Purpose: : This study investigated the occurrence of postoperative ileus and its related factors in patients after spinal surgery.
Methods: : After a retrospective review of data from patients who underwent spinal surgery at a single hospital located in Busan from 2012 through 2016, a total of 253 patients were included. The subjects were divided into non-ileus and ileus groups. We compared patient-, surgery-, and postoperative hematologicalrelated factors.
Results: : A total of 41 (16.2%) out of 253 patients experienced postoperative ileus. Data analysis revealed significant differences between the two groups in mean age (68.44 vs 60.50 years), occupation (9.8 vs 28.8%), cardiovascular comorbidity (63.4 vs 37.7%), approach of surgery (supine/prone: 29.3/70.7 vs 12.7/87.3%), duration of anesthesia (5.86 vs 4.43 hours), narcotic use (75.6 vs 56.6%), postoperative serum hemoglobin level (3 days: 10.81 vs 11.41 g/dL), postoperative serum protein (immediately/3 days: 5.30/5.43 vs 5.62/5.68 g/dL), postoperative albumin level (3 days: 3.17 vs 3.40 g/dL), postoperative C-reactive protein level (3 days: 11.44 vs 8.36 mg/dL), postoperative bed stabilization period (3.32 vs 2.50 days), and onset of bowel movement (2.59 vs 1.94 days). In multivariate logistic regression, age and time of anesthesia were independent risk factors of postoperative ileus.
Conclusion : To detect ileus after spinal surgery early, nurse education is needed with intensive screening on advanced age, surgery-related factors, and postoperative hematological indices.

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the effect of polishing techniques on surface roughness of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), as well as the influence of light-cured surface glaze and subsequent brushing on surface roughness. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 60 PMMA specimens (10x10x5 mm) were made and then divided into 6 groups of 10 each according to the polymerization methods (under pressure or atmosphere) and the surface polishing methods (mechanical or chemical polishing) including 2 control groups. The mechanical polishing was performed with the carbide denture bur, rubber points and then pumice and lathe wheel. The chemical polishing was performed by applying a light-cured surface glaze (Plaquit(R); Dreve-Dentamid GmbH). Accura 2000(R), a non-contact, non-destructive, optical 3-dimensional surface analysis system, was used to measure the surface roughness (Ra) and 3-dimensional images were acquired. The surface roughness was again measured after ultrasonic tooth brushing in order to evaluate the influence of brushing on the surface roughness. The statistical analysis was performed with Mann-Whitney test and t-test using a 95% level of confidence. RESULTS: The chemically polished group showed a statistically lower mean surface roughness in comparison to the mechanically polished group (P = .0045) and the specimens polymerized under the atmospheric pressure presented a more significant difference (P = .0138). After brushing, all of the groups, except the mechanically polished group, presented rougher surfaces and showed no statistically significant differences between groups. CONCLUSION: Although the surface roughness increased after brushing, the chemical polishing technique presented an improved surface condition in comparison to the mechanical polishing technique.
Atmospheric Pressure ; Dentures ; Polymerization ; Polymers ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; Rubber ; Silicates ; Tooth ; Ultrasonics

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the detorque values of screws in a multiple implant-supported superstructure using stone casts made with 2 different impression techniques. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A fully edentulous mandibular master model and a metal framework directly connected to four implants (Branemark System(R); Nobel Biocare AB) with a passive fit to each other were fabricated. Six experimental stone casts (Group 1) were made with 6 non-splinted impressions on a master cast and another 6 experimental casts (Group 2) were made with 6 acrylic resin splinted impressions. The detorque values of screws (TorqTite(R) GoldAdapt Abutment Screw; Nobel Biocare AB) were measured twice after the metal framework was fastened onto each experimental stone cast with 20 Ncm torque. Detorque values were analyzed using the mixed model with the fixed effect of screw and reading and the random effect of model for the repeated measured data at a .05 level of significance. RESULTS: The mean detorque values were 7.9 Ncm (Group 1) and 8.1 Ncm (Group 2), and the mean of minimum detorque values were 6.1 Ncm (Group 1) and 6.5 Ncm (Group 2). No statistically significant differences between 2 groups were found and no statistically significant differences among 4 screws were found for detorque values. No statistically significant differences between 2 groups were also found for minimum detorque values. CONCLUSION: In a multiple external hexagon implant-supported prosthesis, no significant differences between 2 groups were found for detorque values and for minimum detorque values. There seems to be no significant differences in screw joint stability between 2 stone cast groups made with 2 different impression techniques.
Joints ; Prostheses and Implants ; Splints ; Torque

In patients with type 2 diabetes, oxidative stress could be increased by their metabolic changes. Elevated plasma homocysteine is considered as one of markers of enhanced oxidative stress. Due to oxidative stress, some complications like cardiovascular or renal diseases may develop in type 2 diabetes patients. Plasma homocysteine concentration may be increased if folate status were inadequate. Protective effects against oxidative stress may be diminished if the status of anti-oxidative nutrient as vitamin C was poor. It is, therefore, important to maintain adequate status of folate and vitamin C in type 2 diabetes patients. Thus, this study was performed to determine the effects of supplementation of folate and/or ascorbate on blood glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level, serum concentrations of homocysteine and cholesterol, plasma oxidized low density-lipoprotein (LDL), concentration and plasma glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in the patients with type 2 diabetes. A total of 92 type 2 diabetes patients participated voluntarily with written consents. They were divided into one of the four experimental groups; Control (C), Folate-supplemented (F), Ascorbate-supplemented (A), and Folate plus ascorbate-supplemented (FA). The subjects in C were taken placebo, those in F were supplemented 1 mg of folate, those in A received 1,000 mg of ascorbate, and those in FA were given 1 mg of folate plus 1,000 mg of ascorbate daily for 4 weeks. Supplementation of folate or ascorbate resulted to increase serum folate level or plasma ascorbate concentration apparently, respectively. Folate supplementation not ascorbate seemed to decrease plasma concentrations of homocysteine and oxidized LDL and reduce plasma GSH-Px activity. There might not be synergic effect of the supplementation of folate plus ascorbate. The results indicate that oxidative stress in the patients with type 2 diabetes may lower mainly by folate supplementation.
Ascorbic Acid ; Cholesterol ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Folic Acid ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; Hemoglobins ; Homocysteine ; Humans ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; Oxidative Stress ; Plasma

BACKGROUND: In the public cord blood (CB) banks, only safe CB units with adequate cell doses are processed and stored. Complete blood count (CBC) of CB is crucial for estimating total nucleated cells (TNC) and screening suitable CB units without hematologic abnormalities. We analyzed CBC parameters of the donated CB from healthy Korean neonates to establish CBC reference values. METHODS: A total of 2,129 Korean CB units, donated and processed during the period from August 2007 to December 2007, were enrolled. We measured hemoglobin (Hb), white blood cell (WBC) count, differential count of WBC, platelets and nucleated red blood cell (nRBC) count by XE-2100 automated hematology analyzer (Sysmex, Japan), and estimated reference value of each parameter by using parametric (Mean+/-2SD) and/or non-parametric methods (2.5-97.5 percentile). And also, we compared the result of each parameter in relation to sex of neonates and delivery method. RESULTS: Because the differences of CBC values among different subgroups were not remarkable, we established the reference intervals as follows without subgroup division: Hb, 9.0-14.4 g/dL; WBC count, 5.6-18.5x103/microL; differential count of WBC (neutrophils, 40.8-72.4%; lymphocytes, 17.2-46.7%; monocytes, 4.9-12.8%; eosinophils, 0.7-7.0%; basophils, 0.0-1.6%); platelet, 130-287x103/microL; nRBCs, 0.0-13.1/100 WBC. CONCLUSIONS: We established cord blood CBC reference values of healthy Korean neonates using a large-scale CB units. The established CBC reference values from our study will be useful as basic data for CBC interpretation and assessment of transplant suitability of donated CB.
Blood Cell Count/*standards ; Female ; Fetal Blood/*cytology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea ; Male ; Reference Values

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with a systemic inflammatory response that activates coagulation in symptomatic patients. In addition, a rare form of thrombosis has been reported in people who received the COVID-19 vaccine, most of whom were women younger than 50 years of age. Considering that hormonal contraceptive methods widely used by women of childbearing age increase the risk of thrombosis, the development of guidelines for the use of hormonal contraceptives in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic is necessary. In this context, the Korean Society of Contraception and Reproductive Health provides guidelines for issues regarding contraception and reproductive health during the pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: Metabolic disturbances are well-recognized clinical features of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) has been widely used as a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD). CIMT in women with PCOS has been investigated in many studies, but there has been only one report in the Korean population. The aim of the present study was to compare the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis in young untreated Korean women with PCOS and age-matched controls, specifically by measuring their CIMT. METHODS: CIMT was measured by one radiologist in 56 PCOS patients and 56 controls. To compare the CIMT according to PCOS phenotypes, women with PCOS were divided into two subgroups according to the presence of hyperandrogenism. RESULTS: Although PCOS patients were more obese and had higher blood pressure and insulin resistance index than the age-matched controls, the CIMT was not different between the two groups (0.49 +/- 0.09 mm in PCOS patients vs. 0.50 +/- 0.11 mm in controls, respectively, p = 0.562). When the CIMT in the control group was compared with hyperandrogenic and non-hyperandrogenic PCOS groups, also no significant differences were found. CONCLUSION: Despite the significant differences in some vascular risk factors between women with PCOS and controls, PCOS patients did not have a significantly higher CIMT (even in the hyperandrogenic subgroups). Although our study did not show the increased risk of subclinical atherosclerosis in PCOS patients, the role of CIMT continues to be investigated considering the importance of screening and monitoring CVD risk factors in women with PCOS.
Atherosclerosis ; Biomarkers ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness ; Female ; Humans ; Insulin Resistance ; Mass Screening ; Phenotype ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ; Risk Factors

The balance between coagulation and fibrinolysis is an essential part in early pregnancy. Mutations in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene lead to decreased activity of the enzyme and hyperhomocysteinemia, which then induces platelet aggregation by promoting endothelial oxidative damage, possibly resulting in adverse effect on maintenance of pregnancy. We investigated the role of MTHFR single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), C677T and A1298C, in Korean patients with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). We conducted a prospective case-control study in the Korean population. Subjects included 302 women with 2 or more consecutive, unexplained, spontaneous miscarriages before 20 weeks of gestation and 315 control women without a history of recurrent miscarriages. The genotyping for C677T and A1298C polymorphisms was performed using the TaqMan assay. Continuous variables were compared using Student's t-test, and χ² test was used to evaluate differences in the genotype distributions between the RPL and the controls. The genotype distribution of both polymorphisms in the RPL group did not differ from those of the controls. For further analysis, if RPL patients were divided according to the numbers of pregnancy losses (≥ 2 and ≥ 3) neither group was significantly different compared with controls. MTHFR gene C677T and A1298C polymorphisms are not associated with idiopathic RPL in Korean women, suggesting that those may not be susceptible allelic variants or be deficient to cause RPL.
Abortion, Habitual ; Abortion, Spontaneous ; Case-Control Studies* ; Female ; Fibrinolysis ; Genotype ; Humans ; Hyperhomocysteinemia ; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)* ; Platelet Aggregation ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Pregnancy* ; Prospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association of the interleukin-10 (IL-10) gene -592 promoter polymorphism with endometriosis in a Korean population. METHODS: This study comprised 254 women with surgically or histologically diagnosed endometriosis, 236 control women with no evidence of endometriosis by laparoscopy or laparotomy. Following extraction of genomic DNA, genotyping of the IL-10 gene -592 polymorphism was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. RESULTS: The distribution of genotypes and allele frequencies of IL-10 gene -592 polymorphism in the endometriosis group did not differ from those in the control group (A/A: A/C: C/C, 41.3%: 51.2%: 7.5% vs. 44.9%: 50.8%: 4.2%). And when classified by stage, there was also no significant difference in the distribution of IL-10 gene -592 polymorphism between patients with stage I-II (ASRM, 1997) endometriosis or patients with stage III-IV endometriosis and controls. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that IL-10 gene -592 promoter polymorphism is not associated with the risk for endometriosis in the Korean women.
DNA ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Interleukin-10* ; Laparoscopy ; Laparotomy ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length

OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical efficacy of intraovarian artery stromal Doppler ultrasonography and serum glycodelin (placental protein 14, PP14) as prognostic factors of pregnancy in in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) cycles. METHODS: Fifty seven infertile women undergoing IVF-ET were recruited at SNUH from April, 2003 to March, 2004. All IVF-ET patients received controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) using gonadotropins with either GnRH agonist or GnRH antagonist. Doppler ultrasonographic measurements were performed by Sonoace-8800 (Medison) with 5.5 MHz transvaginal probe. Pulsatility Index (PI) of intraovarian stromal artery was evaluated on the first day of ovarian stimulation and the day of hCG administration. Blood sampling for hormonal assay including PP14 was taken at the time of the first day of ovarian stimulation, hCG administration, oocyte retrieval, and embryo transfer (ET). Serum hormonal profiles, PI, and outcomes of COH and IVF-ET were compared between clinically pregnant (n=12) and nonpregnant (n=45) groups. RESULTS: Demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients were comparable in both groups except body mass index (BMI). There was no significant correlation between BMI and serum PP14 levels or PI measured in intraovarian stromal artery. Pregnant group had significantly higher fertilization rate and larger number of cryopreserved embryos. The mean serum levels of estradiol, progesterone, LH and FSH were not different between the two groups. When compared with the nonpregnant group, serum PP14 levels were lower in the pregnant group throughout the treatment cycle, but there was no statistical significance. PI of intraovarian stromal artery on hCG day was significantly lower in the pregnant group (1.2 +/- 0.4 vs. 1.8 +/- 0.8). There was no significant correlation between serum PP14 levels and PI. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that serum PP14 levels cannot be a prognostic factor in IVF-ET. The development of more sensitive assay method is required. PI of intraovarian stromal artery on hCG day can be clinically more useful in predicting the success of IVF-ET.
Arteries* ; Body Mass Index ; Embryo Transfer* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Estradiol ; Female ; Fertilization ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Gonadotropins ; Humans ; Oocyte Retrieval ; Ovulation Induction ; Pregnancy* ; Progesterone ; Ultrasonography, Doppler*