The clinical syndrome of venoocclusive disease of the liver is one of several manifestations of regimen-related toxicity that can occur after high-dose cytoreductive therapy. Hepatic dysfunction after bone marrow transplantation may result from a number of causes such as pretransplant chemoradiation, graft-versus host disease, drugs for prophylaxis of graft-versus host disease, venoocclusive disease, various infections, and infiltration of recurrent malignancy. The clinical distinction of these causes may be difficult and the treatment of each cause is also quite different. Therefore the diagnosis of veno-occlusive disease is important. Veno-occlusive disease affects zone 3 of the liver acinus and produces a syndrome of jaundice, painful hepatomegaly, and fluid retention. Veno-occlusive disease occurs in up to 50% of the patients who undergo BMT and is usually associated with a high mortality rate. In Korea, there are a few case reports on venoocclusive disease after BMT which were only confirmed by clinical symptoms. This is a first report of two cases of hepatic veno-occlusive disease after allogenic BMT, which were proven by laparoscopic liver biopsy in our country.
Biopsy* ; Bone Marrow Transplantation* ; Bone Marrow* ; Diagnosis ; Hepatic Veno-Occlusive Disease* ; Hepatomegaly ; Humans ; Jaundice ; Korea ; Leukemia ; Liver* ; Mortality

The clinical syndrome of venoocclusive disease of the liver is one of several manifestations of regimen-related toxicity that can occur after high-dose cytoreductive therapy. Hepatic dysfunction after bone marrow transplantation may result from a number of causes such as pretransplant chemoradiation, graft-versus host disease, drugs for prophylaxis of graft-versus host disease, venoocclusive disease, various infections, and infiltration of recurrent malignancy. The clinical distinction of these causes may be difficult and the treatment of each cause is also quite different. Therefore the diagnosis of veno-occlusive disease is important. Veno-occlusive disease affects zone 3 of the liver acinus and produces a syndrome of jaundice, painful hepatomegaly, and fluid retention. Veno-occlusive disease occurs in up to 50% of the patients who undergo BMT and is usually associated with a high mortality rate. In Korea, there are a few case reports on venoocclusive disease after BMT which were only confirmed by clinical symptoms. This is a first report of two cases of hepatic veno-occlusive disease after allogenic BMT, which were proven by laparoscopic liver biopsy in our country.
Biopsy* ; Bone Marrow Transplantation* ; Bone Marrow* ; Diagnosis ; Hepatic Veno-Occlusive Disease* ; Hepatomegaly ; Humans ; Jaundice ; Korea ; Leukemia ; Liver* ; Mortality

OBJECTIVE: Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) frequently occurs in young women. Consequently, clinicians often give medical treatment to pregnant women who are diagnosed with ITP. This study might help to make a clinical guidelines for obstetrical ITP patients and their infants. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated the medical charts of 19 cases of deliveries and 22 neonates which from mothers with the diagnosis of ITP during pregnancy from March 1998 to March 2007. RESULT: Corticosteroid treatment was administrated in 13 cases, high-dose immunoglobulin therapy in 3 cases, and concentrated platelet transfusion in 17 cases during their antenatal care. Ten (45%) vaginal deliveries and twelve (55%) cesarean sections were performed. There were no obstetrical complications associated with their ITP and only four infants with platelet counts below the 150,000/micronLiter were reported after birth. However there were not any signs and symptoms of neonatal complications resulting from their maternal ITP. CONCLUSION : Our results demonstrate that mothers with ITP can successfully deliver healthy infants in most case. Although maternal and fetal bleeding may occur, such a fatal complication is uncommon.
Blood Platelets ; Cesarean Section ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Immunization, Passive ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Mothers ; Parturition ; Platelet Count ; Platelet Transfusion ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic* ; Retrospective Studies

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the nursing needs and workload of nurses according to nursing dependency for effective placement of nursing staff in the emergency department (ED). Methods: In June 2020, 256 adult patients who visited the ED were classified as two groups, suspected COVID-19 patients and general patients. The participants’electronic medical records were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, x 2 -test, and Fisher's exact test using the SPSS. Results: The patient dependence score showed a significant difference between the two groups, with an average of 13.99±1.85 for the suspected COVID-19 patient group and 10.58±2.10 for the general patient group (t=12.42, p<.001). There were statistically significant differences in communication (t=3.28, p=.001), mobility (t=3.29, p=.001), nutrition, elimination, and personal care (t=7.34, p<.001) among the six domains of nursing dependency. In the domains of environment, safety, health, and social needs, the dependency score was 3 for all suspected COVID-19 patients and 1 for all general patients. Conclusion The results of this study confirmed that infection control activities of emergency patients who need isolation affect the patients’ nursing dependency on nursing care.

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the nursing needs and workload of nurses according to nursing dependency for effective placement of nursing staff in the emergency department (ED). Methods: In June 2020, 256 adult patients who visited the ED were classified as two groups, suspected COVID-19 patients and general patients. The participants’electronic medical records were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, x 2 -test, and Fisher's exact test using the SPSS. Results: The patient dependence score showed a significant difference between the two groups, with an average of 13.99±1.85 for the suspected COVID-19 patient group and 10.58±2.10 for the general patient group (t=12.42, p<.001). There were statistically significant differences in communication (t=3.28, p=.001), mobility (t=3.29, p=.001), nutrition, elimination, and personal care (t=7.34, p<.001) among the six domains of nursing dependency. In the domains of environment, safety, health, and social needs, the dependency score was 3 for all suspected COVID-19 patients and 1 for all general patients. Conclusion The results of this study confirmed that infection control activities of emergency patients who need isolation affect the patients’ nursing dependency on nursing care.

Objectives: To conduct a comparative study of children’s health in South Korea versus North Korea focusing on air pollution. Methods: We used annual mortality rate, prevalence, and environmental indicators data from the World Bank and World Health Organizations (WHO). Trend analysis of the two Koreas was conducted to evaluate changes in health status over time. Spearman’s correlation analysis was used to find out the correlation between environmental indicators and children’s health status. Results: We found a distinct gap in children’s health status between the two Koreas. While North Korea reported a higher death rate of children than South Korea, both showed a decreasing trend with the gap narrowing from 2000 to 2017. The prevalence of overweight and obesity increased and that of thinness decreased in both Koreas. Except PM2.5 exposure, South Korea reported higher figures in most indicators of air pollutant emissions (South Korea, mean (SD)=28.3 (2.0); North Korea, mean (SD)=36.5 (2.8), P-value=0.002). Conclusion This study empirically discovered the gaps and patterns of children’s health between South Korea and North Korea. North Korean children experienced more severe health outcomes than children in South Korea. These findings imply that epigenetic modification caused by environmental stressors affect children’s health in the two Koreas despite similar genetic characteristics. Considering the gaps in children’s health between the two Koreas, more attention and resources need to be directed towards North Korea because the necessary commodities and services to improve children’s health are lacking in North Korea.