Osteoporosis has been described as the most common disease in the old age group. As the bone mineral density decreases, the skeleton becomes more prone to fracture. Hip fractures occur late in life following substantial reduction in skeletal mass. So the incidence of hip fracture is increasing due to prolongation of average life span. The bone density of femoral neck, Ward triangle, and trochanteric region were measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) in 15 patients with femoral neck fractures and in 58 patients with intertrochanteric fractures to evaluate the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) value and fracture type. The results were as follows 1. In femoral neck fracture group, the mean BMD value was 0.59+/-0.02 g/cm2 in femoral neck, 0.38+/-0.08 g/cm2 in Ward triangle and 0.48+/-0.09 g/cm2 in trochanteric region. In intertrochanteric fracture group, the mean BMD value was 0.57+/-0.09 g/cm2 in femoral neck, 0.39+/-0.10 g/cm2 in Ward triangle, and 0.47+/-0.13 g/cm2 in trochanteric region. 2. In femoral neck fracture group, the fracture threshold value was 0.75 g/cm 2 in femoral neck, 0.60 g/cm2 in Ward triangle and 0.67 g/cm2 in trochanteric region. In intertrochanteric fracture group, the fracture threshold value was 0.63 g/cm2 in femoral neck, 0.51 g/cm2 in Ward triangle, and 0.57 g/cm2 in trochanteric region. In conclusion, there was no statistical relationship in BMD value between neck fracture and intertrochanter fracture group, and no statistical relationship between BMD value and each fracture type in femoral neck and intertrochanter fracture. The type of hip fracture may be related to the degree of trauma rather than the value of the BMD.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Bone Density* ; Femoral Neck Fractures ; Femur ; Femur Neck ; Hip Fractures ; Hip* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Neck ; Osteoporosis ; Skeleton

It is well known that Korea is one of the endemic area for type B viral hepatitis. A screening test for HBsAg by RPHA method was performed to evaluate the prevalence of HBsAg among urban, rural and coastal area population during the period between Jan. 1985 and Aug. 1985. The results obtained are as follows; 1) The HBsAg was detected in 242 among 2,849 with positive rate of 8.49%. The positive rate by sex showed higher rate in males(9.07%) than females(6.79%) for HBsAg. But these differences by sex were not statistically significant. 2) By living area, the positivity of HBsAg was 8.67% in urban, 7.43% in rural and 8.37% in coastal area. But the differences were not statistically significant. 3) The positivity differences of HBsAg were significantly observed between male(9.26%) and female(6.44%) in urban area. But there was not in rural and coastal area. 4) The positivity was the highest in 4th decade in urban area. But 6th decade in rural and 4th and 5th decade in coastal area. Generally the positivity of HBsAg was more prevalent in young age and decreasing by the age increasing in the male. But in the female it was most common in 6th decade. 5) Evaluated SGOT(>40 Unit) was significantly higher in HBsAg positive group(13.6%) than in HBsAg negative group(3.4%).
Female ; Hepatitis ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens* ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Prevalence

This study investigated the stress of community residents in Kwang-Ju and Chonnam areas by using the General Health Questionnaire(GHQ-60) as a instrument of stress measurement. The number of subject were 445 residents who lived in three areas (large city, middle city, and rural area) and they were individually interviewed in March, 1994. The result of study showed that the degrees of stress measured by GHQ-60 were statistically significant in the residents' area, age. sex variables: (a) the residents in middle city among three area had the highest level of stress: (b) the resident who were more than 60 in age had the highest level of stress: (c) the female resident had more stress than male residents: (d) particularly, the residents who were more than 60 years old in the middle city had the highest level of stress. Further, the results of factor analysis showed that there were three factors of social dysfunction, depression and anxiety, and psychosomatic symptom. The social dysfunction factor was statistically significant in both age and resident area variables. The depression and anxiety factor was statistically significant in the residents' area, age. sex variables. The psychosomatic symptom factor was statistically significant in both age and sex variables. The study suggested that they should give a special attention to solve the old people's stress because stress was closely related to residents age.
Anxiety ; Depression ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Female ; Gwangju ; Humans ; Jeollanam-do ; Male ; Mass Screening* ; Middle Aged ; Surveys and Questionnaires*

No Abstract Available.
Health Behavior*

Infection in primary total hip arthroplasty may cause catastrophic results and is the major reason for implant failure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of the hip joint fluid culture as a method of predicting the possibility of a hip joint infection by calculating the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy. We performed 628 primary total hip arthroplasty and aerobic and anaerobic bacterial cultures for hip joint fluid between January 1989 and June 1996. The hip joint fluid culture was routinely performed to evaluate the utility of the femoral head for bone banking. Thirty-two cases out of the 628 hips showed positive intraoperative culture and 596 cases showed negative intraoperative culture. The isolated organisms from 32 positive cultures were 11 for Staphylococcus aureus, eight for Staphylococcus coagulase negative, seven for Enterococcus, three for E.coli and one each for Enterobacter, Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas. Anaerobic culture was negative in all cases. In the positive intraoperative culture cases, none had delayed infection during the follow-up period. But in the negative intraoperative culture cases, one case had acute infection and two cases had delayed infection. In the case with acute infection, Staphylococcus aureus was isolated and on two cases with delayed infection, Enterococcus and Staphylococcus coagulase negative were isolated, respectively. All 32 positive culture cases were fa~lse positive and 595 negative culture cases were true negative and one negative culture case was fa~lse negative. The sensitivity of the hip joint culture was 0%, the specificity was 94.9% and the accuracy was 0%. The specificity of hip joint fluid culture in primary total hip arthroplasty was high, hut the sensitivity score was zero. Therefore, the hip joint fluid culture should not be used for a routine check of infection status in primary total hip arthroplasty. We recommend the hip joint fluid culture in revision arthroplasty or hips in which infection is clinically suspected.
Acinetobacter ; Arthroplasty ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip* ; Bone Banks ; Coagulase ; Enterobacter ; Enterococcus ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Hip Joint* ; Hip* ; Pseudomonas ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Staphylococcus ; Staphylococcus aureus

Owing to the paucity of information on the clinical outcomes in female patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in relation to the comorbid disease burden, we explored the differences in their clinical outcomes and identified predictive indicators.A total of 3,419 female AMI patients were stratified into two groups: Group A (those with zero or one comorbid diseases) (n=1,983) and Group B (those with two to five comorbid diseases) (n=1,436). Five comorbid conditions were considered: hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, prior coronary artery disease, and prior cerebrovascular accidents. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs). The incidence of MACCEs was higher in Group B than in Group A in both the unadjusted and propensity score-matched data. Among the comorbid conditions, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and prior coronary artery disease were found to be independently associated with an increased incidence of MACCEs. Higher comorbid disease burden was positively associated with adverse outcomes in the female population with AMI. Since both hypertension and diabetes mellitus are modifiable and independent predictors of adverse outcomes after AMI, it may be necessary to focus on the optimal management of blood pressure and glucose levels to improve cardiovascular outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: In order to reveal the effectiveness of the intervention in the workplace on patients suffering from cervicobrachial disorder (CBD), we reexamined 96 workers out of 137 workers suffering from CBD on the assembly lines of an electric manufacturing factory by using questionnaires, physical exams and neurological exams. METHODS: Analyses were made of the characteristics of the 96 workers of this company suffering from 1994 to 1996 with special concern for differences before and after the improvement of the working environment. After reexamination of the 96 patients the following results were obtained. RESULTS: We observed an improvement in the 10 most common subjective symptoms of CBD. These symptoms included general fatigue, pain on neck and shoulders, dullness of the upper extremities, back pain and discomfort and a tingling sensation in the hands and wrists (p < 0. 05). The percentage of workers who complained muscle tenderness of neck and shoulder were reduced (p < 0.05). the percentage of workers with abnormal Morley examination was reduced from 28. 5% to 2. 100 (p < 0.01), and of workers with abnormal EMG finding went from 12. 4% to 2. lao (p < 0. 01) and of grade 3 and grade 4 CBD was reduced from 42. 3% and 18. 3% respectively to 33. 3% and 2. ba (p < 0. 01). Grade 3 and over laborers of CBD had higher scores in somatization, anxiety, depression, hostility, interpersonal sensitivity, phobic anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, neurasthenic, hypochondriacal than other sufferers in the SCL-90-R exam (p < 0. 01). CONCLUSIONS: in conclusion intervention had effectiveness on subjective symptoms of neck and shoulder and decreasing abnormal finding of muscle tenderness, neurological examination and EMG.
Anxiety ; Back Pain ; Depression ; Fatigue ; Hand ; Hostility ; Humans ; Intervention Studies ; Myalgia ; Neck ; Neurologic Examination ; Questionnaires ; Sensation ; Shoulder ; Upper Extremity ; Wrist

This study was conducted to examine the effect of chronic low dose organic solvent exposures in the industries towards then neurobehavioral functions of workers subjective symptoms on neurobehavioral function as well as a visual reaction time test (Flicker test) were administered to 94 exposed and 162 unexposed workers in a oil refinery and some other auto-repair shops. The results obtained were as follows: 1. Symptom complaints were higher and Flicker test values were lower in exposed workers than in unexposed workers. 2. Flicker values were inversely correlated with urinary Hippuric acid concentration in exposed workers (r=-0.26, p<0.05). 3. Flicker values were inversely correlated with subjective symptom score (r=-0.15, p<0.05). Low Flicker value were also related with some subjective symptoms such as "Dimmed vision", "Nightmare", "weakness on extremity" in workers as a whole. While symptoms of "Dimmed vision", "Nightmare" only observed among exposed workers.
Reaction Time

This survey was conducted to investigate Farmers' Syndrome and its related factors in Chonnam province. 5,920(men 6,148, women 6,722) persons in urban area and 12,870(men 6148, women 6,722) persons in rural area were selected in stratified cluster sampling manner, and interviewed individually with structured questionnaire in April, 1992. The results were summarized as follows: 1. In rural area of Chonnam province, the prevalence of Farmers' syndrome positive was 283 per 1,000 persons(203 in male, 355 in female). In urban area of Chonnam province, control area, the prevalence of Farmers' syndrome positive was 113(72 in male, 145 in female). The prevalence of Farmers' syndrome positive in rural area was 2.5 times higher that of urban area, and the prevalence in female was 1.7 times higher than that of male. The prevalence in total respondents was 256. 2. In rural area of Chonnam province, the age standardized prevalence of Farmers' syndrome positive was 209 per 1,000 persons(140 in male, 267 in female). In urban area of Chonnam province, control area, the age standardized prevalence of Farmers' syndrome positive was 122(79 in male, 158 in female). The age standardized prevalence in total respondents was 194. 3. The associated factors with Farmers' syndrome in univariate analysis were having illness during recent 15 days ,age, sex, occupation, area, monthly income, education, medical security status, family size and duration of farming. 4. When applying multiple logistic regression for Farmers' syndrome, the significant variables were having illness during recent 15 days, area, sex, age, education, medical security status, family size and duration of farming.
Surveys and Questionnaires ; Education, Medical ; Epidemiologic Studies* ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Humans ; Jeollanam-do* ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Occupations ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Intratympanic steroid serves as a good therapeutic alternative for various inner ear diseases presenting with vertigo, hearing loss, and tinnitus. This study reports the effect of intratympanically injected dexamethasone (ITDEXA) on tinnitus in various cochlear pathologies. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: 19 patients with cochlear tinnitus (7 sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), 5 noise induced hearing loss, 4 Meniere's disease and 3 acoustic trauma) were subjected to the IT-DEXA. The injection was performed with a spinal needle through the posterior superior quadrant of the tympanic membrane for 2 to 5 consecutive days. RESULTS: The overall improvement rate was 31.6%. Tinnitus was improved in 4 patients with SSNHL and 2 patients with Meniere's disease. Tinnitus was not improved in noise induced hearing loss or acoustic trauma. CONCLUSION: IT-DEXA is a therapeutic modality for tinnitus in SSNHL and Meniere's disease.
Acoustics ; Dexamethasone* ; Ear, Inner* ; Ear, Middle ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Humans ; Labyrinth Diseases* ; Meniere Disease ; Needles ; Noise ; Pathology ; Tinnitus* ; Tympanic Membrane ; Vertigo