PURPOSE: This purpose of this study was to identify the factors related to the health related quality of life among institutionalized elders. METHODS: The subjects were 247 elders institutionalized among one of the four nursing homes in Busan. Data were collected through interview with four standardized questionnaires from August to October, 2008. Questionnaires were related to health related quality of life (SmithKline Beecham's Quality of Life scale, SBQoL), quality of sleep(Pittsburgh Sleep Quality index, PSQI), activity of daily living (Katz ADL Index), and depression (Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form Korea, GDSSF-K). Data were analyzed for descriptive analysis, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression by using SPSS/WIN 17.0 program. RESULTS: The mean HRQoL in the subjects was 6.62 +/- 0.91. Percentage of the respondents reporting sleep disorders were 72.5% and 27.1% reported being vulnerable to depression. The significant predictors of the HRQoL were sleep quality, activity of daily living (ADL), level of education, and depression. The factors accounted for 28.8% of variance in the health related quality of life of institutionalized elders. CONCLUSION: Sleep quality, activity of daily living, and depression need to be considered as the important control factors for improving the health related quality of life in the institutionalized elders.
Activities of Daily Living ; Depression ; Korea ; Nursing Homes ; Quality of Life ; Sleep Wake Disorders ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of using gauze frozen with normal saline or ice on thirst-relief and oral condition of laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients. METHODS: A quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group, pretest-posttest design was used. Participants (n=53) received either gauze frozen with normal saline (n=17), ice (n=18) or wet gauze (n=18) for thirst-relief. The subjective thirst level and oral condition of the participants were assessed before the intervention, 15 min after the first intervention and 15 min after the second intervention. RESULTS: After oral care was provided twice, there were significant differences in thirst level among the groups. When oral care was provided twice, the oral condition of tongue, saliva, mucosal membrane, and gingiva was improved in patients receiving gauze frozen with normal saline or ice. CONCLUSION: Gauze frozen with normal saline and ice can be effective for oral care in reducing the thirst level and improving the condition of the oral cavity.
Adult ; Aged ; *Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic ; Female ; Freezing ; Gallbladder Diseases/*surgery ; Gingiva/drug effects ; Humans ; *Ice ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Mucosa/drug effects ; Pilot Projects ; Saline Solution, Hypertonic ; Saliva/physiology ; *Thirst/drug effects ; Tongue/drug effects

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to discover the essence and the structure of the experiences of weight control by nursing students. METHODS: Participants were 12 nursing students who had tried losing weight at C university in Busan, Korea. The data were collected from June 17 to August 6, 2006. For the purpose of this study, focus group discussions and in depth interviews were employed. RESULTS: The collected data were analyzed by using Giorgi's method. As the results of the analysis, the following four components of experience were derived: My appearance looked abnorml; Measures for self-realization; Pursuit of my own way only; Feelings of accomplishment and self confidence. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to develop an effective weight control program with minimized side effects that are harmful to health, based on the components of the nursing students' experiences in weight control that were identified in this study.
Body Weight ; Focus Groups ; Humans ; Korea ; Qualitative Research ; Students, Nursing ; Weight Loss

No abstract available.
Interleukin-6* ; Rabbits*

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) with concomitant thyroid cancer is rare and is usually caused by a parathyroid adenoma rather than parathyroid carcinoma. Although an association between PHPT and well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma has been reported, it is often considered coincidental. We report a case of a 50-year-old female presenting with tingling, shoulder pain, muscle weakness, and elevated serum calcium and parathyroid hormone levels. Neck ultrasonography revealed a hypoechoic nodule in the left inferior region to the thyroid gland and thyroid nodules in both lobes. A Tc99m-MIBI parathyroid scan showed a focal hot nodule, and fine-needle aspiration confirmed papillary thyroid carcinoma, later verified by histopathology. The patient underwent surgery and was diagnosed with PHPT and papillary thyroid carcinoma. This case highlights the importance of evaluation for concomitant thyroid malignancy in PHPT patients with suspicious thyroid nodules.

Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia (SED) tarda is an inherited skeletal arthropathy. Because SED tarda involves the joints and resemble the clinical findings of chronic arthropathies, this disease is frequently misdiagnosed as juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). We report here on three patients (father and his two daughters) in one family with SED tarda. All patients had back pain and polyarthralgia. Their radiographs revealed typical changes for SED tarda including platyspondyly and dysplastic bone changes. This rare disease has major clinical importance in that it is similar with JIA or rheumatoid arthritis.
Adult ; Arthralgia/complications ; Back Pain/complications ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Osteochondrodysplasias/complications/*diagnostic imaging/pathology/therapy ; *Pedigree ; Republic of Korea ; Young Adult

Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (IHES) is a rare disease that is characterized by otherwise unexplained persistent eosinophilia and organ damage caused by eosinophilic infiltration. Its manifestations are highly variable but clinically apparent arthritis is uncommonly observed. Although Korean cases of severe eosinophilia in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or IHES concurrent with RA have been published, there are no reports of IHES with joint involvement. This paper reports a case of IHES presenting with persistent peripheral eosinophilia, fever, skin rash, multiple lymphadenopathy, and polyarthritis, including the distal interphalangeal joints of the hands.
Arthritis ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Cyclosporine ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils ; Exanthema ; Fever ; Finger Joint ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypereosinophilic Syndrome* ; Joints ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Rare Diseases

Follicular bronchiolitis (FB) is an uncommon pulmonary lymphoproliferative disorder that is characterized by the presence of peribronchiolar hyperplastic lymphoid follicles with reactive germinal centers. FB could be associated with systemic illnesses including immunodeficiency, infection, and autoimmune diseases. In Korea, a single case of FB with rheumatoid arthritis was recently described but there has been no report on FB associated with other rheumatic diseases. Herein, we describe the first case of FB presenting nodular ground-glass opacities (GGO), which mimicked lung cancer, in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS). The differential diagnosis of nodular GGO lesions should include FB although it is a rare manifestation in SS patients.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Bronchiolitis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Germinal Center ; Humans ; Korea ; Lung Diseases ; Lung Neoplasms ; Lung ; Lymphoproliferative Disorders ; Rheumatic Diseases

OBJECTIVE: To investigate longitudinal changes in the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Sjögren's syndrome patient reported index (ESSPRI) and to study the clinical features associated with favorable ESSPRI changes in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). METHODS: At baseline and after a median period of 6.6 years, 41 pSS patients were evaluated using the ESSPRI, EULAR Sjögren's syndrome disease activity index (ESSDAI), short-form 36, xerostomia inventory (XI), and visual analog scale (VAS) scores for symptoms. The favorable subgroup included patients who were stable or showed improved to satisfactory symptom status (ESSPRI<5) and the unfavorable subgroup included those with stable or worsening to an unsatisfactory symptom status (ESSPRI ≥5). RESULTS: Median ESSPRI increased from 4.11 to 5.33 (p<0.05), although XI scores (p=0.01) and oral dryness (p<0.05) were significantly decreased. Serum immunoglobulin G level was significantly reduced (p<0.001) but ESSDAI scores were unchanged. Six (14.6%) patients showed clinical improvement in ESSDAI, and 11 (26.8%) showed improvement in ESSPRI. On comparing the favorable (n=17) and unfavorable (n=24) subgroups, the former exhibited significantly lower VAS scores for sicca and depression and XI and ESSPRI scores at baseline (all p<0.05) and more lacrimal flow (p<0.05). The favorable subgroup received a significantly lower cumulative dose of pilocarpine and glucocorticoids (both p<0.05). CONCLUSION: About 25% of pSS patients showed clinically significant ESSPRI improvement and about 40% showed a favorable ESSPRI course. Because the favorable subgroup had more lacrimal flow and less sicca symptoms at baseline, long-term patient-derived outcomes could depend on residual exocrine function at pSS diagnosis.
Depression ; Diagnosis ; Glucocorticoids ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Patient Outcome Assessment ; Pilocarpine ; Quality of Life ; Rheumatic Diseases ; Visual Analog Scale ; Xerophthalmia ; Xerostomia

Despite the modern advance in effective chemotherapy, gastrointestinal tuberculosis is considered to be relatively frequent in developing countries. The ileocecal region is the most common site of intestinal tuberculosis and duodenal involvement is rare. The isolated duodenal tuberculosis are reported 9 cases in Korea. The symptoms and signs of gastrointestinal tuberculosis are nonspecific and vague. In the absence of pulmonary tuberculosis, the diagnosis may be difficult. Pain and vomiting are common symptoms of duodenal tuberculosis. Patients may present with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Therefore, tuberculosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding. We herein report a case of duodenal tuberculosis presenting as hematemesis and necessitating hospitalization. After anti-tuberculosis therapy, we have confirmed the healing of the lesion by the follow-up endoscopy, and review the current literature.
Developing Countries ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drug Therapy ; Endoscopy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematemesis* ; Hemorrhage ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Korea ; Tuberculosis* ; Tuberculosis, Gastrointestinal ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; Vomiting