The Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) is a self-assessment scale designed to evaluate anhedonia in various psychiatric disorders. To facilitate its use in Malaysian settings, our current study aimed to examine the validity of the Simplified-Chinese translated version of the SHAPS (SHAPS-SC) in a group of subjects at a university out-patient clinic. Method: A total of 40 depressed patients were recruited in this cross sectional study. They were given both the Simplified Chinese and Malay versions of SHAPS, General Health Questionnaire 12 (GHQ-12) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) to assess their hedonic state, general mental health condition and level of depression. Results: Our study showed that SHAPS-SC had impressive internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha 0.84) and concurrent validity, and fair parallel-forms reliability (Pearson’s correlation 0.39). Conclusion: SHAPS-SC demonstrate good psychometric properties in the evaluation of hedonic state among a group of Chinese speaking depressed patients in an out-patient setting. It is easy to administer and suitable as a valid and reliable questionnaire in assessing anhedonia among depressed patients in Malaysia.
Patients ; Depression ; Outpatient Clinics, Hospital

We have a step backwards in comparing with the previous 40 years in the education and the organization of medical laboratory examination. While our equipment and techniques have got new great success and the needs have increased. Typically, in clinical briefing, laboratory doctors and technicians have been always absent, it seems that it is due to the leak of a deep knowledge and a large skill of laboratory. Therefore their roles were reduced. An improvement in the programm of formation of laboratory doctors and experts with various branches: biochemia, hematology, blood perfusion was recommend
Outpatient Clinics, Hospital ; Technology, Medical ; Laboratories ; diagnosis ;

The descriptive cross-sectional study on 424 forms at Oncologic hospital to find the causes of overload in Janruary 2003. The results showed that: the mean age 38  14 years old; male 17.7%, female 82.3%. There was no difference between Ho Chi Minh city and provinces. The patients at out-clinic examination ward increased 3 times. Having 54% patients were treated at home by following doctors' prescriptions. The most common reason is confidence in Oncologic hospital because of best specialists 86.8%. In other hand, almost reason for not examined at their local medical station because of losing their confidence 68.2%. In 42 patients treated in hospital, 54.2% diseases can be treated in local medical station
Patients ; Outpatient Clinics, Hospital ; Prescriptions, Drug ; hospitals

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: There are few studies that have investigated predictive factors related to migraine prophylaxis of which produced inconsistent results. The aim of this study was to identify factors that can predict the treatment response to topiramate prophylaxis in pediatric patients with migraine. METHODS: One hundred and thirteen patients who were older than 7 years and received topiramate for at least 3 months were recruited from the Seoul National University Bundang Hospital outpatient clinic from 2005 to 2014. A positive response was defined as a reduction of more than 50% in the number of migraine episodes after topiramate treatment. Proposed predictive factors such as migraine characteristics including severity and frequency were assessed, as were other data on sex, disease duration, associated symptoms, family history, and impairment of daily activities. RESULTS: Seventy patients (61.9%) responded to prophylactic treatment with topiramate. Patients who experienced significant impairment in daily activities showed significant benefit from the treatment (p=0.004). Sex, the severity, frequency, and duration of migraine episodes, disease duration, treatment duration, age at onset, and associated symptoms were not significantly related to a response to topiramate treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Migraine characteristics and associated symptoms were not significantly related to a response to topiramate treatment. However, patients with significant impairment in daily activities showed significant benefit from the treatment, and so prophylactic topiramate treatment should be strongly encouraged in this patient group.
Age of Onset ; Humans ; Migraine Disorders* ; Outpatient Clinics, Hospital ; Seoul

OBJECTIVETo analyze the therapy of hypertensive outpatients among different grade hospitals in Beijing.

METHODSThirty-nine hospitals including 4 third grade hospitals, 4 second grade hospitals and 31 first grade hospitals in Beijing were selected randomly (by stratified randomization). The grade was accredited according to the hospital accreditation standard issued by Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China.

RESULTSThe average hypertension control rate (< 140/90 mm Hg, 1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa) in outpatients was 32.3%. The hypertension control rate in the third grade, second grade, first grade hospitals were 37.7%, 36.9%, and 31.2% respectively. There was no difference in the control rate among the three different grade hospitals (P > 0.05). The frequency to use anti-hypertension drugs including long-acting calcium antagonism, ACEI, beta-receptor blocker in the third grade hospitals was significantly higher than those of the first and second grade hospitals. The rate of examination using ultrasonic cardiogram, CT, Holter and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring were significantly higher in the third grade hospitals than that of the first and second grade hospitals. There were significant differences in annual cost of hypertension treatment among three different grade hospitals (P < 0.01), being the highest (1567.5 yuan) in the third grade hospitals, medium (845.4 yuan) in the second grade hospitals, the lowest (651.8 yuan) in the first grade hospitals.

CONCLUSIONSSignificant difference in the cost of hypertensive treatment among three different grade hospitals exists in Beijing. However, there was no difference in the control rate among them. The overall hypertension control rate is 32.3%, leaving 67.7% uncontrolled. Efforts to increase the hypertension control rate should be made in all hospitals. How to guide and arrange the hypertension patients to consult a suitable hospital is important for rational and economical use of health cost.

Australia ; Disability Evaluation ; Humans ; Occupational Therapy ; Outpatient Clinics, Hospital ; Physicians ; Rehabilitation

PURPOSE: A conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was conducted in supine position, showing a slight different from that conducted in upright position. Therefore, we simulated the upright position by applying the axial load on a lumbar spinal stenosis patient and measured the change of neural tube size in axial load and standardized the data. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared the axial loading MRI obtained from spinal stenosis patients who visited Wonkwang University Hospital outpatient clinic between October 2010 and May 2011 showing radiologic and physical symptoms. RESULTS: Neural tube sizes by conventional MRI were as follows: 195.57 mm² and 203.20 mm² on average between the left and right sides in L3/4; 194.64 mm² and 211.43 mm² on average in L4/5; and 199.38 mm² and 203.04 mm² on average in L5/S1. Neural tube sizes by axial loading MRI were as follows: 166.43 mm² and 174.27 mm² on average between the left and right sides in L3/4; 154.81 mm² and 158.67 mm² on average in L4/5; and 148.48 mm² and 157.19 mm² on average in L5/S1. Changes of neural tube sizes in L3/4, L4/5, and L5/S1 had a significant correlation (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The axial loading device was an excellent tool in simulating the upright position for spinal stenosis patients, and the change of neural tube sizes reproduced for the upright position was statistically significant. This is thought to be meaningful for clinical applicability.
Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Neural Tube* ; Outpatient Clinics, Hospital ; Spinal Stenosis* ; Supine Position

BACKGROUND: One of the challenging issues of the outpatient phlebotomy services at most hospitals is that patients have a long wait. The outpatient phlebotomy team of Kyungpook National University Hospital applied six sigma breakthrough methodologies to reduce the patient waiting time. METHODS: The DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control) model was employed to approach the project. Two hundred patients visiting the outpatient phlebotomy section were asked to answer the questionnaires at inception of the study to ascertain root causes. After correction, we surveyed 285 patients for same questionnaires again to follow-up the effects. RESULTS: A defect was defined as extending patient waiting time so long and at the beginning of the project, the performance level was 2.61 sigma. Using fishbone diagram, all the possible reasons for extending patient waiting time were captured, and among them, 16 causes were proven to be statistically significant. Improvement plans including a new receptionist, automatic specimen transport system, and adding one phlebotomist were put into practice. As a result, the number of patients waited more than 5 min significantly decreased, and the performance level reached 3.0 sigma in December 2007 and finally 3.35 sigma in July 2008. CONCLUSIONS: Applying the six sigma, the performance level of waiting times for blood drawing exceeding five minutes were improved from 2.61 sigma to 3.35 sigma.
Efficiency, Organizational ; Humans ; Outpatient Clinics, Hospital/*standards ; *Phlebotomy ; Process Assessment (Health Care) ; Questionnaires ; Time Factors ; Total Quality Management

PURPOSE: To investigate whether hospitalization influences serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsies were performed for detecting prostate cancer in 2,017 patients between February 2001 and April 2011 at Ajou University Hospital. Of those patients, 416 patients who were hospitalized for prostate biopsies, whose serum PSA values were measured at the outpatient department within 1 month of admission and also just after admission, and who had negative prostate biopsy results were included in the present study. We retrospectively reviewed the data of the 416 patients and compared the serum PSA values measured in the outpatient department with those measured during hospitalization. RESULTS: Among all 416 patients, the interval between the two PSA measurements was 22.2 days (range, 3 to 30 days) and the prostate size measured by transrectal ultrasonography was 53.63 mL (range, 12.8 to 197.9 mL). Among all patients, mean serum PSA levels measured during hospitalization were significantly lower than those measured in the outpatient department (6.69 ng/mL vs. 8.01 ng/mL, p<0.001). When stratified according to age, the presence or absence of chronic prostatitis in the biopsy pathology, serum PSA levels, and prostate size, the serum PSA levels measured during hospitalization were significantly lower than those measured in the outpatient department in all subgroups, except in cases aged 20 to 39 years and those with PSA <4 ng/mL, in whom no significant differences were shown. CONCLUSIONS: Hospitalization decreases serum PSA values compared with those measured on an outpatient basis in patients with benign prostatic diseases. Therefore, serum PSA values should be checked on an outpatient basis for serial monitoring.
Aged ; Biopsy ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Outpatient Clinics, Hospital ; Outpatients ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatic Diseases ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Prostatitis ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: Minerals are essential nutrients of human body and related with various diseases. Some minerals may be associated with endocrine function. Especially, chromium is known to enhance the action of insulin. The correlation of minerals with DM has not been studied in Korea yet. Therefore, to know whether there is any significant difference of minerals concentration and component between DM patient and non-DM patient, the quantity of each mineral in the hair of patients and controls was measured. If there is any significance, a guideline of nutritional therapy with minerals could be proposed and recommended. METHOD: An analysis of hair was performed on the type II diabetic patients and non-diabetic patients who visited Severance hospital outpatient clinic from April, 2001 to January, 2002. Hairs were obtained from each subject and were analyzed into the concentration of mineral using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The concentration of each element between the two groups was compared by t-test analysis. RESULTS: The concentration of copper, sodium, chromium, sulfur, and antimony was significantly different; the level of copper was significantly lower in the diabetic group (P=0.013). On the other hand, the levels of sodium, chromium, sulfur, and antimony were significantly higher in the diabetic group (P=0.013, 0.0001, 0.010, 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Previous studies have suggested that the concentration of chromium in diabetic patients' blood was lower than those in normal population. However, this study showed that the measured amount of chromium in hair was significantly higher in the diabetic group. This result warrants a study on the correlation between the concentration of chromium in blood and hair, and also, on the mutual relationship of other minerals (copper, sodium, sulfur, and antimony) which also showed significant difference in this study.
Absorption ; Antimony ; Chromium ; Copper ; Hair* ; Hand ; Human Body ; Humans ; Insulin ; Korea ; Minerals ; Outpatient Clinics, Hospital ; Sodium ; Sulfur