No abstract available.
Acupuncture

In actual clinical practice, injuries of the lower extremities are frequently encountered. Some diseases are diagnosed through a physical examination, but when non-specific symptoms are complained, it may be difficult to diagnose only with a physical examination. Therefore, the ultrasound examination can be used as an appropriate diagnostic tool by using the inherent advantages of the device. This review article aims to describe in detail the main features of ultrasound imaging for common injuries of the distal lower extremity, ankle, and foot.

Background: With the growth of the Internet, social media platforms have emerged as major sources of medical information. We assessed the reliability, quality, and accuracy of the most-viewed YouTube videos containing information on the effect of vitamin C on the common cold. Methods: The YouTube videos were searched on August 1, 2022, using the keywords: (“ascorbic acid” OR “vitamin C” OR “Sodium Ascorbate” OR “L-ascorbic”) AND “common cold”. The 30 most-viewed videos were included in our study. The reliability and quality of the videos were analyzed using modified DISCERN and Global Quality Scales, respectively. When the videos included at least one correct or inaccurate scientific statement about the effect of vitamin C on the common cold, they were classified as accurate or misleading videos, respectively; those without any pertinent information were considered neither accurate nor misleading. If a video contained both accurate and inaccurate statements, it was classified as misleading. Results: Of the 30 most-viewed videos, 73% were unreliable, and 67% contained misleading information and were of a poor quality. Of these 30 videos, 14 videos were produced and posted by customers who were not specialized in medicine or nutrition. Moreover, these videos were of significantly lower reliability, quality, and accuracy than those produced by nutrition or fitness channels or by medical or nutrition professionals. Conclusion The reliability, quality, and accuracy of videos uploaded by non-professionals were low. Therefore, video creators should upload reliable, high-quality videos to ensure the dissemination of accurate medical information.

The health insurance system in Korea is well-established and provides benefits for the entire national population. In Korea, when patients are treated at a hospital, the hospital receives a partial payment for the treatment from the patient, and the remaining amount is provided by the health insurance service. The Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) assesses whether the treatment was appropriate. If HIRA deems the treatment appropriate, the doctor can receive payment from the health insurance service. However, this system has several drawbacks. In this study, we aimed to provide examples of the problems that can occur in relation to HIRA assessments in Korea through actual clinical cases.

Isolated respiratory onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rare clinical manifestation and the diagnosis can be challenging. A 72-year-old man presented with dyspnea and hypercapnia that had started 11 months earlier. A phrenic nerve study was conducted and he was diagnosed promptly with ALS with no significant time delay. The phrenic nerve study is a noninvasive and useful tool in the diagnosis of respiratory onset ALS that can be applied easily in an emergency department.
Aged ; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis* ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Early Diagnosis* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Fasciculation ; Humans ; Hypercapnia ; Phrenic Nerve*

Background: and Purpose: The Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy Functional Rating Scale (SBMAFRS) is a reliable and valid instrument for evaluating the functional status of patients with spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA). This study aimed to validate a Korean version of the SBMAFRS in an SBMA population. Methods: We applied the SBMAFRS to 64 SBMA patients at their regular follow-up clinical visits. The patients underwent clinical evaluations that included the 6-minute walking test (6MWT), forced vital capacity (FVC), manual muscle test, and the Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS). To estimate the stability of the SBMAFRS, the scale was reapplied to a subset of 31 randomly selected patients within 4 weeks of the initial test. The convergent validity was evaluated, and correlations were examined between SBMAFRS items and the muscular force, the total and subscores on the Revised Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS-R), FVC, PAS score, age at onset, disease duration, and 6MWT results. Results: The internal consistency of the scale was confirmed by a high Cronbach’s alpha (total raw alpha=0.867, total standardized alpha=0.863). The test-retest reliability as assessed by Spearman’s rho was also high. The total score and subscores of the SBMAFRS were strongly correlated with the respective items and subscores of the ALSFRS-R, respiratory function, and the 6MWT. Conclusions We have performed a validation study of the Korean version of a disease-specific functional rating scale for SBMA patients. The SBMAFRS is a useful tool for clinical practice and as a potential outcome measure for Korean SBMA patients.

Neurogenic bladder is common in most spinal cord injury patients. Voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) is recommended in these patients to detect urinary tract complications. However, rare but serious complications may occur during VCUG, although VCUG is generally safe. There are several case reports of bladder rupture occurring in pediatric patients. Here, we report the first case of iatrogenic bladder rupture in an adult spinal cord injury patient in Korea. Particularly, extravasation of contrast without manual instillation has hardly ever been reported. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of bladder rupture without manual instillation during VCUG. We report a case of a 59-year-old female with paraplegia due to tuberculous spondylitis who underwent VCUG as a part of routine evaluation of neurogenic bladder. Extravasation of the contrast media during VCUG developed as a complication and the patient recovered spontaneously without any intervention. Therefore, VCUG should be performed properly in chronic spinal cord injury patients.
Adult ; Contrast Media ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Paraplegia ; Rupture ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord* ; Spondylitis ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic ; Urinary Tract

The pharyngeal phase of swallowing is a complex event consisted with subsequent muscular contractions and pressure generation to move a bolus from the mouth to the esophagus. Recently, high-resolution impedance manometry (HRIM) was developed and used for the evaluation of pharyngeal dysphagia. Although HRIM provides precise pharyngeal pressure information, it has yet to be used as part of routine clinical practice for the assessment of dysphagia. The main reasons are thought to be that the test method and result interpretation are not easily applicable and standardized. The anatomical landmarks for HRIM parameters are velopharynx, tongue base, epiglottis, low pharynx, and upper esophageal sphincter. With HRIM, the pressure and timing data could be obtained at a precise anatomical structure. In the present review, we will review how to apply HRIM for the evaluation of pharyngeal dysphagia, including the interpretation of its parameters.
Deglutition ; Deglutition Disorders* ; Diagnosis ; Electric Impedance ; Epiglottis ; Esophageal Sphincter, Upper ; Esophagus ; Manometry* ; Mouth ; Muscle Contraction ; Pharynx ; Tongue

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of vulnerable blood vessels around cervical nerve roots before cervical nerve root block in the clinical setting. METHODS: This retrospective study included 74 patients with cervical radiculopathy who received an ultrasonography-guided nerve block at an outpatient clinic from July 2012 to July 2014. Before actual injection of the steroid was performed, we evaluated the vulnerable blood vessels around each C5, C6, and C7 nerve root of each patient's painful side, with Doppler ultrasound. RESULTS: Out of 74 cases, the C5 level had 2 blood vessels (2.7%), the C6 level had 4 blood vessels (5.45%), and the C7 level had 6 blood vessels (8.11%) close to each targeted nerve root. Moreover, the C5 level had 2 blood vessels (2.7%), the C6 level 5 blood vessels (6.75%), and the C7 level had 4 blood vessels (5.45%) at the site of an imaginary needle's projected pathway to the targeted nerve root, as revealed by axial transverse ultrasound imaging with color Doppler imaging. In total, the C5 level had 4 blood vessels (5.45%), the C6 level 9 blood vessels (12.16%), and the C7 level 10 had blood vessels (13.51%) either at the targeted nerve root or at the site of the imaginary needle's projected pathway to the targeted nerve root. There was an unneglectable prevalence of vulnerable blood vessels either at the targeted nerve root or at the site of the needle' projected pathway to the nerve root. Also, it shows a higher prevalence of vulnerable blood vessels either at the targeted nerve root or at the site of an imaginary needle's projected pathway to the nerve root as the spinal nerve root level gets lower. CONCLUSION: To prevent unexpected critical complications involving vulnerable blood vessel injury during cervical nerve root block, it is recommended to routinely evaluate for the presence of vulnerable blood vessels around each cervical nerve root using Doppler ultrasound imaging before the cervical nerve root block, especially for the lower cervical nerve root level.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Blood Vessels ; Humans ; Injections, Epidural ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; Nerve Block ; Prevalence ; Radiculopathy ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Nerve Roots ; Ultrasonography* ; Ultrasonography, Doppler

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global pandemic, which prompts a consensus for the necessity to seek risk factors for this critical disease. Risk factors affecting mortality of the disease remain elusive. Diabetes and hyperglycemia are known to negatively affect a host’s antiviral immunity. We evaluated the relationship between a history of diabetes, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels and mortality among severely ill patients with COVID-19. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study that assessed 106 adult inpatients (aged ≥18 years) from two tertiary hospitals in Daegu, South Korea. The participants were transferred to tertiary hospitals because their medical condition required immediate intensive care. The demographic and laboratory data were compared between COVID-19 patients who survived and those who did not. Results: Compared with the survivor group, age, and the proportions of diabetes, chronic lung disease and FPG were significantly higher in the deceased group. In the Cox proportional hazards regression model for survival analysis, FPG level and age were identified as significant predictors of mortality (P<0.05). The threshold values for predicting high mortality were age >68 years and FPG of 168 mg/dL, respectively. Among those without diabetes, high FPG remained a significant predictor of mortality (P<0.04). Conclusion High FPG levels significantly predicted mortality in COVID-19, regardless of a known history of diabetes. These results suggest intensive monitoring should be provided to COVID-19 patients who have a high FPG level.