Journal of Korean Medical Science最新文献

{"title":"Effect of <i>SLC5A8</i> Missense Variants on Its Tumor-Suppressive Function.","authors":"Seung Yeon Ha, Hyo Sook Song, Jin-Young Kim, Youn-Hee Choi, Ji Ha Choi","doi":"10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e146","DOIUrl":"10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e146","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Solute carrier family-5 member-8 (SLC5A8) serves as a plasma membrane transporter for monocarboxylates, such as lactate, butyrate, pyruvate, acetate, propionate, nicotinate, and β-hydroxybutyrate. SLC5A8 can suppress colorectal cancer (CRC), and its tumor-suppressive function is mainly associated with butyrate, propionate, and pyruvate, which inhibit histone deacetylase. Although SLC5A8 is an important tumor suppressor, the impact of <i>SLC5A8</i> variants on its tumor-suppressive function have not been reported. In this study, we investigated the effects of <i>SLC5A8</i> missense variants on the expression and tumor-suppressive function of the transporter using various in vitro assays.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Common <i>SLC5A8</i> missense variations were identified using data from the Database of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms of the National Center for Biotechnology Information. We generated HCT116 and DLD-1 cell lines stably overexpressing wild-type <i>SLC5A8</i> or <i>SLC5A8</i> variants. The effect of each variant on SLC5A8 expression was examined via immunoblotting. Finally, using colony-formation, wound-healing, and invasion assays, we investigated whether the decrease in SLC5A8 expression resulting from its variants could affect the tumor-suppressive function of the transporter.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We identified two common missense single-nucleotide polymorphisms of <i>SLC5A8</i>, Val193Ile (rs1709189) and Met490Ile (rs164365), and assembled two major haplotypes of <i>SLC5A8</i>. Among these haplotypes, haplotype 1 contained wild-type <i>SLC5A8</i> mRNA sequences and H2 contained two variants: Val193Ile and Met490Ile. Val193Ile and H2 significantly decreased SLC5A8 expression. These variants significantly increased the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of CRC cells.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Decreased SLC5A8 expression caused by missense <i>SLC5A8</i> variants appeared to significant impair the tumor-suppressive function of the transporter.</p>","PeriodicalId":16249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Korean Medical Science","volume":"40 27","pages":"e146"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12260602/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144637254","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of a Scoring System to Predict Suboptimal Peak Inspiratory Flow in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.","authors":"Sang Hyuk Kim, Youlim Kim, Chin Kook Rhee, Hyun Lee, Chang Youl Lee, Joo Hun Park, Seung Won Ra, Yong Bum Park, Kwang Ha Yoo, Hee Joung Kim","doi":"10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e139","DOIUrl":"10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e139","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Peak inspiratory flow rate (PIFR) is a critical indicator for the successful use of dry powder inhalers (DPIs). However, resource constraints often limit the practicality of measuring PIFR prior to DPI prescription.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional observational study was conducted across seven hospitals in Korea, including patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). To develop a scoring system to predict suboptimal PIFR without direct measurement, variables were selected through a literature review and logistic regression model, considering practicality in clinical settings.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study involved 436 patients and was divided into training and test datasets with a 7:3 ratio. Age (≥ 80 years), weight (≤ 60 kg), modified Medical Research Council score (≥ 2), and post-bronchodilator forced vital capacity (≤ 80%pred) were selected to develop the scoring system. The developed scoring system, ranging from 0 to 4 points with a 2-points threshold for predicting suboptimal PIFR, demonstrated acceptable predictive ability for suboptimal PIFR in training (area under the receiver operating characteristic [AUROC], 0.724; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.660-0.789) and test datasets (AUROC, 0.686; 95% CI, 0.591-0.781).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our developed scoring system demonstrated an acceptable predictive ability for suboptimal PIFR in COPD patients, utilizing variables that are easily applicable in clinical practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":16249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Korean Medical Science","volume":"40 27","pages":"e139"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12260603/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144637253","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hospitalization, Underweight, Depression, and Cancer Increase the Risk of Suicide in Individuals With Bronchiectasis.","authors":"Bumhee Yang, Sang Hyuk Kim, Kyungdo Han, Jin-Hyung Jung, Hyun Lee","doi":"10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e214","DOIUrl":"10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e214","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bronchiectasis is commonly comorbid with depression and anxiety; therefore, bronchiectasis may be associated with an increased risk of suicide. We aimed to investigate whether suicidal risk is higher in individuals with bronchiectasis. We enrolled 3,903,636 individuals, including 50,975 individuals with bronchiectasis, from the Korean National Health Insurance Service dataset. Suicidal risk was significantly higher in individuals with bronchiectasis than in those without (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11-1.44). The increased risk of suicide was more evident in individuals with bronchiectasis who experienced hospitalization (aHR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.32-3.77) and when they were underweight (aHR, 2.65; 95% CI, 1.78-3.96), diagnosed with depression (aHR, 3.35; 95% CI, 2.47-4.56) or cancer (aHR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.18-3.66). In conclusion, bronchiectasis was associated with an increased risk of suicide, which was further heightened in individuals who experienced hospitalization or were underweight or had depression or cancer.</p>","PeriodicalId":16249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Korean Medical Science","volume":"40 27","pages":"e214"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12260596/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144637255","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Long-Term Exposure to Particulate Matter and All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality in the Asia-Pacific States.","authors":"Jongmin Oh, Gonzalo Hevia-Ramos, Eunhee Ha, Yun-Chul Hong, Hyun Kim, Youn-Hee Lim","doi":"10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e156","DOIUrl":"10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e156","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Global Burden of Disease (GBD) studies have proposed integrated exposure-response models primarily based on North American and European data, which may not be directly applicable to the Asia-Pacific region. Through a systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to explore the association between long-term exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM) and mortality in the Asia-Pacific states.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We searched 3 databases (PubMed [n = 8,326], Embase [n = 4,709], and Cochrane Library [n = 357]) between 1st January 1990 and 31st July 2023. Our search focused on studies examining the associations between long-term exposure to PM with an aerodynamic diameter < 2.5 μm (PM_2.5) and 10 μm (PM₁₀) and all-cause (or non-accidental) and cause-specific mortality, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), ischemic heart disease (IHD), stroke, acute lower respiratory infection, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer deaths in the Asia-Pacific states. We conducted a meta-analysis to pool the estimates in the studies.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We identified 71 articles investigating the association between long-term exposure to PM and all-cause and cause-specific mortality. For a 10 μg/m³ increase in PM_2.5, the pooled relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for all-cause mortality was 1.11 (95% CI, 1.05-1.17), 1.13 (95% CI, 1.06-1.21) for CVD, 1.13 (95% CI, 1.02-1.25) for IHD, 1.12 (95% CI, 1.02-1.24) for stroke, and 1.12 (95% CI, 1.08-1.16) for lung cancer. For a 10 μg/m³ increase in PM₁₀, the pooled RR for all-cause mortality was 1.12 (95% CI, 1.00-1.24) and 1.33 (95% CI, 1.28-1.38) for IHD.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our analysis revealed positive associations between long-term exposure to PM and all-cause and cause-specific mortality for CVD, IHD, stroke, and lung cancer in the Asia-Pacific states.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>PROSPERO Identifier: CRD42023441916.</p>","PeriodicalId":16249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Korean Medical Science","volume":"40 27","pages":"e156"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12260597/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144637238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"IQ, an Uninvited Guest in the Field of Learning?: Correlation Study of Comprehensive Learning Test.","authors":"Min-Chan Cha, Tae-Hyeong Kim, Hyun Jung Kim, Kyung Mook Choi, Min-Hyeon Park","doi":"10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e132","DOIUrl":"10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e132","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Though substantial studies have revealed various factors contributing to learning reading and mathematics independent of intelligence, the relationship between learning and intelligence is multifaceted. The current study aimed to explore the correlation between intelligence and learning in reading and math, considering both general intelligence (Full-Scale Intelligence Quotient [FSIQ]) and specific domains of the Wechsler intelligence test to identify which aspects contribute to different learning areas.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective chart review was conducted on outpatients between the ages of 6 and 17 (N = 100), who were assessed using the Wechsler intelligence test and the Comprehensive Learning Test for reading and mathematics (CLT-R: Reading, CLT-M: Mathematic). A Pearson correlation analysis examined the relationships between FSIQ, indices (verbal comprehensive index [VCI], perceptual reasoning index [PRI], working memory index [WMI], processing speed index [PSI]), and CLT subtests in the full sample of 100 participants and the subset with an FSIQ of 70 or higher.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The correlation analysis revealed that most CLT-R and CLT-M subtests had statistically significant positive correlations with FSIQ in both the full sample and the subset. For CLT-M and indices, VCI and PRI showed significant correlations with several CLT-M subtests in the full sample, but most were no longer significant in the subset with an FSIQ of 70 or higher. WMI and PSI maintained correlations with speed, but not accuracy, in computation, comparison, and enumeration for the subset. As for CLT-R, several CLT-R subtests correlated positively with both the WMI and VCI indices in both groups.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The current study showed that most subtests in both reading and math exhibited significant positive correlations with general intelligence (FSIQ), whereas specific indices of intelligence (VCI, PRI, WMI, PSI) varied in their correlation with different subtests. These findings challenge the prevailing notion of excluding intelligence from studies of learning and underscore the necessity for future research to adopt more index- and element-specific approaches when investigating the relationship between learning and intelligence.</p>","PeriodicalId":16249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Korean Medical Science","volume":"40 26","pages":"e132"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12235193/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144584164","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Preventable Cancers Caused by Infection in Korea From 2015 to 2030.","authors":"Sungji Moon, Jeoungbin Choi, Soseul Sung, Youjin Hong, Kwang-Pil Ko, Jung Eun Lee, Inah Kim, Seungho Ryu, Sun Ha Jee, Guen Hui Kim, Sun Young Yang, Aesun Shin, Sun-Seog Kweon, Jeongseon Kim, Jieun Jang, Sangjun Lee, Kyungsik Kim, Woojin Lim, Yoon-Jung Choi, Jeong-Soo Im, Hong Gwan Seo, Sue K Park","doi":"10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e143","DOIUrl":"10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e143","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>To contribute to evidence-based cancer prevention policies, we conducted a systematic assessment to estimate the burden of infection-related cancers in South Korea. We estimated the population-attributable fraction (PAF) of each cancer attributable to the causally related infectious agents between 2015 and 2030.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The relative risks of cancer due to infectious agents were calculated using a meta-analysis of results from large-scale Korean cohort studies combined with results from a systematic review of South Korean studies. We calculated the attributable cancer incidence and mortality in 2015 and 2020 from nationwide cancer statistics, assuming a 15-year latency period, and projected them for 2025 and 2030.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The estimated attributable cancer cases were 28,420 (13.18%) in 2015 and 26,368 (10.70%) in 2020 for all new cancer cases due to infectious agents. Attributable cancer deaths were 11,292 (14.74%) in 2015 and 9,969 (12.15%) in 2020 for all new cancer mortalities. <i>Helicobacter pylori</i> occupied the largest proportion of cancer incidence (5.93%), followed by hepatitis B virus (HBV) (2.45%) and human papillomavirus (HPV) (1.74%), and the first cause of cancer death was HBV (5.24%), followed by <i>H. pylori</i> (4.62%) and HPV (1.41%) in 2020. The PAFs were predicted to decline to 9.35% (2025) and 8.99% (2030) for incidence, and to 10.18% (2025) and 10.02% (2030) for mortality.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Fractions of cancer cases and mortality due to infectious agents are projected to decrease from 2015 to 2030. There should be adequate intervention from authorities to control <i>H. pylori</i>, HBV, and HPV and to reduce the cancer burden.</p>","PeriodicalId":16249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Korean Medical Science","volume":"40 26","pages":"e143"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12235194/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144584165","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"10-Year Change and Projection in Prevalence and Incidence of Exudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Korea.","authors":"Min Seok Kim, Seonghee Nam, Sang Jun Park, Jeongwoo Lee, Se Joon Woo","doi":"10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e128","DOIUrl":"10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e128","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Updating the recent epidemiology of exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is crucial for understanding the epidemiological trend of the disease, preparing healthcare strategies, and providing data for global comparisons. This study aimed to estimate the nationwide trend in prevalence and incidence of exudative AMD in Korea.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this nationwide population-based study using the National Health Insurance Service data, patients who have registration code for exudative AMD and aged 40 years or older were extracted from 2013 to 2022. Cumulative prevalence from 2013 onwards, annual prevalence, and incidence was estimated per 10,000 people. We also calculated age-standardized estimates using the World Health Organization population proportions. Linear regression to test time trend was performed. The annual prevalence and incidence were predicted using time series analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The crude cumulative prevalence of exudative AMD was 42.7 in 2022, with men having a higher prevalence than women (51.3 vs. 34.6). The annual prevalence rose from 10.7 in 2013 to 22.5 in 2022 (age-standardized, <i>P</i> < 0.001). The incidence consistently increased from 2.8 in 2013 to 4.7 in 2022 (age-standardized, <i>P</i> = 0.001), with higher incidence in men than in women. The prevalence and incidence of exudative AMD were higher in older age groups and showed a faster increase with advancing age. The predicted annual prevalence and incidence of exudative AMD in 2040 are 46.2 and 8.4, respectively. The crude cumulative number of patients was 127,044 in 2022 and is projected to reach 230,899 in 2030 and 374,282 in 2040.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The prevalence and incidence of exudative AMD in Korea has been increased annually, especially in the elderly group. With the Korean and global population aging, there will be a growing burden from visual impairment and medical expenses associated with exudative AMD.</p>","PeriodicalId":16249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Korean Medical Science","volume":"40 26","pages":"e128"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12235191/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144584163","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Short- and Long-Term Neonatal Outcomes According to Cerclage in Nulliparous Singleton Women: A National Cohort Study Over 15 Years.","authors":"Ji-Hee Sung, Danbee Kang, Sir-Yeon Hong, Hyejeong Park, You-Ri Lee, Sooji Ham, Juhee Cho, Suk-Joo Choi, Cheong-Rae Roh, Soo-Young Oh","doi":"10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e131","DOIUrl":"10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e131","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This study assessed short- and long-term neonatal outcomes in nulliparous women with singleton pregnancies who underwent cerclage compared with those who did not.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This nationwide retrospective cohort study included all singleton nulliparous women from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database with live births between January 2006 and December 2019. Women were categorized into three groups based on gestational age at cerclage placement: < 16 weeks, 16-24 weeks, and > 24 weeks. We compared short-term neonatal outcomes of preterm birth rates, admission to a neonatal intensive care unit, and composite neonatal morbidity and long-term outcomes (including mortality and developmental problems) of the cerclage groups against those who did not undergo cerclage placement.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 2,896,271 women and their neonates were included in this study, with a median follow-up period of 10.4 years. The cerclage group had a higher rate of preterm birth compared with the control group (control: 2.9%, cerclage at < 16 weeks: 9.8%, 16-24 weeks: 18.2%, > 24 weeks: 36.4%). The cerclage group also showed higher rates of admission to the neonatal intensive care unit and composite neonatal morbidities within 1 month and 1 year compared with the control group. The cerclage group had a significantly higher risk of all-cause mortality compared with the control group (cerclage at < 16 weeks: adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.88-2.52; at 16-24 weeks: HR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.29-3.33; at > 24 weeks: HR, 15.85; 95% CI, 11.06-22.71). The rate of developmental problems, including autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, cerebral palsy, and developmental delay, was significantly greater in the cerclage group than in the control group. Cerclage placement after 24 weeks was associated with a higher risk of autism (adjusted HR, 2.31; 95% CI, 1.37-3.91), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (HR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.17-2.45), cerebral palsy (HR, 19.32; 95% CI, 14.63-25.53), and cognitive developmental delay (HR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.25-2.62) after adjusting for confounders including neonatal birth weight.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Cerclage placement in nulliparous women without a history of miscarriage or stillbirth can be associated with adverse short- and long-term developmental problems in offspring. This study underscores the importance of adhering to evidence-based guidelines when considering cerclage placement.</p>","PeriodicalId":16249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Korean Medical Science","volume":"40 26","pages":"e131"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12235190/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144584143","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prognostic Significance of Fatty Liver Index for the Development of Hypertension and Cardiovascular Events in Populations With Suboptimal Blood Pressure.","authors":"Youngnam Bok, Jae-Hyung Roh, Soo Yeon An, Seon-Ah Jin, Jun Hyung Kim, Hyung Joon Joo, Jung-Woo Son, Sung Hea Kim, Seonghoon Choi, Seongwoo Han, Mi-Seung Shin, Eung Ju Kim, Jin-Ok Jeong","doi":"10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e135","DOIUrl":"10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e135","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Suboptimal blood pressure (BP) is a precursor to clinical hypertension and is associated with BP-related morbidity and mortality. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, a metabolic disorder with an increasing incidence rate, is associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). We investigated the association of fatty liver index (FLI) with incident hypertension and CVD outcomes in a large cohort of adults with suboptimal BP.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We included 179,028 Koreans with suboptimal BP and no traditional risk factors from the National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort, who underwent health examinations between 2009 and 2014. All subjects were divided into two groups based on their BP: 'normal BP' group (systolic BP [SBP] 120-129, diastolic BP [DBP] 80-84 mmHg), and 'high-normal BP' group (SBP 130-139, DBP 85-89 mmHg). The incidences of new-onset hypertension and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) were analyzed in the two groups across quartiles. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis assessed the association between the FLI and primary outcome.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>During a median follow-up of 8.3 years, 34,667 participants (19.36%) developed new-onset hypertension, which was significantly greater in the 'high-normal BP' group than in the 'normal BP' group (25.95% vs. 14.25%, <i>P</i> < 0.001). The incidence of new-onset hypertension was significantly higher in participants with higher FLIs according to the FLI quartile values in both groups. Additionally, 3,339 (1.87%) MACCEs were observed during the follow-up period. MACCEs occurred more frequently in the 'high-normal BP' group than in the 'normal BP group' (2.33% vs. 1.51%, <i>P</i> < 0.001). MACCEs were also associated with FLI quartiles. In the multivariable models adjusted for potential confounders, the hazard ratio for MACCEs comparing the highest vs. lowest quartiles of the FLI was 1.640 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.409-1.910) and 1.363 (95% CI, 1.141-1.627) in the 'high-normal BP' group and 'normal BP' group, respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Over 8-9 years, 19.3% of Korean adults with suboptimal BP developed hypertension, and 1.87% experienced MACCEs without traditional risk factors. A higher FLI was independently associated with the development of hypertension and MACCEs. The FLI may be an important predictor of new-onset hypertension and adverse cardiovascular outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":16249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Korean Medical Science","volume":"40 26","pages":"e135"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12235195/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144584166","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trends in Diet Quality by the Diagnosis of Chronic Diseases in Korea, 2013-2021: A Nationwide Representative Study.","authors":"Hyeseung Lee, Seohyun Hong, Seokjun Kim, Selin Woo, Jaeyu Park, Yejun Son, Soeun Kim, Jiyeon Oh, Seoyoung Park, Masoud Rahmati, Damiano Pizzol, Jiyoung Hwang, Dong Keon Yon","doi":"10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e133","DOIUrl":"10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e133","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In the context of increased health risks for individuals with underlying conditions due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, this study investigated whether dietary improvements differ based on the diagnosis of chronic diseases.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2013 to 2021, including 45,391 individuals aged 19 years and older. Diet quality was assessed by the Korean Healthy Eating Index (KHEI) scores. The samples were stratified into subgroups based on the status and diagnosis of hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia. Weighted linear regression was utilized to calculate the β coefficients and β_diff with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Weighted differences in KHEI scores based on the diagnostic status were calculated.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The weighted average KHEI score showed a declining trend in 2013-2019 (β, -0.46 [95% CI, -0.55, -0.36]) but an increasing trend in 2020-2021 (β, 1.24 [95% CI, 0.45, 2.02]), indicating a significant change in trend with the onset of the pandemic (β_diff, 1.70 [95% CI, 0.92, 2.49]). Individuals with hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, or dyslipidemia had higher KHEI scores compared to those without these chronic conditions. Among individuals with these chronic diseases, those diagnosed had significantly higher average scores compared to those who were undiagnosed. During the pandemic, the disparity in average KHEI scores based on diagnosis status increased even further.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Diagnoses of hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia appear to be positively associated with dietary improvements. During the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals aware of their chronic conditions were more attentive to their diets than those undiagnosed.</p>","PeriodicalId":16249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Korean Medical Science","volume":"40 25","pages":"e133"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12209536/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144528369","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}