From January 1995 to December 1997, a total of 219 cases pelviscopic surgery was performed at Il Sin Christian Hospital. To evaluate the safty and efficacy of pelviscopic surgery, we reviewed indication of operation, mean age, parity, history of abdominal operation, type of operation, duration of hospitalization and complication retrospectively. The number of pelviscopic surgery have risen from 33 cases in 1995 to 53 cases in 1996 and 133 cases in 1997. The most common indications were 118 cases for ectopic pregnancy (53.9%) and 42 cases for ovarian cyst (19.2%), 20 cases for infertility (9.1%) in order. Among the ovarian cyst, endometrioma was the most common. The mean age of patients was 31+/-6.7 years old and mean parity was 0.77. In most cases, mean blood loss was lesser than 100 cc except 500 cc in LAVH, 150 cc in CISH, 106.7 cc in ectopic mass removal. The postoperative hospital stay was varied from 0 day to 10 days, but usually 2 days. The 26 cases had complicated and the most common complication was fever above 38degrees C. In conclusion, it is evident that pelviscopic surgery is lesser invasive technique, has lower complication rate and shorter the length of hospitalization. So, we expect the number and indication of pelviscopic surgery will be increased in future.
Endometriosis ; Female ; Fever ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Infertility ; Length of Stay ; Ovarian Cysts ; Parity ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic ; Retrospective Studies

It has been suggested that depressed thyroid function in infants with RDS is secondary to their respiratory problem. This study was conducted to assess the patterns of change in thyroid hormones in premature infants with and without RDS, and to clarify the role of prematurity versus the effect of illness on these changes. METHOD: Serum TSH, T4, FT4 and T3 concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay in 18 healthy premature infants and 13 premature infants with RDS. Blood samples were collected at birth and at 12-24hrs, 5days and 15days after delivery. RESULTS: 1) Both mean gestational age and birth weight values for premature infants with RDS were not significantly different from those for healthy premature infants. 2) At birth, there were no significant differences in serum TSH, T4, FT4 and T3 concentrations between healthy premature infants and premature infants with RDS(p>0.05). 3) At 12-24hrs of age, premature infants with RDS had significantly premature infants. 4) At 5 and 15days of age, there were no significant differences in serum levles of TSH, T4, FT4, and T3 between healthy premature infants and premature infants with RDS(p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The pattern of decreasing thyroid function in premature infants with RDS resembles the pattern of change in ill adult patients, which suggests that these variations are due to illness.
Adult ; Birth Weight ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Parturition ; Radioimmunoassay ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Hormones

No abstract available.
Compliance* ; Early Detection of Cancer* ; Family Practice* ; Humans

PURPOSE: Airway inflammation is considered to be a characteristic feature of asthma, and eosinophils are recognized as the most important inflammatory cells. This study aims to assess the importance of blood eosinophil count and serum eosinophil cationic protein(ECP) levels as a non- invasive marker of bronchial hyperresponsiveness(BHR) in children with suspected asthma. METHODS: This study used data from 87 subjects with asthma-like symptoms(6-18 years old). The FEV1 and provocative concentration producing a 20% fall in FEV1(PC20) on methacholin inhalation challenge test were measured. Four groups were classified based on PC20[Group I : <2 mg/ mL; Group II : 2-8 mg/mL; Group III : 8-18 mg/mL; Group IV : (18 mg/mL), and blood eosinophil count and serum ECP levels were analyzed. In addition, subjects were classified based on the cutoff value of PC20(BHR positive group : <18 mg/mL; BHR negative group : (18 mg/mL). Then blood eosinophil count and serum ECP level were compared between these two groups. RESULTS: Likelihood ratio test for trends revealed a significant association between the blood eosinophil count or serum ECP level, and the degree of BHR as measured by methacholine PC20. Blood eosinophil count or serum ECP level was significantly higher in the BHR(+) group than in the BHR(-) group. Blood eosinophil count had a positive correlation with serum ECP level. CONCLUSIONS: Blood eosinophil count and serum ECP level may be a useful non-invasive clinical marker of BHR in subjects with suspected asthma. This supports the hypothesis that BHR in asthma is a consequence of airway eosinophilic inflammation.
Asthma* ; Biomarkers ; Child* ; Eosinophil Cationic Protein* ; Eosinophils* ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Inhalation ; Methacholine Chloride

PURPOSE: To compare the clinical characteristics and laboratory finding between adenoviral and group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis. METHODS: A retrospective review of medical records was performed in the patients with adenovirus infection among those who were admitted for febrile respiratory disease from January 2011 to July 2013 and GAS pharyngitis among those who visited for symptoms of scarlet fever from August 2006 to July 2013. RESULTS: 179 patients (AV1 group) were diagnosed with adenoviral pharyngitis and 37 (AV2 group) of these patients had adenovirus single infection. 26 patients (GAS group) were diagnosed with scarlet fever. Adenoviral infection (AV2 group) developed in younger patients compared to GAS group (2.8+/-2.1 years vs. 5.4+/-1.8 years, P=0.000). Total durations of fever and admission were longer in AV2 (6.3+/-2.6 days vs. 3.3+/-1.9 days, P=0.000; 4.1+/-1.2 days vs. 1.9+/-1.8 days, P=0.000, respectively). WBC counts were higher in AV2 (11,449+/-5,680 cells/mm2 vs. 6,722+/-6,941 cells/mm2, P=0.000). CRP was not significantly different between AV2 and GAS group (3.8+/-3.2 mg/dL vs. 5.2+/-5.1 mg/dL, P=0.368). No difference was found between two groups in the percentage of antibiotics use (91.9% vs. 100%, P=0.261). CONCLUSION: Clinical characteristics and measures of inflammation in the laboratory findings were similar between adenoviral and GAS pharyngitis group. It is necessary to conduct the test for respiratory virus and bacteria in early stage to differentiate in the pharyngitis patients with leukocytosis and elevation of CRP level.
Adenoviridae ; Adenoviridae Infections ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacteria ; Child* ; Fever ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Leukocytosis ; Medical Records ; Pharyngitis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Scarlet Fever

Background: Prediction of mortality in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a key to improving the clinical outcomes, considering that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the collapse of healthcare systems in many regions worldwide. This study aimed to identify the factors associated with COVID-19 mortality and to develop a nomogram for predicting mortality using clinical parameters and underlying diseases. Methods: This study was performed in 5,626 patients with confirmed COVID-19 between February 1 and April 30, 2020 in South Korea. A Cox proportional hazards model and logistic regression model were used to construct a nomogram for predicting 30-day and 60-day survival probabilities and overall mortality, respectively in the train set. Calibration and discrimination were performed to validate the nomograms in the test set. Results: Age ≥ 70 years, male, presence of fever and dyspnea at the time of COVID-19 diagnosis, and diabetes mellitus, cancer, or dementia as underling diseases were significantly related to 30-day and 60-day survival and mortality in COVID-19 patients. The nomogram showed good calibration for survival probabilities and mortality. In the train set, the areas under the curve (AUCs) for 30-day and 60-day survival was 0.914 and 0.954, respectively; the AUC for mortality of 0.959. In the test set, AUCs for 30-day and 60-day survival was 0.876 and 0.660, respectively, and that for mortality was 0.926. The online calculators can be found at https://koreastat.shinyapps.io/RiskofCOVID19/. Conclusion The prediction model could accurately predict COVID-19-related mortality; thus, it would be helpful for identifying the risk of mortality and establishing medical policies during the pandemic to improve the clinical outcomes.

Background: Prediction of mortality in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a key to improving the clinical outcomes, considering that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the collapse of healthcare systems in many regions worldwide. This study aimed to identify the factors associated with COVID-19 mortality and to develop a nomogram for predicting mortality using clinical parameters and underlying diseases. Methods: This study was performed in 5,626 patients with confirmed COVID-19 between February 1 and April 30, 2020 in South Korea. A Cox proportional hazards model and logistic regression model were used to construct a nomogram for predicting 30-day and 60-day survival probabilities and overall mortality, respectively in the train set. Calibration and discrimination were performed to validate the nomograms in the test set. Results: Age ≥ 70 years, male, presence of fever and dyspnea at the time of COVID-19 diagnosis, and diabetes mellitus, cancer, or dementia as underling diseases were significantly related to 30-day and 60-day survival and mortality in COVID-19 patients. The nomogram showed good calibration for survival probabilities and mortality. In the train set, the areas under the curve (AUCs) for 30-day and 60-day survival was 0.914 and 0.954, respectively; the AUC for mortality of 0.959. In the test set, AUCs for 30-day and 60-day survival was 0.876 and 0.660, respectively, and that for mortality was 0.926. The online calculators can be found at https://koreastat.shinyapps.io/RiskofCOVID19/. Conclusion The prediction model could accurately predict COVID-19-related mortality; thus, it would be helpful for identifying the risk of mortality and establishing medical policies during the pandemic to improve the clinical outcomes.

Although tuberculosis poses a significant health threat to the global population, it is a challenge to develop new and effective therapeutic strategies. Nitric oxide (NO) and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) are important in innate immune responses to various intracellular bacterial infections, including mycobacterial infections. It is generally recognized that reactive nitrogen intermediates play an effective role in host defense mechanisms against tuberculosis. In a murine model of tuberculosis, NO plays a crucial role in antimycobacterial activity; however, it is controversial whether NO is critically involved in host defense against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in humans. Here, we review the roles of NO in host defense against murine and human tuberculosis. We also discuss the specific roles of NO in the central nervous system and lung epithelial cells during mycobacterial infection. A greater understanding of these defense mechanisms in human tuberculosis will aid in the development of new strategies for the treatment of disease.
Bacterial Infections ; Central Nervous System ; Defense Mechanisms ; Epithelial Cells ; Humans ; Immunity, Innate ; Lung ; Macrophages ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Nitric Oxide ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Nitrogen ; Tuberculosis

BACKGROUND: Throat culture is the golden standard for diagnosis of group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis. However, because it is a time-consuming procedure, antibiotics are often empirically administrated. Rapid antigen tests (RATs) can detect bacterial infections within 15 minutes, thus helping to reduce unnecessary administration of antibiotics. METHODS: In total, 108 patients, between 3 and 17 yr of age, who visited our hospital from August 2011 to July 2012, were tested for suspected acute pharyngitis with two RATs––SD Bioline Strep A (SD, Korea) and BinaxNOW Strep A (Binax, Inc., USA)––as well as throat culture. We compared the sensitivity, specificity, and consistency of the two RATs and assessed the clinical manifestations of GAS pharyngitis. RESULTS: Of the 108 patients, 15 were confirmed to have GAS pharyngitis by throat culture. The SD test showed a sensitivity of 93.3% and a specificity of 97.8%; the positive and negative predictive values were 87.5% and 98.9%, respectively. The Binax test showed a sensitivity of 86.7% and a specificity of 100%; the positive and negative predictive values were 100% and 97.9%, respectively. The Kappa values for conformity degree were high, 0.887 and 0.918 in the SD and the Binax tests, respectively (P=0.00). Clinical manifestation assessment of GAS pharyngitis indicated that scarlatiniform rash and strawberry tongue were significantly associated signs (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: GAS pharyngitis diagnosis based on clinical manifestations alone has practical limitations. The two RATs are useful as substitutes for throat culture and their frequent use in clinical settings is advisable.
Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacterial Infections ; Diagnosis ; Exanthema ; Fragaria ; Humans ; Pharyngitis* ; Pharynx ; Rats ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Streptococcus pyogenes ; Tongue

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare two bowel preparation agents, sodium phosphate solution with magnesium citrate solution. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 94 subjects that underwent a double-contrast barium enema were included in this study. Bowel preparation before performing the barium study was done by using a sodium phosphate solution in 47 subjects and by using a magnesium citrate solution in the other 47subjects. We evaluated the presence or absence of side effects when using these bowel preparation agents. Two radiologist who were blinded to the type of bowel preparation evaluated the quality of bowel preparation at the colonic segments (ascending, descending, and sigmoid colon) on the radiographs obtained by double-contrast barium enema, with regard to stool cleansing, water retention, barium coating and bubble formation. RESULTS: The side effects, such as abdominal clamping pain, nausea, hunger pain and chill occurred more frequently in the sodium phosphate group than in the magnesium citrate group (p<0.001). Stool retention was more frequently found in the magnesium citrate group (p<0.001). However, no statistical difference was noted on the status of water retention and barium coating between two groups. Gas bubble formation was more commonly seen in the sodium phosphate group (p<0.001). The sodium phosphate solution appeared to be more effective in cleansing the right colon (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Sodium phosphate solution appears to be more effective for colonic cleansing, with a lower incidence of side effects, than when using magnesium citrate solution.
Barium* ; Citric Acid* ; Colon ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Constriction ; Enema* ; Humans ; Hunger ; Incidence ; Magnesium* ; Nausea ; Prospective Studies* ; Sodium* ; Water