Objectives: . This study aimed to investigate the relationship between tinnitus and joint pain from representative samples of Koreans. Methods: . The demographics and the responses to a questionnaire about tinnitus and joint pain severity and mental health status of adults aged ≥50 years in the 2010–2012 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed. Results: . Among 9,032 individuals, 26.7% reported experiencing tinnitus within the past year. Participants with tinnitus were more frequently older, hearing loss, and had lower education levels, income, and body weight. Participants with regular exercise and sleep had a lower tinnitus prevalence. The incidences of stress, depressed mood, and suicidal ideation were significantly higher in the tinnitus group and participants with joint pain. The rates of participants with tinnitus according to the number of joint pain sites (zero, one, two, and three) was 22.1%, 31.4%, 33.3%, and 44.2%, and those of participants with severely annoying tinnitus according to the number of joint pain sites (zero, one, two, and three) were 3.3%, 6.8%, 7.9%, and 10.7%, respectively. Conclusion . Tinnitus prevalence and severity were significantly related to joint pain, and both conditions were related to psychiatric distress. Thus, the authors suggest that psychiatric distress as a common risk factor for tinnitus and joint pain should be considered when deciding treatment strategies and in guiding public health policy.

In the management of carotid cavernous fistula, detachable balloon has become the treatment of choice.However, technical difficulties are not uncommon, and transarterial balloon embolization fail in 5% to 10% ofcases. Failure occurs because in some patients, the fistula orifice may be too small to allow entry. Using atracker catheter system with Guglielmi detachable coils, we achieved successful transarterial occlusion of acarotid cavernous fistula with a small fistula.
Balloon Occlusion ; Catheters ; Fistula* ; Humans

Although sporadic cases of transient fetal ascites have been described, pulmonary hypoplasia or hydrops fetalis may occur as potentially lethal complications of isolated fetal ascites. Antenatal fetal paracentesis may be useful in improving neonatal pulmonary function, however rapid accumulation of fluid after paracentesis usually required repetitive invasive procedures. We successfully treated an isolated fetal ascites with peritoneo- amniotic shunt. Under the ultrasonographic guidence, we inserted a Double-Basket Catheter into the left lower quadrant of fetal abdominal wall at the end of second trimester. Shunt remained in place until the fetus was delivered at term. The peritoneo-amniotic shunt can improve fetal outcome and avoid repeated paracentesis before delivery.
Abdominal Wall ; Ascites* ; Catheters ; Female ; Fetus ; Humans ; Hydrops Fetalis ; Paracentesis ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second

Distal thrombosed aneurysm of the superior cerebellar artery (SCA) is extremely rare and is often associated with cerebellar infarction or subarachnoid hemorrhage. We report herein on a case involving a patient with a ruptured thrombosed distal SCA aneurysm which was treated successfully through the endovascular approach.
Aneurysm ; Arteries ; Humans ; Infarction ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

PURPOSE: This study examined the association between smoking and delayed neuropsychological sequelae (DNS) in acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. METHODS: Patients admitted to the medical center emergency department from March 2016 to March 2017 because of CO poisoning were examined retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups: DNS and Non-DNS group. Multiple factors were analyzed to explain DNS, which was assessed by motor disturbances, cognitive impairment, dysphagia, Parkinson-like syndromes, epilepsy, and emotional lability in CO poisoning. RESULTS: A total of 120 patients were included. The factors related to DNS were smoking (pack-years) (p=0.002) and initial carbon monoxide-hemoglobin level (p=0.015). On the other hand, after multivariate logistic regression analysis, smoking (Odds ratio 1.07; 95% CI, 1.02-1.13; p=0.004) was the only factor associated with DNS. CONCLUSION: Smoking is a very reliable factor for predicting the occurrence of DNS. A history of smoking in patients who suffer from CO intoxication is important. If a patient smokes, treatment should be started actively and as soon as possible.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning* ; Carbon Monoxide* ; Carbon* ; Cognition Disorders ; Deglutition Disorders ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Epilepsy ; Hand ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Poisoning ; Retrospective Studies ; Smoke* ; Smoking*

To demonstrate biofilm formations on a cochlear implant magnet of a pediatric patient suffering from a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection. The appearance of biofilm colonies was analyzed on different magnet sections. The appearance of MRSA biofilms on the surface of an explanted cochlear implant was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), focusing on the pattern of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) within the biofilms. SEM revealed unique biofilms with a three-dimensional EPS complex and tower-like formations. Biofilm configurations changed from the margin to the center of the magnet. Biofilms were solitary and scattered at the margin; large and plate-like in the center; and stacked in layers, forming towers and water channels, in the middle region. After a MRSA infection, biofilm formations were observed on the surface of a magnet. Bacterial biofilms provide optimal conditions for bacterial growth and antibiotic resistance and can cause intractable infections that lead to device failure.
Aquaporins ; Biofilms* ; Cochlear Implants* ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Equipment Failure ; Humans ; Methicillin Resistance* ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus* ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Polymers

Cogan's syndrome is a rare chronic inflammatory disease of unknown origin, characterized by nonsyphilitic interstitial keratitis, vestibuloauditory dysfunction and vasculitis. Cogan's syndrome is uncommon and few cases have been published. A case of Cogan's syndrome in a patient with anti-Ro and anti-La positivity is described. A 24-year-old woman visited to department of rheumatology with dry mouth, dry eye, and vertigo on August 2004, and interstitial keratitis had developed on October 2004. She was admitted to the otolaryngology department with rapidly progressive hearing loss on December 2004. The patient's audiogram revealed severe sensorineural deafness. The patient was treated with systemic corticosteroid and methotrexate. This case is the first to report a case of Cogan's syndrome associated with anti-Ro and anti-La positivity.
Antibodies* ; Cogan Syndrome* ; Deafness ; Female ; Hearing Loss ; Humans ; Keratitis ; Methotrexate ; Mouth ; Otolaryngology ; Rheumatology ; Vasculitis ; Vertigo ; Young Adult

Testicular teratoma is characterized that has more than one germ cell layer in various stages of maturation and differentiation. The incidence of mature teratoma varies from 2 to 9% of all germinal testicular tumor. Only 3 cases of bilateral teratoma have been reported in the literature to date. The teratoma can occurs at all ages but is most common between the age of 15-35 year. It is relatively infrequently seen in childhood and infancy. In these age group, teratoma tends to be a benign. Recently, we experienced one case of bilateral testicular teratoma in 4 month-old infancy. We report a case of bilateral testicular teratoma found infancy with review of related literatures.
Germ Cells ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant* ; Teratoma* ; Testis

OBJECTIVES: The present study was designed to identify the correlations of bacterial strains of the middle ear and the nasopharynx in chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) patients who were scheduled for operations. METHODS: Sixty-three patients with CSOM were enrolled in the study. Culture specimens were collected from the middle ear and nasopharynx of patients who were admitted for operation. Samples collections were performed 3 times; from the middle ear and nasophaynx at the admission day, from the middle ear during the operation, and from the external auditory canal post-operatively. Bacteria were identified by gram staining and biochemical tests. The correspondence rate of organisms which simultaneously exist in the middle ear and the nasopharynx was measured. RESULTS: Sixty-eight organisms were isolated from the middle ear and 57 organisms from the nasopharynx among 63 patients. Of 68 bacteria identified in middle ear, 26.52% (18 bacteria) corresponded with those of nasopharynx. MRSA had the high correspondence rate, and of 18 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolated from middle ear, 33.3% (6 bacteria) corresponded with nasophaynx. Meanwhile, 3 organisms of MRSA were detected from the external auditory canal post-operatively, although they were only found in nasopharynx pre-operatively. CONCLUSION: The current trend of middle ear swab alone for bacterial detection would be insufficient to identify the potent MRSA and impede early antibiotic intervention for the effective middle ear surgery. Therefore, it is necessary to perform nasopharynx cultures together with conventional middle ear culture to control potent risk for infection pre-operatively.
Bacteria ; Bacteriology ; Ear Canal ; Ear, Middle ; Humans ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Nasopharynx ; Otitis ; Otitis Media, Suppurative

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Poor R-wave progression (PRWP) is a common electrocardiographic diagnosis. However, the diagnostic usefulness of PRWP for coronary artery disease (CAD) and the plausible explanation for subjects with normal heart function are unclear. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We included 20,739 subjects who had routine medical examinations and applied the commonly used criteria (R-waves in V3 or V4 < or =2 mm) and the Marquette criteria in the current study. Subjects with PRWP by the Marquette criteria, but with no evidence of specific causes, were identified. Healthy age- and gender-matched controls were selected randomly for comparing cardiothoracic ratios. RESULTS: The commonly used criteria in practice were met by 372 of the 20,739 subjects (1.8%). The Marquette criteria were met by 96 subjects (0.5%), and 82 of who agreed to medical evaluation. Five subjects had known CAD and only one subject was shown to have a silent myocardial infarction by additional testing. Therefore, the positive predictive value of PRWP for CAD was 7.3% (6/82) based on the Marquette criteria. As compared with the control group, the subjects with PRWP had a significantly low cardiothoracic ratio (0.425 vs. 0.445, p<0.05), especially among the male group (0.454 vs. 0.407, p=0.02). CONCLUSION: The positive predictive value of PRWP for CAD in the general population is so low that additional tests for diagnosis may be unreasonable. In addition, a low cardiothoracic ratio could be a plausible explanation of PRWP in subjects without any identifiable cause.
Coronary Artery Disease ; Electrocardiography ; Heart ; Humans ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; Prevalence ; Radiography, Thoracic