Between April, 1984 and September 1988, 459 patients underwent cardiovascular surgery at the Yeungnam University Hospital. Of these, 355 cases were open heart surgeries and 104 cases were non-open heart surgeries. There were 237 patients of acyanotic congenital cardiac anomalies, 40 patients of cyanotic congenital cardiac anomalies, and 85 patients of acquired heart diseases. The sex ratio of cardiovascular diseases was represented as 1:1.3 in male and female. The age distribution was ranged from 1 day to 65 years old. The common congenital cardiovascular anomalies were ventricular septal defect (38.7%), patent ductus arteriosus (25.5%), atrial septal defect (20.7%), Tetralogy of Fallot (8.3%), and pulmonary stenosis (2.4%) in order of frequency. Among 87 acquired cardiovascular diseases, 81 patients underwent operation for cardiac valvular lesions, 51 patients had mitral valve replacement and 13 patients had aortic valve replacement and 17 patients had double valve replacement. The overall mortality of cardiovascular surgery was 3.3% and mortality of open heart surgery was 3.9%.
Age Distribution ; Aortic Valve ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Clinical Study* ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent ; Female ; Heart ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Humans ; Male ; Mitral Valve ; Mortality ; Pulmonary Valve Stenosis ; Sex Ratio ; Tetralogy of Fallot ; Thoracic Surgery

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic left ventricular tachycardia with a QRS pattern of right bundle branch block and left axis deviation that is sensitive to verapamil is electrophysiologically distinct arrhythmia entity but descriptions in pediatric ages are infrequent. This study attempted to describe the clinical presentation and dignostic clues from the surface ECG in children with idiopathic left venteicular tachycardia. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records, electrocardiograms, Holter recordings, echocardiographic reports of 10 children with idiopathic left ventricular tachycardia who have been managed at Sejong General Hospital and Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea from January 1991 to July 1996. Follow-up periods are 2 months to 5 years(mean=26 months). RESULTS: 1) Age of tachycardia onset was 8 months to 14 years(median=4.3 years). In 3 children tachycardia began from infancy. The main complaint in older children was palpitation and chest discomfort but young childen complained abdominal pain during tachycardia attack. Tachycardia was paroxysmal and sustained. Tachycardia responded to intravenous use of verapamil in 9 patients and was controlled by chronic verapamil medication in 6 patients. 2 patients were well without medication. Radiofrequency catheter ablation was done in an adolescent patient successfully. 2) In sinus rhythm, surface ECG showed normal QRS axis and normal QRS morphologies in all patients. During ventricular tachycardia, the heart rate was 183 to 270 beats/min. The taxhycardia of RBBB morphology was observed in all patients. The mean QRS duration was 109+-12ms and the QRS axis was -50* to -90*. Themean RS interval was 60+-12ms. AVdissociation was found on surface RCG in all patients and confirmed in 4 patients by transesophageal ECG. We tried rapid transesophageal atrial pacing in 3 patients and could induce and terminate the ventricular tachycardia. CONCLUSIONS: Idiopathic left ventricular tachycaedia is rare in childhood and is seen from infancy. Idiopathic left ventricular tachycardia is generally benign but occasionally causesmyocardial dysfunction. Idiopathic ventricular tachycardia with a QRS pattern of right bundle branch block amd left axis deviation that is sensitive to verapamil in children should not be confused with supraventricular tachycardia with aberrancy and most helpful diagnostic clue is AV dissociation in surface ECG.
Abdominal Pain ; Adolescent ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Bundle-Branch Block ; Catheter Ablation ; Child ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Rate ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Tachycardia ; Tachycardia, Supraventricular ; Tachycardia, Ventricular* ; Thorax ; Verapamil

The purpose of this study is to identify and describe a process of sexual adjustment of individuals with spinal cord injury: and to describe and explore positive and negative influences on the adjustment process. This qualitative study was conducted with 10 Korean individuals with spinal cord injury who had been physically disabled for more than one year. Data were collected and analysed at a same time using grounded theory method. Major categories of this study showed a process how the individuals with spinal cord injury adjust to their individual life as sexual beings. The process included Changes of life caused by physical disability> Emotional distress> Stability of life> Recognition of self as a sexual being> Re-establishing own sense of values for sexual life> Behavioral efforts for restoration of sexual life> and individual responses to the behavioral efforts including Frustration> Resignation> Satisfaction> Dissatisfaction> and Limited satisfaction>. Initially physical aspects of sexuality seemed to be affected by spinal cord injuries. The changed physical aspects then influenced other aspects of their sexual life. Life satisfaction of each individual as a sexual being revealed as very subjective. It could be defined according to how the individual approved their sexual life no matter what and how much behavioral effort the person had done. In this study 3 types of sexual adjustment aspects were explored: 'Active adjustment' 'Passive adjustment' 'Maladjustment'. There were negative and positive factors influencing the adjustment process of individuals with spinal cord injury. Those factors might come from themselves. from families. or from social situations. Findings of this study suggested that sexual life of individuals with spinal cord injury should not be understood as a physical or behavioral matter. It was a combination of physical. psychological and social aspects of life. Therefore. appropriate rehabilitation programs for the sexual adjustment of individuals with spinal cord injury need to concern heterogeneous life values of them and obtain individualized services for each individual at a different stage of the sexual adjustment process.
Disabled Persons ; Humans ; Rehabilitation ; Sexuality ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord*

The purposes of this study were to identify sexual interest and adjustment in patients with spinal cord injury and to determine the factors that relate to sexual adjustment. A total of 134 persons included in this study was the members of spinal cord injury organization and the impatients in rehabilitation unit between February and June 1999. Five questionnaires were answered concerning importance of life events, sexual concern, sexual adjustment, relationship with a sex partner, and depression. The collected data were analyzed by Frequency, t-test, ANOVA and pearson correlation. The results were as follows: 1) Considering the importance among 11 areas of life, economic status occupied the top, sex life held the sixth rank, and the mean rating for social life being 3.78 was the lowest of all. 2) As regard to 7 topics related to sexuality, the most attention was drawn to methods and techniques achieving sexual satisfaction, and the next interest was for helping partners cope emotionally with sexual dysfunction. 3) The mean for sexual adjustment and depression was average, and the mean for sex partner relationship was high. 4) Sexual adjustment in spinal cord injury patients correlated with economic status and sex partner relationship. While it was inversely correlated with age and depression. It was found that lower age and less depression play a positive role on sexual adjustment by SCI people. Also, higher economic status and favorable sex partner relationship increase sexual adjustment. In conclusion, a sex partner relationship, depression, economic status, and age seemed to influence on their sexual adjustment after SCI. Also, psychosocial factors would be more important for satisfying sexual life and relationship rather than physical factors.
Depression ; Economic Recession ; Humans ; Psychology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Rehabilitation ; Sexuality ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the levels of knowledge on 5 diseases between persons in hearing impaired and normal hearing groups. METHOD: The participants consisted of 44 people who are hearing impaired and 47 who are not. An instrument developed by the research team was used for data collection. The questionnaire consisted of 90 items including demographics and items on 5 diseases, hypertension, cancer, diabetes, pulmonary tuberculosis, and hepatitis. RESULTS: The level of knowledge on the 5 diseases, hypertension, cancer, diabetes, pulmonary tuberculosis, and hepatitis in normal hearing group was significantly higher than hearing impaired group. CONCLUSION: More attention and comprehensive educational programs are needed for people with hearing impairment.
Data Collection ; Demography ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing* ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

No abstract available.
Hepatocyte Growth Factor* ; Hepatocytes* ; Placenta* ; Pre-Eclampsia*

Interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), one of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, acts as an endogenous pyrogen and is an important mediator of behavioral and physiological responses to immune stimulation as well as exposure to stressors. The objective of the present study was to examine the pattern of central or peripheral IL-1beta response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or exposure to the foot shock stress (FS) in rats. After treatment of LPS (100microgram/kg) or exposure to the FS [ten times (0.8 mA) foot shocks for 5 sec each and 90 sec interval], body temperature and IL-1beta levels in plasma, spleen and brain were measured. Both LPS and FS stimuli elicited increased body temperature but showed different patterns of peripheral IL-1beta levels. LPS produced a widespread increase in IL-1beta levels in the plasma, spleen and brain, whereas FS produced a significant increase in IL-1beta levels only in the brain regions but not in plasma and spleen. The present study suggests that IL-1beta is, centrally or peripherally in different patterns, regulated by immune stimulation or exposure to stressors and IL-1beta plays an important role in mediating responses of sickness-like behaviors induced by immune stimuli or stressors.
Animals ; Body Temperature ; Brain ; Cytokines ; Foot ; Interleukin-1 ; Interleukin-1beta ; Negotiating ; Plasma ; Rats ; Shock ; Spleen

OBJECTIVE: Preterm labor and delivery is probably the largest problem in modern perinatology. The early diagnosis of preterm labor is crucial for prevention of preterm birth. To predict the onset of preterm labor, we examined the diagnostic performance of serial cervical assessment by transvaginal sonography. METHODS: In this prospective study, we performed transvaginal sonography at approximately 30 and 34 weeks of gestation in women with singleton pregnancies. Cervical parameters evaluated included endocervical length, the presence of funneling, funnel length and funnel width. We then assessed the relation between cervical parameters and the risk of spontaneous preterm labor. RESULTS: We examined 258 women at approximately 30 weeks of gestation and 247 of these women again at approximately 34 weeks. Spontaneous preterm labor occurred in 9 of women examined at 30 weeks(Group 1) and in 13 at 34 weeks(Group 2). The endocervical length was normally distributed at 30 and 34 weeks(mean +/-SD, 38.26+/-6.82mm and 35.63+/-7.35mm, respectively). The endocervical length decreased significantly from 30weeks to 34 weeks(p=0.0001). Both groups showed significantly shorter endocervical length(p <0.05) and groupl more presence of funneling than group of term pregnancy(p<0.05). Receiver-operator characteristic curve and multiple logistic regression analyses indicated that endocervical length <-30mm at 30 weeks and <-25mm at 34 showed highest diagnostic index in predicting the onset of preterm labor(p=0.0001). Conclusions: Serial transvaginal ultrasound assessment of endocervical length during early third trimester is a useful predictor of preterm labor and delivery in low-risk patients.
Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Obstetric Labor, Premature* ; Perinatology ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; Premature Birth ; Prospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

The Marfan syndrome is a generalized connective tissue disease involving eye, musculoskeletal system, cardiovascular system, and inherited autosomal dominant with various expression type. The cardiovascular complications such as aortic aneurysm, aortic dissection, aortic regurgitation, mitral regurgitation and aortic dissection which usually occurs in previously normal sized aorta are poor prognostic factors. However, the aortic dissection which developed in patient with Marfan syndrome and aortic aneurysm was rare. We experienced one case of dissecting aneurysm in patient diagnosed as previous aortic aneurysm, aortic regurgitation, and Marfan syndrome, receiving successful operation.
Aneurysm, Dissecting ; Aorta ; Aortic Aneurysm* ; Aortic Valve Insufficiency ; Cardiovascular System ; Connective Tissue Diseases ; Humans ; Marfan Syndrome* ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Musculoskeletal System

BACKGROUND: Chlamydia trachomatis is most common sexually transmitted pathogen in the world, and a common cause of urethritis and cervicitis. Also it is common cause of preterm premature rupture of membranes and premature labor in pregnant women, and pneumonitis and conjunctivitis in neonate. A rapid and sensitive polymerase chain reaction(PCR)-based assay for detection of C. trachomatis is recently introduced. OBJECTIVES: We studied to determine whether a PCR assay is useful to detect Chlamydial infection in pregnant women. We also studied to compare its prevalence rate according to maternal age, trimester and parity, respectively. Study Design: Specimens were collected from 149 pregnant women by transcervical swab or endocervical lavage. If a specific band was detected in PCR assay, we considered as Chlamydial infection. RESULTS: In general, the positive bands were detected in the 45 of 149 pregnant women(30.2%). The positive bands were detected the 6 of 55(10.9%), 16 of 49(32.7%), and 23 of 45(51.1%) pregnant women in each trimester, respectively. Therefore, there was significantly increased according to the gestational age(p<0.05). However, there were not significantly different according to maternal age and parity(p> 0.05). CONCLUSION: We concluded that the PCR assay is a fast and useful test for the detection of C. trachomatis in transcevical cells from the pregnant women. This study suggested that Chlamydial infection seems to be increased according to the gestational age.
Chlamydia trachomatis* ; Chlamydia* ; Conjunctivitis ; Diagnosis* ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Maternal Age ; Membranes ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Parity ; Pneumonia ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women* ; Prevalence ; Rupture ; Therapeutic Irrigation ; Urethritis ; Uterine Cervicitis