Chronic pelvic pain is a common and significant disorder of women. It is estimated to have a prevalence of 3.8% in women. The etiology of chronic pelvic pain in women is poorly understood. Although a specific diagnosis is not found in the majority of cases, some common diagnoses include endometriosis, adhesions, irritable bowel syndrome, and interstitial cystitis. The initial history and physical examination can narrow the diagnostic possibilities, guide any subsequent evaluation, and rule out malignancy or significant systemic disease. If the initial evaluation does not reveal a specific diagnosis, a limited laboratory and ultrasound evaluation can clarify the diagnosis, as well as rule out serious disease and reassure the patient. Laboratory and imaging studies should be selectively utilized, as should laparoscopy. Conscious laparoscopic pain mapping has been proposed as a way to improve information derived from laparoscopic evaluations.
Cystitis, Interstitial ; Endometriosis ; Female ; Humans ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; Laparoscopy ; Pelvic Pain ; Physical Examination ; Prevalence

Purpose: This study used raw data from the fifth (2010-2012) Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) to assess the relationship between vitamin D level and glycemic control of diabetes, and to provide basic data about the use of vitamin D for preparation of a treatment plan for diabetes in South Korea. Methods: For this study, data of 1,713 diabetes from KNHANES (2010-2012) were used. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 18.0 program, and complex sample frequency analysis, descriptive statistics, complex sample cross analysis, complex sample general linear regression, and complex sample logistic regression analysis were performed. Results: It was found that the poor glycemic control group among the diabetes subjects had significantly lower level of blood vitamin D than the good glycemic control group. Factors affecting glycemic control included drinking, vitamin D levels, hypertriglyceridemia, duration of diabetes, and treatment of diabetes. Also, diabetics with vitamin D deficiency or shortage showed 3.55- and 2.61-times higher odds ratios, respectively, to be diagnosed as the poor glycemic control group than diabetics without vitamin D deficiency or shortage. Conclusion This study is significant because it provides rationale and basic data about the use of vitamin D for preparation of a treatment plan for diabetes in South Korea by assessing the dependence of glycemic control on the vitamin D level of diabetics. Additionally, future studies are necessary to determine the appropriate concentration of vitamin D for diabetes prevention and treatment to prevent the side effects of excessive supplementation.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the relationships between particulate matter risk perception, knowledge, and perceived barriers and health-promoting behaviors among college students. METHODS: Data for this cross-sectional study were collected from September 1 to 30, 2017. The study sample consisted of 85 students from a university, Seoul. Students not living in the Seoul metropolitan area during the spring 2017 semester were excluded from participation. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to identify relationships among study variables. RESULTS: A significant positive correlation existed between particulate matter risk perception and health-promoting behaviors related to particulate matter (r=.51, p < .001). Among the risk perception subdomains, attention (r=.47, p < .001) and health effect (r=.55, p < .001) showed strong positive relationships with health-promoting behaviors. No significant relationships were found between knowledge (r=.12, p=.288) or perceived barriers (r=−.12, p=.264) and health-promoting behaviors related to particulate matter. CONCLUSION: Based on the study results, strategies for enhancing particulate matter risk perception are needed to increase the level of health-promoting behaviors related to particulate matter among college students.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Particulate Matter ; Seoul

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the profile of graduates from accelerated second-degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs and to analyze the relative efficiency of nursing colleges using data envelopment analysis. Methods: An online survey link was emailed to the deans of nursing colleges, who were then asked to send the link to graduates of the respective colleges. The survey questionnaire included demographics, reasons for applying to the accelerated second-degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, employment after graduation, and nursing career satisfaction. Results: Sixty-two graduates of the accelerated second-degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing program responded to the survey. The mean age at admission was 24.28 (± 3.01) years. Reasons for applying to the accelerated second-degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing program were primarily increasing job security and using it as a stepping stone to another career. Nursing career job satisfaction was 4.81 (± 1.07) and more than 82% recommended this program. The data envelopment analysis found the average efficiency score to be 0.84 (± 0.20) and 4 nursing colleges to be relatively efficient. Conclusion The accelerated second-degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing program can be considered to be an effective means to produce quality nurses with non-nursing bachelor degrees in a short time; however, outcomes of this program need to be systematically monitored to maintain quality level. Through this, competent nurses with knowledge of adjacent studies will be added to the nursing workforce.

OBJECTIVES: It is to evaluate the effect of black cohosh on genital atrophy and its adverse effect in postmenopausal women. METHODS: A total of 100 postmenopausal women having moderate to severe degree of climacteric symptoms were randomly allocated to receive black cohosh combined proparation (n = 50) or placebo (n = 50) daily for 12 weeks. A total of seventy eight subjects completed the study. The effect of black cohosh on vaginal atrophy was evaluated by measuring Maturation value (MV). MV was determined from vaginal smear at 0 and 12 weeks of treatment. Safety assessment included vital signs, physical examinations, adverse events, and routine laboratory parameters. Assessments were carried out at the beginning, and after 4, 8, and 12 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: The mean (+/- standard deviation) MV decreased 0.18 (0.48 +/- 0.33 to 0.30 +/- 0.24) in the black cohosh group and 0.13 (0.44 +/- 0.31 to 0.31 +/- 0.22) in the placebo group. There was no statistical difference between the groups. But adverse events were observed in 7 (14%) patients in the black cohosh group and 6 (12%) patients in the placebo group, without statistical significance. No significant effects were observed on blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, physical findings, and laboratory values. Black cohosh was well tolerated. CONCLUSION: Black cohosh did not exert estrogenic effects with regards to vaginal atrophy. Further studies on the long-term safety and the appropriate doses of cohosh are needed.
Atrophy ; Blood Pressure ; Body Temperature ; Cimicifuga ; Climacteric ; Estrogens ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Physical Examination ; Vaginal Smears ; Vital Signs

OBJECTIVES: This retrospective study evaluated bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal endometrial cancer patients without bone metastases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the BMD of spinal bone and the femur in 26 endometrial cancer patients and 32 control women. All of the patients and control women had reached their menopause. The control group was treated with benign uterine myoma whose age and body mass index are consistent with the case group. All BMD was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Body Mass Index ; Bone Density ; Calcium ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; Estrogens ; Female ; Femur ; Humans ; Leiomyoma ; Menopause ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Osteoporosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Spine

BACKGROUND: The performance of the fecal occult blood test (FOBT) has recently improved with the use of quantitative immunochemical assays. We evaluated the two latest immunochemical FOBTs: OC-Sensor PLEDIA (Eiken Chemical, Japan) and NS-Prime (Alfresa Pharma, Japan). METHODS: The precision was evaluated by using the quality control materials at two levels and carry-over rates were measured at high and low concentrations of the sample, prepared from the calibrators. Linearity was measured by using five concentrations of human hemoglobin (0-1,000 ng/mL), prepared from erythrocyte lysates. Correlation between the two systems was analyzed by testing approximately 50 selected stool specimens per day and comparing the results obtained with those of the currently used analyzer, OC-Sensor DIANA (Eiken Chemical), for 10 consecutive working days. RESULTS: The variation for repeatability, between-run, between-day, and intermediate precision at both levels was <5.0%, and carry-over rates were <0.01% for both systems. Linearity slopes were 0.857 and 0.594 for PLEDIA and NS-Prime, respectively, with r²>0.99 for both systems. In total, 499 stool specimens were analyzed, of which 127 (25.5%), 130 (26.1%), and 129 (25.9%) specimens tested positive by DIANA, PLEDIA, and NS-Prime, respectively. The agreement between PLEDIA and NS-Prime was 98.4%. Quantification by PLEDIA was linear to that by NS-Prime (y=1.0372x+17.744; r²=0.9064). CONCLUSIONS: The analytical performances of PLEDIA and NS-Prime warrant their use as diagnostic tests. They showed excellent categorical agreement; however, the quantitative value obtained by NS-Prime was lower than that obtained by PLEDIA.
Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Erythrocytes ; Humans ; Occult Blood* ; Quality Control

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine thymosin beta4 expression in epithelial ovarian cancer compared to normal ovarian tissue. METHODS: Normal and pathologic ovarian tissues were obtained from healthy women (n=18), and from patients with ovarian cancer (n=27). The expression of thymosin beta4 mRNA was examined by quantitative competitive polymerase chain reaction (QC PCR). Thymosin beta4 mRNA expression was examined with angiopoietic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor, angiopoietin-1 and 2. RESULTS: The expression of thymosin beta4 mRNA in epithelial ovarian cancer was higher than that in the normal ovary (p<0.05). Thymosin beta4 mRNA expression was not correlated with ovarian cancer stages, pathologic types, preoperative CA125 levels, or metastasis to lymph nodes but was correlated with the expression vascular endothelial growth factor and angiopoietin-2 (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that overexpression of thymosin beta4 mRNA may be a biologic marker to differentiate epithelial ovarian cancer from normal ovary and it may play a role in angiogenesis of epithelial ovarian cancer.
Angiogenesis Inducing Agents ; Angiopoietin-1 ; Angiopoietin-2 ; Biomarkers ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Ovary ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger ; Thymosin ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

OBJECTIVE: The cordocentesis is regarded as an useful procedure for the prenatal evaluation of fetal disease, but it's complications are fetal loss, umbilical cord bleeding, umbilical cord hematoma, fetal bradycardia, fetomaternal hemorrhage, abruptio placentae, and chorioamnionitis due to it's invasiveness. The fetal bradycardia following cordocentesis is transient and self-limited in most cases, and the prevalence rate of fetal bradycardia following cordocentesis was reported to be between 1.5 and 13 per cent. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of fetal heart rate pattern following cordocentesis with adverse pregnancy outcome. METHODS: We investigated retrospectively the fetal heart rate following cordocentesis, the Apgar score of neonate, the birth weight of neonate, gestational age at delivery, preterm delivery, intrauterine growth retardation, stillbirth, and chromosome analysis in 64 codocenteses between 1 February 2000 and 28 February 2001. Normal fetal heart rate was defined as 100 up to 170 bpm, fetal bradycardia as less than 100 bpm lasting one more minute, and fetal tachycardia as more than 170 bpm lasting one more minute. RESULTS: 1. Fetal heart rate pattern following the cordocentesis was normal in 53 cases (82.8%), bradycardia in 6 cases (9.4%) and tachycardia in 5 cases (7.8%). 2. The pregnancy outcome was well-being fetus at birth in 51 cases, terminated pregnancy in 5 cases, intrauterine growth restricted fetus in 5 cases, preterm birth in 1 case and intrauterine death in 2 cases. 3. Mean Apgar-1minute/-5minute scores in neonates were 8.4 +/- 0.2/9.3 +/- 0.2 in the normal fetal heart rate group, 6.8 +/- 1.7/7.6 +/- 1.9 in fetal bradycardia group and 8.4 +/- 0.2/9.4 +/- 0.2 in fetal tachycardia group, that showed no statistically significant difference between groups. 4. The gestational weeks at birth/birth weight were 38.9 +/- 0.4 weeks/3193 +/- 90 g in normal fetal heart rate group, 36.8 +/- 3.2 weeks/2733 +/- 340 g in bradycardia group and 40.0 +/- 0.2/3465 +/- 21 g in tachycardia group, that showed no statistically significant difference between groups. 5. The number of puncture at the same time of cordocentesis was one in 45 cases, two in 15 cases and three in 4 cases. 6. There was no difference in fetal heart rate pattern following cordocentesis between 60 cases of normal and 4 cases of abnormal cardiovascular findings sonographycally. 7. The karyotyping was normal in 60 cases and abnormal in 4 cases, each of which was 46,XY,inv(9),46,X,i(Xq)/45,X,47,XY,+mar, and 46,XX,t(7;15)(q10;q10) respectively. CONCLUSION: Fetal bradycardia or tachycardia following cordocentesis was not associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Abruptio Placentae ; Apgar Score ; Birth Weight ; Bradycardia ; Chorioamnionitis ; Cordocentesis* ; Female ; Fetal Diseases ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; Fetal Heart* ; Fetomaternal Transfusion ; Fetus ; Gestational Age ; Heart Rate, Fetal* ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Karyotyping ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome* ; Pregnancy* ; Premature Birth ; Prevalence ; Punctures ; Retrospective Studies ; Stillbirth ; Tachycardia ; Umbilical Cord

Extraskeletal chondrosarcoma is rare, making up only 1% of reported chondrosarcoma. We experienced 3 cases of extraskeletal chondrosarcoma, especially in vulva. They were suspected as lipoma of the vulva. The patients had noticed a small but growing mass on their vulva which had been palpated earlier. The masses were excised with a 2 cm resection margin. The final pathological reports confirmed extraskeletal mesenchymal chondrosarcoma (EMC) of the vulva revealing no microscopic lesions on the resection margins. After 24 months of following from the initial diagnosis, the patients remain without evidence of any recurrent. Management of EMC is not well studied due to the rare and variable nature of the disease. However, the surgery, such as we had, is the mainstay of local treatment with studies showing better survival in patients who undergo wide surgical resection. The establishment of adjuvant systemic pharmacotherapy could be expected in the future.
Chondrosarcoma ; Chondrosarcoma, Mesenchymal ; Humans ; Lipoma ; Vulva