PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop a wellness index for workers (WIW) and examine the validity and reliability of the WIW for assessing workers' wellness. METHODS: The developmental process for the instrument included construction of a conceptual framework based on a wellness model, generation of initial items, verification of content validity, preliminary study, extraction of final items, and psychometric testing. Content validity was verified by 4 experts from occupational health nursing and wellness disciplines. The construct validity, convergent validity and discriminant validity were examined with confirmatory factor analysis. The reliability was examined with Cronbach's alpha. The participants were 494 workers from two workplaces. RESULTS: Eighteen items were selected for the final scale, and the results of the confirmatory factor analysis supported a five-factor model of wellness with acceptable model fit, and factors named as physical . emotional . social . intellectual . occupational wellness. The convergent and discriminant validity were also supported. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was .91. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the WIW is a valid and reliable instrument to comprehensively assess workers' wellness, and to provide basic directions for developing workplace wellness program.
Adult ; Female ; *Health Promotion ; Health Status ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Occupational Health Services ; Program Development ; Program Evaluation ; Psychometrics ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Workplace

BACKGROUND: Early escharectomy has been shown to improve survival rates and treatment outcomes in major burn patients. However, its mechanism, especially in human immune systems, has not been fully elucidated. This observational study, focusing on cytokines, was conducted to assess changes in the levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in major burn patients that underwent early tissue excision. METHODS: Seventeen ASA physical status II or III adults major burn patients, admitted to general surgery for burn wound care, were initially recruited. When early escharectomy was scheduled, a series of blood samples was obtained four times at 72 and 24 hours preop and at 24 and 72 hours postop. Changing levels of TNF alpha and IL-10 were measured by quantitative sandwich immnuoassay. RESULTS: Subjects suffered from 70% TBSA burns. Both cytokines demonstrated a significant tendency to increase in the blood during the study period. Although they temporarily decreased 24 hours after surgery, this effect did not last. CONCLUSIONS: Burn injury certainly increases cytokine response. Early escharectomy appears to decrease the pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines only temporarily. It did not seem to have any long term effect in the human immune system in major burn patients, probably due to the complex nature of the injury.
Adult ; Burns* ; Cytokines* ; Humans ; Immune System ; Interleukin-10 ; Observational Study ; Survival Rate ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Wounds and Injuries

Background: Risankizumab, human immunoglobulin G1λ monoclonal antibody, selectively blocks the p19 subunit of interleukin-23-mediated signaling pathway. Risankizumab has emerged as an effective and well-tolerated therapeutic option for moderate-to-severe psoriasis. However, real-world data on treatment outcomes of risankizumab in Korean patients with psoriasis are limited. Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of risankizumab in Korean patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis who were treated with risankizumab in our hospital from July 2020 to December 2022. A total of 45 patients with psoriasis who were treated with risankizumab for at least 16 weeks were included in this study. Patient demographics, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores, Investigator’s Global Assessment scores, and adverse events were assessed. Results: The mean baseline PASI score (13.1±7.7) was significantly decreased after 16 weeks of risankizumab treatment (0.9±1.4) (p＜0.05). Of the 45 patients, 40 showed a PASI 90 response at the last follow-up visit. No serious adverse events were observed. Three patients (6.7%) experienced mild adverse events such as injection site reaction, easy bruising, and headache. Conclusion Our real-world data demonstrated that risankizumab treatment is effective and safe in Korean patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

Cutaneous Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) is a rare, benign condition mainly affecting the lymph nodes and sometimes involving the skin. RDD is notorious for its poor response to medication, and surgery is often the preferred treatment option for limited lesions. Herein, we present a case of cutaneous RDD in a 49-year-old woman with multiple facial nodules that showed minimal response to treatment with steroids, isotretinoin, and methotrexate.The diagnosis of cutaneous RDD was confirmed based on histopathological examination. The patient showed minimal response to medication; however, electrosurgery resulted in a relatively good cosmetic response. The present case demonstrates that electrosurgery can be an effective treatment option for cutaneous RDD, especially in case of patients with multiple lesions. The rarity of this disease and the limited reports on its management highlights the need for further research on the efficacy of different surgical modalities for cutaneous RDD.

Dermatomyositis (DM) is a rare systemic autoimmune disorder characterized by distinct skin rash and muscle weakness. Approximately 15%∼30% DM cases present as a paraneoplastic syndrome often associated with an underlying malignancy. Herein, we report the case of a 60-year-old male recently diagnosed with esophageal cancer and exhibited symptoms of DM. The patient presented with generalized muscle weakness and a characteristic skin rash persisting for 3 months. Muscle weakness initially manifested in the proximal arms and later progressed to the proximal legs. In addition, the patient experienced difficulty in swallowing food. Clinical, laboratory, histological, and imaging assessments confirmed the diagnosis of DM associated with esophageal cancer. Notably, both DM and esophageal cancer can cause dysphagia. Therefore, accurate differentiation of dysphagia resulting from malignancy from that resulting from DM is pivotal in the diagnostic process.

Dermatomyositis (DM) is a rare systemic autoimmune disorder characterized by distinct skin rash and muscle weakness. Approximately 15%∼30% DM cases present as a paraneoplastic syndrome often associated with an underlying malignancy. Herein, we report the case of a 60-year-old male recently diagnosed with esophageal cancer and exhibited symptoms of DM. The patient presented with generalized muscle weakness and a characteristic skin rash persisting for 3 months. Muscle weakness initially manifested in the proximal arms and later progressed to the proximal legs. In addition, the patient experienced difficulty in swallowing food. Clinical, laboratory, histological, and imaging assessments confirmed the diagnosis of DM associated with esophageal cancer. Notably, both DM and esophageal cancer can cause dysphagia. Therefore, accurate differentiation of dysphagia resulting from malignancy from that resulting from DM is pivotal in the diagnostic process.