Chronic subdural hematoma usually occurs as a consequence of minor trauma. But, chronic subdural hematoma of occupational origin has not been reported yet in Korea. We experienced a case of chronic subdural hematoma induced by repeated trauma to the head. The patient was a 45-year-old male. He complained of repeated headache and nausea. By the computed tomogram, he diagnosed as chronic subdural hematoma and took the operation. He was not an alcoholism and had no intracranial disease nor coagulopathy. We studied all possibilities through working environment and personal environment survey. As a result, we decided the case as an example of cumulative trauma disorder to the head by occupational origin. We report a case of chronic subdural hematoma in the worker exposed repeated head trauma of occupational origin.
Alcoholism ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Cumulative Trauma Disorders ; Head* ; Headache ; Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic* ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nausea

Interview survey and dermatological examination have been performed to investigate the health problems of workers continuously exposed to coal-tar pitch. The phototoxicity of coal-tar pitch was confirmed by the photopatch tests for six healthy adults. The main results are followings; 1. There was no special history of allergic diseases in both the exposed and non-exposed group. 2. The frequency of the phototoxic dermatosis and the coal-tar acne in the exposed group was significantly greater(p<0.05) than that of the control group. In the exposed group, the phototoxic dermatosis and the coal-tar acne were observed in nine workers(90%) and seven workers(70%), respectively. However, those disease were not observed in the control group. 3. Five results(83%) were positive to the photopatch test for coal-tar pitch 48 hours after UVA irradiation. But the lesion was subsiding 72 hours after UVA irradiation. 4. Malignant cancers were not reported among workers ever exposed to coal-tar pitch. In conclusion, it appears that workers exposed to coal-tar pitch have high risks of phototoxic dermatosis and coal-tar acne. A health policy should be provided to prevent phototoxic dermatosis among coal-tar pitch workers. More studies are required to determine malignancy.
Acne Vulgaris ; Adult ; Dermatitis, Phototoxic ; Health Policy ; Humans ; Skin Diseases*

Panax ginseng (PG) has been used as an important analeptic in traditional medicine. This study was purposed to investigate the effect of PG on immune responses induced by glucocorticoid in mice. PG solution was injected into CV6 and BL23, which are the classical acupuncture points, for 7 days after injection with glucocorticoid. And then B and T cell proliferation and cytolytic activity of natural killer (NK) cells were measured. B cell proliferation by 'H-thymidine incorporation was decreased by about 25% in control group as compared with normal group. However, B cell proliferation was significantly increased 1.8-fold in CV6 group and 2.5-fold in BL23 group as compared with normal group. T cell proliferation by H- thymidine incorporation was decreased by about 15% in control group as compared with normal group. On the other hand, T cell proliferation was significantly increased 1.9-fold in CV6 group and 2.3-fold in BL23 group as cornpared with normal group. Furthermore in purified T cell, the proliferation was furtherly increased rather than in non-purified T cell. The activity of NK cell was remarkably decreased in control group as compared with normal group. However, the activities of NK cells in CV6 and BL23 groups were recovered to the above levels of normal group. On the other hand, the activity of NK cell in the blank locus group was slightly increased compared with control group. However this increasement was not reached the levels of CV6 and BL23 groups. And in the case of purified NK cell, the cytolytic activity of NK cell was respectively increased 1.6-fold in normal group, 1.4-fold in control group, 2.0-fold in blank locus group and 2.0-fold in CV6 group and 1.4-fold in BL23 group as compared to the non-purifed NK cell. These results suggest that PG aqua-acupuncture at CV6 and BL23 may proliferate B and T cells that is suppressed by glucocorticoid, and activate NK cell activity.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture* ; Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; Hand ; Killer Cells, Natural ; Lymphocytes* ; Medicine, Traditional ; Mice* ; Panax* ; T-Lymphocytes ; Thymidine

BACKGROUND: H. pylori-associated gastrointestinal diseases have been widely recognized. The aim of this study was to investigate the seropositivity of H. pylori in health check-up subjects and to find out the relating factors. METHODS: From November 2004 through June 2005, total 7,676 health check-up subjects (age > or =20) responded to the self administered questionnaires. The prevalence of H. pylori was assessed by measuring anti-H. pylori IgG antibodies. RESULTS: The overall seropositivity was 56.7% in 7,676 and 1,137 (14.8%) has been found to have history of H. pylori eradication therapy. The seropositivity rate of H. pylori was 61.3% (2,653) in 4,328 subjects without history of H. pylori eradication and current gastrointestinal symptoms. Seroprevalence of H. pylori was significantly lower in 20~29 years old, female, high income and subjects from Seoul respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The seropositivity of H. pylori in 2004~2005 is found to be 61.3% in subjects without history of H. pylori eradication and current gastrointestinal symptoms. This seems to be lower than 66.9%, the seroprevalence rate in asymptomatic Korean population in the age of > or =16 years in 1998. This decrease might be caused by improvement of socioeconomic status.
Antibodies ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Prevalence ; Seoul ; Seroepidemiologic Studies* ; Social Class ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor or inflammatory pseudotumor is characterized by spindle cell proliferation with inflammatory cell infiltration, predominantly plasma cells and lymphocytes. We have experienced a case of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the mesentery in a 57-year-old male patient with intermittent abdominal pain. On computer tomography, a well demarcated mass was seen in the mesenteric side of the ascending colon. Right hemicolectomy was performed under the impression of the metastatic tumor of lymph nodes. Grossly, a rather well-circumscribed gray white mass was noted in the mesentery of the ascending colon. Microscopically, the lesion consisted of plump spindle cells and accompanying inflammatory cellular infiltrates. The spindle cells were positive for vimentin.
Abdominal Pain ; Cell Proliferation ; Colon, Ascending ; Granuloma, Plasma Cell ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphocytes ; Male ; Mesentery* ; Middle Aged ; Myofibroblasts* ; Plasma Cells ; Vimentin

To evaluate the effect of manganese on the respiratory system, we investigated the respiratory symptoms of 63 male workers exposed to fume containing manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), and silica (Si), and compared them with those of 66 male workers not exposed to the fume in a manganese alloy smelting factory. The prevalence ratios of the seven respiratory symptoms were not different between two groups. The presence of any respiratory symptom was not related with the age, duration of employment, smoking status of workers, and exposure to fume. In furnace workers, it was not related with the airborne Mn, Fe, and Si concentration in the total or respirable fume. Airborne Mn concentrations of all 4 furnaces in the respirable fume were below 1 mg/m(3). There were two suspicious cases of pneumoconiosis among furnace workers and one definite case(1/2) among casting workers who were not exposed to fume. The above results suggest that the exposure to the low airborne Mn concentration is not related with respiratory symptoms and pneumoconiosis. However, it is necessary to study the respiratory effects of Mn using the symptom questionnaire with consideration of the severity and persistence of symptoms and the time interval from exposure.
Alloys ; Employment ; Humans ; Iron ; Male ; Manganese* ; Osmeriformes ; Pneumoconiosis ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Respiratory System ; Silicon Dioxide ; Smoke ; Smoking

OBJECTIVES: We examined the effects of sleep variables and emotional factors including stress, anxiety and depression on the quality of life in insomnia patients. METHODS: We recruited 153 insomnia patients and 96 normal control (NC) subjects who visited three Public Health Centers in Kangwon-do from 2013 until 2015. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Korean version of Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ-K), Korean version of Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Ford Insomnia Response to Stress Test (FIRST), Hyperarousal Scale (HAS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Anxiety-Sensitivity Index (ASI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Short Form-12 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-12) were administered for each subject. We compared the scores of the above scales between the insomnia and control groups, using analysis of covariance to control for age. Stepwise regression analysis assessed the association of these variables with SF-12 scores. RESULTS: The scores of PSQI, FIRST, HAS, ASI, BDI in insomnia patients were significantly higher than those of NC subjects, but the Mental Component Summary (MCS) scores of SF-12 were lower. Stepwise regression analysis showed the scores of PSS and MEQ-K significantly predicted the MCS scores in NC subjects, and the BDI score predicted scores in insomnia patients. CONCLUSION: In our study, greater subjective stress and evening preference could explain lower mental quality of life in NC subjects. In insomnia patients, greater depression is an additional factor.
Anxiety ; Depression ; Exercise Test ; Gangwon-do ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Public Health ; Quality of Life* ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders* ; Weights and Measures

Overlap syndrome is used to describe patients who have two or more well-defined connective tissue diseases. Although a variety of overlap syndromes are now recognized, the coexistence of the progression of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is uncommon. We describe a patient who had typical deforming polyarthritis, who years later developed SLE.
Arthritis ; Arthritis, Juvenile* ; Connective Tissue Diseases ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic*

Epidermal inclusion cyst is the one of the common benign tumors of vulvar area. It can result from vulvar skin trauma such as vaginal wall sling operation and female mutilation etc. causing an invagination of squamous epithelium, which then desquamates into a closed space to form a cystic mass. We have experienced one case of huge epidermal inclusion cyst at rectovaginal and posterior coccygeal area considered of huge retroperitoneal mass, which is presented with a brief review of the literatures.
Epithelium ; Female ; Humans ; Skin

Injuries to the menisci occur in a variety of ways, most commonly with a twist, pivot, squat, or valgus stress to the knee. Tear patterns are classified to longitudinal, horizontal, or transverse features according to the mechanism of injury. Work-related meniscal tear usually occurs with a repetitive usage of the foot, hence it can be classified as a cumulative traumatic disorder. We found a 47 year-old female worker who had been taking charge of repetitive foot-switch stepping for 8 years. She suffered from pain in the right knee since 5 months ago. Tenderness along the medial joint line of the right knee was observed and pain was aggravated with full flexion of the right knee. On magnetic resonance imaging, high signal intensity was observed at the posterior horn of the medial meniscus of the right knee. Degenerative longitudinal and transverse complex tear in the medial meniscus was observed on arthroscopy. Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy was performed. We surveyed the work process and the health status of co-workers. It turned out that the work process was compatible to injure the meniscus and nine out of fourteen co-workers(64.3%) complained pain of the knee. No other factors related to her meniscal tear could be found except for the situation at her work. Therefore, we conclude that meniscal tear is related to the repetitive stepping of foot switch.
Animals ; Arthroscopy ; Female ; Foot ; Horns ; Humans ; Joints ; Knee ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Menisci, Tibial ; Middle Aged