Journal of Korean Medical Science最新文献

Background: The accuracy of Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) mappings is reportedly low, and the LOINC codes used for research purposes in Korea have not been validated for accuracy or usability. Our study aimed to evaluate the discrepancies and similarities in interoperability using existing LOINC mappings in actual patient care settings.

Methods: We collected data on local test codes and their corresponding LOINC mappings from seven university hospitals. Our analysis focused on laboratory tests that are frequently requested, excluding clinical microbiology and molecular tests. Codes from nationwide proficiency tests served as intermediary benchmarks for comparison. A research team, comprising clinical pathologists and terminology experts, utilized the LOINC manual to reach a consensus on determining the most suitable LOINC codes.

Results: A total of 235 LOINC codes were designated as optimal codes for 162 frequent tests. Among these, 51 test items, including 34 urine tests, required multiple optimal LOINC codes, primarily due to unnoted properties such as whether the test was quantitative or qualitative, or differences in measurement units. We analyzed 962 LOINC codes linked to 162 tests across seven institutions, discovering that 792 (82.3%) of these codes were consistent. Inconsistencies were most common in the analyte component (38 inconsistencies, 33.3%), followed by the method (33 inconsistencies, 28.9%), and properties (13 inconsistencies, 11.4%).

Conclusion: This study reveals a significant inconsistency rate of over 15% in LOINC mappings utilized for research purposes in university hospitals, underlining the necessity for expert verification to enhance interoperability in real patient care.

Background: This study aimed to identify key priorities for the development of guidelines for information and communication technology (ICT)-based patient education tailored to the needs of patients with rheumatic diseases (RDs) in the Republic of Korea, based on expert consensus.

Methods: A two-round modified Delphi study was conducted with 20 rheumatology, patient education, and digital health literacy experts. A total of 35 items covering 7 domains and 18 subdomains were evaluated. Each item was evaluated for its level of importance, and the responses were rated on a 4-point Likert scale. Consensus levels were defined as "high" (interquartile range [IQR] ≤ 1, agreement ≥ 80%, content validity ratio [CVR] ≥ 0.7), "Moderate" (IQR ≥ 1, agreement 50-79%, CVR 0.5-0.7), and "Low" (IQR > 1, agreement < 50%, CVR < 0.5).

Results: Strong consensus was reached for key priorities for developing guidelines in areas such as health literacy, digital health literacy, medical terminology, user interface, and user experience design for mobile apps. Chatbot use and video (e.g., YouTube) also achieved high consensus, whereas AI-powered platforms such as ChatGPT showed moderate-to-high agreement. Telemedicine was excluded because of insufficient consensus.

Conclusion: The key priorities identified in this study provide a foundation for the development of ICT-based patient education guidelines for RDs in the Republic of Korea. Future efforts should focus on integrating digital tools into clinical practice to enhance patient engagement and improve clinical outcomes.

Background: This study examined gender differences in occupational stress, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation by considering the potential moderating effect of grit on Korean employees.

Methods: A total of 11,369 participants (7,735 men and 3,634 women) aged 19-65 years, employed across 18 private companies and local government organizations in Korea, completed questionnaires including the Short Grit Scale, Korean Occupational Stress Scale, and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale between April 2020 and March 2022. Suicidal ideation was assessed based on its presence or absence. Mediation and moderation analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences PROCESS macro.

Results: Depressive symptoms partially mediated the relationship between occupational stress and suicidal ideation in male employees, whereas depressive symptoms fully mediated the relationship in female employees. Grit moderated the relationship between depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation in male employees but not in female employees. Furthermore, the moderated mediating effect of grit in male employees on the relationship between occupational stress and suicidal ideation provided less protection in cases of severe depression. The cross-sectional design does not allow for causal inferences.

Conclusion: These findings contribute to understanding of the gender differences in the impact of depressive symptoms on the relationship between occupational stress and suicidal ideation, as well as the protective effect of grit. These findings highlight the need for gender-specific approaches to prevent suicidal ideation among employees.

An editorial article is a type of scholarly communication providing expert views and critical analysis of issues. It may reflect the view of the author(s) or of the organization/journal on a certain topic. An editorial may also comment on a published paper. Editorials are expected to be objective, evidence-based, and informative focusing attention on recent developments and matters of current societal/disciplinary concern. This format allows for timely dissemination of expert insight and facilitates ongoing scholarly discourse. The structure of editorials varies: critical, explanatory, and commendatory types serve varied purposes. Authors of editorials should follow certain principles of academic writing. The aim should be provided in an introductory paragraph. Thereafter, a constructive and balanced critique of the index article and/or a detailed yet concise analyze of the subject of matter should be provided. The conclusion paragraph should include brief take-home messages. Critical arguing should be supported by relevant references. A declaration of any potential conflicts of interests is essential to maintain objectivity and fairness. The current article aims to provide a primer, along with a checklist, on writing editorials.

Background: The retinoblastoma (RB) protein which is encoded by RB gene selectively provides a cell type-specific function in malignancies. In colorectal carcinoma, RB has been highly expressed and related cyclin/cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors have shown improved therapeutic effects in some patients. However, little is known about RB in small intestinal adenocarcinoma (SIAC).

Methods: Here, we conducted a multi-institutional study of RB expression in 229 surgically resected SIACs to explore the clinicopathologic and prognostic implications and the relationship with microsatellite instability (MSI) status and KRAS mutations.

Results: High RB expression (RB^High) was more commonly observed in SIACs (76/229, 33%) than in normal small intestinal mucosa (27/188, 14%; P < 0.001). RB^High was associated with nodular growth patterns (P = 0.028), the absence of lymphovascular (P = 0.001) and perineural invasion (P = 0.048), and a lower T category (P = 0.042) and indicated better overall survival (P = 0.003). In multivariate analysis, RB^High (P = 0.049) was an independent prognostic predictor of better prognosis, along with younger patient age (P = 0.049), the absence of retroperitoneal seeding (P = 0.004), lower tumor stage (P < 0.001), and MSI (P = 0.005). The prognostic impact of RB expression was consistently observed regardless of MSI status and specifically persistent in SIACs with lower stages (stages I and II).

Conclusion: RB^High was related to favorable clinicopathologic SIAC characteristics and indicated better patient prognosis. The prognostic predictability of RB was found in SIACs with lower stages, independent of MSI status. RB expression is a reliable and potent prognostic indicator for SIAC and may aid in selecting chemotherapy for patients.

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) needs careful differentiation from other cardiomyopathies. Current guidelines recommend genetic testing, but genetic data on differential diagnoses and their relation with clinical outcomes in HCM are still lacking. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of genetic variants and the proportion of other cardiomyopathies in patients with suspected HCM in Korea and compare the outcomes of HCM according to the presence of sarcomere gene mutation.

Methods: We enrolled 1,554 patients with suspected HCM having left ventricular hypertrophy on transthoracic echocardiography between April 2012 and February 2023. Patients who declined genetic testing or who had pure apical HCM without a familial history were excluded. Genetic testing was performed using a next-generation sequencing panel or whole-exome sequencing for cardiomyopathies. We performed cardiovascular magnetic resonance if the diagnosis was inconclusive. Genotype-positive HCM was defined as sarcomere gene mutations of pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants. Adverse clinical outcomes were defined as a composite of all-cause death, resuscitated cardiac arrest, heart failure-related admission, appropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator shocks, and stroke.

Results: Of 492 patients (mean age 49.6 ± 14.7 years, 29.4% women) who underwent genetic testing, 214 (43.5%) had disease-causing gene mutations. After combining gene tests, multi-imaging modality, and clinical information, 447 (90.9%) had HCM, and 27 (5.5%) had Fabry disease. Among the HCM patients, 182 (40.7%) were genotype-positive, and 265 (59.3%) were genotype-negative. Kaplan-Meier curve analysis showed that genotype-positive HCM patients experienced more composite outcomes (log-rank, P < 0.001). In multivariable Cox analysis, non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) (hazard ratio [HR], 1.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17-3.12; P = 0.010), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 50% (HR, 5.50; 95% CI, 2.68-11.27; P < 0.001), LA reservoir strain (HR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.93-0.99; P = 0.037), and positive sarcomere gene mutation (HR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.04-2.78; P = 0.034) were significantly association with composite outcomes. Sarcomere gene mutation had incremental value for predicting adverse outcomes added on NSVT and LVEF < 50%.

Conclusion: Genetic testing is helpful in diagnosing HCM, and sarcomere gene mutations in HCM are significantly associated with clinical outcomes.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological characteristics and outcomes of myocarditis/pericarditis after BNT162b2 vaccination in Korean adolescents.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort analysis of adolescents aged 12-19 years old diagnosed with myocarditis/pericarditis within 42 days of BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination. All reported cases were investigated by city or government epidemiologists and the diagnostic certainty and causality was determined by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's Adverse Event Following Immunization Expert Advisory Committee according to the modified version of Brighton Collaboration Myocarditis/Pericarditis Working group's case definitions.

Results: A total 3,709,063 adolescents aged 12-19 received 8,135,240 doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine in South Korea, and 184 cases met the Brighton criteria for the case definition of myocarditis and pericarditis with diagnostic certainty of possible and above. The median age was 17 years old (interquartile range [IQR], 15-18) and boys accounted for 81.5% (n = 150/184) of the cases. The overall incidence was 2.25 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.94-2.60) cases per 100,000 doses and severe cases was 0.25 (95% CI, 0.15-3.80) cases per 100,000 doses. The highest incidence rate was observed in boys after the second dose, with 5.01 (95% CI, 4.12-6.17) cases per 100,000 doses. A total 89.1% (164/184) were classified as mild, and no deaths were reported.

Conclusion: The highest incidence of myocarditis/pericarditis after BNT162b2 immunization was observed in male adolescents after the second dose, with majority of the cases presenting with a mild clinical course and favorable outcome.