No abstract available.
Angiography* ; Intracranial Aneurysm*

Antral web (prepyloric mucosal diaphragm) is a rare gastric anomaly that disturbs the gastric outlet and has sometimes been a diagnostic problem to the radiologist and the endoscopist. It is composed of mucosa that enclose a membrane of submucosa and located at the antrum on variable distances from the pylorus. Web is congenital in origin but may be secondary to chronic peptic ulcer disease. Obstructive symptoms may not occur when diaphragmatic aperture is larger than 1 centimeter in diameter. The diagnosis of web relies on the history, barium study and gastroscopic findings but it may be noticed after laparotomy. We experienced an antral web which demonstrated characteristic endoscopic and radiologic findings in an eight-year-old girl. These typical distinguishable findings in endoscopic and barium study in this case can remind of the antral web in patients with gastric outlet obstruction symptoms. Antral web or pyloric web, although rare, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of upper gastrointestinal obstructive symptoms in patients of any age.
Barium* ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Endoscopy ; Female* ; Gastric Outlet Obstruction ; Humans ; Laparotomy ; Membranes ; Mucous Membrane ; Peptic Ulcer ; Pylorus

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to examine the effect of a hand washing improving program on the adherence of hand washing of health care workers in a surgical intensive care unit (SICU) and to test the hypothesis that improved hand washing adherence would help reduce nosocomial infection rates and MRSA colonization rates. METHODS: The study was conducted from March to December, 2001, at the SICU of a 2,200-bed university-affiliated hospital in Seoul. The hand washing improving program, developed by the investigator, a multi-fauceted program, was provided beginning August until October for medical personnel at the SICU. Hand washing adherence was monitored through direct observations for one hour everyday from mid-June through October. Nosocomial infections were monitored for the to month period from March to December. MRSA colonization rates were monitored during the four-month period from July to October by taking nares cultures from the patients who stayed at the SICU for three days or longer. RESULTS: Hand washing adherence rates increased from 33.5% at the pre-intervention to 58.4% at the post intervention period (p<.001). Nosocomial infection rates were 11.0 at the pre-intervention period and 11.6 per 1,000 patient-days at the post intervention period. When surgical site infections were excluded, the rates tended to decrease from 6.8 at the pre-intervention period to 6.0 per 1,000 patient-days at the nest-intervention period. MRSA colonization rates were 14.3% and 13.0% at the pre- and post-intervention period, respectively. But the differences were not statistically significant. The mean days from SICU admission to MRSA colonization were 2.9 in pre-intervention period and 6.5 at the post-intervention period. The differences between the pre- and post-intervention period were statistically significant (p=.001). CONCLUSION: The hand washing improving program was found to be effective in increasing the hand washing adherence of the healthcare workers at the SICU. In spite of the improved hand washing practices, however, nosocomial infection rates were found not changed significantly, although MRSA colonization by the patients, which is considered as a high risk factor for nosocomial infections, was delayed significantly. To demonstrate the causal relationship between hand washing and nosocomial infections, further studies are warranted with a larger number of patients during an extended study period.
Colon ; Cross Infection* ; Delivery of Health Care ; Hand Disinfection* ; Hand* ; Humans ; Critical Care* ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Research Personnel ; Risk Factors ; Seoul

No Abstract available
Cross Infection*

No Abstract available.
Consensus* ; Infection Control*

No abstract available.
Biomarkers* ; Child* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Prevalence*

Objective: The cut-off value for hypercholesterolemia and normal HDL levels for Korean children are still not established despite increasing hypercholesterolemia with recent socioeconomic change. One of the aims of this study is to screen the serum total cholesterol and HDL levels in normal Korean shool children, and another is to evaluate the relationships between serum lipid levels and obesity. Methods: Venous blood samples for cholesterol and HDL were taken in the morning after overnight fasting from 152 healthy school children who live in Seoul. Body weight and height were measured and obesity indices were calculated also. Results: Of the healthy 152 school children, mean level of serum total cholesterol was 185.7mg/dL and that of HDL was 52.8mg/dL. Boys had higher total cholesterol levels than girls (190.5mg/dL vs. 180.0mg/dL). Sexual difference of HDL was not found and the mean proportion of HDL to total cholesterol was 28.9%. There was moderate reverse correlation between total cholesterol and proportion of H to total cholesterol. There were no correlations between total cholesterol, HDL and obesity index each other. To our surprise, children with high serum total cholesterol levels were not always obese and vice versa. Moreover, children with high total cholesterol tended to have relatively low HDL proportion to the total cholesterol, which meant high risk of astheroselerotic change in thefeature. Conclusion: In normal chidren, serum total cholesterol level is not correlate well with obesity in most cases. Current thought of the pediatrician that serum total cholesterol will be checked in obese child only may many normal looking hypercholesterolemias. More wide studies must be necessary to get the normal values of serum lipid and to make an appropriate screening system for hypercholesterolemia in Korean children.
Body Weight ; Child* ; Cholesterol* ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Fasting ; Female ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Mass Screening ; Obesity* ; Reference Values ; Seoul

For the detection of Helicobacter pylori infection, endoscopic biopsy related tests auch as urease test, culture, and histology with special staining of bacteria are most widely used standard methods and most accurate. (continue...)
Bacteria ; Biopsy ; Child* ; Diagnosis* ; Gastritis* ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G* ; Prevalence ; Urease

No Abstract available.
Infection Control* ; Staphylococcus aureus* ; Staphylococcus*

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to survey hygiene behavior of healthcare personnel according to the Hygiene Inventory 23 (HI23) and to use the results in education and research for promoting hygiene behaviors. METHODS: We sampled a total of 400 people with 50 from each job category. The sample was obtained through convenient sampling among 8,200 employees working at a tertiary-care hospital with 2,600 beds in Seoul. The HI23 consisted of 5 subscales and 8 questions on general hygiene, 3 on household hygiene, 3 on food-related hygiene, 5 on hand hygiene methods, and 4 on personal hygiene, resulting in a total of 23 questions. The researcher also added 14 questions on the general characteristics of the subjects. The self-administered questionnaires were distributed on October 2009 and analyzed blindly. RESULTS: The average total score for hygiene behavior was 3.04+/-0.44 (maximum of 4). In the subcategory of hygiene behavior, the mean score was 3.20+/-4.24 for general hygiene, 3.07+/-0.68 for household hygiene, 3.07+/-0.68 for food-related hygiene, 2.91+/-0.69 for hand hygiene methods, and 2.97+/-0.48 for personal hygiene. When factors affecting the level of hygiene behavior were identified through multivariate regression analysis, independent factors were found to be gender (female), job category (food-related job), experience in hand hygiene education, and experience in teaching hand hygiene or general hygiene. CONCLUSION: Programs and education adapted to the characteristics of each job category in hospitals are needed to promote hygiene behaviors such as general hygiene, hand hygiene methods, household hygiene, food-related hygiene, and personal hygiene.
Delivery of Health Care ; Family Characteristics ; Hand Disinfection ; Hand Hygiene ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Surveys and Questionnaires