This study made a descriptive analysis of the cumulative amount and rate of sports medical care utilization during the 24th Seoul Olympic Games by the participating athletes, officials, etc. The sports medical care utilization was a component of the total medical care use and was basically caused by the prevention and treatment of sports injuries. The analytic data were derived from the Olympic Health Management Information System (OHMIS) of the SLOOC and the Korea Athlete Trainer Association(KATA). These were analyzed according to the., quantity of physician visits and the utilization rate, which was the amount of utilization divided by the total number of participating persons. The results were as follows: Firstly, the sports medical care utilization by the persons participating in the Seoul Olympics amounted to 17.9 % of the total medical care utilization. The venue medical services utilization accounted for 54.7 % of the total physician visits, which was larger than the village medical center's utilization. The number of physician visits per hundred persons during the 2 week period in the venue clinic was 3.03 and that of the village medical center was 2.51, therefore, the total was 5.54. Secondly, athletes accounted for 82.3% and officials 12.2% in the sports medical care utilization by participants. These results were because athletes, who were directly related to the games, called extremely often on the physicians. The utilization rate of sports medical care by athletes was 34.29. Thirdly, the sports medical demand according to type of therapy could be ranked from high to low in the following order: sports massage, thermal therapy, and electrical stimulation treatment, etc. The department of physical therapy in the village medical center was used a great deal. Fourthly, the trend of daily sports medical care utilization by the athletes showed a bell shape centering around the opening day of the Seoul Olympic Games. The utilization rate of athletes was 2.3; however, that of officials was 0.6. Lastly, the sports medical demand was calculated according to the continents, and Central America, Africa and Middle-East Asia proved to have a higher rate of sports medical care utilization than the more powerful and industrialized continent or regions.
Africa ; Asia ; Athletes ; Athletic Injuries ; Central America ; Electric Stimulation ; Humans ; Korea ; Management Information Systems ; Massage ; Seoul* ; Sports*

Plasmodium vivax is usually considered morbidity in endemic areas of Asia, Central and South America, and some part of Africa. In Thailand, previous studies indicated the genetic diversity of P. vivax in malaria-endemic regions such as the western part of Thailand bordering with Myanmar. The objective of the study is to investigate the genetic diversity of P. vivax circulating in Southern Thailand by using 3 antigenic markers and 8 microsatellite markers. Dried blood spots were collected from Chumphon, Phang Nga, Ranong and, Surat Thani provinces of Thailand. By PCR, 3 distinct sizes of PvMSP3α, 2 sizes of PvMSP3β and 2 sizes of PvMSP1 F2 were detected based on the length of PCR products, respectively. PCR/RFLP analyses of these antigen genes revealed high levels of genetic diversity. The genotyping of 8 microsatellite loci showed high genetic diversity as indicated by high alleles per locus and high expected heterozygosity (H(E)). The genotyping markers also showed multiple-clones of infection. Mixed genotypes were detected in 4.8% of PvMSP3α, 29.1% in PvMSP3β and 55.3% of microsatellite markers. These results showed that there was high genetic diversity of P. vivax isolated from Southern Thailand, indicating that the genetic diversity of P. vivax in this region was comparable to those observed other areas of Thailand.
Africa ; Alleles ; Asia, Central ; Genetic Variation ; Genotype ; Malaria ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Myanmar ; Plasmodium vivax ; Plasmodium ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; South America ; Thailand

PURPOSE: To analyze cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) use, indications, and exposure parameters in San José, Costa Rica. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed. All CBCT examinations over a period of 6 months at 2 radiological centers in San José, Costa Rica were evaluated. The examinations were performed with Veraview EPOC X550 and Veraviewepocs 3D R100 equipment. The patients' age and sex, clinical indication for CBCT, region of interest (ROI), repeat examinations, specialty of the referring dentist, field-of-view (FOV), tube voltage (kV), tube current (mA), and radiation dose (µGy) were evaluated. Patients were classified by age as children (≤12 years), adolescents (13–18 years), and adults (≥19 years). RESULTS: The mean age of the 526 patients was 49.4 years. The main indications were implant dentistry and dental trauma. The most frequent ROIs were posterior, while anterior ROIs were much less common. The highest percentage of repeat examinations was in children. Fifty-six percent of the referring dentists were specialists. The most commonly used FOV was small. The mean tube voltage and current were 79.8 kV and 7.4 mA for Veraview EPOC X550 and 89.9 kV and 6 mA for Veraviewepocs 3D R100, respectively. The mean doses for children, adolescents, and adults were 6.9 µGy, 8.4 µGy, and 7.8 µGy, respectively. CONCLUSION: Although CBCT was most commonly used in adults for implant dentistry, most repeat examinations were in children, and the highest mean dose was in adolescents. Additional dose optimization efforts should be made by introducing low-dose protocols for children and adolescents.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Costa Rica ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dentistry ; Dentists ; Humans ; Radiation Dosage ; Radiation Protection ; Specialization

Tick-induced mammalian meat allergy has become an emergent allergy world-wide after van Nunen et al. first described the association between tick bites and the development of mammalian meat allergy in 2007. Cases of mammalian meat allergy have now been reported on all 6 continents where humans are bitten by ticks, in 17 countries
Africa ; Americas ; Anaphylaxis ; Asia ; Australia ; Belgium ; Central America ; Europe ; Germany ; Great Britain ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Italy ; Ixodes ; Meat ; Public Health ; South America ; Spain ; Sweden ; Switzerland ; Tick Bites ; Ticks ; United States

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women in North America. Glioblastoma is the most common primary malignant central nervous system tumor in adults. The majority of hereditary breast cancers are associated with deleterious mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Although few case reports have described the incidence of glioblastoma in patients previously diagnosed with breast cancer, any association between BRCA2 mutations and glioblastoma has not been demonstrated to date. Herein, we report a woman who is a carrier of a familial BRCA2 mutation, and was previously diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and subsequently with a second primary TNBC and glioblastoma. Further investigation is required to define the possible relationship between these two aggressive malignances and the BRCA2 mutation, which might be critical for the proper management and treatment of this disease.
Adult ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Cause of Death ; Central Nervous System ; Female ; Genes, BRCA2 ; Glioblastoma* ; Humans ; Incidence ; North America ; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms

INTRODUCTION: GUARD (vildaGliptin clinical Use in reAl woRlD) was  a  multinational,  prospective,  observational  study that assessed the effectiveness,safety  and  tolerability of vildagliptin and vildagliptin+metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) under real-world conditions across four  geographical  regions  (Asia,  the  Middle  East,  Central  America and Africa). The current paper discusses the results of patients with T2DM enrolled in the Philippines.
METHODS: Patients  with  T2DM  who  were  prescribed vildagliptin or vildagliptin+metformin combination therapy were enrolled and followed as per routine clinical practice for 24 ± six weeks. Primary endpoint was the change in HbA1c from  baseline  to  study  end  (week  24±6).  Key  secondary endpoints included proportion of patients reaching target HbA1c ?7.0%, incidence of hypoglycemic events, adverse events (AEs) and serious AEs (SAEs).
RESULTS: A total of 1,117 patients were included in the final analysis, 280 on vildagliptin (of these, eight patients received additional oral antidiabetes medications) and 837 on vildagliptin+metformin. At baseline, the mean (±SD) age of the enrolled population was 54.1±11.5 years, BMI 26.3±4.7 kg/m2, HbA1c 8.0±1.2% and T2DM duration 2.3±4.0 years.At  study  end,  significant  mean  (±SE)  reductions  in  HbA1c of -1.2±0.1% (p<0.0001) and -1.5±0.1% (p<0.0001) from a baseline of 7.6±1.1% and 8.1±1.2% were observed for the vildagliptin and vildagliptin+metformin group, respectively.A similar proportion of patients achieved HbA1c ?7.0% in the vildagliptin (66.1%) and vildagliptin+metformin group(62.7%). Changes in body weight and BMI from baseline to week 24±6 were statistically significant (p<0.0001) in both the vildagliptin (-1.5±0.3 kg; -0.6±0.1 kg/m2) and the vildagliptin+metformin group (-1.4±0.2 kg; -0.5±0.1 kg/m2).The incidence of hypoglycemia was low--six patients reported hypoglycemia in the vildaglipti metformin group and  none  in  the  vildagliptin  group.  Incidence  of  adverse events was also low in both the groups (vildagliptin, 8.6% and vildagliptin+metformin, 5.3%).
CONCLUSION: Vildagliptin  and  vildagliptin+metformin significantly  reduced  HbA1c  with  good  weight  control and low incidence of hypoglycemia in patients with T2DM under real-world conditions in Philippines

Human ; Male ; Female ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Metformin ; Vildagliptin ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Adamantane ; Pyrrolidines ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; Nitriles ; Hypoglycemia ; Body Weight ; Asia ; Africa ; Central America

BACKGROUND: Pre-travel medical consultation is essential to reduce health impairment during travel. Yellow fever vaccination (YFV) is mandatory to enter some endemic countries. In this study, we evaluated the factors that affect compliance with appropriate prevention of infectious diseases in travelers who visited clinic for YFV. METHODS: For this retrospective study, chart reviews for 658 patients who visited a travel clinic for YFV before travel were conducted. The period of this study was from January 2016 to September 2018. The associations between appropriate vaccination and factors such as travel duration, destination, time of visiting clinic before departure, and purpose of travel were analyzed. RESULTS: Among 658 patients who got YFV during the study period, 344 patients (52.3%) received additional vaccination or malaria prophylaxis following a physician's recommendation. Travelers who visited the clinic more than 21 days before departure were more compliant than those who visited 14 days or fewer before departure (odds ratio [OR], 1.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23–2.93; P = 0.004). Travelers visiting Africa were more compliant than were those traveling to South and Central America (OR, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.34–2.90; P = 0.001). Travelers in age groups of 40-49 years and over 70 years were less compliant than the 18–29 years old population (OR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.28–0.93; P = 0.027 and OR, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.04–0.84; P = 0.03, respectively). Also, those who traveled for tour or to visit friends or relatives were more compliant than those who departed for business (OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 1.03–3.56; P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: For appropriate vaccination, pre-travel consultation at least 3 weeks before departure is crucial. Travelers should be aware of required vaccination and malaria prophylaxis before visiting South and Central America and Asia. Plans to enhance compliance of the elderly and business travelers should be contrived.
Africa ; Aged ; Asia ; Central America ; Commerce ; Communicable Diseases ; Compliance ; Friends ; Humans ; Malaria ; Patient Compliance ; Retrospective Studies ; Travel Medicine ; Vaccination ; Yellow Fever ; Yellow Fever Vaccine

BACKGROUND: The number of children using home mechanical ventilation (HMV) has increased markedly in Europe and North America, but little is known about the situation in Korea. We described the clinical characteristics of children using HMV and investigated the current situation of HMV utilization in children. METHODS: Data on HMV prescriptions in year 2016 for children under the age of 19 was retrieved from the National Health Insurance Service for nationwide information. For more detailed information, data from year 2016 to 2018 was also retrieved from a tertiary center, Severance Children's Hospital. RESULTS: Nationwide, 416 children were prescribed with HMV in 2016, with an estimated prevalence of 4.4 per 100,000 children, of which 64.2% were male and mean age was 6-year-old. The estimated number of patients using invasive ventilators via tracheostomy was 202 (49%). Neuromuscular diseases were the most frequent cause (217; 52%), followed by central nervous system diseases (142; 34%), and cardiopulmonary diseases (57; 14%). In the tertiary center, a total of 62 children were prescribed with HMV (19 [31%] with non-invasive ventilation; 43 [69%] with invasive ventilation]. The number of children with HMV increased from 11 in 2016 to 29 in 2018. The mean age for initiation of HMV was 3.1 years and male patients comprised 65%. The most frequent diagnostic reason for HMV was central nervous system diseases (68%), followed by cardiopulmonary diseases (19%) and neuromuscular diseases (13%). Five patients died during the study period and five patients weaned from HMV. CONCLUSION: This study provides insights on the present situation of HMV utilization in Korean children.
Central Nervous System Diseases ; Child ; Europe ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; National Health Programs ; Neuromuscular Diseases ; Noninvasive Ventilation ; North America ; Prescriptions ; Prevalence ; Respiration, Artificial ; Tracheostomy ; Ventilators, Mechanical

PURPOSE: Non-classical actions of vitamin D as a cytokine are related to the immunopathology of asthma. Few studies have examined vitamin D levels and asthma severity in adults. The aim of this research was to assess the relationship between vitamin D levels, atopy markers, pulmonary function, and asthma severity. METHODS: We analyzed 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in serum collected from 121 asthmatic adults from Costa Rica to investigate the association between vitamin D levels (categorized as sufficient, > or =30 ng/mL, or insufficient, <30 ng/mL), allergic rhinitis, total IgE and peripheral blood eosinophils (as markers of atopy), asthma severity, baseline forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), and forced vital capacity (FVC). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess these relationships. RESULTS: When the population was stratified by vitamin D status, 91% of asthmatic patients with vitamin D levels below 20 ng/mL (n=36) and 74% of patients with vitamin D levels between 20 and 30 ng/mL (n=73) had severe asthma versus 50% of those with vitamin D sufficiency (n=12; P=0.02). Vitamin D insufficiency was associated with a higher risk of severe asthma (odds ratio [OR], 5.04; 95% Confidence interval [CI], 1.23-20.72; P=0.02). High vitamin D levels were associated with a lower risk of hospitalization or emergency department visit during the last year (OR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.84-0.98; P=0.04). Although there appeared to be a direct relationship between vitamin D levels and FEV1 (regression coefficient=0.48; r2=0.03), it did not reach statistical significance (P=0.07). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that vitamin D insufficiency is common among our cohort of asthmatic adults. Lower vitamin D levels are associated with asthma severity.
Adult ; Asthma ; Cohort Studies ; Costa Rica ; Emergencies ; Eosinophils ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Multivariate Analysis ; Rhinitis ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; Vital Capacity ; Vitamin D ; Vitamins

BACKGROUND: Atopic march (AM) is the progression from atopic dermatitis (AD) to allergic rhinitis and asthma. The development of AD is as high as 20% in children worldwide and continues to increase. AD seems to be caused by both genetic and environmental factors. Recently, polymorphisms of the thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) gene associated with allergic disorders were reported in ethnic groups from various countries. OBJECTIVE: Identification of TSLP polymorphisms in Koreans with AD or AM. METHODS: Whole-exome sequencing was performed in 20 AD and 20 AM patients. RESULTS: Nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of TSLP were detected (rs191607411, rs3806933, rs2289276, rs2289277, rs2289278, rs139817258, rs11466749, rs11466750, rs10073816). These SNPs have been correlated with susceptibility to allergic diseases in ethnic groups from China, Japan, Turkey, and Costa Rica in previous studies. Remarkably, one of 20 patients in the AD group lacked all SNPs, compared to six of 20 patients in the AM group. Odds ratios showed that Korean patients without the nine TSLP variants had an 8.14 times higher risk of moving from AD to AM. Two haplotype blocks were validated in 60 AD and 59 AM patients using Sanger sequencing. The haplotype blocks (rs3806933 and rs2289276) and (rs11466749 and rs11466750) were in high linkage disequilibrium, respectively (D′=0.97, D′=1). CONCLUSION: The increase of major allele frequency of respective nine TSLP variants may enhance the risk of AM. These data will contribute to improved genetic surveillance system in the early diagnosis technology of allergic disease.
Asthma ; Child ; China ; Costa Rica ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Early Diagnosis ; Ethnic Groups ; Gene Frequency ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Japan ; Linkage Disequilibrium ; Odds Ratio ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; Turkey