BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a serious mental illness with complex pathology, including abnormalities in the glutamate system. Glutamate is rapidly removed from the synapse by excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs). Changes in the expression and localization of the primary glutamate transporter EAAT2 are found in the brain in central nervous system (CNS) disorders including SCZ. We hypothesize that neuronal expression and function of EAAT2 are increased in the frontal cortex in subjects diagnosed with SCZ. STUDY DESIGN: EAAT2 protein expression and glutamate transporter function were assayed in synaptosome preparations from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of SCZ subjects and age- and sex-matched nonpsychiatrically ill controls. EAAT2 splice variant transcript expression was assayed in enriched populations of neurons and astrocytes from the DLPFC. Pathway analysis of publicly available transcriptomic datasets was carried out to identify biological changes associated with EAAT2 perturbation in different cell types. RESULTS: We found no significant changes in EAAT2 protein expression or glutamate uptake in the DLPFC in SCZ subjects compared with controls (nâ =â 10/group). Transcript expression of EAAT2 and signaling molecules associated with EAAT2b trafficking (CaMKIIa and DLG1) were significantly altered in enriched populations of astrocytes and pyramidal neurons (Pâ <â .05) in SCZ (nâ =â 16/group). These changes were not associated with antipsychotic medications. Pathway analysis also identified cell-type-specific enrichment of biological pathways associated with perturbation of astrocyte (immune pathways) and neuronal (metabolic pathways) EAAT2 expression. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, these data support the growing body of evidence for the role of dysregulation of the glutamate system in the pathophysiology of SCZ.
BACKGROUND: The impact of changes in physical activity after ischemic stroke (IS) on the subsequent myocardial infarction (MI) risk is not fully understood. We aimed to investigate the effects of changes in physical activity on the risk of MI after acute IS using data from the Korean National Health Insurance Services Database. METHODS: 224,764 patients newly diagnosed with IS between 2010 and 2016 who underwent two serial biannual health checkups were included. The participants were divided into four categories according to changes in their physical activity: persistent non-exercisers, new exercisers, exercise dropouts, and exercise maintainers. The primary outcome was a new diagnosis of incident MI. Multivariable Cox proportional models were used to assess the effects of changes in exercise habits on the risk of MI. RESULTS: After a median of 4.25 years of follow-up, 6,611 (2.94%) MI cases were observed. After adjusting for confounders, new exercisers and exercise maintainers were significantly associated with a lower risk of incident MI than persistent non-exercisers (aHR, 0.849; 95% CI, 0.792-0.911; P-value < 0.001; and aHR, 0.746; 95% CI, 0.696-0.801; P-value < 0.001, respectively). Effects were consistent across sexes, more pronounced in those > 65 years. Notably, any level of physical activity after stroke was associated with a reduced MI risk compared to no exercise. CONCLUSIONS: In this nationwide cohort study, commencing or sustaining physical activity after an IS corresponded to a diminished likelihood of subsequent MI development. Advocating physical activity in ambulatory stroke survivors could potentially attenuate the prospective risk of MI.
Exercise , Ischemic Stroke , Myocardial Infarction , Humans , Male , Female , Myocardial Infarction/epidemiology , Republic of Korea/epidemiology , Middle Aged , Ischemic Stroke/epidemiology , Aged , Incidence , Adult , Risk Factors
The need for the development of soft materials capable of stably adhering to nerve tissues without any suturing followed by additional damages is at the fore at a time when success in postoperative recovery depends largely on the surgical experience and/or specialized microsuturing skills of the surgeon. Despite fully recognizing such prerequisite conditions, designing the materials with robust adhesion to wet nerves as well as acute/chronic anti-inflammation remains to be resolved. Herein, a sticky and strain-gradient artificial epineurium (SSGAE) that overcomes the most critically challenging aspect for realizing sutureless repair of severely injured nerves is presented. In this regard, the SSGAE with a skin-inspired hierarchical structure entailing strain-gradient layers, anisotropic Janus layers including hydrophobic top and hydrophilic bottom surfaces, and synergistic self-healing capabilities enables immediate and stable neurorrhaphy in both rodent and nonhuman primate models, indicating that the bioinspired materials strategy significantly contributes to translational medicine for effective peripheral nerve repair.
Peripheral Nerves , Rodentia , Animals , Peripheral Nerves/physiology , Peripheral Nerves/surgery , Primates , Nerve Regeneration
Abamectin offers great protection against Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, a well-known devastating pathogen of pine tree stands. Trunk injection of nematicides is currently the most preferred method of control. This study aimed to evaluate the potency of the commonly used formulations of abamectin against B. xylophilus. Twenty-one formulations of abamectin were evaluated by comparing their sublethal toxicities and reproduction inhibition potentials against B. xylophilus. Nematodes were treated with diluted formulation concentrations in multi-well culture plates. And, populations pre-exposed to pre-determined concentrations of the formulations were inoculated onto Botrytis cinerea culture, and in pine twig cuttings. Potency was contrastingly different among formulations, with LC95 of 0.00285 and 0.39462 mg/ml for the most, and the least potent formulation, respectively. Paralysis generally occurred at an application dose of 0.06 µg/ml or higher, and formulations with high sublethal toxicities caused significant paralysis levels at the tested doses, albeit the variations. Nematode reproduction was evident at lower doses of 0.00053-0.0006 µg/ml both on Botrytis cinerea and pine twigs, with significant variations among formulations. Thus, the study highlighted the inconsistencies in the potency of similar product formulations with the same active ingredient concentration against the target organism, and the need to analyze the potential antagonistic effects of the additives used in formulations.
In this study, statistical analysis and forecasting were performed using coastal litter data of Korea. The analysis indicated that rope and vinyl accounted for the highest proportion of coastal litter items. The statistical analysis of the national coastal litter trends revealed that the greatest concentration of litter was observed during summer months (June-August). To predict the amount of coastal litter per meter, recurrent neural network (RNN)-based models were used. Neural basis expansion analysis for interpretable time series forecasting (N-BEATS) and neural hierarchical interpolation for time series forecasting (N-HiTS), an improved model of N-BEATS recently announced, were used for comparison with RNN-based models. When predictive performance and trend followability were evaluated, overall N-BEATS and N-HiTS outperformed RNN-based models. Furthermore, we found that average of N-BEATS and N-HiTS models yielded better results than using one model.
Neural Networks, Computer , Plastics , Forecasting , Republic of Korea , Time Factors , Seasons , Plastics/analysis , Environmental Monitoring , Waste Products/analysis , Bathing Beaches
In this study, an evolutionary cooling channel, a new methodology for designing a conformal cooling channel, was proposed. This methodology was devised by imitating the way that a plant's roots grow towards a nutrient-rich location. Additionally, Murray's law was applied to increase the cooling efficiency through minimizing the pressure loss of the cooling water inside the cooling channel. The proposed method was applied to the specimen shape to verify the concept, and it was confirmed that efficient cooling was achieved by applying it to the headlamp lens cover part of an actual vehicle. When this methodology was applied, the temperature deviation of the part could be improved by about 46% in just third generations, and the pressure loss could be reduced by about 10 times or more compared to the result of applying the straight-line cooling channel.
The pine wood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus is a well-known devastating pathogen of economic importance in the Republic of Korea and other countries. In the Republic of Korea, trunk injection of nematicides is the preferred method of control. In this study, the efficacy of 16 locally produced formulations of emamectin benzoate against the PWN are compared through determining their sublethal toxicities and reproduction inhibition potentials. Nematodes were treated with varying concentrations of the tested chemicals in multi-well culture plates, and rates of paralysis and mortality were determined after 24 h. Reproduction inhibition potential was tested by inoculating pre-treated nematodes onto Botrytis cinerea, and in pine twig cuttings. Despite the uniformity in the concentration of the active ingredient, efficacy was contrastingly different among formulations. The formulations evidently conformed to three distinct groups based on similarities in sublethal activity (group 1: LC95 of 0.00768-0.01443 mg/ml; group 2: LC95 of 0.03202-0.07236 mg/ml, and group 3: LC95 of as high as 0.30643-0.40811 mg/ml). Nematode paralysis generally occurred at the application dose of 0.0134-0.1075 µg/ml, and there were significant differences in nematode paralysis rates among the products. Nematode reproduction was only evident at lower doses both on B. cinerea and pine twigs, albeit the variations among formulations. Group 1 formulations significantly reduced nematode reproduction even at a lower dose of 0.001075 µg/ml. The variations in efficacy might be attributed to differences in inert ingredients. Therefore, there is need to analyze the potential antagonistic effects of the large number of additives used in formulations.
The complete mitochondrial genome of Chrysemys picta bellii in Korea was sequenced and characterized. The mitochondrial genome consists of 37 genes (13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, and 2 ribosomal RNA genes) and a noncoding region. Phylogenetic analysis based on the mitochondrial genome sequences revealed that C. p. bellii from Korea formed a cluster with C. p. bellii from China and C. picta from the USA, while showing clear separation from other turtle species within the C. picta cluster. This study presented the first complete mitochondrial genome from C. p. bellii in Korea, offering crucial information for managing invasive species and protecting the local ecosystem.
Sternotherus carinatus has been considered as a potential invasive species in Korea. However, the mitochondrial genome information of S. carinatus which can be used to control its effect on ecosystem is lacking. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome of S. carinatus in Korea was sequenced and characterized. The mitochondrial genome consists of 37 genes (13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, and 2 ribosomal RNA genes) and a noncoding region. Phylogenetic analysis based on the mitochondrial genome sequences showed that S. carinatus from Korea is separated from other turtles which are the invasive species in Korea. Sequence divergence calculations indicated near-zero divergence between S. carinatus populations in Korea, the USA, and China, suggesting limited genetic differentiation. In the context of the broader issue of invasive species disrupting ecosystems, this research contributes to the identification of mitochondrial genomes for various freshwater turtle species, emphasizing the need for extended data collection to discern genetic mixing trends between native and non-native species. This study is a significant step toward managing S. carinatus as a potential invasive species in Korea.
Although hydraulic accumulators play a vital role in the hydraulic system, they face the challenges of being broken by continuous abnormal pulsating pressure which occurs due to the malfunction of hydraulic systems. Hence, this study develops anomaly detection algorithms to detect abnormalities of pulsating pressure for hydraulic accumulators. A digital pressure sensor was installed in a hydraulic accumulator to acquire the pulsating pressure data. Six anomaly detection algorithms were developed based on the acquired data. A threshold averaging algorithm over a period based on the averaged maximum/minimum thresholds detected anomalies 2.5 h before the hydraulic accumulator failure. In the support vector machine (SVM) and XGBoost model that distinguish normal and abnormal pulsating pressure data, the SVM model had an accuracy of 0.8571 on the test set and the XGBoost model had an accuracy of 0.8857. In a convolutional neural network (CNN) and CNN autoencoder model trained with normal and abnormal pulsating pressure images, the CNN model had an accuracy of 0.9714, and the CNN autoencoder model correctly detected the 8 abnormal images out of 11 abnormal images. The long short-term memory (LSTM) autoencoder model detected 36 abnormal data points in the test set.
Neural Networks, Computer , Support Vector Machine , Time Factors , Algorithms
Background and Objectives: Guided-motion bicruciate-stabilized (BCS) total knee arthroplasty (TKA) includes a dual cam-post mechanism with an asymmetric bearing geometry that promotes normal knee kinematics and enhances anterior-posterior stability. However, it is unclear whether the improved biomechanics after guided-motion BCS TKA reproduce soft tissue strain similar to the strain generated by native knees. The purpose of this cadaveric study was to compare medial collateral ligament (MCL) strain between native and guided-motion BCS TKA knees using a video extensometer. Materials and Methods: Eight cadaver knees were mounted onto a customized knee squatting simulator to measure MCL strain during flexion in both native and guided-motion BCS TKA knees (Journey II-BCS; Smith & Nephew, Memphis, TN, USA). MCL strain was measured using a video extensometer (Mercury® RT RealTime tracking system, Sobriety s.r.o, Kurim, Czech Republic). MCL strain level and strain distribution during knee flexion were compared between the native and guided-motion BCS TKA conditions. Results: The mean and peak MCL strain were similar between native and guided-motion BCS TKA knees at all flexion angles (p > 0.1). MCL strain distribution was similar between native and BCS TKA knees at 8 of 9 regions of interest (ROIs), while higher MCL strain was observed after BCS TKA than in the native knee at 1 ROI in the mid portion of the MCL at early flexion angles (p < 0.05 at ≤30° of flexion). Conclusions: Guided-motion BCS TKA restored the amount and distribution of MCL strain to the values observed on native knees.
Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee , Collateral Ligaments , Humans , Rotation , Knee Joint/surgery , Knee , Biomechanical Phenomena , Range of Motion, Articular , Collateral Ligaments/surgery
BACKGROUND: Cardiac evaluation using transthoracic echocardiography before noncardiac surgery is common in real-world practice. However, evidence supporting preoperative echocardiography is lacking. This study aims to evaluate the additional benefit of preoperative echocardiography in predicting postoperative cardiovascular events (CVE) in noncardiac surgery. METHODS: This study is designed as a multicenter, prospective study to assess the utility of preoperative echocardiography in patients undergoing intermediate- or high-risk noncardiac surgery. This trial comprises two studies: (1) a randomized controlled trial (RCT) for patients undergoing intermediate-risk surgery with fewer than three clinical risk factors from the revised cardiac risk index (intermediate-risk group) and (2) a prospective cohort study for patients undergoing intermediate-risk surgery with three or more clinical risk factors, or who undergo high-risk surgery regardless of the number of clinical risk factors (high-risk group). We hypothesize that the use of preoperative echocardiography will reduce postoperative CVEs in patients undergoing intermediate- to high-risk surgery through discovery of and further intervention for unexpected cardiac abnormalities before elective surgery. A total of 2330 and 2184 patients will be enrolled in the two studies. The primary endpoint is a composite of all-cause death; aborted sudden cardiac arrest; type I acute myocardial infarction; clinically diagnosed unstable angina; stress-induced cardiomyopathy; lethal arrhythmia, such as sustained ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation; and/or newly diagnosed or acutely decompensated heart failure within 30 days after surgery. DISCUSSION: This study will be the first large-scale prospective study examining the benefit of preoperative echocardiography in predicting postoperative CVE. The PREOP-ECHO trial will help doctors identify patients at risk of postoperative CVE using echocardiography and thereby reduce postoperative CVEs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The Clinical Research Information Service KCT0006279 for RCT and KCT0006280 for prospective cohort study. Registered on June 21, 2021.
Myocardial Infarction , Research Design , Cohort Studies , Humans , Multicenter Studies as Topic , Myocardial Infarction/etiology , Prospective Studies , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic , Risk Factors
For rapid and effective hemostasis of uncontrollable bleeding, versatile hemostatic agents have been emerging. Among them, polyphenol-derived adhesives have attracted those hemostatic materials due to instantaneous formation of sticky barriers by robust interactions between the material and the serum proteins from wound. However, a critical challenge in such phenolic materials lies in long-term storage due to spontaneous oxidation under humid environments, leading to changes in hemostatic capability and adhesive strength. Here, we report a transparent hemostatic film consisting of gallol-conjugated chitosan (CHI-G) for minimizing the phenolic oxidation even for 3 months and maintaining strong tissue adhesiveness and its hemostatic ability. The film undergoes a phase transition from solid to injectable hydrogels at physiological pH for efficiently stopping internal and external hemorrhage. Interestingly, the hemostatic capability of the CHI-G hydrogels after 3 month storage depends on (i) the folded microstructure of the polymer with optimal gallol modification and (ii) an initial phase of either a solution state or a solid film. When the hydrogels are originated from the dehydrated film, their successful hemostasis is observed in a liver bleeding model. Our finding would provide an insight for design rationale of hemostatic formulations with long shelf-life.
Chitosan , Hemostatics , Tissue Adhesives , Adhesives/chemistry , Chitosan/chemistry , Hemorrhage/drug therapy , Hemostasis , Hemostatics/chemistry , Hemostatics/pharmacology , Hemostatics/therapeutic use , Humans , Hydrogels/chemistry , Hydrogels/pharmacology , Polyphenols/pharmacology , Tissue Adhesives/chemistry
PURPOSE: Previous work on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) only planning has been applied to limited treatment regions with a focus on male anatomy. This research aimed to validate the use of a hybrid multi-atlas synthetic computed tomography (sCT) generation technique from a MRI, using a female and male atlas, for MRI only radiation therapy treatment planning of rectum, anal canal, cervix and endometrial malignancies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty patients receiving radiation treatment for a range of pelvic malignancies, were separated into male (n = 20) and female (n = 20) cohorts for the creation of gender specific atlases. A multi-atlas local weighted voting method was used to generate a sCT from a T1-weighted VIBE DIXON MRI sequence. The original treatment plans were copied from the CT scan to the corresponding sCT for dosimetric validation. RESULTS: The median percentage dose difference between the treatment plan on the CT and sCT at the ICRU reference point for the male cohort was - 0.4% (IQR of 0 to - 0.6), and - 0.3% (IQR of 0 to - 0.6) for the female cohort. The mean gamma agreement for both cohorts was > 99% for criteria of 3%/2 mm and 2%/2 mm. With dose criteria of 1%/1 mm, the pass rate was higher for the male cohort at 96.3% than the female cohort at 93.4%. MRI to sCT anatomical agreement for bone and body delineated contours was assessed, with a resulting Dice score of 0.91 ± 0.2 (mean ± 1 SD) and 0.97 ± 0.0 for the male cohort respectively; and 0.96 ± 0.0 and 0.98 ± 0.0 for the female cohort respectively. The mean absolute error in Hounsfield units (HUs) within the entire body for the male and female cohorts was 59.1 HU ± 7.2 HU and 53.3 HU ± 8.9 HU respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A multi-atlas based method for sCT generation can be applied to a standard T1-weighted MRI sequence for male and female pelvic patients. The implications of this study support MRI only planning being applied more broadly for both male and female pelvic sites. Trial registration This trial was registered in the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) ( www.anzctr.org.au ) on 04/10/2017. Trial identifier ACTRN12617001406392.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted , Rectal Diseases/radiotherapy , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Uterine Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Radiotherapy Dosage
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) to identify differences in the characteristics of adopters and non-adopters of hearing aids (HAs); and 2) to investigate factors influencing the purchase of HA. METHODS: This study was conducted among 1,464 subjects (818 male and 646 female) with hearing loss. A national face-to-face survey was performed from August 2019 to October 2020 by otologists or HA experts. The questionnaire consisted of three domains: demographic, audiological, and HA-related domains. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed after adjusting for degree of hearing loss. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 70.4 ± 12.2 years. Of the 1,464 respondents, 1,190 (81.3%) had already purchased HA. We identified educational level, household income, hearing loss period, place of HA purchase, and government HA assistance program status as factors influencing HA adoption. Among these factors, third party reimbursement was the most important factor affecting HA purchase intent. The main reasons for not adopting HA were feeling that their hearing was adequate, inability to afford HA, and perceptions that HA are uncomfortable. CONCLUSION: Various factors are involved in the purchase of HA, but disabled registration status and third party reimbursement were identified as the most critical factors. In the future, the government should take a more active role in increasing the distribution of HA to patients with hearing loss.
Hearing Aids , Hearing Loss/psychology , Hearing Loss/rehabilitation , Patient Acceptance of Health Care , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Republic of Korea , Retrospective Studies
PURPOSE: Kinematically aligned total knee arthroplasty (KA TKA) targets restoration of patient-specific alignment and soft tissue laxity. However, whether KA TKA reproduces native soft tissue strain remains unclear. This cadaveric study tested the hypothesis that KA TKA would better restore the quantitative strain and strain distribution of medial collateral ligament (MCL) to the native healthy knee compared to mechanically aligned (MA) TKA. METHODS: Twenty-four fresh-frozen cadaver knees (12 pairs) were mounted on a customized knee squatting simulator to measure MCL strain during flexion. For each pair, one knee was assigned to KA TKA and the other to MA TKA. During KA TKA, the amount of femur and tibia resected was equivalent to implant thickness without MCL release using the calipered measuring technique. MA TKA was performed using conventional measured resection techniques. MCL strain was measured using a video extensometer (Mercury® RT RealTime tracking system, Sobriety s.r.o, Czech Republic). MCL strain and strain distribution during knee flexion were measured, and the measurements compared between native and post-TKA conditions. RESULTS: Mean and peak MCL strain were similar between KA TKA and native knees at all flexion angles (p > 0.1 at all flexion angles) while mean strain at all flexion angles and peak strain at ≥ 60º of MA TKA were approximately twice those of the native knees (p < 0.05 at ≥ 60º of flexion). In addition, greater MCL strain was observed in 4 of 12 regions of interest (ROI) after MA TKA (M1, M2, P1 and P2) compared to the native knee, whereas after KA TKA, MCL strain measurements were similar at all but 1 ROI (P2). CONCLUSIONS: KA TKA restored a more native amount and distribution of MCL strain compared to MA TKA. These findings provide clues for understanding why patients may experience better performance and more normal knee sensations after KA TKA compared to MA TKA. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic study, Level I.
Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee , Collateral Ligaments , Knee Prosthesis , Medial Collateral Ligament, Knee , Osteoarthritis, Knee , Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee/methods , Biomechanical Phenomena , Collateral Ligaments/surgery , Humans , Knee Joint/surgery , Medial Collateral Ligament, Knee/surgery , Osteoarthritis, Knee/surgery , Range of Motion, Articular
Cardiac rehabilitation services are mostly underutilized despite the documentation of substantial morbidity and mortality benefits of cardiac rehabilitation post-acute myocardial infarction. To assess the implementation rate and barriers to cardiac rehabilitation in hospitals dealing with acute myocardial infarction in South Korea, between May and July 2016, questionnaires were emailed to cardiology directors of 93 hospitals in South Korea; all hospitals were certified institutes for coronary interventions. The questionnaires included 16 questions on the hospital type, cardiology practice, and implementation of cardiac rehabilitation. The obtained data were categorized into two groups based on the type of the hospital (secondary or tertiary) and statistically analysed. Of the 72 hospitals that responded (response rate of 77%), 39 (54%) were tertiary medical centers and 33 (46%) were secondary medical centers. All hospitals treated acute myocardial infarction patients and performed emergency percutaneous coronary intervention; 79% (57/72) of the hospitals performed coronary artery bypass grafting. However, the rate of implementation of cardiac rehabilitation was low overall (28%, 20/72 hospitals) and even lower in secondary medical centers (12%, 4/33 hospitals) than in tertiary centers (41%, 16/39 hospitals, p = 0.002). The major barriers to cardiac rehabilitation included the lack of staff (59%) and lack of space (33%). In contrast to the wide availability of acute-phase invasive treatment for AMI, the overall implementation of cardiac rehabilitation is extremely poor in South Korea. Considering the established benefits of cardiac rehabilitation in patients with acute myocardial infarction, more administrative support, such as increasing the fee for cardiac rehabilitation services by an appropriate level of health insurance coverage should be warranted.
Cardiac Rehabilitation/statistics & numerical data , Health Plan Implementation/methods , Hospitals/statistics & numerical data , Myocardial Infarction/rehabilitation , Patient Education as Topic , Patient Participation/statistics & numerical data , Humans , Republic of Korea
Background Cardiovascular disease is an important cause of mortality among survivors of breast cancer (BC). We developed a prediction model for major adverse cardiovascular events after BC therapy, which is based on conventional and BC treatment-related cardiovascular risk factors. Methods and Results The cohort of the study consisted of 1256 Asian female patients with BC from 4 medical centers in Korea and was randomized in a 1:1 ratio into the derivation and validation cohorts. The outcome measures comprised cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, and transient ischemic attack/stroke. To correct overfitting, a penalized Cox proportional hazards regression was performed with a cross-validation approach. Number of cardiovascular diseases (myocardial infarction, peripheral artery disease, heart failure, and transient ischemic attack/stroke), number of baseline cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, age ≥60, body mass index ≥30 kg/m2, estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min per 1.73 m2, dyslipidemia, and diabetes mellitus), radiation to the left breast, and anthracycline dose per 100 mg/m2 were included in the risk prediction model. The time-dependent C-indices at 3 and 7 years after BC diagnosis were 0.876 and 0.842, respectively, in the validation cohort. Conclusions A prediction score model, including BC treatment-related risk factors and conventional risk factors, was developed and validated to predict major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with BC. The CHEMO-RADIAT (congestive heart failure, hypertension, elderly, myocardial infarction/peripheral artery occlusive disease, obesity, renal failure, abnormal lipid profile, diabetes mellitus, irradiation of the left breast, anthracycline dose, and transient ischemic attack/stroke) score may provide overall cardiovascular risk stratification in survivors of BC and can assist physicians in multidisciplinary decision-making regarding the BC treatment.
Antineoplastic Agents/adverse effects , Breast Neoplasms/therapy , Cardiovascular Diseases/etiology , Decision Support Techniques , Radiation Injuries/etiology , Adult , Antineoplastic Agents/administration & dosage , Breast Neoplasms/diagnosis , Breast Neoplasms/mortality , Cardiotoxicity , Cardiovascular Diseases/diagnosis , Cardiovascular Diseases/mortality , Clinical Decision-Making , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Predictive Value of Tests , Radiation Injuries/diagnosis , Radiation Injuries/mortality , Radiotherapy/adverse effects , Reproducibility of Results , Republic of Korea , Retrospective Studies , Risk Assessment , Risk Factors , Time Factors , Treatment Outcome
To investigate the potential therapeutic effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment on laryngopharyngeal reflux in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients, we performed a retrospective analysis of data prospectively collected from patients who underwent CPAP therapy after being diagnosed with moderate to severe OSA between January 2019 and May 2020. Subjects were asked to complete the reflux symptom index (RSI) questionnaire before and after CPAP. Additionally, a laryngoscopic examination was performed to evaluate objective endoscopic findings and determine reflux finding score (RFS). A total of 46 patients were included in the analysis. Overall, significant decreases in mean RSI score (10.85 ± 6.40 vs. 8.80 ± 7.99, p < 0.001) and RFS (7.41 ± 3.32 vs. 4.65 ± 2.12, p < 0.001) were observed after CPAP treatment. Within subdomains of the RSI, throat clearing, postnasal drip, breathing difficulty, troublesome cough, and foreign body sensation were significantly improved by CPAP treatment. All subdomains of RFS, with the exception of posterior commissure hypertrophy and granuloma, showed significant differences after CPAP treatment. There were no differences between subgroups according to body mass index or severity of OSA. CPAP treatment in OSA potentially reduces laryngeal reflux symptoms and improves laryngeal examination findings.
