Purpose: To investigate the epidemiological trends and socioeconomic disparities associated with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in South Korea over a decade (2010–2021) using National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) claims data. Materials and Methods: Employing data from the NHIS database, this study identified 31753 incident AS patients in 2010–2021.We calculated the annual age-standardized prevalence and incidence rates and analyzed crude incidence rates and diagnostic patterns across age groups. Additionally, we compared the mean annual proportions of medical aid recipients between AS patients and the general population, utilizing p for trend analysis to assess the differences between the two groups across increasing age groups. Results: The study period saw a steady increase in age-standardized prevalence (from 34.6 to 91.0 per 100000) and incidence rates (from 4.41 to 8.33 per 100000 person-years), with the most substantial rise of incidence found in younger demographics. Diagnostic trends revealed a shift from internal medicine (IM) to other specialties including orthopedics with increasing patient age groups (p for trend=0.008), indicating old-age diagnosis in non-IM departments. A 1.4-fold higher proportion of medical aid recipients in AS patients (p<0.001) and the widening gap of dependency on medical aid in older age groups (p for trend=0.012) compared to the general population highlight socioeconomic disparities. Conclusion This comprehensive analysis reveals the growing epidemiological burden of AS, especially in younger populations, and the socioeconomic disparities regarding the disease in South Korea. It underscores the need for early diagnosis and effective treatment strategies, paving the way for health interventions and policies aimed at improving patient outcomes and addressing socioeconomic disparities.

Purpose: To investigate the epidemiological trends and socioeconomic disparities associated with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in South Korea over a decade (2010–2021) using National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) claims data. Materials and Methods: Employing data from the NHIS database, this study identified 31753 incident AS patients in 2010–2021.We calculated the annual age-standardized prevalence and incidence rates and analyzed crude incidence rates and diagnostic patterns across age groups. Additionally, we compared the mean annual proportions of medical aid recipients between AS patients and the general population, utilizing p for trend analysis to assess the differences between the two groups across increasing age groups. Results: The study period saw a steady increase in age-standardized prevalence (from 34.6 to 91.0 per 100000) and incidence rates (from 4.41 to 8.33 per 100000 person-years), with the most substantial rise of incidence found in younger demographics. Diagnostic trends revealed a shift from internal medicine (IM) to other specialties including orthopedics with increasing patient age groups (p for trend=0.008), indicating old-age diagnosis in non-IM departments. A 1.4-fold higher proportion of medical aid recipients in AS patients (p<0.001) and the widening gap of dependency on medical aid in older age groups (p for trend=0.012) compared to the general population highlight socioeconomic disparities. Conclusion This comprehensive analysis reveals the growing epidemiological burden of AS, especially in younger populations, and the socioeconomic disparities regarding the disease in South Korea. It underscores the need for early diagnosis and effective treatment strategies, paving the way for health interventions and policies aimed at improving patient outcomes and addressing socioeconomic disparities.

Purpose: To investigate the epidemiological trends and socioeconomic disparities associated with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in South Korea over a decade (2010–2021) using National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) claims data. Materials and Methods: Employing data from the NHIS database, this study identified 31753 incident AS patients in 2010–2021.We calculated the annual age-standardized prevalence and incidence rates and analyzed crude incidence rates and diagnostic patterns across age groups. Additionally, we compared the mean annual proportions of medical aid recipients between AS patients and the general population, utilizing p for trend analysis to assess the differences between the two groups across increasing age groups. Results: The study period saw a steady increase in age-standardized prevalence (from 34.6 to 91.0 per 100000) and incidence rates (from 4.41 to 8.33 per 100000 person-years), with the most substantial rise of incidence found in younger demographics. Diagnostic trends revealed a shift from internal medicine (IM) to other specialties including orthopedics with increasing patient age groups (p for trend=0.008), indicating old-age diagnosis in non-IM departments. A 1.4-fold higher proportion of medical aid recipients in AS patients (p<0.001) and the widening gap of dependency on medical aid in older age groups (p for trend=0.012) compared to the general population highlight socioeconomic disparities. Conclusion This comprehensive analysis reveals the growing epidemiological burden of AS, especially in younger populations, and the socioeconomic disparities regarding the disease in South Korea. It underscores the need for early diagnosis and effective treatment strategies, paving the way for health interventions and policies aimed at improving patient outcomes and addressing socioeconomic disparities.

Purpose: To investigate the epidemiological trends and socioeconomic disparities associated with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in South Korea over a decade (2010–2021) using National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) claims data. Materials and Methods: Employing data from the NHIS database, this study identified 31753 incident AS patients in 2010–2021.We calculated the annual age-standardized prevalence and incidence rates and analyzed crude incidence rates and diagnostic patterns across age groups. Additionally, we compared the mean annual proportions of medical aid recipients between AS patients and the general population, utilizing p for trend analysis to assess the differences between the two groups across increasing age groups. Results: The study period saw a steady increase in age-standardized prevalence (from 34.6 to 91.0 per 100000) and incidence rates (from 4.41 to 8.33 per 100000 person-years), with the most substantial rise of incidence found in younger demographics. Diagnostic trends revealed a shift from internal medicine (IM) to other specialties including orthopedics with increasing patient age groups (p for trend=0.008), indicating old-age diagnosis in non-IM departments. A 1.4-fold higher proportion of medical aid recipients in AS patients (p<0.001) and the widening gap of dependency on medical aid in older age groups (p for trend=0.012) compared to the general population highlight socioeconomic disparities. Conclusion This comprehensive analysis reveals the growing epidemiological burden of AS, especially in younger populations, and the socioeconomic disparities regarding the disease in South Korea. It underscores the need for early diagnosis and effective treatment strategies, paving the way for health interventions and policies aimed at improving patient outcomes and addressing socioeconomic disparities.

Purpose: To investigate the epidemiological trends and socioeconomic disparities associated with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in South Korea over a decade (2010–2021) using National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) claims data. Materials and Methods: Employing data from the NHIS database, this study identified 31753 incident AS patients in 2010–2021.We calculated the annual age-standardized prevalence and incidence rates and analyzed crude incidence rates and diagnostic patterns across age groups. Additionally, we compared the mean annual proportions of medical aid recipients between AS patients and the general population, utilizing p for trend analysis to assess the differences between the two groups across increasing age groups. Results: The study period saw a steady increase in age-standardized prevalence (from 34.6 to 91.0 per 100000) and incidence rates (from 4.41 to 8.33 per 100000 person-years), with the most substantial rise of incidence found in younger demographics. Diagnostic trends revealed a shift from internal medicine (IM) to other specialties including orthopedics with increasing patient age groups (p for trend=0.008), indicating old-age diagnosis in non-IM departments. A 1.4-fold higher proportion of medical aid recipients in AS patients (p<0.001) and the widening gap of dependency on medical aid in older age groups (p for trend=0.012) compared to the general population highlight socioeconomic disparities. Conclusion This comprehensive analysis reveals the growing epidemiological burden of AS, especially in younger populations, and the socioeconomic disparities regarding the disease in South Korea. It underscores the need for early diagnosis and effective treatment strategies, paving the way for health interventions and policies aimed at improving patient outcomes and addressing socioeconomic disparities.

The demineralized bone matrix (DBM) as the bone graft material to increase the fusion rate was widely used in spinal fusion. The current study aimed to compare the fusion rate of DBM to the fusion rate of autograft in lumbar spine fusion via meta-analysis of published literature. After systematic search, comparative studies were selected according to eligibility criteria. Checklist (risk of bias assessment tool for non-randomized study) was used to evaluate the risk of bias of the included nonrandomized controlled studies. The corresponding 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated. We also used subgroup analysis to analyze the fusion rate of posterolateral lumbar fusion and lumbar interbody fusion. Eight studies were finally included in this meta-analysis. These eight studies included 581 patients. Among them, 337 patients underwent spinal fusion surgery using DBM (DBM group) and 204 patients underwent spinal fusion surgery with mainly autologous bone and without using DBM (control group). There was no significant differences of fusion rate between the two groups in posterolateral fusion analysis (risk ratio [RR], 1.03; 95% CI, 0.90–1.17; p=0.66) and interbody fusion analysis (RR, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.91–1.39; p=0.27). Based on the available evidence, the use of DBM with autograft in posterolateral lumbar spine fusion and lumbar interbody fusion showed a slightly higher fusion rate than that of autograft alone; however, there was no statistically different between two groups.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cytology for uterine cervical cancer screening has transitioned from conventional smear (CS) to liquid-based cytology (LBC), which has many advantages. The aim of this study was to compare the proportion of unsatisfactory specimens from CS versus LBC at multiple institutions including general hospitals and commercial laboratories. METHODS: Each participating institution provided a minimum of 500 Papanicolaou (Pap) test results for analysis. Pap tests were classified according to the participating institution (commercial laboratory or general hospital) and the processing method (CS, ThinPrep, SurePath, or CellPrep). The causes of unsatisfactory results were classified as technical problems, scant cellularity, or complete obscuring factors. RESULTS: A total of 38,956 Pap test results from eight general hospitals and three commercial laboratories were analyzed. The mean unsatisfactory rate of LBC was significantly lower than that of CS (1.26% and 3.31%, p = .018). In the LBC method, samples from general hospitals had lower unsatisfactory rates than those from commercial laboratories (0.65% vs 2.89%, p = .006). The reasons for unsatisfactory results were heterogeneous in CS. On the other hand, 66.2% of unsatisfactory results in LBC were due to the scant cellularity. CONCLUSIONS: Unsatisfactory rate of cervical cancer screening test results varies according to the institution and the processing method. LBC has a significantly lower unsatisfactory rate than CS.
Hand ; Hospitals, General ; Mass Screening* ; Methods ; Papanicolaou Test ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

Verruca plana is a subtype of warts, which are one of the most common dermatological diseases. A 37-year-old man presented with multiple asymptomatic skin-colored, 1∼2-mm, flat-topped papules on both arms, neck, and face. The patient had ulcerative colitis, which had been treated with immunosuppressants for 15 years. After skin biopsy, verruca plana was confirmed. The patient was treated with 5% imiquimod cream for 6 months. However, only mild improvement was observed. Acitretin was then added to the treatment regimen. After 44 weeks of treatment, acitretin was stopped. Dramatic and rapid clinical improvement was achieved after 3 weeks of treatment, and no sign of recurrence after treatment cessation has been reported for 60 weeks. Consequently, the combination of oral acitretin and topical 5% imiquimod cream should be recommended for the effective and safe treatment of recalcitrant verruca plana in immunosuppressed patients.
Acitretin* ; Adult ; Arm ; Biopsy ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Neck ; Recurrence ; Skin ; Warts* ; Withholding Treatment

BACKGROUND: Methyl alcohol poisoning has been mainly reported in community. Two cases of methyl alcohol poisoning occurred in a small-sized subcontracted factory which manufactured smartphone parts in Korea. CASE PRESENTATION: One young female patient presented with dyspnea and visual disturbance. Another young male patient presented with visual disturbance and myalgia. They treated with sodium bicarbonate infusion and hemodialysis for metabolic acidosis. In addition, he received ethyl alcohol per oral treatment. Her and his urinary methyl alcohol concentration was detected as 7.632 mg/L, 46.8 mg/L, respectively, although they were treated hemodialysis. Results of the working environment measurement showed that the concentration of methyl alcohol (1030.1–2220.5 ppm) in the air exceeded the time weighted average (200 ppm). They were diagnosed with optic neuropathy due to methyl alcohol poisoning and still have visual impairment. CONCLUSIONS: Workers who hired as dispatched employees in a small-sized subcontracted factory were exposed to high concentrations of methyl alcohol. The workplace had poor ventilation system. In addition, workers did not wear proper personal protect equipment. Working environment measurement and annual chekups for workers were not performed. They were in a blind spot to occupational safety and health. More attention is needed to protect vulnerable workers’ health.
Acidosis ; Aluminum* ; Dyspnea ; Ethanol ; Female ; Humans ; Inhalation* ; Korea ; Male ; Methanol* ; Myalgia ; Occupational Health ; Optic Disk ; Optic Nerve Diseases ; Poisoning ; Renal Dialysis ; Smartphone ; Sodium Bicarbonate ; Ventilation ; Vision Disorders

Pleomorphic dermal sarcoma (PDS) is a rare mesenchymal neoplasm sharing histopathological features with atypical fibroxanthoma (AFX), but has additional features of deep invasion of the superficial subcutis, tumor necrosis and vascular/perineural invasion. It is not well documented in the literature because of its rarity, and its clinical course has been debated due to the lack of homogenous criteria. We describe here the case of a 91-year-old female with a 6-month history of a solitary, asymptomatic, well-defined, 3.4-cm-sized, reddish, hard, protruding mass on the lateral aspect of the right upper eyelid. On the basis of initial punch biopsy results, storiform cellular infiltrate of pleomorphic spindle and polygonal cells with frequent atypical mitoses, the lesion was identified as AFX. Following the initial biopsy, micrographic surgery was performed and a tumor-free margin was confirmed. Considering the conservation of the periocular function and the advanced age of the patient, we planned secondary intention healing rather than primary suturing. After surgery, skeletal muscle infiltration was found and the diagnosis was revised to PDS by a pathologist based on the currently accepted criteria for PDS. There has been no evidence of recurrence or periocular functional defects during a 2-year follow-up without adjuvant therapy. Although the PDS is highly malignant, complete excision under micrographic surgery can prevent recurrence without adjuvant therapy. Also, the secondary intention healing is an effective method for closure of large defects on the face.
Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Eyelids* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Histiocytic Sarcoma ; Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous ; Humans ; Intention* ; Methods ; Mitosis ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Necrosis ; Recurrence ; Sarcoma*