Background: Psoriasis is a chronic disease that can have accompanying comorbidities including arthritis, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular diseases. Patients with psoriasis tend to frequently visit medical institutions, and their economic burden for medical services is high. Objective: To investigate the economic burden of psoriasis in Korea. Methods: The Korean Society for Psoriasis conducted a multi-center field survey of the patients and analyzed the national insurance claim data. Also, we discussed the medical environment of psoriasis in Korea based on the results. Results: The economic burden of psoriasis patients is substantial and varied by the type of medical institute. Patients also paid the indirect and intangible medical costs. Biological agents, which is used in patients with severe psoriasis, led to an increase in the cost. Conclusion This is the first study to estimate the economic burden of psoriasis in Korea comprehensively. To improve the medical environment of psoriasis and alleviate the burden of patients, discussion on the more efficient health policy and medical insurance criteria for psoriasis would be needed.

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic disease that can have accompanying comorbidities including arthritis, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular diseases. Patients with psoriasis tend to frequently visit medical institutions, and their economic burden for medical services is high. Objective: To investigate the economic burden of psoriasis in Korea. Methods: The Korean Society for Psoriasis conducted a multi-center field survey of the patients and analyzed the national insurance claim data. Also, we discussed the medical environment of psoriasis in Korea based on the results. Results: The economic burden of psoriasis patients is substantial and varied by the type of medical institute. Patients also paid the indirect and intangible medical costs. Biological agents, which is used in patients with severe psoriasis, led to an increase in the cost. Conclusion This is the first study to estimate the economic burden of psoriasis in Korea comprehensively. To improve the medical environment of psoriasis and alleviate the burden of patients, discussion on the more efficient health policy and medical insurance criteria for psoriasis would be needed.

BACKGROUND: Recently, younger prostate cancer (PCa) patients have been reported to harbour more favourable disease characteristics after radical prostatectomy (RP) than older men. We analysed young men (< 50 years) with PCa among the Korean population, paying attention to pathological characteristics on RP specimen and biochemical recurrence (BCR). METHODS: The multi-centre, Severance Urological Oncology Group registry was utilized to identify 622 patients with clinically localized or locally advanced PCa, who were treated with RP between 2001 and 2017. Patients were dichotomized into two groups according to age (< 50-year-old [n = 75] and ≥ 50-year-old [n = 547]), and clinicopathological characteristics were analysed. Propensity score matching was used when assessing BCR between the two groups. RESULTS: Although biopsy Gleason score (GS) was lower in younger patients (P = 0.033), distribution of pathologic GS was similar between the two groups (13.3% vs. 13.9% for GS ≥ 8, P = 0.191). There was no significant difference in pathologic T stage between the < 50- and ≥ 50-year-old groups (69.3% vs. 68.0% in T2 and 30.7% vs. 32.0% in ≥ T3, P = 0.203). The positive surgical margin rates were similar between the two groups (20.0% vs. 27.6%, P = 0.178). BCR-free survival rates were also similar (P = 0.644) between the two groups, after propensity matching. CONCLUSION: Contrary to prior reports, younger PCa patients did not have more favourable pathologic features on RP specimen and showed similar BCR rates compared to older men. These findings should be considered when making treatment decisions for young Korean patients with PCa.
Biopsy ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Grading ; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis ; Prognosis ; Propensity Score ; Prostate ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Recurrence ; Survival Rate ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: This study aimed to establish a large-scale database of patients with gastric cancer to facilitate the development of a national-cancer management system and a comprehensive cancer control policy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An observational prospective cohort study on gastric cancer was initiated in 2010. A total of 14 cancer centers throughout the country and 152 researchers were involved in this study. Patient enrollment began in January 2011, and data regarding clinicopathological characteristics, life style-related factors, quality of life, as well as diet diaries were collected. RESULTS: In total, 4,963 patients were enrolled until December 2014, and approximately 5% of all Korean patients with gastric cancer annually were included. The mean age was 58.2±11.5 years, and 68.2% were men. The number of patients in each stage was as follows: 3,394 patients (68.4%) were in stage IA/B; 514 patients (10.4%), in stage IIA/B; 469 patients (9.5%), in stage IIIA/B/C; and 127 patients (2.6%), in stage IV. Surgical treatment was performed in 3,958 patients (79.8%), endoscopic resection was performed in 700 patients (14.1%), and 167 patients (3.4%) received palliative chemotherapy. The response rate for the questionnaire on the quality of life was 95%; however, diet diaries were only collected for 27% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: To provide comprehensive information on gastric cancer for patients, physicians, and government officials, a large-scale database of Korean patients with gastric cancer was established. Based on the findings of this cohort study, an effective cancer management system and national cancer control policy could be developed.
Cohort Studies* ; Diet ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Occupational Groups ; Prospective Studies* ; Quality of Life ; Stomach Neoplasms*

BACKGROUND: In this study on fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products (FDPs), we evaluated the performance of a quantitative immunoturbidimetric assay (ITA) using the new Nanopia P-FDP reagent kit (Sekisui Medical Co., Japan) in comparison with a semiquantitative latex agglutination assay (LA) currently performed using the FDP PLASMA kit (Diagnostica Stago SAS, France). METHODS: The quantitative Nanopia P-FDP method using the STA-R EVOLUTION automated coagulation analyzer (Diagnostica Stago SAS) was evaluated with respect to precision, linearity, carryover, and reference interval. The correlations were measured for each of the 145 samples by using the Nanopia P-FDP method and the semiquantitative FDP PLASMA method. RESULTS: The coefficients of variation with regard to precision in low and high control concentrations were 2.97% and 5.77%, respectively. The correlation coefficient of linearity (r) was 0.990 in the measurement range of 2.4-122.8 microg/mL. The level of carryover was 0.83%, while the reference interval range was 0.22-4.32 microg/mL. The results of FDP assay showed an acceptable accord in 115 samples (79%) among the 145 samples by both LA method and ITA method. Seventeen samples (12%) showed relatively lower FDP values in the LA method than those in the ITA method. Thirteen cases (9%) showed relatively higher FDP values in the LA method than those in the ITA method. CONCLUSIONS: The quantitative Nanopia P-FDP method showed good precision, linearity, carryover, reference interval, and an acceptable concordance rate with the semiquantitative FDP PLASMA method. Thus, the Nanopia P-FDP reagent using the STA-R EVOLUTION automated coagulation analyzer can replace the FDP PLASMA reagent for the quantitative analysis of FDPs.
Agglutination ; Blood Coagulation ; Formycins ; Latex ; Phenothiazines ; Plasma ; Ribonucleotides

BACKGROUND: Medical skin care is essential for the treatment of skin diseases all over the world. Medical skin care is also part of medical practice and this must be differentiated from the simple skin care that is given for normal healthy skin. OBJECTIVE: We wanted to discuss medical skin care and the related medical devices and legal issues. METHODS: We reviewed the related laws and regulations, we consulted experts and associations and we analyzed the result of the survey. RESULTS: Legally, medical skin care and simple skin care are well classified. However, many illegal procedures are still performed by non-medical personnel and many adverse effects have been reported as a result. Furthermore, there are no legal restrictions for the performer based on the grade of each medical skin care procedure. CONCLUSION: For the best results and safe procedures, medical skin care must be performed by approved medical equipment under the supervision of a physician or medical personnel. Continuous control and guidance by the government is strongly needed.
Jurisprudence ; Organization and Administration ; Skin ; Skin Care ; Skin Diseases ; Social Control, Formal

PURPOSE: Today, the social requirement of medicine emphasizes the importance of medical professionalism. This forces medical educators to introduce new contents and methods into the curriculum. This study aims to offer ideas for developing the curriculum through clarifying priorities on the basic qualities of medical professionalism and evaluating the current curriculums in medical schools in South Korea. METHODS: In April 2005, 46 respondents majoring in basic medical sciences, clinical medicine, and medical humanities/social sciences completed a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of 3 categories related to: 1) the basic qualities of medical professionalism/general education courses, 2) the process of developing the qualities of humanities and social sciences in medical education, and 3) the appropriate allocation of credits for each subject to premedical and medical courses. The analysis consisted of frequency, chi-square, and multiple responses using Korean Ed, SPSS 14.0 for Windows. RESULTS: The most important basic quality is basic medical knowledge. The credits for the general education are sufficient but it's contribution is lacking (44.44%). The most lacking element in the general education courses is socio-cultural comprehension (45.65%). The knowledge of humanities and social sciences is very important in developing the basic qualities (56.52%). The important learning experiences related to these is the introspection into human beings (32.16%). Credits for medical humanities classes in premedical and medical course are noticeably insufficient (45.65, 54.35%, respectively). The appropriate program of informal curriculum for fostering the qualities is meeting with various medical specialists (44.44%, 47.83%, respectively). There is almost no difference among the major groups under (p<.05.) CONCLUSION: To assist medical students to be equipped with the basic qualities of medical professionalism, the realm of medical humanities should be made mandatory; and the general education courses need to be reformed, especially in the premedical curriculum. In particular, continuous cooperation between faculties in medicine, liberal arts, and/or social sciences need to exist with the conglomeration of these into fewer medical humanities majors in Korea.
Clinical Medicine ; Comprehension ; Curriculum ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Education, Medical ; Foster Home Care ; Humanities ; Humans ; Korea ; Learning ; Republic of Korea ; Schools, Medical ; Social Sciences ; Specialization ; Students, Medical

Behcet's disease (BD) is a chronic inflammatory disease, involving several organs. It is well known that there are the marked regional differences in the disease expression of BD. In case of the vascular involvement in BD, the frequency rate has been described in 25~30% among the patients from the MiddLe East, whereas it has been noted in 5~15% in our country. In general, BD associated with large vessel lesions is named vasculo-BD. On the other hand, the cardiac involvement in BD has rarely been reported in the literature. Ebstein anomaly is a kind of malformation that is characterized by a downward displacement of the tricuspid valve into the right ventricle. We reported a 54-year-old male patient with vasculo-BD who had inferior vena cava obstruction and Ebstein anomaly. The association of Ebstein anomaly with vasculo-BD is considered to be coincidental. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of Ebstein anomaly associated with BD.
Ebstein Anomaly* ; Hand ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Middle East ; Tricuspid Valve ; Vena Cava, Inferior

PURPOSE: To compare the mechanism of cell loss and changes in the ventral prostate of young adult Sprague-Dawley rats after treatment with finasteride, a potent 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor, or castration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rats were divided into two group: finasteride treated and castrated. Finasteride-treated rats were given 1 mg/kg a day orally. The rats were sacrificed on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, and 21. The ventral prostate was weighed and either prepared for histologic examination to detect apoptotic evidence or frozen in liquid nitrogen for the determination of the intraprostatic dihydrotestosterone (DHT) concentration and DNA content. RESULTS: Both finasteride and castration decreased prostate weight and DNA content, the decrease being more pronounced in the castrated group. By 3 days of finasteride treatment, the intraprostatic DHT concentration decreased to a greater extent with no further significant change thereafter, whereas castration gradually decreased the intraprostatic DHT concentration up to day 10, with no further significant decrease thereafter. Apoptotic bodies were typically observed in castrated but not finasteride-treated animals. CONCLUSIONS: Castration caused a more profound involution of rat ventral prostate than did finasteride. The extent of prostatic involution did not correlate with the intraprostatic DHT concentration. We could not find evidence of apoptosis in finasteride-treated animals.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Castration* ; Cholestenone 5 alpha-Reductase ; Dihydrotestosterone ; DNA ; Finasteride* ; Humans ; Nitrogen ; Prostate* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Since the bioavailability of itraconazole capsule is influenced by patients gastric acidity, it results in treatment failure due to its low dissolution and subsequent low absorption when administered in fasting. Itraconazole Melt-Extrusion tablet has been lately developed in order to improve its dissolution profile. It is the first clinical study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of itraconazole Melt-Extrusion tablet in Korea. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of itraconazole melt-extrusion tablet 400mg daily for 1 week(pulse therapy) for hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis and manus. METHODS: A clinical and mycological investigation was made of 812 outpatients with hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis and/or tinea manus who had visited at 52 general hospitals under the lead of the Korean Dermatological Association from June to December, 1998. Patients confirmed by clinically and microscopically as hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis and/or tinea manus were administered 2 tablets twice a day for one week and followed up for 8 weeks from the start of the medication. RESULTS: The results were summarized as follows; 1. Clinical symptoms of hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis and/or tinea mauns were significantly improved at the end of study, week 8(p<0.001). 2. Clinical response rate, defined as more than 50% decrease of the sum of the clinical symptom scores, was 79.3%(512/646). 3. Mycological cure rate, dafined as both culture and KOH negative at week 8, was 78.2%(244 /312). 4. 40(5.5%) patients, of the 727 patients evaluable for drug safety evaluation, were reported to have adverse event. CONCLUSION: Itraconazole Melt-Extrusion tablet 400mg/day for 1 week (pulse therapy) is effective and safe in the treatment of hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis and/or tinea manus.
Absorption ; Biological Availability ; Fasting ; Gastric Acid ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Itraconazole* ; Korea ; Outpatients ; Tablets ; Tinea Pedis* ; Tinea* ; Treatment Failure