OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to evaluate the polysomnographic characteristics and prescription status of restless legs syndrome (RLS) patients in naturalistic setting. METHODS: We reviewed medical record of the patients over 18 years olds who (i) satisfied the clinical RLS diagnostic criteria and (ii) had the polysomnography and got treatment related thereto. As a baseline, we evaluated the four diagnostic criteria of the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG) and the International Restless Legs Scale (IRLS) of the subjects. Then the polysomnography and the suggested immobilization test (SIT) were conducted and, after one month of pharmacotherapy using dopamine agonist, the IRLS was evaluated again. RESULTS: A total of 211 subjects participated in this analysis and 94 (44.5%) of them were male and the other 117 (55.5%) were female and the average age of the 211 subjects was 46.9+/-14.2. Out of such 211 subjects, 136 subjects (64.5%) also had the obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and 53 subjects (25.1%) also had the periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD). 185 subjects (87.7%) out of the 211 subjects had some other sleep disorders except RLS. The results of the polysomnography were as follows : 78.0% of sleep efficiency, 86.8 min of wake after sleep onset, and 3.4% of N3. More specifically, 12.4/h of the average apnea hypopnea index, 14.8/h of the periodic limb movement during sleep (PLMS), 41.2/h of the periodic limb movement during wake during SIT and 21.6/h of total arousal index during sleep. Out of the total subjects, 149 (70.6%) of them took the ropinirole and 47 (22.3%) of them took the pramipexole, and the average dosage of ropinirole was 0.9mg(dosage range 0.125-5 mg) while the average dosage of pramipexole was 0.5 mg (dosage range 0.125-4 mg). The dosage of the ropinirole showed a significant positive correlation with the age (r=0.25, p=0.002) and also with the IRLS (r=0.23, p=0.038). The IRLS at the baseline was 24.9 while the same was decreased down to 13.4 after one month. CONCLUSIONS: Analyzing the result of this study, a majority of clinical RLS subjects demonstrated comorbidity with some other sleep disorder such as the OSA or PLMD. 25.1% of the subjects showed a PLMD, which was less than in previous researches and the average PLMS was not very high as 14.8/h. The dosage of dopamine agonist taken was often a bit more than the amount recommended in Korea. A prospective research using a large scale controlled subjects will be necessary with respect to this topic.
Apnea ; Arousal ; Benzothiazoles ; Comorbidity ; Dopamine Agonists ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Indoles ; Isothiocyanates ; Korea ; Male ; Medical Records ; Nocturnal Myoclonus Syndrome ; Polysomnography ; Prescriptions ; Restless Legs Syndrome ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; Sleep Wake Disorders

In the present study, we have etamined the role of c-kit and KL ligand in the mouse brain after kainate-induced seizure. To investigate whether c-kit receptor and KL ligand might involved in kainate-induced apoptosis, the expression patterns of c-kit and KL mRNA and localization of immunoreactivity for c-Kit, SCF and Bcl-2 protein were examined by in situ hybridization technique and immunohistochemical method, respectively, in the mouse hippocampus after kainate treatment. This report is the first demonstration for the role of c-kit receptor and KL ligand in the kainate-induced apoptosis. Our conclusion is based on : 1] c-kit and KL mRNA expressions were increased in CA3 region of the hippocampus in 1h after kainate treatment, 2] immunoreactivities for c-Kit protein and SCF were detected higher level in the CA1 and CA3 sectors in 24h after kainate treatment, 3] expression level for Bcl-2 protein was increased in the CA3 region of the hippocampus 24h after kainate treatment. These results suggest that bcl-2 could promote cell survival of injured neurons in CA3 after kainate-induced seizure. And increased translations of c-kit receptor and KL ligand after kainate injection in this area susgest that c-kit receptor and KL ligand could have a role in the kainate-induced apoptosis.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Brain ; Cell Survival ; Hippocampus* ; In Situ Hybridization ; Kainic Acid ; Mice* ; Neurons ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit ; RNA, Messenger ; Seizures* ; Translations

beta-amyloid[Abeta] peptide consisting of 40 of 42 amino acids peptide is the principal constituent of senile plaques in Alzheimer`s disease. Recently, it has been demonstrated that this peptide and its constituent fragments are toxic to neuron. Basal forebrain cholinergic neurons are preferentially damaged early in the course of Alzheimer`s disease, and the degree of cholinergic decrement correlates well with the severity of dementia. Taking into consideration of toxic properties of Abeta and the selective vulnerability of the cholinergic system, possible effects of beta-amyloid on the cultured basal forebrain cholinergic neurons were tested. Our result showed tha Abeta1-40 induced marked neurodegenerative changes including loss of cell body and dystrophic neurites in the basal forebrain neuronal cultures at 20micrometer. Immunocytochemical study showed that Abeta1-40 causes apparent loss of choline acetyltransferase[ChAT] immunoreactivity and acetycholine esterase[AchE] positive neuritic intergrity in large basal forebrain cholinegic neurons. However, the number of ChAT immunoreactive neurons was not significantly decreased as compared to other neurons in mixed culture system. These results suggest that the basal forebrain neurons are not particularly vulnearable to Abeta and that preferential injury to basal forebrain cholinergic neurons in Alzheimer`s disease may be caused by some other medchanism.
Amino Acids ; Choline ; Cholinergic Neurons* ; Dementia ; Neurites ; Neurons ; Plaque, Amyloid ; Prosencephalon*

Background: Oral frailty is defined as the functional decline of the oral function due to aging, and it is associated with frailty andchronic disease. Most of the frailty intervention is for adults aged 65 years and older. However, early intervention for preventive disorder is most important. The objective of this study was to identify the age at which oral frailty surpass the “normal” range. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 719 adults (aged 30∼89 years) residing in Gangwon province in May 2023. Risk of oral frailty was assessed using criteria from The Korean Academy of Geriatric Dentistry including oral function such as swallowing and mastication, and frailty. Frailty was assessed using the Kihon Checklist. To determine when oral frailty surpass the “normal” status, statistical analysis including chi-squared tests and multiple logistic regression analysis were performed using R (ver. 4.3.1). Results: There were 388 (54.0%) individuals who had a “normal” status risk of oral frailty. The risk of oral frailty was higher in the 50∼54 age group compared to the 30∼34 age group (odds ratio [OR] 0.50, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.28∼0.91), after adjusting for gender, education, income, occupation, and frailty (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.22∼0.94). This means that from 50∼54 years old, regardless of gender, education, income, occupation, or frailty condition, there is a distinction from the “normal” status. Conclusion We found that intervention for oral frailty is needed starting from age 50 years. This is the stage where earlyindications of oral frailty become apparent. Early intervention for oral frailty can lead to a decrease in the prevalence of diseases and medical expenditure. Therefore, early intervention in middle-aged adults of oral frailty is necessary to improve the quality of life related to oral health.

No abstract available.
Case-Control Studies* ; Health Promotion* ; Risk Factors*

Sick sinus syndrome(SSS) constitutes a spectrum of cardiac arrhythmia, including sinus bradycardia, sinus pause-arrest, sinoatrial block, slow escape rhythm, bradyarrhythmia and tachyarrhythmia. SSS is relatively uncommon in children but its exact incidence is unknown because diagnostic criteria are not uniform and most children with SSS, in general are asymptomatic. SSS may be primary(organic sinus node disease) or secondary(cardiac surgery comprises much of SSS in children and adolescents), but it can hardly be caused by familial relations as well. We reports an occurrence of familial sick sinus syndrome. Mother was diagnosed as SSS, which was presented by symptoms of dizziness and treated by permanent pacemaker(DDD). Also, two daughters revealed SSS with non- compacted cardiomyopathy on neonatal screening and fetal echocardiography respectively. We concluded that familial SSS may occur, so familial screening should be suggested.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Bradycardia ; Cardiomyopathies ; Child ; Dizziness ; Echocardiography ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Mass Screening ; Mothers ; Neonatal Screening ; Nuclear Family ; Sick Sinus Syndrome* ; Sinoatrial Block ; Sinoatrial Node ; Tachycardia ; United Nations

This is a nonequivalent control group pretest- posttest design in quasi experimental basis to assess how the thermal head and feet support influences on early stage weight gain in premature neonates. The clients were selected among the premature infants with the weight under 2000gms and with the gestational period under 37 weeks, admitted over 15 days in K university hospital, Seoul. The control group of 29 were selected from January 1998 to August 1998, who were without head and feet thermal support, and the experimental group of 30 were selected from September 1998 to May 1999, who were with the two thermal interventions. The results of the study follow, 1.The experimental group with thermal interventions showed more weight gain than the control group without thermal interventions, which was statistically significant between the two groups. 2.The physiological weight loss after birth showed less in the experimental group than in the control group. 3.The recovery of the birth weight after the physiologic weight loss showed no statistical difference between the experimental group and the control group. Consequently, the thermal head and feet supportive nursing intervention could be applied as a nursing intervention program to help the premature neonates' development. With the results above we should like to suggest the following: 1) A continuous application in the practice of our thermal supportive intervention for the premature neonates, a development of the content through evaluation, and a comparision of the results through a long time study. 2) A neccessity of deveopment of various study and cross comparision. 3) A neccessity of multi-angular study on the premature infants' characteristics influencing the thermal therapy and the study of the individual differences of the clients.
Birth Weight ; Body Weight ; Foot* ; Head* ; Humans ; Individuality ; Infant, Newborn* ; Infant, Premature ; Nursing ; Parturition ; Seoul ; Time and Motion Studies ; Weight Gain* ; Weight Loss ; Child Health

Injuries and infectious diseases have been the most important public health problems since the beginning of human life. Injuries result in death of about 30,000 people each year in South Korea. In terms of years of life lost, injuries are considerably more costly than either heart disease or cancer. In terms of cost - both the direct costs of care and the indirect costs to individuals, families, and societies of a diminished life - injuries are among the most expensive of all social problems. The main purposes of this study are (1) to describe the outcomes as well as treatment process of brain injured patients and (2) to identify the factors impacting on length of stay during hospitalization and hospital fees. The research method used in this study was to review the medical records of five hundreds brain injured cases using systemic random sampling. The multiple logistic regression was administered to identify the factors impacting on the outcomes. The results are as follow: (1) the consultation rate was found to be 72.9% while referral rate was 11.2%; (2) nearly 30% of the respondents were hospitalized over 30 days; (3) multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that the determinants influencing LOS were number of consultations, number of lab tests, and surgery; (4) the determinants of hospital fee were severity of brain injury, gender of patients, number of consultations, number of lab tests, and surgery.
Beginning of Human Life ; Brain Injuries ; Brain* ; Communicable Diseases ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Fees and Charges ; Heart Diseases ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Korea ; Length of Stay ; Logistic Models ; Medical Records ; Public Health ; Referral and Consultation ; Social Problems

No abstract available.
Stroke*

Nemaline myopathy is a rare congenital m opathy, characterized by nonprogressive or slowely progressive muscle weakness associated with rod-like structures in muscle fibers and characteristic dysmorphic features. We report the first farnilial nemaline myopathy in two generations of the same family, confirmed by muscle biospy in an 11-year-old boy and his mother. The patients had hypotonia and slowly progressive muscle weakness of the four limbs associated with characteristic facial dysmorphism and skeletal deformities. Light and electron microscopic study of a muscle biopsy showed numerous nemaline rods in both patients.
Biopsy ; Child ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Extremities ; Family Characteristics ; Humans ; Male ; Mothers ; Muscle Hypotonia ; Muscle Weakness ; Myopathies, Nemaline*