No abstract available.
Female* ; Humans ; Prune Belly Syndrome*

PURPOSE: It is well known that use of intranenous methylprednisolone(IVMP)for the patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura(ITP) is not only as effective as use of intravenous gammaglobulin to mincrease platelets quickly, but also the former is less expensive than the latter. As the adequate dosage of IVMP has not been fully elucidated, we have tried to determine it. METHODS: The subjects were 35 childhood patients below 15 years of age, who were diagnosed with ITP for the first time and whose platelet count was less than 20,000/mm(3) at diagnosis. We divided them into three groups : Group A included 8 cases with IVMP dosage of 5mg/kg/day, Group B included 9 patients with IVMP dosage of 10mg/kg/day, and group C included 18 patients with IVMP dosage of 20mg/kg/day. We checked the platelet count every day after IVMP administration daily for 5 days and also observed for side effects if any. RESULTS: After IVMP administration, we obseved increasing tendency of platelets in all three groups, of which group C was more rapid and higher in increasing platelets than the other groups(p<0.05). After IVMP therapy for 5 days, cases with platelets>20,000/mm(3) were 6(75%) in group A, 7(78%) in group B, and 18(100%) in group C. Cases with platelets >50,000/mm(3) were 5(63%), 6(67%), 17(94%) in groups A, B, C, respectively, and cases with platelets> 100,000/mm(3) were 3(38%), 5(56%), 14(78%), in group A, B, C, respectively. And there were no remarkable side effects except a case of transient hypertensive headache in group C. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that the effectiveness of IVMP therapy for increasing platelets was more rapid and higher in group C than in group A or B, and side effect was minimal.
Child* ; Diagnosis ; Headache ; Humans ; Methylprednisolone* ; Platelet Count ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic*

BACKGROUND: The interest of medicine was moved from disease treatment to disease prevention and health promotion. Especially, there has been marked increased interest in health promotion recently. Perception and health behaviors held or acquired during medical training can influence the acceptance and prevention strategies. This exploratory study surveyed medical and non-medical student to assess both preventive health behaviors and perception, to find relations of personal behaviors and corresponding perception. METHODS: This survey were conducted 140 medical students and 131 non-medical students in one big city. Data were obtained by self-reported questionnaire. Weschler survey was adapted to assess perception toward preventive behavior, and Fantastic lifestyle was adapt,ed to assess health behavior. RESULTS: Among the questionnaire of perception of preventive behavior, quitting cigarette smoking ranked highest frequency as very important in medical student. In non-medical student, use seat-belt is ranked highest frequency. Mean score of FANTASTIC lifestyle is 29.98 in medical student, 28.86 in non-medical. The result show significant relationship between st,udent-reported behavior and corresponding perception in 6 qestionnaire that is eat breakfast, moderate or no alcohol use, eliminate smoking, use seat belt, limit coffee, get seven hours sleep. CONCLUSIONS: In comparing medical and non-medical students, health perception and health behavior were no significant difference. Overall, the result indicated that the preponderance of respondents that is engaging in health behaviors are high in health perception.
Breakfast ; Coffee ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Health Behavior* ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Life Style ; Seat Belts ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Students, Medical

PURPOSE: There has been a number of reports on elution of bisphenol-A, an endocrine disrupting chemical, from milk bottles, all concerning the potential health effect of the substance. In this study, we measured the elution of bisphenol-A from milk bottles during boiling-water sterilization, to suggest a safe sterilization method. METHOD: Through the survey of 200 mothers, 78.5% of them expressed their concern on the possible harmful effect of bisphenol-A, which might be eluted from the bottles. And it was found that most mothers use boiling-water to sterilize bottles; duration of boiling bottles could be divided into three groups of 3, 5, and 10 minutes. We measured the elution of bisphenol- A from three different brands of bottles, subject to various mode of sterilization found in the survey. RESULT: In all the measurements, the concentration of the eluted bisphenol-A was in the range of 0.3 - 0.7 ppb, far below 2.5ppm, the level set up by Korea Food & Drug Administration(KFDA) for a potential harmful effect. CONCLUSION: Although trace amount of bisphenol -A can be eluted from polycarbonate milk bottles during sterilization, and bottle feeding, the amount is found to be too small to cause any health related impact for infants.
Bottle Feeding ; Disinfection* ; Humans ; Infant ; Korea ; Milk ; Mothers ; Sterilization ; Child Health

No abstract available.
Cranial Nerve Diseases ; Granuloma, Plasma Cell* ; Polychondritis, Relapsing*

BACKGROUND: The control of multidrug-resistant microorganisms (MDROs) is important in preventing healthcare-associated infections. We performed a survey to evaluate the current system for control of MDROs in general hospitals in Korea. METHODS: A questionnaire consisted of queries about infection control systems, personnel, antibiotic use monitoring systems, isolation and barrier precautions, and obstacles to and opinions about MDROs. The questionnaire was mailed to 145 hospitals with more than 300 beds in November 2005. RESULTS: One hundred and two of the 145 (70.3%) hospitals responded; 65.3% of the responded hospitals had antibiotics control programs and 96.0% of those had control programs for MDROs. Surveillance cultures for vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were taken in 21.6% and 16.7% of the hospitals, respectively. Over 90% of the hospitals had guidelines with respect to wearing gloves, collecting infectious wastes, and cleaning the environment for MRSA and VRE, but less than a half of the hospitals had the same standard for extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing gram-negative bacteria and carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria. Most hospitals recommended gowning when contamination or invasive procedures were anticipated, but for VRE patients, gowns were used more strictly whenever there was contact with MDROs. Major obstacles related to isolation of patients infected or colonized with MDROs were the cost for isolation rooms (37.3%), and proposed solutions were reimbursement from the medical insurance company (86.3%), construction of a nationwide management system (61.8%), and effort by individual hospitals (58.8%) for MDROs infection control. CONCLUSION: Most of the hospitals have adopted control programs, but more needs to be done. Further efforts, including periodic reporting of antibiotic resistance, sufficient cost reimbursement, and providing education and increased awareness are urgently needed.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Colon ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Education ; Enterococcus ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; Hospitals, General* ; Humans ; Infection Control* ; Insurance ; Korea* ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Postal Service ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Kidney Transplantation* ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract*

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Complete information on migraine-related disabilities facilitate the making of appropriate treatment decisions. Although the accessibility and ease of use of the Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6) make it a very promising instrument, there are few data available for comparing HIT-6 scores with the actual amount of disability. METHODS: To determine whether the disability measured using the HIT-6 questionnaire realistically reflects the amount of disability as extracted from a headache diary, which would help when deciding a management plan, 130 patients with migraine without aura were instructed to complete a headache diary on the days on which headache occurred. Each diary booklet also contained questions on the resulting disability, and comprised five items originating from the Migraine Disability Assessment Scale. After submitting their diaries, the participants completed the HIT-6 for the same time period. RESULTS: Disability as recorded in diaries was present for a mean of 2.7 days per month, and its duration differed significantly with HIT-6 score: 0.9, 2.6, and 4.6 days per month for littleto-no impact, moderate impact, and severe impact, respectively. The summed disability score from diaries was also related to the HIT-6 score. Headache frequency was the only headache characteristic that contributed significantly to the HIT-6 score. CONCLUSIONS:This study demonstrates that the HIT-6 could be useful for assessing headache-related disability in migraine patients, especially given that the questionnaire is both simple and ease of use.
Headache ; Humans ; Migraine Disorders ; Migraine without Aura ; Pamphlets ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: C1q nephropathy (C1qN) is a controversial diagnostic entity defined by Jennette and Hipp in 1985. The prevalence is very low and a few large scale studies have been reported. Application of the criteria for clinical diagnostics of C1qN may cause confusion with other glomerulonephropathies, such as minimal change disease (MCD) or focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). In order to clarify the confusion with glomerulonephropathies, we did this study to identify the clinicopathological characteristics and the exact disease entity of C1qN. METHODS: A total of 5,258 kidney biopsies at Kangnam St Mary's Hospital were reviewed. Twenty three cases (0.44%) met the criteria of C1qN. Twenty eight cases showing dominant C1q deposits without electron dense depostis (EDD) grouped as C1q+EDD-, and previously diagnosed typical cases of MCD and FSGS were selected for this study. Four groups were compared to each other with regard to the clinical and pathological aspects of the disease. RESULTS: C1qN patients had an average age of 30.4 years. Eighteen were males and 5 were females. Eighty seven percent had proteinuria and 18% had hematuria. By electron microscopy analysis, 100% had mesangial EDD and 47.8% showed foot process effacement. C1qN had some significant differences compared with C1q+EDD-, MCD and FSGS. CONCLUSIONS: C1qN is clinically and morphologically different from MCD and FSGS. However, additional long term studies are needed to fully define C1qN from other glomerulonephritis with C1q deposits.
Biopsy ; Complement C1q ; Corneal Dystrophies, Hereditary ; Electrons ; Female ; Foot ; Glomerulonephritis ; Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Kidney ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Nephrosis, Lipoid ; Phenanthridines ; Prevalence ; Proteinuria

Exogenous glucocorticoid has anti-inflammatory effect to reduce symptoms and signs of rheumatoid arthritis. However there are few reports about the role of endogenous glucocorticoid in rheumatoid arthritis. Recently we experienced a case of rheumatoid arthritis developed in a female patient with Cushing's disease as her cortisol level decreased during medical management of hypercortisolemia. She underwent trans-sphenoidal surgery for Cushing's disease (pituitary microadenoma). Six years after surgery she had disease recurrence and received brain radiotherapy and ketoconazole medication. Four years later she developed seronegative rheumatoid arthritis. 24 hour urine cortisol level was below the normal value at that time. Polyarthralgia improved with prednisolone (5mg/day). But polyarthralgia was aggravated as cortisol level decreased below the normal value after prednisolone was discontinued. This case and previous reports suggest that the development and aggravation of rheumatoid arthritis is associated with relative cortisol deficiency, or alteration of balance between neuroendocrine system(hypothalamic- pituitary-adrenal axis) and inflammatory process.
Arthralgia ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Brain ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Ketoconazole ; Prednisolone ; Radiotherapy ; Recurrence ; Reference Values