We herein report a case of occupational contact urticaria syndrome induced by cefotiam di-hydrochloride in a nurse. She had generalized pruritic wheals accompanied by palpitations and tachypnea during the preparation of cefotiam solution. A scratch patch test with cefotiam di-hydrochloride, a major component of cefotiam ingredient showed multiple erythema and wheals within 5 minutes, accompanied by palpitations and tachypnea. No delayed type reaction was observed. Based on her clinical history and scratch test result, we diagnosed her condition as contact urticaria syndrome caused by cefotiam.
Cefotiam* ; Erythema ; Patch Tests ; Tachypnea ; Urticaria*

This study was conducted to assess macro- and micronutrient compositions in school lunch menus based on the 'Dietary Guideline' for School Lunches. Ninety-five dieticians in elementary school in Chungbuk were asked to complete a questionnaire on characteristics of the school lunch program (such as type of foodservice, food production system), the information about dietitians (such as age, education, and job history), and the extent of the use of processed foods and frozen foods. They were asked to return the questionnaire with the menus including the name and the quantity of every food ingredient offered during a week. A total of 554 lunch menus provided for a week of June 2004 were analyzed. Average nutrient content per meal was as follows; 660 kcal, energy; 92.9 g, carbohydrate; 26.7 g, protein; 21.1 g, fat; 287 microgramRE, vitamin A; 0.5 mg, thiamin; 0.5 mg, riboflavin; 29.3 mg, vitamin C; 338.2 mg, calcium; 3.9 mg, iron; and 97 mg, cholesterol. Average percentages of energy from carbohydrate, protein and fat was 56.2%, 16.2%, and 29.0%, respectively. The mean nutrient content per meal was higher in rural-type than in urban-type schools. The weekly menu of 40% of the schools provided < 55% of energy from carbohydrate, and 39% of the schools offered lunch that provided > or =30% of energy from fat. The micronutrient content was generally high when the percent energy from fat was less than 25%. Our results showed that only 52.6% of the schools provided lunches with the energy composition as in the 'Dietary Guideline' of School Lunches. Whole Milk was the major contributor to fat, saturated fatty acid and cholesterol. We suggest that school foodservices start to provide low fat milk instead of whole milk to reduce fat, saturated fatty acid and cholesterol. If low fat milk is served instead of whole milk, percentage of energy from fat and saturated fat can be reduced from 29% to 25%, and from 10.2% to 9.1%, respectively, and cholesterol could be reduced from 97 mg to 79 mg. Efforts to meet 'Dietary Guideline' for School Lunches should be made, especially to reduce fat intake, while maintaining essential nutrient intake at sufficient levels for children.
Ascorbic Acid ; Calcium ; Child ; Cholesterol ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Education ; Frozen Foods ; Humans ; Iron ; Lunch* ; Meals ; Micronutrients ; Milk ; Nutritionists ; Riboflavin ; Vitamin A

PURPOSE: Since 1997, private postnatal care facilities (San-hu-jo-ri-won in Korean) have emerged to take the role of the family. As a result, neonates are now exposed to many people and are very vulnerable to infection. However, there has been no study on the influence of postnatal care facilities on neonatal infection. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors of neonatal infection in full-term babies in Korea. MATERIALS and METHODS: We followed up 556 pregnant women and their babies for 4 weeks after their births at 2 hospitals in Seoul and Daejeon from October 2004 to September 2005. Among 512 full-term babies, 58 had infectious diseases. To determine the risk factors for infection, 53 infected neonates at 4-28 days of life and 413 healthy neonates were compared. RESULTS: The incidence of neonatal infection at 4 to 28 days after birth was 10.5%. After adjusting the related factors, the number of siblings (OR = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.13-3.71 for 1 or more) and postnatal care facilities or home aides (OR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.07-3.45) were significant risk factors. Formula or mixed feeding (OR = 1.66, 95% CI = 0.91-3.04) increased the risk of neonatal infection but it was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: When the newborns had siblings, stayed at postnatal care facilities, or were cared for by home aides, the risk of neonatal infections significantly increased. Further research on the feeding effect on neonatal infection and evaluation of prevention efforts are needed.
Communicable Diseases/*epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea/epidemiology ; Mothers ; Risk Factors ; *Term Birth

No abstract available.

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: Anticonvulsants have a number of side effects and some of them may be attributed to a disturbance of serum trace metal homeostasis. Although they are minor building components in tissues, they play important functional roles in the peripheral and central nervous system. We measured serum copper and zinc levels in epileptic children who were treated with anticonvulsants to know the effects of anticonvulsants on serum copper and zinc levels. METHODS: Serum copper and zinc levels were determined in 64 epileptic patients receiving anticonvulsant therapy in Chungnam National University Hospital, and in 20 normal controls. Sixty-four epileptic patients were divided into three groups:16 patients who were treated with valproic acid monotherapy; 26 patients who were treated with valproic acid in addition to other anticonvulsants; and 22 patients who were treated with anticonvulsants except for valporic acid. RESULTS: All patients receiving anticonvulsants had significantly lower serum copper levels(80.21+/-19.42 microgram/dL) in comparison to the normal controls(102.12+/-32.8 microgram/dL). Serum zinc levels in patients receiving anticonvulsants(79.78+/-21.88 microgram/dL) were not statistically different from those of controls (85.26+/-29.81 microgram/dL). There were no significant difference of serum copper and zinc levels among the three groups. CONCLUSION: In this study, we clearly showed that anticonvulsants decreased serum copper levels. Although we did not observe any clinical findings related to copper deficiency, we should pay attention to potent copper deficiency in patients with anticonvulsant treatment.
Anticonvulsants* ; Central Nervous System ; Child ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Copper* ; Epilepsy ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Valproic Acid ; Zinc*

No abstract available.
Humans

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to examine the relationship among cognitive function, nutrition screening initiative (NSI) score, and food intake status. METHODS: A total of 409 subjects aged over 60 years were recruited from the Yongin dementia prevention and control center. Mini Mental State Examination Dementia Screening (MMSE-DS) method was used to assess the cognitive function of the subjects. Information on health related behaviors and food intake was collected by face to face interview using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaires included the NSI DETERMINE checklist, food intake sheets by 24 hr recall method and by semi-quantified food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: Subjects were divided into low cognitive or normal groups according to the MMSE-DS result. The prevalence of low cognitive function in the subjects was 25.7%. The low cognitive group exercised less and had higher nutritional health risk than the normal group. The low cognitive group had lower consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acid and higher tendency of thiamin, riboflavin, and iron deficiency. The low cognitive group had less frequency of eating mackerel, pepper, tangerine, and watermelon and higher frequency of eating white rice and cookies than the normal group. CONCLUSION: The results of this study imply that the cognitive function of elderly is related to exercise behavior, nutritional health risk, and food and nutrient intake status.
Aged* ; Checklist ; Citrullus ; Cognition* ; Dementia ; Eating ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Iron ; Mass Screening ; Methods ; Perciformes ; Prevalence ; Riboflavin

PURPOSE: A study was undertaken to assess the social background of abandoning children at adoption institutions. The results were compared to those of three previous reports from the institution. METHODS: A total of 536 children who had been admitted to the institution during the period of 1993 to 1996 were subjected to the study. The medical records were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: The sex ratio of male to female was 1 : 0.9, which was opposite compared to previous studies. Mean birth weight was 2.76+/-0.58kg. The proportion of prematurity was 27.2% and their mean gestational age was 34.0+/-2.25 weeks. The academic background of the mother was mainly high school, comprising 58.4%. The highest rate of maternal age(75.9%) was between 16 to 25 years of age. Maternal age below 15 years was 2.8%, which showed increased in tendency compared to previous studies. Classifying the mother's occupation, they were unemployed(19.4%), office workers(16.8%), store clerks(15.9%), students(13.6%), factory workers(12.3%) and waitresses (5.6%) in this order of frequency. The order of birth showed that the first baby was 89.4%. The reasons for putting their baby up for adoption were they were unmarried(83.2%), poor(8.6%), extramarital birth(3.2%), divorce(2.9%) and death of parents(0.4%) in this order of frequency, showing a significant increased in the rate of unmarried mothers. Only 38.4% of mothers had taken antenatal care. Most of the children (90.8%) were adopted by parents in foreign countries. CONCLUSION: The main reason for adoption was the mothers were unmarried and the maternal age tended to be younger. The rate of foreign adoption was still high.
Birth Weight ; Child* ; Child, Institutionalized ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Illegitimacy ; Male ; Maternal Age ; Medical Records ; Mothers ; Occupations ; Parents ; Parturition ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Ratio ; Single Person

PURPOSE: A study was undertaken to assess the social background of abandoning children at adoption institutions. The results were compared to those of three previous reports from the institution. METHODS: A total of 536 children who had been admitted to the institution during the period of 1993 to 1996 were subjected to the study. The medical records were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: The sex ratio of male to female was 1 : 0.9, which was opposite compared to previous studies. Mean birth weight was 2.76+/-0.58kg. The proportion of prematurity was 27.2% and their mean gestational age was 34.0+/-2.25 weeks. The academic background of the mother was mainly high school, comprising 58.4%. The highest rate of maternal age(75.9%) was between 16 to 25 years of age. Maternal age below 15 years was 2.8%, which showed increased in tendency compared to previous studies. Classifying the mother's occupation, they were unemployed(19.4%), office workers(16.8%), store clerks(15.9%), students(13.6%), factory workers(12.3%) and waitresses (5.6%) in this order of frequency. The order of birth showed that the first baby was 89.4%. The reasons for putting their baby up for adoption were they were unmarried(83.2%), poor(8.6%), extramarital birth(3.2%), divorce(2.9%) and death of parents(0.4%) in this order of frequency, showing a significant increased in the rate of unmarried mothers. Only 38.4% of mothers had taken antenatal care. Most of the children (90.8%) were adopted by parents in foreign countries. CONCLUSION: The main reason for adoption was the mothers were unmarried and the maternal age tended to be younger. The rate of foreign adoption was still high.
Birth Weight ; Child* ; Child, Institutionalized ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Illegitimacy ; Male ; Maternal Age ; Medical Records ; Mothers ; Occupations ; Parents ; Parturition ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Ratio ; Single Person