https://scholarworks.bwise.kr/hanyang/handle/2021.sw.hanyang/491 2026-07-03T23:41:49Z https://scholarworks.bwise.kr/hanyang/handle/2021.sw.hanyang/212890 Title: The effect of inhaler prescription and comorbidities on the prognosis of COPD in never-smokers: A nationwide population-based study Authors: Sheen, Seung Soo; Oh, Ju Hyun; Choi, Won-Il; Kim, Kyungjoo; Rhee, Chin Kook; Park, Joo Hun Abstract: Background: Most clinical trials evaluating inhaler therapy in COPD have been conducted predominantly in smoking populations, and prognostic factors and therapeutic outcomes in COPD without any history of smoking were not well investigated. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of inhaler prescription and comorbidities on the prognosis of COPD in never-smokers. Methods: A retrospective observational study was undertaken using data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service–National Sample Cohort (NHIS-NSC) Survival analyses were performed according to inhaler prescriptions and comorbidities from index date to December 31, 2019. Results: Among 2432 eligible patients, 382 (15.7%) received long-acting muscarinic antagonist(LAMA)/long-acting β2-agonist(LABA) therapy, 1780 (73.2%) received inhaled corticosteroid(ICS)/LABA, 187 (7.7%) received LAMA monotherapy, and 83 (3.4%) received LABA monotherapy. In multivariate Cox regression analysis, compared with the LAMA/LABA group, the ICS/LABA group had significantly higher all-cause (HR 1.65; 95% CI 1.22–2.24) and respiratory mortality (HR 1.72; 95% CI 1.07–2.77). Coexisting heart failure, frequent hospitalizations (≥2 times/year vs. none), and emergency room visits along with older age, male sex, and lower body mass index (BMI) were also independently associated with higher respiratory and all-cause mortality (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Our data in the cohort of non-smoking COPD suggest that LAMA/LABA therapy was associated with better survival rate compared with ICS/LABA therapy. Moreover, comorbid heart failure, frequent hospitalizations, emergency room visits, older age, male sex, and lower BMI were also independently linked to higher risks of respiratory and all-cause mortality. 2026-07-01T00:00:00Z https://scholarworks.bwise.kr/hanyang/handle/2021.sw.hanyang/213184 Title: Tumor-educated platelets in cancer diagnostics and prognostics: A critical appraisal and roadmap for clinical translation Authors: Kwon, Whi-An; Lee, Min-Kyung; Ahn, Eunyong; Kim, Heeyeon; Song, Yong Sang; Ahn, Taejin Abstract: Tumor-educated platelets (TEPs) are emerging as a compelling frontier in liquid biopsy, functioning as dynamic, systemic sensors that sequester and process tumor-derived biomolecules. This interaction imprints an integrated molecular signature of malignancy—spanning the transcriptome, proteome, lipidome, and crucially, the captured genome—within the circulating platelet population. Recent mechanistic evidence suggests that platelets can sequester extracellular DNA, including circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), and may thereby act as a relatively protected, time-integrated reservoir that extends the biological persistence of tumor-derived fragments beyond the short plasma half-life (tens of minutes to a few hours). This emerging platelet-sequestered DNA (pDNA) signal complements more established platelet transcriptomic data; to date, most TEP-based molecular profiling has relied on RNA and has shown promising performance in identifying diverse solid malignancies, including premalignant lesions, and in some settings facilitating localization of the tissue of origin. However, the translation of these findings into clinical-grade assays is obstructed by substantial hurdles. Pre-analytical inconsistencies (e.g., leukocyte/erythrocyte contamination, isolation protocol choice) introduce technical noise and pervasive batch effects that compromise reproducibility. These vulnerabilities have been underscored by failed external validations and poor generalizability of discovery-phase classifiers in independent cohorts and prospective settings. This review critically dissects the factors influencing TEP diagnostic performance and outlines a concrete roadmap for clinical translation. We argue that rigorous standardization—universal standard operating procedures, harmonized pre-analytics, and quantitative quality-control metrics—is the sine qua non for implementation, to be followed by large-scale, prospective validation trials designed to demonstrate clinical utility and by multi-omics integration to maximize diagnostic yield. 2026-07-01T00:00:00Z https://scholarworks.bwise.kr/hanyang/handle/2021.sw.hanyang/212789 Title: The ETNA-VTE-KOR-TWN study: Real-world outcomes of edoxaban use in patients with venous thromboembolism in South Korea and Taiwan Authors: Choi, Won-Il; Chiu, Kuan-Ming; Jang, Hang-Jae; Choi, Jung-Hyun; Lee, Won-Yeon; Kim, Kye-Hun; Pai, Pei-Ying; Chang, Wei-Tien; Chen, Ching-Pei; Clasen, Matthew; Wenz-Poeschl, Katharina; Malzer, Thomas; Unverdorben, Martin; Thee, Ulrike; Fronk, Eva-Maria Abstract: Introduction Long-term (>6 months), real-world evidence on the effectiveness and safety of edoxaban for venous thromboembolism (VTE) management including data from South Korea and Taiwan remain limited. The global ETNA-VTE programme evaluated real-world outcomes of edoxaban-treated patients. Materials and methods ETNA-VTE-KOR-TWN was a multi-centre (20-site), prospective, observational, non-interventional, single-arm registry study (NCT02952599) evaluating edoxaban in patients with acute VTE (initial/recurrent), followed up for 12 months. Effectiveness outcomes—including VTE recurrence—safety, bleeding events, and hospitalisations were analysed and annualised rates (%/year) reported. Results Of 352 patients enrolled, 277 met inclusion criteria for the full analysis set (FAS) (Taiwan: 119/277 [43.0%]; South Korea: 158/277 [57.0%]). The most prevalent index VTE was pulmonary embolism (n = 133), followed by deep vein thrombosis (n = 89) and both (n = 55). Most patients received the 60-mg dose (67.1%), and these patients were younger (median age, 65 vs 76 years), with higher body weight (mean, 71.2 vs 58.3 kg) vs the 30-mg group. The overall annual VTE recurrence rate was 3.9%/y: it was 2.5%/y vs 6.9%/y in the 60-mg vs 30-mg group. None of the all-cause deaths (n = 21) in the overall analysis were due to VTE. Hospitalisations due to cardiovascular-related events occurred in 25/277 patients (11.3%/y). Ischaemic/haemorrhagic stroke occurred in 2/277 patients (0.9%/y); overall bleeding events occurred in 29/277 patients (13.4%/y); and major bleeding events occurred in 3/277 patients (1.3%/y) in the overall analysis. The effectiveness and safety of edoxaban should be interpreted with caution due to the lack of a direct comparator arm including other oral anticoagulants. Conclusions Rates of VTE recurrence, bleeding complications, and deaths in patients from South Korea and Taiwan were low and consistent with those in randomised controlled trials (RCTs). 2026-06-01T00:00:00Z https://scholarworks.bwise.kr/hanyang/handle/2021.sw.hanyang/213887 Title: Moderate-Intensity Atorvastatin and Ezetimibe Combination Therapy Versus High-Intensity Atorvastatin in Patients with Angina Pectoris who Underwent Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Authors: Sohn, Seo Young; Kim, Yun Jin; Doh, Joon-Hyung; Cho, Sung Woo Abstract: BackgroundWhether moderate-intensity statin and ezetimibe combination therapy is beneficial compared to high-intensity statin monotherapy in patients with angina pectoris who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the effect of moderate-intensity atorvastatin with ezetimibe combination therapy after PCI in patients with angina pectoris, but not myocardial infarction (MI), in real-world practice.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study used data from the Korean National Health Insurance Database. Altogether 6784 patients who underwent PCI between 2015 and 2018 received either moderate-intensity atorvastatin (10 and 20 mg) and ezetimibe 10 mg (n = 4682) or high-intensity atorvastatin (40 and 80 mg; n = 2102). The primary outcome was a composite of cardiovascular death, MI, coronary revascularization, and stroke. Subgroup analyses were performed on the basis of baseline comorbidities.ResultsDuring the follow-up (mean duration of 4 years), incidence rates of the primary outcome were 70.14 and 62.05 per 1000 person-years in the moderate-intensity atorvastatin plus ezetimibe and high-intensity atorvastatin groups, respectively, with no significant differences in the risk of primary outcome between the two groups [hazard ratio (HR), 0.99; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.90-1.10]. However, in patients with underlying chronic kidney disease (CKD), moderate-intensity atorvastatin with ezetimibe combination therapy was associated with a lower risk of primary outcome compared to high-intensity atorvastatin therapy (HR 0.40, 95% CI 0.18-0.86).ConclusionIn this real-world cohort study, there was no significant difference in cardiovascular outcomes between moderate-intensity atorvastatin plus ezetimibe combination therapy and high-intensity atorvastatin monotherapy in patients with angina pectoris who underwent PCI. Moderate-intensity atorvastatin and ezetimibe combination therapy may be beneficial, particularly in patients with CKD. 2026-06-01T00:00:00Z