This study was conducted to compare activities of daily living, fatigue and depression between rheumatoid arthritis patients and healthy persons. The subjects consisted of 53 rheumatoid arthritis patients and 53 healthy persons at a university hospital in Daegu City. Data were collected by means of structured interviews with questionnaires from July 20, 1999 to August 25, 1999. The instrument used in this study were the activities of daily living scale developed by Katz et al. (1970) and Barthel(1973), Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue by Belza et al.(1995) and CES-D(Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression) scale. Analysis of data was done by use of descriptive statistics, Pearson Correlation, Chi-square test, t-test, ANOVA, MANCOVA and Duncan with the SPSS program. The major findings are summarized as follows: 1. The first hypothesis that the rheumatoid arthritis patients will have a lower degree of activities of daily living than the healthy persons was supported (F=4.584, p=.035). 2. The second hypothesis that the rheumatoid arthritis patient will have a higher degree of fatigue than the healthy persons was supported (F=7.799, p=.006). 3. The third hypothesis that the rheumatoid arthritis patients will have a higher degree of depression than the healthy persons was supported (F=4.768, p=.031). With the above results, it can be concluded that rheumatoid arthritis patients had a lower degree of activities of daily living and a higher degree of fatigue and depression than the healthy persons. Therefore, by providing appropriate nursing intervention, activities of daily living would be much better and fatigue and depression would be alleviated.
Activities of Daily Living* ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Daegu ; Depression* ; Fatigue* ; Humans ; Nursing ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Gigantism indicates excessive secretion of growth hormones (GH) during childhood when open epiphyseal growth plates allow for excessive linear growth. Case one involved a 14.7-year-old boy presented with extreme tall stature. His random serum GH level was 38.4 ng/mL, and failure of GH suppression was noted during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT; nadir serum GH, 22.7 ng/mL). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain revealed a 12-mm-sized pituitary adenoma. Transsphenoidal surgery was performed and a pituitary adenoma displaying positive immunohistochemical staining for GH was reported. Pituitary MRI scan was performed 4 months after surgery and showed recurrence/residual tumor. Medical treatment with a long-acting somatostatin analogue for six months was unsuccessful. As a result, secondary surgery was performed. Three months after reoperation, the GH level was 0.2 ng/mL and insulin-like growth factor 1 was 205 ng/mL. Case two involved a 14.9-year-old boy, who was referred to our department for his tall stature. His basal GH level was 9.3 ng/mL, and failure of GH suppression was reported during OGTT (nadir GH, 9.0 ng/mL). Pituitary MRI showed a 6-mm-sized pituitary adenoma. Surgery was done and histopathological examination demonstrated a pituitary adenoma with positive staining for GH. Three months after surgery, the GH level was 0.2 ng/mL and nadir GH during OGTT was less than 0.1 ng/mL. Pituitary MRI scans showed no residual tumor. We present two cases of gigantism caused by a GH-secreting pituitary adenoma with clinical and microscopic findings.
Brain ; Gigantism* ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Growth Hormone* ; Growth Hormone-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma ; Growth Plate ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Pituitary Neoplasms* ; Reoperation ; Somatostatin

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence, risk factors, and long-term outcome of nephrocalcinosis in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed in VLBW infants between 2006 and 2012 in the neonatal intensive care unit. RESULTS: The incidence of nephrocalcinosis in VLBW infants was 10.2%. By univariate analysis, oligohydramnios and use of antenatal steroids were more frequent in the nephrocalcinosis group. In the nephrocalcinosis group, the gestational age and birth weight were lower and there were more number of female infants. Also, the initial blood pH, the lowest systolic blood pressure, and urine output on the first day of life were lower and bronchopulmonary dysplasia, sepsis, and urinary tract infection were more prevalent in the nephrocalcinosis group. The use of dexamethasone or ibuprofen and the lowest levels of phosphorus, protein and albumin were significantly lower in the nephrocalcinosis group. By binary logistic regression analysis, the use of antenatal steroids, female sex, 5-minute Apgar score, duration of oxygen therapy and total parenteral nutrition, and the lowest albumin level were found to be significant risk factors for nephrocalcinosis. Overall, the resolution rate was 64.1% and 88.6% within 12 months and 18 months, respectively. CONCLUSION: The incidence of nephrocalcinosis in VLBW infants showed increasing trend. The risk factors of nephrocalcinosis were parameters for sick VLBW infants. Although the prognosis of nephrocalcinosis was relatively good, we should pay close attention to the development of complication.
Apgar Score ; Birth Weight ; Blood Pressure ; Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia ; Dexamethasone ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Ibuprofen ; Incidence ; Infant* ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight* ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Logistic Models ; Nephrocalcinosis* ; Oligohydramnios ; Oxygen ; Parenteral Nutrition, Total ; Phosphorus ; Pregnancy ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors* ; Sepsis ; Steroids ; Urinary Tract Infections

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to verify the effects of an education program of restraints use on nurses' knowledge, attitude and nursing performance related to restraints use. METHOD: A quasi experimental study with a pre and post non-equivalent design was used. The subjects were nurses who met the selection criteria and worked in intensive care units of two university hospitals located at K-city, Gyeongbuk. Twenty nurses in A hospital were designated as the experimental group and 20 nurses in B hospital as the control group. RESULT: The first hypothesis which assumed that the experimental group would have higher scores of knowledge than the control group was supported(F=62.66, p=0.000). The second hypothesis which assumed that the experimental group would have lower scores of attitude toward using restraints than the control group was supported(F=23.77, p=0.000). The third hypothesis which assumed that the experimental group would have higher scores of nursing performance than the control group was supported(F=3.28, p=0.032). CONCLUSION: An education program for nurses' on the use of restraints needs to be introduced to decrease inappropriate use of restraints.
Adult ; *Education, Nursing, Continuing ; Female ; *Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Nursing Staff, Hospital/*education ; Restraint, Physical/*utilization

PURPOSE: Methylxanthines are commonly used to treat apnea of prematurity. Recent studies have reported that caffeine therapy reduces the rate of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and improves the rate of survival in preterm infant without neurodevelopmental disabilities. This study was performed to compare the effects on apnea episodes, adverse effects and morbidity between the caffeine and theophylline groups. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed in 143 infants born at less than 33 weeks of gestation and treated with caffeine (n=54) or theophylline (n=89) from 2011 to 2012. The baseline characteristics of mothers and their infants were examined. The number of apnea events before and after treatment, the duration of respiratory support, and the rate of re-intubation were compared. Furthermore, adverse effects, clinical course, and morbidities such as BPD and periventricular leukomalacia were compared before discharge. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the baseline characteristics. Theophylline and caffeine appeared to have similar short-term therapeutic advantages on apnea of prematurity in mean apnea rate after first two weeks of treatment. However, there were no statistically significant differences in the duration of respiratory support, rate of re-intubation, clinical course, and morbidity between the two groups. Adverse effects, indicated by feeding intolerance were lower in the caffeine group. CONCLUSION: Caffeine was as effective as theophylline in the short-term for reducing apnea in preterm babies and was better tolerated and was easier to administer. A prospective randomized study is needed to confirm the effect of caffeine on the lone-term neurodevelopmental outcome in prematurity.
Apnea* ; Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia ; Caffeine* ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Leukomalacia, Periventricular ; Mothers ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies ; Theophylline*

PURPOSE: Liver metastasis is the most common type of failure in the treatment of colorectal cancer. The identification of differential expressions of genes in colorectal cancer and liver metastasis is important to differentiate the genetic mechanism of carcinogenesis and liver metastasis from that of a normal mucosa. The aim of this study is to find candidate genes playing roles in liver metastasis of colorectal cancer by using cDNA microarray. METHODS: We screened a group of genes differentially expressed in a normal mucosa and in cancer and liver metastasis by using a 4.7 K cDNA microarray chip in 8 patients with far advanced colorectal cancer from Jan 2003 to May 2004 at Kyungpook National University Hospital. RESULTS: A comparison of mRNA expressions of genes in normal mucosa vs. cancer, normal mucosa vs. liver metastasis, and cancer vs. liver metastasis, 76 and 27 known and unknown genes were significantly over-expressed in cancer and liver metastasis, respectively. Also 62 and 26 genes were down- regulated in cancer and liver metastasis. Among those genes, TIMP-1, SRY-box9, Rattus norvegicus fibronectin 1, mitotic check point regulator, etc. were constantly up- regulated in cancer or metastasis, and hsgk, etc. were down-regulated in cancer or liver metastasis. CONSLUSIONS: The cDNA microarray chip technique could be a useful for robust screening of candidate genes involved in carcinogenesis or metastasis of colorectal cancer.
Animals ; Carcinogenesis ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; DNA, Complementary* ; Fibronectins ; Gene Expression ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Liver* ; Mass Screening ; Mucous Membrane ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis* ; Pilot Projects* ; Rats ; RNA, Messenger ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1

Total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR) is a rare and critical congenital vascular anomaly that requires an early operation. However, initial symptoms of TAPVR may be non-specific, and cardiovascular findings may be minimal. The heart may not be enlarged and there is often no cardiac murmur. Without cardiac murmur, these symptoms are similar to those of respiratory distress syndrome in newborns. Therefore, a high degree of suspicion and an early diagnosis of TAPVR are important. This condition generally occurs without a family history and has a low recurrence rate, but several familial cases, including siblings, have been reported worldwide. Additionally, several chromosomal or gene abnormalities associated with TAPVR have been reported. In the case presented here, two brothers with a 6-year age gap were diagnosed with TAPVR. Surgery was performed without cardiac or neurological complications. This is the first report on TAPVR in siblings in Korea.
Early Diagnosis ; Heart ; Heart Murmurs ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea ; Recurrence ; Scimitar Syndrome* ; Siblings*