Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HIFRS), scrub typhus, murine typhus and leptospirosis have been the principal acute febrile diseases in Korea. To evaluate the seroepidemiologic patterns of acute febrile illness, sera collected from 2,423 patients in 1996 were examined for antibodies against Hantaan virus, Orientia tsutsugamushi, Rickettsia typhi, and Borrelia burgdorferi by indirect immunofluorescent antibody technique (IFA) and macroscopic agglutination test for Leptospira interogans. Seropositive cases against O. tsutsugamushi, Rickettsia typhi, Leptispira interogans and Hantaan virus were 192 (7.9%), 193 (8.0%), 12 (0.5%) and 324 (13.4%), respectively. Male was more affected in HFRS and murine typhus contrasting to scrub typhus and leptospirosis in female. Most positive cases occurred during October and November for scrub typhus, and during November and December for HFRS. These results showed similar patterns with previous epidemical data for recent couple of years, and possibly implied no significant changes occurred in ecologic situations for acute febrile diseases in Korea.
Agglutination Tests ; Antibodies ; Borrelia burgdorferi ; Female ; Hantaan virus ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome ; Humans ; Korea* ; Leptospira ; Leptospirosis ; Male ; Orientia tsutsugamushi ; Rickettsia typhi ; Scrub Typhus ; Typhus, Endemic Flea-Borne

PURPOSE: Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia has benign courses in most cases, but the possibility of toxicity of hyperbilirubinemia required courses examination of every newborn infant to identify the severity of hyperbilirubinemia progress. This study aims to see how the body surface area of newborns influences the decline rate of serum bilirubin level in conventional phototherapy. METHODS: Based on the charts of the Pediatrics Department, Dae-Dong Hospital from January 2003 to December 2006, we analyzed 168 neonates diagnosed as neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (serum bilirubin > or =15 mg/dL) in retrospective way. We excluded newborn infants under 37 weeks of gestation and under 2,500 g birth weight and classified neonates into four groups by the calculation results of body surface area:males above 75 percentile (group A), males below 25 (group B), females above 75 (group C), and females below 25 (group D). RESULTS: Out of 168 samples, the number of group A, B, C, D was 30, 20, 20, 15 respectively. In conventional phototherapy, the mean decline rates of serum bilirubin of group B and D recording 2.09 mg/dL/day and 1.77 mg/dL/day, were significantly faster than those of group A and C recording 1.63 mg/dL/day and 1.41 mg/dL/day (P<0.01). No significant differences were found in different duration of phototherapy between groups below 25 percentile and those above 75 in both genders. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, body surface area influences of infants the decline rate of serum bilirubin level in conventional phototherapy.
Bilirubin* ; Birth Weight ; Body Surface Area* ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia ; Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Pediatrics ; Phototherapy* ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: Exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) is widely prevalent in asthmatic patients. Recently, eosinophilic airway inflammation and atopy (defined as skin sensitivity to common aeroallergens) are considered to be a important factors in the pathogenesis of asthma. Thus we studied to find out the effect of atopy and airway eosinophilic inflammation on exercise- induced bronchospasm. METHODS: We followed up the cases of 132 mild asthmatics for 2 years. On their first visit, skin prick tests, with 29 common allergens including dust mites antigen, and sputum induction were performed. And 3 days later, methacholine challenge was done. 24 hours after methacholine challenge, treadmill test was performed and the positive EIB was defined as a 15% reduction or more in FEV1 from baseline after exercise. RESULTS: EIB was observed in 54 (40.9%) of 132 asthmatic subjects. There was no significant difference in atopy between EIB positive and EIB negative asthmatics. Eosinophil and eosinophil cationic protein in induced sputum were significantly higher in EIB positive asthmatics. We also found the significant correlation between bronchial responsiveness (BR) index and maximal % fall in FEV1. CONCLUSION: The severity of bronchospasm evoked by exercise was more closely related to eosinophilic airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness to methacholine than atopy.
Allergens ; Asthma ; Asthma, Exercise-Induced* ; Bronchial Spasm ; Dust ; Eosinophil Cationic Protein ; Eosinophils* ; Exercise Test ; Humans ; Inflammation* ; Methacholine Chloride ; Mites ; Skin ; Sputum

PURPOSE: Airway eosinophilic inflammation is a characteristic feature of asthma. Sputum analysis can be used as a non-invasive tool to assess severity of the airway inflammation. This study was performed to compare relationships between sputum eosinophils to other parameters of airway inflammation and to evaluate the clinical utility of sputum eosinophils and ECP in childhood asthma. METHODS: A total of 40 asthmatic children over 6 years of age were divided into two groups : Group A of 15 current symptomatic subjects and Group B of 25 stable asymptomatic subjects with history of asthma for 2 weeks. Eosinophils in induced sputum were compared with the severity of asthma symptom, pulmonary function, bronchial hyperresponsiveness by methacholine, sputum ECP, blood eosinophils and serum ECP. RESULTS: 1) Asthmatics had a significantly higher proportion of sputum eosinophils than the control subjects (15.2+/-17.8% VS 3.8+/-4.5%, P<0.01). Group A had a significantly higher proportion of sputum eosinophils than group B (22.9+/-21.7% VS 11.2+/-14.8%, P<0.05). 2) Sputum eosinophils were correlated with symptom scores in asthmatics (r=0.76, P<0.01), inversely correlated with FEV1 in group A (r=-0.65, P<0.01) and with LogPC20 in group B (r=-0.45, P<0.05). 3) Sputum eosinophils were correlated with sputum ECP for group A; r=0.77 (P<0.01) and for group B; r=0.39 (P<0.05) but not correlated with serum ECP. 4) Sputum eosinophils were correlated with blood eosinophils in group A (r=0.67, P<0.05), but not in group B. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the proportion of eosinophils and the level of ECP in induced sputum may be sensitive and accurate means of assessing the airway inflammation in childhood asthma, and their relationships with blood eosinophils or serum ECP are to be studied further.
Asthma* ; Child ; Eosinophil Cationic Protein* ; Eosinophils* ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Methacholine Chloride ; Sputum*

Patients with spinal cord injury are prone to the development of bladder calculi. Although bladder stones can by managed effectively, predictive and preventive measures remain a significant challenge for clinicians. We reviewed the medical records of the bladder stone formation group (81 patients) and the control group (153 patients) in the course of follow-up check after spinal cord injury. We analysed the risk factors of the Bladder stone formation including neurologic level and extent (completeness) of injury. method of bladder drainage management, presence of pyuria, specific organisms infecting the urinary tract, urine pH, residual and 24-hour urine volume, serum and 24-hour urine Ca, P, urio acid levels, renal function (BUN/cr./Ccr), and frequency of bladder irrigation. In Was found that most of the patients developing bladder calculi had neurologically complete lesions, indwelling catheters (suprapubic or urethral), large amount of residual urine, high urine pH, pyuria and bacteriuria.
Bacteriuria ; Catheters, Indwelling ; Drainage ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Medical Records ; Pyuria ; Risk Factors* ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord* ; Urinary Bladder Calculi* ; Urinary Bladder* ; Urinary Tract

No abstract available.
Humans ; Inpatients*

Hyperventilation is a common form of anesthetic management in neurosurgical patients with increased intracranial pressure. Acute hypocapnia through hyperventilation causes an increase in cerebrovascular resistance which decreases the cerebral blood flow within one minute. When the hyperventilation is sustained, the cerebral blood flow gradually rises toward normal. We performed this study for evaluation of the changes of acid-base balance in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) according to duration of acute hyperventilation. We have studied 12 patients for elective surgery for cerebral aneurysm with a relatively clear mental state. The patients underwent induction of anesthesia with thiopental, fentanyl and vecuronium. After intubation, their ventilation was controlled and maintained at a PaCO2 of about 30 mmHg. Samples in arterial and lumbar CSF were obtained at hourly intervals for 6 hours after the onset of hyperventilation. The results were as follows: 1) The PaCO2 was low 30s mmHg and all arterial blood values were not changed throughout the period of observation. 2) The values of CSF were changed; the pH of CSF was increased for 3 hours and then gradually decreased after 4 hours, carbon dioxide tension was a steady state after an initial fall for 2 hours, HCO3-, was decreased from 2 hours and more significantly decreased after 5 hours, and the base excess was more significantly negative after 5 hours of hyperventilation. From the above data, we conclude that prolonged hyperventilation produces first a rise in CSF pH by decreased CSF PCO2 and then gradually a fall in CSF pH by decreasing CSF HCO3-, concentration, and measurable compensated acidosis in CSF was initiated within 5 hours after onset of hyperventilation.
Acid-Base Equilibrium ; Acidosis ; Anesthesia ; Carbon Dioxide ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Fentanyl ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Hyperventilation* ; Hypocapnia ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Intracranial Pressure ; Intubation ; Thiopental ; Vecuronium Bromide ; Ventilation

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the factors influencing glass particle contamination in single dose glass ampules upon opening. METHOD: The study was single case experimental design. Different methods of opening ampule (hand, wooden stick), different sizes of ampules(1cc, 2cc) and different sizes of needles(17gauge, 23gauge, 5micrometer filter) were evaluated. Eighteen ampules were randomly assigned in each group. The number of glass ampule particles > or =10micrometer was counted by microscope. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the number of particles aspirated by opening methods. But number of glass particles was much lower when using 1cc ampules rather than 2cc ampules and was also much lower when using smaller size needles and needles which include a 5micrometer filter rather than larger size of needles. CONCLUSION: We suggest that larger bore or unfiltered needles increase the risk of aspirating more glass particles than smaller bore or filter needles. In addition, these data show that a wooden stick can be used as a method opening glass ampules.
Glass* ; Needles ; Research Design

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the sequential mediating effects of social support and self-efficacy in the relationship between focusing manner and quality of life in patients with chronic pain. Methods: The participants were 192 patients with chronic pain who visited a university hospital in D city from August 25, 2020 to October 27, 2020. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS for Windows version 26.0, and mediating effects were evaluated using the PROCESS macro model 6. Results: Social support(B=0.31; 95% CI=0.15~0.51) and self-efficacy(B=0.18; 95% CI=0.07~0.30) had mediating effects on the relationship between focusing manner and quality of life. Focusing manner did not directly affect quality of life; instead, social support and self-efficacy had sequential mediating effects on the relationship between focusing manner and quality of life(B=0.05; 95% CI=0.02~0.11). Conclusion The findings of this study indicate that social support and self-efficacy are important factors related to quality of life in patients with chronic pain. It is also expected that enhancing social support and self-efficacy can further improve quality of life among chronic pain patients.

No abstract available.
Chorion* ; Chorionic Villi Sampling* ; Chorionic Villi* ; Female ; Pregnancy