The prevalence of obesity in children has steadily risen during recent years in developed countries. Child obesity has become a major concern to health providers since it has grown to epidemic proportions over the past few decades. This study was conducted to investigate the biochemical status, dietary habits and life styles according to the obesity degree among obese children residing in the Gyungbuk area. The subjects were 148 elementary school students (boy 103, girl 45) and classified as mildly obese (n = 56), moderately obese (n = 61) and severely obese (n = 31) by the obesity index. The average body weight and height increased significantly according to the obesity degree (P <0.05, P <0.001). Serum cholesterol concentration came under the normal level in all groups. Serum AST activity increased according to the obesity degree but it was not significant. Serum ALT activity increased according to the obesity degree (P <0.05). Dietary habit score was lower significantly according to the obesity degree (P <0.01). Life style of the subjects was significantly different for the level of 'healthy state (P <0.05)', 'body perception (P <0.01)', 'watching TV and video (P <0.05)', 'normal sleeping hour (P <0.05)' and 'degree of stress (P <0.05)' according to the obesity degree. A positive relationship between obesity index and blood pressure, ALT has been shown in the subjects. Obesity index and dietary habit scores were negatively associated. Therefore, these results suggest that a practical nutrition-exercise education program for the prevention of child obesity should be provided to elementary school children.
Blood Pressure ; Body Weight ; Child ; Cholesterol ; Developed Countries ; Food Habits ; Humans ; Life Style ; Obesity ; Porphyrins ; Prevalence

BACKGROUND: A randomized, multicenter, open-label, parallel group study was performed to compare the effects of remifentanil and morphine as analgesic drugs on the duration of weaning time from mechanical ventilation (MV). METHODS: A total of 96 patients with MV in 6 medical and surgical intensive care units were randomly assigned to either, remifentanil (0.1-0.2 mcg/kg/min, n = 49) or morphine (0.8-35 mg/hr, n = 47) from the weaning start. The weaning time was defined as the total ventilation time minus the sum of controlled mode duration. RESULTS: Compared with the morphine group, the remifentanil-based analgesic group showed a tendency of shorter weaning time (mean 143.9 hr, 89.7 hr, respectively: p = 0.069). Secondary outcomes such as total ventilation time, successful weaning rate at the 7th of MV day was similar in both groups. There was also no difference in the mortality rate at the 7th and 28th hospital day. Kaplan-Meyer curve for weaning was not different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Remifentanil usage during the weaning phase tended to decrease weaning time compared with morphine usage.
Analgesics ; Humans ; Critical Care ; Morphine* ; Mortality ; Respiration, Artificial* ; Ventilation ; Ventilator Weaning ; Weaning*

No abstract available.
Morphine* ; Respiration, Artificial* ; Weaning*

PURPOSE: One of the problems using laser doppler flowmetry is variability in the measurements. The purposes of this study were to investigate the regional differences of vaginal blood flow using laser Doppler flowmetry and to suggest a method to enhance the accuracy of measurement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In New Zealand White female rabbits(3.0~3.5 kg, n=10), vaginal blood flow was measured by laser doppler flowmetry using a surface probe. Flow was measured at the anterior, posterior, left, and right side of vaginal wall in each vaginal introitus and proximal 2 cm of the vaginal wall. Each site was measured 3 times separately. The data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA and repeated measures ANOVA. RESULTS: Regional vaginal blood flows(ml/min/100 gm tissue) at the anterior, posterior, left, and right vaginal wall were 19.7+/-8.7, 19.6+/-7.3, 19.3+/-7.8, 18.8+/-7.2 at vaginal introitus and 27.3+/-8.8, 18.9+/-7.5, 22.6+/-7.1, 20.8+/-5.7 at the proximal 2 cm of vaginal introitus, respectively. Differences were not statistically significant(p> 0.05), as there was a wide range of variation. CONCLUSIONS: Vaginal blood flow did not show any regional differences in the distal part of the rabbit vagina. Repeated measurements may decrease the variation of vaginal blood flow by laser Doppler flowmetry.
Female ; Humans ; Laser-Doppler Flowmetry* ; New Zealand ; Vagina

BACKGROUND: The intracoronary stent implantation is accepted as the treatment modality to reduce restenosis in comparison with balloon angioplasty in patients with coronary artery disease. In recent studies, the technique of high pressure balloon dilation for stent optimization has been shown to improve procedural success and to reduce the subacute closure after stenting. The late clinical outcome, however, is still uncertain after stenting with high pressure balloon dilation. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of high pressure balloon dilation on subsequent clinical courses after intracoronary stenting. METHOD: One hundred sixty nine patients with 176 lesions were treated with Palmaz-Schatz stent implantation. Intracoronary stenting without high pressure balloon dilation was perforned in 55 patients with 55 lesions(phase 1), whereas intracoronary stenting with high pressure balloon dilation was done in 114 patients with 121 lesions(phase 2). We compared the angiographic and clinical results immediately and at late follow-up period after atenting between phase 1 and phase 2. RESULTS: Coronary angiography was repeated at 6 months in 135 patients, 138 lesions(78%). The overall incidence of restenosis was 25%(31% in phase 1 and 22% in phase 2). The restenosis occurred in 18% of elective stenting on de novo lesions(23% in phase 1 and 15% in phase 2). The restenosis rate was significantly reduced after using high pressure balloon dilation in infarct-related artery, final luminal diameter>/=4.0 mm after stenting and bail-out procedure(p<0.05). In phase 2, the restenosis rate was significantly higher in the lesions that had been previously dilated(43% in restenotic lesion vs 15% in de novo lesion, p<0.05) and in type C lesion compared with the others(type A, type B1, type B2 and type C ; 22%, 22%, 15% and 57%, respectively, p<0.05). According to the final luminal diameter, the restenosis rate was 7% in case of final luminal diameter greater than 4.0 mm which was significantly lower than that of final luminal diameter less than 3.5mm(p<0.05). At univariate anaysis, factors affecting restnosis were post-stent minimal luminal diameter, balloon-to-vessel ratio, acute gain and restenotic lesion. However multivariate analysis showed post-stent minimal luminal diameter was the only factor affecting restenosis. CONCLUSION: As intracoronary stenting using high pressure balloon dilation technique without anticoagulation has a good immediate results, negligible stent thrombosis and has a tendency of lower rate of restenosis.
Angioplasty, Balloon ; Arteries ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Dilatation* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Multivariate Analysis ; Phenobarbital ; Stents* ; Thrombosis

BACKGROUND: A randomized, multicenter, open-label, parallel group study was performed to compare the effects of remifentanil and morphine as analgesic drugs on the duration of weaning time from mechanical ventilation (MV). METHODS: A total of 96 patients with MV in 6 medical and surgical intensive care units were randomly assigned to either, remifentanil (0.1-0.2 mcg/kg/min, n = 49) or morphine (0.8-35 mg/hr, n = 47) from the weaning start. The weaning time was defined as the total ventilation time minus the sum of controlled mode duration. RESULTS: Compared with the morphine group, the remifentanil-based analgesic group showed a tendency of shorter weaning time (mean 143.9 hr, 89.7 hr, respectively: p = 0.069). Secondary outcomes such as total ventilation time, successful weaning rate at the 7th of MV day was similar in both groups. There was also no difference in the mortality rate at the 7th and 28th hospital day. Kaplan-Meyer curve for weaning was not different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Remifentanil usage during the weaning phase tended to decrease weaning time compared with morphine usage.
Analgesics ; Humans ; Critical Care ; Morphine ; Mortality ; Respiration, Artificial ; Ventilation ; Ventilator Weaning ; Weaning

No abstract available.
Morphine ; Respiration, Artificial ; Weaning

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) is being increasingly used in the treatment of symptomatic middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis. We evaluated the long-term durability after PTA for symptomatic MCA stenosis. METHODS: We analyzed consecutive patients included in our stroke database who were treated with angioplasty alone. The subjects without major periprocedural complications were followed up for at least 42 months. Recurrent ischemic symptoms were defined as newly developed episodes of transient ischemic attack or ischemic stroke in the territory of the treated vessel. Stroke was defined as ischemic stroke in any vessel. RESULTS: PTA was technically successful in 37 of the 40 included patients. Thirty-two of the 37 patients were followed up at regular intervals of 1 to 6 months in the outpatient clinic of our institution for at least 42 months. Restenosis occurred in 3 of the 32 patients (9.4%) within 2 years of PTA, and no restenosis was identified thereafter. Two of the three patients with restenosis had asymptomatic complications such as dissection and vasospasm during the intervention. The ischemic area was in the treated vessel in 1 of the 32 patients and in other vessels in 3 of the 32 patients (9.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Successful PTA can result in a low rate of recurrent ischemic symptoms, and restenosis during a long-term follow-up appears to be more frequent in the early period.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Angioplasty ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Humans ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Stroke

OBJECTIVE: The prevalence and mortality rate of cardiovascular disease (CVD) have increased among Koreans over the past 20 years. To manage and control this disease, various CVD risk assessment tools such as KOSHA (Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agent) CVD risk assessment, the presence of metabolic syndrome and the Framingham risk score (FRS) have been developed and applied to employees at the workplace. This study was designed to compare the validity of the CVD risk assessment tools mentioned above with the findings of coronary CT angiography (CCTA). METHODS: The subjects of this study who were 490 male-workers aged between 31 and 70, and these subjects were selected among those who had visited a University Hospital for a general health examination and who underwent CCTA from January 2007 to June 2009. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analysis were used to compare and analyze the associations between the CVD risk assessment tools and the coronary artery changes such as calcification and stenosis. RESULTS: Metabolic syndrome (OR=1.90, 95% CI 1.23-2.95) and the Framingham risk score (OR=2.71, 95% CI 1.83-4.01) were the significant and meaningful predictors of coronary artery calcification. On the analysis of the association with coronary artery stenosis, only the Framingham risk score (OR=2.21, 95% CI 1.46-3.36) turned out to be a significant and meaningful predictor. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the Framingham risk score is a relatively valid CVD risk assessment tool. Henceforth, to effectively manage cardiovascular diseases in the workplace, advanced tools and indicators for management should be considered and provided based on meaningful study results.
Aged ; Angiography ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Stenosis ; Coronary Vessels ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Occupational Health ; Prevalence ; Risk Assessment

PURPOSE: To evaluate the results from arthroscopic repair versus debridement for full-thickness tears of the upper subscapularis tendon. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-nine patient outcomes were evaluated and compared prospectively. Sixty-nine patients with full-thickness tears of the upper subscapularis tendon underwent arthroscopic repair (group I) and thirty patients underwent simple debridement (group II) between May 2003 and October 2007. In all patients, the tear was localized to the superior one third of the upper subscapularis tendon. The results of the treatment were assessed by evaluating the UCLA, ASES, and VAS for pain and internal rotation strength scores before and after the operation. RESULTS: In groups I and II, UCLA, ASES, VAS, and internal rotation muscle power (perfect score = 5) scores were improved after surgery. In comparing group I and group II, the UCLA and VAS scores were not significantly different (p>0.05), while the ASES and internal rotation strength scores were significantly different (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The arthroscopic repair of full-thickness tears of the upper subscapularis tendon was a better surgical method than simple debridement.
Debridement ; Humans ; Muscles ; Prospective Studies ; Shoulder ; Tendons