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

No abstract available.

Bonding of brackets is one of the essential factors for successful orthodontic treatment, so bond strength of orthodontic adhesives are very important. The purposes of this research were to compare shear bond strength of various orthodontic adhesives and to evaluate failure sites. One-hundred twenty extracted human first premolars were prepared for bonding and premolar brackets were bonded to prepared enamel surfaces with Super C Ortho, Mono- Lok2, Transbond, and Super C Ortho after applying Fluorobond. After bonding of brackets, teeth specimens were divided into 3 groups. In group 1 specimens were stored at humidor 37degrees C in 1 hour, in group 2 specimens were stored at humidor 37degrees C in 24 hours, thermocycled 10 times and in group 3 specimens were stored at humidor 37degrees C in 24 hours, thermocycled 1800 times. Then the universal testing machine Instron 6022, Instron Co., U.S.A. was used to test the shear bond strength of brackets to enamel. After debonding, brackets and enamel surfaces were examined under stereoscopic microscope to determine the failure sites. The results were as follows: 1. Shear bond strength was significantly highest of using Super C Ortho after applying Fluorobond and Super C Ortho In group 1, was highest of using Super C Ortho in group 2, and was highest of using Mono- Lok2 in group 3. 2. According to time and temperature change, in using Super C Ortho the group 2 had significantly highest strength and group 3 had lowest strength, in using Mono-Lok2 the group 2 and had higher strength than group 1 and in using Super C Ortho after applying Fluorobond shear bond strength decreased constantly. 3. The failure sites were tooth-resin interface in Super C Ortho after applying Fluorobond, Mono Lok2 and Transbond and were at almost same ratio bracket base-resin interface and tooth-resin interface in Super C Orth.
Adhesives ; Bicuspid ; Dental Cements* ; Dental Enamel ; Humans ; Tooth

No abstract available.
Compliance* ; Rehabilitation*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Spinal Cord*

PURPOSE: This study was performed to measure the level of nursing tasks and practice environment of nursing work (PENW) perceived by nurses working on comprehensive wards or general wards, and to investigate the relationship between these two variables. METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional survey. Participants were 97 nurses working on comprehensive or general wards of one general hospital in Gyeonggido, Korea. Data were collected from October 17 to 21, 2016 using the structured questionnaires and analyzed with SPSS/PC ver 18.0 programs. RESULTS: The scores for nursing tasks (performance, importance, and knowledge) perceived by nurses working on comprehensive wards were higher than nurses on general wards. The score for PENW perceived by nurses working on comprehensive wards was significantly higher than that of nurses on general wards. For comprehensive ward nurses, there was a relationship between nursing tasks and PENW, but no relationship was found for general ward nurses. CONCLUSION: This findings show that nurses working on comprehensive wards evaluate nursing tasks and PENW higher than nurses working on general wards indicating that nursing managers should work to raise the perception of general ward nursing tasks and PENW.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Gyeonggi-do ; Hospitals, General ; Korea ; Nursing ; Patients' Rooms ; Task Performance and Analysis

BACKGROUND: The plateletpheresis yields are important to meet standard platelet transfusion doses and single donor platelets (SDPs) with fewer than 3.0x1011 can not be issued without approval from hospitals according to the regulations of Korea Red Cross blood center. This study evaluates platelet yields and plateletpheresis parameters of three different cell separators. METHODS: We used Amicus (Baxter, Deerfield, IL, U.S.A.), MCS+ (Haemonetics, Braintree, MA, U.S.A.) and Trima (Gambro BCT, Lakewood, U.S.A.) and collected a total of 2,303 units of leukocyte-reduced SDP(LRSDP). All separators were set up to target a platelet yield of 3.2x1011 and parameters were recorded for each collection. All units were divided into group 1(<2.5x1011), 2(2.5-2.9x1011), 3(3.0x1011-optimal platelet counts/unit) and 4(>optimal platelet counts/unit) by platelet yields and separators. RESULTS: Three cell separators did not show any differences in the mean values of platelet yields. SDPs with 3.0x1011 or over were 87%, 91% and 87%, respectively. SDPs with more than optimal platelet counts per unit were 2%, 1% and 2%, respectively. SDPs collected by Trima had significantly higher values for pre-platelet count, total processing blood volume and used ACD volume. SDPs collected by MCS+ showed significant differences between groups in evaluated parameters including longer collecting time. CONCLUSION: All three separators provided satisfactory platelet yields with no significant differences among them. But platelet yields less than 3.0x1011 accounted for 9-13% of all collections. This study demonstrated that qualified management and thorough understanding of the plateletpheresis technology are necessary to increase productivity of SDPs with 3.0x1011 or over. It is also necessary to introduce new regulations and criteria for platelet yields, e.g. the yield-based pricing system.
Blood Platelets ; Blood Volume ; Efficiency ; Humans ; Korea ; Platelet Count ; Platelet Transfusion ; Plateletpheresis* ; Red Cross ; Social Control, Formal ; Tissue Donors

PURPOSE: To describe a case of exercise-induced anaphylaxis presenting with lower lid angioedema. CASE SUMMARY: A 35-year-old female patient for the past 3 years experienced lower lid edema in her left eye after exercising. In the treadmill exercise test, sneezing, coughing, and lower lid edema in her left eye appeared 13 minutes after initiating exercise. Additionally, contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan revealed minimal soft tissue thickening of the left inferior periorbital subcutaneous area with subtle enhancement after exercise. The serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) test showed elevated total IgE levels. The patient was diagnosed with exercise-induced anaphylaxis based on the above results. We informed the patient on her trigger factors and possible symptoms and prescribed an oral antihistamine and steroid. CONCLUSIONS: In patients presenting with facial edema or eyelid edema after exercise, the possibility of exercise-induced anaphylaxis should be considered. In addition, we have to aware of possibility of complication such as airway obstruction or a life-threatening condition, and it is needed to prevent a recurrence of anaphylaxis by cooperating with other department.
Adult ; Airway Obstruction ; Anaphylaxis* ; Angioedema* ; Cough ; Edema ; Exercise Test ; Eyelids ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulins ; Recurrence ; Sneezing

BACKGROUND: Oral allergy syndrome(OAS) is composed of it,ching sense and edema in oral cavity, lips, throat, pharynx, and larynx following eating some fresh fruits or vegetables. It has been known that most of patients with OAS are allergic to pollens. Common epitopes were found among pollens, fruits and vegetables. Although OAS is a common farm of food allergy in adults, this is the first epidemiologic study of OAS in Korea. MATERIAL AND METHOD: One hundred and fifty one patients who showed positive skin reaction to pollens were telephone-interviewed. Investigation of the prevalence and clinical manifestations of OAS was possible in 81 patients. RESULT: The prevalence of OAS among these patients was 34.6% (28/81). OAS was found in 24(48%) out of 50 patients sensitized to tree pollens, whereas 4(13%) of 31 grass or weed pollen-sensitized paients had OAS. Most common causative food was apple and all of 17 apple- OAS patients were sensitized to tree pollens. Peach was the second common food and 14 of 15 peach-OAS patients were sensitized to tree pollens. Besides oral symptoms, rhinitis, asthma, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting or generalized urticaria were accompanied in half of the OAS patients (14/28). Some patients showed OAS to some unique Korean foods such as dropwort, taro and Aster. CONCLUSION: OAS was very common in pollen-sensitized patients. Larger epidemiologic studies are needed to find unique Korean foods and their antigensm causing OAS.
Adult ; Asthma ; Colocasia ; Diarrhea ; Eating ; Edema ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Epitopes ; Filipendula ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Fruit ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Korea ; Larynx ; Lip ; Mouth ; Nausea ; Pharynx ; Poaceae ; Pollen* ; Prevalence ; Prunus persica ; Rhinitis ; Skin ; Urticaria ; Vegetables ; Vomiting

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the relationships among emotional labor, grit, and job satisfaction of pediatric nurses and factors affecting job satisfaction. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 137 pediatric nurses working in a general hospital in Seoul. Data were collected from January 1, 2022 to January 31. The data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN version 28.0.1.1. Results: The mean score of job satisfaction was 3.63±0.43 (out of 5), emotional labor was 3.70±0.39 (out of 5), and grit was 2.90±0.30 (out of 4). Job satisfaction had positively correlated with emotional labor (r=.27, p=.002) and grit (r=.65, p<.001). The regression analyses showed subcategories of grit had a significant influence on job satisfaction. The factors significantly affecting job satisfaction were persistence to achieve long-term goals (β=.39, p<.001), patient-oriented intrinsic motivation (β=.30, p<.001), and passion to become a nursing professional (β=.21, p=.004). Conclusion These results suggested a need to increase grit for improving the job satisfaction. Furthermore, it would be necessary to develop a diverse program to increase job satisfaction for pediatric nurses by improving grit.