Renal Protection of Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonist, Finerenone, in Diabetic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the most common cause of end-stage renal disease in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). CKD increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases; therefore, its prevention and treatment are important. The prevention of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) can be achieved through intensive glycemic control and blood pressure management. Additionally, DKD treatment aims to reduce albuminuria and improve kidney function. In patients with T2DM, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors, sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors, and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists can delay the progression of DKD. Hence, there is a need for novel treatments that can effectively suppress DKD progression. Finerenone is a first-in-class nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist with clinically proven efficacy in improving albuminuria, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and risk of cardiovascular events in early and advanced DKD. Therefore, finerenone is a promising treatment option to delay DKD progression. This article reviews the mechanism of renal effects and major clinical outcomes of finerenone in DKD.

Interlaboratory Comparison Study (Ring Test) of Next-Generation Sequencing–Based NTRK Fusion Detection in South Korea / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

Purpose@#Tropomyosin receptor kinase (TRK) inhibitors are approved for the treatment of neurotrophic receptor tyrosine kinase (NTRK) fusion-positive tumors. The detection of NTRK fusion using a validated method is required before therapeutic application. An interlaboratory comparison study of next-generation sequencing (NGS)–based NTRK gene fusion detection with validated clinical samples was conducted at six major hospitals in South Korea. @*Materials and Methods@#A total of 18 samples, including a positive standard reference and eight positive and nine negative clinical samples, were validated using the VENTANA pan-TRK (EPR17341) and TruSight Oncology 500 assays. These samples were then tested using four different NGS panels currently being used at the six participating institutions. @*Results@#NTRK fusions were not detected in any of the nine negative clinical samples, demonstrating 100% specificity in all six participating institutions. All assays showed 100% analytical sensitivity to identify the NTRK fusion status in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples, although with variable clinical sensitivity. False-negative results were due to low tumor purity, poor RNA quality, and DNA-based sequencing panel. The RNA-based targeted NGS assay showed an overall high success rate of identifying NTRK fusion status in FFPE samples. @*Conclusion@#This study is the first to test the proficiency of NGS-based NTRK detection in South Korea with the largest participating institutions. RNA-based NGS assays to detect NTRK fusions can accurately characterize fusion transcripts if sufficient RNA of adequate quality is available. The comparative performance data will support the implementation of targeted NGS-based sequencing assays for NTRK fusion detection in routine diagnostics.

Establishing molecular pathology curriculum for pathology trainees and continued medical education: a collaborative work from the Molecular Pathology Study Group of the Korean Society of Pathologists

Background@#The importance of molecular pathology tests has increased during the last decade, and there is a great need for efficient training of molecular pathology for pathology trainees and as continued medical education. @*Methods@#The Molecular Pathology Study Group of the Korean Society of Pathologists appointed a task force composed of experienced molecular pathologists to develop a refined educational curriculum of molecular pathology. A 3-day online educational session was held based on the newly established structure of learning objectives; the audience were asked to score their understanding of 22 selected learning objectives before and after the session to assess the effect of structured education. @*Results@#The structured objectives and goals of molecular pathology was established and posted as a web-based interface which can serve as a knowledge bank of molecular pathology. A total of 201 pathologists participated in the educational session. For all 22 learning objectives, the scores of self-reported understanding increased after educational session by 9.9 points on average (range, 6.6 to 17.0). The most effectively improved items were objectives from next-generation sequencing (NGS) section: ‘NGS library preparation and quality control’ (score increased from 51.8 to 68.8), ‘NGS interpretation of variants and reference database’ (score increased from 54.1 to 68.0), and ‘whole genome, whole exome, and targeted gene sequencing’ (score increased from 58.2 to 71.2). Qualitative responses regarding the adequacy of refined educational curriculum were collected, where favorable comments dominated. @*Conclusions@#Approach toward the education of molecular pathology was refined, which would greatly benefit the future trainees.

Comparison of Two Variant Analysis Programs for Next-Generation Sequencing Data of Whole Mitochondrial Genome

Background@#With advance of next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques, the need for mitochondrial DNA analysis is increasing not only in the forensic area, but also in medical fields. @*Methods@#Two commercial programs, Converge Software (CS) and Torrent Variant Caller for variant calling of NGS data, were compared with a considerable amount of sequence data of 50 samples with a homogeneous ethnicity. @*Results@#About 2,300 variants were identified and the two programs showed about 90% of consistency. CS, a dedicated analysis program for mitochondrial DNA, showed some advantages for forensic use. By additional visual inspection, several causes of discrepancy in variant calling results were identified. Application of different notation rules for mitochondrial sequence and the minor allele frequency close to detection threshold were the two most significant reasons. @*Conclusion@#With prospective improvement of each program, researchers and practitioners should be aware of characteristics of the analysis program they use and prepare their own strategies to determine variants.

Two-Year Changes in Diabetic Kidney Disease Phenotype and the Risk of Heart Failure: A Nationwide Population-Based Study in Korea

Background@#Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a risk factor for hospitalization for heart failure (HHF). DKD could be classified into four phenotypes by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, normal vs. low) and proteinuria (PU, negative vs. positive). Also, the phenotype often changes dynamically. This study examined HHF risk according to the DKD phenotype changes across 2-year assessments. @*Methods@#The study included 1,343,116 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database after excluding a very high-risk phenotype (eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73 m2) at baseline, who underwent two cycles of medical checkups between 2009 and 2014. From the baseline and 2-year eGFR and PU results, participants were divided into 10 DKD phenotypic change categories. @*Results@#During an average of 6.5 years of follow-up, 7,874 subjects developed HHF. The cumulative incidence of HHF from index date was highest in the eGFRlowPU– phenotype, followed by eGFRnorPU+ and eGFRnorPU–. Changes in DKD phenotype differently affect HHF risk. When the persistent eGFRnorPU– category was the reference, hazard ratios for HHF were 3.10 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.73 to 3.52) in persistent eGFRnorPU+ and 1.86 (95% CI, 1.73 to 1.99) in persistent eGFRlowPU–. Among altered phenotypes, the category converted to eGFRlowPU+ showed the highest risk. In the normal eGFR category at the second examination, those who converted from PU– to PU+ showed a higher risk of HHF than those who converted from PU+ to PU–. @*Conclusion@#Changes in DKD phenotype, particularly with the presence of PU, are more likely to reflect the risk of HHF, compared with DKD phenotype based on a single time point in patients with T2DM.

Patient Safety Culture and Speaking Up Among Health Care Workers

Purpose@#Although previous research showed the importance of safety culture on health care workers' speaking up behaviors, it is not clear how particular safety culture domains are associated with the speaking up behaviors of hospital staff. Also, researchers have suggested that health care workers’ speaking up behaviors vary by profession, but there has been limited research into such differences. Thus, this study examined differences in perceptions of patient safety culture and the promotive and prohibitive speaking up behaviors of health care workers by profession and investigated the relationships between patient safety culture and the two types of speaking up behaviors. @*Methods@#A descriptive correlational study was conducted using secondary data collected through an online survey of health care workers at a private, nonprofit, tertiary-level teaching hospital in South Korea. The sample (N = 831) consisted of nurses (54.0%), physicians (13.0%), and other licensed and unlicensed hospital personnel (33.0%). Analyses of variance were conducted to examine differences in study variables by profession. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the effects of the seven patient safety culture factors on promotive and prohibitive voice after controlling for tenure and profession. @*Results@#Perceptions of safety culture and promotive voice behaviors were higher for physicians compared with nurses. Communication openness, reporting patient adverse events, and unit supervisors' and hospital managements’ support for patient safety were significant predictors of both types of voice behaviors. @*Conclusion@#Hospital administrators and unit managers should create a supportive environment where staff feel free to voice their concerns and suggestions. They should also pay attention to the varying perspectives held by different groups of hospital workers and their different voice behaviors. Knowing which dimensions of patient safety culture are most strongly related to health care workers’ voice behaviors can guide patient safety improvement activities in health care organizations.

Rapidly Growing Acinar Cell Carcinoma of the Pancreatic Head: A Case Report and Literature Review / 대한췌담도학회지

Pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma (ACC) is a rare neoplasm accounting less than 1% of malignant pancreatic tumors. A 47-year-old male patient visited the emergency room with epigastric pain. Computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 4.7-cm heterogeneously enhanced solid and cystic mass with internal necrosis located in the head of the pancreas. Radiological diagnosis was borderline malignancy such as neuroendocrine tumor or solid pseudopapillary neoplasm. Two months later, the necrotic mass in the pancreas head had grown up to 11 cm, compressing the duodenum, superior mesenteric vein, and proximal transverse colon. Pylorus preserving pancreatoduodenectomy with segmental resection of transverse colon was performed. Histopathological examination revealed that the tumor was pancreatic ACC. The patient recovered without any complication and was doing well without recurrence for 12 months after surgery.

Generation of Cortical Brain Organoid with Vascularization by Assembling with Vascular Spheroid

Background and Objectives@#Brain organoids have the potential to improve our understanding of brain development and neurological disease. Despite the importance of brain organoids, the effect of vascularization on brain organoids is largely unknown. The objective of this study is to develop vascularized organoids by assembling vascular spheroids with cerebral organoids. @*Methods@#and Results: In this study, vascularized spheroids were generated from non-adherent microwell culture system of human umbilical vein endothelial cells, human dermal fibroblasts and human umbilical cord blood derived mesenchymal stem cells. These vascular spheroids were used for fusion with iPSCs induced cerebral organoids. Immunostaining studies of vascularized organoids demonstrated well organized vascular structures and reduced apoptosis. We showed that the vascularization in cerebral organoids up-regulated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling. @*Conclusions@#We developed vascularized cerebral organoids through assembly of brain organoids with vascular spheroids. This method could not only provide a model to study human cortical development but also represent an opportunity to explore neurological disease.

Hip Fracture Risk According to Diabetic Kidney Disease Phenotype in a Korean Population

Background@#Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is associated with an elevated risk of fractures. However, little is known about the association between proteinuric or non-proteinuric DKD and the risk of hip fracture. Thus, we investigated the incidence of hip fractures among Korean adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) stratified by DKD phenotype. @*Methods@#In this retrospective cohort study using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database, patients with T2DM who received at least one general health checkup between 2009 and 2012 were followed until the date of hip fracture, death, or December 31, 2018. We classified the DKD phenotype by proteinuria and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), as follows: no DKD (PU−GFR−), proteinuric DKD with normal eGFR (PU+GFR−), non-proteinuric DKD with reduced eGFR (PU−GFR+), and proteinuric DKD with reduced eGFR (PU+GFR+) @*Results@#The cumulative incidence of hip fractures was highest in the PU+GFR+ group, followed by the PU−GFR+ group and the PU+GFR− group. After adjustment for confounding factors, the hazard ratio (HR) for hip fracture was still highest in the PU+GFR+ group. However, the PU+GFR− group had a higher HR for hip fracture than the PU−GFR+ group (PU+GFR+ : HR, 1.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.57 to 1.81; PU+GFR− : HR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.30 to 1.46; PU−GFR+ : HR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.16 to 1.24 using the PU−GFR− group as the reference category). @*Conclusion@#The present study demonstrated that DKD was significantly associated with a higher risk of hip fracture, with proteinuria as a major determinant.

Discordance in Bone Mineral Density between the Lumbar Spine and Femoral Neck Is Associated with Renal Dysfunction

Purpose@#Bone mineral density (BMD) determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry is considered a gold standard for diagnosing osteoporosis. Some people show discordance in BMD values measured at the femur and that at the lumbar spine (LS). The aim of the present study was to investigate whether differences in BMD T-scores between the LS and femur neck (FN) are associated with renal dysfunction in the general population of Korea. @*Materials and Methods@#We analyzed national data for 17306 adults from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted between 2008 and 2011. BMD T-score differences between LS and FN (termed BMD offset) were calculated by subtracting FN T-scores from LS T-scores. Diminished renal function was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 . @*Results@#Among those aged ≥50 years, BMD offset was negatively associated with eGFR levels. Additionally, eGFR levels decreased linearly across increasing BMD offset quartiles. Men and women with an offset of >1.5 showed a 4.79-times and 2.51-times higher risk of renal dysfunction, respectively, compared to individuals with an offset of ≤0, after adjusting for age, body mass index, educational level, current smoking, and physical activity. In contrast, there was little evidence of an association between renal dysfunction and BMD offset in subjects aged <50 years. @*Conclusion@#Discordance between LS and FN BMDs was significantly associated with renal dysfunction in subjects aged ≥50 years. When assessing bone health in older chronic kidney disease patients, physicians should consider the possibility of BMD discordance between LS and FN.

Head-to-Head Comparison between Xpert MTB/RIF Assay and Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay Using Bronchial Washing Specimens for Tuberculosis Diagnosis / 결핵및호흡기질환

Background@#With the introduction of Xpert MTB/RIF assay (Xpert), its incorporation into tuberculosis (TB) diagnostic algorithm has become an important issue. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of the Xpert assay in comparison with a commercial polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. @*Methods@#Medical records of patients having results of both Xpert and AdvanSure TB/NTM real-time PCR (AdvanSure) assays using the same bronchial washing specimens were retrospectively reviewed. @*Results@#Of the 1,297 patients included in this study, 205 (15.8%) were diagnosed with pulmonary TB. Using mycobacterial culture as the reference method, sensitivity of the Xpert assay using smear-positive specimens was 97.5%, which was comparable to that of the AdvanSure assay (96.3%, p=0.193). However, the sensitivity of the Xpert assay using smear-negative specimens was 70.6%, which was significantly higher than that of the AdvanSure assay (52.9%, p=0.018). Usng phenotypic drug susceptibility testing as the reference method, sensitivity and specificity for detecting rifampicin resistance were 100% and 99.1%, respectively. Moreover, a median turnaround time of the Xpert assay was 1 day, which was significantly shorter than 3 days of the AdvanSure assay (p<0.001). @*Conclusion@#In comparison with the AdvanSure assay, the Xpert assay had a higher sensitivity using smear-negative specimens, a shorter turnaround time, and could reliably predict rifampin resistance. Therefore, the Xpert assay might be preferentially recommended over TB-PCR in Korean TB diagnostic algorithm.

Fibrosing Mediastinits Causing Obstruction of Left Lower Lobar Bronchus: A Pediatric Case Report

Fibrosing mediastinitis is a rare benign disorder characterized by the proliferation of dense fibrous tissue within the mediastinum. It typically manifests as localized or infiltrative soft-tissue masses in the middle mediastinum or hilar area, which cause compression and encasement of adjacent mediastinal structures, such as the vessels or airway. Here, we report a rare case of fibrosing mediastinitis in a 13-year-old girl that presented as a middle mediastinal mass lesion on CT scan with obliterating left lower lobar bronchus. The patient’s symptoms and follow-up chest CT showed significant improvement following systemic corticosteroid treatment. As fibrosing mediastinitis can improve with systemic steroid therapy, radiologists must be aware of its radiologic findings when discriminating between infiltrating soft tissue lesions in the mediastinum.

Fatty acid synthetase expression in triple-negative breast cancer

Background@#Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has a relatively poor prognosis. Research has identified potential metabolic targets, including fatty acid metabolism, in TNBC. The absence of effective target therapies for TNBC led to exploration of the role of fatty acid synthetase (FASN) as a potential target for TNBC therapy. Here, we analyzed the expression of FASN, a representative lipid metabolism–related protein, and investigated the association between FASN expression and Ki-67 and the programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) biomarkers in TNBC. @*Methods@#Immunohistochemical expression of FASN was analyzed in 166 patients with TNBC. For analytical purposes, patients with 0–1+ FASN staining were grouped as low-grade FASN and patients with 2–3+ FASN staining as high-grade FASN. @*Results@#FASN expression was observed in 47.1% of TNBC patients. Low and high expression of FASN was identified in 75.9% and 24.1%, respectively, and no statistically significant difference was found in T category, N category, American Joint Committee on Cancer stage, or recurrence rate between the low and high-FASN expression groups. Ki-67 proliferation level was significantly different between the low and high-FASN expression groups. FASN expression was significantly related to Ki-67 as the level increased. There was no significant difference in PD-L1 positivity between the low- and high-FASN expression groups. @*Conclusions@#We identified FASN expression in 166 TNBC patients. The Ki-67 proliferation index was positively correlated with FASN level, indicating higher proliferation activity as FASN increases. However, there was no statistical association with PD-L1 SP142, the currently FDA-approved assay, or FASN expression level.

Tips for finding magnetic resonance imaging-detected suspicious breast lesions using second-look ultrasonography: a pictorial essay

Second-look ultrasonography (US) is a targeted breast US examination that evaluates suspicious lesions detected on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). It is a useful tool for determining the probability of malignancy and facilitating US-guided biopsy. Lesions detected on MRI and US should be correlated accurately, which is challenging in some cases. This article documents second-look US and MRI findings that are correlated with the pathology, and suggests helpful approaches for correlating between the two modalities.

Comparative Effects of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitor and Thiazolidinedione Treatment on Risk of Stroke among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Background@#Although cardiovascular outcome trials using sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i) showed a reduction in risk of 3-point major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), they did not demonstrate beneficial effects on stroke risk. Additionally, meta-analysis showed SGLT-2i potentially had an adverse effect on stroke risk. Contrarily, pioglitazone, a type of thiazolidinedione (TZD), has been shown to reduce recurrent stroke risk. Thus, we aimed to compare the effect of SGLT-2i and TZD on the risk of stroke in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. @*Methods@#Using the Korean National Health Insurance Service data, we compared a 1:1 propensity score-matched cohort of patients who used SGLT-2i or TZD from January 2014 to December 2018. The primary outcome was stroke. The secondary outcomes were myocardial infarction (MI), cardiovascular death, 3-point MACE, and heart failure (HF). @*Results@#After propensity-matching, each group included 56,794 patients. Baseline characteristics were well balanced. During the follow-up, 862 patients were newly hospitalized for stroke. The incidence rate of stroke was 4.11 and 4.22 per 1,000 person-years for the TZD and SGLT-2i groups respectively. The hazard ratio (HR) of stroke was 1.054 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.904 to 1.229) in the SGLT-2i group compared to the TZD group. There was no difference in the risk of MI, cardiovascular death, 3-point MACE between groups. Hospitalization for HF was significantly decreased in SGLT-2i-treated patients (HR, 0.645; 95% CI, 0.466 to 0.893). Results were consistent regardless of prior cardiovascular disease. @*Conclusion@#In this real-world data, the risk of stroke was comparable in T2DM patients treated with SGLT-2i or TZD.

Overexpression of FRAT1 protein is closely related to triple-negative breast cancer

Purpose@#Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer with a poor prognosis and a lack of targeted therapy. Overexpression of FRAT1 is thought to be associated with this aggressive subtype of cancer. Here, we performed a comprehensive analysis and assessed the association between overexpression of FRAT1 and TNBC. @*Methods@#First, using different web-based bioinformatics platforms (TIMER 2.0, UALCAN, and GEPIA 2), the expression of FRAT1 was assessed. Then, the expression of the FRAT1 protein and hormone receptors and HER2 status were assessed by immunohistochemical analysis. For samples of tumors with equivocal immunoreactivity, we performed silver in situ hybridization of the HER2 gene to determine an accurate HER2 status. Next, we used the R package and bc-GenExMiner 4.8 to analyze the relationship between FRAT1 expression and clinicopathological parameters in breast cancer patients.Finally, we determined the relationship between FRAT1 overexpression and prognosis in patients. @*Results@#The expression of FRAT1 in breast cancer tissues is significantly higher than in normal tissue. FRAT1 expression was significantly related to worse overall survival (P < 0.05) and was correlated with these clinicopathological features:T stage, N stage, age, high histologic grade, estrogen receptor status, progesterone receptor status, Her-2 status, TNBC status, basal-like status, CK5/6 status, and Ki67 status. @*Conclusion@#FRAT1 was overexpressed in breast cancer compared to normal tissue, and it may be involved in the progression of breast cancer malignancy. This study provides suggestive evidence of the prognostic role of FRAT1 in breast cancer and the therapeutic target for TNBC.

Change in sensitization to inhalant allergens in adults with respiratoryallergic disease in Busan and Gyeongsangnam-do province

Purpose@#It is crucial to identify the causative allergen of respiratory allergic disease. Air pollution and climate change affect the allergen concentration as well as the sensitization rate. This study aims to analyze the inhalant allergen sensitization in patients with respiratory allergic disease in Busan and Gyeongsangnam-do province. @*Methods@#We retrospectively analyzed skin prick test results from patients who visited an allergy clinic at a university hospital in Busan and Gyeongsangnam-do in 2011 and 2016. Sensitivity to inhalant allergens was identified and analyzed by year and region. The pollen allergen concentration in Busan was also analyzed. @*Results@#The total numbers of participants were 697 in 2011 and 1,644 in 2016. The mite sensitization rate was the highest at approximately 36%, and tree pollen sensitization rate showed 10%–15%. However, the sensitization of most tree pollen and Japanese hop significantly decreased in 2016. In 2011, the mite sensitization rate of patients in the Western Gyeongsangnam-do region was remarkably low at 26%–28%, but this difference disappeared in 2016. The concentration of pollen allergens in Busan showed a tendency to decrease. @*Conclusion@#This study confirmed the longitudinal change in the sensitization rate of major inhalant allergens in patients with respiratory allergy in Busan and Gyeongsangnam-do province, as well as a significant decrease in tree pollen antigen. Based on our results, this information can be used as a basis for future patient management, and further research will be made possible by establishing a research network.

Experiences and Perceptions of Gender Discrimination and Equality among Korean Surgeons: Results of a Survey of the Korean Surgical Society

Background@#Previous studies that have focused on the challenges faced by female surgeons, such as the gender pay gap, gender biases, lower likelihood of promotion, and gender differences in the perception of discrimination against women, are reviewed. A more comprehensive understanding of explicit and implicit gender discrimination and experiences and perceptions of discrimination is needed. This study aims to determine the current prevalence and degree of gender discrimination in the Korean Surgical Society and to compare the experiences and perceptions of gender discrimination between male and female surgeons. @*Methods@#We analyzed 400 responses from a survey sent to all members of the Korean Surgical Society. This electronic survey included 16 items on experiences of gender discrimination and 17 items on perceptions of gender discrimination. We conducted χ2 tests and binary logistic regression on the data regarding these experiences and perceptions of gender discrimination. @*Results@#Adjusted analyses found that female surgeons were more likely to experience gender discrimination than their male counterparts across all categories of discrimination. Further, adjusted analyses showed that female surgeons were more likely to confirm the presence of gender discrimination than male surgeons. @*Conclusion@#Female surgeons were more likely to experience implicit and explicit gender biases and discrimination throughout all stages of their career progression. We also discovered significant gender differences in the perception of gender discrimination, as well as the experience of it. Changing the male-dominated culture and raising awareness of gender biases and discrimination among male surgeons are crucial steps toward addressing gender discrimination in surgery.

Factors Related to Smoking Recurrence within Six-months Smoking Cessation among Employees in Enterprises with Smaller than 300 Workers

Purpose@#The purpose of this study is to identify factors associated with smoking relapse within six months after quit attempts among workers in small and medium-sized enterprises in South Korea. @*Methods@#The analysis was conducted for a total of 194 people who attempted to quit smoking by applying for a smoking cessation support service at the Regional Tobacco Control Center. The data used in the study were extracted from the Smoking Cessation Service Integrated Information System. Kaplan-Meier estimator and Cox proportional hazards regression model were used to identify variables associated with smoking relapse within six months’ time period. @*Results@#Smoking relapse rate within six months was 66.0%, and variables associated with relapse included the cases such as carbon monoxide (CO) at the time of registration (HR: 2.15, 95% CI: 1.10~4.22 for CO ≥20 ppm or more vs.CO ＜10 ppm), the average number of cigarettes smoked per day (HR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.00~1.07), and the number of counseling(HR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.54~0.67). @*Conclusion@#Smoking characteristics and counseling showed one of the strongest correlations with relapse within six months. This implies that it is necessary to understand the smoking characteristics and patterns of workers and to provide continuous smoking cessation counseling tailored to individual characteristics for effective smoking relapse prevention.

Development and External Validation of Survival Prediction Model for Pancreatic Cancer Using Two Nationwide Databases: Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) and Korea Tumor Registry System-Biliary Pancreas (KOTUS-BP)

Background/Aims@#Several prediction models for evaluating the prognosis of nonmetastatic resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) have been developed, and their performances were reported to be superior to that of the 8th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system. We developed a prediction model to evaluate the prognosis of resected PDAC and externally validated it with data from a nationwide Korean database. @*Methods@#Data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database were utilized for model development, and data from the Korea Tumor Registry System-Biliary Pancreas (KOTUS-BP) database were used for external validation. Potential candidate variables for model development were age, sex, histologic differentiation, tumor location, adjuvant chemotherapy, and the AJCC 8th staging system T and N stages. For external validation, the concordance index (C-index) and time-dependent area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were evaluated. @*Results@#Between 2004 and 2016, data from 9,624 patients were utilized for model development, and data from 3,282 patients were used for external validation. In the multivariate Cox proportional hazard model, age, sex, tumor location, T and N stages, histologic differentiation, and adjuvant chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors for resected PDAC. After an exhaustive search and 10-fold cross validation, the best model was finally developed, which included all prognostic variables. The C-index, 1-year, 2-year, 3-year, and 5-year time-dependent AUCs were 0.628, 0.650, 0.665, 0.675, and 0.686, respectively. @*Conclusions@#The survival prediction model for resected PDAC could provide quantitative survival probabilities with reliable performance. External validation studies with other nationwide databases are needed to evaluate the performance of this model.