• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.150-161
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• 2022

Background and Objectives: Studies evaluating the nature of ischemic burden of chronic total occlusion (CTO) vessels are still lacking. Methods: A total of 165 patients with single vessel CTO >2.5 mm in an epicardial coronary artery who underwent single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) were enrolled in the study. Ischemic burden was calculated with the use of semi-quantitative SPECT analysis, and was defined as the summed difference score (SDS) divided by the maximal limit of the score (=SDS/68). Results: The mean age of the participants was 59.5 years and the CTO of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), left circumplex coronary artery (LCX), and right coronary artery (RCA) accounted for 93 (56.4%), 18 (10.9%), and 54 (32.7%) patients, respectively. The median ischemic burden of the total population was 8.8%, and it was highest in the LAD CTO (10.3%) compared with the LCX (5.9%) and RCA CTO (5.9%, p<0.001). High-ischemic burden (ischemic burden >10%) was observed in 66 patients (40.0%), and in 47 patients (50.5%) of the LAD CTO. Ischemic burden was different according to the CTO location only in LAD CTO. The statistically significant predictors for high-ischemic burden were hypertension, baseline ejection fraction >45%, LAD CTO, proximal CTO location, and de novo CTO. Japanese-CTO score and Rentrop scale collateral grade were not associated with high-ischemic burden. Conclusions: Only 40% of patients with single vessel CTO had ischemic burden >10%. For CTO vessels, measurement of ischemic burden using SPECT prior to revascularization may be helpful in identifying beneficial subjects.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.405-410
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• 2018

Stroke is a leading cause of death in the Korean population and remains a major health burden worldwide. The two main pathologic types of stroke are ischemic stroke and intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), but comparisons of risk factors for these have been limited. We under took a nationwide population-based study to analyze the relationship between these risk factor sand ischemic stroke and ICH. From January 2003 to December 2013, a total of 37,561 patients with newly diagnosed ischemic stroke or ICH were identified using the National Health Insurance Service data base as the study population. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between baseline risk factors and presentation with ICH versus ischemic stroke. The incidence of ischemic stroke showed an increasing rend every year, while there was no significant change in the incidence of ICH. Of the several risk factors associated with stroke, old age (OR 2.35, 95% CI 2.12~2.49, P < 0.001) was more closely associated with ischemic stroke than ICH, whereas renal disease (OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.55~0.99, P = 0.04) and carotid disease (OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.17~0.35, P < 0.001) were more strongly associated with ICH. In addition, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, hypertension, ischemic heart disease and male sex was associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke. Old age was more strongly associated with ischemic stroke than ICH, while carotid stenosis and renal impairment were more closely associated with ICH risk. Classic risk factors for stroke have considerably different associations with the two main pathologic types of stroke.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.387-395
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• 2011

Purpose: This study measured the burden of disease in Korea related to outdoor air pollution using disability-adjusted life year (DALY). Materials and Methods: As a risk factor of outdoor air pollution, particulate matter with a diameter less than 10 ${\mu}m$($PM_{10}$) was used. First, $PM_{10}$-related diseases and their relative risk (RR) were selected by means of a literature review. Second, population attributable fractions were computed by using formulae including RR and population exposure to $PM_{10}$. Third, DALYs of $PM_{10}$-related diseases in Korea were estimated. Finally, the attributable burden of disease due to $PM_{10}$ was measured as the sum of the products that multiplied the DALYs of $PM_{10}$-related diseases by their population attributable fractions. Results: The disease burden of PM10 was 6.9 DALY per 1,000 persons in 2007. The attributable burden of $PM_{10}$ was 2.68 for lung cancer, 2.41 for COPD, 0.62 for ischemic heart disease, 0.61 for pneumonia, 0.55 for asthma, and 0.03 for preterm. Conclusions: This study showed the environmental burden of disease of $PM_{10}$ and burden of $PM_{10}$-related disease through objective data. It also suggested that active efforts are needed to continuously measure and reduce the burden of environmental diseases in Korea.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.19-27
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• 2022

This study estimated the direct and indirect socioeconomic costs of 238 diseases and 22 injuries from a social perspective in Korea from 2007 to 2015. The socioeconomic cost of each disease group was calculated based on the Korean Standard Disease Classification System. Direct costs were estimated using health insurance claims data provided by the National Health Insurance Service. The numbers of outpatients and inpatients with the main diagnostic codes for each disease were selected as a proxy indicator for estimating patients' medical use behavior by disease. The economic burden of disease from 2007 to 2015 showed an approximately 20% increase in total costs. From 2007 to 2015, communicable diseases (including infectious, maternal, pediatric, and nutritional diseases) accounted for 8.9-12.2% of the socioeconomic burden, while non-infectious diseases accounted for 65.7-70.7% and injuries accounted for 19.1-22.8%. The top 5 diseases in terms of the socioeconomic burden were self-harm (which took the top spot for 8 years), followed by cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer, ischemic heart disease, and upper respiratory infections in 2007. Since 2010, the economic burden of conditions such as low back pain, falls, and acute bronchitis has been included in this ranking. This study expanded the scope of calculating the burden of disease at the national level by calculating the burden of disease in Koreans by gender and disease. These findings can be used as indicators of health equality and as useful data for establishing community-centered (or customized) health promotion policies, projects, and national health policy goals.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.51-62
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• 2014

Objectives: The objective of study was to calculate the municipal level environmental burden of disease (EBD) due to heat wave. Methods: The data used were Korea National Health Insurance 2011 claim data and 2011 death registry. Heatwave related diseases included hypertensive heart diseases, ischemic heart diseases, cerebrovascular disease, and heat related illness. According to the method that WHO proposed, the study computed population-attributable fraction with relative risk which come from previous study and proportion of exposure which the study calculated with historical meteorology data. Results: The Average of 251 municipal EBD was 2.11 per thousand persons. The value of years lost due to disability was 11 times higher than that of years of life lost. On average EBD of county and southern geographical areas tended to be higher than those of District or city areas. The relationship between municipal deprivation index (composite deprivation index) and EBD showed the positive association, which means that the worse deprived municipal is, the higher EBD takes. Conclusions: Climate change is getting one of the major risk factors of cardio-cerebrovascular disease, which is the second leading cause of death. The study results suggested the urgent policy planning and reaction of climate change adaptation.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.84 no.1
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• pp.35-45
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• 2021

Globally, cardiovascular diseases and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are the leading causes of the non-communicable disease burden. Overlapping symptoms such as breathing difficulty and fatigue, with a lack of awareness about COPD among physicians, are key reasons for under-diagnosis and resulting sub-optimal care relative to COPD. Much has been published in the past on the pathogenesis and implications of cardiovascular comorbidities in COPD. However, a comprehensive review of the prevalence and impact of COPD management in commonly encountered cardiac diseases is lacking. The purpose of this study was to summarize the current knowledge regarding the prevalence of COPD in heart failure, ischemic heart disease, and atrial fibrillation. We also discuss the real-life clinical presentation and practical implications of managing COPD in cardiac diseases. We searched PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, and Google Scholar for studies published 1981-May 2020 reporting the prevalence of COPD in the three specified cardiac diseases. COPD has high prevalence in heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and ischemic heart disease. Despite this, COPD remains under-diagnosed and under-managed in the majority of patients with cardiac diseases. The clinical implications of the diagnosis of COPD in cardiac disease includes the recognition of hyperinflation (a treatable trait), implementation of acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) prevention strategies, and reducing the risk of overuse of diuretics. The pharmacological agents for the management of COPD have shown a beneficial effect on cardiac functions and mortality. The appropriate management of COPD improves the cardiovascular outcomes by reducing hyperinflation and preventing AECOPD, thus reducing the risk of mortality, improving exercise tolerance, and quality of life.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.251-260
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• 2009

Objectives : To estimate the annual socioeconomic costs of stroke in Korea in 2005 from a societal perspective. Methods : We identified those 20 years or older who had at least one national health insurance (NHI) claims record with a primary or a secondary diagnosis of stroke (ICD-10 codes: I60-I69, G45) in 2005. Direct medical costs of the stroke were measured from the NHI claims records. Direct non-medical costs were estimated as transportation costs incurred when visiting the hospitals. Indirect costs were defined as patients and caregivers productivity loss associated with office visits or hospitalization. Also, the costs of productivity loss due to premature death from stroke were calculated. Results : A total of 882,143 stroke patients were identified with prevalence for treatment of stroke at 2.44%. The total cost for the treatment of stroke in the nation was estimated to be 3,737 billion Korean won (KRW) which included direct costs at 1,130 billion KRW and indirect costs at 2,606 billion KRW. The per-capita cost of stroke was 3 million KRW for men and 2 million KRW for women. The total national spending for hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke was 1,323 billion KRW and 1,553 billion KRW, respectively, which together consisted of 77.0% of the total cost for stroke. Costs per patient for hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke were estimated at 6 million KRW and 2 million KRW, respectively. Conclusions : Stroke is a leading public health problem in Korea in terms of the economic burden. The indirect costs were identified as the largest component of the overall cost.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.470-476
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• 2020

Objective : The objective of this study was to develop a score to predict patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) who will not benefit from endovascular treatment (EVT) using computed tomographic angiography (CTA) parameters. Methods : The CTA-ABC score was developed from 3 scales previously described in the literature: the Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (0-5 points, 3; 6-10 points, 0), the clot burden score (0-3 points, 1; 4-10 points, 0), and the leptomeningeal Collateral score (0-1 points, 2; 2-3 points, 0). We evaluated the predictive value of CTA parameters associated with symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) or malignant middle cerebral artery infarction (MMCAI) after EVT and developed the score using logistic regression coefficients. The score was then validated. Performance of the score was tested with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC). Results : The derivation cohort consisted of 115 and the validation cohort consisted of 40 AIS patients. The AUC-ROC was 0.97 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.94-0.99; p<0.001) in the derivation cohort. The proportions of patients with sICH and/or MMCAI in the derivation cohort were 96%, 73%, 6%, and 0% for scores of 6, 5, 1, and 0 points, respectively. In the validation group, the proportions were similar (90%, 100%, 0%, and 0%, respectively) with an AUC-ROC of 0.96 (95% CI, 0.90-1.00; p<0.001). Conclusion : Our CTA-ABC score reliably assessed risk for sICH and/or MMCAI in patients with AIS who underwent EVT. It can support clinical decision-making, especially when the need for EVT is uncertain.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.379-384
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• 2016

Objective : Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for acute intracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion is often complicated by difficult revascularization and non-involved territory embolization possibly related with larger clot-burden. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of proximal aspiration thrombectomy (PAT) using a balloon-tipped guide catheter for clot-burden reduction in such cases with period-to-period analysis (period 1 : standard MT without PAT; period 2 : PAT first, then standard MT for the remaining occlusion). Methods : Eighty-six patients who underwent MT for acute intracranial ICA occlusion were included in this analysis from the prospectively maintained stroke registry (33 patients in period 1 and 53 in period 2). In period 2, 'responder' was defined as a case where some amount of clot was retrieved by PAT and the following angiography showed partial or full recanalization. Results : Fifteen of fifty-three patients in period 2 (28.3%) were 'responders' to PAT. There was a significantly higher incidence of atrial fibrillation in the 'responder' subgroup. Period 2 showed a significantly shorter puncture-to-reperfusion time (94.5 minutes vs. 56.0 minutes; p=0.002), a significantly higher Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction of 2b-3 reperfusion (45.5% vs. 73.6%; p=0.009), but only a trend for better 3-month favorable outcome (mRS 0-2; 36.4% vs. 54.7%; p=0.097). There was no increase in the incidence of procedure-related complications or intracranial hemorrhage in period 2. Conclusion : A strategy of PAT before standard MT may result in shorter puncture-to-reperfusion time and better angiographic outcome than a strategy of standard MT for acute intracranial ICA occlusion.

• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.52 no.11
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• pp.829-843
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• 2022

Background and Objectives: Despite remarkable reduction in cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, the burden has remained the leading cause of death. Since little research has focused on regional disparity in CVD mortality, this study aims to investigate its spatiotemporal trends in Korea from 1983 to 2019. Methods: Using the causes of death statistics in Korea, we analyzed the geographic variation in deaths from CVDs from 1983 to 2019. The sex and age-standardized mortality rate was calculated according to the 17 administrative regions. The analyses include all diseases of the circulatory system (International Classification of Diseases-10 codes, I00-I99), along with the following 6 subcategories which were not mutually exclusive: total heart disease (I00-I13 and I20-I51), hypertensive heart disease (I10-I13), ischemic heart disease (I20-I25), myocardial infarction (I21-I23), heart failure (I50), and cerebrovascular disease (I60-I69). Results: Overall, heart failure death rate increased across all regions, and other CVD death rates showed a decreasing trend. Regional disparity in mortality was substantial in the early 1980s but converged over time. In all types of cardiovascular mortality, Busan, Ulsan and Gyeongnam remained the highest, although they showed a downward trend like other regions. Jeju continued to have a relatively low CVD mortality rate. Conclusions: The regional disparity substantially decreased compared to the 1980s. However, the relatively high burden of CVD mortality in the southeastern region has not been fully resolved.