BACKGROUND: This study aimed to estimate the clinical outcome and identify the characteristics of a group of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis who completed anti-tuberculosis therapy with the First-line drugs in spite of having positive smear results with negative sputum culture results over the previous six months. METHOD: A retrospective chart review of 21 patients who fulfilled the above criteria between 1995 and 1999 was performed. The laboratory data as well as the clinical data of the patient with positive smear results and negative culture results over a six months period were reviewed. RESULTS: The negative conversion of sputum culture results was achieved within 1.3±1.2 months and the negative conversion of the sputum smear results was accomplished during 9.5±3.3 months. Chest X-rays at 5 months following the institution of anti-tuberculosis therapy from all patients revealed improvements. Four out of 21 patients(19%) relapsed during the follow up, 15.2±13.4 months after administering anti-tuberculosis therapy for 13.3±3.1 months. Relapses were confirmed from between 3 months and 4 months after the treatment completion. Only one of the four relapses had no past history of anti-tuberculosis therapy and the others had prior treatment twice (p<0.01). The period of anti-tuberculosis treatment was extended to a mean of 4.6±2.6 months in 12 patients. However, prolongation of anti-tuberculosis therapy had no affect on the relapse rate (odds ratio, 95% CI 0.18, 2.15). CONCLUSION: Prolongation of therapy with the First-line drugs is not necessary for patients with persistently positive smear results over 6 months and negative culture results. A patient who has had prior anti-tuberculosis therapy more than twice should be paid the closest attention.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Sputum* ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

PURPOSE: This study was done to identify the relationships of perception of JCI (Joint Commission International) hospital accreditation, nursing performance, self-concept and retention intention in nurses. METHODS: Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data from 199 JCI-accredited nurses in general hospitals located in Gyeonggi Province. Data collection was done in May 2015 and analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, Scheffé's test, and Pearson correlation coefficients. RESULTS: The scores for perception, and nursing performance were (on a five-point Likert scale) 3.34, 3.78 respectively, and self-concept and retention intention were (on a eight-point Likert scale) 5.40 and 5.21 respectively. Nurses' perception, nursing performance, self-concept, and retention intention showed significant differences depending on age, marital status, education, department, work experience, position, Korean accreditation, and JCI accreditation. A positive correlation was observed between perception, nursing performance, self-concept, and retention intention. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that enhancing positive perception and good nursing performance can produce good self-concept and retention intention.
Accreditation* ; Data Collection ; Education ; Gyeonggi-do ; Hospitals, General ; Intention* ; Joints* ; Marital Status ; Nursing*

No abstract available in English.
Congenital Abnormalities

Animals ; Bone Regeneration ; Control Groups ; Durapatite ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Granulation Tissue ; Hematoxylin ; Immunohistochemistry ; Osteocalcin ; Osteoclasts ; Osteogenesis ; Osteonectin ; Rats ; Skull ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of ketorolac, paracetamol, and paracetamol plus morphine on pain relief after thyroidectomy. METHODS: Eighty patients were randomly allocated to one of the 4 groups: normal saline (group C), ketorolac 30 mg (group K), paracetamol 1 g (group P), and paracetamol 700 mg plus morphine 3 mg (group PM). Each regimen was administered intravenously (IV) 30 min. before the end of surgery. If pain was not relieved, patients received an IV bolus of pethidine hydrochloride 25 mg. Pain intensity using a visual analogue scale (VAS) was recorded at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 6 hr after the end of surgery. RESULTS: VAS at 0.5 and 1 hr after the end of surgery were significantly lower in group K, group P, and group PM than in group C (P < 0.05). The number of patients receiving pethidine hydrochloride at 0.5 and 1 hr after the end of surgery was significantly lower in group K, group P, and group PM than in group C (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference among the groups in the incidences of adverse events associated with study medications and patient satisfaction (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Paracetamol 1 g IV possesses a similar analgesic efficacy to ketorolac 30 mg IV after thyroidectomy. Paracetamol may represent an alternative to ketorolac for pain prevention after mildly to moderately painful surgery in situations where the use of NSAIDs is unsuitable.
Acetaminophen ; Analgesics ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; Humans ; Incidence ; Ketorolac ; Meperidine ; Morphine ; Patient Satisfaction ; Thyroidectomy

Body surface potential map, an electric potential distribution on the body torso surface, enables us to infer the electrical activities of the heart. Therefore, observing electric potential projected to the torso surface can be highly useful for diagnosing heart diseases such as coronary occlusion. The BSPM for the heart of a patient show a higher level of sensitivity than 12-lead ECG. Relevant research has been mostly based on clinical statistics obtained from patients, and, therefore, a simulation for a variety of pathological phenomena of the heart is required. In this study, by using computer simulation, a body surface potential map was implemented according to various occlusion locations (distal, mid, proximal occlusion) in the left anterior descending coronary artery. Electrophysiological characteristics of the body surface during the ST segment period were observed and analyzed based on an ST isointegral map. We developed an integrated system that takes into account the cellular to organ levels, and performed simulation regarding the electrophysiological phenomena of the heart that occur during the first 5 minutes (stage 1) and 10 minutes (stage 2) after commencement of coronary occlusion. Subsequently, we calculated the bipolar angle and amplitude of the ST isointegral map, and observed the correlation between the relevant characteristics and the location of coronary occlusion. In the result, in the ventricle model during the stage 1, a wider area of ischemia led to counterclockwise rotation of the bipolar angle; and, during the stage 2, the amplitude increased when the ischemia area exceeded a certain size.
Cardiac Electrophysiology* ; Computer Simulation* ; Coronary Occlusion ; Coronary Vessels* ; Electrocardiography ; Electrophysiological Phenomena ; Electrophysiology ; Heart ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Ischemia ; Torso

Venous hemangioma is a vascular tumor that has been reported by such diverse names as; "cirsoid aneurysm", "arteriovenous hemangioma", "acral arteriovenous tumor" according to the author's opinions of its origin and histopathologic classification. It is benign and rarely biopsied, and it is also rarely reported in dermatology literature. We present two cases of venous hemangioma. The first case was a 64-year-old man who was presented with an elliptical dark-red plaque with overlying several grouped papules on the left periorbital area which had been present for 7 years. The second case was a 56-year-old man who was presented with a single red papule on the right postauricular area which had been present for 4 months. Histopathologically, there were a well-circumscribed proliferation of thick-walled muscle-containing blood vessels in the dermis. Intermingled with the thick-walled blood vessels, there were also thin-walled dilated blood vessels. In both cases, the thick-walled blood vessels resembled arteries, but they lacked elastic fibers on the Verhoeff van Gieson stain.
Arteries ; Blood Vessels ; Classification ; Dermatology ; Dermis ; Elastic Tissue ; Hemangioma* ; Humans ; Middle Aged

Bartter's syndrome is a rare tubular disorder characterized by hypokalemic, hypochloremic metabolic alkalosis, hyperreninemic hyperaldosteronism, hyporesponsiveness to pressor agents, and juxtaglomerular apparatus hyperplasia. We report here a case of Bartter's syndrome in a 5 month-old male infant who improved with potassium supplements. In addition to a case report, brief review of related literatures was done.
Alkalosis ; Bartter Syndrome* ; Humans ; Hyperaldosteronism ; Hyperplasia ; Infant ; Juxtaglomerular Apparatus ; Male ; Potassium

BACKGROUND: The effects of intravenous thrombolytic therapy depend on maintaining the patency of infarct-related artery in acute myocardial infarction. Thirty-two patients with acute myocardial infarction and ST segment elevation were studied to determine the usefulness of early resolution of ST segment elevation as an index of recanalization after intravenous urokinase administration. METHOD: 32 patients(male 24, female 8, mean age+/-standard deviation 62+/-11 years) were given intravenous urokinase therapy for acute myocardial infarction. Patients were classified into two groups according to changes of Summation operator ST segment elevation : early resolution(group I)=resolution to <25% of peak value within 12 hours of commencing urokinase therapy : no resolution(group II)=decreased in Summation operator ST segment elevation to > or =25% of peak value. The relationship between early changes in Summation operator ST segment elevation, time to peak creatinine kinase(CK), peak CK, changes of QRS score and & stenosis of infarct-related artery were investigated in both group. RESULTS: 1) The Summation operator ST segment elevation decreased by more than 75% of initial Summation operator ST within 12 hours after urokinase administration in 13 patients(40.6%). 2) The initial Summation operator ST segment was higher in the early resolution group than in the nonresolution group(26.0+/-4.2 vs 15.2+/-1.9mm, p<0.05). 3) The initial QRS score in both groups were not different significantly(7.2+/-0.9 vs 5.4+/-0.6 p<0.05), but QRS score decreased in the early resolution group and did not change in the no resolution group(-0.69+/-0.23 vs 0.63+/-0.16, p<0.05). 4) The early resolution group showed higher peak CK level(2409.2+/-347.7 vs 1445.2+/-280.4, p<0.05) and earlier peak time(10.6+/-1.0 vs 24.2+/-4.6, p<0.05). 5) There was no total occluded artery in both group, but the early resolution group tended to less stenosis in infarct related arteries(66.7+/-80 vs 86.7+/-3.3%, p=0.13) in predischarge coronary angiography. CONCLUSIONS: Early ST resolution after intravenous urokinase administration in acute myocardial infarction is an useful clinical index of recanalization or benefit induced by thrombolytic therapy.
Arteries ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Creatinine ; Female ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Thrombolytic Therapy ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator*

To repair bony defects with transplanted bone in the body, fresh autogenous bone is undoubtly. A retrospective study was made of a consecutive patient who underwent mandibular reconstruction with PMCB and allogeneic mandibular crib in November 1996. Free autogenous iliac bone in the form of particulate cancellous bone and marrow was densely packed into the allogenous mandibular crib that was adapted to bridge the mandibular discontinuity defect. Freeze dried allogenous mandibular bone was traded by Wonkwang bone bank. Freeze dried allogenous mandibular bone was used as allogeneic crib carrying the PMCB. This case was undergone successful healing with the formation of a continuous bony union with the remaining mandible. The rate of resorption was assessed by sequeal panoramic radiographs, that is, a day of postoperative period, 3 months of postoperative period, 6 months of postoperative period, 12 months of postoperative period. The mean horizontal dimension of the mandibular defect was 58mm and the mean vertical dimension of the reconstructed segments was 30mm. The bony height reconstructed segments retained about 78% of the bony height of a 1-year period. We estimated that autogenous PMCB grafts and allogenous crib grafts were the most successful and esthetic grafts in mandibular discontinuity reconstruction.
Bone Banks ; Bone Marrow ; Humans ; Infant Equipment ; Mandible* ; Mandibular Reconstruction* ; Postoperative Period ; Retrospective Studies ; Transplants ; Vertical Dimension