Chronic cough is a common symptom and the etiology of which can be challenging to diagnose. The key to successful management is to establish a diagnosis and to treat the cause of cough. Asthma, gastro-esophageal reflux, and postnasal drip syndrome have been thought to be most common causes of chronic cough. Various causes such as lung diseases (sarcoidosis, pertussis), obstructive sleep apnea, drug (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor), and psychological status can induce chronic cough. However, many chronic cough patients do not have an identifiable cause. We need to understand the mechanisms underlying central and peripheral sensitization, how they interact with cough triggers and their relationship with the sensations that drive the urge to cough, and the subsequent motor cough response in chronic cough. Heightened cough reflex sensitivity is persistent and their cough is unexplained in many patients. In most patients who visited otorhinolaryngoloy clinics, it is possible to manage a majority of chronic cough patients successfully using a protocol based on presenting symptoms and therapeutic trials for the common causes of cough. However, there are few therapeutic options for patients with unexplained chronic cough. There is a pressing need to understand the physiological basis of unexplained chronic cough and to develop novel antitussive drugs that down regulate cough reflex sensitivity.
Adult* ; Antitussive Agents ; Asthma ; Cough* ; Diagnosis ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Humans ; Lung Diseases ; Reflex ; Respiratory Hypersensitivity ; Sensation ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a group counseling program using neurolinguistic programming (NLP) for individuals abusing alcohol. METHODS: In a quasi-experimental study, 48 participants were recruited from five alcohol medical centers. The NLP group counseling program was provided to the experimental group for 90 minute sessions twice a week for 5 weeks. Pre-post data were collected from November, 2014 to April, 2015. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-squared tests, and independent t-tests. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, participants in the experimental group showed significantly decreasing scores for depression (t=−2.19, p=.033) and alcohol craving (t=−3.59, p=.001). Participants in the experimental group also showed improved self-efficacy related to drinking refusal (t=3.05, p=.004). CONCLUSION: Study findings support using the NLP group counseling program with patients abusing alcohol as it is effective in improving depression, drinking refusal self-efficacy, and craving. Therefore, the NLP group counseling program is a useful nursing intervention to prevent relapse in alcoholics.
Alcoholics ; Alcoholism ; Counseling ; Craving ; Depression ; Drinking ; Humans ; Neurolinguistic Programming ; Non-Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Nursing ; Recurrence ; Self Efficacy

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop and compare the prediction model for suicide attempts by Korean adolescents using logistic regression and decision tree analysis. Methods: This study utilized secondary data drawn from the 2019 Youth Health Risk Behavior web-based survey. A total of 20 items were selected as the explanatory variables (5 of sociodemographic characteristics, 10 of health-related behaviors, and 5 of psychosocial characteristics). For data analysis, descriptive statistics and logistic regression with complex samples and decision tree analysis were performed using IBM SPSS ver. 25.0 and Stata ver. 16.0. Results: A total of 1,731 participants (3.0%) out of 57,303 responded that they had attempted suicide. The most significant predictors of suicide attempts as determined using the logistic regression model were experience of sadness and hopelessness, substance abuse, and violent victimization. Girls who have experience of sadness and hopelessness, and experience of substance abuse have been identified as the most vulnerable group in suicide attempts in the decision tree model. Conclusion Experiences of sadness and hopelessness, experiences of substance abuse, and experiences of violent victimization are the common major predictors of suicide attempts in both logistic regression and decision tree models, and the predict rates of both models were similar. We suggest to provide programs considering combination of high-risk predictors for adolescents to prevent suicide attempt.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to properly manage diseases such as blood sugar control so that patients with diabetes can benefit from both medication and health activities. Also, these health practices are greatly influenced by self-rated health, a subjective assessment of health status. Because self-rated health does not necessarily match the objective health status, it is important to identify which factors affect self-rated health. METHODS: For the study, the data was gathered from the 4th–6th National Health Nutrition Survey (2007–2015). Out of the total 73,353 participants in the survey, 2,303 patients with uncontrolled blood sugar with an HbA1c level of more than 7% were selected for the final study. Dependent variables fell into two categories depending on how the participant reported whether he or she was in good health or not. Independent variables included socio-demographics, health behavioral, and health status factors. This study performed logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Out of 2,303 participants, 18.1% reported that their heath was ‘good,’ despite the fact that their blood sugar level was not controlled. After running a logistic regression model, the odds ratio of groups that perceive subjective health awareness as good was higher in the groups of people as below: in the people over 60 years old; in the people who graduated from a junior college or higher than those who had a level of education of primary school completion or less; in the people living in Chungnam than those living in Seoul; and in the group with hypertriglyceridemia. CONCLUSION The study identified factors associated with those failed to perceive the blood sugar level as a severe health problem despite of the fact that blood sugar was not controlled. To improve public health, diabetes management policies need to be addressed to population groups with these problems above.

OBJECTIVES: Due to the complex anatomy and function of the head and neck region, the reconstruction of ablative defects in this area is challenging. In addition, an increasing interest in improving the quality of life of patients and achieving good functional results has highlighted the importance of free flaps. The aim of this study was to summarize the results of free flap reconstruction and salvage of free flaps in a single institute, and to analyze differences in the results by the flap donor site, recipient site, and learning curve. METHODS: The medical records of patients who underwent free flap reconstruction from 2004-2012 were reviewed retrospectively. One hundred and fifty free flaps were used in 134 patients, who had an average age of 57.7 years. The types of flaps applied, primary defect sites, success rates, results of salvage operations for compromised flap, and the learning curve were analyzed. RESULTS: The anterolateral thigh flap was preferred for the reconstruction of head and neck defects. The overall success rate was 90.7%, with 14 cases of failure. A total of 19 salvage operations (12.7%) for compromised flap were performed, and 12 flaps (63.2%) were salvaged successfully. Dependency on the facial vessels as recipient vessels was statistically different when oral and oropharyngeal defects were compared to hypopharyngeal and laryngeal defects. The learning curve for microvascular surgery showed decrease in the failure rate after 50 cases. CONCLUSION: The free flap technique is safe but involves a significant learning period and requires careful postoperative monitoring of the patient. Early intervention is important for the salvage of free flaps and for lowering the failure rate.
Early Intervention (Education) ; Free Tissue Flaps* ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Head* ; Humans ; Learning ; Learning Curve ; Medical Records ; Neck* ; Quality of Life ; Reoperation ; Retrospective Studies ; Thigh ; Tissue Donors

BACKGROUND: Since many patients with intestinal endometriosis present with gastrointestinal symptoms without a history of endometriosis, endoscopic examination of the intestinal tract is initially performed, often leading to a misdiagnosis. METHODS: We reviewed the clinicopathologic findings of 18 samples from 15 patients with intestinal endometriosis who underwent endoscopic biopsy and/or surgical resection to identify diagnostically helpful findings. RESULTS: All 7 biopsy specimens displayed relatively well-defined submucosal lesions, with non-mucinous glands lined by ciliated epithelium and surrounding cellular stroma containing spiral arteriole-like blood vessels. The stroma was immunopositive for CD10 in all cases. All but one specimen exhibited immunopositivity for ER and PR in both glandular and stromal components. In contrast to the overlying normal colonic mucosa, glandular epithelium with endometriosis was immunopositive for cytokeratin (CK) 7, but immunonegative for CK20 in all cases. Three cases were associated with adenocarcinoma in the same or different segments; specifically, two primary rectal adenocarcinomas and one endometrioid adenocarcinoma arising from endometriosis. CONCLUSIONS: The characteristic features of endometrial glands and stroma, including non-mucinous glands without goblet cells, ciliated columnar epithelium, and cellular stroma with spiral arterioles, facilitate the accurate diagnosis of intestinal endometriosis, which can be confirmed by immunohistochemical staining.
Adenocarcinoma ; Arterioles ; Biopsy ; Blood Vessels ; Carcinoma, Endometrioid ; Colon ; Diagnostic Errors ; Endometriosis ; Epithelium ; Female ; Goblet Cells ; Humans ; Intestines ; Keratins ; Mucous Membrane

Eosinophilic myenteric ganglionitis is a disorder characterized by infiltration of the Auerbach myenteric plexus by eosinophils. As a cause of chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIPO), eosinophilic myenteric ganglionitis has been rarely reported and the majority of the reported cases in the literature were children. We experienced a case of eosinophilic myenteric ganglionitis associated with CIPO in a 53-year-old female patient. Histologic examination of the resected descending colon showed moderate eosinophilic infiltrates with hypogangliosis in the myenteric plexus. Immunohistochemical study revealed increased number of CD4-positive lymphocytes and stronger but scantier glial fibillary acid protein expression in the inflamed myenteric plexus.
CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; Child ; Colon, Descending ; Eosinophils* ; Female ; Ganglion Cysts* ; Humans ; Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction ; Middle Aged ; Myenteric Plexus

BACKGROUND: With the development of information and communication technology, there is a growing number of people looking for health information on the internet. This pilot study was performed to analyze the pattern of pharmacist consultation on the internet portal site. METHODS: Questions and answers posted on the portal site “Naver Jisik-iN” from March 1st to 31th in 2016 were collected. Medications asked were categorized into prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, sanitary aids, emergency drugs, functional health foods, and others. Medications were subcategorized into 14 according to the anatomical therapeutic chemical classification system. Questions were divided into 10 categories based on Hepler's drug-related problems. RESULTS: Of the 955 cases, females accounted for 59.5% and inquirers from 11 to 40 years old, 89.4%. The number of prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, sanitary aids, emergency drugs, functional health foods, and others were 428 (44.8%), 328 (34.3%), 31 (3.3%), 2 (0.2%), 122 (12.8%), and 44 (4.6%), respectively. Questions for drugs acting on alimentary tract and metabolism took up 27.4% followed by those on nervous system, 13.6% and anti-infectives for systemic use, 12.2%. Pharmacist consultation regarding drug information, drug interaction, and adverse reaction occupied 47.9%, 15.2%, and 12.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Health counseling through online is predicted to increase steadily, so pharmacists should broaden their boundaries beyond off-line pharmacies to meet social needs.
Classification ; Counseling* ; Drug Interactions ; Emergencies ; Female ; Humans ; Information Services ; Internet* ; Metabolism ; Nervous System ; Nonprescription Drugs ; Pharmacies ; Pharmacists* ; Pilot Projects* ; Prescription Drugs

Multiple myeloma is a clonal B-cell tumor of slowly proliferating plasma cells within the bone marrow. It is a relatively well known disease, but temporal bone involvements have rarely been reported. It is not easy to diagnose multiple myeloma of the temporal bone in the early stage, since it presents with general, nonspecific otologic symptoms and pathologic confirmation in the temporal bone is difficult. Multiple myeloma involving the temporal bone area is considered to be in its terminal stage, but the treatment strategy is the same as that for conventional multiple myeloma involving other organs. We experienced a case of facial palsy had suddenly developed and was later diagnosed with multiple myeloma after a pathologic review and systemic evaluation. Herein we report this rare case with a review of literature.
B-Lymphocytes ; Bone Marrow ; Facial Nerve ; Facial Paralysis ; Multiple Myeloma ; Paralysis ; Plasma Cells ; Temporal Bone

Necrotizing fasciitis is an invasive soft tissue infection that progresses rapidly. It rarely occurs in the craniocervical area but when it does, it can be fatal; an early diagnosis and treatment would be thus important. Patients with necrotizing fasciitis are treated with intravenous antibiotics after wide debridement of necrotic tissues and daily dressing with antibiotic solution. Since daily dressing is thought to be a bothering procedure to both patients and medical doctors, we applied negative pressure wound therapy on the necrotizing fasciitis wound after operation. Negative pressure wound therapy has been used broadly in the departments of plastic surgery, orthopedic surgery and urology but rarely in the department of otorhinolaryngology. After applying the negative pressure wound therapy, the wound was successfully healed. We hereby introduce the benefits of negative pressure treatment on necrotizing fasciitis patients.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bandages ; Debridement ; Early Diagnosis ; Fasciitis, Necrotizing ; Humans ; Neck ; Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy ; Orthopedics ; Otolaryngology ; Soft Tissue Infections ; Surgery, Plastic ; Urology