• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.16.1-16.11
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• 2023

Background: Long-term comparative data of phacoemulsification combined with endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation (phaco-ECP) versus phacoemulsification (phaco) alone in dogs are rare. Objectives: To investigate the effects of ECP on postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) and complications after phaco in dogs with normal IOP. Methods: Medical records of IOP, conjunctival hyperemia, corneal edema, aqueous flare, posterior synechia, intraocular fibrin, and posterior capsule opacification (PCO) formation in 15 canine eyes that underwent phaco-ECP and 36 eyes that underwent phaco alone were evaluated retrospectively. ECP was applied when either the iridocorneal angle or the ciliary cleft was narrow or closed. Results: The IOP of the phaco-ECP group persisted within the normal range postoperatively. The phaco-ECP group had a shorter period of dorzolamide use than did the phaco group. PCO was formed earlier in the phaco-ECP group than in the phaco group. The phaco-ECP group showed more severe corneal edema than the phaco group at every follow-up visit. Posterior synechia was more severe in the phaco-ECP group than in the phaco group from two weeks until the last follow-up. Conclusions: Although ECP might cause more postoperative complications such as corneal edema and posterior synechia, it could effectively reduce the incidence of IOP increase after phaco in dogs with a high risk of postoperative glaucoma.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.37-46
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• 2022

Background: Non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) is associated with ischemic stroke risk in the aging population. Observational studies have indicated beneficial effects of direct-acting oral anticoagulant (DOAC) against ischemic stroke compared to warfarin. This study aimed to investigate ischemic stroke incidence and bleeding risk in patients on DOAC therapy. Methods: Using the database of Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment-Aged Patient Sample 2015, we conducted a retrospective cohort study. Study subjects with NVAF diagnosis and prescribed anticoagulants were enrolled. Propensity score (PS) matching by age, sex, comorbidities, and medications were used. The clinical outcomes were major adverse cerebro-cardiovascular events (MACCEs, ischemic stroke/systemic embolism, myocardial infarction, cardiac death) and bleeding events. A cox proportional hazard model analysis was performed to compare the outcomes with hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Total 4,773 elderly patients with NVAF were initially included. Four PS-matched groups including rivaroxaban vs. warfarin-only (n=1,079), dabigatran vs. warfarin-only (n=721), rivaroxaban vs. dabigatran (n=721), and switchers of warfarin to rivaroxaban vs. warfarin-only (n=287) were analyzed. Every group showed statistically similar results of MACCEs and bleeding events, except for the group of rivaroxaban vs. dabigatran. Rivaroxaban users showed higher risks of bleeding events than dabigatran users (HR 2.25, 95% CI 1.01-4.99). Conclusion: In the elderly patients with NVAF, efficacy and safety outcomes among oral anticoagulants including DOACs and warfarin were similar, while rivaroxaban are more likely to have higher bleeding risks than dabigatran. Further research using large size sample is needed.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.27-36
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• 2022

Background: Medication-related problems (MRPs) frequently occur during the discharge period. Elderly patients, particularly, are at high risk for these problems due to polypharmacy and the use of potentially inappropriate medications. The purpose of this study was to build and implement collaboration between general hospital and community pharmacies to address MRPs among high-risk elderly patients before/after discharge. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted between June and December of 2020. The inclusion criteria were patients with aged ≥65 years; residents of Jeonju; discharged from Jeonbuk National University hospital; either on medication of exceeding 10 medications (or high-risk medications) after hospitalization through the emergency room, or having severe illness. Patients received medication reconciliation and counselling by hospital pharmacists before discharge and home-visit pharmaceutical care as follow-up by community pharmacists after discharge. Results: Twenty-two patients agreed to home-visit pharmaceutical services. Fifteen and 11 patients completed the first and second home-visit pharmaceutical care service, respectively. Forty-two MRPs were identified in 15 patients. The types of high-frequency MRPs were incorrect administration of drug, adverse drug reactions, medication non-compliance, drug-drug interactions, lifestyle modifications, and expired medication disposal. After consultation with the pharmacist, 34 out of 42 MRPs were resolved. Conclusions: Transitional care for high-risk elderly patients before and after discharge was successfully built and implemented through a collaboration between general hospital and community pharmacies. This study suggests that home-visit pharmaceutical services may have positive effects on the safe use of drugs during the transition period; however, additional research is needed to expand on these findings.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.132-148
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• 2023

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to determine the clinical features of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome and the effectiveness and safety of Korean medicine treatment at the Public health center. Methods: The study was conducted among 11 patients with post-acute COVID-19 syndrome who attended a single public health center from January to December 2022. We retrospectively analyzed the charts of 11 patients and collected clinical characteristics, previous treatments, Korean medicine treatments, outcome variables (Numeral Rating Scale (NRS), Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ), Visual Analog Scale (VAS)), adverse events, etc. Results: Of the 11 patients, six were women, and the average age of all patients was 68.27±12.31 years. The most common symptom were cough(n=9, 81.82%) and sore throat(n=9, 81.82%), followed by sputum, fatigue, rhinorrhea, and loss of appetite, etc. All 11 patients were treated with herbal medicine, with Samso-eum(n=6, 54.55%), Yeonkyopaedok-san(n=5, 45.45%), and Haengso-tang(n=3, 27.27%) being the most commonly used. After herbal medicine treatment, the median cough NRS decreased from 5 to 1, and the median sore throat NRS decreased from 4 to 1, both of which were statistically significant. One patient reported adverse event of dyspepsia and heartburn, but it was mild. Conclusions: The study presented the clinical features of the post-acute COVID-19 syndrome and suggested that Korean medicine treatment at public health centers may be effective and safe in alleviating associated symptoms.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.115-127
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• 2023

Objectives Through this study, we investigated the effects of Korean medicine treatments on range of motion recovery and pain reduction in patients with Frozen shoulder. Methods In this study, the medical records of 26 patients diagnosed with frozen shoulder were retrospectively observed and analyzed through the IBM SPSS Statistics 25 program. We used range of motion to observe the patient's motion recovery and numeric rating scale to evaluate pain reduction. Results The shoulder range of motion increased statistically significantly from 160.0 (123.5~170.0) to 170.0 (160.0~180.0) (flexion), 115.0 (90.0~135.0) to 167.5 (130.0~178.8) (abduction), 40.8±22.1 to 58.3±16.0 (external rotation) (p<0.001). The average of numeric rating scale reduced statistically significantly from 6.7±2.0 to 3.2±1.4 (p<0.001). Depending on the period, the range of motion increased statistically significantly when visited within 3 months, also the pain score decreased 7.0 (5.4~8.0) to 3.0 (1.8~3.6) statistically significantly when visited within 3 months. In the treatment intervention, the increase in the range of motion and the decrease in pain were statistically significant, especially when the bee venom acupuncture and chuna manaul therapy were used together. Conclusions Korean medicine treatments was effective in improving the range of motion and reducing pain in frozen shoulders. In particular, when treated within 3 months of onset and when bee venom acupuncture and chuna manual therapy were used together, it was effective in recovering the range of motion and reducing pain.

• Clinical Pain
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.76-81
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• 2019

Objective: To examine (1) the degree of reduction of passive range of motion (PROM) on the affected side compared to that on the unaffected side and (2) the degree of increase in PROM following intra-articular corticosteroid injection (IACI) in patients with frozen shoulder. Method: The medical records of 120 patients with frozen shoulder were retrospectively reviewed. PROM of the unaffected and affected shoulder (flexion, extension, abduction, internal rotation, external rotation) was compared, and changes in PROM of the affected shoulder after a single IACI (triamcinolone 20 mg) were evaluated after 12 weeks. Results: At the time of diagnosis, PROM of the affected shoulder was most limited in external rotation, followed by internal rotation, abduction, extension, and flexion, compared to that of the unaffected shoulder. Compared to before IACI, PROM of external rotation demonstrated the greatest increase compared to all the other movements after IACI. Conclusion: Limitation in PROM of the frozen shoulder at the time of diagnosis was greatest for external rotation. Moreover, external rotation experienced the greatest improvement after IACI. Our findings should help to further clarify the clinical characteristics of frozen shoulder, aid in its diagnosis, and allow the prediction of the effects of IACI.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.75-84
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• 2023

Objectives This study aimed to report the effectiveness of abdominal Daoyin and lymphatic circulation technique in conjunction with whole-body articulation mechanics technique therapy in treating indigestion. Methods Three patients who suffered from dyspepsia and abscess after consuming foods incompatible with their constitution, following a 10-year implementation of a constitutional diet at a local Korean Medicine clinic, visited a Korean Medicine Hospital. The patients underwent treatment with abdominal Daoyin and lymphatic circulation technique. The effects of these techniques were analyzed using a retrospective record analysis method. Results Following the implementation of abdominal Daoyin and lymphatic circulation technique for indigestion, the numeric rating scale scores improved significantly. Case 1 improved from 9 to 2, case 2 from 6 to 0, and case 3 from 5 to 1. Conclusions While acknowledging the limitations of being a case report involving only three patients and the absence of specialized outcomes for digestive issues, this report may provide a preliminary basis for considering the efficacy of Chuna manual therapy in indigestion treatment.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.374-392
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• 2023

Objective: Assess and evaluate the different indicators of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among patients treated with clear aligners (CAs) versus those treated with conventional fixed orthodontics (FAs). Methods: An electronic search was performed on the database is Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase databases. Randomized and non-randomized control trials, cross-sectional, prospective cohort and retrospective trials were included. Quality was assessed with risk of bias tool and risk of bias in non-randomised studies. Meta-analyses were performed with random effects models, estimating the standardized and non-standardized mean differences, odds ratio and risk ratio as the measure of effect. The effect on time was determined using a meta-regression model. Results: Thirty one articles were included in the qualitative synthesis and 17 in the meta-analysis. CAs had a significantly lower negative impact on QoL, with an "important" effect size, while the influence of time was not significant. Periodontal indicators plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), probing depth (PD), and bleeding on probing show significantly better values in patients treated with CAs, with moderate to large effect sizes. PI and GI have a significant tendency to improve over time. In microbiological indicators, CAs present a lower biofilm mass without differences in the percentage of patients with high counts of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacilli bacteria. The risk of white spot lesion onset is ten times lower in carriers of CAs. Conclusions: Patients wearing CAs show better periodontal indicators, less risk of white spot development, less biofilm mass and a better QoL than patients with FAs.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.271-279
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• 2023

Purpose: Adolescent self-harm is a public health problem. Research suggests a link between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and self-destructive behaviors. Few studies, however, have examined the effects of ACEs on self-harm among Asian adolescents. This study explored the association between lifetime ACEs and a history of self-harm among Korean children and adolescents in elementary, middle, and high schools. Methods: A cross-sectional, retrospective medical record review was conducted on a dataset of a national psychiatrist advisory service for school counselors who participated in the Wee Doctor Service from January 1 to December 31, 2020. The data were analyzed using multiple logistic regression to predict self-harm. Results: Student cases (n=171) were referred to psychiatrists by school counselors for remote consultation. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that the odds of self-harm were higher among high school students (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=4.97; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.94-12.76), those with two or more ACEs (aOR=3.27; 95% CI=1.43-7.47), and those with depression (aOR=3.06; 95% CI=1.32-7.10). Conclusion: The study's findings provide compelling evidence that exposure to ACEs can increase vulnerability to self-harm among Korean students. Students with a history of ACEs and depression, as well as high school students, require increased attention during counseling. School counselors can benefit from incorporating screening assessment tools that include questions related to ACEs and depression. Establishing a systematic referral system to connect students with experts can enhance the likelihood of identifying self-harm tendencies and offering the essential support to prevent self-harm.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.449-457
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• 2023

Objectives: This study investigated the association between baseline exposures to particulate matter with a diameter <2.5 microns (PM_2.5) and subsequent temporal changes in PM_2.5 exposure with the incidence of type 2 diabetes among Royal Thai Army personnel. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using nationwide health check-up data from 21 325 Thai Army personnel between 2018 and 2021. Multilevel mixed-effects parametric survival statistics were utilized to analyze the relationship between baseline (i.e., PM_2.5-baseline) and subsequent changes (i.e., PM_2.5-change) in PM_2.5 exposure and the occurrence of type 2 diabetes. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were employed to assess this association while considering covariates. Results: There was a significant association between both PM_2.5 baseline and PM_2.5-change and the incidence of type 2 diabetes in a dose-response manner. Compared to quartile 1, the HRs for quartiles 2 to 4 of PM_2.5-baseline were 1.11 (95% CI, 0.74 to 1.65), 1.51 (95% CI, 1.00 to 2.28), and 1.77 (95% CI, 1.07 to 2.93), respectively. Similarly, the HRs for quartiles 2 to 4 of PM_2.5-change were 1.41 (95% CI, 1.14 to 1.75), 1.43 (95% CI, 1.13 to 1.81) and 2.40 (95% CI, 1.84 to 3.14), respectively. Conclusions: Our findings contribute to existing evidence regarding the association between short-term and long-term exposure to PM_2.5 and the incidence of diabetes among personnel in the Royal Thai Army.