Update of the Korean Clinical Practice Guidelines for Stroke: Blood Pressure Management.

Hypertension is a major risk factor for stroke, and appropriate management of blood pressure (BP) is crucial for both prevention and treatment. Since the 2009 publication of the Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) by the Korean Stroke Society (KSS), significant advances have been made in BP management for stroke patients, particularly in cases involving intracerebral hemorrhage and in the context of endovascular reperfusion therapy for ischemic stroke. In light of recent evidence, the CPG Committee of the KSS initiated an update of the guidelines for BP management in acute stroke.

Advancements and Challenges in Acute Heart Failure Management in Korea: Initial Report and Insights from the Korean Heart Failure III Registry.

Background: Heart failure (HF) is a major global health burden. Building on two prior national registries, the Korean Heart Failure III (KorHF III) registry provides a contemporary evaluation of clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes in patients hospitalized with acute HF (AHF) in Korea.

Methods And Results: KorHF III prospectively enrolled 7,351 AHF patients from 47 tertiary hospitals between March 2018 and December 2022, with a 2-year follow-up.

Optimizing systolic blood pressure targets for elderly hypertensive patients: a meta-analysis of mortality, cardiovascular outcomes, and adverse events.

Background: Hypertension is a common health issue among elderly populations, substantially increasing morbidity and mortality risks. This meta-analysis aimed to determine optimal systolic blood pressure (SBP) targets in elderly hypertensive patients and their effects on clinical outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library to identify randomized controlled trials involving antihypertensive therapy in participants aged 60 years and older.

Ameliorative Effect of Heat-Killed Q1 (LPQ1) on Lipid Accumulation: Integration of Network Pharmacology with and Experiments.

Lipid metabolism disorders are expanding at an alarming rate worldwide pressuring the entire healthcare system. Therefore, exploring effective therapeutic treatments for lipid metabolism disorders is a hot spot in research. The therapeutic effects of paraprobiotics on obesity are still not fully explored through the integration of network pharmacology analysis with in vitro and in vivo experiments to confirm their beneficial effect.

Trends in Incidences, Treatments and Outcomes of Spontaneous Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Korea Between 2002 and 2022.

Background: Access to equitable care for severely emergent diseases serves as a key indicator for evaluating the performance of a country's health care system. The aim of this study was to examine trends in the incidence, treatment and outcomes of patients with spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) using Korean national claims data.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on a cohort of inpatients with spontaneous SAH from 2002 to 2022, utilizing data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service.

Fostering Healthier Interpersonal Dynamics: A Mentalization-Based Antibullying Program for ICU Nurses.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a mentalization-based antibullying program (MBAP) to enhance intensive care unit (ICU) nurses' interpersonal competences. Mentalization is the ability to focus on and understand the mental states of oneself and others. Previous research on ICU nurses has identified mentalization as a critical factor influencing both victimization and perpetration of workplace bullying.

Context-Aware Beam Selection for IRS-Assisted mmWave V2I Communications.

Millimeter wave (mmWave) technology, with its ultra-high bandwidth and low latency, holds significant promise for vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications. However, it faces challenges such as high propagation losses and limited coverage in dense urban vehicular environments. Intelligent Reflecting Surfaces (IRSs) help address these issues by enhancing mmWave signal paths around obstacles, thereby maintaining reliable communication.

Comparison of Natriuretic Peptide Levels in Sinus Rhythm and Atrial Fibrillation in Acute Heart Failure.

Background And Objectives: In chronic heart failure (HF), natriuretic peptide (NP) levels are higher in atrial fibrillation (AF) compared to sinus rhythm (SR). However, due to the loss of atrial contraction, AF patients are prone to hemodynamic decompensation at earlier stages. Since NP levels reflect disease severity, acutely decompensated AF patients may exhibit lower NP levels compared to SR patients, who retain greater hemodynamic reserve.

Feasibility of watch-based blood pressure monitoring device in daily blood pressure monitoring.

Background: Cuffless blood pressure (BP) measurement devices integrated into smartwatches have gained prominence, yet limited studies provide the feasibility and preciseness of daily BP monitoring. Here, we evaluated the trackability of daily BP variance and the precision of the calibration process.

Methods: We collected the data from 896 participants, reporting 35,592 BP values, and body composition analysis data measured by the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 device.

Examining the role of self-conscious emotions and perfectionistic self-presentation in workplace bullying among Korean nurses: a cross-sectional study.

Background: There is a lack of systematic evaluations of the diversity and effectiveness of interventions to prevent workplace bullying. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the relationships among self-conscious emotions, perfectionistic self-presentation, and workplace bullying, focusing on both victim and perpetrator roles among nurses in South Korea.

Methods: Data from 522 nurses working in tertiary hospitals in South Korea were analyzed.

Spironolactone vs Amiloride for Resistant Hypertension: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Amiloride has been proposed as an alternative to spironolactone for treating resistant hypertension. However, no randomized clinical trials have compared the efficacy of spironolactone and amiloride in patients with resistant hypertension.

Objective: To determine whether amiloride is noninferior to spironolactone in reducing home-measured systolic blood pressure (SBP) in patients with resistant hypertension.

Cuffless Blood Pressure Measurement Devices-International Perspectives on Accuracy and Clinical Use: A Narrative Review.

Importance: Hypertension is a primary modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular death and disability. Accurate blood pressure (BP) measurement is essential for the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension. Conventional BP measurement with cuff devices is recommended but difficult for patients to perform due to inconvenience, discomfort, and challenges with appropriate cuff sizing and measurement protocols.

Nurses' Experiences from Patient Safety Incidents of Hospitalized Children: A Qualitative Study.

This qualitative study aimed at exploring nurses' experiences concerning patient safety incidents among hospitalized children in South Korea. From August 4 to 12, 2023, data were collected through in-depth individual interviews involving 14 clinical nurses. Employing thematic analysis, we identified 8 themes, which coalesced into three theme clusters: "challenges in pediatric patient safety nursing due to patient and caregiver characteristics," "emotional changes in nurses following patient safety incidents," and "sincere desire to prevent patient safety incidents in pediatric patients" The findings underscored that nurses experience significant burdens related to patient safety, emphasizing the necessity for robust support from caregivers, healthcare institutions, and national policies.

Disparities in Heart Transplantation Allocation and Outcomes by Blood Type in Korea (2010-2022).

Background And Objectives: This study aimed to elucidate the influence of recipient blood type on heart transplant allocation dynamics in Korea, focusing on donor matching, wait times, and post-transplant survival from 2010 to 2022.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we examined 1,745 heart transplant recipients classified by blood types: A (n=631), B (n=488), AB (n=256), and O (n=370). Parameters studied encompassed donor and recipient ages, donor blood type compatibility, organ type, emergency status, waiting periods, and survival rates up to one year post-transplant.

Recent advances in the Design-Build-Test-Learn (DBTL) cycle for systems metabolic engineering of Corynebacterium glutamicum.

Existing microbial engineering strategies-encompassing metabolic engineering, systems biology, and systems metabolic engineering-have significantly enhanced the potential of microbial cell factories as sustainable alternatives to the petrochemical industry by optimizing metabolic pathways. Recently, systems metabolic engineering, which integrates tools from synthetic biology, enzyme engineering, omics technology, and evolutionary engineering, has been successfully developed. By leveraging modern engineering strategies within the Design-Build-Test-Learn (DBTL) cycle framework, these advancements have revolutionized the biosynthesis of valuable compounds.

Utility of Non-HLA Autoantibodies in Predicting Graft Survival After Heart Transplantation.

Background: The presence of antibodies to donor-specific HLAs is a well-known risk factor associated with heart transplantation (HTx) outcomes. Recently, non-HLA antibodies were reported to be associated with HTx outcomes.

Methods: We evaluated the association between the presence of non-HLA antibodies with early (≤1 y) and long-term graft failure in 192 patients undergoing HTx in 4 large transplant centers in Korea.

Hypertensive heart disease in older patients: considerations for clinical practice.

Appropriate management of older people with hypertension is essential to reduce the burden of hypertensive heart disease and further cardiovascular sequelae but there may be challenges given the presence of concurrent senescent changes, comorbidities and impairment in functionality. It is recommended that frailty level and functional status are assessed periodically to understand patient needs and to guide treatment decisions. Office blood pressure should be measured with an appropriate cuff as per standard guidelines.

Palliative Care and Hospice for Heart Failure Patients: Position Statement From the Korean Society of Heart Failure.

Heart failure (HF) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in South Korea, imposing substantial physical, emotional, and financial burdens on patients and society. Despite the high burden of symptom and complex care needs of HF patients, palliative care and hospice services remain underutilized in South Korea due to cultural, institutional, and knowledge-related barriers. This position statement from the Korean Society of Heart Failure emphasizes the need for integrating palliative and hospice care into HF management to improve quality of life and support holistic care for patients and their families.

Prognostic Value of Ambulatory Status at Transplant in Older Heart Transplant Recipients: Implications for Organ Allocation Policy.

Background: Shortage of organ donors in the Republic of Korea has become a major problem. To address this, it has been questioned whether heart transplant (HTx) allocation should be modified to reduce priority of older patients. We aimed to evaluate post-HTx outcomes according to recipient age and specific pre-HTx conditions using a nationwide prospective cohort.

Metabolic Engineering of Corynebacterium glutamicum for High-Level Production of 1,5-Pentanediol, a C5 Diol Platform Chemical.

The biobased production of chemicals is essential for advancing a sustainable chemical industry. 1,5-Pentanediol (1,5-PDO), a five-carbon diol with considerable industrial relevance, has shown limited microbial production efficiency until now. This study presents the development and optimization of a microbial system to produce 1,5-PDO from glucose in Corynebacterium glutamicum via the l-lysine-derived pathway.

Antidepressant therapeutic strategies and health care utilization in patients with depression.

Background: Individuals with depression who do not respond to initial antidepressant may switch to a different antidepressant, add a second antidepressant, or add an atypical antipsychotic. Previous studies comparing these strategies' efficacy and safety reported conflicting results, and the impact of these strategies on subsequent health care utilization is unknown.

Objective: To compare health care utilization between individuals with depression who switched antidepressants, added a second antidepressant (ie, combination), or added an atypical antipsychotic (ie, augmentation) following their initial antidepressant.

Discrepancies between home blood pressure and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in apparent treatment-resistant hypertension: analysis from the Korean resistant hypertension cohort.

This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of out-of-office blood pressure (BP) measurements in patients with apparent treatment-resistant hypertension (aRH) enrolled from 15 tertiary care centers in South Korea. aRH was defined as having uncontrolled office BP ≥ 130/80 mmHg despite receiving three classes of antihypertensive medication or any level of BP despite receiving ≥4 classes of antihypertensive medication. Patients with complete data for office BP, 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM), and home BP measurements at baseline were included.

Cost-effectiveness of strengthening blood pressure classification in South Korea: comparing the 2017 ACC/AHA and KSH guidelines.

Background: Hypertension is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), with hypertension-related deaths increasing annually. While South Korea uses the Korean Society of Hypertension (KSH) guideline of 140/90 mmHg, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) updated their guidelines in 2017 to 130/80 mmHg. This study evaluates the cost-effectiveness of transitioning to the 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines by estimating early treatment impacts and potential CVD risk reduction.