No abstract available.
Prostate* ; Testis*

OBJECTIVES: This study was to identify the relationship between quality of life and psychosocial characteristics in patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: The subjects were eighty nine patients with schizophrenia according to DSM-IV. The Korean Quality of Life Scale (K-QLS) and the Korean modified Scale to measure Subjective Well-being under Neuroleptic treatment (KmSWN) were used to assess quality of life. The psychopathology of each patient was assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). The Scale to Assess Unawareness of Mental Disorder (SAUMD) was used for differentiating presence and absence of insight. The Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS), the Scale of Social Support (SSS), and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES) were used for assessing psychosocial characteristics. The correlation between the scores of each quality of life scale and other scales was examined, and multiple regression analysis was performed to assess the contribution of the scores of each quality of life scale to other scales. RESULTS: The K-QLS score was significantly related to the scores of the PANSS, the SAUMD, the social conflict domain of the SSS, and the SOFAS. The KmSWN score was significantly related to the scores of the PANSS, the SOFAS, the social conflict domain of the SSS, and the FACES. In multiple regression analysis, the scores on the PANSS (32.9%), the SAUMD (5.8%), and the FACES (4.0%) were contributed to the score on the K-QLS, and the scores on the social conflict domain of the SSS (17.3%) and the FACES (12.9%) were contributed to the score on the KmSWN. CONCLUSION: The relation between the K-QLS score and the scores of other scales means that the objective quality of life increases according to decreased the severity of symptom, the high level of insight and the socio-occupational function. And the relation between the KmSWN score and the scores of other scales means that the subjective quality of life increases according to the perceptions to the high level of social support, the low level of social conflict, and the high level of family adaptability and cohesion. The objective quality of life assessed by the K-QLS is affected primarily by the severity of symptoms, and the subjective quality of life assessed by the KmSWN is affected by the subjective perceptions of social conflict, family adaptation and cohesion. These findings suggest that the treatment of symptoms is important in the treatment of schizophrenic patients, but that it is also important to approach to the psychosocial characteristics to increase subjective satisfaction from the quality of life in them
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Family Conflict ; Humans ; Mental Disorders ; Psychopathology ; Quality of Life* ; Schizophrenia* ; Weights and Measures

OBJECTIVES: This study was to identify the relationship between quality of life and psychosocial characteristics in patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: The subjects were eighty nine patients with schizophrenia according to DSM-IV. The Korean Quality of Life Scale (K-QLS) and the Korean modified Scale to measure Subjective Well-being under Neuroleptic treatment (KmSWN) were used to assess quality of life. The psychopathology of each patient was assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). The Scale to Assess Unawareness of Mental Disorder (SAUMD) was used for differentiating presence and absence of insight. The Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (SOFAS), the Scale of Social Support (SSS), and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES) were used for assessing psychosocial characteristics. The correlation between the scores of each quality of life scale and other scales was examined, and multiple regression analysis was performed to assess the contribution of the scores of each quality of life scale to other scales. RESULTS: The K-QLS score was significantly related to the scores of the PANSS, the SAUMD, the social conflict domain of the SSS, and the SOFAS. The KmSWN score was significantly related to the scores of the PANSS, the SOFAS, the social conflict domain of the SSS, and the FACES. In multiple regression analysis, the scores on the PANSS (32.9%), the SAUMD (5.8%), and the FACES (4.0%) were contributed to the score on the K-QLS, and the scores on the social conflict domain of the SSS (17.3%) and the FACES (12.9%) were contributed to the score on the KmSWN. CONCLUSION: The relation between the K-QLS score and the scores of other scales means that the objective quality of life increases according to decreased the severity of symptom, the high level of insight and the socio-occupational function. And the relation between the KmSWN score and the scores of other scales means that the subjective quality of life increases according to the perceptions to the high level of social support, the low level of social conflict, and the high level of family adaptability and cohesion. The objective quality of life assessed by the K-QLS is affected primarily by the severity of symptoms, and the subjective quality of life assessed by the KmSWN is affected by the subjective perceptions of social conflict, family adaptation and cohesion. These findings suggest that the treatment of symptoms is important in the treatment of schizophrenic patients, but that it is also important to approach to the psychosocial characteristics to increase subjective satisfaction from the quality of life in them
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Family Conflict ; Humans ; Mental Disorders ; Psychopathology ; Quality of Life* ; Schizophrenia* ; Weights and Measures

Heterotopic gastric mucosa (HGM) is a rare anomaly in the small bowel and may be the cause of intussusception when it gets a lead point in the jejunum. All cases of intussusception due to intestinal HGM have been treated with surgical resection. A 5-year-old girl presented with chief complaints of vomiting and abdominal pain for 2 weeks. A computed tomography scan of the abdomen showed intussusception at the proximal jejunal loops. Three air reductions and one saline reduction were attempted without success. She continued to be symptomatic, and endoscopic evaluation was performed. Enteroscopy revealed some variable-sized polypoid mucosal lesions with erosions on the proximal jejunum. Endoscopic mucosal resection was performed using a snare. The resected tissues histologically showed a hyperplastic polyp arising from the HGM. Her symptoms did not recur within 1 year after the treatment. Our case showed that enteroscopy could be useful for the diagnosis and management of jejunal intussusception caused by HGM.
Abdomen ; Abdominal Pain ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Gastric Mucosa* ; Humans ; Intussusception* ; Jejunum ; Polyps ; SNARE Proteins ; Vomiting

OBJECTIVE: To investigate balance control according to the severity of knee osteoarthritis (OA) using clinical tests and Tetra-ataxiometric posturography (Tetrax(R)). METHOD: A total 80 patients with primary knee OA classified according to American College of Rheumatology criteria, and 40 age-matched controls were enrolled in this study. Of those with OA, 39 patients had mild OA (Kellgren-Lawrence [KL] grade 1, 2) and the other 41 had moderate to severe OA (KL grade 3, 4). The postural control capabilities of the subjects were assessed using the timed up and go test (TUG), Berg balance scale (BBS), and Tetrax(R), which utilizes two paired force plates to measure vertical pressure fluctuations over both heels and forefeet. The subjects were checked for their stability index (ST), Fourier index, weight distribution index (WDI), and synchronization index (SI) in eight positions using Tetrax(R). RESULTS: Patients with moderate to severe OA exhibited significantly higher stability indices in all positions than patients with mild OA. The Fourier index was also higher in patients with moderate to severe OA than in patients with mild OA. However, the weight distribution index and synchronization of both heels and forefeet were not significantly different in the three groups. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that patients with moderate to severe OA have more deficits in balance control than those with mild disease. Therefore, evaluation of balance control and education aimed at preventing falls would be useful to patients with knee OA.
Heel ; Humans ; Knee ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; Rheumatology

PURPOSE: In this study, we compared the treatment outcomes for an alpha-blocker between 2 groups of men, one with high sympathetic activity (HSA) and another with low sympathetic activity (LSA) or normal sympathetic activity. METHODS: A total of 159 men (> or =50 years of age) with lower urinary tract symptoms resulting from benign prostatic hyperplasia were analyzed. We assigned patients to groups according to their sympathetic activity, which was evaluated by heart ratevariability measurements. HSA was defined as a low frequency/high frequency ratio greater than 1.6. All patients received 10mg of alfuzosin once a day for 12 weeks. The primary end point was a change in the total International Prostate SymptomScore (IPSS) at 12 weeks from baseline. RESULTS: Sixty-seven men were assigned to the HSA group and 92 men were assigned to the LSA group. The baseline characteristics were not significantly different between the 2 groups, and the response to alfuzosin was good in both groups. Themean total IPSS change was not different between the groups. Both groups were not significantly different with respect to the changes in maximal flow rate, IPSS voiding or storage symptom subscores, quality of life, and rates of adverse drug events. TheHSA group showed a similar willingness to continue treatment compared to the LSA group, although their treatment satisfaction rating was lower. CONCLUSIONS: The therapeutic effects of alfuzosin did not differ in regards to the differences in sympathetic activity, but treatment satisfaction ratings were lower in the HSA group.
Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Heart ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms* ; Male ; Observational Study* ; Prospective Studies* ; Prostate ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Quality of Life ; Sympathetic Nervous System

Diverticuli may be either congenital or acquired and may affect either the small or large intestines. Recently, the incidence of colonic diverticular disease is increasing in Korea but that of the small bowel, especially ileum, is very rare. We experienced a case of ileal diverticulitis causing small bowel stenosis. A 62-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because of diffuse abdominal pain for several months. Abdominal CT and small bowel series showed thickening of mucosal folds in the distal ileum. Colonoscopic findings revealed edema, mucosal thickening, blood clots, irregular dimpling, and stenosis in the distal ileum. The lesion was resected surgically and diagnosed as diverticulitis with microperforation.
Abdominal Pain ; Colon ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Diverticulitis* ; Edema ; Female ; Humans ; Ileum ; Incidence ; Intestines ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study was designed to determine whether bile aspiration before contrast injection cholangiogram prevent of post-ERCP cholangitis, liver function worsening, cholecystitis and pancreatitis. METHODS: One hundred and two patients in the bile aspiration group before contrast injection from December 1, 2008 to December 30, 2009 and 115 patients in the conventional control group from January 1, 2010 to June 30, 2010 were analyzed. The incidence of post-ERCP cholangitis, liver function worsening, cholecystitis, pancreatitis, and hyperamylasemia only were compared between these two groups. RESULTS: In the 102 patients with the bile aspiration group, post-ERCP cholangitis in 3 patients (2.9%), liver function worsening in 4 patients (3.9%), cholecystitis and pancreatitis in none, and hyperamylasemia only in 6 patients (5.8%) occurred. In the 115 patients with control group, post-ERCP cholangitis in 1 patient (0.4%), liver function worsening in 9 patients (7.8%), cholecystitis in none, pancreatitis in 3 patients (2.6%), hyperamylasemia only in 10 patients (8.6%) developed. The two groups did not significantly differ in terms of the incidence of post-ERCP cholangitis, liver function worsening, pancreatitis, and hyperamylasemia only (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Initially bile juice aspiration just before contrast injection into the bile duct rarely prevented post-ERCP cholangitis, liver function worsening, and pancreatitis in patients with the extrahepatic bile duct obstruction.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; *Bile ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde/*adverse effects ; Cholangitis/epidemiology/etiology/prevention & control ; Contrast Media/*diagnostic use ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperamylasemia/epidemiology/etiology/prevention & control ; Incidence ; Liver Diseases/physiopathology ; Liver Function Tests ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatitis/epidemiology/etiology/prevention & control ; Suction

Background: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) were more susceptible to poor outcomes owing to respiratory muscle weakness and immunotherapy. Several studies conducted in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic reported higher mortality in patients with MG compared to the general population. This study aimed to investigate the clinical course and prognosis of COVID-19 in patients with MG and to compare these parameters between vaccinated and unvaccinated patients in South Korea. Methods: This multicenter, retrospective study, which was conducted at 14 tertiary hospitals in South Korea, reviewed the medical records and identified MG patients who contracted COVID-19 between February 2022 and April 2022. The demographic and clinical characteristics associated with MG and vaccination status were collected. The clinical outcomes of COVID-19 infection and MG were investigated and compared between the vaccinated and unvaccinated patients. Results: Ninety-two patients with MG contracted COVID-19 during the study. Nine (9.8%) patients required hospitalization, 4 (4.3%) of whom were admitted to the intensive care unit. Seventy-five of 92 patients were vaccinated before contracting COVID-19 infection, and 17 were not. During the COVID-19 infection, 6 of 17 (35.3%) unvaccinated patients were hospitalized, whereas 3 of 75 (4.0%) vaccinated patients were hospitalized (P < 0.001). The frequencies of ICU admission and mechanical ventilation were significantly lower in the vaccinated patients than in the unvaccinated patients (P = 0.019 and P = 0.032, respectively). The rate of MG deterioration was significantly lower in the vaccinated patients than in the unvaccinated patients (P = 0.041). Logistic regression after weighting revealed that the risk of hospitalization and MG deterioration after COVID-19 infection was significantly lower in the vaccinated patients than in the unvaccinated patients. Conclusion This study suggests that the clinical course and prognosis of patients with MG who contracted COVID-19 during the dominance of the omicron variant of COVID-19 may be milder than those at the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic when vaccination was unavailable. Vaccination may reduce the morbidity of COVID-19 in patients with MG and effectively prevent MG deterioration induced by COVID-19 infection.