Journal of Korean medical science
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Dec 2016
ReviewEpidemiological Characteristics and Risk Factors of Dengue Infection in Korean Travelers.
Dengue viral infection has rapidly spread around the world in recent decades. In Korea, autochthonous cases of dengue fever have not been confirmed yet. However, imported dengue cases have been increased since 2001. ⋯ To minimize a risk of dengue fever and severe dengue, travelers should consider regional and seasonal dengue situation. It is recommended to prevent from mosquito bites or to abstain from repetitive visit to endemic countries. In addition, more active surveillance system and monitoring the prevalence asymptomatic infection and virus serotypes are required to prevent severe dengue and indigenous dengue outbreak.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Dec 2016
The Association of Fever with Total Mechanical Ventilation Time in Critically Ill Patients.
This research aims to investigate the impact of fever on total mechanical ventilation time (TVT) in critically ill patients. Subgroup analysis was conducted using a previous prospective, multicenter observational study. We included mechanically ventilated patients for more than 24 hours from 10 Korean and 15 Japanese intensive care units (ICU), and recorded maximal body temperature under the support of mechanical ventilation (MAX(MV)). ⋯ A significant association between MAX(MV) and mechanical ventilator-free days was also observed in all enrolled subjects. Fever may be a detrimental factor to prolong TVT in mechanically ventilated patients. These findings suggest that fever in mechanically ventilated patients might be associated with worse mechanical ventilation outcome.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Dec 2016
Analysis of Malpractice Claims Associated with Surgical Site Infection in the Field of Plastic Surgery.
Postoperative infections are rare after plastic surgery; however, when present, they can affect the aesthetic outcome. Currently, many malpractice lawsuits are associated with surgical site infection. The present study aimed to analyze malpractice claims associated with surgical site infection in the field of plastic surgery through a review of Korean precedents. ⋯ The number of claims owing to surgical site infection after surgery is increasing. Infection handling was one of the key factors that influenced the judgement, and preoperative explanation about the possibility of infection is important. The findings will help surgeons achieve high patient satisfaction and reduce liability concerns.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Dec 2016
ReviewThe Pressure to Publish More and the Scope of Predatory Publishing Activities.
This article overviews unethical publishing practices in connection with the pressure to publish more. Both open-access and subscription publishing models can be abused by 'predatory' authors, editors, and publishing outlets. ⋯ The scheme of predatory publishing activities is presented, and several measures are proposed to tackle the issue of predatory publishing. The awareness campaigns by professional societies, consultations with information facilitators, implementation of the criteria of best target journals, and crediting of scholars with use of integrative citation metrics, such as the h-index, are believed to make a difference.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Dec 2016
Multicenter StudyImpact of Young Age at Diagnosis on Survival in Patients with Surgically Treated Renal Cell Carcinoma: a Multicenter Study.
The prognostic significance of age in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a subject of debate. The aim of the present multi-institutional study was to evaluate the impact of age on clinicopathological features and survival in a large cohort of patients with RCC. A total of 5,178 patients who underwent surgery for RCC at eight institutions in Korea between 1999 and 2011 were categorized into three groups according to age at diagnosis as follows: young age (< 40 years, n = 541), middle-age (≥ 40 and < 60 years, n = 2,551), and old age (≥ 60 years, n = 2,096) groups. ⋯ However, age at diagnosis was not an independent predictor of survival in multivariate analysis. In conclusion, young age at diagnosis was associated with favorable pathologic features, although it was not an independent prognostic factor for survival in patients with surgically-treated RCC. Age itself should not be regarded as a crucial determinant for the treatment of RCC.