Background/Aims: We evaluated nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC) of interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (IPAF) and compared it with that of patients with connective tissue disease-interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD) and idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP). Methods: Patients with newly diagnosed as ILD were evaluated using NFC. Baseline demographic, clinical, serological, and high-resolution CT findings were collected. NFC was semi-quantitatively scored with six domains ranging from 0 to 18. In addition, the overall patterns (sclerodermaon-scleroderma patterns) were determined. Results: A total of 81 patients (31 with CTD-ILD, 18 with IPAF, and 32 with IIP) were included. The non-specific interstitial pneumonia pattern was the most common ILD pattern in the CTD-ILD and IPAF groups, whereas the usual interstitial pneumonia pattern was the most common in the IIP group. The semi-quantitative score of the CTD-ILD group was higher than that of the IPAF or IIP groups (5.8 vs 4.2 vs 3.0, p < 0.001, respectively). Giant capillaries and haemorrhages were more frequently present in the CTD-ILD and IPAF groups than in the IIP group. A scleroderma pattern was present in 27.8% of the IPAF group, whereas none of the IIP patients showed a scleroderma pattern. Conclusions NFC findings may be useful in classifying patients with ILD into CTD-ILD/IPAF/IIP.

OBJECTIVE: Patients are often transported within the hospital, especially in cases of critical illness for which computed tomography (CT) is performed. Since increased transport time increases the risks of complications, reducing transport time is important for patient safety. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of our newly invented device, the Easy Tube Arrange Device (ETAD), to reduce transport time for CT evaluation in cases of critical illness. METHODS: This prospective randomized control study included 60 volunteers. Each participant arranged five or six intravenous fluid lines, monitoring lines (noninvasive blood pressure, electrocardiography, central venous pressure, arterial catheter), and therapeutic equipment (O2 supply device, Foley catheter) on a Resusci Anne mannequin. We measured transport time for the CT evaluation by using conventional and ETAD method. RESULTS: The median transport time for CT evaluation was 488.50 seconds (95% confidence interval [CI], 462.75 to 514.75) and, 503.50 seconds (95% CI, 489.50 to 526.75) with 5 and 6 fluid lines using the conventional method and 364.50 seconds (95% CI, 335.00 to 388.75), and 363.50 seconds (95% CI, 331.75 to 377.75) with ETAD (all P < 0.001). The time differences were 131.50 (95% CI, 89.25 to 174.50) and 148.00 (95% CI, 116.00 to 177.75) (all P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The transport time for CT evaluation was reduced using the ETAD, which would be expected to reduce the complications that may occur during transport in cases of critical illness.
Blood Pressure ; Central Venous Pressure ; Critical Illness* ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Manikins ; Methods ; Patient Safety ; Prospective Studies ; Transportation ; Volunteers

OBJECTIVE: Critically ill patients sometimes require transport to another location. Longer intra-hospital transport time increases the risk of hemodynamic instability and associated complications. Therefore, reducing intra-hospital transport time is critical. Our objective was to evaluate whether or not a new device the easy tube arrange device (ETAD) has the potential to reduce intra-hospital transport time of critically ill patients. METHODS: We enrolled volunteers for this prospective randomized controlled study. Each participant arranged four, five, and six fluid tubings, monitoring lines, and therapeutic equipment on a cardiopulmonary resuscitation training mannequin (Resusci Anne). The time required to arrange the fluid tubings for intra-hospital transport using two different methods was evaluated. RESULTS: The median time to arrange four, five, and six fluid tubings was 86.00 (76.50 to 98.50), 96.00 (86.00 to 113.00), and 115.50 (93.00 to 130.75) seconds, respectively, using the conventional method and 60.50 (52.50 to 72.75), 69.00 (57.75 to 80.80), and 72.50 (64.75 to 90.50) seconds using the ETAD (all P<0.001). The total duration (for preparing the basic setting and organizing before and after the transport) was 280.00 (268.75 to 293.00), 315.50 (304.75 to 330.75), and 338.00 (319.50 to 360.25) seconds for four, five, and six fluid tubings, respectively, using the conventional method and 274.50 (261.75 to 289.25), 288.00 (271.75 to 298.25), and 301.00 (284.50 to 310.75) seconds, respectively, using the new method (P=0.024, P<0.001, and P<0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: The ETAD was convenient to use, reduced the time to arrange medical tubings, and is expected to assist medical staff during intra-hospital transport.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Critical Illness ; Equipment and Supplies ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Manikins ; Medical Staff ; Methods ; Prospective Studies ; Transportation of Patients ; Volunteers

The incidence rate of cervical cancer in Korea is still higher than in other developed countries, notwithstanding the national mass screening program. Furthermore, a new method has been introduced in cervical cancer screening. Therefore, the committee for cervical cancer screening in Korea updated the recommendation statement established in 2002. The new version of the guideline was developed by the committee using evidence-based methods. The committee reviewed the evidence for the benefits and harms of the Papanicolaou test, liquid-based cytology, and human papilloma virus (HPV) testing, and reached conclusions after deliberation. The committee recommends screening for cervical cancer with cytology (papanicolaou test or liquid-based cytology) every three years in women older than 20 years of age (recommendation A). The combination test (cytology with HPV test) is optionally recommended after taking into consideration individual risk or preference (recommendation C). The current evidence for primary HPV screening is insufficient to assess the benefits and harms of cervical cancer screening (recommendation I). Cervical cancer screening can be terminated at the age of 74 years if more than three consecutive negative cytology reports have been confirmed within ten years (recommendation D).
Developed Countries ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Mass Screening* ; Papanicolaou Test ; Papilloma ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

The incidence rate of cervical cancer in Korea is still higher than in other developed countries, notwithstanding the national mass-screening program. Furthermore, a new method has been introduced in cervical cancer screening. Therefore, the committee for cervical cancer screening in Korea updated the recommendation statement established in 2002. The new version of the guideline was developed by the committee using evidence-based methods. The committee reviewed the evidence for the benefits and harms of the Papanicolaou test, liquid-based cytology, and human papillomavirus (HPV) testing, and reached conclusions after deliberation. The committee recommends screening for cervical cancer with cytology (Papanicolaou test or liquid-based cytology) every three years in women older than 20 years of age (recommendation A). The cervical cytology combined with HPV test is optionally recommended after taking into consideration individual risk or preference (recommendation C). The current evidence for primary HPV screening is insufficient to assess the benefits and harms of cervical cancer screening (recommendation I). Cervical cancer screening can be terminated at the age of 74 years if more than three consecutive negative cytology reports have been confirmed within 10 years (recommendation D).
Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Early Detection of Cancer/adverse effects/*methods/standards ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; False Positive Reactions ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Middle Aged ; Papillomavirus Infections/diagnosis ; Papillomavirus Vaccines ; Patient Selection ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic/diagnosis ; Republic of Korea ; Review Literature as Topic ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/*diagnosis ; Vaginal Smears/adverse effects/methods/standards ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: In the 1990s the primary focus of medicine was shifted to disease prevention. Accordingly, it became the responsibility of primary-care physicians to educate and counsel the general population not only on disease prevention specifically but health promotion generally as well. Moreover, it was, and is still today, considered important that physicians provide positive examples of health-promotion behaviors to patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate physicians' health-promotion behaviors and to identify the factors that influence them. METHODS: We conducted a postal and e-mail survey of the 371 members of the Physician Association of Cheonan City between May 16th and June 25th, 2011. The questionnaire consisted of 18 items, including questions relating to sociodemographic factors, screening tests for adult diseases and cancer, and health habits. RESULTS: There were 127 respondents. The gender breakdown was 112 men (88.2%) and 15 women (11.8%), and the mean age was 47.8 years. Fifty-nine (46.4%) were family physicians or interns, and 68 (53.6%) were surgeons. Twenty-six percent (26%) were smokers, and 74.8% were drinkers; 53.5% did exercise; 37% had chronic diseases; 44.9% took periodic cancer screening tests, and 72.4% took periodic screening tests for adult diseases. CONCLUSION: It was found that general characteristics and other health-promotion behaviors of physicians do not affect physicians' practice of undergoing periodic health examination.
Adult ; Chronic Disease ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Electronic Mail ; Female ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Physical Examination ; Physicians, Family ; Physicians, Primary Care

PURPOSE: Fractures of the distal humerus are one of the challenging injuries due to its complex anatomy and accompanied comminution. For dual plate fixation, orthogonal or parallel plating is widely used, but the better of the two is debatable. The purpose of this study was to report another fixation technique that yielded good clinical results with early bone union of distal humerus fracture, namely, posterior-posterior plate fixation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From March 2003 to March 2012, 20 patients with distal humerus fractures were treated by posterior-posterior plate fixation. The triceps reflecting approach was used with anterior transposition of the ulnar nerve. The mean age at the time of injury was 45 years (range, 26 to 78 years). By AO classification of distal humerus fractures, there were one case of A2 and B3 respectively, two cases of each A3, C1 and C3, and twelve cases of C2. RESULTS: The mean period of complete bone union was 7.1 weeks (range, 4 to 11 weeks). The mean flexion-extension range of motion of the elbow joint at last follow-up was 116.2 degrees. The mean pronation was 81.2 degrees and supination was 83.1 degrees. Plates and screws were removed at about nine months after the initial surgery. No cases showed complications or required additional operation. CONCLUSION: Posterior-posterior dual plates fixation resulted in stable bicortical screw fixation, and insertion of lag screws were possible without interference. Posterior-posterior plating could be an easy and stable fixation method that provides good clinical results.
Elbow Joint ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Humerus* ; Pronation ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Supination ; Ulnar Nerve

This study attempted to calculate and investigate the incidence of hospitalized acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and stroke in Korea. Using the National Health Insurance claim data, we investigated patients whose main diagnostic codes included AMI or stroke during 2006 to 2010. As a result, we found out that the number of AMI hospitalized patients had decreased since 2006 and amounted to 15,893 in 2010; and that the number of those with stroke had decreased since 2006 and amounted to 73,501 in 2010. The age-standardized incidence rate of hospitalized AMI, after adjustment for readmission, was 41.6 cases per 100,000-population in 2006, and had decreased to 29.4 cases in 2010 (for trend P < 0.001). In the case of stroke was estimated at 172.8 cases per 100,000-population in 2006, and had decreased to 135.1 cases in 2010 (for trend P < 0.001). In conclusion, the age-standardized incidence rates of both hospitalized AMI and stroke in Korea had decreased continuously during 2006 to 2010. We consider this decreasing trend due to the active use of pharmaceuticals, early vascular intervention, and the national cardio-cerebrovascular disease care project as the primary and secondary prevention efforts.
Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Hospitalization/*trends ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction/*epidemiology ; Patient Readmission ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Sex Factors ; Stroke/*epidemiology ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: It is necessary to establish the most efficient diagnostic and therapeutic method for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), which is appropriate for Korean healthcare system. We aimed to evaluate current state of Korean clinician's diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for BPPV. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 16-item survey was emailed to the members of dizziness department of Otology Research Interest Group in the Korean Otologic Society (n=68). 43 were returned and analyzed. RESULTS: All respondents (100%) used Dix-Hallpike test as a diagnostic tool for vertical canal-BPPV. Supine roll test was used for diagnosing lateral canal BPPV in nearly all the respondents (97.7%). Epley maneuver was chosen as otolith repositioning maneuver (ORM) for posterior canal BPPV in all respondents and barbecue rotation (BBQ) was used for treating lateral canal BPPV with geotropic nystagmus in 95.3% of respondents. Extreme variation was noted for therapeutic approach of lateral canal BPPV with ageotropic nystagmus BBQ, with 4 kinds of ORM and adjunctive measures to liberate otolith from cupula, while BBQ was again the most commonly used ORM (76.7%). CONCLUSION: The development of practical and efficient ORM for lateral canal BPPV with ageotropic nystagmus is necessary.
Surveys and Questionnaires ; Delivery of Health Care ; Dizziness ; Electronic Mail ; Korea ; Otolaryngology ; Otolithic Membrane ; Public Opinion ; Vertigo

PURPOSE: Malignant tumors of the hand occurred very rarely and optical surgical treatment and prognosis are not clearly established. We report the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of primary and metastatic bone and soft tissue tumors during last twenty years with a review of literatures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed 20 cases of malignant tumors in the hand (7 cases of acrometastasis, 9 cases of malignant melanoma, 2 cases of chondrosarcoma and 2 cases of squamous cell carcinoma) retrospectively. RESULTS: Patients of early Clark stage (I to III) of malignant melanoma survived after wide resection or ray amputation. But patients with late Clark stage (IV to V) expired associated with distant metastasis. All seven patients with acrometastasis expired in 6.3 months after diagnosis of metastasis. Two patients with chondrosarcoma survived without recurrence. Among patients with squamous cell carcinoma, one patient is free of disease after wide resection, but the other was dead due to metastasis. CONCLUSION: Good results might be attained after surgical treatment of malignant tumors of the hand by proper surgical technique to minimize loss of hand function and systemic evaluation of metastasis.
Amputation ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Chondrosarcoma ; Hand ; Humans ; Melanoma ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Recurrence