Purpose: To analyze changes in choroidal thickness in patients with recurrent rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) before and after surgical intervention and to identify factors that influence changes in choroidal thickness. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted on patients who underwent surgery for recurrent RRD from November 2019 to March 2023. Choroidal thickness was measured using optical coherence tomography at baseline and at 2 and 6 months postoperatively. The study analyzed the impact of various factors on choroidal thickness changes. Results: The study included 33 patients, demonstrating a significant decrease in choroidal thickness in the surgical eye compared to the fellow eye over a 6-month period. In the univariate analysis, changes in choroidal thickness were significantly correlated with changes in central retinal thickness (p = 0.048) from baseline to 2 months and with proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) grade from 2 to 6 months (p = 0.009) and from baseline to 6 months (p = 0.020). In the multivariate analysis, an association was found between changes in choroidal thickness from 2 to 6 months and PVR grade (p = 0.030) Conclusions The findings indicate that surgical reattachment in eyes with recurrent RRD leads to a significant reduction in choroidal thickness. The extent of this reduction is influenced by the severity of PVR, highlighting the importance of considering PVR severity when evaluating surgical outcomes in patients with recurrent RRD.

Purpose: To analyze changes in choroidal thickness in patients with recurrent rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) before and after surgical intervention and to identify factors that influence changes in choroidal thickness. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted on patients who underwent surgery for recurrent RRD from November 2019 to March 2023. Choroidal thickness was measured using optical coherence tomography at baseline and at 2 and 6 months postoperatively. The study analyzed the impact of various factors on choroidal thickness changes. Results: The study included 33 patients, demonstrating a significant decrease in choroidal thickness in the surgical eye compared to the fellow eye over a 6-month period. In the univariate analysis, changes in choroidal thickness were significantly correlated with changes in central retinal thickness (p = 0.048) from baseline to 2 months and with proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) grade from 2 to 6 months (p = 0.009) and from baseline to 6 months (p = 0.020). In the multivariate analysis, an association was found between changes in choroidal thickness from 2 to 6 months and PVR grade (p = 0.030) Conclusions The findings indicate that surgical reattachment in eyes with recurrent RRD leads to a significant reduction in choroidal thickness. The extent of this reduction is influenced by the severity of PVR, highlighting the importance of considering PVR severity when evaluating surgical outcomes in patients with recurrent RRD.

Purpose: To analyze changes in choroidal thickness in patients with recurrent rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) before and after surgical intervention and to identify factors that influence changes in choroidal thickness. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted on patients who underwent surgery for recurrent RRD from November 2019 to March 2023. Choroidal thickness was measured using optical coherence tomography at baseline and at 2 and 6 months postoperatively. The study analyzed the impact of various factors on choroidal thickness changes. Results: The study included 33 patients, demonstrating a significant decrease in choroidal thickness in the surgical eye compared to the fellow eye over a 6-month period. In the univariate analysis, changes in choroidal thickness were significantly correlated with changes in central retinal thickness (p = 0.048) from baseline to 2 months and with proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) grade from 2 to 6 months (p = 0.009) and from baseline to 6 months (p = 0.020). In the multivariate analysis, an association was found between changes in choroidal thickness from 2 to 6 months and PVR grade (p = 0.030) Conclusions The findings indicate that surgical reattachment in eyes with recurrent RRD leads to a significant reduction in choroidal thickness. The extent of this reduction is influenced by the severity of PVR, highlighting the importance of considering PVR severity when evaluating surgical outcomes in patients with recurrent RRD.

Purpose: To analyze changes in choroidal thickness in patients with recurrent rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) before and after surgical intervention and to identify factors that influence changes in choroidal thickness. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted on patients who underwent surgery for recurrent RRD from November 2019 to March 2023. Choroidal thickness was measured using optical coherence tomography at baseline and at 2 and 6 months postoperatively. The study analyzed the impact of various factors on choroidal thickness changes. Results: The study included 33 patients, demonstrating a significant decrease in choroidal thickness in the surgical eye compared to the fellow eye over a 6-month period. In the univariate analysis, changes in choroidal thickness were significantly correlated with changes in central retinal thickness (p = 0.048) from baseline to 2 months and with proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) grade from 2 to 6 months (p = 0.009) and from baseline to 6 months (p = 0.020). In the multivariate analysis, an association was found between changes in choroidal thickness from 2 to 6 months and PVR grade (p = 0.030) Conclusions The findings indicate that surgical reattachment in eyes with recurrent RRD leads to a significant reduction in choroidal thickness. The extent of this reduction is influenced by the severity of PVR, highlighting the importance of considering PVR severity when evaluating surgical outcomes in patients with recurrent RRD.

Purpose: To analyze changes in choroidal thickness in patients with recurrent rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) before and after surgical intervention and to identify factors that influence changes in choroidal thickness. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted on patients who underwent surgery for recurrent RRD from November 2019 to March 2023. Choroidal thickness was measured using optical coherence tomography at baseline and at 2 and 6 months postoperatively. The study analyzed the impact of various factors on choroidal thickness changes. Results: The study included 33 patients, demonstrating a significant decrease in choroidal thickness in the surgical eye compared to the fellow eye over a 6-month period. In the univariate analysis, changes in choroidal thickness were significantly correlated with changes in central retinal thickness (p = 0.048) from baseline to 2 months and with proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) grade from 2 to 6 months (p = 0.009) and from baseline to 6 months (p = 0.020). In the multivariate analysis, an association was found between changes in choroidal thickness from 2 to 6 months and PVR grade (p = 0.030) Conclusions The findings indicate that surgical reattachment in eyes with recurrent RRD leads to a significant reduction in choroidal thickness. The extent of this reduction is influenced by the severity of PVR, highlighting the importance of considering PVR severity when evaluating surgical outcomes in patients with recurrent RRD.

Purpose: Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) as a glycemic index may have limited value in pediatric patients with acute leukemia as they often present with anemia and/or pancytopenia. To address this issue, we evaluated the usefulness of glycated albumin (GA) as a glycemic monitoring index in pediatric patients with acute leukemia. Methods: Medical records of 25 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), 63 patients with acute leukemia, and 115 healthy children from Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, were retrospectively investigated for serum GA, HbA1c, and fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels, along with demographic data. Results: GA, HbA1c, and FBG levels did not differ between the control and acute leukemia groups. In the T2DM group, positive correlations were observed among GA, HbA1c, and FBG (P<0.01). Although GA level was not associated with the HbA1c level in the control group, GA and HbA1c levels showed a positive correlation in the acute leukemia group (P=0.045). Regression analysis revealed GA and HbA1c levels to be positively correlated in the acute leukemia and T2DM groups even after adjusting for age, sex, and body mass index z-score (P=0.007, P<0.01). Conclusion GA may be a useful complementary parameter to HbA1c for glycemic monitoring in pediatric patients with acute leukemia, similar to its use in patients with T2DM.

OBJECTIVES: Tobacco use ranks among the leading preventable causes of death worldwide. This study was conducted to calculate the mortality rate attributable to smoking in Korea for 2019 and to highlight the importance of tracking and monitoring smoking-related deaths for public health purposes. METHODS: Population attributable risk (PAR) was used to estimate the number of deaths related to smoking in 2019. PAR percentages were applied to the estimated mortality figures for various diseases, with PAR determined based on relative risk (RR). Levin’s formula was used to calculate PAR, and RR was adjusted for age and alcohol consumption using Cox proportional hazards regression model to derive disease-specific regression coefficients. The analysis incorporated previously determined smoking rates from 1985, and use rates of novel tobacco products were not considered. RESULTS: The findings revealed a total of 67,982 smoking-attributable deaths in Korea in 2019, 56,993 of which occurred in men and 11,049 in women. The PAR of smoking for various causes of death in adult men was highest for lung cancer at 74.9%, followed by pneumonia (29.4%), ischemic heart disease (42.3%), and stroke (30.2%). For women, the PAR for smoking-related death was highest for lung cancer (19.9%), followed by stroke (7.6%), pneumonia (5.7%), and ischemic heart disease (9.1%). CONCLUSIONS In countries experiencing rapid fluctuations in smoking rates, including Korea, regular studies on smoking-related mortality is imperative. Furthermore, it is necessary to investigate smoking-related deaths, including the prevalence of novel tobacco product use, to accurately gauge the risks associated with emerging tobacco products.

Background: The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the post-acute sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection (PASC) are not well understood.Our study aimed to investigate various aspects of theses mechanisms, including viral persistence, immunological responses, and laboratory parameters in patients with and without PASC. Methods: We prospectively enrolled adults aged ≥ 18 years diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) between August 2022 and July 2023. Blood samples were collected at three time-points: within one month of diagnosis (acute phase) and at 1 month, and 3 months post-diagnosis. Following a recent well-designed definition of PASC, PASC patients were defined as those with a questionnaire-based PASC score ≥ 12 persisting for at least 4 weeks after the initial COVID-19 diagnosis. Results: Of 57 eligible COVID-19 patients, 29 (51%) had PASC, and 28 (49%) did not. The PASC group had significantly higher nucleocapsid protein (NP) antigenemia 3 months after COVID-19 diagnosis (P = 0.022). Furthermore, several cytokines, including IL-2, IL-17A, VEGF, RANTES, sCD40L, IP-10, I-TAC, and granzyme A, were markedly elevated in the PASC group 1 and/or 3 month(s) after COVID-19 diagnosis. In contrast, the median values of several serological markers, including thyroid markers, autoimmune indicators, and stress-related hormones, were within the normal range. Conclusion Levels of NP antigen and of various cytokines involved in immune responses become significantly elevated over time after COVID-19 diagnosis in PASC patients compared to non-PASC patients. This suggests that PASC is associated with prolonged immune dysregulation resulting from heightened antigenic stimulation.

Objectives: Estimating the number of deaths caused by smoking is crucial for developing and evaluating tobacco control and smoking cessation policies. This study aimed to determine smoking-attributable mortality (SAM) in Korea in 2020. Methods: Four large-scale cohorts from Korea were analyzed. A Cox proportional-hazards model was used to determine the hazard ratios (HRs) of smoking-related death. By conducting a meta-analysis of these HRs, the pooled HRs of smoking-related death for 41 diseases were estimated. Population-attributable fractions (PAFs) were calculated based on the smoking prevalence for 1995 in conjunction with the pooled HRs. Subsequently, SAM was derived using the PAF and the number of deaths recorded for each disease in 2020. Results: The pooled HR for all-cause mortality attributable to smoking was 1.73 for current men smokers (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.53 to 1.95) and 1.63 for current women smokers (95% CI, 1.37 to 1.94). Smoking accounted for 33.2% of all-cause deaths in men and 4.6% in women. Additionally, it was a factor in 71.8% of men lung cancer deaths and 11.9% of women lung cancer deaths. In 2020, smoking was responsible for 53 930 men deaths and 6283 women deaths, totaling 60 213 deaths. Conclusions Cigarette smoking was responsible for a significant number of deaths in Korea in 2020. Monitoring the impact and societal burden of smoking is essential for effective tobacco control and harm prevention policies.