Seoul National University · Medicine
Professor Nakwon Kwak's research lab specializes in clinical and translational research in infectious diseases, with a primary focus on tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections. The lab investigates treatment outcomes, diagnostic accuracy, and antimicrobial resistance in drug-susceptible and drug-resistant tuberculosis, including multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) and *Mycobacterium abscessus* pulmonary disease. Their work emphasizes real-world clinical data, including meta-analyses and retrospective cohort studies, to evaluate the effectiveness of novel therapies such as later-generation fluoroquinolones and linezolid, and to optimize diagnostic strategies like the Xpert MTB/RIF assay. The lab also contributes to public health policy by analyzing the impact of infectious disease outbreaks on TB notification rates and diagnostic practices.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
Treatment of <i>Mycobacterium abscessus</i> pulmonary disease (MAB-PD), caused by <i>M. abscessus</i> subsp. <i>abscessus</i>, <i>M. abscessus</i> subsp. <i>massiliense</i> or <i>M. abscessus</i> subsp. <i>bolletii</i>, is challenging.We conducted an individual patient data meta-analysis based on studies reporting treatment outcomes for MAB-PD to clarify treatment outcomes for MAB-PD and the impact of each drug on treatment outcomes. Treatment success was defined as culture conversion for ≥12 mo
After South Korea raised its infectious disease alert to the highest level in response to coronavirus disease emergence, tuberculosis notification during the first 18 weeks of 2020 decreased significantly from the same period for each year during 2015-2019. Adequate measures to diagnose, control, and prevent tuberculosis need to be maintained.
The Xpert MTB/RIF assay was introduced for timely and accurate detection of tuberculosis (TB). The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy and turnaround time (TAT) of Xpert MTB/RIF assay in clinical practice in South Korea. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients in whom Xpert MTB/RIF assay using sputum were requested. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculos
Treatment outcomes for MDR-TB improved at a tertiary referral centre in South Korea. The improvement was associated with more frequent use of later-generation fluoroquinolones and linezolid.
This study was registered to the ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT01616745 / registration date: June 12, 2012). The protocol was retrospectively registered.
This study was performed at Seoul National University Hospital ( NCT01616745 ).
Clinical outcomes are different according to the size of cavities in patients with cavitary NTM-PD; thus, the measurement of the size of cavities could help in making clinical decisions.
Clofazimine demonstrated a relatively favorable efficacy in severe MAC-PD, regardless of the maintenance dose. This effect was more pronounced when administered for a duration exceeding 6 months.
ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03934034.
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