PURPOSE: This study was done to identify effects of fatigue and postpartum depression on quality of life in early postpartum mothers. METHODS: The data were collected from 130 mothers at four general hospitals in J and M metropolitan cities. Instruments used to collect the data for the study were the Fatigue Scale developed by Pugh (1993); Postpartum Depression Scale developed by Cox, Holden & Sagovsky (1987), and the Quality of Life Scale developed by Hill, Aldag, Hekel, Riner, G., & Bloomfield (2006). RESULTS: Results showed that the mean for fatigue was 56.74, the mean for postpartum depression was 8.00+/-4.37 and mean for quality of life was 19.78. The quality of life variable showed statistically significant differences for the variable: age (F=3.20, p=.026). The relationship between fatigue and quality of life showed a significant negative correlation (r=-.44, p<.001). The relationship between postpartum depression and quality of life also showed a negative correlation (r=-.42, p<.001). The relationship between postpartum depression and fatigue showed a positive correlation (r=.59, p<.001). These factors explained 23% of the variance in quality of life. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that it is necessary to develop nursing intervention programs to improve quality of life in for early postpartum mothers.
Depression, Postpartum ; Fatigue ; Female ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Mothers ; Parity ; Postpartum Period ; Quality of Life

Purpose: This study used an exploratory sequential approach (mixed methods) design to explore essential meaning through comparing and analyzing the experiences of nursing students in virtual simulation practice and high fidelity simulation practice education in parallel. Methods: The study participants were 20 nursing students, and data were collected through focus group meetings from July 17 to August 5, 2020, and via online quantitative data from November 10 to November 15, 2020. The qualitative data were analyzed using Giorgi's phenomenological method, and the quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal–Wallis H test analysis of variance and Spearman’s ρ correlation. Results: The comparison between the two simulation training experiences was shown in five contextual structures, as follows: (1) reflection of the clinical field, (2) thinking theorem vs. thinking expansion, (3) individual-centered learning vs. team-centered learning, (4) attitudes toward participating in practical training, (5) metacognition of personal competency as a prospective nurse, and (6) revisiting the method of practice training. There was a positive correlation between satisfaction with the practice and the clinical judgment ability of high fidelity simulation, which was statistically significant (r=.47, p=.036). Conclusion Comparing the experiences between virtual simulation practice training and high fidelity simulation practice training, which has increased in demand due to the Coronavirus Disease-2019 pandemic, is meaningful as it provides practical data for introspection and reflection on in-campus clinical education.

Purpose: This study used an exploratory sequential approach (mixed methods) design to explore essential meaning through comparing and analyzing the experiences of nursing students in virtual simulation practice and high fidelity simulation practice education in parallel. Methods: The study participants were 20 nursing students, and data were collected through focus group meetings from July 17 to August 5, 2020, and via online quantitative data from November 10 to November 15, 2020. The qualitative data were analyzed using Giorgi's phenomenological method, and the quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal–Wallis H test analysis of variance and Spearman’s ρ correlation. Results: The comparison between the two simulation training experiences was shown in five contextual structures, as follows: (1) reflection of the clinical field, (2) thinking theorem vs. thinking expansion, (3) individual-centered learning vs. team-centered learning, (4) attitudes toward participating in practical training, (5) metacognition of personal competency as a prospective nurse, and (6) revisiting the method of practice training. There was a positive correlation between satisfaction with the practice and the clinical judgment ability of high fidelity simulation, which was statistically significant (r=.47, p=.036). Conclusion Comparing the experiences between virtual simulation practice training and high fidelity simulation practice training, which has increased in demand due to the Coronavirus Disease-2019 pandemic, is meaningful as it provides practical data for introspection and reflection on in-campus clinical education.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Childhood absence epilepsy (CAE) is one of the most common types of pediatric epilepsy. It is generally treated with ethosuximide (ESM), valproic acid (VPA), or lamotrigine (LTG), but the efficacy and adverse effects of these drugs remain controversial. This study compared initial therapy treatment outcomes, including VPA-LTG combination, and assessed clinical factors that may predict treatment response and prognosis. METHODS: Sixty-seven patients with typical CAE were retrospectively enrolled at the Korea University Medical Center. We reviewed patients' clinical characteristics, including age of seizure onset, seizure-free interval, duration of seizure-free period, freedom from treatment failure, breakthrough seizures frequency, and electroencephalogram (EEG) findings. RESULTS: The age at seizure onset was 7.9±2.7 years (mean±SD), and follow-up duration was 4.4±3.7 years. Initially, 22 children were treated with ESM (32.8%), 23 with VPA (34.3%), 14 with LTG (20.9%), and 8 with VPA-LTG combination (11.9%). After 48 months of therapy, the rate of freedom from treatment failure was significantly higher for the VPA-LTG combination therapy than in the three monotherapy groups (p=0.012). The treatment dose administrated in the VPA-LTG combination group was less than that in the VPA and LTG monotherapy groups. The shorter interval to loss of 3-Hz spike-and-wave complexes and the presence of occipital intermittent rhythmic delta activity on EEG were significant factors predicting good treatment response. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that low-dose VPA-LTG combination therapy has a good efficacy and fewer side effects than other treatments, and it should thus be considered as a firstline therapy in absence epilepsy.
Academic Medical Centers ; Child ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; Epilepsy, Absence* ; Ethosuximide ; Follow-Up Studies ; Freedom ; Humans ; Korea ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Seizures ; Treatment Failure ; Valproic Acid

Ictal tachycardia and bradycardia are common arrhythmias; however, ictal sinus pause and asystole are rare. Ictal arrhythmia is mostly reported in adults with temporal lobe epilepsy. Recently, ictal arrhythmia was recognized as a major warning sign of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy. We present an interesting case of a child with ictal sinus pause and asystole. A 27-month-old girl was hospitalized due to 5 episodes of convulsions during the past 2 days. Results of routine electroencephalography (EEG) were normal, but she experienced brief generalized tonic seizure for 3 days. During video-monitored EEG and echocardiography (ECG), she showed multiple myoclonic seizures simultaneously or independently, as well as frequent sinus pauses. After treatment with valproic acid, myoclonus and generalized tonic seizures were well controlled and only 2 sinus pauses were seen on 24-hour Holter ECG monitoring. Sinus dysfunction should be recognized on EEG, and it can sometimes be treated successfully with only antiepileptic medication.
Adult ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Bradycardia ; Child* ; Child, Preschool ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe ; Female ; Heart Arrest ; Humans ; Myoclonus ; Seizures* ; Tachycardia ; Valproic Acid

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether meconium staining can be the indicator of intrauterine hypoxia by comparing umbilical venous erythropoietin (EPO) concentration and the number of nucleated erythrocytes (NRBC), as a marker of intrauterine hypoxia, between non meconium-stained neonates and meconium-stained neonates of term pregnancy. And to determine correlation between the number of NRBC, EPO levels and interleukin-6 (IL-6), as another mediator of intrauterine hypoxia. METHODS: In 240 neonates with gestational age ranged from 37 to 41 weeks, including 231 cases of nonmeconium-stained neonates and 9 cases of meconium-stained neonates, we performed the measurement of EPO levels by RIA, the number of NRBC per 100 white blood cells (WBC) by blood smear and IL-6 by ELISA in umbilical venous blood at delivery. Statistical analysis was performed by chi-square test, Wilcoxon rank sum test, linear regression analysis using SPSS 11.0 version statistical package. RESULTS: Amniotic fluids of meconium-stained neonates had significantly greater EPO concentrations compared with that of nonmeconium-stained controls (41.3+/-13.0 vs 26.5+/-18.9 mIU/mL, p=0.001). But there were no statistical difference in the number of NRBC, IL-6 levels and hematocrit of umbilical venous blood. The EPO levels in umbilical venous blood was correlated with the number of nucleated erythrocytes (r2=7.7%, p<0.001), and IL-6 in umbilical venous blood was correlated with the number of NRBC. (r2=11.5%, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that meconium-stained amniotic fluid can be associated with fetal hypoxia. And the production of fetal NRBC is thought to be stimulated by EPO and IL-6, but it requires further study of other (yet to be determined) hypoxia-derived mediators.
Amniotic Fluid ; Anoxia ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Erythroblasts ; Erythropoietin* ; Female ; Fetal Hypoxia ; Gestational Age ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Interleukin-6 ; Leukocytes ; Linear Models ; Meconium* ; Pregnancy*

PURPOSE: We compared clinical findings of headaches to find out important characteristics for the differential diagnosis of headaches. We tried to find out specific electroencephalogram (EEG) findings according to the types of primary headache and the relationship between clinical characteristics and EEG findings by analyzing EEGs of migraine. METHOD: We conducted a retrospective analysis by reviewing medical records of 275 patients who visited the Department of Pediatrics of Korea University Guro Hospital from November 2010 to October 2013. The headaches were classified according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders-II (ICHD-II). EEG was analyzed in relation to the type of headache. RESULTS: 245 (89.1%) were primary headache patients, and 30 (10.9%) were secondary headache patients.There were no differences in the frequencies of abnormal EEG findings according to the type of primary headache (P=0.855), and epileptiform discharge was most common abnormal EEG finding in the primary headache. Comparing the patients with epileptiform discharges to the patients with normal EEG finding in migraine, the patients showing epileptiform discharge were younger (P=0.035) and presented with occipital and atypical (i.e., not pulsating or pressing) headache (P=0.005). CONCLUSION: History and physical examination are the most important in the diagnosis of headache in children. There were no significant differences in EEG findings among the different types of primary headaches.However,we could find a relationship between clinical features of the migraine and its epileptiform discharge, so more studies correlating EEG findings to clinical features are needed in the future.
Child* ; Classification ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Electroencephalography* ; Headache* ; Humans ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Migraine Disorders ; Pediatrics ; Physical Examination ; Retrospective Studies ; Tension-Type Headache

No abstract available.
Arthritis* ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Risk Factors*

No abstract available.
Arthritis* ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Risk Factors*

PURPOSE: To compare the clinical characteristics and laboratory finding between adenoviral and group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis. METHODS: A retrospective review of medical records was performed in the patients with adenovirus infection among those who were admitted for febrile respiratory disease from January 2011 to July 2013 and GAS pharyngitis among those who visited for symptoms of scarlet fever from August 2006 to July 2013. RESULTS: 179 patients (AV1 group) were diagnosed with adenoviral pharyngitis and 37 (AV2 group) of these patients had adenovirus single infection. 26 patients (GAS group) were diagnosed with scarlet fever. Adenoviral infection (AV2 group) developed in younger patients compared to GAS group (2.8+/-2.1 years vs. 5.4+/-1.8 years, P=0.000). Total durations of fever and admission were longer in AV2 (6.3+/-2.6 days vs. 3.3+/-1.9 days, P=0.000; 4.1+/-1.2 days vs. 1.9+/-1.8 days, P=0.000, respectively). WBC counts were higher in AV2 (11,449+/-5,680 cells/mm2 vs. 6,722+/-6,941 cells/mm2, P=0.000). CRP was not significantly different between AV2 and GAS group (3.8+/-3.2 mg/dL vs. 5.2+/-5.1 mg/dL, P=0.368). No difference was found between two groups in the percentage of antibiotics use (91.9% vs. 100%, P=0.261). CONCLUSION: Clinical characteristics and measures of inflammation in the laboratory findings were similar between adenoviral and GAS pharyngitis group. It is necessary to conduct the test for respiratory virus and bacteria in early stage to differentiate in the pharyngitis patients with leukocytosis and elevation of CRP level.
Adenoviridae ; Adenoviridae Infections ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacteria ; Child* ; Fever ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Leukocytosis ; Medical Records ; Pharyngitis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Scarlet Fever