No abstract available.
Aged* ; Humans ; Quality of Life*

The characteristics of echocardiographic dilated cardiomyopathy according to its etiologic factors were studied from June, 1984 to September, 1986 in Pusan national University Hosptial. The cases included in the study were 144 patients, 90 cases of male and 54 cases of female respectively ranging the age from 17 years old to 79 years old. Patients with valvular heart disease were excluded in this study. The results were as follows: 1) Primary dilated cardiomyopathy was 40.3%, and secondary dilated cardiomyopathy was 59.7% of the study group. In secondary dilated cardiomyopathy, its etiologic factors were hypertension 17.4%, ischemic heart disease 27.8%, thyrotoxicosis 5.6%, chronic renal failure 4.8%, pregnancy 3.4% and alcohol drinking 0.7%. 2) Atrial fibrillation was noted in 32.6% of primary, 36.0% of hypertensive, 30.0% of ischemic and 62.5% of toxic cardiomyopathy. Conduction disturbance was noted in 57.1% of uremic cardiomopathy, it was far more frequent comparing with other cases of cardiomyopathy ranging 20-30%. 3) The frequency of end-diastolic internal dimension of left ventricle over 6.0cm was 58.6% in primary, 68.0% in hypertensive, 75.0% in ischemic, 71.4% in uremic and 40.0% in postpartum cardiomyopathy. 4) The frequency of ejection fraction of left ventricle below 40% was 17.2% in primary, 8.0% in hypertensive, and 28.2% in ischemic cardiomyopathy. 5) The paradoxical motion of anteroseptal wall of left ventricle was observed in 6.9% of primary, 4.0% of hypertensive, and 17.5% of ischemic cardiomyopathy. The ratio of anteroseptal wall motion to posterior wall motion below 0.4 was 15.6% in primary, 20.0% in hypertensive, and 25.0% in ischemic cardiomyopathy. 6) The frequency and grade of mitral regurgitation became increased with the dilatation of left ventricle. 7) The follow-up of cardiothoracic ratio was helpful significantly in the prediction of prognosis.
Adolescent ; Aged ; Alcohol Drinking ; Atrial Fibrillation ; Busan ; Cardiomyopathies ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated* ; Dilatation ; Echocardiography* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Valve Diseases ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Male ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy ; Prognosis ; Thyrotoxicosis

As gastroduodenoscopy performed more frequently, case reports of human echinostomiasis are increasing in Korea. A Korean woman presented at a local clinic with complaints of abdominal pain and discomfort that had persisted for 2 weeks. Under gastroduodenoscopy, two motile flukes were found attached on the duodenal bulb, and retrieved with endoscopic forceps. She had history of eating raw frog meat. The two flukes were identified as Echinostoma hortense by egg morphology, 27 collar spines with 4 end-group spines, and surface ultrastructural characters. This report may prove frogs to be a source of human echinostome infections.
Animals ; Duodenal Diseases/*parasitology ; Duodenum/*parasitology ; Echinostoma/*isolation & purification ; Echinostomiasis/*diagnosis ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Middle Aged

During The last 11 years from Jan. 1980 to Dec. 1990, 72 cases of salmonellosis has been admitted to the Department of Pediatrics of National Medical Center and evaluated clinical difference between typhoid fever and salmonella gastroenteritis. The results were as follows: 1) The annual incidence of salmonella gastroenteritis insalmonellosis was increased in the latter half of the eighties. 2) Both salmonellosis had its peak incidence in the summer. 3) Salmonella gastroenteritis was highest in the age of less than 5 year in contrast with the age of 6~9 year in typhoid fever. 4) The specimens isolated salmonellae were blood and stool in most cases, especially blood in typhoid fever and stool in gastroenteritis. 5) S.typhi was 16 cases, salmonella group A was 3 cases, group B was 16 cases and Group D and E were a case in each in isolated salmonellae. 6) On the antibiotic sensitivity test, S.typhi was sensitive to the most antibiotics. but the salmonella group B was relatively resisitant to Ampicillin, Carbenicillin, Tetracycline and Chloramphenicol.
Ampicillin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Carbenicillin ; Chloramphenicol ; Gastroenteritis ; Incidence ; Pediatrics ; Salmonella ; Salmonella Infections* ; Tetracycline ; Typhoid Fever

A 32-year-old female patient was admitted to the hospital after drinking 10 mg of liquid nicotine. She complained of dizziness, nausea, and abdominal pain. The blood pressure was low but the heart rate and respiratory rate were within a normal range. Cardiac enzymes were increased. Echocardiography taken in the emergency room showed akinesia in the apex and the anterior wall, hypokinesia in the inferior and the posterior wall, and severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction with an ejection fraction of 20%. Blood pressure was continuously low after hydration so continuous intravenous norepinephrine and dobutamine were administrated. The patient was admitted to the intensive care unit for closed monitoring. Follow-up echocardiography was performed 4 days after admission. The heart was restored and the ejection fraction was recovered to 65%. There are not many studies about the toxicity of electronic cigarette’s nicotine and there are even fewer reports on the toxicity that occurs when liquid nicotine is orally taken. This is a report of a patient of an acute heart failure after intake of liquid nicotine used in the electronic cigarette.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate working time of nurses in urban public health center branch, especially for nurses for visiting health service and chronic disease management. METHOD: Daily note, which was developed by this research team, was distributed to nurses at 7 urban public health center branches to be filled out them for 2 weeks during 2 month from June 2007 to August 2007. We analyzed 121 daily notes recorded by visiting nurses and 65 daily notes written by chronic disease management nurses were analyzed. RESULTS: The total working time for visiting nurses at urban public health center branches was 589.85 minutes per day on the average. They spent 147.13 min in actual visiting nursing services, 149.36 min in documenting, 66.94 in preparing, 77.69 min in transferring, and 11.84 min in referring. The total working time for chronic disease management nurses at urban public health center branches was 582.92 minutes per day on the average. They spent 148.77 min in actual chronic disease management services, 120.62 min in documenting, 42.46 min in group education, 37.38 in preparing, and 10.38 min in referring. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of this study, it is recommended to improve documenting systems and to increase community resources linkage were recommended through the results of this study. The results of this study are expected to be used to plan staffing at urban public health center branches in the future.
Chronic Disease* ; Education ; Health Services* ; Korea ; Nurses, Community Health ; Nurses, Public Health ; Nursing Services ; Public Health*

The antihypertensive effect and side reaction of pindolol were studied in 48 cases of essential hypertension 5mg to 15mg once regiment for average period of 6 weeks. 1) Average reduction of 25.11mmHg in systolic and 16.36mmHg in diastolic pressure were observed and their percentile reduction was 15.20% and 14.79%, respectively. The overall effect rate was 83.21%. The blood pressure was lowered significantly since 1 week of both in systolic and diastolic pressure with the daily of 10-15mg. 2) There was no significant change in heart rate before and after treatment. 3) No specific side reaction was observed except 1 cases in which discontinued the medication because of severe headache and fatigability on 2nd day of medication.
Blood Pressure ; Headache ; Heart Rate ; Hypertension ; Pindolol

The antihypertensive effect and side reactions of perdipine was studied in 22 cases of essential hypertension using 20mg 3 times daily regimen for average period of 5 weeks. 1) Average reduction of 20mmHg in systolic and 17mmhg in diastolic pressure was observed and percentile reduction was 11.90% and 14.92%, respectively. The overall effect rate was 81.82%. The blood pressure lowered significantly after 2 weeks of treatment both in systolic and diastolic pressure. 2) There was no significant change in heart rates before and after treatment. 3) No specific side reaction was observed except 1 case in which discontinued the medication because of severe headache and fatigability on the 1st day of medication.
Blood Pressure ; Headache ; Heart Rate ; Hypertension ; Nicardipine*

BACKGROUND: Tuberculous pleurisy is the leading cause of pleural effusion in Korea. And differential diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy with other cause is clinically very important. Traditional diagnostic methods such as routine analysis of pleural fluid, staining for acid-fast bacilli or pleural biopsy have major inherent limitaion. This study was designed to evaluate the significance of pleural fluid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity in early diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between March 1996 and July 1997, 198 patients with pleural effusion reviewed retrospectively. The study group included 112 cases with tuberculous effusion and 86 cases with non-tuberculous effusions, whose diagnoses were confirmed by pleural biopsy, microbiological methods, or cytology. We compared the results of PCR and pleural fluid levels of ADA between tuberculous and non-tuberculous effusions. Mean age was 47.54+/-19.52 years (range 2 to 85 years). The positive rate of PCR was significantly higher in tuberculous group than non-tuberculous group (p<0.05). The sensitivty, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) for PCR were 31.7, 90.9, 83.0, and 48.8%, respectively. Mean ADA activity was significantly higher in tuberculous group than non-tuberculous group (83.2 U/L vs 49.8 U/L) (p<0.05). With diagnostic thresholds of 40 U/L, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of ADA for tuberculosis were 75.9, 70.9, 77.3, and 69.3% respectively. At a level of 70 U/L, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of ADA for tuberculosis were 70.1, 75.9, 82.9, and 60.3% respectively. CONCLUSION: PCR is very highly specific, but less sensitive methods in diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy. But ADA level of pleural fluid has acceptable sensitivity and specificity in diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy. ADA activity is more useful test in the evaluation of pleural effusions.
Adenosine Deaminase ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Korea ; Pleural Effusion ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pleural*

To evaluate the quantitative relation between the changes of visual field and optic disc in glaucoma, thirty-six patients(58 eyes) with primary glaucoma(P.O.A.G: 29 cases, P.A.C.G.; 7 cases) were enrolled in this study. Visual field defects including the central(25 degrees) and peripheral fields were examined with three different illuminations(2-9, 2-4 and clear filters) by using an automated perimeter(Autofield D, Cavitron, CA, USA) and horizontal and vertical cup/disc(C/D) ratios were traced and calculated with the disc photographs taken with a fundus camera(CF-60Z, Canon Inc, Tokyo, Japan). Each defect by using 2.9, 2.4 and clear filter of Autofield D in either the central or the peripheral visual field has the relationship of arc tangent with either the horizontal or the vertical C/D ratio. The exponential correlation was noted between the summation of the central or the peripheral visual field defect and either horizontal or vertical C/D ratio.
Glaucoma ; Visual Fields*