BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for low back pain in order to provide basic information for intervention programs to prevent low back pain in civil airline flight attendants. METHODS: Cross sectional observation was used by using systematic randomized sampling method. Among 1,764 study population, 398 people were selected. For statistical analysis, 210 completed questionnaires were used. Data was analyzed using SPSS 11.0 for t-test, chi square and regression. RESULTS: 1. Positive low back pain rate was 58.7% in the whole study group. In the highest positive group age ranged between 25 to 29 years, and career duration between 37 to 60 months. 2. According to job position, the risk of low back pain was the highest in economy class senior, cabin sales charge, and economy class junior group. On the contrary, cabin manager was the lowest risk group. 3. According to the average score of job stress, low job control and low supervisory support were each associated with higher positive rate of low back pain. 4. Wide degree of bending, more frequent waist movement and heavy lifting showed high positive rate of low back pain. CONCLUSION: Low back pain prevention program should be developed on the basis of the confirmed risk factors. These data will be helpful to provide prevention strategy and to promote intervention program for low back pain in airline flight attendants.
Commerce ; Lifting ; Low Back Pain* ; Risk Factors* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Movement Disorders* ; Prevalence*

The thickness of the glomerular basement membrane may vary not only in glomerular disease, but also in normal persons according to age and sex. But there has been no data on the normal thickness of the basement membrane in Korea. This study was designed to determine the glomerular basement membrane thickness as a reference value according to age and sex, in 50 cases of minimal change disease obtained from patients aged 2~67 years. Measurement of glomerular basement membrane was made on electron micrograph using an image analyzer. The thickness of each case was estimated by the arithmetic and harmonic mean methods. The mean thickness of the glomerular basement membrane was 291.9 47.9 nm by harmonic mean method and 284.2 43.7 nm by arithmetic mean method. And the harmonic mean thickness of the glomerular basement membrane according to age was 249.1 32.5 nm (1~5 years), 256.6 45.3 nm (6~10 years), 279.2 57.9 nm (11~15 years), 303.2 43.8 nm (16~20 years), 335.3 37.5 nm (21~30 years), and 291.1 22.5 nm (over 30 years), respectively. There was a trend that the thickness of glomerular basement membranes increased with the age till 30 years of age. There was no significant sex-related difference. In conclusion, the mean glomerular basement membrane thickness is comparable to the data from western people and shows a trend of increasing thickness according to the age.
Basement Membrane ; Glomerular Basement Membrane* ; Humans ; Kidney ; Korea ; Nephrosis, Lipoid* ; Reference Values

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of hand massage as a nursing intervention on the anxiety of the hysterectomy patients in immediately prior to surgery. The method of this study was Nonequivalent Control Group Non-Synchronized Design. The data were selected from at K university hospital in Pusan, and they consisted of Experimental group-25 patients, Control group -24 patients. The data were collected from Jan. 4 to Jan. 30 in 1999. The subjects' self-reports of anxiety (measured by the Spielberger Trait-State anxiety Inventory and Visual Analogue Scale developed by Cline et al.) were recorded before and immediately after the intervention. The objective physiologic measures of blood pressure and pulse rate. The collected data were analysed by means of frequency, percentage, standard deviation, chi- square test, t-test, ANCOVA with SPSS program. The results of this study were as following; 1. Hypothesis 1: The 1st hypothesis that "There will be significant difference of the state anxiety level just before surgery in the experimental group and control group" was supported(P= .000). 2. Hypothesis 2: The 2nd hypothesis that "There will be significant difference of the visual analogue scale score just before surgery in the experimental group and control group"was supported(P= .000). 3. Hypothesis 3: The 3rd hypothesis that "There will be significant difference of the systolic and diastolic blood pressure level just before surgery in the experimental group and control group"was supported (P= .003, P= .041). 4. Hypothesis 4: The 4th hypothesis that "There will be significant difference of the pulse rate just before surgery in the experimental group and control group"was supported(P= .004). In conclusion, hand massage is a benefical nursing intervention that alleviates the psychological, physiological anxiety of the hysterectomy patients in immediately prior to surgery. therefore it is recomended to use the hand massage as a nursing intervention for patients undergoing anxiety. The results of this study appear promising, additional research is recomended to further the appropriate uses of hand massage in nursing practice for this and other patient population.
Anxiety* ; Blood Pressure ; Busan ; Hand* ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hysterectomy* ; Massage* ; Nursing

Meridian massage is originated from oriental medical manipulation, and it has been mainly applied to as pain and paralysis. The purpose was to develop new method of nursing care for help hemiplegic patients to recover their functions of upper limbs and to reduce depressions. This study was carried out between 8. March, and 8. June. 2000 and the subjects of the study were .60 hemiplegic stroke patients who were participants at a hospitalized in K oriental medical center. The experimental group(30) and the control group(30) were assigned by means of participation order. The experimental group took meridian massage on affected upper limb for 10 minutes daily for 2 weeks. We evaluated muscle power and endurance with band from AVIVA company.: range of motion with goniometer: shoulder pain with visual analogue scale: swelling with Jeweiers ring measurement of Dirette: depression with self-rating depression scale translated into Korean by Yang(1982). Data were analyzed by SPSS PC and the results are described below. The experimental group showed better muscle power and endurance than control group. Range of motiont of affected shoulder improved significantly in experimental group. Also, the experimental group showed less shoulder pain. hand edema. depression than control group. In this study, we observed that meridian massage is an effective nursing care in improving the function of upper limb and managing depression of stroke patients.
Depression* ; Edema ; Hand ; Humans ; Massage* ; Nursing Care ; Paralysis ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Shoulder ; Shoulder Pain ; Stroke ; Upper Extremity*

The congenital renal cystic disease encompasses a complex group of pathologic and clinical entities. We retrospectively reviewed 42 cases of congenital renal cystic lesions classified into four Potter types in a series of 2,063 consecutive autopsies from 1981 to 1996. According to our study based on morphologic, clinical, genetic features and associated anomalies, type I and III are relatively compatible with Potter's original definition. However, it was reasonable that type II and IV are classified to the same group because of: 1) very similar histologic findings representing dysplastic kidney, 2) many associated anomalies, 3) no evidence of inheritance, and 4) presence of a combined type. Syndrome associated cysts, such as Meckel-Gruber syndrome, were also separately classified. If the dysplastic evidence was insufficient for diagnosis to the dysplastic kidney in type II and IV, then these cases would be better classified into a cystic disease associated with congenital hydronephrosis. We propose a classification of the congenital cystic disease of the kidney to be: 1) dysplastic kidney, 2) cystic disease associated with congenital hydronephrosis, 3) polycystic kidney, and 4) syndromic cystic disease.
Autopsy ; Classification* ; Diagnosis ; Hydronephrosis ; Kidney* ; Polycystic Kidney Diseases ; Retrospective Studies ; Wills

Abnormalities in the number and function of platelets may contribute to thromboembolic complications in patients with essential thrombocythemia(ET). Physicians often use hydroxyurea which reduces the platelet count for the initial treatment of ET. A 74-year-old man with ET was presented with headache, dysarthria, and right hemiparesis 10 months after discontinuation of hydroxyurea. Initial platelet count was 450x103/microliter and we gave him heparin. However, his platelet count rised upto 1,019x103/microliter within 4 days. He was on hydroxyurea 1.5 g/day and his symptoms improved with decrease of platelet count. We report a case of left MCA(middle cerebral artery) multifocal infarction in ET after discontinuation of hydroxyurea.
Aged ; Cerebral Infarction* ; Dysarthria ; Headache ; Heparin ; Humans ; Hydroxyurea* ; Infarction ; Paresis ; Platelet Count ; Thrombocythemia, Essential*

PURPOSE: To determine the effect of polyurethane with sustained release dexamethasone in delayed adjustable strabismus surgery in rabbits. METHODS: After recession of the superior rectus muscle(SRM), balanced salt solution or polyurethane film with/without sustained release dexamethasone was applied beneath and over the SRM in the control group(group C), polyurethane-steroid group(group P-S) and polyurethane group(group P), respectively. Delayed adjustment was performed once on each SRM at four and six weeks postoperatively by a masked observer. The possible length to adjust and the necessary force required for the adjustment, as well as the degree of any adhesions, were also evaluated. RESULTS: In the control group, adjustment was impossible in all of the eyes at four and six weeks postoperatively. In group P-S, adjustment was possible in 11 out of 11(11/11) eyes four weeks postoperatively and in 10/11 eyes six weeks postoperatively. In group P, adjustment was possible in 9/11 eyes four weeks postoperatively and in 10/12 eyes six weeks postoperatively. In addition, the degree of adhesion was significantly less in group P and in group P-S compared to the control group. The degree of adhesion between the SRM and the sclera was marginally better(p=0.051) in group P-S four weeks postoperatively than in group P. CONCLUSIONS: Use of polyurethane film could delay adjustment in most of the rabbit eyes for up to six weeks postoperatively. Sustained release dexamethasone is helpful for delaying adjustment in rabbit eyes until six week postoperatively without the need for frequent topical instillation of steroids.
Dexamethasone* ; Masks ; Polyurethanes* ; Rabbits ; Sclera ; Steroids ; Strabismus*

Pulmonary blastoma is a rare type of malignant lung tumor comprised of epithelial and mesenchymal elements reminiscent of fetal lung. Mesenchymal element may show various patterns of differentiation toward mature tissue, such as cartilage, smooth muscle, and bone. Rhabdomyoblastic differentiation in pulmonary blastoma is quite rare. Our case of pulmonary blastoma with rhabdomyoblastic differentiation documented by electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry. Usually it has been treated with surgery, but both chemotherapy and radiotherapy have been used against the metastatic disease, and as the adjuvant setting. A 28/12-year-old girl is described who was presented with pulmonary blastoma. She underwent surgical excision of the tumor, followed by the T2protocol, a 8 cycles of combination chemotherapy consisting of actinomycin-D, adriamycin, vincristine and cyclophosphamide with the radiation therapy to the left chest cage(180cGyx11 times). The patient has been off therapy without any evidence of relapse for 24 months. We report a case of pulmonary blastoma with brief review of related literatures.
Cartilage ; Cyclophosphamide ; Doxorubicin ; Drug Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung ; Microscopy, Electron ; Muscle, Smooth ; Pulmonary Blastoma* ; Radiotherapy ; Recurrence ; Thorax ; Vincristine

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical results and recovery of sports activity in patients who received meniscal allograft transplantation. From December 1999 to May 2009, we selected 36 cases out of 38 cases who received meniscal transplantation using fresh frozen allograft. The mean age was 33.8 years (range: 17-50 years) and the mean follow up was 68.8 months (range: 12-142 months). Clinical results were evaluated with knee assessment scoring system (KASS), Lysholm knee score and International knee Documentation Committee. The information of quadriceps and hamstrings strength recovery was obtained using Tegner activity scale, Tegner activity score and Biodex system II (Biodex, USA), and it was used to evaluate the recovery of sports activity. The average KASS score was increased from 61.7 preoperatively to 83.8 postoperatively. The average Lysholm score was increased from 77.7 preoperatively to 87.7 postoperatively. Also, Tegner activity scale, Tegner activity score and the recovery of quadriceps and hamstrings increased at 1year after surgery. In knee joint position sense, the proprioception increased compared to preoperational count. We propose the meniscal allograft transplantation is one of a proper treatment after subtotal or total meniscectomy, which can significantly relieve pain and improve function of the knee joint.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee ; Knee Joint ; Proprioception ; Sports ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Transplants