Amidarone hydrochloride, benzofuran derivatives, particularly effective for the treatment of arrythmias by prolong the duration of the action potential in all cardiac-conducting tissues. We studied the 25 patients with typical amiodarone keratopathy, retrospectively. In 25 patients, ten patients developed grade 1, eleven patients developed grade 2, and four patients developed grade 3 keratopathy. They complained of decreased best corrected visual acuity(1 patient), halos(1 patient), hypothyroidism(3 patients), pulmonary toxicity(2 patients), thpatic dysfunction(5 patients) and sleep dusturbance(3 patients). Therefore ophthalmologists should be alert for the complications of amiodarone and regular careful slit-lamp examination will be helpful in minimizing amidarone toxicity.
Action Potentials ; Amiodarone* ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies

We used the fluorophotometry to investigate the corneal epithelial barrier function after excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). Twenty-five eyes of 21 subjects (13 women, 8 men) underwent PRK to correct rnyopia. Corneal epithelial healing time was measured and corneal epithelial permeability to sodiurn fluorescein was evaluated by fluorophotoinetry at I, 2, and 3 weeks after surgery. The corneal epithelial permeability increased significantly 1 week after surgery and returned to preoperative level 2 weeks after surgery. The permeability differences according to epithelial healing days and corrected diopters were not statistically significant(p>0. 05). These results suggest that PRK delays complete reconstruction of corneal epithelial barrier function. The corneal epithelium regained its functional barrier 2 weeks after PRK in patients, so, at least, during the first 2 weeks, care should be taken to miniinize further epithelial trauma from topical inedication or surgical manipulation.
Epithelium, Corneal ; Female ; Fluorescein ; Fluorophotometry ; Humans ; Lasers, Excimer* ; Permeability ; Photorefractive Keratectomy*

Objective: This study aimed to clarify the relationship between several viral infections and clinical features of febrile seizures. The clinical expression pattern was determined according to the virus. Methods: Data were collected on patients who visited the emergency room with febrile seizures from March 2016 to February 2019. The clinical characteristics of seizures and the clinical differences between each respiratory viral infection were analyzed. The severity of febrile seizures was measured by checking complex febrile seizures and electroencephalogram abnormalities. Results: Of the 227 febrile convulsions, 138 (60.8%) were men, and 89 (39.2%) were women. Sixty-five patients (28.6%) had a family history of febrile seizure, 68 (30.0%) had complex seizures, and 13 (7.1%) had electroencephalogram (EEG) abnormalities. Of the 13 respiratory viruses examined, rhinoviruses were detected more significantly in 63 patients (32.4%), but there was no significant difference when comparing the rate of febrile seizure among patients with fever. There were no significant differences in the clinical features, such as body temperature, duration, and complex seizure. In addition, each virus showed a similar incidence of EEG abnormalities. Conclusion No significant difference in the clinical features and objective examination according to the virus were observed, and the tendency of developing febrile seizures is similar.

Objective: This study aimed to clarify the relationship between several viral infections and clinical features of febrile seizures. The clinical expression pattern was determined according to the virus. Methods: Data were collected on patients who visited the emergency room with febrile seizures from March 2016 to February 2019. The clinical characteristics of seizures and the clinical differences between each respiratory viral infection were analyzed. The severity of febrile seizures was measured by checking complex febrile seizures and electroencephalogram abnormalities. Results: Of the 227 febrile convulsions, 138 (60.8%) were men, and 89 (39.2%) were women. Sixty-five patients (28.6%) had a family history of febrile seizure, 68 (30.0%) had complex seizures, and 13 (7.1%) had electroencephalogram (EEG) abnormalities. Of the 13 respiratory viruses examined, rhinoviruses were detected more significantly in 63 patients (32.4%), but there was no significant difference when comparing the rate of febrile seizure among patients with fever. There were no significant differences in the clinical features, such as body temperature, duration, and complex seizure. In addition, each virus showed a similar incidence of EEG abnormalities. Conclusion No significant difference in the clinical features and objective examination according to the virus were observed, and the tendency of developing febrile seizures is similar.

Improved nutritional intake contributes to maintaining health and quality of life in elderly population and also reducing individual and social medical costs. Most of nutrition assistance programs for elderly, such as congregate or home-delivered meal programs, are not currently serviced in rural communities mainly due to low cost efficiency of program operation. However, the needs and necessity of such programs are presumed to be higher in rural area where the population density of elderly at nutritional risk is relatively high. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop a community-based meal program for the rural elderly. In 2007, four rural communities located in Jeon-Nam province were selected and the pilot meal program was applied for three months. Following are key features of the meal program model developed in this study: 1) meal production and service are operated by elderly participants to overcome the voluntary personnel shortage, 2) utilization of locally-produced foods is maximized to reduce the meal cost, 3) traditional cooking methods are applied to adjust the food preference of elderly, and 4) foods are serviced on site to minimize the food safety problem possibly caused by delivery process. The pilot programs resulted in high satisfaction with the programs of participating elderly. The community-based meal program model developed in this study is expected to be used as an effective nutrition and health intervention model for the rural elderly.
Aged ; Cooking ; Food Preferences ; Food Safety ; Humans ; Meals ; Population Density ; Quality of Life ; Rural Population

This study was performed to detect the oxidative stress in the cornea and lens in vivo by fluorophotometer after excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy(PRK). Twenty New Zealand white rabbits(20 eyes)were divided into two groups, control group(10 eyes)and PRK group(10 eyes). Rabbits of PRK group underwent PRK(8 diopters)and 2', 7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate(DCFH-DA)was applied on the central cornea 6 hours after PRK in both groups. Fluorophotometric readings of the cornea and lens were measured 15 minutes(F15)and 30 minutes(F30)after DCFH-DA application in both groups. The cornea and lens was observed with slit lamp biomicroscope for 8 weeks. F15 and F30 of the cornea in PRK group(3.83+/-1.22 ng/ml, 5.12+/-1.57 ng/ml)were significantly higher than those in control group(2.61+/-0.59 ng/ml Eq, 3.26+/-0.76 ng/ml Eq)(p=0.01, p=0.005). F15 and F30 of the lens in PRK group(409.7+/-157.2 ng/ml, 594.9+/-242.2 ng/ml Eq)were significantly higher than those in control group(74.1+/-48.3 ng/ml Eq, 310.1+/-249.8 ng/ml Eq)(p=0.0004, p=0.01). No lens opacity developed and F15 and F30 of the cornea did not correlate with corneal haze determined at postoperative 8 weeks. In this study, we demonstrated increased oxygen free radicals in the cornea and lens after PRK by fluorophotometer in vivo and this method can be used as a useful tool to investigate the possible damage induced by oxygen free radicals in the cornea and lens after excimer laser corneal ablation.
Cataract ; Control Groups ; Cornea* ; Free Radicals* ; Lasers, Excimer* ; New Zealand ; Oxidative Stress ; Oxygen* ; Rabbits ; Reading

Objective: Emergency department-based screening clinic (ED-BSC) is a new concept. It is a multifunctional clinic at the entrance of the emergency department (ED) that serves as a screening center for suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients and triaging patients and provides basic emergency treatment. We aimed to analyze the current status of the COVID-19 ED-BSC and determine the factors when assigning suspected COVID-19 patients to the negative pressure isolation rooms (NPIRs) at the ED. Methods: Data of patients who visited the ED-BSC between February 7, 2020, and April 30, 2020, were obtained retrospectively. The data of the patients who underwent the COVID-19 screening test per the standards of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency were analyzed. Results: A total of 1,378 patients who visited the ED-BSC were included in the study. Of these, 1,226 patients were allowed to go home after the COVID-19 screening test, and 152 patients were assigned to the NPIRs. In univariate analysis, factors influencing the allocation of NPIRs were old age, history of overseas travel within the last 14 days, fever and peripheral oxygen saturation. The multivariate regression analysis confirmed that older adults, history of overseas travel within the last 14 days and fever influenced the allocation of patients to NPIRs. Conclusion This study elucidates the current status of suspected COVID-19 patient visits to an ED-BSC. This study may serve as a basis for the establishment and revision of clinical guidelines for ED-BSC.

PURPOSE: Thallium (TI+) autometallography is often used for the imaging of neuronal metabolic activity in the rodent brain under various pathophysiologic conditions. The purpose of this study was to apply a thallium autometallographic technique to observe changes in neuronal activity in the forebrain of rats following acute carbon monoxide (CO) intoxication. METHODS: In order to induce acute CO intoxication, adult Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 1100 ppm of CO for 40 minutes, followed by 3000 ppm of CO for 20 minutes. Animals were sacrificed at 30 minutes and 5 days after induction of acute CO intoxication for thallium autometallography. Immunohistochemical staining and toluidine blue staining were performed to observe cellular damage in the forebrain following intoxication. RESULTS: Acute CO intoxication resulted in significant reduction of TI+ uptake in major forebrain structures, including the cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, and striatum. In the cortex and hippocampal CA1 area, marked reduction of TI+ uptake was observed in the cell bodies and dendrites of pyramidal neurons at 30 minutes following acute CO intoxication. There was also strong uptake of TI+ in astrocytes in the hippocampal CA3 area following acute CO intoxication. However, there were no significant histological findings of cell death and no reduction of NeuN (+) neuronal populations in the cortex and hippocampus at 5 days after acute CO intoxication. CONCLUSION The results of this study suggest that thallium autometallography can be a new and useful technique for imaging functional changes in neural activity of the forebrain structure following mild to moderate CO intoxication.

Objectives: White-coat hypertension is defined as high blood pressure (BP) on clinical assessment but normal BP elsewhere or on ambulatory measurement. Autonomic dysfunction may be one of the mechanisms causing white-coat hypertension.Slowed heart rate recovery and excessive BP response during exercise test are associated with autonomic dysfunction.The purpose of this study was to determine the association between white-coat hypertension and abnormal autonomic nervous system response. Methods: We assessed 295 patients stratified into three groups via 24hr ambulatory BP monitoring, following 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines : normal BP group, white-coat hypertension group, and a hypertension group. We analyzed medical history, blood test, echocardiography, 24hr ambulatory BP monitoring, and exercise test data. Results: There was no difference in basement characteristics and echocardiography among the groups. Blunted heart rate recovery of each group showed a significant difference. Control group had 0% blunted heart rate recovery, but 33.3% in white coat group and 27.6% in true hypertension group (P < 0.001). Also, in the control group, 4.5% showed excessive BP response, but 31.5% in the white coat hypertension group and 29.3% in the true hypertension group (P < 0.001). Excessive BP response during the exercise test or blunted heart rate recovery, which is an indicator of autonomic nervous system abnormality, was more common in the hypertensive group and white-coat hypertension group than in the normal BP group. Conclusions These results confirmed that white-coat hypertension has an autonomic nervous system risk. Therefore, white-coat hypertension can be a future cardiovascular risk factor.

Objectives: White-coat hypertension is defined as high blood pressure (BP) on clinical assessment but normal BP elsewhere or on ambulatory measurement. Autonomic dysfunction may be one of the mechanisms causing white-coat hypertension.Slowed heart rate recovery and excessive BP response during exercise test are associated with autonomic dysfunction.The purpose of this study was to determine the association between white-coat hypertension and abnormal autonomic nervous system response. Methods: We assessed 295 patients stratified into three groups via 24hr ambulatory BP monitoring, following 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines : normal BP group, white-coat hypertension group, and a hypertension group. We analyzed medical history, blood test, echocardiography, 24hr ambulatory BP monitoring, and exercise test data. Results: There was no difference in basement characteristics and echocardiography among the groups. Blunted heart rate recovery of each group showed a significant difference. Control group had 0% blunted heart rate recovery, but 33.3% in white coat group and 27.6% in true hypertension group (P < 0.001). Also, in the control group, 4.5% showed excessive BP response, but 31.5% in the white coat hypertension group and 29.3% in the true hypertension group (P < 0.001). Excessive BP response during the exercise test or blunted heart rate recovery, which is an indicator of autonomic nervous system abnormality, was more common in the hypertensive group and white-coat hypertension group than in the normal BP group. Conclusions These results confirmed that white-coat hypertension has an autonomic nervous system risk. Therefore, white-coat hypertension can be a future cardiovascular risk factor.