OBJECTIVES: To identify various factors that might affect stigmas affecting outpatients with schizophrenia, and to further clarify the effects of both factors affected by the treatment and other factors on stigmas in a clinical setting. METHODS: Of patients who had been receiving outpatient treatments at the Donga University Hospital Department of Psychiatry and those who had been attending the community mental health center and community psychiatric rehabilitation center, 178 patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia with stable symptoms were enrolled in this study. In these patients, through an interview or self-reporting, we assessed stigmas (the Korean version of Mental Health Consumers' Experience of Stigmas), psychiatric symptoms (the Korean version of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale), social functions (the Korean version of the Social Functioning Scale), insight (the Self-Appraisal of Illness Questionnaire), empowerment (a Consumer-Constructed Empowerment Scale), and self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale). In more detail, we performed an ANOVA in consideration of 11 factors (age, gender, the level of education, economic status, the duration of disease, the frequency of hospitalization, symptoms, insight, self-esteem, empowerment, and social functions) as explanatory variables for stigmas. RESULTS: On a multiple regression analysis using backward elimination, the following five factors were found to be significant explanatory variables for stigmas that are experienced by outpatients with schizophrenia : the disease of duration, self-esteem, insight, age, and gender. The coefficient of determination for these five explanatory variables was 0.44. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, our results showed that five factors were found to be significant explanatory variables for stigmas that are experienced by outpatients with schizophrenia. These five factors were the duration of the disease, self-esteem, insight, age, and gender. Because these five variables accounted for only 44% of total stigmas, however, further studies in a larger group of patients are warranted to identify other factors that might affect stigmas.
Analysis of Variance ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Diagnostic Self Evaluation ; Hospital Departments ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Mental Health ; Outpatients ; Power (Psychology) ; Rehabilitation Centers ; Schizophrenia

Urethral polyp is an unusual cause of bladder outlet obstruction in male patients. Diagnosis is made by cystourethrography and is confirmed by transurethral biopsy. We report on an infant with a congenital polyp of the prostatic urethra with brief review of literature.
Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Polyps* ; Urethra ; Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction

No abstract available.

The study was undertaken to assess the CT density of the antibiotics solution. CT scan of six antibioticssolution-streptomycin, chloramphenicol, Na-penicillin, ampicillin, kanamycin and cefamezine-in concentration ofabout 33% (approximatly single dose of intramuscular injection) was performed, using plastic syringes. Variousconcentrations of striptomycin, chloramphenicol and Na-panicillin were also examined for evaluation of relationbetween concentration and the CT density of the antibiotics. In addition, relationship between CT number andmathematically calculated effective atomic number and electron density of the antibiotics was evaluated. Theresults are as follows; 1. The CT densities of all antibiotics reveal high density (CT number 80–150) inconcentration of single intramuscular injection dose. 2. CT number of striptomycin, chloramphenicol andNa-penicillin gradually increased with increase of concentration of the antibiotics, producing linear proportionto concentration, effective atomic number and electron density of the antibiotics. 3. Therefore, density ofantibiotics should be included in differential diagnosis when high density on CT scan is observed.
Ampicillin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Chloramphenicol ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Kanamycin ; Plastics ; Syringes ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

No abstract available.
Erythropoietin* ; Humans* ; Renal Dialysis*

A low grade endometrial stromal sarcoma is a rare malignant tumor in woman. We experienced this infrequent malignant tumor in a 36 years old woman showing metas- tasis to both ovaries, omentum, rectum and mesenteric lymph nodes, and she was treated by total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy followed by VAC(vincristi n, actinomycin, cyclophoshamide) chemotherapy. The authors report this case with the clinicopathologic findings and brief review of literature.
Adult ; Dactinomycin ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Lymph Nodes ; Omentum ; Ovary ; Rectum ; Sarcoma, Endometrial Stromal*

OBJECTIVE: As interest in life quality and expectancy increases, cognitive dysfunction is becoming an important topic. Although there are many foreign articles on this topic, they require cultural interpretation to be applicable to Koreans. The purpose of this study was to assess cognitive function in Korean neurosurgical patients. METHODS: We recruited 214 adult Korean patients with various cerebral pathologies and treatments from an outpatient clinic. The male-to-female ratio was 88:126, and their ages ranged from 28 to 81 years (mean: 57.9 years). The Korean version of the mini-mental status examination (K-MMSE) was adopted as an instrument for measuring cognitive function, and a score < or =23 was defined as cognitive dysfunction. K-MMSE scores were analyzed considering the patients' gender, age, time elapsed since treatments, pathology and treatment modality. A serial analysis was performed for 59 patients who completed the K-MMSE more than once. RESULTS: The mean K-MMSE score of 214 patients was 22.3, and 133 patients (62.1%) had a score < or =23. Cognitive dysfunction was common regardless of age, gender, pathology or treatment modality. Serial analysis revealed K-MMSE score improvement in 45 of 59 patients (76.3%). The mean time interval between two tests was 11.9 months, and the mean K-MMSE score improvement was 2.7, which was statistically significant (P = 0.000). However, many still had cognitive impairment. CONCLUSION: Most Korean neurosurgical patients showed cognitive dysfunction despite improvement after several months. Patients with trauma or ischemic disease were more vulnerable. More attention should be paid to neuropsychological complications such as cognitive dysfunction.
Adult ; Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Craniotomy ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Humans ; Korea ; Neurosurgery ; Quality of Life

BACKGROUND: Esmolol has been recommended to prevent tachycardia and hypertension induced by tracheal intubation in several studies, but these studies are based on mean values of changes of vital signs. Therefore, the recommended doses are not guaranteed to be precise effective dose. METHODS: According to esmolol dose, 140 patients were randomly alldegrees Cated to 7 groups of 20 patients. After intravenous thiopental and vecuronium followed by mask ventilation of 3 minutes with enflurane, nitrous oxide and oxygen, one of the dosages of esmolol 0, 0.2, 0.3, 0.45, 0.5, 0.6, 0.8 or 1.0 mg/kg was administered. Ninty seconds later, tracheal intubation by direct laryngoscopy was performed. After then heart rate was monitored continuously and blood pressure was measured 5 times at intervals of 1 minute. The highest heart rate and systolic blood pressure were recorded. If the highest heart rate was beyond 100/min or highest systolic blood pressure was beyond 170 mmHg, we regarded this cases as 'unprotected' case. By logistic regression, we calculated the doses of esmolol which reduce the incidence of tachycardia, systolic hypertension and unprotection below 5% respectively. RESULTS: The appropriate doses of esmolol for prevention of tachycardia, systolic hypertension and 'unprotection' were 0.95 mg (95% CI: 0.77~1.33 mg), 0.38 mg (95% CI: 0.21~1.05 mg) and 0.93 mg (95% CI: 0.78~1.23 mg) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In anesthetic induction and tracheal intubation with thiopental and vecuronium, esmolol 0.78~1.23 mg/kg was appropriate for preventiion of tachycardia ( > 100 bpm) and systolic hypertension ( > 170 mmHg).
Blood Pressure ; Enflurane ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Incidence ; Intubation ; Intubation, Intratracheal* ; Laryngoscopy ; Logistic Models ; Masks ; Nitrous Oxide ; Oxygen ; Tachycardia* ; Thiopental ; Vecuronium Bromide ; Ventilation ; Vital Signs

Heterotopic pregnancy, simultaneous intrauterine and extrauterine pregnancy, is an extremely rare case. The incidence of heterotopic pregnancy was about 1 to 30,000 pregnancies, but it has increased after wider use of assisted reproductive technology. The rising incidence presents a serious problem as the diagnosis of this potentially fatal condition is often missed. Careful pelvic examination combined with serial beta-hCG determinations, and transvaginal sonography to evaluate the adnexal region are necessary prerequisites for early diagnosis. We report a case of heterotopic pregnancy following in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer(IVF-ET) with a brief review of literature.
Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Embryo Transfer* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Gynecological Examination ; Incidence ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Heterotopic* ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted

BACKGROUND: Direct laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation frequently induce transient hypertension, tachycardia and arrhythmia. This study was to evaluate the effect of nicardipine on the changes of the blood pressure and heart rate induced by direct laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation. METHODS: Sixty patients were randomly divided into three groups: Group 1 (nicardipine 0.02 mg/kg, n=20), Group 2 (diltiazem 0.2 mg/kg, n=20), Group 3 (normal saline 3 cc, n=20). Two minutes after intravenous injection of 2 mcg/kg of fentanyl, thiopental 5 mg/kg and nicardipine or diltiazem or normal slaine was administered intravenously. Then succinylcholine 1.5 mg/kg was administered. One minute after succinylcholine injection, direct laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation was done and vecuronium 0.1 mg/kg was injected. Anesthesia was maintained with 50% nitrous oxide in oxygen and 2 vol % of enflurane. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured at the period of preintubation, immediately after intubation, 1, 3 and 5 minutes following intubation by noninvasive method. RESULTS: After tracheal intubation, the increase of systolic blood pressure was supressed significantly in nicardipine and diltiazem group compared with control group (nicardipine group 11%, diltiazem group 13%, control group 24%). The increase of heart rate was greatest in nicardipine group (nicardipine group 38% diltiazem group 29%, control group 20%). CONCLUSIONS: Nicardipine was effective in attenuating pressor responses to laryngoscopy and intubation, but in nicardipine group, increase of heart rate was greater than control group.
Anesthesia ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Blood Pressure ; Diltiazem ; Enflurane ; Fentanyl ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Injections, Intravenous ; Intubation* ; Laryngoscopy ; Nicardipine* ; Nitrous Oxide ; Oxygen ; Succinylcholine ; Tachycardia ; Thiopental ; Vecuronium Bromide