Determination of the range of intervention timing for supernumerary teeth using the Korean health insurance review and assessment service database.

This study aimed to identify the frequency of complications during the diagnosis, observation, and treatment of supernumerary teeth or odontomas and evaluate the relationship between complications and the timing of surgical intervention. This study was conducted based on data from the Korea Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service between January 2008 and December 2019. A 2-year washout period was applied, and a follow-up period of at least 2 years was also included. During the observation period, the age at diagnosis of supernumerary teeth and odontomas was analyzed using major diagnostic codes, and the treatment codes were used to determine the interval between diagnosis and surgical intervention. The incidence rates of supernumerary teeth (1.21%) and odontomas (0.36%) were comparable to that reported in previous studies. The frequency of supernumerary teeth was the highest in the anterior region, followed by the premolar and molar regions. The average ages at diagnosis according to the location of the supernumerary teeth were 7.25, 13.98, and 16.11 years in the anterior, premolar, and molar regions, respectively. The age at diagnosis correlated with the maturity period of the teeth at the corresponding location. For the supernumerary tooth group, surgical intervention was more likely to occur when malocclusion (p < 0.0001) or tooth eruption disturbances (p < 0.0001) were present or dentigerous cysts were absent (p = 0.006). For the odontoma group, malocclusion (p = 0.251) was not correlated with surgical intervention. When tooth eruption disturbances (p = 0.002) and dentigerous cysts (p < 0.0001) were present, surgical intervention was more likely to occur. Pediatric dentists should conduct timely clinical checks and periodic follow-ups to prevent complications and unnecessary orthodontic treatments in patients with supernumerary teeth or odontomas.

Oral Health of Patients with Special Health Care Needs After General Anesthesia: A 25- Year Retrospective Study.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the oral health state and dental treatment outcomes of patients with special health care needs (SHCN) after general anesthesia (GA), according to their compliance with dental checkups. METHODS: The medical records of SHCN patients who were treated under GA in a dental hospital from 1991 to 2016 were analyzed. The 157 patients in this study were divided into regular (N equals 62) and irregular (n equals 95) dental checkups. RESULTS: The mean age was 16.4 years (range equals two to 52); 96 were male, and 61 were female. In the irregular checkup group, invasive treatments like pulp treatment and extraction were performed more frequently during the checkup period (P<0.05). More patients underwent repeated GA in the irregular group (n equals 35; 36.8 percent) compared to the regular group (n equals six; 9.7 percent; P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In our study, special health care needs patients in the irregular checkup group were approximately four times more likely to undergo repeated general anesthesia than those in the regular group. A regular checkup could reduce repeated GA and severity of dental treatment. Therefore, regular checkups must be included in the treatment plan of SHCN patients.

Formaldehyde and heavy metal migration from rubber and metallic packaging/utensils in Korea.

The aim of this study was to determine the non-intentionally added substances--formaldehyde and trace metals--at 4% acetic acid conditions in rubber and metallic packaging/utensils. The temperature effect on migration in rubber and metallic packaging/utensils was monitored at 60 °C and 100 °C under acidic (pH < 3) circumstances. The concentrations were: formaldehyde--23.1 µg kg⁻¹, lead--13.41 µg kg⁻¹, cadmium--0.15 µg kg⁻¹, total arsenic--2.02 µg kg⁻¹ and nickel--2.92 µg kg⁻¹ at 60 °C and formaldehyde--148.9 µg kg⁻¹, lead--17.04 µg kg⁻¹, cadmium--0.14 µg kg⁻¹, total arsenic--7.25 µg kg⁻¹ and nickel--8.7 µg kg⁻¹ at 100 °C. A significant difference was noticed in formaldehyde and total arsenic between both temperatures (p < 0.01), which was not present in other trace metals. In conclusion, formaldehyde and total arsenic were more sensitive with cooking temperature than the other metals.

Monitoring and risk assessment of pesticide residues in commercially dried vegetables.

We tested for residual pesticide levels in dried vegetables in Seoul, Korea. A total of 100 samples of 13 different types of agricultural products were analyzed by a gas chromatography-nitrogen phosphate detector (GC-NPD), an electron capture detector (GC-µECD), a mass spectrometry detector (GC-MSD), and a high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detector (HPLC-UV). We used multi-analysis methods to analyze for 253 different pesticide types. Among the selected agricultural products, residual pesticides were detected in 11 samples, of which 2 samples (2.0%) exceeded the Korea Maximum Residue limits (MRLs). We detected pesticide residue in 6 of 9 analyzed dried pepper leaves and 1 sample exceeded the Korea MRLs. Data obtained were then used for estimating the potential health risks associated with the exposures to these pesticides. The estimated daily intakes (EDIs) range from 0.1% of the acceptable daily intake (ADI) for bifenthrin to 8.4% of the ADI for cadusafos. The most critical commodity is cadusafos in chwinamul, contributing 8.4% to the hazard index (HI). This results show that the detected pesticides could not be considered a serious public health problem. Nevertheless, an investigation into continuous monitoring is recommended.

Economic evaluation of the national immunization program of rotavirus vaccination for children in Korea.

The authors assessed the cost-effectiveness of rotavirus vaccination to develop an evidence-based national immunization program in Korea. A Markov model was constructed to compare the costs and clinical outcomes of vaccination versus no vaccination. The birth cohort of 493189 infants in 2007 was followed until the age of 5 years. Korea-specific data for epidemiological characteristics and economic burden of rotavirus diarrhea were used for the modeled estimation. Efficacy of RotaTeq® was based on a recent clinical trial. Rotavirus vaccination would prevent 181238 symptomatic cases (reduction rate = 63.2%) over 5 years after birth. From the societal perspective, at a vaccination cost of 100000 Korean won (KW; 1 US$ ≈ 1200 KW) per dose, universal vaccination would cost 375 620 KW per case averted. The breakeven price of vaccine was 56061 KW. Rotavirus vaccination would reduce the burden of the disease substantially and be a cost-effective strategy to prevent rotavirus diarrhea in Korea.

Comparison of medical expenditure according to types of hospice care in patients with terminal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Hospice care is perceived as enhancing life quality for patients with advanced, incurable illness, but cost comparisons to nonhospice patients are difficult to make. Several studies demonstrated that palliative hospice care reduced medical expenditure in terminally ill patients compared with that of nonhospice care. METHODS: Patients with terminal cancer who were registered in Hospice Care Program (HCP) by the written consent and died during same admission period in Seoul Veterans Hospital, Seoul, Korea, between January 2009 and December 2009 were included. We compared medical expenditure according to the ward type (hospice ward and general ward) in patients who received palliative hospice care in Seoul Veterans Hospital, Korea. RESULTS: The daily total average expenditure for each inpatient was 193 930 and 266 161 in the hospice and general ward, respectively (P = .001). Daily expenditure of parenteral nutrition and laboratory blood tests/X-ray was also significantly lower in hospice ward compared with general ward (P = .002 and P = .006), respectively; 12 (17%) of 72 patients had been admitted in the intensive care unit during hospice care period in general ward (P = .014); 1 (3%) of 32 patients received blood products in hospice ward, but 13 (18%) patients received blood products in general ward during palliative hospice care (P = .039). CONCLUSION: Hospice ward type in palliative hospice therapy may contribute to reduce economic medical costs as well as to more specific total care for terminally ill patients with cancer.

Quantification of nimesulide in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detector (HPLC-UV): application to pharmacokinetic studies in 28 healthy Korean subjects.

Nimesulide is a selective COX-2 inhibitor that is as effective as the classical non-acidic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the relief of various pain and inflammatory conditions, but is better tolerated with lower incidences of adverse effects than other drugs. After oral dose of 100 mg nimesulide to western subjects, a mean maximal concentration (C(max)) of 2.86 ∼ 6.5 µg/mL was reached at 1.22 ∼ 2.75 h and mean t(1/2ß) of 1.8 ∼ 4.74 h. This study developed a robust method for quantification of nimesulide for the pharmacokinetics and suitability of its dosage in Korea and compared its suitability with other racial populations. Nimesulide and internal standard were extracted from acidified samples with methyl tert-butyl ether and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV). The 28 healthy volunteers took 2 tablets of 100 mg nimesulide and blood concentrations were analyzed during the 24 h post dose. Several pharmacokinetic parameters were represented: AUC(0-infinity) = 113.0 mg-h/mL, C(max) = 12.06 mg/mL, time for maximal concentrations (T(max)) = 3.19 h and t(1/2ß) = 4.51 h. These were different from those of western populations as follows: AUC was 14.5% and C(max) was 28% that of of Korean subjects and T(max) and t(1/2ß) were also different. The validated HPLC-UV method was successfully applied for the pharmacokinetic studies of nimesulide in Korean subjects. Because the pharmacokinetics of nimesulide were different from western populations, its dosage regimen needs to be adjusted for Koreans.