BACKGROUND: In women, the prevalence of depression is known to be more than twice as high as in men. Because many depressive women complain of their somatic symptoms instead of neurovegetative ones, many cases of depression have been misdiagnosed. Women also tend to use medicine more frequently than men do to manage depression. So we investigated the relationship between somatic symptoms and drug use in housewives for better management. METHODS: From 1st. March to 31st. March in 1996, the prepared questionnaires were presented to housewives living in the area of Kyung-ju city, who responded the questionnaires under direct interview. The questionnaire was composed of two parts. One part included demographic data, somatic complaints, drug use, places of drug purchase, current diseases that had been diagnosed by doctors. The other included Korean standard Beck Depression Inventory-questionnaire. The subjects were divided into two groups by BDI score(21 point), which was the cut-off point for depression in Korea. The relationships of somatic symptoms and drug use between the two groups were analyzed. RESULTS: There were 110 housewives who had depressive trends among 569 respondents. In general characteristics, there was significant difference between the two groups except the item of religion. In the items of somatic symptoms, there were more somatic symptoms in the group of high BDI score(>_21) except fatigue(P<0.01). More drug users were found in the group of high BDI score(>_21) (P<0.05). In the group of high BDI score(>_21), there was definite correlation between the items of somatic symptoms and drug use. There was no difference between the two groups in the item of drug purchase site. The most common site of drug purchase was the drug store in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Depressive housewives complained of more somatic symptoms and more often used drugs as well.
Surveys and Questionnaires ; Depression ; Drug Users ; Female ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Prevalence

BACKGROUND: Even though there have been much improvment in general understanding of the climacteric period and increased knowledge of biological aspects of menopause such as Hormone Replacement Therapy, the psychosocial aspects of climacterium was relatively out of consideration. The purpose of this paper is to help make it easy understanding the psychosocial determinants of climacterium through the investigation of correlation between the life stress and the climacteric symptoms in the middle aged women. METHODS: This study was performed on climacteric women at the age ranging from 40 to 55 who reside in Kyong-Ju city. Self reported questionnaires composed of inquiry about demographic characteristics, climacteric symptom scale, and life stress scale were distributed and 123 cases were analyzed in June. and July 1996. The Climacteric Symptom Scale was developed by JG Greene in 1976. In this scale, climacteric symptoms were classified to 3 categories of psychological, somatic, vasomotor symptoms by factor analysis. For quantitative measurement of stress, we used Office Stress Measurement Scale developed by Bae JM et al in 1992. We studied the correlation between stress scores and each class of climacteric symptoms, and the difference of climacteric symptom scores according to the menopausal status and demographic characteristics. RESULTS: The correlation coefficient between the climacteric symptom scores and the stress scores was 0.329(P=0.000) but this correlation was significant in only premenopausal group(correlation coefficient=0.479). Among climacteric symptom classes, the correlation with stress scores is most prominent in psychological symptom class, then somatic symptoms, vasomotor symptoms. There was no difference in climacteric symptom scores to the menopausal status and demographic characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Women who had more stress complained more climacteric symptoms, especially psychological symptoms. This correlation was significant in the premenopausal group only. And the severity of climacteric symptoms didnt change by demographic characteristics.
Climacteric* ; Female ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Hormone Replacement Therapy ; Humans ; Menopause ; Middle Aged ; Self Report ; Stress, Psychological* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Even though there have been much improvment in general understanding of the climacteric period and increased knowledge of biological aspects of menopause such as Hormone Replacement Therapy, the psychosocial aspects of climacterium was relatively out of consideration. The purpose of this paper is to help make it easy understanding the psychosocial determinants of climacterium through the investigation of correlation between the life stress and the climacteric symptoms in the middle aged women. METHODS: This study was performed on climacteric women at the age ranging from 40 to 55 who reside in Kyong-Ju city. Self reported questionnaires composed of inquiry about demographic characteristics, climacteric symptom scale, and life stress scale were distributed and 123 cases were analyzed in June. and July 1996. The Climacteric Symptom Scale was developed by JG Greene in 1976. In this scale, climacteric symptoms were classified to 3 categories of psychological, somatic, vasomotor symptoms by factor analysis. For quantitative measurement of stress, we used Office Stress Measurement Scale developed by Bae JM et al in 1992. We studied the correlation between stress scores and each class of climacteric symptoms, and the difference of climacteric symptom scores according to the menopausal status and demographic characteristics. RESULTS: The correlation coefficient between the climacteric symptom scores and the stress scores was 0.329(P=0.000) but this correlation was significant in only premenopausal group(correlation coefficient=0.479). Among climacteric symptom classes, the correlation with stress scores is most prominent in psychological symptom class, then somatic symptoms, vasomotor symptoms. There was no difference in climacteric symptom scores to the menopausal status and demographic characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Women who had more stress complained more climacteric symptoms, especially psychological symptoms. This correlation was significant in the premenopausal group only. And the severity of climacteric symptoms didnt change by demographic characteristics.
Climacteric* ; Female ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Hormone Replacement Therapy ; Humans ; Menopause ; Middle Aged ; Self Report ; Stress, Psychological* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

A 28-year-old male patient is described who developed multiple erythematous nodules and papules on the face, upper chest, back, upper and lower extrimities, leading to extensive ia.filtration of the skin and lymph nodes. Histology from the involved lymph node and skin nodule revealed widely scattered patchy infiltration of abnormal. hyperchromatic polymorphous histiocytes in the dermis. The patient died at about 8 months after onset of the disease, in spite of antineoplastic treatment.
Adult ; Dermis ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphoma* ; Male ; Skin ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: Disinfection is essential for the prevention of hospital infoction. Tego-51, one of the amphoteric surfactants based on the dodecyl-di( aminoethyl)-glycine, has been considered as an effctive disinfectant having a broad specturn of antimicrobial activity. We evaluated the disinfective activity of Tego-51 against several clinical isolates of bacteria and yeasts including Helicobacter pyiori. METHODS: Twenty three strains of vacteria including H. pylori, and a strain of yeast were exposed to the various concentrations (0.05%, 0.01%, 0.005%) of Tego-51 for the various periods (0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16min). After the exposure to Tego-51 disinfectant, 0.01 mL of mixture of microorfanisms and Tego-51 was inoculated into brain-heart infusion broth, into Sabouraud dextrose agar. or Wilkins-Chalgren agar with 10% sheep blood, and incubated at 37 degrees C for 48 hours or in the Campy Pouch microaerophilic system. RESULTS: Most strains were killed within 30 seconds after an exposure to 0.01% of Tego-51, but Proteus mirabilis was eradicated after two minutes of exposure. At the concentration of 0.005 % concentration. P. mirabilis and Bacillus subtilis were killed after eight minutes od exposure. H. pylori was killed with 0.005% Tego-51within 30 seconds. Conslusions: This study showed that Tego-51disinfectant was effective for the disinfection of commonly isolated bacteria and yeast from hospital. It may be recommended that Tego-51 should be used at concentration greater than 0.1% for the effective disinfection of skin, instruments and hospital floors.
Agar ; Bacillus subtilis ; Bacteria ; Cross Infection ; Disinfection ; Glucose ; Helicobacter ; Mirabilis ; Proteus mirabilis ; Sheep ; Skin ; Surface-Active Agents ; Yeasts

Red blood cells that agglutinate with most normal adult sera but never with own sera are termed polyagglutinable and can be separated by patterns of lectin reactivity into various types. Among these polyagglutination, activation of the T cryptantigen occurs when carbohydrate structures on glycophorins A and B lose sialic acid and express the disaccharide Gal beta-l-3 GalNac which reacts with the peanut agglutinin, a lectin from Arachis hypogaea. T activation is a temporary condition due to exposure of the membrane antigen to the action of microbial neuraminidase. In T activated red cells, the following hazards, which are theoretically possible, are spontaneous polyagglutination of red cells in vitro, in vivo and severe blood transfusion reactions. We experienced a case of T activation in 6 month old girl with bacterial meningitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. The reactivity to lectins indicated the patient's red cells were T activated. We report a case of T activation in an infant with the review of literature.
Adult ; Arachis ; Blood Transfusion ; Erythrocytes ; Female ; Glycophorin ; Humans ; Infant ; Lectins ; Membranes ; Meningitis, Bacterial ; N-Acetylneuraminic Acid ; Neuraminidase ; Peanut Agglutinin ; Streptococcus pneumoniae

We messured delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity reactions by Multitest CMI Kit. Total 209 normal adults ranging in age from 17 to 55 year(male 106, female 103) were tested. The results were obtained as follows ; 1. Sum of average diameter of positive antigens wss 20.7mm in male and 15.6mm in female. 2. Number of positive antigens was 3.9 in male and 3.4 in female. 3. Rate of anergy was 1.4%(0.9% in male, 1.9% in female). 4. The rate of subjects below warning score(below 10mm in male, below 5mm in female) was 2.8% in male and 5.8% in female. 5. Antigen with the highest response was tuberculin in both sex(male 95.3%, female 89.3%) and antigen with the lowest response was trichophyton(22.5%). 6. Aversge score of positive response of every antigens was highest in tuberculin at both sex(male 2.8mm, female 2,6mm) 7. Average score of total antigens with positive response was 5.5mm in male and 4.6mm in female. 8. The rate of false positive reaction to 70% W/V glycerine was 1.4% totally.
Adult* ; False Positive Reactions ; Female ; Glycerol ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Korea* ; Male ; Tuberculin

Epidermolytic hyperkeratosis, previously called bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma is a dominantly inherited disorcler and usually manifested by blisters at or shortly after birth. We report a case of epidermolytic hyperkeratosis in 9 year old girl vrho developed generalized erythema &: easily eroded vesicles at birth. Later the skin lesions progresed to characteristic thick, grayish-dark brown verruform cais, affecting predominantly flexural and intertriginous areas. Fiistologic findings show typical granular degeneration.
Blister ; Child ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 ; Erythema ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperkeratosis, Epidermolytic* ; Parturition ; Skin

we report a case of elastosis perforans serpiginosa associated with pseudoxanthoma e1asticurn on t:he neck of 27-year-old male patient. The lesions showecl erythematous scaly hyperkeratotic papules forming serpiginous pattern on yellowish elevated plaques. A skin biopsy specimen from the neck lesion revealed dense accurmulations of coarse elastic fibers partly cngulfed by epithelium in the papillary dcrrnis and increase cif short, irregulary clumped and degenerated clastic fibers in the middermis. On funduscopic exarnination, angioid streak is noted around the optic disk.
Adult ; Angioid Streaks ; Biopsy ; Elastic Tissue ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Male ; Neck ; Optic Disk ; Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum* ; Skin

BACKGROUND: There is much harmful influence for health promotion when general publics and medical group misunderstand common health knowledge. Therefore we investigated the proportion of misunderstanding about health knowledge of general publics and medical group. METHODS: The data were collected via questionnaire which consisted of 30 questions (ll health behavior, 5 symptom, 14 treatment knowledge) quoted or revised on the basis of the book ('Misunderstood common health knowledge 100' published by humanism practice medical doctor association, 1994, hanwol company, South korea). The subjects were nonmedical group (third grade elementary school teachers and parents of students in Kyong ju city) and medical group (doctors-specialist, resident, intern, oriental doctor, medical student, nurse, assistant nurse in Kyong-Ju, Pohang city). The score was given 0 for false answer or no answer and 1 for true answer. RESULTS: The dominant subclasses of study subjects were as follows .Sex; female(352:64.5%)/age; 30-40 years old(318 persons : 58.5%) education ; high school graduate group(232: 42.8%)/job; nonmedical group(housewives, 168:36.2%), rnedical group(nurse, 67:36.2%). Medical group acquired higher total average score than non-medical group. There were no differences in the total scores about treatment, symptom, and health behavior in nonmedical group by job. In the medical group, doctors earned significantly higher score than other jobs. The average score per question was 0.53 in nonmedical group and 0.69 in medical group. Non-medical group received average score below 0.5 in 14 questions among 30 questions, while medical group received only in 5 items. CONCLUSIONS: Medical group acquired higher total average score than nonmedical group. Average score per question was 0.53 in non-medical group and 0.69 in medical group.
Education ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Health Behavior ; Health Promotion ; Humanism ; Humans ; Parents ; Students, Medical ; Surveys and Questionnaires