No abstract available.
Thyrotropin*

BACKGROUND: Herpes zoster is an important and troublesome disease. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was the elucidation of the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of herpes zoster through patient assessrnent. METHODS: During a 5- Year period, January 1990 to December 1994, 215 patients with herpes zoster were assessed with regard to annual and monthly frequency in occurrence, age and gender incidence. Associated conditions, dermatomic distributions, the relationship of onset of pain and skin lesions, Multi-CMI test and complications were also evaluated. RESULTS: 1. The annual freguency of herpes zoster ranged from 0.88% to 1.78% (mean 1.23%) during the 5-year period. The highest number of herpes zoster patients was observed in winter (p<0.001) especially in January. 2. Herpes zoster was found to most frequently afflict persons aged 50-59 (27.9%). 71% of the patients were over 40 years of age. 3. In 76 patients (41.8%), neuralgia occurred several days (4 days mean) before the development of skin lesions. In 92 patients (50.5%), pain and skin lesions developed simultaneously while skin lesion development occurred before the onset of pain in 14 patients (7.7%). 4. Among the patients, 42.8% had associated conditions such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, pulmonary tuberculosis, liver diseases, peptic ulcer, hypothyroidism, pharyngitis, fracture, etc. 5. The dermatomic invclvement of herpes zoster patients having one dermatome was most frequent in thoracic dermatome ca. es (52.6%). Others included cervical (16.7%), trigeminal (11.6%), sacral (6. 0%), lumbar (4.2%), facial (0.5%). Cases having two different dermatomes constituted 8.4%. 6. The most common complication of herpes zoster was postherpetic neuralgia although instance of ophthalmologic compiications, secondary bacterial infection, scar formation, Ramsay-Hunt syndrome, keloid formation, and urinary difficulty were also documented. 7. Multi-CMI (Cell-mediated immunity) tests were done on 88 herpes zoster patients. Thirteen of them (14.8%) were found to have comparatively depressed scores. Ten of the 79 single dermatome involvement patients (12.7%) and three of the 9 two dermatome involvement patients (33.3%) exhibited similar scores. CONCLUSION: These results are in accordance with those of previous reports with the exception of the higher incidence ot two different dermatome involvements and seasonal variation.
Bacterial Infections ; Cicatrix ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Herpes Zoster* ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; Hypothyroidism ; Incidence ; Keloid ; Liver Diseases ; Neuralgia ; Neuralgia, Postherpetic ; Peptic Ulcer ; Pharyngitis ; Seasons ; Skin ; Tuberculosis

Background : It is not easy to diagnose sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma(MTC) before surgery and this might lead the patient reoperation and/or lowered chance of definite cure. Methods : The prevalence of sporadic MTC in Korean was studied in patients with thyroid nodules. A prospective study of 1048 consecutive patients with thyroid nodules was performed. In all patients, measurements of basal serum calcitonin, thyroid hormones, TSH, anti-thyroglobulin antibody and anti-thyroperoxidase antibody were undertaken along with technetium-99m thyroid scintigraphy and fine needle aspiration cytology. In patients with elevated basal calcitonin levels, calcium stimulated calcitonin level was determined. Results: Two patient had markedly elevated calcitonin levels(over 3,200 pg/mL and 1,763 pg/ mL) and another one slightly elevated calcitoni#n(71.9 pg/mL). Fine needle aspiration cytology was suggestive of MTC in one and nodular hyperplasia in the other two. They underwent surgery and histological examination revealed MTC in those two with markedly elevated calcitonin levels. The patient with slightly elevated calcitonin, who was on the maintenance hemodialysis due to chronic renal failure, had nodular hyperplasia. Conclusion: MTC was found in 0.19% of patients with thyroid nodules, which was not different with the previously reported prevalence in Europe. Routine measurements of serum calcitonin might be of value to detect sporadic MTC; however, the cost-effectiveness of routine measurement of serum calcitonin is not clear, considering the relatively low prevalence of MTC in Koreans.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Calcitonin ; Calcium ; Carcinoma, Medullary ; Europe ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Mass Screening ; Prevalence ; Prospective Studies ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Renal Dialysis ; Reoperation ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Hormones ; Thyroid Nodule

PURPOSE: Epilepsy, a typical chronic disease, may cause a high level of psychosocial difficulties for all family members, including stigmatization, stress, marital problems, poor self esteem and restriction of social activities. The present study focuses on how children with epilepsy affect their families' functioning. METHODS: The subjects were 30 parents of epileptic children. The Feetham Family Function Survey(FFFS) was used to obtain data concerning the parents' perceived family functioning. Data were analyzed with SPSS 8.0 program using Pearson correlation coefficient, Oneway ANOVA, and multiple range test(Scheffe test). RESULTS: The results of analysis showed slightly low score of the amount of the activity, high importance score and discrepant score, which mean a low satisfaction level. There was no significant correlation between most demographic variables of the family and the family functioning. Oneway ANOVA showed the differences of the discrepant score according to the number of the antiepileptic drugs, the frequency of the seizure, the combined disabilities, and the ways in which families with epileptic children raised money for hospital expenses. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that the expected level and the important score might be higher than the achieved level of the family functioning, which indicates the low satisfaction in the families with epileptic children. The results also suggest that the discrepant score in the families with epileptic children may be influenced by some treatment-related characteristics of the epileptic children such as the frequency of the seizure, the number of the antiepileptic drugs, the combined disabilities and the ways in which families with epileptic children raised money for hospital expenses.
Anticonvulsants ; Child* ; Chronic Disease ; Epilepsy ; Humans ; Parents ; Seizures ; Self Concept ; Stereotyping

Cerebral paragonimiasis ad cerebral cysticercosis are two notorious parasitic infestations of the brain in Korea, of which diagnoses were not clarified yet clinically. The authors experienced 25 such parasitic brain diseases with their characteristic CT findings, and it was assumed that computed cosmography(CT scan) is the procedure of choice for the diagnosis of these parasitic brain diseases.
Brain Diseases ; Brain* ; Cysticercosis ; Diagnosis ; Korea* ; Paragonimiasis

BACKGROUND: Many women have experienced artificial abortion, but artificial abortion itself may take a life away from a fetus and also influence serious effect on operated womens health condition. So this study was attempted to offer basic information for improving maternity health condition by knowing womens artificial abortion performance status and recognition about its complication. METHODS: The 215 married women who visited in OPD of certain hospital in Pusan from november 1994 to January 1995, answered the question about experience of artifial abortion the recognition about its complication, and artificial abortioned group answered the reason of artificial abortion and the experience of complication. RESULTS: The number of women who experienced artificial abortion was 107 persons(49.8%). More educated women have experienced less artificial abortion. The causes of artificial abortion were birth control as of 40.6%, continuation of occupation or study as of 20.6%, for preserving health condition as of 14.2%, impossible marriage as of 14.2%. 115 persons out of 215 persons (53.4% ) answered they heard about, its complicatons. In relation to health, 66 persons(30.7% ) answered that the abortion had no relation with health condition or they answered they have no idea about the issue, 68 persons(31.6%) answered that the abortion had relation with but its complication would be soon recovered. Higher understanding was obtained in higher educated group(P<0.05). If unwanted pregnancy occur to them in the future, 32 persons(27.8%) in recognized group and 38 persons(38%) in unrecognized group answered they would perform artificial abortion. So understanding about complicaton of artificial abortion has little effect on their artificial abortion rate. CONCLUSIONS: Recognition of complications of married women is low, and recognition degree doesnt affect artificial abortion. So, not only education about complications of artificial abortion and contraception but also social performance of sharing womens responsibility for birth control or bringing up infants is necessary.
Abortion, Induced ; Busan ; Contraception ; Education ; Female ; Fetus ; Humans ; Infant ; Marriage ; Occupations ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Unwanted ; Women's Health

No abstract available.
Granuloma* ; Leprosy, Lepromatous*

No abstract available.
Thrombosis*

No abstract available.
Pneumothorax* ; Thoracotomy*

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy, predictability, safety, and stability of Laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK) with conventional Laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) for correction of low to moderate myopia. METHODS: In this study, LASIK-treated 31 eyes of 17 patients and LASEK-treated 33 eyes of 17 patients were followed for 6 months. Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), manifest refraction, IOP, topography, keratometry, pachymetry and specular examination were performed. RESULTS: Postoperative mean UCVA was logMAR 0.02+/-0.09 in LASIK group and logMAR 0.01+/-0.09 in LASEK group. Postoperative mean refraction was 0.04+/-0.36D in LASIK group and 0.07+/-0.28D in LASEK group and there was no significant difference between 2 groups (P>0.05). 71.0%(22 of 31) of LASIK eyes and 81.8%(27 of 33) of LASEK eyes had an uncorrected visual acuity of 20/20 or better at 6 months after surgery. 87.1%(27 of 31) of LASIK eyes and 97.0%(32 of 33) of LASEK eyes achieved predictability within +/-0.5D at 6 months follow up. There was no decrease in best-corrected visual acuity of two Snellen lines or more in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, there was no difference in postoperative mean UCVA and mean refraction in LASIK and LASEK group. However, LASEK group had better results in UCVA of more than 20/20 and predictability but there was no significant difference between 2 groups.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Keratectomy, Subepithelial, Laser-Assisted ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ* ; Myopia* ; Visual Acuity