BACKGROUND: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most frequent nosocomial infections and are frequently associated with indwelling urinary catheters. It is known that adherence to standard infection control measures for urinary catheters can reduce UTIs in hospitals. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of education in reducing catheter-related UTIs (CR-UTIs) in intensive care units (ICUs) of a university hospital. METHODS: CR-UTIs were prospectively monitored for all patients with indwelling urinary catheters in ICUs from July 2006 through December 2007. Recommendations based on previously known guidelines for catheter insertion, catheter management, and specimen collection to prevent CR-UTIs were formulated and educated in March 2007. Knowledge and adherence level were evaluated before and after educating healthcare workers about the recommendations using questionnaire. Changes in knowledge and adherence level before and after education were compared by Chi-square test. Changes in the rate of CR-UTIs and urinary catheter utilization ratios were also analyzed by Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: After education, knowledge level of and adherence level to most of the recommendations were improved significantly. The rate of CR-UTIs significantly decreased by 48% from 7.43/1,000 catheter-days before intervention to 3.87/1,000 catheter-days after intervention (P=0.02). CONCLUSION: Surveillance for nosocomial infections and education for standard infection control measures are very important in preventing CR-UTIs in ICUs.
Catheters ; Cross Infection ; Delivery of Health Care ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Critical Care ; Intensive Care Units ; Prospective Studies ; Specimen Handling ; Urinary Catheterization ; Urinary Catheters ; Urinary Tract ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: We tried to compare normal term infants with low-birth-weight infants discharged from NICU by evaluating morbidity. So we studied rates of rehospitalization, reasons for rehospitalization and neonatal risk factors that affect rehospitalization of normal term infants and low-birth-weight infants discharged from NICU. METHODS: This study was performed on 217 low-birth-weight infants discharged from NICU and 126 normal term infants born in Presbyterian Medical Center from January 1992 to December 1994. RESULTS: Low-birth-weight infants discharged from NICU had higher rates of rehospitalization than normal term infants. Twenty-nine percent of low-birth-weight infants discharged from NICU were rehospitalized, compared with 12.7% of normal term infants(P<0.001). Rates of rehospitalization by birth weight was 45.5% in infants of 1500g or less and 31.2% in infants of 1500-1999g of birth weight. The rates of rehospitalization increased as birth weight decreased (P<0.001), but there was no significant difference between 16.4% in infants of 2000-2500g of birth weight and 12.7% of normal term infants(P=0.442). Reasons for rehospitalization of low bith weight infants were respiratory problem(63.1%), congenital/developmental problem(10.8%), surgical problem(9.2%), G-I problem(7.7%), ophthalmic problem(3.1%), and cardiac problem(1.5%). Neonatal risk factors related to rehospitalization of low birth weight infants were mechanical ventilation, duration of mechanical ventilation, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and duration of hospitalization(P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Rates of rehospitalization increased accordingly to decreasing birth weight. The most common cause of rehospitalization was respirartory problem. Neonatal risk factors related to rehospitalization were mechanical ventilation, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and duration of hospitalization. The data suggest that high risk infants of rehospitalization require close follow up.
Birth Weight ; Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Low Birth Weight* ; Infant, Newborn ; Protestantism ; Respiration, Artificial ; Risk Factors

No abstract available.
Colon*

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study attempts to determine the endocrinologic characteristics and changes in glucose metabolism before/during pregnancy according to different body weights in women with Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: 94 women dia with PCOS were evaluated through measuring serum hormone levels and oral glucose tolerance tests preconceptionally and gestationally. RESULTS: In patients who were of normal weight showed significantly increased serum LH levels compared to those who were overweight (12.8+/-0.9 Vs. 7.1+/-0.8 mIU/ml, p= 0.000), and the serum levels of insulin was increased significantly in the overweight group (7.1+/-0.7 Vs. 15.2+/-2.8 ulU/ml, p= 0.000). the IGFBP-I (32.8+/-10.6 Vs. 8.3+/-2.5 ng/ml, p=0.034) and SHBG (55.8+/-4.2 Vs. 37.1+/-3.1 nmol/ml, p= 0.001) were significantly lower in the ovnweight group. The oral glucose tolerance test before/after pregnancy showed increased frequency of abnormal glucose metabolism, in both of the non-obese group (38.8%, 26,9%) and the obese group (64.2%, 53.9%) compared with normal population. CONCLUSION: It is thought that in the normal weight group with polycystic ovarian syndrome androgen production is stimulated in the theca cells by abnormally high LH secretion, while in the overweight group the hyperinsulinemia state which decreases the SHBG and IGFBP-I, lead to increase biologically active hee androgens and IGF-I and increase insulin binding to its receptor. And during/before pregnancy, women with PCOS showed that incidence of abnormal glucose metabolism was significantly increased in both of non-obese and obese groups.
Androgens ; Body Weight ; Female ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Glucose* ; Humans ; Hyperinsulinism ; Incidence ; Insulin ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Metabolism* ; Obesity ; Overweight* ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome* ; Pregnancy* ; Theca Cells

No abstract available.
Aortic Rupture* ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal*

Perifolliculitis capitis abscedens et suffodiens is a rare chronic recalcitrant follicular disorder which clinically presents itself as pulstules, nodules, intercommunicating abscess and sinuses that leave atrophic, hypertrophic or keloidal scars. Although the etiology of this of condition is unknown, its association with acne conglobata and hidradenitis suppurativa, collectively termed the follicular occlusion triad, suggest a cammon basic pathogenic mechanism of follicular retention. The therapeutic problem is reflected in the variety of therapies that have been tried with varying degrees of success. We report a case of a 34-year-old man who showed a patch of alopecia on the vertex of his scalp. Clinically, the scalp showed multiple soft fluctuant elevated nodules with nonscarring alopecic patches. We performed a treatment with isotretinoin(13-cis-retinoic acid) during 6 months. The patients clinical appearance was much improved and local recurrence and hair loss have not been observed to date.
Abscess ; Acne Vulgaris ; Adult ; Alopecia ; Cicatrix ; Hair ; Hidradenitis Suppurativa ; Humans ; Isotretinoin* ; Keloid ; Recurrence ; Scalp

No abstract available.
Burns* ; Congenital Abnormalities* ; Free Tissue Flaps*

We designed a new electrophoresis apparatus. This was consisted of the body into which agarose could be poured directly and the cover from which the platinium electrodes were suspended. After running the nucleic acid in this electrophoresis, we observed the band of nucleic acid on the ultraviolet transilluminator without touching the agarose gel, keeping the cover with the electrodes and discarding the gel in body. We compared the variuos types of the electrophoresis apparatus. In the electrophoresis apparatus which body was consisted of the flat bottom, the migration of dyes was the fastest among studied types. The high migration velocity of dyes was due to high electric current.
Coloring Agents ; Electrodes ; Electrophoresis* ; Running ; Sepharose

No abstract available.
Hemangioma*

PURPOSE: We evaluated the socio-personal and clinical factors that can affect preoperative quality of life to determine how to improve preoperative quality of life in patients with gastric cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The preoperative quality of life data of 200 patients (68 females and 132 males; mean age 58.9+/-12.6 years) with gastric cancer were analyzed according to socio-personal and clinical factors. The Korean versions of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire Core (QLQ) 30 and the EORTC QLQ-STO22, a gastric cancer-specific module, were used to assess quality of life. Patients were asked to complete the questionnaire preoperatively by themselves. RESULTS: Patients with a higher academic background and stage I disease tended to have higher global health status scores. Highly educated younger men had better physical functioning scores. Highly educated and well-nourished patients with stage I cancer had higher role functioning scores. Married patients had better emotional scores. The symptom scales were affected by sex, age, education level, nutrition, and cancer stage. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative quality of life in patients with gastric cancer can be improved by nutritional support and treatment of symptoms caused by disease progression. Psychological support may be helpful for patients with a poor quality of life.
Disease Progression ; Education ; Female ; Health Records, Personal ; Humans ; Male ; Nutritional Support ; Preoperative Period ; Quality of Life* ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Weights and Measures ; Surveys and Questionnaires