BACKGROUND: The EuroQol-5 Dimension (EQ-5D) is the most frequently used questionnaire in cost-utility studies such as the quality-adjusted life year measure. Nevertheless, little attention has been paid to the relationship between an individual's visual analogue scale (VAS) score and EQ-5D dimensions. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between the EQ-5D and VAS quality of life measures after adjusting for socio-demographic factors in the Korean general population. METHODS: The Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which is a national representative sample, was used to analyze the impact of the EQ-5D dimensions on the VAS. The known-group construct validity of the VAS was assessed by factors that included age, income and comorbidities. The ordinary linear regression models were applied to test for the effect of the EQ-5D dimensions after adjusting for socio-demographic and clinical factors. RESULTS: We found that the VAS showed good construct validity. The VAS significantly declined as age increased, and as education and income levels decreased. VAS scores decreased for all EQ-5D dimensions as the response level rose. The explanatory power of the VAS increased from 23.0% in the first model, which included only the EQ-5D dimensions and levels, to 25.0% in the full model, which included socio-demographic and clinical factors. CONCLUSIONS: While the EQ-5D dimensions were significant factors in determining the VAS, they did not, however, explain a sufficient amount of variance in the VAS. Further research is required on adding more dimensions to the EQ-5D preference-based instrument.
Comorbidity ; Korea ; Linear Models ; Nutrition Surveys ; Quality of Life ; Quality-Adjusted Life Years

The objectives of this study were to investigate the efficacy and dose-effect relationship for glycopyrrolate in the suppression of the oculocardiac reflex, and to compare glycopyrrolate with the reported equivalent dose of atropine. Glycopyrrolate 5 and 7.5ug/kg and atropine 10 and 15ug/kg were studied in 40 paediatric patients to assess more fully the dose of glycopyrrolate required for adequate prevention of the oculocardiac reflex. The results obtained were summarized as follows: 1) The increase in the mean heart rate 5 min after the test drug was statistically significant in all of the four groups. 2) Both drugs showed a dose-related response for reduction in slowing of heart rate after rectus muscle traction. 3) There is great individual variation in response to muscle traction within each group, no group being fully protected from marked slowing in heart rate. 4) The frequency of arrhythmias with low doses of both drugs was more than in high doses with both drugs.
Anesthesia* ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Atropine* ; Child* ; Glycopyrrolate* ; Heart Rate* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Reflex, Oculocardiac ; Traction

No abstract available.
Pulmonary Aspergillosis*

No abstract available.
Glass*

Adenomyoepithelioma is a rare benign tumor which occurs mainly in the skin, salivary gland and very rarely in the breast, in case of malignant adenomyoepithelioma of the breast is a rare lesion characterized by malignant proliferation of epithelial and myoepithelial cells that show characteristic histology and immunohistochemical features. We report two cases of adenomyoepithelioma, one was benign occuring in the outer upper quadrant of the right breast (48-year-old female), and the other was malignant adenomyoepithelioma occuring in the peri-areolar of the left breast (46-years-old female). We confirmed with both H&E stain and immunohistochemistry. We report benign and malignant adenomyoepithelioma of the breast occurred in middle aged women.
Adenomyoepithelioma* ; Breast* ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Middle Aged ; Salivary Glands ; Skin

Intracranial lipomas are rare tumor which are usually found at or near the mid saggital plane, especially in the corpus callosum. 3 cases of intracranial lipomas, diagnosed by CT scanning, are presented. The first case was a lipoma involving the midline of occiput to the bilateral occipital lobes through the skull defect. There was a calcified area in this tumor. The second case presented a generalized convulsive seizure as clinical manifestation, and the lipoma was found to be located in the corpus callosum. In the third case, the lipoma was located near the third ventricle and the tumor was found incidentally after head trauma. The first case was operated and the tumor was completely removed, the others were managed with symptomatic treatment. The literature on this rare tumor is reviewed and discussed.
Corpus Callosum ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Lipoma* ; Occipital Lobe ; Seizures ; Skull ; Third Ventricle ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: The SF-6D, derived from the SF-36, is a preference-based instrument measuring health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Using this tool, we measured the HRQOL of persons disabled by stroke dwelling in Gyeongju city and identified factors affecting the HRQOL. METHODS: As of March 2008, 991 persons who had had a stroke and were aged 50 and over were identified on the Gyeongju city disabled registry. Interviewers specifically trained for this face-to-face survey gathered pertinent information including general and clinical characteristics from June to October 2008. In addition, the health status was measured using the Modified Rankin Scale, the Barthel ADL index, and the SF-36. The SF-6D index was derived from the SF-36. We analyzed the known-group construct validity and convergent validity. Finally, we performed multiple regression analyses to identify factors affecting the HRQOL. RESULTS: Of the 991 potential subjects, 498 persons participated in the interviews (response rate: 50.3%). The SF-6D indices for females and those aged 70 and over were lower than indices for males and those aged 60 and less. Correlation coefficients between the Modified Rankin Scale, the Barthel index, and the SF-6D index were relatively high (-0.533 and 0.555, respectively) and statistically significant (P<0.001). Multiple regression analyses showed that sex, age, smoking, alcohol use, comorbidity, the Modified Rankin Scale, and the Barthel index had an effect on the SF-6D index of persons with stroke, and the Barthel index was the most important factor. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that the SF-6D can be a valid tool for evaluating health states of persons disabled by stroke, and functional limitation was the main factor affecting the HRQOL.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged ; Comorbidity ; Disabled Persons ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Quality of Life ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Stroke ; Value of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: We investigated relationships between generalized joint laxity and primary lumbar disc herniation occurrence and compared clinical outcomes after conservative treatment in lumbar disc herniation patients with and without generalized joint laxity. METHODS: The study group included 128 men, and the control group included 276 men matched for age and body mass index with the study group. The primary outcome measure was the presence or absence of generalized joint laxity using the Beighton scale. Clinical outcomes measured by the visual analog scale and the Oswestry disability index 2 years after conservative treatment were the secondary outcome measure. RESULTS: Generalized joint laxity prevalence was 13.2% in the study group and 5.1% in the control group, a significant difference (P=0.01). Spearman correlation analysis revealed that weight (r=0.162, P=0.03), body mass index (r=0.131, P=0.03), and generalized joint laxity (r=0.372, P<0.01) significantly correlated with lumbar disc herniation occurrence. In multivariate regression analysis, generalized joint laxity was the only significant lumbar disc herniation predictor (P=0.002; 95% confidence interval, 1.08 to 5.26). Generalized joint laxity in lumbar disc herniation patients was associated with worse clinical outcomes after conservative treatment measured by visual analog scale scores for lower extremity pain (P=0.02), lower back pain (P=0.03), and Oswestry disability index scores (P=0.03). CONCLUSION: Generalized joint laxity might be associated with lumbar disc herniation occurrence and might also be a negative predictor of worse clinical outcomes after conservative treatment.
Body Mass Index ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; Joint Instability* ; Low Back Pain ; Lower Extremity ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Male ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Prevalence ; Treatment Outcome* ; Visual Analog Scale

PURPOSE: Obese patients are generally believed to be at increased risk for surgery compared to those who are not obese. It was the purpose of this study to compare the short-term outcomes of a laparoscopic low anterior resection (LAR) in obese and non-obese patients. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 79 patients who had undergone a laparoscopic LAR for rectal cancer between September 2002 and January 2008. The degree of obesity was based on the Body Mass Index (BMI, kg/m2). We divided the 79 patients into two groups: the high BMI (BMI> or =25) and the low BMI (BMI <25) groups. The parameters analyzed included age, gender, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification score, operative time, estimated blood loss, conversion rate, postoperative complications, hospital stay, and oncologic characteristics. Statistics included the t-test and Fisher's exact test. Statistical significance was assessed at the 5% level (P<0.05 being statistically significant). RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the low BMI (n=55) and the high BMI (n=24) groups in age and gender. The high BMI group had significantly more conversion to an open procedure (20.8% vs. 3.6%, P=0.0244). The high BMI group and the low BMI group had no differences in blood loss, complications, hospital stay, and oncologic characteristics, but the high BMI group had a longer operative time (244.2 min vs. 212.0 min, P=0.0035). CONCLUSION: A laparoscopic LAR in obese patients had a higher conversion rate and a longer operative time, but there were no differences in postoperative complications and oncologic characteristics. A further study based on many experiences is needed to clarify the influence of the surgeon's experience on the operative time and the conversion rate, and long-term follow-up is necessary to evaluate the oncologic safety of a laparoscopic LAR in obese patients.
Body Mass Index ; Conversion to Open Surgery ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Obesity ; Operative Time ; Postoperative Complications ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Retrospective Studies