A 62-year-old farmer was admitted to our department because of second degree chemical burns of both buttocks ten days following accidental contact with Gramoxone, a weed killer. He was treated with oral antibiotics and cold compresses and discharged after the burned area were reepithelialized. Laboratory findings were within normal limits for three weeks. Although lung fibrosis, hepatic and renal failure can be caused by repeated absorption of paraquat (Gramoxone) through injuried skin, systemic absorption through normal skin has not been reported. During the four month follow up period there were no systemic problems nor recurrence of skin lesions. We report herein a case of chemical burns induced by Gramoxone, which is probably an occupational dermatosis of farmers handling weed killers.
Absorption ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Burns ; Burns, Chemical* ; Buttocks ; Fibrosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lung ; Middle Aged ; Paraquat ; Recurrence ; Renal Insufficiency ; Skin ; Skin Diseases

The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of nutrition education program and pamphlet for the lower grades elementary students focused on individual daily needed food exchange units using Food Exchange System. Program consisted of four lessons (40 min/lesson), "5 major nutrients & function", "6 food group and sources", "daily needed food exchange units for normal body weight", and "smart snack choice and exercise". Pamphlet as activity book was developed for the program. The subjects were 3rd grade elementary students (educated group, 31 vs. non-educated group, 31). Educated group were lessoned as group and/or individual. We examined the differences in nutrition knowledge, dietary attitudes, dietary intakes and satisfaction of the program and pamphlet. In educated group, there were positive improvements on nutrition knowledge score "function and foods of 5 nutrients" and on dietary attitudes "type of breakfast and snacks". In the evaluation of dietary intakes according to KDRI, there were positive improvements on intakes level of riboflavin, vit. C, folate, Ca, P, Fe and Zn in educated group. In satisfaction with the program and pamphlet, contents, font size, visual, figure, difficulty and program curriculum were over 2.90/3.0. It showed that the developed nutrition education program and pamphlet focused on individual daily needed food exchange units using Food Exchange System improved nutrition knowledge, dietary attitudes and nutrients intake level in the lower grades elementary students.
Breakfast ; Curriculum ; Folic Acid ; Humans ; Pamphlets ; Riboflavin ; Snacks

BACKGROUND: Health illiteracy is a problem often unrecognized by health care providers. It influences medical costs and the health status of adults. The purposes of this study were to determine the level of health literacy in community-dwelling adults and to identify the factors influencing it. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Seoul, Gyeonggi and Chungcheong province. A total of 420 adults aged 18 or older were interviewed by trained nursing students between November 1 to December 30, 2011. Health literacy was measured using the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults. Data were analyzed using the PASW 18.0 program. RESULTS: The mean score of health literacy was 50.64+/-19.18. In the multiple linear regression analysis, health literacy was significantly associated with education (beta=0.17, P=0.001), alcohol use (beta=-0.12, P=0.010), and perceived health status (beta=0.11, P=0.029). These factors accounted for about 7% of health literacy. CONCLUSIONS: Health literacy is a very important public health issue. Our findings showed that educational level, alcohol use and perceived health status should be considered when assessing this issue in patients. Furthermore, the development of a standardized Korean assessment tool for health literacy and specified interventions for enhancing health literacy are needed to improve health outcomes.
Adult* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Education ; Gyeonggi-do ; Health Literacy* ; Health Personnel ; Health Status ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Literacy ; Primary Prevention ; Public Health ; Seoul ; Students, Nursing

PURPOSE: We aimed to describe the clinical features of late-onset circulatory collapse (LCC) in preterm infants. METHODS: The records of preterm infants with a gestational age of <33 weeks who were admitted to a single neonatal intensive care unit and survived more than 72 hrs between March 2006 and August 2012 were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Of the total of 659 patients, 44 (6.7%) were diagnosed with LCC. Their mean gestational age was 26.0+/-1.9 weeks and their median birth weight 830 g. The median time of onset of LCC was 16.5 postnatal days. The patients exhibited oliguria that responded to hydrocortisone but not to hydration or catecholamines. Other clinical features of LCC were hypotension (73%), hyponatremia (52%), and hyperkalemia (34%). These abnormalities resolved in sequence: oliguria resolved first, after a median of 2.2 hrs, followed by hypotension after a median of 3.0 hrs, and the serum Na level became normal after 12.9 hrs. The incidence of LCC increased as the gestational age and/or birth weight decreased. A total of 26 patients (59%) developed LCC within 2 weeks after the initiation of levothyroxine therapy. CONCLUSION: LCC in preterm infants was a relatively reversible condition but could be associated with severe morbidity. We therefore recommend the implementation of careful measures for early detection and prompt management of LCC, particularly after stressful events.
Adrenal Insufficiency ; Birth Weight ; Catecholamines ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Hyperkalemia ; Hyponatremia ; Hypotension ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Life Change Events ; Oliguria ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock* ; Thyroxine

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The histology of herpes virus infection of the skin is characterized as an intraepidermal vesicle formed as the result of acantholysis and ballooning degeneration of kerationocytes. Dermal changes is limited to polymorphous inflammatory cells infiltrate, leukocytoclastic vasculitis, and herpetic folliculitis. Involvement of eccrine epithelium is very rare finding. We report two cases of herpes zoster with prominent viral infection of the eccrine sweat glands.
Acantholysis ; Eccrine Glands ; Epithelium ; Folliculitis ; Herpes Zoster ; Skin ; Sweat Glands ; Vasculitis

BACKGROUND: Caudal epidural injections have been commonly performed in patients with low back pain and radiculopathy. Although caudal injection has generally been accepted as a safe procedure, serious complications such as inadvertent intravascular injection and dural puncture can occur. The present prospective study was designed to investigate the influence of the depth of the inserted needle on the success rate of caudal epidural blocks. METHODS: A total of 49 adults scheduled to receive caudal epidural injections were randomly divided into 2 groups: Group 1 to receive the caudal injection through a conventional method, i.e., caudal injection after advancement of the needle 1 cm into the sacral canal (n = 25), and Group 2 to receive the injection through a new method, i.e., injection right after penetrating the sacrococcygeal ligament (n = 24). Ultrasound was used to identify the sacral hiatus and to achieve accurate needle placement according to the allocated groups. Contrast dyed fluoroscopy was obtained to evaluate the epidural spread of injected materials and to monitor the possible complications. RESULTS: The success rates of the caudal injections were 68.0% in Group 1 and 95.8% in Group 2 (P = 0.023). The incidences of intravascular injections were 24.0% in Group 1 and 0% in Group 2 (P = 0.022). No intrathecal injection was found in either of the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The new caudal epidural injection technique tested in this study is a reliable alternative, with a higher success rate and lower risk of accidental intravascular injection than the conventional technique.
Adult ; Anesthesia, Caudal ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; Incidence ; Injections, Epidural ; Injections, Spinal ; Ligaments ; Low Back Pain ; Needles* ; Prospective Studies ; Punctures ; Radiculopathy ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the trends and traits of moral sensitivity and reasoning over six years of medical school. METHODS: The participants in this study consisted of 217 first to sixth-year medical students of Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine in Korea. Essay type questionnaire was used for evaluating moral sensitivity and the Korean-Defining Issues Test (KDIT) was used for evaluating moral reasoning. RESULTS: It was found that the medical students' sensitivity of 'public welfare', 'prospective result' and 'role-taking as a doctor' was significantly higher than that of the pre-medical students'. Moral sensitivity increased in the 3rd and the 4th years but decreased in the 5th and the 6th years. Moral reasoning decreased in the 3rd and the 4th years but increased in the 5th and the 6th years. No correlation was observed between moral sensitivity and reasoning(r=0.033). Developmental trends of moral sensitivity and reasoning showed a significant difference in terms of year of medical school. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that medical school curriculum tends to impct students' moral sensitivity. This school has implemented the problem-based learning curriculum into the 3rd and the 4th years. It is necessary to consider the developmental state of the student's morality when developing an effective medical ethics program.
Curriculum ; Ethics, Medical ; Humans ; Korea ; Morals ; Problem-Based Learning ; Schools, Medical ; Students, Medical* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This study aimed to inquire into the educational implication of peer evaluation in PBL in relation to the evaluation system. METHODS: 89 third and fourth-year medical students in PBL courses participated in this study. Descriptive statistics analysis and correlation analysis were performed. RESULTS: Based on the results of the interviews with all the forth-year students, the feedback method of peer evaluation was modified and the peer evaluation sheet was revised. On the new peer evaluation system, the percentages of indiscriminant scores were significantly lower than those on the previous system. Peer evaluation on the new evaluation system was positively related to tutor evaluation, written examination, and quizzes. Correlations between the peer evaluation scores each units were higher than those of the tutor evaluation scores. All third-year students within the bottom ten percent on the peer evaluation score failed to successfully complete that year. CONCLUSION: The peer evaluation with feedback based on faculty counseling and a user-friendly evaluation sheet can be used as an effective method for assessing student performance in PBL and to screen for maladjusted students.
Counseling ; Humans ; Problem-Based Learning* ; Students, Medical

Central venous catheterization is often necessary to manage critically ill patients in the intensive care unit and some surgical patients in the operating room. However, this procedure can lead to various complications. We experienced a case of subclavian venous catheterization that was complicated by looping, kinking, knotting, and entrapment of the guidewire. We were able to identify the extravascular looping and knotting of the guidewire under fluoroscopy and consequently removed it successfully. We suggest that a guidewire should be confirmed by fluoroscopic imaging if it has become entrapped.
Catheterization ; Catheterization, Central Venous ; Catheters ; Central Venous Catheters ; Critical Illness ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Operating Rooms