PURPOSE: In this study the effects of breast massage on breast pain, breast-milk sodium, and newborn suckling in early postpartum mothers were investigated. METHODS: The design was a non-synchronized nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Sixty postpartum mothers who were admitted to a postpartum care center and had problems with breastfeeding were recruited. Of these mothers, 44 were assigned to the intervention group and received two 30-minute breast massages within 10 days of postpartum period. The others were assigned control group and received only routine care. Breast pain was measured using a numeric pain scale and number of times newborns suckled was observed throughout breastfeeding. Breast milk was self-collected to evaluate breast-milk sodium. RESULTS: Mean age of postpartum mothers was 30 years old. Compared to the control group, women in the intervention group reported significant decreases in breast pain (p<.001), increases in number of times newborns suckled after the first and second massage (p<.001), and a decrease in breast-milk sodium after the first massage (p=.034). CONCLUSION: Breast massage may have effects on relieving breast pain, decreasing breast-milk sodium, and improving newborn suckling. Breast massage can be used to solve breast problems. Further research is needed to validate our findings.
Adult ; *Breast Feeding ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Lactation ; Male ; *Massage ; Mastodynia/*therapy ; Milk, Human/*chemistry ; Postpartum Period ; Sodium/*analysis

OBJECTIVE: Promoting mental health and preventing mental health problems are important tasks for international organizations and nations. Such goals entail the establishment of active information networks and effective systems and indicators to assess the mental health of populations. This being said, there is a need in Korea develop ways to measure the state of mental health in Korea. METHODS: This paper reviews the mental health indicator development policies and practices of seven organizations, countries, and regions: WHO, OECD, EU, United States, Australia, UK, and Scotland. Using Delphi method, we conducted two surveys of mental health indicators for experts in the field of mental health. The survey questionnaire included 5 domains: mental health status, mental health factor, mental health system, mental health service, and quality of mental health services. We considered 124 potential mental health indicators out of more than 600 from indicators of international organizations and foreign countries. RESULTS: We obtained the top 30 mental health indicators from the surveys. Among them, 10 indicators belong to the mental health system. The most important five mental health indicators are suicide rate, rate of increase in mental disorder treatment, burden caused by mental disorders, adequacy of identifying problems of mental health projects and deriving solutions, and annual prevalence of mental disorders. CONCLUSION: Our study provides information about the process for indicator development and the use of survey results to measure the mental health status of the Korean population. The aim of mental health indicator development is to improve the mental health system by better grasping the current situation. We suggest these mental health indicators can monitor progress in efforts to implement reform policies, provide community services, and involve users, families and other stakeholders in mental health promotion, prevention, care and rehabilitation.
Australia ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Information Services ; Korea ; Mental Disorders ; Mental Health ; Mental Health Services ; Organothiophosphorus Compounds ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Scotland ; Social Welfare ; Suicide ; United States

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to clarify the role of alcohol use disorders and acute alcohol consumption in suicide attempts by gender. METHODS: Data of 1,152 suicide attempters(487 males and 742 females) who had visited an emergency center was gathered. Suicide attempts were categorized into three groups according to alcohol use: an alcohol use disorder group(AUD), an acute alcohol use group(AAU), and a no-alcohol use group(NAU). The intent and lethality of suicide attempts were evaluated by Suicidal Intents Scale and Risk-Rescue Rating Scale. RESULTS: For Suicidal Intents Scale score, the male AUD group revealed a significantly lower mean score than the male AAU one. However, there were no statistically significant differences for female subjects across subgroups. With regard to the Risk-Rescue Rating Scale score, there were no significant differences for males, while the AUD group showed both the lowest highest rescue scores and lowest risk-rescue scores within female groups. CONCLUSIONS: AUD in females was more likely regarding impulsive suicide attempts with high rescue chances. Consuming alcohol might have different effect on suicide attempts by gender and our study shows that alcohol use is an important risk factor according to gender, particularly with regard to female suicide attempts.
Alcohol Drinking ; Emergencies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Suicide

Percutaneous device closure for secundum atrial septal defects (ASDs) has been performed commonly and safely with high success rates. However, it is still challenging to close ASDs that are surrounded with deficient or hypermobile rims and could be compromised with an unexpected migration of device. We report a case of percutaneous Amplazter Septal Occluder (ASO; St. Jude Medical Inc., St. Paul, Minnesota, USA) device closure for an ASD with a thin and floppy interatrial septum, which immediately migrated into the right atrium and was not pulled back into the delivery sheath. To our knowledge, this is the first report on a successful percutaneous retrieval and redeployment of the device in such a situation, preventing any vascular injury or unplanned emergency open heart surgery.
Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal ; Female ; Fluoroscopy ; Heart Atria/ultrasonography ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial/*therapy ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; *Septal Occluder Device

Rhythm control therapy is the main strategy for restoring and maintaining sinus rhythm in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). Sinus rhythm is better restored and maintained with antiarrhythmic drugs than with placebo treatment. In addition, catheter ablation or combination therapy is more effective than antiarrhythmic drugs for treating NVAF. However, in most clinical trials to date, rhythm control therapy has resulted in neutral clinical outcomes compared with rate control therapy. The decision to undergo rhythm control therapy should be based on age, atrial fibrillation (AF)-related symptoms, type of AF, structural heart disease, and underlying comorbidities. For now, rhythm control therapy is indicated to improve symptoms in patients with NVAF who have refractory symptoms after adequate rate control therapy. The Korean Heart Rhythm Society organized the Korean AF Management Guideline Committee and analyzed all available data, including South Korean patients with NVAF. This review article provides general principles and detailed methodology for rhythm control therapy in South Korean patients with NVAF.
Anti-Arrhythmia Agents ; Atrial Fibrillation* ; Catheter Ablation ; Comorbidity ; Drug Therapy* ; Heart Diseases ; Heart* ; Humans

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to identify the differences of demographic and clinical characteristics between child-adolescents who received medical inpatient care and non-hospitalized adolescents after suicide attempts. METHODS: The study included 35 child-adolescents who were hospitalized (Admission group) and 114 child-adolescents who were not hospitalized (Non-Admission group) as a result of a suicide attempt from 2009 to 2015. We compared sociodemographic, clinical, and suicide attempt-related characteristics through a chi-square test and logistic regression analysis to evaluate the differences between the two groups. RESULTS: Child-adolescents of this study most commonly attempted suicide by poisoning, and for motivation of interpersonal problems. Admission group had significantly fewer attempts through injury by sharp objects (χ²=4.374, p=0.037) and attempted suicide with a higher chance of actually dying when compared to Risk-Rescue Rating Scale (t=1.981, p=0.049). In addition, Admission group had relatively common motivation for academic problems (χ²=12.082, p=0.001) and less motivation for interpersonal difficulties. (χ²=9.869, p=0.002) Psychiatric diagnosis at the time of visiting the emergency department showed higher rates of depression in the admission group than Non-Admission group (χ²=8.649, p=0.003). The results of logistic regression showed that depression affects hospitalization (OR=2.783, 95% CI 1.092–7.089, p=0.032). CONCLUSIONS: This study is meaningful in that it revealed the social and clinical characteristics of all child-adolescents who were hospitalized at a university hospital after attempting suicide. This study identified differences in motivation, methods, and psychiatric diagnosis of hospitalized adolescents and those who were not. Therefore, the results may help adolescent suicide attempters to get a discriminatory approach based on their admission.
Adolescent ; Adolescent, Hospitalized ; Child ; Depression ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Logistic Models ; Mental Disorders ; Motivation ; Poisoning ; Suicide ; Suicide, Attempted

Symptomatic sinus bradycardia in adults with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is rare. Here, we report a case of severe sinus bradycardia requiring temporary cardiac pacing in a SLE patient successfully treated using methylprednisolone pulse therapy.
Adult ; Bradycardia ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Methylprednisolone ; Sick Sinus Syndrome

Symptomatic sinus bradycardia in adults with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is rare. Here, we report a case of severe sinus bradycardia requiring temporary cardiac pacing in a SLE patient successfully treated using methylprednisolone pulse therapy.