The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of follow-up care for stroke survivors on primary caregivers' quality of life. Quasi-experimental research was conducted in which an experimental group and a control group-each of 15 stroke survivors and their primary caregivers-were consecutively sampled. Data collected from July to September, 1999 by interview using a structured questionnaire with both the experimental and the control groups. After a month, the two groups were given the same questionnaire. The experimental group was also given a telephone follow-up every week for a month, as well as a home visit. The survey instruments used in this study were Saha and Cooper's Modified Barthel index (11 items) for checking the stroke survivors' level of activities of daily living, and a modified form of Jeong's Quality of life (18 items) for primary caregivers' QOL level. The obtained data were analyzed by percentage, t-test. chi-test. Kruscal-Wallis test, Spearman correlation coefficient by SAS/PC program. The results were as follows: 1. There was no significant difference in the stroke survivors' ADL level. though the level of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group. 2. There was a statistical difference in the before and after treatment of the primary caregivers' QOL level. In conclusion. the follow-up a care program had useful effect on the quality of life of primary caregivers.
Activities of Daily Living ; Caregivers ; Follow-Up Studies* ; House Calls ; Humans ; Quality of Life* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Stroke* ; Survivors* ; Telephone

Authors report a case of separation anxiety disorder, which developed as a side effect during haloperidol treatment of Tourette syndromes(TS). In this case, 14 years old boys developed attention deficit symptoms during his infancy. At 4th grade of primary school, he developed vocal tic, motor tic, and coprolalia. With 5mg/day of haloperidol treatment his symptoms of TS were subsided. During the treatment, he developed features of separation anxiety disorder, including dependence, pleading, clinging, and sadness. Symptoms of attention deficit and separation anxiety disorder were improved by 25mg/day of imipramine treatment. During haloperidol treatment of TS, careful observation may be needed whether separation anxiety disorder-like symptom develops.
Adolescent ; Anxiety, Separation ; Haloperidol* ; Humans ; Imipramine ; Tics ; Tourette Syndrome*

INTRODUCTION: There has been an increasing interest in the relationship between sleep and suicidality. In addition, suicidal patients habitually report their sleep problems. Although sleep-related complaints and electroencephalographic changes are generally encountered in psychiatric disorders, sleep complaints such as insomnia, hypersomnia and nightmares are more common in suicidal patients. In current study, we aimed at investigating the relationship between self-reported sleep duration and suicidality in general population. METHODS: One thousand general population (male : female=500 : 500, mean age=39.6+/-11.6 years, ranged age=20-77 years) completed Center for Epidemiologic Study-Depression (CES-D), Beck Suicide Intent scale (BSI), Spielberger State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS), Morningness-Eveningness Scale (MES) and brief questionnaire of sleep habits. RESULTS: After controlling for age and sex, score of BSI was correlated positively with the score of CES-D, STAXI and BIS on partial correlation analysis (r(p)=0.251 ; p<0.001, r(p)=0.352 ; p<0.001, and r(p)=0.175 ; p<0.001, respectively). In addition, score of BSI was inversely correlated with the score of MES (r(p)=-0.066; p=0.037). However, score of BSI showed no significant correlation with sleep duration. However, regression analysis revealed that short (<6 hrs) or long (>10 hrs) sleep duration, the family history of psychiatric illness, the score of CES-D, and the score of STAXI predicted higher score of BSI significantly in total subjects (F=17.837, adjusted R2 =0.166 ; p=0.003, p=0.003, p<0.001, and p=0.003, respectively). This model was explained better in depressed subjects with 16 or higher score of CES-D (F=9.920, adjusted R2=0.298). CONCLUSION: Current result suggested that not only short sleep duration (<6 hrs) but also long sleep duration (>10 hrs) might be related to suicidality.
Anger ; Depression ; Disorders of Excessive Somnolence ; Dreams ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Republic of Korea ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; Suicide

OBJECTIVES: Working at other times than the regular day shift has been reported to be a stressor associated with health consequences and mental disorders as well as disturbance of sleep. In current study, we aimed at investigating the relationship between work schedule, sleep quality and depression among police officers. METHODS: Eleven hundreds and forty five police officers (male:1040, female:105) completed questionnaires of basic socio-demographic data, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Korean Scale of Occupational Stress (KOSS), Impact of Event Scale - Revised (IES-R) and Center for Epidemiologic Study-Depression (CES-D). RESULTS: After controlling for age, sex and educational level, score of CES-D was correlated positively with the score of KOSS, PSQI and IES-R on partial correlation analysis (r=-0.077;p=0.009, r=0.262;p<0.000 and r=0.421, p<0.000, respectively). Logistic regression analysis revealed that female sex, age, the score of KOSS and IES-R and schedule of rotating shift work predicted higher score than 16 score of CES-D significantly in total subjects (p=0.023, p=0.015, p=0.000, p=0.000 and p=0.022, respectively). CONCLUSION: Current result suggested that not only female sex, age, higher occupational stress and impact of event scale but also rotating shift work schedule might be related to depression among police officers.
Appointments and Schedules ; Depression ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Mental Disorders ; Police ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVE: To analyze 543 cases of amniocentesis with indications, cytogenetic results. METHOD: This study includes 543 cases cytogenetic study results which amniocentesis to detect fetal chromosomal abnormality in the Cytogenetic Laboratory at Eun Hospital in Kwang-Ju from August 1996 to December 2000, as gestational ages, indications of amniocentesis, maternal age distributions, chromosome aberrations with cytogenetic results. The cytogenetic results of chromosome aberration was identified by parents inheritance and de novo karyotypes as parents periperal blood cytogenetic study. RESULTS: Amniocentesis performed mostly from 15 weeks to 20 weeks of gestaional ages. Requested indication of amniocentesis presents abnormal maternal serum screening (37%), infertility (23%) and maternal old age (> or =35) (17%). Chromosome aberration according to amniocentesis indication was suspected fetal anomaly by ultrasonogram (8.6%), previous family history (5.7%). Chormosome aberration following maternal ages, more 40 years old women were found highly 7.9%. The frequency of chromosome aberration was 5.5% but de novo chromosome aberration was 2.2%. Numerical aberration was overall new karyotypes (1.3%). Structural aberration was inheritance karyotypes (3.3%) and de novo karyotypes (0.9%). CONCLUSION: Amniocentesis is a effective diagnostic tools in fetal chromosome aberration. Indication of fetal chromosomal anormality by ultrasonography and advanced maternal ages is an important diagnostic method with chromosome aberrations. Prenatal fetal chromosome aberrations included inheritance and de novo karyotypes. Especially, identification of de novo chromosome aberrations may predict fetal anomaly and counsel the fetus for pregnant parents.
Adult ; Amniocentesis* ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Cytogenetic Analysis* ; Cytogenetics* ; Female ; Fetus ; Gestational Age ; Gwangju ; Humans ; Infertility ; Karyotype ; Mass Screening ; Maternal Age ; Parents ; Ultrasonography ; Wills

We investigated the role of the tumor suppressor genes in the germ cell tumor. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) for p53 mutation were done in 46 cases of the germ cell tumor with paraffin embedded tissue. The immunohistochemical staining for Rb protein was also performed in the same specimens. The following results were obtained. The overexpression of the p53 protein was detected in 7 of 46 cases (15%). p53 mutation by PCR-SSCP was detected in 1 of 46 cases (2.2%). Expression of Rb protein was negative in 19 cases (41%). These results suggest that p53 mutation does not play an important role in the initiation and progression of germ cell tumors.
Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Germ Cells* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal* ; Paraffin ; Retinoblastoma Protein*

BACKGROUND: A novel technique for the repair of tears of the upper subscapularis tendon—intraarticular knotless fixation—has been introduced recently. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and structural outcomes of arthroscopic intraarticular knotless fixation for the treatment of upper subscapularis tendon tears. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical and radiological outcomes of 27 patients who underwent arthroscopic intraarticular knotless fixation for upper subscapularis tendon tears. Finally, a total of 10 patients who could participate in at least a 6 month follow-up of magnetic resonance imaging evaluation and in a least 1-year follow-up on an outpatient basis were enrolled in our study. The mean age at the time of operation was 60.7 years, and the mean duration of follow-up was 14.7 months. Two patients had concomitant tears of the supraspinatus tendon and 8 patients had concomitant tears of the supraspinatus and the infraspinatus tendons. RESULTS: The clinical and radiological outcomes improved after the patients had undertaken arthroscopic intraarticular knotless fixation. The mean visual analogue scale score for pain during motion improved from 6.7 preoperatively to 1.4 at the final follow-up (p<0.001). The mean Constant score improved from 59.3 preoperatively to 79.6 at the final follow-up, and the mean the University of California at Los Angeles score, from 21.7 to 30.2, respectively (p<0.001 and p<0.001). The upper subscapularis tendon tear was healed in every patient except one (90%), for the patient had suffered from a postoperative trauma that resulted in a retear. CONCLUSIONS: We found that arthroscopic intraarticular knotless fixation gives good clinical and structural outcomes for the repair of upper subscapularis tendon tears. Arthroscopic intraarticular knotless fixation provided such a reliable and efficient restoration of the subscapularis tendon footprint that we anticipate it will become a widely-used procedure for upper subscapularis tendon tears.
Arthroscopy ; California ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Outpatients ; Retrospective Studies ; Shoulder ; Tears* ; Tendons* ; Treatment Outcome

No abstract available.
Hepatitis B Surface Antigens* ; Hospitals, General*

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a prevalent disease, especially in old men, and often results in lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). This chronic disease has important care implications and financial risks to the health care system. LUTS are caused not only by mechanical prostatic obstruction but also by the dynamic component of obstruction. The exact etiology of BPH and its consequences, benign prostatic enlargement and benign prostatic obstruction, are not identified. Various theories concerning the causes of benign prostate enlargement and LUTS, such as metabolic syndrome, inflammation, growth factors, androgen receptor, epithelial-stromal interaction, and lifestyle, are discussed. Incomplete overlap of prostatic enlargement with symptoms and obstruction encourages focus on symptoms rather than prostate enlargement and the shifting from surgery to medicine as the treatment of BPH. Several alpha antagonists, including alfuzosin, doxazosin, tamsulosin, and terazosin, have shown excellent efficacy without severe adverse effects. In addition, new alpha antagonists, silodosin and naftopidil, and phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors are emerging as BPH treatments. In surgical treatment, laser surgery such as photoselective vaporization of the prostate and holmium laser prostatectomy have been introduced to reduce complications and are used as alternatives to transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) and open prostatectomy. The status of TURP as the gold standard treatment of BPH is still evolving. We review several preclinical and clinical studies about the etiology of BPH and treatment options.
Chronic Disease ; Delivery of Health Care ; Doxazosin ; Humans ; Indoles ; Inflammation ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Laser Therapy ; Lasers, Solid-State ; Life Style ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms ; Male ; Naphthalenes ; Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors ; Piperazines ; Prazosin ; Prostate ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Quinazolines ; Receptors, Androgen ; Sulfonamides ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate ; Volatilization

No abstract available.