Acute appendicitis is one of the most common diseases which need to surgical intervention. And it is one of the most perplexing diagnostic problems comfronting physicians, often present with atypical finding that make accurate preoperative diagnostic technique. This is a prospective study on 240 patients admitted with right lower quadrant pain and operated for suspected appendicitis at the Department of Surgery Chung-Ang University Hospital from March 1, 1996 to February 28, 1997. Each case was divided into two groups according to whether the pathologic diagnosis was appendicitis or non-appendicitis. And each group analysed by the clinical presentation of the physical findings and the results of preoperative routine laboratory studies including leukocyte count and urinalysis. The result were as follows: 1) Over all of the diagnostic accuracy was found to be 75.8%.The negative appendectomy rate in female was 31% compared to 18% in male, and that was statistically significant. 2) Among negativeappendectomy cases, the number of female was always larger than male in all age groups and this observation was statistically significant in second to fourth decades. 3) Negative appendectomy rate of operated group after 72 hours from symptom developed was 49% compared to 32% of operated group within 72 hours from symptom developed, and that was statistically significant. 4) Statistical significant solitary affecting factor is leukocytosis, migration pain, rebound tenderness and that these parameters were potmtially good indicators of acute appendicitis, second to fourth decades female, the time frome symptom onset to operation over 72 hours, and that these parameter were potentially indicators of non-appendicitis.
Appendectomy ; Appendicitis ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Fibrinogen ; Humans ; Laparotomy* ; Leukocyte Count ; Leukocytosis ; Male ; Prospective Studies ; Urinalysis

In this study, nutrient intake status and energy expenditure were examined to investigate the nutritional status of the elderly in a rural community. The results obtained by questionaries, the 24 hour recall method, and time-diary were as follows: The elderly men surveyed were 73.8 years old, on the average. The elderly women surveyed were 73.5 years old, on the average. The proportion of the elderly with diseases was 51.9%. Most of the subjects (86.1%) had a regular meal pattern of consuming three meals a day. The average daily energy intake of the rural elderly was much lower than the Korean RDA. The dietary assessment data showed that each energy intake of the males and the females was 79.5% and 84.3% of the RDA, respectively. The dietary intake of Ca, Fe, niacin, thiamin, and riboflavin was lower than the Korean RDA, and that of P and Vitamin C was adequate. The Fe intake was significantly different with respect to age and sex (p < 0.05). Although, in both elderly men and elderly women it decreased with age, the elderly men's intake was lower than the elderly women's. The heights of the elderly men and the elderly women was 159.7 cm and 147.5 cm, respectively, and the weights were 60.0 kg and 52.2 kg, respectively, and the BMI was in the moderate range. Heights significantly decreased with age (p < 0.05). According to daily living schedules, leisure time (11.0 hour) was the longest, physiological time (9.6 hours) was next, and work time (3.4 hours) was the shortest. Energy expenditure significantly decreased with age (p < 0.01). Energy intake also decreased with aging. Energy balance (energy expenditure/ energy intake) was 93.4% in elderly men and 104.0% in elderly women. Especially, in elderly men in the 65 to 74 age range, the energy balance was the lowest, and the nutrient intake was also much lower than that of elderly women.
Aged* ; Aging ; Appointments and Schedules ; Ascorbic Acid ; Energy Intake ; Energy Metabolism* ; Female ; Humans ; Leisure Activities ; Male ; Meals ; Niacin ; Nutritional Status* ; Riboflavin ; Rural Population* ; Weights and Measures

Background: The Sysmex DI-60 system (Sysmex, Japan) is an automated cell image analyzer. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the DI-60 system for the differential analysis of leukocytes. Methods: A total of 220 samples were analyzed in this study. The agreement between DI-60 pre-classification and manual verification by experts was determined. The correlation between the differential leukocyte counts obtained using the DI-60 system and those manually obtained in the peripheral blood smears were determined. Results: The pre-classification agreement of DI-60 was 91.0%. The correlation coefficients of normal five-part differentials were 0.9163 (segmented neutrophils), 0.9017 (lymphocytes), 0.8533 (monocytes), 0.8345 (eosinophils), and 0.3505 (basophils). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and the efficiency of counting the abnormal cells, including blasts, promyelocytes, myelocytes, metamyelocytes, lymphocyte variants, and erythroblasts, were determined. The efficiency of the DI-60 system in counting the blasts, promyelocytes, myelocytes, metamyelocytes, lymphocyte variants, and erythroblasts was 99.5%, 100.0%, 95.9%, 96.5%, 98.6%, 100.0%, and 95.9%, respectively. Conclusions The pre-classification agreement of DI-60 was higher than that of previous studies. The correlation between the differential leukocyte counts obtained with the DI-60 system and those of manual counting was acceptable. The performance of DI-60 as a screening tool in clinical laboratories may be good; however, it is yet to replace manual slide review.

This study aims to examine the relationship between chewing ability and nutritional intake status in the rural elderly. The subjects were 150 rural-dwelling elderly persons(68 males and 82 females) aged 65 years and over in Sungju-Gun, Kyunfsangpookdo. The respondents were interviewed using the questionnaires and measurments taken from a 24-hour recall method from February to April in 1998. Fifty-nine subjects(39.3%) were classified with normal chewing ability and sixty-four subjects(42.7%) could carry out all of the 10 ADL items by themselves. In addition, the group who were able to chew had more teeth and significantly higher ADL scores than the other group(p<0.01), whereas DMF value was significantly lower(p<0.001). The subjects with normal chewing ability also had higher of intakes of energy, protein, fat, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, salt, potassium, niacin, thiamin and riboflavin than in the unable group(p<0.05). As far as daily food intakes were concerned, considerable differences were revealed in the levels of grain and products and vegetables consumed depending on chewing ability(p<0.001). The results of the stepwise and vegetables consumed depending on chewing ability daily living activities and health self-assessment(p<0.05) were the most significant factors for energy intake status.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged* ; Edible Grain ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Dietary Carbohydrates ; Energy Intake ; Humans ; Male ; Mastication* ; Niacin ; Potassium ; Riboflavin ; Rural Population* ; Tooth ; Vegetables

PURPOSE: The most widely accepted protocol for alveolar cleft reconstruction is to repair it during the mixed dentition stage. There were lower resorption rate (about 88%) at this stage. However we found some cases that need repeated bone grafting. Therefore we sought to analyze the cause of repeated alveolar bone grafting in connection with other factors. METHODS: From January 2000 to January 2006, thirty-nine secondary alveolar bone grafts with iliac crest spongiosa were carried out. In 39 patients, 5 patients who had significant bone graft resorption received repeated alveolar bone graft. In all the cases, the causes of repeated bone grafts were dental root exposure(angulation), and the deficiency of the bony support for lateral incisor or canine eruption. In 3 cases, there was deficiency of the alveolar bone at the cleft side. There was the need of repeated bone grafts for orthodontic treatment in 2 cases and for application of dental implants in 1 case. RESULTS: During the follow-up period, the clinical and radiologic examinations showed that repeated alveolar bone grafts were maintained successfully without any complications. The volume of the repeated bone graft was sufficient for orthodontic treatment and implantation. CONCLUSION: The essential conditions for successful alveolar bone grafting includes the status of cleft sided teeth, further treatment and planed schedule, as well as canine eruption. Alveolar bone grafting has to be performed with difference of each case in mind.
Appointments and Schedules ; Bone Resorption ; Bone Transplantation ; Child ; Dental Implants ; Dentition, Mixed ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incisor ; Tooth ; Transplants

The purpose of this study was to investigate the physical characteristics and instrumental activities of daily living(IADL) of the elderly (85+). The subjects were three-hundred elderly people over the age of 85, living in Kyungpook Sung-Ju area who have no problems in daily living. The survey on anthropometric measures and IADL were carried out by individual measurement and interviews using measuring devices and questionnaires. The subject group of the study was composed of 27% males and 73% females, the average age being 87 years old. Notable physical features of the subjects include considerably short statues and small physiques compared to the average Korean elder. The mean Body Mass Index(BMI) was 20.9. The average percentage of body fat in male and female was 21.7% and 29.5% respectively, and the average waist/hip ratio(WHR) was 0.9 and 0.85 respectively. The percentage of the subjects who were able to perform all the IADL was 51% in males and 25% in females. The male subjects were more capable than the females in all the IADL except for preparing meals. BMI showed positive correlations withy weight(r=699), WHR(r=0.157), body fat percentage(r=0.57), lean body mass(r=0368) and total body water(r=0.368). WHR also had positive correlation with weight(r=0.184), BMI(r=0.157), lean body mass(r=0.149) and total body water (r=0.148). Body fat percentage had a positive correlation with weight(r=0.147) and BMI(r=0.265) and total body water(r=0.265). In summary, the elderly(85+) in the Sung-Ju area had considerably smaller physiques than the average Korean elderly and showed a normal range of BMI in average. The IADL of the elderly(85+) appeared to have a positive correlation with lean body mass and total body water and a negative correlation with body fat percentage.
Activities of Daily Living* ; Adipose Tissue ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Body Water ; Female ; Gyeongsangbuk-do* ; Humans ; Male ; Meals ; Reference Values ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Brain Abscess* ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Nocardia*

BACKGROUND: Cumulative blood culture data provide clinicians with important information in the selection of empiric therapy for blood stream infections. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed blood culture data from a university hospital during the period from 2006 to 2015. Only the initial isolates of a given species for each patient were included. RESULTS: The number of blood cultures per 1,000 inpatient-days increased from 64 in 2006 to 117 in 2015. The ratio of significant pathogens to total isolates was 0.56-0.63. The most common organisms were Escherichia coli in 2006-2010 but changed to coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) in 2011. The proportion of Staphylococci aureus was decreased during the study period, but Klebsiella pneumoniae was increased. Enterococci were increased, especially E. faecium, which was more frequently isolated than E. faecalis in 2015. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was decreased during the study, but Acinetobacter baumannii was increased. The prevalence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) changed from 62.2% to 53.9%, while vancomycin-resistant E. faecium increased to 35.8%. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli and K. pneumoniae increased to 25% and 34%, respectively, in 2015. Starting in 2008, three E. coli and 11 K. pneumoniae isolates were carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), and three were carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE). The prevalence of imipenem-resistant A. baumannii rapidly increased during the study period. CONCLUSION: About 60% of all blood isolates were significant pathogens. The most common isolates changed from E. coli to CoNS in 2011. ESBL-producing E. coli and K. pneumoniae, vancomycin-resistant E. faecium, and imipenem-resistant A. baumannii were increased during the study, while the proportion of MRSA tended to decrease slightly. Of the total isolates, 14 were CRE, and 3 were CPE.
Acinetobacter baumannii ; Bacteremia ; beta-Lactamases ; Enterobacteriaceae ; Escherichia coli ; Humans ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Methicillin Resistance ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Pneumonia ; Prevalence ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Retrospective Studies ; Rivers

No abstract available.
Hemostasis*