Journal of Korean Medical Science最新文献

{"title":"Impact of Mass Screening Using Chest X-Ray on Mortality Reduction and Treatment Adherence Among Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients.","authors":"Ji Yoon Baek, Sayada Zartasha Kazmi, Hyunmin Lee, Yerin Hwang, So Jin Park, Myung-Hee Shin, Jayoun Lee, Hongjo Choi, Aesun Shin","doi":"10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e286","DOIUrl":"10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e286","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Evaluate the impact of chest X-ray (CXR) screening on mortality and treatment adherence by comparing pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) cases detected through screening and those routinely diagnosed at healthcare facilities.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective analysis of 10% randomly sampled National Health Insurance Service claims data assessed PTB cases diagnosed during 2004-2020. Patients were categorized as 'screening-detected (ACF, active case finding)' or 'routinely detected (PCF, passive case finding)' based on CXR screening history. Cox proportional hazards model determined the association between screening and all-cause or tuberculosis (TB)-specific mortality. Treatment adherence was also measured.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 84,828 PTB patients, 18.76% were ACF (15,916), and 81.24% were PCF (68,912). ACF exhibited lower risks in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.67-0.73) and TB-specific mortality (aHR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.32-0.46) compared to PCF. In the ACF group, 91.39% initiated anti-TB treatment, with 45.99% adherence. For PCF, 92.87% initiated treatment, and only 45.44% were adherent.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Individuals undergoing CXR screening have a lower risk of both all-cause and TB-specific mortality compared to PCF, but treatment adherence is similar between the two groups, emphasizing the need to improve the linkage between screening, diagnosis, and treatment for the screened population.</p>","PeriodicalId":16249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Korean Medical Science","volume":"39 45","pages":"e286"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11596475/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142729427","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":"Normative Parameters of Olfactory Bulbs Based on Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Olfactory Function.","authors":"Minju Kim, Ji Ye Lee, Yong Hwy Kim, Seung Hong Choi, Tae-Bin Won, Doo Hee Han","doi":"10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e321","DOIUrl":"10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e321","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Olfactory dysfunction is a frequently encountered sensory disorder that increases with aging, assessed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); however, reference quantitative values for associated anatomical structures have rarely been suggested. The aim of this study was to assess the parameters of the olfactory bulbs (OBs) and olfactory sulcus (OS) in Korean adults according to age, along with their olfactory function.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We retrospectively evaluated 217 consecutive patients (104 men, 113 women; mean age, 52.4 ± 15.6 years) who underwent sellar MRI and olfactory function testing before transsphenoidal approach at a single tertiary center from March 2022 to December 2023. Based on the T2-weighted MRI, we evaluated the quantitative size parameters and morphological features of patients' OB and OS, along with their olfactory function test scores. We assessed the relationship between OB volume and age in pairwise correlations.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The mean OB volume was 45.6 ± 15.3 mm³ in all patients. The patients' mean Korean version of the Sniffin' Sticks (KVSS) test II score was 26.8 ± 4.1. OB volume (<i>P</i> < 0.001), height (<i>P</i> < 0.001), and anteroposterior diameter (APD) (<i>P</i> < 0.001) differed significantly among the different age groups. Reduced OB volume was significantly associated with aging (<i>r</i> = -0.58, <i>P</i> < 0.001) and a decline in olfactory function scores (<i>r</i> = 0.34, <i>P</i> < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Based on MRI, we proposed reference OB and OS values in adults of different age groups, highlighting the reduction in OB parameters, especially height and APD along with volume associated with aging and olfactory decline. These values can be useful for evaluating adult patients undergoing MRI for olfactory dysfunction.</p>","PeriodicalId":16249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Korean Medical Science","volume":"39 45","pages":"e321"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11596477/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142729483","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":"Tobacco Use in Korea: Current Epidemiology and Public Health Issues.","authors":"Jong Eun Park, Woo Min Jeong, Ye Jin Choi, So Young Kim, Kyoung Eun Yeob, Jong Hyock Park","doi":"10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e328","DOIUrl":"10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e328","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Tobacco control efforts in Korea began nearly three decades ago with the enactment of the National Health Promotion Act in 1995. Monitoring smoking prevalence is crucial for evaluating the effectiveness of tobacco control measures, as reductions in smoking rates reflect the impact of anti-smoking policies. This review aims to provide an updated overview of the epidemiology of tobacco use in Korea, outline the nation's advancements in tobacco control, and emphasize emerging challenges in tobacco use. The data sources included statistics and reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, as well as various national statistics and reports on tobacco use and control in Korea. Over the past quarter-century, there was a notable 49.6% reduction in the prevalence of cigarette smoking among Korean adults, with a particularly pronounced decline among men (1998: 66.3% vs. 2022: 30.0%; a 54.8% decrease). However, the reduction among women was more modest, with only a 1.5 percentage point decrease (1998: 6.5% vs. 2022: 5.0%; a 23.1% decrease), and an increase in smoking prevalence was observed among women in their 20s and 30s. Overall use of any tobacco product, including cigarettes, heated tobacco products, electronic nicotine delivery systems, and others, was 6.6 percentage points higher among males and 2.2 percentage points higher among females compared to cigarette smoking alone. In 2019, there were 58,036 deaths attributed to direct smoking in Korea, with an estimated socioeconomic cost of smoking amounting to 12,191.3 billion Korean won. Furthermore, critical issues in tobacco use persist in Korea, including significant disparities in tobacco use related to age, gender, and disability, the growing use of novel tobacco and nicotine products among adolescents and younger adults, and regulatory blind spots. The reduction in smoking rates in Korea reflects the impact of expanded tobacco control policies and public health initiatives. However, for Korea to advance to the next level in tobacco control policies, it is essential to implement the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control's MPOWER measures more thoroughly.</p>","PeriodicalId":16249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Korean Medical Science","volume":"39 45","pages":"e328"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11596473/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142729651","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":"Obstetric and Perinatal Outcomes in 44,118 Singleton Pregnancies: Endometrial Preparation Methods for Frozen-Thawed Embryo Transfer.","authors":"Eun Hee Yu, Hyun Joo Lee, Sul Lee, Jinmi Kim, Seung Chul Kim, Jong Kil Joo, Yong Jin Na","doi":"10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e282","DOIUrl":"10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e282","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This study aimed to investigate the obstetric and perinatal outcomes of singleton deliveries following frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles using different endometrial preparation methods.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We analyzed data on 44,118 singleton pregnant women who underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), resulting in delivery or abortion, from the South Korean National Health Insurance Service database. Stratification was based on the type of embryo transfer, viz. fresh embryo transfer and FET cycles, using International Classification of Diseases (Tenth Revision) diagnostic codes, national procedural codes, and prescription medication data within the IVF/ICSI pregnancy cohort. FET was subcategorized into artificial cycle-FET (AC-FET), natural cycle-FET (NC-FET), and stimulated cycle-FET (SC-FET) for comparative analyses of the pregnancy, obstetric, and perinatal outcomes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>AC-FET was associated with higher risks of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, preeclampsia, placenta accreta, and postpartum hemorrhage compared with NC-FET; the risk of macrosomia showed no significant differences. SC-FET was associated with a lower risk of miscarriage and higher rate of term birth beyond 37 weeks compared with NC-FET. However, SC-FET was associated with elevated risks of gestational hypertension and postpartum hemorrhage when compared to NC-FET.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The rate of adverse obstetric and perinatal outcomes was higher in AC-FET compared to NC-FET, highlighting NC-FET as a valuable option owing to better maternal and fetal safety. In cases where NC-FET is not feasible, SC-FET presented as a favorable alternative, exhibiting lower miscarriage rates than NC-FET and better obstetric outcomes than AC-FET.</p>","PeriodicalId":16249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Korean Medical Science","volume":"39 45","pages":"e282"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11596472/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142729484","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":"In This Issue on 18-November-2024.","authors":"Jin-Hong Yoo","doi":"10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e326","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e326","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Korean Medical Science","volume":"39 44","pages":"e326"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142675994","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Current Status of Co-Ordering of C-Reactive Protein and Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate Testing in Korea.","authors":"Se-Eun Koo, Jiyeon Kim, Jinyoung Hong, Kuenyoul Park","doi":"10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e319","DOIUrl":"10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e319","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We retrospectively examined current trends in ordering for erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) testing. All claims corresponding to ESR and CRP testing for hospital visits in 2022 were obtained from a platform operated by the Health Insurance and Review Agency. The annual (2018-2022) utilization and cost of ESR and CRP, total inpatient days, and patient encounters with outpatients were retrieved. The number of ESR and CRP tests gradually increased over 5 years, except a slight decrease in 2020. The proportion of claims with co-ordering of ESR and CRP tests was 46.64%. More than 60% co-ordering claims were observed in orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, and plastic surgery departments. The proportion of co-orders was relatively high in inpatient setting and primary hospitals. This study indicated frequent co-ordering patterns of ESR and CRP tests, highlighting an urgent need for diagnostic stewardship programs on ESR and CRP testing in Korea.</p>","PeriodicalId":16249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Korean Medical Science","volume":"39 44","pages":"e319"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11576217/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142675991","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":"Happiness and Its Association With Suicide Ideation and Attempt in Korea: The Roles of Socio-Environmental, Psychological, and Health-Related Factors.","authors":"Minjae Choi, Joshua Kirabo Sempungu, Mi-Hyui Kim, Joonhee Han, Yo Han Lee","doi":"10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e283","DOIUrl":"10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e283","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The association between happiness and suicide behaviour across different gender and age groups remains unclear, with few studies identifying potential confounding or mediating factors that explain this association. We aimed 1) to examine the association of happiness with suicide ideation/attempt and 2) to assess the relative contribution of potential factors in explaining the associations in South Korea.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We used data from the Korea Community Health Survey 2021, with 214,070 respondents aged over 20 years. Happiness was measured by using Cantril's ladder of life satisfaction. Suicide ideation and suicide attempt were each measured by a single question. A hierarchical logistic regression model was used to identify the association between happiness and suicide ideation/attempt and estimate the relative importance of each socio-environmental, psychological, and health-related factor.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Unhappiness was associated with suicide ideation/attempt across gender and age groups. The associations appeared stronger in younger rather than older adults, particularly for women aged 20-39 and 40-59 years. Psychological factors contributed the most to explaining the association across all genders and age groups. Socio-environmental factors explained the associations more among individuals aged 40-59 years and health-related factors were more pronounced in explaining the association among those aged 60 years and above, compared to other age groups.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Unhappiness is associated with suicide ideation/attempt. Psychological factors could largely explain this association, suggesting that improving population mental health could play an important role in increasing happiness and preventing suicide behaviour.</p>","PeriodicalId":16249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Korean Medical Science","volume":"39 44","pages":"e283"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11576216/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142675993","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":"Letter to the Editor: Before Characterising Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection by Viral and Immunologic Parameters, Alternative Causes of Their Increase Must Be Ruled Out.","authors":"Josef Finsterer","doi":"10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e329","DOIUrl":"10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e329","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Korean Medical Science","volume":"39 44","pages":"e329"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11576220/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142675995","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":"Similar but Distinct Comorbidity Patterns Between Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Endometriosis in Korean Women: A Nationwide Cohort Study.","authors":"Hye Gyeong Jeong, Minhyek Jeon, Ki-Jin Ryu, Jina Kim, Byeol Yi Choe, Yoonjung Yoonie Joo, Hyuntae Park","doi":"10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e284","DOIUrl":"10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e284","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis are widely recognized as significant risk factors affecting the reproductive health of women. The underlying mechanisms impacting fertility may vary, potentially leading to divergent outcomes. We aimed to examine and contrast the prevalence patterns of diseases coexisting with PCOS and endometriosis, using a large-scale nationwide insurance claims data from Asian women of reproductive age.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We analyzed health insurance and examination data of 157,662 Korean women aged 15-45 years, drawn from the Korea National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort database. International Classification of Disease, Tenth Revision codes were mapped to phenome-wide association study codes (phecodes). Subsequently, multivariate logistic regression was performed to assess the comorbidity patterns among patients diagnosed with PCOS and endometriosis and healthy control groups.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our analysis revealed that PCOS was correlated with a wider range of metabolic disorders and symptoms, such as hyperlipidemia, type 2 diabetes, various gastrointestinal (GI) issues, and an array of pregnancy-related complications. Conversely, endometriosis was more prevalent among benign neoplasms of female reproductive and digestive organs, endometrial hyperplasia, and angina pectoris. Notably, infertility and glaucoma demonstrated significant associations with both conditions. Furthermore, a comparison of symptom-related codes in women with endometriosis revealed a predominance of pain-related symptoms, whereas those with PCOS exhibited a broader spectrum, encompassing pain, pruritus, GI problems, cough, fever, menstrual cycle disorders, edema, and dizziness.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>PCOS and endometriosis, which are prevalent gynecological disorders affecting similar age groups of women, rarely co-occur and exhibit unique comorbidity profiles. Tailored healthcare strategies that take into account these distinct patterns have the potential to enhance long-term healthcare outcomes of affected patients. Further research is required to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and contrasting comorbidity profiles between PCOS and endometriosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":16249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Korean Medical Science","volume":"39 44","pages":"e284"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11576221/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142675997","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":"Risk Adjustment in Medical Research: A Bird's Eye View.","authors":"Parham Habibzadeh, Farrokh Habibzadeh","doi":"10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e324","DOIUrl":"10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e324","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Making correct decisions is of paramount importance in clinical medicine and health-related disciplines. Randomized clinical trials are considered the gold-standard type of study for the assessment of the efficacy of a treatment. However, conducting a randomized clinical trial is not always possible; observational studies should be conducted, instead. For lack of randomization in observational studies, there may be <i>a priori</i> differences in the distributions of certain variables (<i>e.g.</i>, age, race, and quality of health care services) between the study groups that may result in a biased estimate of the outcome of interest. Risk adjustment methods are used to account for these <i>a priori</i> differences and find an unbiased measure of the treatment effect. The method involves several steps including defining the outcome of interest and identifying its potential outcome predictors. Then, we need to operationalize the selected risk factors and construct a statistical model or other methods of adjustment. This will result in a more accurate (less biased) estimate of the treatment effect.</p>","PeriodicalId":16249,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Korean Medical Science","volume":"39 44","pages":"e324"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11576222/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142675996","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}