On Wednesday, Severance Cardiovascular Hospital announced a remarkable achievement: their cardiology faculty published four research papers in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) over a nine-month period.
The hospital revealed that these publications occurred between November 8 of last year and August 29 of this year. To commemorate this accomplishment, the faculty held a celebratory event at the hospital on September 9.
NEJM, published by the Massachusetts Medical Society since 1812, is one of the most authoritative medical journals, known for presenting pivotal research that influences clinical treatment decisions.
The first paper, published last November, compared anticoagulation strategies for atrial fibrillation patients with drug-eluting stents. Professors Lee Seung-jun, Yoo Hee-tae, Lee Yong-jun, and Lee Sang-hyup were the lead authors, with Professors Park Hee-nam and Kim Joong-sun as corresponding authors.
The study focused on atrial fibrillation patients who had stents placed at least a year prior. Results showed that anticoagulant monotherapy was not inferior to combination therapy with anticoagulants and clopidogrel in overall clinical outcomes, including bleeding risk.
In March, they published research comparing low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol targets in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Professors Lee Seung-jun and Lee Yong-jun were lead authors, with Professor Kim Byeong-geuk as the corresponding author.
This study evaluated the efficacy of an intensive management strategy targeting LDL cholesterol levels below 55 mg/dL, lower than the previous 70 mg/dL target. The team found that the lower target was more effective in reducing cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes.
In August, the team presented two studies at the European Society of Cardiology and World Heart Federation congress in Munich, both subsequently published in NEJM.
The August 28 paper analyzed anticoagulation treatment efficacy in moderate-risk atrial fibrillation patients. Professors Kim Dae-hoon and Yoo Hee-tae were lead authors, with Professor Jin Bo-young as the corresponding author. The study found that anticoagulant therapy reduced the risk of composite outcomes including stroke, systemic embolism, major bleeding, and cardiovascular death over 24 months.
The August 29 paper compared clopidogrel monotherapy to dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel after stent placement. Professors Lee Seung-jun and Lee Yong-jun led the study, with Professor Kim Byeong-geuk as the corresponding author.
This study involved 3,203 high-risk ischemia patients who had stents placed a year earlier. Over 24 months, monotherapy proved non-inferior to dual therapy in composite outcomes of death, heart attack, stent thrombosis, stroke, and bleeding. However, dual therapy showed fewer ischemic events, while monotherapy resulted in less bleeding, suggesting both risks should be considered in treatment decisions.
Dr. Lee Sang-hak, head of cardiology at Severance Cardiovascular Hospital, emphasized the rarity of publishing four high-quality papers in NEJM within a year. He pledged to foster an environment that continues to strengthen both academic and clinical outcomes through ongoing research and improved clinical practices.