OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the hypothesis that increasing ambient levels of ozone or particulate matter are associated with increased emergency room visits for asthma and to quantify the strength of association, if any, between these. METHODS: Daily counts of emergency room visits for asthma, air quality, and weather data were collected from hospitals with over 200 beds and from monitoring stations in Seoul, Korea from 1994 through 1997. Daily counts of emergency room visits for asthma attack were analyzed using a general additive Poisson model, with adjustment for the effects of secular trend, seasonal variation, Sunday and holiday, temperature, and humidity, according to levels of ozone and particulate matter. RESULTS: The association between daily counts of emergency room visits for asthma attack and ozone levels was statistically significant in summer(from June to August), and the RR by unit increment of 100 ppb ozone was 1.30(95% CI = 1.11-1.52) without lag time. With restriction of the period from April to September in 1996, the RR was 1.37(95% CI = 1.06-1.76), and from June to August in 1995, the RR was 1.62(95% CI = 1.12-2.35). In the data for children(5?14 yr), the RR was 2.57(95% CI = 1.31-5.05) with restriction of the period from April to September in 1997. There was no significant association between TSP levels and asthma attacks, but a slight association was seen between PM10 levels and asthma attacks in a very restricted period. CONCLUSION: There was a statistically significant association between ambient levels of ozone and daily counts of emergency room visits for asthma attack. Therefore, we must make efforts to effectively minimize air pollution, in order to protect public health.
Air Pollution* ; Asthma* ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Holidays ; Humidity ; Korea ; Ozone ; Particulate Matter ; Public Health ; Seasons ; Seoul ; Weather

PURPOSE: The subconjunctival sparganosis is rare tissue helminthiasis which developed frequently in abdominal, urethral, ureteral and vertebral cases. Authors report a case of sparganosis in the subconjunctival mass. METHODS: A 51-year-old man with reddish non painful mass in his left eye on the subconjunctiva that was unresponsive to medications for 6months was evaluated and treated surgically. On surgical exploration, a white thread-like plerocercoid 0.2 x 4.7 cm in size was extracted from the subconjunctival mass and actively motile in the bottle filled with saline. It was confirmed as a typical sparganum under histologic examination. Three months after surgery, the lesion disappeared completely. RESULTS: Although rare, parasitic disease should be suspected in a palpable subconjuntival mass unresponsive to the medical treatment.
Helminthiasis ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Parasitic Diseases ; Sparganosis* ; Sparganum ; Ureter

No abstract available.
Anemia ; Gaucher Disease* ; Humans ; Siblings* ; Thrombocytopenia

OBJECTIVES: Changes in lung function are frequently used as biological markers to assess the health effects of criteria air pollutants. We tried to formulate the prediction models of pulmonary functions based on height, weight, age and gender, especially for children aged 12 years who are commonly selected for the study of health effects of the air pollution. METHODS: The target pulmonary function parameters were forced vital capacity(FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second(FEV1). Two hundreds and fifity-eight male and 301 female 12-year old children were included in the analysis after excluding unsatisfactory tests to the criteria recommended by American Thoracic Sosiety and excluding more or less than 20% predicted value by previous prediction equations. The weight prediction equation using height as a independent variable was calculated, and then the difference of observed weight and predicted weight (i.e. residual) was used as the independent variable of pulmonary function prediction equations with height. RESULTS: The prediction equations of FVC and FEV1 for male are FVC(ml) = 50.84 x height(cm) + 7.06 x weight residual - 4838.86, FEV1(ml) = 43.57 x height(cm) + 3.16 x weight residual - 4156.66, respectively. The prediction equations of FVC and FEV1 for female are FVC(ml) = 42.57 x height(cm) + 12.50 x weight residual - 3862.39, FEV1(ml) = 36.29 x height(cm) + 7.74 x weight residual - 3200.94, respectively.
Air Pollutants ; Air Pollution ; Biomarkers ; Child* ; Female ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Lung ; Male

It is well known that ketamine produces an increase in the heart rate and blood pressure. Lidocaine has a direct myocardial depressant effect with indirect stimulant effects mediated by the autonomic nervous system, and propranolol, beta-adrenergic receptor blockade, has negative chronotropic effects through the beta-adrenergic blockade. In order to investigate the effect of propranolol and lidocaine on the heart rate and blood pressure increased by ketamine, lidocaine, and/or propranolol were administered intravenously in awake patients. The results were as follows. 1) In ketamine(2 mg/kg) receiving group, the heart rate increased 16-19 beats per minute and systolic, diastolic and the mean blood pressure increased significantly. 2) In ketamine(2 mg/kg)-lidocaine(2 mg/kg) receiving group, the heart rate increased l2-14 beats per minute, and the systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure increased significantly. 3) In ketamine(2 mg/kg)-propranolol(0.02 mg/kg) receiving group, the heart rate increased below 5 beats per minute and systolic, diastolic, and the mean blood pressure increased significantly. 4) In ketamine(2 mg/kg)-propranolol(0.02 mg/kg)-lidocaine(2 mg/kg) receiving group, the heart rate increased only 3-4 beats per minute and systolic, diastolic, and mean pressures increased significantly. From the above results, the chronotropic effect of ketamine was markedly attenuated by propranolol or propranolol-lidocaine but not attenuated by lidocaine, and the pressor effect was not attenuated by lidocaine, or propranolol and propranolol with lidocaine.
Autonomic Nervous System ; Blood Pressure* ; Heart Rate* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Ketamine* ; Lidocaine* ; Propranolol*

In effort to determine whether aircraft noise can have health effects such as hearing loss, hypertension and psychological stress, a total of 111 male professors and administrative officers working a college near a military airport in Korea(exposed group) and a total of 168 males and 112 females matched by age groups(control groups) were analyzed. Personal noise exposure and indoor and outdoor sound level of jet aircraft noise were measured at the exposed area. And pure tone, air conduction test and measurement of blood pressure were given to the exposed(males) and matched control groups(males and females). BEPSI(Brief Encounter Psychological Instrument) and psychological response to aircraft noise were examined for the exposed group. The noise dosimetry results revealed time-weighted averages(TWAs) that ranged from 61 to 68 dBA. However the levels encountered during taking off jet airplanes reached 126 dBA for two half minutes time period. The audiometric test showed that mean values of HTL(hearing threshold level) in exposed group at every frequency(500, 1,000, 2,000, 4,000, and 8,000 Hz were much lower than them of male and female control groups. And in old age groups, interaction of age and noise was observed at 8,000 Hz in both ears(p< 0.05). Conclusively, aircraft noise does not appear to induce hearing loss directly, but may decreased hearing threshold level by interaction of aging process and noise exposure. However, difference of mean values of exposed and control groups on blood pressure was not significantly. In psychological test, annoyance was the most severe psychological response to noise in exposed group, but mean value of BEPSI was not correlated with job duration in exposed group
Aging ; Aircraft* ; Airports ; Blood Pressure* ; Female ; Hearing Loss* ; Hearing* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Male ; Military Personnel ; Noise* ; Presbycusis ; Psychological Tests ; Stress, Psychological*

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the hypothesis that air pollution could increase emergency room visits for respiratory diseases, and if so, to quantify the strength of association between those. METHODS: We compiled daily records of hospital emergency room visits for respiratory diseases in Seoul, from November 1. 1995 to October 31. 1996, by using medical utilization data of unscheduled visits. In addition, air quality and weather data for the same period was collected. And a case-crossover design was applied by adopting conditional logistic regression analysis to determine the relationship between air pollutants and emergency room visits for respiratory diseases. In particular, the control periods were chosen by a bidirectional paired matching technique 7, 14, and 21days before and after the case periods. RESULTS: Only ozone was associated with the increased number of emergency room visits for respiratory diseases. The relative risk according to a 30ppb increase of ozone concentration (24hr mean, lagged 1day) was 1.91 (95% confidence interval = 1.78-2.05). CONCLUSION: There was a statistically significant association between the ambient ozone and daily emergency room visits for respiratory diseases.
Air Pollutants ; Air Pollution* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Logistic Models ; Ozone ; Seoul* ; Weather

Although occupational low back pain accounts for 20~40% of all occupational illness and injury, there are limited numbers of studies regarding the effectiveness of back school program. The objective of this study was to evaluate the economic benefit of back school program for early return to work of occupational low back pain patients in the current occupational injury compensation and management system. The cost-benefit analysis in this study was conducted to evaluate the relative magnitude of benefit to cost. The total cost was estimated by calculating the value of components in back school program according to governmental budget protocol. The back school program was consisted of three major approaches, pain center, work-hardening program and functional restoration program and each of components had various facilities and experts. The total amount of cost was estimated as 250,866,220 won per year. The most promising type of back school program were quite intensive (a 3 to 5-week stay in a specialized center), therefore, if we adopted the 5-week stay course, 10 courses could be held in a year. Following to the medical act, 20 patients per doctor could participate in a each course, ie, total 200 patients in a year. As a result, we could estimate the cost of 1,254,331 won a patient. we estimated the benefit by using data of a few local labor offices about average medical treatment beneficiary and off-duty beneficiary of 46 occupational low back pain patients in 1994. Ullman and Larsson(1977) mentioned that the group of chronic low back pain patients who participated in back school program needed less time to recover by 48.4% of beneficiary duration. And in the trying to estimate the benefit, we asked 10 rehabilitation board certificate doctors about reduction proportion of treatment cost by introducing back school program. The answered reduction proportions were in the range of 30~45%, average 39%. As a final result, we could see that the introduction of back school program in treatment of chronic occupational low back pain patients could produce the benefit to cost ratio as 3.90 and 6.28. And we could conclude that the introduction of back school program was beneficial to current occupational injury compensation and management system.
Budgets ; Compensation and Redress ; Cost-Benefit Analysis* ; Health Care Costs ; Humans ; Low Back Pain* ; Occupational Injuries ; Pain Clinics ; Rehabilitation ; Return to Work

BACKGROUND: Recently, the trend pursuing slimness is significantly increasing in adolescents. Because of distorted body image, excessive body weight control can cause problems of health. The goal of this study is to investigate the factors of distorted body image and its problems. METHODS: The survey was performed in a high school of Jindo island on May, 2000. All of 258 students in 1st and 2nd grade participated in this study by questionnaires. Thirteen truthless questionnaires were excluded in this study. Therefore 245 student were selected. RESULTS: Only 20% of 245 repliers were satisfied with their body figure. In male, 24.1% wanted weight loss, and 39.8% wanted weight gain. In female, 73% wanted weight loss. In a populations(BMI<20), 70 males wanted weight loss, whereas 35(52.2%) among 67 females want weight loss. According to these result, female stuedents wanted strongly weight loss than male. The factors which most influenced body figure were sports star in males(36.1%), and movie stars in female.(43.8%) A group of 58.4% of repliers has experienced body weight control. A group of 37% in male and 39.6% in female suffered from side effects. 77% of total hoped to be educated about adequate body weight control method. CONCLUSION: Almost of adolescents dissatisfied with their body figure, Many adolescent who is not obese attempt weight loss, and are sufferd from side effects. Therefore, it is required for effective education about body weight control and social attitude permitting adequate body image.
Adolescent ; Body Image* ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Education ; Female ; Hope ; Humans ; Male ; Sports ; Weight Gain ; Weight Loss ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVES: In recent days, the problem of odor pollution in community near Sihwa Industrial complex, Kynuggi Province is becoming of significant public concern. We have investigated the health effects of the Sihwa residents from odor pollution comparing with other less polluted areas. METHODS: The Ansan and Kuri Cities were selected as control areas. The parents of the elementary and middle school students in these three areas were surveyed with structured questionnaire twice, Nov 1997 and June 1998 each. As a exposure index, the ambient air concentrations of five major air pollutants(particulates, O3, SO2, NO2, CO) and subjective odor perception were used. We have focused health outcomes such as the prevalence of nonspecific irritant symptoms, respiratory disease among family members and the score of quality of life(QOL). RESULTS: Although the mean concentrations of major air pollutants except particulates were similar or lower in Sihwa than other areas, the odor perception rate and the monthly odor perception days were significantly higher. It suggested that odor producing chemical compounds are the major source of environmental pollution problem. There were higher prevalence rates of nonspecific irritant symptoms and respiratory disease among family members in Sihwa than other control areas. The QOL score was also lower in Sihwa. The odor perception proved to be a most important factor in reporting adverse health effects and lowering the QOL score. CONCLUSION: The residents living near Sihwa industrial complex were suffering from more adverse health symptoms and poorer QOL status than control areas. And it may be due to environmental odor pollution from industrial complex. Therefore, further research will be needed for monitoring of the responsible chemicals emitted from industries.
Air Pollutants ; Environmental Pollution ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Odors* ; Parents ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires