Effectiveness of Heterologous COVID-19 Vaccine Booster in Korean Elderly Population, 2022

We conducted a cohort study to assess vaccine effectiveness (VE) of coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine combinations on severe acute respirator y syndrome coronavirus 2 critical infection and death among elderly population in Korea. From Januar y to August 2022, VE against death for 4 doses mRNA recipients was 96.1%, whereas 1-dose viral vector + 3-dose mRNA recipients had VE of 90.8%.

Phylogenetic Positioning of a Strongyloides stercoralis Isolate Recovered from a Korean Patient and Comparison with Other Asian Isolates

Strongyloidiasis is caused by Strongyloides stercoralis and is one of the most neglected tropical diseases in tropical and subtropical regions. Although several strongyloidiasis cases have been reported in Korea, genetic analysis of Korean isolates is still incomplete. In this study, a parasite was isolated from a 61-year-old man diagnosed with strongyloidiasis during the treatment of lymphoma on his retroperitoneal lymph node. Diffuse symmetric wall thickening from the ascending to descending colon and a nematode-infected intestine was observed following microscopic examination. Genomic DNA was isolated from a patient tissue block, and S. stercoralis was identified by PCR and sequencing (18S rDNA). In order to determine phylogenetic location of a Korean isolate (named KS1), we analyzed cox1 gene (500-bp) and compared it with that from 47 previous S. stercoralis isolates (28 human isolates and 19 canid isolates) from Asian countries. Our results showed that phylogenetic tree could clearly be divided into 5 different groups according to hosts and regions. KS1 was most closely related with the Chinese isolates in terms of genetic distance.

Phylogenetic Positioning of a Strongyloides stercoralis Isolate Recovered from a Korean Patient and Comparison with Other Asian Isolates

Strongyloidiasis is caused by Strongyloides stercoralis and is one of the most neglected tropical diseases in tropical and subtropical regions. Although several strongyloidiasis cases have been reported in Korea, genetic analysis of Korean isolates is still incomplete. In this study, a parasite was isolated from a 61-year-old man diagnosed with strongyloidiasis during the treatment of lymphoma on his retroperitoneal lymph node. Diffuse symmetric wall thickening from the ascending to descending colon and a nematode-infected intestine was observed following microscopic examination. Genomic DNA was isolated from a patient tissue block, and S. stercoralis was identified by PCR and sequencing (18S rDNA). In order to determine phylogenetic location of a Korean isolate (named KS1), we analyzed cox1 gene (500-bp) and compared it with that from 47 previous S. stercoralis isolates (28 human isolates and 19 canid isolates) from Asian countries. Our results showed that phylogenetic tree could clearly be divided into 5 different groups according to hosts and regions. KS1 was most closely related with the Chinese isolates in terms of genetic distance.

Determination of the Stress Factor Calculated from the Changes in the Measured Resting Energy Expenditure with Indirect Calorimetry in Patients Undergoing Pancreaticoduodenectomy

PURPOSE: To predict the energy expenditure using the stress factor representing the ratio of the metabolic variation between pre-operation and post-operation in a pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). METHODS: This was a prospective study conducted on 17 patients (11 males and 6 females) who underwent PD at Chonbuk National University Hospital between March 2010 and October 2011. The rest energy expenditure was measured by indirect calorimetry 1 day before and 3 days after surgery. The height, weight, and fat free mass were also measured 1 day before surgery. RESULTS: The mean measured rest energy expenditure 1 day before PD (mREEpre) and 3 days after PD (mREEpost) were significantly different (16.8±2.6 vs. 18.8±3.5 kcal/kg/d, P=0.0076). The stress factor, representing the ratio of the metabolic changes between pre- and post-PD, was 1.12±0.17. The recommended energy requirement for PD patients is estimated to be 23∼24 kcal/ideal body weight/d [determined from the measured preoperative rest energy expenditure (16.8±2.6 kcal/kg/d)×activity factor (1.2∼1.3)×stress factor (1.12)]. CONCLUSION: PD patients maintained a hypermetabolic status and the applicable stress factor was 1.12.

A Study on Nutritional Status after Gastrectomy of Gastric Cancer Patients in Jeonbuk Province / 대한지역사회영양학회지

The purpose of this study was to investigate the nutritional status before and after gastrectomy of gastric cancer patients in Jeonbuk Province. The subjects were 136 patients with gastrectomy of gastric cancer. We assessed the nutritional status before and after an operation by general characteristics (age, clinicopathological stage, type of operation, method of reconstruction), anthropometric characteristics (height, weight, skeletal muscle mass, body fat mass, body mass index (BMI), percent body fat, arm muscle circumference AMC, arm circumference AC) and biochemical characteristics (hemoglobin Hb, hematocrit Hct, mean corpuscular volume MCV, mean corpuscular hemoglobin MCH, total lymphocyte count TLC, serum albumin, serum transferrin). Mean ages were 60.0 yrs in males and 58.8 yrs in females. Age, clinicopathological stage, types of operation and reconstruction methods were not significantly different between males and females. Weight, skeletal muscle mass, body fat mass, BMI, percent body fat, AMC and AC significantly deteriorated by gastrectomy. There were severe weight losses in males and females after gastrectomy. Hemoglobin, Hct, MCV, MCH, TLC, albumin and transferrin significantly deteriorated by gastrectomy. After gastrectomy, subjects who were assessed as malnounrished in Hb and Hct were increased in male and those who were assessed as malnounrished in Hb were increased in females. These results suggest that a nutrition intervention, specially for energy, protein and iron, is necessary to improve the nutritional status of gastric cancer patients with gastrectomy.

A Study on Nutrition Knowledge, Dietary Attitude, Food Habit of Middle School Students in Chonbuk Area / 대한지역사회영양학회지

The purpose of this study was to investigate nutrition knowledge, dietary attitude and a food habits of middle school students. The study was carried out through questionnaire. The subjects were 431 middle school students (boys 298, girls 133) in Chonbuk area. In nutrition knowledge, there were no significant differences in total scores between boys and girls. However, the girls showed higher score in knowledge of weight control than boys did (p < 0.05). In dietary attitude, there were significant differences in attitude of "balanced meal (p < 0.05)", "sufficient protein intake (p < 0.01)", "food diversity (p < 0.001)" and "overeating (p < 0.01)" between boys and girls. The boys showed better dietary attitudes than the girls did. In food habits, there were significant differences in the rate of skipping breakfast (p < 0.05), the rates of skipping dinner (p < 0.01), the frequency of snacks (p < 0.05), the type of snacks (p < 0.05) between boys and girls. The girls showed higher rates of skipping a meal and frequency of snacks than the boys did. It suggests that gender should be considered for an effective and practical nutrition education for middle school students to improve dietary attitudes and food habits.

A Case of Chronic Recurrent Multifocal Osteomyelitis

Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis(CRMO) is an unusual inflammatory process involving multiple osseous sites. No causative agent can be consistently isolated from these lesions despite multiple biopsies and the affected child purses a clinical course of chronic remissions and exacerbations independent of antibiotic therapy. Biopsy of the lesions did not reveal any pathogens. Immunologic investigation revealed no abnormality common to the patient and there was no indication of a genetic etiology. The natural history of chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis appears to be slow, spontaneous resolution of the osseous lesions without specific treatment. We experienced a case of CRMO in an 11-year-old girl who had complained of fever, pain on knee and wrist joints for several weeks. We studied the clinical, radiographic, histological findings in this patient and we report a case of CRMO with brief review of related literature.