OBJECTIVES: A few studies have compared REM sleep-dependent obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (REM-OSA) with sleep stage non-dependent apnea syndrome (SND-OSA). Despite that REM-OSA might be more common in women than men, no studies have examined the probable characteristics of women patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). This study aimed at finding out the characteristics of REM-OSA in women by comparing it with SND-OSA. METHODS: Fifty-three subjects diagnosed as OSAS (AHI>5; AHI: apnea-hypopnea index) with nocturnal polysomnography at the Center for Sleep and Chronobiology of the Seoul National University Hospital between October 2004 and February 2006 were studied. Of them, 44 subjects with OSAS severity of mild (52 and AHI-NR<15 (AHI-R: AHI during REM sleep, AHI-NR: AHI during non-REM sleep). We compared REM-OSA group with SND-OSA as well as the criteria-determined REM-OSA cases with the visually-determined ones. RESULTS: Among 44 subjects, 28 persons (63.6%) turned out to have REM-OSA by our criteria and 24 persons (54.5%) by visual determination. Statistically significant differences (p<0.05) were found between REM-OSA and SND-OSA groups in AHI, hypopnea index, total sleep time, total wake time, sleep efficiency index, percents of stage 1, 2 and REM sleep, and REM latency. Percent of stage REM sleep (%REM) turned out to have influence on AHI ratio (AHI-R/AHI-NR) (B=0.537, p=0.002). REM-OSA was likely to be diagnosed in milder severity of OSAS (chi-square=13.117, p<0.001) and those with higher %REM (chi-square=11.325, p=0.001). There was no significant difference between the criteria-determined and the visually-determined cases of REM-OSA. CONCLUSION: We suggest that REM-OSA and SND-OSA patients be differentiated in terms of pathophysiology and treatment strategies. Visual determination of REM-OSA might be useful as the screening procedure of REM-OSA. Further studies on women with OSAS and REM-OSA need to be done.
Apnea ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Polysomnography ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; Sleep Stages ; Sleep, REM

No abstract available.
Mucinoses

INTRODUCTION: It has been proposed that narcolepsy and REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) have overlapped symptom profile and pathophysiology. This study was aimed at measuring and comparing changes in EEG frequency band of REM sleep in narcolepsy and RBD, applying EEG spectral analysis method. METHODS: Nine patients diagnosed as narcolepsy and the same number of RBD patients were studied. Spectral analysis of the REM sleep EEG was performed in each patient on 9 epochs selected evenly from the first, second, and third REM periods. Then, we compared frequency band percentages of REM sleep EEG in narcolepsy and RBD. RESULTS: Narcolepsy patients had significantly higher delta frequency ratio than RBD ones (p=0.00). In alpha and beta2 frequency bands, RBD patients showed higher percentage than narcolepsy ones. Slow wave sleep was more prevalent in narcolepsy patients. But, no difference of REM sleep percentage was found between the two groups (p=0.93). CONCLUSION: Higher delta frequency ratio in REM sleep of narcolepsy patients than RBD ones reflects that sleep-promoting mechanism is more dominant in narcolepsy than in RBD.
Electroencephalography ; Humans ; Narcolepsy ; REM Sleep Behavior Disorder ; Sleep, REM

No abstract available.
Female ; Humans ; Plasma* ; Pregnant Women*

No abstract available.
Lip ; Neurofibroma

No abstract available.

We evaluated the effectiveness of photoastigmatic refractive Keratectomy(PARK) by excimer laser on patients with compound myopic astigmatism. Spherocylindrical PARK was performed on 181 myopic eyes with astigmatism(mean spherical equivalent : -6.61 D, range : -1.88~-14.5 D) using the visx excimer laser. The eyes were divided into three groups according to the amount of desired astigmatic correction : Group 1(-0.5~-1.0 D), Group 2(-1.25~3.0 D), and Group 3(-3.25~-5.5 D). Patients were followed up for 6 months. Uncorrected visual acuity at postoperative 6 month, was 0.80+/-0.27 in Group 1, 0.79+/-0.19 and 0.71+/-0.21bin Group 2 and 3 respectively. The mean spherical equivalent refraction was -0.24 D 6 months after PARK. Mean astigmatism was reduced from preoperative -0.85+/-0.51 D to postoperative -0.34+/-0.38 D in Group 1, from -2.08+/-0.65 D to -0.43+/-0.64 D and from -4.42+/-0.63 D to -1.23+/-1.25 D in Group 2 and 3 respectively. We also analyzed the angle of error, magnitude of error, index of success, and coefficient of afjustment by vector analysis. No significant complications were observed during the follow-up period. These results show that PARK by excimer laser was effective in correction of astigmatism. The effect of astigmatic correction in Group 2 and 3 were better than that of Group 1. Group 1 showed overcorrected tendency and Group 2 and 3 showed undercorrected tendency.
Astigmatism ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lasers, Excimer* ; Visual Acuity

We evaluated the effectiveness of photoastigmatic refractive Keratectomy(PARK) by excimer laser on patients with compound myopic astigmatism. Spherocylindrical PARK was performed on 181 myopic eyes with astigmatism(mean spherical equivalent : -6.61 D, range : -1.88~-14.5 D) using the visx excimer laser. The eyes were divided into three groups according to the amount of desired astigmatic correction : Group 1(-0.5~-1.0 D), Group 2(-1.25~3.0 D), and Group 3(-3.25~-5.5 D). Patients were followed up for 6 months. Uncorrected visual acuity at postoperative 6 month, was 0.80+/-0.27 in Group 1, 0.79+/-0.19 and 0.71+/-0.21bin Group 2 and 3 respectively. The mean spherical equivalent refraction was -0.24 D 6 months after PARK. Mean astigmatism was reduced from preoperative -0.85+/-0.51 D to postoperative -0.34+/-0.38 D in Group 1, from -2.08+/-0.65 D to -0.43+/-0.64 D and from -4.42+/-0.63 D to -1.23+/-1.25 D in Group 2 and 3 respectively. We also analyzed the angle of error, magnitude of error, index of success, and coefficient of afjustment by vector analysis. No significant complications were observed during the follow-up period. These results show that PARK by excimer laser was effective in correction of astigmatism. The effect of astigmatic correction in Group 2 and 3 were better than that of Group 1. Group 1 showed overcorrected tendency and Group 2 and 3 showed undercorrected tendency.
Astigmatism ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lasers, Excimer* ; Visual Acuity

The thoracic and lumbar spine fractures were usually combined with neurological deficit. But the prognostic factors in degree of neurological damage and process of the recovery are controversial. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the factors affected neurological injury and the recovery. The 31 cases who had been performed surgical interventions due to traumatic thoracic or lumbar spine fractures with the neurological deficits were studied according to the radiographic findings of the spinal columns and neurological changes of the injured cord and/or the roots. The duration of mean follow-up was 32.6 months, and all cases were evaluated by motor index score and Frankel grade. Total cases were divided into complete paralytic (N=8) and partial paralytic(N=23) group. In incomplete paraplegia group, the neurological recovery rate was better than complete group(P < 0.001) and neurological recovery period was shorter than complete group (P=0.005). The neurologic deficits according to the Frankel grade were higher in Chance fracture, flexion-distraction and translation (complete paraplegia: 4/7 cases, 57.1%) than unstable bursting fracture (complete paraplegia: 4/24 cases, 16.7%)(P=0.031). The recovery rate of Chance fracture, flexion-distraction and translation were worse than unstable bursting fracture (0.001). The fracture which occurred in T5-11 showed higher incidence of complete paraplegia(75%) compared with that of the T12-L1(30.8%) & L2-4(7.1%)(p=0.021). The neurological recovery in motor index score in L2-4 was higher than T5-11 or T12-L1(P=0.0017). There was no correlation in kyphotic deformity and anterior body height loss between complete and incomplete paraplegia groups. But the A-P diameter of compromised neural canal showed significant difference between complete and incomplete paraplegia group(P=0.027)
Body Height ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Incidence ; Neural Tube ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Paraplegia ; Spine

PURPOSE: This study is to evaluate the effects of drug abuse prevention program for elementary school students. METHOD: The design of this study is nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The subjects of experimental group were 27 students and the subjects of control group were 25 students in fifth grade of elementary school in C City, Gyeongsangbuk-do. The experimental group had Drug Abuse Prevention Program, which was two days per week program, for 5 weeks. And post-test was carried out in the same way as the pre-test. Data analysis was done using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, Chi-square test, t-test, Paired Samples t-test using with SPSS WIN 11.0. RESULT: the experimental group, to which drug abuse prevention program was given, was improved in knowledge of drug and unacceptable attitude of drug compared to the control group, but there were no significant differences of self-esteem and assertiveness between two groups. CONCLUSION: The drug abuse prevention program was effective to increase knowledge and attitude of drug in elementary school students.
Child ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; *School Health Services ; Substance-Related Disorders/*prevention & control