PURPOSE: To evaluate differential points of patterns of clustered microcalcification between malignant(n=17) and benign(n=46) lesions on mammogram MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively and prospectively evaluated mammograms of surgically confirmed 63 patients showing clustered microcalcifications. Area, density, number, size, shape of calcification were evaluated along with associated mass and parenchymal distortion. RESULTS: Malignant calcifications were more variable in size(14/17, 77% vs 25/46, 53%) and shape(l 1/17, 64. 8% vs 13/46, 28.2%) than benign counterparts. Pepper, fine granular, branching, comma, tadpole and wormiform calcification were observed in malignant lesion with statistical significance. The malignant calcifications showed more faint(12/17, 70.5% vs 23/46, 50%), irregular margin(17/17, 100% vs 19/46, 42%) and they were usually associated with parenchymal distortion(16/17, 94% vs 9/46, 20%) and ill-defined masses(10/17, 58.9% vs 12/46, 26.1%). CONCLUSION: Clustered microcalcifications with variable size and shape, faint or irregular margin, parenchymal distortion, ill-defined masses seen on mammography, suggest malignancy.
Humans ; Larva ; Mammography ; Prospective Studies ; Retrospective Studies

Allergic contact dermatitis to topical agents mostly results from vehicles and preservatives and rarely from the active ingredients. Ribavirin, an active ingredient of Viramid® cream, is a synthetic nucleoside derivative with broad spectrum activity against a wide variety of DNA and RNA viruses. We report an 18-year-old woman, who had a perioral edematous patch with exudative crusts after topical application of Viramid® cream (nsung pharmaceutical Co., Korea) for the treatment of herpes labiahs. A patch test showed that the sensitizer was ribavirin, the active ingredient of the antiviral agent, Viramid® cream.
Adolescent ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact* ; DNA ; Female ; Humans ; Patch Tests ; Ribavirin* ; RNA Viruses

Allergic contact dermatitis to topical agents mostly results from vehicles and preservatives and rarely from the active ingredients. Ribavirin, an active ingredient of Viramid® cream, is a synthetic nucleoside derivative with broad spectrum activity against a wide variety of DNA and RNA viruses. We report an 18-year-old woman, who had a perioral edematous patch with exudative crusts after topical application of Viramid® cream (nsung pharmaceutical Co., Korea) for the treatment of herpes labiahs. A patch test showed that the sensitizer was ribavirin, the active ingredient of the antiviral agent, Viramid® cream.
Adolescent ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact* ; DNA ; Female ; Humans ; Patch Tests ; Ribavirin* ; RNA Viruses

No abstract available.
Ileum*

No abstract available.
Polyarteritis Nodosa*

PURPOSE: To evaluate differential points of clustered microcalcification in malignant and benign lesions on histopathology and correlate with mammographic findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Authors evaluated differential points of malignant and benign calcifications in histopathologically confirmed 24 cases. In two patients, mapping studies and paraffin block mammographic examinations were done to correlate calcification on mammography with histopathologic morphology. RESULT: On histopathology, malignant calcifications were located in ductal lumen, while benign ones were usually located in ductal epithelium(p<0.05). However, associated three benign lesions of the 10 malignant lesions showed still benign calcifications adjacent to proven cancer. The typical malignant calcifications were the shape of lamination, while benign calcifications showed granular and salty on light microscope. In 2 mapping studies, malignant-looking calcifications within the area of predominant benign calcifications yielded atypical ductal hyperplasia. Mammographic pepper, granular, punctate, salty and S-shaped calcifications were correlated with granular and salty calcification on light microscope. Mammographic linear, branching, comma, tadpole and wormiform calcifications were correlated with histopathologic laminated calcification. CONCLUSION: Authors have recognized about characteristics of malignant Vs. benign clustered microcalcifications on histopathology. Authors concluded that if malignant-looking calcification such as linear, branching, comma, tadpole and wormiform are present in an are a of predominant benign calcifications, specimen radiographic correlation and mapping study will be necessary for better demonstration of the atypical ductal hyperplasia, hidden or associated breast cancer.
Breast Neoplasms ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Larva ; Mammography* ; Paraffin

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to examine 1) functional status at 2 months after hip fracture surgery 2) health care utilization after a fall episode and 3) fear of falling experienced during first 2 months after a fall episode. METHOD: With a convenient sample of 99 elderly from six university or general hospitals with hip fracture from a fall, data were collected at 2-3 days before discharge and at 2 months after hip fracture surgery. RESULT: 1) At 2 months after hip fracture from a fall, significant proportion (25.3%) of elderly was not able to walk indoors. 2) Average length of hospital stay was 27.6 days with a range of 8 to 86 days. About 51% subjects received physical therapy during hospital stay, and only 6.1% subjects received physical therapy following discharge from the hospital. 3) Significant proportion (72.7%) had fear of falling after the fall episode. About 51% reported that they restricted their activities because they had fear of falling. CONCLUSION: Fall is a dreaded event which result in loss of independence and restriction of activity. Development and application of fall prevention program is critical especially for those with risk factors of fall.
Aged ; Delivery of Health Care* ; Hip* ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: This study was to examine the reliability and validity of Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) as a nutritional measurement for stroke patients. METHODS: This was a methodological study performed from May 6 to June 10, 2009 at a tertiary university hospital in Seoul. For reliability of PG-SGA, inter-rater reliability was used for statistics. For concurrent validity, BMI and biomarkers were compared between PG-SGA 0 ~ 8 and > or = 9. In addition, sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of PG-SGA compared with SGA were calculated using a contingency table. For predictive validity, hospital day, complications, and readmission within 1-month after discharge were compared between PG-SGA 0 ~ 8 and > or = 9. RESULTS: Correlation of PG-SGA score between two observers was 0.83, and kappa value for the agreement of severe malnutrition was 0.78(all p(s) < .001). The scored PG-SGA showed high sensitivity and specificity (100% and 96.7%, respectively). Severe undernourished patients (PG-SGA > or = 9) had significantly low TLC, protein, albumin, and prealbumin (all p(s) < .01) compared with non-undernourished patients (PG-SGA 0 ~ 8). Also, in severe undernourished patients, complications and readmission (all p(s) = 0.01) were more often represented, and hospital days (p = .013) were significantly delayed. CONCLUSION: PG-SGA is a reliable and valid measurement to assess nutritional status for stroke patients.
Biomarkers ; Humans ; Malnutrition ; Nutrition Assessment ; Nutritional Status ; Prealbumin ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Stroke

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The outcome of asthma treatment has traditionally been assessed by measuring the conventional clinical parameters such as symptoms, expiratory flow rates and needs for medications. But none of them tells us whether the patients are actually able to function properly in their lives. Only assessment of the quality of life (QOL) can reflect the parts of patients lives affected by the disease. However, there is no measure to assess the quality of life of patients with any chronic diseases in Korea yet. We developed the QOL Questionnaire for Korean Asthmatics and evaluated its measurement properties. METHOD: The questionnaire was composed of 18 items in four domains : i.e. activity limitation (6 items), symptoms (5 items), emotional function (3 items) and environmental stimuli (4 items). At our out-patient clinic, 32 adults with moderate to severe persistent bronchial asthma were enrolled. The study design consisted of 4 week unblinded single cohort with visits at 0 and 4 weeks, and the patients were asked to answer the questionnaire by self administration method at the two separate visits. Forced expiratory volume for 1 second (FEV1) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were recorded at each visit. According to the patients and physicians global assessment, the patients were divided into two groups, i.e. stable and changed (improved). The responsiveness, reproducibility and validity of the questionnaire were evaluated. RESULTS: The total QOL scores at the second visit in the changed group were significantly higher than those at the first visit. The score differences between the two visits in the changed group were higher than in the stable group. In the stable group, the responses to the questionnaire were reproducible. The QOL scores showed good longitudinal correlation with the expiratory flow rates, whereas FEV1 did not correlate with the QOL in cross-sectional analysis. CONCLUSION: The questionnaire proved to be reproducible, responsive and valid in the subjects. It could be recommended for the outcome evaluation of Korean asthmatics.
Adult ; Asthma ; Chronic Disease ; Cohort Studies ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Korea ; Outpatients ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate ; Quality of Life* ; Self Administration ; Surveys and Questionnaires

This study amis for examines the actual physical symptom and stress in caregivers of patients with cerebrovascular disease. The data were collected by a survey conducted from August to September, 1997 which included 65 caregivers of cerebrovascular disease patient in 4 hospitals located in Seoul. The caregiver's stress was measured by Choi(1992)'s instrument and the actual physical symptoms were investigated. The data were analyzed using ANOV, Scheffe test, pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression. The results were as follows : 1. The mean number of caregiver's physical symptom was 3.5. There were significantly higher number of physical symptom in women, those of who have a religious affiliation, those of two perceive their own health status perceived s bad, and those of two perceived their patients disease condition as serious than in their counterparts. Also, the number of caregiver's physical symptom was significantly higher in caregivers whose patients have a paralysis symptom and the disease onset as spontaneous. 2. The average of caregiver's stress was 57.9. The caregiver's stress was the highest in between the ages of 50 and 59. There were also significantly higher level of stress in women, those of two perceived the disease condition of their patient as serious than in counterparts. 3. The most common caregiver's physical symptom was fatigue(87.7%). This was followed by insomnia(58.5%) and muscle (47.4%). 4. Caregiver's physical symptom was positively correlated with caregiver's stress and negatively correlated with patient's activity of daily life. 5. The most important variable affecting the caregiver's physical symptom was patient's activity of daily life which accounted for 12.7% of the total variance in stepwise multiple regression analysis. The most important variable affecting the caregiver's stress was the patient disease condition perceived by the caregiver that accounted for 12.1% of the total variance.
Caregivers* ; Female ; Humans ; Paralysis ; Seoul