Cancer incidence has continuously increased over the past few centuries and represents a major health burden worldwide. To evaluate the possible causal relationship between intake of red and processed meat and cancer mortality and incidence. Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, CINAHL, and ProQuest from inception until July 2018 and MEDLINE from inception until April 2019 without language restrictions. Cohort studies that included more than 1000 adults and reported the association between consumption of unprocessed red and processed meat and cancer mortality and incidence. Teams of 2 reviewers independently extracted data and assessed risk of bias; 1 reviewer evaluated the certainty of evidence, which was confirmed or revised by the senior reviewer. Of 118 articles (56 cohorts) with more than 6 million participants, 73 articles were eligible for the dose–response meta-analyses, 30 addressed cancer mortality, and 80 reported cancer incidence. Low-certainty evidence suggested that an intake reduction of 3 servings of unprocessed meat per week was associated with a very small reduction in overall cancer mortality over a lifetime. Evidence of low to very low certainty suggested that each intake reduction of 3 servings of processed meat per week was associated with very small decreases in overall cancer mortality over a lifetime; prostate cancer mortality; and incidence of esophageal, colorectal, and breast cancer. Limited causal inferences due to residual confounding in observational studies, risk of bias due to limitations in diet assessment and adjustment for confounders, recall bias in dietary assessment, and insufficient data for planned subgroup analyses. The possible absolute effects of red and processed meat consumption on cancer mortality and incidence are very small, and the certainty of evidence is low to very low. None. (PROSPERO: CRD42017074074)

Background: Radiation exposure is a well-known risk factor for thyroid cancer. However, the specific effects of diagnostic radiation exposure on thyroid cancer risk are controversial. The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effects of diagnostic radiation exposure on thyroid cancer risk. Methods: The PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched to identify eligible studies. Summary odds ratio (OR) estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to compute the risk of thyroid cancer using fixed- and random-effects models. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate the potential heterogeneity. Results: Nine studies from twelve publications were included in the meta-analysis. Overall exposure to diagnostic radiation exposure was associated with a significantly increased thyroid cancer risk (summary OR=1.52, 95% CI=1.13–2.04). The subgroup and sensitivity analyses revealed similar results. By type of exposure, exposure to CT scans (OR=1.46, 95% CI=1.27–1.68) or dental x-rays (OR=1.69, 95% CI=1.17–2.44) were associated with an increased thyroid cancer risk. Head and neck (OR=1.31, 95% CI=1.02–1.69) and chest (OR=1.71, 95% CI=1.09–2.69) exposure to diagnostic radiation was associated with an increased thyroid cancer risk. Conclusions: The results of this meta-analysis indicates that diagnostic radiation exposure is associated with an increased thyroid cancer risk. Therefore, to the extent that it will not compromise the information being sought, radiation exposure to the thyroid should be minimized during diagnostic examinations.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and metabolic syndrome (MS) in the Korean population. A total of 11,587 adults ≥30 years of age and with complete data were selected from Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey VI conducted from 2013 to 2015. Normal ALT and AST levels were divided into quartiles, and their associations with MS were assessed by logistic regression analysis. Elevated levels of ALT [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 7.90, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 6.50–9.60] and AST (aOR = 3.81, 95% CI = 3.10–4.74) were both significantly associated with a higher prevalence of MS. The quartile group containing the highest levels of ALT and AST within the normal range also showed an increased risk of MS and its components. Elevated levels of ALT and AST, even within the normal range, were associated with prevalence of MS.

Smoking is harmful to the health of adolescents because their bodies are still growing. The aim of this study was to analyze the association between the smoking status of Korean adolescents’ parents and friends and their own smoking behavior. The study assessed a nationwide sample of 72,060 middle and high students from the 10th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (2014). Descriptive analysis, chi-square tests, and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to probe the association between family and friend smoking status and adolescent smoking behavior. The current cigarette smoking rates were 13.3% of boys and 4.1% of girls. The corresponding rates for electronic cigarette smoking were 4.1% and 1.5%, respectively. Higher exposure to secondhand smoke, smoking by any family member, more friends smoking, and witnessed smoking at school were associated with current smoking and electronic smoking. The smoking status of family and friends was significantly related to adolescent smoking behavior. These results should be considered in designing programs to control adolescent smoking.

Cancer survivors remain at life-long risk of developing oral complications. This study investigated the oral health status and behavior among cancer survivors in comparison to subjects without a history of cancer using a nationwide survey. Cancer survivors and control subjects were selected from the sixth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013–2015). Survivors reported chewing (34.8%) and speaking difficulties (15.3%) resulting from oral health problems. More than 36% of survivors had periodontal disease and 15.9% needed dentures. In multiple logistic regression analysis, age, household income, education level, smoking status, cancer site, and current cancer status were associated with oral health status. Approximately 43.3% of cancer survivors brushed their teeth more than three times a day. In addition, 44.9% of survivors used secondary oral products, and 30.8% had been screened for oral health problems over the past year. Age, household income and education level were associated with oral health behavior. The oral health status and behavior excepting periodontal disease and the use of secondary oral products were not significantly different between cancer survivors and controls. Although oral health status of cancer survivors was not worse than that of controls, more than half of the survivors maintained unhealthy oral practices.

Background: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an acute, febrile, and potentially fatal tick-borne disease caused by the SFTS Phlebovirus. Here, we evaluated the effects of steroid therapy in Korean patients with SFTS. Methods: A retrospective study was performed in a multicenter SFTS clinical cohort from 13 Korean university hospitals between 2013 and 2017. We performed survival analysis using propensity score matching of 142 patients with SFTS diagnosed by genetic or antibody tests. Results: Overall fatality rate was 23.2%, with 39.7% among 58 patients who underwent steroid therapy. Complications were observed in 37/58 (63.8%) and 25/83 (30.1%) patients in the steroid and non-steroid groups, respectively (P < .001). Survival analysis after propensity score matching showed a significant difference in mean 30-day survival time between the non-steroid and steroid groups in patients with a mild condition [Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score 5 days), and non-steroid groups, were 18.4, 22.4, and 27.3 days, respectively (P = .005). Conclusions: After steroid therapy, an increase in complications was observed among patients with SFTS. Steroid therapy should be used with caution, considering the possible negative effects of steroid therapy within 5 days of symptom onset or in patients with mild disease (APACHE II score <14).