OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to test the reliability and validity of the Korean version of Interpersonal Reactivity Index (K-IRI). METHODS: A total of 484 participants were included in this study. Internal consistency and test/retest reliability (n=35) were examined. Criterion validity of the K-IRI was assessed against Affective Dimension of the 3D-Wisdom Scale. Factor analyses were also performed using principal component analysis with varimax rotation. RESULTS: The internal consistency of the K-IRI was 0.80, and test-retest reliability was 0.76. Criterion validity was evaluated by correlating the K-IRI with the Affective Dimension of 3D-Wisdom Scale (r=0.31). Factor analyses revealed factor structures similar to the original IRI. CONCLUSION: The K-IRI appeared to be a reliable and valid instrument for assessing empathy in the Korean population. This suggests that this scale may be applicable in clinical trials, research, and clinical practice.
Empathy ; Principal Component Analysis ; Reproducibility of Results

Duodenal varix is a rare site of hemorrhage in patients with portal hypertension, but its rupture is a serious and often fatal event. They can be diagnosed by means of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, selective superior mesenteric artery angiography, slenoportogram. Especially, upper gastroduodenal endoscopy is the diagnostic procedure of choice in diagnosing duodenal varices. Treatment modalities for bleeding duodenal varices are sclerotherapy, varix ligation, portocaval shunt, and duodenal resection. Endoscopic sclerotherapy has limited success in controlling active duodenal varix. Endoscopic ligation with a detachable snare is a useful therapeutic measure in the treatment of bleeding duodenal varices. Wc report a patient with bleeding duodenal varix, successfully treated by means of endoscopic ligation with a detachable snare. The endoscopic examination showed spurting bleeding from dilated vessel at the third portion of the duodenum. We successfully controlled the bleeding duodenal varix by means of endoscopic ligation with a detachable snare.
Angiography ; Duodenum ; Endoscopy ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal ; Ligation* ; Mesenteric Artery, Superior ; Rupture ; Sclerotherapy ; SNARE Proteins* ; Varicose Veins*

Few cases of ichthyosis bullosa of Siemens(IBS) have been reported since 1939, as a distinct entity from bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma(BCIE). IBS can be differentiated from BCIE by the absence of congenital erythroderma and a different distribution of involved skin area. It's characteristic features include blistering, superficial erosion or moulting of the outer skin. Histological features are tonofilaments aggregation confined to the granular and upper spinous layer of the epidermis. However, in BCIE these findings are present in the whole suprabasal compartment. The original reports of Siemens and cases from other authors showed an autosomal dominant inheritance. Our patient developed IBS sporadically without a familial background.
Blister ; Dermatitis, Exfoliative ; Epidermis ; Humans ; Ichthyosis Bullosa of Siemens* ; Ichthyosis* ; Intermediate Filaments ; Molting ; Skin ; Wills

No abstract available.
Ultrasonography*

No abstract available.
Acanthoma*

PURPOSE: To report a case of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NA-AION) with an atypical visual field defect after intraocular surgery.CASE SUMMARY: A 61-year-old male presented with a visual field defect in his right eye 1 day after uneventful cataract surgery with pars plana vitrectomy for epiretinal membrane. His best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in the right eye was 20/400 with a relative afferent pupillary defect. A color vision test revealed failure only in the right eye. A slit-lamp examination revealed no abnormality in the anterior part of the eyes. A fundoscopic examination also revealed no abnormality in the posterior part of the eyes, including the optic disc. The Humphrey visual field test revealed a nasal vertical defect in the right eye. Orbital and brain magnetic resonance imaging were normal. After 14 days from the initial symptom, fundus photography and optical coherence tomography revealed an optic disc swelling and splinter hemorrhage. Fluorescein angiography revealed a delayed filling on the temporal half of the optic disc and inferotemporal peripapillary choroid. A diagnosis of NA-AION was made. The patient was treated with oral steroids and aspirin. After 3 months, the BCVA was 20/125. The visual field defect was maintained and segmental atrophy developed on the superior and inferior sides of the right optic disc. CONCLUSIONS AION may present as vertical hemianopsia. With the risk factors of ischemic optic neuropathy, the possibility of AION should be considered in the differential diagnoses of postoperative visual impairments or field defects after intraocular surgery.

Considerable efforts have been made to prevent and manage hypertension and diabetes, but the prevalence of these diseases has not changed significantly over the past 10 years. Hypertension and diabetes are chronic conditions requiring continuous treatment and management. Controlling blood pressure and blood sugar levels can prevent life-threatening complications and a deterioration in the quality of life. Community-centered primary health care is characterized by inclusiveness and continuous contact. Well-established primary health care services can reduce the number of unnecessary emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and medical tests, and therefore minimize unnecessary medical expenses. However, the number of patients treated for mild chronic diseases at large hospitals has increased, with a concomitant decrease in the proportion of outpatient clinic visits (41.6% in 2007 vs. 37.8% in 2016). Thus, there is a clear need to strengthen primary health care, including for the treatment of chronic diseases. To establish a chronic diseases management system based on local clinics, the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Korea launched a pilot chronic diseases management program aimed at increasing patient acceptance of local primary health care. The program was implemented in 2014, 2016, and 2019. This review examines the short-term impact of the pilot program with respect to the prevention and management of hypertension and diabetes.

Considerable efforts have been made to prevent and manage hypertension and diabetes, but the prevalence of these diseases has not changed significantly over the past 10 years. Hypertension and diabetes are chronic conditions requiring continuous treatment and management. Controlling blood pressure and blood sugar levels can prevent life-threatening complications and a deterioration in the quality of life. Community-centered primary health care is characterized by inclusiveness and continuous contact. Well-established primary health care services can reduce the number of unnecessary emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and medical tests, and therefore minimize unnecessary medical expenses. However, the number of patients treated for mild chronic diseases at large hospitals has increased, with a concomitant decrease in the proportion of outpatient clinic visits (41.6% in 2007 vs. 37.8% in 2016). Thus, there is a clear need to strengthen primary health care, including for the treatment of chronic diseases. To establish a chronic diseases management system based on local clinics, the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Korea launched a pilot chronic diseases management program aimed at increasing patient acceptance of local primary health care. The program was implemented in 2014, 2016, and 2019. This review examines the short-term impact of the pilot program with respect to the prevention and management of hypertension and diabetes.

Behcet's disease (BD) involves multisystem vasculitis of unknown origin. Ocular manifestations of BD mostly include bilateral panuveitis and retinal vasculitis, which are very challenging to treat. Interferon alfa-2a (IFN) has been recently introduced for treating refractory Behcet uveitis, mainly in Germany and Turkey. Nonetheless, there is so far no consensus about the ideal treatment regimen of IFN for Behcet uveitis. We report our experience of IFN treatment in five Korean BD patients with refractory uveitis. All patients complained of oral ulcers; one patient had a positive pathergy test and 2 showed the presence of HLA-B51. Immunosuppressive agents used prior to IFN treatment included cyclosporine and methotrexate. The IFN treatment was commenced with a dose of 6-9 MIU/day for 7 days, adjusted according to individual ocular manifestations, tapered down to 3 MIU three times in a week, and then discontinued. All patients showed positive response to IFN treatment; 50% of them showed complete response without additional major ocular inflammation during the follow-up period. Other BD symptoms also improved after IFN treatment in most cases. After treatment, the relapse rate and the required dose of oral corticosteroid were decreased in most cases, showing a significant steroid-sparing effect. However, the visual acuity was not improved in most cases due to irreversible macular sequelae. Despite the small sample size of this study, we suggest that, in Korean patients, IFN is an effective treatment modality for BD uveitis as was observed in German and Turkish patients.
Adult ; Behcet Syndrome/complications/diagnosis/*drug therapy ; Chronic Disease ; Cyclosporine/therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents/administration & dosage ; Interferon-alpha/*therapeutic use ; Male ; Recombinant Proteins/therapeutic use ; Recurrence ; Remission Induction ; Treatment Outcome ; Turkey ; Uveitis/diagnosis/*drug therapy/etiology ; Visual Acuity

The purpose of this study was to compare the changes of retentive force in different stud attachment systems for implant retained overdenture. Two commercially available attachments with different retentive forces were investigated: Kerator (pink, blue, red) and O-ring (orange, red). Two implant fixtures were vertically embedded in base mountings. Five pairs of each attachment were evaluated. A universal testing machine was used to evaluate the retentive force of two attachments during wear simulation. Surface characteristics of each attachment system were evaluated with scanning electron microscopy. Five pairs of each attachment were evaluated. Kerator pink showed the highest initial retention. After 2,500 cycles of wear-simulation, Kerator pink noted the largest decrease in retention. According to results of surface analysis, Worn surfaces were obtained in matrices and patrices. Heavy wears were observed in matrices. After 2 year-wear simulation, most attachments exhibited retention loss. Attachments using different kind of material exhibited dissimilar surface alterations.
Denture, Overlay* ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning