Current Status and Physicians’ Perspectives of Childhood Cancer Survivorship in Korea: A Nationwide Survey of Pediatric Hematologists/ Oncologists

Background@#Data on the status of long-term follow-up (LTFU) care for childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) in Korea is lacking. This study was conducted to evaluate the current status of LTFU care for CCSs and relevant physicians’ perspectives. @*Methods@#A nationwide online survey of pediatric hematologists/oncologists in the Republic of Korea was undertaken. @*Results@#Overall, 47 of the 74 board-certified Korean pediatric hematologists/oncologists currently providing pediatric hematology/oncology care participated in the survey (response rate = 63.5%). Forty-five of the 47 respondents provided LTFU care for CCSs five years after the completion of primary cancer treatment. However, some of the 45 respondents provided LTFU care only for CCS with late complications or CCSs who requested LTFU care. Twenty of the 45 respondents oversaw LTFU care for adult CCSs, although pediatric hematologists/ oncologists experienced more difficulties managing adult CCSs. Many pediatric hematologists/oncologists did not perform the necessary screening test, although CCSs had risk factors for late complications, mostly because of insurance coverage issues and the lack of Korean LTFU guidelines. Regarding a desirable LTFU care system for CCSs in Korea, 27 of the 46 respondents (58.7%) answered that it is desirable to establish a multidisciplinary CCSs care system in which pediatric hematologists/oncologists and adult physicians cooperate. @*Conclusion@#The LTFU care system for CCS is underdeveloped in the Republic of Korea. It is urgent to establish an LTFU care system to meet the growing needs of Korean CCSs, which should include Korean CCSs care guidelines, provider education plans, the establishment of multidisciplinary care systems, and a supportive national healthcare policy.

Increased Risk of Osteoporosis in Gastric Cancer Survivors Compared to General Population Control: A Study with Representative Korean Population / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: Although several studies have suggested that osteoporosis is common in survivors of gastric cancer (GC), no study to date has directly assessed the risk for osteoporosis in GC survivors compared to matched controls. Thus, we aimed to investigate the relative risk for osteoporosis in survivors of GC compared to general population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data (2008-2011). Patients with a history of GC (n=94) were defined as case among 8,142 individuals over 50 years old who were evaluated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Controls (n=470) were matched to cases by age and sex in a 1:5 ratio. Osteopenia (–2.5 < T-score < –1.0) and osteoporosis (T-score ≤ –2.5) were defined. RESULTS: The prevalence of osteoporosis in GC survivors was 30.2%, which was significantly greater than that of controls (19.7%). In total, GC survivors had a 3.7-fold increased risk for osteoporosis compared to controls (p=0.021). In addition, the risk for osteoporosis of the total proximal femur total (TF) and femur neck (FN) was significantly increased among GC survivors compared to controls (adjusted relative risk, 4.64; 95% confidence interval, 1.16 to 18.6 in TF and adjusted relative risk, 3.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.19 to 10.8 in FN). Furthermore, we found sub-optimal daily calcium intake and mean serum levels of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D in both groups. CONCLUSION: GC survivors are at significantly increased risk for osteoporosis, especially in the femur. Clinically, our finding supports the importance of screening bone health and adequate nutrient supplementation in survivors of GC.

Primary Care Perspectives in Japan

With an increase in aging population and medical expenditure worldwide, primary care has been rising as a solution to these. Japan, a representative aging society which has the most elderly population in the world, also has tried to develop a primary care system and implemented many changes recently. Based on what authors experienced and observed at the points of care in Japan, we are going to review the primary care system and training strategy of family medicine in Japan and come up with some suggestions that could apply to Korea.

Associations between Metabolic Syndrome and Inadequate Sleep Duration and Skipping Breakfast / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is increasing worldwide, and previous studies have shown that inadequate sleep duration and skipping breakfast may be related to metabolic syndrome. Therefore, we investigated the effects of inadequate sleep and skipping breakfast on metabolic syndrome using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) IV & V reports (2007-2009 and 2010-2012, respectively). METHODS: The sample included 12,999 subjects who participated in the KNHANES IV & V. Sleep duration and breakfast eating were self-reported, and metabolic syndrome was defined according to the modified National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines. Subjects were divided into 12 groups according to breakfast eating and sleep duration patterns, and multiple logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, household income, education level, smoking status, alcohol drinking, physical activity, and total daily energy intake were conducted. RESULTS: In subjects under 50 years of age, sleeping less than 6 hours was significantly associated with increased metabolic syndrome except among those who ate breakfast on only 1 of the past 2 days. In subjects over 50 years of age, sleeping less than 6 hours was significantly associated with a decreased risk of metabolic syndrome among those who ate breakfast on both days. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, significant associations between metabolic syndrome and sleep duration were identified, and these associations differed according to age group.

Barrier Factors to the Completion of Diabetes Education in Korean Diabetic Adult Patients: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 2007-2012 / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a disease with high social burdens and is expected to increase gradually. A long-term management is essential for the treatment of diabetes, requiring patient self-cares. Diabetes education is important for such self-cares, but it does not sufficiently take place. In addition, little studies have been conducted on the barriers to the completion of diabetes education. This study, thus, aimed to analyze the factors related to the completion of diabetes education and investigate its barriers. METHODS: Of 50,405 respondents to the fourth and fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a total of 3,820 were selected for the analysis, excluding those aged 29 or younger and those with missing values. The completion of diabetes education was set as a dependent variable and an analysis was made on the factors that affect the dependent variable. A multivariable logistic regression was employed for the analysis. RESULTS: Lower educational level was associated with less diabetes education, and the degree of diabetes education was lower in the group with male, the group that didn't have a family history or was not aware of a family history, the group that was not currently aware of diabetes and the group without a spouse. There was no difference in the completion of diabetes education by underlying diseases, family income level, age, residing area, economic activity status, insurance coverage, smoking, and drinking. CONCLUSION: Diabetes education is of importance for the treatment and management of diabetes. Currently, however, diabetes education is not sufficiently carried out in Korea. The completion rate of diabetes education was low in male, patients without or not knowing a family history, patients who were not currently aware of their diabetes, patients without a spouse, and patients with low educational level. Therefore, encouraging these patients to take the education will be a more effective approach to increase the completion rate of diabetes education.

Association between Helicobacter pylori Infection and Cerebral Small Vessel Disease / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: Small vessel disease is an important cause of cerebrovascular diseases and cognitive impairment in the elderly. There have been conflicting results regarding the relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and ischemic stroke. This study aimed to examine the association between H. pylori infection and cerebral small vessel disease. METHODS: The study included 1,117 patients who underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging and H. pylori identification between 2005 and 2013 at Health Promotion Center, Seoul National University Hospital. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between H. pylori infection and small vessel disease with adjustment for age, sex, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, body mass index, smoking status, problem drinking, and antiplatelet use. RESULTS: The adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for the association between H. pylori infection and silent brain infarction and cerebral microbleeds were 1.03 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.66-1.61) and 0.70 (95% CI, 0.38-1.28), respectively. The aORs for silent brain infarction and cerebral microbleeds were 0.81 (95% CI, 0.44-1.44) and 0.59 (95% CI, 0.30-1.18) in patients aged 65 years, respectively. Moreover, the aORs for silent brain infarction and cerebral microbleeds were 0.96 (95% CI, 0.54-1.71) and 0.74 (95% CI, 0.33-1.69) in H. pylori-infected patients without atrophic gastritis and 0.89 (95% CI, 0.48-1.62) and 0.99 (95% CI, 0.43-2.27) in those with atrophic gastritis, respectively. CONCLUSION: No association between H. pylori infection and small vessel disease was observed. H. pylori-induced inflammation may not be a risk factor for microcirculatory damage in the brain.

Depression and Its Severity Are Strongly Associated with Both Storage and Voiding Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Independently of Prostate Volume

Depression is related to various functional medical conditions. Its association with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) is also expected. We evaluated whether depression and its severity are associated with LUTS when LUTS risk factors including prostate volume (PV) are taken into account in a large population of Korean men. Study subjects included 10,275 men who underwent routine health check-ups at the Healthcare System Gangnam Center of Seoul National University Hospital. Depression was assessed using Beck Depression Inventory-II and LUTS using international prostate symptom score. PV was measured using transrectal ultrasonography by a radiologist. Effect sizes of depression severity on total, storage, and voiding symptoms were assessed. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, mild, moderate and severe depression were associated with total (adjusted odds ratio: aOR = 2.99, 3.86 and 8.99; all P < 0.001), voiding (aOR = 3.04, 3.28 and 5.58; all P < 0.001) and storage symptoms (aOR = 2.43, 3.43 and 2.89; all P < 0.05) showing dose response relationships (all P trend < 0.001). In a subgroup analysis for participants with PV data (n = 1,925), mild and moderate-severe depression were also associated with LUTS (aOR = 3.29, 2.84; P < 0.001 and 0.018, respectively). In conclusion, depression and its severity are strongly associated with total, voiding, and storage symptoms independently of PV state.