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Background@#Surgical resection is the standard treatment for early-stage lung cancer. Since postoperative lung function is related to mortality, predicted postoperative lung function is used to determine the treatment modality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive performance of linear regression and machine learning models. @*Methods@#We extracted data from the Clinical Data Warehouse and developed three sets: set I, the linear regression model; set II, machine learning models omitting the missing data: and set III, machine learning models imputing the missing data. Six machine learning models, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), Ridge regression, ElasticNet, Random Forest, eXtreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and the light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM) were implemented. The forced expiratory volume in 1 second measured 6 months after surgery was defined as the outcome. Five-fold cross-validation was performed for hyperparameter tuning of the machine learning models. The dataset was split into training and test datasets at a 70:30 ratio. Implementation was done after dataset splitting in set III. Predictive performance was evaluated by R2 and mean squared error (MSE) in the three sets. @*Results@#A total of 1,487 patients were included in sets I and III and 896 patients were included in set II. In set I, the R2 value was 0.27 and in set II, LightGBM was the best model with the highest R2 value of 0.5 and the lowest MSE of 154.95. In set III, LightGBM was the best model with the highest R2 value of 0.56 and the lowest MSE of 174.07. @*Conclusion@#The LightGBM model showed the best performance in predicting postoperative lung function.
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Background@#The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused disruptions to healthcare systems, consequently endangering tuberculosis (TB) control. We investigated delays in TB treatment among notified patients during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea. @*Methods@#We systemically collected and analyzed data from the Korea TB cohort database from January to May 2020. Groups were categorized as ‘before-pandemic’ and ‘during-pandemic’ based on TB notification period. Presentation delay was defined as the period between initial onset of symptoms and the first hospital visit, and healthcare delay as the period between the first hospital visit and anti-TB treatment initiation. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate factors associated with delays in TB treatment. @*Results@#Proportion of presentation delay > 14 days was not significantly different between two groups (48.3% vs. 43.7%, P = 0.067); however, proportion of healthcare delay > 5 days was significantly higher in the during-pandemic group (48.6% vs. 42.3%, P = 0.012). In multivariate analysis, the during-pandemic group was significantly associated with healthcare delay > 5 days (adjusted odds ratio = 0.884, 95% confidence interval = 0.715–1.094). @*Conclusion@#The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with healthcare delay of > 5 days in Korea. Public health interventions are necessary to minimize the pandemic’s impact on the national TB control project.
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Background@#In 2017, Korea implemented nationwide latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) project targeting healthcare workers (HCWs). We aimed to assess its performance using the cascade of care model. @*Methods@#We included 45,503 employees of medical institutions with positive interferongamma release assay result who participated between March 2017 and December 2018. We described percentages of LTBI participants completing each step in the cascade of care.Poisson regression model was conducted to assess individual characteristics and factors associated with not-visiting clinics for further care, not-initiating LTBI treatment, and notcompleting treatment. @*Results@#Proportions of visiting clinics and initiating and completing treatment in HCWs were 54.9%, 38.5%, and 32.0%, respectively. Despite of less likelihood of visiting clinics and initiating LTBI treatment, older age ≥ 65 years were more likely to complete treatment (adjusted relative risk [aRR], 0.80; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.64–0.99), compared to young age < 35 years. Compared to nurses, doctors were less likely to visit clinic; however, were more likely to initiate treatment (aRR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.81–0.96). Those who visited public health centers were associated with not-initiating treatment (aRR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.29–1.40). When treated at private hospitals, 9-month isoniazid monotherapy was less likely to complete treatment, compared to 3-month isoniazid and rifampicin combination therapy (aRR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.16–1.53). @*Conclusion@#Among employees of medical institutions with LTBI, only one third completed treatment. Age, occupation, treatment center, and initial regimen were significantly related to LTBI treatment performance indicators. Rifampicin-based short treatment regimens were effective under standard of care.
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Background/Aims@#The aim of the study was to investigate the current nationwide burden of nosocomial exposure to tuberculosis (TB) using national health insurance claims data. @*Methods@#All patients who had claims for drug susceptibility testing for TB from 2012 to 2016, which indicated culture-proven TB, were included. The first day of the infectious period was defined as 3 months before a doctor’s suspicion of TB in patients with respiratory symptoms and 1 month before in patients without symptoms. The last day of the infectious period was defined as one day before the prescription of anti-TB medications. Patients hospitalized during infectious periods were investigated and their hospitalization days were calculated. Records of medical procedures which increased the risk of nosocomial transmission by generating aerosols were also investigated. @*Results@#A total of 7,186 cases with 94,636 person-days of hospitalization with unrecognized active TB were found. Patients above 60 years of age accounted for 63.99% of the total number and 69.70% of the total duration of hospitalization. TB patients in the older age group showed a trend toward higher risks for hospitalization with unrecognized active TB. Patients in their 80s showed the highest risk (12.65%). Bronchoscopy (28.86%), nebulizer therapy (28.48%), and endotracheal intubation (13.02%) were common procedures performed in these patients during hospitalization. @*Conclusions@#The burden of nosocomial exposure to TB in South Korea is still substantial. Hospitalization with unrecognized active TB, especially among the elderly TB patients could be a serious public health issue in South Korea.
ABSTRACT
In 2017, the Korean government launched an unprecedentedly large-scaled latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) screening project which covered more than a million individuals in congregate settings. A total of 1,047,689 participants of source population (n = 2,336,157) underwent LTBI testing from 2017 to 2018. The overall LTBI test uptake rate during this project was 44.8%. Workers in daycare centers (83.5%) and kindergartens (78.9%) showed high participation rate. A total of 1,012,206 individuals with valid results of interferongamma release assay (IGRA) were selected to constitute the IGRA cohort. Most of the enrolled participants in the IGRA cohort were in their working age. Approximately, threequarters of total enrolled population were female. Investigating the LTBI prevalence, stages of LTBI care cascade, natural history of LTBI, efficacy of LTBI treatment and cost-effectiveness of LTBI screening are feasible within this IGRA cohort.
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Background/Aims@#The aim of the study was to investigate the current nationwide burden of nosocomial exposure to tuberculosis (TB) using national health insurance claims data. @*Methods@#All patients who had claims for drug susceptibility testing for TB from 2012 to 2016, which indicated culture-proven TB, were included. The first day of the infectious period was defined as 3 months before a doctor’s suspicion of TB in patients with respiratory symptoms and 1 month before in patients without symptoms. The last day of the infectious period was defined as one day before the prescription of anti-TB medications. Patients hospitalized during infectious periods were investigated and their hospitalization days were calculated. Records of medical procedures which increased the risk of nosocomial transmission by generating aerosols were also investigated. @*Results@#A total of 7,186 cases with 94,636 person-days of hospitalization with unrecognized active TB were found. Patients above 60 years of age accounted for 63.99% of the total number and 69.70% of the total duration of hospitalization. TB patients in the older age group showed a trend toward higher risks for hospitalization with unrecognized active TB. Patients in their 80s showed the highest risk (12.65%). Bronchoscopy (28.86%), nebulizer therapy (28.48%), and endotracheal intubation (13.02%) were common procedures performed in these patients during hospitalization. @*Conclusions@#The burden of nosocomial exposure to TB in South Korea is still substantial. Hospitalization with unrecognized active TB, especially among the elderly TB patients could be a serious public health issue in South Korea.
ABSTRACT
In 2017, the Korean government launched an unprecedentedly large-scaled latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) screening project which covered more than a million individuals in congregate settings. A total of 1,047,689 participants of source population (n = 2,336,157) underwent LTBI testing from 2017 to 2018. The overall LTBI test uptake rate during this project was 44.8%. Workers in daycare centers (83.5%) and kindergartens (78.9%) showed high participation rate. A total of 1,012,206 individuals with valid results of interferongamma release assay (IGRA) were selected to constitute the IGRA cohort. Most of the enrolled participants in the IGRA cohort were in their working age. Approximately, threequarters of total enrolled population were female. Investigating the LTBI prevalence, stages of LTBI care cascade, natural history of LTBI, efficacy of LTBI treatment and cost-effectiveness of LTBI screening are feasible within this IGRA cohort.
ABSTRACT
No abstract available.
Subject(s)
Humans , Emigrants and Immigrants , Mass Screening , Refugees , TuberculosisABSTRACT
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.
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Background@#The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused disruptions to healthcare systems and endangered the control and prevention of tuberculosis (TB). We investigated the nationwide effects of COVID-19 on the national Public-Private Mix (PPM) TB control project in Korea, using monitoring indicators from the Korean PPM monitoring database. @*Methods@#The Korean PPM monitoring database includes data from patients registered at PPM hospitals throughout the country. Data of six monitoring indicators for active TB cases updated between July 2019 and June 2020 were collected. The data of each cohort throughout the country and in Daegu-Gyeongbuk, Seoul Metropolitan Area, and Jeonnam-Jeonbuk were collated to provide nationwide data. The data were compared using the χ 2 test for trend to evaluate quarterly trends of each monitoring indicator at the national level and in the prespecified regions. @*Results@#Test coverages of sputum smear (P = 0.622) and culture (P = 0.815), drug susceptibility test (P = 0.750), and adherence rate to initial standard treatment (P = 0.901) at the national level were not significantly different during the study period. The rate of loss to follow-up among TB cases at the national level was not significantly different (P = 0.088) however, the treatment success rate among the smear-positive drug-susceptible pulmonary TB cohort at the national level significantly decreased, from 90.6% to 84.1% (P < 0.001). Treatment success rate in the Seoul metropolitan area also significantly decreased during the study period, from 89.4% to 84.5% (P = 0.006). @*Conclusion@#Our study showed that initial TB management during the COVID-19 pandemic was properly administered under the PPM project in Korea. However, our study cannot confirm or conclude a decreased treatment success rate after the COVID-19 pandemic due to limited data.
ABSTRACT
In order to eliminate tuberculosis worldwide by 2050, effective management of latent tuberculosis infection is essential, and policy-makers have begun to recognize the importance of scaling up preventive therapy. The current guideline recommends targeted latent tuberculosis infection testing that identifies high-risk groups based on risk stratification for progression from latent infection to active disease. Both the tuberculin skin test and interferon-gamma releasing assay have a similar diagnostic efficacy for predicting progression to active tuberculosis. The Korean guideline recommends 9-month isoniazid monotherapy as the standard treatment; however, more evidence supports that short course rifampicin-based regimen is both more effective and tolerable than isoniazid monotherapy.
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PURPOSE: We compared the activation pattern of the mirror neurons (MN) between two types of hand movement according to action observation using functional MRI. METHODS: Twelve right-handed healthy subjects (5 male and 7 female, mean age 21.92±2.02 years) participated in the experiment. During fMRI scanning, subjects underwent two different stimuli on the screen: 1) video clips showing repeated grasping and releasing of the ball via simple hand movement (SHM), and (2) video clips showing an actor performing a Purdue Pegboard test via complex hand movement (CHM). paired t-test in statistical parametric mapping (SPM) was used to compare the activation differences between the two types of hand movement. RESULTS: CHM as compared with the SHM produced a higher blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal response in the right superior frontal gyrus, left inferior and superior parietal lobules, and lingual gyrus. However, no greater BOLD signal response was found by SHM compared with CHM (FWE corrected, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings provided that the activation patterns for observation of SHM and CHM are different. CHM also elicited boarder or stronger activations in the brain, including inferior parietal lobule called the MN region.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Male , Brain , Hand Strength , Hand , Healthy Volunteers , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Mirror Neurons , Occipital Lobe , Oxygen , Parietal Lobe , Prefrontal CortexABSTRACT
PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of flexible flatfeet on the accuracy of knee joint motions in closed and open kinetic chain tasks. METHODS: Twenty-four healthy participants were recruited for this study. The subjects were divided into two groups using a navicular drop (ND) test: flexible flatfoot group (n=12, male: 6, aged 22.00±2.22 years) and age-matched control group (n=12, males: 6, aged 22.17±1.53 years). The accuracy of knee motion was measured quantitatively by tracing through the flexion and extension motion of the knee joints in the closed kinetic chain and the open kinetic chain. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the accuracy index between the groups in closed kinetic chain task, but there was no significant difference in the open kinetic chain task. In addition, there was a significant difference in the accuracy index between the closed kinetic chain and the open kinetic chain task in the flexible flatfoot group. In addition, a significant negative correlation was observed between the ND and accuracy index in the closed kinematic chain task, but there was no significant relationship between the ND and accuracy index in the open kinematic chain task. CONCLUSION: Flexible flatfeet can affect the accuracy of the adjacent joints, such as the knee joint in the closed kinematic chain.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Flatfoot , Healthy Volunteers , Joints , Knee Joint , KneeABSTRACT
In order to eliminate tuberculosis worldwide by 2050, effective management of latent tuberculosis infection is essential, and policy-makers have begun to recognize the importance of scaling up preventive therapy. The current guideline recommends targeted latent tuberculosis infection testing that identifies high-risk groups based on risk stratification for progression from latent infection to active disease. Both the tuberculin skin test and interferon-gamma releasing assay have a similar diagnostic efficacy for predicting progression to active tuberculosis. The Korean guideline recommends 9-month isoniazid monotherapy as the standard treatment; however, more evidence supports that short course rifampicin-based regimen is both more effective and tolerable than isoniazid monotherapy.
Subject(s)
Diagnosis , Interferon-gamma , Interferon-gamma Release Tests , Isoniazid , Latent Tuberculosis , Skin Tests , Tuberculin , TuberculosisABSTRACT
The role of the treatment for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) has been underscored in the intermediate tuberculosis (TB) burden countries like South Korea. LTBI treatment is recommended only for patients at risk for progression to active TB―those with frequent exposure to active TB cases, and those with clinical risk factors (e.g., immunocompromised patients). Recently revised National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline recommended that close contacts of individuals with active pulmonary or laryngeal TB, aged between 18 and 65 years, should undergo LTBI treatment. Various regimens for LTBI treatment were recommended in NICE, World Health Organization (WHO), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, and superiority of one recommended regimen over another was not yet established. Traditional 6 to 9 months of isoniazid (6H or 9H) regimen has an advantage of the most abundant evidence for clinical efficacy―60%–90% of estimated protective effect. However, 6H or 9H regimen is related with hepatotoxicity and low compliance. Four months of rifampin regimen is characterized by less hepatotoxicity and better compliance than 9H, but has few evidence of clinical efficacy. Three months of isoniazid plus rifampin was proved equivalence with 6H or 9H regimen in terms of efficacy and safety, which was recommended in NICE and WHO guidelines. The clinical efficacy of isoniazid plus rifapentine once-weekly regimen for 3 months was demonstrated recently, which is not yet introduced into South Korea.
Subject(s)
Humans , Antitubercular Agents , Compliance , Epidemiology , Interferon-gamma Release Tests , Isoniazid , Korea , Latent Tuberculosis , Rifampin , Risk Factors , Treatment Outcome , Tuberculin Test , Tuberculosis , World Health OrganizationABSTRACT
The role of the treatment for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) has been underscored in the intermediate tuberculosis (TB) burden countries like South Korea. LTBI treatment is recommended only for patients at risk for progression to active TB―those with frequent exposure to active TB cases, and those with clinical risk factors (e.g., immunocompromised patients). Recently revised National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline recommended that close contacts of individuals with active pulmonary or laryngeal TB, aged between 18 and 65 years, should undergo LTBI treatment. Various regimens for LTBI treatment were recommended in NICE, World Health Organization (WHO), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, and superiority of one recommended regimen over another was not yet established. Traditional 6 to 9 months of isoniazid (6H or 9H) regimen has an advantage of the most abundant evidence for clinical efficacy―60%–90% of estimated protective effect. However, 6H or 9H regimen is related with hepatotoxicity and low compliance. Four months of rifampin regimen is characterized by less hepatotoxicity and better compliance than 9H, but has few evidence of clinical efficacy. Three months of isoniazid plus rifampin was proved equivalence with 6H or 9H regimen in terms of efficacy and safety, which was recommended in NICE and WHO guidelines. The clinical efficacy of isoniazid plus rifapentine once-weekly regimen for 3 months was demonstrated recently, which is not yet introduced into South Korea.
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PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of self-postural control on foot pressure in subjects with forward head posture. METHODS: Forty-two healthy adults were recruited in this study. Participants were divided into two groups: The forward-head postural (FHP) group (craniovertebral angle0.05). CONCLUSION: We suggest that cervical posture control using visual feedback has a positive effect on the distribution of foot pressure in subjects with forward head posture.
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Feedback, Sensory , Foot , Head , Heel , PostureABSTRACT
We report a case of a 65-year-old man with Behcet's disease who presented with massive hemoptysis caused by bronchial varices. A computed tomography (CT) scan and bronchoscopy were performed to identify the bleeding site. The CT scan revealed pneumonia and a combined hemorrhage in the right-middle and lower lobes. Massive bleeding was detected during the bronchoscopy and emergency embolization was attempted but angiographic findings were normal. An anteriojugulo-right femoral bypass operation was performed to relieve the tortuous and hypertrophied jugular venous obstruction. However, thrombectomy and thrombolysis followed because of graft thrombosis six days post-surgery. The patient was treated with steroid and high-dose cyclophosphamide therapy for his Behçet's disease, which caused the venous obstructions; the saccular bronchial varices in the right-middle and right lower lobes on bronchoscopy regressed slightly after four cycles of cyclophosphamide therapy
Subject(s)
Aged , Humans , Bronchoscopy , Cyclophosphamide , Emergencies , Hemoptysis , Hemorrhage , Pneumonia , Superior Vena Cava Syndrome , Thrombectomy , Thrombosis , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Transplants , Varicose VeinsABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical results after phacoemulsification in mature and immature cataracts. METHODS: Mature cataract was defined as a classification of C5 by Lens Opacities Classification System III compared with other types of cataracts as controls. The present study included 37 (37 eyes) patients diagnosed with mature cataracts that received phacoemulsification and were followed up for at least 1 year. Thirty-seven (37 eyes) patients with other types of cataracts were selected randomly as controls. Intraoperative factors and rate of complications during and after surgery were evaluated. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), corneal endothelial cell density and central macular thickness (CMT) were measured during the 1 year of follow-up and compared with the controls. RESULTS: Twenty-seven eyes (mature cataracts) and 36 eyes (controls) received a complete continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (CCC). The success rate of complete CCC was significantly high in the control eyes (p = 0.025). However, in mature cataract patients, 3 cases of posterior capsule rupture occurred among the 6 cases of radial tear of the anterior capsule, resulting in implantation of the lens in the sulcus. Posterior capsular ruptures were observed in 4 patients with mature cataracts and in 1 control with no statistically significant difference in the occurrence rate. Total phacoemulsification time and effective phacoemulsification time were significantly longer in the mature cataract patients (p = 0.038 and p = 0.041, respectively). BCVA, the amount of corneal endothelial cell density reduction and CMT at postoperative 1 year was not different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The success of complete CCC was a significant factor for the occurrence of intraoperative complications in mature cataract surgery. Based on the clinical results, the mature cataract patients and controls had a similar visual prognosis.
Subject(s)
Humans , Capsulorhexis , Cataract , Classification , Endothelial Cells , Follow-Up Studies , Intraoperative Complications , Phacoemulsification , Prognosis , Rupture , Tears , Visual AcuityABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To evaluate and compare the effect of transposition of inferior oblique muscle in patients with primary inferior oblique muscle overaction and secondary due to superior oblique muscle palsy. METHODS: The present study included 41 patients (53 eyes), who appeared to have primary or secondary inferior oblique muscle overaction due to superior oblique muscle palsy and received transposition of inferior oblique muscle with at least 3 months of follow-up. Patients were retrospectively analyzed to compare the effect of correction and its prognosis. Inferior oblique muscle overaction was graded as +1 to +4 according to the severity. Successful surgery was defined as postoperative inferior oblique muscle overaction from 0 to +1 and failure as above +2. Hypertropia in primary gaze was also recorded to evaluate the effect of correction. RESULTS: Twenty-six (35 eyes) and 15 (18 eyes) patients with primary and secondary inferior oblique muscle overaction due to superior oblique muscle palsy, respectively, received transposition of inferior oblique muscle. Patients with primary inferior oblique muscle overaction showed correction of 2.1 +/- 0.9 with preoperative inferior oblique muscle overaction of 2.0 +/- 0.7. Patients with secondary inferior oblique muscle overaction showed a correction of 2.3 +/- 0.9 with preoperative value of 2.3 +/- 0.8. Each 3.2 +/- 4.1 prism diopters (PD) and 6.5 +/- 5.3 PD of hypertropia at primary gaze showed correction of 3.0 +/- 7.4 PD and 6.3 +/- 5.1 PD, respectively, in each group. CONCLUSIONS: Primary and secondary inferior oblique muscle overaction due to superior oblique muscle palsy showed no difference in correction of overaction and hypertropia after transposition of inferior oblique muscle. Except for presence of inferior oblique muscle underaction, the correction appears effective with good prognosis.