1.Clinical utility of far-infrared therapy for improvement of vascular access blood flow and pain control in hemodialysis patients.
Soo Jeong CHOI ; Eun Hee CHO ; Hye Min JO ; Changwook MIN ; Young Sok JI ; Moo Yong PARK ; Jin Kuk KIM ; Seung Duk HWANG
Kidney Research and Clinical Practice 2016;35(1):35-41
BACKGROUND: Maintenance of a well-functioning vascular access and minimal needling pain are important goals for achieving adequate dialysis and improving the quality of life in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Far-infrared (FIR) therapy may improve endothelial function and increase access blood flow (Qa) and patency in HD patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of FIR therapy on Qa and patency, and needling pain in HD patients. METHODS: This prospective clinical trial enrolled 25 outpatients who maintained HD with arteriovenous fistula. The other 25 patients were matched as control with age, sex, and diabetes. FIR therapy was administered for 40 minutes during HD 3 times/wk and continued for 12 months. The Qa was measured by the ultrasound dilution method, whereas pain was measured by a numeric rating scale at baseline, then once per month. RESULTS: One patient was transferred to another facility, and 7 patients stopped FIR therapy because of an increased body temperature and discomfort. FIR therapy improved the needling pain score from 4 to 2 after 1 year. FIR therapy increased the Qa by 3 months and maintained this change until 1 year, whereas control patients showed the decrease in Qa. The 1-year unassisted patency with FIR therapy was not significantly different from control. CONCLUSION: FIR therapy improved needling pain. Although FIR therapy improved Qa, the unassisted patency was not different compared with the control. A larger and multicenter study is needed to evaluate the effect of FIR therapy.
Arteriovenous Fistula
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Body Temperature
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Dialysis
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Humans
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Outpatients
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Prospective Studies
;
Quality of Life
;
Renal Dialysis*
;
Ultrasonography
2.Acute Pulmonary Coccidioidomycosis and Review of Published Cases with Lung Involvement in Korea.
Ji Hyun OH ; Hyo Shik KIM ; Kyu Tae YOON ; Yena KANG ; Changwook MIN ; So My KOO ; Jung Hwa HWANG ; Ki Up KIM
Soonchunhyang Medical Science 2015;21(2):159-163
Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal infection caused by Coccidioides immitis. The endemic area is mostly south-western United States. As increasing in overseas travel to endemic areas, the incidence rate has been recently increased in non-endemic areas. The diagnosis may be delayed in non-endemic area. It is important to elicit traveling histories and to differentiate lung consolidation with eosinophilia, for timely diagnosis of coccidioidomycosis. Recently, we experienced a case with pulmonary coccidioidomycosis in a Korean American who visited Korea showed consolidation in right lower lobe on chest X-ray and prolonged eosinophilia. In the case, a confirmatory diagnostic method was percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy of lung. We report acute pulomonary coccidioidomycosis case and review previous published reports with pulmonary manifestation in Korea.
Asian Americans
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Biopsy, Needle
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Coccidioides
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Coccidioidomycosis*
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Diagnosis
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Endemic Diseases
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Eosinophilia
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Humans
;
Incidence
;
Korea*
;
Lung Diseases, Fungal
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Lung*
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Thorax
;
United States
3.Decreased Maximal Tongue Protrusion Length May Predict the Presence of Dysphagia in Stroke Patients
Hyunchul CHO ; Jeong Se NOH ; Junwon PARK ; Changwook PARK ; No Dam PARK ; Jun Young AHN ; Ji Woong PARK ; Yoon-Hee CHOI ; Seong-Min CHUN
Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine 2021;45(6):440-449
Objective:
To investigate the relationship between maximal tongue protrusion length (MTPL) and dysphagia in post-stroke patients.
Methods:
Free tongue length (FTL) was measured using the quick tongue-tie assessment tool and MTPL was measured using a transparent plastic ruler in 47 post-stroke patients. The MTPL-to-FTL (RMF) ratio was calculated. Swallowing function in all patients was evaluated via videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS), PenetrationAspiration Scale (PAS), Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS), and Videofluoroscopic Dysphagia Scale (VDS).
Results:
The MTPL and RMF values were significantly higher in the non-aspirator group than in the aspirator group (MTPL, p=0.0049; RMF, p<0.001). MTPL and RMF showed significant correlations with PAS, FOIS and VDS scores. The cut-off value in RMF for the prediction of aspiration was 1.56, with a sensitivity of 84% and a specificity of 86%.
Conclusion
There is a relationship between MTPL and dysphagia in post-stroke patients. MTPL and RMF can be useful for detecting aspiration in post-stroke patients.