The current status of hormone treatment for prostate cancer patients in Korean real-world practice: a multi-institutional observational study / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

We aimed to evaluate the current nationwide trend, efficacy, safety, and quality of life (QoL) profiles of hormone treatment in real-world practice settings for prostate cancer (PCa) patients in Korea. A total of 292 men with any biopsy-proven PCa (TanyNanyMany) from 12 institutions in Korea were included in this multi-institutional, observational study of prospectively collected data. All luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists were allowed to be investigational drugs. Efficacy was defined as (1) the rate of castration (serum testosterone ≤50 ng dl-1) at 4-week visit and (2) breakthrough (serum testosterone >50 ng dl-1 after castration). Safety assessments included routine examinations for potential adverse events, laboratory tests, blood pressure, body weight, and bone mineral density (BMD, at baseline and at the last follow-up visit). QoL was assessed using the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite-26 (EPIC-26). The most common initial therapeutic regimen was LHRH agonist with anti-androgen (78.0%), and the most commonly used LHRH agonist for combination and monotherapy was leuprolide (64.0% for combination and 58.0% for monotherapy). The castration and breakthrough rates were 78.4% and 6.6%, respectively. The laboratory results related to dyslipidemia worsened after 4 weeks of hormone treatment. In addition, the mean BMD T-score was significantly lower at the last follow-up (mean: -1.950) compared to baseline (mean: -0.195). The mean total EPIC-26 score decreased from 84.8 (standard deviation [s.d.]: 12.2) to 78.3 (s.d.: 8.1), with significant deterioration only in the urinary domain (mean: 23.5 at baseline and 21.9 at the 4-week visit). These findings demonstrate the nationwide trend of current practice settings in hormone treatment for PCa in Korea.

Association of mitochondrial haplogroup F with physical performance in korean population

Athletic performance is a complex multifactorial trait involving genetic and environmental factors. The heritability of an athlete status was reported to be about 70% in a twin study, and at least 155 genetic markers are known to be related with athlete status. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) encodes essential proteins for oxidative phosphorylation, which is related to aerobic capacity. Thus, mtDNA is a candidate marker for determining physical performance. Recent studies have suggested that polymorphisms of mtDNA are associated with athlete status and/or physical performance in various populations. Therefore, we analyzed mtDNA haplogroups to assess their association with the physical performance of Korean population. The 20 mtDNA haplogroups were determined using the SNaPshot assay. Our result showed a significant association of the haplogroup F with athlete status (odds ratio, 3.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.094 to 8.464; p = 0.012). Athletes with haplogroup F (60.64 ± 3.04) also demonstrated a higher Sargent jump than athletes with other haplogroups (54.28 ± 1.23) (p = 0.041). Thus, our data imply that haplogroup F may play a crucial role in the physical performance of Korean athletes. Functional studies with larger sample sizes are necessary to further substantiate these findings.

The current status of hormone treatment for prostate cancer patients in Korean real-world practice: A multi-institutional observational study / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

We aimed to evaluate the current nationwide trend, efficacy, safety, and quality of life (QoL) profiles of hormone treatment in real-world practice settings for prostate cancer (PCa) patients in Korea. A total of 292 men with any biopsy-proven PCa (TanyNanyMany) from 12 institutions in Korea were included in this multi-institutional, observational study of prospectively collected data. All luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists were allowed to be investigational drugs. Efficacy was defined as (1) the rate of castration (serum testosterone ≤50 ng dl-1) at 4-week visit and (2) breakthrough (serum testosterone >50 ng dl-1 after castration). Safety assessments included routine examinations for potential adverse events, laboratory tests, blood pressure, body weight, and bone mineral density (BMD, at baseline and at the last follow-up visit). QoL was assessed using the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite-26 (EPIC-26). The most common initial therapeutic regimen was LHRH agonist with anti-androgen (78.0%), and the most commonly used LHRH agonist for combination and monotherapy was leuprolide (64.0% for combination and 58.0% for monotherapy). The castration and breakthrough rates were 78.4% and 6.6%, respectively. The laboratory results related to dyslipidemia worsened after 4 weeks of hormone treatment. In addition, the mean BMD T-score was significantly lower at the last follow-up (mean: -1.950) compared to baseline (mean: -0.195). The mean total EPIC-26 score decreased from 84.8 (standard deviation [s.d.]: 12.2) to 78.3 (s.d.: 8.1), with significant deterioration only in the urinary domain (mean: 23.5 at baseline and 21.9 at the 4-week visit). These findings demonstrate the nationwide trend of current practice settings in hormone treatment for PCa in Korea.

Cutaneous Carcinosarcoma: a Clinicopathologic and Immunohistochemical Analysis of 11 Korean Cases

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous carcinosarcoma is a rare biphasic tumor comprising malignant epithelial and heterologous mesenchymal elements. Data on the clinical and histopathologic characteristics of this tumor in Asian populations are not available. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical features of cutaneous carcinosarcoma in the Korean population. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 11 patients with cutaneous carcinosarcoma who were diagnosed from 2006 to 2016. RESULTS: The mean patient age at diagnosis was 71.5 years (range, 43–96 years) and there was a men predilection. The most common site of cutaneous carcinosarcoma was the head and neck (8/11, 72.7%). Histopathologically, most tumors showed a characteristic morphology consisting of two types of tumor cells, varied differentiated epithelial cells (such as basal or squamous cells) and spindle cells with transition zones between the two components. These two cell types also demonstrated variable immunohistochemical characteristics. CONCLUSION: Although the number of cases in this study was limited, our results provide valuable insight into the clinical and histopathologic characteristics of cutaneous carcinosarcoma in the Korean population.

Prognostic Radiological Factors Affecting Clinical Outcomes of Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty in the Korean Population

BACKGROUND: Despite the growing use of reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA), it is associated with relatively frequent complications and uncertain clinical outcomes. We investigated radiological factors affecting clinical outcomes of RSA in the Korean population. METHODS: We evaluated physical findings, radiographic findings, visual analog scale scores for pain and satisfaction, and several functional scores in 179 consecutive patients who underwent RSA at two centers between 2008 and 2014. RESULTS: In 146 included RSAs, pain and forward flexion improved with deltoid lengthening (average, 23.5 ± 9.1 mm; p = 0.039). External rotation decreased with medialization (average, 16.8 ± 6.0 mm, p = 0.025), whereas internal rotation showed no correlation with humeral retroversion. Scapular notching (n = 44, 30%) significantly decreased with greater inferior glenosphere overhang (average, 2.94 ± 3.0 mm; p = 0.001), greater prosthesis scapular neck angle (average, 104° ± 10.3°; p = 0.001), greater glenoid neck length (average, 9.8 ± 2.54 mm; p = 0.012), lower inferior baseplate tilt angle (average, 105.5° ± 9.2°; p = 0.009), and varus humeral neck-shaft angle (p = 0.046), and it did not affect ranges of motion and pain, satisfaction, and functional scores. At the final follow-up, medialization was related to improvement in pain and satisfaction, and inferior glenosphere overhang to functional scores. CONCLUSIONS: Proper amount of deltoid lengthening (mean, 2.3 cm) and inferior glenosphere overhang (mean, 2.9 mm) should be chosen for the better outcomes, while the center of rotation should be individualized according to patient characteristics in the Korean population.

Characteristics and Treatment Patterns of Patients with Advanced Soft Tissue Sarcoma in Korea / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: A soft tissue sarcoma (STS) is a rare type of cancer, accounting for 1% of adult solid cancers. The aim of the present study is to determine the incidence of localized and advanced STS in Korean patients, their treatment patterns, and the survival of patients by disease status. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The STS patient cohort was defined using National Health Insurance Service medical data from 2002 to 2015. Incidence, distribution, anatomical location of tumors, survival rates (Kaplan-Meyer survival function) and treatment patterns were analyzed by applying different algorithms to the STS cohort containing localized and advanced STS cases. RESULTS: A total of 7,813 patients were diagnosed with STS from 2007 to 2014, 4,307 were localized STS and 3,506 advanced STS cases. The total incidence of STS was 2.49 per 100,000 person- years: 1.37 per 100,000 person-years for localized STS and 1.12 per 100,000 person-years for advanced STS. The 5-year survival rate after diagnosis was 56.4% for all STS, 82.4% for localized, and 27.2% for advanced STS. Half of the advanced STS patients (49.98%) received anthracycline-containing chemotherapy as initial treatment after diagnosis. CONCLUSION: This study provides insights into localized and advanced STS epidemiology, treatment patterns and outcomes in Korea, which could be used as fundamental data in improving clinical outcomes of STS patients in the future.

Blood Pressure and the Risk of Death From Non-cardiovascular Diseases: A Population-based Cohort Study of Korean Adults / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP) and the risk of death from specific causes other than cardiovascular diseases. METHODS: We calculated the risk of specific death by SBP and DBP categories for 506 508 health examinees in 2002-2003 using hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in a Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: Compared to normal levels (SBP < 120 or DBP < 90 mmHg), stage I systolic and diastolic hypertension (SBP 140-159, DBP 85- 89 mmHg, respectively) were associated with an increased risk of death from diabetes mellitus, alcoholic liver disease, and renal failure (HR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.51 to 2.22; HR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.46; HR, 2.30; 95% CI, 1.64 to 3.21; HR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.27 to 2.20; HR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.41 to 2.81; HR, 1.31; 95% CI, 0.99 to 1.73, respectively), but a decreased risk of death from intestinal pneumonia (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.42 to 0.98; HR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.39 to 0.91). Only stage II systolic hypertension (SBP ≥160 mmHg) was associated with an increased risk of death from pneumonia, liver cirrhosis, and intestinal ischemia (HR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.19 to 1.98; HR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.00 to 2.15; HR, 3.77; 95% CI, 1.24 to 11.40, respectively), and stage I and II diastolic hypertension (SBP 140-159 and ≥160 mmHg) were associated with an increased risk of death from intestinal ischemia (HR, 3.07; 95% CI, 1.27 to 7.38; HR, 4.39; 95% CI, 1.62 to 11.88, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: An increase in blood pressure levels may alter the risk of death from certain causes other than cardiovascular diseases, a well-known outcome of hypertension, although the mechanism of these associations is not well documented.

Influence of CYP2D6 Polymorphism on the Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Characteristics of Carvedilol in Healthy Korean Volunteers

BACKGROUND: Carvedilol is commonly used to treat hypertension as a β- and α1-adrenoreceptor blocker, but it is metabolized by CYP2D6, and CYP2D6*10 allele is dominant in Asian population. The objective of this study was to assess the influence of CYP2D6 polymorphisms on the pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) characteristics of carvedilol in healthy Korean volunteers. METHODS: A PK/PD study for a single and multiple dosing of carvedilol were conducted. All volunteers in 3 genotypic groups received single oral dose of carvedilol 12.5 mg for 3 days, then 25 mg QD for 5 days, and 12.5 mg QD for another 3 days. PK parameters for carvedilol and its three metabolites were determined using non-compartmental analysis. For PD properties, blood pressure, heart rate, and the chronotropic dose 25 (CD25) value were obtained. RESULTS: The IM_2 group with two *10 alleles (intermediate metabolizers) exhibited lower clearance of carvedilol as well as higher area under the curve (AUC) for O-desmethyl carvedilol. The ratio of CD25 to baseline at multiple dosing was significantly higher in the combined IM group (IM_1 and IM_2) than in the EM group, however, the ratio of CD25 after single and multiple dosing and the other PD markers were not significantly different between the 3 genotypic groups compared with the baseline. CONCLUSION: These findings showed that CYP2D6 genotype influenced the PK characteristics of carvedilol and no differences in PD response were observed in Korean healthy volunteers. Registered at the ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02286934.

Novel SLC37A4 Mutations in Korean Patients With Glycogen Storage Disease Ib

BACKGROUND: Molecular techniques are fundamental for establishing an accurate diagnosis and therapeutic approach of glycogen storage diseases (GSDs). We aimed to evaluate SLC37A4 mutation spectrum in Korean GSD Ib patients. METHODS: Nine Korean patients from eight unrelated families with GSD Ib were included. SLC37A4 mutations were detected in all patients with direct sequencing using a PCR method and/or whole-exome sequencing. A comprehensive review of previously reported SLC37A4 mutations was also conducted. RESULTS: Nine different pathogenic SLC37A4 mutations were identified in the nine patients with GSD Ib. Among them, four novel mutations were identified: c.148G>A (pGly50Arg), c.320G>A (p.Trp107*), c.412T>C (p.Trp138Arg), and c.818G>A (p.Gly273Asp). The most common mutation type was missense mutations (66.7%, 6/9), followed by nonsense mutations (22.2%, 2/9) and small deletion mutations (11.1%, 1/9). The most common mutation identified in the Korean population was c.443C>T (p.Ala148Val), which comprised 39.9% (7/18) of all tested alleles. This mutation has not been reported in GSD Ib patients in other ethnic populations. CONCLUSIONS: This study expands knowledge of the SLC37A4 mutation spectrum in Korean patients with GSD Ib.

Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in Patients with Schizophrenia in Korea: A Multicenter Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVE: We designed a nationwide study with limited exclusion criteria to investigate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Korea and its relationship with antipsychotic medications. METHODS: This multicenter, cross-sectional, and observational study included patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Sixteen hospitals enrolled 845 patients aged 18 to 65 years prescribed any antipsychotic medication between August 2011 and August 2013. MetS was diagnosed using the criteria of the modified Adult Treatment Panel III of the National Cholesterol Education Program with the Korean abdominal obesity definition (waist circumference ≥85 cm in women, ≥90 cm in men). RESULTS: The prevalence of MetS in all patients was 36.5% and was significantly higher in men than women (men, 40.8%; women, 32.2%) and was significantly correlated with age [odds ratio (OR) 1.02] and duration of illness (OR 1.03). The prevalence of MetS across antipsychotic drugs in the major monotherapy group was as follows: 18.8% for quetiapine, 22.0% for aripiprazole, 33.3% for both amisulpride and paliperidone, 34.0% for olanzapine, 35% for risperidone, 39.4% for haloperidol, and 44.7% for clozapine. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of MetS is very high in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Screening and monitoring of MetS is also strongly recommended.

Clinical and Radiological Results of Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty Using a 25-mm Glenoid Baseplate

BACKGROUND: The size of the baseplate used in reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) tends to be larger than the average size of the glenoid in the Korean population. The mismatch between the sizes of the baseplate and the patient's glenoid may result in improper fixation of the glenoid baseplate. This in turn may lead to the premature loosening of the glenoid component. Thus, we evaluated the short-term results of using a 25-mm baseplate in RTSA. METHODS: Seventeen patients with cuff tear arthropathy underwent RTSA with a 25-mm baseplate. The mean age of the patients was 70.1 years, and the mean follow-up period was 14.0 months. We evaluated clinical outcomes preoperatively and postoperatively: the range of shoulder motion, the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, and the Korean Shoulder Society (KSS) score. RESULTS: We found that the mean ASES score and KSS improved from 35.0 to 74.4 (p<0.001) and from 46.9 to 71.8 (p<0.001) with RTSA. The mean forward elevation and abduction, external rotation also improved from 78.6degrees to 134.3degrees (p<0.05) and from 66.6degrees to 125.0degrees (p<0.05), from 20.2degrees to 28.4degrees (p=0.43). Postoperative complications were seen in 12% of patients, but neither the loosening of the glenoid baseplate nor inferior scapular notching were observed. CONCLUSION: In sum, the results of using a 25-mm baseplate in RTSA were similar to those of previous reports. Even though the outcomes are those of a short-term follow-up, neither the loosening of the glenoid baseplate nor the scapular notching were observed.

Clinical and Radiological Results of Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty Using a 25-mm Glenoid Baseplate

BACKGROUND: The size of the baseplate used in reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) tends to be larger than the average size of the glenoid in the Korean population. The mismatch between the sizes of the baseplate and the patient's glenoid may result in improper fixation of the glenoid baseplate. This in turn may lead to the premature loosening of the glenoid component. Thus, we evaluated the short-term results of using a 25-mm baseplate in RTSA. METHODS: Seventeen patients with cuff tear arthropathy underwent RTSA with a 25-mm baseplate. The mean age of the patients was 70.1 years, and the mean follow-up period was 14.0 months. We evaluated clinical outcomes preoperatively and postoperatively: the range of shoulder motion, the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, and the Korean Shoulder Society (KSS) score. RESULTS: We found that the mean ASES score and KSS improved from 35.0 to 74.4 (p<0.001) and from 46.9 to 71.8 (p<0.001) with RTSA. The mean forward elevation and abduction, external rotation also improved from 78.6degrees to 134.3degrees (p<0.05) and from 66.6degrees to 125.0degrees (p<0.05), from 20.2degrees to 28.4degrees (p=0.43). Postoperative complications were seen in 12% of patients, but neither the loosening of the glenoid baseplate nor inferior scapular notching were observed. CONCLUSION: In sum, the results of using a 25-mm baseplate in RTSA were similar to those of previous reports. Even though the outcomes are those of a short-term follow-up, neither the loosening of the glenoid baseplate nor the scapular notching were observed.

Evaluation of Femoral Neck Bone Mineral Density and Radiographic Hand and Knee Osteoarthritis in a Korean Elderly Population

BACKGROUND: Reports on the relationship between osteoporosis and osteoarthritis (OA) have tended to disagree, especially in non-weight bearing joints such as the hand joints. We aimed to investigate the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) and hand and knee OA in a general Korean elderly population. METHODS: We evaluated femur neck BMD and the hand and knee radiographs of 143 men and 123 women over 65 years of age who participated in a population-based cohort study. The Kellgren-Lawrence criteria for grading OA were implemented, and grade 2 or higher were categorized as radiographic OA. BMD was compared according to the existence of radiographic OA in the hand and knee using analysis of covariance, and correlation analyses were performed to explore the relationship between BMD and radiographic OA grade. RESULTS: After controlling for age and body mass index, there was no significant difference in BMD between participants with and without hand OA (p = 0.717 in male and p = 0.862 in female), between those with and without knee OA (p = 0.974 in male and p = 0.563 in female), and between those with only hand OA and those with only knee OA (p = 0.920 in male and p = 0.961 in female). Furthermore, there was no significant correlation between BMD and the radiographic OA grade of the hands (p = 0.182 in male and p = 0.897 in female) and knees (p = 0.245 in male and p = 0.098 in female). CONCLUSIONS: In our cohort of the general Korean elderly population, no association was found between osteoporosis and OA, regardless of the weight bearing status of the joints.

Bodies for Empire: Biopolitics, Reproduction, and Sexual Knowledge in Late Colonial Korea / 의사학

This paper explores the history of the biomedical construction of women's bodies as social bodies in the formation of colonial modernity in Korea. To do so, I engage with Michel Foucault's concepts of governmentality and biopolitics and the postcolonial history of medicine that has critically revisited these Foucauldian notions. These offer critical insights into the modern calculation of population and the biomedical gaze on female bodies on the Korean Peninsula under Japan's colonial rule (1910-1945). Foucauldian reflections on governmentality and colonial medicine can also shed light on the role of biomedical physicians in the advancement of colonial biopolitics. Biomedical physicians-state and non-state employees and colonizers and colonized alike - served as key agents investigating, knowing, and managing, as well as proliferating a discourse about, women's bodies and reproduction during Japan's empire-building. In particular, this paper sheds light on the processes by which Korean women's bodies became the objects of intense scrutiny as part of an attempt to quantify, as well as maximize, the total population in late colonial Korea. In the aftermath of the establishment of the Manchurian puppet state in 1932, Japanese imperial and colonial states actively sought to mobilize Koreans as crucial human resources for the further penetration of Japan's imperial holdings into the Chinese continent. State and non-state medical doctors meticulously interrogated, recorded, and circulated knowledge about the sexual and conjugal practices and reproductive life of Korean women in the agricultural sector, for the purposes of measuring and increasing the size, health, and vitality of the colonial population. At the heart of such medical endeavors stood the Investigative Committee for Social Hygiene in Rural Korea and Japan-trained Korean medical students/physicians, including Ch'oe Ug-sok, who carried out a social hygiene study in the mid-1930s. Their study illuminates the ways in which Korean women's bodies entered the modern domain of scientific knowledge at the intersection of Japan's imperialism, colonial governmentality, and biomedicine. A critical case study of the Investigative Committee's study and Ch'oe can set the stage for clarifying the vestiges as well as the reformulation of knowledge, ideas, institutions, and activities of colonial biopolitics in the divided Koreas.

The Prevalence of Lumbar Spine Facet Joint Osteoarthritis and Its Association with Low Back Pain in Selected Korean Populations

BACKGROUND: This study was to evaluate the association of lumbar spine facet joint osteoarthritis (LSFJOA) identified by multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) with age and low back pain (LBP) in an adult community-based population in Korea. METHODS: A sample of 472 participants (age range, 20 to 84 years) who underwent MDCT imaging for abdominal or urological lesions, not for chief complaints of LBP, were included in this study. LSFJOA based on MDCT findings was characterized using four grades of osteoarthritis of the facet joints. The prevalence of LSFJOA according to age group (below 40 years, 40-49 years, 50-59 years, 60-69 years, and above 70 years), gender, and spinal level was analyzed using chi-square tests and the association between LBP and LSFJOA adjusting for age, gender, and spine level was analyzed using multiple binary logistic regression test. RESULTS: Eighty-three study subjects (17.58%) had LSFJOA (grade > or = 2). The prevalence of LSFJOA was not associated with gender (p = 0.092). The prevalence of LSFJOA increased with age (p = 0.015). The highest prevalence of LSFJOA was observed at L4-5 in men (p = 0.001) and at L5-S1 in women (p = 0.003), and at L5-S1 in the overall population (p = 0.000). LSFJOA was not associated with LBP in men (p = 0.093) but was associated with LBP in women (p = 0.003), especially at L3-4 (p = 0.018) and L5-S1 (p = 0.026). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of LSFJOA based on the computed tomography imaging was 17.58% in the adult community Korean population. The prevalence of LSFJOA increased with age, and the highest prevalence was noted at L5-S1. LSFJOA was not associated with LBP at any spinal level and age except at L3-4 and L5-S1 in women.

Vitamin D Status in Korea

The majority of the vitamin D in our body is produced by cutaneous synthesis in response to sunlight. As more and more people live in cities and spend the bulk of their time indoors, it can be difficult to get sufficient sun exposure for adequate cutaneous production of vitamin D. Therefore, vitamin D insufficiency has become a very common health problem worldwide. The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IV 2008 showed that the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency, defined as a serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] level below 50 nmol/L, was 47.3% in males and 64.5% in females. Only 13.2% of males and 6.7% of females had a serum 25(OH)D level of greater than 75 nmol/L. In Korea, vitamin D insufficiency was more prevalent in young adults than in elderly people, likely due to the indoor lifestyle of younger people. Compared with the United States and Canada, Korea has a lower mean 25(OH)D level and a higher prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency. To improve the vitamin D status of the Korean population, more aggressive policies on food fortification and vitamin D supplementation are needed.

Normative Measurements of Grip and Pinch Strengths of 21st Century Korean Population

BACKGROUND: Measuring grip and pinch strength is an important part of hand injury evaluation. Currently, there are no standardized values of normal grip and pinch strength among the Korean population, and lack of such data prevents objective evaluation of post-surgical recovery in strength. This study was designed to establish the normal values of grip and pinch strength among the healthy Korean population and to identify any dependent variables affecting grip and pinch strength. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out. The inclusion criterion was being a healthy Korean person without a previous history of hand trauma. The grip strength was measured using a Jamar dynamometer. Pulp and key pinch strength were measured with a hydraulic pinch gauge. Intra-individual and inter-individual variations in these variables were analyzed in a standardized statistical manner. RESULTS: There were a total of 336 healthy participants between 13 and 77 years of age. As would be expected in any given population, the mean grip and pinch strength was greater in the right hand than the left. Male participants (137) showed mean strengths greater than female participants (199) when adjusted for age. Among the male participants, anthropometric variables correlated positively with grip strength, but no such correlations were identifiable in female participants in a statistically significant way. CONCLUSIONS: Objective measurements of hand strength are an important component of hand injury evaluation, and population-specific normative data are essential for clinical and research purposes. This study reports updated normative hand strengths of the South Korean population in the 21st century.

Distribution of Vascular Canal at Lateral Wall of Maxillary Sinus in Korean Population Using Computed Tomography

Anatomy of the Sinoatrial Nodal Branch in Korean Population: Imaging with MDCT

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate, on a retrospective basis, the anatomic characteristics of the arterial supply to the sinoatrial node (SAN) in the Korean population using an ECG-gated multi-detector CT (MDCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The electrocardiographic-gated MDCTs of 500 patients (258 men and 242 women; age range, 17-83 years; mean age, 58.6 +/- 12.04 years) were analyzed retrospectively. In each case, the SAN artery (arteries) was named according to a special nomenclature with regard to origin, course, and termination. RESULTS: A total of 516 SAN arteries were visualized in 496 patients. The SAN was supplied by a single artery in 476 (96.4%) cases and by 2 arteries in 18 (3.6%) cases. The SAN originated from the right coronary artery in 265 (53.4%) cases and from the left circumflex in 213 (43%) cases. CONCLUSION: This study can provide basic data on variations of the SAN artery in the Korean population.

The Relationship between Lewis/Secretor Genotypes and Serum Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9 Levels in a Korean Population / 대한진단검사의학회지

BACKGROUND: The Lewis histo-blood group system consists of 2 major antigens-Lea and Leb-and a sialyl Lewis antigen-carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9. We investigated the distribution of Lewis genotypes and evaluated the relationship between the Lewis/Secretor genotypes and the serum level of CA 19-9 in a Korean population to identify whether the serum CA 19-9 levels are influenced by the Lewis/Secretor genotypes. METHODS: The study included 242 individuals who had no malignancies. Lewis genotyping was performed for the 59T>G, 508G>A and 1067T>A polymorphic sites. The Secretor genotype was determined through analysis of the 357C>T and 385A>T polymorphic sites and the fusion gene. Serum CA 19-9 level was analyzed using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. RESULTS: Individuals carrying the 3 common genotypes-Le/Le, Le/le(59,508), and Le/le(59,1067)-accounted for 95% of the study population. In the Korean population, the allelic frequencies of Le, Le(59), le(59,508), and le(59,1067) were 0.731, 0.010, 0.223, and 0.035, respectively. We found a significant difference in serum CA 19-9 concentrations among the 9 Lewis/Secretor genotype groups (P<0.001). The serum CA 19-9 levels in subjects with genotype groups 1 and 2 (Le/- and se/se) were higher than those with genotype groups 3-6 (Le/- and Se/-; 15.63 vs 6.64 kU/L, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Le/Le, Le/le(59,508), and Le/le(59,1067) are frequent Lewis genotypes in Koreans. Because serum CA 19-9 levels are significantly influenced by the Lewis/Secretor genotypes, caution is suggested when interpreting the serum CA 19-9 levels.