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Background: It is important for the dialysis specialist to provide essential and safe care to hemodialysis (HD) patients. However, little is known about the actual effect of dialysis specialist care on the survival of HD patients. We therefore investigated the influence of dialysis specialist care on patient mortality in a nationwide Korean dialysis cohort.Methods: We used an HD quality assessment and National Health Insurance Service claims data from October to December 2015. A total of 34,408 patients were divided into two groups according to the proportion of dialysis specialists in their HD unit, as follows: 0%, no dialysis specialist care group, and ≥50%, dialysis specialist care group. We analyzed the mortality risk of these groups using the Cox proportional hazards model after matching propensity scores. Results: After propensity score matching, 18,344 patients were enrolled. The ratio of patients from the groups with and without dialysis specialist care was 86.7% to 13.3%. The dialysis specialist care group showed a shorter dialysis vintage, higher levels of hemoglobin, higher single-pool Kt/V values, lower levels of phosphorus, and lower systolic and diastolic blood pressures than the no dialysis specialist care group. After adjusting demographic and clinical parameters, the absence of dialysis specialist care was a significant independent risk factor for all-cause mortality (hazard ratio, 1.10; 95% confidence interval, 1.03–1.18; p = 0.004).Conclusion: Dialysis specialist care is an important determinant of overall patient survival among HD patients. Appropriate care given by dialysis specialists may improve clinical outcomes of patients undergoing HD.

Background: Many countries have their own hemodialysis (HD) quality assurance programs and star rating systems for HD facilities.However, the effects of HD quality assurance programs on patient mortality are not well understood. Therefore, in the present study,the effects of the Korean HD facility star rating on patient mortality in maintenance HD patients were evaluated.Methods: This longitudinal, observational cohort study included 35,271 patients receiving HD treatment from 741 facilities. The fivestarratings of HD facilities were determined based on HD quality assessment data from 2015, which includes 12 quality measuresin structural, procedural, and outcome domains. The patients were grouped into high (three to five stars) and low (one or two stars)groups based on HD facility star rating. Cox proportional hazards model was used to evaluate the effects of star rating on patient mortalityduring the mean follow-up duration of 3 years.Results: The patient ratio between high and low HD facility star rating groups was 82.0% vs. 18.0%. The patients in the low star ratinggroup showed lower single-pool Kt/V and higher calcium and phosphorus levels compared with subjects in the high star rating group.After adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical parameters, the HD facility star rating independently increased the mortality risk(hazard ratio, 1.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.04–1.18; p = 0.002).Conclusion: The HD facilities with low star rating showed higher patient mortality.

Background: Hemodialysis (HD) patients are more vulnerable to viral epidemics, experiencing higher mortality rates compared to individuals without chronic kidney disease (CKD). This retrospective cohort study sought to demonstrate clinical outcomes and associated factors among coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) confirmed Korean HD patients. Methods: From February 2020 to November 2021, the COVID-19 Task Force Team collected clinical data for HD patients with confirmed COVID-19 via a self-report survey of nephrologists. The composite outcome included in-hospital mortality, admission to the intensive care unit (ICU), and use of mechanical ventilation. Risk factors associated with clinical outcomes were analyzed among HD patients and compared to those of individuals without CKD using the COVID-19 database from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Results: A total of 380 HD patients from 206 facilities were diagnosed with COVID-19. Fever (49.5%) and cough (25.7%) were the two most common initial symptoms. The overall in-hospital fatality rate was 22.4% and even higher among ICU admission cases (64.7%). Non-survivors were older, more frequently developed shortness of breath, and were more likely to come from a nursing hospital. Compared to the age- and sex-matched non-CKD population, HD patients showed greater risk of in-hospital mortality (hazard ratio, 2.07; 95% confidence interval, 1.56–2.75; p < 0.001) and composite outcome (hazard ratio, 3.50; 95% confidence interval, 2.56–4.77; p < 0.001). Conclusion: HD patients have a greater risk of in-hospital mortality and morbidity from COVID-19. Special attention should be paid to COVID-19 HD patients when they are older or present with symptoms.

Background: Patients receiving hemodialysis have various complications with a high mortality rate and require specialized treatment at an institution equipped with an appropriate workforce, equipment, and facilities. The Korean Society of Nephrology (KSN) is conducting hemodialysis unit accreditation to manage the quality of hemodialysis institutions, present standard treatment guidelines, and establish a network between regional medical institutions for the safe treatment of hemodialysis patients. This study aimed to summarize the previous accreditation results and discuss future directions.Methods: After the proposal of hemodialysis unit accreditation in 2009, pilot projects were undertaken for hemodialysis units and dialysis subspecialist training hospitals in the metropolitan area for 5 years. Since 2016, five hemodialysis unit accreditation projects have been conducted.Results: The cumulative number of participating units was 599, and the number of accredited units was 473 (average accreditation rate, 79.0%). The participating units consisted of clinics (58.6%), non-university hospitals (28.2%), and university hospitals (13.2%). Overall, 92.4% of university hospitals, 81.2% of clinics, and 68.0% of non-university hospitals were accredited. Over 5 years, new units were added annually to apply for accreditation, and the rate of previous participants applying for reaccreditation was high (77.7%). However, considering that the total number of member institutions of the KSN is 637, the number of units with valid accreditation as of 2020 was low (267 [41.9%]).Conclusion: The efforts of the KSN and its members, as well as institutional support from the government, are required for quality management of hemodialysis units through hemodialysis unit accreditation.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 17 essential oils (EOs) on Escherichia coli (E. coli), including their antibacterial activity according to the concentration used and its extraction site.Methods: All 17 EOs were prepared by step dilution at concentrations of 0.5% (v/v) and 1% (v/v). EOs were dispensed into 96-well plates with bacterial culture aliquots and incubated for 18 h; then, their absorbance was measured using a microplate reader.Results: Culture absorbance showed that thyme white (TM), palmarosa (PR) and rosemary verbenone (RM) at concentrations of 0.5% (v/v) and 1% (v/v) showed high antibacterial activity, similar to that of ampicillin. Melisa true (MS), RM, PR, lavender Bulgarian (LV), lemon (LM), peppermint premium (PM) and eucalyptus bluegum (EC) also showed increased antibacterial activity in a concentration-dependent manner. Finally, TM, MS, RM, PR, and lemongrass (LG) extracted from leaves showed higher antibacterial activity than extracts from other organs.Conclusion: TM extracted from leaves showed an excellent antibacterial effect; it exhibited bacterial growth at the same level of ampicillin. It is a natural substance that suppresses the action of bacteria in the inflammatory reaction of the skin and that may be used as a raw material for customized cosmetics.

Introduction Despite of the routine use of erythropoietin in hemodialysis patients to correct anemia, its administration route's effects on hemoglobin variability and cardiovascular events remain elusive. Herein, we determined different erythropoietin administration routes' effects on hemoglobin variability in hemodialysis patients and the associated factors of hemoglobin variability and cardiovascular events. Methods This is a post hoc analysis of a prospective, controlled, randomized, unblinded study with 78 Korean hemodialysis patients receiving intravenous (n = 40) or subcutaneous (n = 38) erythropoietin therapy. We evaluated hemoglobin variability by calculating the frequency of hemoglobin measurements outside the target range during all visits. The high-frequency group was defined by those with hemoglobin variability over the median value (25%) while the low-frequency group was defined by those with hemoglobin variability of Results In this analysis, 37 patients (51.1%) were males, and the mean age was 50.6 ± 12.5 years. The frequency of the value being outside the target hemoglobin range was higher in the subcutaneous group compared to the intravenous group (p = 0.03). The low-frequency group required significantly lower erythropoietin doses compared to the high-frequency group. In the adjusted Cox analysis, the parameter high group was a significant independent risk factor for cardiovascular events (p = 0.03). Conclusion The risk out of the target hemoglobin range increased with subcutaneous administration compared with intravenous erythropoietin administration in hemodialysis patients. An increased frequency of the value being outside the target hemoglobin range was also associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events.

Background The number of elderly patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is increasing worldwide. However, decision-making about elderly patients with ESRD remains complex because of the lack of studies, especially in very elderly patients (³75 years). We examined the characteristics of very elderly patients starting hemodialysis (HD) and the associated mortality and prognostic factors. Methods Data were analyzed retrospectively using a nationwide cohort registry, the Korean Renal Data System. Patients who started HD between January 2016 and December 2020 were included and divided into three groups according to age at HD initiation (Results In total, 22,024 incident patients were included with 10,006, 5,668, and 6,350 in each group (Conclusion Preparation of an arteriovenous fistula or graft when starting HD should be considered in very elderly patients with fewer comorbid diseases.

Malnutrition is common in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) and is associated with mortality. This study aimed to investigate the association between changes in nutrition status measured by the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) and all-cause mortality in patients who started HD. A nationwide retrospective cohort study was conducted based on the Korean Renal Data System database. Patients who started HD from January 2016 to December 2018, and were eligible for GNRI and GNRI trend were included. GNRI trend was a longitudinal change of GNRI, assessed by random slope in a mixed-effect model. Positive and negative random slopes in each patient were assigned to positive and negative GNRI trends. A total of 2313 patients were included and median follow-up period was 3.1 (2.6–3.7) years. GNRI values decreased over time (estimate − 1.212, 95% confidence interval (CI) − 1.116–0.692) and positive GNRI trend was associated with survival benefit (hazard ratio 0.55, 95% CI 0.36–0.84) after multivariate adjustment. These findings show that serial GNRI assessment, besides GNRI, is a useful prognostic factor for mortality in patients who start HD.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly contagious viral disease that is caused by the novel virus Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 has become pandemic since December 2019, when the first case developed in Wuhan, China. Patients receiving hemodialysis are more vulnerable to viral transmission because their immune functions are impaired and they receive treatment within a narrow space. Calling on previous experience with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome during the 2015 outbreak, the joint committee of the Korean Society of Nephrology and the Korean Society of Dialysis Therapy quickly formed a COVID-19 task force team to develop a manual before the first index case was diagnosed in the hemodialysis unit. This special article introduces clinical practice guidelines to prevent secondary transmission of COVID-19 within hemodialysis facilities, which were developed to protect patients, healthcare workers, and caregivers from this highly transmissible virus. The areas of infection control covered by these guidelines include standard precautions, performing dialysis therapy for confirmed or suspected cases, performing cohort isolation for contact patients, and disease monitoring and contact surveillance. We hope these guidelines help healthcare workers and hemodialysis patients around the world cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background Health care-associated infections during previous coronavirus epidemics involving severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome resulted from human-to-human transmission in hemodialysis (HD) facilities. The effect of a strategy of HD with cohort isolation-separate dialysis sessions for close contacts of patients with confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-on the prevention of secondary transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in HD units is unknown. Methods Our multicenter cohort study of an HD with cohort isolation strategy enrolled close contacts of patients with confirmed COVID-19, including patients on HD and health care workers in HD units. Close contacts had been identified by epidemiologic investigation and tested negative on an immediate screening test for SARS-CoV-2. Results As of March 14, 11 patients on HD and 7 health care workers from 11 HD centers were diagnosed as having COVID-19. The immediate screening test was performed in 306 people, and among them, 302 close contacts with negative test results were enrolled. HD with cohort isolation was performed among all close contacts for a median of 14 days in seven centers. During cohort isolation, nine patients showed symptoms but tested negative for SARS-CoV-2. Two health care workers in the HD units (0.66% of the total group) were diagnosed at the termination test for SARS-CoV-2. Conclusions The transmission of COVID-19 can be controlled without closure of HD centers by implementing preemptive activities, including early detection with rapid testing, cohort isolation, collaboration between institutions, and continuous monitoring of infection. Our strategy and experience may provide helpful guidance for circumstances involving the rapid spread of infectious diseases such as COVID-19.

Background: While aspirin use is known to be associated with reduced incidence of various cancer types, it is unclear whether this benefit extends to thyroid cancer. We aimed to evaluate the associ...

Objective. This study is aimed at investigating the pattern of change occurring in respiratory pathogens before and after the outbreak of COVID-19, a type of viral pneumonia for which a pandemic was declared (March 2020). The results were analyzed by gender and age to identify the association between personal hygiene and prevention of infection by respiratory pathogens. Methods. A retrospective analysis was performed on 39,814 sputum, bronchial aspirate, and transtracheal aspirate samples obtained from 15,398 patients visiting a university hospital, located in Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea, between January 2018 and December 2021. From 4,454 patients whose samples were culture positive for bacteria, 6,389 strains were isolated and further cultured. Results. The mean age of the outpatients with respiratory pathogens was 66.2 years, and the comparison of the culture test results by gender showed that 64.9% (2,892/4,454) were male and 35.1% (1,562/4,454) were female. Compared to the pre-COVID-19 pandemic period, the number of outpatients with a request for respiratory microbial cultures after the onset of the pandemic was reduced by 20.7% and the number of outpatients with a positive culture result was reduced by 23.0%. The number of respiratory samples received was reduced by 6.7% after the pandemic, while the sample positive rate was reduced by 18.3%. Among the isolated microbial strains, there was a significant decrease of 43.1% for the Acinetobacter baumannii complex, 60.5% for Streptococcus pneumoniae, 67.2% for Haemophilus influenzae, and 78.1% for Moraxella catarrhalis when compared with pre-COVID-19 levels. The distribution of respiratory microbial strains by age group showed that the highest percentage of isolated strains was in patients in their 70s. Conclusions. The improvements in personal hygiene due to the COVID-19 pandemic exerted a substantial influence on the pattern of change in other common respiratory microorganisms, which highlights the importance of personal hygiene management in the prevention of respiratory infections.

Background: Plastic cannulae have attracted increasing interest as an alternative to traditional metal needles with the aim of reducingcannulation-related complications. We investigated whether the substitution volumes during hemodiafiltration differ using thesetwo types of needles in dialysis patients.Methods: An intervention study involving 26 hemodialysis patients was conducted in Korea between March and September in 2021.Patients first received online hemodiafiltration using traditional metal needles, and thereafter plastic cannulae were used in a stepwiseprotocol. Repeated-measures design and linear mixed-effect models were used to compare substitution volumes between thetwo needle types with the same inner diameter.Results: The mean patient age was 62.7 years, and their mean dialysis vintage was 95.2 months. Most patients (92.3%) had an arteriovenousfistula as the vascular access. The substitution volume increased as blood flow and needle size increased for both plasticcannulae and metal needles. The substitution volume was significantly higher with 17-gauge (G) plastic cannulae than with 16-G metalneedles at blood flow rates of 280, 300, and 330 mL/min. Similar results were obtained for 15-G metal needles and 16-G plasticcannulae at a blood flow rate of 330 mL/min. However, the patient ratings of pain on a visual analogue scale were higher for plasticcannulae.Conclusion: Higher substitution volumes were obtained at the same prescribed blood flow rate with plastic cannulae than with metalneedles during online hemodiafiltration. Plastic cannulae are an option for achieving high-volume hemodiafiltration for patients withlow blood flow rates.

The geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) is a nutrition-related risk assessment tool and has been used in various clinical settings. The relationship between body mass index (BMI) and the associated risk of diabetic retinopathy (DR) remains inconclusive. We aimed to evaluate the association between GNRI and DR in patients with type 2 diabetes. We included a total of 1359 patients with type 2 diabetes who followed up in our diabetes clinic and underwent fundus photographic examinations from August 2006 to February 2014. DR was assessed by retinal ophthalmologists using comprehensive ophthalmologic examinations. Patients were divided into tertiles according to their GNRI category. Patients in a lower GNRI tertile tended to have a higher proportion of nonproliferative DR (NPDR) and proliferative DR (PDR) compared with those in the other tertiles. The risk of PDR was higher in patients included in GNRI tertile 1 (Odds ratio (OR) 2.252, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.080–4.823, P = 0.033) and GNRI tertile 2 (OR 2.602, 95% CI 1.323–5.336, P = 0.007) compared with those in GNRI tertile 3. In patients with lower GNRIs, the prevalence of DR was higher than in those with higher GNRIs. When GNRI was compared with BMI using the area under the curve, overall accuracy was high in GNRI. The risk of PDR was high in patients with low GNRI and there is an inverse association between GNRI scores and prevalence of DR. GNRI might be a useful tool to predict DR in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Background/Aims Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is a self-limiting infectious disease, but 1% of subjects develop fulminant hepatitis. The prevalence of the anti-HAV immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody in hemodialysis subjects in Korea remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to describe and compare the seropositive rate of anti-HAV antibody among hemodialysis subjects in two hospitals according to age group. Methods A total of 170 hemodialysis subjects were evaluated for the seropositive rate of the anti-HAV IgG antibody and its titer. Results Of the 170 maintenance hemodialysis subjects in two hospitals (Kangnam 92 vs. Chuncheon 78), 79 (46.5%) were male. The mean age was 53.2 years old, and 94.1% of the subjects were over 40 years old. The median vintage of hemodialysis was 29.0 months. Anti-HAV antibody was found in 163 subjects (95.9%), with no significant difference between the two areas (Kangnam 97.8% [n = 90] vs. Chuncheon 93.6% [n = 73]). Subjects younger than 40 years old showed a seropositive rate of 50%, while the seropositive rate increased with age for subjects aged 40 or older (p for trend < 0.001). Seropositive subjects from Kangnam showed a higher anti-HAV antibody titer than those from Chuncheon (median: Kangnam 14.2 vs. Chuncheon 11.7). Only age influenced seropositivity. The only factor that influenced the antibody level was the location of hospital (p < 0.001). Conclusions The seropositive rate of the anti-HAV antibody in hemodialysis subjects was 95%, which is similar to findings in the general population. Active immunization against hepatitis A is strongly recommended for hemodialysis subjects under 40 years of age after anti-HAV testing.

Background/aims Maintaining the patency of vascular access (VA) in hemodialysis (HD) patients is important and can be life-saving. We investigated the effects of aspirin resistance and mean platelet volume (MPV) on VA failure in HD patients. Methods We enrolled 163 patients on maintenance HD. VA failure was defined as thrombosis or a decrease of > 50% of the normal vessel diameter, as revealed by angiography. Results Aspirin resistance was observed in 17 of 109 patients in whom this parameter was measured, and was not significantly associated with VA failure (p = 0.051). The mean MPV was 9.15 ± 0.05 fL. The 163 patients were grouped by the median MPV value (9.08 fL) at baseline; patients with higher MPVs (n = 82) had lower platelet counts (p = 0.002) and albumin levels (p = 0.009). During 34 months of follow-up, 65 VA failures (39.9%) occurred. The Kaplan-Meier curve revealed significant differences between the two groups in terms of cumulative VA failure (54.1% vs. 35.3%, p = 0.018). On multivariate analysis, the MPV (hazard ratio [HR], 1.794; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.066 to 3.020; p = 0.028), platelet count (HR, 1.003; 95% CI, 1.001 to 1.006; p = 0.01), and smoking status (HR, 1.894; 95% CI, 1.019 to 3.519; p = 0.043) independently predicted VA failure. Conclusion A high MPV was associated with an increased risk of VA failure, whereas aspirin resistance showed only a weak association. The MPV may predict VA survival in HD patients.

Background There is concern that overcompetition and illegal activities such as patient solicitation by some dialysis units may threaten patients' health in Korea. Therefore, we investigated the effect of nephrologists' patient-soliciting activity on hemodialysis practices and patients' survival using the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database. Methods We selected 19 soliciting hemodialysis facilities and matched them with 19 non-soliciting facilities located nearby to eliminate location bias. Soliciting behavior was defined as the reduction of medical fees or providing money to attract dialysis patients. Results A total of 2,231 incident dialysis patients were included and followed for a median of 37.2 months. Soliciting facilities had a lower percentage of nephrologists, a higher average daily number of hemodialysis patients per physician, and a higher number of hemodialysis patients per nurse compared with non-soliciting facilities. Survival analysis showed that the crude mortality was significantly higher in patients treated in soliciting facilities than in those treated in non-soliciting facilities, even after adjustment for the effects of many other independently predictive covariates. Conclusions This study demonstrated that in Korea, the overall mortality rate in incident dialysis patients was higher in those attending soliciting facilities than in those attending non-soliciting facilities.

Background : Elevated serum alkaline phosphatase (AP) and γ-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT) are commonly observed in patients with acute pyelonephritis. The goal of this study was to examine the clinical significance of elevated serum AP and γ-GT levels and to explore the mechanisms underlying these changes. Methods : We examined serum AP and γ-GT levels in 438 patients with acute pyelonephritis. Urine AP/creatinine (Cr), urine γ-GT/Cr, fractional excretion of AP, and fractional excretion of γ-GT (FEγ-GT) were evaluated in patients with elevated and normal serum levels. AP isoenzymes were also examined. Results : We identified 77 patients (17.6%) with elevated serum AP and 134 patients (30.6%) with elevated serum γ-GT. Among them, both enzymes were elevated in 64 patients (14.6%). Older age, longer hospital stay, elevated baseline serum Cr, and complicated pyelonephritis were associated with increases in serum AP and γ-GT. Multivariate analysis showed that high serum AP levels were significantly correlated with renal impairment (odds ratio, 2.13; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-4.19; P = 0.029). FEγ-GT was significantly lower in patients with elevated serum enzyme levels. The liver fraction for AP isoenzyme profile did not increase in patients with elevated serum AP. Conclusion : Our results demonstrated that elevated serum AP and γ-GT levels are associated with complicated pyelonephritis and renal impairment. Lower FEγ-GT levels in patients with elevated serum enzymes may be the result of decreased urinary excretion of these enzymes.

We evaluated the metabolic effects of gastrectomies and endoscopic submucosal dissections (ESDs) in early gastric cancer (EGC) patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Forty-one EGC patients with T2DM undergoing gastrectomy or ESD were prospectively evaluated. Metabolic parameters in the patients who underwent gastrectomy with and without a duodenal bypass (groups 1 and 2, n = 24 and n = 5, respectively) were compared with those in patients who underwent ESD (control, n = 12). After 1 year, the proportions of improved/equivocal/worsened glycemic control were 62.5%/29.2%/8.3% in group 1, 40.0%/60.0%/0.0% in group 2, and 16.7%/50.0%/33.3% in the controls, respectively (p = 0.046). The multivariable ordered logistic regression analysis results showed that both groups had better 1-year glycemic control. Groups 1 and 2 showed a significant reduction in postprandial glucose (−97.9 and −67.8 mg/dL), body mass index (−2.1 and −2.3 kg/m2), and glycosylated hemoglobin (group 1 only, −0.5% point) (all p &lt, 0.05). Furthermore, improvements in group 1 were more prominent when preoperative leptin levels were high (p for interaction &lt, 0.05). Metabolic improvements in both groups were also observed for insulin resistance, leptin, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, and resistin. Gastrectomy improved glycemic control and various metabolic parameters in EGC patients with T2DM. Patients with high leptin levels may experience greater metabolic benefits from gastrectomy with duodenal bypass.

Background Chronic stimulation of the mineralocorticoid receptor has been suggested as one of the potential causes of cardiovascular events and death in patients with end-stage renal disease. This observational cohort study was performed to demonstrate that serum cortisol might be a predictive marker for patient mortality and to evaluate its association with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Methods Patients receiving HD three times a week were screened for enrollment at two institutions. Baseline cortisol levels were measured before each HD session, and the patients were divided into two groups according to the median value of serum cortisol before analysis. The baseline characteristics and laboratory values of the high and low cortisol groups were compared. Serum cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone, renin, aldosterone, and oxLDL were measured in 52 patients to evaluate the effect of oxidative stress on serum cortisol levels. Results A total of 133 HD patients were enrolled in this cohort study. Compared to the patients with low serum cortisol levels, the patients with high serum cortisol levels (baseline cortisol ≥ 10 μg/dL) showed higher rates of cardiovascular disease (59.7% vs. 39.4%, P=0.019) and left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) (25.9% vs. 8.0%, P=0.016). The patients in the high cortisol group demonstrated higher all-cause mortality than those in the low cortisol group. The serum cortisol level was an independent risk factor for patient mortality (hazard ratio 1.234, 95% confidence interval 1.022-1.49, P=0.029). Among the 52 patients with oxLDL measurements, oxLDL was an independent risk factor for elevated serum cortisol levels (Exp(B) 1.114, P=0.013) and LVSD (Exp(B) 12.308, P=0.045). However, plasma aldosterone levels did not affect serum cortisol levels. Conclusions Serum cortisol is a useful predictive marker for all-cause death among patients receiving HD. OxLDL is an independent marker for elevated serum cortisol among HD patients.

Context Thyroid dysfunction is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the general population; however, it remains controversial whether differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) treatment, including thyroidectomy and thyroid-stimulating hormone suppression, further increases the risk of CVD. Objective This study aimed to evaluate the risk of CVD in patients with DTC. Methods We performed a review of observational studies on associations between DTC and cardiovascular outcomes, indexed in MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science. We excluded studies that evaluated CVD as comorbidity before DTC diagnosis and those that used active surveillance without thyroidectomy as an intervention. Risk estimates were pooled using random- and fixed-effects models when 3 or more studies reported on the outcome of interest. Echocardiographic and hemodynamic parameters were examined. Results Eighteen studies were included in the quantitative analysis (193 320 cases with DTC and 225 575 healthy controls). DTC was associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (pooled risk ratio [RR] = 1.55 [95% CI: 1.30-1.84]), coronary artery disease (RR = 1.10 [1.00-1.21]), cerebrovascular accidents (RR = 1.15 [1.09-1.20]), and all-cause mortality (RR = 1.95 [1.03-3.69]). DTC was associated with higher diastolic blood pressure (standardized mean difference [SMD], 0.22 [0.01-0.42]), heart rate (0.37 [0.17-0.57]), left ventricular mass index (0.66 [0.45-0.88]), and interventricular septal thickness (0.91 [0.33-1.49]) and lower early to late ventricular filling velocities (−0.42 [−0.79 to −0.05]), but not with ejection fraction. Conclusion Patients with DTC are at an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, CVD, increased heart rate, and left ventricular mass development.

Renamezin® is a modified capsule-type oral spherical adsorptive carbon which lowers indoxyl sulfate levels in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). This 24-week prospective observational cohort study was performed to evaluate the effect of Renamezin® upon attenuation of renal function decline. A total of 1,149 adult patients with baseline serum creatinine 2.0–5.0 mg/dL were enrolled from 22 tertiary hospital in Korea from April 2016 to September 2018. Among them, a total of 686 patients completed the study and were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. A total of 1,061 patients were included in the safety analysis. The mean age was 63.5 years and male patients were predominant (63.6%). Most of the patients (76.8%) demonstrated high compliance with study drug (6g per day). After 24 week of treatment, serum creatinine was increased from 2.86±0.72 mg/dL to 3.06±1.15 mg/dL (p2 to 22.1±9.1 mL/min/1.73m2, p = 0.243). Patients with age over 65 years old and those under good systolic blood pressure control ® treatment to preserve renal function. A total of 98 (9.2%) patients out of 1,061 safety population experienced 134 adverse events, of which gastrointestinal disorders were the most common. There were no serious treatment-related adverse events. Renamezin® can be used safely to attenuate renal function decline in moderately advanced CKD patients.

Background: Patients with end-stage kidney disease face increased risk of cardiovascular events, and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) contributes to the high occurrence of cardiovascular mortality (CM). Although a high serum aldosterone (sALD) level is involved in the development of cardiovascular complications in the general population, this association is unclear in patients undergoing hemodialysis. We aimed to determine the impact of sALD on LVDD and CM among hemodialysis patients (HDPs).Methods: We performed a prospective cohort study of maintenance HDPs without cardiovascular disease. The patients were divided into two groups according to the median level of sALD. All patients underwent baseline echocardiography to evaluate diastolic dysfunction (E/e´ ratio > 15). The LVDD and CM rates were compared between the high and low aldosterone groups.Results: We enrolled a total of 60 adult patients (mean age, 57.9 ± 12.1 years; males, 30.0%). The low aldosterone group had an increased left ventricular diastolic dimension compared with the high aldosterone group (52.2 ± 8.4 mm vs. 50.3 ± 5.2 mm, respectively; p = 0.03). Low log-aldosterone (odds ratio [OR], 0.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.19–0.86) and large left atrial dimension (OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.11–1.54) were independent risk factors for LVDD at baseline. In addition, Cox regression analysis demonstrated that low sALD was an independent predictor of CM in HDPs (hazard ratio, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.25–0.85; p = 0.01) during follow-up.Conclusion: Low sALD was not only associated with LVDD but was also an independent predictor of CM among HDPs regardless of their interdialytic weight gain.

Background: Candida albicans is an yeast species that colonizes the vaginal and oral mucosa of healthy women. However, it exhibits pathogenicity when the balance between yeast and mucous membranes and host defense mechanisms is disrupted. Objectives: To develop an auxiliary treatment for vaginitis, we evaluated the inhibitory effects of a probiotic bacterial strain isolated from kimchi on C. albicans. Methods: Lactobacillus plantarum, which exhibits potent inhibitory activity against pathogenic bacteria and is resistant to broad-spectrum antibiotics, was isolated from commercially kimchi in Korea, and its antagonistic effects on C. albicans were examined in a mixed culture with ME-180 cervical carcinoma cells. Results: Candida albicans caused extensive damage in ME-180 cells. In ME-180 cells inoculated with L. plantarum and then with C. albicans, the extent of cell damage increased as the concentration of the C. albicans culture increased. However, in ME-180 cells inoculated with L. plantarum at 106 CFU/mL or at a higher concentration, the extent of cell damage increased substantially with the concentration of C. albicans, indicating that L. plantarum inhibited the growth of C. albicans. Conclusions: Lactobacillus plantarum did not directly inhibit the growth of C. albicans but may have inhibited biofilm development at an early stage, thereby preventing the growth and mucosal adhesion of C. albicans. Further investigation of the safety, side effects, and metabolism of L. plantarum and its potential infectivity in animals is required before the L. plantarum isolate can be used to treat vaginitis.

Background Postoperative thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) suppression therapy is recommended for patients with intermediate- and high-risk differentiated thyroid cancer to prevent the recurrence of thyroid cancer. With the recent increase in small thyroid cancer cases, the extent of resection during surgery has generally decreased. Therefore, questions have been raised about the efficacy and long-term side effects of TSH suppression therapy in patients who have undergone a lobectomy. Methods This is a multicenter, prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial in which 2,986 patients with papillary thyroid cancer are randomized into a high-TSH group (intervention) and a low-TSH group (control) after having undergone a lobectomy. The principle of treatment includes a TSH-lowering regimen aimed at TSH levels between 0.3 and 1.99 μIU/mL in the low-TSH group. The high-TSH group targets TSH levels between 2.0 and 7.99 μIU/mL. The dose of levothyroxine will be adjusted at each visit to maintain the target TSH level. The primary outcome is recurrence-free survival, as assessed by neck ultrasound every 6 to 12 months. Secondary endpoints include disease-free survival, overall survival, success rate in reaching the TSH target range, the proportion of patients with major cardiovascular diseases or bone metabolic disease, the quality of life, and medical costs. The follow-up period is 5 years. Conclusion The results of this trial will contribute to establishing the optimal indication for TSH suppression therapy in low-risk papillary thyroid cancer patients by evaluating the benefit and harm of lowering TSH levels in terms of recurrence, metabolic complications, costs, and quality of life.

Aged population with comorbidities demonstrated high mortality rate and severe clinical outcome in the patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, whether age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index score (CCIS) predict fatal outcomes remains uncertain. This retrospective, nationwide cohort study was performed to evaluate patient mortality and clinical outcome according to CCIS among the hospitalized patients with COVID-19 infection. We included 5,621 patients who had been discharged from isolation or had died from COVID-19 by April 30, 2020. The primary outcome was composites of death, admission to intensive care unit (ICU), use of mechanical ventilator or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. The secondary outcome was mortality. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard model was used to evaluate CCIS as the independent risk factor for death. Among 5,621 patients, the high CCIS (≥3) group showed higher proportion of elderly population and lower plasma hemoglobin and lower lymphocyte and platelet counts. The high CCIS group was an independent risk factor for composite outcome (HR 3.63, 95% CI 2.45-5.37, P < 0.001) and patient mortality (HR 22.96, 95% CI 7.20-73.24, P < 0.001). The nomogram demonstrated that the CCIS was the most potent predictive factor for patient mortality. The predictive nomogram using CCIS for the hospitalized patients with COVID-19 may help clinicians to triage the high-risk population and to concentrate limited resources to manage them.