PURPOSE: This study was to examine the effects of the hypertension self-help program on knowledge, self-efficacy, self-management compliance, and physiological parameters for workers with hypertension. METHODS: The subjects of study were 54 patients with hypertension, divided into 28 of experimental group and 26 of control group, working in a general work place located in K city from June to September, 2009. Experiment treatment was a 12-week self-care program given for two hours, once a week. RESULTS: After conducting a self-help program, the experimental group showed significant increase in knowledge level, self-efficacy, self-management compliance, and physiological parameters including blood pressure, BMI, total cholesterol level, neutral fat, and LDL-cholesterol of blood lipids compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: This program is greatly recommended for workshops.
Blood Pressure ; Cholesterol ; Compliance ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypogonadism ; Mitochondrial Diseases ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Self Care ; Workplace

No abstract available.
Scoliosis*

No abstract available.
Diagnosis* ; Ossification, Heterotopic* ; Risk Factors* ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord*

We present here a brief literature review and a case study of postpartum pulmonary arterial hypertension, a rare and progressive disease with a high maternal mortality rate. The patient, a 32-year-old woman, presented with dyspnea and shivering immediately following an uncomplicated vaginal delivery. The patient had no remarkable individual or familial history. She died 4 hours after her delivery, and an autopsy revealed atherosclerosis of the main pulmonary arteries and characteristic plexiform lesions on the lung. The remaining organs showed no remarkable pathology. We reported pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with pregnancy as the cause of death.
Adult ; Atherosclerosis ; Autopsy ; Cause of Death ; Death, Sudden ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Lung ; Maternal Mortality ; Pathology ; Postpartum Period* ; Pregnancy ; Pulmonary Artery ; Shivering

OBJECTIVE:To compare pregnancy outcomes between obese and nonobese women and to determine the effect of gestational weight gain on pregnancy outcome in obese women. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted comparing 100 obese and 300 nonobese women who delivered a singleton live birth at Yeungnam university hospital from June 1998 to Dec 1998. Morbid obesity was defined as a body mass index greater than 30. The incidence of selected perinatal and neonatal outcome was assessed for two groups. RESULTS: Morbidly obese patients were more likly to experience pregnancy complications including gestational diabetes mellitus, preeclampsia, placental abruption, fetal distress, meconium aspiration, cesarean delivery & birth trauma. However, these were not affected by gestational weight gain in morbidly obese women. Weight gains more than 12kg were strongly associated with birth of a large for gestational age(LGA) neonate, however, poor weight gain did not appear to incrcase the risk of delivery of a low birth weight neonate. CONCLUSION: To optimize fetal growth, weight gain of 7-12kg for obese women appear to be appropriate. To reduce the risk of delivery of an LGA neonate, the optimal gestational weight gain for obese women should not exceed 12kg.
Abruptio Placentae ; Body Mass Index ; Cohort Studies ; Diabetes, Gestational ; Female ; Fetal Development ; Fetal Distress ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Live Birth ; Meconium Aspiration Syndrome ; Obesity* ; Obesity, Morbid ; Parturition ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; Pregnancy Outcome* ; Pregnancy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Weight Gain

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of intramuscular botulinum toxin A injection in cerebral palsy. We studied 25 children with cerebral palsy(age 3 to 20 years old). Among them, 14 children were spastic diplegia; 5 were athetoid quadriplegia; 3 were spastic hemiplegia; and 3 were mixed type(spasticity and athetosis). Botulinum toxin A was injected into the target muscle groups with electromyographic guidance. The dose was calculated in unit/body weight basis. Followup assessments were performed at 1 and 3 months after injection. After injection, 11 out of 16 children(68.8%) had a one-level improvement in ambulatory status. The passive range of joint motion increased significantly after injection. Modified Ashworth scale decreased significantly after injection. In 23 out of 25 children, there were a significant increase of the mean GMFM(gross motor function measure) total score and mean GMFM scores for all dimensions at three months after injection. There were the distant effects after injection in spastic diplegia. In conclusion, botulinum toxin A tretment would improve the motor function and ambulatory status in cerebral palsy by reducing hypertonicity, spasticity, dynamic contracture and athetoid movement.
Athetosis ; Botulinum Toxins* ; Cerebral Palsy* ; Child ; Contracture ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemiplegia ; Humans ; Joints ; Muscle Spasticity ; Quadriplegia

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of intramuscular botulinum toxin A injection for the improvement of hand function in spastic hemiplegia. METHOD: We have studied 8 patients with spastic hemiplegia. Botulinum toxin A was injected into target muscles with electromyographic guidance. Before injection, muscle activity patterns were evaluated by dynamic electromyography. Follow-up assessments were performed at three months after injection. RESULTS: There were continuous activity patterns in all dynamic electromyography of target muscles. Dynamic electromyography of antagonist muscles in five patients showed normal phasic activity pattern but it showed absent pattern in other three patients. Mean modified Ashworth scale decreased significantly after injection. There were an improvement in functional classification and a significant increase of mean scores of unilateral hand skills after injection in patients with normal phasic pattern of antagonist muscles. CONCLUSION: Botulinum toxin A can improve the impaired hand movement and function in spastic hemiplegia by reducing spasticity and contracture of the target muscles in cases of normal phasic activity in antagonist muscles and continuous activity in target muscles.
Botulinum Toxins* ; Classification ; Contracture ; Electromyography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hand* ; Hemiplegia* ; Humans ; Muscle Spasticity* ; Muscles

No abstract available.
Cytomegalovirus Infections*

PURPOSE: This study was aimed to analyze the incidence and the anatomical distributions of HME (Hereditary Multiple Exostoses) on upper limbs and its related change in alignment of the upper limbs in HME patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty eight patients who had been diagnosed HME between 2001 and 2009, were categorized into two groups; (1) group A (1-2 involvements); (2) group B (> or =3 involvements). We checked the carrying angle, VAS (Visual Analogue Scale), limitations in daily activities, cosmetic satisfaction according to the number of exostoses invasion. RESULTS: Among the 38 patients, 23 patients (43 cases) had exostoses in the upper limbs. The locations of exostoses in the upper limbs were proximal humerus in 33 cases (30%), distal ulna in 31 cases (28.2%), and distal radius in 24 cases (21.8%). The carrying angle of group A and B was 10.7degrees, 13.8degrees, VAS was 1.3, 3.5, and the limitations in daily activities was 7.3, 6.6 of 8 points. The cosmetic satisfactory cases were 13 and 10 cases, respectively. CONCLUSION: The deformity in upper limbs was observed in 65% of the HME patients. As the number of invasion increases, carrying angle and VAS were increased but limitations in daily activities and cosmetic satisfaction were decreased.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Cosmetics ; Exostoses ; Exostoses, Multiple Hereditary ; Humans ; Humerus ; Incidence ; Lifting ; Radius ; Ulna ; Upper Extremity

The thoracic and lumbar spine fractures were usually combined with neurological deficit. But the prognostic factors in degree of neurological damage and process of the recovery are controversial. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the factors affected neurological injury and the recovery. The 31 cases who had been performed surgical interventions due to traumatic thoracic or lumbar spine fractures with the neurological deficits were studied according to the radiographic findings of the spinal columns and neurological changes of the injured cord and/or the roots. The duration of mean follow-up was 32.6 months, and all cases were evaluated by motor index score and Frankel grade. Total cases were divided into complete paralytic (N=8) and partial paralytic(N=23) group. In incomplete paraplegia group, the neurological recovery rate was better than complete group(P < 0.001) and neurological recovery period was shorter than complete group (P=0.005). The neurologic deficits according to the Frankel grade were higher in Chance fracture, flexion-distraction and translation (complete paraplegia: 4/7 cases, 57.1%) than unstable bursting fracture (complete paraplegia: 4/24 cases, 16.7%)(P=0.031). The recovery rate of Chance fracture, flexion-distraction and translation were worse than unstable bursting fracture (0.001). The fracture which occurred in T5-11 showed higher incidence of complete paraplegia(75%) compared with that of the T12-L1(30.8%) & L2-4(7.1%)(p=0.021). The neurological recovery in motor index score in L2-4 was higher than T5-11 or T12-L1(P=0.0017). There was no correlation in kyphotic deformity and anterior body height loss between complete and incomplete paraplegia groups. But the A-P diameter of compromised neural canal showed significant difference between complete and incomplete paraplegia group(P=0.027)
Body Height ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Incidence ; Neural Tube ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Paraplegia ; Spine