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Tonsillectomy has been suggested as a potential intervention to resolve psoriasis; however, its preventive effects on the development of psoriasis remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the risk of developing late-onset psoriasis among a Korean adult population who had undergone tonsillectomy. Data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening Cohort between 2002 and 2019 were utilized. Out of a total of 514,866 participants, 1082 participants aged 40 years or older who had undergone tonsillectomy were matched with 4328 control participants using overlap weighting adjustment based on the propensity score. The incidence and hazard ratio (HR) of psoriasis were calculated for both tonsillectomy and control groups. The incidence rates of psoriasis were 1.30% in the tonsillectomy group and 1.20% in the control group. The incidence of psoriasis (overlap-weighted HR = 1.08, 95% confidence of interval = 0.69–1.69, and p = 0.732) did not differ significantly between the patients who underwent tonsillectomy and those in the control group. The cumulative probability of developing psoriasis was not different between the two groups (Log-rank test: p = 0.440). These findings were consistent across subgroups divided by age, sex, income, and region of residence. We found that tonsillectomy did not confer a preventive effect on the development of late-onset psoriasis in the Korean adult population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the changes in physical activity levels and the rate of falls during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Korean population. The Korean Community Health Survey (KCHS) conducted in 2019 was compared with that conducted in 2020. Simple or multiple linear regression with complex sampling was conducted to calculate the estimated value (EV) of physical activity in the 2020 group vs. the 2019 group. The odds ratio (OR) of fall histories was calculated using simple or multiple logistic regression with complex sampling for the 2020 group compared to the 2019 group. The time spent on vigorous and moderate physical activity was lower in the 2020 group than in the 2019 group (EV = −10.0, 95% CI = −12.1 to −8.0, P < 0.001 for vigorous exercise and EV = −24.0, 95% CI = −26.7 to −21.4, P < 0.001 for moderate exercise). The rate of falls was lower in the 2020 group than in the 2019 group (OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.62 to 0.70, P < 0.001). Vigorous and moderate exercise decreased after the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before the pandemic. The occurrence of falls was lower during the COVID-19 pandemic than in the pre-pandemic period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to delineate the causal relationship between Ménière's disease and depression. Design: Two longitudinal follow‐up studies. Main Outcome Measures: The 2002‐2013 Korean National Health Insurance Service‐Health Screening Cohort was used. In study I, Ménière's disease patients were 1:4 matched with the control I group for age group, sex, income group and region of residence, and the occurrence of depression was observed. In study II, the depression patients were 1:4 matched with the control II group for the same variables, and the occurrence of Ménière's disease was observed. The stratified Cox proportional hazard model was used. Subgroup analyses were performed according to age and sex. Results: In study I, 6.9% (420/6044) of the Ménière's disease patients and 3.7% (885/24 176) of the control I participants experienced depression. The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of Ménière's disease for depression was 1.94 (95% confidence intervals [CI] = 1.73‐2.18, P <.001). In study II, 1.6% (490/31 649) of the depression patients and 1.0% (1240/126 596) of the control II participants were diagnosed with Ménière's disease. The adjusted HR of depression for Ménière's disease was 1.58 (95% CI = 1.43‐1.76, P <.001). All age and sex subgroups demonstrated higher HRs of Ménière's disease for depression (study I) and depression for Ménière's disease (study II). Conclusion: Ménière's disease patients showed an increased likelihood of depression. Conversely, depression patients showed an elevated likelihood of Ménière's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the bidirectional relation between RA and depression. Methods Data from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service – National Sample Cohort from 2002 to 2013 were analysed. Patients ≥20 years of age were included. Study I was conducted with 38 087 depression patients and 152 348 matched control participants. Study II was conducted with 7385 RA patients and 29 540 matched control participants. Stratified Cox proportional hazards models were used to analyse the hazard ratios (HRs) for depression and RA (study I) and for RA and depression (study II). The data were adjusted by the Charlson comorbidity index; rheumatic disease was excluded. Subgroups were also analysed according to age and sex. Results A total of 0.7% (1260/38 087) of the depression group and 0.6% (883/152 348) of the control I group had RA (P  = 0.02). The HR for RA in the depression group was not significantly higher than that in control I group. In study II, 5.5% (408/7385) of the RA group and 4.3% (1246/29 540) of the control II group presented with depression (P  < 0.001). The RA patients showed an adjusted depression HR that was 1.20 times higher (95% CI 1.07, 1.34; P  = 0.002) than that of the control group. The >30-years-old and women subgroups of RA patients showed higher depression HRs than the control subgroups. Conclusion RA increased the risk of depression; however, depression did not increase the risk of RA in the Korean adult population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the risk of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) in Herpes zoster patients from a representative population cohort. Design: A longitudinal follow-up study Study sample: Data were obtained from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort for the period from 2002 to 2013. We matched 61,702 subjects in the Herpes zoster group with subjects in a control group (246,808 subjects with no history of Herpes zoster) based on demographic factors (age, sex, income, and region of residence) and medical history (diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension). The crude (simple) and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for Herpes zoster with SSNHL were analysed using the Cox-proportional hazard model. Results: Only 0.5% (338/61,364) of the Herpes zoster group and 0.7% (1664/245,144) of the control group showed SSNHL. The Herpes zoster group did not exhibit a higher rate of SSNHL (adjusted HR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.72–0.91, p < 0.001) than the control group. In subgroup analyses, no age subgroups showed a significant risk of SSNHL in the Herpes zoster group. Conclusions: After adjusting for confounding factors, the risk of SSNHL did not increase in the Herpes zoster group compared with the control group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Focal chronic inflammation or infection is thought to be one of the causes of psoriasis. Few reports on the association between chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and psoriasis exist, thus it is poorly defined. This study seeks to investigate the incidence of psoriasis in patients with CRS with reference to a matched control group. Methods: This national cohort study relies on data from Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service—National Sample Cohort (HIRA-NSC), which were entered from 2002 to 2013. A total of 34,219 patients with CRS without nasal polyps was matched with 136,976 controls. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to analyze the crude (simple) and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of psoriasis. For subgroup analysis, participants were grouped by age and sex. Results: The risk of psoriasis was higher in the CRS group than in the control group (adjusted HR 1.28, 95% CI 1.12–1.47, P < 0.001). Children, adolescents below 19 years regardless of sex, and old adult men above 60 years are at significantly higher risk for subsequent psoriasis after CRS diagnosis. Conclusion: CRS may increase the risk of psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of pre-existing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on the occurrence of Meniere's disease (MD). The 2002–2015 Korean National Health Insurance Service—Health Screening Cohort data were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 3038 participants with RA were matched with 12,152 control participants for demographic factors. The occurrence of MD was evaluated in both the RA and control groups. The hazard ratios (HRs) of RA for participants with MD were calculated using a stratified Cox proportional hazard model. Additionally, subgroup analyses were conducted. The rate of MD was not different between the RA and control groups (1.5% vs. 1.3%, standardized difference = 0.01). The HR was not higher in the RA group than in the MD group (adjusted HR = 1.03, 95% confidence interval = 0.73–1.44, p = 0.885). A higher HR of RA for participants with MD was found in the ≥60-year-old subgroup in the crude model but not in the adjusted model. An association between RA and MD was not found in any of the other subgroups. A previous history of RA was not related to an increased risk of MD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]