BACKGROUND: To comparatively analysis the epidemiological changes in the acute drug intoxication between 1980s and 1990s. METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively the medical records of the patients with acute drug intoxication in the emergency department of the Inha hospital from June 1986 to April 1987 and from June 1996 to May 1997. And we performed comparative analysis between two result. RESULTS: The ratio of the acute drug intoxication in the emergency medical center was reduced significantly in 1990s against 1980s. Sexual ratio and prevalent age group has no significant interval changes between 1980s and 1990s. The prevalent seasons were Spring in 1980s and Summer in 1990s but has no significance. The most commonly used drugs was rodentides in 1980s and hypnosedatives in 1990s and shown significant interval changes. The most common motive was suicidal attempts in both 1980s and 1990s, but significantly reduced. After emergency treatment the rate of curative-discharge has improved and the rate of admission has decreased significantly in 1990s against 1980s. The most critical agent was agricultural chemicals in both 1980s and 1990s. The mortality rate has no significant interval changes. CONCLUSION: There were some significant interval changes of the acute drug intoxication in prevalence rate, commonly used drugs, ratio of suicidal attempt and curative-discharge rate between 1980s and 1990s. New education programs far preventing acute drug intoxication and strict legal control of drugs are important and necessary.
Agrochemicals ; Education ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Emergency Treatment ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Seasons

BACKGROUND: Dizziness is a common complaint in patients presenting to the emergency room and that has various pathologic causes. This study investigate the clinical differences in dizziness between the central origin and the peripheral origin and to provides the clues far diagnosis and proper treatment. METHODS: We analysed 290 patients with dizziness during 12 months period prospectively, who visited in ED, Inha University Hospital from Jan. 1997 to Dec. 1997. We analysized sex ratio, characteristics of the dizziness, associated past illness, associated symptoms, severity, results of the special radiologic study, nystagmus type, and causes of central origin and peripheral origin dizziness. RESULTS: Male to female ratio was 1:1.4 in central origin(n=165) and 1:2.0 in peripheral origin(n=125). Most common age group was 11th decade in both groups. According to the characteristics of the dizziness, rotation sense was the main complaint of the peripheral origin dizziness. Most common past illness was hypertension in both groups. MRI has diagnostic priority than CT scan in central origin dizziness. Types of nystagmus has some significant differences between two groups. CONCLUSION: Dizziness may represented as a sign of significant pathological neurologic status especially in central origin. So we must precisely evaluate the patient history, neurologic examination of the inner ear and CNS, and special radiologic study incliding MRI.
Diagnosis ; Dizziness* ; Ear, Inner ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Neurologic Examination ; Prospective Studies ; Sex Ratio ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Infrahepatic interruption of the inferior vena cava with azygos continuation is relatively infrequent cardiovascular developmental anomaly occurring both in association with congenital heart disease and as an isolated anomaly of no hemodynamic importance. During the past 5 years, we observed 38 cases of infrahepatic interruption of IVC with azygos continuation out of 2,397 cases of congenital heart disease catheterized at Yonsei Cardiovascular Center. We conducted the study with a view point of position of the heart and abdominal organs and segmental analysis of the underlying congenital heart disease. We also analysed the associated exracardiac vascular anomalies The following results wer obtained: 1) The incidence of this anomaly among congenital heart disease was 1.7% and the sex ratio 1.4:1. Twenty four cases(63.1%) was below 5 years of age and 30 cases (79.0%) had cyanosis. 2) We observed 21 cases (55.2%) with the malposition of the heart and 17 cases (44.8%) with malposition of the abdominal organs. The ventricular loops revealed D-loop in 25 cases, L-loop in 5 cases and in the remaining 7 cases, it was uncertain. Eighteen showed normally related great arteries and malposition was present in another 18 cases. 3) Associatcd cardiovascular anomalics wcre as follows: right-sidcd aortic arch: 12 cases, patentductus arteriosus: 10 cases, pulmonic stenosis: 19 cases and bilateral superior vena cava: 9 cases. In conclusion, the presence of this anomaly should alert one to seek the severeintracardiac anomalies which are usually associated with it. Also, it is essential that, if any patient with this anomaly should come to thoracotomy, the azygos vein be not sacrificed.
Aorta, Thoracic ; Arteries ; Azygos Vein ; Catheters ; Cyanosis ; Heart ; Heart Defects, Congenital* ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Incidence ; Pulmonary Valve Stenosis ; Sex Ratio ; Thoracotomy ; Vena Cava, Inferior ; Vena Cava, Superior

No abstract available.
Fistula*

Despite significant advances in obstetric and pediatric health care, Streptococcus agalactiae(Lancefield group B β-hemolytic Streptococcus, GBS) remains one 91 the most prevalent and devastating pathogens in peripartum women and their newborn infants. It may cause urinary tract infection, chorioamnionitis and endometritis, bacteremia, and cesarean wound infection in the peripartum period. It was Pasteur who first identified microbes in the blood and lorchia of septic women. After that, in 1938 the isolation of S. agalactiae from three mortally ill women was reported, thereby implicating it as another cause of puerperal sepsis. S. agalactiae is now one of the most common causes of neonatal sepsis and meningitis in the United States. However, in Korea there have been only twenty-three cases of neonatal meningitis and/or sepsis due to group B β-hemolytic streptococcus reported. Recent studies have noted other serious infections in adults, including bacteremia, pneumonia, cellulitis, osteomyelitis, meningitis, and endocarditis. In Korean adults no case of pneumonia due to S. agalactiae has been reported till now. As minimal inhibitory concentration of penicillin was reported to be higher for S. agalactiae than for S. pyogenes, minimal inhibitory concentration of penicillin for S. agalactiae should be tested. Herein we describe the course of a case of S. agalactiae pneumonia and bacteremia in a 74-year-old diabetic man, and we review the literatures.
Adult* ; Aged ; Bacteremia ; Cellulitis ; Chorioamnionitis ; Delivery of Health Care ; Endocarditis ; Endometritis ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea ; Meningitis ; Osteomyelitis ; Penicillins ; Peripartum Period ; Pneumonia* ; Pregnancy ; Sepsis ; Streptococcus agalactiae* ; Streptococcus* ; United States ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Wound Infection

The pressure and resistance of the pulmonary artery are the most important factors when evaluating the congenital heart disease. They are easily measured by the cardiac catheterization, but this procedure is a invasive technique, and difficult to perform repeatedly. There were some reports to estimate the pulmory artery pressure by using non-invasive techniques, such as the echocardiography. The accuracy and the application of the estimate derived from this technique is still a matter of controversy. We estimate the right ventricular pressure by the real time two dimensional echocardiography. The way to measure accuracy for this technique is by of camparing the estimate the right ventricular pressure derived by the echocardiograpy against the right ventricular pressure measured by the cardiac catheterization. The diameter of the left ventricle in the plane of the papillary muscles in measured by short axis view from parasternal positions at the end-systolic phase. The diameter between the interventricular sulcus[B] and the longest vertical from to the interventricular septum[C] are measured. The relationship between the ration, C/B by the two-dimensional echocardiography and the RVP/LVP by the cardiac catheterization is relatively well correlated(r=-0.88). Thus we may conclude that measuring the right ventricular pressure by using the two-dimensional echocardiography is relatively accurate and should be used for evaluating the congenital heart disease.
Arteries ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Echocardiography* ; Heart Defects, Congenital* ; Heart Ventricles ; Papillary Muscles ; Pulmonary Artery ; Ventricular Pressure*

No abstract available.
Immunocompromised Host* ; Kluyvera* ; Sepsis*

We present the cytologic features of a case of solid and papillary neoplasm of the pancreas. Cytologically, the tumor was composed of a monotonous population of polygonal cells containing eccentrically located round nuclei with one or two distinct small nucleoli and a finely stippled chromatin pattern. The tumor cells were similar to those of the islet cell tumor and showed isolated loosely aggregated and solid sheets or large cell clumps. The large cell clumps revealed a branching papillary structure containing fibrovascular central core, which is characteristic histologic feature of solid and papillary neoplasm of the pancreas. This case was confirmed by tissue examination including histochemical, immunohistochemical and electron microscopical studies. Ultrastructurally, the tumor cells contained a few membrane-bound electron dense granules.
Adenoma, Islet Cell ; Chromatin ; Pancreas ; Urinary Tract*

No abstract available.
Family Practice* ; Humans ; Smoke* ; Smoking*

No abstract available.
Aneurysm* ; Child* ; Diagnosis* ; Echocardiography* ; Humans