This review examines the challenges associated with occupational disease surveillance in Korea, particularly emphasizing the limitations of current data sources such as the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance (IACI) statistics and special health examinations. The IACI system undercounts cases due to its emphasis on severe diseases and restrictions on approvals. Special health examinations, although they cover a broad workforce, are constrained by their annual scheduling, which leads to missed acute illnesses and subclinical conditions. The paper also explores the history of occupational disease surveillance in Korea, highlighting the fragmented and disease-specific approach of earlier systems. The authors introduce the newly established Korea Occupational Disease Surveillance Center (KODSC), a comprehensive nationwide system designed to gather, analyze, and interpret data on occupational diseases through a network of regional centers. By incorporating hospital-based surveillance and focusing on acute poisonings and other sentinel events, the KODSC aims to overcome the limitations of previous systems and promote collaboration with various agencies. Although it is still in the early stages of implementation, the KODSC demonstrates potential for improving data accuracy and contributing valuable insights for public health policy.

This review examines the challenges associated with occupational disease surveillance in Korea, particularly emphasizing the limitations of current data sources such as the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance (IACI) statistics and special health examinations. The IACI system undercounts cases due to its emphasis on severe diseases and restrictions on approvals. Special health examinations, although they cover a broad workforce, are constrained by their annual scheduling, which leads to missed acute illnesses and subclinical conditions. The paper also explores the history of occupational disease surveillance in Korea, highlighting the fragmented and disease-specific approach of earlier systems. The authors introduce the newly established Korea Occupational Disease Surveillance Center (KODSC), a comprehensive nationwide system designed to gather, analyze, and interpret data on occupational diseases through a network of regional centers. By incorporating hospital-based surveillance and focusing on acute poisonings and other sentinel events, the KODSC aims to overcome the limitations of previous systems and promote collaboration with various agencies. Although it is still in the early stages of implementation, the KODSC demonstrates potential for improving data accuracy and contributing valuable insights for public health policy.

This review examines the challenges associated with occupational disease surveillance in Korea, particularly emphasizing the limitations of current data sources such as the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance (IACI) statistics and special health examinations. The IACI system undercounts cases due to its emphasis on severe diseases and restrictions on approvals. Special health examinations, although they cover a broad workforce, are constrained by their annual scheduling, which leads to missed acute illnesses and subclinical conditions. The paper also explores the history of occupational disease surveillance in Korea, highlighting the fragmented and disease-specific approach of earlier systems. The authors introduce the newly established Korea Occupational Disease Surveillance Center (KODSC), a comprehensive nationwide system designed to gather, analyze, and interpret data on occupational diseases through a network of regional centers. By incorporating hospital-based surveillance and focusing on acute poisonings and other sentinel events, the KODSC aims to overcome the limitations of previous systems and promote collaboration with various agencies. Although it is still in the early stages of implementation, the KODSC demonstrates potential for improving data accuracy and contributing valuable insights for public health policy.

This review examines the challenges associated with occupational disease surveillance in Korea, particularly emphasizing the limitations of current data sources such as the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance (IACI) statistics and special health examinations. The IACI system undercounts cases due to its emphasis on severe diseases and restrictions on approvals. Special health examinations, although they cover a broad workforce, are constrained by their annual scheduling, which leads to missed acute illnesses and subclinical conditions. The paper also explores the history of occupational disease surveillance in Korea, highlighting the fragmented and disease-specific approach of earlier systems. The authors introduce the newly established Korea Occupational Disease Surveillance Center (KODSC), a comprehensive nationwide system designed to gather, analyze, and interpret data on occupational diseases through a network of regional centers. By incorporating hospital-based surveillance and focusing on acute poisonings and other sentinel events, the KODSC aims to overcome the limitations of previous systems and promote collaboration with various agencies. Although it is still in the early stages of implementation, the KODSC demonstrates potential for improving data accuracy and contributing valuable insights for public health policy.

This review examines the challenges associated with occupational disease surveillance in Korea, particularly emphasizing the limitations of current data sources such as the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance (IACI) statistics and special health examinations. The IACI system undercounts cases due to its emphasis on severe diseases and restrictions on approvals. Special health examinations, although they cover a broad workforce, are constrained by their annual scheduling, which leads to missed acute illnesses and subclinical conditions. The paper also explores the history of occupational disease surveillance in Korea, highlighting the fragmented and disease-specific approach of earlier systems. The authors introduce the newly established Korea Occupational Disease Surveillance Center (KODSC), a comprehensive nationwide system designed to gather, analyze, and interpret data on occupational diseases through a network of regional centers. By incorporating hospital-based surveillance and focusing on acute poisonings and other sentinel events, the KODSC aims to overcome the limitations of previous systems and promote collaboration with various agencies. Although it is still in the early stages of implementation, the KODSC demonstrates potential for improving data accuracy and contributing valuable insights for public health policy.

Objective: To compare the biomechanical properties of the glenohumeral joint capsule between adhesive capsulitis (AC) after breast cancer surgery and idiopathic AC and demonstrate the effects of hydrodilatation (HD) with corticosteroid injection for AC after breast cancer surgery. Methods: Twenty-three prospective patients with AC after breast cancer surgery (BC group) and 44 retrospective patients with idiopathic AC without breast cancer (CON group) underwent HD with corticosteroid injection and home exercise training. We compared their biomechanical characteristics (capsular capacity, maximal pressure, and capsular stiffness). In the BC group, the passive range of motion (ROM) of the affected shoulder and a questionnaire (Shoulder Pain and Disability Index [SPADI]) were evaluated at baseline and 2 and 4 weeks after treatment. Results: The BC group showed higher biomechanical characteristics (maximal pressure and capsular stiffness) than did the CON group. The mean maximal pressure and capsular stiffness were 519.67±120.90 mmHg and 19.69±10.58 mmHg/mL in the BC group and 424.78±104.42 mmHg and 11.55±7.77 mmHg/mL in the CON group (p=0.002 and p=0.001, respectively). And, the BC group showed significant improvements in all ROMs (abduction, flexion, and external rotation) and the SPADI pain and disability sub-scores following the treatment. Conclusion The glenohumeral joint capsular stiffness was greater in the patients with AC after breast cancer surgery than in those with idiopathic AC. HD with corticosteroid injection was effective in treating AC after breast cancer surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To compare optical motion capture system (MoCap), attitude and heading reference system (AHRS) sensor, and Microsoft Kinect for the continuous measurement of cervical range of motion (ROM). METHODS: Fifteen healthy adult subjects were asked to sit in front of the Kinect camera with optical markers and AHRS sensors attached to the body in a room equipped with optical motion capture camera. Subjects were instructed to independently perform axial rotation followed by flexion/extension and lateral bending. Each movement was repeated 5 times while being measured simultaneously with 3 devices. Using the MoCap system as the gold standard, the validity of AHRS and Kinect for measurement of cervical ROM was assessed by calculating correlation coefficient and Bland–Altman plot with 95% limits of agreement (LoA). RESULTS: MoCap and ARHS showed fair agreement (95% LoA<10°), while MoCap and Kinect showed less favorable agreement (95% LoA>10°) for measuring ROM in all directions. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) values between MoCap and AHRS in –40° to 40° range were excellent for flexion/extension and lateral bending (ICC>0.9). ICC values were also fair for axial rotation (ICC>0.8). ICC values between MoCap and Kinect system in –40° to 40° range were fair for all motions. CONCLUSION: Our study showed feasibility of using AHRS to measure cervical ROM during continuous motion with an acceptable range of error. AHRS and Kinect system can also be used for continuous monitoring of flexion/extension and lateral bending in ordinary range.
Adult ; Head* ; Humans ; Neck ; Range of Motion, Articular*

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a serious complication resulting in mortality and renal graft failure. PTLD is a heterogeneous disorder, which causes different clinical forms of disease from non-specific viral syndrome to malignant lymphoma and has various etiologies, clinical features, and treatment strategies. Here, we report on a patient who had a PTLD in the hilum of a transplanted kidney at 5 months after renal transplantation. The PTLD resulted in hydronephrosis of the transplanted kidney and graft dysfunction by local urinary tract obstruction. Despite treatment including immunosuppression reduction and rituximab administration, we removed the transplanted kidney from the recipient because the PTLD did not respond to the therapy.
Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Immunosuppression ; Kidney Transplantation ; Kidney* ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoproliferative Disorders* ; Mortality ; Rituximab ; Transplants ; Urinary Tract*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate at which pH level various local anesthetics precipitate, and to confirm which combination of corticosteroid and local anesthetic crystallizes. METHODS: Each of ropivacaine-HCl, bupivacaine-HCl, and lidocaine-HCl was mixed with 4 different concentrations of NaOH solutions. Also, each of the three local anesthetics was mixed with the same volume of 3 corticosteroid solutions (triamcinolone acetonide, dexamethasone sodium phosphate, and betamethasone sodium phosphate). Precipitation of the local anesthetics (or not) was observed, by the naked eye and by microscope. The pH of each solution and the size of the precipitated crystal were measured. RESULTS: Alkalinized with NaOH to a certain value of pH, local anesthetics precipitated (ropivacaine pH 6.9, bupivacaine pH 7.7, and lidocaine pH 12.9). Precipitation was observed as a cloudy appearance by the naked eye and as the aggregation of small particles (<10 µm) by microscope. The amount of particles and aggregation increased with increased pH. Mixed with betamethasone sodium phosphate, ropivacaine was precipitated in the form of numerous large crystals (>300 µm, pH 7.5). Ropivacaine with dexamethasone sodium phosphate also precipitated, but it was only observable by microscope (a few crystals of 10-100 µm, pH 7.0). Bupivacaine with betamethasone sodium phosphate formed precipitates of non-aggregated smaller particles (<10 µm, pH 7.7). Lidocaine mixed with corticosteroids did not precipitate. CONCLUSION: Ropivacaine and bupivacaine can precipitate by alkalinization at a physiological pH, and therefore also produce crystals at a physiological pH when they are mixed with betamethasone sodium phosphate. Thus, the potential risk should be noted for their use in interventions, such as epidural steroid injections.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Anesthetics, Local* ; Betamethasone ; Bupivacaine ; Crystallization* ; Dexamethasone ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Lidocaine ; Sodium

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The Oxford classification of immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) is a pathology-based prognostic classification system. However, further study is needed to determine its validity. We studied the relationships between the Oxford classification and established prognostic factors and renal survival. We also examined associations between electron microscopy findings and these parameters. METHODS: We reviewed and reclassified 213 patients who were diagnosed with IgAN from 1997 to 2007 using the Oxford and World Health Organization (WHO) classification systems. The patients were also categorized by a pathologist using electron microscopy findings, including foot process fusion, glomerular basement membrane thickness, and electron-dense deposits. We examined the correlations between light and electron microscopy data and known prognostic factors (e.g., age, sex, proteinuria, serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR], and blood pressure). The same procedure was applied to renal survival. RESULTS: Patient age increased with the grades of segmental sclerosis (S) and tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis (T) (P < 0.05). eGFR decreased significantly with increasing mesangial hypercellularity (M) (p = 0.0034), S (p = 0.0003), endocapillary hypercellularity (E) (p = 0.0411), and T (P < 0.0001). MSET differed significantly by sex (P < 0.0001). The 24-h urine protein/creatinine ratio increased significantly with the degrees of S (p = 0.036), E (p = 0.0155), and T (p = 0.015). The serum creatinine level was significantly higher in patients with T2 than T1 or T0 (P < 0.0001). At the time of biopsy, the degree of tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis affected the doubling of serum creatinine or end-stage renal disease. However, the electron microscopy findings did not predict the renal outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis is significantly associated with proteinuria and renal progression in IgAN.
Biopsy ; Classification ; Creatinine ; Fibrosis ; Foot ; Glomerular Basement Membrane ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA* ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Microscopy, Electron ; Pathology* ; Prognosis ; Proteinuria ; Sclerosis ; World Health Organization