PURPOSE: Recently, vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) have become one of the major nosocomial pathogens in Korea. However, there have been few studies on the epidemiology of VRE colonization among neonates. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of VRE colonization, risk factors for VRE, and how to control the spread of VRE infection in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Pusan National University Hospital (PNUH). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 192 neonates who were admitted to the NICU of PNUH from March 2006 to March 2007. Surveillance cultures from rectal swabs for detecting VRE were obtained weekly during the study period. We analyzed the prevalence of VRE and various risk factors. RESULTS: The rate of VRE colonization among NICU patients was 25% (48/192). Thirty five of these VRE colonized patients were transferred to the NICU from other local hospitals. Compared with the non-VRE group, the risk factors associated with VRE colonization were lower birth weight, congenital heart disease, applied mechanical ventilation, use of a central venous catheter, chest tubing, a history of surgery, and use of antibiotics. CONCLUSION: VRE colonization among patients admitted to the NICU is rapidly increasing. Monitoring and managing premature neonates from the beginning of the birth process, avoiding many invasive procedures, avoiding antibiotics such as vancomycin and third generation cephalosporin are important for preventing the emergence and spread of VRE colonization in the NICU.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Birth Weight ; Central Venous Catheters ; Colon ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Parturition ; Prevalence ; Respiration, Artificial ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Thorax ; Vancomycin ; Vancomycin Resistance

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences Quality of Life(QOL) according to menopausal symptoms in middle aged women. METHOD: The subjects consisted of 578 women(45-60 years old) residing in urban area by convenience sampling from March 15 to May 30, 2002. The data were collected by structured questionnaire that included general characteristics, menopausal symptoms and QOL scale. the collected data were analyzed by the SPSS 11.0 program that included descriptive statistics, t-test and ANOVA. RESULT: The averaged age of menopause of subjects was 48.29 4.66 years and 74.8% in the subjects complained menopausal symptoms. As for the orders of complained menopausal symptom, it was fatigue, hot flashes, benumbed hands and feet, and irritability. The mean score of the QOL scale was showing above average level of quality of life. Religion was significantly different to the score for activity of QOL, monthly income was different to the score for activity and physical well-being of QOL. Menopausal status was significantly different to the QOL. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that a replicate study is needed. The results are also useful in developing various programs for health promotion of middle aged women.

A 65-year-old female patient visited our clinic complaining of multiple skin lesions since one year ago. There were yellowish to brownish colored, bean to walnut-sized nodules on both lower extremities. Dylon stain with polarizing microscopy, immunohistochemical stain to amyloid P and immunoglobuhn-kappa chain showed positive reactivities but keratin stain was negative. According to histopathologic and immunohistochemical findings, she was diagnosed as nodular amyloidosis.
Aged ; Amyloid ; Amyloidosis* ; Female ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Microscopy ; Skin

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify congruence between self-perception and objective status of obesity according to %Fat, and to investigate health promotion lifestyle in college women. METHODS: The participants were a convenience sample of 392 college women who were eligible and agreed to participate in this study. Respondents were asked questions using a health promotion lifestyle profile and were evaluated for their body composition using InBody 3.0. The data were analyzed with SPSS 14.0 program, which was used for Chi square, ANOVA, and post-hoc comparison with Scheffe. RESULTS: The major findings were as follows; 1) Overall, 41.8% of participants misclassified their perceived status of weight by %Fat standards and kappa was 0.329. 2) Two percent were underweight by BMI but overweight by %Fat and 39.0% normal weight by BMI but overweight by %Fat. 3) There were significant differences in health promotion lifestyle according to self-perception of body weight but there was no difference in health promotion lifestyle according to %Fat standards. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest the necessity for development and application of tailored health promotion program based on self-perception of body weight and %Fat in order to reform incorrect body image and health behavior in college women.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Body Composition ; Body Mass Index ; Female ; Health Behavior ; *Health Promotion ; Humans ; *Life Style ; Obesity/*psychology ; Overweight ; Questionnaires ; *Self Concept ; Universities ; Women/*psychology ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to define and clarify the concept of 'resilience' in patients with cardiovascular diseases. METHODS: A hybrid model was used to develop the concept of resilience. The model included a field study carried out in Cheonan, Korea. The participants in this study were 9 patients with cardiovascular diseases who underwent a percutaneous coronary intervention. RESULTS: The concept of resilience was found to be a complex phenomenon having meanings in two dimensions: the personal-dispositional and interpersonal dimensions. Four attributes and seven indicators were defined. CONCLUSION: A resilient person was defined as one who has a positive attitude toward restoration, the power to reconstruct and control his/her disease (personal dimension), and support from a supportive system with supportive persons (interpersonal dimension). In the clinical setting, resilience plays an important role in managing the care plans of cardiovascular patients. Therefore, nurses who work closely with patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases should be aware of the attributes and indicators of resilience to enhance the resilience of their patients.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Adult ; Attitude to Health ; Cardiovascular Diseases/*psychology ; Female ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Resilience, Psychological

Human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is generally used to identify highly degraded forensic samples, particularly when the extracted DNA is not sufficient for nuclear DNA analysis. However, direct sequencing, the most widely used mtDNA analysis method, is laborious and time-consuming, and precludes the simultaneous analysis of many samples. Here, we describe a rapid and simple screening method for mtDNA analysis in Koreans using single base extension (SBE) methods. Sixteen highly polymorphic mtDNA SNPs from the control region were selected, and a multiplex SBE system was constructed to analyze them. Because the developed system consists of two duplex PCRs, which produce small amplicons with fewer than 270 bp, it works well with highly degraded samples such as old skeletal remains. Using this multiplex SBE system, 145 different haplotypes were expected to be observed from 593 unrelated Koreans. Seventy-three haplotypes were expected to be observed only once, and the most frequent haplotype was expected to occur 80 times. Since the mean number of pairwise differences was estimated to be 4.55, the developed system could be useful to exclude samples that do not match evidence and reference samples. Therefore, the multiplex SBE system used in this study will be a useful tool to analyze many samples simultaneously and to efficiently screen out non-matching mtDNA sequences in forensic casework.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; DNA ; DNA, Mitochondrial* ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Mass Screening* ; Methods ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide*

BACKGROUND: Thread lift is a minimally invasive procedure for facial rejuvenation, but complications of thread lift have been reported. The purpose of this study was to evaluate outcomes and safety associated with elastic lift in relation to midface and upper mandibular region lifting. METHODS: Thirty-eight patients with sagging and laxity of the facial skin treated with elastic lift from September 2015 to October 2015 were enrolled in this study. Treatment was performed following the manufacturer's recommended protocol that called for 300 treatment lines. To evaluate elastic lift safety, a retrospective chart review was conducted. We used an automatic skin diagnosis system to evaluate the efficacy of elastic lift. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients were female, and one patient was male. The mean age of the patients was 40.4 years, and their mean follow-up period was 3 months. There were no major complications manifesting in removal of the elastic thread during the follow-up period. The median skin laxity grade score was 5 (3-6) before surgery; the median skin laxity grade score was 3 (2-4) 3 months post-surgery, resulting in a statistically significant difference in skin grade score (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Facial rejuvenation using elastic lift is an effective and safe procedure in select patients with midface ptosis and moderate jowls.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lifting ; Male ; Rejuvenation* ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin

PURPOSE:There are some cases of false positive in neonatal screening for congenital adrenal hyperplasia. To understand its significance of the increased 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone(17 alpha-OHP) levels in the cases of positive result, we followed its levels during infancy. METHODS:From July 1997 to June 1998, totally 1,730 babies were screened for congenital adrenal hyperplasia(CAH) measuring 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone(17 alpha- OHP) using an enzyme immunoassay(EIA) on dried blood spots. In infants of positive result, the radioimmunoassay(RIA) was used measuring 17 alpha-OHP in serum. And we followed up the levels of 17 alpha-OHP during infancy. Cortisol and ACTH were also measured and followed up in the morning simultaneously. RESULTS:No CAH was detected during the study period. With the 13 ng/mL cutoff limit for 17 alpha-OHP before March 1998, the recall rate was 3.09%. With the 20 ng/mL cutoff limit after March 1998, the recall rate was decreased to 1.58%. Follow-up of the high levels of 17 alpha-OHP in positive cases showed a sharply decreased curve according to age. CONCLUSION: In clinically normal neonates, the high levels of 17 alpha-OHP at screening decreased continuously during infancy.
17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone* ; Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Mass Screening ; Neonatal Screening*

PURPOSE:There are some cases of false positive in neonatal screening for congenital adrenal hyperplasia. To understand its significance of the increased 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone(17 alpha-OHP) levels in the cases of positive result, we followed its levels during infancy. METHODS:From July 1997 to June 1998, totally 1,730 babies were screened for congenital adrenal hyperplasia(CAH) measuring 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone(17 alpha- OHP) using an enzyme immunoassay(EIA) on dried blood spots. In infants of positive result, the radioimmunoassay(RIA) was used measuring 17 alpha-OHP in serum. And we followed up the levels of 17 alpha-OHP during infancy. Cortisol and ACTH were also measured and followed up in the morning simultaneously. RESULTS:No CAH was detected during the study period. With the 13 ng/mL cutoff limit for 17 alpha-OHP before March 1998, the recall rate was 3.09%. With the 20 ng/mL cutoff limit after March 1998, the recall rate was decreased to 1.58%. Follow-up of the high levels of 17 alpha-OHP in positive cases showed a sharply decreased curve according to age. CONCLUSION: In clinically normal neonates, the high levels of 17 alpha-OHP at screening decreased continuously during infancy.
17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone* ; Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Mass Screening ; Neonatal Screening*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the main prerequisite for Korean Advance Directives [KAD] to ensure their better use. METHODS: Data were collected from two focus group interviews and individual email responses. Study participants were 5 doctors and 6 nurses. All interview data were transcribed and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: Three main themes emerged; establishing a philosophy of KAD, protocol to practice KAD, and the KAD document itself. A philosophy is needed to ensure individual needs, consensus to practice AD and identify principle agents. The core of protocol was found to be as follows; 1) process, 2) premise, 3) procedure, 4) contextual preparation, 5) timing, 6) feasibility. Component and feasibility need to be established for the document itself. CONCLUSION: For a positive acceptance of KAD in Korean society, a culture sensitive, reality based, and user friendly AD needs to be developed.
Adult ; *Advance Directives ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Female ; Focus Groups ; Health Personnel/*psychology ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Qualitative Research ; Questionnaires ; Republic of Korea