PURPOSE: To investigate subjective symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders in women workers. METHOD: From February to April, 2006, 292 women workers working in 16 companies were surveyed using KOSHA CODE (H-30-2003). RESULT: Of the workers, 84.0% had at least one musculoskeletal disorder. The mean score of the severity of musculoskeletal disorder symptoms was 7.41 out of 25. As for the prevalence rate by body part, shoulder was the most common and severe body part of musculoskeletal disorders, and significant differences were shown in neck, shoulder, and lower limb according to the type of working. The severity of married workers was significantly higher than that of unmarried ones. Significant difference was shown in the severity of disorders by the type of working and in body parts according to the type of working. CONCLUSION: The self-reported symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders were very frequent in women workers, but the severity of the symptoms was relatively low, suggesting the early symptoms of disorders. Specifically, given the highly frequent self-reported symptoms in the shoulder part found in married women workers, intensive prevention is recommended. Furthermore, an ergonomic aspect should be concerned to consider physical characteristics of women workers.
Female ; Human Body ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Neck ; Prevalence ; Shoulder ; Single Person

PURPOSE: To assess the characteristic features of MR findings which would be useful for the differentiation of various spinal diseases involving paraspinal soft tissue mass. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed MR findings in 31 cases(M:F=20:11) of spinal disease in which paraspinal mass was involved. The breakdown of cases was as follows : spinal tuberculosis, 12; spinal metastasis, 13; multiple myeloma, 3; pyogenic spondylitis, 2; spinal aspergillosis; 1. RESULTS: The pattern of bone marrow invasion in spinal metastasis, multiple myeloma, spinal tuberculosis and aspergillosis was mixed ; focal, homogeneously diffuse and inhomogeneously patterns were seen. Pyogenic spondylitis showed inhomogeneously diffuse invasion; an intravertebral abscess was seen in the only five cases of spinal tuberculosis. Vertebral posterior compartment invasion was observed in seven cases of spinal tuberculosis, two of multiple myeloma, the one case of spinal aspergillosis and in all 13 cases of spinal metastasis. This and multiple myeloma showed no disc space invasion, in any case, but all cases of infectious spondylitis showed such invasion. Peripheral rim-enhancement in the paravertebral mass was seen in 11 cases of spinal tuberculosis, one case of pyogenic spondylitis and the case of aspergillosis. Bilobate anterior epidural mass was noted in 60% of spinal tuberculosis cases, 36% of spinal metastasis and one case of pyogenic spondylitis. CONCLUSION: MR findings of spinal disease involving a paraspinal soft tissue mass were useful for differentiation.
Abscess ; Aspergillosis ; Bone Marrow ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Multiple Myeloma ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Diseases ; Spondylitis ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Spinal

BACKGROUND: Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC) has been reported to diveres spectrum of chinical presentations and radiologic patterns. The three representative radiologic patterns are followings; 1) a solitary nodule or mass, 2) a localized consolidation, and 3) multicentric or diffuse disease. While, the localized consolidation and solitary nodular patterns has favorable prognosis, the multicentric of diffuse pattern has worse prognosis regardless of treatment BAC presenting as a solitary pulmonary nodule is often misdiagnosed as other benign disease such as tuberculoma. Therefore it is very important to make proper diagnosis of BAC with solitary nodular pattern, since this pattern of BAC is usually curable with a surgical resection. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical and radiologic features of patients with pathologically-proven BAC with solitary nodular pattern from January 1995 to September 1996 at Samsung Medical Center. RESULTS: Total 11 patients were identified. 6 were men and 5 were women. Age ranged from 37 to 69. Median age was 60. Most patients with BAC with solitary nodular pattern were asymptomatic and were detected by incidental radiologic abnormality. The chest radiograph showed poorly defined opacity or nodule and computed tomography showed consolidation, ground glass appearance, internal bubble-like lucencies, air bronchogram, open bronchus sign, spiculated margin or pleural tag in most patients. The initial diagnosis on chest X-ray were pulmonary tuberculosis in 4 patients, benign nodule in 2 patients and malignant nodule in 5 patients. The FDG-positron emission tomogram was performed in eight patients. The FDG-PET revealed suggestive findings of malignancy in only 3 patients. The pathologic diagnosis was obtained by transbronchial lung biopsy in 1 patient, by CT guided percutaneous needle aspiration in 2 patients, and by lung biopsy via video-assited thoracocopy in 8 patients. Lobectomy was performed in all patients and postoperative pathologic staging were T1N0M0 in 8 patients and T2N0M0 in 3 patients. CONCLUSION: Patients of BAC presenting with solitary nodular pattern were most often asymptomatic and incidentally detected by radiologic abnormality. The chest X-ray showed poorly defined nodule or opacity and these findings were often regarded as benign lesion. If poorly nodule or opacity does not disappear on follow up chest X-ray, computed tomography should be performed. If consolidation, ground glass appearance, open bronchus sign, air bronchogram, internal bubble like lucency, pleural tag or spiculated margin are found on computed tomography, further diagnostic procedures, including open thoracotomy, should be performed to exclude the possiblity of BAC with solitary nodular pattern.
Adenocarcinoma, Bronchiolo-Alveolar* ; Biopsy ; Bronchi ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glass ; Humans ; Lung ; Male ; Needles ; Prognosis ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Solitary Pulmonary Nodule* ; Thoracotomy ; Thorax ; Tuberculoma ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

BACKGROUND: Matrix metalloproteinases(MMP) are essential enzymes for tumor invasion and metastasis. Among the MMP family, elevated MMP-9 and stromelysin-3(STR-3) expression have been reported to be poor prognostic factors in lung cancer patients. To evaluate the possibility of a molecular diagnosis of lung cancer using peripheral blood, the mRNA expression level of MMP-9 and STR-3 was measured using a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) in patients with lung cancer. METHODS: Ninety six patients(44 patients with lung cancer, 19 pulmonary infection, and 33 control) were included. To detect MMP-9 and STR-3 mRNA expression, RT-PCR was performed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. ELISA was also used to measure the serum level of MMP-9. RESULTS: MMP-9 was expressed more frequently in patients with a pulmonary infection(18/19, 94.7%) compared to lung cancer patients(26/44, 59.1%) or the controls (23/33, 69.7%) (p=0.018). On the other hand, STR-3 expression was observed more frequently in patients with lung cancer(37/44, 84.1%) compared to the lung infection patients(8/19, 42.1%) or control(20/33, 60.6%) (p=0.003). Among the lung cancer patients, MMP-9 was expressed more frequently when a tumor invaded the lymph nodes(17/24, 70.8%) compared to when a tumor did not(3/13, 23.1%) (p=0.005). The MMP-9 and STR-3 expression levels had no relationship with age, sex, tumor size, distant metastasis, or tumor histology. The serum MMP-9 concentration was not higher in lung cancer patients compared to patients with a pulmonary infection or the control subjects. CONCLUSION: STR-3 may be used as a diagnostic marker in the peripheral blood of lung cancer patients using RT-PCR. Further studies to evaluate the clinical significance of elevated STR-3 expression in lung cancer patients is recommended.
Carcinoma, Bronchogenic ; Diagnosis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Hand ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; RNA, Messenger

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis is a disease occuring predominantly in patients with defects in immunity such as neutropenia, hematologic malignancies or with defects in cell-mediated immunity. The isolation of Aspergillus from respiratory tract of normal host usually signifies tracheobronchial colonization, making this diagnosis difficult. There are isolated case reports occuring in normal hosts but most of them were diagnosed postmortem at autopsies indicating that early diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis in normal host is difficult. We describe here a case of invasive aspergillosis in a immunocompetent host diagnosed by lung biopsy which was successfully treated with Amphotericin-B. Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis should be included as one of the differential diagnosis if a patient with pneumonic consolidation does not respond to usual therapy, even if the patient does not have any defect in immunity.
Aspergillosis ; Aspergillus ; Autopsy ; Biopsy ; Colon ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Early Diagnosis ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis* ; Lung ; Neutropenia ; Respiratory System

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to determine the preoperative predictors of mortality and morbidity after lung cancer resection. METHOD: During the period from October 1, 1995 to August 31, 1996, a prospective study was conducted in 92 lung resection candidates diagnosed as lung cancer. For preoperative predictors of nonpulmonary factors, we considered age, sex, weight loss, hematocrit, serum albumin, EKG and concomitant illness, and f or those of pulmonary factors, smoking history, presence of pneumonia, dyspnea scale(1 to 4), arterial blood gas analysis with room air breathing, routine pulmonary function test. And predicted postoperative(ppo) pulmonary factors such as ppo-FEV1, ppo-diffusing capacity(DLco), predicted postoperative product(PPP) of ppo-FEV1 % x ppo-DLco% and ppo-maximal O2 uptake(VO2max) were also considered. RESULTS: There were 78 men and 14 women with a median age of 62 years(range 42 to 82) and a mean FEV1 of 2.37+/-0.06L. Twenty nine patients had a decreased FEV1 less than 2.0L. Pneumonectomy was performed in 26 patients, bilobectomy in 12, lobectomy in 54. Pulmonary complications developed in 10 patients, cardiac complications in 9, other complications(empyema, air leak, bleeding) in 11, and 16 patients were managed in intensive care unit for more than 48hours. Three patients died within 30 days after operation. The ppo-O2max was less than 10ml/kg/min in these three patients, but its statistical significance could not be determined due to small number of patients. In multivariate analysis, the predictor related to postoperative death was weight loss (p<0.05), and as for pulmonary complications, weight loss, dyspnea scale, ppo-DLco and extent of resection(p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Based on this study, preoperative nonpulmonary factors such as weight loss and dyspnea scale are more important than the pulmonary factors in the prediction of postoperative mortality and/or morbodity in lung resection candidates, but exercise pulmonary fuction test may be useful. Our study suggests that ppo-VO2max value less than 10ml/kg/min is associated with death after lung cancer resection but further studies are needed to validate this result.
Blood Gas Analysis ; Dyspnea ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Male ; Mortality* ; Multivariate Analysis ; Pneumonectomy ; Pneumonia ; Prospective Studies* ; Respiration ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Serum Albumin ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Weight Loss

BACKGROUND: The committee of tuberculosis(TB) survey planning for the year 2000 decided to construct the Korean Tuberculosis Surveillance System (KTBS), based on a doctor's routine reporting method. The successful keys of the KTBS rely on the precision of the recorded TB notification forms. The purpose of this study was to determine that the accuracy of the TB notification form written at a private general hospital given to the corresponding health center and to improve the comprehensiveness of these reporting systems. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 291 adult TB patients who had been diagnosed from August 2000 to January 2001, were enrolled in this study. The lists of TB notification forms were compared with the medical records and the various laboratory results; case characteristics, history of previous treatment, examinations for diagnosis, site of the TB by the international classification of the disease, and treatment. RESULTS: In the list of examinations for a diagnosis in 222 pulmonary TB patients, the concordance rate of the 'sputum smear exam' was 76% but that of the 'sputum culture exam' was only 23%. Among the 198 cases of the sputum culture exam labeled 'not examined', 43(21.7%) cases proved to be true 'not examined', 70 cases(35.4%) were proven to be 'culture positive', and 85(43.0%) cases were proven to be 'culture negative'. In the list of examinations for a diagnosis in 69 extrapulmonary TB patients, the concordance rate of the 'smear exam other than sputum' was 54%. In the list of treatments, the overall concordance rate of the 'type of registration' in the TB notification form was 85%. Among the 246 'new' cases on the TB notification form, 217(88%) cases were true 'new' cases and 13 were proven to be 'relapse', 2 were proven to be 'treatment after failure', one was proven to be 'treatment after default', 12 were proven to be 'transferred-in' and one was proven to be 'chronic'. Among the 204 HREZ prescribed regimen, 172(84.3%) patients were taking the HREZ regimen, and the others were prescribed other drug regimens. CONCLUSION: Correct recording of the TB notification form at the private sectors is necessary for supporting the effective TB surveillance system in Korea.
Adult ; Classification ; Diagnosis ; Hospitals, General* ; Humans ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Private Sector ; Sputum ; Tuberculosis*

BACKGROUND: Extubation failure was associated with poor prognosis and high hospital mortality. Cuff leak test (CLT) has been proposed as a relatively simple method for detecting laryngeal obstruction that predispose toward postextubation stridor (PES) and reintubation. We examined the risk factors of extubation failure and evaluated the usefulness and limitation of CLT for predicting PES and reintubation. METHODS: Thirty-four consecutive patients intubated more than 24 hours were examined. The subjects were evaluated daily for extubation readiness, and CLT was performed prior to extubation. Several parameters in the extubation success and failure group were compared. The accuracy and limitation of CLT were evaluated after choosing the thresholds values of the cuff leak volume (CLV) and percentage (CLP). RESULTS: Of the 34 patients studied, 6 (17.6%) developed extubation failure and 3 (8.8%) were accompanied by PES. The patients who had extubation failure were more likely to have a longer duration of intubation and more severe illness. The patients who developed PES had a smaller cuff leak than the others: according to the CLV (22.5+/-23.8 vs 233.3+/-147.1ml, p=0.020) or CLP (6.2+/-7.3 vs 44.3+/-24.7%, p=0.013). The best cut off values for the CLV and CLP were 50ml and 14.7%, respectively. The sensitivity, negative predictive value, and specificity of CLT were relatively high, but the positive predictive value was low. CONCLUSION: The likelihood of developing extubation failure increases with increasing severity of illness and duration of intubation. A low CLV or CLP (<50ml or 14.7%) is useful in identifying patients at risk of PES, but the CLT is not an absolute predictor and should not be used an indicator for delaying extubation.
Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Intubation ; Prognosis ; Respiratory Sounds* ; Risk Factors*

BACKGROUND: The opitmal ventilator setting during partial liquid ventilation(PLV) is controversial. This study investigated the effects of various gas exchange parameters during PLV in normal rabbit lungs in order to aid in the development of an optimal ventilator setting during PLV. METHODS: Seven New-Zealand white rabbits were ventilated in pressure-controlled mode with the following settings; tidal volume(VT) 8ml/kg, positive end-expiratory pressure(PEEP) 4cmH2O, inspiratory-to-expiratory ratio(I:E ratio) 1:2, fraction of inspired oxygen(F1O2) 1.0. The respiration rate(RR) was adjusted to keep PaCO2 between 35~45mmHg. The ventilator settings were changed every 30 min in the following sequence : (1) Baseline, as the basal ventilator setting, (2) Inverse ratio, I:E ratio 2:1, (3) high PEEP, adjust PEEP to achieve the same mean inspiratory pressure (MIP) as in the inverse ratio, (4) High VT, VT 15ml/kg, (5) high RR, the same minute ventilation(MV) as in the High VT. Subsequently, the same protocol was repeated after instilling 18ml/kg of perfluorodecalin for PLV. The parameters of gas exchange, lung mechanics, and hemodynamics were examined. RESULTS: (1) The gas ventilation(GV) group showed no significant changes in the PaO2 at all phases. The PaCO2 was lower and the pH was higher at the high VT and high RR phases(p<0.05). No significant changes in the lung mechnics and hemodynamics parameters were observed. (2) The baseline PaO2 for the PLV was 312+/-113mmHg. This was significantly lower when decreased compared to the baseline PaO2 for GV which was 504+/-81mmHg(p=0.001). During PLV, the PaO2 was significantly higher at the high PEEP(452+/-38mmHg) and high VT(461+/-53mmHg) phases compared with the baseline phase. However, it did not change significantly during the inverse I:E ratio or the high RR phases. (3) The PaCO2 was significantly lower at high VT and RR phases for both the GV and PLV. During the PLV, PaCO2 were significantly higher compared to the GV (p<0.05). (4) There were no important or significant changes in of baseline and high RR phases lung mechanics and hemodynamics parameters during the PLV. CONCLUSION: During PLV in the normal lung, adequate VT and PEEP are important for optimal oxygenation.
Hemodynamics ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Liquid Ventilation* ; Lung* ; Mechanics ; Oxygen ; Physiology ; Rabbits ; Respiration ; Ventilators, Mechanical

BACKGROUND: Until the early 1990's in Korea, treatment outcomes of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in the private sector were reported to be inferior to those of the public health center under the National Tuberculosis Programme. The purpose of this study was to analyze the clinical characteristics and the treatment efficacy of the patients with pulmonary tuberculosis recently diagnosed at a private general hospital. MATERIALS and METHODS: The study included all pulmonary tuberculosis patients diagnosed at Samsung Medical Center and notified to the public health center from August 2000 to January 2001. RESULTS: Of the 232 patients included in the study during a 6-month period, 188 were (81.0%) initial treatment cases and 44 (19.0%) were re-treatment cases. Eighty-three (35.8%) patients had smear-positive sputa, and 27 (11.6%) had smear-negative, culture-positive sputa. Initial sputum examinations were not performed in 47 (20.3%) patients. A six-month, short-course treatment using isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol and pyrazinamide was prescribed for 31.4% of the patients under the initial treatment. The success rate (cured plus treatment completed) of the initial treatment for the smear-positive patients was 69.1%. Eleven (13.3%) of the 83 patients with smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis discontinued their treatment without notice. CONCLUSIONS: To improve the treatment efficacy and decrease the default rates of the patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in the private sector, further efforts are required in line with the Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Disease Treatment Guidelines and in the implementation of an appropriate model of public-private mix for tuberculosis control in Korea.
Diagnosis ; Ethambutol ; Hospitals, General* ; Humans ; Isoniazid ; Korea ; Private Practice ; Private Sector ; Public Health ; Pyrazinamide ; Rifampin ; Sputum ; Treatment Outcome ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*