Objectives: This study analyzed the decline in quality of life according to age in the chronic disease patient group, quantified it as a quantitative index, and compared it by sex and chronic disease. Methods: In the 2017-2019 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database, 11,473 adults aged 19 years or older, excluding cancer patients, were analyzed for age-specific changes in the EQ-5D Index by chronic disease. The decline in quality of life according to age in patients with chronic diseases was analyzed by linear regression analysis while controlling for general characteristics. Then, linear regression analysis was performed according to sex. Results: In the case of the control group, the quality of life decreased by 0.0004 for every 1-year increase in age(P<0.001). By chronic disease, asthma(β=0.0019, P<0.001), arthritis(β=0.0017, P=0.002), thyroid disease(β=0.0016, P=0.015), dyslipidemia(β=0.0011, P=0.020), and hypertension(β=0.0009, P=0.027) mostly showed a greater decrease in quality of life than the control group. In addition, when divided into two groups by sex, hypertension(β=0.0012, P=0.029), thyroid disease(β=0.0041, P=0.038), and arthritis(β=0.0022, P<0.001) showed a significant decrease in quality of life only in male. Diabetes(β=0.0056, P=0.038), dyslipidemia(β=0.0022, P=0.001) significantly decreased quality of life only in female. Conclusions Chronic disease had a negative impact on patients perception of quality of life, and the more severe the pain and activity limitation due to the chronic disease, the more severe it was. It also showed different patterns according to sex. Therefore, it is necessary to allocate more medical resources and provide policy support to prevent chronic diseases, which are serious social problems.

BACKGROUND: The prognosis after an aortic valve replacment can be affected significantly by the transprosthetic pressure gradient which is determined mainly by the size of the patients body and the prosthesis used. We analyzed the hemodynamic feature of two relatively new prosthese the ATS and the evensized Medtronic-Hall(M-H) valves by measuring the transprosthetic pressure gradient in the cases where small sizes (23mm or smaller) were used. MATERIAL AND METHOD: There were 94 patients who received whom aortic valve replacement with prosthesis smaller than 23 mm from October 1994 to June 1998. In these patients the transprosthetic pressure gradient clalculated from the pressure half time during postoperative Dopper echocardiographic examination was compared between the prostheses of different sizes. The body surface area of each patient was also taken into consideration. RESULT: The mean pressure gradient and body surface area in each group were 21.7+/-10.2 mmHg and 1.52+/-0.14m2 in ATS 19mm 11.4+/-6.5 mmHg and 1,57+/-0.20m2 in M-H 20mm 15.2+/-6.3 mmHg and 1.54+/-0.13m2 in ATS 21mm 9.3+/-2.5 mmHg and 1.63 +/-0.14m2 in M-H 22 mm and 12.9+/-5.3 mmHg and 1.69+/-0.13m2 in ATS 23mm. CONCLUSIONS: The 19mm ATS prosthesis showed significant trasprosthetic pressure gradient which is similar to the values previously reported with other bileaflet prosthesesm Close follow-up was needed in terms of exercise capacity and change in left ventiricular geometry. In patients with small aortic valve annulus the 20mm M-H valve is recomendable as an alternative to 19mm bileaflet valves because it has less pressure gradient with similar outer diameter.
Aortic Valve* ; Body Surface Area ; Echocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Valve Prosthesis ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Prostheses and Implants*

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to review the clinical course after the correction of noncomplicated ventricular septal defect and to analyze the morbidity and risk factors of postoperative complications and evaluate residual defect during the follow-up period. MATERIAL AND METHOD: From September 1994 to June 1998 24 patients(median age 10 months) underwent surgery under the diagnosis of ventricular septal defect. We made a retrospective review of the clinical records including the operation notes critical care unit records echocardiography results and the follow-up records. RESULT: There was no early mortality nd late mortality. There was no postoperative complete conduction block. Respiratory complication was the most common complication. The body weight age type of ventricular septal defect associated anomalies and operative procedure were not related to the incidence of complications. residual ventricular septal defects aortic valve regurgitation and tricuspid valve regurgitation were insignificant in postoperative hemodynamics, CONCLUSIONS: Correction of the noncomplicated ventricular septal defect was done without mortality and complete heart block. Aggressive preoperative medical treatment and early surgical treatment may decrease postoperative complications. Postoperative residual shunt and tricuspid regurgitation were not problematic during the follow-up.
Aortic Valve ; Body Weight ; Critical Care ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Block ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular* ; Hemodynamics ; Incidence ; Mortality ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency

No abstract available.
Animals ; Calcium* ; Humans* ; Osteogenesis* ; Rats*

PURPOSE: If bone grafts and guided tissue regeneration are effective individually in treating osseous defects, then the question is, what would happen when they are combined. Bone grafts using Calcium Carbonate(Biocoral) and Guided Tissue Regeneration using Calcium Sulfate(CALMATRIX) will maximize their advantages and show the best clinical results in intrabony defects. This study was to compare the effects of a combination of CS and CC with control treated only with modified widman flap in a periodontal repair of intrabony defects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 30 patients with chronic periodontitis were used in this study. 10 patients were treated with a combination of CS and CC as the experimental groupII and another 10 patients were treated with CC as the experimental groupI, and the remaining 10 patients, the control group were treated only with modified widman flap. Clinical parameters including probing depth, gingival recession, bone probing depth and loss of attachment were recorded 6 months later. RESULTS: The probing depth changes were 3.30+/-1.34 mm in the control group, 4.2+/-1.55 mm in the experimental groupI(CC) and 5.00+/-1.33 mm in the experimental groupII(CS+CC). They all showed a significant decrease 6 months after surgery(p <0.01). There was a significant difference(p <0.05) between the control and experimental group. However there were no significant difference(p <0.05) between the experimental groupIand II. The gingival recession changes w -1.30+/-1.25 mm in the control group, This is a significant difference(p <0.01). However, there was a -0.50+/-0.53 mm change in the experimental groupI(CC) and -0.60+/-0.97 mm in the experimental groupII(CS+CC). In addition, in terms of gingival recession, there was a no significance difference(p <0.05) among the groups. The clinical attachment level changes were 2.00+/-1.33 mm in the control group, 3.60+/-1.58 mm in the experimental groupI(CC) and 4.40+/-1.17 mm in the experimental groupII(CS+CC). They all showed a significant decrease 6 months after surgery(p <0.01). There was a significant difference(p <0.05) between the control and experimental group. However there was a no significance difference(p <0.05) between the experimental groupI andII. The bone probing depth changes were 0.60+/-0.52 mm in the control group, 3.20+/-1.48 mm in the experimental groupI (CC) and 4.60+/-1.43 mm in the experimental groupII(CS+CC). All of them showed a significant decrease 6 months after surgery(p <0.01), there was a significance difference(p <0.05) among the groups. CONCLUSION: Treatment using a combination of CS and CC have a potential to improve periodontal parameters in intrabony defects and More efficient clinical results can be expected in intrabony defects less than 2 walls grafted with CS and CC.
Calcium ; Calcium Carbonate ; Calcium Sulfate ; Chronic Periodontitis ; Gingival Recession ; Guided Tissue Regeneration ; Humans ; Transplants

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the Sonicare Elite(R) power toothbrush in plaque removal and reduction of gingivitis from hard-to-reach sites of the moderate periodontitis compared to regular manual toothbrush in 12 week follow-up. 82 subjects with incipient to moderate periodontitis were randomly assigned to use either the manual or sonic brush, instructed in its use, and asked to brush 2 times a day for 2 minutes. Plaque scores were taken at baseline, 1, 4, 12 weeks using Silness & Loe plaque index and gingival inflammation was assessed by the Loe & Silness gingival index. The results were as follows. 1. The Sonicare Elite(R) power toothbrush showed a significant reduction(p<0.0001) of the plaque( Silness & Loe) and gingival inflammation(Loe & Silness). 2. The Sonicare Elite(R) power toothbrush showed a significant better reduction of plaque and gingivitis(p<0.05) than the manual toothbrush after 1, 4, and 12 weeks. 3. The Sonicare Elite(R) power toothbrush demonstrated a significant reduction(p<0.0001) of the plaque in interproximal sites(p<0.0001), buccal sites(p<0.0001) and the lingual sites(p=0.0018) of the teeth. 4. The Sonicare Elite(R) power toothbrush demonstrated a significant reduction(p<0.0001) of the gingival inflammation in the interproximal sites(p<0.0001), the buccal sites(p<0.0001) and the lingual sites(p<0.0001) of the teeth. The results of this study support the findings that Sonicare Elite(R) power toothbrush has a great potential to remove the plaque and resolve the gingival inflammation during the period of 12 week.
Follow-Up Studies ; Gingivitis ; Inflammation* ; Periodontal Index ; Periodontitis* ; Tooth

A study on fibronectin, which is synthesized in response to inflammatory process of joint destruction, can be of great value in identifying the mechanism of inflammation or disease activity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study attempts to measure the concentrations of total fibronectin in synovial fluid of patients with RA and osteoarthritis (OA), and compare it with the clinical disease activity parameters of RA available. A total 68 patients suffering from knee pain and joint effusion was examined. Synovial fluids of thirty-eight RA patients and thirty OA patients were measured by using monoclonal fibronectin antibody. Cross-sectional analysis was undertaken to correlate the fibronectin levels of the RA patients with the clinical disease activity parameters available. RESULTS: 1. Mean synovial fibronectin level of RA (148.4+/-72.6 microgram/ml) was significantly higher than that of OA (39.5+/-16.9 microgram/ml)(p<0.001). 2. The fibronectin levels in RA do not seem to have significant relationship with the parameters such as disease duration, the duration of morning stiffness, Ritchie index, ESR, CRP, and rheumatoid factor. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the synovial total fibronectin concentration can clearly distinguish RA from OA. However, it would be unlikely to be used as a parameter of disease activity.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Fibronectins* ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Joints ; Knee ; Osteoarthritis ; Rheumatoid Factor ; Synovial Fluid