Malignant mixed mullerian tumor (MMMT) arising from female internal genitalia is rare with the uterine corpus being the most prevalently affected site. It is even more rare when it occurs on both uterus and ovary at the same time. We describe a case of synchronized occurrence of MMMT on ovary and uterine adenosarcoma with review of literature.
Adenosarcoma ; Female ; Genitalia ; Humans ; Ovary ; Uterine Neoplasms ; Uterus

PURPOSE: Shorter response time is very important for critically-ill patients. The study utilized a linear planning and simulation technique to design a two-tiered system with advanced life support (ALS) ambulances. METHODS: We collected the ambulance run-sheet data from a fire department from January, 2006 to December, 2007 to determine emergency medical service (EMS) demands. The location of patient ambulance stations were mapped by geocoding and the most appropriate number and location of ambulances was calculated with the linear planning method. The planning result was validated with a discrete simulation. RESULTS: The initial enrollment was 227,377 cases of 119 calls. After geocoding, 170,472 (74.9%) cases were directly matched, 56,899 (25.0%) were indirectly matched, and (0.1%) were not matched. The latter were excluded. Using the linear planning method, the number of additional ambulances was calculated for a new two-tiered ambulance system that could achieve a 90% service level. From the current single-tiered system with 112 ambulances to a two-tiered system of 211 basic life support (BLS) units and 40 ALS units, the BLS service level for minor patients could be raised to 90%. For severely-ill patients , a BLS and ALS service level of up to 82% and 89%, respectively, service level could be achieved. The new two-tiered system was validated with the discrete simulation. After the simulation, the BLS and ALS service level for severely-ill patients reached 85% and 93%, respectively. As well, a 100% BLS service level for minor patients was achieved. CONCLUSION: Linear planning and discrete simulation with GIS data enabled the simulation of a two-tiered ambulance system that can shorten the response time of the current single-tiered system.
Advanced Cardiac Life Support ; Ambulances ; Emergencies ; Emergency Medical Services ; Fires ; Geographic Mapping ; Humans ; Reaction Time

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis is a global public health concern owing to its increasing prevalence and socioeconomic burden. However, few studies have assessed the economic impact of atopic dermatitis in Korea. OBJECTIVE: We conducted a cost analysis of atopic dermatitis and evaluated its economic impacts on individual annual disease burden, quality of life, and changes in medical expenses with respect to changes in health related-quality of life. METHODS: The cost analysis of atopic dermatitis was performed by reviewing the home accounting records of 32 patients. The economic impact of the disease was evaluated by analyzing questionnaires. To handle uncertainties, we compared the results with the data released by the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Board on medical costs claimed by healthcare facilities. RESULTS: The direct cost of atopic dermatitis per patient during the 3-month study period was 541,280 Korean won (KRW), and expenditures on other atopic dermatitis-related products were 120,313 KRW. The extrapolated annual direct cost (including expenditures on other atopic dermatitis-related products) per patient was 2,646,372 KRW. The estimated annual indirect cost was 1,507,068 KRW. Thus, the annual cost of illness of atopic dermatitis (i.e., direct+indirect costs) was estimated to be 4,153,440 KRW. CONCLUSION: The annual total social cost of atopic dermatitis on a national level is estimated to be 5.8 trillion KRW.
Cost of Illness ; Costs and Cost Analysis ; Delivery of Health Care ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Health Expenditures ; Humans ; Insurance, Health ; Korea ; Prevalence ; Public Health ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Background: Recently, active surveillance (AS) has been introduced as an alternative to early surgery (ES) for the management of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC), because of its indolent features and low mortality. However, its cost effects have not been determined and the findings of current studies differ, according to each country’s medical system. Methods: A Markov model was constructed to compare the cost-effectiveness of AS and ES, based on a reference case of a 40-year-old patient diagnosed with PTMC. Costs and transition probabilities were derived from previous clinical studies in Korean populations, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) and net monetary benefit (NMB) were calculated. The willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold was set at USD 100,000 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to address the uncertainties in the model’s variables. Results: From the base scenario, the cumulative costs and effectiveness were both higher in ES than AS. The ICER for ES, compared with AS, was USD 6,619.86/QALY, lower than the set WTP. The NMB difference between AS and ES increased across the stages (USD 5,980 at the first stage and USD 159,667 at the last stage). The ICER increased along with decreasing age and increasing cost of surgery. The higher the ES utility score and the lower that of AS, the more cost-effective ES, with WTP set at USD 30,000. Conclusion In the current Korean medical system, ES is more cost-effective than AS. ES is more cost-effective as it is diagnosed at young age and followed-up for a long time.

BACKGROUND: Small colony variants (SCVs) of Staphylococcus aureus have emerged to be commonly associated with persistent and relapsing infections. Arbekacin (ABK) is one of a few alternatives to vancomycin in intractable case of methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infection. However, it has not yet been defined whethter ABK tends to be efficacious to the MRSA SCVs. In this study, we employed an in vitro pharmacodynamic infection model (IVPDIM) to define efficacies of ABK against MRSA SCVs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using four strains of clinically isolated MRSA (MRSA122, MRSA160, MRSA18, MRSA123), we adopted IVPDIM comprised of two-compartment in which effective surface-to-volume ratio of 5.34 cm(-1). Human pharmacokinetic regimen simulations of ABK were as follows: 100 mg every 12 h (q12h), 200 mg q24h, 200 mg q12h, and 400 mg q24h. Samples were taken from each model at 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, and 30 h, and the bacterial colony counts were determined. The experiments were repeated twice with ABK-administered groups and control group. RESULTS: MICs of ABK for MRSA122, MRSA160, MRSA18, and MRSA123 were 2, 2, 2, and 1 microgram/mL, respectively. In case of MRSA122, MRSA160, MRSA18, C(max)/MIC were less than 9.0 except for ABK 400 mg q24h regimen. In MRSA123, C(max)/MIC were 8.9 on average at ABK 100 mg q12h regimen. But, other regimen showed C(max)/MIC >9. Four regimens for 4 strains showed statistically different colony counts at 30 h (P=0.000). The more dosage or less frequent dosing interval, the more colonies tended to reduce in all strains. In 100 mg q12h groups, SCVs were observed in all strains within 24 h. With increment of dosage or changing dosing interval from q12h to 24h, SCVs were reduced (P=0.000). Regimen of 400 mg q24h did not let SCVs appear in all strains of MIC 2 microgram/mL during the experiments. CONCLUSION: SCVs were observed when MIC of ABK against MRSA were 1-2 microgram/mL, especially in most cases of C(max)/MIC <9. Those findings were also associated with re-growth of colony during the experiments. Once-daily dosing of ABK could reduce or eliminate the appearance of SCV.
Humans ; Linear Energy Transfer ; Methicillin Resistance* ; Methicillin* ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Staphylococcus aureus* ; Staphylococcus* ; Vancomycin

BACKGROUND: Small colony variants (SCVs) of Staphylococcus aureus have emerged to be commonly associated with persistent and relapsing infections. Arbekacin (ABK) is one of a few alternatives to vancomycin in intractable case of methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infection. However, it has not yet been defined whethter ABK tends to be efficacious to the MRSA SCVs. In this study, we employed an in vitro pharmacodynamic infection model (IVPDIM) to define efficacies of ABK against MRSA SCVs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using four strains of clinically isolated MRSA (MRSA122, MRSA160, MRSA18, MRSA123), we adopted IVPDIM comprised of two-compartment in which effective surface-to-volume ratio of 5.34 cm(-1). Human pharmacokinetic regimen simulations of ABK were as follows: 100 mg every 12 h (q12h), 200 mg q24h, 200 mg q12h, and 400 mg q24h. Samples were taken from each model at 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, and 30 h, and the bacterial colony counts were determined. The experiments were repeated twice with ABK-administered groups and control group. RESULTS: MICs of ABK for MRSA122, MRSA160, MRSA18, and MRSA123 were 2, 2, 2, and 1 microgram/mL, respectively. In case of MRSA122, MRSA160, MRSA18, C(max)/MIC were less than 9.0 except for ABK 400 mg q24h regimen. In MRSA123, C(max)/MIC were 8.9 on average at ABK 100 mg q12h regimen. But, other regimen showed C(max)/MIC >9. Four regimens for 4 strains showed statistically different colony counts at 30 h (P=0.000). The more dosage or less frequent dosing interval, the more colonies tended to reduce in all strains. In 100 mg q12h groups, SCVs were observed in all strains within 24 h. With increment of dosage or changing dosing interval from q12h to 24h, SCVs were reduced (P=0.000). Regimen of 400 mg q24h did not let SCVs appear in all strains of MIC 2 microgram/mL during the experiments. CONCLUSION: SCVs were observed when MIC of ABK against MRSA were 1-2 microgram/mL, especially in most cases of C(max)/MIC <9. Those findings were also associated with re-growth of colony during the experiments. Once-daily dosing of ABK could reduce or eliminate the appearance of SCV.
Humans ; Linear Energy Transfer ; Methicillin Resistance* ; Methicillin* ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Staphylococcus aureus* ; Staphylococcus* ; Vancomycin