BACKGROUND: The red cell distribution width(RDW) has been reported to be of value in discriminating iron deficiency anemia(IDA) from the anemia of the other causes(non-IDA). The combination of a low MCV and a high RDW may indicate iron deficiency anemia. The purpose of this study was to discriminate IDA from anemia, using automated blood cell count alone. METHODS: We collected 139 cases of anemia in outpatients, with 80 cases of IDA and 59 cases of anemia due to other causes, from July 1995 to September 1996 in department of family medicine, Pusan Paik hospital. RESULTS: The sex distribution was 39(28.1%) in male, 100(71.9%) in female. The age distribution was 15 to 79 year. The hemoglobin level and MCV in IDA(9.5+/-1.6g/dl, 77.5+/-8.9fl) was significantly lower than those in non-IDA(10.1+/-1.5g/dl, 87.6+/-10.5fl)(P=0.042, P<0.001, respectively). And mean RDW in IDA(16.9+/-3.3%) was significantly higher than that in non-IDA(15.1+/-3.2%)(P<0.001). In discriminating IDA from anemia, we drew receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC curves) with each value of MCV and RDW. The cut-off value of MCV was 83fl, and in that value, the sensitivity and specificity were 75.9% and 72.9%, respectively. The cut-off value of RDW was 14.3%, and the sensitivity and specificity were 78.2% and 57.6 %, respectively. We combined each value of MCV with RDW, the cut off value were 83fl of MCV and 14.3% of RDW, and the sensitivity and specificity were 76.3% and 71.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The sensitivity and specificity of MCV, RDW and combination of MCV and RDW were not so high in discriminating IDA from the anemia of the other causes in ambulatory patients.
Age Distribution ; Anemia* ; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency ; Blood Cell Count ; Busan ; Female ; Humans ; Iron ; Male ; Outpatients ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sex Distribution

BACKGROUND: Psychogenic and physical aspects of health is interesting issue in the field of family medicine. We intended to study the relationship between physical illness and symptoms with self esteem, and hoped to understand disease in general behavioral context. METHODS: We selected 124 persons who visited family medicine OPD in Paik Hospital from August 3 to August 20, 1995, and answered questionnaire frankly. The qestionnaire consisted of Rosenberg self esteem scale as paremeter of self esteem and Hopkins symptom check list as parameter of physical health. The third author analyzed the medical record and rated the severity of disease as grade I-VII, for another parameter of physical health. The other factors-age, sex, marriage, education level, family, income-were analyzed by self esteem. RESULTS: We divided the study population into two groups, low self esteem group and high self esteem group. In low self esteem group, the persons complain more symptoms in Hopkins symptom check list significantly(P=0.009). Those who were highly educated had significantly higher self esteem(P=0.047). The severity of disease, sex, age, marriage, type of family, income showed no significant relationship with self esteem. CONCLUSIONS: The education level was the factor that influence self esteem. The person of low self esteem complains more symptoms. So we should consider self esteem in medical practice.
Education ; Hope ; Humans ; Marriage ; Medical Records ; Self Concept* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Psychogenic and physical aspects of health is interesting issue in the field of family medicine. We intended to study the relationship between physical illness and symptoms with self esteem, and hoped to understand disease in general behavioral context. METHODS: We selected 124 persons who visited family medicine OPD in Paik Hospital from August 3 to August 20, 1995, and answered questionnaire frankly. The qestionnaire consisted of Rosenberg self esteem scale as paremeter of self esteem and Hopkins symptom check list as parameter of physical health. The third author analyzed the medical record and rated the severity of disease as grade I-VII, for another parameter of physical health. The other factors-age, sex, marriage, education level, family, income-were analyzed by self esteem. RESULTS: We divided the study population into two groups, low self esteem group and high self esteem group. In low self esteem group, the persons complain more symptoms in Hopkins symptom check list significantly(P=0.009). Those who were highly educated had significantly higher self esteem(P=0.047). The severity of disease, sex, age, marriage, type of family, income showed no significant relationship with self esteem. CONCLUSIONS: The education level was the factor that influence self esteem. The person of low self esteem complains more symptoms. So we should consider self esteem in medical practice.
Education ; Hope ; Humans ; Marriage ; Medical Records ; Self Concept* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Aureobasidium Pullulans (AP) is a fungus known as a "black fungus" characterized by production of melanin pigment. It is infected mainly by subcutaneous pathway, but causes a very rare disease in human. There was a very few report of AP infection in human all around the world and no report in Korea, yet. We reported the first Korean case of AP sepsis patient who received the second kidney transplantation in China. The patient was a 61-year old male who underwent the first kidney transplantation at Severance Hospital in July 1992 and had experienced chronic renal graft dysfunction for the last several years. He went to China and underwent the 2nd kidney transplantation from acute brain-injury donor on December 31, 2002. He discharged and came back to Korea at POD #14 and admitted to our department. At admission, there was no specific symptom or sign of infection and the function of allograft kidney was good with serum creatinine of 1.2 mg/dL. He was on tacrolimus 4 mg bid, deltacortef 10mg bid and MMF 1.0 gm bid. During the hospitalization, the dosage of tacrolimus was controlled by adjusting serum tacrolimus level around 10~15 ng/mL, and reduced the dosage of deltacortef to 5 mg bid and MMF to 500 mg bid. Since Zenapax was already administered during the hospitalization in China, we added additional injection of Zenapax twice with 2 weeks interval. On POD #22, he developed skin rash and edema compatible to cellulites on the intravenous puncture site of left upper arm during his hospital stay in China. MMF was stopped and broad spectrum antibiotic therapy was started immediately. On POD #23, he developed acute myocardiac infarction and he undertook PTCA with arterial stent insertion. He was transported to intensive care unit due to acute respiratory failure on POD #27, and the left arm color was changed to black on POD #30. The empirical intravenous amphotericin therapy was started at POD #35, but the patientdied due to multiple organ failure caused by fungal sepsis. After his death, we received positive culture report of AP from his blood and skin lesion specimens collected on POD #29 and 35.
Allografts ; Amphotericin B ; Arm ; China* ; Creatinine ; Edema ; Exanthema ; Fungi ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Infarction ; Intensive Care Units ; Kidney Transplantation* ; Kidney* ; Korea ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Melanins ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Organ Failure ; Punctures ; Rare Diseases ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Sepsis* ; Skin ; Stents ; Tacrolimus ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

Blood Platelets ; Centrifugation ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Mandible ; Osteoblasts ; Osteogenesis ; Platelet Count ; Platelet-Rich Plasma ; Transplants