PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the predictors of quality of life for elders in Korea. METHODS: The participants were 348 older persons selected by convenience sampling in Y city. Data were collected from September 22 to October 23, 2008 when 348 elders completed a questionnaire which included the Leisure Attitude Scale by Raghep and Beard (1982), Leisure Competence Questionnaire by Witt and Ellis (1987) and the Quality of Life Questionnaire by Mckenna (2001). Cronbach alphas scores for Korean translation of the questionnaires were .85, .90 and .79 respectively. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS Win 14.0 statistics program. RESULTS: The scores for quality of life showed significant positive correlations with the scores for leisure attitude (r=.603, p<.001) and leisure competence (r=.703, p<.001). Leisure competence, leisure attitude, and education were significant predictors and accounted for 54.4% of the variance in quality of life in the elders. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that high leisure competence and positive leisure attitude with learning opportunities will be helpful to promote a better quality of life for elders.
Aged ; Humans ; Korea ; Learning ; Leisure Activities ; Mental Competency ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires

The purposes of operative treatment in unstable thoracolumbar and lumbar spine fractures are anatomical reduction and stabilization of the fractures and thus promote neurological recovery and early rehabilitation. To achieve these goals, complete preoperative assessment and recognition of the fracture pattern is necessary in addition to good surgical technique. The authors analyzed 47 cases of thoracolumbar and lumbar spine fractures operated from Jan. 1989 to Dec. 1991 at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, National Medical Center. All cases were classified according to Denis classification and in deciding the appropriate surgical approach, fracture type, stability, neurologic status and degree of deformity were all considered. Anterior approaches were performed in 23 cases of burst fracture and 3 cases of fracture-dislocation, and posterior approaches were performed in 1 case of compression fracture, 7 cases of burst fracture, 4 cases of seat-belt type injury and 5 cases of fracture-dislocation, In 3 cases of burst fracture and 1 case of fracture-dislocation, both anterior and posterior approaches were combined. With the analysis of postoperative changes in sagittal and coronal angle, translation and degree of rotation, we evaluated the results of operative reduction in terms of restoring normal anatomical configuration of injured spinal segments. So we tried to find the attributing factors in the operative reduction of the thoracolumbar and lumbar spine fractures and suggest the proper surgical approach that provides better reduction and stabilization.
Classification ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Fractures, Compression ; Rehabilitation ; Spine

This study was performed to observe the therapeutic effects of interferon-gamma(IFN-gamma) and gamma-globulin(gamma-globulin) in experimental Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia of immune suppressed mice. After 9 weeks, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole(TMP-SMZ; 10-50 mg/mouse/day), mouse IFN-gamma(5 x 10(4) units/mouse/day) and mouse gamma-globulin(20 mg/mouse/day) were administered to the mice for 3 weeks by the experimental group. The therapeutic efficacy was evaluated by body weights, histopathologic and electron microscopic findings of the lungs, and number of P. carinii cysts by Gomori's methenamine silver stain. Body weights of the mice were significantly increased in the group of combination therapy of TMP-SMZ with IFN-gamma or gamma-globulin, and in the group of TMP-SMZ treatment (p < 0.05), however, little effect was found in the group of gamma-globulin alone. Histopathologic findings of P. carinii pneumonia were much improved in the group of combination therapy of TMP-SMZ with IFN-gamma. Treatment with either TMP-SMZ or IFN-gamma significantly reduced the number of cysts in the P. carinii pneumonia, but gamma-globulin alone was ineffective. In electron microscopic findings of P. carinii pneumonia, the number of trophozoites and cysts were reduced by treatment with either TMP-SMZ or IFN-gamma, and most of the cysts were empty or containing one or two intracystic bodies. The present results suggested, that combination therapy of TMP-SMZ with IFN-gamma had synergistic effects in treatment of P. carinii pneumonia in experimental mice.
Drug-Synergism ; Drug-Therapy,-Combination ; English-Abstract ; Gamma-Globulins-administration-and-dosage ; Interferon-Type-II-administration-and-dosage ; Mice- ; Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole-Combination-administration-and-dosage ; *Gamma-Globulins-therapeutic-use ; *Interferon-Type-II-therapeutic-use ; *Pneumonia,-Pneumocystis-carinii-therapy ; Gamma-Globulins ; Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole-Combination ; Interferon-Type-II

Twenty five patients (twenty seven hips) who had Chiari osteotomy at Kang Nam St. Marys Hospital between 1980 and 1995 were reviewed to evaluate the factors in the operative technique that contribute to successful outcome and assess the clinical results in various conditions. The length of follow-up ranged from one to fourteen years and the age of at operation ranged from four to twentythree years. Eighteen patients had developmental dysplasia of the hip: four, septic hip: three had another disorders, Prior to the Chiari osteotomy, fourteen hips had an femoral osteotomy and four, trochanteric arthroplasty. We used to the standard osteotomy as described by Chiari with certain modification. A pneumatic saw and osteotome are used instead of Gigli saw. This technique is simple procedure to make the correct level and angle. Bone graft was not performed in all cases even the osteotomy was displaced more than 50 percent of the iliac width. The overall results were 12 excellent, eight good, five fair, and two poor. In eleven patients, the osteotomy had to be displaced more than 50 percent to provide good coverage of the femoral head. Their results were good or excellent. A good result will be obtained if enough attention is paid to displacing the osteotomy. The osteotomy using the pneumatic saw provides accurate level and direction of osteotomy and it is an simple procedure also.
Adolescent* ; Arthroplasty ; Child* ; Femur ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Hip ; Humans ; Osteotomy* ; Transplants

The simultaneous occurrence of primary glomerulonephritis in identical twins has been rarely reported previously. It has suggested that genetic factors may play an important role in the pathogenesis of primary glomerulonephritis. We describe a pair of 17-year-old identical twin brothers with asymptomatic proteinuria, one with histologically proven minimal change disease and the other with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. HLA typing in twin brothers revealed an identical phenotype consisting of A25, A33, B44, B54, Cwl, Cw7, DR7 and DRB1. To our knowledge, this is the first case of glomerulonephritis in identical twins in Korea.
Adolescent ; Glomerulonephritis ; Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental* ; Histocompatibility Testing ; Humans ; Korea ; Nephrosis, Lipoid* ; Phenotype ; Proteinuria ; Siblings* ; Twins, Monozygotic*

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to examine factors of poor outcome by analyzing the outcomes of bilateral subthalamic deep brain stimulation in Parkinson’s disease after 3 years. Methods: We assumed that patients who could not manage independent life in their best stimulationon/medication-on condition after a defi ned period might not have been a good surgical candidate. A poor outcome is defi ned as a failure to maintain functional independence at three years during a stimulation-on/medication-on state. Results: A total of 84 patients underwent bilateral subthalamic deep brain stimulation and all were followed up for 3 years. We excluded one patient who had intracranial hemorrhage. Twenty-one patients of the 83 patients could not keep up independent life even during their best condition for the following reasons: freezing in 15 patients, dementia in 5, depression in 3, musculoskeletal problems in 7, and cancer in one patient. Conclusions: Many patients could not keep up independent life during their best condition as early as three years after deep brain stimulation. Musculoskeletal problems were one major cause of disabilities, as were freezing and dementia. We emphasize that musculoskeletal problems need more attention in the preoperative screening of deep brain stimulation candidates and during the follow up.

It is known that if the detrusor integrity is maintained, a single coordinated sustained contractile relaxation curve can be observed on rapid injection cystometry in the paralytic period after overdistention, but there is no study on its clinical significance. This study is to know the diagnostic usefulness of such relaxation curve in assessing the possibility of the voiding function recovery in the paralytic period after overdistention. We performed rapid injection cystometrys in 12 patients who had no contraction and sense on medium injection cystometry until 450ml infusion after non-neurogenic acute urinary retention by various causes, and compared the duration for recovery and the presence or absence of a single coordinated sustained contractile relaxation curve, the bladder volume at the first time of such a relaxation curve and the maximum pressure of contraction curve. The results were as follows; 1. All of 3 patients without a single coordinated sustained contractile relaxation curve did not recover their voiding function until three months after overdistention. 2. All of 9 patients with single coordinated sustained contractile relaxation curve recovered their voiding function within four weeks. 3. In 9 patients who recovered their voiding function, the smaller the bladder volume at the first such relaxation curve, the shorter the duration for recovery(r=0.69767. p=0.036), but there is no relationship between the maximum pressure of contraction curve and the duration for recovery(r=-0.10192, p=0.794). In conclusion, rapid injection cystometry is a useful clinical test to check the possibility of voidingfunction recovery within a few weeks in the paralytic period after acute overdistention.
Humans ; Recovery of Function ; Relaxation ; Urinary Bladder* ; Urinary Retention

Fewer than one half of patients with acute myocardial infarction is a candidate for thrombolytic therapy. Current data revealed that primary coronary stenting may be useful alternative to intravenous thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction in these subset of patients. We experienced a patient presenting with acute myocardial infarction and acute promyelocytic leukemia in whom thrombolytic therapy was thought be not eligible due to hemorrhagic tendency. Primary coronary stenting was performed successfully without complications. Follow-up angiography revealed no evidence of restenosis or stent occlusion.
Angiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute ; Myocardial Infarction ; Stents* ; Thrombolytic Therapy

This 51 years old Korean house wife has been suffered from bullous and erosive eruptions on the abdomen, back, both thigh and legs, duration of three days with sudden onset Prior to admission she has had a erosion on the oral mucosa for one year. The diagnosis of pemphigus vulgaris was confirmed by histopathology and immunoelectrophoresis. This patient was improved with treatment of prednisolone bu Lever's "Logarithmic fashion" and used the maintenance dose of prednisolone without recurrence.
Abdomen ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Immunoelectrophoresis ; Leg ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Mucosa ; Pemphigus* ; Prednisolone ; Recurrence ; Spouses ; Thigh

No abstract available.
Spinal Stenosis*