BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of intraabdominal solid organ injuries is easy for accuracy of the imaging studies, but that of hollow viscus perforations is sometimes relatively difficult. And some of gastrointestinal perforations can be missed and their diagnosis may be delayed. This can result in high morbidity and mortality. So, I studied the incidence and causes of each gastrointestinal tract perforation. METHOD: Four hundred eighty four patients were reviewed, who visited the Emergency Center of Seoul Red Cross Hospital for their gastrointestinal perforations from January, 1987 to December, 1998. Medical records were reviewed in a retrospective manner. The incidence and causes of each hollow viscus perforation, the preferability of each perforation from the pattern of trauma, age and sex distribution in each perforation and associated injuries with trauma were analyzed. RESULTS: The most common perforations were in duodenum(254cases, 52.4%) due to mainly peptic ulcer. The incidence was in order of small bowel(32.6%), stomach(7.4%), colorectum(6.6%) and esophagus(0.8%) after that. Trauma induced perforations were 164 cases(33.9%) and the ratio between blunt and penetrating trauma was 3.9 : 1. Small bowel was most vulnerable site of perforation from both trauma. Duodenum and esophagus were relatively stable from trauma. There were no cases from blunt trauma in stomach and esophagus. The male to female ratio was 5.1 : 1. CONCLUSION: Each hollow viscus has each preferred cause of perforation. It's diagnosis was not easy everytime, sometimes it was really difficult. But pattern of causes in perforations will be helpful to decision making process. In difficult cases, suspicion is very important. And in suspicious perforation of hollow viscus, diagnosis and the decision to operate will be made by frequent physical examination and proper investigating tests.
Decision Making ; Diagnosis ; Duodenum ; Emergencies ; Esophagus ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Tract* ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Male ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Peptic Ulcer ; Physical Examination ; Red Cross ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Sex Distribution ; Stomach

No abstract availalble.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to review articles related to the psychometric properties of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). METHODS: Systematic literature searches of computerized databases were performed to identify articles on psychometric evaluation of the PSS. RESULTS: The search finally identified 19 articles. Internal consistency reliability, factorial validity, and hypothesis validity of the PSS were well reported. However, the test-retest reliability and criterion validity were relatively rarely evaluated. In general, the psychometric properties of the 10-item PSS were found to be superior to those of the 14-item PSS, while those of the 4-item scale fared the worst. The psychometric properties of the PSS have been evaluated empirically mostly using populations of college students or workers. CONCLUSION: Overall, the PSS is an easy-to-use questionnaire with established acceptable psychometric properties. However, future studies should evaluate these psychometric properties in greater depth, and validate the scale using diverse populations.
Humans ; Psychometrics ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Coronary collateral circulation is known to have beneficial effects in patients with angina pectoris and myocardial infarction. The purpose of this study is to determine the predictors of collateral vessels development, the pathways of collateral circulation and the changes in collateral flow after coronary intervention and its functional significance in patients with total occlusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred thirty five patients who underwent coronary angiogram between Jan '97 and Dec '97 in Chonnam University Hospital (out of 3,264 cases) had total occlusion of one coronary artery were classified into two groups: angina pectoris (Group I:50 M, 19 F, 62.4+/-11.0 years) and acute myocardial infarction (Group II: 47 M, 19 F, 62.0+/-9.5 years). RESULTS: Among 135 patients, 123 patients had collateral circulation. Collaterals were more frequently observed and better developed (grade 2 or 3) in Group I than Group II. Proximal and ostial lesions were associated with well developed collaterals. Collateral circulation was more frequently observed and well developed in proportion to the duration of angina in Group I. In 123 patients with collateral circulation, 247 collateral circulations were observed. Right coronary artery (RCA) and Left circumflex coronary artery (LCX) were more frequent recipient arteries than left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD)(RCA:2.20+/-1.02, LCX:1.88+/-0.94, LAD:1.29+/-0.8 respectively, RCA vs. LAD:p<0.001, LCX vs. LAD:p=0.014). Coronary interventions were performed in 50 out of 135 patients, collateral flow of Group II decreased much more than Group I after intervention (Group I: 5/14, Group II: 24/36, p=0.046). The wall motion score was lower in patients with well developed than poorly developed collaterals (20.7+/-4.91 vs. 23.7+/-6.22, p=0.015). CONCLUSION: Proximal or ostial lesion and duration of angina are major predictive factors for the development of collateral circulation. Collateral circulation is associated with preserved myocardial contractility.After coronary intervention in patients with acute myocardial infarction, recruitment of preexisting collaterals may be more important mechanism rather than neoangiogenesis.
Angina Pectoris ; Arteries ; Collateral Circulation* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Humans ; Jeollanam-do ; Myocardial Infarction

One case of tuberculosis verrucosa cutis associated with inguinal lymphnode enlargement is presented. The patient, 24 years old male, has had palm-sized, dark-brown colored, indurated verrucous patch on left buttoek since 12 years old. Diagnosis was confirmed by characteristic clinical appearance, laboratory findings and histopathology. So he has been treated with I.N.A.H., P.A.S., streptomycin and pyridoxine. Remarkable effect was observed.
Child ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Male ; Pyridoxine ; Streptomycin ; Tuberculosis* ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of orthostatic hypotension(OH) and its associations with demographic characteristics, body mass index, medications, disease and activities of daily living. METHODS: Orthostatic hypotension was assessed at 1 minutes after the patients arose from a supine position among the 183 elderly patients aged 60 years or older in a mental hospital. RESULTS: The prevalence of orthostatic hypotension defined by changes in systolic or diastolic blood pressure was 41.0% and the prevalence of systolicorthostatic hypotension was 13.1%. Body mass index and serum sodium concentration were lower in women with orthostatic hypotension than those without orthostatic hypotension, but there were no differences among men. Orthostatic hypotension was significantly associated with the level of supine systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Through multiple logistic regression analysis, orthostatic hypotension seerned to be associated with factors such as body mass index, supine diastolic blood pressure and serum sodium concentration. There was no association between orthostatic hypotension and factors such as sex, age and medications. CONCLUSIONS: Orthostatic hypotension was common in the long-term hospitalized elderly patients. It was associated with hypertension, hyponatremia and low body weight.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged* ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Female ; Hospitals, Psychiatric ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hyponatremia ; Hypotension ; Hypotension, Orthostatic* ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors* ; Sodium ; Supine Position

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of orthostatic hypotension(OH) and its associations with demographic characteristics, body mass index, medications, disease and activities of daily living. METHODS: Orthostatic hypotension was assessed at 1 minutes after the patients arose from a supine position among the 183 elderly patients aged 60 years or older in a mental hospital. RESULTS: The prevalence of orthostatic hypotension defined by changes in systolic or diastolic blood pressure was 41.0% and the prevalence of systolicorthostatic hypotension was 13.1%. Body mass index and serum sodium concentration were lower in women with orthostatic hypotension than those without orthostatic hypotension, but there were no differences among men. Orthostatic hypotension was significantly associated with the level of supine systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Through multiple logistic regression analysis, orthostatic hypotension seerned to be associated with factors such as body mass index, supine diastolic blood pressure and serum sodium concentration. There was no association between orthostatic hypotension and factors such as sex, age and medications. CONCLUSIONS: Orthostatic hypotension was common in the long-term hospitalized elderly patients. It was associated with hypertension, hyponatremia and low body weight.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged* ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Female ; Hospitals, Psychiatric ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hyponatremia ; Hypotension ; Hypotension, Orthostatic* ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors* ; Sodium ; Supine Position

No abstract available.
Dementia* ; Primary Health Care*

One case of Incontinentia pigmenti associated with convulsion has been presented and she has delayed growing and emerciation. The patient who was four months old girl had been affected irregular mesh-like dark brown or chocolate colored pigmentation on both leg (inner surfeee). Diagnosis was confirmed by characteristic clinical appearance, laboratory findings and histopathology.
Cacao ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Incontinentia Pigmenti ; Leg ; Pigmentation ; Seizures

No abstract available.
Aged* ; Female ; Humans ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention*