BACKGROUND: Recently, the incidence of acute myocardial infaction has been gradually increasing as prolongation of life spans and improvements of diet and life styles in Korea. The rate of mortality and sudden death is higher than other diseases. The purpose of this study is to evaluate factors which can affect on the mortality of AMI during initial 24 hrs. METHODS: A retrospective clinical study was done on 364 consecutive patients with AMI who had been presented to Keimyung University Dong-sang Medical Center from January 1990 to May 1997(M:F ratio=254:110). The subjects were divided two groups. The Group I was patients who had expired during the initial 24hrs period of AMI(47 patients, 13%), the Group II was patients who had survived(317 patients, 87%). We compared clinical features, EKG, laboratory results in both groups and tried to analyse the vulnarable factors. RESULTS: The results were as follows; 1) The mean age in Group I (64.4 yearly) was older than in Group II(61.3 yearly) and female gender was also higher in Group I. The mean systolic/diastolic blood pressures of the Group I(103/61mmHg) were lower than those of the Group II(123/75mmHg). 2) The chest pain and mental change were noted more frequently in Group I than in Group II and the dyspnea was less frequent in Group I than Group II. 3) The higher grades of Killip classification was significantly more frequent in Group I than in Group II. 4) The mean onset to drug time for thrombolytics in Group I and Group II were 14.1 hrs and 6.6 hrs. 5) The mortality rate of the Group I and the Group II were respectively 13%, 6.6%. The most common causes of death were cardiogenic shock and ventricular arrhythmia. CONCLUSION: The mortality rate of initial 24 hrs of onset as form of sudden death was higher than post-24hrs group(66.2%). The factors for the higher mortality group were old age and female gender, and they were unstable in vital signs, higher Killip classifications. Therefore, these groups demand more rapid and aggressive approach than the other groups.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Cause of Death ; Chest Pain ; Classification ; Death, Sudden ; Diet ; Dyspnea ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Life Style ; Life Support Care ; Mortality* ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors* ; Shock, Cardiogenic ; Vital Signs

As the incidence of acute myocardial infarction been increasing with prolongation of life spans, improvement in foods and life styles in Korea, rapid diagnosis and treatment is critical in survival of acute myocardial infarction patient. Most of the acute myocardial infarction result from atherosclerotic plaque forming thrombus and occlusion of coronary artery. Because early thrombolytic therapy is important to maintain the left ventricular function and survival rate, there have been many trials to reperfuse the occluded coronary artery. We have studied the many aspects of acute myocardial infarction such as sex, age, infarction site, chief complaints, change of ECG, change of serum enzyme, time delay on emergency room arrival, and compared the effectiveness of thrombolytic therapy. Total number of patient was 212, and males were 141(66.5%) and females were 71(33.5%). The most common infarction site was ant, fuel wall(102 cases,48%)of the heart and the most common chief complaint was chest pain(204 cases,97%). Among the 106 patients who received thrombolytic therapy, 101 patients(95%) had survived and 5 patients(5%) had died. Among the 64 patients who didn't receive thrombolytic therapy, 56 patients (87.5%) were alived and 8 patients(12.5%) were dead.
Ants ; Coronary Vessels ; Diagnosis* ; Electrocardiography ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Heart ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infarction ; Korea ; Life Style ; Life Support Care ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; Survival Rate ; Thorax ; Thrombolytic Therapy ; Thrombosis ; Ventricular Function, Left

No abstract available.
Diagnosis* ; DNA* ; Ichthyosis* ; Xeroderma Pigmentosum*

BACKGROUND: Urticaria pigmentosa(UP) is primarily a disease of children. There have been no clinical studies of UP in Korea. OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to find the clinical characteristics of UP in Korean child-hood patients. METHOD: Twenty-nine cases of urticaria pigmentosa confirmed clinically and histopathologically were analyzed. RESULTS: The maculopapular type was the most common with the usual age of onset before the age of 6 months, and the lesions tended to be distributed in the central portion of the body. Darier sign was positive in 92% of the patients(24/26). No systemic involvements were detected in any of the patients with minimal associated symptoms. Seven patients of the maculopapular type and one patient of the multiple nodular type followed up for more than 2 years showed a tendency to improve or clear by the age of 6 years. CONCLUSION: Neonatal or infantile-onset patients of UP in Korean pediatric population were considered to have a benign clinical course and to require no aggressive therapy.
Age of Onset ; Child* ; Clinical Study* ; Humans ; Korea ; Methods ; Urticaria Pigmentosa* ; Urticaria*

In general, pelvic fracture carries higher mortality especially from motor veicle accident, we have retrospectively reviewed charts and radiographs of 185 patients in order to identify clinical fading, kinds of fracture, hemodynamic changes and associated injuries in patients with pelvic fractures. We attempted to classify pelvic fractures according Young classification. The following results were obtained; 1. On age and sex distribution, the pelvic fractures showed peak incidence between 2nd decade and 5th decade. Male was affected more frequently than female, the ratio being male to female, 2.6 to 1. 2. The mechamisn of injury was motor veicle accident in 155(83.8%), fall in 25(13.5%), others in 5(2.7%). 3. The associated injuries of pelvic fractures: extremity, thoracic, urinary system, intraperitoneal and head injury. 4. Of the 185 cases of the pelvic fractures, simple pelvic fractures are 101 cases(54.6%), lateral compression in 39(21.1%), anteroposterior compression in 18(9.7%), vertical shearing in 17(9.2%), mixed pattern in 10(5.4%). 5. Retroperitoneal hematoma and urinary tracts injuries were the most common associated in mixed pattern. 6. The incidence of hemodynamically unstable fractures were 19.8% in simple pelvic fracture but, as expected was higher in major pelvic ring disruptions except to acetabular fracture(52.4%). 7. Mortality rates were 5.9% in all pelvic fractures but 10.7% in major pelvic ring disruptions except to acetabular fractures. Prognostic factor in pelvic fractures were the amount of hemorrhage and associated injuries, therefore early diagnosis and managements are essential to reduce the mortality in pelvic fracture.
Acetabulum ; Classification* ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Early Diagnosis ; Extremities ; Female ; Hematoma ; Hemodynamics* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Mortality ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Distribution ; Urinary Tract

No abstract available.
Paget Disease, Extramammary*

BACKGROUND: Incidence of traumatic hip dislocation have ween increased with development of transportation. Traumatic hip dislocation demands early recognition as an emergency and prompt reduction. So we designed this study to determine what kinds of factors affect the prognosis of the patient. METHODS: Eighty five patients who admitted emergency department of our hospital with the traumatic hip dislocation were enrolled in this study. Cause of injury, type of dislocation, method of reduction, the time from dislocation to reduction, age, gender and associated patellar injury were evaluated by retrospective chart reviews. RESULTS: Average age of excellent and good group(E&G) is 28+/-17.8 and fair and poor group(F&P) is 39+/-18.6, so the older the age the more poor prognosis(P<0.05). The time to take reduction of E&G group is 18+/-8.2 hours and F&P group is 25+/-12.6 hours, so the faster the better prognosis(P<0.05). We classify the type of hip dislocation by Thompson and Epstein method, type I to type V. The prognosis of type I is better than type V(P<0.05). Fifty five case were associated with patellar injury and they had poor prognosis than the other cases that were not associated with knee joint injury. CONCLUSION: In traumatic dislocated hip patients, the prognosis was poor in old age, delay in reduction, higher type of dislocation and associated with knee joint injury.
Dislocations ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Hip Dislocation* ; Hip* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Knee Joint ; Prognosis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Transportation

BACKGROUND: Thymopentin(TP-5) is an immunomodulatory agent which may be a promising new drug in the treatment of patients with severe atopic dermatitis. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of thymopentin for treatment of severe atopic dermatitis. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Fifteen patients with severe atopic dermatitis received subcutaneous injections of 50mg thymopentin three times per week for 6 weeks. Clinical extent and severity parameters were assessed at baseline, at regular intervals during therapy and 4 weeks posttherapy. Use of antihistamine and topical steroid were permitted. RESULT: Significant reduction in severity scores and body surface area involvement was observed and no significant side effects were noted(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Thymopentin may be considered to be an effective adjunctive therapeutic agent in the treatment of severe atopic dermatitis. Further studies will be needed to determine the action mechanism of thymopentin.
Body Surface Area ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Humans ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Thymopentin*

BACKGROUND: Mushroom poisonings are infrequent but potentially fatal. Most fatalities are due to the amatoxin containing species, particularly Amanita phalloides, Amanita virosa, Amanita verna which cause fulminant hepatic failure often with encephalopathy. METHODS: We experienced twenty two patients with acute mushroom poisoning admitted to Dong San hospital, Keimyung University through emergency department between January 1990 and September 1997. RESULTS: Mean age of the patients was 40.0 years and the ratio of male to female was 1 : 0.83. Seasonal distribution is 10 patients in July, 3 in August and 9 in September. The mean interval between ingestion and early symptom onset was 9.7 hours. Most of the patients had early gastrointestinal symptoms; abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. except for a patient with associated mental change. The subsequent symptoms and signs follow up admission were fulminant hepatic failure(72.7%), renal failure(31.8%), mental change(27.3%), acute pancreatitis(9.1%), pericardial effusion(4.5%) and erythematous rash(4.5%). The outcomes of the patients were recovery(72.7%), death(18.2%) and hopeless discharge(9.1%). CONCLUSION: The patients who have mushroom poisoning are misdiagnosed as having viral gastroenteritis and are discharged frequently. The doctors and people should be educated not to overlook the severity of mushroom poisoning.
Abdominal Pain ; Agaricales* ; Amanita ; Diarrhea ; Eating ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastroenteritis ; Humans ; Liver Failure, Acute ; Male ; Mushroom Poisoning* ; Nausea ; Seasons ; Vomiting

We have reviewed 1211 burn patients who had visited our emergency department of Keimyung University Dongsan medical center between April 1995 to March 1997. The following results were obtained; 1) On age and sex distribution, the highest incidence of age group was under 10 year and old in 321 cases(26.5%). Male was affected more frequently than female, the incidence being 847 cases(70.1%) and 364 cases(29.9%). The ratio of male to female was 2.3:1. 2) No monthly and seasonal differences could be recognized. We found winter season having the highest 319 cases(26.3%), followed by autumn, spring and summer. 3) An analysis of causes in burns showed that flame burns were 527 cases(43.1%), scalding burns, 486 cases(40.2%), electrical burns, 96 cases(8.1%) and chemical burns, 48 cases(4.1%). 4) Domestic accidents accounted for 639 cases(52.7%), occupational for 286 cases(23.6%), traffic accidents for 160 cases(13.2%), suicides for 122 cases(10.1%), formentation for 4 cases(0.4%). 5) Most of patients 699 cases(57.7%) were affected with 2nd degree burn in depth, 1st degree for 413 cases(34.1%) and 3rd degree for 99 cases(8.2%). 6) The trunk was the anatomical region most commonly affected followed by upper and lower limbs. 7) 243 cases(20.5%) of all were accompanied by some complications. The main complications were would infection noted in 212 cases(17.5%), pneumonia in 179 cases(14.8%), acute renal failure in 160 cases(13.2), contracture in 155 cases(13.0), urinary tract infection in 24 cases(2.0%), Curling ulcer in 20 cases(1.6%) in order. 8) The over-all mortality rate was 73 cases(6.1%). The mortality rate of the patients with inhalation injury were 33 cases(45.3%). Causes of death were due to sepsis in 54 cases(4.5%), ARDS in 11 cases(0.9%), acute renal failure in 5 cases(0.4%), upper GI bleeding in 2 cases(0.2%), purmonary edema in 1 cases(0.1%).
Accidents, Traffic ; Acute Kidney Injury ; Burns* ; Burns, Chemical ; Cause of Death ; Contracture ; Duodenal Ulcer ; Edema ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inhalation ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Mortality ; Pneumonia ; Seasons ; Sepsis ; Sex Distribution ; Suicide ; Urinary Tract Infections