OBJECTIVES: The protective effects of estrogen against the development of schizophrenia have been investigated in various perspectives. Previous studies showed patients with earlier age of menarche had later onset of schizophrenia and less frequent admissions. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of the age of menarche on subsequent courses including hospitalizations, suicidal attempts, physical harm to others, and psychotic symptoms in women with schizophrenia. METHODS: Self-report menarche age, onset of psychotic symptoms, and clinical status were collected in a sample of 108 premenopausal women with the diagnosis of schizophrenia. RESULTS: There was significant correlation between the age of menarche and the frequency of admissions (r=.321, p=.006). Also, patients with history of physical harms to others showed later age of menarche than those without (t=2.025, df= 106, p=.045). CONCLUSION: In women with schizophrenia, the age of onset of menarche affects subsequent courses indicated by frequency of admissions and violent behaviors. It is suggested that identifying the age of menarche might be helpful to predict the courses in women with schizophrenia. Further investigations regarding the relationship between estrogen and the courses of schizophrenia in women are needed.
Age of Onset ; Diagnosis ; Estrogens ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Menarche* ; Schizophrenia*

OBJECTIVES: The protective effects of estrogen against the development of schizophrenia have been investigated in various perspectives. Previous studies showed patients with earlier age of menarche had later onset of schizophrenia and less frequent admissions. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of the age of menarche on subsequent courses including hospitalizations, suicidal attempts, physical harm to others, and psychotic symptoms in women with schizophrenia. METHODS: Self-report menarche age, onset of psychotic symptoms, and clinical status were collected in a sample of 108 premenopausal women with the diagnosis of schizophrenia. RESULTS: There was significant correlation between the age of menarche and the frequency of admissions (r=.321, p=.006). Also, patients with history of physical harms to others showed later age of menarche than those without (t=2.025, df= 106, p=.045). CONCLUSION: In women with schizophrenia, the age of onset of menarche affects subsequent courses indicated by frequency of admissions and violent behaviors. It is suggested that identifying the age of menarche might be helpful to predict the courses in women with schizophrenia. Further investigations regarding the relationship between estrogen and the courses of schizophrenia in women are needed.
Age of Onset ; Diagnosis ; Estrogens ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Menarche* ; Schizophrenia*

OBJECTIVES: Since mid-90s there have been numerous studies to understand and establish the concept of internet addiction as one of diagnostic classifications in psychiatry. Among them, many studies on the personality characteristics of internet addiction have been conducted. Recently, interests are expanding to temperament characteristics of internet addictors but the subjects have been limited to adolescents. In this study, the temperament characteristics of internet addiction in adults were investigated using Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ). METHODS: 430 participants (189 males, 241 females) answered the on-line and off-line questionnaires from January to December in 2005. Participants completed questionnaires on demography and the onset of internet use, Young's Internet Addiction Scale and Korean Contracted Version of Cloninger's Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ). RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences in age, marital status, occupation, psychiatric history, smoking history, alcohol history and onset age of internet use among non-addiction, overuse and addiction groups by Young's scale. Of the TPQ items harm avoidance (HA) scores were significantly higher in addiction and overuse groups than non-addiction group. Reward dependence (RD) scores were significantly lower in addiction group than non-addiction group. Novelty seeking (NS) scores were significantly higher in addiction group than non-addiction group. CONCLUSION: This study suggests a significant difference of novelty seeking in temperament characteristics between adults and adolescents with internet addiction. Further studies are expected for profound understanding of internet addiction.
Adolescent ; Adult* ; Age of Onset ; Classification ; Demography ; Humans ; Internet* ; Male ; Marital Status ; Occupations ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Reward ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Temperament*

We report a case of subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis caused by Exophiala(E,) jeanselmei in a 66-year-old female, who showed a mild tender, 4.5x3.5cm sized, erythematous cystic mass with satellite lesions on the left forearm for 4 months. Histopathologically, suppurative granulomatous inflammation, brownish conidia in a chain and hyphae were observed. Fungal culture grew out the typical black-gray velvety colonies of E. jeanselmei after 2 weeks. The isolate grow well at 25 C, but very poorly at 37 C. No growth could be observed at 40 C. Sporulation adequate for evaluation was present on the malt extract agar. We confirmed E. jeanselmei by colony and microscopic morphology, temperature tolerance and sugar assimilation tests. The patient had been treated with itraconazole for 6 momths. Complete remission was observed.
Agar ; Aged ; Exophiala* ; Female ; Forearm ; Humans ; Hyphae ; Inflammation ; Itraconazole ; Phaeohyphomycosis* ; Spores, Fungal

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the association with psychopathology, cognitive function, insight and quality of life (QOL) in elderly patients with chronic schizophrenia over age 55. METHODS: 103 schizophrenic patients over age 55 with illness duration over 10 years, are enrolled in a cross-sectional study. The subjects were assessed by the Korean version of 4th Revision of Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale, Korean Version of Scales to Assessment Unawareness of Mental Disorder, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the cognitive function battery designed for this study. Multiple regression stepwise selection models were executed to identify the relations among variables, and the contributing factors to QOL. RESULTS: Among schizophrenic patients with lower illness-severity with PANSS total score below 75, higher PANSS positive subscale score and lower number of hospitalization were related to lower QOL. Among patients with higher illness-severity with PANSS total score of 75 and over, higher PANSS general psychopathology subscale score, better intelligence, better delayed recall function, worse attention, better awareness of medication effect and later onset were related to lower QOL. CONCLUSION: Results of our study suggest that improvement in positive symptom and general psychopathology could increase the QOL in elderly patients with chronic schizophrenia over age 55. And the management which could improve attention, awareness of need for medication would attribute the QOL.
Aged* ; Cognition ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Intelligence ; Mental Disorders ; Psychopathology* ; Quality of Life* ; Schizophrenia* ; Weights and Measures

PURPOSE: Glomus tumor is rare benign neoplasm arising from the normal glomus, which is a neuromyoarterial apparatus, usually seen in the nail bed of fingers. Concerning about the origin, there were few written reports about extra-digit glomus tumor of elderly patient. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 69-year-old man presented with severe pain and tenderness localized to the distal dorsal portion of forearm for 5 years. The pain was sudden in onset resting several seconds, cold frequently exacerbated these symptoms. So much pain was caused by touching the sensitive area that the patient was quite reluctant to have the maneuver repeated. The clinical suspicion of glomus tumor was made and the lesion was completely excised. Glomus tumor was confirmed by the pathologist. RESULTS: After the operation, patient didn't complain of his symptoms anymore and there was no evidence of recurrence during 6 months follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: We report a rare case of glomus tumor arising in subcutaneous layer of forearm with elderly patient.
Aged ; Cold Temperature ; Fingers ; Follow-Up Studies ; Forearm ; Glomus Tumor ; Humans ; Nails ; Recurrence

OBJECTIVES: Schizophrenia patients are known to be more prone to metabolic disease than normal people. This study aimed to identify the changes in metabolic parameters of schizophrenia patients using atypical antipsychotic drugs for 1 year. METHODS: A total of 200 schizophrenia patients were recruited and categorized into the aripiprazole-treatment group and control group taking 5 atypical antipsychotic drugs. Comparative analysis were between groups. The prescriptions of psychotropic drugs were collected by a review of medical records. Blood was collected after fasting for 12 hours at the starting point of treatment and the 12th month, and patient medical records were evaluated for basici nformation and treatment history. Physical measurement, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and metabolic parameters were studied using ATP-III diagnostic criteria. RESULTS: From the study, the aripiprazole-treatment group had a mean weight increase of 0.6 kg and the control group had a mean weight increase of 6.5 kg at the 1 year follow-up, showing a significant difference between the two groups. There were also significant differences between the two groups in waist size, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-choleseterol and prolactin level. Along with meaningful improvement of the symptoms, aripiprazole-treatment group showed less effect on in abdominal obesity, diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol and prolactin than other atypical antipsychotic drugs. CONCLUSION: Therapeutic intervention such as diagnosis, treatment, weight management and diet improvement is necessary for schizophrenia patients. Psychiatric symptoms as well as internal meicine-related problems such as metabolic disease need to be addressed in case management.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure ; Case Management ; Cholesterol ; Diagnosis ; Diet ; Fasting ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Metabolic Diseases ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Prescriptions ; Prevalence ; Prolactin ; Prospective Studies* ; Psychotropic Drugs ; Schizophrenia ; Triglycerides

OBJECTIVES: Deficit schizophrenia (DS) constitutes a disease separate from non-deficit schizophrenia (NDS). The aim of the current study was to compare the quantitative EEG and low resolution electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) imaging between DS and NDS. METHODS: This study was performed by 32 channels EEG for 42 schizophrenia patients who we categorized into DS and NDS using proxy instrument deficit syndrome (PDS). We performed the absolute power spectral analyses for delta, theta, alpha, low beta and high beta activities. We compared power spectrum between two groups using Independent t-test. Partial correlation test was performed with clinical parameters. Standardized LORETA (sLORETA) was used for comparison of cortical activity, and statistical nonparametric mapping (SnPM) was applied for the statistical analysis. RESULTS: DS showed significantly increased delta and theta absolute power in fontal and parietal region compared with NDS (p<0.05). Power spectrum showed significant correlation with 'anergia' and 'hostility/suspiciousness' subscale of brief psychiatric rating scale (BPRS)(p<0.05). sLORETA found out the source region (anterior cingulate cortex/limbic part) that delta activity was significantly increased in DS (p=0.042). CONCLUSIONS: DS showed different cortical activity compared with NDS. Our results may suggest QEEG and LORETA could be the marker in differentiating between DS and NDS.
Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale ; Electroencephalography ; Humans ; Magnets ; Naphthalenesulfonates ; Proxy ; Schizophrenia

Simultaneous thrombosis of multiple coronary arteries in acute myocardial infarction is very rare in clinical settings. Its mechanism is not yet clear, but patients displaying multivessel simultaneous thrombosis tend to have poor clinical outcomes. Hence, it is important to recognize this condition and provide timely and proper management. We report a case of simultaneous thrombosis involving multiple coronary arteries in a patient with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.
Coronary Occlusion ; Coronary Vessels* ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Thrombosis*

Simultaneous multi-vessel acute myocardial infarction is rare and has poor prognosis. We report a 70-year-old Korean man with an anteroseptal wall ST-elevation myocardial infarction presenting as ventricular tachycardia, sudden cardiac arrest and cardiogenic shock. After successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation, a coronary angiogram revealed three-vessel coronary disease; simultaneous total occlusions of the proximal left anterior descending artery (LAD) and the proximal left circumflex artery (LCX), and chronic total occlusion of the proximal right coronary artery. Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of the LAD and LCX was successful and an intra-aortic balloon pump was inserted. Despite the timely and successful PCI result, he died on the 58th day in the hospital due to pneumonia with multiple organ failure.
Aged ; Arteries ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Coronary Disease ; Coronary Occlusion ; Coronary Vessels ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Humans ; Multiple Organ Failure ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Pneumonia ; Prognosis ; Shock, Cardiogenic ; Tachycardia, Ventricular