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Background/Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) impairs quality of life (QoL). However, its disease burden in the general population remains unknown. We aimed to investigate the association between OSA and health-related QoL in the general Korean population. Methods: This study analyzed cross-sectional datasets of adults (≥40 years) in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2019–2021. QoL was assessed using the 3-level EuroQoL 5-dimension component (EQ-5D-3L). The high risk of OSA was determined using the STOP-Bang questionnaire (score ≥ 3). Demographic and clinical factors were included in linear regression analyses to identify the factors associated with EQ-5D-3L. Results: Of the 8966 total participants, 6792 (75.8%) and 2174 (24.2%) were classified as having a low risk and high risk of OSA, respectively. The high risk OSA group showed significantly lower QoL scores when compared with the low risk OSA group (0.939 ± 0.003 vs. 0.951 ± 0.002, p < 0.001). However, the mean difference was within the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of EQ-5D-3L. Only females exceeded the MCID for the EQ-5D-3L. Elderly females with a high risk of OSA showed the lowest QoL. The regression coefficient of high risk OSA in the multivariate model was −0.018 (95% CI: −0.025–−0.01, p < 0.001). Patient demographics and comorbidities also showed significant associations with the EQ-5D-3L. Their regression coefficient was higher than that of high risk OSA. Conclusions: The impact of high risk OSA on QoL manifested differently according to age and sex. The impact of comorbidities on QoL was greater than that of high risk OSA, highlighting the important role of comorbidities and the need for their adjustment in the assessment of QoL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is a rare form of vasculitis with multiorgan involvement. The incidence and prevalence of EGPA vary geographically and ethnically. This study investigated the incidence, prevalence, and mortality of EGPA in a nationwide population-based cohort in Korea., Methods: This retrospective cohort study used data from the National Health Insurance database that covers almost all Korean residents. EGPA was identified using relevant diagnostic codes from 2007 to 2018. Newly diagnosed EGPA cases since 2007 and patients who visited outpatient clinics for EGPA at least three times were included. Age- and sex-adjusted standardized incidence and prevalence rates were analyzed., Results: A total of 843 patients with EGPA were identified. The mean annual standardized incidence between 2007 and 2018 was 1.2 (per 1,000,000 individuals). The incidence of EGPA has increased from 1.1 (per 1,000,000 individuals) in 2007 to 1.6 (per 1,000,000 individuals) in 2017. The standardized prevalence of EGPA has increased from 1.1(per 1,000,000 individuals) in 2007 to 11.2 (per 1,000,000 individuals) in 2018. The incidence and prevalence of EGPA were higher in women than in men. The standardized mortality rate was 1.61 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34-1.93) in total population, 1.59 (95% CI, 1.23-2.02) in males, and 1.63 (95% CI, 1.22-2.13) in females., Conclusions: The incidence of EGPA has increased over the past decade. Incidence and prevalence rates were higher in females than in males. The overall mortality rate associated with EGPA was higher than that in the general population., Competing Interests: There are no financial or other issues that might lead to conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Korean Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology • The Korean Academy of Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Disease.)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between mandibular condylar volume and disk displacement status in adult males and females., Study Design: We evaluated 122 temporomandibular joints in 61 patients using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT). MRI data were used to assign disk status as normal disk position (NR), disk displacement with reduction (DDR), or disk displacement without reduction (DDNR). CT data were used to calculate total condylar volume and its components, cortical volume, and trabecular volume. The relationships among condylar volume, disk status, and gender were tested with 2-way analysis of variance., Results: Condylar volumes significantly correlated with disk displacement, tending to decrease as displacement increased. There were significant differences in both total condylar volume and trabecular volume among the DD status (NR > DDR > DDNR), whereas cortical volume was significantly different only between NR/DDR and DDNR (NR/DDR > DDNR). The volume decreases associated with temporomandibular joint DD were found in both males and females, with greater decreases in men than in women as DD progressed., Conclusions: Condylar volumes are significantly associated with disk displacement status. Joints with nonreducing disks showed the smallest condylar volumes in both males and females., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Because the dopaminergic pathways in the midbrain have been closely associated with serious neuropsychiatric disorders, the elucidation of the mechanisms underlying dopaminergic neuronal development should provide some important clues for related disorders. In mice lacking the dopamine D2 receptor (D2R-/-), stereological cell counting analysis showed that the number of mesencephalic tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) cells was significantly low during ontogeny, compared with that observed in wild-type (WT) mice, thereby indicating an alteration in dopaminergic neuronal development in the absence of D2R. The results of immunohistochemical and reverse transcription-PCR analyses revealed that the expression of Nurr1, an orphan nuclear receptor, as well as Ptx3 expression, was selectively reduced in D2R-/- mice during the embryonic stage. A reporter gene assay using the Nur response element linked to the luciferase reporter gene indicated that the stimulation of D2R results in the activation of the Nurr1-mediated reporter gene. This D2R-mediated Nur response element-dependent transcriptional activity was regulated via the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). Furthermore, quinpirole treatment was shown to elicit an increase in the number of TH-positive neurons, as well as the neuritic extension of TH neurons, coupled with ERK activation and Nurr1 activation in the TH-positive neurons in primary mesencephalic cultures from WT mice. However, this regulation was not detected in the D2R-/- mice. These results suggest that signaling through D2R in association with Nurr1 using ERK, plays a critical role in mesencephalic dopaminergic neuronal development.