PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate LDQOL (Liver Disease Quality of Life) and its related factors of patients with Hepatitis B. METHOD: A cross-sectional descriptive study. The LDQOL was formally translated to Korean and reliability was examined. One hundred thirty eight patients following gastroenterology outpatient clinic of S. hospital in Seoul, Korea participated. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 45.43 years and 87.7% were men. The mean score of LDQOL was 77.34, and mean scores of subscale were followed; symptom of liver disease (SxLD) (82.12), effect of liver disease (ELD) (25.50), concentration (Conc) (84.47), memory (Mem) (83.24), health discomfort, (HD) (75.18), sexual function (SFun) (75.71), sexual problem (SProb) (84.70), Loneliness (85.50), Hopeless (67.43), and stigma of liver disease (SLD) (91.64). Women had a lower LDQOL score for Loneliness (p=.034), and over 45 year-old patients had a lower LDQOL overall score (p=.000). Patients who were HBV carriers, or who had Chronic Hepatitis B or Liver Cirrhosis reported lower QOL respectively (p=.032). CONCLUSION: Although the liver disease itself seemed to be stable, patients with HBV experienced poor QOL in ELD, SProb, SFun, and Hopeless. Therefore nursing interventions in these aspects are needed.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Female ; Gastroenterology ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatitis B, Chronic* ; Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Humans ; Korea ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Liver Diseases ; Loneliness ; Male ; Memory ; Middle Aged ; Nursing ; Quality of Life* ; Seoul

Pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) originating from a renal vein thrombosis (RVT) is very rare, especially in relatively healthy young women. The patient described herein presented with a syncope-associated massive PTE. She was previously healthy, except for termination of an ectopic pregnancy with methotrexate 4 months before. The only medication she was taking was an oral contraceptive (OC), which was started 3 months before the PTE. She had no family history of venous thromboembolism (VTE) or any other underlying risk factors. We report the case of a woman who had a PTE originating from a RVT associated with OC use after an ectopic pregnancy.
Contraceptives, Oral ; Female ; Humans ; Methotrexate ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Renal Veins ; Risk Factors ; Thrombosis ; Venous Thromboembolism

PURPOSE: For conservative treatment of shaft fractures, the butterfly fragments that were somewhat larger in the closed intra-medullary (IM) nailing. The results of treatment were monitored using radiography separately for the weight-bearing femur and non-weight-bearing humerus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 27 from Group I and 31 from Group II. In the two groups, the displacement and angulation changes in the fragments, and the degree of improvement of these two factors, were compared using follow-up radiography. RESULTS: The mean angulation of fragments in Groups I and II were 9.2degrees and 9.6degrees, and the mean degree of displacement of the fragments in Groups I and II were 16.7 mm and 21.2 mm, respectively. Follow-up radiography showed that the above factors improved in both groups. The degree of displacement was significantly lower in the normal cases than in the complicated cases (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Displacement and angulation gradually improved in both groups. It was found that the degree of displacement after the initial reduction is more important than the influence of anatomical position or weight bearing. This indicates that care should be taken when inserting IM nails to prevent displacement or angulation.
Butterflies ; Displacement (Psychology) ; Extremities ; Femur ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary ; Fractures, Comminuted ; Nails ; Weight-Bearing

OBJECTIVE: Cytomegalovirus(CMV) is the most common cause of congenital infection with diverse clinical features according to the age of hosts. This study was done to evaluate clinical manifestations and complications in congenital CMV infection. METHODS: Between October 2000 and September 2001, 10 cases of congenital CMV infection were diagnosed by urine culture within 2 weeks after birth. Demographic data, clinical and laboratory findings were collected from maternal and newborn hospital records. RESULTS: There were 7 males and 3 females. Average gestational age was 38+0 weeks(34+2-41+1), average birth weight was 2462+/-598.2g(1670-3360) and 5 cases were small for gestational age. Average head circumference was 31.9+/-1.8cm(29-34.3). There were 4 cases of microcephaly, 6 cases of petechiae, 3 cases of leukocytopenia, 6 cases of thrombocytopenia. There was no case showing hepatomegaly, hepatic dysfunction, or pathologic jaundice. 4 cases showed physiologic jaundice. IgM level was elevated in 5 out of 9 cases. Polymerase chain reaction(PCR) was positive in 7 cases. All cases showed germinal matrix hemorrhage and septated cysts on cranial ultrasonography. 1 case showed cerebral calcification. 1 case showed bilateral sensorineural hearing loss on brainstem auditory evoked potentials(BAEP). There was no case showing chorioretinitis on fundoscopy. CONCLUSION: There were diverse clinical manifestations in CMV infection in neonates. All cases showed germinal matrix hemorrhage and septated cysts. When we find these findings, we should consider the possibility of CMV infection. One patient developed bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, so its early detection and follow-up might be necessary.
Birth Weight ; Brain Stem ; Chorioretinitis ; Cytomegalovirus Infections* ; Cytomegalovirus* ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Head ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Hemorrhage ; Hepatomegaly ; Hospital Records ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; Infant, Newborn* ; Jaundice ; Leukopenia ; Male ; Microcephaly ; Parturition ; Purpura ; Thrombocytopenia ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: This study was done to evaluate the parents' or guardians' compliance of obtaining individual informed consent before vaccination and the possible problems of using informed consent. METHODS: One hundred and twelve children were randomly selected among 2,820 children who visited Samsung Cheil Hospital during July 2002. A questionnaire about using informed consent of vaccination was given to all parents or guardians of these children. RESULTS: Most of the responders were mothers(80.4%). As for the places of vaccination, 87(77.7%) persons vaccinated their children at general hospitals. In response to a request for informed consent of vaccination, 73(65.2%) complied well with requests every time. In subscribing to informed consent, 62(55.4%) were pleased, 40(35.7%) stated it was necessary despite in inconveniance. Because of dislike of subscribing to informed consent(55), 33(60%) persons stated that it was difficult to subscribe to informed consent during the inconveniant time of nursing baby. Eighty(71.4%) found it useful to read informed consent for an understanding of potential negative reactions. Being informed of potential negative reactions, 105(93.8%) stated that they would vaccinate their children despite of the potential of a worrisome negative reaction. In dealing with negative reaction, 77(68.8%) said that they would contact a hospital, 32(28.6%) said that they would care for their children at home. Eleven(9.8 %) experienced negative reactions after vaccination. CONCLUSION: Compliance of parents to informed consent was relatively good. Parents or guardians should receive relevant information and the aim of informed consent also should be adequately understood.
Child* ; Compliance ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Informed Consent ; Nursing ; Parents* ; Surveys and Questionnaires* ; Vaccination*

Many classes of drug, such as antineoplastic drugs and antiarrhythmic drugs, have potential to induce interstitial lung disease. Herbal medicines are also believed to have the potential to induce pneumonitis. However, to our knowledge, there are no reports of pneumonitis caused by herbal medications in the Korean medical database. We report a case of recurrent pneumonitis caused by a self rechallenge of the Herbal medicine Bojungikgitang (Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi-Tang : Hochu-ekki-to).
Anti-Arrhythmia Agents ; Antineoplastic Agents ; Herbal Medicine ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; Pneumonia