OBJECTIVE: To compare the safety and efficacy of intravaginal misoprostol versus intracervical dinoprostone (prostaglandin E2 gel) for cervical ripening and labor induction. METHODS: 60 patients with indication for labor induction and unfavorable cervices were randomly assigned to receive either intravaginal misoprostol or intracervical dinoprostone. 50 microgram tablets of misoprostol were placed in the posterior vaginal fornix every 4 hours for a maximum of 3 doses or dinoprostone 0.5mg was placed into the endocervix every 6 hours for a maximum of 2doses. No more medication was given after either spontaneous rupture of membranes or beginning of active labor. RESULTS: Among 60 patients enrolled, 30 received misoprostol and 30 received dinoprostone. The average interval from start of induction to active labor was shorter in misoprostol group (6.5+/-3.2 hours) than in the dinoprostone group (10.7+/-7.3 hours) (p<0.05). Oxytocin augmentation of labor occurred more often in the dinoprostone group (36.7%) than in the misoprostol group (10.0%) (p<0.05). There was a higher prevalence of fetal distress (23.3% versus 3.3%) and tachysystole (16.6% versus 6.6%) in the misorprostol group than in the dinoprostone group(p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Vaginally administered misoprostol is an effective agent for cervical ripening and induction of labor. Furthermore, the cost of misoprostol ( 360/200microgram) is much less than that of dinoprostone ( 42,000/0.5mg). Cost benefits from administration of misoprostol are evident, especially in clinics under system of diagnosis-related group (DRG) : however when given at this dosage, it is associated with a higher prevalence of fetal distress and tachysystole than dinoprostone. Further studies to compare the safety of misoprostole to that of dinoprostone and to delineate an optimal dosing regimen for misoprostol are needed.
Cervical Ripening* ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Diagnosis-Related Groups ; Dinoprostone* ; Female ; Fetal Distress ; Humans ; Membranes ; Misoprostol* ; Oxytocin ; Pregnancy ; Prevalence ; Prospective Studies* ; Rupture, Spontaneous ; Tablets

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the job of emergency room (ER) nurses working in small and medium sized hospitals and to explore factors affecting their job. METHODS: The survey data were collected between January 2014 and May 2014 and participants were 159 nurses working in Seoul, Kyunggi, Incheon, and Chungnam in hospitals of less than 500 beds. RESULTS: The score for nurses job was 2.12/4.0, and emergency treatment (1.87/4.0) followed basic nursing (3.51/4.0) and counseling (2.32/4.0). The nursing job was significantly different depending on the age, education level, position, resident doctor(emergency medicine specialty or other) and grade of ER (regional ER or local ER). In the multiple regression, education level (beta=.18), position (beta=.24), hospital size (beta=.20), and grade of ER (beta=.21) explained 17.0% of variance in ER nurses' job in small and medium sized hospitals. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that ER nurses in vulnerable areas do more nursing practice including emergency treatment as well as the usual independent nursing practice. Accordingly, a systematic assignment of nursing professionals is needed to reduce loading of ER nurses in small and medium sized hospitals.
Chungcheongnam-do ; Counseling ; Education ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Emergency Treatment ; Gyeonggi-do ; Health Facility Size ; Incheon ; Nursing ; Seoul

No abstract available.
Head* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Necrosis*

This review-article is aimed at shedding a light upon the nature of age-associated changes in the human skeletal system. When the anatomical, physiological and biochemical consequences of bone aging are considered together with the hardening, drying and the diminished repair capabilities of the elderly, it can be seen that fractures assume greater importance as a clinical problem in the geriatric population. Older people start out with a deficit of cortical bone, making them more fracture prone and once fractures occur, the necessary treatments (immobilization, use of casts, etc.) accelerate the rate of bone loss. In addition, aged individuals stand a higher risk for complications of the hospital and enforced bed rest that may ensue. The problems resulting from bone loss in the elderly may be partially alleviated by providing adequate health service support which should include consideration of the following points : 1. Age, sex and general health status ; 2. Habits and inclinations towards physical activities ; 3. Nutritional and endocrine background ; 4. Presence of any specific bone diseases, including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, osteomalacia and ankylosis ; 5. Psychosocial adaptability and other behavioral elements.
Aged ; Aging ; Ankylosis ; Bed Rest ; Biology* ; Bone Diseases ; Health Services ; Humans* ; Motor Activity ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteomalacia ; Osteoporosis

Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection have a higher burden of seizures, but few studies have examined seizures in HIV-infected individuals in Korea. A retrospective study was conducted to determine the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of seizures in patients with HIV infection. Among a total of 1,141 patients, 34 (3%) had seizures or epilepsy; 4 of these individuals had epilepsy before HIV infection, and the others showed new-onset seizures. Most patients exhibited moderate (200 to 500, n = 13) or low (below 200, n = 16) CD4 counts. The most common seizure etiology was progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (n = 14), followed by other HIV-associated central nervous system (CNS) complications (n = 6). Imaging studies revealed brain lesions in 21 patients. A total of 9 patients experienced only one seizure during the follow-up period, and 25 patients experienced multiple seizures or status epilepticus (n = 2). Multiple seizures were more common in patients with brain etiologies (P = 0.019) or epileptiform discharges on EEG (P = 0.032). Most seizures were controlled without anticonvulsants (n = 12) or with a single anticonvulsant (n = 12). Among patients with HIV infection, seizures are significantly more prevalent than in the general population. Most seizures, with the exception of status epilepticus, have a benign clinical course and few complications.
Adult ; Aged ; Anticonvulsants/therapeutic use ; Causality ; Comorbidity ; Electroencephalography/*statistics & numerical data ; Female ; HIV Infections/diagnosis/*epidemiology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Longitudinal Studies ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Seizures/*diagnosis/*epidemiology/prevention & control ; Treatment Outcome

No abstract available.
Epithelium* ; Humans* ; Insulin*

The present study has been undertaken to investigate the values of serum lipids with hypertension and ischemic heart diseases. Serum lipids and lipoproteins were measured from 231 cases of hypertension, 23 cases of angina pectoris, 18 cases of acute myocardial infarction and 67 healthy adults together with normal value as controls. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The mean values of serum lipids in healthy adults were 111.0+/-41.3mg% for triglyceride, 171.2+/-33.5mg% for cholesterol, 175.1+/-36.3mg% for phospholipid, 479.9+/-82.6mg% for total lipid. The values of serum lipoproteins were 219.8+/-46.8mg% for beta-lipoprotein, 93.4+/-53.8mg% for pre beta-lipoprotein and 164.1+/-40.8mg% for alpha-lipoprotein. The values of cholesterol, triglyceride and beta-lipoprotein were gradually increased with aging. 2. The mean values of serum lipids in patients with hypertension were 176.3+/-94.5mg% for triglyceride, 199.7+/-36.9mg% for cholesterol, 207.8+/-38.0mg% for phospholipid, 601.9+/-139.9mg% for total lipid. The values of serum lipoproteins were 266.0+/-73.5mg% for beta-lipoprotein, 147.7+/-89.5mg% for pre-beta-lipoprotein and 187.7+/-56.7mg% for alpha-lipoprotein. The serum lipid values in patients with hypertension were significantly higher than those in healthy controls. 3. The mean values of serum lipids and lipoproteins in patients with angina pectoris were significantly higher than in healthy controls. 4. The serum lipid values in general were higher rather in patients with acute myocardial infarction than healthy controls, but the values of serum phospholipid, pre-beta-lipoprotein and alpha-lipoprotein in them were not significantly higher than those in healthy controls. 5. The values of serum HDL-cholesterol in patients with hypertension, anginal pectoris and acute myocardial infarction were lower than those in healthy controls. The values of serum HDL-cholesterol in all cases were in general higher rather in femal than male.
Adult ; Aging ; Angina Pectoris ; Cholesterol ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Lipoproteins ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardial Ischemia* ; Reference Values ; Triglycerides

A 18-month-old girl was seen because of an yellowish brown papular eruptions on the face, earlobes and neck of one year duration. A skin biopsy specimen revealed circumscribed cellular infiltrates composed of predorninantly pleornorphic histiocytes. Electron microscopy of biopsy material disclosed numerous worm like particles and coated vescles in limited area of the cell cytoplasm, consistent with the findinga described in benign cephalic histiocytosis. After six months of her first visit, the individual papules became flattened.
Biopsy ; Coated Vesicles ; Cytoplasm ; Female ; Histiocytes ; Histiocytosis* ; Humans ; Infant ; Microscopy, Electron ; Neck ; Skin

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of hypothermia on the recovery time after either vecuronium or atracurium given by repeated bolus injection, and to determine the adequate time of administration of neuromuscular blockers during cardiopulmonary bypass. Two groups of 10 patients each were studied before(Tl), during(T2) and after(T3) hypothermia. Following an initial intravenous bolus dose of 2X ED95 of either vecuronium(Group I) or atracurium(Group II), repeated bolus dose of ED95 was injected whenever twitch tension had returned to 20% block of train-of-four response before bypass of control As a result, the action duration of vecuronium(from injection of loading dose to twitch tension=20%) was 29.5+/-5.5 mins, 103.1+/-12.0 mins and 70.8+/-9.9 mins before, during and after hypothermia, respectively. The eorresponding values for atracurium were 26.3+/-5.1 mins, 85.7+/-11.4 mins and 42.5+/-5.1 mins. We conclude that hypothermia increases significantly the duration of action of both muscle relaxants(P<0.001) and vecuronium is influenced by hypothermia more than atracurium. The rate of recovery of twitch height after hypothermia is more rapid in atracurium than vecuronium(P<0.001). Single bolus injection of ED95 of vecuronium administered just before cardiopulmonary bypass is suitable for maintaining the neuromuscular block throughout cardiopulmonary bypass.
Atracurium* ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass* ; Humans ; Hypothermia* ; Neuromuscular Blockade ; Neuromuscular Blocking Agents ; Thoracic Surgery* ; Vecuronium Bromide*

Bezoyl peroxide, a powerful oxidizing agent, has been uaed topically in the treatment of acne vulgaris as a cream or lotion and has been shown to he effective for this codition. In 1972 Fulton emphaaized the importance of the vehicles used to obtain. maximum potential of benzoyl peroxide and for this, the gel formulation has been examined in many clinical trials. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the therapeutic effect of Fanoxyl 2.5, a 2.5% . benzayl peraxide gel, in patients with acne vulgaris. A total of 31 patients entered this study at the Departrnent of Dermatology, Jeoul National University Hospital rluring 3 rnanths period, from Decemher, 1978 through February, 1979, All patienta were instructed to apply Fanoxyl 2.5' on their affected areas once or twice a day and the nurnber of lesions on two or three t fixed areas were counted before and onee weekly after initation of the treatment. The reaults observed in the 3I patients were as follaws; 1. The percentage decrease in total nurnber of lesions in 4 weeks after treatment was 56.9%. 2. The authors could follow up for 6 weeks in 6 cases. In 6 case, the mean percentage in total number of lesions in 6 weeks after treatment was 81.7%. 3. Clesed and open eomedones were gradually eliminated; and their numbers were decreased in 4 weeks after treatment by 46.5% and 56.8% respeetiveIy. The papules were rapidly eliminated and their numbers were decreased in 4 weeka, after treatment by 79.8%. 4. Although most patients felt a mild burning sensation and tightness at the begining of the treatment, only a minority of the patients complained of discomfort due to pain(l case), erytherna(l case), tightness(2 cases),burning sensation (1 case), scaling(1 case). But all were tolerable without taking any specific measures or discontinuance of application. In one case, contact dermatitis developed after 4 weeks treatment. The authors concluded through this experiment that Panoxyl 2.5' (2.5% benzoyl peroxide gel) is a very effective local therapeutic agent in the treatment of acne vulgaris patients.
Acne Vulgaris* ; Benzoyl Peroxide* ; Burns ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Dermatology ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Sensation