• Korean Circulation Journal
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• 제52권12호
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• pp.853-864
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• 2022

A retrospective observational study is one of the most widely used research methods in medicine. However, evidence postulated from a single data source likely contains biases such as selection bias, information bias, and confounding bias. Acquiring enough data from multiple institutions is one of the most effective methods to overcome the limitations. However, acquiring data from multiple institutions from many countries requires enormous effort because of financial, technical, ethical, and legal issues as well as standardization of data structure and semantics. The Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics (OHDSI) research network standardized 928 million unique records or 12% of the world's population into a common structure and meaning and established a research network of 453 data partners from 41 countries around the world. OHDSI is a distributed research network wherein researchers do not own or directly share data but only analyzed results. However, sharing evidence without sharing data is difficult to understand. In this review, we will look at the basic principles of OHDSI, common data model, distributed research networks, and some representative studies in the cardiovascular field using the network. This paper also briefly introduces a Korean distributed research network named FeederNet.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제47권4호
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• pp.201-205
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• 2014

Objectives: This retrospective cohort study aimed to estimate the mean sojourn time (MST) of preclinical gastric cancer in Korean men. Methods: The subjects consisted of voluntary male screenees aged 40 to 69 years who underwent subsequent screening gastroscopies after testing negative at a baseline screening performed between January 2007 and December 2011. A new case was defined if gastric cancer cells were present in the biopsy specimens obtained from gastroscopy. The follow-up period was calculated as the number of person-years between the date of baseline screening gastroscopy and positive findings at a subsequent screening. The MST was calculated using transition rates of gastric cancer to determine the best screening interval. Results: Of the 171 979 voluntary male screenees, 61 688 (36%) underwent subsequent screening gastroscopies between January 2007 and December 2011. A total of 91 incident cases were found during 19 598 598 person-years of follow-up. The MST of gastric cancer was 2.37 years (95% confidence intervals, 1.92 to 2.96), and those aged 40 to 49 years had a shorter MST than those 50 to 69 years did. Conclusions: These findings support the 2-year interval of screening recommended by the nationwide gastric cancer screening program in Korea. Further studies for the age-specific MST among women are needed.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제38권3호
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• pp.227-232
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• 2021

Background: The purpose of this study was to statistically analyze the treatment effect and patient satisfaction of traditional Korean medicine, including acupotomy treatment of cervical herniated intervertebral disc. Methods: This was a retrospective study of 22 patients who received traditional Korean medicine including acupotomy treatment amongst all patients diagnosed with cervical herniated intervertebral discs at the Korean Medicine hospital in Daejeon, Korean, from January 01, 2020 to April 30, 2021. The clinical data from patient medical records were statistically analyzed. Results: The Numeric Rating Scale, the European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions, and the European Quality of Life Visual Analogue Scale questionnaire scores were each compared before and after traditional Korean medicine treatment, including acupotomy, showed significantly improved scores after treatment (p < 0.001). Out of a total of 22 patients, 11 rated the treatment "very satisfactory" (50%), 5 "satisfactory" (22.7%), 5 "indifferent" (22.7%), 1 "unsatisfactory" (4.5%), and 0 "very unsatisfactory" (0%). Of the total 22 patients, 17 patients (77.3%) were willing to have further treatment, and 5 patients (22.7%) were not willing. Conclusion: Traditional Korean medicine treatment including acupotomy was an effective treatment for cervical herniated intervertebral discs. To determine the effect of an individual application (e.g., acupotomy) of traditional Korean medicine treatment for cervical herniated intervertebral disc, a prospective, controlled study is needed.

• 한방비만학회지
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.31-39
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• 2020

Objectives: Obesity is becoming more popular disease worldwide. Because of the side effects of conventional obesity treatment modality, herbal medicine treatment is becoming more preferred. Gambihwan which including Ephedra sinica Staph is widely used in traditional Korean Medicine practice for obesity treatment. Garcinia cambogia is a kind of health functional food that has body fat reducing effect. Nowadays, ephedra and Garcinia cambogia are often used simultaneously in clinical practice of Korean Medicine. However, the effectiveness and safety of combination therapy in obesity treatment is not well established. Methods: We conducted retrospective observational study to explore effectiveness and safety of combination therapy. We evaluated effect of combined treatment of Gambihwan and Garcinia cambogia on body weight, body mass index, body fat mass, and waist hip ratio reduction. We also assessed safety via liver function test and adverse event. Results: Finally, 23 patients were included. In paired t-test, body weight significantly decreased from 64.50±14.50 kg to 62.94±13.85 kg (P<0.001) and body mass index were also significantly decreased from 24.43±3.79 kg/㎡ to 23.83±3.59 kg/㎡ (P<0.001). Body fat mass was also reduced. Aspartate transaminase and alanine aminotransferase were not significantly increased. There were no drug-induced liver injury and no severe adverse event. Conclusions: In our retrospective review, we found combination therapy of Gambihwan and Garcinia cambogia reduce body weight, body mass index and body fat mass. There were no severe adverse event and drug induced liver injury which indicated safety of combination therapy in obesity treatment.

• 한방안이비인후피부과학회지
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.35-44
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• 2012

Objectives : This study was aimed to evaluate the treatment effect of psoriasis patient using pyretotherapy. Methods : The clinical study was performed using retrospective observational research method. Treatment method was pyretotherapy that optimized core temperature through herbs therapy, food therapy, excercise and life style change. In other aspects, pyretotherapy is skin cure therapy that rise core temperature, down skin temperature and open sweat gland. Results : 1. 40s years showed the most coming of clinic in the distribution of age of psoriasis patient. 2. Board type showed the most number in the classification of psoriasis. 3. Pyretotherapy was very effective results in psoriasis patient treatment. 4. Pyretotherapy showed effects of rising axillary temperature and moving facial high skin temperature toward abdominal portion. Conclusions : The author is able to say that it is possible for pyretotherapy to become new skin therapy for many skin disease, especially psoriasis.

• 한국임상약학회지
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.213-218
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• 2014

Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify the causal relationship between use of levocetrizine or cetrizine, and liver injury, by comparing frequency and pattern of hepatotoxicity in levocetrizine or cetrizine prescribed patients. Methods: This is a retrospective observational study, using data retrieved from electronic medical record system. Among 1164 patients prescribed levocetrizine or cetrizine during study period (Jul, 2009 - Jun, 2010) at Seoul National University Hospital, 543 patients with more than 4- time liver function test (LFT) results were included in final analysis. Liver injury was defined as greater than 3 times elevated level of alanine aminotransferase or 2 times elevated level of alkaline phosphatase or total bilirubin, compared to upper limit of normal, in patient with normal liver function at baseline. The frequency and pattern of liver injury were assessed. Results: Incidence of liver injury in patients prescribed with levotcetrizine or cetrizine were 1.48% and 2.94%, respectively. With few exceptions, most injuries were shown to be hepatocellular type. Rapid recovery was observed after drug cessation and long term use tends to be associated with incidence of liver injury. In patient with digestive system disorder, rate of liver injury was significantly higher (p=0.011). Conclusion: The result of this study implies potential need of liver toxicity monitoring, especially in patients taking long term levecetrizine or cetrizine or in patient with digestive system disorder. However, prospective large scale observational study is needed to confirm liver injury associated with the use of levocetirizine or cetirizine.

• 대한한의학회지
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• 제43권2호
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• pp.8-26
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• 2022

Objectives: This study is designed to statistically analyze characteristics, treatment effect and prognosis of patients who were treated for the recurrent Bell's palsy Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed the medical records and telephone questionnaire of 82 patients treated with the recurrent Bell's palsy at the OO Korean Medicine hospital from August 01, 2018 to July 31, 2021. Results: The lower the EQ-VAS^® and HB scale before and after treatment, the higher the satisfaction with the treatment. The average of the number of days and duration of outpatient treatment for male was longer than that for female. The average number of days and duration of outpatient treatment in the group that received combined treatment was longer than that of patients who received Korean Medicine only. The higher the satisfaction of treatment, the higher the willingness to receive treatment in the event of recurrent facial palsy. HB scale after treatment was the lowest in their 40s, and the average value of HB scale after treatment tended to increase as age increased except for those in their 40s. Conclusion: This study showed that the lower the HB scale after treatment, the lower the EQ-VAS®, the higher the treatment satisfaction, and the higher the probability receiving treatment if the facial paralysis recurs. Those in their 10s to 40s showed excellent results after treatment. Comparatively, those in their 50s and above showed a little effect after treatment. Gender, affected side, history of facial palsy, season of onset, age, hypertension and diabetes had no statistically significance with recurrent Bell's palsy prognosis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권7호
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• pp.3155-3160
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• 2016

Background: L-asparaginase (ASNase) is commonly used in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma. This study was designed to describe the incidence of toxicity associated with ASNase in Asian adults. Secondary objectives were to investigate the management and impact of toxicity on subsequent ASNase use, and to compare the actual management against current recommendations. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective, multi-center, observational study, Asian patients ${\geq}18$ years old who received ${\geq}1$ dose of the native E. coli ASNase from 2008 to 2013 were included. Patients were excluded if they did not receive ASNase. Endpoints of this study were development of specific toxicities, whether ASNase was discontinued or re-challenged, and developmentg of recurrent toxicity. All data analyses were performed using SPSS version 20.0. Results: A total of 56 patients were analyzed. Mean (${\pm}SD$) age was 36.2 (${\pm}15.2$) years old, with 62.5% being males, 55.4% with ALL and 28.6% with NK/T-cell lymphoma. Hypersensitivity (12.5%) was associated with the highest incidence of toxicity (6 out of 7 patients had Grade 3 and 4 toxicity), followed by 10.7% for hepatic transaminitis, 3.6% for non-CNS thrombosis and 1.8% each for hyperbilirubinemia and pancreatitis. Hypersensitivity recurred in the 3 patients who were re-challenged with E. coli ASNase. Conclusions: ASNase is associated with a wide range of toxicities, with hypersensitivity being the most commonly observed among Asian adult patients.

• 고신대학교 의과대학 학술지
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• 제33권3호
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• pp.380-385
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• 2018

Objectives: Aminophylline has been used for prevention or treatment of apnea in preterm infants with idiopathic apnea of prematurity. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical usefulness of prophylactic in comparison with therapeutic aminophylline therapy. Methods: This retrospective observational study included infants born with a birth weight of < 2,500 g or at < 36 weeks of gestation. Infants born between August 2013 and July 2014 who received aminophylline therapy within 24 hr after birth were assigned to the prophylactic group, while infants born between August 2014 and July 2015 who received aminophylline therapy after obvious apnea were assigned to the therapeutic group. We compared clinical characteristics, including days of ventilator and oxygen therapy and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) between both groups. Results: Sixty-four patients and 25 infants were identified in the prophylactic and therapeutic groups, respectively. The mean gestational age and birth weight were $32.57{\pm}1.96weeks$ and $1765{\pm}205g$, respectively, in the prophylactic group and $32.46{\pm}1.82weeks$ and $1770{\pm}250g$, respectively, in the therapeutic group. No significant differences in clinical characteristics were found between the two groups. Similar clinical outcomes, including days of ventilator and oxygen therapy, intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), periventricular leukomalacia, and BPD, were observed between the two groups. Conclusions: The present study showed that the prophylactic use of aminophylline does not improve the clinical outcomes, including BPD, IVH, and ventilator dependency as compared with therapeutic use. In other words, routine prophylactic use of aminophylline is unnecessary.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제41권2호
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• pp.86-95
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• 2024

Background: This study aimed to investigate the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the development of major mental disorders in patients visiting a university hospital. Methods: The study participants were patients with COVID-19 (n=5,006) and those without COVID-19 (n=367,162) registered in the database of Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital and standardized with the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership Common Data Model. Data on major mental disorders that developed in both groups over the 5-year follow-up period were extracted using the FeederNet computer program. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the incidence of major mental disorders. Results: The incidences of dementia and sleep, anxiety, and depressive disorders were significantly higher in the COVID-19 group than in the control group. The incidence rates per 1,000 patient years in the COVID-19 group vs. the control group were 12.71 vs. 3.76 for dementia, 17.42 vs. 7.91 for sleep disorders, 6.15 vs. 3.41 for anxiety disorders, and 8.30 vs. 5.78 for depressive disorders. There was no significant difference in the incidence of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder between the two groups. COVID-19 infection increased the risk of mental disorders in the following order: dementia (HR, 3.49; 95% CI, 2.45-4.98), sleep disorders (HR, 2.27; 95% CI, 1.76-2.91), anxiety disorders (HR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.25-2.84), and depressive disorders (HR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.09-2.15). Conclusion: This study showed that the major mental disorders associated with COVID-19 were dementia and sleep, anxiety, and depressive disorders.