PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of continuous nutritional education and oral mucositis management on the nutritive status of patients who received hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). METHODS: After randomly allotting 72 patients who received HSCT to either an experimental group or a control group, intensive and continuous care for preventing malnutrition was conducted in the experimental group while usual routine care was conducted in the control group. The changes of the body scale, blood chemistry profile, oral intake calories, nausea and vomitus, and oral stomatitis scores were measured at three points during their hospitalization using a oral assessment guide and nutrition analysis program: admission, HSCT, and discharge day. The differences between the scores of two groups were analyzed by repeated measures analysis of covariance. RESULTS: The number of total lymphocytes was significantly improved in the experimental group after transplantation (p<.001). Nausea and vomiting score was significantly decreased in the experimental group during the conditioning regimen (p<.001). CONCLUSION: It was found that continuous nutritional education and oral mucositis control is an effective intervention by improving immune condition. Further investigations concerning direct examination of oral intake with controlling the effect of the chemotherapy are needed to ultimately discern the impact of varying oral nutrition patterns during HSCT.
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Malnutrition ; Nausea ; Nutritional Status ; Stomatitis ; Transplants ; Vomiting

The authors retrospectively analysed the ultrasonographic findings of 43 cases of surgically confirmed hypertrophic pyloric stenosis and their postoperative findings of sonograms taken at 1 month(n=40) or 3 months( n=5) after pyloromyotomy. In preoperative study, the thickened pyloric muscle was isoechoic or slight hypoechoic relative to liver on the midline longitudinal view and appeared as a "nonuniform acoustic ring" on the transverse view. The results of measurement in the all cases with hypertrophic pyloric stenosis were the pyloric thickness ≥3.8mm, the pyloric diameter ≥14mm, the pyloric channel length ≥16mm, the pyloric muscle volume ≥2.21Cm
Acoustics ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Liver ; Methods ; Pyloric Stenosis, Hypertrophic ; Reference Values ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography*

To examine the clinical characteristics of ocular emergency in Sungnam, we analyzed 3784 of the eye patients who visited emergency medical center of Inha university hospital during 3 years from January 1, 1995 to December 31, 1997 The ambulation rate of eye patients was 3.97% of total patients visiting emergency medical center and the admission rate was 8.30%. Male was more common than female about 2-fold and the patients in the age of 3rd decade(30.8%) and 4th decade(23.7%) were common Regarding the eye in trouble, there was no significant difference between right eye and left eye. September and autumn were most common month and season and visit rate of Sunday(27.7%) was highest in a week. According to the arrival time at emergency medical center, largest group was between 9 PM and 12 AM and within 1 hour from the onset of disease most patients visit emergency medical center. Most frequent cause of visit was beating by fist and common ocular diseases were conjunctivitis(20.4%), orbital contusion(17.9%) and eyelid laceration(13.9%).
Emergencies* ; Eyelids ; Female ; Gyeonggi-do* ; Humans ; Male ; Orbit ; Seasons ; Walking

Listeria monocytogenes is a gram-positive rod which can be isolated from soil, vegetation, and many animal reservoirs. Human disease due to Listeria monocytogenes is uncommon but occurs most frequently in the neonatal period, during pregnancy and in elderly or immuno-suppressed patients. Listeriosis in pregnant women may cause spontaneous abortion, fetal distress, preterm labor, fetal death, or neonatal septicemia/meningitis. Maternal infection alone may occur without infection of the infant, especially at the end of pregnancy. One case of septicemia with Listeria monocytogenes in pregnant women at the 35th weeks of pregnancy with fetal distress is presented.
Abortion, Spontaneous ; Aged ; Animals ; Female ; Fetal Death ; Fetal Distress* ; Humans ; Infant ; Listeria monocytogenes ; Listeriosis ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third* ; Pregnant Women ; Sepsis ; Soil

PURPOSE: To evaluate the CT grading of complications developing after endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST), and their clinical course. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated CT in 19 patients in whom pancreatitis or duodenal perforation developed after EST in 594 patients. The CT grading of pancreatitis was classified as mild, moderate or severe, according to the extent of peripancreatic infiltration; duodenal perforation was classified as mild, moderate or severe grade, according to the extent of fluid collection. We attempted to correlate CT grade with the average duration of hospitalization after EST, treatment method and mortality. RESULTS: Post-EST complications detected on CT were pancreatitis (ten patients, 1.7%) and duodenal perforation (nine patients, 1.5%). In those with pancreatitis, hospitalization after EST lasted an average of nine days in mild cases (n=2), 21 days in moderate (n=1) and 41 days in severe (n=7). Nine of ten patients with pancreatitis were treated conservatively, while the other, whose grade was severe, underwent percutaneous drainage. Eight of these ten recovered; the two who died were severe grade patients, one having been treated conservatively and the other by percutaneous drainage. In patients with duodenal perforation, hospitalization after EST lasted an average of 13 days in mild cases (n=2), 16 days in moderate (n=2) and 37 days in severe (n=5). Four of nine patients with duodenal perforation were treated conservatively, while the other five (severe, four; moderate, one) underwent percutaneous drainage. One patient, graded as severe, expired, but the remaining eight rocovered. Percutaneous drainage was performed mostly in severe grade cases, and among patients thus graded, only three (3/594; 0.5%) died. CONCLUSION: CT is considered useful for predicting the clinical course and prognosis of complications occurring after EST.
Drainage ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Mortality ; Pancreatitis ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Sphincterotomy, Endoscopic*

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to evaluate the plain radiologic findings of the childhood intussusception and to evaluate the role of plain abdominal films in predicting the success of air or barium reduction. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 140 cases with the diagnosis of intussusception in children. The radiological signs that included soft tissue mass, dilatation of small bowel suggesting obstruction, crescent sign, and target sign were evaluated in terms of frequency. The relationship between radiological findings and outcome of reduction was analyzed. The site of soft tissue mass or crescent sign seen on plain radiographs was correlated with the position of the apex of the intussusceptum seen at the beginning of barium enema. The degree of dilated small bowel was evaluated by calculating the proportion of air-filled small bowel occupying peritoneal cavity and measuring the maximal diameter of dilated bowel lumen. The radiological finding for small bowel obstruction is determined by observation of the degree of small bowel dilatation and/or air-fulid levels. RESULTS: Ninety-two cases out of 140 showed one or more radiographic signs. Two most common signs were soft tissue mass and small bowel obstruction. The success rate of air or barium reduction was significantly lower in patients with most severe degree of dilatation of small bowel and/or more than 7 air-fulid levels on erect view. The suspected location of intussusception on plain radiographs correlated well with the true location of intussusception seen in the first few seconds of barium reduction. CONCLUSION: Plain abdominal radiography is useful in the diagnosis of intussusception and provides helpful informations for the reduction procedure as well as for the exclusion of the contraindications such as bowel perforation.
Barium ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation ; Enema ; Humans ; Intussusception* ; Peritoneal Cavity ; Radiography, Abdominal ; Retrospective Studies

We report a case of histopathologically confirmed hepatic angiosarcoma. A 29-year old patient was admitted with fever and palpable tender mass in the right upper abdomen. On ultrasonography, a large, well circumscribed mixed echoic mass was seen in the right lobe of the liver. On CT scan, irregular enhancement was seen mainly in the peripheral portion of the mass ; the central portion was not enhanced. The mass showed low signal intensity on T1W1, and high signal intensity on T2WI. Peripheral nodular enhancement was noted on Gd-enhanced MR images; In the peripheral portion of the mass,
Abdomen ; Adult ; Angiography ; Fever ; Hemangiosarcoma* ; Hepatic Artery ; Humans ; Liver* ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Sarcoma ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this survey was to compare Korean menopausal women's perceptions of hormone replacement therapy before and after publication of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study. METHODS: This study was conducted through a survey of 713 postmenopausal women, who attended lectures on health to commemorate Korean Menopause Awareness Month, during 2009 in Seoul and the provinces (Incheon, Daejeon, Daegu, Gwangju and Busan). RESULTS: Respondents' knowledge concerning the cause of menopause have been increased to 86.7% in 2009, compared to 56.6% in 2002. Women who required hormone therapy increased to 57.6% in 2009, compared to 56.6% in 2002. As a source of information about hormone therapy, media was about 34.0% in 2009, different from the previous study that doctor's advice was 60.7%. Among the women who stopped hormone therapy, the most common reason was fear of cancer (31.8%), which increased compared to 9.3% in 2002. Women who received regular screening for breast cancer increased to 82.3% in 2009, compared to 35.0% in 2002. Women who checked bone mineral density (BMD) increased to 71.8% in 2009, compared to 40.2% in 2002. CONCLUSION: Menopausal women in Korea have increased their awareness of menopause. They responded that hormone therapy was helpful to manage menopausal symptoms, even after WHI study. They obtained menopause-related information through various sources, and the role of mass media has been greatly increased. But they were concerned about the increased risk for cancer, especially breast cancer.
Bone Density ; Breast Neoplasms ; Female ; Hormone Replacement Therapy ; Humans ; Korea ; Lectures ; Mass Media ; Mass Screening ; Menopause ; Publications ; Republic of Korea ; Women's Health

OBJECTIVES: To investigate bone responses to hormone therapy (HT) according to basal bone mineral density (BMD) and previous responses to HT, as well as the frequency and clinical characteristics of HT non-responders in Korean postmenopausal women. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed a total of 1,836 postmenopausal women who received HT from seven university hospitals. BMD data at the lumbar spine (LS), femur neck (FN), femur trochanter (FT) and total hip (TH) before HT, and at one, two, and three years after HT were collected. All patients were divided into three groups according to basal BMD: normal, osteopenia, and osteoporosis. RESULTS: Women with a greater loss of BMD during the first year of HT were more likely to gain BMD in the second year at any of the four skeletal sites. Bone responses to HT during the third year were not related to the responses during the first year. Mean BMD changes during the first year were significantly higher in the osteoporosis group, but mean BMD changes during the second year were not different between three groups except in LS. The frequency of non-responder (annual BMD losses more than 3%) during the first year was significantly higher in the normal basal BMD group. Mean basal BMDs were higher in the two-year consecutive non-responder group at LS, FN and FT, but those of the three-year consecutive non-responder group were not significantly higher except in FN. CONCLUSION: Most women who lose BMD after HT are likely to gain BMD during the next year. The frequency of non-responders is higher in the higher basal BMD group, and patients with lower basal BMD will be likely to respond better to HT.
Bone Density ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Female ; Femur ; Femur Neck ; Hip ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Osteoporosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Spine

OBJECTIVES: Osteoporosis, defined as decreased bone mass and structural deterioration of bone, increases the incidence of fractures. Recently, there have been reports suggesting that thyroid hormones are related to bone mineral density (BMD). It has been reported that low normal circulating thyrotropin (TSH) levels correlate with lower BMD and that thyroxine (T4) and bone density are negatively related. This research aims to examine the relationship between BMD and thyroid diseases and other functional changes in postmenopausal women. METHODS: The medical records of 2,279 postmenopausal women who attended the health care clinic in eight university hospitals between March 2001 and December 2007 were reviewed retrospectively. We determined the baseline characteristics of the women, including age, height, weight, and body mass index (BMI). The BMD was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). The correlation between the thyroid status and BMD was analyzed using the SPSS 12.0 program. RESULTS: This research used data from a relatively large number of postmenopausal women gathered in a multicenter approach. Of the thyroid functional tests, thyroid stimulating hormone (triiodothyronine or T3) and T4 correlated with BMD, while free T4 and TSH did not show a statistically significant correlation. After adjusted age, thyroid function test did not correlate with BMD. Osteopenia was significantly higher in the group with TSH below 0.5 mU/L compared with groups that had normal or high TSH. There was no statistically significant difference in lumbar BMD and total hip BMD among patients with thyroid diseases and healthy patients. CONCLUSION: The level of T3 and T4 correlated well with BMD in Korean post-menopausal women.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Body Mass Index ; Bone Density ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Delivery of Health Care ; Female ; Hip ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Incidence ; Medical Records ; Menopause ; Osteoporosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Diseases ; Thyroid Function Tests ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Hormones ; Thyrotropin ; Thyroxine