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Background@#The rapid economic development of South Korea provides a unique model to study changes in the clinical characteristics, treatment approaches, and clinical outcomes of patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS) relative to socioeconomic growth. @*Methods@#From the Multicenter mitrAl STEnosis with Rheumatic etiology (MASTER) registry, 2,337 patients diagnosed with moderate or severe rheumatic MS between January 2001 and December 2020 were analyzed. Patients were grouped into consecutive 5-year intervals based on their year of diagnosis. Clinical characteristics, echocardiographic data, and clinical outcomes were assessed. @*Results@#Over 20 years, the severity of mitral stenosis increased from 79.1% to 90.2%; similarly, the average age at diagnosis increased from 54.3 to 63.0 years (all P < 0.001). Comorbidities such as hypertension and atrial fibrillation increased (6.3% to 29.5% and 41.4% to 46.9%, respectively; all P for trend < 0.05). The rate of mitral intervention within five years after diagnosis increased from 31.2% to 47.4% (P for trend < 0.001). However, clinical outcomes of rheumatic mitral stenosis deteriorated over time in the composite outcomes (log-rank test, P < 0.001). Conversely, the incidence of stroke remained stable (60.6–73.7%; P < 0.001), which might be attributed to the increased use of anticoagulation therapy. @*Conclusion@#This study observed an increase in patient age, comorbidities, and valve disease severity as the country transitioned from a developing to developed status. Despite a rise in mitral valve interventions, clinical outcomes deteriorated over 20 years, highlighting the need for modified treatment approaches to improve patient outcomes.

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Presbycusis, or age-related hearing loss, is a prevalent condition characterized by the gradual deterioration of hearing with age. The resulting impairments in auditory function lead to reduced speech perception in noisy environments and often have a negative impact on cognitive, behavioral, and psychosocial functions in the elderly population.Current Concepts: The proposed etiological mechanisms linking presbycusis to cognitive decline or dementia include the common-cause hypothesis, cognitive load hypothesis, cascade hypothesis, and overdiagnosis or harbinger hypothesis. Moreover, the challenges posed by the rapidly aging population in several countries, including Korea, highlight the increasing social impact of hearing loss and dementia. Consequently, interventions for hearing rehabilitation, such as the use of hearing aids and implantable hearing devices, have paramount importance in mitigating the adverse effects of hearing loss on cognitive impairment and dementia.Discussion and Conclusion: The implementation of prevention and rehabilitation programs for hearing loss in the elderly is crucial for alleviating the socioeconomic burden associated with the welfare of the aging population. However, many economically vulnerable elderly individuals reportedly do not use hearing aids, even though they experience considerable inconvenience resulting from hearing loss, primarily due to inadequate financial support. Therefore, implementing a comprehensive national policy to support hearing aid usage among elderly individuals with moderate hearing loss holds significant potential for reducing their risk of cognitive impairment and dementia.

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PURPOSE: Recent evidence suggests that early repolarization (ER) is related with myocardial ischemia. Compression of coronary artery by a myocardial bridging (MB) can be associated with clinical manifestations of myocardial ischemia. This study aimed to evaluate the associations of MB in patients with ER. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In consecutive patients (n=1303, age, 61±12 years) who had undergone coronary angiography, we assessed the prevalence and prognostic implication of MB in those with ER (n=142) and those without ER (n=1161). RESULTS: MB was observed in 54 (38%) and 196 (17%) patients in ER and no-ER groups (p<0.001). In multivariate analysis, MB was independently associated with ER (odd ratio: 2.9, 95% confidence interval: 1.98–4.24, p<0.001). Notched type ER was more frequently observed in MB involving the mid portion of left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) (69.8% vs. 30.2%, p=0.03). Cardiac event was observed in nine (6.3%) and 22 (1.9%) subjects with and without ER, respectively. MB was more frequently observed in sudden death patients with ER (2 out of 9, 22%) than in those without ER (0 out of 22). CONCLUSION: MB was independently associated with ER in patients without out structural heart disease who underwent coronary angiography. Notched type ER was closely related with MB involving the mid portion of the LAD. Among patients who had experienced cardiac events, a higher prevalence of MB was observed in patients with ER than those without ER. Further prospective studies on the prognosis of MB in ER patients are required.

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When there is no pulmonary vein reconnection after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation, patients can experience recurrence of atrial fibrillation without clear evidence of non-pulmonary vein foci. We describe a patient with significant pulmonary vein stenosis and recurrent atrial fibrillation after four ablation procedures. After successful pulmonary vein stenting, the symptoms were resolved, and sinus rhythm was maintained for 2 years without treatment with antiarrhythmic medication. We believe pulmonary vein stenting potentially controlled atrial fibrillation by providing pulmonary vein pressure relief or by compressing the epicardial triggers occurring at the pulmonary vein ostium.

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Evidence indicates that Helicobacter pylori is the causative agent of chronic gastritis and perhaps gastric malignancy. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play an important role in the evolutional process of malignancy due to their genetic material cargo. We aimed to evaluate the clinical significance and biological mechanism of H. pylori EVs on the pathogenesis of gastric malignancy. We performed 16S rDNA-based metagenomic analysis of gastric juices either from endoscopic or surgical patients. From each sample of gastric juices, the bacteria and EVs were isolated. We evaluated the role of H. pylori EVs on the development of gastric inflammation in vitro and in vivo. IVIS spectrum and confocal microscopy were used to examine the distribution of EVs. The metagenomic analyses of the bacteria and EVs showed that Helicobacter and Streptococcus are the two major bacterial genera, and they were significantly increased in abundance in gastric cancer (GC) patients. H. pylori EVs are spherical and contain CagA and VacA. They can induce the production of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β by macrophages, and IL-8 by gastric epithelial cells. Also, EVs induce the expression of interferon gamma, IL-17 and EV-specific immunoglobulin Gs in vivo in mice. EVs were shown to infiltrate and remain in the mouse stomach for an extended time. H. pylori EVs, which are abundant in the gastric juices of GC patients, can induce inflammation and possibly cancer in the stomach, mainly via the production of inflammatory mediators from gastric epithelial cells after selective uptake by the cells.

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Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) can involve any organ. The majority of reported cases involve IgG4-RD of the biliary tract or pancreas, while only two cases of pericarditis have been reported. A 58-year-old man visited the outpatient clinic of our institution with a seven-day history of progressive dyspnea. Based on his transthoracic echocardiogram and transesophageal echocardiogram, he was diagnosed with constrictive pericarditis. The histopathology of his pericardiectomy revealed the cause of constrictive pericarditis to be IgG4-RD. Prednisolone (40 mg) was initiated after the pericardiectomy. As the patient's symptoms resolved, he was discharged and followed-up on an outpatient basis. This is the first case report of constrictive pericarditis caused by IgG4-RD in Korea.

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As the survival rate of patients with complex congenital heart disease has improved and the number of adult patients with congenital heart disease has risen, arrhythmias and heart failure have become important issues in these patients. Cardiac implantable electronic devices, including pacemakers, are also on the rise. Transvenous implantation or epicardial pacemaker implantation is challenging in patients with complex congenital heart disease. Here we report a case in which a dual-chamber pacing, dual-chamber sensing, dual response and rate-adaptive (DDDR) pacemaker was implanted transvenously into a patient with congenital heart disease. A 34-year-old male with extracardiac conduit Fontan circulation complained of dizziness; an electrocardiogram revealed junctional bradycardia. We performed transvenous implantation of a DDDR pacemaker via trans-conduit puncture. In conclusion, transvenous implantation of a pacemaker is feasible in patients with extracardiac conduit Fontan circulation.

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A foreign body in heart is rare, but it is more frequently encountered than the past as iatrogenic causes are increasing. Clinicians should be aware that foreign body could be mistaken for normal structure of heart. In order for accurate diagnosis, multi-imaging modalities should be used for information of exact location, mobility and hemodynamic effects. A decision to intervene should be made based on potential harms harbored by foreign bodies. Endovascular retrieval should be considered as an option. However, when fatal complications occur or when foreign bodies are embedded deeply, a surgical removal should be attempted.

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A foreign body in heart is rare, but it is more frequently encountered than the past as iatrogenic causes are increasing. Clinicians should be aware that foreign body could be mistaken for normal structure of heart. In order for accurate diagnosis, multi-imaging modalities should be used for information of exact location, mobility and hemodynamic effects. A decision to intervene should be made based on potential harms harbored by foreign bodies. Endovascular retrieval should be considered as an option. However, when fatal complications occur or when foreign bodies are embedded deeply, a surgical removal should be attempted.

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Malignant primary cardiac tumors are rare with the most common type among them being sarcomas. However, a myxoid sarcoma in the heart is very rare and differentiating it from from cardiac myxoma is often difficult. Here, we report a case of rapid regrowth of a left atrial tumor after surgical resection that was finally diagnosed as cardiac myxoid fibrosarcoma. An 82-year-old man, who underwent resection of a cardiac tumor 3 months ago, presented with severe dyspnea and peripheral edema. He was diagnosed with a mitral valve obstruction due to the regrowth of a huge left atrial tumor. The patient had a second resection and the resected tumor was finally diagnosed as myxoid fibrosarcoma.

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