No abstract available.
Sciatic Nerve*

No abstract available.

The reference values of motor unit action potentials(MUAP) of first dorsal interosseous and tibialis anterior muscles were measured in 50 healthy subjects. The MUAPs were recorded with a concentric needle electrode and extracted with a decomposition method. Sixty six patients with neuropathy were also studied in the same way with a count of outliers and measurement of mean values. The mean values of amplitude, area, duration and thickness were 667.74+/-204.34 V, 992.26+/-253.18 Vms, 9.75+/-1.95 ms and 1.49+/-0.26 ms, respectively in the first dorsal interosseous muscles, and 612.88+/-140.13 V, 1172.84+/-199.21 Vms, 11.41+/-2.48 ms and 1.93+/-0.34 ms respectively in the tibialis anterior muscles. There was no significant difference in age and gender of normal subjects. The amplitude was the most sensitive parameter to detect abnormality in a count of outliers and measurement of mean values. The outliers count in duration showed a higher sensitivity than the measurement of mean values(p<0.05), but not in amplitude, area or thickness. Based on the results of this study, the count of outliers was more sensitive than the measurement of mean values in the diagnosis of patients with neuropathy. Further more, less numbers of MUAPs were needed for the evaluation of the outliers count. Through this method we could save the evaluation time and the patients felt more comfortable.
Diagnosis ; Electrodes ; Humans ; Muscles ; Needles ; Reference Values

No abstract available.
Evoked Potentials, Motor*

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

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of topically applied capsaicin cream for the treatment of chronic low back and posterior neck pain. Fourty-one patients with chronic low back or posterior neck pain of more than 6 months despite comprehensive management in our rehabilitation department were selected for this study. Of these subjects, a group of 21 patients used capsaicin cream, and the other 21 patients used NSAID gel as a control group. Pain intensities in both groups were measured with the visual analogue scale(VAS) before the treatment, 2 weeks and 5 weeks after the treatment. McGill Pain Questionnaire(MPQ) was used before and 5 weeks after the treatment. According to followed-up VAS, MPQ-number of words chosen, and MPQ-pain rating index, there was an evidence of effective pain relief by capsaicin cream for the low back and posterior neck pain 5 weeks after the treatment. We conclude that continuous use of capsaicin cream for 5 weeks can be beneficial for the chronic pain patients in relieving pain and subsequently helping their rehabilitation process.
Capsaicin* ; Chronic Pain ; Humans ; Neck Pain* ; Rehabilitation

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of wrist arthroscopic examination in patient with persistent pain after the triquetral dorsal chip fracture and also to determine its relationship with TFCC injury in the triquetral dorsal chip fracture patient manifesting persistent pain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study is based on six cases presenting persistent pain in the ulnar aspect after the triqeutral posterior cord fracture that were treated conservatively. Wrist arthroscopy was carried out for all six cases. All were preoperatively and postoperatively evaluated using VAS pain scale, grip power, ulnar grind test, Kleinman shearing test and lunotriquetral ballottment test. RESULTS: Preoperatively, ulnar grind test yielded positive results in all six cases, Kleiman shearing test proved positive in three cases and lunotriquetral ballottment test yielded positive result in one case. In the arthroscopic findings, synovitis and TFCC injury were detected in all cases, and based on Palmer classification of TFCC injury, type IA was determined in five cases and type ID in one case. Arthroscopic TFCC partial resection and synovectomy were carried out. VAS pain scale improved from an average 8 points preoperatively to 3 points postoperatively. The difference of grip power between the normal and the other side improved from average of 15 lb preoperatively to 5 lb postoperatively. Based on postoperatively physical examination at 6 weeks, all cases yielded negative results in the ulnar grind test and Kleiman shearing test. CONCLUSION: We think that TFCC injury is one of the causes of persistent pain after triquetral dorsal chip fracture. We recommend an arthroscopic TFCC partial resection as a valuable treatment option.
Arthroscopy ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Physical Examination ; Synovitis ; Wrist

Background: Depressive symptoms and cognitive decline are the common neuropsychiatric symptoms among the old. Screening of the cognitive decline should be accompanied with the screening of depression because the geriatric depression is frequently comorbid with dementia. Methods: The members of the geriatric division working group of the Seoul Metropolitan mental health advisory committee had a monthly expert meeting from January to December 2005. We searched the cases of the local and international geriatric mental health services. After the presentation in the action plan review committee of the Seoul city, authors made revisions and modified the hybrid form of geriatric mental health management plan. Results: The purposes of this plan are (1) development of screening system of geriatric mental health problems, (2) development of local suicide alarm system of the old, (3) installation of depression management system and suicide prevention system, (4) development of screening system of cognitive decline for the early detection of dementia, (5) development and installation of mental health promotion system for the old, (6) development of effective, continuous, personalized management system for the dementia patients, (7) development of linking system of the hospital and the related institutions, (8) installation of the educational programs for the geriatric mental health workers and the care-givers. This model of integrative management system for the geriatric mental health will be developed, tested and then be spread to the local community according to the three stages. Conclusion: The hybrid model for the geriatric mental health may contribute to enhancement of the quality and cost-effectiveness of community geriatric mental health management system. Thus this model may (1) decrease the incidence of geriatric depression and dementia, and (2) decrease the hospital utility and admission rate of the depressed, suicidal old. Also, this newly conceptualized hybrid system would increase the quality of lives of the geriatric population.
Advisory Committees ; Dementia* ; Depression* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mass Screening ; Mental Health ; Mental Health Services ; Seoul ; Suicide

Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) is a small-vessel vasculitis that are predominantly observed in children, affecting their skin, joints, gut and kidneys. The renal prognosis of HS nephritis is known to be worse in adults than in children. It is defined by tissue deposition of IgA. In most HSP patients, serum complement levels are usually normal. However, some authors reported abnormalities of serum complement levels in children-onset HSP. The authors report here a rare adult-onset case of HSP combined with post-infectious glomerulonephritis, especially hypocomplementemia and subepithelial 'hump'- like electron dense deposits.
Adult ; Child ; Complement System Proteins ; Electrons ; Glomerulonephritis ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Joints ; Kidney ; Nephritis ; Prognosis ; Purpura ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch ; Skin ; Vasculitis