Surgical Trends of Shoulder Arthroplasty: Nationwide Epidemiologic Study in South Korea

Background@#The aim of this study was to determine the nationwide shoulder arthroplasty trends in South Korea based on an analysis of nationwide data acquired from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA). @*Methods@#We analyzed a nationwide database acquired from the HIRA that covered 2008 to 2017. International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) codes and procedure codes were used to identify patients who underwent shoulder arthroplasty, including total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), hemiarthroplasty (HA), and revision shoulder arthroplasty. @*Results@#From 2008 to 2017, a total of 19,831 shoulder arthroplasties were performed; there were 16,162 TSAs and 3,669 hemiarthroplasties. During the 10-year study period, there was an exponential increase in the incidence of TSA (from 513 cases in 2008 to 3,583 cases in 2017), while the number of hemiarthroplasties remained steady. The most common diagnoses for TSA were rotator cuff tears (6,304 cases, 39.0%) and osteoarthritis (6,589 cases, 40.8%) for all 9 years. Osteoarthritis was the most common reason for TSA during the first 3 years (2008–2010), but rotator cuff tears ultimately surpassed osteoarthritis during the last 3 years (2015–2017). HA was performed to treat proximal humerus fracture (1,770 cases, 48.2%) and osteoarthritis (774 cases, 21.1%). In terms of hospital types, the rate of TSA in hospitals with 30–100 inpatient beds increased from 21.83% to 46.27%, while the rates of the other types of surgery decreased. A total of 430 revision surgeries were performed during the study period, and infection (152 cases, 35.3%) was the most common reason for revision surgery. @*Conclusions@#Overall, the total count and incidence of TSA, unlike HA, increased rapidly between 2008 and 2017 in South Korea. Moreover, at the end of the study period, nearly half of the TSAs were performed in small hospitals (30 to 100 beds). Rotator cuff tears were the leading cause of TSA at the end of the study period. These findings revealed an explosive increase in reverse TSA surgery.

Risk Factor for Poor Clinical Outcome in Patients with Retear after Repair of the Rotator Cuff / 대한정형외과학회잡지

Purpose@#To evaluate the prognostic factors affecting poor functional outcomes in patients with retear after rotator cuff repair. @*Materials and Methods@#From January 2013 to December 2018, among 631 patients who underwent arthroscopic repair of a rotator cuff tear, 42 patients, who could be followed-up for more than one year and showed a retear of the repaired cuff on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), were collected retrospectively. The preoperative demographic data, range of motion, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, fatty degeneration, and tear progression on postoperative MRI, as well as other factors that could affect the clinical outcomes, were analyzed. Patients who scored <80 points on the ASES score were allocated to the poor function group. The risk factors for poor clinical outcomes were compared with the group with ASES scores of 80 or above. @*Results@#The postoperative functional results in the group with retear (n=42) after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair showed significant improvement. Univariate analysis revealed the preoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) score and tear progression to have associations with a poor shoulder function. In addition, subscapularis repair was found to be associated with a good shoulder function. The preoperative VAS score and tear progression except for subscapularis repair were independent factors associated with poor clinical outcomes according to multivariate logistic regression analysis. @*Conclusion@#In patients with retear after rotator cuff repair, the preoperative VAS and tear progression in postoperative MRI are factors predicting a poor functional outcome.

When should reverse total shoulder arthroplasty be considered in glenohumeral joint arthritis?

Anatomical total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) has been used widely in treatment of glenohumeral osteoarthritis and provides excellent pain relief and functional results. Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) was created to treat the complex problem of rotator cuff tear arthropathy. RSA also has been performed for glenohumeral osteoarthritis even in cases where the rotator cuff is preserved and has shown good results comparable with TSA. The indications for RSA are expanding to include tumors of the proximal humerus, revision of hemiarthroplasty to RSA, and revision of failed TSA to RSA. The purposes of this article were to describe comprehensively the conditions under which RSA should be considered in glenohumeral osteoarthritis, to explain its theoretical background, and to review the literature.

Calcific tendinitis of the shoulder in the Korean population: demographics and its relation with coexisting rotator cuff tear

Background@#To evaluate the demographics, clinical and radiographic features of calcific tendinitis of the shoulder in the Korean population, specifically focusing on the incidence of coexisting rotator cuff tear. @*Methods@#Between October 2014 and January 2015, we performed a prospective multicenter study with 506 patients from 11 training hospitals in Korea. We collected data of demographics and radiographic analysis based on simple radiographs, clinical assessments based on visual analog scale (VAS) and the American Shoulder Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, and treatment modalities that are used currently. We also evaluated coexisting rotator cuff tear by ultrasonography (US) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images. @*Results@#There were 402 female patients (79%) with mean age of 55 years (range, 31–87 years). Mean duration of symptoms was 16 months. Mean size of calcific materials was 11.4 mm (range, 0–35 mm). Mean value of VAS and ASES scores were 6.5 (range, 1–10) and 47 (range, 8–95), respectively. Of 383 patients (76%), 59 (15%) had rotator cuff tear including 15 full-thickness tears on US or MRI. Patients with rotator cuff tears were significantly associated with older age, recurrent symptoms, menstrual disorders in females, and having undergone calcification removal surgery and rotator cuff repair (all p<0.05). @*Conclusions@#This study reported demographic, radiographic, and clinical features of calcific tendinitis of the shoulder in Korean population, which were not different from those of Western population. Coexisting rotator cuff tear was found with 15% incidence in this large series, suggesting that further radiographic study to evaluate rotator cuff tear might be needed in some calcific tendinitis patients of older age and presenting with recurrent symptoms.

Calcific tendinitis of the shoulder in the Korean population: demographics and its relation with coexisting rotator cuff tear

Background@#To evaluate the demographics, clinical and radiographic features of calcific tendinitis of the shoulder in the Korean population, specifically focusing on the incidence of coexisting rotator cuff tear. @*Methods@#Between October 2014 and January 2015, we performed a prospective multicenter study with 506 patients from 11 training hospitals in Korea. We collected data of demographics and radiographic analysis based on simple radiographs, clinical assessments based on visual analog scale (VAS) and the American Shoulder Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, and treatment modalities that are used currently. We also evaluated coexisting rotator cuff tear by ultrasonography (US) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images. @*Results@#There were 402 female patients (79%) with mean age of 55 years (range, 31–87 years). Mean duration of symptoms was 16 months. Mean size of calcific materials was 11.4 mm (range, 0–35 mm). Mean value of VAS and ASES scores were 6.5 (range, 1–10) and 47 (range, 8–95), respectively. Of 383 patients (76%), 59 (15%) had rotator cuff tear including 15 full-thickness tears on US or MRI. Patients with rotator cuff tears were significantly associated with older age, recurrent symptoms, menstrual disorders in females, and having undergone calcification removal surgery and rotator cuff repair (all p<0.05). @*Conclusions@#This study reported demographic, radiographic, and clinical features of calcific tendinitis of the shoulder in Korean population, which were not different from those of Western population. Coexisting rotator cuff tear was found with 15% incidence in this large series, suggesting that further radiographic study to evaluate rotator cuff tear might be needed in some calcific tendinitis patients of older age and presenting with recurrent symptoms.

Correlation between Severity of Synovitis and Clinical Features in Rotator Cuff Tears

Background@#Rotator cuff tears can be asymptomatic in some cases; however, even when the tear size is small, clinical symptoms can be very severe. This suggests that symptoms of rotator cuff tears are related to factors other than the size. Although synovitis has been cited as one of the factors, there is no grading system for synovitis in rotator cuff tears. Moreover, there are few studies that evaluated the relationship between synovitis and clinical features in patients with rotator cuff tears. @*Methods@#Patients with medium-sized rotator cuff tears, who were scheduled for arthroscopic repair, were recruited for this study.The glenohumeral joint was divided into 4 quarters. Then, vascularity and hypertrophy of the joint were graded in each quarter using a modified scoring system. Clinical assessment was performed preoperatively and at 3 months and 6 months after surgery.Finally, correlation between the severity of synovitis and clinical features was analyzed. @*Results@#The intraobserver correlation coefficient was 0.815 to 0.918 and the interobserver correlation coefficient was 0.779 to 0.992 for the single measurement. Vascularity was significantly correlated with the range of motion, strength, and constant score within 6 months after surgery. Hypertrophy was correlated with the range of motion within 6 months after surgery. @*Conclusions@#Synovitis in the shoulder with rotator cuff tears can be graded by using our modified scoring system. The severity of synovitis was closely related to the clinical features after surgery. Therefore, when treating patients with rotator cuff tears, treatment of synovitis should also be considered.

Elasticity of torn supraspinatus tendons measured by shear wave elastography: a potential surrogate marker of chronicity?

Purpose@#This study investigated whether shear wave elastography (SWE) could be used to estimate the chronicity of supraspinatus tendon (SST) tears. @*Methods@#A retrospective study was performed. From November 2015 to July 2016, 113 patients (52 men, 61 women; age range, 21 to 79 years) with persistent shoulder pain underwent 119 rotator cuff tendon examinations by routine B-mode ultrasonography, while SST elasticity was measured using SWE. Following the exclusion of eight suboptimal examinations, four examinations with missing SST measurements, and 27 examinations of patients with other conditions, 80 examinations were analyzed. A torn SST was found in 54 examinations (27 with a partial-thickness tear and 27 with a full-thickness tear). Elasticity values were compared in multiple ways. The results were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test or Kruskal-Wallis test. @*Results@#No statistically significant difference in elasticity values (in kPa) was found between normal (median, 94.65; interquartile range [IQR], 87.43 to 105.47) and torn SSTs (median, 96.79; IQR, 86.71 to 108.56) or between full-thickness tears (median, 93.80; IQR, 82.50 to 108.33) and partial-thickness tears (median, 96.83; IQR, 90.60 to 112.20). However, there was a statistically significant difference in elasticity according to whether the duration of symptoms was 1 year or less (median, 92.20; IQR, 84.01 to 104.38) or longer than 1 year (median, 105.10; IQR, 100.41 to 116.03; P=0.032). @*Conclusion@#Elasticity values were significantly higher in torn SSTs in patients with chronic shoulder pain that had persisted for more than 1 year. Further studies with larger samples seem warranted to determine whether elasticity values measured by SWE can be used preoperatively as a surrogate marker of the chronicity of a rotator cuff tendon tear.

Intramedullary fibula strut bone allograft in a periprosthetic humeral shaft fracture with implant loosening after total elbow arthroplasty

Periprosthetic fracture after total elbow replacement surgery is a difficult complication to manage, especially when it comes together with implant loosening. If stem revision and internal fixation of the periprosthetic fracture are performed simultaneously, this would be a very challenging procedure. Most of total elbow replacement implants are cemented type. Cement usage at periprosthetic fracture site may interfere healing of fractured site. Authors underwent internal fixation with use of locking plate and cerclage wire for periprosthetic fracture, allogenous fibular strut bone inserted into the humerus intramedullary canal allowing the fractured site to be more stable without cement usage. At 10-month follow-up, the complete union and good clinical outcome was achieved. We present a novel technique for treating periprosthetic fracture with implant loosening after total elbow replacement surgery, using intramedullary allogenous fibula strut bone graft.

National Trends in the Repair of Isolated Superior Labral Tear from Anterior to Posterior in Korea

Background@#The optimal treatment for superior labral tear from anterior to posterior (SLAP) lesions is controversial. Thus, we aimed to investigate the national surgical trends in isolated SLAP repair in Korea. @*Methods@#We analyzed a nationwide database from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service from 2008 to 2017. We investigated the trends in SLAP repair by time, sex, age, and the type of health care institution. @*Results@#From 2008 to 2017, 27,850 isolated SLAP repairs were identified. Age-adjusted incidence rate of isolated SLAP repair increased by 692% from 1.07/100,000 in 2008 to 8.48/100,000 in 2012 (p = 0.005). However, the incidence rate declined significantly after 2012 (p = 0.032) and was 5.28/100,000 in 2017. Sex-specific incidence rate of isolated SLAP repair was 2.3 times higher in men than in women. The decline since 2012 was most evident in patients aged ≥ 40 years (p = 0.01); however, the incidence rates of isolated SLAP repair during the study period were similar between patients aged ≥ 40 years and those aged < 40 years. Moreover, hospitals with 30–100 beds had the greatest change in the number of isolated SLAP repair cases. @*Conclusion@#In Korea, the incidence of isolated SLAP repair increased dramatically until 2012; since then, it has declined. Although the decrease in isolated SLAP repair later in the study was evident in those aged ≥ 40 years, the incidence rate was still relatively high in patients aged ≥ 40 years.

Humerus Shaft Fractures Occurring in Fly Fishing Boat Riding: Injury Scene Analysis / 대한스포츠의학회지

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to analyze an injury scene during fly fish boat riding (FBR).METHODS: We conducted survey on 12 patients who had humerus shaft fractures during FBR between 2011 and 2016 at three university-based emergency rooms. Individual information, injury mechanism, classification of humerus shaft fracture, and combined injury were recorded from medical document and telephone interview.RESULTS: The injury happened when the kite was turned over and fall into the water in 10 patients (82%); the kite was turned over in the air in one patient (9%), and a leash between kite and boat was broken in one patient (9%). All patients showed 12-B1 or 12-B3 type distal humerus shaft fracture. And there were combined contralateral distal humeral shaft fractures in two patients, vertebral compression fracture in one patient, and radial nerve injury in four patients.CONCLUSION: Riding position and injury mechanism such as turning over may affect distal humerus shaft fractures with butterfly fragment during FBR.

Evaluation of the Acromioclavicular Joint Morphology for Minimizing Subacromial Erosion after Surgical Fixation of the Joint Using a Clavicular Hook Plate

BACKGROUND: Subacromial erosion remains a major concern after surgical fixation of acromioclavicular (AC) joint using a clavicular hook plate. To minimize postoperative subacromial erosion, we investigated the structural relationship between distal clavicle and acromion around the AC joint by considering the surgical fixation of the joint using the hook plate technique. METHODS: Computed tomography scans of 101 AC joints without any inherent pathology were analyzed. The angle between the distal clavicle and acromion around the AC joint (AC angle), depth of the acromion, differences in height between distal clavicle and acromion (AC height difference), and thickness of distal clavicle and acromion at the AC joint were measured. Descriptive statistics were calculated for each anatomical parameter, and all results were compared between gender groups. RESULTS: The mean AC angle was 17.1°(range, −8.0° to 39.0°), and the mean AC height difference was 3.5 mm (range, −0.7 to 8.7 mm). Both factors showed very high variability (coefficients of variation=62.6% and 46.6%, respectively). The mean AC angle was significantly higher in the female gender than in the male gender (19.8° vs. 13.8°, p=0.048). The mean acromion thickness and distal clavicular thickness were both significantly thinner in the female group than in the male group (p < 0.001) CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, we believe our results might be helpful in minimizing postoperative subacromial erosion when performing surgical fixation of the AC joint using the hook plate, and be valuable in improving future design of the hook plate.

The Diagnostic Reproducibility of Tomosynthesis for the Correlation between Acromiohumeral Distance and Rotator Cuff Size or Type

OBJECTIVE: To correlate the acromiohumeral distance (AHD) using tomosynthesis and rotator cuff (RC) pathology and various anatomical indices and to assess the diagnostic reproducibility of tomosynthesis for the evaluation of subacromial impingement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of 63 patients with clinically suspected subacromial impingement was conducted. Two musculoskeletal radiologists independently measured the following quantitative data: the AHD on plain radiographs and the AHD at three compartments (anterior, middle, and posterior) using tomosynthesis, computed tomography (CT) arthrography, or magnetic resonance (MR) arthrography. To investigate the association between the AHD and RC pathology and various anatomical indices, we reviewed the arthroscopic operation record as the referenced standard. RESULTS: The size of rotator cuff tear (RCT) in full-thickness tears displayed a significant inverse correlation with the middle and the posterior tomosynthetic AHDs (p < 0.05). The results of an ANOVA revealed that the middle tomosynthetic AHD retained a significant association with the type of RCT (p = 0.042), and the posterior tomosynthetic AHD retained significance for the size of RCT in a full-thickness tear (p = 0.024). The inter-modality correlation exhibited significant agreement especially among the plain radiography, tomosynthesis, and CT or MR arthrography (p < 0.05). The intraobserver and interobserver correlation coefficients (ICCs) displayed excellent agreement (ICC = 0.896–0.983). The humeral head diameter and glenoid height were significantly correlated with patient height and weight. CONCLUSION: Acromiohumeral distance measurement using tomosynthesis is reproducible compared with other modalities.

Incidence and Seasonal Variation of Distal Radius Fractures in Korea: a Population-based Study

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to investigate the incidence and seasonal variation of distal radius fractures (DRFs) in Korea. METHODS: We analyzed a nationwide database acquired from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service from 2011 to 2015. We used International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision codes and procedure codes to identify patients of all ages with newly diagnosed DRFs. RESULTS: An average of about 130,000 DRFs occurred annually in Korea. The incidence of DRF, by age group, was highest in the 10 to 14-year-old age group for males and the highest in the 70s age group for females, with a rapid increase of incidence after 50 years. The peak incidence of DRF occurred during winter; however, the incidence greatly varied annually when compared with that of other seasons. The incidence of DRFs during the winter season was correlated with the average temperature. CONCLUSION: The annual incidence of DRF was 130,000 in Korea. The incidence increased under an intense cold surge during winter. Active preventive measures are recommended especially in women exceeding 50 years considering the higher incidence in this age group.

National Trends in Surgery for Rotator Cuff Disease in Korea

The objective of this study was to investigate the national trends in rotator cuff surgery in Korea and analyze hospital type-specific trends. We analyzed a nationwide database acquired from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) from 2007 to 2015. International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD-10) codes, procedure codes, and arthroscopic device code were used to identify patients who underwent surgical treatment for rotator cuff disease. A total of 383,719 cases of rotator cuff surgeries were performed from 2007 to 2015. The mean annual percentage change in the age-adjusted rate of rotator cuff surgery per population of 100,000 persons rapidly increased from 2007 to 2012 (53.3%, P < 0.001), while that between 2012 to 2015 remained steady (2.3%, P = 0.34). The proportion of arthroscopic surgery among all rotator cuff surgeries steadily rose from 89.9% in 2007 to 96.8% in 2015 (P < 0.001). In terms of hospital types, the rate of rotator cuff surgery increased to the greatest degree in hospitals with 30–100 inpatient beds, and isolated acromioplasty procedure accounted for a larger proportion of the rotator cuff surgeries in small hospitals and clinics compared to large hospitals. Overall, our findings indicate that cases of rotator cuff surgery have increased rapidly recently in Korea, of which arthroscopic surgeries account for the greatest proportion. While rotator cuff surgery is a popular procedure that is commonly performed even in small hospitals, there was a difference in the component ratio of the procedure code in accordance with hospital type.

Manifestations of Cervical Spine Involvement in Longstanding Ankylosing Spondylitis: Atlantoaxial Ankylosis and Atlantoaxial Subluxation

OBJECTIVE: To analyze radiologic findings of cervical involvement in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients, determine its association with structural severity and clinical variables, and to divide radiologic findings of atlantoaxial ankylosis (AAA) in AS patients into three anatomical components. METHODS: The study includes 150 AS patients with either AAA (62 patients) or atlantoaxial subluxation (AAS, 88 patients) who underwent plain radiography of the cervical spine on flexion at our tertiary center for rheumatic diseases. The study subjects' medical records were reviewed. Lateral plain radiographs of the cervical spine were analyzed by a musculoskeletal radiologist. We compared the results of the modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spinal Score (mSASSS) between AAS and AAA patients to determine if mSASSS was related to severity or duration of AS. RESULTS: The mean duration of illness in AS patients with AAA was 19.3 years, and in AAS patients 13.7 years (p<0.01). The mean total mSASSS of AS patients with AAA was 40.1, and of AAS patients 16.5 (p<0.001), and was positively associated with the development of AAA and AAS. The odds ratio (OR) of AAA development by cervical spine mSASSS change was higher (OR, 1.079) than the OR (1.049) of lumbar spine mSASSS even after adjusting for age, sex, and disease duration. CONCLUSION: Although AAA is described infrequently, we found from our data that it is another manifestation of cervical spine involvement in longstanding AS and is related to severity of AS reflected by higher cervical mSASSS.

National Surgical Trends for Distal Radius Fractures in Korea

The objective of this study was to investigate national surgical trends for distal radius fractures (DRFs) in Korea and analyze healthcare institution type-specific surgical trends. We analyzed a nationwide database acquired from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) from 2011 to 2015. International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD-10) codes and procedure codes were used to identify patients aged ≥ 20 years with newly diagnosed DRFs. A total of 459,388 DRFs occurred from 2011 to 2015. The proportion of DRF cases treated by surgery tended to increase over time, from 32.6% in 2011 to 38.3% in 2015 (P < 0.001). Open reduction with internal fixation (ORIF) using a plate steadily gained in popularity each year, increasing from 39.2% of overall surgeries in 2011 to 60.9% in 2015. The type of surgery for DRFs differed depending on the type of healthcare institution. ORIF (91%) was the most popular procedure in tertiary hospitals, whereas percutaneous pinning (58%) was most popular in clinics. In addition, general hospitals and hospitals with 30–100 beds used external fixation more frequently than tertiary hospitals and clinics did. Overall, our findings indicate that surgical treatment of DRF, particularly ORIF, continues to increase, and that the component ratio of operation codes differed according to the healthcare institution type.

Surgical Treatment for the Shoulder Joint in Rheumatoid Patients

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic disease with medication as the treatment of choice. However, surgical treatment is recommended when no improvement is noted despite aggressive conservative treatment. Synovectomy provides desirable outcomes for RA patients in the early stage with a glenohumeral joint of Larsen grade II or less; conversely, arthroplasty is recommended for patients with a glenohumeral joint of grade III or higher. RA patients often have attenuation and dysfunction of the rotator cuff, and reverse shoulder arthroplasty has been proven to provide favorable outcomes in some patients. RA is often complicated with osteoporosis and bony deformity; therefore, close attention is necessary to prevent fractures during shoulder arthroplasty.

Surgical Treatment for the Shoulder Joint in Rheumatoid Patients

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic disease with medication as the treatment of choice. However, surgical treatment is recommended when no improvement is noted despite aggressive conservative treatment. Synovectomy provides desirable outcomes for RA patients in the early stage with a glenohumeral joint of Larsen grade II or less; conversely, arthroplasty is recommended for patients with a glenohumeral joint of grade III or higher. RA patients often have attenuation and dysfunction of the rotator cuff, and reverse shoulder arthroplasty has been proven to provide favorable outcomes in some patients. RA is often complicated with osteoporosis and bony deformity; therefore, close attention is necessary to prevent fractures during shoulder arthroplasty.

Ginsenoside Re Enriched Fraction (GS-F3K1) from Ginseng Berries Ameliorates Ethanol-Induced Erectile Dysfunction via Nitric Oxide-cGMP Pathway

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a highly prevalent disorder that affects millions of men and considered to be an early symptom of atherosclerosis and a precursor of various systemic vascular disorders. The aim of the present study was to prepare ginsenoside Re enriched fraction (GS-F3K1, ginsenoside Re 10%, w/w) from ginseng berries flesh and to investigate the enhanced activities of GS-F3K1 on alcohol-induced ED. GS-F3K1 was prepared by the continuous liquid and solid separating centrifugation and circulatory ultrafiltration from ginseng berries flesh. GS-F3K1 was administered for 5 weeks in ethanol-induced ED rat by oral administration of 20% ethanol. To investigate the effects of GS-F3K1 on ED model, the levels of nitrite expression, cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) and erectile response of the penile corpus cavernosum of rat were measured. The erectile response of the corpus cavernosum was restored after GS-F3K1 administration, to a level similar to the normal group. The level of nitrite and cGMP expression in the corpus cavernosum of GS-F3K1-administered male rats was increased significantly compared to positive control group. GS-F3K1 from ginseng berries should effectively restore ethanol-induced ED in male rats and could be developed as a new functional food for the elderly men.

Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Primary Frozen Shoulder in a Korean Population: A Retrospective Analysis of 1,373 Cases

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with primary frozen shoulder in a Korean population. METHODS: A total of 1,373 patients whose shoulders were diagnosed with primary frozen shoulder across 11 resident-training hospitals were reviewed retrospectively. Various demographic characteristics and clinical characteristics according to gender and presence of diabetes were evaluated. RESULTS: The average age of patients was 55.4 years. Gender proportion was 58.3% females and 41.7% males. The frozen shoulder involved the non-dominant arm in 60.7% of patients and the bilateral arms in 17.6% of patients. The average duration of symptoms was 8.9 months, and 51.3% of patients had experienced nocturnal pain. Comorbidities associated with frozen shoulder in our sample of patients included diabetes (18.7%), cardiovascular diseases (17.7%), thyroid diseases (5.4%), and cerebrovascular diseases (3.6%). The diabetic group was correlated with the following demographic and clinical characteristics: old age, involvement of the dominant arm, nocturnal pain, long duration of symptoms, and no history of trauma. Further, we found that, in males, having a frozen shoulder was significantly correlated with a history of trauma; in females, having a frozen shoulder was significantly correlated with having thyroid diseases. CONCLUSIONS: These demographic data of primary frozen shoulder in the Korean population were consistent with those of previously reported epidemiologic studies. Primary frozen shoulder with diabetes was correlated with old age, bilateral involvement, long duration of symptoms, and nocturnal pain.