BACKGROUND: This study was performed to compare the effectiveness of cholesterol-lowering diet therapy instructed by physicians with that instructed by dieticians using techniques that remove regression to the mean. METHODS: 118 patients who visited the office of Family Medicine department in Pusan Paik Hospital from February to November, 1996 and had serum total cholesterol(TC) concentrations greater or equal to 200mg/dL from two measurements were enrolled. The patients were divided into two groups randomly according to the cholesterol-lowering dietary education methods : the one was educated by physicians(Group I), and the other by dieticians(Group II). We evaluated the differences of lipid levels after education in consideration of regression to the mean. RESULTS: The mean reduction in TC concentrations achieved by dietary therapy was 10.7 % and 7.3%(without and with adjustment for regression to the mean) in Group I, and 9.8 and 6.5%(without and with adjustment, for regression to the mean) in Group II. The baseline TC concentrations and TC concentrations after dietary therapy were significantly different in individual group regardless of adjustment for regression to the mean. However, the reduction degrees of TC concentrations were not significantly different between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that even after adjustment for regression to the mean, dietary therapy will achieve the expected reduction. And it seems that the diet education by physicians will be effective as much as that by dieticians.
Busan ; Diet Therapy ; Diet* ; Education ; Humans ; Nutritionists*

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 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had significant physical and psychological impacts on registered nurses (RNs). This study aimed to identify long COVID symptoms and their associated factors specifically among RNs. Methods: This descriptive correlational study’s sample comprised 189 nurses (31.57±5.98 years, 93.7% female) in Korea. Self-reported long COVID symptoms were assessed using the COVID-19 Yorkshire Rehabilitation Scale. Data were collected from December 31, 2022, to January 13, 2023, using the online survey method and were analyzed using independent t-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation, and a multiple linear regression analysis with the IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0 program. Results: A total of 179 participants (94.7%) experienced one or more long COVID symptoms. The most prevalent symptoms were weakness (77.8%), fatigue (68.3%), breathlessness (67.7%), cough/throat sensitivity/voice change (50.3%), and sleep problems (50.3%). The factors related to long COVID symptoms were marital status, type of institution, working time, acute COVID-19 symptoms, and vaccination status. The quarantine period (β=.26, p<.001) and the nursing workforce after COVID-19 (β=-.17, p=.018) were significantly associated with long COVID symptoms (Adjusted R2=.33). Conclusion Providing comprehensive recognition is necessary for the understanding of long COVID symptoms and their associated factors among nurses and could promote a long COVID symptom management education program targeted at nurses. Moreover, it could facilitate effective nursing care and education plans for long COVID patients.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify factors affecting communication ability of nursing students.METHODS: The participants were 140 students in nursing college at the G city. The data were collected using online-questionnaires from July 4 to July 10 2018 and analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, Pearson correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis with SPSS 20.0 program.RESULTS: The results show that communication ability was statistically significant according to self-awareness, other-awareness, empathy. Multiple regression analysis found that the factors influencing communication ability of nursing students were empathy(β=.540), self-awareness(β=.429), other-awareness(β=.375). These variable factors explained community ability as 46.3%.CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that empathy, self-awareness, other-awareness are significant factors of communication ability of nursing students. Therefore, strategies to improve communication ability of nursing students should be developed with consideration for empathy, self-awareness, other-awareness.
Communication ; Empathy ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Nursing ; Residence Characteristics ; Students, Nursing

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a widely used chemical for production of plastics. However occupational asthma (OA) caused by PVC has been reported only rarely. We report a 34-yr-old male wallpaper factory worker with OA due to PVC and nickel (Ni) whose job was mixing PVC with plasticizers. He visited the emergency room due to an asthma attack with moderate airflow obstruction and markedly increased sputum eosinophil numbers. A methacholine challenge test was positive (PC20 2.5 mg/mL). Bronchoprovocation tests with both PVC and Ni showed early and late asthmatic responses, respectively. Moreover, the fractional concentration of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) was increased after challenge with PVC. To our knowledge, this is the first case of OA in Korea induced by exposure to both PVC and Ni. We suggest that eosinophilic inflammation may be involved in the pathogenesis of PVC-induced OA and that FeNO monitoring can be used for its diagnosis.
Adult ; Asthma, Occupational/*chemically induced/*diagnosis ; Breath Tests ; Bronchial Provocation Tests ; Environmental Exposure ; Eosinophilia/*diagnosis ; Exhalation ; Humans ; Leukocyte Count ; Male ; Nickel ; Nitric Oxide/metabolism ; Occupational Exposure ; Plasticizers ; Polyvinyl Chloride

BACKGROUND: The red cell distribution width(RDW) has been reported to be of value in discriminating iron deficiency anemia(IDA) from the anemia of the other causes(non-IDA). The combination of a low MCV and a high RDW may indicate iron deficiency anemia. The purpose of this study was to discriminate IDA from anemia, using automated blood cell count alone. METHODS: We collected 139 cases of anemia in outpatients, with 80 cases of IDA and 59 cases of anemia due to other causes, from July 1995 to September 1996 in department of family medicine, Pusan Paik hospital. RESULTS: The sex distribution was 39(28.1%) in male, 100(71.9%) in female. The age distribution was 15 to 79 year. The hemoglobin level and MCV in IDA(9.5+/-1.6g/dl, 77.5+/-8.9fl) was significantly lower than those in non-IDA(10.1+/-1.5g/dl, 87.6+/-10.5fl)(P=0.042, P<0.001, respectively). And mean RDW in IDA(16.9+/-3.3%) was significantly higher than that in non-IDA(15.1+/-3.2%)(P<0.001). In discriminating IDA from anemia, we drew receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC curves) with each value of MCV and RDW. The cut-off value of MCV was 83fl, and in that value, the sensitivity and specificity were 75.9% and 72.9%, respectively. The cut-off value of RDW was 14.3%, and the sensitivity and specificity were 78.2% and 57.6 %, respectively. We combined each value of MCV with RDW, the cut off value were 83fl of MCV and 14.3% of RDW, and the sensitivity and specificity were 76.3% and 71.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The sensitivity and specificity of MCV, RDW and combination of MCV and RDW were not so high in discriminating IDA from the anemia of the other causes in ambulatory patients.
Age Distribution ; Anemia* ; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency ; Blood Cell Count ; Busan ; Female ; Humans ; Iron ; Male ; Outpatients ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sex Distribution

No abstract available.
Fluconazole* ; Tinea Capitis* ; Tinea*

PURPOSE: To evaluate efficacy and the safety of percutaneous catheter drainage in patients with pneumothorax that is difficult to treat with closed thoracotomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed effectivenss of percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) in 10 patients with pneumothorax. The catheter was inserted under fluoroscopic guidance. Seven patients had spontaneous pneumothorax caused by tuberculosis (n=4), ruptured bullae (n=2), and histiocytosis-X(n=l). Three patients had iatrogenic pneumothorax caused by trauma (n=l) and surgery(n=2). All procedures were performed by modified Seldinger's method by using 8F-20F catheter. RESULTS: All catheters were inserted successfully. In 9 of 10 patients, the procedure was curative without further therapy. Duration of catheter insertion ranged from 1 day to 26 days. In the remaining 1 patient in whom multiple pneumothorax occurred after operation, catheter insertion was performed twice. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous catheter drainage under fluoroscopic guidance is effective and safe procedure for treatment of pneumothorax in patients with failed closed thoracotomy.
Catheters* ; Chest Tubes* ; Drainage* ; Fluoroscopy* ; Humans ; Pneumothorax* ; Retrospective Studies ; Thoracotomy ; Thorax* ; Tuberculosis

PURPOSE: To evaluate efficacy and the safety of percutaneous catheter drainage in patients with pneumothorax that is difficult to treat with closed thoracotomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed effectivenss of percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) in 10 patients with pneumothorax. The catheter was inserted under fluoroscopic guidance. Seven patients had spontaneous pneumothorax caused by tuberculosis (n=4), ruptured bullae (n=2), and histiocytosis-X(n=l). Three patients had iatrogenic pneumothorax caused by trauma (n=l) and surgery(n=2). All procedures were performed by modified Seldinger's method by using 8F-20F catheter. RESULTS: All catheters were inserted successfully. In 9 of 10 patients, the procedure was curative without further therapy. Duration of catheter insertion ranged from 1 day to 26 days. In the remaining 1 patient in whom multiple pneumothorax occurred after operation, catheter insertion was performed twice. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous catheter drainage under fluoroscopic guidance is effective and safe procedure for treatment of pneumothorax in patients with failed closed thoracotomy.
Catheters* ; Chest Tubes* ; Drainage* ; Fluoroscopy* ; Humans ; Pneumothorax* ; Retrospective Studies ; Thoracotomy ; Thorax* ; Tuberculosis

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the awareness of fathers about early childhood parenting. METHODS: Selected fathers of children in early childhood were interviewed, and an open-ended questionnaire was utilized to identify the fathers' awareness of the meaning of parenting, priority for parenting, opinions on paternal roles as a child raiser, parenting difficulties, and what education they wanted to receive as fathers. After their statements were collected, a content analysis was done. RESULTS: Results of the content analysis showed there were 45 significant statements, which were classified into 17 categories. The fathers saw the meaning of parenting as being in five different domains: social, cognitive, emotional, physical and environmental. As for paternal roles, they thought that a fathers should serve as emotional supporters. The parenting difficulties that they faced were attributed to time constraints. CONCLUSION: For fathers, development of parent education programs that deal with early childhood parenting knowledge, communication methods and how to play with children according to their developmental stages are required, and qualitative research should be implemented to keep track of the process of changes in parenting characteristics.
Child* ; Education ; Fathers* ; Humans ; Parenting* ; Parents* ; Qualitative Research ; Surveys and Questionnaires