PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of the Thera-Band exercise program following total knee arthroplasty. METHODS: The research design for this study was a nonequivalent control group non-synchronized design. Participants were 30 patients for the experimental group and 30 patients for the control group. The experimental group participated in the Thera- Band exercise program in addition to conventional CPM (continuous passive motion) exercise. The control group received conventional CPM exercise only. Outcome measures were pain, knee flexion range of motion, CRP, and psychological parameters (self-efficacy and fear of falling). Data were analyzed using chi2-test, Fisher's exact test, t-test, and repeated measure ANOVA with SPSS/PC version 21.0. RESULTS: There were significant improvement in self-efficacy, and decreases in pain, and fear of falling in the experimental group compared to the control group. However, no significant differences were found between the two groups for CRP and knee flexion ROM. CONCLUSION: The Thera-Band exercise program gave an additional benefit over the conventional CPM exercise for patients following total knee arthroplasty, and is recommended for use as an effective nursing intervention for patients after total knee arthroplasty.
Accidental Falls ; Aged ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; C-Reactive Protein/analysis ; Exercise Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Knee/*physiopathology ; Knee Injuries/*psychology/therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pain/*pathology ; Pain Management ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Self Efficacy ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Intra-articular hyaluronic acid injections for symptomatic treatment of osteoarthritis are widely used but can result in complications, such as infectious arthritis. Staphylococcus lugdunensis is a common normal skin flora but can cause severe infectious disease, such as infective endocarditis. We present the first report of infectious arthritis caused by methicillin-sensitive S. lugdunensis after intra-articular hyaluronic acid injection in an immunocompromised patient in Korea.
Arthritis, Infectious* ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Communicable Diseases ; Diabetes Mellitus* ; Endocarditis ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid* ; Immunocompromised Host ; Korea ; Osteoarthritis ; Skin ; Staphylococcus lugdunensis* ; Staphylococcus*

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is a disease characterized by a granulomatous necrotizing vasculitis of the small vessels, along with the presence of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA), serologically. GPA is a multisystem disease, in which the diagnosis is frequently based on respiratory and renal manifestations, with rare breast invasion. To date, several cases of breast invasion by GPA have been published, and most cases have been positive for ANCA. However, ANCA-negative forms of breast invasion by GPA are extremely rare and have not been reported in Korea thus far. Therefore, we report a case of ANCA-negative GPA in a 70-year-old woman, who was initially presented with a localized palpable mass in the left breast.
Aged ; Antibodies ; Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic ; Breast* ; Cytoplasm* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Vasculitis

Pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a serious medical problem causing considerable morbidity and mortality. Risk factors of thrombosis are surgery, trauma, pregnancy, tumor, oral contraceptive as well as genetic risk factors though genetic risk factors were found in about 5% to 10% of cases. Yasmin, a combined oral contraceptive containing ethinylestradiol 30 microg and drospirenon 3 mg was launched in the United Kingdom in 2002. We had experienced a patient, 24-year-old young woman with left inguinal pain on ambulation, and edema of left leg four months after taking Yasmin. We performed chest pulmonary angiography computed tomography (CT) and lower extremity venogram CT. She was diagnosed to PE in both lower lobes and DVT below the level of left external iliac vein, and treated by low molecular weight heparin and warfarin. We report this case with brief review of literatures.
Androstenes ; Angiography ; Edema ; Ethinyl Estradiol ; Female ; Great Britain ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight ; Humans ; Iliac Vein ; Leg ; Lower Extremity ; Pregnancy ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Risk Factors ; Thorax ; Thrombosis ; Venous Thrombosis ; Walking ; Warfarin

No abstract available.
Cyclosporine ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents* ; Psoriasis* ; Sarcoma, Kaposi*

No abstract available.
Cyclosporine ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents* ; Psoriasis* ; Sarcoma, Kaposi*

Anemia is a common and significant complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, its prevalence and current management status has not been studied thoroughly in Korea. We examined the prevalence of anemia, its association with clinical and laboratory factors, and utilization of iron agents and erythropoiesis stimulating agents using the baseline data from the large-scale CKD cohort in Korea. We defined anemia when hemoglobin level was lower than 13.0 g/dL in males and 12.0 g/dL in females, or received by erythropoiesis stimulating agents. Overall prevalence of anemia was 45.0% among 2,198 non-dialysis CKD patients from stage 1 to 5. Diabetic nephropathy (DN) as a cause, CKD stages, body mass index (BMI), smoking, leukocyte count, serum albumin, iron markers, calcium, and phosphorus concentration were identified as independent risk factors for anemia. Considering the current coverage of Korean National Health Insurance System, only 7.9% among applicable patients were managed by intravenous iron agents, and 42.7% were managed by erythropoiesis stimulating agents.
Anemia* ; Body Mass Index ; Calcium ; Cohort Studies* ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; Female ; Hematinics ; Humans ; Iron ; Korea ; Leukocyte Count ; Male ; National Health Programs ; Phosphorus ; Prevalence* ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic* ; Risk Factors ; Serum Albumin ; Smoke ; Smoking

Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (IHES) is a rare disease that is characterized by otherwise unexplained persistent eosinophilia and organ damage caused by eosinophilic infiltration. Its manifestations are highly variable but clinically apparent arthritis is uncommonly observed. Although Korean cases of severe eosinophilia in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or IHES concurrent with RA have been published, there are no reports of IHES with joint involvement. This paper reports a case of IHES presenting with persistent peripheral eosinophilia, fever, skin rash, multiple lymphadenopathy, and polyarthritis, including the distal interphalangeal joints of the hands.
Arthritis ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Cyclosporine ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils ; Exanthema ; Fever ; Finger Joint ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypereosinophilic Syndrome* ; Joints ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Rare Diseases

Leiomyoma may occur wherever smooth muscle is present. The most common locations are the uterus, alimentary tract, skin and subcutaneous tissue. Leiomyoma of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinus is rare because of the paucity of smooth muscle in the nose. It may have originated from the smooth muscular tissue existing in the middle layer of the blood vessles supplying sinus. We experienced 2 cases of leiomyomas excised by endoscopic removal and external approach, respectively.
Leiomyoma* ; Muscle, Smooth ; Nasal Cavity* ; Nose ; Skin ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Uterus

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic pruritic inflammatory dermatosis. Whether gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) supplementation is beneficial in AD patients remains debatable. Objective: This study investigated whether adjuvant GLA supplementation is associated with clinical improvement in AD patients receiving systemic treatment, as assessed by patient-reported outcome measures. Methods: We enrolled 70 AD patients. Patients who received GLA at a dose of 80∼160 mg/d for over 1 month were included in the GLA group, while others were included in the non-GLA group. Each group was subgrouped into control, immunomodulator, and dupilumab groups based on treatment history. The patients evaluated their symptoms using the Atopic Dermatitis Control Tool (ADCT), Patient Global Assessment of Disease (PGA), and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Results: The Mann-Whitney U-test was used to compare differences in ADCT, PGA, and DLQI between both groups. The ADCT scores were significantly lower in the control and immunomodulatory group supplemented with GLA (control U=13.5, p=0.04; immunomodulatory U=28.0, p=0.01), but not in patients taking dupilumab (U=44.5, p=0.70). The PGA and DLQI scores also tended to be lower in the GLA group than those in the non-GLA group. Conclusion GLA supplementation is a potential adjuvant to systemic therapy may yield additional symptomatic relief in AD patients.