No abstract available.
Cardiovascular Diseases*

BACKGROUND: The study was done to examine the role of long-term diving(5-20m depth) on regional bone mineral density(BMD) in women. METHODS: We compared woman divers(n=38) with matched non-diver controls(n=38) according to age, weight, and duration of menopause. BMD(g/cm2)of the proximal femur (femoral neck, trochanter, Ward's triangle) was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA, Hologic QDR-1500). RESULTS: There was no significant difference between groups for proximal femur BMD. But in premenopausal group, BMD of divers was higher than controls in femur neck and trochanter (p<0.05). Correlations analysis revealed that body weight of divers was significantly correlated to femoral neck BMD (p<0.05). In multiple regression analysis, menopause and age of postmenopausal divers was a predictors of femoral neck BMD in divers. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that diving is has osteogenic effect on women.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Body Weight ; Bone Density* ; Diving ; Female ; Femur ; Femur Neck ; Humans ; Menopause ; Neck

BACKGROUND: Diet and weight concerns are commonplace and almost accepted features of life for girls during adolescence. Until recently, younger age groups haue largely been ignored, as these concerns were thought to be a product of pubertal development and sexual maturity. Girls under the age of fifteen therefore, have been assumed to be free of the pressures experienced by adult women. However, this belief is now hard to sustain. The object of the present study was to investigate the self-perception and body shape satisfaction in different weight categories of boys and girls aged 12-years old in Korea. METHODS: In May, 1995, one hundred and sixty seven boys and one hundred and twenty girls from two schools in Seoul completed assessments of body-esteem, self-esteem, body shape preference. The children's body weight and height were also measured. RESULTS: The heaviest children expressed the most discontent, having a low body-esteem, a desire for thinness. By the age of 12, girls boys already differ in their body shape satisfaction and differ in their body shape aspirations. There was a significant effect of weight category on the children's body esteem(boys(P =.005), girls(P=.0001). Children in both extreme categories, under-and over-weight, had lower body-esteem scores than those in other weight categories. However, it was the overweight children who had the lowest. reported body-esteem. Body esteem was highest among girls in the 'slightly underweight' category and highest among boys on the 'average weight' category. There was no effects of either weight category or gender on the childrens appraisal of self-esteem. A comparison of the points chosen on the silhouette scales to reflect current and preferred body shapes revealed clear gender differences. Of the girls, 63% placed their preferred body shape at a point thinner than their currently perceived shape, while only 15% chose a broader figure. In contrast,, 41% of the boys rated their preferred figure as broader than their current perception, and 37% as thinner than their current perception. CONCLUSIONS: This study has noted a relationship between body weight and self-perception in 12-year old children. The heaviest children expressed low body-esteem, a desire for thinness. This pattern was more characteristic of girls than boys. Even at this age, well before they have completed physical maturation, girls are aspiring to a body shape which is thinner than their average. This discontent experienced by the heaviest children on this sample was apparent in their lower body-esteem and the distance between their current and preferred body shapes. The girls preference was for thinness, while in the boys it was for a body shape which was broader than their current shape. From their responses, it would appear that the boys' desire was not for fatness, but for a more athletic and muscular build.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aspirations (Psychology) ; Body Weight ; Child* ; Diet ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Overweight ; Self Concept ; Seoul ; Sports ; Thinness ; Weights and Measures

Esophageal ulcers induced by doxycycline is a rare complication. These patients usually complain of sudden onset of symptoms, ie acute substernal or chest pain and odynophagia without prior hietory of esophageal syraptoms. On esophagoscopic examination, there are upper or midesophageal ulcers, which heal after diseontinuation of the drug within 2 weeks. A history of ingestion of the doxycycline,with liquid jost before bedtime can be elicited. The exact eause of the xaucosal ulceration is not clear, but a direct irritant effeet on esophageal mucosa seems most likely. We report 5 cases of esophageal uleeration secondary to the ingestion of doxycydine. Esophagoscopy revealed esophageal ulcers in all patients and the patients hecame asymptomatic following stopping of tbe drugs and taking antacids.
Antacids ; Chest Pain ; Doxycycline* ; Eating ; Esophagoscopy ; Humans ; Mucous Membrane ; Ulcer*

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of breathhold diving on female diver's bone mineral density (BMD). METHODS: A cross-sectional observational study was carried out utilizing a health checkup of divers and controls at a hospital in Jeju city, Korea. Female divers (n=61) were matched with non-diver controls (n=61) by age, weight and postmenopausal year. BMD of the proximal femur(femoral neck, trochanter and Ward's triangle) was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). RESULTS: The average diving duration of the female divers was 34+/-13 years. The BMD of the divers was higher than that of the controls in the femur neck and trochanter (p<0.05). On correlations analysis, the status of menopause, age, body weight and age at menarche were significantly correlated with proximal femur BMD in the divers (p<0.05). On multiple regression analysis, age and body weight were predictors of proximal femur BMD in the divers. On linear regression analysis of proximal femur BMD according to age in the divers and controls, regression coefficients of the divers were lower in all 3 areas of the proximal femur than the controls. CONCLUSIONS: BMD of the divers was higher than that of the controls in the femur neck and trochanter. There was a tendency for BMD of the divers to decrease faster than that of the controls with increasing age.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Body Weight ; Bone Density* ; Diving* ; Female ; Femur ; Femur Neck ; Fisheries* ; Humans ; Korea ; Linear Models ; Menarche ; Menopause ; Neck ; Observational Study

The femoral fracture, occurred associated with the cemented hip arthroplasty, is well-known cornplication but the proximal femoral fractures of the noncemented hip arthroplasty, were occurred more than those. Among the 290 patients, who were treated by the noncemented hip arthroplasty from Dec. 1987 to April 1992, the 24 cases of the femoral fracture were experienced and the results were as follows: 1) of the 24 cases, the male was nine and the female was fifteen. The age distribution was mostly occurred between 41 and 60 years old and most fracture were developed in 1 1mm stem size. In revision cases, 225mm stem length (Wagner) was common. The locations of fracture were proximal 1/3 (type I: 19 cases), tip (type II; 1 case), distal 1/3 (type III; 1 case) and comminuted (type IV; 3 cases) by Johansson; siclassification. 2) The femoral fracture was mostly developed during the stem insertion and the fracture site in anatomical stem was only proximal femur. 3) 1n cases of revision, most of the fractures were occured on the anterior or lateral side of the femur. It was difficult to manage the fracture because of the severe osteoporosis and comminution. 4) As the problem of the operative technique, the fracture incidence can be decreased by accurate preoperative measurement and it must be cautious in the stem more than 225 mm length, which were used in revision case. 5) The circumferential wiring for proximal and plate & screws in middle and distal were done as the treatment of fracture and the results were all good, but stem tip fracture in osteoporotic patients was troublesome. We think that long plate(>8 holes) & both cortex purchase and bone graft are best methods so far.
Age Distribution ; Arthroplasty ; Female ; Femoral Fractures ; Femur ; Hip ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Osteoporosis ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: Activated charcoal has been widely used as an adsorbent for the management of drug intoxicated patients in the emergency department(ED). Although there are several commercial ready-mixed charcoal suspension preparations in the market, we are using custom-made suspension from hospital grade bulk charcoal powder. We designed this study to compare the adsorptive capacity of the Actidose Aqua(R), which is a commercial charcoal product, Fuller's earth, and custom-made activated charcoal used in our ED. METHODS: First, we performed modified USP methylene blue adsorption test which is a standard adsorption test for activated charcoal. Then, the drug adsorption test for phenobarbital, acetaminophen, salicylate, and aminophylline was done. Graded amount of three adsorptives were added to the stock solutions of each drugs. The adsorption test were performed as follows: The vials containing drugs and adsorptives were shaken for 30 minutes to ensure adsorption equilibrium, then the suspension was filtered through in-line filter. The filtrates were analyzed by ultraviolet spectroscopy to determine the residual drug concentrations. Finally we examined and compared the surface area and the structure of activated charcoal and Fuller's earth using scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS: In methylene blue adsorption test, the adsorption rate was 60.1% in Actidose Aqua(R) and 59.0% in custom-made charcoal, and 70.2% in Fuller's earth. For the phenobarbital, acetaminophen, and sallcylate, the adsorption rate of Actidose Aqua(R) and custom-made charcoal was greater than 90% with the ratio o adsorptives to drugs over 10:1. For aminophylline, two charcoal products showed excellent adsorption in 5:1 ratio. But Fuller's earth showed poor adsorption in all rages. CONCLUSION: Custom-made activated charcoal showed a comparable adsorption capacity to Actidose Aqua(R). Fuller's earth showed a poor performance to be used as a substitute for activated charcoal in acute drug poisoning otherwise paraquat.
Acetaminophen ; Adsorption ; Aminophylline ; Charcoal* ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Methylene Blue ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Paraquat ; Phenobarbital ; Poisoning ; Rage ; Spectrum Analysis

BACKGROUND: A questionnaire for geriatricians regarding their clinical practice of periodic gastro-intestinal cancer screening was developed. METHODS: The survey was administered to geriatricians participating in the 2007 Korean Geriatrics Society meeting at Busan, Korea. RESULTS: 162 completed the questionnaire. Average age of respondents was 46 years. Background specialty included family medicine(24%), internal medicine(22%), obstetrics and gynecology(9%), and general surgery(8%). 90% of geriatricians recommend screening for colorectal cancer in their practice. They recommend a colonoscopy if fecal occult blood test is positive(53%) or colonoscopy(31%). On average, they recommend screening for colorectal cancer every 2.5 years. Screening for colorectal cancer is recommended to those 75-79 years(33 %), 70-74 years(24%), and 65-69 years(24%). 94% of respondents recommend screening for stomach cancer in their practice. They recommend gastrofiberoscopy(95%) or upper GI series(5%). On average, screening is recommended every 1.5 years. Screening is recommended to those aged 75-79 years(34%), 70-74 years(19%), and 65-69 years(22%). CONCLUSION: Most geriatricians prefer endoscopic examinations for screening for GI cancer. They recommend, on average, screening for colorectal cancer and stomach cancer every 2.5 and 1.5 years, respectively. Most geriatricians recommend GI cancer screening to those aged 75-79 years.
Adult ; Aged ; Colonoscopy ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Geriatrics ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Obstetrics ; Occult Blood ; Stomach Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: A reliable, well-validated home blood pressure(BP) self measurement device could have an important role in the management of hypertension. Rigorous assessment of such a device have not performed well, particularly in the hypertensive range. METHODS: We assessed the National EW274W device(oscillometric) for home messurem of BP according to the standards set out by the British Hypertension Society protocol and American Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation(AAMI). The device was compared with sequential measurements using a standard mercury sphygmomanometer in the same arm in 105 patients aged 16-79 years. The BP of subjects was measured three times at least a week apart. These data were analysed using Pearson's correlation and paired t-test. RESULTS: The device was highly correlated to mercury sphygmomanometer in mean systolic BP(SBP) and mean diastolic BP(DBP) (r=0.93, r=0.93, P<0.05). The device was satisfactory over the whole BP range(SBP 106-182mmHg, DBP 56-116mmHg), with a B grade for SBP and a A grade for DBP(British Hypertension Society protocol) and a PASS for both SBP and DBP(AAMI). Sensitivity and specificity are 84.2%, 93.0%(mean SBP) and 100%, 96.9% (mean DBP). CONCLUSIONS: We concluded the wrist blood pressure meter(National EW274W) for home BP measurement is highly satisfactory and is suitable for clinical use.
Arm ; Blood Pressure* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sphygmomanometers ; Wrist*

BACKGROUND: Within a recent few years, the number multicultural families had been increasing rapidly in Korea. This study was conducted to investigate the characteristics of the function of multicultural families and its determining factors. METHODS: The study subjects were 68 foreign women who had been married to Korean men and immigrated to Korea. All participants were registered in one of the three migration support centers in South Jeolla Province. They completed a self-administered questionnaire which evaluated the demographic information, FACES III, and the family APGAR scores. We compared their family function with that of the typical Korean families reported in previous articles. RESULTS: Multicultural families were prone to be an extreme family according to the FACES III. Their family APGAR scores were lower compared to those of ordinary Korean families. Family dysfunction of multicultural families as significantly associated with women's age, hometown, education level, the number of family members, and her religion. CONCLUSION: Multicultural families may show different features compared to typical Korean families. Family physicians needs to be concerned with functional patterns of multicultural families. Further studies should be followed to understand modifiable factors for fixing dysfunction of multicultural families.
Apgar Score ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Marriage ; Physicians, Family ; Transients and Migrants