Chungbuk National University Hospital

BackgroundThe clinical and prognostic implications of asymptomatic tuberculosis remain poorly understood.MethodsWe conducted a multicentre prospective cohort study to evaluate the association between asymptomatic tuberculosis (TB) and treatment outcomes. Individuals with rifampicin-susceptible pulmonary TB were enrolled from the Cohort Study of Pulmonary Tuberculosis. Asymptomatic TB was defined as the absence of any TB-related symptoms at diagnosis. The primary outcome was a favourable outcome, defined as treatment success without recurrence. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess associations between asymptomatic TB and favourable outcomes. The Cox proportional hazards model was applied to evaluate effect of asymptomatic TB on failure to complete treatment within 1 year. Stratified analyses by symptom status and mode of detection were performed to examine stratum-specific effects.ResultsOf 1071 individuals with pulmonary TB, 32.7% were asymptomatic. Compared to symptomatic patients, asymptomatic individuals were younger, less likely to be underweight and more often diagnosed through population health screening rather than clinical presentation or opportunistic testing. Asymptomatic TB was associated with higher likelihood of favourable outcome in multivariable models (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.50, 95% CI 1.04–2.20) and a reduced risk of failing to complete treatment within one year in survival analyses (adjusted hazard ratio 0.66, 95% CI 0.45–0.95). Asymptomatic TB detected through health screening had the most favourable outcomes (aOR 2.41, 95% CI 1.34–4.66).ConclusionAsymptomatic TB was significantly associated with treatment success without recurrence and particularly in patients identified through health screening. Our results support symptom-agnostic screening in TB control programmes.

Amivantamab is an EGFR-MET bispecific antibody approved as an intravenous formulation for EGFR-mutated advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Intravenous delivery is frequently associated with infusion-related reaction (IRRs), which require adopting slow infusion rates and splitting the first dose over 2 days. The PALOMA study assessed the safety and feasibility of subcutaneous amivantamab administration and identified the formulation and recommended phase II doses (RP2Ds) for multiple dosing schedules. PALOMA is a phase Ib dose-escalation study in 158 participants with advanced solid malignancies. Primary objectives included pharmacokinetics, safety, and determining RP2Ds for every-2-week (Q2W), every-3-week (Q3W), and every-4-week (Q4W) administration. The safety profile of subcutaneous amivantamab was largely consistent with intravenous monotherapy; most common toxicities reflected on-target EGFR/MET inhibition. Subcutaneous amivantamab resulted in meaningfully shorter administration time (≤ 10 minutes vs. 2.3 hours for intravenous beyond cycle 3) and lower incidence and severity of IRRs versus historical intravenous data, which eliminates the need for split-dose administration. Pharmacokinetic analyses and population pharmacokinetic modeling/simulation were used to estimate subcutaneous amivantamab RP2Ds of 1600 mg (2240 mg, ≥ 80 kg), 2400 mg (3360 mg, ≥ 80 kg), and 3520 mg (4640 mg, ≥ 80 kg) for Q2W, Q3W, and Q4W schedules, respectively. The observed efficacy was consistent with intravenous amivantamab monotherapy. Subcutaneous amivantamab administration substantially reduced IRRs, obviating the need for prolonged infusions and 2-day split-dosing at first administration. The identified RP2Ds for subcutaneous amivantamab are implemented in ongoing studies evaluating amivantamab regimens in NSCLC, colorectal cancer, and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

The association between kidney function and tuberculosis treatment outcomes remains uncertain. We analyzed a multicenter prospective cohort of adults with rifampicin-susceptible pulmonary tuberculosis enrolled in Korea between 2019 and 2021. Kidney function was categorized using baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) calculated with the 2021 CKD-EPI creatinine equation and grouped as preserved (eGFR ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m²) and reduced (eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m²) kidney function. An additional analysis evaluated severely reduced kidney function (eGFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m²). The primary endpoint was unfavorable outcome, defined as loss-to-follow-up, treatment failure, death, still-on-treatment, transfer to another treatment unit, or recurrence, analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. The secondary endpoint was failure to complete treatment within 9 months of initiation, analyzed by Cox proportional hazards model. All models adjusted for prespecified covariates, with age and sex included in all models. Among 966 participants, 89 (9%) had reduced kidney function. Unfavorable outcomes were more frequent among participants with reduced kidney function (41% vs. 19%; P < 0.001). After multivariable adjustment, reduced kidney function was independently associated with unfavorable outcomes (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.49–4.02). Severely reduced kidney function showed higher odds of unfavorable outcome (aOR, 5.52; 95% CI, 2.42–13.01). Reduced kidney function was associated with failure to complete treatment within 9 months (adjusted hazard ratio, 3.07; 95% CI, 1.69–5.59). Reduced kidney function was independently associated with unfavorable TB treatment outcomes. Patients with impaired kidney function at the time of tuberculosis diagnosis may require closer clinical monitoring during treatment.

Objectives: To clarify the characteristics of Basosquamous cell carcinoma (BSC), this study compares demographic, clinical, therapeutic, histological, and outcome findings of BSCs with those of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Methods: The authors classified various definitions of BSC into three groups: the broadest, modest, and narrowest definitions. This study adopted the narrowest definition (both BCC and SCC features with transition zones in between) due to its wide use, its adoption by the World Health Organization, and the least heterogeneous definition. From 2009 to 2018, 20 consecutive cases of BSC presented in a single institution, along with 130 cases of BCC and 81 cases of SCC. Results: The statistically different parameters of BSC compared to BCC or SCC were age (SCC > BSC, BCC), duration (BSC, BCC > SCC), unclear border (BSC > BCC, SCC), higher NCCN classification (BSC, SCC > BCC), safety margin (SCC > BSC > BCC), operation time (BSC, SCC > BCC), reconstruction (less primary closure in BSC than BCC), microscopic size (BSC, SCC > BCC), perineural invasion (BSC > BCC), free lateral margin (BSC, SCC > BCC), and follow-up period (BSC > BCC, SCC). Regarding outcome, one distant metastasis (6.3%) in BSCs, no aggressive consequences in BCCs, and four local recurrences (11.1%), two lymph node metastases (5.6%), and one distant metastasis (2.7%) in SCCs were observed. Conclusions: In this Asian cohort, BSC has a trend toward higher rates of overall adverse outcomes compared to BCC, although this difference did not reach definitive statistical significance, unlike the findings reported in Caucasian populations. Early detection and appropriate treatment at the individual patient level are warranted to minimize rare but clinically relevant adverse events and reproduce favorable outcomes at the population level. Wide local excision followed by local flaps could be a successful surgical option with an adequate safety margin and double histopathologic intraoperative and postoperative check-up.

Purpose This study examines how the structural configuration and cognitive composition of middle managers influence innovation performance in public research and development (R&amp;D) consortia. It seeks to identify the conditions under which coordination efforts by middle managers facilitate or hinder collaboration outcomes in multi-organizational R&amp;D environments. Design/methodology/approach Combining boundary spanning theory (BST) with a mixed-methods design, the study analyzes 1,150 South Korean energy R&amp;D projects through econometric modeling and validates findings with in-depth interviews from six middle managers. The analysis examines three dimensions: intensity of managerial presence, non-linear performance patterns, and the trade-off between specialty and diversity. Findings The results reveal a U-shaped relationship between middle manager intensity and publication quantity, with both low and high levels associated with superior outcomes compared to moderate configurations. In contrast, excessive managerial presence is linked to lower publication quality. Furthermore, teams composed of managers with shared domain expertise consistently demonstrate higher performance than those characterized by greater cognitive diversity. Originality/value This study reframes BST by introducing structural and compositional conditions that affect its efficacy in public-sector innovation networks. It advances theory by identifying intensity and composition as contingent variables and extends its applicability to policy-driven, multi-institutional R&amp;D contexts. The findings provide design-relevant insights for optimizing managerial roles in complex collaborative projects.

Classical scoring tools such as the Bronchiectasis Severity Index (BSI) and FACED have shown good performance for predicting adverse outcomes, yet they were developed using European cohorts and may not fully align with Asian clinical characteristics. This study aimed to develop an Asian population–specific artificial intelligence (AI) model for predicting severe acute exacerbations (AEs) in bronchiectasis. A total of 492 patients with 1-year follow-up data from the Korean Multicenter Bronchiectasis Audit and Research Collaboration registry were analyzed. Severe AE was defined as an event requiring an emergency department visit or hospitalization due to worsening respiratory symptoms. Three AI models—extreme gradient boosting, logistic regression, and multilayer perceptron (MLP)—were trained and compared with classical scoring models. Severe AE occurred in 56 patients (11.4%). Among the models, the MLP demonstrated the best performance, with higher sensitivity, specificity, F1-score, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve compared with both classical scores. Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) analysis identified BSI, sputum characteristics, and histories of tuberculosis and pneumonia as key predictors. Although classical scores performed well, a population-specific AI model using local clinical data showed improved predictive performance and may support individualized risk assessment for Asian patients with bronchiectasis.

Active surveillance (AS) is recommended for low-risk papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) in many guidelines. However, while its clinical application requires incorporation of patient values, implementing shared decision-making (SDM) in practice remains challenging. To generate reliable evidence, facilitate the integration of SDM into routine PTMC managements and improve patient satisfaction, this study developed a PTMC-specific SDM model (SM group) and aims to evaluate whether it improves patient-reported outcomes (PROs) compared to usual care (UC group) in patients with low-risk PTMC. This multicenter, parallel-group, cluster-randomized controlled trial will enroll 310 patients with low-risk PTMC across seven academic hospitals in Korea. Participants will be assigned to either the SM group (model) or the UC group (control) through cluster randomization of 26 clinicians, stratified by specialty and AS experience. The SM group will receive structured counseling using a newly developed PTMC-specific SDM model, supported by decision aids such as educational videos, web-based card news, and illustrated leaflets regarding disease-information and patients’ values. The UC group will receive standard counseling. The primary outcome is the Decisional Conflict Scale score. Secondary outcomes include satisfaction with decision-making process, decision regret, anxiety, and thyroid-specific quality of life. Data will be collected via the iCReaT v2.0 electronic Case Report Form, supplemented by electronic and paper-based PRO surveys. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, 1–4 weeks, and 6 months after the treatment decision.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06730893