Background: F-18 Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (F-18 FDG PET), which can cover the body from the skull base to the thigh in one scan, is beneficial for evaluating distant metastasis. F-18 FDG PET has interested policymakers because of its relatively high cost. This study investigated the effect of the F-18 FDG PET reimbursement criteria amendment on healthcare behavior in breast cancer using an interrupted time series (ITS) analysis. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the inpatient and outpatient data from Korea’s Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2018. ITS analysis was performed for the number of each medical imaging modality and the total medical imaging cost of the breast cancer patients. Results: The annual number of breast cancer patients has been increasing steadily since 2013. The trend of F-18 FDG PET increased before the reimbursement criteria was amended, but intensely decreased immediately thereafter. The chest and abdomen computed tomography scans showed a statistically significant increase immediately after the amendment and kept steadily increasing. A change in the total medical imaging cost for the breast cancer patient claimed every month showed an increasing trend before the amendment (β = 5,475, standard error [SE] = 1,992, P = 0.008) and rapid change immediately after (β = −103,317, SE = 16,152, P < 0.001). However, there was no significant change in the total medical imaging cost at the long-term follow-up (β = −912, SE = 1,981, P = 0.647). Conclusion Restriction of health insurance coverage for cancer may affect healthcare behaviors. To compensate for it, the policymakers must consider this and anticipate the impact following implementation.

PURPOSE: This research was aimed at evaluating the differences in depression by skinfold thickness, and the relationship between two variables. METHODS: Research design was a non-experimental descriptive survey. Using a caliper, we measured skinfold thickness on the triceps, and then on the suprailiac, and the mid-thigh. Depression was evaluated using the Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form (GDS-SF). Data were collected for one month from Sept 1st to 30th, 2011. There were 52 subjects, 25 of which were from elderly welfare centers and 27 were hospitalized. RESULTS: Subjects were an average age of 76.4+/-4.45, and the incidence rate of depression (> or =6) was 36.5% and those who had a sum of 3 skinfolds over 62 mm were 22.7%. The GDS-SF was significantly different in only the suprailiac skinfold thickness (F=7.25, p<.05). CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that depression is different based on suprailiac thickness in older adult women at elderly welfare centers and those who were hospitalized in an medical ward. It suggests that the suprailiac skinfold may be an indicator of abdominal obesity when considering depression in elderly women. Further study is needed to evaluate a cutoff score of skinfold thickness in obesity for older adult women.
Adult* ; Aged ; Depression* ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Obesity ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Research Design ; Skinfold Thickness*

Medial meniscal root tears have been repaired using various methods. Arthroscopic all-inside repair using a suture anchor is one of the popular methods. However, insertion of the suture anchor into the proper position at the posterior root of the medial meniscus is technically difficult. Some methods have been reported to facilitate suture anchor insertion through a high posteromedial portal, a posterior trans-septal portal, or a medial quadriceptal portal. Nevertheless, many surgeons still have difficulty during anchor insertion. We introduce a technical tip for easy suture anchor insertion using a 25° curved guide and a soft suture anchor through a routine posteromedial portal.
Menisci, Tibial ; Surgeons ; Suture Anchors* ; Sutures* ; Tears

PURPOSE: It is widely known that allergic diseases progress through an allergic march. However, there have not been any recent reports in Korea on how the diseases progress. METHODS: Parents who visited one of the Pediatric Allergy Clinics of four university hospitals in Seoul with a child under the age of 6 years during the period from May 1-30, 2006 were asked to complete a questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 229 parents answered the questionnaire about their children, of which 122 were male and 107 were female. The most common allergic disease before 2 years of age was atopic dermatitis (79%). Meanwhile, in 2- to 4-year age group, allergic rhinitis (38%) and asthma (37%) were predominant. The most common allergic disease in the 4- to 6-year age group was asthma (72%), followed by allergic rhinitis (64%). Seventy-three percent of the children had a family history of allergic disease, most often in the fathers (39%). Among patients with allergic rhinitis, 50% had experienced asthma in their earlier days and 30% had experienced atopic dermatitis. In addition, 57% of the children with asthma had suffered from atopic dermatitis. Parents believed that asthma was the most serious allergic disease. CONCLUSION: In the present study, allergic disease showed a tendency to march from atopic dermatitis to asthma and then to allergic rhinitis. Early diagnosis and treatment of atopic dermatitis is, therefore, considered important for prevention of the allergic march.
Asthma ; Child ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Early Diagnosis ; Fathers ; Female ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Korea ; Male ; Parents ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Rhinitis ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial

PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate the frequency and characteristics of minor clinical manifestations of atopic dermatitis (AD) in Korean children to aid the diagnosis and treatment of AD. METHODS: From April 2007 to December 2007, we enrolled 106 children (aged 1 month [infants] to 15 years) diagnosed with AD at the Pediatric Allergy Respiratory Center in Soonchunhyang University Hospital. Clinical manifestations were examined and laboratory findings (total and specific immunoglobulin E [IgE] levels and peripheral blood eosinophil count) were analyzed and compared. RESULTS: Minor symptoms, in order of frequency, included xerosis (78.3%), aggravation due to environmental or emotional stress (43.4%), lichenification (35.8%), orbital darkening (34.0%), periauricular eczema (33.0%), and cutaneous infection (31.1%). Older children (> or =2 years) showed more orbital darkening (P=0.01), horizontal crease (P=0.01), and lichenification (P=0.001) than infants. Patients with severe AD (scoring atopic dermatitis [SCORAD] score, > or =40) showed higher frequencies of xerosis (P=0.04), cutaneous infection (P=0.03), ichthyosis (P=0.18), keratosis pilaris (P=0.02), pityriasis alba (P=0.07), recurrent conjunctivitis (P=0.02), orbital darkening (P=0.001), aggravation due to environmental or emotional stress (P=0.05), facial eczema (P=0.001), lichenification (P=0.001), and hand/foot eczema (P=0.04) than those with mild-to-moderate AD. Children with atopic eczema showed more facial eczema (P=0.01) and lichenification (P=0.04) than those with non-atopic eczema. CONCLUSION: The clinical manifestations of AD were similar to those established by Hanifin and Rajka. However, we need to develop our own diagnostic criteria for AD, because the frequencies shown by our subjects differed from those observed in other countries.
Abnormalities, Multiple ; Child ; Conjunctivitis ; Darier Disease ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Eczema ; Eosinophils ; Eyebrows ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Ichthyosis ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulins ; Infant ; Keratosis ; Orbit ; Pityriasis ; Respiratory Center ; Stress, Psychological

We report a case of vegetation in a 4-year-old female with infective endocarditis, diagnosed by late gadolinium-enhanced (LGE) cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. The patient had a history of primary closure for ventricular septal defect and presented with mild febrile sensation. No remarkable clinical symptoms or laboratory findings were noted; however, transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated a 14 mm highly mobile homogeneous mass in the right ventricle. On LGE CMR imaging, the mass showed marginal rim enhancement, which suggested the diagnosis of vegetation rather than thrombus. The extracellular volume fraction (≥ 42%) of the lesion was higher than that of normal myocardium. Based on the patient's clinical history of congenital heart disease and pathologic confirmation of the lesion, a diagnosis of infective endocarditis with vegetation was made.
Child, Preschool ; Diagnosis* ; Echocardiography ; Endocarditis ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular* ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Myocardium ; Sensation ; Thrombosis

Treacher Collins syndrome (TCS) is the most common and well known mandibulofacial dysostosis with characteristic clinical features including downward slanting of palpebral fissures, coloboma of the lower eyelid, hypoplastic zygomatic arches, micrognathia, macrostomia, microtia, and other deformities of the ears. TCS is caused by mutations in at least 3 genes involved in pre-rRNA transcription: TCOF1, POLR1D and POLR1C. We experienced a 1-day-old female infant with characteristic clinical features of TCS. A novel, heterozygotic mutation within the TCOF1 gene (c.3874_3875insG, p.Ala1292Glyfs*30) was identified to cause a premature stop codon.
Codon, Nonsense ; Coloboma ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Ear ; Exons* ; Eyelids ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn* ; Macrostomia ; Mandibulofacial Dysostosis* ; RNA Precursors ; Zygoma

AIMTo evaluate the effects of metabolic profiles on lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in men with erectile dysfunction (ED).

METHODSA total of 75 impotent men aged 25-75 years old (mean 58.1 years) were included in the study on a prospective basis. Patients were evaluated with a complete history, physical examination, anthropometry and metabolic profiles. LUTS were assessed using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS).

RESULTSOverall, there was no correlation between the IPSS and continuous parameters. However, when continuous variables were categorized, some parameters were significantly associated with LUTS. Patients with triglyceride level of 150 mg/dL or higher had more severe symptoms than those with triglyceride levels less than 150 mg/dL (19.4 +/- 2.4 vs. 14.3 +/- 1.1, P = 0.033). When 40 mg/dL was chosen as the high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol cut-off level, the IPSS was significantly different between the two groups divided by 40 mg/dL (19.4 +/- 2.6 for HDL-cholesterol < 40 mg/dL vs. 14.4 +/- 1.0 for HDL-cholesterol = or > 40 mg/dL, P = 0.042). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROCC) of triglyceride was 65.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 52.6%-82.3%; P = 0.034) for severe LUTS. However, the AUROCC for 'HDL-cholesterol' was not significant (area, 65.4%; 95% CI, 48.2%-82.7%; P = 0.062). No other factors were determined to be significant in this regard.

CONCLUSIONThe results of the present study indicate that some metabolic profiles might influence LUTS in men with ED.

Adult ; Aged ; Aging ; Body Mass Index ; Erectile Dysfunction ; etiology ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Metabolic Syndrome ; etiology ; Middle Aged ; Prostate ; pathology ; Risk Factors ; Triglycerides ; blood ; Urologic Diseases ; etiology ; pathology ; physiopathology

BACKGROUND: Medication adherence is important for hypertension management but still stay low level. It is reasonable method to classify medication nonadherence into intentional nonadherence and unintentional nonadherence and manage it according to this categories. This study aimed to explore medication adherence and its predictors in community patients with hypertension, especially dividing into intentional nonadherence and unintentional nonadherence. METHODS: Study subjects included 1,988 patients who were prescribed hypertension drugs among 2012 community health survey subjects of 10 cities in Gyeongsangnamdo and we analyzed medication adherence with hypertension and its predictors. We conducted chi-square test for nominal variable and ANOVA test for continuous variable and use multinominal regression to analyze independent predictors of intentional nonadherence and unintentional nonadherence in contrast to medication adherence. RESULTS: Of the 1,988 patients, 49.7% were adherent, 26.1% were unintentionally nonadherent and 24.2% intentionally nonadherent. Independent predictors of unintentional nonadherence were depressive symptoms (odds ratio [OR]=1.696, P=0.047) and arthritis (OR=1.319, P=0.030) and independent predictors of intentional nonadherence were cardiocerebrovascular disease (OR=1.464, P=0.044), self-efficacy (OR=0.984, P=0.007), beliefs about medications questionnaire (necessity [OR=0.834, P<0.001] and concern [OR=1.236, P<0.001]). CONCLUSIONS: In order to manage hypertension in community, improvement in medication adherence is needed. Depressive symptom and self-efficacy need to be managed, but especially patients'beliefs about their medication need to be considered to improve intentional nonadherence.
Aged* ; Arthritis ; Depression ; Gyeongsangnam-do ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Intention ; Medication Adherence*

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed whether both physical disability and perceived dependence relate to depression or whether perceived dependence in personal care activities, household activities, community mobility and recreational activities is an intermediate step in the relationship between physical disability and depressive symptoms. METHODS: Data come from a cross-sectional survey of 209 women, aged 55 or older, with osteoarthritis (OA). Mediation analyses occurred in four step and included logistic regression analyses as outlined by Baron & Kenny. RESULTS: The results from step 1 showed that greater difficulty with each domain of physical disabilities was significantly related to greater perceived dependence. In step 2, greater perceived dependence was significantly associated with greater depressive symptoms in all domains. Step 3 analyses showed that greater physical disabilities in each domain were significantly associated with depression. The final step testing mediation indicated that personal care activities, household activities and community mobility were fully mediated by perceived dependence. That was, once dependence was taken into account, the relationship between physical disabilities and depression was no longer significant. Partial mediation was found for dependence and recreational activity limitations. CONCLUSION: It is important to take into account the experience of perceived dependence as a mediator in understanding the relationship between disability and depression in the domains of personal care, household, and community mobility. To conclude, these findings point to the importance of taking into account an individual's reaction to their disability rather than just focusing on the severity of disability.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Depression* ; Exercise Test ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Negotiating ; Osteoarthritis*