BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of self-efficacy promoting pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS: thirty six patients, with clinically stable COPD were randomly assigned: 18 to a rehabilitation group and another 18 as a control group, The subjects participated in a the self-efficacy promoting pulmonary rehabilitation program for 8 weeks. This program consisted of education, breathing retraining, exercise training, relaxation and counseling. The control group received education only. The outcome variables were self-efficacy, dyspnea, exercise endurance, pulmonary function, and quality of life. Dyspnea was measured using the modified Borg scale. Exercise endurance was measured by the six minute walking distance. The quality of life was measured by the quality of life index for pulmonary disease patients. RESULTS: In the rehabilitation group after performing the self-efficacy promoting pulmonary rehabilitation program, the self-efficacy score, exercise endurance, and quality of life score were higher than the control group (p=0.007, p=0.038, and p=0.039, respectively). and the exertional dyspnea score was significantly lower than controls(p=0.045). However, the dyspnea score and FEV1 were similar after performing the self-efficacy promoting pulmonary rehabilitation program. CONCLUSION: The self-efficacy promoting pulmonary rehabilitation program is effective to in improve self-efficacy, exertional dyspnea, exercise endurance and quality of life in patients with COPD.
Counseling ; Dyspnea ; Education ; Humans ; Lung Diseases ; Outpatients* ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* ; Quality of Life ; Rehabilitation* ; Relaxation ; Respiration ; Walking

Leiomyoma is a tumor rarely occurring in the nose and the paranasal sinus. It constitutes about 1% of all benign tumors arising in the head and neck area. This is probably due to the paucity of smooth muscle in the nose. We experienced a case of leiomyoma originating in the right side of the nasal septum in a 50-year- man. It was successfully removed by endoscopic surgery, and we report this case with literature.
Head ; Leiomyoma* ; Muscle, Smooth ; Nasal Septum* ; Neck ; Nose

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate the prognostic factors of postpsychotic depressive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty patients were selected based on the diagnostic criteria from the DSM-IV, PANSS and ESRS. For all patients information was collected on demographic and clinical characteristics. The subjective depressive symptoms and the objective depressive symptoms, as well as patients insight regarding psychosis were evaluated. The subjective depressive symptoms were evaluated by BDI and ZDS; the objective depressive symptoms were evaluated by HDRS and CDSS, and patient insight into the psychosis was evaluated by KISP. RESULTS: The comparisons using demographic and clinical characteristics showed that HDRS and CDSS had significant difference with regard to gender and suicide attempts; the BDI was associated with difference in education level and age of onset. The patients with scores above cuff-off score for each scale were 20 (25.0%) for the BDI, 16 (20.0%) for the ZDS, 18 (22.5%) for the CDSS and 6 (7.5%) for the HDRS. The results of the stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that the scores for the KISP, education levels, gender and suicide attempts were the main prognostic factors in patients with the psychotic depressive disorder of schizophrenia. CONCLUSION: The main prognostic factors in psychotic depressive disorder of schizophrenia included: insight into psychosis, suicidal attempts. Insight into the psychosis was the most reliable prognostic factor but this characteristic had a negative relationship to the with depressive symptoms.
Age of Onset ; Depression ; Depressive Disorder* ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Education ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Psychotic Disorders ; Schizophrenia* ; Suicide

PURPOSE: Hypocalcemia is the most common complication after total thyroidectomy. The purpose of this study was to determine whether measurement of intact parathyroid hormone (i-PTH) level in thyroidectomy patients could predict hypocalcemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a prospective study of patients undergoing total thyroidectomy. Serum concentration of i-PTH, total calcium (Ca), ionized calcium (Ca2+), phosphate (P), magnesium (Mg), and albumin were measured preoperatively and at 0 hour, 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours postoperatively. RESULTS: 108 patients were recruited to the study. A total of 50 patients (46%) experienced hypocalcemia. The serum i-PTH concentration was linearly related to the time of measurement, while concentrations of P, Mg, albumin, Ca, and Ca2+ were not. We compared odds ratios, and found that the concentration of i-PTH at 6 hours post operation was the most closely related to the occurrence of hypocalcemic symptom. On ROC analysis using i-PTH level at 6 hours, an i-PTH level of 10.6 mg/dL was found to maximize both sensitivity and specificity at the same time point. CONCLUSION: We found that i-PTH was a predictor of hypocalcemia, and that the earliest predictor of hypocalcemic symptoms was an i-PTH concentration lower than 10.6 mg/dL obtained 6 hours after total thyroidectomy.
Calcium/blood ; Humans ; Hypocalcemia/*diagnosis ; Magnesium/blood ; Odds Ratio ; Parathyroid Hormone/*blood ; Phosphates/blood ; Postoperative Complications/blood/*diagnosis ; Prospective Studies ; Serum Albumin ; Thyroidectomy/*adverse effects

Objective: To identify the variables of videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) that are useful for predicting the risk of aspiration pneumonia in elderly patients with dysphagia. Methods: A total of 251 patients (aged 65 years or more) were included and divided into a pneumonia group (n=133) and a non-pneumonia group (n=118). The pneumonia group included patients who had been diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia, and individuals in the non-pneumonia group did not have pneumonia but were referred for VFSS. The medical records and results of VFSS were reviewed and compared between the groups retrospectively. Results: The pneumonia group exhibited a male preponderance and a higher 8-point Penetration-Aspiration Scale (8PPAS) score. The mean values of 8PPAS score for swallowing thick liquid and rice porridge was significantly higher in the pneumonia group. The pharyngeal delay time (PDT) and pharyngeal transit time (PTT) were significantly longer in the pneumonia group. The amounts of vallecular and pyriform sinus residue were increased in the pneumonia group. The delay in swallowing reflex and the decrease in laryngeal elevation were more frequently observed in the pneumonia group. Among those variables, PDT and PTT were identified as significant predictors of aspiration pneumonia based on logistic regression analysis. Conclusion The present study delineated the findings of VFSS, suggesting an increased risk of aspiration pneumonia in elderly patients with dysphagia. The results demonstrate that prolonged PDT and PTT are significant predictors of aspiration pneumonia.

Objective: To identify the variables of videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) that are useful for predicting the risk of aspiration pneumonia in elderly patients with dysphagia. Methods: A total of 251 patients (aged 65 years or more) were included and divided into a pneumonia group (n=133) and a non-pneumonia group (n=118). The pneumonia group included patients who had been diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia, and individuals in the non-pneumonia group did not have pneumonia but were referred for VFSS. The medical records and results of VFSS were reviewed and compared between the groups retrospectively. Results: The pneumonia group exhibited a male preponderance and a higher 8-point Penetration-Aspiration Scale (8PPAS) score. The mean values of 8PPAS score for swallowing thick liquid and rice porridge was significantly higher in the pneumonia group. The pharyngeal delay time (PDT) and pharyngeal transit time (PTT) were significantly longer in the pneumonia group. The amounts of vallecular and pyriform sinus residue were increased in the pneumonia group. The delay in swallowing reflex and the decrease in laryngeal elevation were more frequently observed in the pneumonia group. Among those variables, PDT and PTT were identified as significant predictors of aspiration pneumonia based on logistic regression analysis. Conclusion The present study delineated the findings of VFSS, suggesting an increased risk of aspiration pneumonia in elderly patients with dysphagia. The results demonstrate that prolonged PDT and PTT are significant predictors of aspiration pneumonia.

PURPOSE: We compared intra-individual visual outcomes and patient satisfaction after implantable contact lens (ICL) and Toric ICL implantation. METHODS: Twenty-eight eyes of 14 patients were enrolled in this retrospective study. One eye of each patient was assigned to ICL (ICL Group), and the contralateral eye was allocated to Toric ICL (Toric ICL Group). All patients were examined for visual acuity, refraction, intraocular pressure, slit lamp measurements, and satisfaction one week, one month, two months, and six months postoperatively. RESULTS: Mean spherical equivalents of the two groups were corrected from -7.83D (ICL Group) and -5.55D (Toric ICL Group) to 0.13D and 0.20D, respectively, and the mean refractive cylinders were corrected from 0.92D and 2.60D to 0.42D and 0.27D, respectively, at six months postoperatively. The myopias of these two groups and the astigmatism of the Toric ICL group were effectively corrected. The uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) of the two groups were 1.02 and 1.05, respectively, at six months postoperatively. The safety index, efficacy index, predictability, and stability were favorable. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of postoperative UCVA, intraocular pressure(IOP), vaulting, noticeable complications, or patient satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: The results show ICL implantation is effective treatment for high myopia, and Toric ICL implantation is a viable surgical option for the treatment of compound myopia astigmatism. Selection of proper phakic intraocular lens(IOL) is recommended for correcting astigmatism.
Astigmatism ; Eye ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Lenses, Intraocular ; Myopia ; Patient Satisfaction ; Retrospective Studies ; Visual Acuity

Moyamoya disease is a rare progressive occlusive disease in the internal carotid arteries, along with the presence of an abnormal capillary network of vessels at the base of the brain. In moyamoya disease, the manitaining of cerebral perfusion and cerebral oxygen saturation are required to reduce complications of this disease including cerebral ischemia and cerebral hemorrhage. The authors measured regional oxygen saturation (rSO2) nonivasively by INVOS 5100 (Somanetics, USA) in patients with moyamoya disease who were scheduled for an encephalo-duro-arterio-myo synangiosis (EDAMS) operation. We therefore report our findings that deep breathing decreased rSO2 and oxygen, elevated blood pressure, and that the cerebral vasodilating drug increased rSO2.
Blood Pressure ; Brain ; Brain Ischemia ; Capillaries ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Moyamoya Disease* ; Oxygen* ; Perfusion ; Respiration

Purpose: We investigated the association between defoliant exposure and survival to discharge after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Methods: This is a retrospective case-control study based on the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) registry. The electronic medical records of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims from 6/9/2008 to 12/31/2016 were analyzed statistically. The case patients group had a history of defoliant exposure while the control group did not. Among the 401 victims studied, a total of 110 patients were male out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients. Baseline characteristics and the parameters involved in cardiac arrest were analyzed and compared between the two groups after propensity score matching. The primary outcome was survival to discharge, and secondary outcomes were sustained return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and survival to admission. Results: After propensity score matching a total of 50 patients (case=25, control=25) were analyzed. Primary outcome (survival to discharge) was not significantly different between case and control groups [(OR, 1.759; 95% C.I., 0.491-6.309) and (OR, 1.842;95% C.I., 0.515-6.593), respectively]. In the subgroup analysis, there were also no significant differences between the control group and subgroups in primary and secondary outcomes according to defoliant exposure severity. Conclusion There is no statistically significant association between defoliant exposure and survival of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

BACKGROUND: The best way of delivering drugs for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is via the inhaled route of administration. However, many patients use inhaler devices incorrectly. To augment the proper use of inhalation medicine and to improve knowledge of the disease and compliance, we have developed a "Computerized Respiratory Service Program" and applied the use of this program to educate patients. METHODS: Prospectively, this study was performed in 164 patients with asthma or COPD prescribed with inhaled medication. When inhalation medication was first prescribed, education using a drug model was conducted two times and thereafter every month. In addition, education using a drug model was conducted and the ability of the patient to use inhalation medicine properly was evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 164 patients participated in the sessions more than two times and received education. Fifty-seven patients participated in three sesions. After the patients received education one time, the ability of these patients to use an inhaler had an average score of 20.6. After the patients received education two times, the average score was 21.9. After the patients received education three times, the average score was 22.3, a further increase. The compliance of using the inhaler was 70.1% at the second session and increased to 81.8% at the third session. CONCLUSION: Feedback education using the "Computerized Respiratory Service Program" will increase the ability of the patient to use an inhaler and consistent education can maintain patient compliance with inhaler use.
Asthma ; Compliance ; Education* ; Humans ; Inhalation* ; Nebulizers and Vaporizers ; Patient Compliance ; Prospective Studies ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive