Blood utilization review has recently been used to minimize inappropriate transfusion, reduce post transfusion infections and improve the quality of transfusion practices. Ajou University Hospital is a 906 bed tertiary care teaching institution. Since March, 1995, the concurrent review of blood transfusion requests using institutional blood transfusion criteria has been initiated. To evaluate the effectiveness of the transfusion review, the units of blood components transfused per patient(total number of units of blood components transfused/total number of patients discharged) and inappropriate transfusion ratio of blood components(total number of units of blood components inappropriately transfused/total number of units of blood components transfused) were compared during the concurrent review for 9 months and pre-concurrent review for 9 months, respectively. The possible savings of blood components realized by the review were also extrapolated. The results were as follows : 1. The unit transfused per patient for pre-review and during review were 0.675 (9,080/ 13,422) and 0.654(12,123/18,546) for packed RBC(PRBC); 0.417 (5,602/ 13,422) and 0.296 (5,444/18,546) for fresh frozen plasma(FFP); 0.372(5,007/13,422) and 0.424(7,868/18,546) for platelet con-centrates(PC), respectively. 2. The inappropriate transfusion ratio of blood components for pre-review and during review were 0.039 and 0.009 for PRBC; 0.321 and 0.064 for FFP; 0.143 and 0.008 for PC, respectively. These differences were statistically significant(p=0.000). 3. The PRBC and FFP anticipated to have been saved by this review was 519 units and 2,992 units annually, respectively. 4. However, 2,621 units of PC were used additionaly during this review due to increased number of oncology patients and better hemostatic therapy practiced during the same period. In conclusion, the concurrent review of transfusion requests was very effective tool to educate residents in clinical departments the transfusion medicine and improve utilization of blood and its components.
Blood Platelets ; Blood Transfusion* ; Concurrent Review* ; Humans ; Income ; Tertiary Healthcare ; Transfusion Medicine ; Utilization Review

Heterotopic pregnancy is the coexistency of intrauterine and extrauterine pregnancy. The incidence of heterotopic pregnancy is about 1 to 30,000 pregnancy in a natural cycle. However, the frequency of heterotopic pregnancy has steadily increased because of rising incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease, pelvic surgery and the development of ovulation induction and assisted reproduction. Because heterotopic pregnancy is difficult to diagnose and it has high morbidity and mortality rate, one should always take this into consideration and should conduct careful and thorough gynecologic evaluation. We have experienced a case of heterotopic pregnancy in a 29-year old woman who presented with acute abdominal pain in a natural cycle and report this case with a brief review of literature.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mortality ; Ovulation Induction ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Heterotopic* ; Reproduction

No abstract available.
Prostate* ; Prostate-Specific Antigen*

A phenomenological study was conducted to investigate the experiences of mothers pregnant via in vitro fertilization (IVF). Sample of nine mothers participated. Ten theme clusters emerged when the formulated meanings were organized into categories. During the infertility period, the participants were subject to self- depreciation, envy, anxiety, and depression. It changed their priorities in life from a job-oriented life to one where having a baby was the most important thing. After trying numerous alternative therapies, IVF became their last hope in having a baby. Since the success rate for IVF is low (only 20-30%), the participants for the treatment were overwhelmed with uncertainty, and it led to further anxiety, depression and despair. Success of pregnancy gave them extreme satisfaction, but they became very cautious in their day-to-day life because of their fear of abortion and early delivery. Some were even worried about the side effect of IVF during the pregnancy. Finally, the delivery of the baby gave them relief from the obligation of having a baby. Women did not have any difficulties in rearing a "test tube baby" except in the case of twins. Most women had no ethical difficulty in having a baby by IVF. However they did not wish this information to be revealed to other people. They again turned to IVF to have a son(s) when the resultory child(s) was a daughter(s). This is because of the strong preference for sons in Korean society.
Anxiety ; Complementary Therapies ; Depreciation ; Depression ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro* ; Hope ; Humans ; Infertility ; Mothers* ; Pregnancy ; Twins ; Uncertainty

BACKGROUND: The prognostic indicators of patients who received massive transfusion were studied to assist management of high risk patients. METHODS: Medical records and laboratory data of 184 adult patients who received massive transfusions during 1996-1998 were reviewed. The indicators studied were outcome of treatment, cause of transfusion, age, sex, vital signs at admission, number of units of blood components, results of platelet counts (Plt), hematocrit (Hct), prothrombin time (PT), activated thromboplastin time (aPTT) and arterial blood pH (pH) performed within 24 hours after transfusion. RESULTS: The percent and mean age of survivor were 60.3% and 44.8 years old and nonsurvivor were 39.7 and 49.7, respectively. The frequency and survival rate by causative disorders were as follows: trauma 33.2% and 56%; liver disease 23.9% and 57%, cancer 13.6% and 56%, cardiovascular disorders 7.5% and 78.6%. Nonsurvivors had lower systolic and diastolic pressures in liver disease and cancer, and lower body temperature in trauma patients than those of survivors. In trauma patients nonsurvivors had lower Plt counts and pH, and prolonged PT and aPTT results than those of survivors. In cancer patients nonsurvivors showed lower Hct and pH, but those of liver disease patients showed only lower Plt counts. The average unit of blood components transfused per patient in nonsurvivors were 27.3 of RBC, 13.4 of FFP, and 15.2 of platelet concentrate, respectively. The percent of patients who were transfused more than 20 units of RBC was 28% in survivors, but 55% in nonsurvivors. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that the patients transfused with more than 20 units of RBC showed low systolic and diastolic pressures, body temperature, Plt counts, Hct and arterial blood pH, and prolonged PT and aPTT results appeared to be poor prognostic indicator of massive transfusions.
Adult ; Blood Platelets ; Body Temperature ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Liver Diseases ; Medical Records ; Platelet Count ; Prognosis* ; Prothrombin Time ; Survival Rate ; Survivors ; Thromboplastin ; Vital Signs

No abstract available.

We made a mistake in our recently published article.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the physiological and behavioral effects of auditory stimulation with their own parent’s voice on heart rate and sleep states of very-low-birth-weight infants (VLBWIs) in neonatal intensive care unit. Methods: The data of 28 VLBWIs at the Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital between October 2016 and May 2017 was analyzed. They were exposed to sounds similar to those of mothers’ heartbeat they had heard in the uterus and their own parent’s voice. Heart rate was assessed as the physiological responses and sleep state of infants as behavioral response. The sleep states were categorized into six states. The music intervention program was provided twice a week. Results: Twenty-eight babies with an average gestational age of 28 weeks (average birth weight of 1.09 kg) had undergone the sessions (average of 16 times) average of 16 times. During the initial period, there were no meaningful differences of the heart rates measured by the physiological functions before and after the sessions. However, as we move to the adaptive phase, the average heart rate was 156.96±12.22, and the pre-discharge was 149.11±12.01, which indicates meaningful differences (P<0.05). Infants’ behavioral function was statistically insignificant. Conclusion The music intervention techniques in the neonatal intensive care unit environment in Korea have provided positive influence to VLBWIs' physiological reactions. We were not able to come up with the relevant indicators during this phase of the study but we do plan to announce the future study results after indexing the observation results.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the physiological and behavioral effects of auditory stimulation with their own parent’s voice on heart rate and sleep states of very-low-birth-weight infants (VLBWIs) in neonatal intensive care unit. Methods: The data of 28 VLBWIs at the Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital between October 2016 and May 2017 was analyzed. They were exposed to sounds similar to those of mothers’ heartbeat they had heard in the uterus and their own parent’s voice. Heart rate was assessed as the physiological responses and sleep state of infants as behavioral response. The sleep states were categorized into six states. The music intervention program was provided twice a week. Results: Twenty-eight babies with an average gestational age of 28 weeks (average birth weight of 1.09 kg) had undergone the sessions (average of 16 times) average of 16 times. During the initial period, there were no meaningful differences of the heart rates measured by the physiological functions before and after the sessions. However, as we move to the adaptive phase, the average heart rate was 156.96±12.22, and the pre-discharge was 149.11±12.01, which indicates meaningful differences (P<0.05). Infants’ behavioral function was statistically insignificant. Conclusion The music intervention techniques in the neonatal intensive care unit environment in Korea have provided positive influence to VLBWIs' physiological reactions. We were not able to come up with the relevant indicators during this phase of the study but we do plan to announce the future study results after indexing the observation results.

BACKGROUND: Standard protocols are lacking for the preparation of platelet lysates (PL) as an alternative to using fetal bovine serum as a cell culture supplement. This study aimed to establish optimum conditions for preparing PL for use in cell cultures. METHODS: Cell density in three pooled platelet concentrates (PC) were adjusted to 1x10(12)/L and 2x10(12)/L. PL was prepared from PC by 1 to 3 freeze-thaw (FT) cycles. HaCaT cells were cultured in media supplemented with 5% or 10% PL. Cell numbers were estimated using a Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8; Dojindo Laboratories, Japan). Growth factors were quantified by using the Luminex 200 system (Luminex Corporation, USA). RESULTS: Cell proliferation rates in the presence of PLs were similar when prepared from PCs of both cell densities. The rates were higher in media containing 5% PL than 10% PL when prepared by two FT cycles. Concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet-derived growth factor-AB/BB (PDGF-AB/BB), PDGF-AA, and epidermal growth factor (EGF) were significantly higher in PL prepared from PC with a cell density of 2x10(12)/L than 1x10(12)/L PC. However, only VEGF and PDGF-AA concentrations in PLs were correlated with HaCaT cell counts. CONCLUSIONS: The 5% PL from PC with a cell density of 1x10(12)/L prepared by two FT cycles treatment was the most effective condition that supported steady HaCaT cell proliferation. Our finding may be useful for preparing PL-supplemented cell culture media.
Blood Platelets/chemistry/*metabolism ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects ; Culture Media/pharmacology ; Epidermal Growth Factor/chemistry/pharmacology ; Humans ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor/chemistry/pharmacology ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/chemistry/pharmacology