BACKGROUND: Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), one of the eosinophil granule proteins released during allergic reactions, may play a major role in the allergic inflammatory process. The measurement of ECP in serum may be a useful indicator of eosinophil activity in ongoing inflammatory processes. We investigated the clinical utility of ECP measurement in serum in patients with bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis, after standardizing sample processing. METHODS: We measured the serum ECP levels in patients with bronchial asthma (n=38), chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) (n=13), respiratory symptoms (n=19), allergic rhinitis (n=26), non-allergic rhinitis (n=24), and atopic dermatitis (n=10) and in normal healthy controls (n=16) by the fluoroenzyme immunoassay using Pharmacia CAP System, and evaluated the correlation between ECP level and blood eosinophil number, or ECP and IgE levels. Blood eosinophil number was counted by the automated cell counter. RESULTS: Serum ECP levels were significantly higher in patients with bronchial asthma (15.6+/- 12.6 g/L), COPD (13.3+/-7.2 g/L), allergic rhinitis (23.8+/-13.2 g/L), and atopic dermatitis (20.6+/- 18.4 g/L) than in normal controls (7.5+/-4.2 g/L) (P <0.05). ECP levels were also significantly higher in patients with bronchial asthma and COPD than in patients with simple respiratory symptoms (6.9+/-4.7 g/L), whose ECP levels did not statistically differ from those in normal controls. ECP levels were also significantly higher in patients with allergic rhinitis than in patients with non-allergic rhinitis (9.5+/-5.1 g/L), whose ECP levels did not statistically differ from those in normal controls. Serum ECP level and eosinophil number in peripheral blood were correlated only in patients with bronchial asthma (r=0.53, P <0.01) and no correlation between ECP and IgE levels was found in all of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: ECP is the one of the secretory components released from the eosinophil granule and measurement of ECP in serum might be one of the noninvasive tool to assess the activity in relation to eosinophil involvement in various allergic diseases.
Asthma ; Cell Count ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Eosinophil Cationic Protein* ; Eosinophil Granule Proteins ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoassay ; Immunoglobulin E ; Lung Diseases, Obstructive ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Rhinitis

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing patient privacy protection behavior among nursing students and examine the relationships between these factors. METHODS: Participants in this study were 144 nursing students who have experienced clinical practice. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, Scheffe test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple regression with IBM SPSS Win 23.0 program. RESULTS: Professional self-concept and ethical values were factors influencing patient privacy protection behavior among nursing students. These variables explained 21.9% of the variance for patient privacy protection behavior. A higher level of patient privacy protection behavior was associated with higher levels of professional self-concept and ethical values. CONCLUSION: The findings demonstrate that strategies for enhancing patient privacy protection behaviors of nursing students should include methods for forming images of positive nurses and firming ethical values.
Ethics ; Humans ; Medical Informatics ; Nursing* ; Privacy* ; Professionalism ; Self Concept ; Students, Nursing*

PURPOSE: This study was to examine the effects of Seogeum therapy for middle-aged abdominal obese women. METHODS: Seogeum therapy combined cupping, stepping on ion aluminum board, adhering to Seoam moxibustion and Seoam pellet. The subjects consisted of 30 middle-aged abdominal obese women between 40 and 59 years of age: fifteen were assigned to experimental group, fifteen to control group. The data collection and treatments were performed from June to October, 2007. The subjects of experimental group participated in Seogeum therapy for 5 times per week during 8 weeks. The data were analyzed with Chi-square test, Wilcoxon signed rank test and Wilcoxon rank-sum test with SPSS/Window 12.0 program. RESULTS: Seogeum therapy experimental group showed significant difference in change of general obesity indexes(body weight, body fat amount, body fat ratio, BMI) than control group supporting hypothesis 1. Experimental group showed significant difference in change of abdominal obesity indexes(abdominal fat ratio, waist circumference, hip circumference) than control group supporting hypothesis 2. CONCLUSION: Obesity management of Seogeum therapy had a positive effect for middle-aged obese women. Therefore, it is concluded that the obesity management of Seogeum therapy can be applied as a nursing intervention to decrease the obesity for middle-aged women.
Adipose Tissue ; Aluminum ; Body Weight ; Complementary Therapies ; Data Collection ; Female ; Hip ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Obesity ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Waist Circumference

BACKGROUND: The product of oxygen-free radicals inf1ict oxidative injuries on healthy cells. Antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase(SOD), glutathione peroxidase, and reduced glutathione(GSH) are present in almost all cells and play important roles in metabolism, transport, and cellular protection. We measured blood GSH levels in healthy controls and patients with non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus(NIDDM) for evaluation of the clinical usefulness of GSH. METHODS: Erythrocyte GSH levels were measured in fifty healthy controls and thirty NIDDM patients with diabetic retinopathies by Beutler's method. We also tested within-run precision, between-run precision, linearity and recovery rate to evaluate this method measuring erythrocyte GSH levels. RESULTS: The GSH levels (mean +/-SD) of NIDDM patients (5.03+/-0.67mumo1/Hb) were significantly lower than those of healthy control group (6.46+/-0.85mumo1/Hb)(P<0.001). The results of within-run precision and between-run precision when stored at 4degrees Cwere excellent (coefficient of variation were 2.79% and 2.42%, respectively), however, when stored at the room temperature the GSH levels were sharply declined. The linearity and recovery rate were acceptable. CONCLUSIONS: The prescision, linearity, and recovery rate of GSH measurement were excellent. The GSH levels in NIDDM patient group were reduced, and this probably contributes to the defective defense mechanism against increased oxidative stress. Additional measurement of other antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase and glutathione Peroxidase may be required to clarify the pathologic significance of glutathione metabolism in various diseases.
Antioxidants ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Erythrocytes* ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; Glutathione* ; Humans ; Insulin ; Metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Superoxides

PURPOSE: This study is to describe authors'experience on mammographic findings of breast cancer and to know if there is difference between 35 years of age or younger and older groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mammograms of 72 patients with breast cancer detected from January, 1991 to December, 1993 were retrospectively analysed. Mammographic findings were classified into mass only, mass with microcalcifications, microcalcifications only and others. Marginal characteristics of mass were classified into spiculated, poorly marginated and well marginated. Shape of microcalcifications were classified into casting, granular and mixed types. These findings were compared between 35 years of age or younger and older groups. RESULTS: Mammogram showed mass only in 33 patients(46%), mass with microcalcifications in 26 patients (36%), microcalcifications only in seven(10%) and other findings in six(8%). Other findings were architectural distortion, asymmetric high density and incidental breart carcinoma from paraffinoma in one patient respectively, and dense breast in three patients. The margins of the breast mass were spiculated in ten(17%) poorly marginated in 30(51%), well-marginated in 19(32%). Shape of microcalcifications were casting type in 13(40%), granular in 14(42%) and mixed in six(18%) cases. 3 patients had dense breast with which mammography did not demonstrate the lesion. 3 patients without mammographically demonstrable lesions due to dense breasts were under 35 years in age. and there was statistically significant difference between the two groups(p-value<0.05). Microcalcifications only was more common findings in 35 years of age or younger. CONCLUSION: The most important mammographic findings of breast cancer were mass and microcalcifications. Architectural distortion and asymmetric high density were additional findings. In 35 years of age or younger, microcalcifications only was an important finding because mass lesions are frequently masked by dense breast. Thus other imaging modalities, such as ultrasonography, were required.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Humans ; Mammography ; Masks ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are typically managed with dual antiplatelet therapy of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) and P2Y12 receptor inhibitor. In this study, we discussed current and previous antiplatelet therapy guidelines and compared with guidelines of the USA (ACC/AHA), Europe (ESC) and Korea (KSC). METHOD: This study investigated from ACC/AHA Joint Guidelines (the USA), ESC Clinical Practice Guidelines (Europe) and Korea Society of Interventional Cardiology (Korea) web site, respectively. RESULTS: It is significant that difference between the current and the previous guidelines was integration of terminology from clopidogrel to P2Y12 receptor inhibitors since prasugrel and ticagrelor, new antiplatelet drugs, has been added. The other difference was all three guidelines has differences in dose of aspirin. The most notable difference was class of recommendation (COR) in P2Y12 receptor inhibitors. ACC/AHA and Korean guidelines recommend clopidogrel, prasugrel, and ticagrelor with COR IB; whereas, ESC recommend prasugrel and ticagrelor with IB which is higher than clopidogrel with IC. CONCLUSION: This research addresses important movement to revise the Korean existing guideline recommendations. New Korean antiplatelet therapy guideline should be avoiding obvious differences in ACC/AHA and ESC guidelines and harmonizing international guidelines.
Acute Coronary Syndrome* ; Aspirin ; Cardiology ; Europe* ; Humans ; Joints ; Korea* ; Prasugrel Hydrochloride

BACKGROUND: Current status of external quality assessment (EQA) of laboratory tests for syphilis in Korea was analyzed to find out the problems that should be improved in the future. METHODS: Based on the data from the external quality assessment program performed twice a year by the Immunoserology Subcommittee of the Korean Association of Quality Assurance for Clinical Laboratory from the year 2004 to 2006, discordance rates were analyzed according to the test method and commercial kit used. RESULTS: Among the laboratories participating in the EQA program for syphilis test, about 90% of them used non-treponemal tests and about 55% treponemal tests. The non-treponemal tests included RPR (rapid plasma reagin) and VDRL tests used in 88% (363/412) and 11% (45/412), respectively, of the laboratories. The discordance rates were 2.2% for RPR test and 3.6% for VDRL. For the treponemal tests, Treponema pallidum hemagglutination assay (TPHA) was used in 60-76% and Immunochromatography assay (ICA) in about 30% of the laboratories in 2006. A high discordance rate of over 10% was reported in both TPHA and in ICA methods, possibly due to a low titer (1:1 in VDRL) of EQA samples in 2005. Analysis of the accumulated data from year 2004 to 2006 showed that the discordance rates of TPHA, ICA, and FTA-ABS were 4.6%, 3.7%, and 2.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: For syphilis tests, RPR test, TPHA, and ICA are mainly used in Korea. A high discordance rate is still reported in TPHA and ICA, especially when testing samples with a low titer. Further analysis of data and education of laboratory personnel are needed for the improvement of the EQA program.
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; False Positive Reactions ; Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody-Absorption Test ; Humans ; Korea ; Quality Control ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ; Syphilis/*diagnosis ; Syphilis Serodiagnosis/methods/*standards ; Treponema Immobilization Test

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to develop a Korean Strength Scale for Youth and to examine its validity and reliability. METHODS: The Korean Strength Scale for Youth is based on a self-reporting, 100 item questionnaire that measures 25 strengths. Each scale item was given a 0–5 rating on a 6-point scale. In order to test the scale's validity and reliability, data were collected from 422 youths (aged 12–18 years). The strength measures included in our analyses were those contained within the Korean Strength Scale for Youth, the Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule, the Korean Well-Being Scale for Adolescents, and the Short Five Factor Personality Scale for Children. RESULTS: The results of exploratory factor analysis of the Korean Strength Scale for Youth scale-measures indicated the importance of four factors. The Korean Strength Scale for Youth was shown to have acceptable psychometric properties, including good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and high convergent correlations. CONCLUSION: The Korean Strength Scale for Youth is a reliable and valid instrument that can be used to assess strengths in adolescents.
Adolescent* ; Appointments and Schedules ; Child ; Humans ; Psychometrics ; Reproducibility of Results

No abstract available.
Female ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome* ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnancy, Twin*

OBJECTIVE: South Korea has an increasing aging population; thus, the management of depressive symptoms in elderly individuals is important. In this population, fewer social contacts might be a risk factor for depressive symptoms. We examined associations between the frequency of social contacts and depressive symptoms among elderly Koreans and factors associated with these symptoms. METHODS: Data from 62,845 individuals over 65 years of age enrolled in the 2015 Community Health Survey were used in this study. Logistic regression was performed to test the association between depressive symptoms and social contacts. RESULTS: Individuals who had contact with neighbors less than once a week were more likely to experience depressive symptoms [odds ratio (OR): 1.22, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10–1.35] compared to those who had contact more than once a week. Individuals who had frequent contact with neighbors and friends, neighbors and relatives, or all three groups were significantly less likely to experience depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: The frequency of social contact with neighbors was the most powerful factor associated with elderly adults’ depressive symptoms among other social relationships. Additional senior welfare centers may facilitate the ability of elderly individuals in meeting neighbors, thereby reducing the risk of depressive symptoms.
Aged* ; Aging ; Depression* ; Friends ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Risk Factors