To observe the influence of kidney transplantation (KT) on erectile and endocrine function, we evaluated the PBI, penile pulse volume plethysmography, RigiScan and endocrine study before and after KT in 21 patients. We also interviewed with these patients or their sexual partners before KT. at 3 months and 6 months after KT. 7 cases (33%) were improved, 8 cases (38%) were same and 4 cases(19%) were aggravated in sexual desire and erectile function and 2 cases (10% ) had been suffered from erectile dysfunction since 19 months and 6 years prior to KT. The PBI was changed from 0.97 +/- 0.09 to 0.95 +/- 0.16 and it was not a significant difference. The penile plethysmography was not a good screening test in the evaluation of erectile function in KF. But the Rigiscan could detect all of the tested aggravated cases and it was thought to be a good screening test. In the endocrine studies, testosterone and FSH were decreased and LH and prolactin were increased before KT but testosterone and LH were significantly decreased after KT. It was thought to be the influence of KT and immunosuppressive agent (cyclosporin A). In conclusion, sexual desire and erectile function may be improved by the KT and most reliable screening test was Rigiscan. Endocrine function may be affected by the KT and cyclosporin A.
Cyclosporine ; Erectile Dysfunction ; Humans ; Kidney Transplantation* ; Kidney* ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Plethysmography ; Prolactin ; Sexual Partners ; Testosterone ; Transplantation

BACKGROUND: There were many efforts to evaluate the relationship between cholesterol and mortality. But almost all of them have been performed on male western people who have higher mean cholesterol concentration than oriental people and have different disease pattern from women's. So, upto now, the relationship of cholesterol to mortality in women with low cholesterol concentration was not well known. We carried out this study to investigate the relationship in Korea women whose mean cholesterol level was lower than that of western people and men. METHOD: Study subjects included in were 100,363 Korean women aged 30-65 years. They undertook multiphasic health examination provided by Korea Medical Insurance Corporation between March 1990 and July 1990, and had no history of cancer and no significant medical illnesses which could change blood cholesterol level. Study subjects were followed for 5.5 years until December 1995 and it was determined whether each subject was dead or alive using the mortality data from the Korea National Statistical office and the Korea Medical Insurance Corporation. Nonlinear ralationship between serum total cholesterol and mortality was investigated with the use of quadratic regression and with dummy variables using the 158-180mg/dl group as the comparison group. To analyzing the relationship between cholesterol concentra-tion and mortality with controlling for age, smoking, alcohol drinking, exercise, diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, pay level, Cox propor-tional hazard model was used. RESULT: During the follow-up period, there were 369 deaths. Mean cholesterol concentration of study subjects was 182.8mg/dl There was no significant association between serum cholesterol and total mortality, but women with cholesterol concentrations below 130mg/dl showed slightly increased risk of death(RR=1.20). Cholesterol had an inverse relationship with mortality from stroke, and women with cholesterol concentrations below 130mg/dl had higher risk of death from stroke(RR=3.28). Although there was no statistical significance,risk of mortality from hemorrhagic stroke in women with very low cholesterol concentration was markedly higher than in women with cholesterol concentrations above 130mg/dl. Mortality relationship with cholesterol. And women with cholesterol concentrations higher than 203mg/dl had abruply increased risk for death from ischemic heart disease. CONCLUSION: Through this study, we could observe an inverse J shaped relationship between cholesterol concentration and mortality in Korean women. The increased risk of mortality from hemorrhagic stroke in people with very low cholesterol concentration supports the previous report which proposed low cholesterol level as a significant risk factor of hemorrhagic stroke. In spite of the lack of statistical signi-ficance, greately increased risk of mortality from ischemic heart disease in people with cholesterol higher than 203mg/dl suggests that cholesterol concentration at the upper end of distribution can be a significant risk factor of ischemic heart disease in women.
Alcohol Drinking ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Cholesterol* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Insurance ; Korea ; Male ; Mortality* ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Stroke

This paper examines the use of serious games that integrate engaging gameplay with educational and therapeutic benefits with a particular focus on their application in urology. The study reviews both domestic and international cases to evaluate the current practices and implications of these digital therapies. While serious games have been widely utilized in the treatment of pediatric cancer and psychiatric disorders—areas that require long-term care and management—their application in urology, in particular pediatric urology, has been limited. Although digital therapies like serious games are still emerging in the field of urology, they hold promise as effective supplements to traditional treatments while offering new options for managing a range of urological conditions. Pediatric conditions such as bedwetting, urinary incontinence, and dysuria, which often benefit from long-term training and habit formation, are particularly well-suited to this approach. By helping pediatric patients better understand and manage their symptoms, serious games can play a supportive role in the treatment process and have shown positive medical outcomes. This paper reviews the definitions and therapeutic effects of serious games, analyzes their current use in the medical field, and argues for their increased application in treating pediatric urinary conditions.

This paper examines the use of serious games that integrate engaging gameplay with educational and therapeutic benefits with a particular focus on their application in urology. The study reviews both domestic and international cases to evaluate the current practices and implications of these digital therapies. While serious games have been widely utilized in the treatment of pediatric cancer and psychiatric disorders—areas that require long-term care and management—their application in urology, in particular pediatric urology, has been limited. Although digital therapies like serious games are still emerging in the field of urology, they hold promise as effective supplements to traditional treatments while offering new options for managing a range of urological conditions. Pediatric conditions such as bedwetting, urinary incontinence, and dysuria, which often benefit from long-term training and habit formation, are particularly well-suited to this approach. By helping pediatric patients better understand and manage their symptoms, serious games can play a supportive role in the treatment process and have shown positive medical outcomes. This paper reviews the definitions and therapeutic effects of serious games, analyzes their current use in the medical field, and argues for their increased application in treating pediatric urinary conditions.

This paper examines the use of serious games that integrate engaging gameplay with educational and therapeutic benefits with a particular focus on their application in urology. The study reviews both domestic and international cases to evaluate the current practices and implications of these digital therapies. While serious games have been widely utilized in the treatment of pediatric cancer and psychiatric disorders—areas that require long-term care and management—their application in urology, in particular pediatric urology, has been limited. Although digital therapies like serious games are still emerging in the field of urology, they hold promise as effective supplements to traditional treatments while offering new options for managing a range of urological conditions. Pediatric conditions such as bedwetting, urinary incontinence, and dysuria, which often benefit from long-term training and habit formation, are particularly well-suited to this approach. By helping pediatric patients better understand and manage their symptoms, serious games can play a supportive role in the treatment process and have shown positive medical outcomes. This paper reviews the definitions and therapeutic effects of serious games, analyzes their current use in the medical field, and argues for their increased application in treating pediatric urinary conditions.

This paper examines the use of serious games that integrate engaging gameplay with educational and therapeutic benefits with a particular focus on their application in urology. The study reviews both domestic and international cases to evaluate the current practices and implications of these digital therapies. While serious games have been widely utilized in the treatment of pediatric cancer and psychiatric disorders—areas that require long-term care and management—their application in urology, in particular pediatric urology, has been limited. Although digital therapies like serious games are still emerging in the field of urology, they hold promise as effective supplements to traditional treatments while offering new options for managing a range of urological conditions. Pediatric conditions such as bedwetting, urinary incontinence, and dysuria, which often benefit from long-term training and habit formation, are particularly well-suited to this approach. By helping pediatric patients better understand and manage their symptoms, serious games can play a supportive role in the treatment process and have shown positive medical outcomes. This paper reviews the definitions and therapeutic effects of serious games, analyzes their current use in the medical field, and argues for their increased application in treating pediatric urinary conditions.

PURPOSE: The emergency department (ED) has been considered highly stressful environment to work in. However, there has been no study evaluating the stresses endured by emergency staffs in Korea. This study aims to evaluate the cause and effect of stress, and coping methods used by doctors and nurses under stress from working in an emergency department. METHODS: Interns, residents and nurses of an emergency center were given questionnaires that included general health questionnaire (GHQ)-12 scale and modified Holmes & Rahe (HR) scale to examine the cause and effect of stress, and determine the coping methods they used to alleviate stress. A score of greater than 20 in the GHQ-12 scale and greater than 80 in the HR scale were considered as significant for stress. The stress scales were compared among the three groups using analysis of variance and chisquare test. RESULTS: A total of 111 participants consisting of 46 interns, 19 residents, and 46 nurses were surveyed. While the GHQ-12 score showed no difference between groups, the HR score showed significant differences among residents (82.4+/-23.0), nurses (73.6+/-13.2), and interns (70.1+/-17.7). Each stress score did not differ according to the age, gender, marital status, or presence of lover. Most frequently recorede effects of stress were difficulty waking up and fatigue. Most frequent coping methods employed were sleeping and smoking. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that ED staffs, especially residents, were exposed to significant amount of stress.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Emergencies ; Fatigue ; Korea ; Marital Status ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Weights and Measures

BACKGROUND: The pathophysiological events resulting in keloid formation remain unclear. Overabundant levels of VEGF have been reported to contribute to excessive wound healing. There have been many studies describing the relationship between keloids and VEGF expression. However, there have been no reports about VEGF expression related to donor sites. OBJECTIVE: We investigated VEGF expression of cultured normal and keloid fibroblasts obtained from different body areas under normoxic and hypoxic culture conditions. METHODS: Normal fibroblasts from the earlobe (n=2), shoulder (n=2) and chest (n=2) as well as keloid fibroblasts from the earlobe (n=3), shoulder (n=3) and chest (n=3) were collected and cultured. VEGF expression of fibroblasts at 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours and 48 hours for cells maintained under normoxic and hypoxic conditions was measured by the use of RT-PCR. Paraffin-embedded tissues (normal and keloid tissue) were assayed by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: For the cultured normal fibroblasts, VEGF expression for cells in the hypoxic condition was higher as compared to VEGF expression in cells in the normoxic condition, irrespective of the donor site and time. However, for the cultured keloid fibroblasts, VEGF expression for cells in the hypoxic condition was higher as compared to VEGF expression in cells in the normoxic condition for cultured shoulder fibroblasts. For each donor site, VEGF expression was highest in the shoulder, followed by the chest and earlobe for cultured normal fibroblasts, irrespective of time. For the cultured keloid fibroblasts, the highest VEGF expression occurred at 6 hours for cells in the normoxic condition and the highest VEGF expression occurred at 6 hours and 12 hours for cells in the hypoxic condition. Based on immunohistochemical staining, VEGF expression of paraffin-embedded normal tissue was lower as compared to paraffin-embedded keloid tissue. For each donor site in paraffin-embedded keloid tissue, VEGF expression was highest in the shoulder, followed by the chest and earlobe. CONCLUSION: Oxygen tension and the nature of fibroblasts from different donor sites are involved in keloid pathogenesis.
Anoxia ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Keloid ; Oxygen ; Shoulder ; Thorax ; Tissue Donors ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; Wound Healing

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory rheumatic disease. Pathologic changes occurred in patients with AS result in a weakened vertebral column with increased susceptibility to fractures, even though a trivial injury. Fractures usually tends to involve the lower cervical spine, but rarely, they are also occurred in thoracolumbar spine. We present our experiences of three cases of spinal fracture in patients with AS, cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine, with a review of literatures.
Humans ; Rheumatic Diseases ; Spinal Fractures ; Spine ; Spondylitis ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical and laboratory findings of hereditary spherocytosis comparing those of different age groups. METHODS: The clinical and laboratory findings of hereditary spherocytosis from June 1989 to August 1998 at Asan Medical Center were analyzed retrospectively according to two different age groups, Group I (9 patients diagnosed under 10 years of age) and Group II (19 patients diagnosed at or over 10 years of age). RESULTS: 1) Mean age at diagnosis was 2.4+/-1.97 and 28.2+/-18.81 years, and family history was positive in 44% and 47% in Group I and II patients respectively. 2) Splenectomy was carried out in 33% and 79% of Group I and II patients respectively, and accessory spleen was found in 100% and 20% of splenectomized patients respectively. 3) Gallstone was found in 11% and 42% of Group I and II patients respectively, and aplastic crisis developed in 0% and 10% respectively. 4) Post-splenectomy hematological parameters improved as follows: Group I; from hemoglobin at diagnosis of 8.5+/-3.59 g/dL to post-splenectomy level of 12.6+/-0.86 g/dL, hematocrit 24.5+/-10.25% to 38.1+/-4.86%, corrected reticulocyte 9.0+/-4.16% to 1.2+/-0.84%, total bilirubin 3.2+/-1.53 mg/dL to 2.2+/-1.34 mg/dL. Group II ; from hemoglobin at diagnosis of 8.9+/-2.95 g/dL to post-splenectomy level of 12.6+/-1.27 g/dL, hematocrit 24.9+/-7.85% to 37.4+/-2.89%, corrected reticulocyte 4.8+/-2.74% to 2.0+/-1.12%, total bilirubin 5.2+/-5.05 mg/dL to 1.1+/-0.49 mg/dL. CONCLUSION: There were no age related differences in hematologic findings at diagnosis and many of the patients with milder form of the disease could be detected later in adult life. The frequency of gallstone was up to 42% in patients whose diagnosis was delayed after 10 years of age, and aplastic crisis was a rare complication. Splenectomy was an effective treatment leading to normal hemoglobin concentrations in all patients. Accessory spleen was found in 33% of splenectomized patients, which emphasizes the necessity of spleen scan before splenectomy.
Adult ; Bilirubin ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Diagnosis ; Gallstones ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Reticulocytes ; Retrospective Studies ; Spleen ; Splenectomy