No abstract available.
Leukemia, Basophilic, Acute*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of wearing rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lenses on the topographic changes in keratoconus. METHODS: Seventy-seven keratoconic eyes that wore multicurve RGP contact lenses and 30 keratoconic eyes that wore no contact lenses were retrospectively analyzed. The mean follow-ups were 22.6 and 20.5 months in the lens-wearing and control groups, respectively. Visual acuity, comfort, daily wearing time, and corneal staining were evaluated for both groups. The changes in topographic indices were compared between the lens-wearing and control groups. RESULTS: Multicurve RGP lens corrected logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution visual acuity of the lens-wearing group significantly improved from -0.016+/-0.065 to -0.032+/-0.10 at follow-up (p=0.05). In the lens-wearing group with advanced keratoconus, the Sim Kmax, Sim Kmin, apical power, astigmatic index, and anterior elevation significantly decreased from 57.68+/-4.26 diopter (D), 50.50+/-2.32 D, 62.79+/-5.11 D, 7.20+/-0.55 D and 67.36+/-16.30 microm to 55.51+/-4.28 D, 49.62+/-3.26 D, 60.31+/-5.41 D, 5.90+/-0.51 D and 60.61+/-16.09 microm, respectively (paired t-test, p<0.05). The irregularity index of 3 mm did not significantly change. Meanwhile, in the control group, the apical power and irregularity index increased from 55.56+/-7.25 D and 3.06+/-1.68 D to 57.11+/-7.75 D and 3.25+/-1.71 D, respectively (paired t-test, p=0.008, p=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Properly fitted multicurve RGP contact lenses are not likely to contribute to the progression of keratoconus.
Adult ; Astigmatism/etiology/pathology/therapy ; *Contact Lenses ; Cornea/*pathology ; *Corneal Topography ; Disease Progression ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Keratoconus/complications/pathology/*therapy ; Male ; Prognosis ; Prosthesis Design ; Retrospective Studies ; Time Factors ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans

Purpose: This study aimed to report the projected cancer incidence and mortality for the year 2022 to estimate Korea’s current cancer burden. Materials and Methods: Cancer incidence data from 1999 to 2019 were obtained from the Korea National Cancer Incidence Database, and cancer mortality data from 1993 to 2020 were acquired from Statistics Korea. Cancer incidence and mortality were projected by fitting a linear regression model to observed age-specific cancer rates against their respective years and then by multiplying the projected age-specific rates by the anticipated age-specific population for 2022. A joinpoint regression model was used to determine the year in which the linear trend changed significantly; we only used the data of the latest trend. Results: In total, 274,488 new cancer cases and 81,277 cancer deaths are expected to occur in Korea in 2022. The most common cancer site is expected to be the thyroid, followed by the lung, colon and rectum, breast, and stomach. These five cancers are expected to represent half of the overall burden of cancer in Korea. The most common type of cancer leading to death is expected to be lung cancer, followed by liver, colorectal, pancreatic, and gallbladder cancers. Conclusion The incidence rates for all types of cancer in Korea are estimated to gradually decrease. These up-to-date estimates of the cancer burden in Korea could be an important resource for planning and evaluating cancer-control programs.

OBJECTIVE: To supplement a previous study on the management of medical records with a view to preparing a system capable of ensuring basic patient rights regarding the protection of confidential medical information. The study objectives are to provide detailed guidelines to regulate the access and protection of medical information by analyzing patients' understanding and views regarding the dissemination of medical records. METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire was administered to 781 patients who visited five University hospitals located in Seoul, Busan, Gyeonggi, Chungnam and Jeonnam from July to September, 2008 and asked for copies of medical records to be issued. Data were analyzed by using the statistical program SPSS 13.0. RESULTS: More than 70% of respondents wanted to access their medical records after confirming the required documents. The highest distribution in the range of persons able to receive copies of medical records without the individual patient's consent or required documents was 'only personally' in each variable. Copies of medical records were issued mostly within 1 hour, while the appropriate time of issuing the copies was within one day. Half of respondents approved of a subscription system that did not require a doctor consultation. The results regarding changes in the ways to request/issue copies of medical records to improve the convenience for applicants differed significantly according to age. CONCLUSION: Considering the sensitivity of personal health information, medical records should only be issued with the patient's consent and by confirming the identity of the designated person with required documents. Furthermore, people should be aware of the importance of protecting personal health information, and medical institutes should inform the requirements for bringing the relevant documents. Medical institutes play an important role in protecting personal records, which necessitates generalized guidelines.
Academies and Institutes ; Coat Protein Complex I ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Patient Rights

The prevalence of parasitic infections was investigated in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients (n = 105) who visited Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea, during the period from 1995 to 2003. Fecal samples were collected from 67 patients for intestinal parasite examinations, and sputum or bronchoalveolar lavage samples from 60 patients for examination of Pneumocystis carinii. Both samples were obtained from 22 patients. Thirty-three (31.4%) of the 105 were found to have parasitic infections; Cryptosporidium parvum (10.5%; 7/67), Isospora belli (7.5%; 5/67), Clonorchis sinensis (3.0%; 2/67), Giardia lamblia (1.5%; 1/67), Gymnophalloides seoi (1.5%; 1/67), and Pneumocystis carinii (28.3%; 17/60). The hospital records of the 11 intestinal parasite-infected patients showed that all suffered from diarrhea. This study shows that parasitic infections are important clinical complications in HIV-infected patients in the Republic of Korea.
AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/*parasitology ; Adult ; Feces/parasitology ; Female ; HIV Infections/*complications ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Parasitic Diseases/*epidemiology ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease(PTLD) has emerged as a potential life-threatening complication of immunosuppressive therapy after organ transplantation. The occurrence of PTLD is usually associated with an Epstein-Barr virus(EBV) infection in patients who are treated by aggressive immunosuppressive therapy. PTLD is represented by diverse manifestations ranging from reactive lymphoid hyperplasia to high grade malignant lymphoma. This is a case report of a late PTLD in a child. The patient is a 14-year-old girl, who presented as malignant lymphoma 44 months after successful renal transplantation. There was no evidence of EBV infection. On bone marrow study, many neoplastic lymphoid cells were detected. Aggressive chemotherapy for PTLD had resulted in clinical remission. However the patient expired from uncontrolled sepsis and septic shock after 77 days.
Adolescent ; Bone Marrow ; Child* ; Drug Therapy ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; Female ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Humans ; Kidney Transplantation* ; Lymphocytes ; Lymphoma ; Organ Transplantation ; Pseudolymphoma ; Sepsis ; Shock, Septic ; Transplants

PURPOSE: To investigate the clinical characteristics of herpetic keratitis in Korea. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 90 eyes of 84 patients who were clinically diagnosed with herpetic keratitis and were followed for at least 4 months or more. Information on prior herpetic keratitis, type of keratitis, time to remission, recurrence rate, administration of oral acyclovir, final visual acuity was reviewed. Remission time and recurrence rate were compared according to types of herpetic keratitis and the application of oral acyclovir in epithelial, stromal or endothelial keratitis; and the relation of history of previous herpetic keratitis, recurrence and final vision, was analyzed. RESULTS: Sex ratio (M:F) was 1.31 and the mean age was 54.6 years. Of 90 eyes, the proportion of infectious epithelial keratitis, stromal keratitis, endothelitis and neurotrophic ulcer was 51.1, 17.8, 25.6 and 5.6%, respectively. The mean remission time was 1.92+/-1.01, 4.13+/-5.05, 5.52+/-5.08, 4.00+/-1.00, respectively (p=0.001, one-way Anova). Recurrence occurred in 21 (42.9%) eyes of 49, which were followed up for more than 12 months, in a year after the previous attack. The rates of recurrence of infectious epithelial keratitis, stromal keratitis and endothelitis were 25.0%, 63.6% and 53.8%, respectively. Oral acyclovir neither shortens the remission nor prevents the recurrence. The percentage of final vision over 20/40 in infectious epithelial keratitis, stromal keratitis and endothelitis was 81.1, 57.1 and 60.0%, respectively. The final vision was worse in the group with a history of herpetic keratitis. CONCLUSIONS: Stromal keratitis and endothelitis showed a higher recurrence rate and longer remission time than infectious epithelial keratitis. Because recurrent and severe keratitis may result in corneal opacity and vision loss, aggressive and proper treatment is needed. However, these cases are often resistant to therapy.
Acyclovir ; Corneal Opacity ; Humans ; Keratitis ; Keratitis, Herpetic* ; Korea* ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Ratio ; Ulcer ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: To investigate the clinical efficacy of intracameral amphotericin injection and to evaluate risk factors affecting primary treatment success in fungal infection invading the anterior segment of the eye. METHODS: Twenty-six eyes of 26 patients diagnosed with fungal infection in the anterior segment were studied. The initial treatment regimen was a topical 0.15% amphotericin application and itraconazole oral administration after culture. Amphotericin (5 ug/0.1 ml, 0.1 cc) was repeatedly injected intracamerally when the infection intensified. Penetrating keratoplasty was conducted for eyes unresponsive to intracameral amphotericin injection. The relative risk ratios of ulcer size, infiltration depth, culture positivity, and hypopyon were compared in each treatment group to evaluate the treatment response. RESULTS: Of patients with fungal infection, 30.7% were cured with intracameral amphotericin injection, while 30.7% needed penetrating keratoplasty. Intracameral amphotericin injection was needed in the presence of large corneal ulcers (>14 mm2), hypopyon, positive fungal culture, use of steroid eye drops, and deep infiltration at initial examination. Large ulcer size (>14 mm2) was the main risk factor for needing penetrating keratoplasty. Of the eyes Candida infection, 66.5% needed evisceration. CONCLUSIONS: Large ulcer size and the isolation of Candida were poor prognostic factors related to the efficacy of intracameral amphotericin injection.
Administration, Oral ; Amphotericin B* ; Candida ; Humans ; Itraconazole ; Keratoplasty, Penetrating ; Odds Ratio ; Ophthalmic Solutions ; Risk Factors* ; Ulcer

Verrucous carcinoma is a form of low grade squamous cell carcinoma that is characterized grossly by its exophytic and wart-like appearance. We experienced a case of verrucous carcinoma in a 63-year-old female patient who presented with pyelonephritis caused by staghorn calculi. Abdominal CT scan showed a renal pelvic mass and nephrectomy was done. Histologic examination showed extensive keratinizing squamous metaplasia of pelvic urothelium with an area of verrucous acanthosis. To our knowledge, this is the second case of verrucous carcinoma of renal pelvis that has been reported in literature. We describe a case and review the literature concerning verrucous carcinoma.
Calculi ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Carcinoma, Verrucous* ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Pelvis* ; Metaplasia ; Middle Aged ; Nephrectomy ; Pyelonephritis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Urothelium