This study was designed to investigate the differences of quality of life(QOL) between traumatic brain injury(TBI) and control groups, and also between mild traumatic, brain injury (MTBI) and severe traumatic brain injury (STBI) groups, in term of the global, the psychosocial and the neurobehavioral aspects of QOL. Twenty-three patients with MTBI, 23 patients with STBI and 31 normal control group were rated with a global measure(Quality of Life Index ; QOLI), a psychosocial measure(Sickness Impact Profile SIP), and a self-rating(Head Injury Symptom Checklist ; HISCL) and an objective symptom scales(Neurobehavioral Rating Scale ; NRS) The result were as follows : 1) Comparison with a control group showed that the brain-injured had expenenced significant impairment in QOL measured by above all scales(p<.01). 2) On QOLI of the patients with TBI, the decrement of QOL was not significantly different between MTBI and STBI groups. In these groups, the severity of impairment was highest in acfivify(involvement in own occupation) and the next was outlook in life. 3) On the data from SIP, psychosocial dysfunction was significantly greater in MTBI than STBI(p<.05), whereas physical impairment was similar in both groups of TBI. 4) The severity of subjective complaints on HISCL was significantly greater in(p<.05). Particularly MTBI patients experienced more severe distress from pain, noise sensitivity, and insomnia than STBI patients(p<.05). 5) On NRS, the severity of objective symptoms of both TBI groups was highest in somatic concern, depressed mood, and anxiety in decreasing order. MTBI groups had significandy higher scores than STBI group on the subscales of somatic concern, depressed mood, fatigue, and inaffention(p<.05). In summary, the decrement of QOL in the MTBI group was much the same as STBI groups. These data suggest that symptomatic MTBI as well as STBI patients may experience impaired QOL in a number of domain well beyond the acute post-injury phases, and that severity of injury, defined by duration of loss of consciousness and post-traumatic amnesia, and finding of neuroimaging techniques, is not apperaciable related to the QOL.
Amnesia ; Anxiety ; Brain ; Brain Injuries* ; Checklist ; Fatigue ; Humans ; Neuroimaging ; Noise ; Quality of Life* ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; Unconsciousness

PURPOSE: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a new imaging technique that can provide cross-sectional images of the retina. This study was designed to evaluate the thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and optic nerve head shape in normal eyes using OCT. METHODS: A total of 134 normal Korean volunteers in different age groups (age range, 10-50 years) were recruited for this study. Fifty-nine males and 75 females were enrolled. The mean age of the subjects was 24.0+/-12.91 years. RESULTS: At optic disc scan, the horizontal and vertical C/D ratios were 0.55 and 0.48, respectively, which were statistically significant (p<0.05). A significant positive correlation with increasing age was identified in the C/D area ratio and horizontal C/D ratio. According to the RNFL scan, the inferior and superior areas were significantly thicker than the nasal and superior areas. These areas were thinner with age. In addition, RNFL thickness in the superonasal, inferotemporal and superotemporal areas differed between subjects under 20 years old and those over 21 years old. CONCLUSIONS: We determined that RNFL thickness and optic nerve head shape in normal Koreans had age-related differences. These results could provide correctness with OCT scan in glaucoma patients.
Female ; Glaucoma ; Humans ; Male ; Nerve Fibers ; Optic Disk ; Retina ; Retinaldehyde ; Tomography, Optical Coherence* ; Volunteers ; Young Adult

A Clinical observation was made on five patients with ruptured right aortic sinus of valsalva who admitted Soonchunhyang College Hospital during the period of may, 1983-Jan., 1985. 1) Age distribution was from 18 to 46 years and four patients were male and the rest one was female. 2) Chief complaints were dyspnea, chest pain and palpitation. Continuous murmur was heard at third and fourth intercostal space along left sternal border with palpable thrill in all cases. 3) The ECG showed left ventricular hypertrophy in 4 cases and the M mode echocardiogram revealed the increased internal dimesion and the augmented motion of the left ventricle in all cases. The 2 dimensional echocardiogram revealed the aneurysmal sac in the right ventricle in 4 cases. 4) The aortogram by DSA method showed regurgitant flow from aorta to right ventricle in 4 cases. The cardiac catheterization showed a significant oxygen step up in the right ventricle in all cases. 5) Operation was done successfully in all cases, of which ventricular septal defect were in 3 cases and aortic regurgitation was in one case.
Age Distribution ; Aneurysm ; Aorta ; Aortic Valve Insufficiency ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Chest Pain ; Dyspnea ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Male ; Oxygen ; Sinus of Valsalva*

BACKGROUND: It has been recognized for many years that myocardial infarction is almost invariably associated with significant narrowing of one or more coronary arteries. However, the widespread use of selective coronary angiography has resulted in an increasing number of reports of patients with proved infarction and patent coronary arteries. The purpose of this study was to analyze whether any clinical features distinguishes patients with these findings from those having coronary arterial lesions. METHODS: The clinical association of myocardial infarction with no significant stenosis of major coronary artery on cineangiogram was analysed retrospectively. The findings on the 13 patients in this group was compared with those of myocardial infartion with significant coronary artery stenosis. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in risk factors, hemodynamic findings of cardiac catheterization and the site of infarction between both groups. However, the patients with no significant stenosis of coronary artery had fewer complications during hospitalization and lesser ST segment change during exercise test before discharge. CONCLUSION: It could be concluded that the acute myocardial infarction with no significant stenosis of coronary arteries would have the better prognosis. The mechanism of the acute myocardial infarction with no significant stenosis of coronary arteries might be studied in the aspect of the coronary artery spasm and the alternation of function of endothelial cell.
Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Stenosis* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Endothelial Cells ; Exercise Test ; Hemodynamics ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Infarction ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Spasm

We evaluated the safety, stability, predictability and efficacy of photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) with Schwind excimer laser for one year. We performed one-step procedures on 114 eyes of 92 patients. They were divided into three groups according to their manifest refractive error (spherical equivalent): Group ! (<-5 D, 39 eyes) , Group I (-5. 01 to -8 D, 40 eyes) , or Group III (>-8.01 D, 35 eyes). One year after PRK, uncorrected visual acuity of 0.8 or better was achieved in 95% of eyes in group I, 97% of eyes in group I and 63% of eyes in group III. In the group I , 90% of eyes were within +/-1 D of attempted correction, as were 95% in group II and 63% in group III. Complications were corneal haze above grade 2(8.8%), temporarily increased intraocular pressure (18.4%), central island (14.9%), eccentric ablation more than 0. 5mm(34.2%) and halo (0.9%). We conclude that the Schwind excimer laser PRK appears to be 8 safe and relatively accurate procedure to correct low to moderate myopia, but long-term and more frequent follow-up is needed for high myopia.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Lasers, Excimer ; Myopia ; Photorefractive Keratectomy ; Refractive Errors ; Visual Acuity

No abstract available.
Pregnancy* ; Uric Acid*

The Scheimpflug photography was used to evauate objectively changes in lens opacity at a month interval in 143 eyes of 78 patients affected by early cataract. from Dec. 1993 to Dec. 1994. A total of 48 patients were treated daily with 1.5g bendazac-lysine, and 30 patients constituted the control group. We checked visual acuity and analyzed change of lens opacity by using axial densitometry and retroillumination of Scheimpflug photography after Bendaline(R) medication up to 9 months After treatment, improvement or no change of subjective visual acuity was observed in 65 eyes(78.3%) of treated group, whereas decrement in 35 eyes (58.3%) of control group. In the axial densitometry, the nuclear opacity began to improve after 3 months of medication and opacities of lens between anterior supranucleus and posterior capsule were statistically significant improved after 5 months of medication (p<0.05). There's no correlation in the change of opacity area under retroillumination (p>0.05). The result show that bendazac lysine may be effective in improvement of visual acuity and delay the formation of lens opacity in early cataract.
Cataract* ; Densitometry ; Humans ; Lysine ; Photography ; Visual Acuity

We evaluated the safety and efficacy of photo-astigmatic refractive keratectomy(PARK) with Schwind excimer laser for one year. We performed PARK procedures on 28 eyes with compound myopic astigmatism. Twenty eight eyes were divided into two groups according to their astigmatism: low(up to -1.5D, 15 eyes), high(over -1.5, 13 eyes). Mean preoperative astigmatism was 1.17+/-0.28 in low astigmatism group and 2.67+/-0.90 in high astigmatism group. Mean one year postoperative astigmatism was 0.40+/-0.39 in low astigmatism group and 0.48+/-0.56 in high astigmatism group. Correction rate of astigmatism was 62.3% in low astigmatism group and 79.4% in high astigmatism group. Complications were loss of best corrected visual acuity 2 line or more(2 eyes), temporary increased intraocular pressure(4 eyes), over 0.25mm eccentric ablation(2 eyes). We concluded that the Schwind excimer laser PARK appeared to be a safe and relatively accurate proceudre to correct myopic astigmatism, especially predictability of astigmatism correction was very satisfactory.
Astigmatism ; Lasers, Excimer ; Visual Acuity

It has been known that ultraviolet B(UVB) light made an oxidative damage to lens proteins, lipids and nucleic acids to induce lens opacity. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of bendazac lysine salt (Bendaline) tot the experimental cataract developed by UV irradiation. Forty rats were exposed to 0.1mW/cm2 of UVB radiation in the range 300-320 mm for 24 hours per day. Five control rats were not exposed UVB radiation. During the investigative period, we measured lens opacity with Scheimpflug camera every other week. Rats were divided into 9 groups according to the duration of UV radiation and initial time of bendazac lysine medication. Bendazac lysine was administered orally by 25mg/kg per day for 2 months. The opacities on anterior cortex, nucleus and posterior capsule began to appear 4 months after UVB irradiation. The longer duration of radiation, the more severe opacity of lens was observed, especially at the layers of posterior supranucleus, posterior cortex and posterior capsule and in the opacity area by retroillumination image. After UVB induced cataract was developed, the lens opacity was not changed nevertheless stop the UV irradiation. Lens opacity of bendazac lysine-treated groups was not severer than that of no medication groups. There were less opacities on 4 month irradiated group rather than 6 month irradiated group at the layers of nucleus and posterior cortex and in the opacity area. Anticataract action of bendazac lysine was effective in earlier cataract. In the group of bendazac lysine medication with UVB irradiation on same time, the prophylactic evidence of bendazac lysine was not observed.
Animals ; Cataract* ; Crystallins ; Lysine* ; Nucleic Acids ; Rats*

No abstract available.