• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.45-59
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• 2023

Objectives: This study investigated the role of Korean medicine doctors in the national quarantine system and the status of their duties through questionnaire surveys and in-depth interviews with Korean medicine staff who participated in COVID-19 work. Methods: We developed a questionnaire survey to investigate the status and perception of Korean medicine doctors' participation in responding to infectious diseases, and the results were derived by conducting frequency analysis and T-test using SPSS program. The measurement variables of this study were the status of COVID-19 related work participation and perception of Korean medicine doctors' role in infectious diseases, and the maximum significance level was 0.05. Results: There were 300 respondents to the survey, and as for the COVID-19 related work, Korean medicine treatment for COVID-19 patients accounted for the most(52.7%), and various preventive and treatment tasks such as epidemiological investigations and specimen collection were conducted. Conclusion: According to this study, it was confirmed that there are sufficient legal and administrative grounds for Korean medicine doctors to perform specimen collection and epidemiological investigations. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare a policy framework to solidify the status of Korean medicine doctors in national infectious diseases in the future.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.959-968
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Few studies have provided evidence of the association between diet quality and dental caries. This study aimed to examine the association between diet quality and untreated dental caries in a Korean representative population. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The study population included a sample of 13,815 participants, aged ≥ 19 from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey during 2013-2015. The explanatory variable was diet quality and the outcome variable was untreated dental caries. Untreated dental caries were defined by the number of decayed teeth recorded according to the criteria established by the World Health Organization. Diet quality was defined by using the Korean Healthy Eating Index (KHEI) through the 24-h recall methods. We assessed the association between diet quality and untreated dental caries while adjusting for age, sex, education, income, smoking status, dental visits, toothbrushing frequencies, obesity, and diabetes mellitus. RESULTS: The mean overall KHEI scores in the untreated dental caries group were significantly lower than those in the group without untreated dental caries. Significant differences were observed in the untreated dental caries group based on the KHEI quartiles (P < 0.001). After adjusting for potential confounders, the quartiles of KHEI scores showed an association with untreated dental caries, demonstrating a dose-effect trend (odds ratio [OR], 1.57; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.35-1.84 for 1st quartile; OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.19-1.59 for 2nd quartile; OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.14-1.53 for 3rd quartile; reference quartile highest]). CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicated an inverse association between diet quality and untreated dental caries in Korean adults. Healthcare providers should take into account the significant role of diet quality in preventing and managing oral health.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.652-665
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to develop a nursing clinical judgment scale (NCJS) and verify its validity and reliability in assessing the clinical judgment of nurses. Methods: A preliminary instrument of the NCJS comprising 38 items was first developed from attributes and indicators derived from a literature review and an in-depth/focus interview with 12 clinical nurses. The preliminary tool was finalized after 7 experts conducted a content validity test based on a data from a preliminary survey of 30 hospital nurses in Korea. Data were collected from 443 ward, intensive care unit, emergency room nurses who voluntarily participated in the survey through offline and online for the verification of the construct validity and reliability of the scale. Results: The final scale comprised 23 items scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Six factors - integrated data analysis, evaluation and reflection on interventions, evidence on interventions, collaboration among health professionals, patient-centered nursing, and collaboration among nurse colleagues - accounted for 64.9% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the fit of the measurement model, comprising six factors (root mean square error of approximation = .07, standardized root mean square residual = .04, comparative fit index = .90). Cronbach's α for all the items was .92. Conclusion: The NCJS is a valid and reliable tool that fully reflects the characteristics of clinical practice, and it can be used effectively to evaluate the clinical judgment of Korean nurses. Future research should reflect the variables influencing clinical judgment and develop an action plan to improve it.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.116-122
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• 2024

Background: Due to the importance of evidence-based research in plastic surgery, the authors of this study aimed to assess the accuracy of ChatGPT in generating novel systematic review ideas within the field of craniofacial surgery. Methods: ChatGPT was prompted to generate 20 novel systematic review ideas for 10 different subcategories within the field of craniofacial surgery. For each topic, the chatbot was told to give 10 "general" and 10 "specific" ideas that were related to the concept. In order to determine the accuracy of ChatGPT, a literature review was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, and Cochrane. Results: In total, 200 total systematic review research ideas were generated by ChatGPT. We found that the algorithm had an overall 57.5% accuracy at identifying novel systematic review ideas. ChatGPT was found to be 39% accurate for general topics and 76% accurate for specific topics. Conclusion: Craniofacial surgeons should use ChatGPT as a tool. We found that ChatGPT provided more precise answers with specific research questions than with general questions and helped narrow down the search scope, leading to a more relevant and accurate response. Beyond research purposes, ChatGPT can augment patient consultations, improve healthcare equity, and assist in clinical decision-making. With rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), it is important for plastic surgeons to consider using AI in their clinical practice to improve patient-centered outcomes.

• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.195-216
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• 2023

The Korean Society of Heart Failure guidelines aim to provide physicians with evidence-based recommendations for diagnosing and managing patients with heart failure (HF). In Korea, the prevalence of HF has been rapidly increasing in the last 10 years. HF has recently been classified into HF with reduced ejection fraction (EF), HF with mildly reduced EF, and HF with preserved EF (HFpEF). Moreover, the availability of newer therapeutic agents has led to an increased emphasis on the appropriate diagnosis of HFpEF. Accordingly, this part of the guidelines will mainly cover the definition, epidemiology, and diagnosis of HF.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.85 no.1
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• pp.54-76
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• 2024

Facet joint arthrosis is a progressive degenerative disease that is frequently associated with other spinal degenerative disorders such as degenerative disc disease or spinal stenosis. Lumbar facet joint arthrosis can induce pain in the proximal lower extremities. However, symptoms and imaging findings of "facet joint syndrome" are not specific as they mimic the pain from herniated discs or nerve root compression. Currently, evidence for therapeutic intra-articular lumbar facet joint injections is still considered low, with a weak recommendation strength. Nevertheless, some studies have reported therapeutic effectiveness of facet joint injections. Moreover, the use of therapeutic facet joint injections in clinical practice has increased. This review article includes opinions based on the authors' experience with facet joint injections. This review primarily aimed to investigate the efficacy of lumbar facet joint injections and consider their associated safety aspects.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.238-244
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• 2023

Background: Many patients use online resources to educate themselves on surgical procedures and make well-informed healthcare decisions. The aim of our study was to evaluate the quality and readability of online resources exploring shoulder arthroplasty. Methods: An internet search pertaining to shoulder arthroplasty (partial, anatomic, and reverse) was conducted using the three most popular online search engines. The top 25 results generated from each term in each search engine were included. Webpages were excluded if they were duplicates, advertised by search engines, subpages of other pages, required payments or subscription, or were irrelevant to our scope. Webpages were classified into different source categories. Quality of information was assessed by HONcode certification, Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) criteria, and DISCERN benchmark criteria. Webpage readability was assessed using the Flesch reading ease score (FRES). Results: Our final dataset included 125 web pages. Academic sources were the most common with 45 web pages (36.0%) followed by physician/private practice with 39 web pages (31.2%). The mean JAMA and DISCERN scores for all web pages were 1.96±1.31 and 51.4±10.7, respectively. The total mean FRES score was 44.0±11.0. Only nine web pages (7.2%) were HONcode certified. Websites specified for healthcare professionals had the highest JAMA and DISCERN scores with means of 2.92±0.90 and 57.96±8.91, respectively (P<0.001). HONcode-certified webpages had higher quality and readability scores than other web pages. Conclusions: Web-based patient resources for shoulder arthroplasty information did not show high-quality scores and easy readability. When presenting medical information, sources should maintain a balance between readability and quality and should seek HONcode certification as it helps establish the reliability and accessibility of the presented information. Level of evidence: IV.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.68-82
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• 2024

Purpose : This scoping review was designed to identify gaps in knowledge and guide future directions for clinical nursing practices and research on oral hygiene care for endotracheally intubated patients in Korean intensive care units. Methods : We conducted a scoping review using the methodological framework proposed by Arksey and O'Malley. PubMed, CINAHL, RISS, Science On, and DBpia databases were searched. Two reviewers independently selected the studies and extracted data. A total of 445 studies were identified, of which 17 were included in the final analysis. Results : No research has been conducted from 2021 to the present. A total of 12 instruments were utilized in 13 studies to assess the effectiveness of oral hygiene care. All studies investigating the effectiveness of oral hygiene care have consistently documented that chlorhexidine has the most significant effect. The frequency and time of oral hygiene care were each examined in one study. Conclusion : A research study is necessary to develop a measurement tool for assessing the effectiveness of oral hygiene care suitable for endotracheal intubated patients in intensive care units. Interventional studies should be conducted to determine the effects of chlorhexidine and the appropriate frequency and time of oral hygiene care. Thereafter, revision of domestic evidence-based clinical practice guidelines by integrating these results will be necessary.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.59-65
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• 2024

Rectal prolapse is a condition where the rectal wall protrudes outside the anus. While it is a rare condition, it can cause discomfort for patients due to the protrusion of the rectal structure, discharge of mucus and blood, fecal incontinence, constipation, and other inconveniences. In this review, we analyzed a randomized controlled trial (RCT) study that used the herbal medicine Bojungikgi-tang(Buzhongyiqi-tang) as a complementary therapy to improve the weaknesses and side effects of the standard treatment, surgical therapy, for rectal prolapse. The analysis included 12 RCT studies, and in all studies, the prescription involved the use of Astragali Radix at the highest dosage. Among the 11 studies that evaluated efficacy, 7 studies showed a significant effect compared to the control group. In all 3 studies that evaluating recurrence rates and all 5 studies investigating complications after surgery, the experimental group showed significant effects. Based on these findings, this study could be considered as a foundational evidence for the application of bojungikgi-tang(Buzhongyiqi-tang) in clinical practice in Korean medicine for patients with rectal prolapse. It could also serve as foundational data for future research.

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Reports
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-50
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• 2020

Although surgery was the standard treatment for early gastrointestinal cancers, endoscopic resection is now a standard treatment for early gastrointestinal cancers without regional lymph node metastasis. High-definition white light endoscopy, chromoendoscopy, and image-enhanced endoscopy such as narrow band imaging are performed to assess the edge and depth of early gastrointestinal cancers for delineation of resection boundaries and prediction of the possibility of lymph node metastasis before the decision of endoscopic resection. Endoscopic mucosal resection and/or endoscopic submucosal dissection can be performed to remove early gastrointestinal cancers completely by en bloc fashion. Histopathological evaluation should be carefully made to investigate the presence of risk factors for lymph node metastasis such as depth of cancer invasion and lymphovascular invasion. Additional treatment such as radical surgery with regional lymphadenectomy should be considered if the endoscopically resected specimen shows risk factors for lymph node metastasis. This is the first Korean clinical practice guideline for endoscopic resection of early gastrointestinal cancer. This guideline was developed by using mainly de novo methods and encompasses endoscopic management of superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, early gastric cancer, and early colorectal cancer. This guideline will be revised as new data on early gastrointestinal cancer are collected.