The Korean Society of Infectious Diseases has been regularly publishing guidelines for adult immunization since 2007. Following the release of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination recommendations in 2023, significant changes have occurred due to the emergence of new variant strains and the waning immunity from previous vaccinations. This article provides a comprehensive update as of November 2024, incorporating the latest evidence and guidelines. Focusing on the 2024–2025 season, this article reviews vaccines currently authorized in Korea and assesses their effectiveness against the predominant JN.1 lineage variants. The updated recommendations prioritize high-risk groups, including adults aged 65 and older, individuals with underlying medical conditions, residents of facilities vulnerable to infection, pregnant women, and healthcare workers, for vaccination with updated vaccines targeting the JN.1 strain. Additionally, COVID-19 vaccination is available for all individuals aged 6 months and older. For most adults, a single-dose strategy is emphasized, while tailored schedules may be recommended for immunocompromised individuals. This update aims to optimize vaccination strategies in Korea to ensure comprehensive protection for high-risk populations.

The Korean Society of Infectious Diseases has been regularly publishing guidelines for adult immunization since 2007. Following the release of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination recommendations in 2023, significant changes have occurred due to the emergence of new variant strains and the waning immunity from previous vaccinations. This article provides a comprehensive update as of November 2024, incorporating the latest evidence and guidelines. Focusing on the 2024–2025 season, this article reviews vaccines currently authorized in Korea and assesses their effectiveness against the predominant JN.1 lineage variants. The updated recommendations prioritize high-risk groups, including adults aged 65 and older, individuals with underlying medical conditions, residents of facilities vulnerable to infection, pregnant women, and healthcare workers, for vaccination with updated vaccines targeting the JN.1 strain. Additionally, COVID-19 vaccination is available for all individuals aged 6 months and older. For most adults, a single-dose strategy is emphasized, while tailored schedules may be recommended for immunocompromised individuals. This update aims to optimize vaccination strategies in Korea to ensure comprehensive protection for high-risk populations.

The Korean Society of Infectious Diseases has been regularly publishing guidelines for adult immunization since 2007. Following the release of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination recommendations in 2023, significant changes have occurred due to the emergence of new variant strains and the waning immunity from previous vaccinations. This article provides a comprehensive update as of November 2024, incorporating the latest evidence and guidelines. Focusing on the 2024–2025 season, this article reviews vaccines currently authorized in Korea and assesses their effectiveness against the predominant JN.1 lineage variants. The updated recommendations prioritize high-risk groups, including adults aged 65 and older, individuals with underlying medical conditions, residents of facilities vulnerable to infection, pregnant women, and healthcare workers, for vaccination with updated vaccines targeting the JN.1 strain. Additionally, COVID-19 vaccination is available for all individuals aged 6 months and older. For most adults, a single-dose strategy is emphasized, while tailored schedules may be recommended for immunocompromised individuals. This update aims to optimize vaccination strategies in Korea to ensure comprehensive protection for high-risk populations.

Background: Recent diabetes management guidelines recommend that sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) or glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) with proven cardiovascular benefits should be prioritized for combination therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and established cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study was aimed at evaluating SGLT2i or GLP-1RA usage rates and various related factors in patients with T2DM and established CVD. Methods: We enrolled adults with T2DM aged ≥30 years who were hospitalized due to established CVD from January 2019 to May 2020 at 13 secondary and tertiary hospitals in Korea in this retrospective observational study. Results: Overall, 2,050 patients were eligible for analysis among 2,107 enrolled patients. The mean patient age, diabetes duration, and glycosylated hemoglobin level were 70.0 years, 12.0 years, and 7.5%, respectively. During the mean follow-up duration of 9.7 months, 25.7% of the patients were prescribed SGLT2is after CVD events. However, only 1.8% were prescribed GLP-1RAs. Compared with SGLT2i non-users, SGLT2i users were more frequently male and obese. Furthermore, they had a shorter diabetes duration but showed worse glycemic control and better renal function at the time of the event. GLP-1RA users had a longer duration of diabetes and worse glycemic control at the time of the event than GLP-1RA non-users. Conclusion The SGLT2i or GLP-1RA prescription rates were suboptimal in patients with T2DM and established CVD. Sex, body mass index, diabetes duration, glycemic control, and renal function were associated with the use of these agents.

OBJECTIVES: We estimated the population prevalence of antibodies to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), including unreported infections, through a Korea Seroprevalence Study of Monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Retention and Transmission (K-SEROSMART) in 258 communities throughout Korea. METHODS: In August 2022, a survey was conducted among 10,000 household members aged 5 years and older, in households selected through two stage probability random sampling. During face-to-face household interviews, participants self-reported their health status, COVID-19 diagnosis and vaccination history, and general characteristics. Subsequently, participants visited a community health center or medical clinic for blood sampling. Blood samples were analyzed for the presence of antibodies to spike proteins (anti-S) and antibodies to nucleocapsid proteins (anti-N) SARS-CoV-2 proteins using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. To estimate the population prevalence, the PROC SURVEYMEANS statistical procedure was employed, with weighting to reflect demographic data from July 2022. RESULTS: In total, 9,945 individuals from 5,041 households were surveyed across 258 communities, representing all basic local governments in Korea. The overall population-adjusted prevalence rates of anti-S and anti-N were 97.6% and 57.1%, respectively. Since the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency has reported a cumulative incidence of confirmed cases of 37.8% through July 31, 2022, the proportion of unreported infections among all COVID-19 infection was suggested to be 33.9%. CONCLUSIONS The K-SEROSMART represents the first nationwide, community-based seroepidemiologic survey of COVID-19, confirming that most individuals possess antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 and that a significant number of unreported cases existed. Furthermore, this study lays the foundation for a surveillance system to continuously monitor transmission at the community level and the response to COVID-19.

Background/Aims: Improving quality of life has been gaining importance in ulcerative colitis (UC) management. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in health-related quality of life (HRQL) and related factors in patients with moderate-to-severe UC. Methods: A multicenter, hospital-based, prospective study was performed using a Moderateto-Severe Ulcerative Colitis Cohort in Korea (the MOSAIK). Changes in HRQL, evaluated using the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ), were analyzed at the time of diagnosis and 1 year later. Results: In a sample of 276 patients, the mean age was 38.4 years, and the majority of patients were male (59.8%). HRQL tended to increase in both the IBDQ and SF-12 1 year after diagnosis. A higher partial Mayo score was significantly related to poorer HRQL on the IBDQ and SF-12 in a linear mixed model (p<0.01). Inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) or erythrocyte sedimentation rate also showed a negative correlation on HRQL (p<0.05). Patients whose IBDQ score improved by 16 or more (71.2%) in 1 year were younger, tended to be nonsmokers, and had a lower partial Mayo score and CRP than those whose IBDQ score did not. There was no significant association between HRQL and disease extent, treatments at diagnosis, or the highest treatment step during the 1-year period. Conclusions Optimally controlled disease status improves HRQL in patients with moderate-tosevere UC. The partial Mayo score and inflammatory markers may be potential indicators reflecting the influence of UC on patient`s daily lives.

Background: This study aimed to present the surgical facilitation of neurovascular bundle (NVB) sparing using the toggling technique (30° lens down/up switching) and to evaluate erectile dysfunction (ED) recovery after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP). Methods: We assessed 144 patients (group with toggling, n = 72; group without toggling, n = 72) who underwent RARP with bilateral NVB sparing using propensity score matching.Inclusion criteria were ≥ 1 year follow-up and preoperative potency as per the Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM) questionnaire (≥ 17 points). Recovery of ED after RARP was defined as return to baseline sexual function or self-assessment regarding successful intercourse. The subjective surgeon’s nerve sparing (SNS) score and tunneling success rates were used to evaluate surgical facilitation. The recovery rate of ED between the groups was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Results: A better ED recovery trend was confirmed according to the SNS score (R 2 = 0.142, P = 0.004). In the analysis of NVB sparing ease, the toggling group showed higher SNS scores (on right/left side: P = 0.011 and < 0.001, respectively) and overall tunneling success rates (87% vs. 74%, P = 0.001) than the group without toggling. Overall, ED recovery rates were 82% (59/72) and 75% (54/72) in the groups with and without toggling, respectively, at the 1-year follow-up (P = 0.047), and the toggling group showed a faster ED recovery rate at 3 months (47% vs. 35%, P = 0.013). In a specific analysis of the potent cohort (< 60 years, bilateral full NVB spared, SHIM score ≥ 22), the ED recovery rate reached 87% (14/16) in the toggling group. Conclusion The retrograde early release with the toggling technique improves the facilitation of NVB sparing, leading to improved ED recovery.

Background/Aims: The treatment goal of ulcerative colitis (UC) has been changed to achieve endoscopic remission (ER). However, there is insufficient clinical evidence to determine whether a step-up treatment should be performed to achieve ER in clinical remission (CR) without ER, and there are inadequate data on the need to consider the distribution and severity of residual inflammation. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of the distribution and severity of residual inflammation in UC patients in CR. Methods: A total of 131 UC patients in CR who underwent endoscopic evaluation for more than three times between January 2000 and December 2018 were reviewed. The patients were allocated by the endoscopic healing state and the distribution of inflammation to ER (n=31, 23.7%), residual nonrectal inflammation with patchy distribution (NRI) (n=17, 13.0%) or residual rectal involvement with continuous or patchy distribution (RI) (n=83, 63.3%) groups. We reviewed clinical characteristics, endoscopic findings, and factors associated with poor outcome-free survival (PFS). Results: In UC patients in CR, PFS was significantly higher in the ER and NRI groups than in the RI group (p=0.003). Patients in the ER and NRI groups had similar PFS (p=0.647). Cox proportional hazard model showed only RI (hazard ratio, 5.76; p=0.027) was associated with a higher risk of poor outcome. Conclusions We suggest that escalation of treatment modalities may be selectively performed in consideration of the residual mucosal inflammation pattern, even if ER has not been achieved, in UC patients with CR.