The purpose of this study was to investigate factors associated with Bone Mineral Density (BMD) in Korean postmenopausal women. The data from 2008-2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) were used for data analysis. Subjects were 2,701 postmenopausal women aged > or = 50 years. BMDs at whole body, total femur, femoral neck, and lumbar spine were measured by Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Dietary data from 24-hour dietary recall and a food frequency questionnaire containing 63 food items were used. The proportions of osteopenia at total femur, femoral neck, and lumbar spine were 37.4%, 54.5%, and 45.4%, respectively. The proportions of osteoporosis at total femur, femoral neck, and lumbar spine were 6.2%, 25.6%, and 34.3%, respectively. Age, anthropometric index including height, weight, and Body Mass Index (BMI), parathyroid hormone, and physical activity were related to BMD, but the relationships were site specific. Total femur BMD was explained by age, weight, parathyroid hormone and intakes of carbohydrate and fruits. Femoral neck BMD was related to age, weight, parathyroid hormone and intakes of riboflavin and fruits. Lumbar spine BMD was associated with age, weight, milk and dairy products, calcium intake, and exercise. These results indicated that adequate intakes of milk and dairy products, fruits, carbohydrate, calcium, riboflavin and exercise as well as weight maintenance might play an important role in maintaining optimum bone health in Korean postmenopausal women.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Aged ; Body Mass Index ; Bone Density ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Calcium ; Dairy Products ; Female ; Femur ; Femur Neck ; Fruit ; Humans ; Milk ; Motor Activity ; Nutrition Surveys ; Osteoporosis ; Parathyroid Hormone ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Riboflavin ; Spine ; Statistics as Topic

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine clinical characteristics of Korean rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with clinically indications for TNF-alpha blocker, and to compare their clinical parameters with the Korean National Health Insurance reimbursement criteria. METHODS: Data were obtained from a registry of RA patients who visited rheumatology clinics of Hallym University affiliated hospitals. Among patients who were previously prescribed DMARDs for more than three months, rheumatologists selected patients clinically indicated for TNF-alpha blocker. The clinical characteristics at the time TNF-alpha blocker use was deemed indicated were examined. Radiographic damage was quantified by Modified Sharp van der Heijde score in hand and foot simple AP radiograph. RESULTS: From August 2010 to January 2013, five rheumatologists in four hospitals selected 109 patients clinically indicated for TNF-alpha blocker. When TNF-alpha blocker was considered, mean DAS28 was 5.2 (range 2.1~8.05), mean swollen joint count was 6 (range 0~22), mean tender joint count was 10.6 (range 0~28), mean ESR was 43.2 mm/hr (range 1~140) and mean CRP was 2.5 mg/dL (range 0.1~18.3). The mean total modified Sharp van der Heijde score was 32.72 (range 0~240). Eighty one percent of subjects did not have enough active joints to satisfy the Korean National Health Insurance reimbursement standard. CONCLUSION: Our results show that patients with clinically indications for TNF-alpha blocker had a broad range of disease activity and clinical parameters, and the majority did not meet the Korean National Health Insurance reimbursement criteria.
Antirheumatic Agents ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Foot ; Hand ; Humans ; Joints ; National Health Programs ; Rheumatology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

This study was carried out to examine the proportion of fatty acids and contents of trans fatty acid in commercial processed foods in Jeon-Buk area. Contents of trans fatty acid in bakery products ranged from 0.2% to 1.0% per 100 g food. Especially garlic bread and pastry contained the highest amount. Popcorns contained trans fatty acid from 0.0% to 13.4%. Among them, instant popcorns for microwave contained the highest amount, while trans fatty acid was hardly detected in popcorns for theater. And trans fatty acid detected in popcorns was mostly in the form of 18 : 1 trans. The content of trans fatty acid in pizza was nearly 0.2%. Amounts of saturated fatty acid and unsaturated fatty acid were similar between each type of pizza and frozen pizza. Fritters such as fried chickens and vegetables contained trans fatty acid less than 0.2% per 100 g food.
Bread ; Chickens ; Fatty Acids ; Garlic ; Microwaves ; Vegetables

PURPOSE: For the first time, a nationwide survey in the Republic of Korea was conducted to determine the basic parameters for the treatment of esophageal cancer and to offer a solid cooperative system for the Korean Pattern of Care Study database. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During 1998~1999, biopsy-confirmed 246 esophageal cancer patients that received radiotherapy were enrolled from 23 different institutions in South Korea. Random sampling was based on power allocation method. Patient parameters and specific information regarding tumor characteristics and treatment methods were collected and registered through the web based PCS system. The data was analyzed by the use of the Chi-squared test. RESULTS: The median age of the collected patients was 62 years. The male to female ratio was about 91 to 9 with an absolute male predominance. The performance status ranged from ECOG 0 to 1 in 82.5% of the patients. Diagnostic procedures included an esophagogram (228 patients, 92.7%), endoscopy (226 patients, 91.9%), and a chest CT scan (238 patients, 96.7%). Squamous cell carcinoma was diagnosed in 96.3% of the patients; mid-thoracic esophageal cancer was most prevalent (110 patients, 44.7%) and 135 patients presented with clinical stage III disease. Fifty seven patients received radiotherapy alone and 37 patients received surgery with adjuvant postoperative radiotherapy. Half of the patients (123 patients) received chemotherapy together with RT and 70 patients (56.9%) received it as concurrent chemoradiotherapy. The most frequently used chemotherapeutic agent was a combination of cisplatin and 5-FU. Most patients received radiotherapy either with 6 MV (116 patients, 47.2%) or with 10 MV photons (87 patients, 35.4%). Radiotherapy was delivered through a conventional AP-PA field for 206 patients (83.7%) without using a CT plan and the median delivered dose was 3,600 cGy. The median total dose of postoperative radiotherapy was 5,040 cGy while for the non-operative patients the median total dose was 5,970 cGy. Thirty-four patients received intraluminal brachytherapy with high dose rate Iridium-192. Brachytherapy was delivered with a median dose of 300 cGy in each fraction and was typically delivered 3~4 times. The most frequently encountered complication during the radiotherapy treatment was esophagitis in 155 patients (63.0%). CONCLUSION: For the evaluation and treatment of esophageal cancer patients at radiation facilities in Korea, this study will provide guidelines and benchmark data for the solid cooperative systems of the Korean PCS. Although some differences were noted between institutions, there was no major difference in the treatment modalities and RT techniques.
Brachytherapy ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Cisplatin ; Drug Therapy ; Endoscopy ; Esophageal Neoplasms* ; Esophagitis ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; Humans ; Korea* ; Male ; Photons ; Radiotherapy ; Republic of Korea ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed