Journal of Korean medical science
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Jan 2022
Clinical Characteristics of 40 Patients Infected With the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant in Korea.
Since severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 variant B.1.1.529 (omicron) was first reported to the World Health Organization on November 24, 2021, the cases of the omicron variant have been detected in more than 90 countries over the last month. We investigated the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the first 40 patients with the omicron variant who had been isolated at the National Medical Center in South Korea during December 4-17, 2021. The median age of the patients was 39.5 years. ⋯ Half of the patients (19, 47.5%) were asymptomatic, while the others had mild symptoms. Six patients (15%) showed lung infiltrations on chest image; however, none required supplemental oxygen. These mild clinical features are consistent with recent case reports on the omicron variant from other countries.
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To evaluate the health status of healthcare workers (doctors and nurses) compared to those in the general population based on the National Health Insurance Service database and the cause of death data from Statistics Korea. ⋯ The health status of healthcare workers differs from that of the general population. Thus, it is important to consider the occupational characteristics of healthcare personnel. This study is unique in that it was conducted based on medical use indicators rather than survey data.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Jan 2022
Joinpoint Regression About Injury Mortality and Hospitalization in Korea.
Injury is a social problem that causes health and property losses, and it is important to identify the size and trend of injury for efficient prevention and management. Therefore, this study analyzed the trends in injury mortality and hospitalization rates from 2005 to 2019 in Korea. ⋯ This study analyzed the trend of injury mortality and hospitalization and found that transport accidents and falls may vary depending on the means or age of the accident. Since injury is a big social problem that is a burden of disease, safety education and legal sanctions for injury prevention should be further improved in the future, especially by prioritizing vulnerable groups by age and detailed mechanisms of injury.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Jan 2022
Analyses of Confirmed COVID-19 Cases Among Korean Military Personnel After Mass Vaccination.
The military was one of the first groups in Korea to complete mass vaccination against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to their high vulnerability to COVID-19. To confirm the effect of mass vaccination, this study analyzed the patterns of confirmed cases within Korean military units. ⋯ After completing mass vaccination, the incidence rates of COVID-19 infection in the military were lower than those in the national population. New cluster infections did not occur in vaccinated units, thereby suggesting that herd immunity has been achieved in these military units. Further research is needed to determine the extent to which levels of non-pharmacological intervention can be reduced in the future.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Jan 2022
Clinical Manifestations and Genetic Analysis of 5 Korean Choroideremia Patients Initially Diagnosed With Retinitis Pigmentosa.
To investigate the clinical findings of choroideremia patients and perform genetic analysis by whole-exome sequencing (WES). ⋯ Of the 94 patients initially diagnosed with RP, CHM mutation was identified in five (5.3%) by WES. Choroideremia should be considered as a differential diagnosis of RP. WES would be useful for identifying the causes of hereditary retinal disease.