A case of acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis (Sweet's syndrome) characterized by tender erythematous plaques on the face, neck, and limbs was reported. This 43-year-old male patient has been suffering from fever and sore throat prior to development of skin lesions. Positive laboratory findings were polymorphonuclear leukocytosis and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. The symptoms well responded to corticosteroid therapy.
Adult ; Blood Sedimentation ; Extremities ; Fever ; Humans ; Leukocytosis ; Male ; Neck ; Pharyngitis ; Skin ; Sweet Syndrome*

BACKGROUND: The authors studied to estimate the frequency of irregular antibodies and their significance in blood transfusion and antenatal care in Korea. METHODS: Irregular antibodies were tested by immediate saline spin, 37degrees C albumin and antiglobulin test for 2,008 transfusion candidates and 1,047 pregnant women at Severance hospital using commercial screening and identification cells (Dade, U.S.A.). RESULTS: The irregular antibodies were detected in 38 (1.24%) of total 3,055 subjects (transfusion candidates: 0.9%, pregnant women: 1.91%) . In transfusion candidates, the detected antibodies were Lewis antibodies, cold antibodies (anti-M, anti-P 1), Rh antibodies and unspeified warm antibodies, and their distributions were 56%, 22%, 17%, and 5%, respectively. In pregnant women, the detected antibodies were Lewis antibodies, Rh antibodies, anti-Jra, and unspeified warm antibodies, and their distributions were 45%, 45%, 5% and 5%, respectively. At immediate saline phase, 58% of irregular antibodies were detected. At 37degrees C albumin phase, 90% of irregular antibodies were detected and only 10% of irregular antibodies were detected at antiglobulin phase. CONCLUSIONS: Although the prevalence rates of clinically important irregular antibodies were low, 1/1000 of irregular antibodies could not be detected. Therefore, irregular antibody screening should be performed in all pretransfusion test. And, if antibody detection tests are negative, immediate saline crossmaching methods are acceptable in Korea.
Antibodies* ; Blood Transfusion ; Coombs Test ; Female ; Humans ; Korea* ; Mass Screening ; Pregnant Women* ; Prevalence*

BACKGROUND: The authors studied to estimate the frequency of irregular antibodies and their significance in blood transfusion and antenatal care in Korea. METHODS: Irregular antibodies were tested by immediate saline spin, 37degrees C albumin and antiglobulin test for 2,008 transfusion candidates and 1,047 pregnant women at Severance hospital using commercial screening and identification cells (Dade, U.S.A.). RESULTS: The irregular antibodies were detected in 38 (1.24%) of total 3,055 subjects (transfusion candidates: 0.9%, pregnant women: 1.91%) . In transfusion candidates, the detected antibodies were Lewis antibodies, cold antibodies (anti-M, anti-P 1), Rh antibodies and unspeified warm antibodies, and their distributions were 56%, 22%, 17%, and 5%, respectively. In pregnant women, the detected antibodies were Lewis antibodies, Rh antibodies, anti-Jra, and unspeified warm antibodies, and their distributions were 45%, 45%, 5% and 5%, respectively. At immediate saline phase, 58% of irregular antibodies were detected. At 37degrees C albumin phase, 90% of irregular antibodies were detected and only 10% of irregular antibodies were detected at antiglobulin phase. CONCLUSIONS: Although the prevalence rates of clinically important irregular antibodies were low, 1/1000 of irregular antibodies could not be detected. Therefore, irregular antibody screening should be performed in all pretransfusion test. And, if antibody detection tests are negative, immediate saline crossmaching methods are acceptable in Korea.
Antibodies* ; Blood Transfusion ; Coombs Test ; Female ; Humans ; Korea* ; Mass Screening ; Pregnant Women* ; Prevalence*

BACKGROUND: The purpose of our study is to evaluate the usefulness of cervicovaginal fetal fibronectin assay for the prediction of rupture of membrane and preterm labor. METHODS: A group of 39 pregnant women was involved in this prospective study. Out of 139 pregnant women, 96 were clinically diagnosed as ruptured membranes (group A). The remaining 43 of 139 pregnant women were clinically diagnosed as preterm labor(group B). The assay was performed by using the ROMCheckTM kit (Adeza Biomedical Corp., Sunnyvale, CA). RESULTS: In group 4, fetal fibronectin (fFN) positive rate is 55% (53 patients) and negative rate is 45% (43 patients). In group B, fFN positive rate is 56% (24 patients) and negative rate is 44% (19 patients). Both group of fFN positive patients show a significantly shorter interval from sampling to delivery than fFN negative patients. Also in group A, the percentage of fFN positive patients who delivered at less than 48 hours after sampling is greater than those with fFN negative patients and in group B, the preterm delivery rate is 79% with positive fFN and 37% with negative fFN. As a predictor for preterm delivery, the presence of fFN has the sensitivity 79%, the specificity 84%, the positive Predictive value 76% and the negative predictive value 86%. CONCLUSIONS: The result suggests that a positive fFN in pregnant women who have uterine contractions and ruptured membrane indicates a significant risk for preterm delivery and labor onset, and a negative fFN is a reassuring sign.
Female ; Fibronectins* ; Humans ; Labor Onset ; Membranes ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women* ; Prospective Studies ; Rupture ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Uterine Contraction

No abstract available.
Humans ; Rehabilitation* ; Rural Population* ; Stroke*

This study was a descriptive research in search of a nursing intervention scheme to improve stroke patients' quality of life by understanding the relationship of stroke patients' ADL. depression, self-efficacy and quality of life with various variables and identifying factors that affect their quality of life. Each subject was interviewed one to one based on a structured questionnaire. With regard to research tools, Modified Barthel Index (MBI: Fortinsky et al., 1981), which was translated by Choi, Hye-sook (996), was used in measuring ADL, Randloff's (1977) tool. which was translated by Choi, Soon-hee, was used in measuring depression, and the tool developed by Sherer et al. (1982), which is to measures self-efficacy under general conditions not limited to specific conditions, and modified by O, Bok-ja (1994) was used in measuring self-efficacy. The quality of life was measured using the scale of satisfaction of life developed by Diener et al.(1985). The results of this study were as follows: 1. The means of ADL of the subjects was 79.5+/-1.9, depression 26.8+/-0.4. self-efficacy 47.1+/-5.7, and the quality of life 12.3+/-.9. 2. The subjects' quality of life showed a statistically significant difference according to gender (t=7.9, p= .006), satisfaction with income (F= 5.8, p = .004), the burden of medical fee (F=3.7, p= .028) and the period of disease (F=2.8. p= .042). 3. With regard to relationship among ADL, depression, self-efficacy and the quality of life, ADL was in a relatively low positive correlation (r= .293, p= .003) with and the quality of life, depression in a high negative correlation (r=- .634. p= .000) with the quality of life. and self-efficacy in a positive correlation with the quality of life (r= .388. p= .000). 4. Factors that made a significant influence on the quality of life were depression (8=- .309. p= .001) and satisfaction with income (8=-2.611. p= .001). Based on these results, this study made following suggestions: 1. It is necessary to run rehabilitation programs to improve stroke patients' ADL, depression and self-efficacy. 2. It is necessary to perform research of monitoring stroke patients' quality of life in various areas using measuring tools.
Activities of Daily Living* ; Depression* ; Fees, Medical ; Nursing ; Quality of Life* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Rehabilitation ; Stroke*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess alcohol and caffeine intake and identify the impact of alcohol and caffeine intake on body mass index, alcohol use disorder, and quality of sleep among university students. METHODS: This study design was accomplished with a cross sectional survey and conducted from May to June 2014. One hundred and twenty-four freshmen of E university in S city, Korea were selected and evaluated by self-administered questionnaires. Alcohol and caffeine intake were measured by self-reported recall. The data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, and multiple linear regression. RESULTS: The average amount of alcohol intake was 175.02 +/- 219.97 g and the proportion of freshmen who took in more than 40g per day of alcohol was 75%. The average amount of caffeine intake was 116.79 +/- 111.14 mg. Factors influencing alcohol use disorder were dwelling type (t=2.25, p=.027) and alcohol intake (t=8.11, p<.001). And, the factor influencing quality of sleep was caffeine intake (t=3.88, p<.001). CONCLUSION: In order to reduce the harmful drinking of university students, preventive activities for freshmen are required and efforts on the part of the school needed.
Alcohol Drinking ; Body Mass Index* ; Caffeine* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Drinking ; Humans ; Korea ; Linear Models

Subungual exostosis are not uncommon, however, they are infrequently mentioned in the dermatologic literature. We report herein a rase of subungual exostosis in the great toe of 16-year-old female student which was confirmed by histopathologic and radiologic findings. Histopathologic examination showed that the mass was ooeered by a dense fibrous tissue which merged into a fibrocartilage cap and bone. Computed tomography showed a well defined, oval shaped, radiopacity of bony density capped by a radiolucency.
Adolescent ; Exostoses* ; Female ; Fibrocartilage ; Humans ; Toes

PURPOSE: The study was to examine the effects of the individual education about chemotherapy for cancer patients as well as their family who are receiving the first chemotherapy on self-care knowledge, self-care performance, family support, and anxiety level. METHODS: A non-equivalent control group was used in this interventional study. A total of 50 patients with cancer aged above 19 in the K university hospital, Seoul, Korea, participated in the study (Experimental group: n=25, Control group: n=25). The education about chemotherapy was offered one week after hospital discharge, which was followed by telephone counseling Data were analyzed by the SPSS/WIN 20.0 program using percentage, frequency, mean, standard deviation, x2 test, and independent t-test. RESULTS: The experimental group showed a significantly better self-care knowledge (t=4.094, p < .001), self-care performance (t=3.532, p=001), family support (t=2.170, p=.035), and anxiety control (t=4.780, p < .001) than the control group. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that the individual education should be considered for cancer patients and their family in the clinical fields.
Anxiety ; Counseling ; Drug Therapy ; Education ; Humans ; Korea ; Self Care ; Seoul ; Telephone

Over the past 30 years, there has been an increase in the incidence of multifetal pregna-ncies, primarily because of the introduction of ovarian stimulants for ovulation induction and assisted reproductive technology ( ART ) in infertile patients. It is well established that multifetal pregnancies are associated with an increased frequency of the maternal complications and gre-ater perinatal morbidity and mortyality. The adverse outcome of multifetal pregnancies is dire-ctly proportional to the number of fetuses, primarily as an consequence of prterm delivery. Re-duction in the number of fetuses in multifetal pregnancies has been proposed as a way to impr-ove the perinatal outcome in this situation. Therefore, selective fetal reduction ( SFR ) is sugges-ted as a therapeutic option for continuation of pregnancy with fetuses mature enough to survi-ve. In this paper, we report our infertility clinic experiences with 6 patients who carried mult- ifetal pregnancies including 1 quintuplet, 1 quadruplet, and 4 triplets. from January, 1991 to May, 1996, transabdominal SFR was accomplished by fetal intrathoracic KCl injection at 9~10 weeks of gestation. After the prcedure, 4 patients remained as twin pregnancies, and 2 patients as single pregnancy. There have been 3 sets of twin deliveries and the 2 sets of single delivery. One case was aborted. Two patients were delivered after 37 weeks of gestation, 2 patients were at 35 weeks, and 1 patient at 24 weeks. All babies have been healthy after birth in patients after 35 weeks gestation. There was no fetal anomaly related to the procedure in the 6 cases. We concluded that transabdominal SFR is a rather safe and useful procedure that may improve the outcome of multifetal pregnancies.
Fetus ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infertility ; Ovulation Induction ; Parturition ; Pregnancy Reduction, Multifetal* ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnancy, Twin ; Quadruplets ; Quintuplets ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Triplets ; Twins