BACKGROUND: Along with the recent greater number of medical devices for the elderly in the market, there has been a parallel increase in the number of clinical trials for these devices. It is uncertain, though, whether the target population has the awareness and understanding of these clinical trials and the possible adverse events of the devices. METHODS: A total of 147 elderly subjects (mean age, 65.8+/-8.3 years; 39 males) responded to the questionnaire. A pilot study during the development of the questionnaire was conducted in 2009 with the actual survey taking place from June to November 2011. The questionnaire included 22 items-10 items on awareness and understanding of the clinical trial; 4 items on the understanding of adverse events; and 8 items on demographical characteristics. RESULTS: Of the responders, 62.5% had participated in at least one clinical trial and had heard about the clinical trials through a doctor, newspaper, or television. And 63.3% of the responders understood that the purpose of the trial was to show efficacy and safety for the medical device. There were significant differences on the awareness of the trial by gender and life level. However, there was no statistically significant difference in adverse events awareness. CONCLUSION: Although elderly subjects participate in clinical trials, it seems they do not receive enough information when involved in clinical trials of medical devices. In the future, before these trials are carried out, medical device companies need to ensure that they provide their elderly subjects with better education and information.
Aged ; Dietary Sucrose ; Health Services Needs and Demand ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; Mitochondrial Diseases ; Periodicals ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Pilot Projects ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Television

Tolerance to contact hypersensitivity was induced by feeding of different DNCB doses in mice. A total of 40 mice were divided into 4 groups(control group, 6 mg feeding group, 10 mg feeding group, 14 mg feeding group) in experiment I, Degree of tolerance to contact hypersensitivity was rneasured by incremert rate of ear swelling after challenge with DNFB. Experiment 2 was performed in the same method of cxperiment: I with addition of 3 mg DNCB feeding group. The increment ratee were significantly decreased in DNCB feeding groups in experirnent 1 and 2(p<0.0l). But there were no differences statisticalIy between increment rates of DNCB feeding groups.
Animals ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Dinitrochlorobenzene* ; Dinitrofluorobenzene ; Ear ; Mice*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Dogs* ; Lung*

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the long-term outcomes of autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) to treat refractory rheumatic diseases. METHODS: Patients who underwent PBSCT for refractory rheumatic diseases at our institution between 2002 and 2005 were assessed for outcomes including treatment response, adverse events, damage accrual, and survival at 6 months and last follow-up. RESULTS: Eleven patients, including six with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), four with systemic sclerosis (SSc), and one with Still's disease were treated with PBSCT. In SLE patients, two showed complete response, two partial response, and two expired. One patient who expired responded completely two months after transplantation but discontinued treatment by choice and expired at six months due to an SLE flare. Long-term, two patients went into remission without organ damage, one patient went into remission with organ damage, and one had low disease activity with organ damage. Of the four patients with SSc, two showed a complete response, one a partial response, and there was one transplantation-related death at six months. At the last record notation, two remained in remission without relapse and one was lost to follow-up. The Still's disease patient partially responded at six months and was in remission at the last record notation. CONCLUSION: The ten-year survival rate was 70% with a 40% recurrence rate and 20% treatment-related mortality rate.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lost to Follow-Up ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Mortality ; Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation* ; Recurrence ; Rheumatic Diseases* ; Scleroderma, Systemic ; Survival Rate

No abstract available.
Catheters* ; Heart Defects, Congenital*

Double outlet right ventricle, a complex of congenital cardiac anomalies in which both great arteries arise wholly or in large part from the morphologic right ventricle presents diverse clinical manifestations according to the morphological characteristics. Eighty cases with DORV were diagnosed and operated at Yonsei Cardiovascular Center from 1988 to 1992. The analysis of the morphological characteristics of this anomaly and comparative study of operative methods and mortality according to the morphological classification led to the following results: 1) The location of VSD varied to be subaortic in 40 cases, subpulmonic in 15, doubly committed in 6 and noncommitted in 19 cases. The great arteries were interrelated in D-malposition in 43 cases and L-malposition in 18 and 26 cases among above mentioned 61 cases revealed the side-by-side relationship. Ten of the cases showed normal position and the rest 9, A-malposition. 2) Pulmonary stenosis was found in 60 cases, and when associated with subpulmonic VSD, occurring less frequently. PDA and ASD secundum were associated in successional order and only 3 cases were verified to carry aortic arch anomalies such as coarctation and interruption, all with subpulmonic VSD. 3) Intraventricular tunnel repair was possible in every case associated with subaortic VSD and the postoperative prognosis was excellent. In comparison, most of the cases associated with other types of VSD in which only palliative surgery or various types of intraventricular repair were performed, the general outcome was poor. But total cavopulmonary connection, one of the physiological corrective methods, showing a better postoperative prognosis is being carefully considered for its broad adoptation in future. In conclusion, double outlet right ventricle, a pathophysiological complex of various anomalies, should be thoroughly evaluated for the morphological characteristics to decide the most appropriate types of operation and for consequent improvement of prognosis.
Aorta, Thoracic ; Arteries ; Classification ; Double Outlet Right Ventricle* ; Heart Ventricles ; Mortality ; Palliative Care ; Prognosis ; Pulmonary Valve Stenosis

To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of two-dimensional echocardiogrphy(2-D echo) in ventricular septal defect, location and size of the defects, estimated right ventricular systolic pressure and associated cardiac anomaly were compared to the operative findings in 139 children operated for correction of ventricular septal defect at Severance Hospital from Jan. 1983 to June 1987. In addition, postoperative complications and mortality cases were anlysed. The following results were obtained; 1) Perimembranous defects were 82 cases(66.1%), subarterial infundibular defects 33 cases(26.6%), and muscular defect was found in only 1 case(0.8%). The accuracy of 2-D echo in localizing the defects was 84.2%. 2) In 79.2% of the patients, the defects were moderate to large in size, and actual size measured at operation was larger than that obtained by echocardography in general. 3) The estimated right ventricular systolic pressure was correlated(r=0.650) with that measured at the operating field. 4) Combined cardiac anomalies were patent ductus arteriosus(22 cases), atrial septal defect(3 cases), valvular pulmonic stenosis(2 cases) and interventricular septal aneurysm(2 cases). The sensitivity of 2-D echo in detecting these anomalies was 65.5% and the specificity was 96.4%. 5) Among 32 patients who had postoperative complications, in two thirds, there were pulmonary complication including lung atelectasis(16 cases), pleural effusion(5 cases)and pneumonia(5 cases). 6) Operative mortality was 2.9%(4 cases). The causes of death were low cardiac output state due to left ventricular myocardial failure in 3 patients and respiratory failure from asphyxia in one case. In conclusion, with close cooperation with cardiac surgeons, there will be few problems in diagnosing and operating patients with ventricular septal defect on the basis of two-dimensional echocardiographic findings without invasive procedures, such as cardiac catheterization, even with pulmonary hypertension, unless Eisenmenger syndrome is complicated.
Asphyxia ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Cardiac Output, Low ; Catheterization* ; Catheters* ; Cause of Death ; Child* ; Echocardiography* ; Eisenmenger Complex ; Heart Failure ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular* ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; Lung ; Mortality ; Postoperative Complications ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Sensitivity and Specificity

We present herein two cases of acquired periungual fibrokeratoma occuring beneath the proximal nail folds. A firm duplicated and mitten-shaped protruding mass was found on the left middle finger nail of 38-year-old woman and a firm triplicated and finger-shaped protruding mass was found of the left great toe nail of 46-year-old man. The epidermis of the tumors showed compact hyperkeratosis, focal hypergranulosis, and irregular acanthosis. Thick collagen bundles and dilated capillaries were predominantly oriented in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the lesions. There were no adnexal elements and inflammatory cells in the dermis.
Adult ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Capillaries ; Collagen ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Female ; Fingers ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Toes

We present herein a case of 20 nail onychogryphosis with localized plantar hyper keratosis and cutaneous horns occuring in a 21 year-old schizophrenic female patient. The finger nails were brownish in color and the surface of nail plates has the coarse transverse striations. The nail plates beyond the free edge were thickened and curved inward markedly. The toe nails were dirty grayish in color and the nail plates were thickened markedly and curved like the horn of ram. All the nail plates were seperated and removed from the nail beds without any difficulty and the nail matrices were destroyed by electrodesiccation. Lacalized plantar hyperkeratosis and cutaneous horns were also removed successfully by occlusive dressing with 40% salicylic acid ointment and by surgical excision. Psychogenic disorder and prolonged hygienic indifference could be the most. probable cause in this patient.
Animals ; Female ; Fingers ; Horns* ; Humans ; Keratosis ; Occlusive Dressings ; Salicylic Acid ; Schizophrenia ; Toes ; Young Adult

We present herein a case of human infestation of canine scabies occuring in a 7l-year-old female patient. Severe pruritic, erythematous papular lesions and excoriation were found over the abdomen, submammary area, and thigh. The itching sensation was aggravated especially at night. Efforts to demonstrate mites from the lesiona of the patient were unsuccessful. Her pet, a small puppy, showed loss of hair and crusted or scaly erythematous patches on the auricles and trunk 1 month prior to her skin lesions. Sarcaptescabiei var. canis were collected from the puppy by brushing the hair snd crusted or scaly patches on its skin. The patient and puppy were treated successfully with application of 25% benzyl benzoate solution.
Abdomen ; Benzoates ; Female ; Hair ; Humans* ; Mites ; Pruritus ; Scabies* ; Sensation ; Skin ; Thigh