Journal of Korean medical science
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Aug 2024
Type 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells and Skin Fibrosis in a Murine Model of Atopic Dermatitis-Like Skin Inflammation.
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic relapsing inflammatory skin disease. Although murine studies have demonstrated that type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) mediate type 2 skin inflammation, their role in skin fibrosis in AD remains unclear. This study investigated whether type 2 ILCs are involved in skin fibrosis using an AD-like murine model. ⋯ In the Af-induced AD-like murine model, type 2 ILCs were elevated, with increased levels of collagen. Additionally, removal of type 2 ILCs resulted in decreased collagen levels and improved AD-like pathological findings. These findings suggest that type 2 ILCs play a role in the mechanism of skin fibrosis in AD.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Jul 2024
Long-Term Outcome of Time-Staged Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for Large Arteriovenous Malformations.
Treatment for large (> 10 mL) arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) remains highly challenging. This study evaluated long-term effect of time-staged gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) for large AVMs. ⋯ Time-staged GKS for large AVMs less than 30 mL has highly favorable long-term outcome and a tolerable complication rate.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Jul 2024
Healthcare Costs due to Dizziness/Vertigo in Korea: Analyses Using the Public Data of Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service.
Dizziness/vertigo is one of the most common symptoms for which people seek healthcare. However, the healthcare expenditure attributable to dizziness/vertigo in South Korea remains poorly understood. We investigated the healthcare costs due to six major disorders causing dizziness/vertigo using claims data. ⋯ Owing to higher healthcare costs for dizziness/vertigo and increased prevalence of dizziness/vertigo in the aged population, healthcare costs due to dizziness/vertigo will increase rapidly in South Korea. Thus, a guideline for cost-effective management of dizziness/vertigo should be established to reduce the healthcare costs due to these common symptoms.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Jul 2024
Difference in Baseline Antimicrobial Prescription Patterns of Hospitals According to Participation in the National Antimicrobial Monitoring and Feedback System in Korea.
This study aimed to evaluate the differences in the baseline characteristics and patterns of antibiotic usage among hospitals based on their participation in the Korea National Antimicrobial Use Analysis System (KONAS). We obtained claims data from the National Health Insurance for inpatients admitted to all secondary- and tertiary-care hospitals between January 2020 and December 2021 in Korea. 15.9% (58/395) of hospitals were KONAS participants, among which the proportion of hospitals with > 900 beds (31.0% vs. 2.6%, P < 0.001) and tertiary care (50.0% vs. 5.2%, P < 0.001) was higher than that among non-participants. The consumption of antibiotics targeting antimicrobial-resistant gram positive bacteria (33.7 vs. 27.1 days of therapy [DOT]/1,000 patient-days, P = 0.019) and antibiotics predominantly used for resistant gram-negative bacteria (4.8 vs. 3.7 DOT/1,000 patient-days, P = 0.034) was higher in KONAS-participating versus -non-participating hospitals. The current KONAS data do not fully represent all secondary- and tertiary-care hospitals in Korea; thus, the KONAS results should be interpreted with caution.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Jul 2024
Barriers to Choosing Pediatrics as a Specialty: Insights From a Cross-Sectional Analysis.
The pediatric field in South Korea is experiencing a significant workforce crisis due to a sharp decline in pediatricians, exacerbated by a decrease in pediatric residents and a series of distressing incidents in pediatric healthcare institutions. No prior studies have explored the waning interest in pediatrics among South Korea's medical students and interns, which our research seeks to address during a pediatric workforce decline. This study aimed to investigate the declining interest in pediatrics among medical students and interns in South Korea amidst decreasing birth rates. We conducted a comprehensive survey to identify the factors deterring young medical professionals from pursuing a career in pediatrics. ⋯ The results emphasize the necessity for targeted interventions to alleviate concerns and improve the attractiveness of pediatrics. These efforts are essential to counteract the declining interest and ensure a sustainable pediatric workforce for the future.