The purpose of this study was to identify the degree of self-care activities of stroke patients, the family burden, and the educational needs of primary caregivers. A descriptive survey research was conducted in 97 stroke patients and their respective primary caregivers. Data were collected the using 26th to by interviews a structure questionnare from July August 5th, 1999. NIH stroke status was 12.15+/-8.40, the degree of self-care activities of stroke patients was 26.85+/-9.39. The score of objective burden of primary caregivers was 31.24+/-4.81 and subjective burden was 24.30+/-6.99. The score of the educational needs was 89.78+/-9.99. We present several imformations about clients from these scores as follows: The patients were convalescent and their depentant level of self-care was middle range: The objective burden was higher than the subjective burden: And the educational needs of family caregivers were very high. The Elain Mattis Educational Wants of Family Caregivers of Disabled Adults Questionnaire was used to assess the educational needs of primary caregivers of stroke patients. The results of this research are offered to help nurses understand the feelings of uncertainty about the new and unexpected role that family caregivers face and to help nurses meet the needs of families preparing to care stroke survivors at home.
Adult ; Caregivers* ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Self Care* ; Stroke* ; Survivors ; Uncertainty

PURPOSE: Cough variant asthma may be defined as a presentation of asthma that fulfills all the criteria of asthma, inflammatory process of the airways and airway hyperresponsiveness. Because of the cough is only the manifestation in cough variant asthma especially in children, it may be very difficult to assess by the physical examination and routine spirometry. Airway function may be further evaluated by bronchial provocation, usually with methacholine or exercise, to supprot or exclude the diagnosis of asthma. In children too young to perform pulmonary function tests, a therapeutic trial can serve as a diagnostic tool. In this study we evaluate the effectiveness of inhaled bronchodilator and corticosteroid treatment to the children with cough variant asthma. METHODS: Forth-eight children who visited to our pediatric allergy clinic having a chronic cough more than 3 weeks were enrolled to our study. We defined a children who showed bronchial hyperresponsiveness after exercise challenge as a cough variant asthma. We analyzed the changes of PEFR before and after exercise and treatment for 4 weeks. RESULTS: 1) All the patients with cough variant asthma or sinobronchitis have a night aggravating cough as a sole manifestation. 2) The baseline % predicted PEFR showed within normal range in the study subjects. But there was significant decrease of % perdicted PEFR after execise challenge in the patients with cough variant asthma. 3) There was significant increase of % predicted PEFR after treatment with inhaled bronchodilator and corticosteroid in the patients with cough vatiant asthma. Also it is noted in the patients with sinobronchitis treated with antibiotics. CONCLUSION: We can find significant improvement of clinical manifestation and pulmonary function in the patients with cough variant asthma who treated with inhaled bronchodilator and corticosteoid. Because of many children suffering from chronic cough may have a cough variant asthma, we emphasized that inhaled bron-chodilator and corticosteroid treatment is effective for long-term control of cough variant asthma.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Asthma* ; Child ; Cough* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Inhalation* ; Methacholine Chloride ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate ; Physical Examination ; Reference Values ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Respiratory Therapy* ; Spirometry

PURPOSE: To evaluate the valuability of dipstick IgE detection method as a screening test for allergic diseases, we compared the results of dipstick test to that of RAST and skin prick test. METHODS: Twenty children who visited to pediatric allergy clinic in Soon Chun Hyang University were enrolled to comparative study of dipstick IgE detection method to Skin prick test and RAST. Dipstick IgE detection method was performed by using AllergodipR(Allergopharma Joachim Ganzer KG). We compared the sensitivity and specificity of dipstick IgE detection method to RASt and skin prick test. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of AllergodipR for inhalant allergen(D.pteronyssinus) to RAST were 100%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of AllergodipR for inhalant allergen(D. pteronyssinus) to skin prick test were 77.8% and 90.9%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of AllergodipR for food allergen to RAST were 0% and 100%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of AllergodipR for inhalant allergen(D. pteronyssinus) to skin prick test were 0% and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The dipstick method(AllergodipR) can be used as a screening test for detection of specific IgE to inhalant allergen.
Child ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Mass Screening ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin Tests ; Skin*

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to ascertain the effectiveness of horticultural therapy by analyzing researches on horticultural therapy applied to elderly Koreans. METHODS: We evaluated 401 research papers including dissertations on horticultural therapy applied to elderly Koreans from Jan. 2000 to Feb. 2016. We reviewed the appropriate 12 papers among them for the final analysis. RESULTS: Horticultural therapy had physiological and psychosocial effects. First of all, it showed the physiological effects of reducing stress hormones. Outdoor horticultural therapy improved the gross motor movements of the body. Indoor horticulture therapy improved delicate cognitive & operating functions. Second, horticultural therapy showed the psychosocial effects of reducing depression and improving cognitive functions, language abilities, comprehension, daily activity, life satisfaction and sociality. But the effects appeared differently dependent on the implementation protocol & period of horticultural therapy, as well as the professionalism of the therapists. Therefore, if horticultural therapy were to be administered through nursing, it should be based on its key principle, in other words, the principle of action-interaction-response of horticultural therapy. CONCLUSION: The results of this study will be useful for developing therapeutic interventions through nursing. Also they will be helpful in applying horticultural therapy programs in nursing practice.
Aged* ; Cognition ; Comprehension ; Depression ; Horticultural Therapy* ; Humans ; Language ; Nursing ; Professionalism

PURPOSE: It is not surprising that serologically based epidemiologic studies have documented the high incidence of mycoplasma respiratory infection throughout the world. We studied the epidemiologic and clinical aspects of mycoplasma pneumonia in children if there is any differences in the peak age-related incidence, seasonal predominance and clinical manifestations in compare with other studies reported in Korea. METHODS: We reviewed 1004 cases of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia diagnosed by clinical manifestations and positive serologyc tests, retrospectively, who were admitted to the department of pediatrics in four university hospitals in Seoul and Inchon during the last 5 years from 1993 to 1997. RESULTS: 1) The age distribution of mycoplasma pneumonia showed highest incidence in children 4-6 years old. There was no difference in sex distribution at any age group. 2) Although there was little difference in annual distribution, it was highest in 1997. 3) Cough was the most prevalent prodromal symptom. 4) Vomiting, Nausea, Abdominal pain and headache were noted as the extrapulmonary manifestations. 5) Pulmonary infiltration was noted mostly in lower lobe lobes on chest X-ray. They showed interstial involvement in 34.5%, lobar involvement in 30.0%, and pleural effusion in 7.8% of the total. 6). As the complications, aggravate or trigger the asthma attack were noted in 4.0%, development of sinusitis in 3.5% and otitis media in 1.4% of the total. There were four cases of aseptic meningitis and one case of lung abscess. CONCLUSIONS: In our survey, there was little or no epidemiologic differences in the incidence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia. We can find the increasing tendency of lobar pattern of involvement on chest X-ray in mycoplasma pneumonia in children.
Abdominal Pain ; Age Distribution ; Asthma ; Child ; Cough ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Epidemiology ; Headache ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Incheon ; Incidence ; Korea ; Lung Abscess ; Meningitis, Aseptic ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae* ; Mycoplasma* ; Nausea ; Otitis Media ; Pediatrics ; Pleural Effusion ; Pneumonia* ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma* ; Prodromal Symptoms ; Retrospective Studies ; Seasons ; Seoul ; Sex Distribution ; Sinusitis ; Thorax ; Vomiting

PURPOSE: To describe psychosocial adjustment of low-income Koreans who have cancer. METHODS: Data were collected during 2008 using individual in-depth interviews with 18 Korean people with cancer. The income status of the participants was low, 11 were recipients of the National Basic Livelihood Protection program. Mean age was 58.3 yr and 11 were female. Five participants had stomach cancer, five, colorectal cancer, and four, breast cancer. Data were analyzed using grounded theory methodology. RESULTS: The core category emerged as 'bearing up alone with double suffering'. 'Poverty and cancer: A double suffering' emerged as a causal condition. The adjustment process consisted of three stages: 'forming a treatment will to live' ,'practicing for the cure',and 'restructuring self and repaying favors'. Each stage indicated action-interaction strategies which were employed to bear up alone with double suffering during the illness process. Self-reflection, parental responsibility, and support from the public sector played important roles in overcoming the double suffering. Two types of consequences were identified: Transcended life and strained life suppressed by poverty and cancer. CONCLUSION: The results provide insights into the psychosocial adjustment process for low income Korean with cancer and can be used in developing and implementing efficient home-care services for these people.
*Adaptation, Psychological ; Aged ; Depression ; Female ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms/*psychology ; Poverty ; Republic of Korea ; Social Support ; Stress, Psychological

Extramedullary plasmacytomas (EMPs) are rare, low-grade and malignant transforming solitary tumors consisting of neoplastic plasma cell proliferation that occurs in the bones of the head and neck. Ninety percent of solitary EMPs occur in the head and neck region: these constitute, however, less than 1% of all head and neck malignancies. EMPs represent up to 4% of nonepithelial lesions of the upper respiratory tract. On initial presentations, they must be differentiated from multiple myeloma. At first, EMPs are frequently seen as masses or swellings, accompanied by nasal or pharyngeal symptoms. EMPs are of special interest to otolaryngologists, because the majority of these unusual tumors are present in soft tissues of the head and neck. We present the patient with EMPs of tonsil and adenoid and discuss the related literature on the presentation, epidemiology, workup and management of patient with this rare neoplasm.
Adenoids* ; Epidemiology ; Head ; Humans ; Multiple Myeloma ; Neck ; Palatine Tonsil* ; Plasma Cells ; Plasmacytoma* ; Respiratory System

Tracheopathia osteoplastica (TO) is a rare clinical and pathologic benign condition that causes irregularity, narrowing and rigidity of the trachea and the main bronchi, characterized by multiple submucosal cartilaginous and osseous nodules of various sizes lining the upper respiratory tract. The treatment of TO diagnosed with CT and bronchoscopic biopsy is mostly supportive, and sometimes laser vaporization is used. We experienced a case of TO with severe obstructed airway that was treated by drilling.
Biopsy ; Bronchi ; Laser Therapy ; Respiratory System ; Trachea

Rosiglitazone is a thiazolidinedione-class antidiabetic drug that reduces blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin levels. We here investigated the interaction of rosiglitazone with Kv3.1 expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells using the wholecell patch-clamp technique. Rosiglitazone rapidly and reversibly inhibited Kv3.1 currents in a concentration-dependent manner (IC 50 = 29.8 µM) and accelerated the decay of Kv3.1 currents without modifying the activation kinetics. The rosiglitazonemediated inhibition of Kv3.1 channels increased steeply in a sigmoidal pattern over the voltage range of –20 to +30 mV, whereas it was voltage-independent in the voltage range above +30 mV, where the channels were fully activated. The deactivation of Kv3.1 current, measured along with tail currents, was also slowed by the drug. In addition, the steady-state inactivation curve of Kv3.1 by rosiglitazone shifts to a negative potential without significant change in the slope value. All the results with the use dependence of the rosiglitazone-mediated blockade suggest that rosiglitazone acts on Kv3.1 channels as an open channel blocker.

In the present study, we performed immunohistochemical studies to investigate the detailed distribution of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) in the central nervous system of adult rats. Twelve adult (4~6 month old) Sprague-Dawley rats were examined in this study. Immunohistochemistry using specific antibodies against IGFBP7 was performed in accordance with the free-floating method. In the present study, IGFBP7 immunoreactivity was observed in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, brainstem, cerebellum and spinal cord. In the cerebral cortex, heavily stained neurons were seen in layers II-VI. In the hippocampus, pyramidal cells in CA1-3 region were strongly immunoreactive for IGFBP7. Strong immunoreactive neurons were also found in the supraoptic nucleus, paraventricular nucleus, periaqueductal gray and oculomotor nucleus. In the cerebellum, IGFBP7 immunoreactivity was prominent in the Purkinje cells and cerebellar output neurons. IGFBP7-immunoreactive neurons were prominent in the superior vestibular nucleus, cochlear nucleus, trigeminal motor nucleus, nucleus of the trapezoid, and facial nucleus. IGFBP7-immunoreactive neurons were also observed mainly in the anterior horn of the spinal cord. The first demonstration of IGFBP7 localization in the whole brain may provide useful data for the future investigations on the structural and functional properties of IGFBP7.
Adult ; Animals ; Antibodies ; Brain ; Brain Stem ; Carrier Proteins ; Central Nervous System ; Cerebellum ; Cerebral Cortex ; Cochlear Nucleus ; Hippocampus ; Horns ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Neurons ; Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus ; Periaqueductal Gray ; Purkinje Cells ; Pyramidal Cells ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spinal Cord ; Supraoptic Nucleus ; Trigeminal Nuclei