Canavan disease(CD) is a rare autosomal recessive leukodystrophy caused by the deficiency of aspartoacylase and the accumulation in brain of N-acetylaspartate(NAA). CD has been reported mainly Ashkenazi Jews but also occurs in other ethnic groups. Usually it presents as early as the third month of life with megalencephaly, hypotonia later progressing to hypertonia, psychomotor and mental retardation, blindness, occasionally deafness and seizure. Diagnosis is based on the clinical feature, N-acetylaspartic aciduria, radiologic and pathologic findings. Histologically, the affected white matter shows extensive vacuolation and demyelination. There is no treatment for CD and the only prevention is through genetic counselling and prenatal diagnosis. We experienced a case of Canavan disease that was presented with hypotonia and developmental delay. Diagnosis was confirmed histologically. Radiologic findings are extensive high signal throughout the white matter on T2-weighted MRI and increased NAA peak and decreased choline peak of the white matter on MR spectroscopy.
Blindness ; Brain ; Canavan Disease* ; Choline ; Deafness ; Demyelinating Diseases ; Diagnosis ; Ethnic Groups ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability ; Jews ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Muscle Hypotonia ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Seizures

Elastofibroma is a rare disease which presents as a slowly-growing, solid, ill-defined fibroelastic mass occuring almost exclusively in elderly women and arising mainly from the connective tissue between the lower part of the scapula and chest wall. Of the 270 cases of elastofibroma which have been reported, 170 cases had developed in Japanese patients. Despite the fact that there have been only two case reports in Korea, there might be a higher prevalence of elastofibroma in Korea than expected because of geographical similarity. We experienced a case of elastofibroma occurring in a 56-year-old man. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of elastofibroma in Korean dermatologic of literature.
Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Connective Tissue ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Rare Diseases ; Scapula ; Thoracic Wall

PURPOSE: This study was done to identify effects of fatigue and postpartum depression on quality of life in early postpartum mothers. METHODS: The data were collected from 130 mothers at four general hospitals in J and M metropolitan cities. Instruments used to collect the data for the study were the Fatigue Scale developed by Pugh (1993); Postpartum Depression Scale developed by Cox, Holden & Sagovsky (1987), and the Quality of Life Scale developed by Hill, Aldag, Hekel, Riner, G., & Bloomfield (2006). RESULTS: Results showed that the mean for fatigue was 56.74, the mean for postpartum depression was 8.00+/-4.37 and mean for quality of life was 19.78. The quality of life variable showed statistically significant differences for the variable: age (F=3.20, p=.026). The relationship between fatigue and quality of life showed a significant negative correlation (r=-.44, p<.001). The relationship between postpartum depression and quality of life also showed a negative correlation (r=-.42, p<.001). The relationship between postpartum depression and fatigue showed a positive correlation (r=.59, p<.001). These factors explained 23% of the variance in quality of life. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that it is necessary to develop nursing intervention programs to improve quality of life in for early postpartum mothers.
Depression, Postpartum ; Fatigue ; Female ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Mothers ; Parity ; Postpartum Period ; Quality of Life

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase(G6PD) deficiency is the most common X- linked inherited disorder and is estimated to affect 400 million people worldwide. But the incidence of this disease is very rare in far-east Asia, especially in Korea. Many drugs and infections cause hemolytic anemia in patients with G6PD deficiency. We experienced a case of G6PD deficiency with chronic hepatitis B. The diagnosis was made by clinical symptoms, laboratory data including serologic test and bone marrow findings. We report a case of G6PD with chronic hepatitis with a brief review of related literatures.
Anemia, Hemolytic ; Asia ; Bone Marrow ; Diagnosis ; Glucose-6-Phosphate* ; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatitis B, Chronic* ; Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Serologic Tests

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to measure health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and to investigate the affecting factors according to gender in older adults by using the 2012 Korea Health Panel data. METHODS: The Korea Health Panel data 2012 were collected from February to August 2012 by Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs and National Health Insurance Corporation and the number of respondents were 1,921. The data were analyzed by t-test, chi-square, Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression using SPSS/WIN program. RESULTS: The limitation of activity was the most influential factor for health-related quality of life of both male and female. For male, the affecting factors on HRQoL were hearing problems and frustration. For female, the affecting factors on HRQoL were eating problems, depression and suicidal impulses. Drinking, moderate physical activities, vision problems and stress had a significant effect on HRQoL for both male and female. CONCLUSION: Health care providers should consider the differences between male and female when they design a program in order to improve HRQoL of older people.
Adult ; Depression ; Drinking ; Eating ; Female ; Frustration ; Health Behavior* ; Health Personnel ; Hearing ; Humans ; Korea* ; Male ; Motor Activity ; National Health Programs ; Quality of Life* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE:To evaluate the role of unenhanced CT in diagnosing the acute appendicitis. METHOD AND MATERIALS: We retrospectively analyzed conventional contrast-enhanced abdominal CT scans of 197 normal patients and barium enemas of 26 out of the 197 patients. Additional unenhanced CT scans of right lower abdomen were performed on 30 patients who were suspected of having acute appendicitis;barium enema was performed in 26 patients. RESULTS: in the analysis of the conventional CT scans, we could detect 132(67%) normal appendicies. On barium enema of 26 out of 197 patients, abruptly narrowed appendix was visualized in 5 cases and luminal irregularity in 4 cases but all 26 cases showed normal appendix on CT. In the 30 cases of unenhanced CT, all appendicies were visualized. Among 12 Cases which were proved as acute appendicitis, barium enenma was done in 10 case;abruptly narrowed appendix was shown in 3 and luminal irregularity in 1. Among 18 cases which were diagnosed as normal appendix, nonvisualization of appendix' was in 1 case, abruptly narrowed lumen in 3, and luminal irregularity in 9. CONCLUSION:Unenhanced CT in the area of the cecum may be an effective and safe diagnostic tool for acute appendicitis.
Abdomen ; Appendicitis* ; Appendix ; Barium* ; Cecum ; Enema* ; Humans ; Phenobarbital ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influencing factors on health-related quality of life according to body mass index (BMI) in middle age people. Methods: Using the 2017 Korea Health Panel Data, a total of 4,711 subjects age 40–64 were selected and classified into four groups based on BMI levels (underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese). Influencing factors according to BMI in middle age people was analyzed using multiple regression. Results: Activity limited was the most influential factor for health-related quality of life in middle age people. Walking and stress were factors influencing health-related quality of life in all weight groups. In the overweight and obese group, suicidal impulse was a significant influencing factor on health-related quality of life. Conclusion To improve the health-related quality of life of middle age people, effective walking and stress management for maintaining and managing health, as well as managing suicide risk in the overweight group and obese group are required.

An association of low total cholesterol in blood with psychiatric diseases and suicidal behavior has been suggested. As part of an attempt to further explore this relationship, we examine first, whether serum cholesterol levels in psychiatric patients with suicidal attempt would be lower than in non-suicidal psychiatric inpatients or normal controls, second, whether such significant difference of cholesterol levels would be present when the diagnostic groups are analyzed separately, third whether low cholesterol level would be associated with a history of serious suicidal attempts, and finally, whether low cholesterol level in suicide attempters is as state or a trait marker. We determined the serum cholesterol levels in 231 patients admitted to an emergency room following an suicidal attempt, in the same numbers of age-, sex- and diagnosis-matched non-suicidal psychiatric controls, and in the same numbers of age-, sex matched normal controls. The seriousness of an attempt was divided into 5 grades according to the degree of the resulting medical injury. Total cholesterol levels in suicide attempters were significantly lower compared with both psychiatric and normal controls, when sex, age, and nutritional status(i.e., body mass index) were controlled for. This significant relationship was observed in major depressive disorders and personality disorders, but not in schizophrenia and bipolar type I disorders. The severity of suicide by a lowering of blood cholesterol was related to the magnitude of the cholesterol reduction. After treatment of their psychiatric ailments, the cholesterol levels in suicide attempters were significantly increased. This result suggests that low cholesterol level in psychiatric patients might be a potential biological marker of suicide risk. It is hypothesized that low cholesterol levels is associated with the suicide by modifying the serotonin metabolism, the production of interleukin-2 and melatonin metabolism in psychiatric patients.
Biomarkers ; Cholesterol* ; Depression ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Interleukin-2 ; Melatonin ; Metabolism ; Personality Disorders ; Schizophrenia ; Serotonin ; Suicide*

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test the mediating effects of resilience in the relationship between role conflict and burnout in physician assistant nurses. Methods: Participants were 144 physician assistant nurses recruited from 2 university hospitals. A questionnaire scale was used to collect the data. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis. and liner regression analysis. Results: There were significant positive relationships for burnout and role conflict (r=.45, p<.001), and a negative correlation with resilience (r=-.47, p<.001). There was a negative correlation (r=-.30, p<.001) between role conflict and resilience. In addition, resilience partial mediates role conflict and burnout. As a result of testing the significance of mediating effect using bootstrapping, the mediating effect was significant by resilience ((y=.11, p=.008). Conclusion In this study, role conflict and burnout of physician assistant nurses were the factors that had an impact on each other and resilience had a partial mediating effect in the relationship between role conflict and burnout. The results of this study can be used as basic data for establishing management plans on role conflict and burnout by improving the resilience of physician assistant nurses.

Retroperitoneal hemorrhage is a potentially lethal complication in patients on anticoagulant therapy and can be caused by ovarian artery bleeding, regardless of the patients’ age and obstetric history. This case illustrates the clinical presentation of ovarian artery bleeding in a postmenopausal female on anticoagulant therapy, the diagnostic utility of transcatheter angiography, and successful embolization.