ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to investigate whether alcohol consumption might affect the quality of life (QOL), depressive mood, and metabolic syndrome in patients with obstructive lung disease (OLD). METHODS: Data were obtained from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2014 and 2016. OLD was defined as spirometry of forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity <0.7 in those aged more than 40 years. QOL was evaluated using the European Quality of Life Questionnaire-5D (EQ-5D) index. Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was used to assess the severity of depressive mood. Alcohol consumption was based on a history of alcohol ingestion during the previous month. RESULTS: A total of 984 participants with OLD (695 males, 289 females, age 65.8±9.7 years) were enrolled. The EQ-5D index was significantly higher in alcohol drinkers (n=525) than in non-alcohol drinkers (n=459) (0.94±0.11 vs. 0.91±0.13, p=0.002). PHQ- 9 scores were considerably lower in alcohol drinkers than in non-alcohol drinkers (2.15±3.57 vs. 2.78±4.13, p=0.013). However, multiple logistic regression analysis showed that alcohol consumption was not associated with EQ-5D index or PHQ-9 score. Body mass index ≥25 kg/m2, triglyceride ≥150 mg/dL, high-density lipoprotein <40 mg/dL in men and <50 mg/dL in women, and blood pressure ≥130/85 mm Hg were significantly more common in alcohol drinkers than in non-alcohol drinkers (all p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Alcohol consumption did not change the QOL or depressive mood of OLD patients. However, metabolic syndrome-related factors were more common in alcohol drinkers than in non-alcohol drinkers.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term survival rates of very elderly (age ≥80) critically ill patients admitted to a medical intensive care unit (MICU) at a regional tertiary-care hospital in Korea. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data from patients who survived after discharged from the MICU of our hospital. Survival rates at 90 days, 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years were assessed between patients age ≥80 and those age <80. Survival status was evaluated using the National Health Insurance Service data. RESULTS: A total of 468 patients were admitted, 286 (179 males, 97 females; mean age, 70.18±13.2) of whom survived and were discharged soon after their treatment. Among these patients, 69 (24.1%) were age ≥80 and 217 (75.9%) were age <80. The 90-day, 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year survival rates of patients age ≥80 were significantly lower than those in patients age <80 (50.7%, 31.9%, 15.9% and 14.5% vs. 68.3%, 54.4%, 45.6%, and 40.1%, respectively) (p<0.01). The Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed significantly lower survival rates in patients age ≥80 than in those age <80 (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: The poor rates of long-term survival in very elderly (age ≥80) and critically ill patients admitted to an ICU should be considered while managing and treating them.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The National Lung Screening Trial revealed that low dose computed tomography (CT) screening reduced lung cancer mortality by 20%. However, nearly all (96.4%) of the positive screening results were false-positive. A higher false-positive rate (FPR) is expected in Korea, where the prevalence of tuberculosis and parasitic diseases are high. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 1587 cases (906 males, 57.1%; 495 females, 31.2%) in which chest CT was used for health screening from 2006 to 2011 in one institution. The mean ± standard deviation age of the subjects was 62.7 ± 5.7 years and 495 (31.2%) subjects had a smoking history. RESULTS: Three hundred and thirty six subjects (21.2%) had non-calcified pulmonary nodules (NCPNs) described as solid nodules (n = 319), masses (n = 15) or pure or mixed ground glass opacities (n = 36). The incidence of NCPNs was 23.8% in smokers and 20.0% in non-smokers (P = 0.08). During a median follow up duration of 37 months (range, 0-67 months), eight subjects were confirmed to have lung cancer. Positive predictive value (PPV) of positive CT screening was 2.4% and FPR was 97.6%. Among 495 subjects who had a smoking history, 118 subjects displayed NCPNs (23.8%) and four patients were diagnosed with lung cancer, with a PPV and FPR of 3.4% and 96.6%, respectively. CONCLUSION: CT screening has low PPV and high FPR, even in subjects with a high risk of lung cancer.
