Background: The aims of this study are to review data on 4-months age National Health Screening Program for Infants and Children (NHSPIC) using a National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database, and to analyze the newborn hearing screening (NHS) results and related characteristics of the 4-months NHSPIC for 7 years in South Korea. Methods: We analyzed a NHIS database of infants who had participated in the 4-month age NHSPIC from 2010 to 2016. According to the results of hearing questionnaires and physical examination, we analyzed the outcomes of NHS and related infantile and socioeconomic factors. Results: Among 3,128,924 of total eligible infants in Korea between the year 2010 and 2016, 69.2% (2,164,621 infants) conducted 4-months age NHSPIC, and 94.4% (2,042,577 infants) of which performed hearing questionnaires regarding NHS. Among the total hearing examinees, premature infants accounted for 3.6%, infants who were hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for more than 5 days accounted for 5.6%, and infants with head and neck abnormalities were 0.6%. The NHS performing rate was 79.1% for total hearing examinees in 2010, but gradually increased to 88.9% in 2016. The NHS performing rate in 2016 was 93.4% for premature infants, 91.7% for NICU hospitalized babies. The mean referral rate was 0.6% for total hearing examinees, 1.4% for premature infants, and 2.3% for NICU hospitalized babies. When we analyzed the NHS performing rate and the referral rate according to the household income level, the NHS performing rate of infants in Medical Aid programs was the lowest as 65.6%, and the NHS performing rates in other five levels of NHIS was higher ranging between 85.1% to 86.0%. The referral rate of infants in the Medical Aid program (3.8%) was significantly higher than those of infants in other classes (1.10–1.25%). Conclusion The estimated overall NHS performing rate in Korea gradually increased and was 88.9% in 2016. The overall referral rate was low as 0.6%, and it was significantly different depending on the infant’s health condition and household income levels. We assume that our finding would help to establish policies managing hearing impaired children, and to develop the customized hearing care service programs considering the household economic levels.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate that usefulness of the endoscopic ear surgery (EES) through the systematic review.SUBJECTS AND METHOD: We searched literatures in literature databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, etc.). Inclusion criteria is 1) studies of patients with chronic otitis media, otitis media with effusion, cholesteatoma, conductive hearing loss, mixed hearing loss etc. 2) studies in which a transcanal endoscopic surgery was performed; and 3) studies in which one or more of the appropriate medical outcomes have been reported. We excluded that 1) non-human studies and pre-clinical studies; 2) non-original articles, for example, non-systematic reviews; editorial, letter and opinion pieces; 3) research not published in Korean and English; and 4) grey literature. Finally, 65 articles were selected and those results were analyzed. RESULTS: The safety of the EES was reported in 61 articles. Some studies reported damaged facial nerve or perilymph gusher but these are the complications that can arise due to the characteristics of the disease and not due to the EES and other reported complications were of similar or lower level in the intervention group rather than the microscopy group. The effectiveness of the EES was reported in 23 articles. The EES tended to show improved effects in terms of graft uptake status, cholesteatoma removal, and hearing improvement although effective outcomes of most studies reported no significant difference between EES and microscopic ear surgery. CONCLUSION EES is a safe and effective technique and as it is less invasive than the microscopic ear surgery.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate that usefulness of the endoscopic ear surgery (EES) through the systematic review. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: We searched literatures in literature databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, etc.). Inclusion criteria is 1) studies of patients with chronic otitis media, otitis media with effusion, cholesteatoma, conductive hearing loss, mixed hearing loss etc. 2) studies in which a transcanal endoscopic surgery was performed; and 3) studies in which one or more of the appropriate medical outcomes have been reported. We excluded that 1) non-human studies and pre-clinical studies; 2) non-original articles, for example, non-systematic reviews; editorial, letter and opinion pieces; 3) research not published in Korean and English; and 4) grey literature. Finally, 65 articles were selected and those results were analyzed. RESULTS: The safety of the EES was reported in 61 articles. Some studies reported damaged facial nerve or perilymph gusher but these are the complications that can arise due to the characteristics of the disease and not due to the EES and other reported complications were of similar or lower level in the intervention group rather than the microscopy group. The effectiveness of the EES was reported in 23 articles. The EES tended to show improved effects in terms of graft uptake status, cholesteatoma removal, and hearing improvement although effective outcomes of most studies reported no significant difference between EES and microscopic ear surgery. CONCLUSION: EES is a safe and effective technique and as it is less invasive than the microscopic ear surgery.
Cholesteatoma ; Ear ; Endoscopes ; Facial Nerve ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss, Conductive ; Hearing Loss, Mixed Conductive-Sensorineural ; Humans ; Methods ; Microscopy ; Otitis Media ; Otitis Media with Effusion ; Otologic Surgical Procedures ; Perilymph ; Transplants

To investigate the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in pork on the market in Korea, an in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for tissue fluid (CAU-tf-ELISA) was developed using a soluble extract of T. gondii RH strain tachyzoites. As the standard positive controls, the piglets were experimentally infected with T. gondii: Group A (1,000 cysts-containing bradyzoites), Group B (500 cysts-containing bradyzoites) and Group C (1.0×103 or 1.0×104 tachyzoites). The CAU-tf-ELISA demonstrated infection intensity-dependent positivity toward tissue fluids with average cut-off value 0.15: 100% for Group A, 93.8% for Group B and 40.6% for Group C. When tissue-specific cut-off values 0.066–0.199 were applied, CAU-tf-ELISA showed 96.7% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% positive and 90.0% negative predictive values. When compared with the same tissue fluids, performance of CAU-tf-ELISA was better than that of a commercial ELISA kit. Of the 583 Korea domestic pork samples tested, anti-T. gondii antibodies were detected from 9.1% of whole samples and 37.9% from skirt meat highest among pork parts. In the 386 imported frozen pork samples, 1.8% (skirt meat and shoulder blade) were positive for anti-T. gondii antibodies. In Korea, prevalence of anti-T. gondii antibodies in the pork on retail markets appeared high, suggesting that regulations on pig farming and facilities are necessary to supply safe pork on the tables.
Agriculture ; Antibodies ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Korea ; Meat ; Prevalence ; Red Meat ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Shoulder ; Social Control, Formal ; Toxoplasma

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate the usefulness of customized vestibular exercise through literature review. MATERIALS AND METHOD: We searched several literature database such as Ovid-MEDLINE, Ovid-EMBASE, and Cochrane Library etc., with the following inclusion criteria: 1) studies of patients with dizziness and balance disorders, 2) studies in which a customized vestibular exercise was performed, and 3) studies in which one or more of the appropriate medical outcomes have been reported. At the same time, we excluded the following: 1) non-human studies and pre-clinical studies, 2) non-original articles, for example, non-systematic reviews, editorial, letter and opinion pieces, 3) research not published in Korean and English, 4) grey literature (thesis, congress or conference materials, abstract etc.), and 5) case studies. Finally, 10 studies were selected and analyzed. RESULTS: The safety of customized vestibular exercise was reported in three documents which reported no side effects related to the procedure. The effectiveness of customized vestibular exercise was proven by the assessment of symptom change, functional change, and other physiological measures based on a total of 10 randomized clinical trial studies. CONCLUSION: For patients with vestibular dysfunction, a customized vestibular exercise can be a safe and effective technique for improving dizziness and balance function.
Dizziness ; Humans ; Methods

OBJECTIVES: Trimetazidine (TMZ) is known to reduce the generation of oxygen-derived free radicals. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of TMZ on neomycin-induced ototoxicity in transgenic zebrafish (Brn3C: EGFP). METHODS: Five-day, postfertilization zebrafish larvae were exposed to 125 microM neomycin and one of the following TMZ concentrations for 1 hour: 10 microM, 100 microM, 500 microM, 1,000 microM, 1,500 microM, or 2,000 microM. Hair cells within the neuromasts of the supraorbital (SO1 and SO2), otic (O1), and occipital (OC1) lateral lines were analyzed using fluorescence microscopy and confocal microscopy (n=10). Hair cell survival was calculated as a percentage of hair cells in the control group that were not exposed to neomycin. Ultrastructural changes were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS: TMZ protected against neomycin-induced hair cell loss in the neuromasts (TMZ 1,000 microM, 11.2+/-0.4 cells; 125 microM neomycin only, 4.2+/-0.5 cells; n=10; P<0.05) and decreased the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) reaction. In the ultrastructural analysis, structures of mitochondria and hair cells within the neuromasts were preserved in zebrafish exposed to 125 microM neomycin and 1,000 microM TMZ. CONCLUSION: TMZ attenuated neomycin-induced hair cell loss in zebrafish. The results of this study suggest that neomycin induces apoptosis, and that apoptotic cell death can be prevented by treatment with tremetazidine.
Apoptosis ; Cell Death ; Cell Survival ; DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase ; Free Radicals ; Hair* ; Larva ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Mitochondria ; Neomycin ; Trimetazidine* ; Zebrafish*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The effective management of subjective tinnitus should start with an accurate diagnosis based on an appropriate classification. Since there is no gold standard for managing subjective tinnitus, clinicians can select from various treatment options after considering the multifactorial etiology of tinnitus. This study surveyed otologists at university hospitals in Korea to identify the treatments used for subjective tinnitus and to obtain basic information on evidence-based medicine for treating tinnitus. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: A five-major-item questionnaire on current tinnitus treatments was sent by email to otologists at 37 university hospitals in Korea; 30 (81.1%) replied. RESULTS: The mean incidence of tinnitus in otology outpatient clinics was 22.7% (range 10-40%). Common treatments were oral pharmacological therapy, regular counseling with tinnitus retraining or cognitive behavioral therapy and hearing aids. Tinnitus retraining therapy and hearing aids were considered the most effective when the visual analog scale scores were 7.0 and 6.6, respectively, and considered safe when the scores were 9.9 and 9.3. Ginkgo biloba and benzodiazepines were the most frequently prescribed drugs, although their reported effectiveness was questionable. Intra-tympanic steroid injection was not considered effective (3.8) or safe (6.3). Somatosensory-based treatments such as treating neck muscle or temporomandibular joint disorders were also used to relieve a subgroup of somatic tinnitus. CONCLUSION: Our results showed trends similar to those in other countries, yet we have not reached the level of evidence-based clinical practice due to the lack of reliable and effective treatment options. Further research on tinnitus-treatments is needed, particularly about randomized controlled studies with blinding.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Benzodiazepines ; Cognitive Therapy ; Counseling ; Electronic Mail ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; Ginkgo biloba ; Hearing Aids ; Hospitals, University ; Incidence ; Korea ; Neck Muscles ; Otolaryngology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders ; Tinnitus

We report on a 21-year-old man with fever, dyspnea, and pleuritic chest pain. An electrocardiography showed ST elevation in multiple lead and thoracic echocardiography revealed moderate pericardial effusion. He was initially diagnosed with acute pericarditis, and treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and colchicines with clinical and laboratory improvement. After 1 month of medication, his symptoms recurred. An echocardiography showed constrictive physiology and the patient was treated with steroid on the top of current medication. The patient had been well for 7 months until dyspnea and edema developed, when an echocardiography showed marked increased pericardial thickness and constriction. Pericardial biopsy was performed and primary malignant pericardial mesothelioma was diagnosed. Malignancy should be considered in the differential diagnosis of recurrent pericarditis.
Biopsy ; Chest Pain ; Constriction ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography ; Edema ; Electrocardiography ; Fever ; Humans ; Mesothelioma ; Pericardial Effusion ; Pericarditis ; Pericarditis, Constrictive ; Young Adult

We report on a 21-year-old man with fever, dyspnea, and pleuritic chest pain. An electrocardiography showed ST elevation in multiple lead and thoracic echocardiography revealed moderate pericardial effusion. He was initially diagnosed with acute pericarditis, and treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and colchicines with clinical and laboratory improvement. After 1 month of medication, his symptoms recurred. An echocardiography showed constrictive physiology and the patient was treated with steroid on the top of current medication. The patient had been well for 7 months until dyspnea and edema developed, when an echocardiography showed marked increased pericardial thickness and constriction. Pericardial biopsy was performed and primary malignant pericardial mesothelioma was diagnosed. Malignancy should be considered in the differential diagnosis of recurrent pericarditis.
Biopsy ; Chest Pain ; Constriction ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography ; Edema ; Electrocardiography ; Fever ; Humans ; Mesothelioma ; Pericardial Effusion ; Pericarditis ; Pericarditis, Constrictive ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: Treatment of ovarian metastasis from colorectal cancer has been controversial. We investigated the clinicopathologic features and treatment outcomes of patients with ovarian metastasis from colorectal carcinoma. METHODS: From January 1996 to May 2009, 567 women were treated for colorectal cancer. Of those, 23 patients were diagnosed as having ovarian metastasis. We reviewed 19 pathologically proven cases, retrospectively. RESULTS: The incidence of ovarian metastasis was 4.0%. The number of cases involving synchronous ovarian metastases was 9 (47.4%), and 10 cases (52.6%) involved metachronous ovarian metastases. Thirteen patients had metastases located in the pelvis and 6 also had peritoneal dissemination in addition to the ovarian metastasis. Twenty (63.1%) were treated with grossly complete resection. After a median follow-up duration of 45 months (range of 6~96 months), the median survival after the diagnosis of ovarian metastasis was 40 months. The median overall survival was significantly longer in the grossly complete resection group (48.5 vs. 16 months; P=0.001). For median survival after the diagnosis of ovarian-metastasis, patients with grossly complete resection showed a significantly more favorable survival rate than the group with remnant tumors (46.5 vs 9 months; P=0.009). The survival of patients with metastases located in the pelvis was better than the group with peritoneal dissemination. CONCLUSION: Grossly complete resection would be of help to improve the prognosis in selective patients with metastasis from colorectal cancer, especially when metastasis is located in the pelvis.
Colorectal Neoplasms ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pelvis ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate