No abstract available.
Erythroblastosis, Fetal* ; Gene Frequency* ; Infant, Newborn

The chronic fatigue immune dysfunction syndrome (abbreviated CFIDS or CFS) is a disorder characterized by debilitating fatigue(over 6 months), along with cognitive, musculoskeletal, and sleep abnormalities. The etiology of this illness is unlikely to be a single agent. Findings to date suggest that physiological and psychological factors work together to predispose and perpetuate the illness. Diagnosis is made difficult by the nonspecific clinical findings and no available diagnostic testing. With no known cause or cure for the chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome, treatment is based on relieving symptoms and improving the quality of life of affected patients. There is emerging evidence that chronic fatigue syndrome may be familial. In the future, studies will examine the extent to which genetic and environmental factors play a role in the development of chronic fatigue syndrome. Most patients with CFS have psychiatric problems such as a generalized anxiety disorder, or major or minor depression, therefore, these mental health disorders may be correlated with the pathophysiology of the CFS. The treatment for CFS must be individualized, due to the heterogeneity of the CFS population. Also the treatment of CFS is built on a foundation of patient-physician relationship, respect and advocacy.
Anxiety Disorders ; Depression ; Diagnosis ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Fatigue ; Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic* ; Humans ; Mental Health ; Population Characteristics ; Psychology ; Quality of Life

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of the ego-resilience and social support on the depression among hospital nurses. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 369 nurses in a hospital. We used the self-reported questionnaire to assess the level of ego-resilience, social support and depression of hospital nurses. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, frequency, t-test, ANOVA and logistic regression. RESULTS: The mean scores of ego-resilience, social support and depression were 42.6, 28.3 and 14.1, respectively. When scores of ego-resilience and social support were high, the level of mild and major depression of subjects decreased. The influencing factors of depression level were the department of work, ego-resilience and social support. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that developing programs to improve ego-resilience and social support might be useful. Further study is required to justify the scale on ego-resilience and social support.
Depression ; Surveys and Questionnaires

INTRODUCTION: Osteoporosis, the most common metabolic bone disorder, is a condition of reduced bone density and increased susceptibility to fractures. Osteoporosis is a major public health problem and a significant cause of morbidity in postmenopausal women. Therefore family physicians as primary care physicians are in a key position for preventing and treating this disorder. So we studied the factors affecting to bone mineral density in postmenopausal women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 136 spontaneous postmenopausal women were participated in the study. They have measured spinal bone mineral density by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry from January 1992 to June 1995 at Yeungnam University Hospital. Age, height, weight, age at menarche and menopause, number of child and breast feeding child, history of oral pill ingestion, family history of osteoporosis, amount of milk and coffee ingestion, consumption of tobacco and alcohol and physical activity were assessed by qustionnaire and medical records. RESULTS: physical activity and weight were significant contributors. Physical activity is most the largest contributor. CONCLUSIONS: Among factors affecting to BMD in postmenopausal women, physical activity and weight were more important factors. Therefore continuous physical activity is significant factor to prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Bone Density* ; Breast Feeding ; Child ; Coffee ; Eating ; Female ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Menarche ; Menopause ; Motor Activity ; Osteoporosis ; Physicians, Family ; Physicians, Primary Care ; Public Health ; Tobacco

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate a new postoperative analgesic which minimize the physiological changes of patients. Recently, it has become popular to administer opioids to epidural space rather than intravenously or by intramuscular administration. However, the side effects of opioids have limited the usefulness of this procedure. We tried to find out a way of providing postoperative analgesia while minimizing the side effects of opioids. This study has tested the effects of administering a mixture of small doses of morphine, fentanyl and bupivacaine and epidural morphine alone. The data of this study has taken from 20 paturients who have scheduled for cesarean section. We have classified into two groups which consist of 10 paturients each. We have administered epidural morphine alone to the first group and a small doses of morphine-fentanyl-bupivacaine mixture to second group. We have evaluated analgesic effects by comparing both groups' pain scores of the operative day and of the first postoperative day and evaluated such side effects as the degree of itching, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and respiratory depression by asking to paturients. This study has found the followings: 1) Pain scores of the first group in the operative day and the first postoperative day are 1.2+/-0.4 and 0.4+/-0.5. The second group's pain scores are 0.2+/-0.4 and 0, and the second group's pain scores have significantly reduced (p<0.05). 2) Frequencies of such side effects as itching, nausea and vomiting are higher in the first group (8) than in the second group(4). In conclusion, small doses of morphine-fentanyl-bupivacaine mixture has demonstrated a more effective postoperative analgesia with minimum side effects in pain controlling after cesarean section than epidural morphine alone.
Analgesia* ; Analgesics, Opioid ; Bupivacaine ; Cesarean Section* ; Dizziness ; Epidural Space ; Female ; Fentanyl ; Humans ; Morphine* ; Nausea ; Pregnancy ; Pruritus ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Vomiting

PURPOSE:The natural course of Hashimoto' thyroiditis (HT) is so dynamic that the disease progresses to overt hypothyroid or spontaneous recovery. The authors reviewed the clinical course of this disease and analysed the possible predicting factors regarding remission. METHODS:Thirty nine patients with HT (38 girls and 1 boy) were studied retrospectively. Of these patients, 30 were followed for more than 2 years. The possible remission factors were analyzed at initial diagnosis and during follow-up period. RESULTS:The mean age at the diagnosis was 11.8+/-.1 years. Initial thyroid function was euthyroid in 38.5%, compensated hypothyroid in 35.9%, overt hypothyroid in 23.1%, and hyperthyroid in 2.6% of patients. Antithyroglobulin antibody (ATA) was positive in 94.7%, and antimicrosomal antibody (AMA) was positive in 74.4%. The overall remission rate was 53.3% during the follow-up period (51+/-7 months). Initial goiter size, thyroid function status, and autoantibody titer had no relation to the remission rate statistically. Follow-up autoantibody titers in remission group were marginally lower than those in nonremission group (P<0.1), and follow-up AMA titer was significantly higher than initial titers in nonremission group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: We could not find any predictable remission factors from the initial clinical and autoantibody status. But, during follow-up period, patients with lower autoantibody titers showed slight higher remission, and those with increasing AMA titer showed less remission. Above results suggest that we should monitor antithyroid antibody titer as well as thyroid function regularly.
Adolescent* ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Goiter ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroiditis*

Epidermolysis bullosa dystrophica is rare, chronic non-inflammtory mechanobullous disease of hereditary trait, which easily produces bullae by minor trauma or sponta neosly. A 1-day old male neonate presented wide spread vesicobullous minor, eruptions since birth. On examination, tense bullse were noted on the dorsa of the feet and right knei: area Which is usually serous but may be hemarrhagic tendeney. This was healed by the dropping of oxoline and wet betadine auze application along with the administration of vitamin E and phenytoin. We present a case of epidermolysis bullosa dystrophica that seems be a dominant type considering the presence of family history with histopathologic and electron microscopic findings.
Epidermolysis Bullosa Dystrophica* ; Epidermolysis Bullosa* ; Foot ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Parturition ; Phenytoin ; Povidone-Iodine ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation ; Vitamin E ; Vitamins

No abstract available.
Cytomegalovirus Infections* ; Cytomegalovirus*

No abstract available.
Chlamydial Pneumonia* ; Humans ; Infant*

We report a case of a large asymptomatic Rathke cleft cyst in a 14-year-old boy. This cyst was of considerable size, measuring 2x1.8x1.8 cm, but did not produce any symptoms and was confined to the suprasellar area. The cyst wall was lined by pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium with goblet cells. The lining epithelium of the Rathke cleft cyst was immnoreactive for cytokeratin, EMA and CEA.
Cysts