OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to investigate factors influencing physical activities of daily living in the elderly with cognitive impairment. METHODS: The Barthel activities of daily living, modified Blessed Dementia Rating Scale, Korean version of mini-mental state examination, and Motoricity Index were administered to 45 elderly people whose corrected MMSEK scores were 24 or less. They were inhabitants in an institution in Taegu. RESULTS: Of the aforementioned S variables, the Motoricity Index could account far 42% of the variance of the Barthel activities of daily living. If the modified Blessed Dementia Rating Scale score was included in the multiple regression, the accountable portion of the Barthel activities of daily living variance increased by 6% only. CONCLUSION: Motor function of the limbs and severity of dementia may be the most important variables in the physical activities of daily living of the elderly with cognitive impairment.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged* ; Cognition ; Daegu ; Dementia ; Extremities ; Humans ; Motor Activity*

BACKGROUND: Infection caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) has been increasing. Awareness of this infection is crucial yet problematic. Delayed management may lead to destructive results. We empirically treated a series of patients with clinical suspicion of NTM infection prior to the identification of the pathogen. METHODS: A total of 12 patients who developed surgical site infections between January 2011 and February 2014 were reviewed. Patients with a skin and subcutaneous infection resistant to standard management over two weeks, and previous history of aesthetic procedures within three months were regarded as highly suspected of having an NTM infection. A variety of diagnostic modalities were examined simultaneously, along with starting empirical treatment including a combination of clarithromycin and moxifloxacin, and surgical debridement. RESULTS: All wounds healed completely within 4 weeks. The mean follow-up duration was 7.2 months, and none of the patients developed relapse. Specific NTM pathogens were identified in six patients. Eight patients showed caseating granuloma implying an NTM infection. One patient showed an uncommon Stenotrophomonas infection, which was successfully treated. Three patients had no evidence of a pathogen despite repeated microbial tests. Complications such as scarring, pigmentation, and disfigurement were common in all the patients. CONCLUSIONS: NTM should be considered in the differential diagnosis of an unusual skin and soft-tissue infection. We propose an empirical regimen of clarithromycin and moxifloxacin as an efficient treatment option for an NTM infection.
Antibiotics, Antitubercular ; Cicatrix ; Clarithromycin ; Debridement ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Early Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous ; Nontuberculous Mycobacteria* ; Pigmentation ; Recurrence ; Skin ; Stenotrophomonas ; Wounds and Injuries

Human toxocariasis is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by the larva of toxocara canis or cati. It is one of the most commonly reported zoonotic helminth infection in the world. Human are infected mainly by the accidental ingestion of embryonated eggs due to the pica, geophagia, the consumption of contaminated raw vegetables and poor personal hygiene particularly in childhood. In adults, the consumption of raw meat from potential paratenic hosts e.g. chickens, lambs, rabbits and dogs is a major cause of human toxocariasis. The larva can reach various organs such as the liver, lung, brain, and eye by the hematogenous spread and cause visceral larva migrans We experience a case of pulmonary infiltration with eosinophilia by visceral larva migrans after eating the raw liver and kidney of a dog.
Child ; Adult ; Male ; Female ; Humans ; Dogs ; Rabbits ; Animals

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of peginterferon plus ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients under real life setting in Korea. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 758 CHC patients treated with peginterferon plus ribavirin between 2000 and 2008 from 14 university hospitals in the Gyeonggi-Incheon area in Korea. RESULTS: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 was detected in 61.2% of patients, while genotype 2 was detected in 35.5%. Baseline HCV RNA level was > or =6x10(5) IU/mL in 51.6% of patients. The sustained virological response (SVR) rate was 59.6% regardless of genotype; 53.6% in genotype 1 and 71.4% in genotype 2/3. On multivariate analysis, male gender (p=0.011), early virological response (p<0.001), genotype 2/3 (p<0.001), HCV RNA <6x10(5) IU/mL (p=0.005) and adherence to the drug >80% of the planned dose (p<0.001) were associated with SVR. The rate of premature discontinuation was 35.7%. The main reason for withdrawal was intolerance to the drug due to common adverse events or cytopenia (48.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that the efficacy of peginterferon and ribavirin therapy in Koreans is better in Koreans than in Caucasians for the treatment of CHC, corroborating previous studies that have shown the superior therapeutic efficacy of this regimen in Asians.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Genotype ; Hepacivirus ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Male ; Medical Records ; Multivariate Analysis ; Retrospective Studies ; Ribavirin ; RNA