Utilization of End-of-Life Care Rooms by Patients Who Died in a Single Hospice Unit at a National University Hospital in South Korea.

Purpose: For the dignity of patients nearing the end of their lives, it is essential to provide end-of-life (EoL) care in a separate, dedicated space. This study investigated the utilization of specialized rooms for dying patients within a hospice unit. Methods: This retrospective study examined patients who died in a single hospice unit between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2021. Utilizing medical records, we analyzed the circumstances surrounding death, the employment of specialized rooms for terminally ill patients, and the characteristics of those who received EoL care in a shared room. Results: During the 1,825-day survey period, deaths occurred on 632 days, and 799 patients died. Of these patients, 496 (62.1%) received EoL care in a dedicated room. The average duration of using this dedicated space was 1.08 days. Meanwhile, 188 patients (23.5%) died in a shared room. Logistic regression analysis revealed that a longer stay in the hospice unit was associated with a lower risk of receiving EoL care in a shared room (odds ratio [OR]=0.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.97~0.99; P=0.002). Furthermore, a higher number of deaths on the day a patient died was associated with a greater risk of receiving EoL care in a shared room (OR=1.66, 95% CI 1.33~2.08; P<0.001). Conclusion: To ensure that more patients receive EoL care for an adequate duration in a private setting, additional research is necessary to increase the number of dedicated rooms and incorporate them into the hospice unit at an early stage.

Association between weekend catch-up sleep and hyperuricemia with insufficient sleep in postmenopausal Korean women: a nationwide cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Hyperuricemia is associated with metabolic and cardiovascular diseases and mortality. Efforts to lower the risk of hyperuricemia in various ways are needed as the prevalence of these diseases increases in postmenopausal women. Studies have shown that one of these methods is associated with adequate sleep duration, which is related to a low risk of hyperuricemia. Considering that it is difficult for people to get enough sleep in modern society, this study hypothesized that weekend catch-up sleep could be an alternative. To our knowledge, no past study has investigated the relation between weekend catch-up sleep and hyperuricemia in postmenopausal women. Hence, the aim of this research was to estimate the relation between weekend catch-up sleep and hyperuricemia with insufficient sleep in postmenopausal women during weekday or workday. METHODS: This study included 1,877 participants extracted from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey VII. The study population was divided into weekend catch-up sleep and non-weekend catch-up sleep groups. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were derived using multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Weekend catch-up sleep had a significantly lower prevalence of hyperuricemia after adjusting for confounders (odds ratio, 0.758 [95% confidence interval, 0.576-0.997]). In a subgroup analysis, weekend catch-up sleep of 1 to 2 hours was significantly correlated with a lower prevalence of hyperuricemia after adjusting for confounders (odds ratio: 0.522 [95% confidence interval, 0.323-0.845]). CONCLUSIONS: Weekend catch-up sleep had a decreased prevalence of hyperuricemia in postmenopausal women with sleep deprivation.

Association between Sleep Duration and Presbycusis in Korean Adults: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

BACKGROUND: Sleep duration is associated with hearing loss, especially presbycusis, which is the most common type of hearing loss; however, there is limited evidence regarding this association among the Korean population. We aimed to determine the relationship between sleep duration and high-frequency hearing loss in Korean adults aged ≥40 years. METHODS: We examined 5,547 Korean adults aged ≥40 years who completed audiometric tests and questionnaires regarding sleep duration during the 2010-2012 cycle of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Mild presbycusis was defined as >25 decibels (dB) and <40 dB, whereas moderate-to-severe presbycusis was defined as >40 dB pure tone averages at high frequencies (3,000, 4,000, and 6,000 Hz) for both ears. Additionally, the sleep duration was divided into quartiles. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated using multivariable logistic regression after adjusting for covariates. RESULTS: The prevalence of presbycusis in South Korean adults was 62.1%, of which 61.4% showed moderate to severe presbycusis. The incidence of moderate-to-severe, but not mild, presbycusis showed a significant positive correlation with sleep duration. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that sleep duration is associated with the prevalence of presbycusis.

Association between Serum Folic Acid Levels and Asthma in the Korean Population: A Study Based on the 2016-2018 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

BACKGROUND: Folic acid is involved in inflammatory reactions; however, the association between folic acid and allergic diseases, particularly asthma, remains unclear. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the association between serum folic acid levels and asthma in Koreans. METHODS: This study analyzed the serum folic acid levels of 6,615 individuals included in the 2016-2018 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The prevalence of asthma was determined using a questionnaire that identified cases of physician-diagnosed asthma. The relationship between serum folic acid levels and asthma was analyzed using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that a 1 ng/mL increase in serum folic acid level significantly reduced the risk of asthma after adjusting for confounding factors including sex, age, household income, current smoking, current alcohol use, and body mass index (odds ratio [OR], 0.930; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.876- 0.987; P=0.017). The relationship between the adjusted odds of asthma and serum folic acid levels were consistently inverse (OR, 2.266; 95% CI, 1.126-4.420; P for trend=0.038). CONCLUSION: Serum folic acid levels are inversely associated with physician-diagnosed asthma in the Korean population.

Temporal Changes of Metabolic Indicators and Quality of Life by a Two-Day Patient Education Program for Metabolic Syndrome Patients.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a disease with a high prevalence that threatens the health of modern people. Patient education is essential to control MetS. This prospective study aimed to evaluate 6-month changes in health indicators following a two-day education program for patients with MetS aged 45 or older. Education about MetS, lifestyle modification, nutrition, and physical activity was provided. At 3 and 6 months after the program, participants visited for follow-up. Twenty-two patients completed the 6-month study. Waist circumference was reduced, and life quality and depression index improved in 3 and 6 months compared to pre-education. Blood pressure decreased, and anxiety index improved at three months. Nutritional knowledge was well maintained for 3 and 6 months. High-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels increased at six months. Three out of twenty-two patients did not satisfy MetS criteria at the end of the study due to improved indicators. A two-day multidisciplinary education program positively affected health indicators in MetS patients. Participation in the program also help with life satisfaction and positive emotional condition. However, some indicators improved in 3 months, but the effect disappeared 6 months after the program.

Association between Near Work Time and Depression among Workers in South Korea.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between near work time and depression. METHODS: Data of 1,551 workers aged 19-49 years from the sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were examined. The Patient Health Questionaire-9 scores were used to screen for depression. Participants who scored a total of 10 or above, which is suggestive of the presence of depression, were classified as the depression group; the rest were classified as normal. The correlation between daily near work time and depression was analyzed using multivariate logistic analysis after adjusting for other sociodemographic and health behavior-related variables. RESULTS: Multivariate logistic analysis found that workers with 3 or more hours of near work were more likely to report depression compared to the reference group who had 2 or fewer hours per day of near work (adjusted odds ratio, 2.471; 95% confidence interval, 1.062-5.747). CONCLUSION: Longer near work time was associated with depression among South Korea's workers. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce near work time to prevent depression.

Prognosis palliative care study, palliative prognostic index, palliative prognostic score and objective prognostic score in advanced cancer: a prospective comparison.

BACKGROUND: Predicting how long a patient with far advanced cancer has to live is a significant part of hospice and palliative care. Various prognostic models have been developed, but have not been fully compared in South Korea. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to compare the accuracy of the Prognosis in Palliative Care Study (PiPS), Palliative Prognostic Index (PPI), Palliative Prognostic Score (PaP) and Objective Prognostic Score (OPS) for patients with far advanced cancer in a palliative care unit in South Korea. METHODS: This prospective study included patients with far advanced cancer who were admitted to a single palliative care unit at the National University Hospital. Variables for calculating the prognostic models were recorded by a palliative care physician. The survival rate was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of each model were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 160 patients participated. There was a significant difference in survival rates across all groups, each categorised through the five prognostic models. The overall accuracy (OA) of the prognostic models ranged between 54.5% and 77.6%. The OA of clinicians' predictions of survival ranged between 61.9% and 81.3%. CONCLUSION: The PiPS, PPI, PaP and OPS were successfully validated in a palliative care unit of South Korea. There was no difference in accuracy between the prognostic models, and OA tended to be lower than in previous studies.

Association between Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Risk of Osteoporosis in Korean Premenopausal Women.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to evaluate irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as a risk factor for osteoporosis and osteoporotic fracture in Korean women after controlling for basic confounding factors and considering detailed demographic and clinical information. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We performed a nationwide population-based retrospective cohort analysis and matched every IBS case with a non-IBS case at a 1:4 frequency ratio based on age. The population consisted of female patients with data in the Health Insurance Review and Assessment (HIRA) database from 2002 to 2010. To determine the risk of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fracture in IBS and non-IBS patients, hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression models, adjusting for confounding variables, such as the area of residence, health insurance type, and economic status. RESULTS: We identified 1,017,468 patients in the HIRA database with data from 2002 to 2010 who could potentially be included in the cohort. Among these, we identified 1,545 (11.4%) women (age >19 years) with newly diagnosed IBS (IBS group). Additionally, 6,180 patients without IBS and age-matched to the IBS group were selected. Cox modeling revealed that the crude HRs for osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures in patients with IBS were 1.476 (95% CI, 1.241-1.754) and 1.427 (95% CI, 1.086-1.876), respectively. CONCLUSION: Our data showed an increased incidence of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures in women with IBS compared with age-matched controls.

The Risk of Osteoporosis and Osteoporotic Fracture Following the Use of Irritable Bowel Syndrome Medical Treatment: An Analysis Using the OMOP CDM Database.

Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are at increased risk of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fracture. This study investigated whether IBS medication attenuated the rate of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fracture risk. We conducted a retrospective large-scale multicenter study across eight hospital databases encoded in the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP) Common Data Model (CDM). The primary outcome was the incidence of osteoporosis, whereas secondary outcomes were osteoporotic fractures. After 1:4 matching, 24,723 IBS patients, 78,318 non-IBS patients, 427,640 non-IBS patients with IBS medication, and 827,954 non-IBS patients without IBS medication were selected. The risk of osteoporosis was significantly increased in the IBS group compared to the non-IBS group (hazard ratio (HR) 1.33; confidence interval (CI) 1.17~1.51). Even in patients who were not diagnosed with IBS, the risk of osteoporosis was significantly increased in those with IBS medication compared to those without (HR 1.77, CI 1.62~1.93). The risk of osteoporotic fracture was significantly increased in the IBS medication group (HR 1.69, CI 1.55~1.84). Patients exposed to IBS treatment even without IBS diagnosis were at increased risk of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fracture. Early diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis should be considered in patients who have received medication for IBS symptoms.

The Relationship of Sitting Time and Physical Activity on the Quality of Life in Elderly People.

Few studies have shown the combined impact of sitting time and physical activity on quality of life in older people. This cross-sectional study, using data from the 2016-2018 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, examines the association between sitting time and physical activity and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Korean adults aged ≥ 65 years. HRQoL was assessed using the EuroQol-5 Dimension (EQ-5D, three-level version). We divided subjects into groups based on sitting time and physical activity and analyzed the combined association of sitting time and physical activity with HRQoL. The association between longer sitting time (≥8 h) and HRQoL was analyzed using multiple logistic regression. In total, 4276 participants were included. Prolonged sitting time was associated with all of the EQ-5D dimensions: mobility (odds ratio [OR]: 1.43, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.22-1.68), self-care (OR: 1.65 [95% CI 1.25-2.17]), usual activities (OR: 2.07 [95% CI 1.69-2.52]), pain/discomfort (OR: 1.57 [95% CI 1.34-1.84]), and anxiety/depression (OR: 1.49 [95% CI 1.17-1.91]). The prolonged sitting time/inactive group had higher ORs for all the EQ-5D dimensions than the low sitting time/active group. Prolonged sitting time was associated with low HRQoL in elderly Korean adults; physical activity could weaken the negative influence of prolonged sitting time on HRQoL.

Association between Time to First Cigarette and Health-Related Quality of Life of Middle-Aged Male Current Smokers: A Nationwide Representative Study in Korea.

BACKGROUND: Although many studies have demonstrated that the first cigarette in the morning increases the prevalence of smoking-related morbidity, limited studies have examined the impact of time to first cigarette (TTFC) on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Thus, we assessed this relationship using nationally-representative data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey VII-1 (2016). METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from 577 current male smokers aged 30-59 years, after excluding those with a certain disease. Participants were divided into four categories according to TTFC (≤5 min, 6-30 min, 31-60 min, >60 min). HRQoL was measured using self-reported EuroQol-5 (EQ-5D). The relationship between TTFC and EQ-5D index was analyzed using a multivariate-adjusted generalized linear model to assess how HRQoL varies according to TTFC. After adjusting for confounders, a multivariate-adjusted logistic regression analysis was performed to identify which of the five dimensions of the EQ-5D affected the HRQoL according to TTFC. RESULTS: The generalized linear analysis indicated that as TTFC decreased (6-30 min, 31-60 min vs. >60 min), the EQ-5D index score decreased significantly (P=0.037). Shorter TTFC (≤5 min vs. >60 min) was associated with higher pain/discomfort (odds ratio [OR], 3.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.39-10.48) and anxiety/depression (OR, 7.58; 95% CI, 1.75-32.88). CONCLUSION: Higher nicotine dependence was associated with impaired HRQoL. These results may be used to improve smoking cessation treatment outcomes.

Prospective cohort data quality assurance and quality control strategy and method: Korea HIV/AIDS Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of effective data quality control and management is to minimize the impact of errors on study results by identifying and correcting them. This study presents the results of a data quality control system for the Korea HIV/AIDS Cohort Study that took into account the characteristics of the data. METHODS: The HIV/AIDS Cohort Study in Korea conducts repeated measurements every 6 months using an electronic survey administered to voluntarily consenting participants and collects data from 21 hospitals. In total, 5,795 sets of data from 1,442 participants were collected from the first investigation in 2006 to 2016. The data refining results of 2015 and 2019 were converted into the data refining rate and compared. RESULTS: The quality control system involved 3 steps at different points in the process, and each step contributed to data quality management and results. By improving data quality control in the pre-phase and the data collection phase, the estimated error value in 2019 was 1,803, reflecting a 53.9% reduction from 2015. Due to improvements in the stage after data collection, the data refining rate was 92.7% in 2019, a 24.21%p increase from 2015. CONCLUSIONS: Despite this quality management strategy, errors may still exist at each stage. Logically possible errors for the post-review refining of downloaded data should be actively identified with appropriate consideration of the purpose and epidemiological characteristics of the study data. To improve data quality and reliability, data management strategies should be systematically implemented.

Association of Work Patterns and Periodontitis Prevalence in Korean Adults Aged 50 Years or Older: A Nationwide Representative Study.

This study analyzed the relationship between the work pattern and the prevalence of periodontitis. We analyzed the data of 3320 adults (1779 men, 1543 women) aged 51-80 years from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013-2015). The work pattern was divided into two groups (regular and irregular). The periodontal status was assessed using the community periodontal index. We observed a statistically significant difference in the association between work patterns and prevalence of periodontitis in Korean women aged over 50 years. For female workers with irregular work patterns, the prevalence of periodontitis was lower than that in workers with regular work patterns by 10.3% (40.3% vs. 30.0%, p = 0.011). The annual health examination rate was significantly higher in the irregular group than in the regular group (for men 77.9% vs. 73.5%; p < 0.001, for women 76.4% vs. 75.9%; p < 0.001). In female workers with irregular work patterns, the annual dental examination rate was significantly higher than that in workers with a regular work pattern by 7.7% (34.3% vs. 26.6%, p = 0.043). In conclusion we found a statistically significant difference between the work patterns and prevalence of periodontitis in Korean women aged over 50 years.

Association Between Weekend Catch-Up Sleep and Metabolic Syndrome with Sleep Restriction in Korean Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study Using KNHANES.

BACKGROUND: Many researchers have identified that adequate sleep duration is linked to the quality of life and metabolic diseases. Nowadays, it is hard to take enough sleep, so weekend catch-up sleep (CUS) may be an alternative option in modern society. To our knowledge, no previous studies reported the association between weekend CUS and metabolic syndrome, especially in the Korean population. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the association between weekend CUS and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Korean adults (≥20 years old) with less than 6 hours of average weekday sleep. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 1,453 individuals were selected from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Weekend CUS was divided into four categories: ≤0 hour, 0-1 hour, 1-2 hours, and ≥2 hours. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were derived by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Participants with weekend CUS ≥1 hour had decreased risk of metabolic syndrome in univariate analysis (CUS 1-2 hours: OR: 0.413, 95% CI: 0.301-0.568; CUS ≥2 hours: OR: 0.382, 95% CI 0.296-0.493). Weekend CUS 1-2 hours reduced the risk of metabolic syndrome in multivariate logistic regression analysis (OR: 0.552, 95% CI: 0.369-0.823). Based on the age group analysis, weekend CUS ≥1 hour reduced the metabolic syndrome among those aged 20-39 and 40-65 (20-39: CUS 1-2 hours OR: 0.248, 95% CI: 0.078-0.783, CUS ≥2 hours OR: 0.374, 95% CI: 0.141-0.991; 40-65: CUS 1-2 hours OR: 0.507, 95% CI 0.309-0.832 CUS ≥2 hours OR: 0.638, 95% CI: 0.415-0.981). CONCLUSION: Weekend CUS was associated with a low risk of metabolic syndrome among Korean adults with sleep restriction.

Association between Relative Handgrip Strength and Dyslipidemia in Korean Adults: Findings of the 2014-2015 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

BACKGROUND: Grip strength is a convenient method to measure muscle strength. Recently, relative handgrip strength (HGS) was recommended as a clinical predictor of metabolic health and disease, such as dyslipidemia, which is considered a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to characterize the association between relative HGS and dyslipidemia. METHODS: We included 6,027 adults (2,934 men, 3,093 women) aged 30-69 years who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2014 and 2015. Relative HGS was obtained by dividing the HGS by body mass index. Complex sampling analysis was conducted to compare the general characteristics of participants according to the quartiles of relative HGS. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between quartiles of relative HGS and dyslipidemia. RESULTS: After adjustment for age, prevalence of diabetes mellitus, prevalence of hypertension, alcohol consumption, smoking status, exercise, income, and education level, relative HGS was inversely associated with dyslipidemia in both men and women. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for dyslipidemia in quartiles 1, 2, and 3 relative to quartile 4 were 1.36 (1.00-1.83), 1.29 (0.98-1.70), 1.23 (0.95- 1.60) in men and 1.81 (1.30-2.50), 1.81 (1.32-2.47), 1.39 (1.07-1.81) in women, respectively. CONCLUSION: Relative HGS was inversely associated with dyslipidemia risk in Korean adults. Muscle-strengthening exercise is recommended to enhance health outcomes.

Long-Term Outcomes of Biodegradable Versus Second-Generation Durable Polymer Drug-Eluting Stent Implantations for Myocardial Infarction.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to compare outcomes between biodegradable polymer drug-eluting stent (BP-DES) and second-generation durable polymer drug-eluting stent (DP-DES) implantations for acute myocardial infarction (MI) using a nationwide dataset. BACKGROUND: Data regarding outcomes of BP-DES versus second-generation DP-DES are inconclusive. METHODS: Among 13,104 patients with acute MI in a nationwide registry who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (November 2011 to December 2015), BP-DES and second-generation DP-DES were implanted in 2,261 (21.7%) and 8,182 patients (78.3%), respectively. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) (all-cause death, recurrent MI, or any revascularization) were compared in multivariable Cox regression, propensity score (PS) matched, and underwent PS-adjusted analyses. RESULTS: MACE occurred in 1,492 (14.3%) patients during a median 723-day follow-up. MACE were less frequent with BP-DES implantation than with second-generation DP-DES implantation (entire cohort hazard ratio [HR]: 0.845; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.740 to 0.965; PS-matched HR: 0.669; 95% CI: 0.550 to 0.814). Risk of all-cause death (entire cohort HR: 0.831; 95% CI: 0.692 to 0.997; PS-matched HR: 0.752; 95% CI: 0.495 to 0.931), cardiac death (entire cohort HR: 0.685; 95% CI: 0.542 to 0.865; PS-matched HR: 0.613; 95% CI: 0.463 to 0.872), recurrent MI (entire cohort HR: 0.662; 95% CI: 0.466 to 0.941; PS-matched HR: 0.611; 95% CI: 0.427 to 0.898), and heart failure readmission (entire cohort HR: 0.625; 95% CI: 0.447 to 0.875; PS-matched HR: 0.584; 95% CI: 0.385 to 0.887) was less with BP-DES implantation. There were no significant group differences in the incidences of any revascularization, stroke, and definite or probable stent thrombosis. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with acute MI who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention, BP-DES implantation is associated with improved outcomes compared with second-generation DP-DES implantation.

Elevated C-reactive protein level, obesity, and quality of life.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between serum C-reactive protein level and health-related quality of life, and to assess the relationship between the two in terms of controlling for obesity and other covariates. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was conducted retrospectively at university hospital in Yangsan from January to December 2017 using the nationally representative 2015 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). High C-reactive protein was defined as level ≥1.0mg/L. Health-related quality of life was assessed using the Euro-Quality of Life-5 dimensions tool. The association between high C-reactive protein and health-related quality of life was analysed using logistic regression analysis and was adjusted for variables. The subjects were categorised into four groups according to the level of C-reactive protein, and the presence of obesity was analysed. RESULTS: Of the 3376 subjects, 1,413(42%) were men and 1,963(58%) were women. C-reactive protein level was <1.0 in 2490(73.7%) subjects and ≥1.0 in 886(26.2%). High CRP level was associated with low health-related quality of life for mobility and usual activities (p<0.05). However, in multivariable logistic model, the associations ceased to be statistically significant (p>0.05) after adjusting for the presence of obesity. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity was found to play an important role in the association between C-reactive protein and healthrelated quality of life in Korean population.

Association between Serum-Ferritin Levels and Sleep Duration, Stress, Depression, and Suicidal Ideation in Older Koreans: Fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010-2012.

BACKGROUND: Serum-ferritin levels may be associated with psychiatric symptoms among the elderly; however, this association has not been extensively studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between serumferritin levels and mental health issues in older Koreans. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included large-scale national data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010-2012. In total, 1,802 older Koreans (≥65 years old) were included. The assessed psychiatric symptoms included short sleep duration, stress, depressed mood, and suicidal ideation. Any association between serum-ferritin levels and mental health issues according to sex was examined using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of short sleep duration, stress, depressed mood, and suicidal ideation was 50.9%, 21.7%, 18.2%, and 22.5%, respectively. In men, suicidal ideation decreased with increased serum-ferritin levels after multivariate adjustment for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors and comorbidities. The odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of suicidal ideation by quartiles of serum-ferritin level were 1 (reference), 1.132 (95% CI, 0.569-2.252), 0.453 (95% CI, 0.217-0.945), and 0.608 (95% CI, 0.295-1.253), respectively, (P for trend=0.039). In women, no trend was observed. However, compared to the lowest quartile, short sleep duration (<7 h) and stress perception were significantly decreased in the third quartile, with odds ratios of 0.601 (95% CI, 0.461-0.888), and 0.606 (95% CI, 0.386-0.952), respectively. CONCLUSION: Moderate serum-ferritin levels were associated with decreased risk for suicide ideation in men, and were associated with decreased short sleep duration and stress perception in women.

Association between new anthropometric parameters and arterial stiffness based on brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is an important risk factor of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Atherosclerosis can be considered an important signal of CVD. Primary physicians can reduce the risk of CVD by preventing and treating obesity. Therefore, finding a tool to diagnose the association of obesity with arteriosclerosis is important. The association between obesity parameters and arterial stiffness remains controversial. To our knowledge, no previous studies reported the relationships between multiple new anthropometric parameters (a body shape index [ABSI], body round index [BRI], and visceral adiposity index [VAI]) and brachial-ankle wave velocity (ba-PWV) as an indicator of CVD risk, especially in the Korean population. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationships between arterial stiffness (assessed using ba-PWV) and anthropometric parameters estimated on the basis of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), ABSI, BRI, and VAI, and to identify the indicators of obesity that best represents CVD risk. METHODS: A total of 2,647 adults (1,474 men and 1,173 women) were recruited for this cross-sectional study. The correlations between the anthropometric indexes (BMI, WC, ABSI, BRI, and VAI) and mean ba-PWV were analyzed. A multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between each anthropometric and the presence of arterial stiffness. RESULTS: We investigated the relationships between the obesity parameters and ba-PWV by adjusting the covariates (age, diabetes mellitus [DM], hypertension [HTN], and smoking status) related to the mean ba-PWV. In the multivariate regression analysis, ABSI (men: ß =0.066, p<0.01; women: ß =0.087, p<0.001) and VAI (men: ß =0.067, p<0.01; women: ß =0.136, p<0.001) were found to be significantly correlated with the mean ba-PWV in both men and women in Korea. CONCLUSION: Among the new obesity indices, ABSI and VAI were found to be significantly associated with arterial stiffness, represented by the mean ba-PWV, in both men and women in Korea. These results suggest that ABSI and VAI may be convenient, highly cost-effective, and simple assessment tools for obesity and CVD risk in clinical practice.

The Association between Obesity Phenotypes and Early Renal Function Decline in Adults without Hypertension, Dyslipidemia, and Diabetes.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of chronic kidney disease is increasing worldwide. Several studies have suggested that obesity is associated with early renal dysfunction. However, little is known about the relationship between obesity phenotypes and early renal function decline. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the relationship between obesity phenotypes and early renal function decline in adults without hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of clinical and anthropometric data from 1,219 patients who underwent a routine health checkup in 2014. We excluded adults with cardiovascular disease, renal disease, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, or low glomerular filtration rate (<60 mL/min/1.73 m2). Renal function was determined according to the estimated glomerular filtration rate calculated using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration creatinine-cystatin C equation. RESULTS: Age, sex, body mass index, waist circumference, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein, and fasting glucose had an association with the estimated glomerular filtration rate. After adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, and alcohol intake, the odds ratios of the metabolically abnormal normal weight and metabolically abnormal obese phenotypes for the presence of low estimated glomerular filtration rates were 1.807 (95% confidence interval, 1.009- 3.236) and 1.834 (95% confidence interval, 1.162-2.895), compared with the metabolically healthy normal weight phenotype. However, the metabolically healthy obese phenotype did not show a significant association with early renal function decline. CONCLUSION: In this cross-sectional study, we confirmed the association between the metabolically abnormal normal weight and metabolically abnormal obese phenotypes and early kidney function decline in adults without hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes.