No abstract available.
Antioxidants* ; Oxidative Stress*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the accuracy of intraocular lens (IOL) power estimation and the factors associated with outcome in eyes undergoing combined phacovitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy. METHODS: We performed a retrospective case review of 39 consecutive patients (44 eyes) that underwent phacovitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Axial lengths were measured using ultrasound (A-scan) and/or optical biometry (IOL Master). Achieved and predicted refractions were compared to calculate the mean postoperative refractive prediction error (ME) and the mean absolute prediction error (MAE). Systemic conditions of patients and several preoperative and postoperative factors related to the postoperative refraction were analyzed. RESULTS: The ME of 44 eyes were -0.23 +/- 0.52 diopters (D) and -0.23 +/- 0.47 D after 3 and 6 months, respectively (range, -1.40~+0.79 D). There was no statistically significant difference in the refractive outcomes between the refractive errors (p = 0.959). The MAEs were 0.45 +/- 0.35 D and 0.40 +/- 0.33 D after 3 and 6 months, respectively with no statistical significant difference between the results (p = 0.196). When comparing ME in the 20 eyes that achieved both results, ultrasound was more accurate than optical biometry (p = 0.002, 0.002). The factors associated with more inaccurate ME and MAE after phacovitrectomy were diabetic nephropathy and neovascular glaucoma. CONCLUSIONS: Combined phacovitrectomy in proliferative diabetic retinopathy showed small biometric errors within the tolerable range in most cases. Patients with neovascular glaucoma and diabetic nephropathy had more inaccurate postoperative refractive power. Both optical biometry and ultrasound should be used to estimate axial lengths for improving the accuracy of IOL power calculation.
Biometry ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; Diabetic Retinopathy* ; Glaucoma, Neovascular ; Humans ; Lenses, Intraocular* ; Refractive Errors ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to investigate the distribution of the result of 17,744 cervicovaginal smears and their pathologic results in Inha University Hospital to make a reference data. METHODS: During 28 months, May 1996 to August 1998, we performed 17,774 cervicovaginal smears and arranged them by the Bethesda system and compared them with their pathologic results. RESULTS: Among 17,744 smears, there were 93.2% of benign results, 2.9% of ASCUS, 0.9% of LSIL, 1.4% of HSIL, and 0.8% of SCC. The ASCUS/SIL ratio was 1.28. Among ASCUS, the high grade histologic outcome was composed 4.0%. Among LSIL, there were 15.7%, and HSIL 48.0%, SCC 56.1%, AGUS 9.3%, and Adenocarcinoma, the results was 69.2%. CONCLUSION: Among 17,744 smears, there were 93.2% of benign results, 2.9% of ASCUS, 0.9% of LSIL, 1.4% of HSIL, and 0.8% of SCC. The ASCUS/SIL ratio was 1.28. These results were very similar to other data and we would like to add our data to them as a reference. And the worse the smear results were, the worse the pathologic results were.
Adenocarcinoma

We report a case of actinic granuloma in a 39 year-old woman who was presented with multiple anetoderma on non-sun exposed skin such as the neck, upper arms, elbows and calfs. The anetodermic presentation of actinic granuloma has never been reported and the common pathogenesis involving reduction of elastic fibers link the two disorders. Anetoderma secondary due to actinic granuloma should to be included in the list of secondary anetoderma and may suggest one of the possible pathogenesis of anetoderma.
Actins* ; Adult ; Anetoderma* ; Arm ; Elastic Tissue ; Elbow ; Female ; Granuloma* ; Humans ; Neck ; Skin

PURPOSE: To determine the characteristics of benign breast calcifications on mammogram. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Benign breast calcifications on mammograms of 25 patients, which were confirmed by needle localization and excisional biopsy(15 cases), cytology(1 case), or follow-up study(9 cases), were retrospectively analysed according to size, shape, number, distribution, and density. RESULTS: The size of benign breast calcifications was uniform in 4 cases (16%), and variable in 21 cases (84%). The shape of calcifications was round or oval in 18 cases(72%), linear or branching pattern in 6 cases (24%), and irregular in 1 case(4%). The number of calcifications was 2-5 in 7 cases(28%), and over 6 in 12 cases(48%). The distribution of calcifications was focal in 13 cases(52%) and diffuse in 12 cases(48%). The density of calcification was homogenous in all 25 cases(100%). CONCLUSION: Analysis of number, shape, size, and distribution is helpful for the diagnosis of benign breast calcifications. However the homogenous density of the calcification is suggested to be the most helpful criterion for the diagnosis of benign breast calcifications.
Breast* ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Needles ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relative benefits and the costs associated with the introduction of the new pharmaceutical provision called 'Mandatory Prescription Syste m' which separates the role of physicians from that of pharmacists with respect to the prescription and dispensation of from the perspective of consumers (i.e., patients). METHODS: The costs of the system were measured by considering both direct and indirect costs. Direct costs included additional payments for ambulatory care and dispensing fees that occurred under the new system. Indirect costs consisted of transportation expenses and costs related to time spent for physician consultation, waiting for the prescriptions to be filled, and extra traveling. Benefits identified in this study were the reduction of drug misuse and overuse, and the overall decrease in drug consumption among the Korean population. Sensitivity analysis was performed for the inclusion of benefits for outpatients of hospitals, price elasticity, and increased fees for established patients. RESULTS: The net benefit was estimated to be about minus 1,862 billion won and the benefit-cost ratio was 0.478. This indicates that the costs of 'Mandatory Prescription' outweigh its benefits, relative to the previous system. The sensitivity analysis results for all the variables considered in this study consistently showed the benefit-cost ratio to be less than 1. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that implementing Mandatory Prescription System in Korea might be inefficient from the consumer's perspective. The results of this study do not coincide with the results of previous studies, presumably because of the differences in study design and in which items of costs and benefits were considered.
Ambulatory Care ; Cost-Benefit Analysis* ; Elasticity ; Fees and Charges ; Humans ; Korea* ; Outpatients ; Pharmacists ; Prescription Fees ; Prescriptions* ; Transportation

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to investigate the meaning of the life of middle-aged women. METHOD: The research method employed Q-methodology. Thirty-one participants rated 30 selected Q-statements on a scale of 1~7. The collected data were analyzed using PC-QUNAL software. RESULT: Principal component analysis identified 4 types of the meaning of the life of middle-aged women. The categories were labeled 'May I help you?', 'Alone', 'Who am I ?', 'No regret'. CONCLUSION: We have found meaning of life of middle-aged women through this research. The study result could be data to perform effective nursing intervention for positive life of middle-aged women.
Female ; Humans ; Nursing ; Principal Component Analysis

PURPOSE: PCNA has been widely used because it is highly accurate, relatively simple and safe to administer. Regardless of its high diagnostic rate, PCNA has the difficulty in excluding malignancy in the cases of, negative for malignancy" results in PCNA cytologic reports. So, we analysed PCNA cases to evaluate the clinical outcome of "negative for malignancy" results in PCNA cytologic reports. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PCNA in 170 cases were done between January, 1991 and December, 1993 and the diagnosis was malignancy in 86 cases, specific benign disease in 30 cases, "negative for malignancy" in 45 cases and inadequate sample in 9 cases. We analysed 36 cases among 45 cases of "negative for malignancy" results in cytologic examinations. The final diagnosis was made on the basis of histopathologic examinations, radiologic findings and clinical courses. we compared the final diagnosis to the radiologic diagnosis. RESULTS: Of the 36 cases with initial "negative for malignancy" results, the final diagnosis was benign in 30 cases and malignant in 6 cases(17%). In radiologic diagnosis of the malignancy, "positive predictive value" was 42%, "negative predictive value" was 96%, and accuracy was 78%. CONCLUSION: In the cases of PCNA results of "negative for malignancy", malignancy can not be excluded because 17% of the cases are proved to be malignant. And if malignancy is highly suggested at radiologic examination, the possibility of malignancy is 42%, and so intensive follow-up examination is needed.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Thorax*

In neuronal recording studies on anesthetized animals, reliable measures for the transitional moment of consciousness are frequently required. Previous findings suggest that pupil fluctuations reflect the neuronal states during quiet wakefulness, whose correlation was unknown for the anesthetized condition. Here, we investigated the pupillary changes under isoflurane anesthesia simultaneously with the electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram (EMG). The pupil was tracked by using a region-based active contour model. The dose was given to the animal in a stepwise increasing mode (simulating induction of anesthesia) or in a stepwise decreasing mode (simulating emergence of anesthesia). We found that the quickly widening pupil action (mydriasis) characterizes the transitional state in anesthesia. Mydriasis occurred only in the light dose in the emergence phase, and the events were accompanied by an increase of burst activity in the EEG followed by EMG activity in 47% of the mydriasis events. Our findings suggest that recording such pupil changes may offer a noncontact monitoring tool for indexing the transitional state of the brain, particularly when a lower threshold dose is applied.
Abstracting and Indexing as Topic ; Anesthesia* ; Animals ; Brain ; Consciousness ; Electroencephalography ; Isoflurane* ; Mydriasis ; Neurons ; Pupil* ; Wakefulness

In neuronal recording studies on anesthetized animals, reliable measures for the transitional moment of consciousness are frequently required. Previous findings suggest that pupil fluctuations reflect the neuronal states during quiet wakefulness, whose correlation was unknown for the anesthetized condition. Here, we investigated the pupillary changes under isoflurane anesthesia simultaneously with the electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram (EMG). The pupil was tracked by using a region-based active contour model. The dose was given to the animal in a stepwise increasing mode (simulating induction of anesthesia) or in a stepwise decreasing mode (simulating emergence of anesthesia). We found that the quickly widening pupil action (mydriasis) characterizes the transitional state in anesthesia. Mydriasis occurred only in the light dose in the emergence phase, and the events were accompanied by an increase of burst activity in the EEG followed by EMG activity in 47% of the mydriasis events. Our findings suggest that recording such pupil changes may offer a noncontact monitoring tool for indexing the transitional state of the brain, particularly when a lower threshold dose is applied.
Abstracting and Indexing as Topic ; Anesthesia* ; Animals ; Brain ; Consciousness ; Electroencephalography ; Isoflurane* ; Mydriasis ; Neurons ; Pupil* ; Wakefulness