No abstract available.
Occlusive Dressings* ; Skin*

Actinomycosis infection can involve most part of the human body including mouth, cervicoface, chest, abdomen and pelvis. Cardiac involvement occurs in less than 2 percent of the infection of actinomyces israelii and pericardial involvement is rare. 34 year male was admitted because of chest pain and general weakness for several months. Echocardiography revealed akinesia of apex suggesting myocardial infarction and large pericardial effusion. Under the impression of pericardial effusion from tuberculosis infection, the patient was started on anti-tuberculosis medicine. Pericardial window operation with pericardial biopsy was performed 7 days later when the patient failed to show a significant improvement. Pericardial biopsy confirmed actinomycosis infection. During admission, the patient had a cerebral infarction with left hemiparesis. The patient was treated with high dose penicillin and improved symptomatically. Echocardiography showed resolution of pericardial effusion.
Abdomen ; Actinomyces ; Actinomycosis* ; Biopsy ; Cerebral Infarction* ; Chest Pain ; Echocardiography ; Human Body ; Humans ; Male ; Mouth ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Paresis ; Pelvis ; Penicillins ; Pericardial Effusion ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis*

A spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality(SCIWORA) was defined by Pang and Wilberger in 1982 as the "objective signs of myelopathy as a result of trauma" in which no evidence of fracture, subluxation, or instability on plain radiographs, or computed tomography is demonstrable. Inherent elasticity of the vertebral column in infants and young children, among other age-related anatomical peculiarities, render the pediatric bony cervical and thoracic spine exceedingly vulnerable to deforming forces. We report here on a case of SCIWORA in a 3-year-old girl who presented with lower extremity paralysis, paresthesia, and voiding difficulty. The mechanism of neural damage in this case was purely longitudinal distraction. Such stress on the spine resulted from severe pulling up the lower extremity by her father, which was not thought to be damaging at that time.
Child ; Child, Preschool ; Elasticity ; Fathers ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Lower Extremity ; Paralysis ; Paresthesia ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord* ; Spine

BACKGROUND: Chronic low back pain(CLBP) is one of the most common afflictions of humans. Between 70% and 80% of the population experience back pain some time during their lives. Especially, back pain is the most common cause of limited activity in individual under age 45. METHODS: The prepared questionnaire and SCL-MPD(symptom check list-minor psychiatric disorders) were presented to subjects who visited our hospital for occupational routine check. The questionnaire was composed of duration and severity of back pain. The subject were divided into two groups, respectively with chronic low back pain history and without history. The differences of psychogenic symptoms between both groups were analysed. RESULTS: In general characteristics, there was no significant difference between both groups. There were significant differences in somatization, anxiety, depression, anger-hostilily, phobic anxiety, neurasthenic, hypochondriacal, interpersonal sensitivity and general dimensions between both groups(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in obsessive-compulsive dimension between both groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results showed the presence of various psychogenic symptoms in chronic low back pain patients. Such psychosocial variables will need to receive additional careful attention in primary care setting.
Anxiety ; Back Pain ; Depression ; Humans ; Low Back Pain* ; Primary Health Care ; Surveys and Questionnaires

An endoscopic retrograde cholangiographic study of 25 consecutive cases of hepatic clonorchiasis was performed during the period from Aug. 1986 to Sep. 1991 Hepatic clonorchiasis was confirmed by stool of examination for Clonorchis sinensis. The findings consist of characteristic filling defects and changes in the intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts. The filling defects due to adult worms are significant diagnostic criteria of clonorchiasis. Its appearance is elliptical and/or round. The change in the intrahepatic bile ducts consisits of dilatation, irregularity(tortousity and elongation) and blunting of termieal branches of bile tree, irregular stenosis, fuzziness and raggedness. The characteristic changes in the extrahepatic bile ducts in clonorchiasis are duct wall irregularities and mild dilatation of bile duct. ERCP is an excellent method to evaluate biliary tree in patient with clonorchiasis because it reveals not only its characteristic findings of clonorchiasis but also its severity and associated lesions.
Adult ; Bile ; Bile Ducts ; Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic ; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic ; Biliary Tract ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde* ; Clonorchiasis* ; Clonorchis sinensis ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Dilatation ; Humans

An endoscopic retrograde cholangiographic study of 25 consecutive cases of hepatic clonorchiasis was performed during the period from Aug. 1986 to Sep. 1991 Hepatic clonorchiasis was confirmed by stool of examination for Clonorchis sinensis. The findings consist of characteristic filling defects and changes in the intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts. The filling defects due to adult worms are significant diagnostic criteria of clonorchiasis. Its appearance is elliptical and/or round. The change in the intrahepatic bile ducts consisits of dilatation, irregularity(tortousity and elongation) and blunting of termieal branches of bile tree, irregular stenosis, fuzziness and raggedness. The characteristic changes in the extrahepatic bile ducts in clonorchiasis are duct wall irregularities and mild dilatation of bile duct. ERCP is an excellent method to evaluate biliary tree in patient with clonorchiasis because it reveals not only its characteristic findings of clonorchiasis but also its severity and associated lesions.
Adult ; Bile ; Bile Ducts ; Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic ; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic ; Biliary Tract ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde* ; Clonorchiasis* ; Clonorchis sinensis ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Dilatation ; Humans

We describe here a case of intraductal tubular carcinoma of the main pancreatic duct. Gadolinium-enhanced pancreas magnetic resonance (MR) imaging showed an enhancing mass that was confined in the dilated main pancreatic duct of the pancreatic body, along with dilatation of the upstream main pancreatic duct and chronic pancreatitis that was due to obstruction. MR cholangiopancreatography and an endoscopic retrograde pancreatogram showed a filling defect that was due to an intraductal mass of the pancreatic body, along with dilatation of the upstream main pancreatic duct and no dilatation of the downstream main pancreatic duct. The pathological findings demonstrated an intraductal nodular appearance without papillary projection or mucin hypersecretion.
Adenocarcinoma/*diagnosis/pathology ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating/*diagnosis/pathology ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cholangiopancreatography, Magnetic Resonance ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Pancreatic Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of cognitive impairment in the elderly has been increasing in recent years with the growing of the aged population. Clinical assessment of cognitive function and mood is very important because cognitive impairment and depression commonly coexist in the elderly. The elderly interacts with the other family members, so cognitive impairment of the elderly influence family function. The objectives of this study were to delineate the factors correlated with cognitive function and to explore the relationship of depression and family function with cognitive function. METHODS: This study was done during 20 day period from July to August, 1996. The subjects were home residents aged 60 years or more living in a subcounty of Kyungpook Province, Korea. The final analysis included 195 subjects(male 95, female 100). The questionnaire included sociodemographic data, MMSE-K(Korean version of Mini Mental State Examination) for evaluation of cognitive function, BDI for evaluation of depression and family APGAR score for evaluation of family function. The results were analyzed by descriptive, comparative and correlative analysis. RESULTS: Mean MMSE-K score was 25.3+/-4.3 with female subjects(23.9+/-4.8) having significantly higher cognitive impairment when compaired to male subjects(26.6+/-3.2)(P<0.001). MMSE-K score was associated with gender, age, year of education(P<0.001), BDI and APGAR score(P<0.05). Religion, smoking and alcohol use were not associated with MMSE-K score. The prevalence of dementia by MMSE-K was 9.7% in definite dementia (MMSE-K<_19) and 23.1% with questionable dementia(20<_MMSE-K<_23). In male, the prevalence was 1.1% and 20.0% respectively. In female, the prevalence was 18.0% and 26% respectively, indicating difference between male and female subjects(P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In the elderly, female gender, older age and lower educational level were associated with cognitive function impairment. There was a positive correlation between cognitive function and family function. The group with impaired cognitive function had more depression than the normal group.
Aged* ; Apgar Score ; Dementia ; Depression* ; Female ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Prevalence ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Purpose: To investigate the epidemiological trends and socioeconomic disparities associated with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in South Korea over a decade (2010–2021) using National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) claims data. Materials and Methods: Employing data from the NHIS database, this study identified 31753 incident AS patients in 2010–2021.We calculated the annual age-standardized prevalence and incidence rates and analyzed crude incidence rates and diagnostic patterns across age groups. Additionally, we compared the mean annual proportions of medical aid recipients between AS patients and the general population, utilizing p for trend analysis to assess the differences between the two groups across increasing age groups. Results: The study period saw a steady increase in age-standardized prevalence (from 34.6 to 91.0 per 100000) and incidence rates (from 4.41 to 8.33 per 100000 person-years), with the most substantial rise of incidence found in younger demographics. Diagnostic trends revealed a shift from internal medicine (IM) to other specialties including orthopedics with increasing patient age groups (p for trend=0.008), indicating old-age diagnosis in non-IM departments. A 1.4-fold higher proportion of medical aid recipients in AS patients (p<0.001) and the widening gap of dependency on medical aid in older age groups (p for trend=0.012) compared to the general population highlight socioeconomic disparities. Conclusion This comprehensive analysis reveals the growing epidemiological burden of AS, especially in younger populations, and the socioeconomic disparities regarding the disease in South Korea. It underscores the need for early diagnosis and effective treatment strategies, paving the way for health interventions and policies aimed at improving patient outcomes and addressing socioeconomic disparities.

Purpose: To investigate the epidemiological trends and socioeconomic disparities associated with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in South Korea over a decade (2010–2021) using National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) claims data. Materials and Methods: Employing data from the NHIS database, this study identified 31753 incident AS patients in 2010–2021.We calculated the annual age-standardized prevalence and incidence rates and analyzed crude incidence rates and diagnostic patterns across age groups. Additionally, we compared the mean annual proportions of medical aid recipients between AS patients and the general population, utilizing p for trend analysis to assess the differences between the two groups across increasing age groups. Results: The study period saw a steady increase in age-standardized prevalence (from 34.6 to 91.0 per 100000) and incidence rates (from 4.41 to 8.33 per 100000 person-years), with the most substantial rise of incidence found in younger demographics. Diagnostic trends revealed a shift from internal medicine (IM) to other specialties including orthopedics with increasing patient age groups (p for trend=0.008), indicating old-age diagnosis in non-IM departments. A 1.4-fold higher proportion of medical aid recipients in AS patients (p<0.001) and the widening gap of dependency on medical aid in older age groups (p for trend=0.012) compared to the general population highlight socioeconomic disparities. Conclusion This comprehensive analysis reveals the growing epidemiological burden of AS, especially in younger populations, and the socioeconomic disparities regarding the disease in South Korea. It underscores the need for early diagnosis and effective treatment strategies, paving the way for health interventions and policies aimed at improving patient outcomes and addressing socioeconomic disparities.