PURPOSE: To retrospectively evaluate the efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) by age and current condition as a first-line treatment for pediatric and adolescent urolithiasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The computerized records of 55 children were retrospectively reviewed from March 1991 to July 2007. The children were below 18 years of age and had undergone ESWL monotherapy for urolithiasis. There were 36 boys (65.5%) and 19 girls (34.5%), with a mean age of 8.5 years (range, 0.5-18 years). There were 24 patients aged 7 years or less and 31 patients aged more than 7 years. RESULTS: The mean size of the stones was 9.48 mm (range, 4-22 mm). The overall success rate of ESWL was 90.9% (50 children). The mean number of ESWL sessions was 2.02 (range, 1-10). The mean number of ESWL sessions for the patient group aged 7 years or less was 1.16 (range, 1-2) and that for the patient group aged more than 7 years was 2.97 (range, 1-10; p=0.037). There was also a statistically significant difference in the mean number of ESWL sessions between the younger and older patients who needed general anesthesia (1.16 vs. 2.2 sessions, respectively; 0.042). CONCLUSIONS: In the patient group aged 7 years or less, the number of ESWL sessions and the complication rate were comparable with those for endoscopic management. Thus, ESWL is an effective first-line treatment modality for patients aged less than 7 years.
Adolescent* ; Anesthesia, General ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Lithotripsy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock* ; Urolithiasis*

PURPOSE: Chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) is treated by use of various protocols. We compared tamsulosin monotherapy with tamsulosin in combination with antibiotics or anti-inflammatory agents and evaluated the efficacy of these treatments in patients with CPPS. METHODS: Patients (n=107) who were younger than 55 years and diagnosed with CPPS were randomly assigned to treatment with tamsulosin at 0.2 mg (group A), tamsulosin at 0.2 mg plus anti-inflammatory drugs (group B) or tamsulosin at 0.2 mg plus antibiotics (group C) daily. We applied the National Institutes of Health-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) and the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) to evaluate 100 patients who were treated for 12 weeks (7 withdrew). Scores of the three groups were compared by analysis of variance and we also evaluated subscores, which included pain, voiding and quality of life (QoL). RESULTS: All three groups showed statistically significant decreases in NIH-CPSI score, IPSS and subscore scores (P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between the groups except for the QoL domain of the IPSS (group A vs. C; P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Tamsulosin monotherapy for 12 weeks was effective for treating patients with CPPS, compared with combination therapy with antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs.
Academies and Institutes ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; Humans ; Pelvic Pain ; Prostate ; Prostatitis ; Quality of Life ; Sulfonamides

Stroke is the most common cause of death as single-diseases in South Korea. And it generates additional medical cost through high incidence of related disabilities and complications, which would become more important with the rapid aging process in Korean society. This study was preformed to identify stroke patients' mortality and its associated factors. Patients diagnosed as stroke (ICD-10 code I60-I63) in 2003 were identified. Their follow-up mortality rate in 5 years and related factors (stroke type, sex, age, type of first admission hospital, comorbidity score) were analyzed using national health insurance claim data and national cause of death statistics. The mortality rate peaked in early days after attack, and decreased subsequently as the survive time gets longer. The mortality rate was higher in hemorrhagic stroke than ischemic stroke, in female than male, with the older age, and with the higher comorbidity score. It is recommended that the early intervention at general hospital or tertiary referral hospital should be promoted to decrease the mortality rate in stroke patients, and related quality assurance programs have to be enforced.
Aging ; Cause of Death ; Comorbidity ; Early Intervention (Education) ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; National Health Programs ; Republic of Korea ; Stroke ; Tertiary Care Centers