This study was designed to establish norms of hand function, and to identify developmental characteristics of hand function among the Korean children. 712 elementary school children participated in measurement of grip strength, three kinds of pinch strength, and dexterity. The hand strength of the Korean children appeared to be weaker than that of western children. The grip strength of boys was significantly stronger than that of girls in all ages for both hands. The order of magnitude of three kinds of pinch strength was, in descending order, lateral pinch, palmar pinch and tip pinch for both boys and girls. There was no significant difference of hand function according to the type of hand dominance in boys. However, girls with left hand dominance showed weakness of bilateral grip, right tip pinch, and bilateral lateral pinch strength compared with girls with right hand dominance. In conclusion, this study provided normative data of hand functions including dexterity, and enabled us to identify some developmental characteristics of hand functions for the Korean elementary school children.
Age Factors ; Child ; Comparative Study ; Female ; Hand/*physiology ; *Hand Strength ; Human ; Korea ; Laterality ; Male ; Motor Skills ; Schools ; Sex Factors ; Students

Arteriovenous malformation (AVM) of the scrotum is a rare vascular lesion, which is distinguished histologically by ambiguous vessels displaying both arterial and venous characteristics and abnormal muscularization of variable sized ectatic vessels. Complete excision is recommended as a definitive treatment. Here, a case of arteriovenous malformation involving the scrotal vessels is reported.
Arteriovenous Malformations* ; Scrotum

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of capsaicin, a neurotoxin for C-fiber afferents, applied intravesically in the treatment of neurogenic bladder with detrusor hyperreflexia (DH). METHOD: Six subjects, three women and three men with traumatic spinal cord injury who had neurogenic bladder manifested with DH and urinary incontinence resistant to oral and intravesical anticholinergic instillation treatment were tried with intravesical administration of capsaicin (1 mmol/l 100 ml) for 30 minutes. Single instillation was given in five subjects and two instillations in one. Maximal detrusor pressure and maximal bladder volume were monitored by the portable cystometer. Follow-up monitor of pressure and volume was recorded after 1 week and every 3 weeks afterwards for 21 weeks, with one exception (31 weeks). RESULTS: Average maximal detrusor pressure decreased by 50.8% and average bladder capacity at maximal detrusor pressure increased by 68% in five subjects after single instillation of capsaicin. Clinical benefit from single instillation lasted over 21 weeks and same as the subject with two instillations. Maximal effect on detrusor pressure appears during 6~9 weeks period and bladder capacity during 9~15 weeks period. Although autonomic dysreflexia in 5 of 6 subjects during instillation and macroscopic hematuria in 2 subjects during the 1st two days were noted, they were resolved spontaneously. CONCLUSION: Single and repeated intravesical instillation of capsaicin were safe and effective in the management of neurogenic bladder with DH in traumatic spinal cord injured patients.
Administration, Intravesical ; Autonomic Dysreflexia ; Capsaicin* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Male ; Reflex, Abnormal ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic* ; Urinary Incontinence

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the psychosocial factors and outcomes in young adult stroke patients. METHOD: The study group consisted of 59 stroke patients under the age of 45. Retrospective chart reviews of demographic findings, functional status, primary caregiver, marital and child status, discharge destination, employment and psychological difficulties were recorded by rehabilitation team during hospitalization. Telephone and mail surveys were carried out for the functional status, marital status, employment and social factors of the study group after discharge. RESULTS: The proportion of young adult stroke was 13.7% of all stroke patients. Young adult stroke were 20 cases (34%) of cerebral infarction and 39 cases (66%) of cerebral hemorrhage. Of the 39 married patients, 2 couples were separated. The marital adjustment skill was significantly lower in these couples than ordinary couples under age of 45. Forty-two of 51 patients were able to return to their premorbid residence. Of the 39 patients employed at the time of stroke, only 4 (10.3%) were able to return to work after discharge. Two of the 4 patients returned to school after discharge. CONCLUSION: Rehabilitation of young adult stroke patients is associated with variety of social factors including marital adjustment and returning to work.
Caregivers ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Cerebral Infarction ; Child ; Employment ; Family Characteristics ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Marital Status ; Postal Service ; Psychology ; Rehabilitation ; Retrospective Studies ; Return to Work ; Stroke* ; Telephone ; Young Adult*

Methods: This is a post hoc analysis of a prospective, controlled, randomized, unblinded study with 78 Korean hemodialysis patients receiving intravenous (n = 40) or subcutaneous (n = 38) erythropoietin therapy. We evaluated hemoglobin variability by calculating the frequency of hemoglobin measurements outside the target range during all visits. The high-frequency group was defined by those with hemoglobin variability over the median value (25%) while the low-frequency group was defined by those with hemoglobin variability of <25%. Results: In this analysis, 37 patients (51.1%) were men, and the mean age was 50.6 ± 12.5 years. Twenty-five patients (35.2%) had diabetes mellitus. The frequency of the value being outside the target hemoglobin range was higher in the subcutaneous group compared to the intravenous group (0.36 ± 0.19 vs. 0.27 ± 0.12/visit, p = 0.03). The low-frequency group required significantly lower erythropoietin doses compared to the high-frequency group. In the adjusted Cox analysis, the parameter high-frequency group was a significant independent risk factor for cardiovascular events (hazard ratio, 3.53; 95% confidence interval, 1.15–10.83; p = 0.03). Conclusion The risk of missing the target hemoglobin range increased with subcutaneous administration compared with intravenous erythropoietin administration in hemodialysis patients. An increased frequency of the value being outside the target hemoglobin range was also associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is a self-limiting infectious disease, but 1% of subjects develop fulminant hepatitis. The prevalence of the anti-HAV immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody in hemodialysis subjects in Korea remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to describe and compare the seropositive rate of anti-HAV antibody among hemodialysis subjects in two hospitals according to age group. METHODS: A total of 170 hemodialysis subjects were evaluated for the seropositive rate of the anti-HAV IgG antibody and its titer. RESULTS: Of the 170 maintenance hemodialysis subjects in two hospitals (Kangnam 92 vs. Chuncheon 78), 79 (46.5%) were male. The mean age was 53.2 years old, and 94.1% of the subjects were over 40 years old. The median vintage of hemodialysis was 29.0 months. Anti-HAV antibody was found in 163 subjects (95.9%), with no significant difference between the two areas (Kangnam 97.8% [n = 90] vs. Chuncheon 93.6% [n = 73]). Subjects younger than 40 years old showed a seropositive rate of 50%, while the seropositive rate increased with age for subjects aged 40 or older (p for trend < 0.001). Seropositive subjects from Kangnam showed a higher anti-HAV antibody titer than those from Chuncheon (median: Kangnam 14.2 vs. Chuncheon 11.7). Only age influenced seropositivity. The only factor that influenced the antibody level was the location of hospital (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The seropositive rate of the anti-HAV antibody in hemodialysis subjects was 95%, which is similar to findings in the general population. Active immunization against hepatitis A is strongly recommended for hemodialysis subjects under 40 years of age after anti-HAV testing.

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to investigate the energy expenditure at self-selected comfortable and fast walking speeds with or without plastic ankle-foot orthosis in hemiplegic patients. METHOD: Objects of this study were 10 ambulatory hemiplegic patients. To estimate oxygen consumption, we used K2 machine and measured gait speed, stride length, stride frequency, and heart rate energy expenditure index (EEI) with or without plastic ankle-foot orthosis. RESULTS: Stride length and gait speed of the hemiplegic patients with plastic ankle-foot orthosis significantly increased at their comfortable walking speed pattern. Oxygen consumption, oxygen cost and EEI significantly decreased in hemiplegic patients with plastic ankle-foot orthosis whether their gait speed pattern. CONCLUSION: The plastic ankle-foot orthosis is useful for the hemiplegic patients to increase walking speed and to reduce energy expenditure.
Energy Metabolism ; Gait ; Heart Rate ; Hemiplegia ; Humans ; Orthotic Devices ; Oxygen ; Oxygen Consumption ; Plastics* ; Walking*

OBJECTIVE: Graft survival rate has been improved due to newly developed immunosuppressive agents, care of recipient and operative method. However, since many risk factors are still threatening the graft survival, many studies have been underway to identify such factors, one of which has been on delayed graft function(DGF). Extending the definition of DGF to oliguria within 2 months postoperative period(POP), we began this study in order to evaluate what effects oliguria within 2 months POP have on graft survival and what are the risk factors involved. METHODS: 103 patients who have had renal transplantation performed were divided into two groups (oliguric group and non-oliguric group), based on the presence or absence of oliguria within 2 months POP. Risk factors such as the recipient factors(age, gender), donor factors(age, gender), operative factors(warm ischemia time, intraoperative urine volume), HLA typing, postoperative hypotension, postoperative hypovolemia were compared between the two groups and the impact of oliguria on graft outcome was also analysed. RESULTS: 1) 14 were Oliguric patients and 89 were nonoliguric patients. 2) One-year graft survival rate was 40% in the oliguric group and 98% in the non-oliguric group(P<0.05). 3) As the result of analyzing the risk factors, non living related donor(living non-related donor and cadaver donor) were 7(50%) in the oliguric group and 16(18%) in the non-oliguric group(P<0.05). The mean intraoperative urine volume was 442m1 in the oliguric group and 774m1 in the non-oliguric group(P<0.05). The occurrence of postoperative hypotension were 5(36%) in the oliguric group and 1(1%) in the non-oliguric group(P<0.05). Other risk factors such as the recipient fractors, donor factors, warm ischemia time, HLA typing and postoperative hypovolemia were not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Graft survival rate in the oliguric group was lower than in the non-oliguric group. The risk factors for oliguria were non living related donor, intraoperative urine volume lower than 500m1 and postoperative hypotension. In conclusion, renal transplantation from non living related donor needs to be proceeded with caution; the maintenance of intraoperative urine volume and the prevention of postoperative hypotension are essential for better graft outcome.
Cadaver ; Graft Survival ; Histocompatibility Testing ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Hypovolemia ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Ischemia ; Kidney Transplantation* ; Oliguria* ; Postoperative Period* ; Risk Factors ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants* ; Warm Ischemia

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of hepatitis C virus(HCV) infection in patients on chronic hemodialysis. METHODS: We measured antibody to HCV using second generation enzyme immunoassay(ELISA) test or radioimmunoassay(RIA) and hepatitis B surface antigen, serum values of AST, ALT in 224 patients of six urban hemodialysis units. We also investigated some clinicai parameters such as age, sex, duration and frequency of hemodialysis, the amount of blood transfusion, and hemodialysis of infected patients on separate machines. RESULTS: 1) 33 of 224 patients(14.7%) were positive for HCV antibody. 2) The prevalence of HCV antibody were most significantly correlated with duration of hemodialysis and less significantly with frequency of hemodialysis, amount of blood transfusion but not correlated with age, sex and level of liver enzyme. 3) The prevalence of HCV antibody was significantly higher in a center which did not separate dialysis machine for HCV antibody positive patients than centers which did. CONCLUSION: Th prevalence of HCV antibody was most signficantly correlated with duration of hemodialysis. We suggest that environmental factor of hemodialysis unit may play major role in HCV infection of hemodialysis patients. So the importance of separate dialysis machine from HCV antibody positive patients should be emphasized.
Blood Transfusion ; Dialysis ; Hepacivirus* ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Liver ; Prevalence* ; Renal Dialysis ; Risk Factors*