OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the point prevalence of anxiety, depression and the associated risk factors in hospitalized patients with cancer. METHODS: A total of 114 patients with cancer who admitted to the Cancer Center in St. Mary's Hospital were enrolled for a day. The patients were asked to complete Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(HADS). Sociodemographic and cancer related clinical variables were also evaluated. RESULTS: The point prevalence of anxiety and depression was 10.5% and 34.2%, respectively, as assessed with HADS. Logistic regression models revealed that distant metastasis was significantly associated with anxiety in patients with cancer and previous chemotherapy and Low socioeconomic status were significantly associated with depression. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that more than one third of patients with cancer suffer from either anxiety or depression. In addition, previous chemotherapy as well as low socioeconomic status and distant metastasis were associated risk factors of anxiety and depression, respectively. These findings suggest the need for screening and systematized psychosocial intervention for psychological distress in hospitalized patients with cancer.
Anxiety* ; Depression* ; Drug Therapy ; Hospitals, General* ; Humans ; Inpatients* ; Logistic Models ; Mass Screening ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prevalence* ; Risk Factors ; Social Class

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the electromyographic activities of the erector spinae muscle of the back and the rectus femoris muscle of the thigh, and to measure the angles of the spinal and knee flexions in order to determine the effect of wearing a back belt. METHODS: Fifteen healthy males participated in the study. Surface electromyography was used to measure the level of muscle activities at the two muscle groups. The Simi system, utilizing two-dimensional analysis of movement, was used to examine the range of motion of the back and low extremity. RESULTS: Firstly, the angle of the spinal flexion was significantly less in the back-belt-wearing group than in the control, and that of the knee flexion was significantly increased in the back-belt-wearing group. Secondly, there was no significant change in the electromyographic signals of the erector spinae muscle of the back and the rectus femoris muscle of the thigh. CONCLUSIONS: The use of back belts helps workers to correct their posture when lifting boxes. It can therefore protect workers from acute back injuries.
Back Injuries ; Electromyography ; Extremities* ; Humans ; Knee ; Lifting* ; Male ; Posture ; Quadriceps Muscle ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Thigh

Animal models for human chronic pain syndromes were developed and widely used for pain research. One of thsese neuropathic pain model by Kim and Chung[1992] has many advantages for operation and pain elicitation. We have examined the c-fos protein, substance P, CGRP immunoreactivity in dorsal root ganglia and dorsal horn in this neuropathic model. About 50 Sprague-Dawley rats were used for this study. L5 and L6 spinal nerve were ligated tightly to produce neuropathic pain model. After 2, 4, 8, 16, 24 hours and 1 week of surgery, rats were anesthesized and sacrificed by perfusion through the left ventricle with saline followed by 0.1M phosphate buffer[pH 7.4] containing 3% paraformaldehyde, 3% glutaraldehyde, and 0.1% picric acid. After confirmation of the roots transected by the surgery, the L5 and L6 dorsal root ganglion and spinal cord were removed and processed for immunohistochemistry. All tissue sections were immunohistochemically stained for substance P, CGRP and c-fos by using the peroxidase-antiperoxidase[PAP] method. Count the number of immunostained substance P and CGRP dorsal root ganglion cells and c-fos immunoreactive dorsal horn cells and analyzed statistically with Mann-Whitney U test. The results are as follows. 1. The number of c-fos protein immunoreactive neurons in the superficial layer of dorsal horn were increased markedly at 2 hours after operation, gradually decreased to normal level 1 week after operation. 2. The number of c-fos protein immunoreactive neurons in the deep layer of dorsal horn were gradually increased to the peak 24 hours after operation, decreased to normal level 1 week after operation. 3. The number of substance P and CGRP immunoreactive L5 and L6 dorsal root ganglion neurons were decreased markedly at 1 week after pain model operation. In conclusion, after neuropathic pain model operation, c-fos protein were immediately expressed in the superficial layer of spinal dorsal horn, thereafter c-fos protein in the deep layer of spinal dorsal horn were expressed. CGRP and substance P immunoreactive neurons were decreased markedly 1 week after neuropathic pain model operation.
Animals ; Chronic Pain ; Ganglia, Spinal* ; Glutaral ; Heart Ventricles ; Horns* ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Models, Animal ; Neuralgia ; Neurons* ; Perfusion ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases* ; Posterior Horn Cells ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Nerve Roots* ; Spinal Nerves ; Substance P

Tuberous sclerosis is not as rare as once thought and has high psychiatric comorbidities. However, bipolar or psychotic features associated with tuberous sclerosis have been rarely reported. This report first presents a tuberous sclerosis patient, resembling a schizoaffective disorder of bipolar type. A patient with known tuberous sclerosis displayed mood fluctuation and psychotic features. Her symptoms did not remit along with several psychiatric medications. After hospitalization, the patient responded well with lamotrigine and aripiprazole without exacerbation. As demonstrated in this case, tuberous sclerosis may also encompass bipolar affective or psychotic features. We would like to point out the necessity to consider bipolarity in evaluating and treating tuberous sclerosis.
Aripiprazole* ; Comorbidity ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Psychotic Disorders ; Tuberous Sclerosis*

PURPOSE: The incidence of gastric neoplasms is increasing in the elderly population, and a rational method of treatment for gastric cancer in the elderly is needed to improve survival. The purpose of the present study was to clarify whether the patient's age is an independent prognostic factor and to determine clinicopathological characteristics in the elderly. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Curative or palliative surgery for gastric cancer was carried out on 706 patients in Chosun University Hospital from March 1995 to February 2002. They were divided into the following two groups: elderly group (75 years or older) and control group (under 74 years old). The clinicopathologic features of these patients were reviewed retrospectively, and a multivariate analysis was performed. RESULTS: There was no difference in clinicopathological appearances between the two groups, and the postoperative morbidity and mortality rates were similar in the two groups. The two groups showed similar survival rates. CONCLUSION: In this study, age was not a prognostic factor in surgery for gastric cancer. In the elderly, an oncologically correct surgical procedure can safely be prosecuted with satisfactory early and late results.
Aged* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mortality ; Multivariate Analysis ; Palliative Care ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge and learning needs on coronary artery disease in diabetic patients by glycemic control. METHODS: The subjects consisted of 188 patients at the hospital who had diabetes mellitus. Data was obtained using a knowledge and learning needs questionnaire from January to April 2006. RESULTS: Treatment method, the levels of fasting blood glucose(FBG), and 2-hour postprandial blood glucose (PP2hr) showed meaningful differences between normo-glycemic group(HbA1c<7%) and hyper-glycemic group (HbA1c> or =7%). The levels of knowledge on coronary artery disease by glycemic control tend to show higher in normo-glycemic group. Etiology and prevention of coronary artery disease were significantly higher in normo- glycemic group than in hyper-glycemic group. The levels of learning needs on coronary artery disease by glycemic control tend to show higher in normo-glycemic group. The learning needs on items of diet control were higher in normo-glycemic group than in hyper-glycemic group. CONCLUSION: On the base of these results, we should focus on the coronary artery disease education for hyper-glycemic group. Also individual coronary artery disease educational program should be developed for the patients with different level of knowledge and learning needs.
Blood Glucose ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Disease ; Coronary Vessels* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diet ; Education ; Fasting ; Humans ; Learning* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: The typical Korean diet includes rice, which is usually served in a rice bowl. We investigated the effects of a meal plan using rice bowls of varying sizes on dietary energy intake (EI), body weight (BW), and blood glucose levels. METHODS: Forty-two obese women with type 2 diabetes mellitus were randomly assigned to use either a 200 mL small rice bowl (SB), a 380 mL regular rice bowl (RB), or to a control group (C). Both intervention groups were asked to reduce their EI by 500 kcal/day for 12 weeks and simple instructions for using the assigned bowl were provided. Dietary EI and proportion of macronutrients (PMN) were estimated from 3-day dietary records. RESULTS: Reduction of EI was more prominent in the SB group compared to the RB and C group, although EI decreased significantly from baseline in all groups. Carbohydrate and fat intakes of the SB group were decreased greater than those of the RB and C group. However, changes in PMN were not significant across the 3 groups. Reduction of BW and HbA1c levels in the SB group was more prominent compared to the C group. Although, BW and HbA1c were decreased significantly from baseline in both bowl groups. There was no statistical difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The small rice bowl-based meal plan was effective at reducing EI, BW, and blood glucose levels, and the observed reductions in EI, carbohydrate, and fat intake were greater than those of the regular rice bowl-based meal plan.
Blood Glucose ; Body Weight ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Diet, Diabetic ; Diet ; Energy Intake ; Female ; Humans ; Meals ; Obesity ; Weight Loss

OBJECTIVES: Event-related potentials have been suggested as an objective marker for brain functions in psychiatric disorders. This study was aimed to investigate the relationships between P300, the mismatch negativity (MMN), the loudness dependence of the auditory evoked potential (LDAEP), demographic and clinical variables including neurocognitive abilities in patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: P300, the MMN, and the LDAEP were measured and the Korean Stroop color-word test (K-stroop test) and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) were performed in 43 patients with schizophrenia. The relationship of the latency and amplitude of P300 and the MMN as well as regression slope of the LDAEP with demographic and clinical variables were analyzed by t-test and correlation analyses for categorical and continuous variables, respectively. RESULTS: After controlling for age, the latency of central (Cz) and parietal (Pz) P300 posivitively correlated with GAF at admission (Cz ; gamma = 0.385, p = 0.047, Pz ; gamma = 0.421, p = 0.029). The amplitude of parietal P300 correlated with the correction rate of the K-stroop test (gamma = 0.575, p = 0.002). In addition, the frontal (Fz) P300 latency tended to negatively correlated with the correction rate of the WCST (gamma = -0.371, p = 0.057). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the values of P300 latency and amplitude might be correlated with GAF at admission and working memory measured by the K-Stroop test and the WCST. Meanwhile, the MMN and the LDAEP did not correlate with demographic and clinical variables. These results support the results of previous studies showing associations with P300 and impaired cognitive ability.
Brain ; Evoked Potentials ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory ; Humans ; Memory, Short-Term ; Schizophrenia ; Wisconsin

Bronchogenic cysts are rare congenital anomalies that are most frequently found in the mediastinum along the tracheobronchial tree, especially in the posterior aspect of the superior mediastinum. Bronchogenic cysts have also been reported in intrapulmonary, intrapericardial, abdominal, and retroperitoneal locations. Herein, we report a case of a retroperitoneal bronchogenic cyst in the presacral space. The patient was diagnosed based on a post-operative histopathological examination.