Chung Won Lee, Ph.D., Up Huh, Ph.D., Miju Bae, Ph.D., Changsung Han, M.D., Hoon Kwon, M.D., Gwon-min Kim, Ph.D.. J Chest Surg 2023;56:264-71. https://doi.org/10.5090/jcs.23.012

Changsung Han, M.D., Jonggeun Lee, M.D., Jeong Su Cho, M.D., Hyo Yeong Ahn, M.D.. J Chest Surg 2023;56:353-8. https://doi.org/10.5090/jcs.23.030

Changsung Han, M.D., Hyo Yeong Ahn, M.D., Yeong Dae Kim, M.D., Chung Won Lee, M.D.. J Chest Surg -0001;0:. https://doi.org/10.5090/jcs.21.038

Original Article Comparison of chemoport and Hickman central venous catheters in patients with hematological cancer Changsung Han, Gwon-Min Kim, Ho Jin Shin, Do Young Kim, Chung Won Lee, Miju Bae, Jong Won Kim, Jong-Hwan Park, Jonggeun Lee, Up Huh

Background/Objectives: Physical examination techniques are commonly used for the diagnosis and evaluation of Arteriosclerosis Obliterans (ASO). However, these methods do not objectively reflect the degree of claudication or functional impairment reported by patients. Moreover, standardized functional metrics to facilitate consistent clinical communication and prognostic assessments among healthcare providers are lacking. This study aimed to identify performance-based functional tests that enable quantitative assessment of symptoms and gait limitation in patients with ASO and to propose them as objective, reproducible clinical indicators. Methods: Fifty-six participants (27 patients with ASO and 29 healthy controls) underwent multiple functional tests, including the Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test (FTSS), six-minute walk test (SMWT), gait speed, Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), and grip strength. Test results were compared between the groups and evaluated against ankle-brachial index (ABI) values for diagnostic and functional relevance. Results: Patients with ASO demonstrated significantly lower SPPB scores, slower gait speed, longer FTSS times, and shorter SMWT distances than controls, whereas grip strength did not differ. Random forest and receiver operating characteristic analyses identified the FTSS, SMWT, and gait speed as significant predictors of ASO. Conclusions: The FTSS, SMWT, and gait speed are simple and clinically meaningful performance-based measures that can complement the ABI in the evaluation of ASO. Combining the FTSS with the SMWT and gait speed may provide a more comprehensive and reliable functional assessment and facilitate early screening, guide clinical decision-making, and enable objective evaluation of functional recovery before and after treatment, while improving patient self-assessment and communication among healthcare providers.

Arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO) is associated with impaired walking function and claudication. However, the effects of information and communication technology (ICT)-based wearable interventions on objectively measured gait outcomes in this population have not been determined. In this 12-week intervention, 52 patients with ASO were randomly assigned to an ICT-based wearable-assisted exercise intervention (n = 30) or a control (n = 22) group. All participants wore a triaxial accelerometer–based device on the non-dominant wrist to monitor moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), expressed as average min/day. The intervention group received structured exercise guidance, including walking and lower-limb strengthening exercises, and weekly feedback based on device data; the control group received no exercise instruction or feedback. Primary outcomes were gait speed and 6 min walk test (6MWT) distance; secondary outcomes included MVPA and cognitive function. The intervention group showed significant improvements in gait speed and 6MWT distance compared with those in the control group (p < 0.05), indicating enhanced ambulatory function. An exploratory machine learning analysis suggested that gait speed and 6MWT distance are informative variables for functional-status characterization. ICT-based wearable interventions may serve as scalable approaches for functional rehabilitation in ASO; larger, longer-term studies should confirm these effects and clarify the underlying mechanisms.