ABSTRACT
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the second most common cause of chronic liver disease in South Korea, with a prevalence ranging from 0.6% to 0.8%, and HCV infection incidence increases with age. The anti-HCV antibody test, which is cheaper than the HCV RNA assay, is widely used to screen for HCV infections; however, the underdiagnosis of HCV is a major barrier to the elimination of HCV infections. Although several risk factors have been associated with HCV infections, including intravenous drug use, blood transfusions, and hemodialysis, most patients with HCV infections present with no identifiable risk factors. Universal screening for HCV in adults has been suggested to improve the detection of HCV infections. We reviewed the cost-effectiveness of HCV screening and the methodologies used to perform screening. Recent studies have suggested that universal HCV screening and treatment using direct-acting antivirals represent cost-effective approaches to the prevention and treatment of HCV infection. However, the optimal timing and frequency of HCV screening remain unclear, and further studies are necessary to determine the best approaches for the elimination of HCV infections.
ABSTRACT
Background@#and Purpose Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is rare, but its symptoms are severe and they occasionally lead to long-term disability. Country-specific epidemiological evidence is useful for detecting potential problems at the population level. This study investigated the epidemiological and economic characteristics of GBS in South Korea. @*Methods@#The Korean National Health Insurance Service claims data from 2010 to 2016 were used to identify incident cases as newly hospitalized patients with a primary diagnosis of GBS (the 10th revision of the International Classification Disease code of G61.0). New cases were defined as patients not having claim records for GBS within one year prior to the hospital admission for GBS. @*Results@#The incidence rate increased by 45.6% between 2010 and 2016, from 1.28 to 1.82 per 100,000 population. All age groups other than <20 years showed increasing trends. The incidence rate was highest in those aged 65 years to 74 years. Approximately 72% of the incident GBS cases had antecedent infection within 42 days before GBS was diagnosed. Children younger than 10 years constituted the highest proportion of antecedent infections (93.7%).The average length of stay per GBS hospitalization was 33.5 days. Patients had an average of 7.48 outpatient visits for GBS treatment per year. The economic burden from a societal perspective of treating GBS during the first year was USD 16,428. @*Conclusions@#The increasing incidence trend and substantial economic burden of GBS strongly advocate the development of effective strategies for preventing and managing GBS.
ABSTRACT
Background@#and Purpose Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is rare, but its symptoms are severe and they occasionally lead to long-term disability. Country-specific epidemiological evidence is useful for detecting potential problems at the population level. This study investigated the epidemiological and economic characteristics of GBS in South Korea. @*Methods@#The Korean National Health Insurance Service claims data from 2010 to 2016 were used to identify incident cases as newly hospitalized patients with a primary diagnosis of GBS (the 10th revision of the International Classification Disease code of G61.0). New cases were defined as patients not having claim records for GBS within one year prior to the hospital admission for GBS. @*Results@#The incidence rate increased by 45.6% between 2010 and 2016, from 1.28 to 1.82 per 100,000 population. All age groups other than <20 years showed increasing trends. The incidence rate was highest in those aged 65 years to 74 years. Approximately 72% of the incident GBS cases had antecedent infection within 42 days before GBS was diagnosed. Children younger than 10 years constituted the highest proportion of antecedent infections (93.7%).The average length of stay per GBS hospitalization was 33.5 days. Patients had an average of 7.48 outpatient visits for GBS treatment per year. The economic burden from a societal perspective of treating GBS during the first year was USD 16,428. @*Conclusions@#The increasing incidence trend and substantial economic burden of GBS strongly advocate the development of effective strategies for preventing and managing GBS.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Age-related eye disease is often considered part of natural aging. Lack of awareness of eye conditions can result in missed treatment. We investigated the rates of awareness of cataract and age-related macular degeneration, the most common age-related eye-diseases, and the associated factors among elderly Koreans. METHODS: We identified 7,403 study subjects (≥40 years old) with cataract or age-related macular degeneration based on ophthalmic examination results during the 5th Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted between 2010 and 2012. We assessed whether patients were aware of their eye condition based on a previous diagnosis by a physician. RESULTS: The average awareness rate over the 3-year study period was 23.69% in subjects with cataract and 1.45% in subjects with age-related macular degeneration. Logistic regression analysis showed that patients with cataract were more likely to recognize their condition if they had myopia (odds ratio, 2.08), hyperopia (odds ratio, 1.33), family history of eye disease (odds ratio, 1.44), or a past eye examination (odds ratio, 4.07-29.10). The presence of diabetes mellitus was also a significant predictor of patient awareness of cataract (odds ratio, 1.88). CONCLUSIONS: Poor patient recognition of eye disease among the Korean elderly highlights the seriousness of this potential public health problem in our aging society. Pre-existing eye-related conditions and diabetes were significant predictors of awareness; therefore, patients in frequent contact with their doctors have a greater chance of detecting eye disease.