Due to rapid industrialization and economic development, the occupational diseases have appeared as one of the social problems in Korea. Up until now little has been known about the prevalence rate, predisposing factor and symptomatology the occupational disease due to localized vibration in Korea. The researcher intends to investigate the prevalence rate and affecting factors of the occupational disease due to localized vibration among rock-drillers in the anthracite mines. A total of 135 rock-drillers were interviewed and examined from May 15th to 31th, 1980. The results were revealed as follows; 1. The prevalence rate of the vibration syndrome among rock-drillers was 12.6%. 2. The latent period of the vibration syndrome was 6.8% years. 3. The prevalence rate of the vibration syndrome was not significantly different between smokers and non-smokers. 4. With the increase of total vibration exposure time, the prevalence rate of the vibration syndrome increased also. 5. The average vibration sensation threshold was high (6.4dB) in stage 1 of the vibration syndrome and low (-0.6dB) in stage 0. 6. The average pain sensation threshold was high (4.4g) in stage 1 of the vibration syndrome and low (2.5g) in stage 0.
Causality ; Coal* ; Economic Development ; Korea ; Mining* ; Occupational Diseases ; Prevalence* ; Sensation ; Social Problems ; Vibration* ; Industrial Development

No abstract available.
Occupational Diseases*

n-Hexane and benezene are organic compounds which have been widely used as industrial solvents. However, they are also increasingly recognized as important pollutants in working environment. The purpose of this study is to analyze neurotoxicity of benzene and n-Hexane. In this study, tibial nerve of Sprague-Dawley rats were observed after exposing them to two different concentrations of these compounds (6000 ppm of n-Hexane and 2000 ppm of benezene) which were known to be the levels to cause subacute toxicity for the three different periods; two weeks, four weeks, and sex weeks. The following results were obtained from the analysis of variance, Duncan's multiple comparison test, and regression analysis: 1) Myelin sheath thickness of nerve fiber for two n-Hexane exposed groups (four weeks and six weeks) were both reduced compared with the control group and the benezene exposed group. 2) There were positive relationships between nerve fiber diameter and myelin sheath thickness for both exposed and control groups. 3) There were significant difference in myelin sheath thickness from equal diameter nerve fibers between benzene exposed group and control group, but the greater number of thin myelin sheath were observed for n-Hexane exposed group compared with control group. Thus, it is concluded that n-Hexane tends to reduce the rate of growth of nerve fiber more than the benzene and control group. While these results shed light on understanding the effects of benzene and n-Hexane, the duration of exposure was not long enough to apply these results to real working environments. In addition, to further understand the mechanism of nerve degeneration caused by organic solvents, both epidemiological and biochemical studies should accompanied by this kind of study.
Animals ; Benzene* ; Myelin Sheath ; Nerve Degeneration ; Nerve Fibers ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Solvents ; Tibial Nerve*

The objective of this study is to examine the correlation between the tolylene concentration in the work environment of organic solvents and the concentration of hippuric acid in urine of workers exposed toluene, and to acquire the fundamental materials of workers' health care and to assist the assessment of the biological permissible exposure limit. The control groups are 72 workers who had never been exposed to toluene and the case groups are 101 workers who had been exposed to toluene. This study was conducted to examine the correlation between the concentration of toluene in work environment and workers' hippuric acid concentration, to investigate the complaint difference of subjective symptoms by means of questionnaire, between the case groups and control groups. The results and conclusions are as follows: 1) The highest mean concentration of toluene in the air is 544.13+/-7.75 ppm in the Printing Department of mixing organic solvents. The concentrations of the others are 463.27+/-5.24 ppm in Department of mixture for organic solvents, and 393.56+/-45.69 ppm in the Printing Department(1), and 248.38+/-45.16 ppm in the Printing Department(2), and 159.38+/-18.51 ppm in the Printing Department(3). 2) The highest mean concentration of hippuric acid in urine is 6034.84+/-1298.35 mg/l in the Printing Department with mixing organic solvents. The concentrations of the others are 4798.44+/-784.53 mg/l in Department of mixture of organic solvents, and 2883.06+/-701.90 mg/l in the Printing Department(1), and 1449.98+/-905.19 mg/l in the Printing Department(2), and 598.52+/-299.43 mg/l in the Printing Department(3). 3) As the toluene concentration in the work environment becomes higher, the concentration of hippuric acid in urine also becomes higher. It is found that the coefficient of correlation between toluene concentration and the concentration of hippuric acid are positive (r=0.868, Y=7.18X+349.57). 4) It is found that the case groups complain of much more subjective symptoms than the control groups.
Delivery of Health Care ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Solvents ; Toluene*

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to investigate the effectiveness of the questionnaire. METHODS: Workers'health examination records, work environment record, and questionnaires of selected industries as samples were analysed using logistic regression analysis and discrimination analysis Results'Cases of bearing impairment (Dl+C) as dependent variables, and age, work duration and level of environmental noise as independent variables were selected for multiple unconditional logistic regression analysis. Odds ratio was 4.04 in hearing difficulty, 2.78 in tlnnitus and 1.08 in age. In the second analysis Noise induced hearing loss is selected as dependent variable. The OR in hearing difficulty was 3.67(95 % C.1. : 1.61 8.61), and was 1.09(95 % C.1. : 1.05-1.14) in age. Conditionnal multlple logistic regression analysis was performed. In hearing impairment as dependent variable, the OR of age was 1.02(95 % C.1. : 1.00-1.04) and other variables were not significant. However, NIHL as dependent, the OR of hearing difficulty was 4.57(95 % C.1. : 1.43-14.67). According to multiple logistic regression adopting each items of questionnaire as dependent variable, the only item of hearing difficulty showed significant difference with hearing ability. The discrimination analysis was performed with the class variable of hearing impairment, and discrimination variables of age, work duration, and environment noise level. The sensitivity of 59 %, and specificity of 88 %, and average error count of 23 % were obtained. When the numbers of items answered in questionnaire were assumed as the parameter of judgement for noise induced hearing loss (NIHL), the highest sensitivity and specificity were 33.5% and 49.0% in cases of more than two items answered. CONCLUSIONS: The development of items that is simple and discriminative mainly consisted of chronic and specific diseases related items is needed. Computerization for newly developed items might be needed to establish effective surveillance system for NIHL in the future.
Discrimination (Psychology) ; Hearing Loss* ; Hearing* ; Logistic Models ; Mass Screening* ; Noise* ; Odds Ratio ; Questionnaires* ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Primary extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma (EPSCC) of the appendix is an extremely rare entity, and there has been only one previous report on this in the English medical literature. We report here on the first Korean case of EPSCC of the appendix in a 55-year-old woman. The patient had no history of an identified pulmonary tumor, and she presented with constipation and lower abdominal pain. The patient underwent right hemicolectomy with regional lymph node dissection and bilateral salphigo-oophorectomy. The histology of the entire appendiceal tumor revealed pure EPSCC with diffuse immunoreactivity for pancytokeratin, cytokeratin 7, cytokeratin 20, CD56, thyroid transcription factor 1, c-kit and carcinoembryonic antigen, and there was focal weak immunoreactivity for chromogranin A and synaptophysin. After the second cycle of chemotherapy, the condition of the patient gradually deteriorated due to cancer peritonei and the patient died 7 months later. EPSCC of the appendix is a distinctive clinicopathological entity that displays highly aggressive behavior and an unfavorable outcome.
Abdominal Pain ; Appendix ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; Chromogranin A ; Constipation ; Female ; Humans ; Keratin-20 ; Keratin-7 ; Lymph Node Excision ; Middle Aged ; Nuclear Proteins ; Synaptophysin ; Thyroid Gland ; Transcription Factors

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective analysis of 166 patients was undertaken to observe radiologically the changes of adjacent segments at follow-up more than three years after lumbar fusion. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to analyse the changes of adjacent segments and to correlate these changes to the length of using level and to the degree of deviation from physiologic lumbar lordosis. The authors also correlate these radiologic changes to the clinical symptoms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In simple x-ray, authors observed traction spur, disc space narrowing, endplate sclerosis and vacuum phenomenon of adjacent segments. Authors used Gelb's criteria in segmental lordosis angle(SLA) and Katz's classification in clinical results. RESULTS: The average age was 49.6 years old and the average follow-up period was 57.2 months(4 years and 9.2 months). We observed radiologically the traction spurs in 35 cases(21.1%), end-plate sclerosis in 32 cases(19.3%), disc space narrowing in 33 cases(19.9%) and the vacuum phenomenon in 10 cases(6.0%). The numbers of fusion segments and the degree of unphysiologic segmental lordosis angle in fusion segments were related with the frequency and degree of changes of adjacent segments(P<0.05). The clinical results showed satisfaction in 142 cases(85.5%), unsatisfaction in 24 cases(14.5%) and low back pain in 24 cases(14.5%), leg pain in 11 cases(6.6%) and extension of fusion level in 4 cases(2.4%). In low back pain patients more than two kinds of radiological changes were frequently observed than the patients without low back pain(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The radiological changes of adjacent segments were more frequently observed in long fusion and in fusion with unphysiologic lumbar lordosis angle. And these changes are frequently associated with low back pain. Thus long fusion and fusion with unphysiologic lumbar lordosis angle should be avoided if possible.
Animals ; Classification ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Leg ; Lordosis ; Low Back Pain ; Retrospective Studies ; Sclerosis ; Spinal Fusion* ; Traction ; Vacuum

BACKGROUND: Cardiogenic embolic infarction is the most preventable type of ischemic stroke. This study was under-taken to compare the infarct size, prognosis, and risk factors between cardiogenic embolic infarction (CE) and large artery atherosclerotic infarction (LAA). METHODS:We reviewed the medical records and brain computed tomography/magnetic resonance image (CT/MRI) scans of patients with CE or LAA during the period between January 1996 and May 1998. Patients with lacunar and posterior circulation infarctions were excluded. A slice of brain CT/MRI scan showing the largest lesion was selected in each patient and the area of infarction was then measured. Prognosis was determined by the Modified Rankin Disability Scale (MRDS) and was grouped as either good (MDRS 0, 1, 2) or poor (MDRS 3, 4, 5). RESULTS: The study included 103 patients : 50 with CE (NVAF in 23, VHD with or without AF in 13, prosthetic valve in 6, and others in 8) and 53 with LAA (large artery thrombosis in 29, and artery to artery embolism in 24). The infarct size of CE (23.2+/-14.7 cm2) was significantly larger than that of LAA (11.4+/-10.5 cm2) (p<0.001). The infarct size of NVAF (29.0+/-19.1 cm2) was significantly larger than that of VHD with or without AF (19.2+/-11.5 cm2) (p<0.05). Patients with CE had a worse prognosis (poor in 46%) than those with LAA (poor in 23%) (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Our results showed that CE led to larger lesions and worse outcomes. Therefore, we emphasize the importance of primary and secondary preventions of stroke in patients with cardiogenic embolic sources.
Arteries* ; Brain ; Embolism ; Heart Valve Diseases ; Humans ; Infarction* ; Medical Records ; Prognosis* ; Risk Factors ; Secondary Prevention ; Stroke ; Thrombosis

To measure the serum succinyl trialanine p-nitroanilide hydrolytic activity as new index of liver function in workers exposed to organic solvents, this study conducted 114 workers in department of shoe-making of shoes factories. The results obtained from this study were as follows: 1. The mean values of serum GOT, GPT, gamma GT in whole workers were 22+/-12.32, 20+/-9.65, 28+/-21.35IU/l, respectively and the mean value of serum STN hydrolytic activity was 0.08 0.05. 2. The serum STN hydrolytic activity was significantly higher for male(p<0.05) and there was no difference among the groups of age. 3. There was no difference in the groups by working hours but significant difference in persons who worked over 3 years or were exposed to toluene over 100ppm(p<0.05). 4. The correlation of the exposed dose of toluene and serum GOT, GPT, gamma GT and serum STN hydrolytic activity were statistically significant(r=0.027-0.518). 5. The exposed dose of toluene was most explainable variable and statistically significant among the factors affecting serum STN hydrolytic activity(p<0.05).
Humans ; Liver ; Liver Function Tests ; Shoes ; Solvents* ; Toluene

No abstract available.
Delivery of Health Care* ; Hearing Loss* ; Hearing* ; Noise*