BACKGROUND: The clinical significance of mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW) and megathrombocyte index (MTI) is not clear. METHODS: We examined platelet indices in 900 cases of patients with hematologic disorders and compared them with those of the control to predict thrombopoiesis in the bone marrow. MPV and PDW were measured by Coulter Counter STKS (U.S.A). We calculated megathrombocyte index (MTI, the percentage of megathrombocytes) in the peripheral blood film using ocular micrometer, and examined megakaryocyte number in the bone marrow aspirates. RESULTS: In patients with acute leukemia, and aplastic anemia, MPV and MTI were lower than the control but PDW was higher. In myeloproliferative disorders, all platelet indices were higher, and in ITP (idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura), MPV and MTI were higher but PDW was not significantly different. MTI was higher in complete remission than initial acute leukemia. All platelet indices were not significantly different between pre- and post-BMT in AML. But in aplastic anemia, MPV and MTI were higher in post-BMT than pre-BMT. MTI was a better index to screen than MPV in the decreased megakaryocyte group, but in increased megakaryocyte group, there was no difference in screening ability between MPV and MTI. CONCLUSIONS: The platelet indices in peripheral blood may be good markers for predicting thrombopoiesis in hematologic disorders and in post chemotherapy of acute leukemia. In addition, after BMT of aplastic anemia, these indices could be used as valuable markers of engraftment.
Anemia, Aplastic ; Blood Platelets* ; Bone Marrow ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Leukemia ; Mass Screening ; Mean Platelet Volume ; Megakaryocytes ; Myeloproliferative Disorders ; Thrombopoiesis

Man is host to three distinct trichomonad species such as Trichomonas vaginalis, T. hominis, and T. tenax. Although reports of trichomonads found outside their natural habitat are rare, sporadic case reports have appeared describing trichomonads in the respiratory tract. The route of infection is unknown, but possible mechanisms include invasion from mouth, oral sex, bronchopleural or pleuroenteral fistula. Pulmonary trichomoniasis is a kind of oppotunistic infection and is usually caused by aspirated T. tenax in male adult patientis with chronic purulent or necrotic pulmonary disease. A 63-year-old male patient with alcoholic liver cirrhosis and chronic bronchiectasis was admitted due to copious sputum, dyspnea, fever and severe weight loss. On the thoracentesis from his right pleural cavity, 1 L of foul-smelling, brownish-yellow exudate was withdrawn and showed a large number of neutrophil, bacteria and numerous flagellated, actively motile organisms with typical appearance of thrichomonads in wet preparation. This patient was expired due to sepsis and insufficiency of multiple organs inspite of chemotherapy with metronidazole, cefuroxime and gentamicin on day 35 of admission. So, we report the first case of pulmonary trichomoniasis diagnosed in wet preparation of pleural fluid in Korea.
Adult ; Bacteria ; Bronchiectasis ; Cefuroxime ; Drug Therapy ; Dyspnea ; Ecosystem ; Exudates and Transudates ; Fever ; Fistula ; Gentamicins ; Humans ; Korea ; Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic ; Lung Diseases ; Male ; Metronidazole ; Middle Aged ; Mouth ; Neutrophils ; Pleural Cavity ; Respiratory System ; Sepsis ; Sexual Behavior ; Sputum ; Trichomonas vaginalis ; Weight Loss

Background: Several studies support the effectiveness and tolerability of virtual reality (VR) interventions in the psychiatric field. This study aimed to examine changes of cognitive performance in VR-assisted mental health promotion programs and to investigate the difference in performance according to clinical characteristics. Methods: Thirty subjects aged >55 years participated in the study. The clinical characteristics of depression, anxiety, perceived stress, quality of life, and cognition were assessed. Cognitive performance in VR-assisted mental health promotion programs was compared between the clusters classified by clinical characteristics. Results: Cluster analysis classified the subjects into three groups. In Cluster 1, the Module 3 training score was significantly different before and after VR performance. In Cluster 2, significant differences were observed in the Module 1 training score, the Module 2 training score, the Module 2 defense failure score, and the Module 3 training score.In Cluster 3, a significant difference was observed in the Module 3 training score. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that VR performance might differ according to clinical characteristics. A cognitive training strategy using VR has to be differentially established depending on the characteristics of the community population.

Kaposi's sarcoma, a rare tumor, usually presents itself with skin lesions. There is, however, an increased incidence in patients using immunosupressive drugs and with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Gastrointestinal Kaposi's sarcoma is usually asymptomatic, but may cause massive intestinal hemorrhage, perforation, intestinal obstruction, intussusception, protein-losing enteropathy, or sepsis. The gastroscopic appearances of Kaposi's sarcoma range from reddish purple maculopapules to polypoid, umbilicated nodule. In Korea, 3 case's of gastrointestinal kaposi's sarcoma have been reported so far. We experienced a 45-year-old man, who was positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibodiy and developed Kaposi's sarcoma. A case of gastrointestinal Kaposi's sarcoma treated with paclitaxel is herein reported with the endoscopic findings before and after chemotherapy.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; Drug Therapy ; Duodenum* ; Hemorrhage ; HIV ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intestinal Perforation ; Intussusception ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Paclitaxel ; Protein-Losing Enteropathies ; Sarcoma, Kaposi* ; Sepsis ; Skin ; Stomach*

Objective: It is necessary to identify the mental health types of young women considering the importance of the mental health during the peripartum period. This study aimed to classify the mental health types in a community sample of young women with pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, or the postpartum period. Methods: A total of 293 young women during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, or the postpartum period were included in this study. The clinical characteristics of depression, anxiety, perceived stress, and quality of life were assessed. The clinical characteristics of the subject were classified by cluster analysis and compared by analysis of variance. Results: From the cluster analysis, the subjects were classified into three groups. Cluster 1 showed significantly lower depression and anxiety and higher quality of life than those of cluster 2 and 3. Cluster 2 demonstrated significantly higher depression and anxiety and lower quality of life than those of cluster 3 and 1. Cluster 3 represented the intermediate levels between cluster 2 and 1. Conclusion This study suggested that young women during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, or the postpartum period might be in a good mental health group, a high-risk group requiring active monitoring, or a group in need of treatment. By monitoring mental health, the groups with high risk or requiring treatment could be discovered and proper management for prevention or improvement of mental health and quality of life can be provided.

Objective: Recently, various mental health promotion programs using virtual reality (VR) technology have been tried in the psychiatric field. Considering the importance of mental health in pregnant women, VR-assisted mental health promotion programs for pregnant women are needed to be developed. This study aimed to prospectively investigate the efficacy of a VR-assisted mental health promotion program for pregnant women. Methods: Fifty-five pregnant women were participated in this study. Mental health states such as depression, anxiety, perceived stress, and quality of life were assessed by Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Perceived Stress Scale, and World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale Abbreviated Version (WHOQOL-BREF) before and after using VR program treatment. Based on the mental health types of pregnant women classified by cluster analysis, the effects of the VR program were analyzed by paired t test and Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results: The VR program significantly reduced PHQ-9 (p = 0.033) and GAD-7 (p = 0.046) scores, and significantly increased WHOQOL-BREF (p = 0.026) score of the participants. Additionally, when classifying the mental health types of pregnant women, the VR program was significantly effective to improve depression, anxiety, and quality of life in the most severe group based on the cluster analysis. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that VR program may be effective to improve the mental health of pregnant women. Particularly, VR programs for the high-risk group of depression might be the most effective. Therefore, VR-assisted mental health promotion programs could be useful for managing the mental health in pregnant women.

Objective: Recently, various mental health promotion programs using virtual reality (VR) technology have been tried in the psychiatric field. Considering the importance of mental health in pregnant women, VR-assisted mental health promotion programs for pregnant women are needed to be developed. This study aimed to prospectively investigate the efficacy of a VR-assisted mental health promotion program for pregnant women. Methods: Fifty-five pregnant women were participated in this study. Mental health states such as depression, anxiety, perceived stress, and quality of life were assessed by Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Perceived Stress Scale, and World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale Abbreviated Version (WHOQOL-BREF) before and after using VR program treatment. Based on the mental health types of pregnant women classified by cluster analysis, the effects of the VR program were analyzed by paired t test and Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results: The VR program significantly reduced PHQ-9 (p = 0.033) and GAD-7 (p = 0.046) scores, and significantly increased WHOQOL-BREF (p = 0.026) score of the participants. Additionally, when classifying the mental health types of pregnant women, the VR program was significantly effective to improve depression, anxiety, and quality of life in the most severe group based on the cluster analysis. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that VR program may be effective to improve the mental health of pregnant women. Particularly, VR programs for the high-risk group of depression might be the most effective. Therefore, VR-assisted mental health promotion programs could be useful for managing the mental health in pregnant women.

Objective: Recently, various mental health promotion programs using virtual reality (VR) technology have been tried in the psychiatric field. Considering the importance of mental health in pregnant women, VR-assisted mental health promotion programs for pregnant women are needed to be developed. This study aimed to prospectively investigate the efficacy of a VR-assisted mental health promotion program for pregnant women. Methods: Fifty-five pregnant women were participated in this study. Mental health states such as depression, anxiety, perceived stress, and quality of life were assessed by Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Perceived Stress Scale, and World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale Abbreviated Version (WHOQOL-BREF) before and after using VR program treatment. Based on the mental health types of pregnant women classified by cluster analysis, the effects of the VR program were analyzed by paired t test and Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results: The VR program significantly reduced PHQ-9 (p = 0.033) and GAD-7 (p = 0.046) scores, and significantly increased WHOQOL-BREF (p = 0.026) score of the participants. Additionally, when classifying the mental health types of pregnant women, the VR program was significantly effective to improve depression, anxiety, and quality of life in the most severe group based on the cluster analysis. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that VR program may be effective to improve the mental health of pregnant women. Particularly, VR programs for the high-risk group of depression might be the most effective. Therefore, VR-assisted mental health promotion programs could be useful for managing the mental health in pregnant women.

Objective: Recently, various mental health promotion programs using virtual reality (VR) technology have been tried in the psychiatric field. Considering the importance of mental health in pregnant women, VR-assisted mental health promotion programs for pregnant women are needed to be developed. This study aimed to prospectively investigate the efficacy of a VR-assisted mental health promotion program for pregnant women. Methods: Fifty-five pregnant women were participated in this study. Mental health states such as depression, anxiety, perceived stress, and quality of life were assessed by Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Perceived Stress Scale, and World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale Abbreviated Version (WHOQOL-BREF) before and after using VR program treatment. Based on the mental health types of pregnant women classified by cluster analysis, the effects of the VR program were analyzed by paired t test and Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results: The VR program significantly reduced PHQ-9 (p = 0.033) and GAD-7 (p = 0.046) scores, and significantly increased WHOQOL-BREF (p = 0.026) score of the participants. Additionally, when classifying the mental health types of pregnant women, the VR program was significantly effective to improve depression, anxiety, and quality of life in the most severe group based on the cluster analysis. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that VR program may be effective to improve the mental health of pregnant women. Particularly, VR programs for the high-risk group of depression might be the most effective. Therefore, VR-assisted mental health promotion programs could be useful for managing the mental health in pregnant women.

Objective: Mental health promotion programs using virtual reality (VR) technology have been developed in various forms. This study aimed to investigate the subjective experience of a VR-assisted mental health promotion program for the community population, which was provided in the form of VR experience on a bus to increase accessibility. Methods: Ninety-six people participated in this study. The relationship between the subjective experience and mental health states such as depression, anxiety, perceived stress, and quality of life was explored. The subjective experience on depression and stress before and after VR program treatment was compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The satisfaction with the VR-assisted mental health promotion program was examined after using the VR program. Results: The VR-assisted mental health promotion program on a bus significantly improved subjective symptoms such as depression (p=0.036) and perceived stress (p=0.010) among all the participants. Among the high-risk group, this VR program significantly relieved subjective depressive feeling score (p=0.033), and subjective stressful feeling score (p=0.035). In contrast, there were no significant changes in subjective depressive feelings (p=0.182) and subjective stressful feelings (p=0.058) among the healthy group. Seventy-two percent of the participants reported a high level of satisfaction, scoring 80 points or more. Conclusion The findings of this study suggest that the VR-assisted mental health promotion program may effectively improve the subjective depressive and stressful feelings. The use of VR programs on buses to increase of accessibility for the community could be a useful approach for promoting mental health among the population.