BACKGROUND: Recently, low fluence collimated Q-switched (QS) Nd:YAG laser has drawn attention for the treatment of melasma. However, it needs a lot of treatment sessions for the substantial results and repetitive laser exposures may end up with unwanted depigmentation. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the clinical effects and safety of the combinational treatment, using intense pulsed light (IPL) and low fluence QS Nd:YAG laser. METHODS: Retrospective case series of 20 female patients, with mixed type melasma, were analyzed using medical records. They were treated with IPL one time, and 4 times of weekly successive low fluence Nd:YAG laser treatments. At each visit, digital photographs were taken under the same condition. Melanin index (MI) and erythema index (EI) were measured on the highest point on the cheekbones. Modified melasma area and severity index (MASI) scores were calculated by two investigators using digital photographs. RESULTS: The mean values of MI and EI decreased significantly after treatments. The modified MASI score has decreased by 59.35%, on average. Sixty percents of the participants did not require any more treatments, and no clinical aggravations were observed during the follow-up period (mean 5.9 months). CONCLUSION: IPL and low fluence laser may elicit a clinical resolution in the mixed type melasma with long term benefits.
Erythema ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Light ; Medical Records ; Melanins ; Melanosis ; Research Personnel ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: We evaluated the clinical characteristics of lower respiratory infections of preterm children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and compared them between those with and without lower respiratory infections that of preterm patients without BPD. METHODS: This study enrolled preterm patients under 2 years old, who admitted with acute lower respiratory infection from March 2014 to May 2016. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to BPD, and we retrospectively reviewed their medical records. RESULTS: A total of 71 patients (106 cases) were enrolled; the BPD group consisited of 29 patients (54 cases) and the control group 42 patients (52 cases). Compared to the patients in the control group, those in the BPD group were older (P=0.001), had lower gestational age and birth weight (P<0.001), and showed more frequent readmission in hospital (P=0.017). The most common causative virus was human rhinovirus (hRV) in the BPD group, whereas respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in the control group. The patients in the BPD group showed a higher incidence of tachypnea, decreased aeration, and chest retraction (P<0.001, P=0.009, and P=0.026, respectively), a higher respiratory symptom score (P=0.011), a longer duration of cough and wheezy sounds (P=0.004 and P=0.009, respectively), and higher incidence and longer duration of treatment with oxygen, and mechanical ventilator support (P=0.016 and P=0.017, respectively) than those in the control group. In the BPD group, the patients with RSV showed a higher incidence of tachypnea and rales (P=0.033 and P=0.033, respectively) than those with hRV. CONCLUSION: The preterm children with BPD may have more severe clinical manifestations than those without.
Birth Weight ; Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia* ; Child* ; Cough ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Medical Records ; Oxygen ; Respiratory Sounds ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; Respiratory Tract Infections* ; Retrospective Studies ; Rhinovirus ; Tachypnea ; Thorax ; Ventilators, Mechanical

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify effects of abdominal skin massage and warming therapy on the pain and anxiety to breast cancer patients who underwent hormone injections. METHODS: The subjects for the study were 60 breast cancer patients who underwent hormone injections (20 in the control group, 20 in the abdominal skin massage group, and 20 in the warming therapy group). Abdominal skin massage was conducted following KSMA's (Korea science massage association) advice and warming therapy was executed at 48 ℃ for 20 minutes. The results were checked using subjective and objective measurement tools. RESULTS: After abdominal skin massage and warming therapy, subjective (Visual Analogue Scale, VAS) and objective (facial expression and vocal change) pain scores were significantly decreased (p<.001) Also, Anxiety state was significantly decreased compared to the control group (p =.043). CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that abdominal skin massage and warming therapy were highly effective in alleviating pain and anxiety in patients who underwent hormone injections.
Anxiety* ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Humans ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Massage* ; Skin*

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of chemotherapy education, reflecting the educational needs of female cancer patients, on self-care knowledge and performance. Methods: This study utilized a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The research was conducted from December 10, 2019, to March 30, 2020, at N Hospital, targeting 68 breast cancer patients (34 in the control group, 34 in the experimental group) and 70 gynecologic cancer patients (34 in the control group, 36 in the experimental group). Chemotherapy education was provided using the educational materials developed based on the educational needs of the patients, titled 'Chemotherapy Education Guide for Breast Cancer Patients' and 'Chemotherapy Education Guide for Gynecologic Cancer Patients.' Variables were measured before and after the intervention. Results: The experimental group showed significant improvements in self-care knowledge (breast cancer, p=.010; gynecologic cancer, p=.043) and self-care performance (gynecologic cancer, p<.001) compared to the control group. Conclusion The educational materials developed by reflecting the educational needs of patients have proven to be highly effective tools for female cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of chemotherapy education, reflecting the educational needs of female cancer patients, on self-care knowledge and performance. Methods: This study utilized a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The research was conducted from December 10, 2019, to March 30, 2020, at N Hospital, targeting 68 breast cancer patients (34 in the control group, 34 in the experimental group) and 70 gynecologic cancer patients (34 in the control group, 36 in the experimental group). Chemotherapy education was provided using the educational materials developed based on the educational needs of the patients, titled 'Chemotherapy Education Guide for Breast Cancer Patients' and 'Chemotherapy Education Guide for Gynecologic Cancer Patients.' Variables were measured before and after the intervention. Results: The experimental group showed significant improvements in self-care knowledge (breast cancer, p=.010; gynecologic cancer, p=.043) and self-care performance (gynecologic cancer, p<.001) compared to the control group. Conclusion The educational materials developed by reflecting the educational needs of patients have proven to be highly effective tools for female cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of chemotherapy education, reflecting the educational needs of female cancer patients, on self-care knowledge and performance. Methods: This study utilized a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The research was conducted from December 10, 2019, to March 30, 2020, at N Hospital, targeting 68 breast cancer patients (34 in the control group, 34 in the experimental group) and 70 gynecologic cancer patients (34 in the control group, 36 in the experimental group). Chemotherapy education was provided using the educational materials developed based on the educational needs of the patients, titled 'Chemotherapy Education Guide for Breast Cancer Patients' and 'Chemotherapy Education Guide for Gynecologic Cancer Patients.' Variables were measured before and after the intervention. Results: The experimental group showed significant improvements in self-care knowledge (breast cancer, p=.010; gynecologic cancer, p=.043) and self-care performance (gynecologic cancer, p<.001) compared to the control group. Conclusion The educational materials developed by reflecting the educational needs of patients have proven to be highly effective tools for female cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of chemotherapy education, reflecting the educational needs of female cancer patients, on self-care knowledge and performance. Methods: This study utilized a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The research was conducted from December 10, 2019, to March 30, 2020, at N Hospital, targeting 68 breast cancer patients (34 in the control group, 34 in the experimental group) and 70 gynecologic cancer patients (34 in the control group, 36 in the experimental group). Chemotherapy education was provided using the educational materials developed based on the educational needs of the patients, titled 'Chemotherapy Education Guide for Breast Cancer Patients' and 'Chemotherapy Education Guide for Gynecologic Cancer Patients.' Variables were measured before and after the intervention. Results: The experimental group showed significant improvements in self-care knowledge (breast cancer, p=.010; gynecologic cancer, p=.043) and self-care performance (gynecologic cancer, p<.001) compared to the control group. Conclusion The educational materials developed by reflecting the educational needs of patients have proven to be highly effective tools for female cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Psoriasis is a multi-factorial disease with various clinical manifestations. We present a case of unilateral psoriasis associated with ipsilateral lymphedema that developed after mastectomy for breast cancer. A 42-year-old Korean woman was referred to our clinic with a 1-month history of multiple erythematous scaly patches on the right arm, back, and breast and was diagnosed with psoriasis by a skin biopsy. Three years previously, she had been diagnosed with breast cancer (T1N2), underwent a right quadrantectomy and axillary lymph node dissection, and completed adjuvant chemotherapy followed by high-dose adjuvant radiotherapy. She had started rehabilitation therapy on the right arm for secondary lymphedema 30 months previously. Because of the long interval between radiation and psoriasis, we speculated that changes in the local milieu caused by the lymphedema might be a causative factor. We hereby report a rare case of unilateral psoriasis following post-mastectomy lymphedema.
Adult ; Arm ; Biopsy ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymphedema ; Mastectomy ; Psoriasis ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Skin

BACKGROUND: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a common problem in patients recovering from anesthesia and surgery. P6 point is the acupressure point for prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting. We evaluated the efficacy of acupressure at the P6 point in 94 patients undergoing thyroidectomy in a randomized, prospective and placebo-controlled study. METHODS: Ninety-four female patients, aged 18 to 60, scheduled for elective thyroidectomy, were randomized to have either placebo band or acupressure band (Sea-Band(R) UK Ltd., Leicestershire, England, UK) applied to the P6 point of both hands before induction of anesthesia. The acupressure bands removed 24 h later. Postoperative nausea and vomiting was evaluated 1, 6 and 24 h following surgery. In addition, the need for rescue antiemetic medication during 24 h was registered. RESULTS: The incidence of postoperative nausea was lower in acupressure group at 0-1 h (16.7% vs. 39.1%; P = 0.015) and at 6-24 h (0% vs. 15.2%; P = 0.05). The need for rescue antiemetic medication was also lower at 0-1 h (4.2% vs. 23.9%; P = 0.006), at 1-6 h (6.2% vs. 20.9%; P = 0.039) and at 6-24 h (0% vs. 13%; P = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: In patients undergoing thyroidectomy, nausea and need of rescue antiemetic medication were reduced by acupressure at the P6 point.
Acupressure ; Aged ; Anesthesia ; England ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Incidence ; Nausea ; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting ; Prospective Studies ; Thyroidectomy

Objectives: Children and adolescents have a high prevalence of dental caries, primarily due to negligent oral care, frequent snack intake, and inadequate attention to oral disease prevention.Therefore, ensuring oral care and preventing dental caries during this period is essential. Economic barriers, particularly in low- and middle-income countries like the Philippines, limit access to dental care, highlighting the need for national oral health programs. Methods: This study aimed to investigate the oral health status of children in selected areas of the Philippines and to generate basic data for effective oral health promotion programs. We compared the oral health statuses of enrolled and newly enrolled students in schools with school-based dental clinics. Results: The results indicated that the prevalence of caries and the average number of carious permanent teeth were lower in enrolled students than in new students. Conclusions This finding suggests that school-based oral healthcare programs effectively improve children’s oral health and that introducing school-based dental clinics and establishing efficient systems are essential for improving oral health in low- and middle-income countries.