BACKGROUND: This study aimed at identifying the effects of improved methods of endotracheal suction and hand washing on incidence of nosocomial pneumonia (NP) in the neurosurgical ICU. METHOD: Repeated training of nurses about hand washing and adherence of the single use of suction catheter and sterile normal saline of endotracheal suction was provided. Then hand washing compliance of nurses before and after training was investigated. and the incidence of NP in all patients hospitalized for more than 72 hours in the neurosurgical ICU was investigated from Sep 1, 2000 to Jan 31, 2001 (2nd surveillance). The NP rate of that period was compared with the incidence of the 1st surveillance period, from Sep 1, 1999 to Jan 31, 2000. The data were analyzed with chi-square-test. Fisher's exact test and logistic regression analysis by SAS 8.0. RESULT: The proportion of hand washing performance increased from 15.6% to 46.8%. The rates of NP per patient during 1st surveillance and 2nd surveillance were 10.3%, 3.9%(p=0.01) patient-days rates of NP were 10.0 cases/1,000 patient days, 4.1 cases/1,000 patient days(p=0.04), and ventilator-days rates of NP were 67.6 cases/1.000 ventilator days, 16.2 cases/1,000 ventilator days(p=0.00) respectively. Out of 29 isolates, 18 were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, which was the most frequently isolated microorganism. The risk factors associated with incidence of NP were age, length of stay, Glasgow coma scale, diabetes mellitus, duration of intubation, insertion of endotracheal tube, duration of tracheostomy, presence of tracheostomy, duration of ventilator, use of ventilator, and insertion of nasogastric tube. CONCLUSION: These results showed that single use of suction catheters and sterile normal saline and increased compliance of hand washing were important factors to decrease the incidence of NP.
Catheters ; Compliance ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Hand Disinfection* ; Hand* ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Intensive Care Units* ; Critical Care* ; Intubation ; Length of Stay ; Logistic Models ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Pneumonia* ; Risk Factors ; Suction* ; Tracheostomy ; Ventilators, Mechanical

No abstract available.
DNA* ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between the symptoms of Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), sleep disturbance and depression among middle-aged women. METHODS: The study took a descriptive approach. A self-reported questionnaire was provided to women aged between 45 and 65 living in community area. The data were analyzed via SPSS program (version 25). RESULTS: 47.8% of the respondents showed moderate to severe RLS symptoms and the severity of RLS symptoms was 10.72. Depression score was 13.12 and sleep disturbance score was 4.97. There was a significant correlation between RLS symptoms and sleep disturbance (r=.423, p < .001), and RLS symptoms had a positive impact on sleep disturbance. There was also a significant correlation between RLS symptoms and depression (r=.494, p < .001) and RLS symptoms also had a positive impact on depression. CONCLUSION: Women with RLS symptoms had more severe sleep disturbance, depression and vasomotor syndrome than those without RLS symptoms. If RLS symptoms among middle-aged women is simply diagnosed as a menopausal symptom, this misdiagnosis can lead to sleep disorder and depression. Therefore, further empirical researches should be done to estimate the prevalence of RLS symptoms and to launch a program to detect RLS at the early stage.
Depression* ; Diagnostic Errors ; Empirical Research ; Female ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Restless Legs Syndrome* ; Sleep Wake Disorders ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between the symptom of restless legs syndrome (RLS), somatic symptom, depression, and activities of daily living (ADL) among the elderly. METHODS: A descriptive approach was taken in this study. Data were collected from May 23 to July 5, 2019 and 140 elderly people replied to the questionnaire. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, One-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and χ² test. RESULTS: 48.6% of the respondents had RLS symptom and the severity of RLS symptom was 9.57±11.55. RLS symptom had a positive correlation with depression (r=.538, p<.001), with somatic symptom (r=.528, p<.001), with ADL (r=.308, p<.001), and with IADL (r=.360, p<.001). Depression had the most significant correlation with RLS symptoms. There were significant differences in depression, somatization, ADL, and IADL according to the RLS severity. CONCLUSION The results of this study showed that many elders experienced mild to severe RLS symptom. Also, the elderly with RLS symptom had more severe depression, somatic symptom, ADL, and IADL than those without RLS symptom in this study. Depression, somatic symptom, and ADL could be deteriorated if the RLS symptom is not diagnosed early.

No abstract available.

OBJECTIVES: The most common chromosomal abnormality contributing to recurrent abortion is the balanced chromosomal translocation. However the exact incidence of fetal losses are still unknown. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the incidence of fetal chromosomal abnormalities and outcome of pregnancy in recurrent miscarriage couples with balanced translocation. DESIGN: A retrospective analysis of recurrent spontaneous abortion patients with balanced chromosomal translocation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cytogenetic analysis was performed in 56 couples with history of recurrent abortions from 1995 to 1999. The use of high resolution banding technique and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) in the chromosomal analysis has made the precise evaluation of chromosome aberrations. RESULTS: Among 56 couples, 42 patients had reciprocal translocation and 14 had Robertsonian translocation. Chromosomal aberrations were more frequent in women (36 cases) than in men (20 cases). Prenatal cytogenetic analyses were carried out in 14 subsequent pregnancies for carrier couples with balanced translocation. The fetal karyotypes showed that 5 cases (35.7%) was normal, 8 (57.1%) were balanced translocation, and 1 (7.1%) was unbalanced translocations. And cytogenetic analyses were done on 15 subsequent chorionic villi samples of abortuses for carrier couples with balanced translocations. Fourteen of fifteen abortuses (93.3%) were abnormal karyotype. CONCLUSIONS: Although the incidence of chromosomal imbalance in the fetuses was relatively low in prenatal cytogenetic analysis, individuals with balanced translocations are predisposed to giving birth to malformed offsprings with chromosomal imbalance (partial trisomy or monosomy). Therefore we recommend preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for recurrent abortions with balanced translocation and preventing the birth of offspring with chromosomal abnormalities.
Abnormal Karyotype ; Abortion, Habitual* ; Abortion, Spontaneous ; Chorionic Villi ; Chromosome Aberrations* ; Cytogenetic Analysis ; Family Characteristics* ; Female ; Fetus ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Incidence* ; Karyotype ; Male ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Preimplantation Diagnosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Translocation, Genetic ; Trisomy

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether polymorphisms of gene encoding CYP1B1 is associated with the risk of endometriosis in Korean women. METHODS: We investigated 199 patients with histopathologically confirmed endometriosis rAFS stage III/IV and 183 control group women who were surgically proven to have no endometriosis. The genetic distribution of four different CYP1B1 polymorphisms at G119-T, G432-C, T449-C, and A453-G were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism of PCR products. RESULTS: We found no overall association between each individual CYP1B1 genotype and the risk of endometriosis. The odds ratio of genotype GG/GC+GG/TC+TT/AA compared to GG/CC/CC/AA (reference) was calculated as 2.06 with a 95% confidence interval of 1.003~4.216. CONCLUSIONS: This results suggest that CYP1B1 genetic polymorphism may be associated with development of endometriosis in Korean women.
Endometriosis* ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Odds Ratio ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length

PURPOSE: This study was to explore the level of core nursing activities performed by long-term care hospital nurses and to investigate the frequency and educational needs of major nursing activities. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive research design was used. The subjects were 155 nurses working at seven long-term care hospitals in Korea. Data were collected in 2018 from September 15 to October 16 using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the SPSS program. RESULTS: The mean age of nurses was 45.19±10.99 years and the mean career of long-term care hospital was 49.84±40.52 months. Monitoring activity was shown as the highest score in the performance level and frequency, whereas infection control received the highest score in educational needs. A scatter plot revealed that physical examination, respiratory care, wound care, communication and education showed overall high scores in the performance level, frequency, and educational needs. Emergency care and infection control were the activities that were performed less frequently but had high performance level and educational needs. CONCLUSION: It is important to establish rules for requisite and delegable activities considering the performance level and frequency of nursing activities in long-term care hospitals in order to improve the quality of patient care.
Education ; Emergency Medical Services ; Infection Control ; Korea ; Long-Term Care* ; Nursing* ; Patient Care ; Physical Examination ; Research Design ; Wounds and Injuries

BACKGROUND: Hypersensitivity to both cell-killing and chromosome-damaging effects of ionizing radiation is a consistent feature of cells from individuals with ataxia-telangiectasia (AT). This radiobiological behavior of AT cells is a component of genetic instability and may contribute to cancer risk. Also, heterozygotes for AT-mutated (ATM) genes have no clinical expressions of AT, but may become cancer prone with a moderate increase in in-vitro radiosensitivity. METHODS: We performed a chromosomal analysis on lymphocytes from 3 AT patients, 5 obligate AT carriers (siblings and parents of the patients), and 5 normal controls. RESULTS: Increases in chromosomal breakages after irradiation with 1 gray/min in cells from AT patients ranged from 0.65 to 0.83 rearrangements per metaphase, while in the carriers and controls the levels of breakage were between 0 and 0.15 per metaphase cells (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results are consistent with previously reported chromosomal radiosensitivity in AT patients. However, carriers do not show moderate radiosensitivity due to various technical factors such as the dose or distance of radiation. Although this research has some limitations due to the small numbers of patients, carriers and controls, this method may be an easy and useful diagnostic tool for AT patients in Korea. (J Korean Neurol Assoc 19(5):509~513, 2001)
Ataxia Telangiectasia* ; Ataxia* ; Chromosome Breakage ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Korea ; Lymphocytes* ; Metaphase ; Parents ; Radiation Tolerance ; Radiation, Ionizing

BACKGROUND: This study was purposed to identify the knowledge and performance level of the infection control guidelines and to improve their performance level of infection control for those nurses who care patients directly. METHODS: This study was based on the survey questionnaires about infection control guidelines with the total 626 nurses in Seoul and Kyunggi areas for the period between May 26, 2003 and July 14, 2003. RESULTS: The average knowledge level of infection control was 0.84 +/-0.07 (score range 0-1) and the average performance level of the infection control was 4.44+/-10.27 (score range 0-5). The correlation between knowledge and performance of the infection control showed positive correlation (r=.39; P<.001). The knowledge and performance level of the 'Prevention of the central catheter infection' were higher than other infection control guidelines. The performance levels of the 'Prevention of the surgical site infection' were lower than other infection control guidelines. The correlation between knowledge and performance of the 'Prevention of the nosocomial pneumonia' (r=.389; P<.001). 'Prevention of the urinary tract infection' (r=.325; P<.001), 'Prevention of the central catheter infection (r=.290; P<.001) and 'Intravascular infection control' (r=.446; P<.001) showed positive correlation. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that the nurses' knowledge and performance of infection control guidelines showed positive correlation. So the education on the infection control is required indispensably and it would contribute to reduce the hospital infection rate by performing the right treatment on the infection control with the basis of accurate knowledge.
Catheters ; Cross Infection ; Education ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Infection Control* ; Seoul ; Urinary Tract ; Surveys and Questionnaires