Background: and Purpose Treatments for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) such as eculizumab, ravulizumab, satralizumab, and inebilizumab have significantly advanced relapse prevention, but they remain expensive. Rituximab is an off-label yet popular alternative that offers a cost-effective solution, but its real-world efficacy needs better quantification for guiding the application of newer approved NMOSD treatments (ANTs). This study aimed to determine real-world rituximab failure rates to anticipate the demand for ANTs and aid in resource allocation. Methods: We conducted a nationwide retrospective study involving 605 aquaporin-4-antibody-positive NMOSD patients from 22 centers in South Korea that assessed the efficacy and safety of rituximab over a median follow-up of 47 months. Results: The 605 patients treated with rituximab included 525 (87%) who received continuous therapy throughout the follow-up period (median=47 months, interquartile range=15–87 months). During this period, 117 patients (19%) experienced at least 1 relapse. Notably, 68 of these patients (11% of the total cohort) experienced multiple relapses or at least 1 severe relapse.Additionally, 2% of the patients discontinued rituximab due to adverse events, which included severe infusion reactions, neutropenia, and infections. Conclusions This study has confirmed the efficacy of rituximab in treating NMOSD, as evidenced by an 87% continuation rate among patients over a 4-year follow-up period. Nevertheless, the occurrence of at least one relapse in 19% of the cohort, including 11% who experienced multiple or severe relapses, and a 2% discontinuation rate due to adverse events highlight the urgent need for alternative therapeutic options.

We updated the Korean Society of Gynecologic Oncology (KSGO) practice guideline for the management of ovarian cancer as version 5.1. The ovarian cancer guideline team of the KSGO published announced the fifth version (version 5.0) of its clinical practice guidelines for the management of ovarian cancer in December 2023. In version 5.0, the selection of the key questions and the systematic reviews were based on the data available up to December 2022.Therefore, we updated the guidelines version 5.0 with newly accumulated clinical data and added 5 new key questions reflecting the latest insights in the field of ovarian cancer between 2023 and 2024. For each question, recommendation was provided together with corresponding level of evidence and grade of recommendation, all established through expert consensus.

Background: and Purpose Treatments for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) such as eculizumab, ravulizumab, satralizumab, and inebilizumab have significantly advanced relapse prevention, but they remain expensive. Rituximab is an off-label yet popular alternative that offers a cost-effective solution, but its real-world efficacy needs better quantification for guiding the application of newer approved NMOSD treatments (ANTs). This study aimed to determine real-world rituximab failure rates to anticipate the demand for ANTs and aid in resource allocation. Methods: We conducted a nationwide retrospective study involving 605 aquaporin-4-antibody-positive NMOSD patients from 22 centers in South Korea that assessed the efficacy and safety of rituximab over a median follow-up of 47 months. Results: The 605 patients treated with rituximab included 525 (87%) who received continuous therapy throughout the follow-up period (median=47 months, interquartile range=15–87 months). During this period, 117 patients (19%) experienced at least 1 relapse. Notably, 68 of these patients (11% of the total cohort) experienced multiple relapses or at least 1 severe relapse.Additionally, 2% of the patients discontinued rituximab due to adverse events, which included severe infusion reactions, neutropenia, and infections. Conclusions This study has confirmed the efficacy of rituximab in treating NMOSD, as evidenced by an 87% continuation rate among patients over a 4-year follow-up period. Nevertheless, the occurrence of at least one relapse in 19% of the cohort, including 11% who experienced multiple or severe relapses, and a 2% discontinuation rate due to adverse events highlight the urgent need for alternative therapeutic options.

We updated the Korean Society of Gynecologic Oncology (KSGO) practice guideline for the management of ovarian cancer as version 5.1. The ovarian cancer guideline team of the KSGO published announced the fifth version (version 5.0) of its clinical practice guidelines for the management of ovarian cancer in December 2023. In version 5.0, the selection of the key questions and the systematic reviews were based on the data available up to December 2022.Therefore, we updated the guidelines version 5.0 with newly accumulated clinical data and added 5 new key questions reflecting the latest insights in the field of ovarian cancer between 2023 and 2024. For each question, recommendation was provided together with corresponding level of evidence and grade of recommendation, all established through expert consensus.

Background: and Purpose Treatments for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) such as eculizumab, ravulizumab, satralizumab, and inebilizumab have significantly advanced relapse prevention, but they remain expensive. Rituximab is an off-label yet popular alternative that offers a cost-effective solution, but its real-world efficacy needs better quantification for guiding the application of newer approved NMOSD treatments (ANTs). This study aimed to determine real-world rituximab failure rates to anticipate the demand for ANTs and aid in resource allocation. Methods: We conducted a nationwide retrospective study involving 605 aquaporin-4-antibody-positive NMOSD patients from 22 centers in South Korea that assessed the efficacy and safety of rituximab over a median follow-up of 47 months. Results: The 605 patients treated with rituximab included 525 (87%) who received continuous therapy throughout the follow-up period (median=47 months, interquartile range=15–87 months). During this period, 117 patients (19%) experienced at least 1 relapse. Notably, 68 of these patients (11% of the total cohort) experienced multiple relapses or at least 1 severe relapse.Additionally, 2% of the patients discontinued rituximab due to adverse events, which included severe infusion reactions, neutropenia, and infections. Conclusions This study has confirmed the efficacy of rituximab in treating NMOSD, as evidenced by an 87% continuation rate among patients over a 4-year follow-up period. Nevertheless, the occurrence of at least one relapse in 19% of the cohort, including 11% who experienced multiple or severe relapses, and a 2% discontinuation rate due to adverse events highlight the urgent need for alternative therapeutic options.

We updated the Korean Society of Gynecologic Oncology (KSGO) practice guideline for the management of ovarian cancer as version 5.1. The ovarian cancer guideline team of the KSGO published announced the fifth version (version 5.0) of its clinical practice guidelines for the management of ovarian cancer in December 2023. In version 5.0, the selection of the key questions and the systematic reviews were based on the data available up to December 2022.Therefore, we updated the guidelines version 5.0 with newly accumulated clinical data and added 5 new key questions reflecting the latest insights in the field of ovarian cancer between 2023 and 2024. For each question, recommendation was provided together with corresponding level of evidence and grade of recommendation, all established through expert consensus.

Background: This study compared the costs associated with transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in Korea by utilizing the National Health Insurance Service database. Methods: Between June 2015 and May 2019, 1,468 patients underwent primary isolated transfemoral TAVI, while 2,835 patients received primary isolated SAVR with a bioprosthesis. We assessed the costs of index hospitalization and subsequent healthcare utilization, categorizing the cohort into 6 age subgroups: <70, 70–74, 75–79, 80–84, 85–89, and ≥90 years. The median follow-up periods were 2.5 and 3.0 years in the TAVI and SAVR groups, respectively. Results: The index hospitalization costs were 41.0 million Korean won (KRW) (interquartile range [IQR], 39.1–44.7) for the TAVI group and 24.6 million KRW (IQR, 21.3–30.2) for the SAVR group (p<0.001). The TAVI group exhibited relatively constant index hospitalization costs across different age subgroups. In contrast, the SAVR group showed increasing index hospitalization costs with advancing age. The healthcare utilization costs were 5.7 million KRW per year (IQR, 3.3–14.2) for the TAVI group and 4.0 million KRW per year (IQR, 2.2–9.0) for the SAVR group (p<0.001). Healthcare utilization costs were higher in the TAVI group than in the SAVR group for the age subgroups of <70, 70–74, and 75–79 years, and were comparable in the age subgroups of 80–84, 85–89, and ≥90 years. Conclusion TAVI had much higher index hospitalization costs than SAVR. Additionally, the overall healthcare utilization costs post-discharge for TAVI were also marginally higher than those for SAVR in younger age subgroups.

Since the latest practice guidelines for ovarian cancer were developed by the Korean Society of Gynecologic Oncology (KSGO) in 2021, many studies have examined the efficacy and safety of various treatments for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Therefore, the need to develop recommendations for EOC treatments has been raised. This study searched the literature using 4 key items and the Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome: the efficacy and safety of poly-ADP ribose polymerase inhibitors in newly diagnosed advanced EOC; the efficacy and safety of intraperitoneal plus intravenous chemotherapy in optimally debulked advanced EOC; the efficacy and safety of secondary cytoreductive surgery in platinumsensitive recurrent ovarian cancer; and the efficacy and safety of the addition of bevacizumab to platinum-based chemotherapy in first platinum-sensitive recurrent EOC patients who received prior bevacizumab. The evidence for these recommendations, according to each key question, was evaluated using a systematic review and meta-analysis. The committee of ovarian cancer of the KSGO developed updated guidelines for treatments of EOC.

Background: This study compared the costs associated with transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in Korea by utilizing the National Health Insurance Service database. Methods: Between June 2015 and May 2019, 1,468 patients underwent primary isolated transfemoral TAVI, while 2,835 patients received primary isolated SAVR with a bioprosthesis. We assessed the costs of index hospitalization and subsequent healthcare utilization, categorizing the cohort into 6 age subgroups: <70, 70–74, 75–79, 80–84, 85–89, and ≥90 years. The median follow-up periods were 2.5 and 3.0 years in the TAVI and SAVR groups, respectively. Results: The index hospitalization costs were 41.0 million Korean won (KRW) (interquartile range [IQR], 39.1–44.7) for the TAVI group and 24.6 million KRW (IQR, 21.3–30.2) for the SAVR group (p<0.001). The TAVI group exhibited relatively constant index hospitalization costs across different age subgroups. In contrast, the SAVR group showed increasing index hospitalization costs with advancing age. The healthcare utilization costs were 5.7 million KRW per year (IQR, 3.3–14.2) for the TAVI group and 4.0 million KRW per year (IQR, 2.2–9.0) for the SAVR group (p<0.001). Healthcare utilization costs were higher in the TAVI group than in the SAVR group for the age subgroups of <70, 70–74, and 75–79 years, and were comparable in the age subgroups of 80–84, 85–89, and ≥90 years. Conclusion TAVI had much higher index hospitalization costs than SAVR. Additionally, the overall healthcare utilization costs post-discharge for TAVI were also marginally higher than those for SAVR in younger age subgroups.

Since the latest practice guidelines for ovarian cancer were developed by the Korean Society of Gynecologic Oncology (KSGO) in 2021, many studies have examined the efficacy and safety of various treatments for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Therefore, the need to develop recommendations for EOC treatments has been raised. This study searched the literature using 4 key items and the Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome: the efficacy and safety of poly-ADP ribose polymerase inhibitors in newly diagnosed advanced EOC; the efficacy and safety of intraperitoneal plus intravenous chemotherapy in optimally debulked advanced EOC; the efficacy and safety of secondary cytoreductive surgery in platinumsensitive recurrent ovarian cancer; and the efficacy and safety of the addition of bevacizumab to platinum-based chemotherapy in first platinum-sensitive recurrent EOC patients who received prior bevacizumab. The evidence for these recommendations, according to each key question, was evaluated using a systematic review and meta-analysis. The committee of ovarian cancer of the KSGO developed updated guidelines for treatments of EOC.