Background AND PURPOSE: Status epilepticus (SE) is one of the major neurological emergency that requires immediate treatment to avoid significant morbidity and mortality. Thus, understanding the cause, features and prognosis of SE is important for the evaluation and treatment of this condition. We retrospectively reviewed the possible cause and clinical outcome of adult patients treated for SE at the Hallym Univrsity Hospital from 1994 to 1998. METHODS: For the identification of patients, we searched the data bank for patients meetinf criteria of SE who were 18 year or older, and their medical records were reviewed. We also investigated the relationships between cause, response to anticonvulsant therapy and short-term clinical outcome. RESULTS: The selected 127 patients wer 84 males and 43 females, aged 18 to 85 yeats (meen age: 49.5 years). The possible etiologies of SE were withdrawal of AED (n=27, 21.3%), anoxia (n=22, 17.3%), CNS infection (n=20, 15.7%), stroke (n=16, 12.6%), alcohol-related (n=15, 11.8%), metabolic (n=8, 6.3%), unknown (n=7, 5.5%), drug inroxicatio (n=5, 3.9%), trauma (n=4, 3.2%) and cerebral tumor (n=3, 2.4%). in 77 patients (n=77, 60.6%), SE was successfully aborted with first-line therapy, which usually included diazepam with or without phenytoin. The food responders to AEDs occurred in patients with AED withdrawal, alcohol-related, stroke, unknown, and trauma, The poor response related to anoxia, drug intoxication and CNS infection. Seventy nine patients (62.2%) had food outcome, but nineteen patients (14.9) were died. Anoxia, drug intoxication, CNS infection and metabolic abnormalities were associated with particularly poor outcome compared with other etiologies. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that the etiology of SE may help predict both the intial response to drug therapy and short-term clinical outcome.
Adult* ; Anoxia ; Diazepam ; Drug Therapy ; Emergencies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Phenytoin ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Status Epilepticus* ; Stroke

Acute infarcts of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) territory are unusual. Furthermore incomplete AICA infarcts are perplexing because of its variations of vascular anatomy and inconsistent clinical features. We present a case with clinical features of AICA infarction, which consist of ipsilateral peripheral-type facial palsy, vertigo, and contralateral facial and upper limb sensory changes without motor weakness. The patient had hypertension and was a current smoker. The high signal intensity on inferior pontine tegmental area was found on MRI and the R2 interneuronal dysfunction was note on Blink reflex. The angiographic findings didn't show any focal vascular lesions, which is contrary to the pathogenesis of AICA infarction published previously. On the clinical ground, the present case reserves to attention in that patients with peripheral-type facial palsy should be properly evaluated and with thorough neurological examination and we could differentiate between the incomplete AICA infarcts such as Gasperini syndrome and Bell's palsy.
Arteries ; Bell Palsy ; Blinking ; Facial Paralysis* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Infarction ; Interneurons ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neurologic Examination ; Upper Extremity ; Vertigo

BACKGROUND: The anterior spinal artery infarction constitutes a classical syndrome of vascular myelopathy. The causes of the anterior spinal artery syndrome are various, but most episode probably occur as the result of atherosclerosis or dissection of the aorta and its branches. However, few cases reported developed with spinal structural abnormalities. CASE: A 65-year-old man presented with sudden paraparesis. There was no evidence of hypertension, diabetes and smoking. Motor weakness was more prominent on the left side and progressed. Loss of pain and temperature senses were shown at the level of 71 with preservation of touch, joint perception and vibration senses. The DTR's of legs were depressed and extensor toe signs were presented. A C-spine MRI showed high signal intensity on 72 weighted image and low signal on 71 weighted image(C6-71) with cervical spinal stenosis at the C4-C7 spinal level and mild cervical disc protrusion (C6-C7, C7-T1). After three months later, follow up cervical MRI showed somewhat decreased size of high signal intensity on 72 weighted image and more prominent low signal on 71 image. DISCUSSION: In our case, we could not find any usual cause of anterior spinal artery infarction. However only cervical spinal stenosis associated with mild cervical disc protrusion was present. In stenotic cervical canal, the anterior spinal artery can be more vulnerable to extrinsic compression and the infarction may early develop with insignificant trigger event, such as disc protrusion. We concluded that the ischemic change of anterior two thirds of cervical spinal cord might develop due to the compression of the anterior spinal artery by cervical stenosis and mild cervical intervertebral disc protrusion.
Aged ; Anterior Spinal Artery Syndrome* ; Aorta ; Arteries ; Atherosclerosis ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Infarction ; Intervertebral Disc ; Joints ; Leg ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Paraparesis ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; Spinal Stenosis* ; Toes ; Vibration

Rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis is an uncommon fulminant fungal infection that occurs usually in debilitated or immune suppressed patients. Intracranial lesions such as cerebral ischemia mostly develop secondary to vascular injuries like thrombosis of cavernous sinus or internal carotid artery and also from arteritis. However, intracranial hemorrhage complicated by mucormycosis is very rare. We report a patient with a fatal complicaton of intracranial hemorrhage presumably due to arteritis by mucormycosis. A 66-year-old female patient with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus developed complete ophthalmoplegia in her left eye for two days. Rhinoscopic examination revealed black necrotic turbinate. Orbital CT scan and Brain MRI showed soft tissue material at the left orbital apex and mild deformities in the left lateral cavernous sinus. On the basis of radiological evidence and biopsy, a diagnosis of mucormycosis was established, and the patient underwent surgical debridement followed by an Amphotericin B infusion. On the following day, she suddenly developed a right hemiparesis and stupor. An immediate brain CT scan revealed a large intracranial hemorrhage in the left frontal head region. Removal of the hematoma and a biopsy was performed immediately. A pathological examination revealed a fungal invasion of the small arterial wall and an acute inflammatory reaction of the surounding tissues.
Aged ; Amphotericin B ; Arteritis ; Biopsy ; Brain ; Brain Ischemia ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Cavernous Sinus ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Debridement ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Head ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Intracranial Hemorrhages* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mucormycosis* ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Orbit ; Paresis ; Stupor ; Thrombosis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Turbinates ; Vascular System Injuries

PURPOSE: To compare the results of two different instruments made of stainless steel and titanium alloy for correction of single thoracic adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) using pedicle screw instrumentation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 141 patients with single thoracic AIS treated with pedicle screw instrumentation and selective thoracic fusion were retrospectively reviewed after a follow-up of 2 years. The patients had a main thoracic curve of 40° to 75° and were divided into two groups based on instrument materials; S group (stainless steel, n=90) and T group (titanium alloy, n=51). The diameter of the stainless steel rod used was 7.0 mm while that of the titanium alloy rod was 6.35 mm or 6.0 mm. Standing long-cassette radiographic measurements including various coronal and sagittal parameters for the preoperative, early postoperative and 2-year postoperative follow-up were analyzed. There were no significant differences in the preoperative curve characteristics between the two groups. RESULTS: In the S group, the preoperative main thoracic curve of 51.3°±8.4° was improved to 19.0°±7.6° (63.1% correction) and the lumbar curve of 32.3°±8.4° spontaneously decreased to 12.7°±8.2° (62.9% correction) at 2 years postoperatively. In the T group, the preoperative main thoracic curve of 49.5°±8.4° and the lumbar curve of 30.3°±8.9° was improved to 18.8°±7.4° (62.2% correction) and 11.3°±5.4° (63.3% correction), respectively. The corrections of coronal curves were not statistically different between the two groups (p>0.05). The thoracic kyphosis was changed from 16.8°±8.5° to 24.3°±6.1° in the S group and from 19.6°±11.2° to 26.6°±8.5° in the T group. There were no significant differences in the changes of sagittal curves, coronal and sagittal balances at the 2-year follow-up and the number of fused segments and used screws between the two groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: When conducting surgery for single thoracic AIS using pedicles screw instrumentation, two different instruments made of stainless steel and titanium alloy showed similar corrections for coronal and sagittal curves.
Adolescent ; Alloys ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kyphosis ; Pedicle Screws ; Retrospective Studies ; Scoliosis ; Stainless Steel ; Steel ; Titanium

BACKGROUND: After an infection with HBV, HBsAg is the first virologic marker detectable in the serum. If anti-HBs against 'a'determinant of HBsAg appears, HBsAg will disappear and the patients will recover from the HBV infection in most cases. However, we encounter not infrequently concomitant cases of HBsAg and anti-HBs. In this study we evaluated HBV DNA levels in concomitant cases to aid in the interpretation of these serologic results. METHODS: This study included 36 cases with positivity for both HBsAg and anti-HBs in an electrochemiluminescent immunoassay as well as a radioimmunoassay. They were tested for HBeAg, anti-HBe, and HBV DNA levels. RESULTS: Chronic viral hepatitis was the most frequent diagnosis (15/36 : 41.7%) and AST and ALT levels were normal in 17 (47.2%) and 20 (55.6%) cases, respectively, among total 36 concomitant cases. HBeAg was positive in 24 and anti-HBe in 17 cases. HBV DNA was positive in 33 cases (91.7%). including all 24 HBeAg positive cases and 9 (75%) of 12 HBeAg negative cases; 6 (50%) of 12 HBeAg negative cases had HBV DNA levels higher than 105 copy/mL. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that viral replication still exists in most cases of concomitant HBsAg and anti-HBs, and even in some HBeAg negative cases. So in the concomitant cases, HBV DNA quantitation may aid in the interpretation of clinical significance of these cases.
Diagnosis ; DNA ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens* ; Hepatitis B virus* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Immunoassay ; Radioimmunoassay

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Client Oriented Scale of Improvement (COSI) has been designed to identify client needs, changes in listening ability, and final listening ability in situations important to each client. The aim of this study was to translate COSI into Korean with subsequent linguistic validation and to determine the reliability of the Korean version of the COSI (K-COSI). SUBJECTS AND METHOD: An expert panel translated the original version of COSI into the Korean language. A bilingual translator back-translated the translated version into English, which was subsequently compared with the original English version. K-COSI was administered at 14 referral hospitals, to 128 patients with hearing disability after cognitive debriefing. Reliability was assessed using correlation study. RESULTS: K-COSI showed an excellent test-retest correlation and high reliability in degree of change (Spearman correlation=0.89, interclass correlation coefficient=0.922). It also showed a fair test-retest correlation and high reliability in final hearing ability (Spearman correlation=0.49, interclass correlation coefficient=0.353) CONCLUSION: K-COSI proved to be highly reliable. The results suggest that the adapted Korean version of COSI is a reliable and valid measure for Korean-speaking patients with hearing loss.
Hearing ; Hearing Aids ; Hearing Loss ; Humans ; Linguistics ; Methods ; Referral and Consultation ; Statistics as Topic

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The quantification of hearing aid benefit is important in hearing aid fitting. The abbreviated profile of hearing aid benefit (APHAB) is a useful tool for measuring the benefit of using hearing aids. In this study, we developed a Korean version of APHAB (K-APHAB) and determined its validity and reliability. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: An expert panel translated the original version of APHAB into Korean language. Two bilingual translators back-translated the first translated version into English and it was compared with the original version. After cognitive debriefing, the translation of APHAB into the Korean version was completed. One hundred ninety-seven subjects using hearing aids participated in this study and completed K-APHAB. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, and validity was evaluated by factor analysis and criterion validity. RESULTS: K-APHAB had a good internal consistency (α=0.80). Confirmatory factor analysis showed that K-APHAB is comprised of four subsections, namely ‘communication in daily life’, ‘aversiveness’, communication in ‘background noise’ or ‘reverberation’. CONCLUSION: The K-APHAB is a useful tool for evaluating the benefit of hearing aids in Korean hearing-impaired individuals.
Hearing Aids* ; Hearing* ; Methods ; Reproducibility of Results

BACKGROUND: This study investigated characteristics according to demographic, occupational factors of Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS) and related scales to MBI-GS. METHODS: The subjects of the study were 3,331 workers in 3 different workplaces of one electronics company. They filled in demographic factors surveys, occupational factors surveys, MBI-GS, Korean Occupational Stress Scale-Short Form (KOSS-SF), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and World Health Organization Quality Of Life-Abbreviated version (WHOQOL-BREF). The correlations between sub-scales of MBI-GS and KOSS-SF, PHQ-9, WHOQOL-BREF were analyzed respectively. And KOSS-SF, PHQ-9, and WHOQOL-BREF were categorized; mean scores of sub-scales of MBI-GS were compared; and the quartiles of sub-scales of MBI-GS were presented. RESULTS: A comparison of mean scores of MBI-GS according to demographic and occupational factors showed a significant difference according to age, problem drinking behavior, working time, and working duration in exhaustion regardless of sex. In professional efficacy, a significant difference was observed in age, marital status, working type, and working duration. And as a result of correlation analysis, the correlation coefficient between exhaustion and PHQ-9 was the highest regardless of sex. In addition, regardless of sex, exhaustion and cynicism scores tended to increase and professional efficacy score tended to decrease as the work stress level rose. Same tendency is shown in case of the more severe the symptom of depression and the lower quality of life. When the quartile for sub-scales' score of MBI-GS were investigated, the burnout was more pronounced in female than in male. CONCLUSIONS: Many demographic and occupational factors affect burnout were identified in one electronics company, and we investigated which sub-scales of MBI-GS were affected. Through this study, burnout characteristics were identified in a few population group of Korea, and the results are expected to be useful for burnout risk group identification, counseling, etc.
Counseling ; Demography ; Depression ; Drinking Behavior ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Marital Status ; Population Groups ; Quality of Life ; Social Identification ; Weights and Measures ; World Health Organization

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate corticospinal tract compression that was due to a hematoma by using diffusion tensor tractography (DTT) and functional MRI (fMRI) in a patient with an intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). A 23-year-old right-handed woman presented with severe paralysis of her right extremities at the onset of a spontaneous ICH. Over the first three days from onset, the motor function of the affected upper and lower extremities rapidly recovered to the extent that she was able to overcome applied resistance to the affected limbs, and her limbs regained normal function 3 weeks after onset. The tract of the right hemisphere originated from the primary sensori-motor cortex (SM1) and it passed through the known corticospinal tract pathway. However, the tract of the left hemisphere was similar to that of the right hemisphere except that it was displaced to the antero-medial side by the hematoma at the cerebral peduncle. Only the contralateral SM1 area centered on the precentral knob was activated during affected (right) or unaffected (left) hand movements, respectively. In conclusion, fMRI and DTT demonstrated a corticospinal tract compression due to hematoma in this patient. We conclude that the combined use of these two modalities appears to improve the accuracy of investigating the state of the corticospinal tract.
Spinal Cord Compression/complications/*diagnosis/pathology ; Pyramidal Tracts/*pathology ; *Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Humans ; Hematoma/complications/*diagnosis/pathology ; Female ; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging/*methods ; Cerebral Hemorrhage/complications/*diagnosis/pathology ; Adult