PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among knowledge and attitude toward palliative care and perception of death for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nurses. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 110 nurses who work in NICUs in South Korea. The participants filled out a questionnaire regarding their knowledge, attitude towards palliative care and perception of death. The attitude scale was divided into 3 subscales: comfort level, nurses' role and nurses' involvement with family. RESULTS: Comfort level regarding attitude towards palliative care was positively correlated with knowledge (r=.220, p=.016) and the perception of death (r=.194, p=.042). Nurses' role showed a positive correlation with perception of death (r=.395, p=.001). CONCLUSION: NICU nurses' knowledge of palliative care was below standard across the board, implying that there is a definite need for palliative care education for nurses. The education program for palliative care should include a section that focuses on fostering a positive perception of death as well as defining and delineating the role of nurses.
Education ; Foster Home Care ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal* ; Intensive Care, Neonatal* ; Korea ; Palliative Care*

Carbapenem-resistance emerging in Gram-negative pathogens, such as Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii, has become a major human health problem globally. The therapeutic options available for carbapenem-resistant pathogens are very limited. Antibiotics such as colistin, tigecycline, fosfomycin, and aminoglycosides are often the only ones that can be used to treat carbapenem-resistant pathogens. Carbapenem may still be an option in certain circumstances. The administration of combination therapy for carbapenem-resistant pathogens is controversial. This review presents the current knowledge of available antimicrobial therapeutic options for infections due to carbapenem-resistant pathogens in Korea.
Acinetobacter baumannii ; Aminoglycosides ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Colistin ; Drug Resistance ; Fosfomycin ; Gram-Negative Bacteria* ; Humans ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Korea ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Treatment Outcome

Three hundred and fifty four(354) cases of acute toxic encephalophalopathy including 115 cases of Reye's syndrome were admitted to the six University Hospital in seoul, Korea. From Jan. 1, 1972 to Dec. 1978. Who were clinically analyzed and following results were obtained. 1) Acute toxic encephalopathy(T.E) and Reye's syndrome(R.S) are not rare disorders but increasing tendency. 2) The peak age incidence was between 10 months and 3 years of age with 78.2% in Reye's syndrome. 3) The sex incidence revealed male predominence sligtly with sex ratio 1.16:1(M:F) in Reye's syndrome and 1.3:1 in Toxicl encephalopathy. 4) The chief compaints on admission were CNS symptoms(lethargy, delirium seizure, coma), vomiting, fever and dyspnea. 5) Major prodromal symptoms were URI and diarrhea in most cases of Reye's syndrome(82%). 6)Biochemical laboratory findings were as follow: 92% of Reye's syndrome showed elevated (more than 125mg%) GPT level. 74% of Reye's syndrome showed elevated (more than 100mg%) ammonia level. Low blood sugar(F.B.S) level were noted in 92% of Reye's syndrome 7) The prognosis and outcome were depend upon stage of coma, level of blood ammonia(more than 300ug%) and F.B.S(less than 40mg%) in Reye's syndrome. Mortality or fatality rate during hospitalization was 67.8%, only 17% of the inpatients were cured. 8) The bacterial culture were positive in 3 case of Reye's syndrome and one case of salmomella cholerasuis and 2 cases of S.flexneri were identified on blood and stool colture respectively. 9) Treatment was supportive neasure with administration of hypertonic glucose and steroid, in some cases fresh blood transfusion was added.
Ammonia ; Blood Transfusion ; Coma ; Delirium ; Diarrhea ; Dyspnea ; Fever ; Glucose ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inpatients ; Korea ; Male ; Mortality ; Neurotoxicity Syndromes* ; Prodromal Symptoms ; Prognosis ; Reye Syndrome* ; Seizures ; Seoul ; Sex Ratio ; Vomiting

A case of 18 trisomy syndrome in a newborn female infant was presented with a brief review of literatures. She was characterized by low brith weight, swallowing difficulty, cleftplate and lip, malformed ears, low hair line, occipital prominence, large atd angle, club feet, adduction deformity of limbs, absence of thymus shadow in a film of chest, and P.D.A. On the chromosomal study, there is 18 trisomy with 18 p-. On the postmortem examination, the thymus and parathyroid gland can not be find on gross and microscoic study, but the immunologic study was not performed. Also, large P.D.A. and hypoplasia of both kidnies were presented.
Autopsy ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Deglutition ; DiGeorge Syndrome* ; Ear ; Extremities ; Female ; Foot ; Hair ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Lip ; Parathyroid Glands ; Thorax ; Thymus Gland ; Trisomy

The original version of the article contained error.

The original version of the article contained error.

Noroviruses have been recognized as the leading cause of epidemic and sporadic gastroenteritis since the advent of molecular diagnostic technique. They have been documented in 5-31% of pediatric patients hospitalized with gastroenteritis. Although norovirus gastroenteritis is typically mild and self-limited, it causes severe, but sometimes fatal, conditions in the vulnerable population such as immunocompromised patients, young children, and the elderly. Bowel perforation due to norovirus infection is rare. We report a case of small bowel perforation with norovirus gastroenteritis in the infant with Down syndrome during the hospitalization with pneumonia. Severe dehydration may cause bowel ischemia and could have triggered bowel perforation in this case. Physicians should be alert to the potential surgical complications followed by severe acute diarrhea, especially in high risk groups.
Aged ; Child ; Dehydration ; Diarrhea ; Down Syndrome ; Gastroenteritis* ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Infant* ; Ischemia ; Molecular Diagnostic Techniques ; Norovirus* ; Pneumonia ; Vulnerable Populations

PURPOSE: To assess the outcome of tunneled central venous catheter placement via the right internal jugular vein. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between June 2001 and May 2002, 670 consecutive Hickman catheters were placed in 654 patients via the right internal jugular vein. The procedural complications arising and follow-up data obtained from May to July 2002 were evaluated. RESULTS: The technical success rate for catheter placement was 99.9% (669/670). Procedural complications were limited to eight cases (1.2%), including three pneumothoraces, one early migration of the catheter, one clinically unimportant air embolism, one catheter injury, one catheter kinking and one primary malpositioning in the azygos vein. Catheter dwelling time ranged from 1 to 407 (mean 107.1) days. During the follow-up period, 416 catheters were removed for various reasons: treatment had ended (n=334), patients declined treatment or their drug regimen was changed (n=16), late complications arose (n=53), or other circumstances intervened (n=13). Late complications included 44 cases of catheter-related infection (6.6%), five of catheter migration (0.7%), two of catheter occlusion (0.3%), one of thrombophlebitis (0.15%), and one of catheter-related right atrial thrombosis (0.15%). Only one instance of symptomatic venous thrombosis or stenosis was noted , namely the one case of thrombophlebitis. CONCLUSION: Because the incidence of subsequent symptomatic venous thrombosis or stenosis is lower, the preferred route for tunneled central venous catheter placement is the right internal jugular vein.
Azygos Vein ; Catheter-Related Infections ; Catheters* ; Central Venous Catheters ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Embolism, Air ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Jugular Veins* ; Thrombophlebitis ; Thrombosis ; Venous Thrombosis

The industrial use of MMMF(man-made mineral fibers), has been increasing, particularly since the banning of most asbestos products. Fibrous minerals can cause health abnormalities currently associated with occupational exposure to glass fiber. This study was conducted to evaluate health risks of glass fiber manufactory workers within the country. we examined questionaries, physical examination including auscultation, chest x-ray, pulmonary function test for 488 male workers, to go through their dermal itching symptoms and respiratory evaluation. we had the results as follows. 1. In 45% of the workers itching had been expressed at their entrance. At that time we was investigating, 18.5% had itching, and most of them complained it when they fall asleep and night. The frequent itching site is waist and groin, upper and lower extremity in order, and it had been expressed mainly during summer and winter. 2. As the results of ventilatory functions test, 6.0% were obstructive type, 1.0% were restrictive type. so, glass fiber exposures should be controlled or elimination by protective devices in the workplace. 3. The means of FVC, FFV1, FFV1% were in normal range. As the comparison of ventilatory functions by age groups, MMF was decreased significantly for the group, 50 years old and more than other groups. And the comparison by the serving periods at glass fiber producing factory, MMF was decreased for the workers had worked for 11-15 years. Therefore, MMF be more sensitive index in the evaluation of ventilatory impairments caused by glass fiber workers.
Asbestos ; Auscultation ; Glass* ; Groin ; Humans ; Korea* ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Minerals ; Occupational Exposure ; Physical Examination ; Protective Devices ; Pruritus ; Reference Values ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Thorax

The levels of ergothioneine (ERG), which have been shown to act as an excellent antioxidant, were determined in both fruiting bodies and mycelia of various mushroom species. We found that ERG accumulated at different levels in fruiting bodies of mushrooms and showed up to a 92.3-fold difference between mushrooms. We also found that ERG accumulated at higher levels in mycelia than in fruiting bodies of economically important mushroom species such as Ganoderma neo-japonicum, G. applanatum and Paecilomyces tenuipes. The addition of 2 mM methionine (Met) to mycelial culture medium increased the ERG contents in most mushroom species tested, indicating that Met is a good additive to enhance the ERG levels in a variety of mushroom species. Taking these results into consideration, we suggest that the addition of Met to the mycelial culture medium is an efficient way to enhance the antioxidant properties in economically important mushroom species.
Agaricales ; Ergothioneine ; Fruit ; Ganoderma ; Methionine ; Paecilomyces