorefraction and manifest refraction were compared. Results: Of the 4,103 eyes, the majority (62.9%) were measured with an IOLMaster 500 followed by an IOLMaster 700 (15.2%). A total of 33 types of IOLs were used, and the Tecnis ZCB00 was the most frequently used (53.0%). There was no statistically significant difference in IOL constants derived from autorefraction and manifest refraction when IOL constants were optimized with a large number of study subjects. On the other hand, optimized IOL constants derived from autorefraction were significantly smaller than those from manifest refraction when the number of subjects was small. Conclusions It became possible to use the IOL constants optimized from Koreans to calculate the IOL power. However, if the IOL constant is optimized using autorefraction in a small sample group, the IOL constant tends to be small, which may lead to refractive error after surgery.

Purpose: To report a case of a successful secondary Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty in failed penetrating keratoplasty. Case summary: A 46-year-old male with keratoconus in both of his eyes underwent penetrating keratoplasty in his right eye 30 years ago and in his left eye 14 years ago. From one and a half year ago, the patient’s visual acuity decreased in his left eye due to graft failure. For treatment, secondary Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty was performed. Partial detachment of Descemet membrane was observed at 13 days after the operation, and an additional air injection was performed. At 8 months after the operation, the patient’s uncorrected visual acuity improved to 0.5 and the cornea maintained its clearance without rejection. Conclusions Secondary Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty was successfully performed in a patient with failed penetrating keratoplasty.

Purpose: To report a case of secondary Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) for graft failure after primary DMEK.Case summary: A 47-year-old female underwent primary DMEK in her left eye with a diagnosis of Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy. At 6 weeks later, corneal stromal edema with epithelial and subepithelial bullae was first observed. From that point on, the condition of the cornea and the visual acuity continued to degrade. After 7 months, a second DMEK procedure (i.e., a repeat DMEK) for graft failure was performed successfully without any complications. Since the second procedure, the cornea has been clear, and the best-corrected visual acuity has remained at 0.6 for 8 months. Conclusions To manage graft failure after primary DMEK, we performed a second DMEK procedure. The removal of the previous graft was easy, and there were no complications. Thus, repeat DMEK may be a feasible procedure.

Purpose: To report a case of a successful secondary Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty in failed penetrating keratoplasty. Case summary: A 46-year-old male with keratoconus in both of his eyes underwent penetrating keratoplasty in his right eye 30 years ago and in his left eye 14 years ago. From one and a half year ago, the patient’s visual acuity decreased in his left eye due to graft failure. For treatment, secondary Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty was performed. Partial detachment of Descemet membrane was observed at 13 days after the operation, and an additional air injection was performed. At 8 months after the operation, the patient’s uncorrected visual acuity improved to 0.5 and the cornea maintained its clearance without rejection. Conclusions Secondary Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty was successfully performed in a patient with failed penetrating keratoplasty.

Purpose: To report a case of secondary Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) for graft failure after primary DMEK.Case summary: A 47-year-old female underwent primary DMEK in her left eye with a diagnosis of Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy. At 6 weeks later, corneal stromal edema with epithelial and subepithelial bullae was first observed. From that point on, the condition of the cornea and the visual acuity continued to degrade. After 7 months, a second DMEK procedure (i.e., a repeat DMEK) for graft failure was performed successfully without any complications. Since the second procedure, the cornea has been clear, and the best-corrected visual acuity has remained at 0.6 for 8 months. Conclusions To manage graft failure after primary DMEK, we performed a second DMEK procedure. The removal of the previous graft was easy, and there were no complications. Thus, repeat DMEK may be a feasible procedure.

Purpose: We report a case of secondary Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) to treat graft failure after Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK).Case summary: A 66-year-old female underwent DSEK of her right eye to treat pseudophakic bullous keratopathy that developed after cataract surgery and intraocular lens exchange. After 5 years, she complained of decreased vision; graft failure was observed. Secondary DMEK was performed; no additional air injection was needed. The corrected visual acuity was 0.2, 3 months after surgery, and the cornea became clear. Conclusions Visual recovery can be achieved by performing secondary DMEK after primary DSEK graft failure.

Purpose: We report a case of secondary Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) to treat graft failure after Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK).Case summary: A 66-year-old female underwent DSEK of her right eye to treat pseudophakic bullous keratopathy that developed after cataract surgery and intraocular lens exchange. After 5 years, she complained of decreased vision; graft failure was observed. Secondary DMEK was performed; no additional air injection was needed. The corrected visual acuity was 0.2, 3 months after surgery, and the cornea became clear. Conclusions Visual recovery can be achieved by performing secondary DMEK after primary DSEK graft failure.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the perinatal outcomes of twin pregnancies according to maternal age. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of twin pregnancies delivered ≥24 weeks' gestation at a tertiary academic hospital from 1995 to 2016. Subjects were categorized into 5 groups according to maternal age: < 25, 25–29, 30–34, 35–39, and ≥40 years. Maternal and neonatal outcomes of each maternal age group were analyzed using the Jonckheere-Terpstra test and the linear-by-linear association test. RESULTS: A total of 1,936 twin pregnant women were included, of which 47 (2.4%), 470 (24.3%), 948 (49.0%), 417 (21.5%), and 54 (2.7%) women were aged < 25, 25–29, 30–34, 35–39, and ≥40 years, respectively. Higher maternal age was significantly associated with a higher rate of dichorionic twins and a higher risk of gestational diabetes and placenta previa. However, rates of preterm labor, preterm premature rupture of membranes, cervical incompetence, preterm delivery, preeclampsia, placenta abruption, and cesarean section were not associated with maternal age. Birth weight increased and the rate of admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) decreased with older maternal age, but other neonatal outcomes did not change with age. Maternal age was significantly associated with a lower rate of NICU admission after controlling for potential confounding factors in multivariable analysis. CONCLUSION: Advanced maternal age in twin pregnancies was associated with increased risk of gestational diabetes, placenta previa, and higher birth weight but a lower rate of NICU admission. However, other outcomes were not significantly associated with maternal age.
Birth Weight ; Cesarean Section ; Cohort Studies ; Diabetes, Gestational ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Maternal Age ; Membranes ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Placenta ; Placenta Previa ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Twin ; Pregnant Women ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture ; Twins

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Laryngeal electromyography (LEMG) is valuable for the prognosis of vocal fold paralysis (VFP). However, there is a lack of reliable data to apply it to clinical practice. The aim of this study is to evaluate the reliability of interference pattern of LEMG in order to predict the prognosis of VFP by comparing interference pattern and vocal cord mobility. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: A retrospective chart review was performed for patients who underwent LEMG from January 2012 to October 2015. Gender and age of patients, cause and treatment of VFP, vocal cord mobility, and result of LEMG were analyzed. The interference pattern of LEMG was used as a predictive marker of prognosis, which is compared with vocal cord mobility during the last follow-up. RESULTS: Fifteen patients were enrolled in this study. Among them, five patients were predicted by LEMG evaluation to have good prognosis, and 10 patients were predicted to have poor prognosis. All of the five patients with good prognosis showed improvement in vocal cord mobility, while seven out of 10 patients predicted with bad prognosis showed vocal fold fixation at the last follow-up. The reliability of prognostic prediction through interference pattern was 80%. CONCLUSION: Interference pattern of LEMG is reliable data to predict the prognosis of VFP, especially it showed perfect consistency for good prognosis.
Electromyography* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Methods ; Paralysis* ; Prognosis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Vocal Cords*