• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.57 no.2
• /
• pp.205-212
• /
• 2024

Background: Postoperative atrial fibrillation (A-fib) is a serious complication of cardiac surgery that is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Traditional 24-hour Holter monitors have limitations, which have prompted the development of innovative wearable electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring devices. This study assessed a patch-type wearable ECG device (MobiCARE-MC100) for monitoring A-fib in patients undergoing cardiac surgery and compared it with 24-hour Holter ECG monitoring. Methods: This was a single-center, prospective, investigator-initiated cohort study that included 39 patients who underwent cardiac surgery between July 2021 and June 2022. Patients underwent simultaneous monitoring with both conventional Holter and patchtype ECG devices for 24 hours. The Holter device was then removed, and patch-type monitoring continued for an additional 48 hours, to determine whether extended monitoring provided benefits in the detection of A-fib. Results: This 72-hour ECG monitoring study included 39 patients, with an average age of 62.2 years, comprising 29 men (74.4%) and 10 women (25.6%). In the initial 24 hours, both monitoring techniques identified the same number of paroxysmal A-fib in 7 out of 39 patients. After 24 hours of monitoring, during the additional 48-hour assessment using the patch-type ECG device, an increase in A-fib burden (9%→38%) was observed in 1 patient. Most patients reported no significant discomfort while using the MobiCARE device. Conclusion: In patients who underwent cardiac surgery, the mobiCARE device demonstrated diagnostic accuracy comparable to that of the conventional Holter monitoring system.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.254-260
• /
• 2023

Background: Adherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART) is crucial for maintaining the HIV-RNA suppression in patients living with HIV/AIDS. This study aims to analyze the risk factors contributing to low medication adherence among individuals with HIV/AIDS by analyzing data from the Korean HIV/AIDS cohort study. Methods: The dependent variable is ART medication adherence. The depressive symptom and anxiety scores were collected as main independence variables. Covariates included gender, age, transmission route, alcohol and smoking information, and antiviral treatment regimen details. To predict the relationship between ordinal dependent variables and independent variables, an ordered logistic regression analysis was conducted, and odds ratios (OR) were calculated. Results: The results of the ordered logistic regression analysis showed that female was associated with a higher risk of low medication adherence (OR=2.91, 95% CI=1.08, 7.83). Among the subjects who were non-smokers and non-drinkers, the risk of low medication adherence was lower (OR=0.36, 95% CI=0.18, 0.70). Depending on the ART treatment group, individuals taking integrase inhibitor had a lower risk of medication adherence (OR=0.31, 95% CI=0.13, 0.76), and those experiencing depressive symptoms were related with a higher risk of low medication adherence (OR=1.97, 95% CI=1.12, 3.46). Conclusions: The encouragement and emotional support of healthcare professionals are essential for patients living with HIV/AIDS who experience depressive symptoms to maintain ART adherence. Additionally, further research is needed to ensure that HIV/AIDS infected female with concurrent depressive symptoms can achieve appropriate ART therapeutic effect.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.51 no.1
• /
• pp.69-74
• /
• 2024

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with twin pregnancy following day 3 double embryo transfer (DET). Methods: This retrospective cohort study incorporated data from 16,972 day 3 DET cycles. The participants were women aged between 18 and 45 years who underwent in vitro fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) at My Duc Assisted Reproduction Technique Unit (IVFMD), My Duc Hospital, located in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Results: Of the 16,972 day 3 DET cycles investigated, 8,812 (51.9%) resulted in pregnancy. Of these, 6,108 cycles led to clinical pregnancy, with 1,543 (25.3% of clinical pregnancies) being twin pregnancies. Factors associated with twin pregnancy included age under 35 years (odds ratio [OR], 1.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32 to 1.71; p<0.001) and cycles involving the transfer of at least one grade I embryo. Relative to the transfer of two grade III embryos, the risk of twin pregnancy was significantly elevated following the transfer of two grade I embryos (OR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.16 to 1.69; p<0.001) or a combination of one grade I and one grade II embryo (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.55; p=0.001). Conclusion: By analyzing a large number of IVF/ICSI cycles, we identified several predictors of twin pregnancy. These findings can assist medical professionals in tailoring treatment strategies for couples with infertility.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.123-130
• /
• 2024

Objectives: Post-operative urinary retention (POUR) is a frequent complication following surgical procedures, characterized by an acute inability to void, leading to additional complications and extended hospitalization. Acupuncture has been shown to be effective in facilitating spontaneous urination and alleviating anxiety in patients experiencing poor urination. The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of electroacupuncture in the management of POUR in patients who have undergone lumbar spine surgery. Methods: This retrospective study conducted at the National Hospital of Acupuncture in Vietnam and reviewed the medical records of patients over 18 years old who underwent lumbar spine surgery and were diagnosed with POUR between January to December 2019. Electroacupuncture was administered at five specific acupuncture points: Qugu (CV2), Zhongji (CV3), Zhibian (BL54), Pangguanshu (BL28), and Kunlun (BL60). This study monitored key parameters related to the effectiveness of the acupuncture treatment, including the number of acupuncture treatment sessions required until a patient was successfully treated was recorded, with a maximum of three acupuncture treatment sessions per patient, the time elapsed until urination following the treatment (minutes), and urinary bladder volume before and after treatment (mL). Results: The study demonstrated a 93.3% success rate in treating POUR with electroacupuncture. A significant reduction in post-void residual volume was noted, and patients could void within 30 minutes post-treatment. No significant differences in treatment effectiveness were observed across difference genders and age groups. Conclusion: Electroacupuncture proved to be a highly effective treatment for POUR in patients post-lumbar spine surgery, with a rapid response time and substantial reduction in PVR. However, the retrospective nature of the study and single-center focus limit its generalizability. Future research incorporating randomized controlled trials or multi-center observational studies are recommended to validate these findings and explore the potential of acupuncture in POUR management on a broader scale.

• Clinical and Experimental Vaccine Research
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.143-155
• /
• 2023

Purpose: An association between Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccination has been reported. We aimed to summarize the clinical features of GBS associated with SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and determine the contrasting features from coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) associated GBS and GBS following other causes. Materials and Methods: We performed PubMed search for articles published between 1 December 2020 and 27 January 2022 using search terms related to "SARS-CoV-2 vaccination" and "GBS". Reference searching of the eligible studies was performed. Sociodemographic and vaccination data, clinical and laboratory features, and outcomes were extracted. We compared these findings with post-COVID-19 GBS and International GBS Outcome Study (IGOS) (GBS from other causes) cohorts. Results: We included 100 patients in the analysis. Mean age was 56.88 years, and 53% were males. Six-eight received non-replicating virus vector and 30 took messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines. The median interval between the vaccination and the GBS onset was 11 days. Limb weakness, facial palsy, sensory symptoms, dysautonomia, and respiratory insufficiency were seen in 78.65%, 53.3%, 77.4%, 23.5%, and 25%, respectively. The commonest clinical and electrodiagnostic subtype were sensory-motor variant (68%) and acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (61.4%), respectively. And 43.9% had poor outcome (GBS outcome score ≥3). Pain was common with virus vector than mRNA vaccine, and the latter had severe disease at presentation (Hughes grade ≥3). Sensory phenomenon and facial weakness were common in vaccination cohort than post-COVID-19 and IGOS. Conclusion: There are distinct differences between GBS associated with SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and GBS due to other causes. Facial weakness and sensory symptoms were commonly seen in the former and outcomes poor.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• v.24 no.6
• /
• pp.590-598
• /
• 2023

Objective: To investigate whether the levels of inflammation detected by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) can predict disease relapse in immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) patients receiving standard induction steroid therapy. Materials and Methods: This prospective study analyzed pretherapy FDG PET/CT images from 48 patients (mean age, 63 ± 12.9 years; 45 males and 3 females) diagnosed with IgG4-RD between September 2008 and February 2018, who subsequently received standard induction steroid therapy as the first-line treatment. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify the potential prognostic factors associated with relapse-free survival (RFS). Results: The median follow-up time for the entire cohort was 1913 days (interquartile range [IQR], 803-2929 days). Relapse occurred in 81.3% (39/48) patients during the follow-up period. The median time to relapse was 210 days (IQR, 140-308 days) after completion of standardized induction steroid therapy. Among the 17 parameters analyzed, Cox proportional hazard analysis identified whole-body total lesion glycolysis (WTLG) > 600 on FDG-PET as an independent risk factor for disease relapse (median RFS, 175 vs. 308 days; adjusted hazard ratio, 2.196 [95% confidence interval: 1.080-4.374]; P = 0.030). Conclusion: WTLG on pretherapy FDG PET/CT was the only significant factor associated with RFS in IgG-RD patients receiving standard steroid induction therapy.

• Clinical Endoscopy
• /
• v.56 no.3
• /
• pp.333-339
• /
• 2023

Background/Aims: Intragastric balloon (IGB) is the only available endoscopic bariatric and metabolic therapy in Korea. End-ball (Endalis) has the longest history of clinical use among the IGBs available in Korea. However, little clinical data on this system have been reported. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of End-ball in Korea. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent IGB insertion (End-ball) from 2013 to 2019. Demographic and anthropometric data were collected. The efficacy and safety of IGB treatment were analyzed. Results: In total, 80 patients were included. Mean age was 33.7 years and 83.8% were female. Initial body mass index was 34.48±4.69 kg/m². Body mass index reduction was 3.72±2.63 kg/m² at the time of IGB removal. Percent of total body weight loss (%TBWL) was 10.76%±6.76%. Percentage excess body weight loss was 43.67%±27.59%. Most adverse events were minor, and 71.4% of participants showed nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain. Conclusions: IGB treatment showed good efficacy and safety profile in Korean patients with obesity. In terms of %TBWL and percentage excess body weight loss, the efficacy was similar to that in the Western population.

• Hip & pelvis
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.233-237
• /
• 2023

Purpose: The objective of this study was to analyze the results from a cohort of patients who underwent a revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) using a dual mobility cup (DMC) implant. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of revised THAs was conducted using the database from a single tertiary referral hospital. A total of 91 revision THAs from 91 patients were included in the study. There were 46 male hips and 45 female hips. The mean age was 56.3±14.6 years, and the mean follow-up period was 6.4±5.9 years. In performance of revision THAs, the DMC implants were used in 18 hips (19.8%), and the conventional implants were used in 73 hips (80.2%). Results: During the follow-up period, three dislocations were identified, and the overall dislocation rate was 3.3%. Early dislocation (at one month postoperatively) occurred in one patient, while late dislocation (at a mean of 7.5 years) occurred in two patients. There was no occurrence of dislocation in the DMC group (0%), and three dislocations were detected in the conventional group (4.1%). However, no significant difference in the rate of dislocation was observed between the two groups (P=0.891). Conclusion: Although the rate of dislocation was higher in the conventional group, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups due to the small number of patients. Nevertheless, we believe that the dual mobility design is advantageous in terms of reducing dislocation rate and can be recommended as an option for a revision THA.

• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.177-188
• /
• 2024

In this research, a cohort of two children, aged 7-8 years, was selected to participate in a specialized three-week training program aimed at enhancing their working memory. The program consisted of three sessions, each lasting approximately 30 minutes. The primary goal was to investigate the impact and developmental trajectory of working memory in school-aged children. Working memory plays a significant role in young children's learning and daily activities. To address the needs of this demographic, products should offer both educational and enjoyable activities that engage working memory. Digital educational tools, known for their flexibility, are suitable for both older individuals and young children. By updating software or modifying content, these tools can be effectively repurposed for young learners without extensive hardware changes, making them both cost-effective and practical. For example, memory training games initially designed for older adults can be adapted for young children by altering images, music, or storylines. Furthermore, incorporating elements familiar to children, like animals, toys, or fairy tales, can increase their engagement in these activities. Historically, working memory capabilities have been assessed predominantly through traditional intelligence tests. However, recent research questions the adequacy of these behavioral measures in accurately detecting changes in working memory. To bridge this gap, the current study utilized electroencephalography (EEG) as a more sophisticated and precise tool for monitoring potential changes in working memory after the training. The research findings were revealing. Participants showed marked improvement in their performance on n-back tasks, a standard measure for evaluating working memory. This improvement post-training strongly supports the effectiveness of the training program. The results indicate that such targeted and structured training programs can significantly enhance the working memory abilities of children in this age group, providing promising implications for educational strategies and cognitive development interventions.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.57 no.3
• /
• pp.255-262
• /
• 2024

Background: Sutureless aortic valves may enable shorter procedure times, which benefits patients with elevated surgical risk. We describe the outcomes of patients with aortic stenosis who underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR) using the sutureless Perceval aortic bioprosthesis. Methods: Data from a retrospective cohort were obtained from a clinical database. The study enrolled patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis who underwent surgical AVR with a sutureless bioprosthesis between August 2015 and December 2020. In total, 113 patients were included (mean age, 75.3±8.4 years; 57.5% women; median Society of Thoracic Surgeons score, 9.7%; mean follow-up period, 51.19±20.6 months). Of these patients, 41 were octogenarians (36.2%) and 3 were nonagenarians (2.6%). Transthoracic echocardiography was employed to assess changes in ejection fraction (EF), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), and mean pressure gradient (MPG). Results: The in-hospital mortality rate was 2.6%, and 13 patients developed new-onset atrial fibrillation. A permanent pacemaker was implanted in 3 patients (2.6%). The median intensive care unit stay was 1 day (interquartile range [IQR], 1-2 days), and the median hospital stay was 12 days (IQR, 9.5-15 days). The overall survival rate at 5 years was 95.9%. LVMI and MPG were reduced postoperatively, while EF increased over the follow-up period. No structural valve deterioration was observed, and no meaningful paravalvular leakage developed during follow-up. Conclusion: The use of a sutureless valve in the aortic position is safe and feasible, even for high-risk elderly patients requiring surgical AVR. LVMI and MPG decreased postoperatively, while EF increased over the follow-up period.