BACKGROUND: In these days of increasing need for medical treatment, and the trend of changing lifestyles for personal health care, the position of medical treatment has led to the increase of careful and various services to every member of the community. But the reality of medical treatment, including the present situation of the emergency room in general hospital is recognized as the cause of those dissatisfactions and complaints of both patients and their caregivers. So this study aims at contributing to the harmonious relation between doctor and patient. METHODS: This study has been carried out by the questionnaire method on the basis of the relatively reasonable 331 papers among 430 questionnaire papers of the patients and their caregivers hospitalized by way of the emergency room in Cheonju Yeong Dong Hospital from Sep. 1994 to Apr. 1995. RESULTS: Among 331 subjects of this questionnaire, there were 121 male patients(36.6%), 76 female patients(23.0%), 80 male caregivers(24.2%), 54 female caregivers. The subjects were compaced of 23 teenagers(7.8%), 74 in their twenties(22.4%), 135 in their thirties(40.8%), 52 in their fourties(15.7%), 29 in their fifties(8.8%), 12 in their sixties(3.6%), 6 in their seventies(1.8 %). Both patients and their caregivers seemed to have a great dissatisfactions and complaints, which can be extraneous to medical treatment. Many patients complained of the unbearable situations such as delayed pain control before after a first-aid treatment, as well as various poor condition of medical treatment in emergency room. Their caregives complained of the lack of a thought explanation of diagnosis and prognosis, as well as the tedious waiting time before taking medical teratment. There were many cases where the emergent patients took medical treatment with some dissatisfa'ctions and complaints of medical staffs or medical donditions. CONCLUSIONS: When using the emergency room in a general hospital, both patients and their caregivers experiance a great deal of dissatisfactions and complaints, which can be followed by a distrust of the hospital and an obstacle of medical treatment. The medical staff, such as the hospital authorities, doctors, and nurses should make various improvements upon the medical conditions of the emergency room in general hospital.
Caregivers ; Delivery of Health Care ; Diagnosis ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Female ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Life Style ; Male ; Medical Staff ; Prognosis ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: To assess the changes in mean corneal refractive power (DeltaK) following pterygium surgery and to predict DeltaK in cases of combined cataract and pterygium surgery. METHODS: Thirty-seven eyes of unilateral pterygium patients who underwent pterygium surgery were analyzed retrospectively with at least more than 1 month of follow-up. Preoperative and postoperative 1 month corneal refractive power was measured using auto-keratometer (RK-F1, Canon, Tokyo, Japan). Pterygium horizontal extension, width, and area were measured and correlation with DeltaK before and after surgery analyzed. We also compared DeltaK of the contralateral normal eye. RESULTS: The mean corneal refractive (Km) power measured before and 1 month after surgery was 43.30 +/- 1.66 D and 44.07 +/- 1.42 D, respectively. The Km significantly increased at 4 weeks after surgery (p < 0.001). However, postoperative Km was not significantly different when compared with the contralateral normal eye (43.86 +/- 1.34 D; p = 0.59). All parameters of pterygium size including horizontal extension, width, and area were positively correlated with the mean DeltaK. Among parameters, horizontal extension was best correlated with mean DeltaK (p < 0.001). The mean DeltaK with horizontal extension was predicted using linear regression (2.5 mm to 1 D, 4.0 mm to 1.8 D). CONCLUSIONS: We recommend contralateral corneal refractive power or prediction of corneal refractive power using linear regression with pterygium horizontal extension for determining intraocular lens power in cases of combined cataract and pterygium surgery.
Cataract ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lenses, Intraocular ; Linear Models ; Pterygium* ; Retrospective Studies

In recent years, there has been a rapid decrease in amphibian populations worldwide, and infectious diseases have been associated with this decline. Diseased frogs inhabiting Korea were collected from fields, and the diseases were identified by morphological and molecular analyses. Two fungal diseases-saprolegniasis and chromomycosis-were detected in the frogs. Saprolegniasis caused by Saprolegnia spp. was found in Rana plancyi chosenica from Gangwon-do and Rana huanrenensis from Chungbuk. Chromomycosis, which is caused by infection with Cladosporium cladosporioides, was detected in Rana catesbeiana from Busan.
Amphibians ; Chromoblastomycosis ; Cladosporium ; Communicable Diseases ; Korea ; Rana catesbeiana ; Ranidae ; Saprolegnia

PURPOSE: Extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) subluxation has a low incidence rate, to date, there has only been a few studies evaluating the operative treatment for type of injury. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively analyze 11 patients with ECU subluxation who underwent operative treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between March 2005 and February 2015, 11 patients received operative treatment. Magnetic resonance imaging and dynamic ultrasound were used to make the diagnosis. ECU subluxation patterns were classified by the Inoue's classification system. There were two cases of type A, one case of type B, five cases of type C, and three cases unfit for Inoue's classification. We also found two cases of radial subluxation and one case of ulnar locked subluxation. In type A and B cases, ECU tendons were relocated then sheaths repair was performed, and the extensor retinaculum reconstruction was performed. In type C cases, the fibro-osseous sheaths were fixed. In the three unclassified cases, extensor retinaculum reconstruction was performed. In all cases, fibro-osseous sheaths were fixed using the anchor suture technique. We compared the clinical results based on the following: motion range of the wrist joint; grip strength; visual analogue scale (VAS) score; quick disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (Q-DASH) score; and Mayo wrist score. RESULTS: The median age of patients at the time of the operation was 32 years, and the average follow-up period was 11.2 months. There were five cases of triangular fibrocartilage complex tear, two cases of distal radioulnar joint instability, three cases of ECU split tear as accompanying injury. There were significant differences in the clinical results. The average motion range of the wrist increased compared with the preoperative value (84.7% to 92.4% compared to contralateral normal side). The postoperative VAS score, Q-DASH score and Mayo wrist score showed better results compared with the respective preoperative values (6.0 to 1.1, 40.9 to 12.4, 75.9 to 86.4). CONCLUSION: ECU subluxation is a rare occurrence. Dynamic ultrasound is useful in diagnosing ECU tendon subluxation. Satisfactory results can be obtained with the use of a proper technique, which depends on the type of subluxation.
Arm ; Classification ; Diagnosis ; Dislocations* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hand ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Incidence ; Joint Instability ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Retrospective Studies ; Shoulder ; Suture Techniques ; Tears ; Tendons* ; Triangular Fibrocartilage ; Ultrasonography ; Wrist ; Wrist Joint

The authors note that on pages 167 (Fig. 2A), 168 (Fig. 3A), and 169 (Fig. 4A), the figure label “RPF-001” should instead appear as “PRF-001.”

PRF001 is a fragmented DNA polymer extracted from the testes of salmon. The purpose of this study was to assess the anti-inflammatory effect of PRF001 in vitro as well as the protective effect of PRF001 intake against arthritis in a rat model. In vitro, cell survival and inflammatory markers after H₂O₂ treatment to induce cell damage were investigated in CHON-001 cells treated with different concentrations of PRF001. In vivo, osteoarthritis was induced by intra-articular injection of monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) into the knee joints of rats. After consumption of PRF001 (10, 50, or 100 mg/kg) for 4 weeks, inflammatory mediators and cytokines in articular cartilage were investigated. In vitro, the levels of inflammatory markers, IL-1β, TNF-α, COX-2, iNOS, and PGE2, were significantly suppressed by PRF001 treatment. In vivo, the inflammatory mediators and cytokines, IL-1β, p-Erk1/2, NF-κB, TNF-α, COX-2, and PGE2, as well as MMP3 and MMP7, which have catabolic activity in chondrocytes, were decreased in the MIA-induced osteoarthritic rats following intake of PRF001. Histological analysis revealed that PRF001 had a protective effect on the articular cartilage. Altogether, these results demonstrated that the anti-inflammatory property of PRF001 contributes to its protective effects in osteoarthritis through deregulating IL-1β, TNF-α, and subsequent signals, such as p-Erk1/2, NF-κB, COX-2, PGE2, and MMPs.
Animals ; Arthritis ; Cartilage, Articular ; Cell Survival ; Chondrocytes ; Cytokines ; Dinoprostone ; DNA* ; In Vitro Techniques* ; Inflammation ; Injections, Intra-Articular ; Knee Joint ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; Models, Animal* ; Osteoarthritis* ; Polymers ; Rats* ; Salmon* ; Testis

BACKGROUND: The objective of the present study was to examine the association of educational level and socioeconomic status with glucose metabolism including prediabetes. METHODS: This cross-sectional study subjects were 882 (mean age: 51.0 +/- 13.4 years, M:F = 241:641) without diabetes, aged more than 20 years and residing in Whasu 2 dong in Incheon. We classified them into three levels according to their educational level: primary (illiterate or up to elementary school), secondary (middle school or high school) and tertiary (university), and into three levels according to their socioeconomic status by self reported questionnaire: low, middle and high. Subjects were diagnosed as three groups (normal, prediabetes and diabetes) by American Diabetes Association criteria using 75 g oral glucose tolerance test. The association of educational level and socioeconomic status with glucose metabolism was analyzed. RESULTS: The number of normal group was 300 (34.0%), that of prediabetes was 470 (53.3%) and that of diabetes was 112 (12.7%). In women, the proportion of primary educational group was larger than that of secondary educational group in diabetes (Odds ratio [OR] = 1.88; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-3.51) and larger than that of tertiary educational group in prediabetes ([OR] = 2.00; [CI]: 1.06-3.78). But socioeconomic status did not have the statistical association with glucose metabolism in women. Also both educational level and socioeconomic status had no statistical association with glucose metabolism in men. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of low educational level is larger in prediabetes and diabetes compared with normal group in women.
Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Glucose ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Humans ; Prediabetic State ; Self Report ; Social Class

BACKGROUND: It is known that diabetes and stress are directly or indirectly related, and that it is important to evaluate stress in patients with diabetes. The relationship between Korean diabetics and diabetes-related stress has never been reported. The objective of this study was to develop a stress questionnaire suitable for use with Korean diabetics and to evaluate its utility. METHODS: This study subjects were 307 Korean diabetics, aged 40 to 74 years old, who visited the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Gachon University Gil Hospital, Yeungnam University Medical Center, and Inha University Hospital in Korea between March 2006 and February 2008. We developed a Korean version of Polonsky's Problem Areas in Diabetes (PAID) stress questionnaire (PAID-K) and used it to assess degrees of stress in our sample of Korean patients. We evaluated the utility of the questionnaire and analyzed the relationships between clinical characteristics of the study subjects and degrees of stress. RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha for PAID-K was 0.95, and PAID-K scores were significantly correlated with Hypoglycemia Fear Survey scores (r=0.44, P<0.05) and State Trait Anxiety Inventory-6 scores (r=0.21, P<0.05). PAID-K scores were significantly higher in patients with longer durations of diabetes, patients using insulin, and female patients (P=0.02, P=0.038, and P=0.001, respectively). The score also tended to increase as HbA1c levels increased, except for very high HbA1c levels (above 11%) (P for trend<0.05). CONCLUSION: We developed the PAID-K questionnaire and demonstrated its utility to evaluate levels of stress in diabetic patients in Korea.
Academic Medical Centers ; Aged ; Anxiety ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Endocrinology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypoglycemia ; Insulin ; Korea ; Stress, Psychological ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Purpose: This phase II, open-label, multicenter study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of a rituximab intensification for the 1st cycle with every 21-day of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone (R-CHOP-21) among patients with previously untreated advanced-stage or bulky diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Materials and Methods: Ninety-two patients with stage III/IV or bulky DLBCL from 21 institutions were administered 8 cycles of R-CHOP-21 with an additional one dose of rituximab intensification on day 0 of the 1st cycle (RR-CHOP). The primary endpoint was a complete response (CR) rate after 3 cycles of chemotherapy. Results: Among the 92 DLBCL patients assessed herein, the response rate after 3 cycles of chemotherapy was 88.0% (38.0% CR+50.0% partial response [PR]). After the completion of 8 cycles of chemotherapy, the overall response rate was observed for 68.4% (58.7% CR+9.8% PR). The 3-year progression-free survival rate was 64.0%, and the 3-year overall survival rate was 70.4%. Febrile neutropenia was one of the most frequent grade 3 adverse events (40.0%) and 5 treatment-related deaths occurred. Compared with the clinical outcomes of patients who received R-CHOP chemotherapy as a historical control, the interim CR rate was higher in male patients with RR-CHOP (20.5% vs. 48.8%, p=0.016). Conclusion Rituximab intensification on days 0 to the 1st cycle of the standard 8 cycles R-CHOP-21 for advanced DLBCL yielded favorable response rates after the 3 cycles of chemotherapy and acceptable toxicities, especially for male patients. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT01054781.