Phenylketonuria is metabolic disorder that results from a deficiency of the hepatic phenylalanine hydroxylase. But among patients with hyperphenylalaninemia, the defect resides in one of the enzymes necessary for production or recycling of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4). The reduction of BH4 affects not only phenylalanine metabolism but also formation of the tyrosine related neurotransmitter, dopamin and tryptophan related neurotransmitter, serotonin. Administration of L-dopa and 5-hydroxytriptophan seems to be the most effective treatment and may prevent irreversible neurologic damage if started early in life in hyperphenylalaninemia due to deficiency of cofactor BH4. Therefore, all patients with PKU and hyperphenylalaninemia should be tested for BH4 deficiency as early as passible. So we measured reduced forms of biopterin in urines of 19 phenylketonuria patients by Funkushima and Nixon method and 13 of PKU patients measured dihydropterin reductase (DHPR) in white blood cells by modified Narisawa method. We could not find abnormal pterin patterns of cofactor BH4 and normal value of DHPR. All Korean 19 PKU children were classic PKU. A missense mutation has been identified in the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene of 16 Koran PKU patients. 5 mutations (IVS4, Y204 C, R243Q, Y356 X, R413 P) have been identified. The frequency of these mutations was found to be 50% of PKU alleles. The IVS4 mutation had a high frequency in Korea and southern China, due to the result of the founder effect and genetic drift. the R413 P mutation, which may have originated in the regions surrounding the Baikal, expanded to northen China and Japan. We were not able to find Caucasian mutations in Korean ptiets. PKU mutations occured after racial divergence between Caucasian and Mongoloids. We observed that PKU patients with Y 204 C and R413 P mutations showed mild mild clinical phenotype but IVS4 mutation had severe mental retardation. the establishment of genotype will therefore aid in the prediction of clinical phenotypes in patients with this disease. So, pterin and DHPR measurement and DNA analsis will be useful for prognosis and proper treatment of PKU patients.
Alleles ; Biopterin ; Child ; China ; DNA* ; Founder Effect ; Genetic Drift ; Genotype ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability ; Japan ; Korea ; Leukocytes ; Levodopa ; Metabolism ; Mutation, Missense ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; Oxidoreductases ; Phenotype ; Phenylalanine ; Phenylalanine Hydroxylase ; Phenylketonurias ; Prognosis ; Recycling ; Reference Values ; Serotonin ; Tryptophan ; Tyrosine

Toxoplasma lymphadenitis is the most common clinical manifestation of toxoplasmosis in an immunocompetent host. In foreign countries, it is a relatively common etiology of reactive hyperplasia of lymph nodes, but it is still rare in Korea. The cervical lymph nodes are the most commonly involved, whereas systemic manifestations are rare. We are reporting a case of toxoplasma lymphadenitis in an immunocompetent host. A 31-year-old man was admitted to the hospital because of submandibular lymph node enlargement for 3 months. Toxoplasma lymphadenitis was diagnosed by positive IgG and IgM toxoplasma antibody titer and specific pathologic findings of submandibular lymph node, such as reactive follicular hyperplasia, epitheioid histiocytes in the interfollicular area, and infiltrations of subcapsular monocytoid B lymphocytes. In Korea, travels to and from other countries and contacts with foreigners are increasing, possibly increasing the incidence of toxoplasma lymphadenitis, which should be considered in the differential diagnosis of lymphadenitis.
Adult ; B-Lymphocytes ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Emigrants and Immigrants ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Incidence ; Korea ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphadenitis* ; Toxoplasma* ; Toxoplasmosis

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate current statistics relating to foreigners who visit a Korean emergency department (ED). METHODS: Subjects included in this study were 125,263 patients who visited one Korean ED from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2010. We divided subjects into two groups, natives (Koreans) and foreigners (non-Koreans). We compared the two groups according to their age, sex, chief medical complaints, department to which they were referred, their final diagnosis, results of treatment applied, ED residence time, mortality rate, total billed cost of treatment, balance of any unpaid bills and method of visiting the ED. RESULTS: Of the total patients included in the study, 119,864 (95.7%) were natives and 5,399 (4.3%) were foreigners. In natives, the majority were 0 to 10 years old (35.1%), while foreigners were mostly 41 to 50 (22.8%) years old. The most common symptom in both natives and foreigners was fever. The most common diagnosis for foreigners was head, face, and neck injury (13.8%). The main referred departments for foreigners were internal medicine (20.1%), pediatric medicine (16.9%), and orthopedics (14.3%). The admission rate for foreigners (13.0%), was lower than that of natives (17.3%). The mortality rate for foreigners (0.5%) was higher than that of natives (0.3%). The ED residence time for foreigners was higher than that of natives. The total billed cost of treatment and balance of unpaid money by foreigners was higher than that of natives. For foreigners, the proportion of medical fees paid from personal accounts and industrial medical insurance were higher than those of natives. CONCLUSION: Medical insurance and policy for the management of foreigners who visit the ED must be improved.
Emergencies ; Emergency Medical Services ; Emigrants and Immigrants ; Fees and Charges ; Fees, Medical ; Fever ; Head ; Humans ; Insurance ; Internal Medicine ; Korea ; Neck Injuries ; Orthopedics ; Population Groups

PURPOSE: Barriers to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) education are magnified by relative cost and course availability. E-learning has emerged as a viable solution for continuous, on-demand training and organizational learning. We assessed the hypothesis that E-learning is a viable strategy for CPR training of the general public and sought to evaluate its effects on CPR quality compared to traditional classroom-based methods. METHODS: The E-learning program was specifically designed to teach basic life support skills, and consisted of 50 minutes internet lectures and simulation videos. The training session was freely available to twenty two officers in rural South Korea. The trainees were able to practice with a mannequin and an automated external defibrillator (AED) trainer at their place of employment over the course of 3 days. The control group was trained at a hospital by certified instructors using the same equipment during a 2 hour period. At the end of the course, the participant's skills were evaluated using a checklist and a skill performance test. RESULTS: Forty two subjects were enrolled finally with 19 and 23 belonging to the E-learning and the control groups, respectively. One E-learning trainee was excluded because he was absent from the skills test. The mean time to learn CPR and AED techniques was 29.0+/-24.5 minutes in the elearning group. The mean age of the E-learning group was significantly older than that of the control group (32.4+/-4.0 vs. 26.0+/-1.5, p<0.001). However, we did not find any significant differences in their weight, height or CPR educational status. Before the education sessions, the willingness to perform CPR and their confidence in performing CPR were not significantly different among the two groups. Regarding skill performance, there were no significant differences between the groups except the volume of ventilation. The control group showed a higher volume of ventilation than the elearning group (1,031.7+/-521.6 vs. 548.8+/-303.3, p=0.004). CONCLUSION: E-learning accompanied with appropriate practice can be a helpful tool for public CPR training. The demand for E-learning will increase, and this study shows that e-learning programs can be successful, yielding similar results as traditional, classroom-based training.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Checklist ; Defibrillators ; Education, Distance ; Educational Status ; Employment ; Hypogonadism ; Internet ; Learning ; Lectures ; Life Support Care ; Manikins ; Mitochondrial Diseases ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Republic of Korea ; Ventilation

PURPOSE: Barriers to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) education are magnified by relative cost and course availability. E-learning has emerged as a viable solution for continuous, on-demand training and organizational learning. We assessed the hypothesis that E-learning is a viable strategy for CPR training of the general public and sought to evaluate its effects on CPR quality compared to traditional classroom-based methods. METHODS: The E-learning program was specifically designed to teach basic life support skills, and consisted of 50 minutes internet lectures and simulation videos. The training session was freely available to twenty two officers in rural South Korea. The trainees were able to practice with a mannequin and an automated external defibrillator (AED) trainer at their place of employment over the course of 3 days. The control group was trained at a hospital by certified instructors using the same equipment during a 2 hour period. At the end of the course, the participant's skills were evaluated using a checklist and a skill performance test. RESULTS: Forty two subjects were enrolled finally with 19 and 23 belonging to the E-learning and the control groups, respectively. One E-learning trainee was excluded because he was absent from the skills test. The mean time to learn CPR and AED techniques was 29.0+/-24.5 minutes in the elearning group. The mean age of the E-learning group was significantly older than that of the control group (32.4+/-4.0 vs. 26.0+/-1.5, p<0.001). However, we did not find any significant differences in their weight, height or CPR educational status. Before the education sessions, the willingness to perform CPR and their confidence in performing CPR were not significantly different among the two groups. Regarding skill performance, there were no significant differences between the groups except the volume of ventilation. The control group showed a higher volume of ventilation than the elearning group (1,031.7+/-521.6 vs. 548.8+/-303.3, p=0.004). CONCLUSION: E-learning accompanied with appropriate practice can be a helpful tool for public CPR training. The demand for E-learning will increase, and this study shows that e-learning programs can be successful, yielding similar results as traditional, classroom-based training.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Checklist ; Defibrillators ; Education, Distance ; Educational Status ; Employment ; Hypogonadism ; Internet ; Learning ; Lectures ; Life Support Care ; Manikins ; Mitochondrial Diseases ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Republic of Korea ; Ventilation

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to provide direction to improvement of advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS) training in Korea. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the questionnaire written by 55 instructors of the 31 institutions registered in the Korean Association of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (KACPR) from 2009 and 2010. The contents of the questionnaire consisted of an evaluation of the ACLS curriculum, modification of the ACLS curriculum, problems of ACLS training, and other open-ended answers. RESULTS: In this questionnaire, the result for assessment of the lecture on acute coronary syndrome was intermediate, that answer was given by the majority, 40.0%. The result for assessment of the lecture on stroke was intermediate, that answer was given by the majority, 40.0%. In addition, the result for the necessity of the lecture on acute coronary syndrome was intermediate, 25.5%, which was the most common response. The result for the necessity of the lecture on stroke was intermediate, 27.3%, which was the most common response. In the ACLS curriculum, 14.5% of respondents responded that simulation curriculum should be strengthened; 20.0% of participants responded that training on equipment and medical technique should be enhanced. CONCLUSION: Lecture without practice should be avoided and simulation-oriented education should be strengthened in the ACLS course.
Acute Coronary Syndrome ; Advanced Cardiac Life Support ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Curriculum ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Korea ; Retrospective Studies ; Stroke