OBJECTIVE: To investigate the understanding of breast-feeding in pregnant woman and the proper way of encouraging breast-feeding. METHODS: Each questionnaire included items about demographic characteristics and the understanding of breast-feeding. The questionnaires were filled up by pregnant women visiting obstetric clinics in Seoul and its vicinities, Busan, Choongjoo and Chungjoo from July 2001 to August 2001. One thousand, two hundred ninety questionnaires were analysed by Chi square tests and multiple logistic regressions. RESULTS:The majority of pregnant women(87.4%) planned breast-feeding. Forty three percent of them had plans to breast-feed for 4-6 months. There were no differences in the level of education, the family size and the source of information about breast-feeding in planning to breast-feed (P>0.05). The main reasons for not choosing to breast-feed were returns to work(41.3%), previous failures of breast-feeding(17.4%), concerns about insufficient amount of breast milk(10.9%), breast and nipple problems(10.3%) and maternal illness(9.4%). The average score on the test of the understanding about breast-feeding was 59.7/100. The average scores on the understanding about the methods and advantages of breast-feeding were 45.3/100 and 86.1/100, respectively. The maternal status of employment, previous history of breast-feeding, the time of decision to breast- feed, person advocating breast-feeding and the understanding on the advantages of breast-feeding were significant determinant factors in planning to breast-feed(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Pediatricians should take steps to make an effort to increase the breast-feeding rate and to encourage breast-feeding by timely education. Beyond the medical field, political and social supports for breast-feeding are urgently needed.
Breast ; Busan ; Education ; Employment ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Nipples ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Seoul

Vitamin D is an important fat-soluble vitamin that functions as a prohormone and affects bone mineralization and calcium homeostasis. Vitamin D deficiency causesboth musculoskeletal manifestations, including rickets, and extra-musculoskeletal symptoms. Because vitamin D is naturally present in only some foods, intake of daily foods cannot meet the dietary reference intake for vitamin D. Sunlight is the main source of vitamin D in humans therefore, the lack of sunlight can easily cause vitamin D deficiency in children and adolescents. Vitamin D deficiency can be diagnosed on the basis ofits typical clinical manifestation, laboratory tests, and radiologic findings. Detection of vitamin D deficiency in children or adolescents necessitates the simultaneous administration of vitamin D and calcium supplements. To prevent vitamin D deficiency, 200 IU of daily vitamin D intake is recommended in infants, and 400 IU of daily vitamin D intake is recommended in Korean children and adolescents.
Adolescent ; Calcification, Physiologic ; Calcium ; Child ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Infant ; Rickets ; Sunlight ; Vitamin D ; Vitamin D Deficiency ; Vitamins

PURPOSE: The identification of specific behaviors conducive to overeating or inactivity is the cornerstone of obesity management. The Committee on Nutrition of the Korean Pediatric Society developed parent and self-reporting questionnaires about eating behavior and physical activity in 2006. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the questionnaires in assessing modifiable lifestyle factors related to obesity. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed for 177 children (6-11 years old) and 134 adolescents (12-16 years old) from 10 hospitals between May 2006 and January 2007 who had completed parent or self-reporting questionnaires. Cases were divided into normal and overweight groups at or above the age-gender-specific 85th percentile based on 2007 Korean national growth charts. RESULTS: Compared to children, the adolescents tended to have a significantly more sedentary lifestvle and inappropriate dietary behaviors significantly (P<.05). Overweight mothers were significantly associated with overweight children and adolescents (P<.05). Being overweight was significantly associated with a family history of adult diseases for children and adolescents (P<.05). Inappropriate eating behaviors (strong appetite, eating fast, eating until they were full, binge eating, favoring greasy foods) were associated with being overweight in children and adolescents. Sedentary activity such as TV viewing and using a computer were significantly associated with overweight in children and adolescents (P<.05). CONCLUSION: Intervention to modify obesity-related lifestyle factors is needed before adolescence. These questionnaires are useful in identifying modifiable lifestyle factors and in individual counseling for overweight children and adolescents in pediatric clinics.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Appetite ; Bulimia ; Child ; Counseling ; Eating ; Feeding Behavior ; Growth Charts ; Humans ; Hyperphagia ; Life Style ; Mothers ; Motor Activity ; Obesity ; Overweight ; Parents ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Retrospective Studies

This study was aimed to elucidate the effects of K(ATP) activation during IPC on the PKC-epsilon, NF-kappaB and AP-1 in ischemia-reperfused rat hearts. SD male rats weighting from 300 to 350 g were split into 9 groups, such as sham control (S), IPC, 3 cycles of 5 min ischemia and 5 min reperfusion, continuous preconditioning (CP), 8 cycles of 5 min ischemia and 5 min reperfusion, K(ATP) opening (KO) with pinacidil (1.0 mg/kg), K(ATP) blocking with glibenclamide (1.0 mg/kg) injection, ischemia (IS), 30 min ischemia, IPC followed by IS, 8) K(ATP) blocking and IPC followed by IS (KB+IPC+IS), IS and K(ATP) opening (KO+IS). Heart were subjected to ligation of left descending coronary artery and reperfusion in groups of IPC, CP, IS with or without IPC. Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting for PKC-epsilon, NF-kappaB and AP-1 were performed at 3, 6, 24 hours after reperfusion or treatment. Immunoreactivities against PKC-epsilon antibody were observed stronger in the groups of IPC, KO, IPC+IS and KO+IS than groups of KB, IS and KB+IPC+IS. NF-kappaB activation and translocation were only observed in the groups of including 30 min ischemia and reperfusion. AP-1 activation and translocation were opposite to the results of PKC-epsilon activation. In the group of CP, KB, IS and KB+IPC+IS, reactivities of AP-1 antibody were stronger than IPC+IS, KO+IS, and weaker in the groups of S, IPC and KO. These results suggest that K(ATP) opening with IPC or pharmacological methods may direct effect on the PKC-epsilon activation and that K(ATP) blocking has effect on the AP-1 activation and translocation in the heart of ischemiareperfused of rats.
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Coronary Vessels ; Glyburide ; Heart* ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Ischemia ; Ischemic Preconditioning* ; Ligation ; Male ; NF-kappa B* ; Pinacidil ; Rats* ; Reperfusion ; Transcription Factor AP-1*

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and increased common carotid artery intimamedia thickness (IMT) are known target organ damages of hypertension. However, the relation between LVH and carotid artery IMT is not well defined in Korea. Thus, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the association of common carotid artery IMT and luminal diameter (LD) with LVH (LV mass) in patients with hypertension. METHOD: LV mass was measured by echocardiography and IMT and LD of right and left common carotid artery were measured by high resolution ultrasound in non-hypertensive subjects (n=24), patients with known hypertension without LVH (n=22) and hypertension with LVH (n=22). Data obtained were adjusted statistically for age. RESULTS: Mean IMT (in mm) were 0.51+/-0.12 in non-hypertension group, 0.61+/-0.09 in hypertension without LVH group and 0.73+/-0.13 in hypertension with LVH group (age adjusted p<0.0001 by ANCOVA). Mean systolic and diastolic IMT/LD ratios were 0.077+/-0.015 and 0.089+/-0.018 in non-hypertensive group, 0.052+/-0.015 and 0.09+/-0.014 in hypertension without LVH group, and 0.085+/-0.015 and 0.104+/-0.022 in hypertension with LVH group (p=0.063 for systolic ratio and 0.137 for diastolic ratio). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that there is a significant correlation between carotid artery intima-media thickness and LVH in hypertensio.
Carotid Arteries* ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness ; Echocardiography ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular* ; Korea ; Phenobarbital ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Various intravenous (IV) antiarrhythmic drugs in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) refractory to electrical cardiooversion have been attempted. We assessed the efficacy of IV propafenone in patients with AF who failed to achieve normal sinus rhythm using standard external direct current (DC) cardioversion. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Of the 77 AF patients who underwent a DC cardioversion, 18, who were refractory for up to a maximal 360 joules of external DC cardioversion, were included in this study. Propafenone was infused for 10 minutes at doses of 2 mg/kg (n=3), 2.5 mg/kg (n=8), and 3 mg/kg (n=7) followed by repeated DC cardioversion. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients receiving propafenone was 55+/-14 years and 21% were women. The mean ejection fraction and the average diameter of the left atrium were 56+/-5% and 42+/-7 mm, respectively. The AF cycle length increased following propafenone infusion form 160+/-23 ms to 278+/-62 ms (p<0.05). The AF converted to a normal sinus rhythm following propafenone infusion in three patients. Thirteen patients were successfully cardioverted following IV propafenone infusion, with a mean accumulated energy of 410+/-216 joules (689+/-373 joules prior to propafenone infusion, p<0.05). Cardioversion failed in 2 patients;therefore, the success rate of the cardioversion in patients who received IV propafenone was 88.9% (16/18). No significant adverse effects were observed. CONCLUSION: IV propafenone can be safely used to enhance the efficacy of cardioversion in patients with AF refractory to transthoracic DC cardioversion.
Anti-Arrhythmia Agents ; Atrial Fibrillation* ; Electric Countershock* ; Female ; Heart Atria ; Humans ; Propafenone*

PURPOSE: Exhaled nitric oxide (NO) is a useful non-invasive biomarker for asthma diagnosis; however, the literature suggests that exhaled NO levels may be affected by demographic factors. The present analysis investigated determinant factors that present exhaled NO reference levels for Korean elderly adults. METHODS: For reference levels, we analyzed the baseline data of healthy adult participants in the Ansung cohort. The fraction of exhaled NO (FeNO) was measured by NIOX MINO(R). The characterization of the subjects was performed through structured questionnaires, spirometry, and methacholine challenge tests. To validate the diagnostic utility of the determined reference levels, asthma patients were recruited from medical institutions for FeNO measurement. RESULTS: A total of 570 healthy subjects were analyzed (mean age, 59.9+/-12.3; male, 37.0%) for reference levels. FeNO levels significantly correlated with weight, height, body mass index, atopy, or forced expiratory volume in 1 second % predicted by simple linear regression analysis. Multiple linear regression analysis identified gender as an independent determinant for FeNO levels; subsequently, the reference values for FeNO were 18.2+/-10.6 ppb (5th to 95th percentile, 6.0 to 37.4 ppb) for males and 12.1+/-6.9 ppb (5th to 95th percentile, 2.5 to 27.0 ppb) for females. The diagnostic utility of FeNO reference levels was validated by receiver operating curve analysis (area under curve, 0.900 for males and 0.885 for females) for diagnosing asthma. The optimal cutoff values for the prediction of asthma were 30.5 ppb for males and 20.5 ppb for females. CONCLUSIONS: The current analysis presented reference ranges and the diagnostic utility of FeNO levels for asthma in Korean elderly adults.
Adult ; Aged* ; Asthma ; Body Height ; Cohort Studies ; Demography ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Male ; Methacholine Chloride ; Nitric Oxide* ; Reference Values* ; Spirometry ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Objective: To compare the convenience and effectiveness of the existing lumbosacral orthoses (LSO) (classic LSO and Cybertech) and a newly developed LSO (V-LSO) by analyzing postoperative data. Methods: This prospective cohort study was performed from May 2019 to November 2019 and enrolled and analyzed 88 patients with degenerative lumbar spine disease scheduled for elective lumbar surgery. Three types of LSO that were provided according to the time of patient registration were applied for 6 weeks. Patients were randomized into the classic LSO group (n=31), Cybertech group (n=26), and V-LSO group (n=31). All patients were assessed using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) preoperatively and underwent plain lumbar radiography (anteroposterior and lateral views) 10 days postoperatively. Lumbar lordosis (LS angle) and frontal imbalance were measured with and without LSO. At the sixth postoperative week, a follow-up assessment with the ODI and orthosis questionnaire was conducted. Results: No significant differences were found among the three groups in terms of the LS angle, frontal imbalance, ODI, and orthosis questionnaire results. When the change in the LS angle and frontal imbalance toward the reference value was defined as a positive change with and without LSO, the rate of positive change was significantly different in the V-LSO group (LS angle: 41.94% vs. 61.54% vs. 83.87%; p=0.003). Conclusion The newly developed LSO showed no difference regarding its effectiveness and compliance when compared with the existing LSO, but it was more effective in correcting lumbar lordosis.