PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship of uncertainty, hope and quality of life in patients with breast cancer. METHOD: The subjects of the study were 113 breast cancer patients treated at 3 university hospitals in Daegu and Busan from June 1 to September 30, 2003. Uncertainty was measured by the Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale (MUIS), Hope was measured by Nowotny's Hope Scale, and quality of life by Ro's Korean Quality of Life(QOL). Data was analyzed with the SPSS program by t-test, ANOVA, Spearman's rank correlation and Multiple Regression Analysis. RESULT: The scores of uncertainty were negatively correlated with hope and QOL(all p's<0.05). Uncertainty revealed that there was a negative correlation among subitems of hope such as confidence, relationship with others, possibility of future, and inner motivation(r=-.333, p=.000; r=-.230, p=.015; r=-.260, p=.006; r=-.291, p=.003). Uncertainty also showed a negative correlation among subitems of QOL such as emotional status, self esteem, and relationship with family(r=-.29, p=.004; r=-.326, p=.000; r=-.197, p=.044), whereas hope revealed a positive correlation among subitems of QOL such as emotional status, self esteem, relationship with neighbor, and relationship with family(r=.243, p=.011; r=.487, p=.000; r=.29, p=.001; r=.29, p=.001). The score of uncertainty was low in graduate school students and subjects using problem solving as a coping method. However, the score of hope was high in college students and subjects using a problem solving method, and the score of QOL was high in professionals. CONCLUSION: Based on the study results, breast cancer patients experienced living with uncertainty and maintaining hope. Thus the study's findings can be useful in directing a comprehensive nursing care plan to improve QOL of breast cancer patients.
Adult ; Aged ; *Attitude to Health ; Breast Neoplasms/nursing/*psychology ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; *Quality of Life ; *Uncertainty

PURPOSE: In this study, relationships between symptom experience and quality of life in a cross-sectional sample of patients with Atrial Fibrillation (AF) were investigated. METHODS: This descriptive study involved a convenience sample of AF patients from S university hospital, C city. One hundred and two AF patients completed psychometric validated measures of AF related symptoms and quality of life. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation coefficients with SPSS WIN 14.0 were used for data analysis. RESULTS: Of 16 atrial arrhythmia-related symptoms, the patients reported 'tiredness' as the most frequent and 'shortness of breath' as the most severe. The level of overall quality of life for patients with AF was 53.92. There were significant differences in symptom frequency according to religion, New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification and left ventricular ejection fraction ; symptom severity according to monthly income and stroke ; quality of life according to age, job, alcohol intake, NYHA class and stroke. Quality of life for these patients was positively correlated with symptom frequency and symptom severity. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that patients with more frequent and severe symptoms perceive poorer quality of life than patients with less frequent and less severe symptoms. Symptom experience should be assessed early to improve quality of life for patients.
Atrial Fibrillation ; Heart ; Humans ; New York ; Psychometrics ; Quality of Life ; Statistics as Topic ; Stroke ; Stroke Volume

A 49 years old male patient who suffered from deterioration of posterior neck pain, left hand numbness, left lower limb pain and gait disturbance for 3 years visited our outpatient department. He had been diagnosed as non-dysraphic cervical intradural lipoma and operated in August 1990. On the radiologic images, we found the regrowth of non-dysraphic cervical intradural lipoma from C2 to C7 level, which surrounds and compresses the cervical spinal cord. Previous subtotal laminectomy from C2 to C7 and severe cervical lordosis were also found. Appropriate debulking of lipoma mass without duroplasty was successfully done with intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM). We are following up the patient for 24 months via outpatient department, his neurologic symptoms such as hand numbness, gait disturbance, left lower limb pain and posterior neck pain have improved. We describe a rare case of regrowth of non-dysraphic cervical intradural lipoma.
Animals ; Gait ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring ; Laminectomy ; Lipoma* ; Lordosis ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Neck Pain ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Outpatients ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Dysraphism*

Fatal complications including cerebral edema and neurologic collapse occur during treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis(DKA). A 6-week-old female infant with fever, dehydration and drowsy mental status was diagnosed as DKA and neurologically deteriorated during treatment. The cranial computed tomography scan revealed multifocal brain infarctions of the left caudate nucleus, bilateral frontal periventricular white matter, and right parietal cortex. A moderate amount of hemorrhage was also noted in both lateral ventricles. She recovered rapidly with supportive treatment over time. The clinical course and radiologic findings of this patient emphasize the importance of brain infarction as a cause of persistent neurologic loss in children with DKA.
Brain Edema ; Brain Infarction* ; Brain* ; Caudate Nucleus ; Child ; Dehydration ; Diabetic Ketoacidosis* ; Female ; Fever ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Infant* ; Lateral Ventricles ; Rabeprazole

No abstract available.
Teratoma*

OBJECTIVE: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) grading systems using sagittal images are useful for evaluation of lumbar foraminal stenosis. We evaluated whether such a grading system is useful as a diagnostic tool for surgery. METHODS: Between July 2014 and June 2015, 99 consecutive patients underwent unilateral lumbar foraminotomy for lumbar foraminal stenosis. Surgically confirmed foraminal stenosis and the contralateral, asymptomatic neuroforamen were assessed based on a 4-point MRI grading system. Two experienced researchers independently evaluated the MR sagittal images. Interobserver agreement and intraobserver agreement were analyzed using κ statistics. RESULTS: The mean age of patients (54 women, 45 men) was 62.5 years. A total of 101 levels (202 neuroforamens) were evaluated. MRI grades for operated neuroforamens were as follows: Grade 0 in 0.99%, Grade 1 in 5.28%, Grade 2 in 14.85%, and Grade 3 in 78.88%. Interobserver agreement was moderate for operated neuroforamens (κ=0.511) and good for asymptomatic neuroforamens (κ=0.696). Intraobserver agreement by reader 1 for operated neuroforamens was good (κ=0.776) and that for asymptomatic neuroforamens was very good (κ=0.831). In terms of lumbar level, interobserver agreement for L5–S1 (κ=0.313, fair) was relatively lower than the other level (κ=0.804, very good). CONCLUSION: MRI grading system for lumbar foraminal stenosis is thought to be useful as a diagnostic tool for surgery in the lumbar spine; however, it is less reliable for symptomatic L5–S1 foraminal stenosis than for other levels. Thus, various clinical factors as well as the MRI grading system are required for surgical decision-making.
Constriction, Pathologic* ; Female ; Foraminotomy ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Spinal Stenosis ; Spine

Labial adhesions are postnatal fusion of the labia minora in the midline of varying degrees. They are postulated to be the result of low estrogen levels in the prepubertal child and possibly of a chronic inflammatory process. Topical treatment with conjugated estrogens has been the mainstay of therapy. We experienced one case of labial adhesion in an infant who was treated with estrogen cream for three weeks without any complication. Here we present this case with a brief review of the literature.
Child ; Estrogens ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Humans ; Infant

PURPOSE: Although asthma is generally understood as a disease of the the small airways, FEF25-75%, an index representing peripheral small airways, is a appropriately used in the diagnosis of asthma. The objectives of this study are to assess the usefulness of FEF25-75% in children with asthma for clinical application. METHODS: Five hundred sixty two 5- to 15-year-old children with symptoms suggestive of asthma were enrolled. Methacholine bronchial provocation tests were performed and the children were divided into two groups according to their test results. RESULTS: Forced expiratory flow between 25-75 percent of vital capacity (FEF25-75%) was significantly lower in asthma group (P< 0.001). A 25 percent fall of FEF25-75% of percentage predicted value was correlated with PC20FEV1 (provacation concentration of methacholine required to reduce FEV1 by 20 percent) (r=0.601, P< 0.001). The sensitivity of PC25FEF25-75% (provocation concentration of methacholine required to reduce FEF25-75% by 25 percent) was 94.11 percent when PC20FEV1 was a point of reference. Youden's index was 0.64. CONCLUSION: FEF25-75% is an useful and sensitive index that predicts the presence or absence and the degree of bronchial hyperresponsiveness and PC25FEF25-75% should be brought into clinical application in asthmatic children.
Adolescent ; Asthma* ; Bronchial Provocation Tests* ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Methacholine Chloride* ; Vital Capacity

Synovial sarcoma is a rare renal neoplasm that is not easy to diagnose unless SYT-SSX fusion transcripts are identified. We report here on a case of primary renal synovial sarcoma in a 35-year-old woman. A mass was discovered by accident in the lower part of the right kidney when ultrasonography was performed, and it was removed via radical nephrectomy. Grossly, the tumor was a homogeneously tan-brown soft mass that measured 4.5x3.2x3.0 cm, and it was encircled by a well-defined cystic space. The lesion exhibited hypercellularity of the oval or short spindle cells that were arranged in various solid sheets or intersecting fascicles. Immunohistochemically, the tumor showed diffuse positivity for vimentin, bcl-2 and CD99, and it showed focal positivity for epithelial membrane antigen. The SYT-SSX fusion transcripts were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Synovial sarcoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis when a spindle cell neoplasm is encountered in the kidney.
Adult ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney ; Kidney Neoplasms ; Mucin-1 ; Nephrectomy ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; Sarcoma, Synovial ; Vimentin

Satoyoshi syndrome(generalized Komuragaeri disease) is a rare disorder of unknown cause, characterized by progressive, painful, intermittent muscle spasms and alopecia. Endocrinopathy with amenorrhea, secondary skeletal abnormalities, and diarrhea or unusual malabsorption are frequently seen. It seems that autoimmunity may play a role in its pathogenesis. We report a 13-year-old girl with characteristic manifestations of the syndrome. She was treated with intravenous gammaglobulin and Prednisolone. Painful muscle cramps were gradually improved, but the scalp condition did not change. Satoyoshi syndrome should be considered in children with unexplained muscle spasms and alopecia.
Adolescent ; Alopecia* ; Amenorrhea ; Autoimmunity ; Child ; Diarrhea ; Female ; Humans ; Muscle Cramp ; Prednisolone ; Scalp ; Spasm*