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Crohn’s disease (CD) is a relapsing and progressive condition characterized by diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight loss, and hematochezia that results in serious complications such as perforations, fistulas, and abscesses. Various medications, interventions, and surgical treatments have been used to treat CD. The Korean guidelines for CD management were distributed in 2012 and revised in 2017 by the Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Research Group of the Korean Association for the Study of Intestinal Diseases. Substantial progress in mucosal immunologic research has elucidated the pathophysiology of IBD, leading to development of biological agents for treatment of CD. The first developed biologic agent, tumor necrosis factor-α agents, were shown to be efficacious in CD, heralding a new era in management of CD. Subsequently, vedolizumab, a monoclonal antibody against integrin α4β7, and ustekinumab, a human monoclonal antibody that inhibits the common p40 subunit of interleukin-12 and interleukin-23, were both approved for clinical use and are efficacious and safe for both induction and maintenance of remission in moderate-to-severe CD patients. Moreover, a recent study showed the non-inferiority of CT-P13, an infliximab biosimilar, compared with infliximab in CD patients. The third Korean guidelines for CD management provide updated information regarding treatment of moderate-to-severe CD patients with biologic agents.
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Background/Aims@#It remains unclear which maintenance treatment modality is most appropriate for mild gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).We aimed to compare on-demand treatment with continuous treatment using a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) in the maintenance treatment for patients with non-erosive GERD or mild erosive esophagitis. @*Methods@#Patients whose GERD symptoms improved after 4 weeks of standard dose PPI treatment were prospectively enrolled at 25 hospitals.Subsequently, the enrolled patients were randomly assigned to either an on-demand or a continuous maintenance treatment group, and followed in an 8-week interval for up to 24 weeks. @*Results@#A total of 304 patients were randomized to maintenance treatment (continuous, n = 151 vs on-demand, n = 153). The primary outcome, the overall proportion of unwillingness to continue the assigned maintenance treatment modality, failed to confirm the noninferiority of on-demand treatment (45.9%) compared to continuous treatment (36.1%). Compared with the on-demand group, the GERD symptom and health-related quality of life scores significantly more improved and the overall satisfaction score was significantly higher in the continuous treatment group, particularly at week 8 and week 16 of maintenance treatment. Work impairment scores were not different in the 2 groups, but the prescription cost was less in the on-demand group. Serum gastrin levels significantly elevated in the continuous treatment group, but not in the on-demand group. @*Conclusions@#Continuous treatment seems to be more appropriate for the initial maintenance treatment of non-erosive GERD or mild erosive esophagitis than on-demand treatment. Stepping down to on-demand treatment needs to be considered after a sufficient period of continuous treatment.
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Chronic constipation is one of the most common digestive diseases encountered in clinical practice. Constipation manifests as a variety of symptoms, such as infrequent bowel movements, hard stools, feeling of incomplete evacuation, straining at defecation, a sense of anorectal blockage during defecation, and use of digital maneuvers to assist defecation. During the diagnosis of chronic constipation, the Bristol Stool Form Scale, colonoscopy, and a digital rectal examination are useful for objective symptom evaluation and differential diagnosis of secondary constipation. Physiological tests for functional constipation have complementary roles and are recommended for patients who have failed to respond to treatment with available laxatives and those who are strongly suspected of having a defecatory disorder. As new evidence on the diagnosis and management of functional constipation emerged, the need to revise the previous guideline was suggested. Therefore, these evidence-based guidelines have proposed recommendations developed using a systematic review and meta-analysis of the treatment options available for functional constipation. The benefits and cautions of new pharmacological agents (such as lubiprostone and linaclotide) and conventional laxatives have been described through a meta-analysis. The guidelines consist of 34 recommendations, including 3 concerning the definition and epidemiology of functional constipation, 9 regarding diagnoses, and 22 regarding managements. Clinicians (including primary physicians, general health professionals, medical students, residents, and other healthcare professionals) and patients can refer to these guidelines to make informed decisions regarding the management of functional constipation.
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Background/Aims@#This study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) or endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)-related adverse events (AEs) that eventually lead to medical disputes or claims on medical professional liability. @*Methods@#Medical disputes for ERCP/EUS-related AEs filed in the Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency between April 2012 and August 2020 were evaluated using corresponding medical records. AEs were categorized into three sections: procedure-related, sedation-related, and safety-related AEs. @*Results@#Among a total of 34 cases, procedure-related AEs were 26 (76.5%; 12 duodenal perforations, 7 post-ERCP pancreatitis, 5 bleedings, 2 perforations combined with post-ERCP pancreatitis); sedation-related AEs were 5 (14.7%; 4 cardiac arrests, 1 desaturation), and safety-related AEs were 5 (8.8%; 1 follow-up loss for stent removal, 1 asphyxia, 1 fall). Regarding clinical outcomes, 20 (58.8%) were fatal and eventually succumbed to AEs. For the types of medical institutions, 21 cases (61.8%) occurred at tertiary or academic hospitals, and 13 (38.2%) occurred at community hospitals. @*Conclusions@#The ERCP/EUS-related AEs filed in Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency showed distinct features: duodenal perforation was the most frequent AE, and clinical outcomes were fatal, resulting in at least more than permanent physical impairment.
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Purpose@#This descriptive study aimed to identify the incidence and related factors of reintubation after unplanned extubation in the neonatal intensive care unit. @*Methods@#A secondary data analysis was conducted using electronic medical records. All events of unplanned extubation were audited from January 2020 to August 2021. The data were analyzed by chi-square test using IBM SPSS Statistics ver. 24.0 program. @*Results@#Fifty-eight unplanned extubation events were identified for 20 months. The incidence was 2.6 per 100 ventilation days during the study period. After unplanned extubation, 35 neonates (60.3%) were immediately reintubated. There was a statistically significant difference between the gestational age (p=0.018) and postconceptional age at unplanned extubation (p=0.044) and the total intubation period (p=0.003) between the reintubation and nonreintubation groups. @*Conclusion@#These findings indicate that the incidence of unplanned extubation was significantly higher than that of an adult in South Korea. According to this study, targeting interventions are required to prevent unplanned extubation and ensure patient safety.
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Background@#Long-term growth data of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants are currently collected in the Korean Neonatal Network (KNN) and National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database. However, variance in the number of infants, check-up time, and check-up parameters led to decreased credibility of cumulated data. We aimed to compare the data on serial growth outcomes by major morbidities from birth to 5 years in VLBW infants between the KNN and NHIS databases. @*Methods@#We combined the NHIS and KNN data of VLBW infants born between 2013 and 2015. The check-up times in the NHIS database were at 4–6, 9–12, 18–24, 30–36, 42–48, and 54–60 months of age, whereas in the KNN were at 18–24 months of corrected age and at 36 months of age.Result: Among 8,864 VLBW infants enrolled based on the birth certificates from the Statistics Korea, 6,086 infants (69%) were enrolled in the KNN, and 5,086 infants (57%) participated in the NHIS health check-up. Among 6,068 infants, 3,428 infants (56%) were enrolled at a corrected age of 18–24 months and 2,572 infants (42%) were enrolled at a chronological age of 33–36 months according to the KNN follow-up registry. However, based on the national birth statistics data, the overall follow-up rate of the KNN at 36 months of age was as low as 29%. The NHIS screening rate was lower at first (23%); however, it increased over time to exceed the KNN follow-up rate. Growth failure (weight under 10th percentile) at corrected ages of 18–24 months and 36 months were more common in the NHIS than KNN (42% vs. 20%, 37% vs. 34.5%). Infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia and periventricular leukomalacia showed similar rates of growth failure at 2 years but varying rates at 3 years between the KNN and NHIS. @*Conclusion@#By integrating the KNN and NHIS data indirectly at continuous time points according to morbidities, we found that there are discontinuities and discrepancies between the two databases among VLBW infants. Establishing an integrated system by patient level linking the KNN and NHIS databases can lead to better understanding and improved neonatal outcomes in VLBW infants in Korea.
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Purpose@#The aims of the study were to develop and evaluate a machine learning model with which to predict postnatal growth failure (PGF) among very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. @*Materials and Methods@#Of 10425 VLBW infants registered in the Korean Neonatal Network between 2013 and 2017, 7954 infants were included. PGF was defined as a decrease in Z score >1.28 at discharge, compared to that at birth. Six metrics [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), accuracy, precision, sensitivity, specificity, and F1 score] were obtained at five time points (at birth, 7 days, 14 days, 28 days after birth, and at discharge). Machine learning models were built using four different techniques [extreme gradient boosting (XGB), random forest, support vector machine, and convolutional neural network] to compare against the conventional multiple logistic regression (MLR) model. @*Results@#The XGB algorithm showed the best performance with all six metrics across the board. When compared with MLR, XGB showed a significantly higher AUROC (p=0.03) for Day 7, which was the primary performance metric. Using optimal cut-off points, for Day 7, XGB still showed better performances in terms of AUROC (0.74), accuracy (0.68), and F1 score (0.67). AUROC values seemed to increase slightly from birth to 7 days after birth with significance, almost reaching a plateau after 7 days after birth. @*Conclusion@#We have shown the possibility of predicting PGF through machine learning algorithms, especially XGB. Such models may help neonatologists in the early diagnosis of high-risk infants for PGF for early intervention.
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Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition in which gastric contents regurgitate into the esophagus or beyond, resulting in either troublesome symptoms or complications. GERD is heterogeneous in terms of varied manifestations, test findings, and treatment responsiveness. GERD diagnosis can be established with symptomatology, pathology, or physiology. Recently the Lyon consensus defined the “proven GERD” with concrete evidence for reflux, including advanced grade erosive esophagitis (Los Angeles classification grades C and or D esophagitis), long-segment Barrett’s mucosa or peptic strictures on endoscopy or distal esophageal acid exposure time > 6% on 24-hour ambulatory pH-impedance monitoring. However, some Asian researchers have different opinions on whether the same standards should be applied to the Asian population. The prevalence of GERD is increasing in Asia. The present evidence-based guidelines were developed using a systematic review and meta-analysis approach. In GERD with typical symptoms, a proton pump inhibitor test can be recommended as a sensitive, cost-effective, and practical test for GERD diagnosis. Based on a meta-analysis of 19 estimated acid-exposure time values in Asians, the reference range upper limit for esophageal acid exposure time was 3.2% (95% confidence interval 2.7-3.9%) in the Asian countries. Esophageal manometry and novel impedance measurements, including mucosal impedance and a post-reflux swallow-induced peristaltic wave, are promising in discrimination of GERD among different reflux phenotypes, thus increasing its diagnostic yield. We also propose a long-term strategy of evidence-based GERD treatment with proton pump inhibitors and other drugs.
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Objective@#This study standardizes the Parental Stress Scale (PSS) for Republic of Korean parents of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and verifies its reliability and validity. @*Methods@#Data from 160 parents of children with ADHD who completed the following self-reported questionnaires were analyzed: the Korean ADHD Rating Scales, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory, the PSS, and the Global Assessment of Recent Stress Scale. All scale items were measured for reliability and validity, and the appropriate factors for measuring stress in Korean parents with ADHD children were extracted. @*Results@#Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses derived two sub-factors and 11 items. Goodness of fit was confirmed, and the scale was deemed suitable for explaining stress in parents of children with ADHD. @*Conclusion@#In this study, the validity and reliability of the K-PSS-ADHD were investigated. We expect that the K-PSS-ADHD will be used as a basis for future studies on stress in parents of children with ADHD.
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Background/Aims@#Regular surveillance colonoscopy after colon cancer resection is recommended for detecting metachronous adenoma and cancer. However, risk factors for metachronous neoplasms have not been fully evaluated. We aimed to assess risk factors for advanced metachronous neoplasms during surveillance colonoscopy after colon cancer resection. @*Methods@#Patients who underwent curative colectomy for nonmetastatic colon cancer between January 2002 and December 2012 were evaluated and followed up to December 2017. @*Results@#A total of 293 patients were enrolled in this study. Among these, 179 (61.1%) were male, and the mean age was 63.2 ± 10.4 years. On perioperative clearing colonoscopy, synchronous high-risk adenomas (number ≥ 3, size ≥ 10 mm, high-grade dysplasia, villous histology, and serrated adenoma ≥ 10 mm) were detected in 95 patients (32.4%), and they were significantly associated with male sex, old age (≥ 65 years), current alcohol consumption, and current smoking (p < 0.05). During the follow-up period (mean 74.4 ± 36.4 months), advanced metachronous neoplasms were found in 45 patients (15.4%), including metachronous cancer in four (1.4%). In multivariate analysis, distal colon cancer (distal-to-splenic flexure; odds ratio [OR], 4.402; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.658 to 11.689; p = 0.003), synchronous highrisk adenomas (OR, 3.225; 95% CI, 1.503 to 6.918; p = 0.003), and hypertension (OR, 2.270; 95% CI, 1.058 to 4.874; p = 0.035) were significant risk factors for advanced metachronous neoplasms. @*Conclusions@#During surveillance after curative colon cancer resection, patients with distal colon cancer, synchronous high-risk adenomas, and hypertension may need meticulous follow-up to improve overall outcomes.
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Background/Aims@#Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a chronic upper gastrointestinal symptom complex that routine diagnostic work-up, such as endoscopy, blood laboratory analysis, or radiological examination, fails to identify a cause for. It is highly prevalent in the Korean population, and its response to the various available therapeutic strategies is only modest because of the heterogeneous nature of its pathogenesis. We constituted a guidelines development committee to review the existing guidelines on the management of FD. @*Methods@#This committee drafted statements and conducted a systematic review and meta- analysis of various studies, guidelines, and randomized control trials. External review was also conducted by selected experts. These clinical practice guidelines for FD were developed based on evidence recently accumulated with the revised version of FD guidelines released in 2011 by the Korean Society of Neurogastroenterology and Motility. @*Results@#These guidelines apply to adults with chronic symptoms of FD and include the diagnostic role of endoscopy, Helicobacter pylori screening, and systematic review and meta-analyses of the various treatment options for FD (proton pump inhibitors, Helicobacter pylori eradication, and tricyclic antidepressants), especially according to the FD subtype. @*Conclusions@#The purpose of these new guidelines is to aid understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of FD, and the targets of the guidelines are clinicians, healthcare workers at the forefront of patient care, patients, and medical students. The guidelines will continue to be revised and updated periodically.
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The purpose of this review is to examine the clinical use of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders. Many studies have been conducted using objective evaluation tools for psychiatric evaluation, such as predicting psychiatric symptoms and treatment responses. Compared to other tools, fNIRS has the advantage of being a noninvasive, inexpensive, and portable method and can be used with patients in the awake state. This study mainly focused on its use in patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder. We hope that research involving fNIRS will be actively conducted in various diseases in the future.
ABSTRACT
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition in which gastric contents regurgitate into the esophagus or beyond, resulting in either troublesome symptoms or complications. GERD is heterogeneous in terms of varied manifestations, test findings, and treatment responsiveness. GERD diagnosis can be established with symptomatology, pathology, or physiology. Recently the Lyon consensus defined the “proven GERD” with concrete evidence for reflux, including advanced grade erosive esophagitis (Los Angeles classification grades C and or D esophagitis), long-segment Barrett’s mucosa or peptic strictures on endoscopy or distal esophageal acid exposure time > 6% on 24-hour ambulatory pH-impedance monitoring. However, some Asian researchers have different opinions on whether the same standards should be applied to the Asian population. The prevalence of GERD is increasing in Asia. The present evidence-based guidelines were developed using a systematic review and meta-analysis approach. In GERD with typical symptoms, a proton pump inhibitor test can be recommended as a sensitive, cost-effective, and practical test for GERD diagnosis.Based on a meta-analysis of 19 estimated acid-exposure time values in Asians, the reference range upper limit for esophageal acid exposure time was 3.2% (95% confidence interval, 2.7-3.9%) in the Asian countries. Esophageal manometry and novel impedance measurements, including mucosal impedance and a post-reflux swallow-induced peristaltic wave, are promising in discrimination of GERD among different reflux phenotypes, thus increasing its diagnostic yield. We also propose a long-term strategy of evidence-based GERD treatment with proton pump inhibitors and other drugs.
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Background/Aims@#Constipation is a common gastrointestinal problem in the elderly. Because of the limitations of life style modifications and the comorbidity, laxative use is also very common. Therefore, this study reviews the latest literature on the effect and safety of laxative in the elderly. @*Methods@#A systematic review of randomized controlled trials investigating the effectiveness and safety of laxatives for constipation in elderly patients over 65 years old were performed using the following databases: PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library. @*Results@#Twenty-three randomized controlled trials were included in this review. Among the selected studies, 9 studies compared laxative with placebo and 5 studies compared laxatives of the same type. Four studies compared different types of laxatives or compared combination agents. Five studies compared novel medications such as prucalopride, lubiprostone, and elobixibat with placebo.Psyllium, calcium polycarbophil, lactulose syrup, lactitol, polyethylene glycol, magnesium hydroxide, stimulant laxative with or without fiber, and other medications were more effective than placebo in elderly constipation patients in short-term. Generally, the frequency and severity of adverse effects of laxative were similar between the arms of studies. @*Conclusions@#Bulk laxative, osmotic laxative, stimulant laxative with or without fiber, and other medications can be used in elderly patients in short-term within 3 months with reasonable safety. However, the quality of included studies was not high and most of studies was conducted in a small number of patients. Among these laxatives, polyethylene glycol seems to be safe and effective in long-term use of about 6 months in elderly patients.
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Background/Aims@#Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a chronic upper gastrointestinal symptom complex that routine diagnostic work-up, such as endoscopy, blood laboratory analysis, or radiological examination, fails to identify a cause for. It is highly prevalent in the Korean population, and its response to the various available therapeutic strategies is only modest because of the heterogeneous nature of its pathogenesis. We constituted a guidelines development committee to review the existing guidelines on the management of FD. @*Methods@#This committee drafted statements and conducted a systematic review and meta- analysis of various studies, guidelines, and randomized control trials. External review was also conducted by selected experts. These clinical practice guidelines for FD were developed based on evidence recently accumulated with the revised version of FD guidelines released in 2011 by the Korean Society of Neurogastroenterology and Motility. @*Results@#These guidelines apply to adults with chronic symptoms of FD and include the diagnostic role of endoscopy, Helicobacter pylori screening, and systematic review and meta-analyses of the various treatment options for FD (proton pump inhibitors, Helicobacter pylori eradication, and tricyclic antidepressants), especially according to the FD subtype. @*Conclusions@#The purpose of these new guidelines is to aid understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of FD, and the targets of the guidelines are clinicians, healthcare workers at the forefront of patient care, patients, and medical students. The guidelines will continue to be revised and updated periodically.
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this review is to examine the clinical use of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders. Many studies have been conducted using objective evaluation tools for psychiatric evaluation, such as predicting psychiatric symptoms and treatment responses. Compared to other tools, fNIRS has the advantage of being a noninvasive, inexpensive, and portable method and can be used with patients in the awake state. This study mainly focused on its use in patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder. We hope that research involving fNIRS will be actively conducted in various diseases in the future.
ABSTRACT
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition in which gastric contents regurgitate into the esophagus or beyond, resulting in either troublesome symptoms or complications. GERD is heterogeneous in terms of varied manifestations, test findings, and treatment responsiveness. GERD diagnosis can be established with symptomatology, pathology, or physiology. Recently the Lyon consensus defined the “proven GERD” with concrete evidence for reflux, including advanced grade erosive esophagitis (Los Angeles classification grades C and or D esophagitis), long-segment Barrett’s mucosa or peptic strictures on endoscopy or distal esophageal acid exposure time > 6% on 24-hour ambulatory pH-impedance monitoring. However, some Asian researchers have different opinions on whether the same standards should be applied to the Asian population. The prevalence of GERD is increasing in Asia. The present evidence-based guidelines were developed using a systematic review and meta-analysis approach. In GERD with typical symptoms, a proton pump inhibitor test can be recommended as a sensitive, cost-effective, and practical test for GERD diagnosis.Based on a meta-analysis of 19 estimated acid-exposure time values in Asians, the reference range upper limit for esophageal acid exposure time was 3.2% (95% confidence interval, 2.7-3.9%) in the Asian countries. Esophageal manometry and novel impedance measurements, including mucosal impedance and a post-reflux swallow-induced peristaltic wave, are promising in discrimination of GERD among different reflux phenotypes, thus increasing its diagnostic yield. We also propose a long-term strategy of evidence-based GERD treatment with proton pump inhibitors and other drugs.
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Background/Aims@#Constipation is a common gastrointestinal problem in the elderly. Because of the limitations of life style modifications and the comorbidity, laxative use is also very common. Therefore, this study reviews the latest literature on the effect and safety of laxative in the elderly. @*Methods@#A systematic review of randomized controlled trials investigating the effectiveness and safety of laxatives for constipation in elderly patients over 65 years old were performed using the following databases: PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library. @*Results@#Twenty-three randomized controlled trials were included in this review. Among the selected studies, 9 studies compared laxative with placebo and 5 studies compared laxatives of the same type. Four studies compared different types of laxatives or compared combination agents. Five studies compared novel medications such as prucalopride, lubiprostone, and elobixibat with placebo.Psyllium, calcium polycarbophil, lactulose syrup, lactitol, polyethylene glycol, magnesium hydroxide, stimulant laxative with or without fiber, and other medications were more effective than placebo in elderly constipation patients in short-term. Generally, the frequency and severity of adverse effects of laxative were similar between the arms of studies. @*Conclusions@#Bulk laxative, osmotic laxative, stimulant laxative with or without fiber, and other medications can be used in elderly patients in short-term within 3 months with reasonable safety. However, the quality of included studies was not high and most of studies was conducted in a small number of patients. Among these laxatives, polyethylene glycol seems to be safe and effective in long-term use of about 6 months in elderly patients.
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Background/Aims@#In serological tests for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (GENEDIA®) and a solid-phase, two-step chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay (IMMULITE®), which are easy to perform, inexpensive, and widely available, are commonly used. However, local validation of the test performance of IMMULITE® is required. This study aimed to examine the performance of IMMULITE® in comparison with that of GENEDIA® in a Korean health checkup population. @*Materials and Methods@#The sera of 300 subjects among those who underwent health checkup were analyzed using IMMULITE®, and results were compared with those of GENEDIA®. The two serological tests were compared for their ability to predict atrophic gastritis (AG) or intestinal metaplasia (IM) on endoscopy. @*Results@#We found significant correlation (Pearson correlation coefficient=0.903, P<0.0001) and an almost perfect agreement (Cohen’s Kappa coefficient=0.987, P<0.0001) between the results of GENEDIA® and IMMULITE®. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) for AG using GENEDIA® and IMMULITE® were 0.590 and 0.604, respectively, and showed no statistically significant difference in predictive ability for AG (Z-statistics=-0.517, P=0.605). The AUC for IM by GENEDIA® and IMMULITE® were 0.578 and 0.593, respectively, with no statistically significant difference in predictive ability for IM between the two values (Z-statistics=-0.398, P=0.691). @*Conclusions@#No statistically significant difference in diagnostic value for H. pylori infection was found between GENEDIA® and IMMULITE®.
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Purpose@#The aim of the study was to investigate risk factors of hearing impairments in preterm infants and analyze factors associated with discrepancies between neonatal hearing screening (NHS) and confirmatory test results. @*Methods@#We analyzed the medical records of 352 preterm infants born at 23 to 32 weeks’ gestational age (GA) who underwent both automated auditory brainstem response (aABR) and confirmatory ABR (cABR). @*Results@#Mean GA, mean birth weight, the incidence of small for GA and cesarean section birth were significantly different between the pass and refer groups on aABR and the normal and abnormal groups of cABR. On univariate analysis, bronchopul monary dysplasia (odds ratio [OR], 2.74; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00 to 7.48), intraventricular hemorrhage (OR, 7.02; 95% CI, 1.59 to 31.05), and use of furosemide (OR, 3.84; 95% CI, 1.38 to 10.73) were the factors related to refer results on aABR. Peri ventricular leukomalacia (PVL; OR, 4.00; 95% CI, 1.39 to 11.52) and use of vancomycin (OR, 2.86; 95% CI, 1.22 to 6.73) were associated with abnormal cABR. Twenty-five (7.9%) infants had discrepant aABR and cABR results, particularly males and those in whom vancomycin was used. @*Conclusion@#PVL and use of vancomycin were confirmed as independent risk factors for hearing loss in infants born at less than 32 weeks’ GA. Also, discrepancies between the screening and confirmatory test may occur, especially among male infants and those in whom vancomycin was used. The hearing of infants must be assessed more carefully in such groups regardless of NHS results.