Journal of Korean medical science
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · May 2024
Epidemiology of Respiratory Viruses in Korean Children Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Prospective Study From National Surveillance System.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to a decrease in the seasonal incidence of many respiratory viruses worldwide due to the impact of nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). However, as NPI measures were relaxed, respiratory viral infections re-emerged. We aimed to characterize the epidemiology of respiratory viruses in Korean children during post-COVID-19 pandemic years compared to that before the pandemic. ⋯ With the relaxation of NPI measures, several seasonal respiratory viruses cocirculated with unusual seasonal epidemic patterns and were associated with increasing age of infected children.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · May 2024
Impact of Comprehensive Primary Care in Patients With Complex Chronic Diseases: Nationwide Cohort Database Analysis in Korea.
More comprehensive healthcare services should be provided to patients with complex chronic diseases to better manage their complex care needs. This study examined the effectiveness of comprehensive primary care in patients with complex chronic diseases. ⋯ This study provides evidence of the effectiveness of primary care in functional doctors' offices for patients with complex chronic diseases beyond a single chronic disease and suggests the need for policies to strengthen functional offices providing comprehensive care.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · May 2024
Genomic Analysis of Monkeypox Virus During the 2023 Epidemic in Korea.
We aimed to characterize the genomes of monkeypox virus isolates from the Far East, providing insights into viral transmission and evolution. Genomic analysis was conducted on 8 isolates obtained from patients with monkeypox virus disease in the Republic of Korea between May 2022 and early 2023. ⋯ These genetic features were specific to Far East isolates (the Republic of Korea, Japan, and Taiwan), distinguishing them from the diverse lineages found in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Oceania. In early 2023, the prevalence of the B.1.3 lineage of monkeypox virus identified in six patients with no overseas travel history is considered as an indicator of the potential initiation of local transmission in the Republic of Korea.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · May 2024
Multicenter StudyImpact of Infection Prevention Programs on Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections Analyzed in Multicenter Study.
Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) account for a large proportion of healthcare-associated infections and have a significant impact on morbidity, length of hospital stay, and mortality. Adherence to the recommended infection prevention practices can effectively reduce the incidence of CAUTIs. This study aimed to assess the characteristics of CAUTIs and the efficacy of prevention programs across hospitals of various sizes. ⋯ We implemented interventions to prevent CAUTIs and evaluated their outcomes. The incidence of these infections decreased in the initial phases of the intervention when adequate support and personnel were present. The rate of these infections may be reduced by implementing active interventions such as consistent monitoring and adherence to guidelines for preventing infections.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · May 2024
Multicenter StudyImpact of COVID-19 Infection and Its Association With Previous Vaccination in Patients With Myasthenia Gravis in Korea: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.
During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) were more susceptible to poor outcomes owing to respiratory muscle weakness and immunotherapy. Several studies conducted in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic reported higher mortality in patients with MG compared to the general population. This study aimed to investigate the clinical course and prognosis of COVID-19 in patients with MG and to compare these parameters between vaccinated and unvaccinated patients in South Korea. ⋯ This study suggests that the clinical course and prognosis of patients with MG who contracted COVID-19 during the dominance of the omicron variant of COVID-19 may be milder than those at the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic when vaccination was unavailable. Vaccination may reduce the morbidity of COVID-19 in patients with MG and effectively prevent MG deterioration induced by COVID-19 infection.