No abstract available.

PURPOSE: This study was to examine the effects of aroma hand massage on pruritus, fatigue and stress of the patients undergoing hemodialysis. METHODS: This study was a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Study sample was conveniently recruited from two hospitals(28 for experimental and 30 for control group). The experimental group went through aroma hand massage on hand without AVF for 5 min for 12 times mixed with Lavender, Chamomile and Geranium oils in the ratio of 4 : 4 : 2, which was diluted 3% with sweet almond crrier oil 100 ml. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 12.0. RESULTS: The 1st hypothesis, 'Experimental group who has received aroma hand massage will have lower rate of pruritus than the control group' was accepted(t = -5.084, p = .001). The 2nd hypothesis, 'Experimental group who has received aroma hand massage will have lower rate of fatigue than the control group' was accepted(t = -2.557, p = .015). The 3rd hypothesis, 'Experimental group who has received aroma hand massage will have lower rate of stress than the control group' was accepted(t = -5.537, p = .001). CONCLUSION: The aroma hand massage has shown to be an effective nursing intervention to reduce the pruritus, fatigue and stress among patients undergoing hemodialysis. Therefore, the massage is needed to continuously be applied to hemodialysis patients to improve their quality of life.
Aromatherapy ; Chamomile ; Fatigue ; Geranium ; Hand ; Humans ; Lavandula ; Massage ; Oils ; Prunus dulcis ; Pruritus ; Renal Dialysis

Hepatic portal venous gas is a very rare radiologic sign which is characterized by gas accumulation in the portal venous circulation. Pneumatosis intestinalis is also very rare and is characterized by multiple air cysts in the serosal or submucosal layers of the gastrointestinal tract walls. These two findings are caused by various pathological conditions and can develop individually or simultaneously. The latter is clinically more significant because it is frequently related to bowel ischemia or necrosis, and represents a poor prognosis. However, prognosis is more influenced by the severity of underlying disease rather than hepatic portal venous gas or pneumatosis intestinalis itself. If bowel ischemia or necrosis is the primary cause, emergency operation is very important to improve patient's prognosis. Herein, we report a case of necrotizing colitis presenting as hepatic portal venous gas and pneumatosis intestinalis which was successfully managed by early surgery.
Colitis/complications/*diagnosis/surgery ; Humans ; Intestinal Perforation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Necrosis ; Pneumatosis Cystoides Intestinalis/complications/*diagnosis ; Portal Vein ; Radiography, Abdominal ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: Clinical syndrome of leptospirosis in Korea which accompanied by hemoptysis, pulmonary hemorrhage, respiratory failure was quite different from that of typical Weil's disease. The death rate in the early stage of disease has relationship with chest X-ray findings and acid-base disturbances resulted from hypoxia and asphyxia. We've come to consider chest X-ray findings and arterial blood gas findings as factors influencing the prognosis of the disease. METHODS: Forty one cases of leptospirosis diagnosed by acute febrille illness symptoms and serologic tests were graded for chest X-ray findings and grouped according to acid-base abnormalities. Retrospectively, we attempted to correlate the acid-base disturbances and chest X-ray findings with morbidity and mortality of the disease. RESULTS: The result were as follows. 1) Abnormal chest X-ray findings were observed in 30 cases(73%). Mortalities according to the chest X-ray findings were 0(0%), 2(17%), 3(0%), 4(0%), 5(33%), 6(50%) and chest X-ray findings influenced the mortality with statistical significance(p<0.05). 2) Acid-base abnormalities were observed in 39 cases(95%) and the types were divided to six groups . Respiratory alkalosis was the most common acid-base disturbance(44%). Five cases were died. Two of five were respiratory alkalosis, two cases were mixed respiratory metabolic acidosis and another case was mixed respiratory-metabolic alkalosis. As shown, acid-base abnormality influenced the mortality and mixed acid-base disturbances were showed high mortality with statistical significance (p<0.05). 3) Total mortality was 12%(five of forty-one). The chest X-ray score, morbidity, pH, pCO2, pO2, and HCO3 were 5.0 +/- 0.8, 3.4 +/- 1,3, 7.16 +/- 0.17, 32.5 +/- 1.1, 43.3 +/- 13.4 and 17.6 +/- 3.1 in died group, 2.4 +/- 0.4, 12.7 +/- 1.0, 7.46 +/- 0.01, 48.8 +/- 13.4, 65.4 +/- 3.7 and 23.4 +/- 0.9 in recovery group, respectively. There was difference between two groups with statistical significance. CONCLUSION: In this study, we concluded that chest X-ray findings and acid-base abnormalities influenced the mortality of leptospirosis. The factors above mentioned make us consider chest X-ray and blood gas analysis are essential to the patient hospitalized for the suspicion of leptospirosis. Especially, these factors pointed out the patient having chest X-ray abnormalities and mixed acid-base disturbances needed intensive care in the early stage of leptospirosis.
Acidosis ; Alkalosis ; Alkalosis, Respiratory ; Anoxia ; Asphyxia ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Hemoptysis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Critical Care ; Korea ; Leptospirosis* ; Mortality ; Prognosis ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Retrospective Studies ; Serologic Tests ; Thorax* ; Weil Disease

BACKGROUND: Despite rigorous investigations, the etiology of community-acquired pneumonia remains unknown in about 50% of hospitalized patients. The diagnosis of the etiological agent is becoming more challenging and more critical as number of newer pathogens have been recognized in recent years. In the 3-year period prospective study we investigated adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia for Legionella, Leptospira, Hantaan virus and Orientia tsutsugamushi as potential etiologic agents. METHODS: A prospective multicenter study was performed from May 1997 to April 2000. A total of 431 patients with community-acquired pneumonia under the inclusion criteria were examined for specific microbial diagnosis; sputum culture and PCR, and serologic teats including indirect immunofluorescence antibody (IFA) test for Legionella, and hemagglutination tests for Leptospira, Hantaan virus and O. tsutsugamushi. Etiologic diagnosis was determined on the basis of the review of case record forms and specific laboratory diagnostic criteria. RESULT: During the study period a total of 385 sputum and 283 serum samples were examined. Legionella pneumonia was diagnosed in 2.3% (10/431) of the cases examined: 1.4% cases with PCR-positive (5/ 367) and 2.1% with positive IFA test (6/283). Leptospirosis and scrub typhus were diagnosed in 0.4% (1/ 252) and 2.0% (5/252), respectively. All 5 cases diagnosed as scrub typhus occurred in late fall, and rash or eschar was not found. None of cases was Hantaan virus infection. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that Legionella, Leptospira, and O. tsutsugamushi should be considered in the etiologic diagnosis and in empirical antibiotic therapy of community-acquired pneumonia.
Adult* ; Diagnosis ; Exanthema ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; Hantaan virus* ; Hemagglutination Tests ; Humans ; Legionella* ; Leptospira* ; Leptospirosis ; Orientia tsutsugamushi* ; Pneumonia* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prospective Studies* ; Scrub Typhus ; Sputum