PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare anxiety, depression and quality of life according to the severity of urinary incontinence in married women. METHOD: The participants were 168 married women aged 30-65 years who experienced urinary incontinence. The data were collected from May to July, 2006 using a structured questionnaire. Frequencies, percent, means and standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA, chi-square-test and Scheffe test with SPSS win 14.0 program were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The distribution of urinary incontinence severity was mild 87.5%, or moderate 12.5%. Significant differences in the severity of urinary incontinence were found for the general characteristics of age, education level, having a job and having a spouse and for the obstetric characteristics of type of delivery, and menopause. Differences in the score for anxiety (t=-2.41, p=0.001) and quality of life (t=5.50, p<0.001) according to the severity of urinary incontinence were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Women with moderate to severe urinary incontinence should be screened for psychosocial factors. Severity of urinary incontinence in married women negatively affects their quality of life. Further research is needed to determine factors predicting the quality of life for incontinent women.
Anxiety* ; Depression* ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Menopause ; Psychology ; Quality of Life* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Spouses ; Urinary Incontinence*

PURPOSE: PIK3CA is often mutated in a variety of malignancies, including colon, gastric, ovary, breast, and brain tumors. We investigated PIK3CA expression in gastric cancer and explored the relationships between the PIK3CA expression level and clinicopathological features as well as survival of the patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined PIK3CA expression in a tissue microarray of 178 gastric adenocarcinomas by immunohisto-chemistry and reviewed patients' medical records. RESULTS: In our study, 112 of the 178 gastric cancer patients displayed positive PIK3CA expression. Overexpression of PIK3CA was correlated with low grade differentiation (P=0.001), frequent lymphatic invasion (P=0.032), and high T stage (P=0.040). Patients with positive PIK3CA staining were more likely to display worse overall survival rate than those with negative PIK3CA staining, as determined by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis with log-rank test (P=0.047) and a univariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazard model (hazard ratio=1.832, P=0.051). CONCLUSIONS: Elevated PIK3CA expression was significantly correlated with tumor invasiveness, tumor phenotypes, and poor patient survival.
Adenocarcinoma ; Brain Neoplasms ; Breast ; Colon ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Medical Records ; Ovary ; Phenotype ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: Transducer-like enhancer of split 1 (TLE1) is a member of the Groucho/TLE family of transcriptional co-repressors that regulate the transcriptional activity of numerous genes. TLE1 is involved in the tumorigenesis of various tumors. We investigated the prognostic significance of TLE1 expression and its association with clinicopathological parameters in gastric cancer (GC) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Immunohistochemical analysis of six tissue microarrays was performed to examine TLE1 expression using 291 surgically resected GC specimens from the Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital between July 2006 and December 2009. RESULTS: In the non-neoplastic gastric mucosa, TLE1 expression was negative. In GC, 121 patients (41.6%) were positive for TLE1. The expression of TLE1 was significantly associated with male gender (P=0.021), less frequent lymphatic (P=0.017) or perineural invasion (P=0.029), intestinal type according to the Lauren classification (P=0.024), good histologic grade (P<0.001), early pathologic T-stage (P=0.012), and early American Joint Committee on Cancer stage (P=0.022). In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, the TLE1 expression was significantly associated with longer disease-free (P=0.022) and overall (P=0.001) survival rates. CONCLUSIONS: We suggested that TLE1 expression is a good prognostic indicator in GCs.
Carcinogenesis ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Classification ; Co-Repressor Proteins ; Gastric Mucosa ; Humans ; Joints ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Survival Rate ; Tissue Array Analysis

BACKGROUND: Basal-type cytokeratins may help to distinguish benign from malignant intraductal proliferative lesions. The basal-type cytokeratins expression is markedly decreased or absent in atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and invasive ductal carcinomas (IDC). However, the expression patterns vary according to the antibodies that are used for staining. METHODS: HMW-CK (clone 34 E12) was applied to 175 lesions, and CK5/6 (clone D5/16B4) was applied to 145 lesions. The specimens were IDC (n=165), DCIS (n=35), ADH (n=37), florid ductal hyperplasia (FDH) (n=38) and columnar cell lesion (CCL) (n=45). The expression patterns of HMW-CK and CK5/6 were categorized as negative, focal positive and positive. RESULTS: Loss of the HMW-CK expression was noted in 76% (66/87) of the IDC, 78% (21/27) of the DCIS, 78% (21/28) of the ADH, and 55% (10/18) of the FDH. Loss of the CK5/6 expression was found in 96% (75/78) of the IDC, in all the DCIS (n=8) and ADH (n=9), and in none of the FDH (n=20). Loss of the CK5/6 expression is more reliable than that of the HMW-CK expression for differentiating FDH, ADH and malignant intraductal proliferatve lesions. Eleven (73%) of 15 CCLs revealed the loss of the HMW-CK expression, but all the CCLs (n=30) were negative for CK5/6 (p=0.0161). CONCLUSION: CK5/6 antibody is more reliable than HMW-CK antibody for differentiating FDH from ADH or DCIS, and for discriminating CCL.

PURPOSE: Pneumomediastinum is rare in children and adolescents, and its causes have not yet been clearly determined. We aimed to identify the causes, clinical manifestations and prognosis of noniatrogenic pneumomediastinum in children. METHODS: From February 2007 to June 2014, we retrospectively investigated 121 patients with pneumomediastinum under 18 years of age in 2 hospitals. Eighteen patients with pneumomediastinum after thoracotomy and 35 patients with iatrogenic pneumomediastinum were excluded. RESULTS: Sixty-eight patients were divided into 4 age groups: those under 1 year of age (n=9, 13.2%), those 1 to 5 years of age (n=9, 13.2%), those 6 to 10 years of age (n=17, 25.0%) and those over 11 years of age (n=33, 48.5%). Chest pain (n=43, 63.2%) was the most common initial complaint and subcutaneous emphysema was identified in 18 patients (26.5%). Chest x-ray was diagnostic in all except 9 patients (13.2%). Predisposing causes of pneumomediastinum were idiopathic (n=26, 38.2%), respiratory tract infection (n=23, 33.8%), asthma exacerbation (n=4, 5.9%), trauma (n=4, 5.9%), endobronchial foreign body (n=2, 2.9%), interstitial lung disease (n=5, 7.4%), and neonatal respiratory disease (n=4, 5.9%). Chest pain (P<0.001) and idiopathic cause (P=0.001) were shown to linearly increase with age. On the contrary, tachypnea (P<0.001), dyspnea (P=0.016), and interstitial lung disease (P=0.008) were shown to have a decreasing linear association with age. The length of hospital stay was significantly increased in patients with interstitial lung disease (P=0.042), those with pneumothorax (P=0.044), and those without chest pain (P=0.013). CONCLUSION: According to age groups, there were significant differences in causes and clinical manifestations. In particular, pneumomediastinum that developed in younger patients with interstitial lung disease showed unfavorable outcomes, such as dyspnea, pneumothorax, and increased length of hospital stay. Therefore, precise evaluation of predisposing causes and careful management are needed for children with pneumomediastinum.
Adolescent ; Asthma ; Chest Pain ; Child ; Dyspnea ; Foreign Bodies ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; Mediastinal Emphysema ; Pneumothorax ; Prognosis ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Retrospective Studies ; Subcutaneous Emphysema ; Tachypnea ; Thoracotomy ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) strategy is proposed to reduce the ventilator-induced lung injury in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). As ECMO use has increased, a number of studies on prognostic factors have been published. Age is estimated to be an important prognostic factor. However, clinical evidences about ECMO use in elderly patients are limited. Therefore, we investigated clinical courses and outcomes of ECMO in elderly patients with ARDS. METHODS: We reviewed medical records of patients with severe ARDS who required ECMO support. Study patients were classified into an elderly group (> or = 65 years) and a non-elderly group (< 65 years). Baseline characteristics, ECMO related outcomes and associated factors were retrospectively analyzed according to group. RESULTS: From February 2011 to June 2013, a total of 31 patients with severe ARDS were treated with ECMO. Overall, 14 (45.2%) were weaned from ECMO, 9 (29.0%) survived to the general ward and 7 (22.6%) survived to discharge. Among the 18 elderly group patients, 7 (38.9%) were weaned from ECMO, 4 (22.2%) were survived to the general ward and 2 (11.1%) were survived to discharge. Overall intensive care unit survival was inversely correlated with concomitant acute kidney injury or septic shock. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, ECMO outcome was poor in severe ARDS patients aged over 65 years. Therefore, the routine use of ECMO in elderly patients with severe ARDS is not warranted except in highly selective cases.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Aged* ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Medical Records ; Patients' Rooms ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult* ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock, Septic ; Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury

PURPOSE: To determine the morphology and location of normal pancreatic tail, as seen on abdominal CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A hundred and one patients without pancreatic disease underwent CT scanning. We thendetermined how to relate the location of the pancreatic tail with the splenic hilum, left kidney, and pancreaticbody. We compared the thickness of the tail with that of the body and analysed of the morphology of the tail. RESULTS: Seventy-seven percent of all pancreatic tails were located below the splenic hilum, with 59% of thisproportion located located 1 to 2 cm below. Fifty percent of tails were located at the level of the uppermostquarter of the left kidney, and a further 27% at the level of the second quarter ; 75% were located in theventrolateral portion of this kidney and 23% in the ventral portion. In 48% of patients, the pancreatic tail andbody were the same thickness, and in a further 48%, the tail was thicker than the body. In 34% of patients, thetail showed focal bulging, and in another 32%, it tapered smoothly. Forty seven percent of tails were locatedbelow the pancreatic body and a further 37% were found at the same level as the body. CONCLUSION: Abdominal CTscans showed differing morphology and location of the pancreatic tail. The recognition of these variations willdiminish speculation as to their true nature.
Humans ; Kidney ; Pancreatic Diseases ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of routine mammography in the detection of local recurrence of breast cancer after mastectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical and mammographic records of 45 patients whounderwent modified mastectomy due to breast cancer were prospectively reviewed. The methods of mastectomy wereAuchincloss (n=36), Patey (n=8) and simple resection (n=1). RESULTS:s Among the 45 patients, five palpable lesionswere detected on physical examination: two of the five were confirmed as tumor recurrence; on mammography, anodule with microcalcifications and low-density lesion was seen, but the other three were benign. In 40 patientsthe results of palpation were negative and during follow-up (mean, 10.9 months ) no newly developed lesions wereseen. On mammography, ten of 45(22.2%) patients showed abnormalities, namely local skin thickening(n=4,40%),increased density in subcutaneous tissue(n=2,20%), nodules(n=2,20%), benign calcification(n=1,10%) and focallow-density lesion(n=1,10%), but only one case with a nodule was confirmed to be recurrence. CONCLUSION: Routinemammography of a mastectomy site was not useful for the differentiation of palpable lesions.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mammography* ; Mastectomy* ; Mastectomy, Modified Radical ; Palpation ; Physical Examination ; Prospective Studies ; Recurrence ; Skin

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of music therapy on pain, anxiety and length of stay of patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU). METHODS: Sixty patients who received laparoscopic hysterectomy under general anesthesia from a PACU in a university hospital located in Cheonan city participated in this study. The experimental group (n=30) was offered the option to listen to their preferred music by using MP3 players and headphones for 30 minutes. The control group (n=30) received routine postoperative nursing care. Visual analogue scale was used to measure participants' pain and anxiety, length of stay in the PACU was examined by using their medical records. Data were collected from December 2013 to February 2014 and analyzed by descriptive statistics, chi2-test, Fisher's exact test, and independent t-test using SPSS version 21.0. RESULTS: The result showed that the level of post-operative pain (t=2.44, p=.018), anxiety (t=2.37, p=.021), and the length of stay in PACU (t=3.06, p=.004) significantly decreased in the experimental group as compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: This study indicated that music therapy with the patients' preferred music showed positive effects. Therefore, it can be used as a therapeutic intervention for postoperative pain management of patients with laparoscopic hysterectomy.
Anesthesia, General ; Anxiety* ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Humans ; Hysterectomy* ; Length of Stay* ; Medical Records ; MP3-Player ; Music Therapy* ; Music* ; Nursing Care ; Pain, Postoperative

PURPOSE: This study aimed to inquire into the educational implication of peer evaluation in PBL in relation to the evaluation system. METHODS: 89 third and fourth-year medical students in PBL courses participated in this study. Descriptive statistics analysis and correlation analysis were performed. RESULTS: Based on the results of the interviews with all the forth-year students, the feedback method of peer evaluation was modified and the peer evaluation sheet was revised. On the new peer evaluation system, the percentages of indiscriminant scores were significantly lower than those on the previous system. Peer evaluation on the new evaluation system was positively related to tutor evaluation, written examination, and quizzes. Correlations between the peer evaluation scores each units were higher than those of the tutor evaluation scores. All third-year students within the bottom ten percent on the peer evaluation score failed to successfully complete that year. CONCLUSION: The peer evaluation with feedback based on faculty counseling and a user-friendly evaluation sheet can be used as an effective method for assessing student performance in PBL and to screen for maladjusted students.
Counseling ; Humans ; Problem-Based Learning* ; Students, Medical