OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate mortality rates and risk factors in dementia patients in a rural cohort. METHODS: A total of 114 subjects with clinically diagnosed dementia were followed up for eight years from 1997 to 2005. Their mortality was compared with sociodemographic and clinical variables using the Cox proportional hazards models after adjusting age, sex, and education. RESULTS: During follow-up, the mortality rate of subjects was 80.2% and the mean (SD) duration of survival from at diagnosis to death was 4 years. Mortality in subjects with dementia depended on old age (relative risk [RR] : 1.05 ; 95% confidence interval [CI] : 1.01-1.08), male (RR : 1.61 ; CI : 1.00-2.59), low Clinical Dementia Rating scale (RR : 1.54 ; CI : 1.14-2.10), low Activities of Daily Living (RR : 0.72 ; CI : 0.59-0.89), low Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (RR : 0.83 ; CI : 0.75-0.92), no physical activity (RR : 0.44 ; CI : 0.28-0.70), smoking (RR : 1.74 ; CI : 1.05-2.89). CONCLUSION: Mortality in dementia depended on age, sex, CDR, ADL, IADL, physical activity, smoking. These findings have important implications that contribute to make the disease management of dementia patients.
Activities of Daily Living ; Cohort Studies ; Dementia* ; Diagnosis ; Disease Management ; Education ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Mortality* ; Motor Activity ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Risk Factors* ; Smoke ; Smoking

OBJECTIVE: Meige syndrome is the combination of blepharospasm and oromandibular dystonia. We assessed the surgical results of bilateral globus pallidus internus (GPi) deep brain stimulation (DBS) in patients with medically refractory Meige syndrome. METHODS: Eleven patients were retrospectively analyzed with follow-ups of more than 12 months. The mean follow-up period was 23.1 +/- 6.4 months. The mean age at time of surgery was 58.0 +/- 7.8 years. The mean duration of symptoms was 8.7 +/- 7.6 years. DBS electrodes were placed under local anesthesia using microelectrode recording and stimulation. After 2.4 +/- 1.3 days of trial tests, the stimulation device was implanted under general anesthesia. Patients were evaluated using the Burke-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale (BFMDRS). RESULTS: BFMDRS total movement scores improved by 59.8%, 63.5%, 74.1%, 74.5%, and 85.5% during the immediate postoperative period of test stimulation, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months (n = 5) after surgery, respectively. The BFMDRS total movement scores were reduced gradually and the results reached statistical significance in the postoperative period (test period, p < 0.001; 3 months, p < 0.001; 6 months, p = 0.003; 12 months, p < 0.001; 24 months, p = 0.042). There was no statistical difference between 12 months and 24 months. BFM subscores improved by 63.3% for the eyes, 80.9% for the mouth, 68.4% for speech/swallowing, and 87.9% for the neck at 12 months after surgery. The adverse effects were insignificant. CONCLUSION: The bilateral GPi-DBS can be effective for the treatment of intractable Meige syndrome without significant side effects.
Anesthesia, General ; Anesthesia, Local ; Blepharospasm ; Deep Brain Stimulation ; Dystonia ; Electrodes ; Eye ; Follow-Up Studies ; Globus Pallidus ; Humans ; Meige Syndrome ; Microelectrodes ; Mouth ; Neck ; Postoperative Period ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we focused on estimating the burden of premature death in Korea caused by smoking using the YLL (years of life lost due to premature death) measurement. METHODS: First, we determined parameters: such as age-specific standard life expectancy, age on death, sex, and cause of death by analyzing the national death certificate data and life table collected during 1997. These were provided by the National Statistical Office. Secondly, we estimated the age group- specific years of life lost due to premature death by employing the standard expected years of life lost (SEYLL) measurement. Thirdly, the burden of premature death caused by smoking was estimated using the YLLs measurement which was developed by the global burden of disease study group. Fourthly, We calculated the risk related to smoking using the population attributable risk. RESULTS: The following results were obtained in this study:1) Premature death that is attributable to smoking in males could be prevented in 60.9% (513,582 person-year) by non-smoking.2) The burden of premature death by smoking for female was prevented to 17.7% (513,582 person-year) by non-smoking. CONCLUSION: We found that the YLL method employed in this study was appropriate in quantifying the burden of premature death. This provides a rational basis for planning a national health policy regarding premature deaths caused by smoking and other related risk factors.
Cause of Death ; Death Certificates ; Female ; Health Policy ; Humans ; Korea* ; Life Expectancy ; Life Tables ; Male ; Mortality, Premature* ; Risk Factors ; Smoke* ; Smoking*

OBJECTIVETo study the nosocomial fungal infections in the patient with severe hepatitis and analyze of risk factor.

METHODSAll 115 severe hepatitis with fungal infections inpatients was studied prospectively.

RESULTSWe identified 115 cases with fungal infections, the mean age of patients was 37.2+/-21.5 years, male: 49 cases, female 66 cases. Infection of abdominal cavity accounted for 40.9%, infectious rate in respiratory tract and digestive tract were 26.9%, 21.8%, respectively. Candida albicans accounted for 67.6%. Use of broad-spectrum antibiotic and corticosteroids, neutropenia, severity of liver disease, improper medical manipulations as significant risk factors for fungal infection. Death rate of study group and control group was 59.1%, 34.8%, respectively (x2=36.0). In multivariate analysis, neutropenia, disseminated infection and severity of liver diseases were independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONIdentification of risk factors and predictors of a poor outcome in patients with severe hepatitis with fungal infections, it suggested that implications in prophylaxis of fungal infection, early diagnosis and appropriate therapy would be important for these patients.

Adult ; Candidiasis ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Cross Infection ; complications ; epidemiology ; Female ; Hepatitis, Viral, Human ; complications ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Mycoses ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Severity of Illness Index

No abstract available.
Child* ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary* ; Humans

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of ultra-micro acupotomology combined with high and low frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(rTMS)in the treatment of upper limb spasm after stroke.Methods A total of 106 patients with upper limb spasm after stroke were randomly divided into observation group and control group,53 cases in each group.Both groups were treated with conventional drugs and exercise therapy.The control group was treated with high and low frequency rTMS.The observation group was treated with ultra-micro needle knife on the basis of the control group.Both groups were treated for four weeks.After two weeks and four weeks of treatment,the clinical efficacy of the two groups was evaluated respectively.The changes of modified Ashworth scale(MAS)score and upper limb Fugl-Meyer scale score were observed before and after treatment in the two groups.The changes of Berg Balance Scale(BBS)score and modified Barthel Index(BI)score were compared before and after treatment between the two groups.The safety and adverse reactions of the two groups were evaluated.Results(1)After two weeks of treatment,the total effective rate was 81.13％(43/53)in the observation group and 62.26％(33/53)in the control group.The curative effect of the observation group was superior to that of the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).(2)After four weeks of treatment,the total effective rate was 90.57％(48/53)in the observation group and 73.58％(39/53)in the control group.The curative effect of the observation group was superior to that of the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).(3)After two and four weeks of treatment,the MAS score and upper limb Fugl-Meyer score of the observation group were significantly improved(P＜0.05),and the observation group was significantly superior to the control group in improving the MAS score and upper limb Fugl-Meyer score,the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).(4)After two and four weeks of treatment,the BBS score and modified BI Score of the observation group were significantly improved(P＜0.05),and the improvement of BBS score and modified BI score in the observation group was significantly superior to that in the control group,the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).(5)There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the observation group and the control group(P＞0.05).Conclusion Ultra-micro acupotomology combined with high and low frequency rTMS in the treatment of upper limb spasm after stroke can significantly improve the clinical symptoms of patients,improve the muscle strength of the upper limbs of patients,the movement and balance ability of the upper limbs,and improve the daily living ability of patients,there being remarkable curative effect.

PURPOSE: Peritendinous adhesion is one of the most notorious complication after the flexor tendon injury. In this study, Alloderm(R)(LifeCell Corp., Branchburg, N.J.), which is the decellularized human dermal analogue with its intact native basement membrane components, was used for the prevention of peritendinous adhesions following flexor tendon repair. METHODS: Thirty New Zealand white male rabbits were divided equally into 3 groups. In all groups, the flexor digitorum profundus of the third finger of the right back foot was cut totally and repaired by modified Kessler suture technique. Following tendon repair, Alloderm(R) was wrapt around the repaired tendon in the first group and sodium hyaluronate gel was sprayed to the operation field in the second group. In the control group, no external material was applied. The right back foot were immobilized for 6 weeks to optimize the formation of adhesion ingrowth. After death, the third finger that repaired tendons and sheaths was removed en bloc. We checked range of motion. and studied histologically for all groups. RESULTS: The experimental groups had better range of motion than the control group. We checked that the range of motion was 73.5 degrees in Alloderm(R) group, 55.9 degrees in the hyaluronic acid group, and 38.3 degrees in the control group. in the histological study, the experimental group had less adhesions compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: This study concludes that Alloderm(R) can decrease peritendinous adhesions following flexor tendon repairs in rabbits. We think the method could be used in clinical cases.
Basement Membrane ; Fingers ; Foot ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Male ; New Zealand ; Rabbits* ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Suture Techniques ; Tendon Injuries ; Tendons

OBJECTIVE: Strategies for managing supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors(PNETs) in children include surgical resection, craniospinal irradiation and chemotherapy. This study is performed in order to compare the efficacy of various methods of treatment and to describe its optimal management. METHODS: We have reviewed all medical records and pathology slides of six children(four males and two females) with supratentorial PNET from November, 1987 to May, 2003. The extent of resection was confirmed by computed tomography and magnetic resonance studies. RESULTS: The patients were aged 1 to 13 years and treated postoperatively with/without adjuvant therapy. Tumor location included was four cortical, one gangliobasal, and one pineal region. The presenting symptoms and signs consisted of increased intracranial pressure and focal neurological deficits such as seizure and hemiparesis. The treatment consisted of surgical resection alone in one patient, postoperative radiotherapy in one patient, postoperative chemotherapy in one, and postoperative radiotherapy with chemotherapy in three. Five patients lived more than 12 months after diagnosis and one patient among them has been living more than 5 years after diagnosis. CONCLUSION: We can improve the survival and prognosis of supratentorial PNET patients by radical gross total resection of tumor followed by craniospinal irradiation and aggressive chemotherapy. First of all, gross total resection of tumor is the most important among many factors.
Child* ; Craniospinal Irradiation ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Intracranial Pressure ; Male ; Medical Records ; Neural Plate ; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive* ; Paresis ; Pathology ; Prognosis ; Radiotherapy ; Seizures

Tuberous sclerosis is an autosomal dominant disease characterised by hamartomas (tubers) in many organ systems and the four major intracranial manifestations including cortical tubers, white matter abnormalities, subependymal nodules and subependymal giant cell astrocytoma. But there is immense variability in the clinical presentation of tuberous sclerosis and many incomplete forms (formes frustes) exist. Almost all patients with tuberous sclerosis have seizures and mental retardation. The authors experienced a 7-year-old boy with medically intractable epilepsy without any skin lesion or mental retardation. In terms of surgical standpoint for determination of extent of resection, corticectomy on the overriding cortex of right premotor and lesionectomy of periventricular calcified lesion were performed according to ictal single photon emission computed tomography(SPECT), which showed hyperperfusion in the subcortical and calcified area. Histopathologic findings showed a few cytologically abnormal neurons with extensive gliosis, containing many Rosenthal fibers, reactive astrocytes and dense calcification, composing of abundant calcospherites which suggested forme fruste tuberous sclerosis. During the follow-up period of eighteen months, seizure was free after surgery.
Astrocytes ; Astrocytoma ; Child ; Epilepsy* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gliosis ; Hamartoma ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability ; Male ; Neurons ; Seizures ; Skin ; Tuberous Sclerosis*

Thrombocytosis(a platelet count>400,000/mm3) is found to be frequently in association with malignant disease and recently has been suggested to be a poor prognostic indicator in patients with certain cancers. The objective of this retrospective study was to determine the relevance of a preoperative platelet count in ovarian cancer with a possible prognostic significance of thrombocytosis in this disease. Between June 1989 and December 1995, eighty-five patients with epithelial ovarian cancer were evaluated, who were managed at Asan Medical Center by cytoreductive surgery and chemotherapy, and had at least 6 months' follow-up. Prevalence of thrombocytosis was 22.4% and significantly correlated with FIGO stage(p=0.003), histologic subtype(p=0.002), tumor grade(p=0.040), performance status of patient(p=0.006) and preoperative serum CA 125 level(p=0.002). And the linear regression analysis revealed a significant correlation(p<0.001) between platelet count and preoperative serum CA 125 level, which suggested that platelet count was positively associated with tumor volume. No difference in survival between patients with or without thrombocytosis was found(p=0.68), whereas residual tumor size and serum CA 125 level after 2nd chemotherapy were found to be independent prognostic factors. In conclusion, thrombocytosis is not a useful prognostic factor in epithelial ovarian cancer, but significantly associated with tumor volume.
Blood Platelets ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Drug Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Ovarian Neoplasms* ; Platelet Count ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Thrombocytosis* ; Tumor Burden