PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravitreal bevacizumab for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). METHODS: In this retrospective interventional pilot study, 12 eyes of 11 patients with active PCV were treated with intravitreal bevacizumab (1.25 mg) alone or in combination with photodynamic therapy (PDT) depending on the informed patient's choice. Intravitreal bevacizumab was repeated at 6-week intervals until the regression of active lesion was detected on fluorescein angiography (FA) which was done on a regular basis, Indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) analyses. RESULTS: Intravitreal bevacizumab was given alone in 8 eyes (Group 1) and in combination with PDT in 4 eyes (Group 2). Mean follow-up duration was 17 weeks in group 1 and 15 weeks in group 2 after bevacizumab treatment. The mean number of bevacizumab injections was 2.2 in group 1 and 2.5 in group 2. Mean BCVA improved from 20/63 to 20/40 in group 1 and 20/63 to 20/32 in group 2. Of all eyes, the BCVA improved by > or =2 lines in seven (58%) eyes and resolution of fluid and hemorrhages in clinical examination, an absence of leakage on repeat FAs, or resolved pigment epithelial detachment (PED) and/or subretinal fluid (SRF) on OCT exam was confirmed in 10 (83%) eyes. Partial or complete regression of the polypoidal vessels and interconnecting vessels was reported for most cases at the last follow-up. No significant ocular or systemic side effects were observed in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term results indicate that intravitreal bevacizumab (1.25 mg) alone or in combination with PDT is well tolerated and associated with improvement in BCVA and reduced angiographic leakage in most patients. Further evaluation of intravitreal bevacizumab therapy for the treatment of PCV is warranted.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Angiogenesis Inhibitors/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Antibodies, Monoclonal/adverse effects/*therapeutic use ; Choroid/*blood supply/pathology ; Coloring Agents/diagnostic use ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Humans ; Indocyanine Green/diagnostic use ; Injections ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases/diagnosis/*drug therapy/physiopathology ; *Photochemotherapy ; Pilot Projects ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Treatment Outcome ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/antagonists & inhibitors ; Visual Acuity/physiology ; Vitreous Body

BACKGROUND: As the average lifespan of human increases, osteoporosis and osteoporosis-related fractures have become major health care problems. Despite recent advances in medical treatment, few studies have assessed the recognition of osteoporosis in general adults. This study examined the recognition of osteoporosis and analysed the relating factors. METHODS: We made a survey in a rural area called Chunjunlee in Chunchon city. The questionnaire contained general characteristics of people, sociocultural factors, questions constructed to know the recognition of osteoporosis and factors that were presumed to influence people's recognition of osteoporosis. DEXA was performed on those who visited our medical office free of charge. RESULTS: The total number of people who responded to the questionnaire was 204. They were composed of 81 men and 123 women. Among the total, 83% of women and 72.8% of men said that they had heard about osteoporosis. There was no significant recognition score difference between men and women. In the items of recognition, wrong answer rate concerning the association between osteoporosis and musculoskeletal disorders such as osteoarthritis and low back pain was above 90%. The significant factors that influenced its recognition were age, education level, menopause state and newspaper/ magazine subscription. All men who were diagnosed with osteoporosis on DEXA initially said that they did not have osteoporosis. CONCLUSION: Many people had a conceptual confusion between osteoporosis and other muscular skeletal disorders such as osteoarthritis and low back pain. Physicians played no significant role in improvement of people's recognition of osteoporosis. Generally, men thought that osteoporosis was a problem in women only.
Adult ; Delivery of Health Care ; Education ; Female ; Gangwon-do ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; Male ; Menopause ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteoporosis* ; Periodicals as Topic ; Periodicals

A 64-year-old woman was referred to our clinic for the treatment of chronic uveitis in her left eye, which had started two weeks after an uncomplicated cataract extraction. She was treated with topical steroids with an initially good response, yet she subsequently developed severe inflammation and plaque-like material around the intraocular lens, despite continuous steroid therapy. She underwent pars plana vitrectomy, smear and culture of the aqueous and vitreous fluids, and intravitreal antibiotic injection under the impression of Propionibacterium acne (P. acne) endophthalmitis. As a result of the smear and culture of the vitreous fluid identified as an Acremonium species, she was treated with intravenous amphotericin B injections for five days, followed by oral voriconazole administration. During the post-operative 18-month follow-up, she was stable without significant relapse of uveitis. In this case, the best correction of visual acuity was an improvement from 20/40 to 20/20.
Acremonium/*isolation & purification ; Antifungal Agents/therapeutic use ; *Cataract Extraction ; Endophthalmitis/drug therapy/*microbiology ; Eye Infections, Fungal/drug therapy/*microbiology ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVE: Posttraumatic embitterment disorder (PTED) is characterized by states of “embitterment”, characteristically similar to “Hwa-byung”, which is a Korean culture-bound syndrome. The present study aimed to assess diagnostic relationships between PTED and Hwa-byung. METHODS: A total of 290 participants completed our survey. PTED and Hwa-byung were diagnosed using a diagnostic interview and scale. Scales for depression, suicide ideation, and anger were used for evaluation. Fisher's exact tests and Mann-Whitney U tests were performed to evaluate diagnostic overlap between PTED and Hwa-byung, and associations of scale scores for depression, suicide ideation, and anger between the PTED, Hwa-byung, and non-diagnosed groups. Associations of these scales between the depressive and non-depressive groups, and suicidal and non-suicidal groups were also evaluated. RESULTS: Among the participants, 1.7% of the sample fit the diagnostic criteria for PTED and 2.1% fit the criteria for Hwa-byung. No individual fit the criteria for both. Anger scores were significantly higher in the Hwa-byung group than in the non-diagnostic group. There were not any significant differences in anger scores between the PTED and non-diagnostic groups. Depression scores were significantly higher in the PTED than in the non-diagnostic groups. In contrast, no significant differences were observed between depression scores in the Hwa-byung and non-diagnostic groups. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that PTED may be a disorder category that is distinct from Hwa-byung.
Anger ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Depression ; Ethnopsychology ; Humans ; Suicide ; Weights and Measures

The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of and risk factors for the development of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and progression to proliferative DR (PDR) in Korean patients. Patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and followed for more than 5 years at a university-based clinic since 2000 were consecutively enrolled in this retrospective cohort study. Based on the DR classification at the initial and final visits, the incidence and progression of DR was determined and patient characteristics were compared according to DR progression. Hazard ratios of each putative risk factor for DR progression were calculated with a multivariate Cox proportional hazard model. Rate of DR development and progression to PDR were 32.1/1,000 and 26.2/1,000 person-years, respectively. A longer duration of diabetes and higher mean HbA1c level were significant risk factors for the development of DR. Regarding progression to PDR, higher mean HbA1c level, higher standard deviation of HbA1c, and higher urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio were significant risk factors. The rates of development of DR and progression to PDR in Koreans with type 2 diabetes are lower than those reported over the last decade. An inadequate blood glycemic control is the common risk factor for development and progression of DR.
Adult ; Aged ; Causality ; Comorbidity ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/*epidemiology ; Diabetic Retinopathy/*epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Tertiary Care Centers/*statistics & numerical data

This study analyzed the recent causes, prognosis, and treatment strategies for fungal endophthalmitis. A retrospective review of patients who were diagnosed with fungal endophthalmitis at our center was conducted. The fungal organisms isolated from each patient and the visual prognosis according to the route of infection and treatment method were analyzed. A total of 40 eyes from 30 patients with fungal endophthalmitis were included in this study. Candida species were the most common causative organisms in 35 of 40 eyes. Endogenous and exogenous endophthalmitis were observed in 33 and 7 eyes, respectively. Pre- and post-treatment best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was not significantly different between endogenous endophthalmitis and exogenous endophthalmitis. The 40 eyes were treated using the following modalities: intravitreal antifungal agent injection with intravenous antifungal agent (16 eyes), vitrectomy with intravenous antifungal agent (14 eyes), intravenous antifungal agent alone (9 eyes), and evisceration (1 eye). Post-treatment BCVA only significantly improved after treatment in the vitrectomy group. Candida species were the most common cause of fungal endophthalmitis, irrespective of the route of infection. The visual prognosis of fungal endophthalmitis was generally poor. In conclusion, if the general condition of the patient tolerates a surgical procedure, prompt vitrectomy and intravitreal injection of antifungal agents can improve visual acuity.
Antifungal Agents/*therapeutic use ; Aspergillus/isolation & purification ; Candida/*isolation & purification ; Endophthalmitis/*drug therapy/*microbiology/pathology/surgery ; Eye Infections, Fungal ; Fusarium/isolation & purification ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies ; Scedosporium/isolation & purification ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Visual Acuity ; *Vitrectomy

PURPOSE: To analyze differences in the subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFChT) between bevacizumab responders (BevRs) and nonresponders (BevNRs) in patients with idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). METHODS: The medical records of 30 unilateral chronic CSC patients who were treated with intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) as a first line treatment were reviewed. Patients were categorized as BevNRs when CSC did not completely resolve after a minimum of 3 IVB treatments. Enhanced depth imaging-optical coherence tomography was used and SFChT was measured before and after treatment. Choroidal hyperpermeability was also evaluated using indocyanine angiography. RESULTS: Twenty and 10 eyes were classified as BevRs or BevNRs, respectively. The mean number of IVB treatments was 2.22 +/- 0.89 in BevRs, and 4.80 +/- 1.03 in BevNRs. Compared with BevNRs, BevRs demonstrated significantly greater pretreatment SFChT (441.25 +/- 88.09 vs. 364.10 +/- 61.97 microm); SFChT reduction following IVB was significantly greater in BevRs than BevNRs. SFChT in the unaffected eyes was also greater in BevRs than BevNRs. Choroidal hyperpermeability was detected less frequently in BevNRs (hypofluorescence on late-phase, 0.0% and 33.3% in BevNRs and BevRs, respectively; p = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with CSC eyes that did not respond well to IVB, BevRs demonstrated significantly thicker SFChT at baseline, greater reduction in SFChT after IVB treatment, and hyperfluorescence on late-phase indocyanine green angiography. We recommend IVB injection as the first-line therapy for CSC eyes with relatively high SFChT and hyperfluorescence on late-phase indocyanine green angiography.
Adult ; Angiogenesis Inhibitors/administration & dosage/*therapeutic use ; Bevacizumab/administration & dosage/*therapeutic use ; Central Serous Chorioretinopathy/*drug therapy/pathology ; Choroid/*pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Intravitreal Injections ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: To analyze differences in the subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFChT) between bevacizumab responders (BevRs) and nonresponders (BevNRs) in patients with idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). METHODS: The medical records of 30 unilateral chronic CSC patients who were treated with intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) as a first line treatment were reviewed. Patients were categorized as BevNRs when CSC did not completely resolve after a minimum of 3 IVB treatments. Enhanced depth imaging-optical coherence tomography was used and SFChT was measured before and after treatment. Choroidal hyperpermeability was also evaluated using indocyanine angiography. RESULTS: Twenty and 10 eyes were classified as BevRs or BevNRs, respectively. The mean number of IVB treatments was 2.22 +/- 0.89 in BevRs, and 4.80 +/- 1.03 in BevNRs. Compared with BevNRs, BevRs demonstrated significantly greater pretreatment SFChT (441.25 +/- 88.09 vs. 364.10 +/- 61.97 microm); SFChT reduction following IVB was significantly greater in BevRs than BevNRs. SFChT in the unaffected eyes was also greater in BevRs than BevNRs. Choroidal hyperpermeability was detected less frequently in BevNRs (hypofluorescence on late-phase, 0.0% and 33.3% in BevNRs and BevRs, respectively; p = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with CSC eyes that did not respond well to IVB, BevRs demonstrated significantly thicker SFChT at baseline, greater reduction in SFChT after IVB treatment, and hyperfluorescence on late-phase indocyanine green angiography. We recommend IVB injection as the first-line therapy for CSC eyes with relatively high SFChT and hyperfluorescence on late-phase indocyanine green angiography.
Adult ; Angiogenesis Inhibitors/administration & dosage/*therapeutic use ; Bevacizumab/administration & dosage/*therapeutic use ; Central Serous Chorioretinopathy/*drug therapy/pathology ; Choroid/*pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Intravitreal Injections ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: To investigate correlations between preoperative and postoperative foveal microstructures in patients with macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). METHODS: We reviewed the records of 31 eyes from 31 patients with macula-off RRD who had undergone successful re-attachment surgery. We analyzed data obtained from complete ophthalmologic examinations and optical coherence tomography (OCT) before and 9 to 12 months after surgery. All postoperative OCT measurements were taken with spectral-domain OCT, but a subset of preoperative OCT measurements were taken with time-domain OCT. RESULTS: The mean duration of macular detachment was 15.5 +/- 15.2 days, and mean preoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA, logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) was 1.03 +/- 0.68. Preoperative visual acuity was correlated with retinal detachment height (p < 0.001) and the existence of intraretinal separation (IRS) along with outer layer undulation (OLU) (p = 0.022), but not with macula-off duration. The final BCVA was significantly correlated with integrity of the junction between the photoreceptor inner and outer segments (IS/OS) combined with the continuity of external limiting membrane (ELM) (p = 0.025). The presence of IRS and OLU on a detached macula were highly correlated with the final postoperative integrity of the IS/OS junction and the ELM (p = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: Eyes preoperatively exhibiting IRS and OLU showed a higher incidence of disruption to the photoreceptor IS/OS junction and the ELM at final follow-up. Such a close correlation between preoperative and postoperative structural changes may explain why ultimate visual recovery in such eyes is poor.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Fovea Centralis/*pathology/*surgery ; Humans ; Macula Lutea/pathology/surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Recovery of Function ; Retinal Detachment/*pathology/*surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; *Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVES: To investigate changes in, and predictors of, metabolic syndrome(MetS) status over a 5-year period in chronic schizophrenic patients and to identify factors associated with the prevention of or recovery from MetS. METHODS: In total, 107 patients, all of whom provided written informed consent, were followed from 2011 to 2016 at Naju National Hospital for this study. MetS was defined according to the revised National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines. RESULTS: During follow-up period, 22(20.5%) patients were newly diagnosed to MetS, 14(13.1%) were disappeared, 77(66.4%) were not changed[MetS : 34(31.8%), No MetS 37(34.6%)]. Common significant factors in the two changed groups were triglyceride and waist circumference, not dose and type of antipsychotic medication. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that female gender(odds ratio[OR]=2.846, 95% confidence interval[CI] : 1.020-7.942), attending two or more outpatient visits per month(OR=3.155, 95% CI : 1.188-8.379) and taking antidepressant medication(OR=3.991, 95% CI : 1.048-15.205) were significantly associated with MetS after controlling for other confounding variables. Type and dose of antipsychotic medication were not significantly associated with MetS. CONCLUSIONS: Triglyceride and waist circumference were important manageable indicator of MetS. Adoption of a healthy lifestyle is more important than adjusting the dose or type of antipsychotic medication in the treatment of chronic schizophrenia patients with MetS.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Cholesterol ; Confounding Factors (Epidemiology) ; Education ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Informed Consent ; Jeollanam-do ; Life Style ; Logistic Models ; Outpatients ; Schizophrenia ; Triglycerides ; Waist Circumference