Diabetes Fact Sheets in Korea, 2020: An Appraisal of Current Status.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the recent prevalence, management, and comorbidities of diabetes among Korean adults aged ≥30 years by analyzing nationally representative data. METHODS: This study used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2016 to 2018, and the percentage and total number of people ≥30 years of age with diabetes and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) were estimated. RESULTS: In 2018, 13.8% of Korean adults aged ≥30 years had diabetes, and adults aged ≥65 years showed a prevalence rate of 28%. The prevalence of IFG was 26.9% in adults aged ≥30 years. From 2016 to 2018, 35% of the subjects with diabetes were not aware of their condition. Regarding comorbidities, 53.2% and 61.3% were obese and hypertensive, respectively, and 72% had hypercholesterolemia as defined by low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) ≥100 mg/dL in people with diabetes. Of the subjects with diabetes, 43.7% had both hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. With regard to glycemic control, only 28.3% reached the target level of <6.5%. Moreover, only 11.5% of subjects with diabetes met all three targets of glycosylated hemoglobin, blood pressure, and LDL-C. The percentage of energy intake from carbohydrates was higher in diabetes patients than in those without diabetes, while that from protein and fat was lower in subjects with diabetes. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence and low control rate of diabetes and its comorbidities in Korean adults were confirmed. More stringent efforts are needed to improve the comprehensive management of diabetes to reduce diabetes-related morbidity and mortality.

The promoter polymorphism of NFKB1 gene contributes to susceptibility of ischemic stroke in Korean population.

The progression of ischemic stroke is associated with inflammatory response, in which the nuclear factor kappa B subunit 1 (NFKB1) plays an important role. The aim of present study was to determine whether promoter single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the NFKB1 gene was contributed to susceptibility of ischemic stroke. One hundred twenty-one Korean adult patients with ischemic stroke (65.7±12.1 years in age) and 291 Korean healthy controls (63.0±9.3 years in age) were recruited. We genotyped a promoter SNP (rs11940017, -1727, C/T) of NFKB1 gene using direct sequencing in 121 Korean ischemic stroke patients and 291 control subjects. The T/C genotype of rs11940017 SNP in the codominant model (vs. the T/T genotype) (odds ratio [OR], 0.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.15-0.92; P=0.032) and the genotype containing C allele (T/C and C/C) in the dominant model (vs. the T/T genotype) (OR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.14-0.81; P=0.0068) were associated with a decreased risk of ischemic stroke. The frequency of C allele was decreased in ischemic stroke patients, compared with control subjects (OR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.13-0.74; P=0.008). These results suggest that the promoter SNP (rs11940017, -1727, C/T) of NFKB1 gene may affect ischemic stroke susceptibility in Korean population.

Current Status of Management in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus at General Hospitals in South Korea.

BACKGROUND: In Korea, the prevalence, complications, and mortality rate of diabetes are rapidly increasing. However, investigations on the actual condition of diabetes management are very limited due to lack of nation-wide research or multicenter study. Hence, we have minutely inquired the current status of diabetes management and achievement of glucose target goal in general hospital offering education program. That way, we are able to furnish data for policy making of diabetes education and draw up guideline which may allow us to reduce the morbidity and mortality of diabetes. METHODS: The subjects consisted of 2,610 patients with type 2 diabetes who visited the 13 general hospital in Seoul or Gyeonggi region from March 19 to May 29, 2013. General characteristics, associated diseases, complications, and management status were investigated. RESULTS: The mean age was 61.0±11.6 years, body mass index was 25.0±3.3 kg/m(2), and family history of diabetes was 50.5%. The mean duration of diabetes was 10.7±7.9 years and 53% received education about diabetes. The prevalence of hypertension and dyslipidemia were 59.2% and 65.5%, respectively, and 18.3% of the subjects were accompanied by liver disease. Diabetic retinopathy appeared in 31.6%, nephropathy in 28.1%, and neuropathy in 19.9% of the subjects. The mean glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level was 7.3%±1.3% and the achieving rate based on Korean Diabetes Association guideline (HbA1c <6.5%) was 24.8%, blood pressure (130/80 mm Hg or less) was 49.4%, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (<100 mg/dL) was 63.6%. The reaching rate to the target level in four parameters (blood glucose, blood pressure, lipids, and body weight) was 7.8%. CONCLUSION: The blood glucose control rate was lower than other parameters, and the implementation rate of diabetes education was only 53%. Thus more appropriate glucose control and systematic diabetes education are imperative.

Association between TLR1 polymorphisms and alopecia areata.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) may contribute to the process of autoimmune attacks on hair follicles. To investigate whether the TLR1 gene polymorphisms are associated with the development and clinical features of alopecia areata (AA), a case-control comparison of two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs4833095, Asn248Ser and rs5743557, -414C > T) of TLR1 were studied in 239 AA patients and 248 controls. Using multiple logistic regression model, odds ratios, 95% confidence intervals and corresponding p values were estimated. Clinical features were analyzed based on the age of onset, family history, type of AA, nail involvement and body hair involvement. The missense SNP rs4833095 was significantly associated with the development of AA (codominant2, p = 0.002; recessive, p = 0.001; log-additive, p = 0.0071; and allele frequency, p = 0.0066). The promoter SNP rs5743557 was weakly associated with the development of AA (codominant2, p = 0.019; recessive, p = 0.032; log-additive, p = 0.020; and allele frequency, p = 0.03). In the clinical features, rs4833095 was only weakly associated with age of onset between 15 and 50 years (codominant2, p = 0.043 and recessive, p = 0.022). The results suggest that rs4833095 of TLR1 may be associated with the susceptibility for AA in the Korean population.