Association of Extended Steroid Treatment With Bloodstream Infection in Critically Ill Patients With COVID-19: A National, Multicenter, Propensity Score-Matched Study.

Background: The impact of steroid treatment on mortality outcomes in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been widely demonstrated, while its effect on secondary infections, such as bloodstream infections (BSIs), is controversial. Recent studies have reported the survival benefits of using steroids for a standard duration compared to extended use, though their impact on the risk of BSIs remains debated. This study investigated whether extended steroid use is associated with the risk of BSIs and mortality in critically ill patients with COVID-19.

A comprehensive review on sustainable surfactants from CNSL: chemistry, key applications and research perspectives.

Surfactants, a group of amphiphilic molecules ( with hydrophobic(water insoluble) as well as hydrophilic(water soluble) properties) can modulate interfacial tension. Currently, the majority of surfactants depend on petrochemical feedstocks (such as oil and gas). However, deployment of these petrochemical surfactants produces high toxicity and also has poor biodegradability which can cause more environmental issues.

Changes in respiratory infection trends during the COVID-19 pandemic in patients with haematologic malignancy.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has changed respiratory infection patterns globally. However, its impact on community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in high-risk patients with haematological malignancies (HM) is uncertain. We aimed to examine how community-acquired pneumonia aetiology in patients with haematological malignancies changed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Management of Immunosuppressive Therapy in Kidney Transplant Recipients with Sepsis: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

Background: Up to 6% of kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) experience life-threatening complications requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and one of the most common medical complications requiring ICU admission is infection. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of immunosuppressive therapy (IST) modification on prognosis of KTRs with sepsis.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter retrospective study in 4 university-affiliated hospitals to evaluate the effect of adjusting the IST in KTRs with sepsis.

Clinical relevance of false-negative interferon-gamma release assays in patients with tuberculous pleurisy in an intermediate tuberculosis burden country.

Background: There have been few studies to verify factors associated with a false-negative interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) in patients with tuberculous pleurisy. We investigated the clinical relevance of false-negative results of the blood QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) assay and its risk factors in patients diagnosed with pleural tuberculosis (TB).

Methods: Medical records of 650 pleural TB patients in a tertiary hospital between January 2009 and December 2020 were reviewed retrospectively.

Prognostic Value of Estimated Plasma Volume Status in Patients With Sepsis.

Background: In patients with sepsis, timely risk stratification is important to improve prognosis. Although several clinical scoring systems are currently being used to predict the outcome of sepsis, but they all have certain limitations. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of estimated plasma volume status (ePVS) in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with sepsis or septic shock.

Case report: atrial septostomy as a bridge to lung transplantation in a patient with venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Introduction: Advances in critical care management have led to the recent increase in the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as a bridge to lung transplantation (LT). Patients with respiratory failure requiring venovenous ECMO usually experience progressive right ventricular (RV) failure. Diagnosis and treatment of RV failure during ECMO are essential for improving the prognosis of patients.

Retroactive memory interference reduces false positive outcomes of informed innocents in the P300-based concealed information test.

In the Concealed Information Test (CIT), differential responses between crime-relevant and crime-irrelevant items are indicative of concealed knowledge of a crime, and are used to classify an individual as either "guilty" or "innocent". However, when crime-relevant items are leaked before the test, an innocent examinee can exhibit enhanced responses to the crime-relevant items, thus causing such examinee to be wrongly classified as guilty. In an attempt to solve this problem, we examined the role of retroactive memory interference (RI) in differentiating informed innocents from guilty participants, using a P300-based CIT.

Prevalence and clinical course of upper airway respiratory virus infection in critically ill patients with hematologic malignancies.

Background: The clinical significance of upper airway respiratory virus (RV) detection in patients with hematologic malignancies remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between upper airway RV detection and prognosis in critically ill patients with hematologic malignancies.

Methods: This retrospective observational study included 331 critically ill patients with hematologic malignancies who presented respiratory symptoms and their nasopharyngeal swab was tested using a multiplex PCR assay between January 2017 and December 2018.

Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Responses and Seroconversion in COVID-19 Patients Using Twelve Commercial Immunoassays.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibody assays have high clinical utility in managing the pandemic. We compared antibody responses and seroconversion of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients using different immunoassays.

Methods: We evaluated 12 commercial immunoassays, including three automated chemiluminescent immunoassays (Abbott, Roche, and Siemens), three enzyme immunoassays (Bio-Rad, Euroimmun, and Vircell), five lateral flow immunoassays (Boditech Med, SD biosensor, PCL, Sugentech, and Rapigen), and one surrogate neutralizing antibody assay (GenScript) in sequential samples from 49 COVID-19 patients and 10 seroconversion panels.

The Association between Dynamic Changes in Serum Presepsin Levels and Mortality in Immunocompromised Patients with Sepsis: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Presepsin is a subtype of soluble CD14 that is increased in the blood of septic patients. We investigated the role of dynamic changes in serum presepsin levels in critically ill, immunocompromised patients with sepsis. This is a prospective cohort study that included 119 adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).

Normothermia in Patients With Sepsis Who Present to Emergency Departments Is Associated With Low Compliance With Sepsis Bundles and Increased In-Hospital Mortality Rate.

Objectives: To investigate the impact of normothermia on compliance with sepsis bundles and in-hospital mortality in patients with sepsis who present to emergency departments.

Design: Retrospective multicenter observational study.

Patients: Nineteen university-affiliated hospitals of the Korean Sepsis Alliance participated in this study.

Mortality prediction of serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin in patients requiring continuous renal replacement therapy.

Background/aims: We investigated whether serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) can predict mortality in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT).

Methods: This study enrolled 169 patients who underwent serum NGAL testing at CRRT initiation from June 2017 to January 2019. The predictive power of serum NGAL level for 28-day mortality was compared to the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation-II (APACHE-II) score and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score via area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AuROC) value.

Use of intrapulmonary administration of thrombin in hematological malignancy patients with alveolar haemorrhage: A case series.

Introduction: Alveolar hemorrhage (AH) is characterized by the acute onset of alveolar bleeding and hypoxemia and can be fatal. Thrombin has been widely used to achieve coagulation and hemostasis. However, the efficacy of thrombin in patients with AH is unclear.

Utilization of a rapid response team and associated outcomes in patients with malignancy.

Background: Recent advances in diagnosis and treatment have improved long-term outcomes in cancer patients. As a result, the requirement for a rapid response team (RRT) for cancer patients is also increasing. This study aimed to analyze utilization of an RRT and the associations between related factors and mortality in a population of cancer patients.

Characteristics, management and clinical outcomes of patients with sepsis: a multicenter cohort study in Korea.

Background: Mortality rates associated with sepsis have increased progressively in Korea, but domestic epidemiologic data remain limited. The objective of this study was to investigate the characteristics, management and clinical outcomes of sepsis patients in Korea.

Methods: This study is a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

Clinical implications of discrepant results between genotypic MTBDR and phenotypic Löwenstein-Jensen method for isoniazid or rifampicin drug susceptibility tests in tuberculosis patients.

Background: The widespread use of molecular, genotypic drug susceptibility tests (DSTs) for antituberculosis (anti-TB) drugs has led to the dilemma of interpreting discordant results between genotypic and conventional, phenotypic DSTs. We investigated the clinical characteristics, including treatment patterns and outcomes, of TB patients with a genotype-phenotype discrepancy in susceptibility to isoniazid (INH) or rifampicin (RIF).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of TB patients who had results for 2 DSTs (genotypic method, MTBDR test for INH and RIF, and phenotypic method) treated between August 2010 and October 2016 in a tertiary university hospital.

Clinical significance of Glasgow Prognostic Score in patients with tuberculous pleurisy.

Background: The Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) reflects the host systemic inflammatory response and is a validated, independent prognostic factor for various malignancies. We investigated the clinical significance of the GPS in patients with tuberculosis (TB) pleurisy, focusing on treatment outcomes including paradoxical response (PR).

Methods: This was a retrospective study performed between January 2010 and December 2015 in two referral and university hospitals in South Korea, with intermediate incidences of TB.

Expression of Muscarinic Receptors and the Effect of Tiotropium Bromide in Aged Mouse Model of Chronic Asthma.

Background: Efficacy and safety of tiotropium bromide, a muscarinic receptor antagonist, in treatment of asthma have been reported. However, its effect on airway remodeling in chronic asthma of the elderly has not been clearly verified. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of tiotropium and expression of muscarinic receptors as its related mechanism in an aged mouse model of chronic asthma with airway remodeling.

Characteristics and Clinical Outcomes of Critically Ill Cancer Patients Admitted to Korean Intensive Care Units.

Background: The objective of this study was to investigate the characteristics and clinical outcomes of critically ill cancer patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) in Korea.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study that analyzed prospective collected data from the Validation of Simplified Acute Physiology Score 3 (SAPS3) in Korean ICU (VSKI) study, which is a nationwide, multicenter, and prospective study that considered 5,063 patients from 22 ICUs in Korea over a period of 7 months. Among them, patients older than 18 years of age who were diagnosed with solid or hematologic malignancies prior to admission to the ICU were included in the present study.

Epidemiology and Clinical Characteristics of Rapid Response Team Activations.

Background: To ensure patient safety and improvements in the quality of hospital care, rapid response teams (RRTs) have been implemented in many countries, including Korea. The goal of an RRT is early identification and response to clinical deterioration in patients. However, there are differences in RRT systems among hospitals and limited data are available.

Inhibiting IGF-1R attenuates cell proliferation and VEGF production in IGF-1R over-expressing EGFR mutant non-small cell lung cancer cells.

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the role of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in IGF-1R expressed epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutant cells.

Materials And Methods: Human lung adenocarcinoma PC9, HCC827, and H1975 cells were exposed to a combination of IGF-1, gefitinib, or linsitinib. Cell viability was assessed by the MTT assay.

Clinical significance of positive polymerase chain reaction in non-human immunodeficiency virus immunocompromised patients in a real practice.

Background/aims: polymerase chain reaction (PCR) can be helpful in diagnosing pneumonia (PCP); however it has limitations. We evaluated the prevalence of positive PCR from non-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) immunocompromised patients and tried to determine the risk of PCP development.

Methods: Between May 2009 and September 2012, PCR was performed in bronchoscopic specimens from 1,231 adult non-HIV immunocompromised patients suspected of respiratory infection.

Depth of Pleural Effusion in Thoracentesis: Comparison of Lateral, Posterolateral and Posterior Approaches in the Supine Position.

Background: In patients who have difficulty sitting, thoracentesis is attempted in a supine position via lateral approach. Recently, a new table has been designed for supine thoracentesis. This table has gaps that allow access to the posterolateral and posterior hemithorax.

Identification of small marker chromosomes using microarray comparative genomic hybridization and multicolor fluorescent in situ hybridization.

Background: Marker chromosomes are small supernumerary chromosomes that cannot be unambiguously identified by chromosome banding techniques alone. However, the precise characterization of marker chromosomes is important for prenatal diagnosis and proper genetic counseling. In this study, we evaluated the chromosomal origin of marker chromosomes using a combination of banding cytogenetics and molecular cytogenetic techniques including diverse fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assays and array comparative genomic hybridization (array CGH).