No abstract available.
Risk Factors*

The purpose of the study is to develop a Web-ba sed health information se rvice system for the elderly. To identify user's information needs, we conducted an online survey of the caregivers and an offline survey of the elderly. Based on the user's information needs, a Web-site was developed. The Web-site was evaluated by users for their satisfaction with the Web-site and experts for the quality of the site. To test the usability of the site, knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of the elde rly were measured and compa red before and after an education using the content of the site. Content includes disease information of arthritis, dementia, and stroke; and health promotion information such as exercise, nutrition, management of declining hearing and visual abilities. Besides this health information, FAQ on the elderly health, statistics, links to related institutes and Web sites, risk factor appraisal tool, and nursing supplies for the elderly were added. The Web site is a subsystem of the Healthguide. Users rated usefulness, relevance, convenience, and eff iciency of the site highly in their satisf action rating. Experts ra ted purpose, update, appropriateness, reliability, and easiness highly in their site evaluation. There was statistically significant difference in the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of the elderly before and after education via the homepage. It is expected that this Web-based elderly health information service system will contribute to the elderly's health promotion as well as provide a community for the elderly health related researchers, professionals and experts to share information on the elderly's health.
Risk Factors

PURPOSE: Iron accumulation interferes with hepatic insulin extraction and affects insulin synthesis and secretion. The purpose of this study is to investigate the correlation between serum ferritin and type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: We compared the serum ferritin level among 18 patients in an impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) group, 36 in a type 1 diabetes group, eight in a type 2 diabetes group and 29 in a healthy control group. The correlation between serum ferritin levels and sex, body mass indices (BMI), blood pressure (BP), serum fasting sugar level and serum fasting insulin level were also analyzed. RESULTS: The mean log ferritin were 1.33+/-0.32 (healthy control group), 1.63+/-0.19 (IGT group) and 1.90+/-0.30 (type 2 diabetes group). In the IGT group, log ferritin was higher than in the healthy control group (P=0.001). The log ferritin of the type 2 diabetes group was higher than that of the healthy control group (P=0.001). Comparing log ferritin to other factors, log ferritin had a significant positive correlation with body mass indices (P< 0.001), systolic blood pressure (P=0.001), and fasting glucose (P= 0.001), fasting insulin (P=0.002). CONCLUSION: Compared to the normal healthy group, serum ferritin concentrations were significantly higher in the IGT group and the type 2 diabetes group. The elevation of serum ferritin concentration may be a risk factor of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Risk Factors

No abstract available.
Risk Factors*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study compared the therapeutic efficacy of endoscopic band ligation (EBL) with that of electrocoagulation for treating non-variceal, non-ulcer (NVNU) upper gastrointestinal (UGI) bleeding. METHODS: This study included 89 patients who underwent EBL and 56 patients in whom monopolar electrocoagulation was performed for NVNU UGI bleeding. The lesions treated were Mallory-Weiss tear in 91 patients, Dieulafoy's lesion in 42 patients and angiodysplasia in 12 patients. RESULTS: The initial hemostatic rate was 97% in the EBL group and 91% in the electrocoagulation group, but this was not statistically different. Rebleeding occurred in 5 of 89 patients (5.6%) in the EBL group and in 8 of 56 patients (14.3%) in the electrocoagulation group (p=0.07). Thrombocytopenia or prothrombin time prolongation was confirmed to be a significant risk factor for rebleeding. The rebleeding rate in the high risk group was significantly lower than in the EBL group (9% vs. 30%, respectively, p=0.03). The median procedure time was significantly shorter in the EBL group compared with that in the electrocoagulation group (median 5.6 minutes vs. 8.3 minutes, respectively, p=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: EBL and electrocoagulation are both effective for treating NVNU UGI bleeding, and EBL is especially safe and effective for the cases with a high risk for rebleeding.
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No abstract available.
Risk Factors*

PURPOSE: The supply of donor organs does not meet the demand of transplantation. To find a possible way of expanding the donor pool, we have evaluated the risk factors of cadaveric donors that influence the graft survival. METHODS: Between Feb. 1995 and Dec. 1999, we performed 200 cases of cadaveric kidney transplantation. The graft survival rates in 1 yr, 2 yr, & 3 yr are 93.0%, 91.1%, & 89.9%, respectively. We defined the marginal donor as a donor who possesses one of the risk factors of donor age > or = 50, or < or =5 year old (n=18), ICU stay > or =10 days (n=46), history of hypertension (n=30), CPR > or =20 min (n=7), prolonged hypotension (SBP < or =80 mmHg, over 6 hr) (n=40), high dose inotropic support (dopamine > or =20microgram/kg/min, or dobutamine > or =15microgram/kg/min) (n=78), serum creatinine level > or =2.5 mg/dl (n=16), or cold ischemic time > or =12 hr (n=34). We compared graft survival rates between the marginal donor group and the non-marginal donor group, and analyzed risk factors affecting graft survival by univariate and multivariate methods. RESULTS: CPR > or =20 min (71.5%, 71.5%, - vs 93.8%, 91.8%, 90.6%, p=0.027), prolonged hypotension (85.0%, 85.0%, 80.3% vs 95.0%, 92.6%, 92.6%, p=0.028) and serum creatinine > or =2.5 mg/dl (75.0%, 75.0%, 75.0% vs 94.6%, 92.4%, 91.0%, p=0.001) affect graft survival in univariate analysis. There is, However, no risk factor that affects graft survival in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: We can increase the supply of donor organs for kidney transplantation by the selective use of high-risk cadaver donor. However, a prospective randomized study including recipient factors is needed to define the acceptable conditions better.
Risk Factors

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most common liver disease, represents a spectrum of disease including steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and irreversible cirrhosis. Although a "benign" condition, NAFLD is a risk factor eventually leading to fibrosis and to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). A number of evidences support an association between NAFLD/NASH and metabolic syndrome. The pathogenesis of NAFLD/NASH and metabolic syndrome seems to have common pathophysiological mechanisms, with focus on insulin resistance as a key factor. This review discusses the new aspects of NAFLD/NASH pathogenesis, and anticipate that such knowledge will eventually serve to the deveolpment of novel treatment strategies for this disease.
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PURPOSE: This study was conducted to expand nurse's experience of harmful work environments. METHODS: Data were collected through in-depth dividual interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi phenomenological analysis methodology. RESULTS: Harmful work environments experienced by nurses were categorized as followed: ‘Neglect concerning infections’, ‘Being thrown into a violent working environment’, ‘The hard times of being alone’, ‘Struggling with the harmful work environments’. CONCLUSION: The results of this study provide a deep understanding of the harmful work environments. It is necessary to create safe work environments and it is important to improve awareness in the system of organizations as well as individuals. Also, it is necessary to develop tools to measure work environment including risk factors.
Risk Factors

Candida infections after total knee replacement are extremely rare and show no specific symptoms and signs, thus make it difficult to diagnose. It is desirable to perform fungi culture from the beginning in case of persistent swelling and burning sensation in patients after total knee replacement with risk factors such as intraarticular steroid injection, intravenous drug abuse, immunosuppressive therapy, malignant hematologic tumor, etc. Positive culture of candida should never be considered as contaminated study, and be treated immediately. We report a case of candida infection after total knee arthroplasty, which was treated with staged reimplantation.
Risk Factors