BACKGROUND: This study was done to identify factors that influence the willingness to be vaccinated with the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine in female college students eligible for a catch-up vaccination program. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 572 female students aged 18-26 years attending one selected university in the Gyeongbuk Province. From March 2 to 6, 2009, they completed a self-administered questionnaire on their HPV vaccination status. Thereafter, unvaccinated participants were educated about the vaccination program, and each participant's willingness to be vaccinated was assessed. RESULTS: Of the 572 participants, 18 (3.1%) were already vaccinated with the HPV vaccine. The number of participants advised to be vaccinated was 102 (17.8%). Of the 554 unvaccinated participants, 305 (55.1%) were willing to be vaccinated after being educated about the vaccination program. Of the remaining 249 unvaccinated participants, 116 (48.7%) refused the vaccine due to its high cost. Advice by family members was related significantly to the willingness to be vaccinated (odds ratio, 2.37; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-5.14). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that the willingness to be vaccinated with the HPV vaccine could be increased in female college students if they are advised to do so by their family members after being educated about the vaccination program.
Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Papilloma ; Vaccination ; Viruses ; Surveys and Questionnaires

For the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), a sensory conduction study of median nerve is the most sensitive parameter, by either antidromic or orthodromic recording. Many different sensory recordings have been developed to detect the mild or early cases of carpal tunnel syndrome. A comparison of the median and ulnar sensory responses using the 4th digit either orthodromically or antidromically has been one of the methods. However, a simultaneous comparison of both antidromic and orthodromic methods on the 4th digit has not been documented. For the comparison between the median and the ulnar sensory nerve conduction of the 4th digit recorded antidromically or orthodromically, conduction studies of the median and ulnar sensory nerves were performed using standard methods in normal populations as well as in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. We studied 31 CTS patients (46 hands) with mean age of 54 years old (range, 25~70). Also, 51 subjects (102 hands) with mean age of 48 years old were studied as control. The difference of antidromic latencies between the median and the ulnar nerves was less than or equal to 0.4 msec in the control subjects and greater than or equal to 0.5 msec in the patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. The difference of orthodromic latencies was less than or equal to 0.5 msec in the control subjects and greater than or equal to 0.5 msec in the patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. By the antidromic and orthodromic methods, the mean difference between latencies of the median or ulnar nerve was not statistically significant. However the amplitude of median or ulnar nerve was 2 times larger by the antidromic method than by the orthodromic. We concluded that the latency difference of 0.5 msec or greater between the median and ulnar nerve sensory conductions from the 4th digit would be valuable for the diagnosis of CTS. The antidromic methods with larger amplitude may be more technically convenient to determine CTS than the orthodromic methods.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome* ; Diagnosis ; Fingers* ; Humans ; Median Nerve ; Middle Aged ; Neural Conduction ; Ulnar Nerve

Increasingly many studies have documented the clinical benefits of perineural injection therapy using 5% dextrose in water for various peripheral entrapment neuropathies. Postherpetic neuralgia is a condition involving chronic neuropathic pain caused by varicella-zoster virus, which may persist for an extended period despite continued treatment. This case series discusses three patients with postherpetic neuralgia who received ultrasound-guided subcutaneous injections with 5% dextrose, resulting in remarkable pain improvement.

Increasingly many studies have documented the clinical benefits of perineural injection therapy using 5% dextrose in water for various peripheral entrapment neuropathies. Postherpetic neuralgia is a condition involving chronic neuropathic pain caused by varicella-zoster virus, which may persist for an extended period despite continued treatment. This case series discusses three patients with postherpetic neuralgia who received ultrasound-guided subcutaneous injections with 5% dextrose, resulting in remarkable pain improvement.

Increasingly many studies have documented the clinical benefits of perineural injection therapy using 5% dextrose in water for various peripheral entrapment neuropathies. Postherpetic neuralgia is a condition involving chronic neuropathic pain caused by varicella-zoster virus, which may persist for an extended period despite continued treatment. This case series discusses three patients with postherpetic neuralgia who received ultrasound-guided subcutaneous injections with 5% dextrose, resulting in remarkable pain improvement.

Increasingly many studies have documented the clinical benefits of perineural injection therapy using 5% dextrose in water for various peripheral entrapment neuropathies. Postherpetic neuralgia is a condition involving chronic neuropathic pain caused by varicella-zoster virus, which may persist for an extended period despite continued treatment. This case series discusses three patients with postherpetic neuralgia who received ultrasound-guided subcutaneous injections with 5% dextrose, resulting in remarkable pain improvement.

BACKGROUND: Elderly patients receiving long-term care are at high risk for pressure ulcers. This study was done to identify histories of pressure ulcers and to evaluate the risk of pressure ulcers using the Braden scale. METHODS: We enrolled 103 subjects receiving nursing homecare from a university hospital in Gyeongju or admitted to nursing homes in Pohang between April 1, 2010 and June 30, 2010. Assessment tools included demographic information, level of care, activities of daily living (ADL), presence of pressure ulcer, history of pressure ulcers and the Braden scale scores. RESULTS: Twenty-six subjects (25.2%) had previous pressure ulcers. The mean Braden scale score was 15.02+/-4.23 (range, 6 to 23). And categorized into two groups based on previous pressure ulcers, the mean score was 11.92+/-3.59 for the group with previous pressure ulcers and 16.06+/-3.93 for the group without previous (p<0.001). The number of subjects with a risk for pressure ulcers according to the Braden scale was 71 (69.9%). The Braden scale had a positive correlation with level of care (p<0.001) and a negative correlation with ADL (p<0.001). Factors related to the history of pressure ulcers were homecare services (p=0.010), concurrent diabetes (p=0.023) and a low Braden scale score (p=0.028). CONCLUSION: We recommend that a pressure ulcer risk assessment be done routinely in elderly patients receiving long-term care services to minimize their occurrence.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged ; Humans ; Long-Term Care ; Nursing Homes ; Pressure Ulcer ; Risk Assessment

Ulnar neuropathy at the wrist is rarely reported as complications of carpal tunnel release. Since it can sometimes be confused with recurrent median neuropathy at the wrist or ulnar neuropathy at the elbow, an electrodiagnostic study is useful for detecting the lesion in detail. We present a case of a 51-year-old woman with a two-week history of right ulnar palm and 5th digit tingling sensation that began 3 months after open carpal tunnel release surgery of the right hand. Electrodiagnostic tests such as segmental nerve conduction studies of the ulnar nerve at the wrist were useful for localization of the lesion, and ultrasonography helped to confirm the presence of the lesion. After conservative management, patient symptoms were progressively relieved. Combined electrodiagnostic studies and ultrasonography may be helpful for diagnosing and detecting ulnar neuropathies of the wrist following carpal tunnel release surgery.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ; Elbow ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Median Neuropathy ; Middle Aged ; Neural Conduction ; Sensation ; Ulnar Nerve ; Ulnar Neuropathies ; Wrist

This study reports a rare case of ulnar neuropathy around the arm with Martin-Gruber anastomosis of a moderate conduction block in the forearm segment and a severe conduction block in the arm segment. Inching tests and ultrasonography showed a lesion between 12 and 14 cm from the medial epicondyle. It is concluded that axilla stimulation may provide diagnostic clues, and inching tests and ultrasonography may be helpful for localizing a lesion.
Arm ; Axilla ; Forearm ; Ulnar Nerve ; Ulnar Neuropathies

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the types of aphasia and the clinicoanatomic correlation in aphasic patients with subcortical lesions, and to investigate the change in the types of aphasia during the recovery stage. METHOD: Twenty-three stroke patients (16 men and 7 women) with left subcortical lesion was investigated. On the basis of the brain CT or MRI findings, the patients were divided into the 4 groups. Language dysfuntion was evaluated using the modified Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) and the type of aphasia and aphasia quotient were determined. Initial examination was performed within 2 months post-onset in all of the patients and the follow-up examination was done after 6 months post-onset in 9 patients. RESULTS: The most common type was anomic aphasia (39%). The type of subcortical aphasia was variable regardless of the sites of left subcortical lesion. Aphasia quotient was significantly related with the lesion size (gamma = 0.05, p<0.05) and the initial Barthel index (gamma = 0.65, p<0.05). The scores of all the subtests of the modified WAB and aphasia quotient were significantly decreased in the group with the cortical involvement or the history of operation. On the follow-up examination, the scores of fluency, information and naming subtests were significantly increased. CONCLUSION: The most common type of aphasia was anomic aphasia and the type of subcortical aphasia was not correlated to the anatomic lesion. Severity of subcortical aphasia would be related with the lesion size, the history of operation or the cortical involvement. The prognosis of subcortical aphasia was generally good.
Anomia ; Aphasia* ; Brain ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Prognosis ; Stroke