No abstract available.
Adolescent* ; Humans ; Male* ; Psoriasis*

Total or mostly total intestinal aganglionosis is rare and invariably fatal. All patients with aganglionosis involving more than half of the small bowel have died with persistent intestinal obstruction and secondary malnutrition and infection. Recently, we experienced two cases of total colon aganglionosis extending to the middle of the jejunum in triplet. We report the cases with brief review of literatures.
Colon* ; Humans ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Jejunum ; Malnutrition ; Triplets*

BACKGROUND: Cytomegalovirus infection is an important cause of morbidity and mortality after organ transplantation. Thus, rapid, sensitive and specific laboratory test, such as CMV antigenemia assay and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is necessary to determine a patient's risk of CMV disease and to monitor the effectiveness of antiviral therapy. We compared the results of CMV-PCR and CMV early antigen immunostaining (CMV-EA) with CMV-specific IgM antibody to evalutate clinical usefulness for the early diagnosis of CMV infection and monitoring of antiviral therapy. METHODS: We analyzed 170 samples submitted for CMV tests between September 1995 and April 1996 in Yonsei University College of Medicine Severance Hospital. CMV-PCR and CMV-EA were performed with buffy coat cells and detection of CMV-specific IgM antibody was performed by enzyme-linked fluorescent assay (ELFA). RESULTS: One hundred and seventy samples of 159 patients were tested and analyzed. The concordance rate of CMV-PCR, CMV-EA and CMV-specific IgM in the same blood sample was 75.3%. The total incidence of CMV disease was 2.5%. The sensitivity and specificity based on the patients' clinical status of PCR were 100% and 91.6% respectively. In CMV-EA immunostaining method, they were 75.0% and 100% respectively. And, for CMV-specific IgM antibody ELFA, the sensitivity was only 50.0% and the specificity was 96.4%. CONCLUSIONS: CMV-PCR and CMV-EA immunostaining are reliable methods as rapid early detection of CMV infection. The sensitivity and specificity are very high comparing to CMV- specific IgM antibody. It could also be concluded that they have advantages not only for early diagnosis but also monitoring or follow-up of a therapeutic course as quantitative assays.
Cytomegalovirus Infections* ; Cytomegalovirus* ; Early Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; Incidence ; Mortality ; Organ Transplantation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Transplantation ; Transplants

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to identify the relationships among symptom bother, physical and mental stress and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in women with overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome. METHODS: The participants were 106 women who were diagnosed with OAB (urgency, urge urinary incontinence, frequency, and/or nocturia) at P university hospital. Data were collected from Dec 23, 2011 to Aug 31, 2012. RESULTS: The mean score for symptom bother was 43.1 points, for physical stress, 12.8 which was slightly higher than mental stress (11.8), and for HRQoL, 63.9. For symptom type, there were statistically significant differences in the symptom bother (F=8.67, p<.001) and HRQL (F=3.32, p= .023). The Symptom bother of OAB was positively correlated with physical stress (r=.23, p= .014) and mental stress (r=.33, p<.001) and negatively correlated with the subscales of HRQoL; coping (r=-.66, p<.001), concern (r=-.71, p<.001), sleep (r=-.59, p<.001), and social interaction (r=-.58, p<.001). CONCLUSION: From the results, bother symptom was associated with physical, mental stress and HRQoL. These results suggest that nursing intervention programs for OAB should be developed not only to relieve the symptoms but also to reduce stress and improve the quality of life.
Female ; Humans ; Interpersonal Relations ; Nursing ; Quality of Life* ; Symptom Assessment ; Urinary Bladder, Overactive* ; Urinary Incontinence

The purpose of this study was to analyze information about food and nutrition presented through the television broadcast media, with the aim of finding out the optimal communication method for supplying the general public with accurate information. To perform this study, a total of sixteen monitoring people were recruited and trained before and during the study. Five domestic TV channels were selected to be monitored, and the total monitoring period was six months. For maximum efficiency, the monitoring people were assigned to 8 teams. The results of the present study can be summarized as follows : First, the total reported cases of information about food and nutrition were 237, of which about 30% were judged appropriate and 70% as inappropriate. Second, classifying each case by program type, information programs made up the highest portion at 82 cases (34.6%), cooking programs accounted for 76 cases (32.1%), news programs for 40 cases (16.9%), and entertainment programs for 7 cases (3.0%). The analysis showed that the greatest amount of incorrect information was found in dramas, followed by entertainment, information, cooking and news programs. Third, classifying each case by theme of contents monitored, meal preparation and cookery made up the highest portion at 86 cases (36.3%), foods accounted for 67 cases (28.3%), disease and diet-therapy for 40 cases (16.9%), eating habits for 31 cases (13.1%), and diet and fitness for 13 cases (5.5%). Incorrect information was conveyed most often on the themes of food habits, foods, disease and diet-therapy, cookery, and diet and fitness. Fourth, classifying each case by channel, Cable TV had the highest frequency at 72 cases (30.4%), MBC had 51 cases (21.5%), SBS had 43 cases (18.1%), KBS1 had 41 cases (17.3%) and KBS2 had 30 cases (12.7%). In conclusion, systematic monitoring should be continued to reduce the frequency of incorrect information being broadcast and to help ensure that accurate information is conveyed to the general public. Moreover, there should be a system of cooperation to provide information to help broadcast production teams establish a strategic program. Finally, it is essential to organize an advisory team by promoting links between the mass media and specialists in the field, and to develop an educational program on nutrition to help ensure the communication of accurate information on food and nutrition.
Cooking ; Diet ; Drama ; Eating ; Food Habits ; Mass Media ; Meals ; Specialization ; Television*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the predictive value of the sympathetic skin response (SSR) in diagnosing complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) by comparing three diagnostic modalities-SSR, three-phasic bone scans (TPBS), and thermography. METHODS: Thirteen patients with severe limb pain were recruited. Among them, 6 were diagnosed with CRPS according to the proposed revised CRPS clinical diagnostic criteria described by the International Association for the Study of Pain. SSR was measured in either the hands or feet bilaterally and was considered abnormal when the latency was prolonged. A positive TPBS finding was defined as diffuse increased tracer uptake on the delayed image. Thermographic findings were considered positive if a temperature asymmetry greater than 1.00degrees C was detected between the extremities. RESULTS: Five of 6 CRPS patients showed prolonged latency on SSR (83% sensitivity). TPBS was positive in the 5 CRPS patients who underwent TPBS (100% sensitivity). Thermography was positive in 4 of 5 CRPS patients who underwent the procedure (80% sensitivity). The remaining 7 non-CRPS patients differed on examination. SSR latencies within normal limit were noted in 4 of 7 non-CRPS patients (57% specificity). Results were negative in 4 of 5 non-CRPS patients who underwent TPBS (80% specificity), and negative in 3 of 5 non-CRPS patients who underwent thermography (60% specificity). CONCLUSION: SSR may be helpful in detecting CRPS.
Case-Control Studies* ; Complex Regional Pain Syndromes ; Extremities ; Foot ; Galvanic Skin Response ; Hand ; Humans ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Skin* ; Thermography

We report a 62-year-old man who expired due to intraoperative stent thrombosis. He presented for radical cystectomy because of a bladder cancer. Before a surgery, coronary stent intervention was performed at left anterior descending (LAD) artery. And then he received dual antiplatelet medication for three weeks. Four weeks later, he had an operation for bladder cancer. During the surgery, arrhythmias were developed. After the surgery, the patient suffered from a ST segment elevation myocardial infarction, which was caused by total occlusion of the stent. Additional stent implantation was performed but immediately after the procedure, uncontrolled ventricular arrhythmias developed. It seems that patients with stents may be at heightened risk of stent occlusion during and after surgery. They should be required safe waiting period, titrated anticoagulatory therapy and exact monitoring of myocardial ischemia during the entire perioperative period.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Arteries ; Cystectomy ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Perioperative Period ; Stents* ; Thrombosis* ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: It is important to understand physicians' awareness and knowledge on hypertension guideline to comprehend physician oriented barrier against proper hypertension management. Current guidelines emphasize on the role of home blood pressure monitoring. The aim of this study is to investigate the level of awareness and knowledge of Korean physicians on home blood pressure monitoring recommended in current guideline. METHODS: A questionnaire survey asking home blood pressure measurement, as well as prehypertension and life style modification, was conducted among 36 primary physicians and 25 residents of a tertiary medical center. RESULTS: Except the limitation alcohol intake (80.3%), the physicians demonstrated above 90% of agreement with other contents of life style modification recommended by published guidelines (salt restriction, stop smoking, weight loss, and regular aerobic exercise). Majority (77.7%) of primary physicians recommend home blood pressure measurement to their patients. Significantly primary physicians were likely to recommend home blood pressure monitoring than residents (48% vs. 77.7%, p = 0.027). But both physicians and residents show poor compliance to home blood pressure monitoring guideline in the point of blood pressure measuring (12% vs. 19.4%, p > 0.05). But most of participants are aware of adverse effect of prehypertension (88.5%) and the need of its treatment (96.7%). CONCLUSIONS: This result suggest screening alcohol use disorder and brief counseling by physicians should be encouraged as a part of hypertension management and promoting physicians to equip the correct knowledge of home blood pressure measuring recommended in guideline is warranted.
Blood Pressure ; Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory ; Compliance ; Counseling ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Life Style ; Mass Screening ; Prehypertension ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Weight Loss

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the accuracy and the clinical utility of the Coaguchek(R) XS, a portable point-of-care coagulometer, compared to standard laboratory methods in Korean patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We included 107 patients with atrial fibrillation on long-term oral warfarin therapy. The prothrombin time as expressed by the international normalized ratio (INR) was measured by the portable Coaguchek(R) XS system as well as standard laboratory methods. Agreement between the two methods was defined as a difference of less than 0.3 between the INR values. RESULTS: The INR determined by the portable Coaguchek(R) XS had excellent correlation with the values obtained by standard methods (r=0.984, p<0.01). The INR determined by the portable Coaguchek(R) XS tended to be high among the high INR group values (standard INR>3.0). There was a 91.6% agreement between the two methods. Only nine cases (8.4%) had a difference of more than 0.3; this was mainly noted in the high INR group. CONCLUSION: The portable self-testing of the INR by the Coaguchek(R) XS might be a reliable alternative to hospital based laboratory testing in Korean patients.
Atrial Fibrillation ; Humans ; International Normalized Ratio ; Prothrombin Time ; Warfarin

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The increased prevalence of congestive heart failure (CHF) and disabled population with heart diseases has led, in 2000, to the establishment of Korean guidelines for grading disability in patients with CHF, but its usefulness has not been tested. The purpose of this study is to investigate the usefulness of the guidelines in grading disability and predicting the prognosis of patients with CHF. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Between January, 1999 and March, 2003, 546 consecutive CHF patients were enrolled. Of these 546 patients, only 240 completed one year of follow up before the severity of disability was graded. They were classified into either the disabled or non-disabled groups according to the Korean guidelines for grading disability. They were also subdivided into severe CHF or non severe groups. Severe CHF was defined as a status greater than New York Heart Association class III or to those requiring frequent hospitalization, i.e. more than twice. The mortality and frequency of severe CHF between the disabled and non-disabled groups were evaluated. RESULTS: The prevalence of the disabled with CHF was 7.1% (17/240); one patient was graded in the severe disabled (grade 1), 4 in the moderate (grade 2) and 12 in the mild disabled (grade 3) groups. The mortality within the disabled group was higher than that in the non disabled group (8/17 vs. 1/223, 47.6% vs. 0.4%, p<0.001), but there was no difference according to the severity of disability (p=0.26). All survivors (9 patients) in the disabled group were classified with severe CHF, but 15 from 222 (6.8%) patients not classified in the disabled group also showed severe CHF stati. Half (8 patients, 50%) of the 16 whose total disability scores ranged between 15 and 19, 7 (21.2%) of the 33 with total scores between 10 and 14 were classified with severe CHF stati. CONCLUSION: The current Korean guidelines for grading of disability were able to relatively well predict the prognosis of CHF between the disabled and non disabled groups, but appeared too strict, in that some severe patients cannot be classified into the disabled group. Therefore, the current guidelines will either require modification following a large scaled study or the disability grades will have to be classified into more than 4 categories.
Estrogens, Conjugated (USP)* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Failure* ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Mortality ; Prevalence ; Prognosis ; Survivors