This study examined burdens of primary family carcgivcrs of paticnto with cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) along with related factors. In addition, their needs for support group intervention were assessed to develop a support group to reduce the burdens of caregiving. Eighty-one primary family caregivers of patients with CVAs at a general hospital in Seoul participated in this study . The patients with CVAs aged from 26 to 83 years with mean age of 63 years. About 90% of the patients had some paralysis and 56.6% suffered speech problems. Fifty-eight percent of the primary family caregivers were spouses of the patients and 80.2% were women. Primary family caregivers' burdens were assessed by the Burden Scale originally devel oped by Zarit (1980) and Novak & Geust(1989) and modified by Jang (1995) for use in Korea. The instrument consists of six subscales time-dependent burden, developmental burden, physical burden, emotional burden, social burden, and financiaI burden. The results were as follows : 1. The average of burden score was 91.7, indicating moderate to severe level of burden. The time-dependent burden was scored highest followed by physical, developmental, social, financial, and emotional burdens. 2. of the characteristics of patients, age, gender, and severity of the disease were found to be associated with the level of burden. Of the characteristics of primary family caregivers, age and educational level were significantly related to the level of burden. Time of care since the CVA and the quality of relationship between a patient and a caregiver prior to the stroke were significant situational factors affecting the level of burden. 3. The need for support group intervention for the caregivero was very high (95.1%). The earcgivcrs of patients who had a CVA for the first time showed higher levels of need compared to those of patients who had a CVA more than once. The caregivers indicated a support group held once a month near home or hospital would be welcomed. In addition, they replied that a group composed of 9 to 10 caregivers and guided by health care professionals (e.g., physicians and nurses) would be most desirable. More than 85% of the earegivers identified the areas that they wanted intervention in as follows : knowledge, skills, and resources to care for a patient with a CVA. the counsel of health care professionals, share of their experiences with those who have similar situations, stress management skills, and methods to overcome emotional isolation due to the great responsibility for a patient. Given the results, support group is expected to be an effective way to reduce the burdens of primary family caregivers of patients with CVAs. As a follow up It is necessary to examine the effect of support group intervention on the patient's recovery and rehabilitation.
Caregivers* ; Delivery of Health Care ; Female ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Korea ; Paralysis ; Rehabilitation ; Self-Help Groups* ; Seoul ; Spouses ; Stroke*

No abstract available.
Graves Disease* ; Humans ; Thyroid Gland*

Three cases of sclerosing stromal tumor of the ovary are presented. All three patients were nulliparous young wemen of 23~25 years of age, presenting with menstrual irregularity for 6 months to 4 years. Grossly the tumors ranged in size from 8 to 22cm in greatest diameter, showing gray white to yellow solid or predominantly cystic tissue with serous fluid. The common microscopic finding was that of cellular areas admixed with densel fibrous and/or edematous tissue, presenting pseudolobular appearance. Two types of tumor cells were rounded cells with clear vacuolated cytoplasm and less numerous spindle shaped cells. Postoperative course was uneventful and menstrual irregularity disappeared postoperatively. In case 2, the patient got pregnant after 1 year and 4 months. This clinical course suggests that sclerosing stromal tumor of the ovary may be endocrinologically active.
Pregnancy ; Female ; Humans

Xanthelasma palpebrum is the most common type of xanthoma that develops mainly on the inner epicanthus of upper eyelids with symmetrical distribution. The lesion tends to be permanent, progressive and cosmetically disfiguring. The recommended treatment has been surgical excision, local treatment with chemicals, and carbon dioxide laser. All of the mentioned treatment have some disadvantages including scarring, pigmentary change and need for local anesthesia. We describe the treatment of xanthelasma palpebrum with the pulsed dye laser which coagulates the hyperpermeable vessels so that the lipid leakage could be blocked and prevent recurrence and further progression.
Anesthesia, Local ; Cicatrix ; Eyelids ; Lasers, Dye* ; Lasers, Gas ; Recurrence ; Xanthomatosis

No abstract available.
Dizocilpine Maleate* ; Dopamine* ; Methamphetamine*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the predictive value of the early response of 18F-flurodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) during concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: FDG PET was performed before and during CCRT for 13 NSCLC patients. Maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), mean standardized uptake value (SUVmean), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) were measured and the changes were calculated. These early metabolic changes were compared with the standard tumor response by computed tomograms (CT) one month after CCRT. RESULTS: One month after the completion of CCRT, 9 patients had partial response (PR) of tumor and 4 patients had stable disease. The percent changes of SUVmax (%DeltaSUVmax) were larger in responder group than in non-responder group (55.7% +/- 15.6% vs. 23.1% +/- 19.0%, p = 0.01). The percent changes of SUVmean (%DeltaSUVmean) were also larger in responder group than in non-responder group (54.4% +/- 15.9% vs. 22.3% +/- 23.0%, p = 0.01). The percent changes of MTV (%DeltaMTV) or TLG (%DeltaTLG) had no correlation with the tumor response after treatment. All the 7 patients (100%) with %DeltaSUVmax > or = 50% had PR, but only 2 out of 6 patients (33%) with %DeltaSUVmax < 50% had PR after CCRT (p = 0.009). Likewise, all the 6 patients (100%) with %DeltaSUVmean > or = 50% had PR, but only 3 out of 7 patients (43%) with %DeltaSUVmean < 50% had PR after CCRT (p = 0.026). CONCLUSION: The degree of metabolic changes measured by PET-CT during CCRT was predictive for NSCLC tumor response after CCRT.
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* ; Chemoradiotherapy* ; Glycolysis ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Tumor Burden

The authors report the incidence of myopia in a group of premature infants with birth weights of less than 1500g and/or gestational age less than 33 weeks. One hundred sixty eight babies who were born in one hospital from Jan. 1991 to Dec. 1993 were included. Eyes were refracted using cycloplegic retinoscopy at 6 months after term. Myopia was observed in 49.8% of the refracted eyes. High myopia was observed in 1.4%. The history of acute retinopathy of prematurity was not associated with the development of myopia or high myopia(Fishers exact test, p>0.05), but the history of threshold retinopathy of prematurity was associated with the high incidence of myopia and high myopia(Chi-square test, p<0.05).
Birth Weight ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Myopia* ; Retinopathy of Prematurity* ; Retinoscopy

No abstract available.
Lipoma* ; Scalp*

In vivo 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) was used to evaluate the effect of nimodipine on changes of [H] (pH) and the ratio of [PCr]/[Pi] in cats subjected to an incomplete global cerebral ischemia-reperfusion under the pretreated condition of hyperglycemia. Animals were subjected to a transient (18 minutes) incomplete global cerebral ischemia; the systemic arterial hypotension was induced, and immediately followed by the bilateral carotid artery ligation. Twenty cats were divided into 3 groups; for group 1 (control), 7 cats were employed for a control group; for group 2 (hyperglycemia), 7 cats were a hyperglycemia group with infusion of 50% glucose prior to ischemia; for group 3 (Nimodipine), 6 cats were infused with 50% glucose prior to ischemia, and nimodipine after ischemia. The time course of changes in pH and [PCr]/ [Pi] was monitored before, during and after ischemia. The pH decreased immediately after ischemia in all three groups. After the reperfusion was made, the values of the pH did not retum to the baseline value for the group 2 (hyperglycemia) and 3 (nimodipine), in contrary to the group 1 (control). The ratio of [PCr]/[Pi] was dropped to 20% of the baseline value after ischemia in all three groups. The value was recovered progres- sively during reperfusion period for group 1 (control), whereas for group 2 (hyperglycemia) and group 3 (Nimodipine) the values were remained depressed. The results suggest that the condition of hyperglycemia induced by the infusion of 50% glucose prior to the incomplete global cerebral ischemia-reperfusion, may deteriorate the cerebral ischemia and the infusion of nimodipine during ischemia-reperfusion has no beneficial effects to improve the cerebral acidosis and the metabolic recovery.
Acidosis ; Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; Carotid Arteries ; Cats* ; Glucose ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Hyperglycemia* ; Hypotension ; Ischemia ; Ligation ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Nimodipine* ; Reperfusion

In vivo 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) was used to evaluate the effect of nimodipine on changes of [H] (pH) and the ratio of [PCr]/[Pi] in cats subjected to an incomplete global cerebral ischemia-reperfusion under the pretreated condition of hyperglycemia. Animals were subjected to a transient (18 minutes) incomplete global cerebral ischemia; the systemic arterial hypotension was induced, and immediately followed by the bilateral carotid artery ligation. Twenty cats were divided into 3 groups; for group 1 (control), 7 cats were employed for a control group; for group 2 (hyperglycemia), 7 cats were a hyperglycemia group with infusion of 50% glucose prior to ischemia; for group 3 (Nimodipine), 6 cats were infused with 50% glucose prior to ischemia, and nimodipine after ischemia. The time course of changes in pH and [PCr]/ [Pi] was monitored before, during and after ischemia. The pH decreased immediately after ischemia in all three groups. After the reperfusion was made, the values of the pH did not retum to the baseline value for the group 2 (hyperglycemia) and 3 (nimodipine), in contrary to the group 1 (control). The ratio of [PCr]/[Pi] was dropped to 20% of the baseline value after ischemia in all three groups. The value was recovered progres- sively during reperfusion period for group 1 (control), whereas for group 2 (hyperglycemia) and group 3 (Nimodipine) the values were remained depressed. The results suggest that the condition of hyperglycemia induced by the infusion of 50% glucose prior to the incomplete global cerebral ischemia-reperfusion, may deteriorate the cerebral ischemia and the infusion of nimodipine during ischemia-reperfusion has no beneficial effects to improve the cerebral acidosis and the metabolic recovery.
Acidosis ; Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; Carotid Arteries ; Cats* ; Glucose ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Hyperglycemia* ; Hypotension ; Ischemia ; Ligation ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Nimodipine* ; Reperfusion