Hayoung Seong, Hyojin Jang, Wanho Yoo, Saerom Kim, Soo Han Kim, Kwangha Lee
{"title":"Impact of tracheostomy on clinical outcomes in ventilated patients with severe pneumonia: a propensity-matched cohort study.","authors":"Hayoung Seong, Hyojin Jang, Wanho Yoo, Saerom Kim, Soo Han Kim, Kwangha Lee","doi":"10.3904/kjim.2024.248","DOIUrl":"10.3904/kjim.2024.248","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background/aims: </strong>Tracheostomy is a crucial intervention for severe pneumonia patients requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation (MV). However, debate persists regarding the influence of tracheostomy timing and performance on long-term survival outcomes. This study utilized propensity score matching to assess the impact of tracheostomy timing and performance on patient survival outcomes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective observational study employing propensity score matching was conducted of respiratory intensive care unit (ICU) patients who underwent prolonged acute MV due to severe pneumonia from 2008 to 2023. The primary outcome was the 90-day cumulative mortality rate, with secondary outcomes including ICU medical resource utilization rates.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Out of 1,078 patients, 545 underwent tracheostomy with a median timing of 7 days. The tracheostomy group exhibited lower 90-day cumulative mortality and a higher survival probability (hazard ratio [HR] 0.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.43-0.63) than the no-tracheostomy group. The tracheostomy group had higher ICU medical resource utilization rates and medical expenditures. The early tracheostomy group (≤ 7 days) had lower ICU medical resource utilization rates and medical expenditures than the late tracheostomy group (> 7 days). However, there were no significant differences in the 90-day cumulative mortality rate and survival probability based on tracheostomy timing (HR 0.94, 95% CI 0.70-1.28).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Tracheostomy in patients with severe pneumonia requiring prolonged MV significantly reduced the 90-day mortality rate, and early tracheostomy may offer additional benefits for resource utilization efficiency. These findings underscore the importance of considering tracheostomy timing in optimizing patient outcomes and healthcare resource allocation.</p>","PeriodicalId":48785,"journal":{"name":"Korean Journal of Internal Medicine","volume":"40 2","pages":"286-298"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11938709/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143658961","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Min-Ji Kim, Sung-Woo Kim, Bitna Ha, Hyang Sook Kim, So-Hee Kwon, Jonghwa Jin, Yeon-Kyung Choi, Keun-Gyu Park, Jung Guk Kim, In-Kyu Lee, Jae-Han Jeon
{"title":"Persistent influence of past obesity on current adiponectin levels and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes.","authors":"Min-Ji Kim, Sung-Woo Kim, Bitna Ha, Hyang Sook Kim, So-Hee Kwon, Jonghwa Jin, Yeon-Kyung Choi, Keun-Gyu Park, Jung Guk Kim, In-Kyu Lee, Jae-Han Jeon","doi":"10.3904/kjim.2024.221","DOIUrl":"10.3904/kjim.2024.221","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background/aims: </strong>Adiponectin, a hormone primarily produced by adipocytes, typically shows an inverse relationship with body mass index (BMI). However, some studies have reported a positive correlation between the two. Thus, this study aimed to examine the relationship between adiponectin level and BMI in diabetic patients, focusing on the impact of past obesity on current adiponectin levels.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted an observational study analyzing data from 323 diabetic patients at Kyungpook National University Hospital. Based on past and current BMIs, participants were categorized into never-obese (nn, n = 106), previously obese (on, n = 43), and persistently obese (oo, n = 73) groups based on a BMI threshold of 25 kg/m2. Adiponectin level and BMI were key variables. Kaplan-Meier analysis assessed their impact on all-cause mortality up to August 2023, with survival differences based on adiponectin quartiles and follow-up starting from patient enrollment (2010-2015).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The analysis revealed a significant inverse correlation between adiponectin level and past maximum BMI. The on group exhibited approximately 10% lower adiponectin levels compared to the nn group. This association remained significant after adjusting for current BMI, age, and sex, highlighting the lasting influence of previous obesity on adiponectin levels. Furthermore, survival analysis indicated that patients in the lowest adiponectin quartile had reduced survival, with a statistically significant trend (p = 0.062).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Findings of this study suggest that lower adiponectin levels, potentially reflecting past obesity, are associated with decreased survival in diabetic patients, underscoring a critical role of adiponectin in long-term health outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":48785,"journal":{"name":"Korean Journal of Internal Medicine","volume":"40 2","pages":"299-309"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11938665/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143659130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yeongbong Jin, Bonggyun Ko, Woojin Chang, Kang-Ho Choi, Ki Hong Lee
{"title":"Explainable paroxysmal atrial fibrillation diagnosis using an artificial intelligence-enabled electrocardiogram.","authors":"Yeongbong Jin, Bonggyun Ko, Woojin Chang, Kang-Ho Choi, Ki Hong Lee","doi":"10.3904/kjim.2024.130","DOIUrl":"10.3904/kjim.2024.130","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background/aims: </strong>Atrial fibrillation (AF) significantly contributes to global morbidity and mortality. Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) is particularly common among patients with cryptogenic strokes or transient ischemic attacks and has a silent nature. This study aims to develop reliable artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to detect early signs of AF in patients with normal sinus rhythm (NSR) using a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Between 2013 and 2020, 552,372 ECG traces from 318,321 patients were collected and split into training (n = 331,422), validation (n = 110,475), and test sets (n = 110,475). Deep neural networks were then trained to predict AF onset within one month of NSR. Model performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). An explainable AI technique was employed to identify the inference evidence underlying the predictions of deep learning models.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The AUROC for early diagnosis of PAF was 0.905 ± 0.007. The findings reveal that the vicinity of the T wave, including the ST segment and S-peak, significantly influences the ability of the trained neural network to diagnose PAF. Additionally, comparing the summarized ECG in NSR with those in PAF revealed that nonspecific ST-T abnormalities and inverted T waves were associated with PAF.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Deep learning can predict AF onset from NSR while detecting key features that influence decisions. This suggests that identifying undetected AF may serve as a predictive tool for PAF screening, offering valuable insights into cardiac dysfunction and stroke risk.</p>","PeriodicalId":48785,"journal":{"name":"Korean Journal of Internal Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"251-261"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11938660/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143484489","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yousuf Abdulkarim Waheed, Wokuheleza Buberwa, Dong Sun
{"title":"Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor and its role in attenuating renal fibrosis: a review.","authors":"Yousuf Abdulkarim Waheed, Wokuheleza Buberwa, Dong Sun","doi":"10.3904/kjim.2023.246","DOIUrl":"10.3904/kjim.2023.246","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Chronic kidney disease is estimated to affect approximately 10 to 15% of the Chinese population. Renal fibrosis is characterized by progressive extracellular matrix deposition in the kidney parenchyma with eventual tissue scarring and inevitable deterioration of renal function. Vascular rarefaction, glomerulosclerosis, interstitial inflammation, and fibrogenesis are associated with or contribute to renal fibrosis. Recent studies have revealed that glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is involved in kidney morphogenesis and amelioration of renal injury. Ideal therapies targeting the pathogenesis of renal fibrosis should have the potential to inhibit glomerular and tubulointerstitial fibrosis by targeting multiple pathological events. GDNF plays a unique role in both renal development and improvement of renal fibrosis, and GDNF kidney receptors and signaling pathways can ameliorate renal apoptosis and inflammation. Our work contributes to the establishment of GDNF as an emerging therapy that can increase the effectiveness of currently used interventions to improve renal fibrosis. This literature review focuses on the important role of GDNF in renal development and its relationship with renal fibrosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":48785,"journal":{"name":"Korean Journal of Internal Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"219-229"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11938710/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138799666","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kyung-Ann Lee, Hyeji Jeon, Hyun-Sook Kim, Kyomin Choi, Gi Hyeon Seo
{"title":"Increased risk of dementia in patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome: a nationwide population-based cohort study.","authors":"Kyung-Ann Lee, Hyeji Jeon, Hyun-Sook Kim, Kyomin Choi, Gi Hyeon Seo","doi":"10.3904/kjim.2023.536","DOIUrl":"10.3904/kjim.2023.536","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background/aims: </strong>This nationwide cohort study aimed to evaluate (1) whether primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) can contribute to the development of dementia and (2) whether the use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) can decrease the incidence of dementia in patients with pSS using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment database.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We established a cohort between 2008 and 2020 of 20,160 patients with pSS without a history of dementia. The control group comprised sex- and age-matched individuals with no history of autoimmune disease or dementia. Cox proportional hazard analyses were performed to identify the association between pSS and dementia development. We also assessed the hazard ratio (HR) of dementia in early users of HCQ (within 180 days of the diagnosis of pSS) compared to non-users, adjusted for age, sex, and comorbidities.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The incidence of dementia was 0.68 (95% CI 0.64-0.72) cases per 100 person-years in pSS, and it was 0.58 (0.56-0.60) in the controls. The adjusted HR (aHR) of developing dementia was 1.16 (1.09-1.25) times greater in the pSS group than in the controls. The risk of dementia did not increase in HCQ users (aHR 1.07 [0.94-1.21]), but HCQ non-users had a 1.22 (1.12-1.33) higher risk of developing dementia than the matched controls. The use of HCQ lowered the risk of dementia in comparison with non-users in patients with pSS (aHR 0.82 [0.71-0.94]).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our results suggest that pSS is associated with an increased risk of dementia. HCQ may prevent dementia in patients with pSS.</p>","PeriodicalId":48785,"journal":{"name":"Korean Journal of Internal Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"330-338"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11938687/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143484445","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Metabolic musculoskeletal disorders in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.","authors":"Young Joo Yang, Seong Ran Jeon","doi":"10.3904/kjim.2024.359","DOIUrl":"10.3904/kjim.2024.359","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, is a chronic inflammatory disorder that affects not only the gastrointestinal tract but also extraintestinal organs, leading to various extraintestinal manifestations and complications. Among these, musculoskeletal disorders such as osteoporosis, sarcopenia, and axial and peripheral spondyloarthritis are the most commonly observed. These conditions arise from complex mechanisms, including chronic inflammation, malnutrition, gut dysbiosis, and glucocorticoid use, all of which contribute to reduced bone density, muscle loss, and joint inflammation. Osteoporosis and sarcopenia may co-occur as osteosarcopenia, a condition that heightens the risk of fractures, impairs physical performance, and diminishes quality of life, particularly in elderly patients with IBD. Holistic management strategies, including lifestyle modifications, calcium, and vitamin D supplementation, resistance training, and pharmacological interventions, are essential for mitigating the impact of these conditions. Spondyloarthritis, which affects both axial and peripheral joints, further complicates disease management and significantly compromises joint health. Timely diagnosis and appropriate medical interventions, such as administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and biologics, are critical for preventing chronic joint damage and disability. Moreover, a multidisciplinary approach that addresses both metabolic and inflammatory aspects is essential for optimizing physical function and improving treatment outcomes in patients who have IBD with musculoskeletal involvement.</p>","PeriodicalId":48785,"journal":{"name":"Korean Journal of Internal Medicine","volume":"40 2","pages":"181-195"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11938716/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143658938","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hyun-Woong Park, Hae Ri Kim, Ki Yup Nam, Bum Jun Kim, Taeseen Kang
{"title":"Predicting renal function using fundus photography: role of confounders.","authors":"Hyun-Woong Park, Hae Ri Kim, Ki Yup Nam, Bum Jun Kim, Taeseen Kang","doi":"10.3904/kjim.2024.076","DOIUrl":"10.3904/kjim.2024.076","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background/aims: </strong>The kidneys and retina are highly vascularized organs that frequently exhibit shared pathologies, with nephropathy often associated with retinopathy. Previous studies have successfully predicted estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFRs) using fundus photographs. We evaluated the performance of the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) and Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) formulas in eGFR prediction.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We enrolled patients with fundus photographs and corresponding creatinine measurements taken on the same date. One photograph per eye was randomly selected, resulting in a final dataset of 45,108 patients (88,260 photographs). Data including sex, age, and blood creatinine levels were collected for eGFR calculation using the MDRD and CKD-EPI formulas. EfficientNet B3 models were used to predict each parameter.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Deep neural network models accurately predicted age and sex using fundus photographs. Sex was identified as a confounding variable in creatinine prediction. The MDRD formula was more susceptible to this confounding effect than the CKD-EPI formula. Notably, the CKD-EPI formula demonstrated superior performance compared to the MDRD formula (area under the curve 0.864 vs. 0.802).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Fundus photographs are a valuable tool for screening renal function using deep neural network models, demonstrating the role of noninvasive imaging in medical diagnostics. However, these models are susceptible to the influence of sex, a potential confounding factor. The CKD-EPI formula, less susceptible to sex bias, is recommended to obtain more reliable results.</p>","PeriodicalId":48785,"journal":{"name":"Korean Journal of Internal Medicine","volume":"40 2","pages":"310-320"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11938714/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143659057","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jung Min Lee, Do Young Kim, Hee Jeong Cho, Joon Ho Moon, Sang Kyun Sohn, Ho Jin Shin, Young Rok Do, Mi Hwa Heo, Min Kyoung Kim, Young Seob Park, Dong Won Baek
{"title":"Reduced-intensity chemotherapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitor followed by allogeneic transplantation is effective in patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia.","authors":"Jung Min Lee, Do Young Kim, Hee Jeong Cho, Joon Ho Moon, Sang Kyun Sohn, Ho Jin Shin, Young Rok Do, Mi Hwa Heo, Min Kyoung Kim, Young Seob Park, Dong Won Baek","doi":"10.3904/kjim.2024.227","DOIUrl":"10.3904/kjim.2024.227","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background/aims: </strong>To determine the effectiveness of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) plus reduced-intensity therapy in adult patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph-positive ALL), this retrospective study compared treatment outcomes and induction mortality according to backbone regimen intensity.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The data of 132 patients diagnosed with Ph-positive ALL were retrospectively collected from five centers. Patients received imatinib plus intensive chemotherapy (modified VPD, KALLA1407, or hyper-CVAD) or reduced-intensity chemotherapy (EWALL) for curative purposes. This study analyzed 117 patients, of which 35,22,46, and 14 received modified VPD, KALLA1407, hyper-CVAD, and EWALL, respectively. All patients used imatinib as a TKI.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The median age of the patients who received reduced-intensity chemotherapy was 64.4 years, while that of the patients with intensive regimens was 47.5 years. There was no induction death in the reduced-intensity group, while nine patients died in the intensive therapy group. Major molecular response achievement tended to be higher in the intensive chemotherapy group than in the reduced-intensity group. More patients in the intensive chemotherapy group received allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT). There was no statistically significant difference in long-term survival between the two groups in terms of relapse-free survival and overall survival rates.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>When imatinib plus reduced-intensity therapy was used as a frontline treatment, there was no inferiority in obtaining complete remission compared to imatinib plus intensive chemotherapy or significant difference in long-term survival. Since imatinib plus reduced-intensity therapy has limitations in obtaining a deep molecular response, proceeding to allo-SCT should be considered.</p>","PeriodicalId":48785,"journal":{"name":"Korean Journal of Internal Medicine","volume":"40 1","pages":"124-134"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11725475/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142957317","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}