• The Korean journal of internal medicine
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.95-109
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• 2024

Background/Aims: Sex differences in the prognosis of heart failure (HF) have yielded inconsistent results, and data from Asian populations are even rare. This study aimed to investigate sex differences in clinical characteristics and long-term prognosis among Korean patients with HF. Methods: A total of 5,625 Korean patients hospitalized for acute HF were analyzed using a prospective multi-center registry database. Baseline clinical characteristics and long-term outcomes including HF readmission and death were compared between sexes. Results: Women were older than men and had worse symptoms with higher N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide levels. Women had a significantly higher proportion of HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). There were no significant differences in in-hospital mortality and rate of guideline-directed medical therapies in men and women. During median follow-up of 3.4 years, cardiovascular death (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-1.78; p = 0.014), and composite outcomes of death and HF readmission (adjusted HR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.01-1.27; p = 0.030) were significantly higher in men than women. When evaluating heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and HFpEF separately, men were an independent risk factor of cardiovascular death in patients with HFrEF. Clinical outcome was not different between sexes in HFpEF. Conclusions: In the Korean multi-center registry, despite having better clinical characteristics, men exhibited a higher risk of all-cause mortality and readmission for HF. The main cause of these disparities was the higher cardiovascular mortality rate observed in men compared to women with HFrEF.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.321-325
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• 2013

Metastases from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can be found in the multiple organs including adrenal gland. But adrenal metastasis of HCC without obvious hepatic lesion is very rare. We report CT and MR findings of a patient who presented with adrenal metastasis as the first clinical manifestation of HCC. Signal intensity and enhancement pattern of adrenal metastastic mass of HCC were similar to those of HCC on MRI.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.377.1-377
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• 2001

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.346-352
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• 2007

Background: Pulmonary hypertension is one of the cardiovascular complications of in COPD. However, a diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension requires an invasive test, such as right heart catheterization. NT-proBNP is a cardiac hormone that is elevated when a cardiac volume or pressure overload is present. It was hypothesized that NT-proBNP might play a role in detecting of pulmonary hypertension in COPD patients. Method: The 31 COPD patients, who underwent all of NT-proBNP, echocardiography, and spirometry in Seoul National University Bundang Hospital during the period from November 2003 to July 2005, were retrospectively analyzed. Result: Of the 31 COPD patients, 9 patients had pulmonary hypertension. A significant positive correlation was observed between the NT-proBNP and pulmonary arterial pressure (r=0.589, p=0.002). However, there was no significant correlation observed between the $FEV_1$ and NT-proBNP and $FEV_1$ and pulmonary arterial pressure. Conclusion: NT-proBNP might indicate the presence of pulmonary hypertension in COPD patients.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.185-193
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• 2023

Background: This study focuses on the establishment and operation of a stroke patient hotline program to help patients and their caregivers determine when acute neurological changes require emergency attention. Method: The stroke hotline was established at the Gyeonggi Regional Cerebrovascular Center, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, in June 2016. Patients diagnosed with stroke during admission or in outpatient clinics were registered and provided with stroke education. Consulting nurses managed hotline calls and made decisions about outpatient schedules or emergency room referrals, consulting physicians when necessary. The study analyzed consultation records from June 2016 to December 2020, assessing consultation volumes and types. Outcomes and hotline satisfaction were also evaluated. Results: Over this period, 6,851 patients were registered, with 1,173 patients (18%) undergoing 3,356 hotline consultations. The average monthly consultation volume increased from 29.2 cases in 2016 to 92.3 cases in 2020. Common consultation types included stroke symptoms (22.3%), blood pressure/glucose inquiries (12.8%), and surgery/procedure questions (12.6%). Unexpected outpatient visits decreased from 103 cases before the hotline to 81 cases after. Among the 2,244 consultations between January 2019 and December 2020, 9.6% were recommended hospital visits, with two cases requiring intra-arterial thrombectomy. Patient satisfaction ratings of 9-10 points increased from 64% in 2019 to 69% in 2020. Conclusion: The stroke hotline program effectively reduced unexpected outpatient visits and achieved high patient satisfaction. Expanding the program could enhance the management of stroke-related neurological symptoms and minimize unnecessary healthcare resource utilization.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.349.1-349.1
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• 2002

Capsaicin. the pungent component of chili pepper. opens a novel cation selective ion channel in the plasma membrane of peripheral sensory neurons. Capsaicin channel agonists induce pain upon topical application in the early stage. which is followed by a period of desensitization. Although the agonists have been studied as a analgesics, their initial irritancy became sever side effect. So competive antagonists have been pursued as a novel pharmacological agent for analgesics, rather than agonists. (omitted)

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.403-410
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• 2022

Flexible and wearable sensing technologies have emerged as a result of developments in interdisciplinary research across several fields, bringing together various subjects such as biology, physics, chemistry, and information technology. Moreover, various types of flexible wearable biocompatible devices, such customized medical equipment, soft robotics, bio-batteries, and electronic skin patches, have been developed over the last several years that are extensively employed to monitor biological signals. As a result, we present an updated overview of new bio-implantable sensor technologies for various applications and a brief review of the state-of-the-art technologies.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.125-130
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• 2014

Objective : This study was conducted to elucidate neuroprotective effect of carnosine in early stage of stroke. Methods : Early stage of rodent stroke model and neuroblastoma chemical hypoxia model was established by middle cerebral artery occlusion and antimycin A. Neuroprotective effect of carnosine was investigated with 100, 250, and 500 mg of carnosine treatment. And antioxidant expression was analyzed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and western blot in brain and blood. Results : Intraperitoneal injection of 500 mg carnosine induced significant decrease of infarct volume and expansion of penumbra (p<0.05). The expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD) showed significant increase than in saline group in blood and brain (p<0.05). In the analysis of chemical hypoxia, carnosine induced increase of neuronal cell viability and decrease of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Conclusion : Carnosine has neuroprotective property which was related to antioxidant capacity in early stage of stroke. And, the oxidative stress should be considered one of major factor in early ischemic stroke.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.146-152
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• 2007

A mutant exhibiting decreased cytotoxic activity toward INT-407 intestinal epithelial cells and carrying a mutation in the rtx gene cluster that consists of rtxCA and rtxBDE operons was screened from a library of V. vulnificus mutants. The functions of the rtxA gene, assessed by constructing an isogenic mutant and evaluating its phenotypic changes, demonstrated that RtxA is essential for the virulence of V. vulnificus in mice as well as in tissue cultures.

• Proceedings of the KSMRM Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.97-97
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• 2003

Contrast-enhanced MR angiography (CE-MRA) gradually occupies its position as a primary evaluation tool forsteno-occlusive disease of supra-aortic cervical arteries. It has several advantages over time-of-flight (TOF) technique such as shorter imaging time, less saturation effect, and less flow- and motion-related artifacts. Diverse methods of k-space sampling, imaging sequences, and strategies for image acquisitiontiming have been introduced since its early clinical application. Especially, methods of k-space sampling and image acquisition timing are very important to achieve maximal arterial enhancement and suppress venous signal while maintaining large scan coverage and high spatial resolution. In addition, regardless of several advantages over TOF technique, it still has a tendency to overestimate the degree of stenosis in patients with carotid or vertebralartery disease. In this exhibit, we will overview the current techniques of CE-MRA with special attention to methods of k-space sampling and image acquisition timing. We will also discuss diagnostic accuracy of CE-MRA in patients with supra-aortic cervical artery stenosis and artifacts frequently misinterpreted as steno-occlusive lesion on CE-MRA.