BACKGROUND: Hospitals provide programs for routine screening health examination to meet the needs of people who take keen interest in the prevention of cancer and chronic diseases. But current programs do not reflect individual characteristics such as age, sex, occupation, and risk factors. Expensive diagnostic tests not based on evidence raise a continued issue of controversy. We evaluated on the scientific evidence of screening tests in these programs. METHODS: Internet home pages were searched for screening test provided by 6 major hospitals and by National Health Insurance Corporation. Screening tests were arranged by target diseases which were chosen by the authors. We reviewed the guidelines of several organizations and compared the scientific evidence of each test by the recommended guidelines. RESULTS: Excessive investigation, such as tumor markers, abdominal ultrasonography, anti-HCV Ab, and VDRL were routinely administered against recommended guidelines. Screening tests lacking sufficient evidence for recommendation were included. Furthermore, selection of the screening tests options and time interval was based on the clients' economic state and non-expert preference. CONCLUSION: Screening tests were uniformly administered in excess with insufficient evidence. Tailored screening program should be administered considering individual characteristics and risk factors.
Chronic Disease ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Internet ; Korea ; Mass Screening* ; National Health Programs ; Occupations ; Risk Factors ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the mental health status of the children of psychiatric patients in order to plan for the resources that may be necessary to help these children achieve their full potential. METHODS: Forty-eight children (age 9–18) whose parents were registered in 5 community mental health centers located in Seoul were recruited. Tests assessing 3 psychological domains were conducted: 1) cognition: Korean version of Learning Disability Evaluation Scale, Comprehensive Attention Test, 2) parent reported emotion and behavior: Korean Child Behavior Checklist, Korean attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder Rating Scale, and 3) self-reported emotion and behavior: Korean Beck's Depression Inventory-II/Children's Depression Inventory-II, Korean Youth Self Report). We defined the children as having a high risk of developing mental health problems if their test scores were over the cut-off levels in 2 or more of the 3 domains assessed. RESULTS: Twelve (25%) children were classified as having a high risk of developing mental health issues. 20 (41.6%) children scored above the cut-off in only one of the domains. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the children of psychiatric patients might be vulnerable to mental illness and need early prevention or interven-tions for the sake of their mental health.
Adolescent ; Checklist ; Child Behavior ; Child* ; Cognition ; Community Mental Health Centers ; Depression ; Humans ; Learning Disorders ; Mass Screening* ; Mental Health* ; Parents* ; Seoul

BACKGROUND: Blood pressure (BP) control is the most-established method for the prevention of chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression. However, the ideal BP target for CKD patients is still under debate. METHODS: We performed a survey of regular registered members of the Korean Society of Nephrology to determine physician perceptions of BP control in patients with CKD. In addition, we evaluated the target BP achievement rate using data from the APrODiTe-2 study. RESULTS: Two-thirds of physicians considered the target BP for CKD to be < 130/85 mmHg. The systolic BP (SBP) thresholds for diabetic CKD, proteinuria ≥ 300 mg/day, 30 ≤ glomerular filtration rate (GFR) < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2, age < 60 years, and the presence of atherosclerotic (ASO) complications were significantly lower than the SBP thresholds of the opposite parameters. The three major hurdles to controlling BP were non-compliance with lifestyle modification and medications, and self-report of well-controlled home BP. Most physicians prescribed home and ambulatory BP monitoring to less than 50% of their patients. The target BP achievement rates using the SBP thresholds in this survey were as follows: non-diabetic (69.3%); diabetic (29.5%); proteinuria < 300 mg/day (72.3%); proteinuria > 300 mg/day (33.7%); GFR ≥ 60 (76.4%); GFR < 30 (47.8%); no evidence of ASO (67.8%); and the presence of ASO (42.9%). CONCLUSION: The target BP was lower in patients with higher cerebro-cardiovascular risks. These patient groups also showed lower target BP achievement rates. We also found a relatively lower application and clinical reflection rate of home or ambulatory BP monitoring.
Blood Pressure* ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Humans ; Life Style ; Methods ; Nephrology ; Proteinuria ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic*

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic left lateral sectionectomy (LLLS) has been widely accepted due to benefits of minimally invasive surgery. Some surgeons prefer to isolate glissonian pedicles to segments II and III and to control individual pedicles with surgical clips, whereas opt like to control glissonian pedicles simultaneously using endoscopic stapling devices. The aim of this study was to find the rationale of LLLS using endoscopic staples. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed and compared the clinical outcomes (operation time, drainage length, transfusion, hospital stay, and complication rate) of 35 patients that underwent LLLS between April 2004 and February 2012. Patients were dichotomized by surgical technique based on whether glissonian pedicles were isolated and controlled (the individual group, n = 21) or controlled using endoscopic staples at once (the batch group, n = 14). RESULTS: Mean operation time was 265.3 +/- 21.3 minutes (mean +/- standard deviation) in the individual group and 170 +/- 22.9 minutes in the batch group. Operation time in the batch group was significantly shorter than the individual group (P = 0.007). Mean drainage length was 4.8 +/- 1.6 and 2.6 +/- 1.5 days in the individual and the batch group. There was significantly shorter in the batch group, also (P = 0.006). No transfusion was required in the batch group, but 4 patients in the individual group needed transfusion. Mean hospital stay was 10.7 +/- 1.1 and 9.4 +/- 0.8 days in the individual and the batch groups (P = 0.460). There were no significant complications or mortality in both groups. CONCLUSION: LLLS using endoscopic staples (batch group) was found to be an easier and safer technique without morbidity or mortality.
Drainage ; Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Length of Stay ; Mortality ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Instruments ; Surgical Procedures, Minimally Invasive ; Sutures

PURPOSE: Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is known as a major contributor of the worsening of ischemic symptoms and the foot ulceration in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD). However, there are few studies reporting the prevalence and risk factors for PN in PAOD. This study aimed to evaluate these issues for PN and to establish the importance of screening as additional treatment target for PN in PAOD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 52 limbs with PAOD were enrolled from January 2011 to December 2012. PN was divided into radiculopathy, ischemic PN (IPN), and diabetic PN (DPN), based on electromyographic findings. We investigated the prevalence of overall PN and subtypes of PN and then analyzed the risk factors. RESULTS: The prevalence of overall PN in PAOD was 43 of 52 limbs (82.7%). In terms of subtypes of PN, the prevalence rate of radiculopathy and IPN was 30.8% and 23.1%, respectively. DPN showed in 22 limbs (73.3%) among 30 diabetic limbs. There was no significant correlation between each type of PN and ischemic symptoms. Our analysis showed that coronary artery disease (CAD) was a significant risk factor (P=0.01) for IPN, however, did not identify any significant risk factors for DPN. CONCLUSION: This present study indicated that most patients with PAOD had PN and CAD was a risk factor for IPN. In particular, PAOD with diabetes represented a higher prevalence for DPN. Our study suggests that PN should be evaluated and considered as another treatment target in patients with PAOD.
Arterial Occlusive Diseases* ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Extremities ; Foot Ulcer ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases* ; Prevalence* ; Radiculopathy ; Risk Factors*

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is a precancerous clinical entity, which is characterized by the development of numerous adenomatous polyps throughout the colon and rectum. The majority of FAP are associated with mutations of the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene. Until now, more than 1,000 different APC mutations have been reported and some mutations express attenuated phenotypes which are milder forms with 10~100 colorectal polyps. We identified a novel mutation of APC gene which expressed an attenuated FAP but caused large gastroduodenal tubular adenomas requiring repeated endoscopic resections. A 16-year-old girl was referred to Incheon St. Mary's Hospital for evaluation of gastric polyposis. Initial esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) showed numerous gastric polyps in the fundus and upper body and a few polyps in the duodenum. Pathologic examination confirmed gastric polyps as fundic gland polyps and duodenal polyps as tubular adenomas. Only a few colonic polyps of 2 to 5 mm in size were found on colonoscopy. Genetic analysis using polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing revealed a novel stop codon mutation at codon 1522 in exon 16 of APC gene. At 12-month, 18-month, and 35-month follow-up EGD, large duodenal polyp and gastric polyps were removed endoscopically.
Adenoma ; Adenomatous Polyposis Coli* ; Adenomatous Polyps ; Adolescent ; Codon ; Codon, Terminator ; Colon ; Colonic Polyps ; Colonoscopy ; Duodenum ; Endoscopy, Digestive System ; Exons ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Genes, APC* ; Germ-Line Mutation* ; Humans ; Incheon ; Phenotype ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polyps* ; Rectum

BACKGROUND: Non-small cell lung cancer is one of the most frequent cause of death due to cancer in men, and its incidence among women is rapidly increasing. Although there has been a recent surge of interest in combined modality therapy for stage III non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC), the optimal treatment is still not well established. Thoracic irradiation has long been the gold standard for locally advanced unresectable NSCLC. However, although conventional radiotherapy(XRT) can palliate symptom and improve local control of disease, it huts at most only a modest effect on survival. Recently, cisplatin(cia-diamminedichloroplatinum ) has been reported to enhance the cell-killing effect of radiation For patients with unresectable NSCLC, cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy(CCRT) had the advantage of therapeutic response over XRT alone and therapeutic side effect more commonly occurred in CCRT group in EORTC(European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer) and other trials. Objectives : We compared therapeutic response, compliance, and side effects between CCRT and XRT in patients with advanced NSCLC. Patients and METHOD: Thirty patients with biopsy-proven inoperable NSCLC were randomized to one of two treatment arms. Arm A consisted of XRT, radiotherapy for 4~6 weeks(1.8 Gy given 20~33 times, in five fractions a week), and arm B consisted of CCRT, radiotherapy for 2 weeks(3 Gy given 10 times, in five fractions a week), followed by 3 week rest period and then radiotherapy 2 more weeks(2.5 Gy given 10 timed in five fractions a week), combined with 6mg cisplatin per square meter, given daily before radiotherapy. We evaluate therapeutic response, compliance, change of performance status, side effects, and radiation pneumonitis by using the author's made scoring system. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in therapeutic response and compliance. But there was a significantly lower laboratory complication and radiation pneumonitis in CCRT group (p<0.05). There's significant negative correlation between stage and therapeutic response score in both groups(R=0.353, p<0.05). In both groups, patients with squamous cell carcinoma had a tendency to higher therapeutic response score than those with adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSION: There was. no difference between CCRT and XRT in respect to therapeutic response and compliance. But CCRT had a advantage of decreased side effects.
Adenocarcinoma ; Arm ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cause of Death ; Chemoradiotherapy* ; Cisplatin ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Compliance ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Male ; Radiation Pneumonitis ; Radiotherapy*

OBJECTIVES: The Korean Food Composition Table (KFCT) was first published in 1970, and has since been updated every five years by the Rural Development Administration (RDA). This study was conducted to introduce the development strategies, features, and challenges of the 9th revision of the KFCT. METHODS: Due to the increasing demands of nutrient database users and generators, the RDA started a new research project in 2013 to improve the quantity and quality of data for the 9th revision of the KFCT. Over 1,000 food items frequently consumed in Korea were selected as key foods using the results of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. About 200 raw materials and processed food items were collected and analyzed every year. Target nutrients that were analyzed by collaborative labs, such as, sugars, selenium, iodine, and biotin, were increased from 22 to 43. Analytical sample handling procedures and data quality evaluation systems were also established in collaboration with 10 contracted labs. Data were evaluated for data quality according to the FAO/INFOODS, CODEX, and AOAC guidelines. RESULTS: The 9th revision contains data on 3,000 food items and up to 43 and 140 food nutrients for the printed table and the excel database file, respectively. Overall, 1,485 data items were newly added, 973 of which were provided by the RDA and 512 were cited from foreign nutrient databases. The remaining 1,515 food items were maintained as in the 8th revision. CONCLUSIONS: The KFCT provides the basic infrastructure for food and nutrition policy, research, and dietary practice in South Korea. The use of the KFCT has increased exponentially in the past few years in both public and private sectors; accordingly, increased efforts should be paid to the preparation, improvement, and maintenance of KFCT.
Biotin ; Carbohydrates ; Cooperative Behavior ; Data Accuracy ; Iodine ; Korea ; Nutrition Policy ; Nutrition Surveys ; Private Sector ; Selenium ; Social Planning

OBJECTIVES: The Korean Food Composition Table (KFCT) was first published in 1970, and has since been updated every five years by the Rural Development Administration (RDA). This study was conducted to introduce the development strategies, features, and challenges of the 9th revision of the KFCT. METHODS: Due to the increasing demands of nutrient database users and generators, the RDA started a new research project in 2013 to improve the quantity and quality of data for the 9th revision of the KFCT. Over 1,000 food items frequently consumed in Korea were selected as key foods using the results of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. About 200 raw materials and processed food items were collected and analyzed every year. Target nutrients that were analyzed by collaborative labs, such as, sugars, selenium, iodine, and biotin, were increased from 22 to 43. Analytical sample handling procedures and data quality evaluation systems were also established in collaboration with 10 contracted labs. Data were evaluated for data quality according to the FAO/INFOODS, CODEX, and AOAC guidelines. RESULTS: The 9th revision contains data on 3,000 food items and up to 43 and 140 food nutrients for the printed table and the excel database file, respectively. Overall, 1,485 data items were newly added, 973 of which were provided by the RDA and 512 were cited from foreign nutrient databases. The remaining 1,515 food items were maintained as in the 8th revision. CONCLUSIONS: The KFCT provides the basic infrastructure for food and nutrition policy, research, and dietary practice in South Korea. The use of the KFCT has increased exponentially in the past few years in both public and private sectors; accordingly, increased efforts should be paid to the preparation, improvement, and maintenance of KFCT.
Biotin ; Carbohydrates ; Cooperative Behavior ; Data Accuracy ; Iodine ; Korea ; Nutrition Policy ; Nutrition Surveys ; Private Sector ; Selenium ; Social Planning

Foeniculum vulgare Mill. (fennel) is used to flavor food, in cosmetics, as an antioxidant, and to treat microbial, diabetic and common inflammation. No study to date, however, has assessed the anti-inflammatory effects of fennel in experimental models of inflammation. The aims of this study were to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of fennel in model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury. Mice were randomly assigned to seven groups (n=7~10). In five groups, the mice were intraperitoneally injected with 1% Tween 80-saline (vehicle), fennel (125, 250, 500micro l/kg), or dexamethasone (1 mg/kg), followed 1 h later by intratracheal instillation of LPS (1.5 mg/kg). In two groups, the mice were intraperitoneally injected with vehicle or fennel (250microl/kg), followed 1 h later by intratracheal instillation of sterile saline. Mice were sacrificed 4 h later, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissues were obtained. Fennel significantly and dose-dependently reduced LDH activity and immune cell numbers in LPS treated mice. In addition fennel effectively suppressed the LPS-induced increases in the production of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, with 500microl/kg fennel showing maximal reduction. Fennel also significantly and dose-dependently reduced the activity of the proinflammatory mediator matrix metalloproteinase 9 and the immune modulator nitric oxide (NO). Assessments of the involvement of the MAPK signaling pathway showed that fennel significantly decreased the LPS-induced phosphorylation of ERK. Fennel effectively blocked the inflammatory processes induced by LPS, by regulating pro-inflammatory cytokine production, transcription factors, and NO.
Acute Lung Injury* ; Animals ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Cell Count ; Cytokines ; Dexamethasone ; Foeniculum* ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-6 ; Lung ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; Mice* ; Models, Theoretical ; NF-kappa B* ; Nitric Oxide ; Phosphorylation ; Transcription Factors ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha