BACKGROUND: Colistin (polymyxin E) is active against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (MDR-GNB). However, the effectiveness of inhaled colistin is unclear. This study was designed to assess the effectiveness and safety of aerosolized colistin for the treatment of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) caused by MDR-GNB. METHODS: In this retrospective longitudinal study, we evaluated the medical records of 63 patients who received aerosolized colistin treatment for VAP caused by MDR-GNB in the medical intensive care unit (MICU) from February 2012 to March 2014. RESULTS: A total of 25 patients with VAP caused by MDR-GNB were included in this study. The negative conversion rate was 84.6% after treatment, and acute kidney injury (AKI) occurred in 11 patients (44%, AKI group). The average length of MICU stay and colistin treatment- related factors, such as daily and total cumulative doses and administration period, were not significantly different between groups. In-hospital mortality tended to be higher in the AKI group (p = 0.07). Multivariate analysis showed that a body mass index less than 18 was an independent risk factor of mortality (odds ratio [OR] = 21.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.59-302.23; p = 0.02). Notably, AKI occurrence was closely related to the administration of more than two nephrotoxic drugs combined with aerosolized colistin (OR = 15.03, 95% CI 1.40-161.76; p = 0.025) and septic shock (OR = 8.10, 95% CI 1.40-161.76; p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The use of adjunctive aerosolized colistin treatment appears to be a relatively safe and effective option for the treatment of VAP caused by MDR-GNB. However, more research on the concomitant use of nephrotoxic drugs with aerosolized colistin will be necessary, as this can be an important risk factor of development of AKI.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Body Mass Index ; Colistin* ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Longitudinal Studies ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Multivariate Analysis ; Pneumonia* ; Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Shock, Septic ; Treatment Outcome*

BACKGROUND: Portable devices for measuring peak expiratory flow(PEF) are now of proved value in the diagnosis and management of asthma and many lightweight PEF meters have become available. However, it is necessary to determine whether peak expiratory flow rate(PEFR) measurements measured with peak flowmeters is accurate and reproducible for clinical application. The aim of the present study is to define accuracy, agreement, and precision of mini-Wright peak flow meter(MPFM) against standard pneumotachygraph. METHODS: The lung function tests by standard pneumotachygraph and PEFR measurement by MPFM were performed in a random order for 2 hours in 22 normal and 17 asthmatic subjects and also were performed for 3 successive days in 22 normals. RESULTS: The PEFR measured with MPFM was significantly related to the PEFR and FEV1 measured with standard pneumotachygraph in normal and asthmatics(for PEFR, r=0.92 p<0.001; for FEV1, r=0.78 ; p<0.001). The accuracy of MPFM was within 10%(limits of accuracy recommeded by NAEP) in all the subjects or 22 normal, mean difference from standard pneumotachygraph being I 6.5L/min(percentage of difference being 2.90%) or 1 0.6L/min(percentage of difference being 1.75%), respectively. According to the method proposed by Bland and Altman, the 95% limits of the distribution of differences between MPFM and standard pneumotachygraph after correction of PEFR using our regression equation were +38.2 and -71.5L/min in all the subjects or -20.49~ + 9.49L/min in 22 normal and was similar to the intraindividual agreements for 3 successive days in normal. There was no statistically significant difference of PEFR measured with MPFM and standard pneumotachygraph among three days(p>0.05) and the coefficient of variation(2.4 1.2%) of PEFR measured with MPFM was significantly lower than that( 5.2 3.5%) with standard pneurnotachygraph in normal (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: This results suggest that the MPFM was as accurate and reproducible as standard pneumotachygraph for monitoring of PEFR in the asthmatic subjects.
Asthma ; Diagnosis ; Flowmeters ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate ; Respiratory Function Tests

PURPOSE: This study was done to identify the relationship between nurses' compliance with safety guidelines for the use of antineoplastic agents, observable symptoms, and stress from occupational exposure. METHODS: The participants were 172 nurses from six general hospitals in a metropolitan area. They had administered antineoplastic agents at least three months prior to the study. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires, and then analyzed using SPSS/WIN 23.0 for descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Scheffé method, and Pearson correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The average score on the guideline for safety compliance was 87.75 points out of a total of 100. The average score for observable symptoms of exposure to antineoplastic agents was 30.12 (28~56) points, and that for mean stress was 33.52 (15~60) points. Observable symptoms and stress from occupational exposure showed a statistically significant positive correlation (r=0.34, p < .001). CONCLUSION: To increase the degree of compliance with safety guidelines for antineoplastic agents, hospitals should lower the chance of exposure to antineoplastic agents, as well as minimize the observable symptoms and stress from occupational exposure. Periodic education and policy support are needed to improve compliance with safety guidelines for antineoplastic agent use.
Antineoplastic Agents* ; Compliance* ; Education ; Hospitals, General ; Methods ; Occupational Exposure*

No abstract available.
Myelodysplastic Syndromes*

Objective: The aim of the study was to develop a checklist for mental health clinicians to predict and manage suicidality. Methods: A literature review of the risk and protective factors for suicide was conducted to develop a checklist for evaluating suicidality. Results: The fixed risk factors included sex (male), age (older individuals), history of childhood adversity, and a family history of suicide. Changeable risk factors included marital status (single), economic status (poverty), physical illness, history of psychiatric hospitalization, and history of suicide attempts. Recent discharge from a mental hospital and a recent history of suicide attempts were also included. Manageable risk factors included depression (history and current), alcohol problems (frequent drinking and alcohol abuse), hopelessness, agitation, impulsivity, impaired reality testing, and command hallucinations. Protective factors included responsibility to family, social support, moral objections to suicide, religiosity, motivation to get treatment, ability to cope with stress, and a healthy lifestyle. A final score was assigned based on the sum of the risk and protective factor scores. Conclusion We believe that the development of this checklist will help mental health clinicians to better assess those at risk for suicidal behavior. Further studies are necessary to validate the checklist.

We compared 40 twin and control groups(birth weights <2500gm, gestational ages <37 weeks or oxygen therapy) to analysis twins as a risk factor of ROP. control groups were consisted of group 1(40 patients) and group 2(40 patients). The former birth weight was similar to twin group and the latter gestational age was similar to twin group. The results were as follows; 1. The incidence of ROP was 37.5% in twin group, 10% in group 1 and 27.5% in group 2, The incidence of ROP in twin group was highter than control groups, and there was statistically significant difference in incidence between twin group and group 1(p<0.05). 2. The incidence of stage 2 or worse ROP was 18% in twin group, 10% in group 1 and 23% in group 2, There were no statistically significant difference among each groups(p>0.05). 3. In case-control study of other associated possible risk factors, twin group had significantly higher rate of premature rupture of membrane than group 1 and C-section and hypoxia than group 2(p<0.05).
Anoxia ; Birth Weight ; Case-Control Studies ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Membranes ; Oxygen ; Retinopathy of Prematurity* ; Risk Factors ; Rupture ; Twins* ; Weights and Measures

No abstract available.
Child* ; Gangwon-do* ; Humans

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Entecavir is a synthetic nucleoside analogue, cyclopentyl guanine nucleoside, which has a potent antiviral effect and the least viral breakthrough in hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication. Entecavir has been available in Korea since 2007 but there are few reports on its effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the virological response (VR) and biochemical response (BR) to entecavir in HBV patients at 3, 6 and 9 months after treatment with entecavir. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-three chronic hepatitis B patients who took entecavir for at least 9 months were enrolled. We investigated VR and BR by retrospectively reviewing medical records. Patients who satisfied the following criteria were chosen: 1) initial alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels = 1.5upper limit of normal (ULN) and 2) initial HBV DNA levels = 5 log10 copies/ml. We measured ALT levels every 3 months until month 9. HBV DNA was measured every 2 or 3 months by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. RESULTS: Most patients taking entecavir showed good BR (ALT < 40 IU/L). The BR rates were 61%, 73% and 67% at months 3, 6 and 9, respectively. VR (HBV DNA < 5 log(10) copies/ml or 2 log lower than initial HBV DNA) rates were 82%, 91% and 91% at months 3, 6 and 9, respectively. Undetectable HBV DNA (HBV DNA < 4 log(10) copies/ml) rates were 49%, 73% and 85% at months 3, 6 and 9, respectively. Two patients presented with virological breakthrough without adverse effects until month 9. CONCLUSIONS: Entecavir showed good BR and VR from month 3 and these effects continued through the 9-month observation period. This suggests that entecavir is also a good choice for the first line treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Further studies are needed to determine the long-term efficacy and drug resistance of entecavir in Korean CHB patients.
Alanine Transaminase ; DNA ; Drug Resistance ; Guanine ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Humans ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.

The purpose of this study was to identify population subgroups with similar patterns of diet quality, physical activity, alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking of Korean. The cluster analysis was conducted using the data from Korea National Health Survey(KNHS) in 1995, which consisted of 5,805 persons. We identified six health behavior typologies: 32.9% of the sample had a good diet but sedentary activity level(good diet lifestyle), 7.2% had high activity level but less diet quality(fitness lifestyle). Individuals in the passive lifestyle cluster(39.1%) had no active health promoting activities but tended to avoid risk taking health behavior such as cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking. 1.1% of the sample were in a drinking cluster, 17.2% in a smoking cluster and 2.5% had a hedonic lifestyle characterized by heavy drinking and smoking. The other characteristics of these lifestyle clusters could be presented by demographic and socioeconomic factors.
Alcohol Drinking ; Cluster Analysis ; Diet ; Drinking ; Health Behavior* ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Style ; Motor Activity ; Risk-Taking ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Socioeconomic Factors