Patient survival is one of the most important measures for the evaluation of progress in cancer patient care across the wide spectrum from diagnosis to treatment. The optimal monitoring method for cancer patient survival is to estimate survival based on representative data from cancer patients in the population, which is only achievable through using population-based cancer registration data. Relative survival is used to compare the survival experience in a study cohort that expected to result from background population mortality rates. This technique is useful when the cause of death is not accurate or not available, since it provides a measure of excess mortality in a group of patients with a certain disease. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the procedures for estimating relative survival using the statistical software Stata. For this survival analysis to show the procedure, the example data set was randomly selected from the National Cancer Incidence Database, which was used in a recent article reporting the overall relative survival of cancer patients diagnosed during 1993-2002 in Korea.
Cause of Death ; Cohort Studies ; Dataset ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Mortality ; Patient Care ; Survival Analysis*

PURPOSE: It is important to diagnose paragonimiasis in early active stage because it can be dured by chemotherapy. However, it is difficult to make a correct diagnosis of cerebral paragonimiasis in the early active stage, and the radiographic findings of cerebral paragonimiasis have been rarely reported. Thus, this experimental study was designed to produce early active cerebral paragonimiasis and to demonstrate radiologic-pathologic correlations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 8 cats, 7-8 metacercariae of Paragonimus westerrnani were directly introduced into the brain parenchyma of each cat's after trephination of the skull. In anogher 16 cats, the juvenile worms and the adult worms that had developed for varying periods (2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks) in the lunges of another cats were introduced into the brain parenchyma of each cat's with the same procedures described above. Follw-up MR images and chest radiographs were obtained at 2 days, 1 weeks, 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 8 weeks after innoculation. The autopsies and histopathological examinations of the cat's brain were undertaken in 22 cats. In 9 cats that were suspected with pulmonary lesions on chest radiograph, the soft tissue radiographs of inflated-fixed lungs were obtained. RESULTS: In one cat with innoculation of adult worm, acute suppurative inflammation of the brain parenchyma was demonstrated. But the other cats with innoculction of adult worm or juvenile worm and the cats with innoulation of metacercaris did not reveal any evidence of acute cerebral paragonimiasis. More than half of the introduced metacercariae(5 out of 8 cats) were found in the lung parenchyma, while only 25%(4 out of 16 cats) of the adult worm innoculated cats were. CONCLUSION: Acute suppurative inflammation suggesting acute stage cerebral paragonimiasis was obtained in one case of adult worm innoculated cat. Most of the innoculated metacercariae and some of the juvenile worms or adult worms were migrated to the lungs.
Adult ; Animals ; Autopsy ; Brain ; Cats* ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Lung ; Metacercariae ; Paragonimiasis* ; Paragonimus ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Skull ; Trephining

PURPOSE: Intentional poisoning is a major public health issue in many parts of the world. This study was conducted to provide details regarding the epidemiology of intentional poisoning in a metropolitan emergency department and to identify the changing patterns and epidemiology of poisoning. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate intentional poisoning of patients who visited the emergency department in a tertiary teaching hospital between 2001 and 2015. All intentional poisoning-related emergency department visits over three five year periods (2001-2005 (P1), 2006-2010 (P2) and 2011-2015 (P3)) were reviewed to investigate trends in intentional poisoning patients. Information regarding patient sex, age, time from episode to admission, psychiatric history, type of intoxicants, alcohol co-ingestion, gastric lavage, charcoal administration, any previous suicide attempts, need for hospitalization and death before discharge was reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 1269 patients were enrolled in this study. The number of patients admitted during each period was P1=515, P2=439 and P3=315. Comparison of the three groups revealed significant differences according to age (p<0.001), psychiatric history (p<0.001), alcohol co-ingestion (p=0.013), gastric lavage (p<0.001), charcoal administration (p<0.001), need for hospitalization (p=0.044), repeated attempt (p<0.001) and type of intoxicants (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The average age of intentional poisoning patients has increased. While the use of sedatives and multiple drugs increased, the use of pesticides and the antihistamine decreased.
Charcoal ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Epidemiology ; Gastric Lavage ; Hospitalization ; Hospitals, Teaching ; Humans ; Hypnotics and Sedatives ; Pesticides ; Poisoning* ; Public Health ; Retrospective Studies* ; Suicide

PURPOSE: Intentional poisoning is a major public health issue in many parts of the world. This study was conducted to provide details regarding the epidemiology of intentional poisoning in a metropolitan emergency department and to identify the changing patterns and epidemiology of poisoning. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate intentional poisoning of patients who visited the emergency department in a tertiary teaching hospital between 2001 and 2015. All intentional poisoning-related emergency department visits over three five year periods (2001-2005 (P1), 2006-2010 (P2) and 2011-2015 (P3)) were reviewed to investigate trends in intentional poisoning patients. Information regarding patient sex, age, time from episode to admission, psychiatric history, type of intoxicants, alcohol co-ingestion, gastric lavage, charcoal administration, any previous suicide attempts, need for hospitalization and death before discharge was reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 1269 patients were enrolled in this study. The number of patients admitted during each period was P1=515, P2=439 and P3=315. Comparison of the three groups revealed significant differences according to age (p<0.001), psychiatric history (p<0.001), alcohol co-ingestion (p=0.013), gastric lavage (p<0.001), charcoal administration (p<0.001), need for hospitalization (p=0.044), repeated attempt (p<0.001) and type of intoxicants (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The average age of intentional poisoning patients has increased. While the use of sedatives and multiple drugs increased, the use of pesticides and the antihistamine decreased.
Charcoal ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Epidemiology ; Gastric Lavage ; Hospitalization ; Hospitals, Teaching ; Humans ; Hypnotics and Sedatives ; Pesticides ; Poisoning* ; Public Health ; Retrospective Studies* ; Suicide

No abstract available.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Cholelithiasis/epidemiology* ; Comparative Study ; Female ; Human ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Age

BACKGROUND: Prediction of therapeutic response to radioactive iodine (RAI) in Graves disease is poorly understood. Although thyrotropin binding inhibitor immunoglobulin (TBII) level is a strong index for relapse after antithyroid drug treatment, conflicting results are described regarding its prognostic significance in Graves disease treated with RAI. This study is to evaluate possible prognostic factors including TBII wbich affect the outcome of RAI therapy in Graves disease. METHODS: Two hundred and one patients with Graves disease who were followed for over 12 months after RAI treatment were studied retrospectively. The subjects were divided into hypothyroid, euthyroid and hyperthyroid groups, based on the thyroid function evaluated at 12 months after RAI therapy. We evaluated the association of clinical parameters including patients age, goiter size, degree of hyperthyroidism and TBII index with outcome of RAI treatment. RESULTS: In Graves disease, response rate to RAI was 70.1% (hypothyroid 22.4% and euthyroid 47.7%) until 12th month. The mean age of hypothyroid group was 40+/-11 years, significantly older than that other groups (euthyroid: 33+/-12, hyperthyroid: 35+/-13, p<0.05). Initial level of thyroid function, duration of antithyroid drug treatment prior to RAI, goiter size and dosage of RAI were not significantly different between the groups. There were 61 patients who had both TBII tests before and after RAI. Twelve had negative TBII and 49 had positive TBII before RAI admini-stration. The rate of unremitted hyperthyroidism after RAI therapy was significantly lower in patients with negative TBII than in those with positive TBII prior to RAI treatment( 0% versus 46.9%, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Graves patients with positive TBII prior to RAI therapy were associated with lower therapeutic response to RAI than those with negatve TBII. And old age was associated with the development of early hypothyroidism after RAI therapy. These results suggest these factors be also considered in the treatment of Graves disease with RAI.
Goiter ; Graves Disease* ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism ; Hypothyroidism ; Immunoglobulins ; Iodine* ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyrotropin

OBJECTIVE: Amniocentesis for the diagnosis of prenatal genetic abnormalities is now the standard care for women who are at special risk. because the application of population-based maternal serum screening to prenatal diagnosis is now widespread, we can estimate the trend change of amniocentesis indications. METHODS: Four hundred twenty eight women who were attending the antenaltal clinic of Hanyang University Hospital had a amniocentesis between January 1992 and June 1997. The result were analyzed in reference to indication of amniocentesis, gestational age, pregnancy outcome and karyotype. RESULT: The major indications were abnormal maternal serum marker(53.3%), advanced maternal age(23.8%), previous fetal chromosomal anomaly(7.9%) and the most common age distribution at amniocentesis was 25-29 years(37.9%). The pregnancy outcome was full-term delivery(84.2%), preterm delivery(13.7%), spontaneous abortion(1.4%) and termination of pregnancy(0.7%). Among the 33 cases(7.7%) of abnormal karyotype, structural aberration was 21 cases(4.9%) and numerical aberration was 12 cases(2.8%). Among the numerical aberration, six cases of trisomy 21, five cases of Klinefelter syndrome, and one case of Turner syndrome were found. Among the structural aberration, insertion was most common(nine cases), and seven cases of inversion, four cases of translocation and one case of deletion were found. CONCLUSION: This is a report of genetic amniocentesis, with analysis of the indication, gestational age, karyotype results and complication.
Abnormal Karyotype ; Age Distribution ; Amniocentesis* ; Diagnosis ; Down Syndrome ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Karyotype ; Klinefelter Syndrome ; Mass Screening ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Prenatal Diagnosis* ; Turner Syndrome

OBJECTIVE: Amniocentesis for the diagnosis of prenatal genetic abnormalities is now the standard care for women who are at special risk. because the application of population-based maternal serum screening to prenatal diagnosis is now widespread, we can estimate the trend change of amniocentesis indications. METHODS: Four hundred twenty eight women who were attending the antenaltal clinic of Hanyang University Hospital had a amniocentesis between January 1992 and June 1997. The result were analyzed in reference to indication of amniocentesis, gestational age, pregnancy outcome and karyotype. RESULT: The major indications were abnormal maternal serum marker(53.3%), advanced maternal age(23.8%), previous fetal chromosomal anomaly(7.9%) and the most common age distribution at amniocentesis was 25-29 years(37.9%). The pregnancy outcome was full-term delivery(84.2%), preterm delivery(13.7%), spontaneous abortion(1.4%) and termination of pregnancy(0.7%). Among the 33 cases(7.7%) of abnormal karyotype, structural aberration was 21 cases(4.9%) and numerical aberration was 12 cases(2.8%). Among the numerical aberration, six cases of trisomy 21, five cases of Klinefelter syndrome, and one case of Turner syndrome were found. Among the structural aberration, insertion was most common(nine cases), and seven cases of inversion, four cases of translocation and one case of deletion were found. CONCLUSION: This is a report of genetic amniocentesis, with analysis of the indication, gestational age, karyotype results and complication.
Abnormal Karyotype ; Age Distribution ; Amniocentesis* ; Diagnosis ; Down Syndrome ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Karyotype ; Klinefelter Syndrome ; Mass Screening ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Prenatal Diagnosis* ; Turner Syndrome

Purpose: We sought correlations between the subfoveal choroidal thickness (SCT) and changes in the levels of aqueous humor cytokines before and after anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor (anti‐VEGF) treatment of patients with neovascular age‐related macular degeneration (nAMD) and pachychoroid neovasculopathy. Methods: We measured changes in the SCT and levels of aqueous humor cytokines (VEGF, soluble VEGF receptor‐2 [sVEGFR‐ 2], platelet‐derived growth factor [PDGF]‐AA, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 [MCP‐1], interleukin [IL]‐6, and IL‐8) after anti‐ VEGF treatment of 11 eyes of 11 nAMD patients and nine eyes of nine pachychoroid neovasculopathy patients. The aqueous humor cytokine levels were compared between the two groups. Results: After anti‐VEGF treatment, the aqueous levels of VEGF and PDGF‐AA decreased significantly, whereas that of sVEGFR‐2 increased. The amount of change in sVEGFR‐2 concentration before and after anti‐VEGF treatment correlated with the SCT and its change after treatment. nAMD patients with relatively thin SCTs and smaller SCT changes after anti‐VEGF treatment showed greater increases in sVEGFR‐2 levels following treatment. We found significant correlations among the MCP‐1, IL‐6, and IL‐8 levels in the nAMD group, and between the sVEGFR‐2 and MCP‐1, and MCP‐1 and PDGF‐AA, levels in the pachychoroid neovasculopathy group. Conclusions Patients with nAMD exhibited significant increases in aqueous sVEGFR‐2 levels following anti‐VEGF treatment and significant correlations among the levels of the inflammatory cytokines MCP‐1, IL‐6, and IL‐8, suggesting that angiogenic factors and inflammatory cytokines may affect the pathophysiologies of the two diseases differently.

BACKGROUND: In postmenopausal women, progestogen should be added to protect the endometrium from hyperplasia or carcinoma induced by the unopposed estrogen. However, the effects of progestogen on bone mineral densities and serum lipodproteins have not been precisely evaluated in Korean postmenopausal women. METHODS: To evaluate the effects of progestogen on bane mineral densities and serum lipoprotein in estrogen rephcement therapy, we canducted a 2-year trial of long conjugated equine estrogen(conjugated estrogen 0.625mg/day) with or without cyclic progestogen(MPA 5mg/day for 12 days) in 120 postmenopausal women. In all subjects, bone mineral density was measured in lumbar vertebra(L2-L4) and femur neck using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry(DEXA) and serum lipoprotein was measured from the beginning of the treatment, 12 manths, and 24 manths later, respectively. RESULTS: BMD of femur neck in both groups increased but not significantly compared to basal level at 12 months and/or 24 months of treatment. As for BMD of lumbar spine, it increased significantly in both groups. Both groups showed a significant decrease in the levels LDL cholesterol, but there was no statistical significance in serum triglycerids. Conjugated estrogen plus MPA group in constrast to conjugated estrogen only group showed a significant decrease in total cholesterol levels. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the addition of MPA of the daily of 5mg for 12 days cyclically in estrogen replacement treatment appear to be effective in postmenopausal women with protection on bone mineral density and maintenance of long-term favorable effects on serum lipoprotein.
Bone Density* ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Endometrium ; Estrogen Replacement Therapy* ; Estrogens* ; Female ; Femur Neck ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Lipid Metabolism* ; Lipoproteins ; Postmenopause ; Spine