We herein present a case of rare disease developed in a 43-year-old healthy woman. On her visit, we found several gray colored, well defined, pale, soft, wrinkled atrophic patches on the anterior portion of right upper chest area that is unusual location. The histologic findings showed typical features of lichen sclerosus et atrophicus.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus* ; Lichens* ; Rare Diseases ; Thorax*

The posterior fossa tumors were reviewed from January 1980 through September 1988. During that time, 72 tumors were diagnosed, with a male: female ratio of 1 : 1.8. The distribution of histopathologic types was; 17 acoustic neuromas(23%), 14 astrocytomas(19%), 8 hemangioblastomas(11%), 8 meningiomas(11%), 7 medulloblastomas(10%), 6 stem gliomas(8%), 4 metastatic tumors(5%), 3 granulomas(4%). The most common presenting symptoms were headache, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, diplopia and hearing diffrculty. Twenty-five patients(37%) showed hydrocephalus on CT scan. For the entire series of 60 patients operated on, results were: 31% excellent, 37% good, 8% fair, 13% poor and 10% Dead. Individuals with meningioma, acoustic neuroma or hemangioma were more favorable prognostically. With survival time should be further investigated for postoperative irradiation and chemotherapy.
Acoustics ; Diplopia ; Dizziness ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Headache ; Hearing ; Hemangioma ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Infratentorial Neoplasms ; Male ; Meningioma ; Nausea ; Neuroma, Acoustic ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vomiting

BACKGROUND: Korea is currently experiencing a rapid aging of its population. With regards to healthy aging, a mental health status is an important factor in the elderly. The purpose of our study was to investigate the prevalence of mental health problems (depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, poor quality of life) and to examine the relationships between health behaviors and mental health status. METHODS: The data were collected from the Korean Longitudinal Study on Aging, which was designed to compile information on several aspects of aging for use, as a basic statistical data in interdisciplinary research. A total of 5,548 elderly aged 60 years or older were included in this descriptive cross-sectional study. The results were examined with multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of depression, anxiety experience, and poor quality of life was 40.8%, 29.9%, and 54.6%, respectively. Current smoking was significantly associated with the risk of anxiety symptoms and poor quality of life (adjusted prevalence odds ratio [POR], 1.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02 to 1.52 and adjusted POR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.12 to 1.60, respectively). Also, not exercising regularly was significantly associated with all of the mental health problems (depression and anxiety symptoms, and poor quality of life), which were measured in this study (adjusted POR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.14 to 1.51 and adjusted POR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.19 to 1.62 and adjusted POR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.27 to 1.65, respectively). CONCLUSION: Elderly Koreans with health risk behaviors are likely to be vulnerable to mental health concerns. This finding underscores the continued needs to design and implement mental health policies at the community or the country level, especially in elderly Koreans with health risk behaviors.
Aged ; Aging ; Anxiety ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Depression ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Longitudinal Studies ; Mental Health ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Quality of Life ; Risk-Taking ; Smoke ; Smoking

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressive (FOP) is an extremely rare disabling disorder characterized by progressive heterotopic ossification associated with congenital digital malformations. The purpose of this study is to delineate the problems in diagnosis and treatment of this rare disease, and to present their solutions. Nine Korean FOP patients have been followed up for average 7.2 years. Their medical records and radiographs were reviewed, and they were reexamined directly or interviewed by telephone. There were 6 female and 3 male patients. The age at the time of this study averaged 13.3 years (range, 4 to 23). In 5 cases, the first clinical manifestation was migrating scalp and neck mass at the age of 1-2 years. The diagnosis was delayed for 3 year and 5 months at average although all the patients had pathognomonic big toe anomaly. Surgical excision of heterotopic ossification in an attempt to increase the joint motion was performed in 4 cases but in vain. Posterior spinal fusion in 1 case failed to prevent progression of scoliosis and trunk decompensation. Disodium etidronate, tried in 3 patients, brought no effective symptom relief. All the patients in their 20's were household ambulators. Understanding the clinical manifestation of this disease enables early diagnosis, by which unnecessary and harmful procedures such as surgical biopsy or excision can be avoided, although no effective treatment has been developed.
Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Etidronic Acid ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Humans ; Joints ; Male ; Medical Records ; Myositis Ossificans* ; Neck ; Ossification, Heterotopic ; Rare Diseases ; Scalp ; Scoliosis ; Spinal Fusion ; Telephone ; Toes

To determine the recovery time from noise-induced temporary threshold shift (TTS), a prospective field study was conducted at three worksites where workers are known to be exposed high level of noise. Subjects were selected according to answers on a questionnaire which inquired about otological history and previous noise exposure, including avocational, military and occupational exposures. After excluding employees with past otologic problems, recent exposure to high level noise, and under medications, total 92 employees participated in the study. Among 92 participants, complete consecutive audiometric examinations were carried out at 0~2 hours, 5~7 hours, 14~16 hours after worktime noise exposure on 26 participants wearing hearing protectors and 22 participants wearing no protective devices. The difference between the hearing level 0~2 hours after noise exposure and 5~7 hours is statistically significant by paired t-test(p<0.01). The median recovery times calculated from the data of 22 participants wearing no protective hearing devices are 15.6 hours at 4000 Hz, and 7.7 hours, 10.3 hours, 8.4 hours at 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz and 8000 Hz respectively. These data suggest that when measuring the pure tone audiometry for noise exposed workers, at least 16 hours noise-free interval is required.
Audiometry ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced ; Humans ; Military Personnel ; Noise ; Occupational Exposure ; Prospective Studies ; Protective Devices ; Questionnaires ; Workplace

To determine the recovery time from noise-induced temporary threshold shift (TTS), a prospective field study was conducted at three worksites where workers are known to be exposed high level of noise. Subjects were selected according to answers on a questionnaire which inquired about otological history and previous noise exposure, including avocational, military and occupational exposures. After excluding employees with past otologic problems, recent exposure to high level noise, and under medications, total 92 employees participated in the study. Among 92 participants, complete consecutive audiometric examinations were carried out at 0~2 hours, 5~7 hours, 14~16 hours after worktime noise exposure on 26 participants wearing hearing protectors and 22 participants wearing no protective devices. The difference between the hearing level 0~2 hours after noise exposure and 5~7 hours is statistically significant by paired t-test(p<0.01). The median recovery times calculated from the data of 22 participants wearing no protective hearing devices are 15.6 hours at 4000 Hz, and 7.7 hours, 10.3 hours, 8.4 hours at 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz and 8000 Hz respectively. These data suggest that when measuring the pure tone audiometry for noise exposed workers, at least 16 hours noise-free interval is required.
Audiometry ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced ; Humans ; Military Personnel ; Noise ; Occupational Exposure ; Prospective Studies ; Protective Devices ; Questionnaires ; Workplace