OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence of hypertension, rates of awareness, treatment modalities, and control of hypertension, and also to identify factors in rural Korea that are related to these aspects of hypertension. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey, including blood pressure(BP) measurements and interviews, investigating the variables in the health belief model was performed from August to November, 1999 on 1,426 (79.4%) study subjects out of 1,797 registered residents over 30 years old in Ibansong-Myun, Chinju City. A second survey was performed from January to March, 2000 on 376 (80.0%) subjects out of 470 hypertensive (or suspected hypertensive) subjects found in the first survey. Two BP readings were taken in each survey using a standard mercury sphygmomanometer. Hypertension was defined as either a BP reading < 140/90 mmHg in both surveys, or as subjects on oral hypertensive medication. RESULTS: Estimated hypertension prevalence was 24.9% for men, and 30.4% for women. Rates of hypertension awareness, treatment (the regular use of oral hypertensives), and control (reduction of BP to <140/90 mmHg) were 52.5%, 34.4%, and 12.9%, respectively. The factors related to lower hypertension awareness in the logistic regression analysis were male gender, farming occupation, and higher perceived barrier to medical treatment (those for whom visiting health professionals is a burden). CONCLUSIONS: To improve the low awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension, a more active and out-reaching hypertension control program, including routine BP measurements for every visitor to primary care facilities, is needed in rural Korea.
Adult ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Gyeongsangnam-do ; Health Occupations ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Korea* ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Occupations ; Prevalence* ; Primary Health Care ; Reading ; Sphygmomanometers

The application of stereotactic techniques and endoscopy dates back to the beginning of this century and is almost as old as neurosurgery itself. However, endoscopic techniques progressed slowly for several reasons. A reappraisal of endoscopic techniques become popular about 1985. The major indication of endoscope in neurosurgical field is intraventricular procedures. Recently it can be used selectively in the intraaxial mass lesion associated cavity. For example, cystic mass, with liquefied necrosis, blood clot can be approached with endoscope. Authors present its intraaxial application in basal ganglionic hematoma in three patients. Conventional stereotactic guidance of neuroendoscope was done and the hematoma was gently removed through continuous irrigation and suction under video-guidance. The clinical course was uneventful. Brief overview is given of this intraaxial neuroendoscopic procedure.
Endoscopes ; Endoscopy ; Ganglion Cysts* ; Hematoma* ; Humans ; Necrosis ; Neuroendoscopes ; Neurosurgery ; Stereotaxic Techniques ; Suction

No abstract available.
Toxoplasma* ; Toxoplasmosis*

No abstract available.
Craniocerebral Trauma* ; Head* ; Protons*

No abstract available.
Dust* ; Humans

Urinary cadmium is used as a sensitive indicator for internal Cd dose, and increased excretion of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase(NAG), beta(2)microglobulin(MG) and total protein are useful indices for renal dysfunction by chronic exposure to Cd. The target group was 184 inhabitant(82 men and 102 women) in an abandoned mine area known as exposure to low level Cd. The control group was took 160 individuals(64 men and 96 women) in Cd not-exposed area. Urinary Cd concentration was significantly higher in the target group than the control. The geometric mean of urinary Cd for male was 2.56ng/l, 2.80ng/g creatinine and 2.50ng/S.G. in the target group and 1.19ng/l, 1.36ng/g creatinine and 1.17ng/S.G. in the control. For female 2.69ng/l, 3.94ng/g creatinine and 2.63ng/S.G. in the target group and 1.27ng/l, 1.97ng/g creatinine and 1.25ng/S.G. in the control, respectively. In addition, urinary Cd of the target group had affected by the period of residence and dietary habit for the rice and the vegetables from the target area. These findings suggest the chronic exposure to Cd of the target population. Mean excretion of urinary NAG, beta(2)MG and total protein were not significant between two groups. In the target group, urinary NAG activity and total protein were significantly correlated with urinary Cd, but beta(2)MG was not related. Urinary excretion of NAG, beta(2)MG and total protein were significantly increased in 10 than in <2 of urinary Cd level. In 2~10 group of urinary Cd level, the excretion of NAG significantly increased while not showed for beta(2)MG. In present study, urinary excretion of NAG was relatively sensitive than beta(2)MG in chronic exposure population to low level Cd.
Acetylglucosaminidase ; Cadmium* ; Creatinine ; Female ; Food Habits ; Health Services Needs and Demand ; Humans ; Male ; Vegetables

A case of primary non-Hodgkin's malignant lymphoma of the vulva which occurred in a 68-year-old woman is presented. Non-Hodgkin's malignant lymphoma is infrequently involved in the female genital tract. Moreover, primary vulvar involvement of this tumor is very rare. To date only 6 cases have been reported in the literature. To our knowledge this is the first reported case of a non-Hodgkin's malignant lymphoma of the vulva in Korea.
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/*pathology/therapy ; Vulvar Neoplasms/*pathology/therapy

Nonfunctioning adrenal cortical carcinoma is extremely rare, which probably merely secreted insufficient steroid to cause signs and symptoms. We experienced a case of nonfunctioning adrenal cortical carcinoma without metastatic evidence, treated by only adrenalectomy.
Adrenalectomy ; Adrenocortical Carcinoma*

The authors report a case of posterior fossa dural arteriovenous malformation with increased intracranial pressure. It was fed left occipital artery, posterior auricular artery, posterior meningeal branch of vertebral artery, and meningohypophyseal artery of left internal carotid artery. Treatment has been tried with transcatheter embolization using gelfoam and ivalon, intracranial clipping of feeders, ligation of external carotid artery, and radiation therapy. The unusual clinical manifestations such as visual disturbance and hearing impairment are discussed.
Arteries ; Arteriovenous Malformations* ; Carotid Artery, External ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Gelatin Sponge, Absorbable ; Hearing Loss ; Intracranial Pressure ; Ligation ; Vertebral Artery

Botulinum toxin type A(BTA) is well known treatment agent in the treatment of paralytic strabismus in ophthalmological field for more than 15 years. Its therapeutic potential as temporary paralyzing agent was adopted to treat several neurologic, movement disorders. In recent years, BTA is considered as initial medical treatment option in such as blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm, spasmodic torticollis, spasmodic dysphonia. Authors applied BTA injection in cases with spasmosmodic torticollis, hemifacial spasm, facial synkinesis and experienced staisfactory result. So authors present our experience of BTA injection therapy and discuss techniques, advantages and disavantages.
Blepharospasm ; Botulinum Toxins* ; Botulinum Toxins, Type A ; Dysphonia ; Dystonia ; Hemifacial Spasm* ; Movement Disorders ; Strabismus ; Synkinesis* ; Torticollis*