Which Osteotomy for Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head and Which Patient for the Osteotomy?

Transtrochanteric curved varus osteotomy (TCVO) and transtrochanteric rotational osteotomy (TRO) are joint-preserving procedures for osteonecrosis of the femoral head. The purpose of this review is to provide up-to-date guidelines for the osteotomies. One retrospective comparison revealed that TCVO has shorter operation time, less bleeding, lower incidence of osteophyte formation, and lower rate of secondary collapse. To obtain successful results of the osteotomy, the patient should be younger than 40 years and should have a body mass index of less than 24 kg/m2. The osteotomy should be performed in early stages of femoral head osteonecrosis before marked collapse of the femoral head. The patient should have a medium-size lesion and an enough viable bone to restore the intact articular surface and subchondral bone in the weight-bearing area

Comparison of pedestrian injury characteristics between preschoolers and early school-aged children in Korea: a cross-sectional study

Purpose Pedestrian traffic injuries pose a significant public health issue worldwide and remain prevalent in Korea despite ongoing efforts to improve traffic safety. To inform future initiatives aimed at addressing this problem, this study compared pedestrian injuries between preschoolers (aged 4–5 years) and early school-aged children (aged 6–7 years), using national data on pedestrian injuries in these groups. Methods This study analyzed secondary data from the 2020 Community-Based Severe Trauma Surveillance (2016–2020). Injury-related characteristics and outcome variables were compared between the two age groups. Additionally, the distribution of pedestrian injuries was analyzed by month, day, and time. Results Of 413 pedestrian injuries, 173 (41.9%) occurred in preschoolers and 240 (58.1%) occurred in early school-aged children. Injuries most frequently occurred in July for preschoolers (18.5%) and in June for early school-aged children (13.3%). Preschoolers experienced more injuries on Saturdays (22.0%), whereas early school-aged children had higher injury rates on Tuesdays and Thursday both (17.9%). Peak injury times were around 5 ᴘᴍ for preschoolers (16.2%) with a secondary peak at 9 ᴀᴍ (15.6%). For early school-aged children, 5 and 6 ᴘᴍ were peak injury times (both 14.6%), with a secondary peak at 3 ᴘᴍ (14.2%). The severe injury group (Injury Severity Score, 16–75) had a significantly higher mortality rate than the mild/moderate injury group (Injury Severity Score, 1–15; odds ratio, 5.65; P=0.006). Furthermore, the mortality rate was significantly higher at local emergency centers than at regional trauma centers (odds ratio, 4.00; P=0.011). Conclusions Understanding the distinct characteristics of pedestrian injuries among young children can inform targeted interventions and policies, ultimately mitigating this problem and improving traffic safety for children in Korea and globally

The effectiveness of fermented turmeric powder in subjects with elevated alanine transaminase levels: a randomised controlled study

BACKGROUND: Previous animal studies have shown that Curcuma longa (turmeric) improves liver function. Turmeric may thus be a promising ingredient in functional foods aimed at improving liver function. The purpose of the study is to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of fermented turmeric powder (FTP) on liver function in subjects with elevated alanine transaminase (ALT) levels. METHODS: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted between November 2010 and April 2012 at the clinical trial center for functional foods of the Chonbuk National University Hospital. The trial included 60 subjects, 20 years old and above, who were diagnosed mild to moderate elevated ALT levels between 40 IU/L and 200 IU/L. Sixty subjects were randomised to receive FTP 3.0 g per day or placebo 3.0 g per day for 12 weeks. The treatment group received two capsules of FTP three times a day after meals, for 12 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was change in the ALT levels in the two groups. The secondary efficacy endpoints included its effect on aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), total bilirubin (TB), and lipid profiles. Safety was assessed throughout the study using ongoing laboratory tests. Adverse events (AEs) were also recorded. RESULTS: Sixty subjects were randomised in the study (30 into the FTP group, 30 into the placebo group), and among them, twelve subjects were excluded from the analysis for protocol violation, adverse events or consent withdrawal. The two groups did not differ in baseline characteristics. After 12 weeks of treatment, 48 subjects were evaluated. Of the 48 subjects, 26 randomly received FTP capsules and 22 received placebo. The FTP group showed a significant reduction in ALT levels after 12 weeks of treatment compared with the placebo group (p = 0.019). There was also observed that the serum AST levels were significantly reduce in the FTP group than placebo group (p = 0.02). The GGT levels showed a tendency to decrease, while the serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), TB, and lipids levels were not modified. There were no reported severe AEs during this study, or abnormalities observed on blood glucose, total protein, albumin, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine levels. CONCLUSION: The data of this trial indicate that FTP is effective and safe, generally well-tolerated without severe AEs, in the treatment of subjects with elevated ALT levels over a 12 weeks period. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: http://NCT0163425

Normal Ambulatory 24-Hour Esophageal pH Values in Koreans -A Multicenter Study-

Ambulatory 24-hr esophageal pH monitoring is considered the gold standard for diagnosing gastroesophageal reflux disease. The aim of this study was to establish normal values for gastroesophageal acid exposure in healthy Koreans. Fifty healthy volunteers (24 males and 26 females; mean age, 45 yr) without reflux symptoms and without reflux esophagitis or hiatal hernia on upper endoscopy underwent ambulatory 24-hr esophageal pH monitoring after esophageal manometry. The 95th percentiles for the reflux parameters were: the percent total time pH <4, 3.7%; the percent upright time pH <4, 5.7%; the percent supine time pH <4, 1.0%; the number of reflux episodes with pH <4, 76.5; the number of reflux episodes with pH <4 for >5 min, 1.5; the duration of the longest episode, 12.5 min; and the composite score, 14.2. Age and gender were not associated with any of the pH parameters. In conclusion, physiological gastroesophageal reflux occurs in healthy Koreans. These normal esophageal pH values will provide reference data for clinical and research studies in Korea

Trichilemmal Carcinoma of the Upper Eyelid: A Case Report

We report a very rare case of trichilemmal carcinoma (TLC) involving the upper eyelid. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of trichilemmal carcinoma of the upper eyelid in Korea. A 51-year-old man presented to our hospital complaining of a bloody discharge from his left upper eyelid. He had a soft and lobulated mass on the palpebral conjunctiva. An incisional biopsy revealed trabecular growth of tumor cells with clear cytoplasm, prominent nucleoli, frequent mitoses, and foci of trichilemmal keratinization. Immunohistochemically, the lesion was positive for p53 and negative for CD 34. A diagnosis of TLC was made, and total excision of the mass and reconstruction of the eyelid were performed. Trichilemmal carcinoma is a rare malignant tumor, though it appears to be an indolent neoplasm with no metastatic potential. The treatment of choice for trichilemmal carcinoma of the eyelid is complete excision with tumor-free margins due to the locally invasive nature of the lesion

The prevention of osteoporotic vertebral fractures in eastern and in western countries

Osteoporotic vertebral fractures (VFs) are among the most common and clinically significant manifestations of skeletal fragility, contributing substantially to morbidity, disability, and future fracture risk worldwide. Yet, their recognition and management remain inconsistent across regions. To explore differences and similarities in the prevalence, diagnosis, management, and prevention of vertebral fractures, the East Meets West (EmW) Action Group of the European Calcified Tissue Society convened a multi-country exchange among clinical and research experts from Europe, the USA, and East Asia. This report summarizes the discussions and synthesizes current knowledge on the topic. Evidence from China, South Korea, Japan, and Germany shows a wide range in reported VF prevalence and incidence, largely influenced by differences in population aging, imaging access, and diagnostic adjudication methods. While lateral spine radiographs remain the standard for detection in both research and clinical care, variable use of quantitative morphometry (QM), semi-quantitative (SQ), and algorithm-based qualitative (ABQ) methods limits comparability. MRI remains the gold standard for assessing fracture acuity, but is not feasible for widespread screening. VFA via DXA is gaining popularity, although underutilized in several settings. Despite the availability of effective pharmacologic treatments, including bisphosphonates, denosumab, and anabolic agents, treatment rates following VF remain suboptimal across all countries studied. None of the countries currently has a nationwide vertebral fracture screening program, although fracture liaison services (FLS) and AI-assisted imaging offer promising pathways forward. The lack of a universally accepted definition and gold standard for VF adjudication continues to hamper clinical decision-making and data harmonization. This report highlights the need for greater international consensus on diagnostic criteria, improved integration of vertebral fracture screening into clinical workflows, and the development of targeted strategies to close treatment gaps and reduce the global burden of vertebral fractures.</p

Large-scale genetic study in East Asians identifies six new loci associated with colorectal cancer risk

Known genetic loci explain only a small proportion of the familial relative risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). We conducted the largest genome-wide association study in East Asians with 14,963 CRC cases and 31,945 controls and identified six new loci associated with CRC risk (P = 3.42 × 10−8 to 9.22 × 10−21) at 10q22.3, 10q25.2, 11q12.2, 12p13.31, 17p13.3 and 19q13.2. Two of these loci map to genes (TCF7L2 and TGFB1) with established roles in colorectal tumorigenesis. Four other loci are located in or near genes involved in transcription regulation (ZMIZ1), genome maintenance (FEN1), fatty acid metabolism (FADS1 and FADS2), cancer cell motility and metastasis (CD9) and cell growth and differentiation (NXN). We also found suggestive evidence for three additional loci associated with CRC risk near genome-wide significance at 8q24.11, 10q21.1 and 10q24.2. Furthermore, we replicated 22 previously reported CRC loci. Our study provides insights into the genetic basis of CRC and suggests new biological pathways