PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the factors associated with the health-related quality of life of family caregivers. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted. This study included 191 primary family caregivers of elders who used home care services (home-visit nursing, home-visit care, daycare) covered by the public long-term care insurance. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires from December 2010 to June 2011. These data were analyzed by using hierarchical multiple regression. RESULTS: The majority of the family caregivers were female (79.6%) and daughters-in-law (28.8%). The mean depression score was 6.33+/-6.49 and the mean health-related quality of life score was 0.69+/-0.39. It was found that the factors affecting the health-related quality of life of family caregivers included depression (beta=-.406, p<.001), home-visit nursing use (beta=.296, p<.001), and daycare use (beta=.178, p=.015), which accounted for 36.6% of their health-related quality of life. CONCLUSION: Using home-visit nursing and daycare services has a positive effect on the health-related quality of life of family caregivers. To improve health-related quality of life of family caregivers, South Korea needs to fully activate the home-visit nursing and daycare services, and to strengthen family support programs.
Caregivers ; Community Health Nursing ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Depression ; Female ; Home Care Services ; Humans ; Insurance, Long-Term Care ; Long-Term Care ; Quality of Life ; Republic of Korea ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate actor and partner effects of sexual attitude and marital intimacy on sexual satisfaction in pregnant couples. METHODS: Data were collected from 176 pairs of the pregnant couples visiting for prenatal care at hospitals from June 18 to September 24, 2016. The collected data were analyzed by paired t-test and Pearson's correlation coefficients using SPSS 18.0 and interdependent effect (Actor-Partner Interdependence Model analysis) through AMOS 18.0. RESULTS: The sexual attitude and marital intimacy of the pregnant woman did not have a partner effect on the sexual satisfaction of her husband, respectively (β=.12, p=.141), (β=.01, p=.938). The sexual attitude of the husband had a partner effect on the sexual satisfaction of the pregnant woman (β=.13, p=.021), but the marital intimacy of the husband did not show a partner effect (β=.07, p=.202). CONCLUSION: Study suggests that the sexual attitude and marital intimacy of pregnant couples should be considered as factors when developing an intervention to improve sexual satisfaction in couples. Moreover, pregnant couples should participate in intervention together because the sexual satisfaction has conceptual view of interdependence in two-person relationships.
Family Characteristics* ; Female ; Humans ; Marriage ; Orgasm* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Prenatal Care ; Spouses

Background: This study was conducted to provide basic data to explore strategies for promoting physical activity differentiated according to the gender of the elderly with osteoarthritis. Methods: This study was conducted using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2014-2021). Those aged 65 or older and diagnosed with osteoarthritis were included, and a total of 2,915 people were analyzed (male=553 and female=2,362). The level of ph guidelines presented by the World Health Organization. Less than 600 metabolic equivalent of tasks (METs)-minutes/week or no physical activity was classified as light-intensity physical activity, and if METs-min/week was 600 or more, it was classified as moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. The data analyzed using Rao-Scott chi-square and multiple logistic regression ysical activity was calculated according to the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire analysisanalyses to account for the complex sampling design. Results: In the elderly male with osteoarthritis, the level of physical activity was low in the case of high age, no spouse, low education level, and poor subjective health condition. In the elderly women, age, residential area, and subjective health status were found to be significant influencing factors. Conclusions Differences in influencing factors by gender should be considered in the physical activity improvement intervention program for older adults with osteoarthritis. Furthermore, intervention studies must examine the effects of gender-specific programs on physical activity of older adults with osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: The toxicity of paraquat has been known to be caused by oxygen free radicals which leads to the lipid peroxidation and multiple organ failure. Although vitamin C has been known to be a potent antioxidant, recently there are numerous data which have shown that a low dose of vitamin C may act as a prooxidant due to the stimulation of the Fenton reaction with metal ions, which produces hydroxyl radicals. It has been reported that a deferoxamine in paraquat intoxication could reduce the production of the hydroxyl radicals by the inhibition of the Fenton reaction through the reduction of iron ion in tissue. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the high and low dose of vitamin C and deferoxamine on lipid peroxidation and plasma TNF-alpha in paraquat intoxication. METHODS: Female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into seven groups: control group which was not given paraquat(20mg/kg), P group which was given paraquat only, PVH group given paraquat and high dose of vitamin C(100mg/kg), PVL group given paraquat and low dose of vitamin C(10mg/kg), PVHD given paraquat, high dose of vitamine C and deferoxamine(100mg/kg), PVLD given paraquat, low dose of vitamin C and deferoxamine, and PD given paraquat and deferoxamine. Animals were killed at 6 and 24 hours after treatment. Malondialdehyde(MDA), superoxide dismutase(SOD) and glutathione(GSH) contents, catalase activity, plasma TNF-alpha, and histologic changes in the lung and liver tissue were measured. RESULTS: The lung histology in the PVH and PD or PVHD groups showed the significant decreases in the alveolar edema and interstitial thickness compared to the P group. The liver histology in the PVH and PVHD groups demonstrated marked differences in the central venous and sinusoidal dilatation compared to that of the P group. While the MDA levels of the lung and liver in the PVH and PD groups showed the significant reduction compared to that of the P group at 6 hours after treatment, all groups showed the significant changes compared to the P group at 24 hours. There was no significant change of the SOD levels of the lung and liver at 6 hours among all groups. At 24 hours, the SOD levels of the lung in PVH, PVL, and PVHD groups showed the significant increases compared to the P group. The increase of the SOD level in groups combined with deforoxamine, however, revealed a little reduction. The SOD level of the liver in PVH group only significantly increased compared to the P group at 24 hours. There was no significant change of the GSH level of the lung and liver among all groups at 6 hours. At 24 hours, the GSH level of the lung and liver were significantly increased in both PVH and PD group and PVH group, respectively, compared to the P group. Although the catalase activity of the lung was not significantly increased, that of liver was significantly increased in both PVHD and PD groups compared to the P group at 6 hours. The catalase activities of the lung and liver were significantly increased in PVH, PD, and PVHD at 24 hours. The concentrations of the Plasma TNF-alpha were slightly decreased at 6 hours and slightly increased at 24 hours compared to that of the P group, but they were not significant. CONCLUSION: This study showed that although the low dose of vitamin C had no effect, the high dose of vitamin C revealed a decrease of the MDA level and an increase of SOD, GSH, and catalase activity in the lung and lung and liver tissues, and the effect of the high dose of vitamin C increased with time. The administration of the deferoxamine with or without high dose of vitamin C, however, significantly showed the inhibition of the lipid peroxidation and antioxidant effect and low dose vitamin C decreased the effect of deferoxamine. The effects of the vitamin C and deferoxamine on plasma TNF-alpha were not clearly shown.
Animals ; Antioxidants* ; Ascorbic Acid* ; Catalase ; Deferoxamine* ; Dilatation ; Edema ; Female ; Free Radicals ; Humans ; Ions ; Iron ; Lipid Peroxidation* ; Liver ; Lung ; Multiple Organ Failure ; Oxygen ; Paraquat* ; Plasma ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxides ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Vitamins*

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a relatively new non-invasive surgical procedures, enjoying ever-increasing popularity and presenting new anesthetic challenges. The advantages of shorter hospital stay and more rapid return to normal activities are combined with less pain associated with the small limited incision and less postoperative ileus. During this procedure, the deliberate pneumoperitoneum with carbon dioxide(CO2) insufflation may cause some problems such as hypercarbia, hypertension, pneumomediastinum and other cardiovascular impairments. This study was performed to search a anesthetic method, which has least increase in blood pressure during CO2 insufflation, and to find out whether increased PaCO2 is a major causative factor in the changes of blood pressure during this period. Sixty patients of ASA class 1 or 2 were classified randomly into 3 groups. Group C(control group) was received enflurane-N2O-O2, and others were recieved enflurane-propofol(group P), or enflurane-propofol-fentanyl(group F), respectively. The blood pressure and heart rate were measured at 1 min before CO2 insufflation and 1 min, 5 min, 15 min after insufflation and 1 min before deflation, 5 min after deflation. Also PaCO2 were checked at 1 min before, and 15 min after insufflation. The results were follows ; 1) Changes of arterial pressure : The control group showed most prominent increasing in systolic and mean blood pressure during CO2 insufflation(P<0.05). Group F produced the least increase in blood pressure during CO2 insufflation, compared with group C and P(P<0.05). 2) Changes of heart rate : Although, in the preinsufflation period, heart rates in the group F were significantly lower than other groups, there were no significant changes in heart rates in each group. 3) Changes of PaCO2: There were no siginificant increases in PaCO2 in each group, and no differences between the groups. In conclusion, fentanyl and propofol added light enflurane anesthesia could be a method of the least increase in blood pressure during the laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and increased PaCO2 would not be a major causative factor in hypertension during CO2 insuftlation.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General* ; Arterial Pressure ; Blood Pressure ; Carbon Dioxide* ; Carbon* ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic ; Enflurane ; Fentanyl ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Ileus ; Insufflation ; Laparoscopy ; Length of Stay ; Mediastinal Emphysema ; Pneumoperitoneum ; Propofol

BACKGROUND: Multi-organ failure from sepsis is very lethal disease entity, which is suspected to be caused by activated inflammatory cells. Inflammatory cells activated by endotoxins generate oxidants and cytokines such as TNF-alpha and IL-6, which in turn stimulate macrophages and neutrophils. Augmented inflammation makes an organ-injury deteriorate into an organ-failure, which may progress to multi-organ failure. This study is designed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of vitamin-C, a scavenger of oxidants, in sepsis. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups : a control group, a group injected intrapetoneally with LPS(lipopolysaccharide), and a group injected intraperitoneally with LPS and vitamin-C. Each eight rats were sacrified 24 hours and 48 hours after injection, and samples of the blood, the liver and the lung were obtained. Biochemical assays of TNF-alpha level in the blood and malondialdehyde(MDA) level, catalase activity and nitric oxide synthase(NOS) activity in the liver and the lung tissues were performed. RESULTS: Serum TNF-alpha level, tissue lipid peroxidation and tissue i-NOS activity were dramatically increased, and tissue catalase activity was exhausted rapidly in sepsis. High dose vitamin-C administration decreased serum TNF-alpha level, tissue lipid peroxidation and tissue i-NOS induction, and protected against catalase exhaustion. CONCLUSION: high dose vitamin-C therapy was proved to have definite antioxidant effect in septic condition.
Animals ; Antioxidants ; Catalase ; Cytokines ; Endotoxins ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-6 ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Liver ; Lung ; Macrophages ; Male ; Models, Animal* ; Neutrophils ; Nitric Oxide ; Oxidants ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sepsis* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

d-Tubocurarine(d-TC) causes hypotension, probably as a result of the liberation of histamine; in larger doses, it produces ganglionic blockade. An increase of histamine levels in plasma to 200 to 300 percent of baseline causes a brief decrease in arterial blood pressure(1 to 5 minutes) and the increase in heart rate. The amount of histamine released by d- TC is dose related and is also related to speed of injection. Therefore histamine release can be minimized by the slow administration, light level of surgical anesthesia, and the use of smaller doses. Thus, the purpose of this study was to prevent the cardiovascular effect of d-TC by the slow administration undergoing general anesthesia. The study population was from 40 patients scheduled for elective surgery at Yeungnam University Hospital, who belonged to physical status I or II of ASA classification. Patients were divided into 4 groups by speed of injection of 10, 30, 60 and 120 seconds(group 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively). All patients were premedicated with hydroxyzine 1mg/kg, glycopyrrolate 0.2mg, and fentanyl 1 ug/kg IM 30 minutes before anesthesia. Patients were induced with thiopental sodium 4-5 mg/kg until the disappearance of lid-reflex. Succinylcholine 1.0 mg/kg IV was used to facilitate endotracheal intubation. As soon as relaxafion was complete, laryngoscopy was initiated. After the completion of intubation, nitrous oxide and 50% oxygen with 0.6% halothane was administrated. The blood pressure and heart rate were measured using noninvasive automatic blood pressure manometer for 60 minutes per 1 minute. Data were analyzed with one-way ANOVA test within the groups. p<0.05 was considered significant. The results were as follows, The changes of blood pressure was decreased in rapid injection groups(Group 1 & 2) compared with slowly injection groups(Group 3 & 4) at 2 min, 5 min after d-TC administration. The changes of heart rate was significantly increased(p<0.05) at 1min, 2 min after d-TC administration in rapid injection groups compared with slow injection groups. These results show that the cardiovascular effect of d-TC might be prevented by slowly administration undergoing general anesthesia.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General* ; Blood Pressure ; Classification ; Fentanyl ; Ganglion Cysts ; Glycopyrrolate ; Halothane ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics* ; Histamine ; Histamine Release ; Humans ; Hydroxyzine ; Hypotension ; Intubation ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Laryngoscopy ; Nitrous Oxide ; Oxygen ; Plasma ; Succinylcholine ; Thiopental ; Tubocurarine*

A 25-year-old male patient was received emergency operation, open reduction and tenorrhaphy owing to degloving injury on the dorsum of his left hand, under axillary brachial plexus block using a transarterial approach. Following operation, he revealed the signs and symptoms of brachial plexus injury such as weakness, sensory deficit and tingling sensation on his left forearm and hand. The finding on electromyography (EMG), performed on the 16th postoperative day (POD), was indicative of left incomplete brachial plexus injury, mainly in medial cord and ulnar nerve, and partially median and radial nerve at/above the axillary level. The signs and symptoms were improved slightly on POD 8 and a lot on POD 23. The complete recovery of symptoms and regeneration of injured nerve on EMG were confirmed 3 months following operation. In this case, the causative factors of brachial plexus injury were suggested in stretching of the brachial plexus due to improper positioning of injured arm during or after operation, combined with or without injury due to nerve block or tourniquet compression.
Adult ; Arm ; Brachial Plexus* ; Electromyography ; Emergencies ; Forearm ; Hand ; Humans ; Male ; Nerve Block ; Radial Nerve ; Regeneration ; Sensation ; Tourniquets ; Ulnar Nerve

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate and compare the characteristics of infective endocarditis (IE) between children and adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) at a single tertiary care center. METHODS: In this retrospective medical record review, we extracted the demographic characteristics, diagnostic variables, and outcomes of patients diagnosed with IE and CHD between 2000 and 2016. RESULTS: We identified a total of 14 pediatric patients (nine male; median age at diagnosis, 3 years). Of the 14 patients, six had a history of previous open heart surgery, while four had undergone tetralogy of Fallot repair, with transannular patch or Rastelli procedure. Among the 10 children with positive blood cultures, the most common isolated organism was Staphylococcus spp. (8/10, 80%). Eleven adult patients had IE and CHD. Among the adult patients, only four were diagnosed with CHD before IE, and ventricular septal defect was the most common CHD. The most common isolated organism was Streptococcus spp. (6/11, 55%). Compared with adult patients, pediatric patients had a higher incidence of previously diagnosed CHD (P=0.001), with Staphylococcus spp. as the causative organism (P =0.027). The median duration between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis of IE was 9 days in children and 42 days in adults (P=0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Significant differences with regard to the diagnosis and progress of IE were observed between children and adults. Ageadjusted and systematic reassessment may be necessary for the diagnosis and management of IE.
Adult* ; Arterial Switch Operation ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Endocarditis* ; Heart Defects, Congenital* ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Staphylococcus ; Streptococcus ; Tertiary Care Centers* ; Tertiary Healthcare* ; Tetralogy of Fallot ; Thoracic Surgery

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop a scale to assess the transition shock experienced by newly graduated nurses, and test the validity and reliability of the scale. METHODS: The initial items were identified through a review of literature and in-depth interviews with nine newly graduated nurses. Content validation of the items was evaluated by five nurse professors and three nurses. Participants were 269 newly graduated nurses who worked at six acute care hospitals in Busan, Ulsan, and Yangsan, South Korea. Data were analyzed using item analysis, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, criterion related validity, and internal consistency. RESULTS: The final scale consisted of 18 items and six factors (conflict between theory and practice, overwhelming workload, loss of social support, shrinking relationship with co-workers, confusion in professional nursing values, and incongruity in work and personal life), which explained 71.3% of the total variance. The six subscale model was validated by confirmatory factor analysis. Cronbach's alpha for the total items was. 89. Convergent validity was evaluated by analyzing total correlation with burnout (r=.71, p<.001) and turnover intention (t=5.84, p<.001). CONCLUSION: This scale can be used in the development of nursing interventions to reduce the transition shock experienced by newly graduated nurses.
Busan ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Gyeongsangnam-do ; Humans ; Intention ; Korea ; Nursing ; Psychometrics ; Reproducibility of Results ; Shock* ; Ulsan