OBJECTIVE: To investigate the frequency, nature and risk factors of musculoskeletal problems in pregnancy. METHOD: We obtained the information through a questionnaire and physical examination of full-term (gestational age over 38 weeks) pregnant women. Prevalence, onset time, severity and risk factors of musculoskeletal problems were analyzed. RESULTS: Among the 70 pregnant women, 37 women (53%) complained of low back pain which was the most common musculoskeletal problem in pregnancy. Other problems were hand symptoms (31%), lower extremity joint pain (31%), leg cramp (29%), chest pain, shoulder pain and neck pain. Previous history of low back pain was significantly correlated with the occurrence of low back pain in pregnancy. Weight gain during pregnancy and amount of time of housework during pregnancy were significantly correlated with carpal tunnel syndrome. Pregnant women suffering from leg cramp were significantly old in age. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of musculoskeletal problems during pregnancy was relatively high and several risk factors were related with occurrence of those problems. So, prophylactic risk factor control would be necessary to reduce musculoskeletal problems during pregnancy.
Arthralgia ; Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ; Chest Pain ; Female ; Hand ; Housekeeping ; Humans ; Leg ; Low Back Pain ; Lower Extremity ; Muscle Cramp ; Neck Pain ; Physical Examination ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Shoulder Pain ; Weight Gain

No abstract available.
Kidney Pelvis*

OBJECTIVE: The hematopoietic cytokine, erythropoietin (EPO) is known to have neuroprotective effects including promotion of neuronal survival and regeneration after ischemic injury. This study was to investigate the effects of EPO on synaptogenesis and neural restoration in the ischemic condition on neuronal differentiated SH-SY5Y cells and on the behaviors in rat animal model induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion. METHODS: We analyzed the neurite outgrowth and the gene expression of differentiated human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells after the hypoxic stress. Moreover, we performed the motor functional behavior test in EPO treatment of Sprague Dawley rats following cerebral ischemia induced by middle cerebral artery's occlusion (MCAO). RESULTS: Treatment of 2 and 10 units EPO for 1 week showed increase of neurite outgrowth SH-SY5Y cells, compared with non-treatment group (p < 0.05). The results of reverse transcriptase-polymerose chain reaction (RT-PCR) also showed that both synaptophysin (SYP) genes and Growth Associated protein 43 (GAP43) genes in EPO treated cells were significant increased compared with non-treated ischemic group, respectively. The foot fault behavior was recovered in MCAO with EPO treatment group than MCAO group, significantly. CONCLUSION: The elongation of neurite and the increased expressions of SYP and GAP43, and recovered behavioral evidence in the EPO treatment are involved in possible role in neural restoration and synaptogenesis in hypoxic injuried brain. In this study, we suggest that EPO treatment will be may supportive medication to stroke patients to improve the functional brain disturbance.
Animals ; Anoxia ; Brain ; Brain Ischemia ; Erythropoietin ; Foot ; GAP-43 Protein ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Ischemia ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Models, Animal ; Neurites ; Neuroblastoma ; Neurons ; Neuroprotective Agents ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Regeneration ; Stroke ; Synaptophysin

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death, and adenocarcinoma is the most common histologic subtype. MicroRNA is a small non-coding RNA that inhibits multiple target gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and is commonly dysregulated in malignant tumors. The purpose of this study was to analyze the expression of microRNA-374a (miR-374a) in lung adenocarcinoma and correlate its expression with various clinicopathological characteristics.METHODS: The expression level of miR-374a was measured in 111 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded lung adenocarcinoma tissues using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays. The correlation between miR-374a expression and clinicopathological parameters, including clinical outcome, was further analyzed.RESULTS: High miR-374 expression was correlated with advanced pT category (chi-square test, p=.004) and pleural invasion (chi-square test, p=.034). Survival analysis revealed that patients with high miR-374a expression had significantly shorter disease-free survival relative to those with low miR-374a expression (log-rank test, p=.032).CONCLUSIONS: miR-374a expression may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker for predicting recurrence in early stage lung adenocarcinoma after curative surgery.
Adenocarcinoma ; Disease-Free Survival ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; Lung ; MicroRNAs ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Recurrence ; RNA, Small Untranslated

OBJECTIVE: We investigated plantar nerve injuries associated with calcaneal fracture and severity of disability. METHOD: From July, 2001 to June, 2002, twelve patients who had calcaneal fractures with persistent foot pain and paresthesia were included in our study. We examined electromyography for medial and lateral plantar nerve, inferior calcaneal nerve, also evaluated types of calcaneal fracture and severity of pain and disability with nerve injury. RESULTS: The intraarticular types were 13 cases, extraarticular type was 1 case and communited types were 2 cases. In the electromyographic findings, the 9 cases were diagnosed asneuropathy. In a cases with neuropathy, 8 persons complained over moderate degree of pain and all persons complained over moderate degree of walking disability. However one of three persons without neuropathy complained over moderate degree of walking disability. So disability tended to be more severe in cases with neuropathy. CONCLUSION: We think that neuropathy associated with calcaneal fracture is a cause of aggravation of pain and walking disability, and electromyography for nerves of foot will be needed in the calcaneal fracture.
Electromyography ; Foot ; Humans ; Paresthesia ; Walking

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the correlation of electrodiagnostic severity, severity of symptom, and clinical severity in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). METHOD: The sixty eight patients with documented CTS in outpatient clinic from January, 2000 to June, 2001 were included (9 male, 59 female, averaged age 50.0+/-8.8 years). We evaluated the severity of symptom, functional status of ADL with the Levine' questionnaire, and clinical severity with 3 kinds of examination (thenar atrophy, sensory change, and Phalen's test). The electrodiagnostic severity was classified according to Stevens' classification and compared with the severity of symptom, functional status, and clinical severity. RESULTS: The electrodiagnostic severity was classified into three degrees. Five patients (7.4%) were classified into mild degree, 32 patients (47.1%) moderate degree, 31 patients (45.6%) severe degree. The average of severity of symptom scores were 28.4+/-8.5, 31.8+/-7.4, and 31.8+/-9.1 respectively, and there was no significant difference (p>0.05) between the groups. Functional status scales were 14.2+/-6.7, 15.6+/-5.4 and 18.9+/-7.0 respectively and no significant difference (p=0.07) but there was a tendency that the severer was electrodiagnostic severity, the more decreased functional status scale. The clinical severity showed a significant correlation with the electrodiagnostic severity (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The electrodiagnostic severity has a significant correlation with the clinical severity, but not with the severity of symptom, the functional status in CTS.
Activities of Daily Living ; Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Atrophy ; Carpal Tunnel Syndrome* ; Classification ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Weights and Measures

BACKGROUND: Anaplastic lymphoma kinase tyrosine kinase inhibitors (ALK-TKIs) are usually effective in lung adenocarcinoma patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement. However, even after a good response to ALK-TKI therapy, most patients acquire resistance to these agents. Histological transformation is one of several suggested mechanisms of acquired resistance to ALK-TKIs. The clinicopathologic features of four patients with ALK-expressing adenocarcinoma and neuroendocrine features were analyzed. METHODS: We selected combined neuroendocrine differentiation in pulmonary adenocarcinoma cases with positive ALK immunostaining. Neuroendocrine differentiation was confirmed by CD56 immunohistochemical stain. Additional ALK fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) study and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation tests were also performed. RESULTS: All four cases were positive for ALK immunohistochemistry and no EGFR mutations were detected. Interestingly, the results of ALK FISH assays showed rearrangement in only two cases. Three cases showed combined adenocarcinoma and neuroendocrine component without history of ALK-TKI administration; one of them was treated with crizotinib and experienced partial tumor regression. The remaining case had an adenocarcinoma at initial biopsy and she showed a partial response to crizotinib, and neuroendocrine changes were visible on second biopsy. Then she was treated with ceritinib and achieved a partial response. CONCLUSION: We suggest that ALK-rearranged adenocarcinoma with combined neuroendocrine component is responsive to ALK-TKIs. Moreover, even after neuroendocrine transformation as a result of resistance to ALK-TKIs, the tumor may have partial response to second generation ALK-TKIs.

Unilateral pulmonary vein atresia (PVA) is a rare congenital cardiovascular anomaly occurring after the common pulmonary vein fails to incorporate into the left atrium. It is most commonly diagnosed in childhood, and diagnosis after reaching adulthood is extremely rare. Dyspnea on exertion and hemoptysis are common clinical features in adult PVA patients, whereas lung parenchymal abnormalities are indirect signs of PVA, which can manifest as interstitial lung disease. Herein, we present the case of a 62-year-old female diagnosed with unilateral PVA presenting as unilateral interstitial lung disease and report the changes in her chest radiographs over 12 years.

Background: Replacement drivers represent a significant portion of platform labor in the Republic of Korea, often facing night shifts and the demands of emotional labor. Research on replacement drivers is limited due to their widespread nature. This study examined the levels of presenteeism and absenteeism among replacement drivers in comparison to those of paid male workers in the Republic of Korea. Methods: This study collected data for replacement drivers and used data from the 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey for paid male workers over the age of 20 years. Propensity score matching was performed to balance the differences between paid workers and replacement drivers. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals for presenteeism and absenteeism by replacement drivers. Stratified analysis was conducted for age groups, educational levels, income levels, and working hours. The analysis was adjusted for variables including age, education, income, working hours, working days per week, and working duration. Results: Among the 1,417 participants, the prevalence of presenteeism and absenteeism among replacement drivers was 53.6% (n = 210) and 51.3% (n = 201), respectively. The association of presenteeism and absenteeism (adjusted OR [95% CI] = 8.42 [6.36−11.16] and 20.80 [95% CI = 14.60−29.62], respectively) with replacement drivers being significant, with a prominent association among the young age group, high educational, and medium income levels. Conclusion The results demonstrated that replacement drivers were more significantly associated with presenteeism and absenteeism than paid workers. Further studies are necessary to establish a strategy to decrease the risk factors among replacement drivers.

PURPOSE: Dual-specificity protein phosphatase 4 (DUSP4), also known as mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase (MKP) 2 is a member of the inducible nuclear MKP group. The role of DUSP4 in cancer development and progression appears to vary with the type of malignancy. The purpose of this study was to investigate DUSP4 expression in a case series of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast. METHODS: We constructed tissue microarrays consisting of 16, 14, 47, and 266 cases of normal breast tissue, usual ductal hyperplasia, ductal carcinoma in situ, and invasive ductal carcinoma, respectively. DUSP4 expression was investigated by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Cytoplasmic DUSP4 expression was observed. DUSP4 was more frequently expressed in malignant than in benign cases (p=0.024). The mean DUSP4 expression score was significantly higher in malignant tumors than in benign lesions (p=0.019). DUSP4 expression was significantly correlated with a larger tumor size (>2 cm, p=0.015). There was no significant correlation between overall survival or disease-free survival and DUSP4 expression in all 266 patients. We evaluated the impact of DUSP4 expression on the survival of 120 patients with T1-stage tumors. Interestingly, Kaplan-Meier survival curves revealed that DUSP4 expression had a significant effect on both overall patient survival (p=0.034, log-rank test) and disease-free survival (p=0.045, log-rank test). In early T-stage breast cancer, DUSP4 expression was associated with a worse prognosis. CONCLUSION: DUSP4 is frequently upregulated in breast malignancy, and may play an important role in cancer development and progression. In addition, it may be a marker of adverse prognosis, especially in patients with early T1-stage cancer.
Breast Neoplasms ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Ductal* ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating ; Cytoplasm ; Disease-Free Survival ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Immunohistochemistry ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Prognosis ; Protein Kinases