No abstract available.
Priapism* ; Ureter*

No abstract available.
Cystitis* ; Pyelonephritis*

BACKGROUND: Handgrip and cold pressor test may increase the afterload of the heart. And in left ventricular hypertrophy, it is known that mitral flow pattern is affected by decreased left ventricular compliance. We investigated the effects of handgrip and cold pressor test on mitral flow pattern in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy. METHODS: Handgrip and cold pressor test were performed in 12 subjects with left ventricular hypertrophy and in 14 healthy normal subjects. In supine position, blood pressure, heart rate and Doppler echocardiographic parameters(early peak flow velocity : E, atrial peak flow velocity : A) were obtained at rest, 1 and 3 minutes after the onset of tests respectively. RESULTS: In both groups, handgrip and cold pressor test increased blood pressure slightly without a statistical significance. In left ventricular hypertrophy group, there were significant increments in heart rates at 1 minute of handgrip (78+/-12min-1, p<0.001) and cold pressor test(77+/-7min-1, p<0.05) as compared to that at rest (73+/-12min-1). Mitral flow velocities did not show significant change after the tests in control group. A waves after 1 minute of handgrip(85.2+/-18.4cm/sec, p<0.05) and cold pressor test (87.3+/-17.8cm/sec, p<0.001) showed significant increases as compared to that at rest (79.1+/-14.9cm/sec) in left ventricular hypertrophy group whereas E waves did not. CONCLUSION: Although handgrip and cold pressor tests did not affect the mitral flow significantly in control group, each test raised A waves in left ventricular hypertrophy group. These results suggest that increased A waves may be due to a rise in afterload and decreased left ventricular compliance caused by handgrip and cold pressor test in left ventricular hypertrophy group.
Blood Pressure ; Compliance ; Echocardiography ; Heart ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular* ; Supine Position

We studied 54 normal volunteers and 30 patients with Bell's palsy by magnetically and electrically evoked direct stimulations of facial nerve. A magnetic coil was placed tangentially to the parieto-occipital area and the stylomastoid foramen. Magnetic stimulation (MS) was less painful and able to excite deeper tying neural structures. Magnetically and electrically evoked direct stimulations of facial nerve showed the same characteristics in excitability and nerve conduction, but they could not be evaluated on the basis of the same normative data. We identified a locus of the impulse generation that might be closer to the exit of facial nerve from the brainstem. Compared with normal controls, MS-evoked CMAPS of patients with Bell's palsy had no responses, longer latencies, lower amplitudes, or disperses pattern. This study shown that MS at the stylomastoid foramen can not be used for the evaluation of the facial nerve conduction study in place of electrical stimulation(ES). As the transcranial MS can stimulate intracranial proximal portion of facial nerve directly and noninvasively, it can give additional information on the evaluation of facial nerve. Transcranial MS combined with ES may provide the means for assessing the entire facial nerve.
Bell Palsy ; Brain Stem ; Electric Stimulation* ; Facial Nerve* ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Neural Conduction

Background: Pembrolizumab, an anti-cancer drug, is known to increase the activity of the immune system, leading to side effects called immune-related adverse events (irAE), including type 1 diabetes. This study analyzed the correlation between blood glucose level and pembrolizumab administration and investigated the covariates that affect those changes in cancer treatment. Methods: The information of 133 adult cancer patients was obtained from the electronic medical record (EMR) to identify the changes in random blood glucose (RBG) levels during the pembrolizumab treatment. Subjects were classified into subgroups according to their baseline RBG level, history of diabetes, and the use of steroids, and linear regression analysis was conducted. In addition, a secondary analysis was performed within the group of subjects having a strong correlation to glycemic change, which was based on the Pearson correlation coefficient being less than -0.7 or greater than +0.7. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were conducted to identify the risk factors to glycemic increase. Results: The RBG level tended to descend without significant differences in total patients during the administration period of pembrolizumab. Despite the insignificance, the logistic regression analysis presents that the odds ratios of baseline RBG less than 130 mg/dL, prophylactic steroid use, and higher dose of pembrolizumab per cycle (mg/kg/ cycle) were greater than 1. Conclusions Prophylactic administration of steroids and a higher dose of pembrolizumab per cycle may increase the blood glucose level as irAE in cancer patients with a strong tendency to glycemic change.

Background: Pembrolizumab, an anti-cancer drug, is known to increase the activity of the immune system, leading to side effects called immune-related adverse events (irAE), including type 1 diabetes. This study analyzed the correlation between blood glucose level and pembrolizumab administration and investigated the covariates that affect those changes in cancer treatment. Methods: The information of 133 adult cancer patients was obtained from the electronic medical record (EMR) to identify the changes in random blood glucose (RBG) levels during the pembrolizumab treatment. Subjects were classified into subgroups according to their baseline RBG level, history of diabetes, and the use of steroids, and linear regression analysis was conducted. In addition, a secondary analysis was performed within the group of subjects having a strong correlation to glycemic change, which was based on the Pearson correlation coefficient being less than -0.7 or greater than +0.7. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were conducted to identify the risk factors to glycemic increase. Results: The RBG level tended to descend without significant differences in total patients during the administration period of pembrolizumab. Despite the insignificance, the logistic regression analysis presents that the odds ratios of baseline RBG less than 130 mg/dL, prophylactic steroid use, and higher dose of pembrolizumab per cycle (mg/kg/ cycle) were greater than 1. Conclusions Prophylactic administration of steroids and a higher dose of pembrolizumab per cycle may increase the blood glucose level as irAE in cancer patients with a strong tendency to glycemic change.

The activities of general physicians (GPs) in health subcenters and their competency for clinical skills were assessed to develop a scheme to improve the training program. One hundred-twenty GPs in southern four provinces (Kyungpook Kyungnam, Chunpook, Chunnam) were randomly selected and 97 were interviewed between January 9 and February 10, 1984. Of the 97 GPs, 86 provided all the information we requested. Average number of patient visits per health subcenter in a day was 30-40 in the demonstration project area for the class II medical insurance whereas it was 3-4 visits in other area. The interviewees asked to rate their competency in 63 clinical skills. The skills in which over 50% of the interviewees rated themselves competent were only 12 items including IM injection, IV injection, wound dressing, etc. Less than 10% of the interviewees rated themselves competent in such skills as maternal health care, emergency medical care, preventive and promotive health services. Most part of the training program of the NIH for the GPs were not applicable to their field work as the training contents were unrealistic. Clinical training at a local general hospital was of great help in 38.8% and the rest of training was not much helpful as the training was inadequate due to lack of trainer or indifference of the trainer. For more effective training of the GPs, the training program of the NIH should be modified to be more realistic and utilize competent field workers as the instructors. It may be more effective if the training is carried out at several local centers. Ideal length of the clinical training for the GPs is 4 months. A pocketbook should be developed that includes specific skills to master during the clinical training and require the trainer to confirm the achievement. The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs should provide the training hospitals with a training guideline and evaluate the training activities and make sure that the training hospital has specialist for each of the 4 major clinical departments. The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs shuld provide the GPs with a continuing education to assist the problem solving in the field and motivate them to activitely carry out the health program. A province may be divided into several regions and a supervisory committee may be organized with specialists in each region. The committee may hold a meeting for the GPs periodically and respond to the specific questions of the GPs by mail.
Bandages ; Clinical Competence ; Education* ; Education, Continuing ; Emergencies ; Gyeongsangnam-do ; Health Personnel ; Health Services ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Insurance ; Maternal Health ; Postal Service ; Problem Solving ; Specialization ; Teaching ; Wounds and Injuries

PURPOSE: The outcome of a tubularized incised plate (TIP) urethroplasty for hypospadias was reviewed retrospectively, and compared with other procedures with respected to the success rate, complications and satisfaction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between April, 1994 and July, 2001, 51 patients underwent a repair for hypospadias, by the same operator, using a transverse preputial island flap (TPIF; 7), an onlay island flap (OIF; 3), Mathieu (7) and tubularized incised plate (34) procedures. The operation time, period of catheterization, postoperative hospital days and complication rates for each procedure were also compared. RESULTS: The mean operation time in the TIP group was 140 minutes, compared to 230 220 and 160 minutes in the TPIF, OIF and Mathieu groups, respectively. The mean admission periods in the TPIF, OIF, Mathieu and TIP group, were 14, 17, 11 and 10 days, respectively. The mean operation time and admission period was shorter in the TIP group than those of the other procedures. The incidence rate of an urethrocutaneous fistula was lower in the TIP group (23%: 8/34) than in the TPIF (43%: 3/7), OIF (66%: 2/3) and Mathieu groups (57%: 4/7). Postoperative satisfaction for the penis and meatus shapes was highest in the TIP group. CONCLUSIONS: The TIP urethroplasty had better outcomes than the TPIF, OIF and Mathieu procedures with regard to the operation time, catheterization period, admission period and complication rates following the operations. TIP urethroplasty is thought to be the most economic method for the repair of hypospadias, and can be recommended as the first choice for its repair.
Catheterization ; Catheters ; Female ; Fistula ; Humans ; Hypospadias* ; Incidence ; Inlays ; Male ; Penis ; Retrospective Studies ; Urethra

No abstract available.
Edema* ; Hydrops Fetalis*

OBJECTIVES: To examine and compare the effects of vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty on change in the vertebral height and kyphotic angle and presence of new vertebral fracture of adjacent level. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 60 patients with vertebral compression fractures or stable burst fractures underwent vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty from Jan, 2007 to April, 2014 were included in the study. Preoperative, postoperative and last follow-up radiographs were analyzed to quantify presence of new vertebral fractures and preoperative and postoperative vertebral height and kyphotic angle at fracture levels were also measured. Changes in the vertebral body height and kyphotic angle at fracture levels were compared for vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty to determine if there was a significant differences. RESULTS: Measurements revealed that vertebroplasty increased vertebral body height at fracture level by an average 5.5mm or or by 33% of preoperative height and reduced local kyphotic angle by an average 3.5 degrees and kyphoplasty increased vertebral body height at fracture level by an average 5.8mm or by 36% of preoperative height and reduced local kyphotic angel by an average 3.6 degrees. New vertebral fractures occurred in 8 patients (24%) after vertebroplasty and 4 patients (14%) after kyphoplasty. CONCLUSION: There was no significant statistically greater improvement of changes in the vertebral body height at fracture level and kyphotic angle found with vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty. But the vertebroplasty has statistically greater risk of new fracture than kyphoplasty.
Body Height ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fractures, Compression ; Humans ; Kyphoplasty ; Vertebroplasty