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: 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.

No abstract available.
Fetus*

No abstract available.

Annular pustular psoriasis is a rare variant of the generalized pustular psoriasis characterized by annular lesions with rapidly evolving pustules, associated mild toxicity, and rapid response to therapy. We present a case of annular pustular psoriasis in a 17-year-old male, in whom no previous history of psoriasis was found. The skin lesions were characterized clinically by annular to gyrate erythematous lesions with pinpoint pustules near the periphery on both shoulders, upper arms, and back areas. The histology showed large intraepidermal spongiform pustules. Most of the skin lesions disappeared within 1 week with topical corticosteroid cream.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of surgical treatment for painful varicocele. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the records of 103 patients who had undergone varicocele ligation due to serious pain from January 1996 to December 1999 and followed up for one year. The average patient age was 21 (19-41) years. We analyzed the degree of varicocele, duration and aspects of pain, effects of surgical treatment and results according to surgical techniques. We classified the results into three aspects based on the relief of pain (complete, partial and no relief) and subjective symptoms. RESULTS: As for the degree of varicocele, 40 cases placed in grade II, and 63 in grade III. The nature of the pain was a sharp ache (33 cases), dragging pain (48 cases) and dull pain (22 cases). There was no statistical significance between the grade of varicocele and the degree of pain (p>0.05). Of the 103 patients, 81 (78.6%) experienced complete relief of pain and 10 (9.7%) had partial relief. Only 12 patients (11.6%) had persistent or worsened symptoms. The results for the postoperative de gree of pain relief according to duration of pain did not show any statistical significance (p>0.05), but those according to preoperative quality of pain showed statistical signi ficance (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the conclusion that varicocele ligation is an effective treatment for painful varicocele.
Humans ; Ligation* ; Varicocele*

No abstract available.
Female ; Humans ; Osteoporosis* ; Uterine Prolapse*

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell*

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a demyelinating disease resulting from infection of oligodendrocytes with JC virus. PML was a rare disease, but nowadays not uncommon as AIDS prevailed. Histopathologic features of the affected lesion shows infiltrations of foamy macrophages and hyperchromatic, pleomorphic, reactive astrocytes that may raise the suspicion of a brain tumor. We recently met with 3 cases of PML. Two of the patients had AIDS and the other had been treated for lymphoma. All cases were diagnosed by histopathologic examination in stereotactic brain biopsies.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; Astrocytes ; Biopsy ; Brain ; Brain Neoplasms ; Demyelinating Diseases ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host* ; JC Virus ; Leukoencephalopathy, Progressive Multifocal* ; Lymphoma ; Macrophages ; Oligodendroglia ; Rare Diseases

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to evaluate factors related to the degree of disability of stroke patients in a rural community. METHODS: The study subjects included 641 patients selected from 975 stroke patients over the age of 50 with brain lesion-related disabilities living in Gyeongju, Korea, an urban-rural consolidated community. The data were obtained by interviews from July to October 2008. The subjects were divided into a seriously disabled group (1st and 2nd disability grade) and mildly disabled group (3th, 4th, 5th and 6th disability grade) by degree of disability according to registered disability grade. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS 14.0 statistical package. RESULTS: The study subjects included 379 males (59.1%) and 262 females (40.9%), and most patients were in their 70s (256 cases, 39.9%). The seriously disabled group included 287 patients (44.8%) and the mildly disabled group included 354 persons (55.2%). Age, prehospital delayed time and number of related chronic diseases were risk factors for serious disability (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that the degree of disability can be reduced by decreasing prehospital delayed time. We suggest that education of high risk groups and establishment of emergency services as well as a transport system for stroke patients are required to reduce the degree of disability due to stroke.
Brain ; Cerebrovascular Disorders ; Chronic Disease ; Emergencies ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Stroke