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Background: Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a serious skin and soft tissue infection causing high mortality. Investigating region specific epidemiologic factors associated with NF is important for establishing appropriate treatment strategies. This multicenter study was done to provide an update of the microbial etiology, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of NF in Korea. Materials and methods: A retrospective cohort of adult patients with NF was established using patient data from 13 general hospitals between January 2012 and December 2015 in Korea. We evaluated microbial etiology and clinical characteristics to identify risk factors associated with in-hospital mortality; analyses were performed using binary logistic regression models. Results: A total of 161 patients with NF were included. The most common underlying disease was diabetes mellitus (66 cases, 41.0%). A total of 148 organisms were isolated from 119 (73.9%) patients. Enteric Gram-negative organisms (36 patients) were the most common pathogen, followed by Staphylococcus aureus (30 patients) and streptococci (28 patients). Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was identified in 6.2% (10/161) of patients. Of 37 enteric Gram-negative isolates tested, 26 (70.3%) isolates were susceptible to ceftriaxone. The in-hospital mortality rate was 22.4%. Intensive care unit admission, septic shock, and Gram-negative organism infections were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality, and surgery was not a favorable prognostic factor. Conclusions: As initial empirical antibiotics, glycopeptides against MRSA and broad-spectrum antibiotics against third-generation cephalosporin-resistant organisms should be considered for patients with community-onset NF in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the prevalence and associated factors of retinal nerve fiber layer defects (RNFLDs) in a Korean population. Methods: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) is a population-based study using a complex, stratified, multistage, probability-cluster survey. We performed a review of 2008–2012 data from the KNHANES. Two masked ophthalmologists evaluated fundus photography to detect RNFLDs. All participants underwent ocular and systemic evaluations. Results: A total of 28,637 subjects aged ≥ 19 years with at least one evaluable fundus photograph were enrolled. The estimated prevalence of RNFLDs in this Korean population was 4.8% (95% confidence interval, 4.4%–5.3%). The estimated percentages of glaucomatous RNFLD and non-glaucomatous RNFLD subjects were 34.4% and 65.6%, respectively. In a multivariate analysis, the prevalence of RNFLDs was significantly associated with older age (P < 0.001), male gender (P = 0.047), glycosylated hemoglobin (P = 0.048), disc hemorrhage (P = 0.016), ISNT rule (P < 0.001), and vertical cup to disc ratio (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The prevalence of RNFLDs in a large Korean population-based sample with a minimum age of 19 years was 4.8%. RNFLD prevalence was associated with old age, male gender, glycosylated hemoglobin, disc hemorrhage, and glaucomatous optic disc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To evaluate the relationships between open-angle glaucoma (OAG) and various anthropometric measurements. Design: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), a population-based cross-sectional study using a complex, stratified, multistage, probability-cluster survey. Methods: A total of 5,255 participants including 247 glaucoma patients, aged ≥ 19 years were included from the KNHANES V database. Glaucoma diagnosis was based on International Society of Geographical and Epidemiological Ophthalmology criteria. Various anthropometric data regarding obesity were analyzed including body mass index (BMI), total body fat mass, total body muscle mass (lean body mass, non-bone lean body mass, and appendicular skeletal muscle (ASM) mass), and waist circumference (WC). The differences in OAG prevalence with respect to anthropometric parameter quartiles were examined. Results: In males, the multivariate general linear model adjusted for age, alcohol, smoking, exercise, systemic hypertension, diabetes, and intraocular pressure (IOP) showed the quartiles for the anthropometric parameters BMI, fat mass/weight ratio and fat mass/muscle mass ratio were negatively associated with OAG. However, muscle mass parameter/BMI ratio was significantly positively associated with OAG (P for trend<0.05). In females, height and fat mass/BMI showed a significant relationship with the risk of OAG. (P value<0.05) Conclusions: In the present study, high fat mass was associated with low OAG risk. Body composition seemed to affect the prevalence of OAG, but further evaluation is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is an important component of innate immunity. Structural and promoter polymorphisms in the MBL2 gene that are responsible for low MBL levels are associated with susceptibility to infectious diseases. The objective of this study was to investigate the association of serum MBL levels and MBL2 polymorphisms with persistent Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) in adult Korean patients. Methods: We conducted a case-control study nested in a prospective cohort of patients with SAB. The study compared 41 patients with persistent bacteremia (≥7 days) and 46 patients with resolving bacteremia (<3 days). In each subject, we genotyped six single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the promoter region (alleles H/L, X/Y, and P/Q) and exon 1 (alleles A/B, A/C, and A/D) of the MBL2 gene and measured serum MBL concentrations. We also compared MBL2 genotypes between SAB patients and healthy people. Results: Patients with persistent bacteremia were significantly more likely to have low/deficient MBL-producing genotypes and resultant low serum MBL levels, than were patients with resolving bacteremia (P = 0.019 and P = 0.012, respectively). Independent risk factors for persistent bacteremia were metastatic infection (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 34.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 12.83–196.37; P = 0.003), methicillin resistance (aOR, 4.10; 95% CI, 3.19–29.57; P = 0.025), and low/deficient MBL-producing genotypes (aOR, 7.64; 95% CI, 4.12–63.39; P = 0.003). Such genotypes were significantly more common in patients with persistent bacteremia than in healthy people (OR, 2.09; 95% CI, 1.03–4.26; P = 0.040). Conclusions: This is the first demonstration of an association of low MBL levels and MBL2 polymorphisms responsible for low or deficient MBL levels with persistent SAB. A combination of factors, including clinical and microbiological characteristics and host defense factors such as MBL levels, may together contribute to the development of persistent SAB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]