Ready, set, but no go: Skin fat comes preloaded with waiting precursors.

Fat depots across the body dynamically tune their sizes in response to nutrient demands and nonmetabolic cues. Writing in Cell Stem Cell, Rivera-Gonzalez et al. report that skin fat, notable for its ability to rapidly expand, harbors molecularly distinct precursors, primed for proliferation and differentiation into mature adipocytes.

Addressing Frailty in Cardiology: Identifying Barriers Faced by Cardiologists and Health Care Professionals in Asia.

Background: Preventing frailty is crucial for improving outcomes in aging populations at heightened cardiovascular risk, yet implementation in real-world practice remains challenging. The authors previously reported low use of frailty strategies among cardiologists in Asia.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the barriers to frailty implementation among cardiologists, other physicians, and nurses.

Asian Subgroup Analysis of Patients in the Phase 2 DeLLphi-301 Study of Tarlatamab for Previously Treated Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Introduction: Tarlatamab is a bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE) immunotherapy that binds delta-like ligand 3 on the surface of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cells and CD3 on T cells, facilitating T cell-mediated cancer cell lysis. In the primary analysis of the phase 2 DeLLphi-301 study (NCT05060016), tarlatamab showed a favourable benefit-to-risk profile with durable objective responses and promising survival outcomes in patients with previously treated SCLC. Here, phase 2 data for the Asia region subgroup are presented.

The Clinical Impact of Intravascular Imaging-Guided Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients with High Thrombus Burden.

Despite the established clinical efficacy following intravascular imaging (IVI)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) than angiography-guided PCI, evidence regarding prognostic benefits of IVI-guided PCI in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients with high thrombus burden remains limited. Using the nationwide registries of KAMIR-NIH and KAMIR-V, we evaluated the prognostic impact of IVI-guided PCI in AMI patients with high thrombus burden. A total of 4,074 patients with AMI and TIMI thrombus grades 4 or 5 who underwent aspiration thrombectomy were selected, of whom 892 patients (21.

Quality Matters: Effect of High-Quality Early Palliative Care in Advanced Cancer.

Context: Early palliative care (EPC) is an integral treatment for advanced cancer patients, improving quality of life and symptom management, but the impact of its quality on outcomes is less understood.

Objectives: This study aimed to quantify the quality of EPC and analyze its longitudinal association with depression levels, quality of life (QoL), patient survival, and self-management strategies in patients with advanced cancer.

Methods: This secondary analysis included 144 advanced cancer patients from a randomized controlled trial in South Korea.

Long-Term Prognostic Value and Analytical Parameters of the Next-Generation Sequencing-Based Multigene Assay in Hormone Receptor-Positive, HER2-Negative Breast Cancer.

Purpose: In hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative early breast cancer, gene expression testing facilitates treatment decisions. A next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based assay was developed to address test decentralization and underrepresentation of younger/premenopausal patients. We aimed to validate the long-term prognostic value of the NGS-based assay and analyze its quality control (QC) parameters.

Development of a prediction tool for kidney function decline in children with chronic kidney disease.

Background: A paucity of literature exists on the development of predictive tools for the decline of kidney function in pediatric chronic kidney disease (CKD). The objective of this study is to develop and internally validate a tool for the short-term prediction of a kidney function decline in pediatric patients with CKD.

Methods: A total of 539 patients participating in the KNOW-PedCKD (KoreaN cohort study for Outcomes in patients With Pediatric Chronic Kidney Disease) were evaluated for 48 variables related to sociodemographic characteristics, laboratory data, and treatment use.

Left ventricular geometry and the risk of heavy coronary artery calcification in patients with pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease: the KoreaN Cohort Study for Outcome in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease (KNOW-CKD).

Background: The association between abnormal left ventricular geometry (LVG) patterns and the presence of coronary artery calcification is unclear in patients with CKD.

Methods: A total of 2,038 patients with pre-dialysis CKD at stages 1 to 5 were categorized by LVG patterns, which were echocardiographically determined by the presence or absence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and relative wall thickness (RWT): normal, concentric remodeling, eccentric LVH, and concentric LVH. The study outcome was the presence of heavy coronary artery calcification, which is defined as coronary artery calcium score >1,000 Agatston units.

Prognostic value of signet-ring cell carcinoma proportion in undifferentiated gastric cancer: Implications for endoscopic treatment decisions.

Background: Poorly cohesive gastric carcinomas are classified based on the proportion of signet-ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) components. In surgically resected gastric cancer, SRCC is diagnosed when the signet-ring cell (SRC) component constitutes ≥ 50% of the entire tumor, whereas poorly cohesive carcinoma (PCC) not otherwise specified is diagnosed when the proportion of the SRC component is < 50% of the entire tumor. The SRCC proportion in PCC varies along the spectrum, and its prognostic significance in gastric cancer remains unclear.

Can we predict neurological complications in patients with metastatic spinal tumors?

Background: Previous studies primarily analyzed spinal cord injuries in patients with metastatic spinal tumors after such injuries had already occurred. This study aimed to determine whether clinical and radiological factors are associated with the occurrence and severity of newly developed spinal cord injuries within 1 year in patients with metastatic spinal tumors.

Methods: We retrospectively examined patients with metastatic spinal tumors who were referred to the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine between 2017 and 2021.

Characteristics and management of mechanically ventilated patients in South Korea compared with other high-income Asian countries and regions.

Background: This study investigated the characteristics of mechanically ventilated patients in South Korean intensive care units (ICUs).

Methods: We conducted a subgroup analysis of a multinational observational study. Data from 271 mechanically ventilated patients in South Korean ICUs were analyzed for demographics, ventilation practices, and mortality, and were compared with those of 327 patients from other high-income Asian countries.

Impact of preoperative anemia on short- and long-term outcomes of sphincter-preserving rectal cancer surgery.

Background: Preoperative anemia is associated with an increased risk of postoperative complications and poor survival in colorectal cancer; however, its effects on long-term outcomes in sphincter-preserving rectal surgery remain unclear. Therefore, we analyzed the correlation among preoperative anemia, postoperative complications and surgical outcomes in sphincter-preserving rectal cancer surgeries.

Methods: Data from patients who underwent sphincter-preserving surgery for stage I–III rectal cancer between 2011 and 2015 were reviewed.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Serological Tests for Infections in Children with Pneumonia, Based on Symptom Onset.

Background: is a major cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children, with a rising incidence of macrolide resistance. Early diagnosis is crucial for reducing the disease burden; however, current diagnostic tools have limitations. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of serological assays and their performance based on symptom onset in children with CAP.

Can Reference Materials Prepared Following CLSI C37-A Be Utilized Without Commutability Assessment? Perspectives Based on Lipid Measurements.

Background: Ensuring reference material (RM) commutability is crucial for evaluating measurement traceability in order to standardize laboratory tests. However, commutability assessment is not routinely performed. We assessed whether RMs prepared following CLSI C37-A guidelines could be used without assessing commutability by evaluating their commutability for four lipid measurements using the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) and CLSI EP14 protocols.

Impact of the 2024 medical-policy conflict on hepatocellular carcinoma management in Korea.

In 2024, a nationwide conflict between the South Korean government and the medical community, the medical-policy conflict, profoundly impacted healthcare delivery. This study aimed to evaluate the changes in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) following this crisis. We analyzed retrospective real-world data from university hospitals in the Seoul metropolitan area, supplemented with national healthcare data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service.

Evaluation of Bio-Stimulation Effects of Various Dermal Fillers: Hyaluronic Acid-Based Polynucleotides and Microparticle Fillers in Mouse Model.

Background: Dermal fillers have become prevalent in aesthetic surgery, offering noninvasive solutions for addressing signs of aging and enhancing facial features.

Methods: In this study, the in vivo administration of dermal fillers, including a hyaluronic-cross-linked filler (HA-R), a PDLLA-HA combined filler (HA-PDLLA), a microparticle PDO filler (PDO), a PN filler extracted from salmon milt (PN), and pure hyaluronic acid (HA), along with PBS as a control, was evaluated over a 12 week period.

Results: HA-R exhibited sustained volume retention, contrasting with rapid volume loss observed with PN, and gradual dissolution of PDO by week 12.

Establishing consensus recommendations for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer in South Korea: A modified Delphi study.

Purpose: Consensus is lacking among South Korean urologists on the appropriate treatment of metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). A modified, Delphi-based consensus on managing mHSPC patients was developed to support clinical decision-making.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-six questions on mHSPC treatment were developed by an expert committee (five urologists).

The effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on survival outcomes subsequent to radical cystectomy in pathological T0 bladder cancer patients: A multicenter large-scale analysis.

Purpose: After radical cystectomy (RC), the pathologic complete response (pT0) among muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is considered a favorable oncological result. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) among the pT0 patients using a large-scale multicenter study.

Materials And Methods: This study included 3,972 patients who underwent RC at 11 tertiary medical centers.

Contemporary management of metastatic urothelial carcinoma.

Urothelial carcinoma, the most common malignancy of the urinary tract, presents a significant challenge, particularly in its metastatic stage, where prognosis remains poor despite advancements in treatment. Historically, platinum-based chemotherapy has been the standard first-line therapy, achieving moderate response rates but limited long-term survival. Recent breakthroughs have introduced immune checkpoint inhibitors, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and targeted therapies as more effective alternatives.

Association of body composition and cardiovascular fitness with hypertension in a middle-aged adults: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the association between cardiovascular fitness, body composition (particularly abdominal obesity), and hypertension in middle-aged adults, considering the influence of factors such as age, gender, smoking status and alcohol status.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 60 healthy adults (mean aged 54.23 ± 7.

Acute-phase response- and inflammation-, but not extracellular matrix-related proteins in the amniotic fluid are associated with spontaneous preterm delivery in asymptomatic women with midtrimester short cervix.

To determine whether (i) altered levels of acute-phase (APR)-, inflammation-, and extracellular matrix (ECM)-related in the amniotic fluid (AF) were associated with spontaneous preterm delivery (SPTD) in asymptomatic women with midtrimester short cervix (SCX) and (ii) if SPTD risk severity was related to the expression levels of inflammation-related proteins in the AF. This retrospective cohort study included 70 singleton pregnant women diagnosed with a SCX (<25 mm) at 17-25 weeks, who were subjected to amniocentesis to exclude intraamniotic inflammation (IAI; defined as AF interleukin [IL]-6 ≥ 2.6 ng/mL).

Consensus statement on peri-implant disease from the Korean Academy of Periodontology.

This consensus report presents the first official position statement of the Korean Academy of Periodontology on peri-implant diseases, issued in response to South Korea's rapidly aging population and the associated rise in peri-implant disease management. It reviews the prevalence, classification, and definition of peri-implant diseases, emphasizing that these conditions progress more aggressively and unpredictably than periodontal diseases. The report also identifies systemic and local risk indicators, diagnostic criteria, and evidence-based treatment protocols for peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis, integrating international standards with Korea-specific clinical data.

Development of a Prediction Model for Acute Exacerbation in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: A Study of the Korea IPF Cohort Registry.

Background: Acute exacerbation (AE) of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) has the most disastrous impact on prognosis as a major cause of morbidity and mortality. However, there is no proven treatment, and the occurrence of AE is unpredictable. This study aimed to develop a prediction model for AE in patients with IPF using the nationwide Korea IPF Cohort (KICO) registry.