BACKGROUND: In the Republic of Korea, there had been no reports about indigenous malaria cases since 1984 until a vivax malaria case was detected in 1993. Thereafter vivax malaria has been a reemerging disease in Korea, the number of cases of malaria increasing recently and the prevalent area being more wider. We suggested that we should take malaria into consideration as the differential diagnosis whenever we meet the febrile patients. We analyzed the cases of malaria who were treated in Myoungji hospital located in Goyang-Si during 4years. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data of 79 confirmed cases of malaria treated in the Myoungji hospital from January 1, 1998 to December 31, 2001. All of the patients had no histories of traveling abroad, drug abuse or blood transfusion. The clinical manifestation, hematologic abnormalities and prognosis of patients were reviewed. RESULTS: Seventy-nine cases of malaria were diagnosed as vivax malaria by blood smears. Vivax malaria was developed in Goyang-Si from May through November. Common symptoms were fever (100%), chilling (84.8%), headache (64.6%) and myalgia (55.7%). Splenomegaly was detected in 77.2% of cases by sonography. In 1998, Tertian fever pattern was most frequent. Since 1999, irregular and atypical fever patterns, such as almost-daily high fever or the every fourth or fifth-day fever, were increased in numbers. Laboratory findings included thrombocytopenia (92.4%), anemia (29.1%), leukopenia (25.3%) and leukocytosys (5.1%). CONCLUSION: ICases of indigenous malaria have been progressively increasing in the Republic of Korea. Therefore early diagnosis, treatment and prevention of malaria are very important. Fortunately, patients were well responsed to treatment.
Anemia ; Blood Transfusion ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Early Diagnosis ; Fever ; Headache ; Humans ; Korea ; Leukopenia ; Malaria* ; Malaria, Vivax ; Myalgia ; Plasmodium vivax ; Prognosis ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies ; Splenomegaly ; Substance-Related Disorders ; Thrombocytopenia

This is a case report of miliary tuberculosis in adult with normal simple chest X-ray finding in early state of FUO. Miliary tuberculosis is fatal, which have nonspecific presenting symptoms. Then, a high index of suspicion and diagnostic persistence, are required for early treatment and cure.
Adult ; Humans ; Thorax* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tuberculosis, Miliary*

BACKGROUND: Korea is a highly prevalent area of isolated anti-HBc with a rate of 15%, but there is neither vaccination nor management guideline agreed. To know the management for Hepatitis B Vaccination for adults with isolated anti-HBc, we investigated immune response to hepatitis B vaccination in adults with isolated anti-HBc. METHODS: The 23 adults with persistent isolated anti-HBc, who visited a health promotion center from Dec. 1998 to Aug. 1999, were vaccinated with Hepavax?-B by the standard schedule (0, 1, 6 month) and anti-HBs titers were measured 1 month after 1st and 3rd vaccinations (1, 7 month). RESULTS: After the 1st vaccination, 18 (78.26%) developed anti-HBs seroconversion. Among them, 4 (17.39%) had titers of 10~49 mIU/ml, 8 (34.78%) 50~99 mIU/ml, and 6 (26.09%) more than 100 mIU/ml. All non-responders after the 1st vaccination remained as such even with 3 doses of complete vaccination. The majority of seroconverted group did not show more anti-HBs response with further vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: Since none of adults with isolated anti-HBc had a primary response, which indicated few false positive results. Therefore they should be excluded on vaccination programs in Korea. To differentiate between immunity and occult infections, a single dose of vaccine with a follow-up anti-HBs test is preferable for adults with isolated anti-HBc. If the test shows a seroconversion it would indicate protective immunity, if not, then occult infection may be suspected.
Adult* ; Appointments and Schedules ; Follow-Up Studies ; Health Promotion ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens* ; Hepatitis B* ; Humans ; Korea ; Vaccination*

BACKGROUND: Many factors are related to smoking cessation. Smoking types may play an important role. Our study is to find out whether smoking types are truly related to smoking cessation rate and smoking cessation trial rate. METHODS: We evaluated via questionnaire 433 male workers at a company who visited health promotion center at a university hospital. 'Why test' was used to analyze smoking types. RESULTS: Out of 433 workers, we excluded 89 workers who had never smoked before, and 29 workers who answered incompletely to the questionnaire. Among 315 workers evaluated, stimulation type was 43 cases, handling type 10 cases, pleasure/relaxation type 26 cases, crutch/tension type 114 cases, craving/addiction type 45 cases, and habit type 6 cases. Smoking cessation success rates were 15.7%, 25.0%, 30.0%, 13.3%, 23.5% and 0.0%, respectively, for each type among smoking cessation trial group. Smoking cessation success rate was 65.6% in a group who did not belong to any specific type. CONCLUSION: ISmoking cessation rates were higher in handling type, pleasure/relaxation types and craving/ addiction type among 6 smoking types. People who did not belong to any specific type showed the highest smoking cessation rate.
Health Promotion ; Humans ; Male ; Smoke* ; Smoking Cessation* ; Smoking* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a major cause of disability, particularly in the elderly. The factors determining disability remain unclear and have not been defined in Korea. The aim of this study was to assess the various aspects of the quality of life, and to define the determinant factors of disability in patients with knee OA. METHODS: The Korean version of AIMS2 (K-AIMS2) and CMCHS (Catholic Medical Center Health Survey) were administered to a cohort of 239 outpatients with symptomatic OA of the knee who attended 7 participating University Hospitals in Seoul, Ilsan and Taejon. The scores of K-AIMS2 12 subscales by demographic variables and body mass index were compared using Student t-test. And the determinant factors of the lower extremity disability were analysed by stepwise multiple regression method. RESULTS: The study subjects (n=239) were 61.6+/-9.1 years old, comprised of 197 (82.4%) females and 42 (17.6%) males, had been sick with knee osteoarthritis for 6.2+/-6.5 years, and had 24.7+/-3.1 kg/m2 BMI. Among K-AIMS2 12 subscales 'Walking and bending' (5.82+/-2.17), 'Arthritis pain' (5.19+/-1.98), 'Social activities' (3.97+/-2.04), and 'Mobility level' (3.61+/-1.74) showed high scores, while subscales related with upper extremities function showed low scores, reflecting the costruct validity of K-AIMS2 in patients with symptomatic knee OA. After adjustment for the presence of sociodemographic variables, we found bodily pain (P<0.001), age (P<0.001), emotional function (P=0.033), and education level (P=0.099) as determinant factors of K-AIMS2 lower limb function. CONCLUSION: IIt is recommendable that the knee OA patients should be treated properly in the emotional aspect as well as the bodily pain aspect. In addition, it is suggested that education level be considered as an important factor when teaching the OA patients about coping with knee disabilities.
Aged ; Body Mass Index ; Cohort Studies ; Daejeon ; Education ; Female ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Knee ; Korea ; Lower Extremity* ; Male ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteoarthritis, Knee* ; Outpatients ; Quality of Life* ; Seoul ; Upper Extremity ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.

Carcinoid tumors are arisen from enterochromaffin cells, which are scattered throughout the body but occur primarily in the submucosa of the intestine and brpnchi. Carcinoid tumors synthesises numerous bioactive amines such as serotonin, and cause the carcinoid syndrome. Rectal carcinoids present as asymptomatic submucosal nodules less than 2cm in size. In contrast to other carcinoid tumors, distant metastasis are rare(less than 15%). Malignant potential is seen almost exclusively in patients with tumors larger than 2cm. Transanal local excision suffices for tumors less than 2cm, with radical surgery reserved only for larger tumors and those with histological evidence of invasion of the muscularis propria. I have experienced two cases of rectal carcinoid tumors less than 2cm, which do not invade the muscular wall of the rectum. These carcinoids were treated with endoscopic polypectomy.
Amines ; Carcinoid Tumor* ; Enterochromaffin Cells ; Humans ; Intestines ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Rectum* ; Serotonin

BACKGROUND: Many women have experienced artificial abortion, but artificial abortion itself may take a life away from a fetus and also influence serious effect on operated womens health condition. So this study was attempted to offer basic information for improving maternity health condition by knowing womens artificial abortion performance status and recognition about its complication. METHODS: The 215 married women who visited in OPD of certain hospital in Pusan from november 1994 to January 1995, answered the question about experience of artifial abortion the recognition about its complication, and artificial abortioned group answered the reason of artificial abortion and the experience of complication. RESULTS: The number of women who experienced artificial abortion was 107 persons(49.8%). More educated women have experienced less artificial abortion. The causes of artificial abortion were birth control as of 40.6%, continuation of occupation or study as of 20.6%, for preserving health condition as of 14.2%, impossible marriage as of 14.2%. 115 persons out of 215 persons (53.4% ) answered they heard about, its complicatons. In relation to health, 66 persons(30.7% ) answered that the abortion had no relation with health condition or they answered they have no idea about the issue, 68 persons(31.6%) answered that the abortion had relation with but its complication would be soon recovered. Higher understanding was obtained in higher educated group(P<0.05). If unwanted pregnancy occur to them in the future, 32 persons(27.8%) in recognized group and 38 persons(38%) in unrecognized group answered they would perform artificial abortion. So understanding about complicaton of artificial abortion has little effect on their artificial abortion rate. CONCLUSIONS: Recognition of complications of married women is low, and recognition degree doesnt affect artificial abortion. So, not only education about complications of artificial abortion and contraception but also social performance of sharing womens responsibility for birth control or bringing up infants is necessary.
Abortion, Induced ; Busan ; Contraception ; Education ; Female ; Fetus ; Humans ; Infant ; Marriage ; Occupations ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Unwanted ; Women's Health

BACKGROUND: It is expected that the demand for the information about the primary medical service in the forthcoming supersede age of communication will be on the increase. For that reason, family doctors who are in charge of the primary medical service have to play an important part in constructing a data-base for furnishing the medical information. This article presents a model which includes the roles of family doctors, constructing medical-related information site of family medicine in the communications net with PC to gat,her fundamental data in operating the system of medical information and elucidating the formation of medical-related information site and the effect of operating that system. METHODS: Since Aug. 20 in 1996, the site of family medicine, the program of medical information, has been set up in Unitel. The medical information of the site of family medicine is to be classified into two parts : for doctors and for the public. The former is composed of medicine documents, several kinds of medical data, a linkage with medicine site in Internet, movements of an academic society and information exchanges for friendship. The latter is mainly made up of some practical medical sense and medical counsel. RESULTS: From the opening the medical information site to Jul. 30 in 1997, 250 persons a day have connected with medical information site and this fact implied 15 hours connection a day in terms of the daily mean. The cases of health counsel averaged 6 cases connection a day and the annual statistics of those cases were about, 1980 cases. The major content of health counsel was related to common symptoms that could be settled in primary medical problem. According to the survey for connectors, most of connectors answered that the medical information through communications net was much more effective t.han that from other media in the educational aspects and very helpful in the prevention of diseases and in the medical expenditure. Above all, the medical information through communications net was very effective in correcting the mistaken practical medical sense. CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary for family doctors to give thought to the connection of both information communication and medicine and to have correct understanding of medical domain in the cyberspace. On the foundation of these necessities, all the family doctors have to make the best of their way to construct a database with rnedical data and to transfer these data into the computer sites.
Friends ; Health Expenditures ; Humans ; Internet

BACKGROUND: If the corrections of the cryptorchid testes are delayed, it may lead the patients to suffer loss of testes or fertility. So we purposed to analyze the present status of correction and the causes of delay and tried to emphasize the needs to educate and inform the ideal age for correction. METHODS: Total 363 cryptorchid patients who visited our hospital in 10 years from January 1987 to December 1996 were divided into 3 groups according to their ages at visit as under 2, 3 to 5 and over 6 years groups. We analyzed the operative findings of the 3 groups, compared the ratio of the over 6 group during the half ten years till 1991 to the same ratio after 1992 and also analyzed the causes of delay in 81 patients for whom the causes of delay could be identified in over 6 years group. RESULTS: The age distributions showed 88 patients(24.2%) of under 2 years group, 118 patients(32.5%) of 3 to 5 years group and 157 patients(43.3%) of over 6 years group. When we compare the former 5 years till 1991 to the latter 5 years after 1992, the number of the patients who underwent orchiopexy under the age of 2 were increased from 34 (19.1%) to 54(29.2%) and those over the age of 6 were decreased from 88(49.4%) to 69 (37.3%) but still in higher proportion. The intraoperative findings showed that the rate of atropic or smaller testes than normal size in over 6 years group(128 testes, 73.1%) were higher than those of under 2 years(10 testes, 9.8%) and 3 to 5 years group(28 testes, 20.2 %). The most common causes of delay in over 6 years group was recommendation by relatives or neighbors(36 patients, 48.1%) and the remainders were advices of doctors other than urologists(27 patients, 33.3%), poor economic status(8 patients, 9.9%) and unawareness of the anomaly(7 patients, 8.6%). CONCLUSIONS: To prevent the loss of testicular function or testis itself in patient with cryptorchidism, the early correction should be performed because the recommended age for the correction tends to be decreased. The public information for the recommended age should be provided and also educational programs for the primary physicians are supposed to be performed.
Age Distribution ; Cryptorchidism ; Fertility ; Humans ; Male ; Orchiopexy ; Testis