OBJECTIVES: Outbreaks of pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) occur every 3-4 years in Korea, most recently in 2011. The aim of our study was to determine the optimal time to perform indirect particle agglutination antibody assays to improve early diagnosis of MP pneumonia in children. METHODS: A database of 206 pediatric patients treated for pneumonia at the Hanyang University Hospital from June to October 2011 was analyzed retrospectively for demographic characteristics and laboratory test results. RESULTS: Among the 206 patients treated for pneumonia during the study period, there were 160 children (mean age, 5.44 years) diagnosed with MP pneumonia, who were studied further. The mean age of these MP pneumonia patients was 5.44 years. Antibody titers increased with increasing time between symptom onset and the collection of serum collection: MP titers were <1:640 for sera collected after 5.44 days and titers > or =1:640 for those collected after 8.58 days; P<0.001). Antibody titers were considered positive when they reached > or =1:640. In 42 MP pneumonia patients in whom there was a four-fold or greater increase in titer between successive serum samples, the optimal cut-off time-point for distinguishing between the initial and second titer groups was 7.5 days after the onset of symptoms (sensitivity, 90.5%; specificity, 92.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Negative MP antibody titers earlier than 8 days after the onset of symptoms in children with pneumonia may require repeating to confirm the diagnosis. This finding could optimize diagnosis and result in better therapeutic outcomes of MP pneumonia in children.
Agglutination ; Child ; Disease Outbreaks ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Korea ; Mycoplasma ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae ; Pneumonia ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Nevus*

Authors reviewed mammographic ultrasonographic and MRI findings a patient with breast cysticerocosis, which was operated and pathologically proved. Mammography showed a 1 cm sized round radioopaque lesion with curvilinear calification, which was located near the pectoralis major muscle. Ultrasonograiphic findings showed heterogenous hypoechoic cystic lesion with internal hyperechoic nodule and posterior acoustic shadowing. T2Wl and proton density MR image showed low signal intensity with cresentic high signal intensity portion. 2D-FLASH dynamic MRI showed intermediate signal intensity and peripheral signal void area, which was not enhanced with Gd-DPTA. The possibility of cysticercosis can be considered be considered when a cytic lesion is discovered near the pectoralis muscle in a patient living in an endemic area.
Acoustics ; Breast* ; Cysticercosis* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mammography ; Pectoralis Muscles ; Protons ; Shadowing (Histology)

Allergic contact dermatitis to topical agents mostly results from vehicles and preservatives and rarely from the active ingredients. Ribavirin, an active ingredient of Viramid® cream, is a synthetic nucleoside derivative with broad spectrum activity against a wide variety of DNA and RNA viruses. We report an 18-year-old woman, who had a perioral edematous patch with exudative crusts after topical application of Viramid® cream (nsung pharmaceutical Co., Korea) for the treatment of herpes labiahs. A patch test showed that the sensitizer was ribavirin, the active ingredient of the antiviral agent, Viramid® cream.
Adolescent ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact* ; DNA ; Female ; Humans ; Patch Tests ; Ribavirin* ; RNA Viruses

Allergic contact dermatitis to topical agents mostly results from vehicles and preservatives and rarely from the active ingredients. Ribavirin, an active ingredient of Viramid® cream, is a synthetic nucleoside derivative with broad spectrum activity against a wide variety of DNA and RNA viruses. We report an 18-year-old woman, who had a perioral edematous patch with exudative crusts after topical application of Viramid® cream (nsung pharmaceutical Co., Korea) for the treatment of herpes labiahs. A patch test showed that the sensitizer was ribavirin, the active ingredient of the antiviral agent, Viramid® cream.
Adolescent ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact* ; DNA ; Female ; Humans ; Patch Tests ; Ribavirin* ; RNA Viruses

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships of critical thinking disposition (CT), nursing work environment (NWE), and clinical decision making ability among nurses. METHODS: A cross-sectional, descriptive study design was conducted on 192 nurses who had worked for more than six months in five general hospitals. A self-reported questionnaire was used to collect data, which included demographics, CT, NWE, and clinical decision making ability. RESULTS: The mean score of CT was 3.5. The highest score was on the objectivity of CT and the lowest on systematicity. The mean score of NWE was 2.3. The highest score was on the collegial nurse-physician relations of NWE and the lowest on the staffing and resource adequacy. The mean score of clinical decision making ability was 3.3. In hierarchical multiple regression, affecting factors on clinical decision making ability were CT and NWE. CONCLUSION: The findings showed that clinical decision making ability is associated with CT and NWE. To improve clinical decision making ability, it is important to improve CT. In addition, it should be considered to improve NWE where the nurses can make a decision with their job through critical thinking.
Clinical Decision-Making* ; Demography ; Hospitals, General ; Nursing* ; Physician-Nurse Relations ; Thinking*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The clinical manifestation of Henoch-Schonlein purpura and existance of renal involvement may influence on its course and prognosis. To verify prevention with early administration of steroid, we studied the efficacy of corticosteroid treatment. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We analysed 65 children under 15 years of age with Henoch-Scho nlein purpura according to their age, sex, and seasonal incidence. Forty children showed typical skin lesions, arthralgia and abdominal pain. We have divided them two groups. Group A consisted of 20 children who received 1 mg/kg of prednisolone/perday for 2 weeks and group B did not. We carried out their physical examination and urinalysis monthly for a year. RESULT: The main clinical manifestations were skin rash(100% ), abdominal symptoms(41.5 %), joint symptoms (49.2%), and renal involvement(34%). As for gastrointestinal symptoms, abdominal pain(66.7% ) was most commonly observed one and others were nausea or vomiting (44.7%) and melena(25.9%). The joint involvement was observed mostly in knee(56.3%) and ankle joint(31.3% ), Hematuria was observed in all cases with renal involvement and proteinuria, in 28% of them. The improvement of renal manifestations were noted in 84.2% of them within 4 months. Mild elevation of IgA was more frequently observed in renal involvement group than non-involved group (p< 0.01). There were no significant differences in immonologic parameters such as IgG, IgM, IgE, duration of the acute phase and severity of cutaneous symptoms between two growps. None of steroid treated growp showed progression of nephropathy. Of the 20 non-steroid treated growp, 2(10%) developed nephropathy. Conclusion We may suggest that existance of renal involvement in Henoch-Schonlein purpura influences its course and prognosis.
Abdominal Pain ; Ankle ; Arthralgia ; Child ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Incidence ; Joints ; Nausea ; Physical Examination ; Prognosis ; Proteinuria ; Purpura* ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch ; Seasons ; Skin ; Urinalysis ; Vomiting

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant* ; Streptococcal Infections*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare metabolic syndrome (MS) risk factor prevalence by obesity and age in middle-aged women. METHOD: Two hundred and fifty-one subjects were recruited from the health promotion center of a tertiary care hospital in an urban city. MS was defined by the third report of the national cholesterol education program (NCEP) expert panel on detection, evaluation, and treatment of high blood cholesterol in adults(Adult Treatment Panel III)(ATPIII), and obesity was determined by body mass index(BMI)> or = 25kg/m2. RESULTS: The mean blood pressure, fasting glucose, total cholesterol, and triglyceride were significantly higher in the obese group than in the non-obese group. The prevalence of MS, hypertension, and impaired fasting glucose were significantly higher in the obese group than in the non-obese group. In the forties, blood pressure was significantly higher in the obese group than in the non-obese group. In the fifties, body fat, systolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, total cholesterol, and triglyceride were significantly higher in the obese group than in the non-obese group. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that the nurse should focus on the obese fifty year old female patients for improvement of the MS risk factors.
Women's Health ; Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Body Fat Distribution ; Body Mass Index ; Cholesterol/blood ; Female ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Metabolic Syndrome X/*epidemiology/etiology ; Middle Aged ; Models, Nursing ; Obesity/*complications/epidemiology/physiopathology ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: Approxinately 30%-70% of patients hospitalized receive intravenous(IV) therapy[l-4], It is generally believed that many hospitalized patients experienced IV therapy related complications-including infiltration(swelling), phlebitis, pain, suppurative phlebitis and bacterernia. These complications may be critical to ill children in the hopsital. This study was done to assess the IV therapy related complications and characteristics od the phlebitis of the hospitalized children. METHODS: We collected date prospectively from December 8, 1994 to December 14 at the tertiary care hospital in Seoul. The subhects of this study were children who got new IV catheters during that period. RESULTS: There were 306 new cases(176 children) that got IV therapy and which meant 63.8 per 100 discharge patients. Male(62.8%), pediatric surgery patients(70.6%) were more than female(37.2%) and pediatrucs(28.4%) respectively. The usually used IV sites were the upper extermities(71.3%). Among various purposes of IV therapy, the most common was to administer drugs(74.2%) including antibiotics, and next was to keep vein open (41.2%). By the way, 172 cases(56.3%) had IV related complications and 14 resulted in phlebitis. The most common IV related complication of hospitalized children was swelling(35.1%). The incidence of IV related complication of hospitalized children was swelling(35.1%). The incidence of IV phlebits was higher in pediaterics than in pediatrid surgery (P<0.05), over 12 years old than under that aged patients (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: This study revealed that many hospitalized children experienced the IV related complications. In order to decrease the IV related complications, reduce the incidence and thorough care is recommanded.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Catheters ; Child* ; Child, Hospitalized ; Humans ; Incidence ; Phlebitis ; Prospective Studies ; Seoul ; Tertiary Healthcare ; Veins