BACKGROUND: The EuroQol-5 Dimension (EQ-5D) is the most frequently used questionnaire in cost-utility studies such as the quality-adjusted life year measure. Nevertheless, little attention has been paid to the relationship between an individual's visual analogue scale (VAS) score and EQ-5D dimensions. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between the EQ-5D and VAS quality of life measures after adjusting for socio-demographic factors in the Korean general population. METHODS: The Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which is a national representative sample, was used to analyze the impact of the EQ-5D dimensions on the VAS. The known-group construct validity of the VAS was assessed by factors that included age, income and comorbidities. The ordinary linear regression models were applied to test for the effect of the EQ-5D dimensions after adjusting for socio-demographic and clinical factors. RESULTS: We found that the VAS showed good construct validity. The VAS significantly declined as age increased, and as education and income levels decreased. VAS scores decreased for all EQ-5D dimensions as the response level rose. The explanatory power of the VAS increased from 23.0% in the first model, which included only the EQ-5D dimensions and levels, to 25.0% in the full model, which included socio-demographic and clinical factors. CONCLUSIONS: While the EQ-5D dimensions were significant factors in determining the VAS, they did not, however, explain a sufficient amount of variance in the VAS. Further research is required on adding more dimensions to the EQ-5D preference-based instrument.
Comorbidity ; Korea ; Linear Models ; Nutrition Surveys ; Quality of Life ; Quality-Adjusted Life Years

PURPOSE: The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate whether additional intraoperative injection of Tarasyn (ketorolac tromethamine) provided a preemptive analgesic effect that improved postoperative pain. METHODS: Sixty patients scheduled for hemorrhoidectomy were randomly assigned to the study and control groups. For the control group (n=32), patients were treated with standard intravenous injections of Nubain (Nalbuphine hydrochloride; Jeil Pharmaceuticals Co, Seoul) per 8 hours for three times postoperatively for pain relief. In the study group (Tarasyn group, n=28), 60 mg of Tarasyn (ketorolac tromethamine; Roche Korea, Seoul) was injected into the internal sphincter muscle and around the operative wound at the time of hemorrhoidectomy as well as standard intravenous injections of Nubain . Parameters were measured of pain score from 0 (no pain) to 10 (agonizing pain), painless sound sleep, additional analgesic requirements, time to first bowel movement, and postoperative urinary retention. RESULTS: Rate of painless sound sleep was 75.0% and 53.1% in the Tarasyn and the control groups, respectively, which was significant statically between two groups (P<0.05). Time to first bowel movement was 2 and 3.2 days in Tarasyn and the control groups, respectively, which was also significant statistically (P<0.05). Voiding difficulty developed in one case (3.5%) in the Tarasyn group and he needed catheterization. In the control group, however, the number (15 cases, 46.9%; P<0.001) was much higher requiring more catherization (13 cases, 40.9%; P<0.001). Mean pain scores was significant statically between two groups (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The data suggest that the use of intraoperative injection of Tarasyn is associated with a significant decrease in pain and urinary complications after hemorrhoidectomy.
Catheterization ; Catheters ; Hemorrhoidectomy* ; Humans ; Injections, Intravenous ; Korea ; Nalbuphine ; Pain, Postoperative ; Prospective Studies* ; Tromethamine ; Urinary Retention ; Wounds and Injuries

No abstract available.
Lymphoma*

No abstract available.
Humans

No abstract available.
Factor VIII* ; Hemophilia A* ; Humans

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of aromatherapy on stress, fatigue, mood, and vital signs of the nurses in the operating rooms. METHODS: The data were collected from September 2007 to February 2008 in the operating room at K hospital located in Seoul, Korea. A total of 48 nurses were recruited. Among them, 25 nurses were randomly assigned to an experimental group and 23 were assigned to a control group. Experimental group was provided with aroma inhalation by necklace which had essential oil mixture of 0.2 cc. For aroma inhalation, Lavender, Zeranium and Mazoram were mixed in ratio of 5:3:2. In order to test the effectiveness of aroma inhalation, the pretest and posttest results for stress, fatigue, mood, and vital signs were compared between the experimental group and the control group. The data were analyzed by unpaired t-test and ANCOVA using the SPSS/WIN 15.0 program. RESULTS: There were statistically significant decreases in the stress and fatigue scores, and increase in the mood scores and showed significant relaxation in the vital signs after the aroma inhalation. CONCLUSION: The aromatherapy had the positive effects on stress, fatigue, mood, and vital signs.
Aromatherapy ; Blood Pressure ; Fatigue ; Inhalation ; Korea ; Lavandula ; Operating Rooms ; Relaxation ; Vital Signs

Purpose: Divergence insufficiency is characterized by esotropia at far distance with symptomatic diplopia, minimal or no deviation at near distance, and full ocular duction and version. We analyzed the results of bilateral lateral rectus (BLR) tucking in patients with divergence insufficiency. Methods: Surgery was performed on patients with persistent distance diplopia with esotropia for at least 6 months after diplopia onset. The surgical results were evaluated after BLR tucking based on the maximum angle of deviation at distance among all the angles of deviation measured repeatedly, including the results of the prism adaptation test (PAT). Results: 24 patients were included. The average follow-up period was 14 months (1-48 months). The maximum deviations measured by alternate prism and cover test before surgery were 24.79 ± 8.15 prism diopter (PD) at far distance and 15.45 ± 9.30 PD at near distance. The PAT revealed that, the far distance deviation increased to 28.50 ± 7.77 PD and that at near distance to 25.88 ± 8.07 PD, but the difference between the two values fell to less than 3 PD on average. In 14 patients (58%), followed-up for up to 1 year, we noted no recurrence of diplopia or esotropia, or near distance overcorrection, with the exception of one patient who developed diplopia recurrence at far distance. Conclusions BLR tucking guided by the maximum distance deviation of the 1 hour PAT affords stable results in patients with divergence insufficiency without overcorrection at near distance or undercorrection at far distance.

BACKGROUND: Drug-induced Parkinsonism(DIP) is the second commonest cause of Parkinsonism, after idiopathic Parkinson's disease(IPD). DIP is frequently produced by antipsychotic drugs. But the clinical characteristics of DIP did not get attention by neurologist. So we studied the clinical profiles of DIP patients. METHODS: We studied the clinical profiles of thirthone patients who showed parkinsonism after antipsychotic drug treatment. We compared the score of motor part of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale(UPDRS) between trihexyphenidyl(n=15) & amantadine(n=16) monotherapy group(initial & 4 week after treatment). RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 45 years. Bradykinesia was the 1st symptom in 26 patients(94%), tremor in 5 patients(6%). In 25 patients(81%), the first symptom appeared within 1 week after sntipsychotic treatment. There was a statistical significant negative correlation between the dosage of antipsychotic drug and the symptom-onset interval following treatment with antipsychotic drugs(simple correlation analysis, p>0.01). Bradykinesia and rigidity were appeared in all DIP patients, symmetric distribution was more common(94%, 87%) Tremor occurred in 27 patients (87%). In patients with tremor, postural or action tremor was dominant in 15 patients(56%) asymmetric distribution was more common(16/27, 59%). There are no statistical difference in motor score of UPDRS between trihexyphenidyl & amantadine monotherapy group(student t-test, p<0.05) CONCLUSIONS: Bradykinesia was the most common 1st symptom in DIP patients. Asymmertrical postural or action tremor was relativelly common in DIP. Amantadine showed the same efficacy in the treatment of DIP compared to anticholinergics.
Amantadine ; Antipsychotic Agents ; Cholinergic Antagonists ; Humans ; Hypokinesia ; Parkinson Disease ; Parkinsonian Disorders* ; Tremor ; Trihexyphenidyl

Airway Management ; Aorta ; Drainage ; Edema ; Esophagus ; Heart ; Lung ; Mediastinitis ; Mediastinum ; Neck ; Thorax ; Tongue ; Vagus Nerve

BACKGROUND: Recently, the apartment complex is rapidly increasing as a new type of housing in a large city. So the purpose of the this survey is to research the experience rate of young children's allergic disease in an area of the apartment complex of a large city and to help the family medical doctor to diagnose and treat the young patients. METHODS: The experience rate of atopic dermatitis, bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, food allergy was surveyed on June 1999 at an elementary school in a large apartment complex in Kwang ju. The survey group were 832 students attending elementary school from the second to sixth grade. Also this survey was used to elicit information about the relationship between allergic disease and factors such as age, sex, birth history, family history, and home environment. For analysis of our finding, we have been used chi square test. RESULTS: The survey shows that the experience rate of allergic disease is 40.4%. The experience rate of allergic disease was not related with sex, but the more ages the less experience rate. Allergic disease was not related with birth weight, gestational age, feeding method, use of carpet, breeding of pet, smoker in home, and the previous housing type. But experience rate of allergic disease was increased with positive family history. CONCLUSION: General facts of allergic disease in elementary school children had no differentiation between large city and the other region. The experience rate of allergic disease is 40.4%.
Asthma ; Birth Weight ; Breeding ; Child* ; Conjunctivitis, Allergic ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Feeding Methods ; Floors and Floorcoverings ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Gestational Age ; Gwangju ; Housing ; Humans ; Reproductive History ; Rhinitis