Postoperative risk assessment of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and the efficacy of delayed prevention following 532 nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser treatment of solar lentigines: a randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Although post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) is a common adverse event following laser procedures, studies evaluating its risk remain limited. OBJECTIVE: To analyze PIH risk after 532 nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser (QSNYL) treatment for solar lentigines and examine the efficacy of triple combination cream (TCC) for its prevention. METHODS: In this single center, investigator-blinded, randomized controlled study, participants with solar lentigo either received TCC or emollient from 2 weeks post-QSNYL treatment. The occurrence of PIH was determined by three independent and blinded dermatologists. In vivo skin measurements and sun exposure questionnaires were examined to evaluate the risk of PIH. RESULTS: A total of 28 patients with 67 solar lentigines were included in the analysis. In the control group, PIH occurred in 55.3% of the lesions. Risk factors for the occurrence of PIH were the increased erythema at weeks 2 (OR, 1.32; p = 0.035) and outdoor activity during 1-5 pm (OR, 8.10; p = 0.038). Treatment with TCC from 2 weeks post-QSNYL treatment significantly decreased the incidence of PIH (31.0% vs. 55.3%, p = 0.048). CONCLUSION: Post-laser erythema and outdoor activity at the daytime are prognostic factors for the occurrence of PIH. Administering TCC could be considered for the prevention of PIH in high-risk patients.

Monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance from the perspective of nephrologists.

Kidney disease is a frequent complication of multiple myeloma and other malignancies associated with monoclonal gammopathies. Additionally, dysproteinemia-related kidney disease can occur independently of overt multiple myeloma or hematologic malignancies. Monoclonal gammopathy of renal significance (MGRS) is a spectrum of disorders in which a monoclonal immunoglobulin produced by a benign or premalignant B-cell or plasma cell clone causes kidney damage. MGRS-associated renal disease manifests in various forms, including immunoglobulin-associated amyloidosis, monoclonal immunoglobulin deposition diseases (light chain, heavy chain, and combined light and heavy chain deposition diseases), proliferative glomerulonephritis with monoclonal immunoglobulin deposits, C3 glomerulopathy with monoclonal gammopathy, and light chain proximal tubulopathy. Although MGRS is a nonmalignant or premalignant hematologic condition, it has significant renal implications that often lead to progressive kidney damage and, eventually, end-stage kidney disease. This review discusses the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and management of MGRS and focuses on the perspective of nephrologists.

Characteristics of the epicardial adipose tissue measured by low-dose chest computed tomography according to the metabolic health/obesity status.

BACKGROUND: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is associated with the development of cardiovascular disease and long-term survival. This study aimed to assess the characteristics of EAT according to the metabolic health and obesity status using low-dose chest computed tomography (CT). METHODS: A total of 1074 asymptomatic adults who underwent a medical health check-up were enrolled. Subjects were categorized into the following four groups according to the metabolic health and obesity status: metabolically healthy non-obese (MHNO); metabolically unhealthy non-obese (MUNO); metabolically healthy obese (MHO); and metabolically unhealthy obese (MUO). EAT on low-dose chest CT was measured by using automatic, quantitative measurement software. RESULTS: MUO showed the highest EAT volume and lowest EAT radiodensity in comparison with MHNO (p < 0.001). The MUNO (n = 70), MHO (n = 259), and MUO (n = 231) groups had increased EAT volume (ß [95 % CI], 37.65 [23.11,52.18], 56.79 [47.56,66.02], 84.85 [74.59,95.11] respectively, all p < 0.001), decreased EAT radiodensity (ß [95 % CI], - 3.22 [- 4.59,- 1.85], - 4.48 [- 5.30,- 3.66], - 6.03 [- 6.90,- 5.16] respectively, all p < 0.001) in comparison with the MHNO (n = 514) group by using multivariable linear regression models. CONCLUSIONS: Both metabolic abnormalities and obesity were closely associated with EAT characteristics. Characteristics of EAT are similar in MHO and MUNO. This finding suggests that MHO is not a favorable condition in terms of cardiac health, as assessed by the characteristics of EAT. The combination of obesity and metabolically unhealthy status has a synergistic adverse effect on EAT. Measurement of EAT could be a useful imaging biomarker for evaluation of an individual's metabolic health/obesity status.

Impact of obesity on renal function in elderly Korean adults: a national population-based cohort study.

Background: Obesity is a well-known risk factor for chronic kidney disease and its progression. However, the impact of obesity on the renal function of the elderly population is uncertain. We investigated the association between obesity and renal outcomes in the elderly. Methods: We analyzed 130,504 participants from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-Senior cohort. Obesity was classified according to body mass index (BMI), sex-specific waist circumference (WC), and the presence of metabolic syndrome. The primary outcome was renal function decline, defined as a decline in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of at least 50% from baseline or new-onset end-stage renal disease. Results: During a follow-up period of 559,531.1 person-years (median, 4.3 years), 2,486 participants (19.0%; incidence rate of 4.44 per 1,000 person-years) showed renal function decline. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model revealed that BMI/WC was not associated with renal function decline. However, the group with metabolic syndrome had a significantly increased risk of renal function decline compared to the group without metabolic syndrome (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-1.36). Compared with the non-metabolic syndrome group, the adjusted HRs (95% CI) for participants with one through five components were 0.96 (0.84-1.11), 1.10 (0.96-1.27), 1.24 (1.06-1.45), 1.37 (1.12-1.66), and 1.99 (1.42-2.79), respectively (p for trend < 0.001). Conclusion: In elderly Korean adults, metabolic syndrome and the number of its components were associated with a higher risk of renal function decline, but BMI or WC was not significant.

Relationship Between High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Mortality in Elderly Hemodialysis Patients: Data From the Korean Society of Geriatric Nephrology Retrospective Cohort.

OBJECTIVES: The association between high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels and mortality in elderly patients undergoing hemodialysis is not well established. Thus, this study investigated HDL levels and mortality in elderly Korean patients undergoing hemodialysis. METHODS: We recruited 1860 incident hemodialysis patients aged greater than 70 years from a retrospective cohort of the Korean Society of Geriatric Nephrology. The primary outcome measure was all-cause mortality. RESULTS: The mean age of the cohort was 77.8 years, and 1049 (56.4%) were men. When we grouped the patients into HDL cholesterol tertiles, the T1 group (HDL level <30 mg/dL in men and <33 mg/dL in women) had a higher proportion of patients with end-stage kidney disease due to diabetic nephropathy. During the median follow-up period of 3.1 years, 1109 (59.7%) deaths occurred. In a multivariable Cox regression model, the T1 group had a significantly higher risk of mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 1.28; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-1.50; P = .002) compared to the T3 group. A nonlinear analysis using a restrictive spline curve showed that low HDL cholesterol levels were associated with increased HR when HDL cholesterol levels were <40 mg/dL; however, there was no association between HDL cholesterol and mortality when HDL cholesterol levels were >40 mg/dL. Triglyceride/HDL ratio was not significantly associated with the risk of mortality (HR per 1 log increase, 1.08; 95% confidence interval, 0.99-1.18; P = .069). CONCLUSIONS: Low HDL cholesterol levels are associated with an increased risk of mortality in elderly patients undergoing hemodialysis. However, there was no significant relationship between HDL cholesterol levels and mortality when levels were below 40 mg/dL. Therefore, low HDL cholesterol levels may be a useful risk factor for predicting mortality in elderly patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Multi-System-Level Analysis Reveals Differential Expression of Stress Response-Associated Genes in Inflammatory Solar Lentigo.

Although the pathogenesis of solar lentigo (SL) involves chronic ultraviolet (UV) exposure, cellular senescence, and upregulated melanogenesis, underlying molecular-level mechanisms associated with SL remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the gene regulatory mechanisms intimately linked to inflammation in SL. Skin samples from patients with SL with or without histological inflammatory features were obtained. RNA-seq data from the samples were analyzed via multiple analysis approaches, including exploration of core inflammatory gene alterations, identifying functional pathways at both transcription and protein levels, comparison of inflammatory module (gene clusters) activation levels, and analyzing correlations between modules. These analyses disclosed specific core genes implicated in oxidative stress, especially the upregulation of nuclear factor kappa B in the inflammatory SLs, while genes associated with protective mechanisms, such as SLC6A9, were highly expressed in the non-inflammatory SLs. For inflammatory modules, Extracellular Immunity and Mitochondrial Innate Immunity were exclusively upregulated in the inflammatory SL. Analysis of protein-protein interactions revealed the significance of CXCR3 upregulation in the pathogenesis of inflammatory SL. In conclusion, the upregulation of stress response-associated genes and inflammatory pathways in response to UV-induced oxidative stress implies their involvement in the pathogenesis of inflammatory SL.

Artificial intelligence-based prescription of personalized scalp cosmetics improved the scalp condition: efficacy results from 100 participants.

Background: Scalp-related symptoms such as dandruff and itching are common with diverse underlying etiologies. We previously proposed a novel classification and scoring system for scalp conditions, called the scalp photographic index (SPI); it grades five scalp features using trichoscopic images with good reliability. However, it requires trained evaluators.Aim: To develop artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms for assessment of scalp conditions and to assess the feasibility of AI-based recommendations on personalized scalp cosmetics.Methods: Using EfficientNet, convolutional neural network (CNN) models (SPI-AI) ofeach scalp feature were established. 101,027 magnified scalp images graded according to the SPI scoring were used for training, validation, and testing the model Adults with scalp discomfort were prescribed shampoos and scalp serums personalized according to their SPI-AI-defined scalp types. Using the SPI, the scalp conditions were evaluated at baseline and at weeks 4, 8, and 12 of treatment.Results: The accuracies of the SPI-AI for dryness, oiliness, erythema, folliculitis, and dandruff were 91.3%, 90.5%, 89.6%, 87.3%, and 95.2%, respectively. Overall, 100 individuals completed the 4-week study; 43 of these participated in an extension study until week 12. The total SPI score decreased from 32.70 ± 7.40 at baseline to 15.97 ± 4.68 at week 4 (p < 0.001). The efficacy was maintained throughout 12 weeks.Conclusions: SPI-AI accurately assessed the scalp condition. AI-based prescription of tailored scalp cosmetics could significantly improve scalp health.

MicroRNA-5010-5p ameliorates high-glucose induced inflammation in renal tubular epithelial cells by modulating the expression of PPP2R2D.

INTRODUCTION: We previously reported the significant upregulation of eight circulating exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) in patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD). However, their specific roles and molecular mechanisms in the kidney remain unknown. Among the eight miRNAs, we evaluated the effects of miR-5010-5p on renal tubular epithelial cells under diabetic conditions in this study. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We transfected the renal tubular epithelial cell line, HK-2, with an miR-5010-5p mimic using recombinant plasmids. The target gene of hsa-miR-5010-5p was identified using a dual-luciferase assay. Cell viability was assessed via the 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Moreover, mRNA and protein expression levels were determined via real-time PCR and western blotting, respectively. RESULTS: High glucose levels did not significantly affect the intracellular expression of miR-5010-5p in HK-2 cells. Transfection of the miR-5010-5p mimic caused no change in cell viability. However, miR-5010-5p-transfected HK-2 cells exhibited significantly decreased expression levels of inflammatory cytokines, such as the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, interleukin-1ß, and tumor necrosis factor-ɑ, under high-glucose conditions. These changes were accompanied by the restored expression of phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and decreased phosphorylation of nuclear factor-kappa B. Dual-luciferase assay revealed that miR-5010-5p targeted the gene, protein phosphatase 2 regulatory subunit B delta (PPP2R2D), a subunit of protein phosphatase 2A, which modulates AMPK phosphorylation. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that increased miR-5010-5p expression reduces high glucose-induced inflammatory responses in renal tubular epithelial cells via the regulation of the target gene, PPP2R2D, which modulates AMPK phosphorylation. Therefore, miR-5010-5p may be a promising therapeutic target for DKD.

Dapagliflozin Reduces Urinary Kidney Injury Biomarkers in Chronic Kidney Disease Irrespective of Albuminuria Level.

The beneficial effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) with low albuminuria levels have not been established. This study aimed to compare the effects of dapagliflozin on kidney injury biomarkers in patients with CKD stratified by albuminuria level. We prospectively enrolled healthy volunteers (HVs; n = 20) and patients with CKD (n = 54) with and without diabetes mellitus. Patients with CKD were divided into two age-matched and sex-matched subgroups according to urinary albumin-creatinine ratio (uACR) levels (<300 mg/g and ≥300 mg/g). The CKD group received dapagliflozin (10 mg/day). Urine samples were collected before treatment and after 3 and 6 months of dapagliflozin. Urinary kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), and mitochondrial DNA nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit-1 (mtND1) copy number were measured. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of patients with CKD was lower than that of HVs (P < 0.001). During the study period, eGFR decreased and uACR did not change in the CKD group. Kidney injury markers were significantly elevated in patients with CKD compared with those in HVs. Dapagliflozin reduced urinary KIM-1, IL-1ß, and mtDNA copy number in patients with CKD after 6 months of treatment. In further, the levels of urinary KIM-1 and IL-1ß, patients with CKD decreased after 6 months of dapagliflozin treatment regardless of albuminuria level. Dapagliflozin reduced urinary kidney injury biomarkers in patients with CKD, regardless of albuminuria level. These findings suggest that SGLT2 inhibitors may also attenuate the progression of low albuminuric CKD.

Educational Outcomes and Perception Changes in Medical Students After Visiting a Blood Donation Center.

Educating primary care physicians about blood donation and transfusion is critical. The Division of Hematology and Oncology at Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital in Korea introduced an on-site educational program termed the Blood Donation Center Visiting Program in the clerkship education for final-year medical students. We evaluated the educational outcomes and changes in perception among medical students after the Blood Donation Center Visiting Program based on a survey. The program was implemented from 2021 to 2023. As part of the program, students visited a blood donation center each week, one group at a time. They gained practical knowledge about the blood donation process, and some students actively participated in blood donation. After the program, 287 students were eligible for an online survey of the program, of whom 203 participated in the survey. Among the 203 students, 126 (62.1%) donated blood during their visit to the blood donation center as part of the program, and 88.7% of the students reported an increase (from 71.4% to 90.1%) in their knowledge and willingness to donate blood. The on-site educational Blood Donation Center Visiting Program appears to have generated positive changes in perceptions among students and enhanced their knowledge about blood donation.

Association between dementia diagnosis at dialysis initiation and mortality in older patients with end-stage kidney disease in South Korea.

Background: The prevalence of dementia is 2- to 7-fold higher among patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) than among the general population; however, its clinical implications in this population remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether comorbid dementia increases mortality among older patients with ESKD undergoing newly initiated hemodialysis. Methods: We analyzed data from the Korean Society of Geriatric Nephrology retrospective cohort, which included 2,736 older ESKD patients (≥70 years old) who started hemodialysis between 2010 and 2017. Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox regression analyses were used to examine all-cause mortality between the patients with and without dementia in this cohort. Results: Of the 2,406 included patients, 8.3% had dementia at the initiation of dialysis; these patients were older (79.6 ± 6.0 years) than patients without dementia (77.7 ± 5.5 years) and included more women (male:female, 89:111). Pre-ESKD diagnosis of dementia was associated with an increased risk of overall mortality (hazard ratio, 1.503; p < 0.001), and this association remained consistent after multivariate adjustment (hazard ratio, 1.268; p = 0.009). In subgroup analysis, prevalent dementia was associated with mortality following dialysis initiation in female patients, those aged <85 years, those with no history of cerebrovascular accidents or severe behavioral disorders, those not residing in nursing facilities, and those with no or short-term hospitalization. Conclusion: A pre-ESKD diagnosis of dementia is associated with mortality following dialysis initiation in older Korean population. In older patients with ESKD, cognitive assessment at dialysis initiation is necessary.

Incidence and survival rates of primary cutaneous malignancies in Korea, 1999-2019: A nationwide population-based study.

Primary cutaneous malignancies are among the most commonly diagnosed types of cancer worldwide. We aimed to examine the incidence and 5-year survival rates of all types of primary cutaneous malignancies in the Korean population. Data from the Korean Nationwide Cancer Registry from 1999 to 2019 were analyzed. The crude incidence rates, age-standardized incidence rates, and 5-year relative survival rates of each type of skin cancer were calculated. A total of 89 965 patients were diagnosed with primary cutaneous malignancies, which was a 7-fold increase from 1999 to 2019. The age-standardized incidence rates increased 3.4-fold in basal cell carcinoma (3.7/100 000 person-years), 2.0-fold in squamous cell carcinoma (1.6/100 000 person-years), 12.0-fold in Bowen disease (1.2/100 000 person-years), and 1.8-fold in malignant melanoma (0.7/10 000 person-years) in 2019. Average annual percentage changes in age-standardized incidence rates were statistically significant in basal cell carcinoma (15.8%), Bowen disease (5.8%), squamous cell carcinoma (5.1%), malignant melanoma (1.2%), melanoma in situ (1.1%), dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (1.2%), mycosis fungoides (0.5%), primary cutaneous CD30+ T-cell proliferations (0.5%), adnexal and skin appendage carcinoma (0.4%), extramammary Paget's disease (0.2%), and Merkel cell carcinoma (0.2%). The 5-year relative survival rates were the highest in basal cell carcinoma (103.3%), followed by dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (99.7%) and mycosis fungoides (96.6%), and lowest in angiosarcoma (24.7%). The 5-year relative survival rates steadily increased in extramammary Paget's disease (23.6%), cutaneous B-cell lymphoma (21.3%), mycosis fungoides (20.2%), extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type (18.1%), and malignant melanoma (16.1%) from 1996-2000 to 2015-2019. Most primary cutaneous malignancies have increased in incidence and survival rates in the Korean population, but to varying extents depending on the type of skin cancer.

Long-term efficacy and safety of dutasteride 0.5 mg in Korean men with androgenetic alopecia: 5-year data demonstrating clinical improvement with sustained efficacy.

Dutasteride 0.5 mg is a dual inhibitor of 5α-reductase type I and II and was approved in Korea in 2009 for treating androgenetic alopecia (AGA) in men. We investigated the 5-year efficacy and safety of dutasteride 0.5 mg in Korean men with AGA using the basic and specific (BASP) classification. This retrospective analysis included 99 male AGA patients aged ≥18 years who were treated with dutasteride 0.5 mg for at least 5 years from October 2009 to December 2016 at Kyung Hee University Hospital in Gangdong. Patient photographs were scored using the BASP classification, and the Investigator Global Assessment (IGA) was performed using a seven-point scale. Patient improvement (IGA score ≥1) and prevention of disease progression (IGA score ≥0) were 89.9% (89/99) and 93.9% (93/99), respectively. According to the BASP classification, 52.5% (52/99) of the basic type, 75% (15/20) of the specific F type, and 82.2% (60/73) of the specific V type showed clinical improvement after 5 years of treatment. Dutasteride demonstrated long-term safety and efficacy in Korean male patients with AGA over a period of at least 5 years, with results comparable to those of other long-term efficacy studies of finasteride 1 mg in male patients with AGA.

Importance of dialysis specialists in early mortality in elderly hemodialysis patients: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

The early mortality rate in elderly patients undergoing hemodialysis is more than twice that in young patients, requiring more specialized healthcare. We investigated whether the number of professional dialysis specialists affected early mortality in elderly patients undergoing hemodialysis. This multicenter retrospective cohort study analyzed data from 1860 patients aged ≥ 70 years who started hemodialysis between January 2010 and December 2017. Study regions included Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, Gangwon-do, Daejeon/Chungcheong-do, Daegu/Gyeongsangbuk-do, and Busan/Ulsan/Gyeongsangnam-do. The number of patients undergoing hemodialysis per dialysis specialist was calculated using registered data from each hemodialysis center. Early mortality was defined as death within 6 months of hemodialysis initiation. Gangwon-do (28.3%) and Seoul (14.5%) showed the highest and lowest early mortality rate, respectively. Similarly, Gangwon-do (64.6) and Seoul (43.9) had the highest and lowest number of patients per dialysis specialist, respectively. Relatively consistent results were observed for the regional rankings of early mortality rate and number of patients per dialysis specialist. Multivariate Cox regression analysis-adjusted for previously known significant risk factors-revealed that the number of patients per dialysis specialist was an independent risk factor for early mortality (hazard ratio: 1.031, p < 0.001). This study underscores the growing need for dialysis specialists for elderly hemodialysis patients in Korea.

Dietary cholesterol intake is not associated with the development of chronic kidney disease: Results from two Korean cohort studies.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Although dyslipidemia is a major risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD), the relationship between dietary cholesterol and CKD remains unknown. We investigated the association between cholesterol intake and CKD risk. METHODS AND RESULTS: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2019-2021 (n = 13,769) and the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES) (n = 9225) data were used for this study. Cholesterol intake was assessed using a 24-h recall food frequency questionnaire, and participants were categorized into three groups (T1, T2, and T3) based on cholesterol intake. Primary outcomes were prevalence and incidence of CKD. Higher cholesterol intake was modestly associated with increased serum levels of total, low-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the KNHANES. However, we found no significant association between cholesterol intake and CKD prevalence in the KNHANES, regardless of a history of hypercholesterolemia. In the KoGES, during a median follow-up of 11.4 years, cholesterol intake was not associated with incident CKD in participants without hypercholesterolemia (hazard ratio [HR] per 10 mg increase, 1.00; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 0.99-1.01) and in those with hypercholesterolemia (HR, 1.01; 95 % CI, 0.98-1.04). Egg consumption also showed no significant association with the risk of incident CKD. Additionally, cholesterol intake had no significant interaction on the relationships between serum cholesterol levels and incident CKD. CONCLUSION: Although cholesterol intake was associated with increased serum cholesterol levels, it was not associated with CKD prevalence and incidence. Our findings suggest that reducing cholesterol intake alone may not be sufficient to prevent CKD.