Changwo Kim

BACKGROUND: Acinetobacter baumannii is one of the most important nosocomial pathogens, and its multiple antibiotic resistance has emerged as an obstacle in the treatment of these infections worldwide. AIMS: To identify risk factors of mortality for A. baumannii bacteraemia. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of 72 patients with significant A. baumannii bacteraemia was conducted to evaluate risk factors for mortality. RESULTS: The median age of the 72 enrolled patients was 48 years, 96% of the

BACKGROUND: Korea is one of the fastest aging countries and is expected to become a super-aged society within 12 years. The Korean Urban Rural Elderly (KURE) study was developed to evaluate the epidemiological characteristics and establish the prevention and management of major disorders of the elderly in Korea. METHODS/DESIGN: The KURE study is a community-based prospective cohort study on health, aging, and common geriatric disorders of Korean elderly persons aged at least 65 years. To constru

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To identify factors influencing falls and the fear of falling among older adults with chronic diseases in Korea. BACKGROUND: The fear of falling and falls in older adults are significant health problems towards which healthcare providers should direct their attention. Further investigation is needed to improve nursing practice specifically decreasing risk of falls and the fear of falling in Korea. DESIGN: Descriptive, cross-sectional survey. METHODS: A convenience sample of

BACKGROUND: Many studies have investigated the association between vitamin D and metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, few studies have investigated the association stratified by sex in the elderly. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the association between vitamin D, MetS, and its components in Korean elderly men and women. METHODS: A total of 987 men and 1949 women aged ≥65 years were recruited through Korean Urban Rural Elderly cohort study. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels were categori

AIM: Metabolic syndrome and vitamin D deficiency are prevalent in older adults, and are considered risk factors for cognitive impairment. We investigated the combined effects of MetS and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels on cognitive function in older adults. METHODS: We studied 2940 participants aged ≥65 years from the Korean Urban Rural Elderly cohort study. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the updated Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Serum 25(OH)D levels were categorize

PURPOSE: The Korean Urban Rural Elderly (KURE) cohort was initiated to study the epidemiologic characteristics, physical performance, laboratory and imaging biomarkers and incidence of age-related diseases in an elderly population with respect to both clinical and social aspects to develop preventive and therapeutic strategies for combatting age-related diseases. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 3517 adults aged 65 or older participated in the cohort at baseline from 2012 to 2015, recruited from three u

BACKGROUND: Most older adults with hip fracture surgery experience functional decline (FD), causing devastating outcomes. However, few studies have examined the effects of nursing interventions to reduce FD for them. PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to evaluate an individualized transitional care program (ITCP) to reduce FD for older adults with hip arthroplasty. METHODS: The study was quasiexperimental, with a nonequivalent control group design. A total of 37 participants scheduled for hip art

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent angiogenic and vascular permeability factor. Recent studies have shown that the VEGF levels increase in several cell types, for example, macrophages and smooth muscle cells after LPS stimulation, suggesting that it is important in the initiation and development of sepsis. In particular, LPS-regulated contractility in lung pericytes may play an important role in mediating pulmonary microvascular fluid hemodynamics during sepsis. This study inv

HbA1c levels were positively associated with carotid atherosclerosis, as assessed by carotid IMT, in an elderly population with normoglycemia. Our study suggested that higher HbA1c level is an effective and informative marker of carotid atherosclerosis in an elderly population.