OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the psychosocial factors and clinical symptoms related to the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) in 35 consecutive first-episode inpatients with schizophrenia. METHODS: Data from 35 schizophrenic patients were obtained from two general psychiatric inpatient units at a university medical center. These data included scores from Index of Social Position (ISP), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) as well as socio-demographic informations. RESULTS: Among socio-demographic variables, lower social position (r=.610, p<.001), male sex (r=.407, p=.015), and grew up in rural area (r=.335, p=.045) were significantly correlated with DUP. The interpersonal sensitivity of SCL-90-R was the only symptomatic variable significantly correlated with DUP (r=.379, p=.027). However, after controlling interactive effects of the variables, only lower social position and interpersonal sensitivity remained significant. Lower social position was more influential on DUP than interpersonal sensitivity in the multiple regression model. CONCLUSION: Both social and symptomatic factors independently influenced DUP in schizophrenic patients. Lower social position defined by education and occupation of patients or caretakers may reflect barriers to psychiatric services or poor identification of mental illness. This together with patients' subjective distress in interpersonal interactions may delay the intervention of psychiatric services.
Academic Medical Centers ; Education ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Male ; Occupations ; Psychology ; Psychotic Disorders* ; Schizophrenia*

Epidural hematoma with Brown-Sequard syndrome caused by an epidural injection is a rarely found condition in the emergency department (ED). We report an unusual case of Brown-Sequard syndrome in a 55-year-old man who presented at the ED with right-sided weakness and contralateral loss of pain and temperature sensation after a cervical epidural injection for shoulder pain. Cervicla spine magnetic resonance imaging showed an epidural hematoma from C4 to C6. After admission, his right hemiparesis and contralateral sensory loss improved within eight days, and surgical decompression was not required. Diagnosing spinal lesions in the ED is challenging, especially in patients with acute neurological signs requiring immediate evaluation for stroke. In this case, definite hemiparesis and some contralateral sensory loss were noted. Therefore, a potential spinal lesion was suspected rather than a stroke. This case emphasized the importance of conducting a focused neurological examination after history taking.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of comorbid oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) on clinical features and neuropsychological profiles of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods: We divided the participants into three groups: the ADHD with ODD (ADHD/ODD) (n=36), ADHD without ODD (ADHDoODD) (n=307), and control groups (n=128). Parents of the participants completed the ADHD Rating Scale, Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), Korean Personality Rating Scale for Children (K-PRC), and 10-item mania scale from the Parent General Behavior Inventory (P-GBI-10M). Neuropsychological profiles were assessed using the Advanced Test of Attention (ATA), Children’s Color Trails Test, and Stroop Color and Word Test. Results: The ADHD/ODD group had more ADHD symptoms and functional impairments in relationships with teachers and peers, and self-esteem than the ADHDoODD group. The ADHD/ODD group scored higher in Social Communication (p<0.001) and Autistic Mannerisms (p<0.001) subscales of SRS, P-GBI-10M (p<0.001), and Delinquency (p<0.001) and Psychosis (p<0.001) subscales of K-PRC than the ADHDoODD group. Commission Errors (p<0.001) and Response-Time Variability (p<0.001) in Visual ATA and Commission Errors (p<0.001) in Auditory ATA were significantly higher in the ADHD/ODD group than in the ADHDoODD group. Conclusion The present study suggests that patients with ADHD with ODD experience more ADHD symptoms and neuropsychological deficits than those with ADHD without ODD. These results also imply that comorbid ODD is associated with greater social impairment and emotional dysregulation.

From 1985 to 1995, 13 children with neurogenic bladder underwent augmentation cystoplasty. Diagnosis in these 13 children included Meningomyelocele in 11 and unknown origin in 2. Indications for augmentation cystoplasty were persists incontinence in 6 patients and progressive upper urinary tract deterioration in Bowel segments were used for augmentation included sigmoid colon in 1 patient, ileocecal segments incontinence in 6 patients stomach in 3. Dilated ureter also was used in 1 patient. Postoperatively, all the patients have stable upper tracts radiographically and stable or improved renal function. Of 13 patients 12 require clean intermittent catheterization to empty bladder and 10 are completely continent. After operation, bladder capacity increased from 155 ml to 305 ml and there were significant increases in bladder compliance. Hypereflexia was present in 5 patients before operation and in 3 patients after operation. There has been no surgical mortality. Postoperative complications occurred in 4 patients included mild ileus in 2 patients, mucus obstruction in 1, mild hematuria in 1, metabolic alkalosis in 1 and superficial wound infection in All complications were transient and managed medically. the kind of bowel segments did not seem to influence results. We think that augmentation cystoplasty is a therapeutic modality that should be considered as a viable treatment option in selected patients with neurogenic bladder dysfunction.
Alkalosis ; Child ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Compliance ; Diagnosis ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Ileus ; Intermittent Urethral Catheterization ; Meningomyelocele ; Mortality ; Mucus ; Postoperative Complications ; Stomach ; Ureter ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic* ; Urinary Tract ; Wound Infection

OBJECTIVES: The direct causal relationship between the experience of sexual assault and development of psychiatric disorder remains uncertain. However, studies consistently show that those with history of this horrendous event report a wide range of symptoms, higher level of distress, and various social and psychological problems. This study investigated the prevalence and associated risk factors in a cohort sample of 340 Korean psychiatric patients. METHODS: Data from consecutive 340 new patients were gathered at a psychiatric department of a university affiliated hospital. Participants completed Life Events Scale, Symptom Checklist-90-R, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and Dissociative Experiences Scale. RESULTS: History of sexual assault was reported by 11.5% of respondents (women 18.6%;men 2.1%). Bivariate analysis revealed that women (p<.001), divorced or widowed and never been married (p<.05), unemployed and students or housewives (p<.05), monthly income more than 2 million Won (p<.05) were associated significantly with experience of sexual assault. All the scores from the scales but Beck Depression Inventory were significantly higher for the sexually assaulted. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that women were 12 times more likely to be sexually assaulted (Odds ratio=12.24, 95% CI=3.51-42.64). Other risk factors included younger age and interaction of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and Global Severity Index. CONCLUSION: This study supported the risk factors of sexual assaults identified in western literature. Clinicians can be alert for any history of sexual assault when younger women with PTSD present higher level of symptomatology.
Anxiety ; Cohort Studies ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Depression ; Divorce ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Prevalence* ; Rape ; Risk Factors ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic ; Weights and Measures ; Widowhood

PURPOSE: Osmolar gap (OG) has been used for decades to screen for toxic alcohol levels. However, its reliability may vary due to several reasons. We validated the estimated ethanol concentration formula for patients with suspected poisoning and who visited the emergency department. We examined discrepancies in the ethanol level and patient characteristics by applying this formula when it was used to screen for intoxication due to toxic levels of alcohol. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 153 emergency department cases to determine the measured levels of toxic ethanol ingestion and we calculated alcohol ingestion using a formula based on serum osmolality. Those patients who were subjected to simultaneous measurements of osmolality, sodium, urea, glucose, and ethanol were included in this study. Patients with exposure to other toxic alcohols (methanol, ethylene glycol, or isopropanol) or poisons that affect osmolality were excluded. OG (the measured-calculated serum osmolality) was used to determine the calculated ethanol concentration. RESULTS: Among the 153 included cases, 114 had normal OGs (OG≤14 mOsm/kg), and 39 cases had elevated OGs (OG>14). The mean difference between the measured and estimated (calculated ethanol using OG) ethanol concentration was −9.8 mg/dL. The 95% limits of agreement were −121.1 and 101.5 mg/dL, and the correlation coefficient R was 0.7037. For the four subgroups stratified by comorbidities and poisoning, the correlation coefficients R were 0.692, 0.588, 0.835, and 0.412, respectively, and the mean differences in measurement between the measured and calculated ethanol levels were −2.4 mg/dL, −48.8 mg/dL, 9.4 mg/dL, and −4.7 mg/dL, respectively. The equation plots had wide limits of agreement. CONCLUSION We found that there were some discrepancies between OGs and the calculated ethanol concentrations. Addition of a correction factor for unmeasured osmoles to the equation of the calculated serum osmolality would help mitigate these discrepancies.

Purpose: A high anion gap (AG) is known to be a significant risk factor for serious acid-base imbalances and death in acute poisoning cases. The strong ion difference (SID), or strong ion gap (SIG), has recently been used to predict in-hospital mortality or acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome. This study presents a comprehensive acidbase analysis in order to identify the predictive value of the SIG for disease severity in severe poisoning. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on acute poisoning patients treated in the emergency intensive care unit (ICU) between December 2015 and November 2020. Initial serum electrolytes, base deficit (BD), AG, SIG, and laboratory parameters were concurrently measured upon hospital arrival and were subsequently used along with Stewart’s approach to acid-base analysis to predict AKI development and in-hospital death. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and logistic regression analysis were used as statistical tests. Results: Overall, 343 patients who were treated in the intensive care unit were enrolled. The initial levels of lactate, AG, and BD were significantly higher in the AKI group (n=62). Both effective SID [SIDe] (20.3 vs. 26.4 mEq/L, p<0.001) and SIG (20.2 vs. 16.5 mEq/L, p<0.001) were significantly higher in the AKI group; however, the AUC of serum SIDe was 0.842 (95% confidence interval [CI]=0.799-0.879). Serum SIDe had a higher predictive capacity for AKI than initial creatinine (AUC=0.796, 95% CI=0.749-0.837), BD (AUC=0.761, 95% CI=0.712-0.805), and AG (AUC=0.660, 95% CI=0.607-0.711). Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that diabetes, lactic acidosis, high SIG, and low SIDe were significant risk factors for in-hospital mortality. Conclusion Initial SIDe and SIG were identified as useful predictors of AKI and in-hospital mortality in intoxicated patients who were critically ill. Further research is necessary to evaluate the physiological nature of the toxicant or unmeasured anions in such patients.

Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS) arising in the corpus uteri is an extremely rare condition with exceptionally rapid progression and poor prognosis. Furthermore, ARMS is primarily diagnosed in the pediatric population. Due to rarity of the disease, there are no standard treatment guidelines. A 90-year-old woman was presented with a huge pelvic mass causing dyspnea and abdominal distension. The patient underwent debulking surgery and was diagnosed with uterine ARMS by fresh specimen biopsy. Despite intensive postoperative care, the patient died on the eighth postoperative day. Here, we report a case of uterine ARMS that will add to our understanding of this exceptionally rare type of tumor.