Single nucleotide polymorphism marker analysis in donor-derived cell-free (dd-cf) DNA for solid organ transplantation is a technique for post-transplantation monitoring, including early detection of injury to the transplanted organ, signs of infection, and treatment decision-making, by measuring dd-cf-DNAs as a percentage of the total cf-DNAs in the patient’s body in donors and recipients of kidney, heart, lung, or liver transplants.

The assessments were performed via a systematic review. Searching five databases (KoreaMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, and Cochrane) yielded 1,619 related studies. Two reviewers independently assessed the quality of these studies using a Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network checklist, and the assessment results were described based on the results of the quality appraisal and level of evidence.

The population of the included studies was patients who underwent kidney, heart, lung, or liver transplantation. Medical outcomes in kidney transplantation patients were reported in 15 studies. The index test was reported to have an area under curve (AUC) of 0.68 to 0.99 and a sensitivity of 0.24 to 1.00. Four studies reported effectiveness data for the index test for lung transplantation patients. The diagnostic accuracy of the index test for acute cell-mediated rejection was reported have an AUC of 0.72. Sensitivity was reported as 0.44 and specificity as 0.80 for heart transplant patients, and sensitivity as 0.73 to 1.00 and specificity as 0.60 to 0.95 for liver transplant patients.

This is a safe and effective technique for post-transplantation monitoring, including the early detection of injury to the transplanted organ and signs of infection, and for treatment decision-making, by measuring dd-cf-DNA as a percentage of total cf-DNA in the patient’s body in recipients and donors of kidney, heart, lung, or liver transplantation (level of evidence: C).

The present study investigated changes in the trajectories of depressive symptoms in the elderly and attempted to identify risk factors that influence these changes according to gender.

All data were obtained from a subsample of subjects who participated in the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing between 2006 and 2012; 3,667 individuals (1,566 men and 2,101 women) aged 60 years and older were included in the present study. A group-based trajectory model was employed to determine the appropriate number of groups and to observe changes in depressive symptoms according to research year. Following the trajectory analysis, a multinomial regression analysis was performed to examine depressive symptom-related risk factors that influenced membership in the different trajectory groups.

Significant gender differences were found in the trajectories of depressive symptoms among four groups (normal, mild depressed, worsening, and depressed) in men and five groups (normal, mild depressed, worsening, improving, and depressed) in women. Among the trajectory groups, physical health status such as chronic diseases, self-rated health (SRH), and somatic pain showed statistically significant differences in both genders. In addition, employment in men and social participation in women were associated with the trajectories.

The present study suggested that maintaining one's physical health status played an important role in preventing depressive symptoms and that employment in men and social participation in women were preventative against the development of depressive symptoms.