Association between continuity of primary care and preventable hospitalization in adults with asthma: A cohort study.

Objective: Hospitalization often indicates deteriorating health, longer treatment times, and higher healthcare costs. This study aimed to investigate associations between continuity of care (COC) and asthma-related hospitalizations using a rigorous methodology.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted using national health insurance claims data.

Continuity of primary care and avoidable hospitalization in a young population with asthma: a population-based cohort study.

Existing evidence regarding the impact of continuity of care (COC) in asthma patients is limited, and its quality is low to moderate. This study aimed to investigate associations between relational COC within primary care and asthma-related hospitalizations in children using a robust methodology. This study is a population-based cohort study that utilized a national claims database in South Korea.

Relationship between continuity of primary care and hospitalisation for patients with COPD: population-based cohort study from South Korea.

Objectives: The existing evidence for the impacts of continuity of care (COC) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is low to moderate. This study aimed to investigate the associations between relational COC within primary care and COPD-related hospitalisations using a robust methodology.

Design: Population-based cohort study.

G Protein-Coupled Estrogen Receptor-Mediated Anti-Inflammatory and Mucosal Healing Activity of a Trimethylpyridinol Analogue in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by abnormal immune responses, including elevated proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This study presents the synthesis and anti-inflammatory evaluation of 2,4,5-trimethylpyridin-3-ol analogues, which exhibit dual inhibition of TNFα- and IL-6-induced inflammation. Analysis using methods, including 3D shape-based target identification, modeling, and docking, identified G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER) as the molecular target for the most effective analogue, -, which exhibits remarkable efficacy in ameliorating inflammation and restoring colonic mucosal integrity.

Continuity of care between dyslipidemia patients and multiple providers: A cohort study.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the impacts of continuity of care (COC) between patients and multiple providers, i.e., doctors and community pharmacists, on clinical and economic outcomes.

Impact of the Narcotics Information Management System on Opioid Use Among Outpatients With Musculoskeletal and Connective Tissue Disorders: Quasi-Experimental Study Using Interrupted Time Series.

Background: Opioids have traditionally been used to manage acute or terminal pain. However, their prolonged use has the potential for abuse, misuse, and addiction. South Korea introduced a new health care IT system named the Narcotics Information Management System (NIMS) with the objective of managing all aspects of opioid use, including manufacturing, distribution, sales, disposal, etc.

Current Antibiotic Use Among Hospitals in the sub-Saharan Africa Region; Findings and Implications.

Background: The rapid rise in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) globally, impacting on morbidity, mortality and costs with sub-Saharan African countries reporting the greatest burden is a concern. Instigation of antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) can improve antibiotic use in hospitals and reduce AMR. Implementing ASPs requires knowledge of antibiotic utilization against agreed quality indicators with the data obtained from point prevalence surveys (PPS), hence the need to document antibiotic utilization patterns in sub-Saharan Africa.

A Comparative Analysis of Anticancer Drug Appraisals Including Managed Entry Agreements in South Korea and England.

Objectives: This study aimed to compare appraisal decisions about anticancer drugs between the health technology assessment (HTA) agencies in Korea and England, and investigate whether the decisions and supporting evidence are comparable.

Methods: This study identified 49 anticancer drugs listed by the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare between January 2014 and December 2019. Of those, 46 anticancer drugs for 58 indications were included for analysis.

Association between cost-sharing and drug prescribing in Korean elderly veterans with chronic diseases: A real-world claims data study.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between cost-sharing and drug prescribing and its appropriateness in Korean elderly veterans with chronic conditions. This is a cross-sectional study using real-world claims data. Veterans with primary hypertension or dyslipidemia were compared with two controls with higher levels of cost-sharing.

Relationship between continuity of care and clinical outcomes in patients with dyslipidemia in Korea: a real world claims database study.

Dyslipidemia is a risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and requires proactive management. This study aimed to investigate the association between care continuity and the outcomes of patients with dyslipidemia. We conducted a retrospective cohort study on patients with dyslipidemia by employing the Korea National Health Insurance claims database during the period 2007-2018.

Assessment of the effects of methodological choice in continuity of care research: a real-world example with dyslipidaemia cohort.

Objective: To determine if the choice of methodological elements affects the results in continuity of care studies.

Design: This is a retrospective cohort study. The association between continuity of care and clinical outcome was investigated using the Continuity of Care Index.

Relational continuity of care in community pharmacy: A systematic review.

Relational continuity of care (COC) is becoming an important concept related to improving healthcare quality, reducing medical costs and increasing patient satisfaction with primary care. While community pharmacy (CP) has a considerable role in primary care, there are few reports dedicated to the role of relational COC in CP. This study reviewed the existing evidence of relational COC in CP and its effect on patients.

Synthesis and activity of N-(5-hydroxy-3,4,6-trimethylpyridin-2-yl)acetamide analogues as anticolitis agents via dual inhibition of TNF-α- and IL-6-induced cell adhesions.

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are the critical pro-inflammatory cytokines involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Inhibition of these cytokines and related signaling pathways has been a target for the development of IBD therapeutics. In the current study, 6-acetamido-2,4,5-trimethylpyridin-3-ol (1) and various analogues with the amido scaffold were synthesized and examined for their inhibitory activities in in vitro and in vivo IBD models.

Challenges in informed consent decision-making in Korean clinical research: A participant perspective.

Objectives: This study investigated how the essential elements of informed consent are realised during the consent process and examined the challenges in obtaining genuine informed consent in Korea.

Methods: Through purposive sampling, we recruited 21 subjects from those participating in anticancer drug research since 2013. We undertook 1:1 in-depth interviews and analysed the data by framework analysis.

Antitumor activity of BJ-1207, a 6-amino-2,4,5-trimethylpyridin-3-ol derivative, in human lung cancer.

Enhanced expression of NADPH oxidase (NOX) and the subsequent production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are associated with lung cancer. In the present study, fifty 6-amino-2,4,5-trimethylpyridin-3-ol derivatives were screened for anticancer activity by targeting NOX2-derived ROS. The compounds suppressed ROS production and decreased cancer cell viability (R = 0.

Effects of a price cut reform on the cost and utilization of antidiabetic drugs in Korea: a national health insurance database study.

Background: Despite the potential widespread application and a significant need, the policy effectiveness of prescribed medications price controls has not been studied extensively. We aimed to explore the effects of a price cut introduced in April 1st of 2012 on the cost and utilization of antidiabetics in South Korea.

Methods: We identified approximately four million outpatients who filed at least one diabetes-related claim during the index period (January 2010 to December 2012) using the National Health Insurance claims data.

Correction: Awareness and attitude of the public toward personalized medicine in Korea.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Awareness and attitude of the public toward personalized medicine in Korea.

Objectives: As personalized medicine (PM) is expected to greatly improve health outcomes, efforts have recently been made for its clinical implementation in Korea. We aimed to evaluate public awareness and attitude regarding PM.

Methods: We performed a self-administered questionnaire survey to 703 adults, who participated in the survey on a voluntary basis.

Protective effects of 6-ureido/thioureido-2,4,5-trimethylpyridin-3-ols against 4-hydroxynonenal-induced cell death in adult retinal pigment epithelial-19 cells.

Dysfunction or progressive degeneration of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) contributes in the initial pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) causing irreversible vision loss, which makes RPE the prime target of the disease. The present study aimed to identify compounds to protect 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE)-induced RPE cell death by inhibiting NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) activity, not just as free radical scavengers, using ARPE-19, a human adult retinal pigment epithelial cell line, as a RPE representative. Novel thirty-two 6-ureido/thioureido-2,4,5-trimethylpyridin-3-ol derivatives 17 were synthesized and tested.

Satisfaction and expressed needs of pharmaceutical care services and challenges recognized by patients in South Korea.

Purpose: To assess the degree of satisfaction and expressed needs of pharmaceutical care services in patients with chronic diseases and explore the factors related to the needs from patients' perspectives for the further development of pharmaceutical care service models.

Patients And Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 220 patients (mean age ± SD: 61.3±13.

Perceived needs of pharmaceutical care services among healthcare professionals in South Korea: a qualitative study.

Purpose To explore the need for pharmaceutical care services, key features of desirable pharmacy services, and perceived barriers for advancing the services in hospital environments with doctors and nurses who are key co-workers of the interdisciplinary team care services.Methods Semi-structured, in-depth interviews with eighteen doctors and fifteen nurses employing purposive and snowballing sampling strategies were conducted in ten hospitals in South Korea. Results The level of pharmaceutical care was varied across regions or institutions in South Korea.

Inadequate stroke prevention in Korean atrial fibrillation patients in the post-warfarin era.

Background: Anticoagulation therapy with warfarin or direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) is recommended for atrial fibrillation (AF) patients who are at a high risk for stroke. This study aimed to investigate the utilization of anticoagulants since the introduction of DOACs in South Korea.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using claim-based national data from 2011 to 2014 derived from the Aged Patient Sample (APS) compiled by the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service (HIRA).

Underutilization of warfarin for stroke prophylaxis in patients with atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter in Korea.

Objective: Anticoagulation therapy with warfarin is recommended for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter (AFL) whose risks for stroke are high. However, previous studies suggest that warfarin is markedly underused. This study aims to investigate the incidence and risk factors of warfarin underutilization in patients with high risk of stroke in Korea.

International experience in controlling pharmaceutical expenditure: influencing patients and providers and regulating industry - a systematic review.

Objective: To review international policies to control expenditure on pharmaceuticals by influencing the behaviour of patients and providers and regulating the pharmaceutical industry.

Method: Systematic review of experimental and quasi-experimental studies. Published studies were identified with an electronic search strategy using MEDLINE and EMBASE from 1980 to May 2012.

Sociodemographic factors influencing the use of injections in South Korean outpatient care.

Purpose: This study explored the relationship between sociodemographic factors and injection utilization in South Korea.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional analysis using 2009 prescription claims for Korean National Health Insurance beneficiaries. We analyzed the utilization, costs, and proportion of injections in the insured market for oral-injection dual-dose-form ingredients (DFIs).