OBJECTIVES: In order to standardize the CRP, ESR and WBC count after three types of spinal surgery and get clinical usefulness from these laboratory dadas after spinal surgery and clincal usefulness of laboratory datas. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Three groups of patients(microdisectomy, anterior and posterior fusion) were chosen for the study. CRP, ESR and WBC levels were prospectively determined before surgery and at days 1-5, 10, 14,21 and 42 after surgery. RESULTS: In all patients, preoperative normal CRP level(<10mg/L) increased, reaching peak levels on the second day after anterior fusion(84.6mg/L), and at the third day after microdiscectomy(54.5mg/L) and posterolateral intercorporal fusion(152.2mg/L), with normalization in 5-10 days. Preoperative normal ESR level increased to peak level on the forth day after microdiscectomy(33.0mm/hr), and increased double peak levels after anterior(postoperative days 2&5) and posterolateral intercorporal fusion(postoperative days 3&5). ESR followed by a slow and irregular decrease, and at 42 days after surgery often remained elevated. WBC increased to variable peak level within normal limit in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: The rapid decline in CRP will probably be interrupted by a second rise or persisting elevation if infection occurs. CRP is presumably a better test than ESR for early detection of postoperative infection.
Blood Sedimentation* ; C-Reactive Protein* ; Erythrocytes* ; Humans ; Prospective Studies

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the factors affecting sleeping patterns among hospitalized elderly. METHODS: A descriptive correlational study was conducted. Participants were 121 hospitalized elderly in a hospital located in a county. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, and stepwise multiple regression. RESULTS: Almost a half of hospitalized elderly in this study suffer from sleep disturbances. As results of univariate analyses, physical symptoms, anxiety, depression, and environmental factors disturbed sleep among hospitalized elderly. However, the result of stepwise multiple regression analysis identified that anxiety and environmental factors were significant predictors of sleeping patterns for hospitalized elderly and these two factors accounted 32.5% of variance of sleeping patterns among hospitalized elderly. CONCLUSION: Sleep assessment should be conducted on admission to identify sleep difficulties and thereby to improve quality of nursing care. Nurses and other health care personnels should make efforts to decrease anxiety and to eliminate environmental barriers of sleep among hospitalized elderly. Educational programs for nursing staff that offer information about sleep and sleep promoting interventions for the elderly patients are critical. Moreover, sleep promotion intervention program should be developed, applied and evaluated.
Aged ; Anxiety ; Data Collection ; Delivery of Health Care ; Depression ; Humans ; Nursing Care ; Nursing Staff ; Sleep Wake Disorders ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Adult* ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Humans ; Ventriculostomy*

Clinical observations were made on 349 cases of acute drug intoxication who were visited to emergency room of Yeungnam University Hospital during recent 7 years from January 1984 to December 1990. The following results were obtained. 1) Total number of cases of acute drug intoxication was 349 which was 0.39% of the total patients of the emergency room during the same period. 2) The ratio of male to female was 1.1:1. The age incidence was highest in the third decade (26.7%). The monthly incidence was highest in May. Higher frequency was observed in summer season. 3) The most common drug of the intoxication was pesticides and herbicides (71.9%), the remainders were miscellaneous drugs (11.2%), sedatives (7.7%), rodenticides (6.3%) and unknown drug (3.2%) in orders. 4) The most common cause of drug intoxication was suicide (69.1%) and the others were accident, unknown cause, intention in orders. 5) Main clinical manifestations were the impairment of consciousness, nausea, vomiting and convulsion. Physical examination revealed increased pulses, increased blood pressure, miosis of the pupil and sweating. Above symptoms and signs were more prominent in pesticide intoxication. Leukocytosis, glycosuria and abnormal LFT were common findings in acute intoxications. 6) The complications were developed in 18.3% among 349 cases and the most common complication was respiratory failure, pneumonia, cardiovascular collapse and pulmonary edema in orders. 7) Overall mortality rate was 8.3% of total cases and mortality rate was highest in herbicide intoxication (22.2%).
Blood Pressure ; Consciousness ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Glycosuria ; Herbicides ; Humans ; Hypnotics and Sedatives ; Incidence ; Intention ; Leukocytosis ; Male ; Miosis ; Mortality ; Nausea ; Pesticides ; Physical Examination ; Pneumonia ; Pulmonary Edema ; Pupil ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Rodenticides ; Seasons ; Seizures ; Suicide ; Sweat ; Sweating ; Vomiting

No abstract available.
Constriction, Pathologic* ; Decompression* ; Laminectomy*

BACKGROUND: Among the various mechanisms of Myocardial reperfusion injuries, neutrophil is thought to be one of them. Endogenous coronary vasodilator adenosine is known to have myocardial protective effect through variable pharmacologic action, influencing the function of several cell types involved in the pathogenesis of myocardial reperfusion injury. This study was designed to determine the beneficial effect of adenosine on the left ventricular function during reperfusion and whether this effect is due to the adenosine on the role of neutrophil. METHODS: 27 open-chest cats were randomly divided into 3 groups. 6 cats received ischemic injury without reperfusion(group 1). 21 cats were subjected to 60 minutes of proximal left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion followed by a 60-minute reperfusion. 11 of 21 cats received intravenous adenosine(0.15mg/Kg/min) infusion starting 5 minutes before reperfusion throughout the entire period(group 3). 10 cats received equal volume of saline instead of adenosine(group 2). RESULTS: 1) During the experimental period, significant decrease of heart rate, blood pressure, RPI, negative dP/dT and increase of LVEDP were noted in group 2 and 3 with no difference between the two groups. The reduction of positve dP/dT was more significant in group 2 at 30 and 60 minute of reperfusion than the preocclusion value(1404+/-111, 1631+/-161 vs 1832+/-169mmHg/sec at baseline, p<0.05). In contrast, positive dP/dT in group 3 at 30 and 60 minute of reperfusion were similar to baseline values(1890+/-92, 2052+/-112 vs 2025+/-227mmHg/sec at baseline, p=NS). These were significantly higher(p<0.05) than untreated group 2. 2) Infarct size was significantly reduced in adenosine-treated group 3, when expressed as a percentage of the area at risk(28.4+/-3.3% vs 44.5+/-3.2% of group 2, p<0.05). The significant increase in myeloperoxidase activity observed after reperfusion was not detected in adenosine treated group 3.(0.18+/-0.05 vs 0.46+/-0.09 unit/100mg wet tissue weight, p<0.05). A significant correlation was present between infarct size (% of left ventricle) and myeloperoxidase activity(r=0.72, p<0.01). 3) Light microscopic examination demonstrated the decreased acute interstitial and intra vascular inflammatory infiltration and capillary plugging together with decreased tendency of incidence of contraction band necrosis in adenosine treated group 3. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that intravenous administration of adenosine during the early reperfusion period significantly reduces infarct size, improving the early recovery of global ventricular function. The probable cause is the effect of adenosine on neutrophil as one of the various protective mechanisms of adenosine in feline heart model subjected to coronary occlusion and reperfusion, 60 minutes each.
Adenosine* ; Administration, Intravenous ; Animals ; Blood Pressure ; Capillaries ; Cats ; Coronary Occlusion ; Coronary Vessels ; Heart Rate ; Heart* ; Incidence ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury* ; Myocardial Reperfusion* ; Necrosis ; Neutrophils ; Peroxidase ; Reperfusion ; Reperfusion Injury ; Ventricular Function ; Ventricular Function, Left

1. Evaluation of the Neural Injury For evaluation of neural injury from the thoracolumbar spine fracture, we should know the type and extent of injury. In case of the complete Spinal Cord Injury( SCI - Frankel classification A), they will not only lose the spinal cord function permanently distal to the injury site, but also show the probability 0~9% from Frankel A to D or E. But in case of the incomplete SCI, they will show sacral sparing and some kind of function will be recovered. The anticipation of recovery from the SCI depend on the results of neurologic examination after the spinal shock. If they have motor sparing, 86% of patients show the recovery of motor function during the first 6 month. The factor that influence to neurologic recovery are the initial kyphosis angle and canal compromising pattern, and do not influenced by treatmet methods. 2. The Factor of the Neural Injury Recovery 1) Conservative treatment in acute stage The inital pathophysiology of SCI is the mechanical injury, but secondary injury will be occur by impairment of blood supply and biochemical alteration, formation of free radial, release of glutamic acid, calcium influx, lipid peroxidation. Immediate methylprednisolone could minimize the spinal cord inury during the first 8 hours, and other GM-1 ganglioside, naloxone, TRH, spinal cord cooling, hyperbaric theraphy will be helpful. 2) Surgical treatment The factor influence the recovery of SCI (1) time interval injury to operation, (2)decompression of neural element, (3) reduction of fractured fragment. 3) Management of the Residual chronic stage Most common cause of death in SCI is urinary complication. We always should consider the improvement bladder function in SCI and the maintenance of low bladder pressure and feel free a bladder symptom.
Calcium ; Cause of Death ; Classification ; Glutamic Acid ; Humans ; Kyphosis ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Methylprednisolone ; Naloxone ; Neurologic Examination ; Shock ; Spinal Cord ; Spine* ; Urinary Bladder

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate factors affecting the experience of depression in school-aged children from multicultural families. METHODS: Data from 1,812 school-aged children of multicultural families were collected from the 2015 National Multicultural Family Survey. Logistic regression was conducted based on complex sample analysis using SAS 9.4. RESULTS: Significant predictors for experiencing depression were lower self-esteem, lower Korean proficiency, less time spent conversing with the father, lower degree of parental interest, poorer school adjustment, greater difficulties with schoolwork, and experiencing violence at school. CONCLUSION: This study showed that factors related to the individual, family, and school environment influenced the experience of depression. Based on a consideration of these factors, it is necessary to develop an effective program to prevent depression by establishing high-risk criteria for depression.
Child* ; Cultural Diversity ; Depression* ; Fathers ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Parents ; Violence

BACKGROUND: Definite criteria for determining severity of organophosphate poisoning have not been made. Discovery of the third neuromuscular syndrome, the intermediate syndrome, have made it more complicating then ever. Objectives of this study is to determine early prognostic factors of outcome and development of a new treatment algorithm. METHOD: 74 patients admitted to Severance hospital with acute organophosphate poisoning during 5 years were included. We made a protocol concerning the initial consciousness level, QTc interval, PVC, serum cholinesterase, the intermediate syndrome, total hospital, ICU day, length of ventilator support, disposition and have done a study retrospectively. Multiple regression and Chi-square was used as statistical analysis. Significant statistical P-value was 0.05. RESULTS: The total hospital days were prolonged as serum cholinesterase levels were lower, the age was older and mental status graver.(p<.05) The length of ventilatory support was prolonged when patient's serum cholinesterase level was very low, they were unconscious and serum cholinesterase level not recovered to 500 IU/ml within initial 3 days. The intermediate syndrome was significantly related to the prolonged cholinesterase inhibition. CONCLUSION: As an early prognostic factor for the length of ventilatory support in organophosphate poisoning, 1) level of concsiousness and 2) serum cholinesterase level at admission, 3) recovery to more than 500 IU/ml within initial 3 days are useful. Especially when the serum cholinesterase level is not recovered to more than 500 IU/ml within initial 3 days, it is essential to observe closely for the possibility of an intermediate syndrome.
Cholinesterases ; Consciousness ; Humans ; Organophosphate Poisoning* ; Retrospective Studies ; Ventilators, Mechanical

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Recent studies have demonstrated the usefulness of biochemical markers of collagen turnover as markers of myocardial fibrosis in various diseases. In this study, we hypothesized that increased collagen markers in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) were correlated with diastolic function at rest and diastolic functional reserve during exercise. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Thirty-six patients with HCM and 21 controls with normal left ventricular thickness were studied. Mitral septal annular velocities and mitral inflow velocities were measured at rest and during graded supine bicycle exercise (25 W, 3-minute increments) for the assessment of diastolic function at rest and during exercise. By radioimmunoassay, a byproduct of collagen III synthesis (PIIINP) and peptides resulting from collagen I synthesis (PINP) and degradation (ICTP) were measured. The patients with HCM were divided into two groups according to the median value of the PINP/ICTP ratio in the group. RESULTS: At rest, the mitral annular early diastolic velocity (E') was lower and the E/E' was higher in the patients with HCM with high a PINP/ICTP ratio compared with patients with HCM with a low PINP/ICTP ratio and controls (p<0.001, p=0.012). With exercise, the Doppler parameters were increased in all groups, but there was no significant difference in the change in E' and E/E' during exercise according to collagen turnover markers. CONCLUSION: A higher PINP/ICTP ratio was associated with resting diastolic dysfunction in patients with HCM; however, there was no relationship with augmented diastolic dysfunction during exercise. We suggest that the type I collagen synthesis-to-degradation ratio is a useful marker of resting diastolic function in patients with HCM.
Biomarkers ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic ; Collagen ; Collagen Type I ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Peptides ; Radioimmunoassay