• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제55권4호
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• pp.121-127
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• 2012

Purpose: Improved survival of patients with childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has drawn attention to the potential for late consequences of previous treatments among survivors, including metabolic syndrome. In this study, we evaluated changes in 3 parameters, namely, random blood glucose, body mass index (BMI), and Z score for BMI (Z-BMI), in children with ALL during chemotherapy and after completion of treatment. Methods: Patients newly diagnosed with ALL from January, 2005 to December, 2008 at Saint Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, who completed treatment with chemotherapy only were included (n=107). Random glucose, BMI, and Z-BMI were recorded at 5 intervals: at diagnosis, before maintenance treatment, at completion of maintenance treatment, and 6 and 12 months after completion of maintenance treatment. Similar analyses were conducted on 2 subcohorts based on ALL risk groups. Results: For random glucose, a paired comparison showed significantly lower levels at 12 months post-treatment compared to those at initial diagnosis ($P$ <0.001) and before maintenance ($P$ <0.001). The Z-BMI score was significantly higher before maintenance than at diagnosis ($P$ <0.001), but decreased significantly at the end of treatment ($P$ <0.001) and remained low at 6 months ($P$ <0.001) and 12 months ($P$ <0.001) post-treatment. Similar results were obtained upon analysis of risk group-based subcohorts. Conclusion: For a cohort of ALL patients treated without allogeneic transplantation or cranial irradiation, decrease in random glucose and Z-BMI after completion of chemotherapy does not indicate future glucose intolerance or obesity.

• 농촌의학ㆍ지역보건
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• 제40권2호
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• pp.53-61
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• 2015

2014년 울산광역시 일개 고등학교에서 장독소생성대장균의 유행이 발생하였고, 이에 대한 원인과 전파 양식 등을 규명하고 예방 및 관리대책을 마련하기 위해 역학조사를 시행하였다. 학교 야구부원 26명과 조리담당 학부모 2명을 대상으로 설문조사를 실시하였으며, 6월 13~14일 발생한 의심환자 7명과 조리담당 학부모 2명을 대상으로 보건환경연구원에서 세균 10종 및 바이러스 5종에 관한 검사를 시행하였다. 일별로 가장 많이 발생한 6월 14일을 기준으로 3일 전인 11일부터 13일까지의 식단을 이용하여 후향적 코호트 연구를 시행하였다. 학교 운동부 학생 26명 및 조리담당 학부모 2명 등 총 28명 중 환례는 10명으로 장독소생성대장균의 발병률은 35.7%이었다. 위험요인 분석에서 통계적으로 유의한 음식은 없었다. 이번 유행의 원인으로 생활관 식당 내 제빙기의 얼음퍼개 및 얼음이 6월 9일 초발자에 의하여 사용 과정에서 오염된 것으로 추정하였다. 오염된 얼음퍼개가 제빙기 내부에 보관되어, 얼음과 주변 녹은 물이 오염되고 그로 인해 원인병원체의 전파가 이루어졌다고 추정하였다.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제81권1호
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• pp.49-58
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• 2018

Background: Information regarding the incidence and risk factors for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) detected by follow-up computed tomographic (CT) venography after pulmonary embolism (PE) is sparse. The aim of the present study was to identify the predictors of DVT in follow-up CT images, and to elucidate their clinical significance. Methods: Patients with PE were classified into the following three cohorts based on the time of indirect CT venography follow-up: within 1 month, 1 to 3 months, and 3 to 9 months after the initial CT scan. Each cohort was subdivided into patients with or without DVT detected by follow-up CT. Clinical variables were compared between the two groups. Results: Follow-up CT revealed DVT in 61% of patients with PE within 1 month, in 15% of patients with PE at 1 to 3 months, and in 9% of patients with PE at 3 to 9 months after the initial CT scan. Right ventricular (RV) dilation on the initial CT (odds ratio [OR], 8.30; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.89-36.40; p=0.005) and proximal DVT at the initial presentation (OR, 6.93; 95% CI, 1.90-25.20; p=0.003) were found to independently predict DVT in follow-up CT images within 1 month, proximal DVT at the initial presentation was found to independently predict DVT in follow-up CT images at 1 to 3 months (OR, 6.69; 95% CI, 1.53-29.23; p=0.012), and central PE was found to independently predict DVT in follow-up CT images at 3 to 9 months (OR, 4.25; 95% CI, 1.22-4.83; p=0.023) after the initial CT scan. Furthermore, the detection of DVT by follow-up CT independently predicted the recurrence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) (OR, 4.67; 95% CI, 2.24-9.74; p<0.001). Conclusion: Three months after PE, DVT was not detected by follow-up CT in most patients with PE. RV dilation on the initial CT, central PE, and proximal DVT at the initial presentation were found to predict DVT on follow-up CT, which might predict VTE recurrence.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제83권3호
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• pp.218-227
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• 2020

Background: The national Public-Private Mix (PPM) tuberculosis (TB) control project provides for the comprehensive management of TB patients at private hospitals in South Korea. Surveillance and monitoring of TB under the PPM project are essential toward achieving TB elimination goals. Methods: TB is a nationally notifiable disease in South Korea and is monitored using the surveillance system. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention quarterly generates monitoring indicators for TB management, used to evaluate activities of the PPM hospitals by the central steering committee of the national PPM TB control project. Based on the notification date, TB patients at PPM hospitals were enrolled in each quarter, forming a cohort, and followed up for at least 12 months to identify treatment outcomes. This report analyzed the dataset of cohorts the first quarter of 2016 through the fourth quarter of 2017. Results: The coverage of sputum, smear, and culture tests among the pulmonary TB cases were 92.8% and 91.5%, respectively. The percentage of positive sputum smear and culture test results were 30.7% and 61.5%, respectively. The coverage of drug susceptibility tests among the culture-confirmed cases was 92.8%. The treatment success rate among the smear-positive drug-susceptible cases was 83.2%. The coverage of latent TB infection treatment among the childhood TB contacts was significantly higher than that among the adult contacts (85.6% vs. 56.0%, p=0.001). Conclusion: This is the first official report to analyze monitoring indicators, describing the current status of the national PPM TB control project. To sustain its effect, strengthening the monitoring and evaluation systems is essential.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제34권3호
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• pp.188-198
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• 2008

Since 2003, the National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) of Korea has been conducting "The monitoring study on exposure level and biomarkers of environmental pollutants" in the Ulsan industrial complex with the goals to establish a surveillance system for residents, to evaluate the health effects associated with chronic exposure to environmental pollutants and to develop the environmental health indicators in Ulsan industrial complex. This program consists of three phases an initial or foundation phase in which the program is developed, made operational and extended to the community, followed by an evaluation and accountability assessment of the surveillance system and finally an improvement in the quality of life and the maintenance of good health for Ulsan residents. In the period 2003 to 2008, the study program developed the surveillance system which will be used for the full-length survey. All participants in this study were contacted at a presentation meeting for residents, introduced to the objectives and protocols of the survey, and asked to participate. Informed consent was obtained from each participant. The study is now underway and includes questionnaires, health examinations and the analysis/collection/banking of bio-sample such as blood and urine. To date 828 subjects have participated and already 588 subjects have been followed up. We are committed to complete health examinations and to arrange storage of biosample for all participants. During the current year, we will analyze metals (Pb in blood and Cd, inorganic As and Hg in urine) in 1,972 samples and VOCs (11 species) and PARs (18 species) in 300 samples (blood sample). Moreover, the summary of the first step and the further preparation of the second step are currently underway. In this article, we introduce the study and its protocols and the distribution and size of the study participants. In conclusion, this survey will be continuously conducted on the established cohort and will enable the identification of relationship between environmental pollutant exposures and the health status of residents in Ulsan industrial complex.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제47권2호
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• pp.147-152
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• 2020

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of vaginal progesterone for luteal phase support (LPS) on the clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) in natural frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles via a meta-analysis. Methods: We performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and retrospective studies that met our selection criteria. Four online databases (PubMed, Embase, Medline, and the Cochrane Library) were searched between January 2017 and May 2017. Studies were selected according to predefined inclusion criteria and meta-analyzed using R software version 2.14.2. The main outcome measure was CPR. Results: A total of 18 studies were reviewed and assessed for eligibility. One RCT (n = 435) and three retrospective studies (n = 3,033) met the selection criteria. In a meta-analysis of the selected studies, we found no significant difference in the CPR (odds ratio [OR], 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.60-1.55) between the vaginal progesterone and control groups. An analysis of the two retrospective cohort studies that reported the live birth rate (LBR) following FET showed a significantly higher LBR in the vaginal progesterone group (OR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.21-2.46). A subgroup meta-analysis of FET conducted 5 days after injection of human chorionic gonadotropin showed no significant differences between the two groups with regard to the CPR (OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.90-1.55) or miscarriage rate (OR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.36-1.47). Conclusion: The results of this meta-analysis of the currently available literature suggest that LPS with vaginal progesterone in natural FET cycles does not improve the CPR.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제26권6호
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• pp.705-710
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• 2016

대장암은 세계적으로 3번째로 흔한 암종이며, 암으로 인한 사망의 주요 원인이 되고 있다. 비록 다양한 진단방법이나 치료 방법이 이용되고는 있으나 병의 진행에 관여하는 분자메커니즘 이해의 부족 때문에 여전히 완전한 치료는 어려운 실정이다. 마이크로알엔에이는 단백질 정보를 코딩하고 있지 않은 작은 알엔에이 단편이다. 이러한 마이크로알엔에이는 특정 유전자의 전사과정 또는 번역과정을 조절하는 강력한 유전자 조절자로서의 기능을 가진다. 암의 발생과정에서 중요한 세포신호 전달 과정의 손상이 빈번하게 발생 하는데, 다양한 마이크로알엔에이의 이상발현이 그 원인이 되고 있다. 마이크로알엔에이-31은 암유전자의 역할을 하며 발암과정에 관여하는 다양한 유전자를 조절한다고 알려져 있다. 따라서, 본 연구에서는 대장암에서 마이크로알엔에이-31 발현의 임상적의의를 규명하고자 하였다. 175례의 대장암 조직과 16례의 정상 대장조직에서 실시간 유전자 증폭장치를 이용하여 마이크로알엔에이-31의 발현을 분석하고, 임상병리적 요인들과의 상관관계를 분석하고 임상적 유용성을 연구해 보았다. 마이크로알엔에이-31은 정상조직에 비해 대장암 조직에서 과발현이 되어 있었다. 175례 대장암 조직을 이용한 분석에서 마이크로알엔에이-31의 발현은 병기의 진행 정도에 따라 발현이 증가 되고 있었으며, 실제 마이크로알엔에이-31의 발현이 높은 대장암 환자군의 생존률이 그렇지 않은 환자군에 비해 통계적으로 유의하게 나쁜 것으로 확인 되었다. Cox 비례위험 모형과 로지스틱 회귀 모형을 이용한 분석에서 마이크로알엔에이-31의 과발현이 직접적으로 대장암 환자의 예후 및 원발전이와 연관성이 있는 것이 확인 되었다. 따라서, 이상의 연구결과를 종합해볼 때 대장암에서 과발현 된 마이크로알엔에이-31은 대장암 환자의 예후예측 및 전이예측 바이오마커로서의 활용 가능성이 높다고 볼 수 있다.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• 제35권4호
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• pp.306-316
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• 2017

Purpose: To investigate the predictive role of maximum standardized uptake value ($SUV_{max}$) of 2-[$^{18}F$]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose($^{18}F-FDG$) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in nasopharyngeal cancer patients treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Materials and Methods: Between October 2006 and April 2016, 53 patients were treated with IMRT in two institutions and their PET/CT at the time of diagnosis was reviewed. The $SUV_{max}$ of their nasopharyngeal lesions and metastatic lymph nodes (LN) was recorded. IMRT was delivered using helical tomotherapy. All patients except for one were treated with concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT). Correlations between $SUV_{max}$ and patients' survival and recurrence were analyzed. Results: At a median follow-up time of 31.5 months (range, 3.4 to 98.7 months), the 3-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 83.2% and 77.5%, respectively. In univariate analysis, patients with a higher nodal pre-treatment $SUV_{max}$ (${\geq}13.4$) demonstrated significantly lower 3-year OS (93.1% vs. 55.5%; p = 0.003), DFS (92.7% vs. 38.5%; p < 0.001), locoregional recurrence-free survival (100% vs. 50.5%; p < 0.001), and distant metastasis-free survival (100% vs. 69.2%; p = 0.004), respectively. In multivariate analysis, high pre-treatment nodal $SUV_{max}$ (${\geq}13.4$) was a negative prognostic factor for OS (hazard ratio [HR], 7.799; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.506-40.397; p = 0.014) and DFS (HR, 9.392; 95% CI, 1.989-44.339; p = 0.005). Conclusions: High pre-treatment nodal $SUV_{max}$ was an independent prognosticator of survival and disease progression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients treated with IMRT in our cohort. Therefore, nodal $SUV_{max}$ may provide important information for identifying patients who require more aggressive treatment.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• 제36권3호
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• pp.210-217
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• 2018

Purpose: Pancreatic cancer (PC) has not changed overall survival in recent years despite therapeutic efforts. Surgery with curative intent has shown the best long-term oncological results. However, 80%-85% of patients with these tumors are unresectable at the time of diagnosis. In those patients, first therapeutic attempts are minimally invasive or surgical procedures to alleviate symptoms. The addition of radiotherapy (RT) to standard chemotherapy, ergo chemoradiation, in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) is still controversial. The study aims to compare outcomes in patients with a double bypass surgery due to LAPC treated or not with RT. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort study of patients with double bypass for LAPC were registered and divided into two groups: treated or not with postoperative RT. Baseline characteristics, postoperative complications, those related to RT and their relation to the main event (mortality) were compared. Results: Seventy-four patients were included. Surgical complications between the groups did not offer significant differences. Complications related to RT were mostly mild, and 86% of patients completed the treatment. Overall survival at 1 and 2 years for patients in the exposed group was 64% and 35% vs. 50% and 28% in the non-exposed group, respectively (p = 0.11; power 72%; hazard ratio = 0.53; 95% confidence interval, 0.24-1.18). Conclusion: We observed a tendency for survival improvement in patients with postoperative RT. However, we've not had enough power to demonstrate this difference, possibly due to the small sample size. It is indispensable to develop randomized and prospective trials to guide more specific treatment lines in this patients.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제58권4호
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• pp.413-419
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• 2020

Eosinophilia occurs commonly in many diseases including allergic diseases and helminthic infections. Toxocariasis has been suggested as one cause of eosinophilia. The present study was undertaken to examine the prevalence of toxocariasis in patients with eosinophilia and to identify the risk factors for toxocariasis. This prospective cohort study recruited a total of 81 patients with eosinophilia (34 males and 47 females) who visited the outpatient clinic at Seoul National University Hospital from January 2017 to February 2018 and agreed to participate in this study. The prevalence of toxocariasis was examined by T. canis-specific ELISA, and the various risk factors for toxocariasis were evaluated by a questionnaire survey. Among 81 patients with eosinophilia, 18 were positive for anti-T. canis antibodies (22.2%); 88.9% were male (16/18) and 11.1% were female (2/18). Multivariate statistical analysis revealed that males (OR 21.876, 95% CI: 1.667-287.144) with a history of consuming the raw meat or livers of animals (OR 5.899, 95% CI: 1.004-34.669) and a heavy alcohol-drinking habit (OR 8.767, 95% CI: 1.018-75.497) were at higher risk of toxocariasis in patients with eosinophilia. Toxocariasis should be considered a potential cause of eosinophilia when the patient has a history of eating the raw meat or livers of animals in Korea. A single course of albendazole is recommended to reduce the migration of Toxocara larvae in serologically positive cases with eosinophilia.