This fact sheet was used to analyze the trends in the number of amputees within the population and changes in their health-related behaviors since 2011. Data from the National Survey of Disabled Persons in Korea from 2011 to 2020 were used in this study. The cases of amputation among people with disabilities have increased. Although there were more upper extremity amputations than lower extremity amputations, as amputations below the wrist account for a greater proportion in South Korea than in other countries, the number of upper extremity amputations decreased and lower extremity amputations increased. The most common cause of amputation is accidents, followed by diseases and congenital anomalies. The majority of the amputees were male; however, the number of females showed a gradual increase, and the average age also increased. The proportion of amputated patients with chronic diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension, is increasing, and medical services are relatively limited. In this review study, through the 10-year trend change in the prevalence of amputee, it was possible to infer the impact of personal, social, and environmental changes. Based on these amputee statistics, it is expected that they can be used to plan health and medical policies for the disabled.

Citations

• Impact of delayed amputation on clinical outcomes compared to that of early amputation in patients with blunt polytrauma
  Jinjoo Kim, Wanseon Choi, Wontae Cho, Jonghwan Moon
  Scientific Reports.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Risk of Heart Disease in Patients With Amputation: A Nationwide Cohort Study in South Korea
  Hea Lim Choi, Jung Eun Yoo, Miso Kim, Bongsung Kim, Junhee Park, Won Hyuk Chang, Heesun Lee, Kyungdo Han, Dong Wook Shin
  Journal of the American Heart Association.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Increased Risk of Fracture after Traumatic Amputation: A Nationwide Retrospective Cohort Study
  Hyeonjin Cho, Junhee Park, Bongseong Kim, Kyungdo Han, Hea Lim Choi, Dong Wook Shin
  Healthcare.2024; 12(13): 1362.     CrossRef
• Epidemiology and Impact of Limb Loss in the United States and Globally
  Jenny Xu, Amna Haider, Amaan Sheikh, Marlis González-Fernández
  Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America.2024; 35(4): 679.     CrossRef

Objective
To characterize the repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) induced changes in angiogenic mechanisms across different brain regions.
Methods
Seventy-nine adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to a middle cerebral artery occlusion (day 0) and then treated with 1-Hz, 20-Hz, or sham stimulation of their lesioned hemispheres for 2 weeks. The stimulation intensity was set to 100% of the motor threshold. The neurological function was assessed on days 3, 10, and 17. The infarct volume and angiogenesis were measured by histology, immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. Brain tissue was harvested from the ischemic core (IC), ischemic border zone (BZ), and contralateral homologous cortex (CH).
Results
Optical density of angiopoietin1 and synaptophysin in the IC was significantly greater in the low-frequency group than in the sham group (p=0.03 and p=0.03, respectively). The 1-Hz rTMS significantly increased the level of Akt phosphorylation in the BZ (p<0.05 vs. 20 Hz). Endothelial nitric oxide synthase phosphorylation was increased in the IC (p<0.05 vs. 20 Hz), BZ (p<0.05 vs. 20 Hz), and CH (p<0.05 vs. 20 Hz and p<0.05 vs. sham). Real-time PCR demonstrated that low-frequency stimulation significantly increased the transcriptional activity of the TIE2 gene in the IC (p<0.05).
Conclusion
Low-frequency rTMS of the ipsilesional hemisphere in the early subacute phase of stroke promotes the expression of angiogenic factors and related genes in the brain, particularly in the injured area.

Citations

• Novel emerging therapy for erectile dysfunction: efficacy and safety of flat magnetic stimulation
  Daniel Galimberti, Agustina Vila Echague, Ery A. Ko, Laura Pieri, Alessandra Comito, Irene Fusco, Tiziano Zingoni
  Archivio Italiano di Urologia e Andrologia.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Determining the Optimal Stimulation Sessions for TMS-Induced Recovery of Upper Extremity Motor Function Post Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial
  Yichen Lv, Jack Jiaqi Zhang, Kui Wang, Leilei Ju, Hongying Zhang, Yuehan Zhao, Yao Pan, Jianwei Gong, Xin Wang, Kenneth N. K. Fong
  Brain Sciences.2023; 13(12): 1662.     CrossRef

Objective
To investigate esophageal motility disorders in patients with esophageal residual barium on chest x-rays after videofluoroscopic swallowing studies (VFSS) through high-resolution esophageal manometry (HREM).
Methods
We reviewed the records of 432 patients who underwent VFSS from September 2019 to May 2021, and 85 patients (19.7%) with large residual barium (diameter ≥1 cm) were included. As a result of HREM, motility disorders were classified as major or minor motility disorders according. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy and chest computed tomography results available were also reviewed.
Results
Among 85 patients with large residual barium in the esophagus, 16 patients (18.8%) underwent HREM. Abnormal esophageal motilities were identified in 68.8% patient: three patients (18.8%) had major motility disorders—achalasia (n=1), esophagogastric junction (EGJ) outflow obstruction (n=2)—and eight patients (50%) had minor motility disorders—ineffective esophageal motility (n=7), fragmented peristalsis (n=1). In those with normal esophageal motility, three patients of esophageal structure disorders (18.8%)—esophageal cancer (n=1), cardiogenic dysphagia (n=1), slight narrowing without obstruction of EGJ (n=1)—and two patients (12.5%) with chronic atrophic gastritis (n=2) were confirmed.
Conclusion
Esophageal motility disorders were identified in 68.8% of 16 patients with large esophageal residual barium with three patients in the major and eight patients in the minor categories. Residual barium in the esophagus was not rare and can be a sign of significant esophageal motility disorders.

Objective
To determine the characteristics of pediatric spinal cord injury (SCI) in South Korea from 1990 to 2019.
Methods
This single-centered retrospective study included pediatric SCIs. Individuals were divided into the following five groups according to onset age: ≤5, 6–12, 13–14, 15–17, and 18–19 years. The severity of complete injury was graded according to the American Spinal Injury Association impairment scale A (AIS A). Incomplete injury was graded according to AIS B, C, and D. Pearson chi-square test was used for statistical analysis.
Results
Of the 267 individuals included, 216 (80.9%) had traumatic SCIs (male-to-female ratio of 3.2:1), and 51 (19.1%) had non-traumatic SCIs (male-to-female ratio of 0.7:1). In the traumatic SCI group, 192 (88.9%) individuals were ≥15 years at the time of injury (males, 78.6%). The most common etiologies of traumatic SCIs, ranging from most to least common, were accidents related to motorcycles, falls, cars, and diving. In the non-traumatic SCI group, inflammatory (33.3%) and neoplastic (25.5%) etiologies were found to be the most common ones.
Conclusion
We found that traumatic SCIs incidence in the pediatric population was high, particularly in male individuals aged 15–19 years. The non-traumatic SCIs mostly cause paraplegia and incomplete injury. Therefore, it can be used as a basic data for the evaluation, treatment and prevention strategy of pediatric patients with SCI.

Citations

• Do we know the normal anterior-posterior diameters of the spinal cord and canal in newborns?
  Öner ÖZBEY, Fatma Zeynep ARSLAN, Muslu Kazım KÖREZ, Müge PAYASLI
  Journal of Health Sciences and Medicine.2023; 6(2): 456.     CrossRef
• A systematic review and meta-analysis of the global epidemiology of pediatric traumatic spinal cord injuries
  Seyed Behnam Jazayeri, Samuel Berchi Kankam, Ali Golestani, Parnian Shobeiri, Morteza Gholami, Mohammad Amin Dabbagh Ohadi, Seyed Farzad Maroufi, Mohammad Reza Fattahi, Hamid Malekzadeh, Seyed Behzad Jazayeri, Zahra Ghodsi, Seyed Mohammad Ghodsi, Vafa Rah
  European Journal of Pediatrics.2023; 182(12): 5245.     CrossRef

Objective
To analyze the correlation between standardized language assessment batteries of toddlers and developmental language delays.
Methods
A total of 319 children with suspected language developmental delays were enrolled in this study retrospectively. They underwent the Receptive and Expressive Vocabulary Test (REVT) for vocabulary development assessment and at least one of two language assessment batteries: The Sequenced Language Scale for Infants (SELSI) or the Preschool Receptive-Expressive Language Scale (PRES) for language development assessment. The correlation of the results for receptive and expressive language between the scales were analyzed.
Results
The participants were divided into two groups: SELSI and REVT (n=45) and PRES and REVT (n=273). When the children’s results were classified into groups (average, mild delay, and delay), receptive and expressive scores were significantly correlated with each other in both SELSI-REVT and PRES-REVT groups. In addition, the correlation of mean developmental age between tests are analyzed. In the SELSI-REVT group, there was weak correlation of mean developmental age between tests for receptive and expressive language. In the PRES-REVT group, there was a strong positive correlation of mean developmental age for receptive and expressive language in children aged >36 months. Attention deficits during the test was found to be the statistically significant factor affecting the differences between the tests. The odds ratios for receptive and expressive language were 2.60 (95% confidence interval,1.15–5.84) and 1.94 (95% confidence interval, 1.15–3.27), respectively.
Conclusion
This study examined the correlations and influencing factors between language development evaluation tools for toddlers. An integrated interpretation of comprehensive language and vocabulary evaluation tools may be possible in children older than 3 years of language developmental age.

Citations

• Gene signatures and genotype-phenotype correlations of sensorineural hearing loss in Noonan syndrome and related RASopathies
  Seung Jae Lee, Sohyang Jeong, Somin Lee, Seong Ho Jung, Myung-Whan Suh, Jae-Jin Song, Jun Ho Lee, Jung Min Ko, Moo Kyun Park, Sang-Yeon Lee
  Scientific Reports.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Early Postoperative Benefits in Receptive and Expressive Language Development After Cochlear Implantation Under 9 Months of Age in Comparison to Implantation at Later Ages
  Seung Jae Lee, Heonjeong Oh, Kyu Ha Shin, Sung-Min Park, Yun Kyeong Kim, Do Hyun Jung, Jiyeon Yang, Yejun Chun, Min Young Kim, Jin Hee Han, Ju Ang Kim, Ngoc-Trinh Tran, Bong Jik Kim, Byung Yoon Choi
  Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology.2024; 17(1): 46.     CrossRef
• Early Neurodevelopmental Assessments of Neonates Discharged From the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Physiatrist’s Perspective
  Sung Eun Hyun, Jeong-Yi Kwon, Bo Young Hong, Jin A Yoon, Ja Young Choi, Jiyeon Hong, Seong-Eun Koh, Eun Jae Ko, Seung Ki Kim, Min-Keun Song, Sook-Hee Yi, AhRa Cho, Bum Sun Kwon
  Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine.2023; 47(3): 147.     CrossRef

Objective
To clarify the profile of cognitive dysfunction and the effects of intensive exercise in spinocerebellar degeneration (SCD).
Methods
We enrolled 60 healthy controls and 16 patients with purely cerebellar type SCD without gait disturbance or organic changes other than cerebellar changes. To assess cognitive function, we evaluated the participants using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Japanese (MoCA-J) at admission and after intensive exercise.
Results
Compared to the controls, SCD patients showed significant cognitive decline. As a result of intensive exercise, significant improvements in motor and cognitive functions were observed: the MMSE score improved from 27.7±1.9 to 29.0±1.3 points (p<0.001); the FAB score improved from 14.8±2.2 to 15.8±2.0 points (p=0.002); and the MoCA-J score improved from 24.6±2.2 to 26.7±1.9 points (p<0.001). For sub-scores, significant improvements were noted in serial 7, lexical fluency, motor series, and delayed recall.
Conclusion
Our study indicates that intensive exercise can be effective not only for motor dysfunction but also for cognitive dysfunction (Clinical Trial Registration No. UMIN-CTR: UMIN000040079).