OBJECTIVES: The most frequently cited health related slogan in North Korea is that socialistic medicine is preventive medicine. It implies that North Korea puts preventive medicine at the operational center of its national health care system. This study aimed at examining and comparing preventive medicine practices in North Korea with those of South Korea. METHODS: Efforts have been made to obtain a textbook for analysis its contents. Many people have iassisted in the study by joining the interview. Some of these people are as follows: a former professor of PyongYang Medical School, NK physicians living in South Korea, WHO staffs, diplomatic officials, etc. The major items of analysis consisted of industrial medicine and hygiene, nutrition, school health, epidemiology, health statistics and heath policy & management. RESULTS: Public health philosophy is finely rooted and well integrated in the operation of the North Korean national health care system, particularly in the area of industrial medicine and hygiene. Preventive medicine with a strong health surveillance system spanning a number of broad social organizations is a major tool to improve the health of the people in North Korea. The emphasis on preventive medicine has a close relationship with the 'Juche Philosophy' and the shortage of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment. To cope with the shortage problem, North Korean health workers are encouraged to grow medicinal herbs. We have found that they put little effort into teaching newly emerging diseases, such as AIDS, VDT syndrome, hazards of EMF, and agricultural chemical poisonings. Of the subjects of the preventive medicine text, 78.9% coincide with those of South Korean industrial health manuals and 34.2% with South Korean epidemiology texts. However, an absolute difference was found to exist between the heath policies and management systems. CONCLUSION: In North Korea, the concept of preventive medicine functions as the basic philosophic strategy of the national health care system. It differs greatly from the South Korean system in both practice and educational content. Its contribution to society is simply incomparable to that of South Korea. More communication and further study is called for in order to improve the preventive medicine practices in the future.
Delivery of Health Care ; Democratic People's Republic of Korea* ; Epidemiology ; Hygiene ; Korea ; Occupational Health ; Occupational Medicine ; Philosophy ; Plants, Medicinal ; Poisoning ; Preventive Medicine* ; Public Health ; School Health Services ; Schools, Medical

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the trends and traits of moral sensitivity and reasoning over six years of medical school. METHODS: The participants in this study consisted of 217 first to sixth-year medical students of Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine in Korea. Essay type questionnaire was used for evaluating moral sensitivity and the Korean-Defining Issues Test (KDIT) was used for evaluating moral reasoning. RESULTS: It was found that the medical students' sensitivity of 'public welfare', 'prospective result' and 'role-taking as a doctor' was significantly higher than that of the pre-medical students'. Moral sensitivity increased in the 3rd and the 4th years but decreased in the 5th and the 6th years. Moral reasoning decreased in the 3rd and the 4th years but increased in the 5th and the 6th years. No correlation was observed between moral sensitivity and reasoning(r=0.033). Developmental trends of moral sensitivity and reasoning showed a significant difference in terms of year of medical school. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that medical school curriculum tends to impct students' moral sensitivity. This school has implemented the problem-based learning curriculum into the 3rd and the 4th years. It is necessary to consider the developmental state of the student's morality when developing an effective medical ethics program.
Curriculum ; Ethics, Medical ; Humans ; Korea ; Morals ; Problem-Based Learning ; Schools, Medical ; Students, Medical* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVES: To examine the effects of the oligohydramnios on perinatal outcome and latency period in patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 98 singleton pregnancies complicated by preterm premature rupture of membranes, with delivery between 26 and 35 weeks' gestation. Amniotic fluid index was determined using transabdominal ultrasound at admission. All medical records of mothers and neonates were reviewed. Oligohydramnios was defined as amniotic fluid index less or equal to 5.0 cm and latency period was defined as time interval from membrane rupture to delivery. Chi-spuare test, Fisher's exact test, Student-t test, Mann-Whitney U test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: 1) Of the 98 patients, 59 patients(60%) were oligohydramnios group(AFI< or =5.0) and 39 patients(40%) were non-oligohydramnios group(AFI>5.0). Both groups were similar with respect to selected dermographics, gestational age at rupture of the membranes, chorioamnionitis, 1 min Apgar score and 5 min Apgar score. Patients with oligohydramnios demonstrated a lower gestatoinal age at birth and lower birth weight. There were no statistically significant correlations in neonatal morbidity and perinatal mortality between both groups. 2) For comparing latency period, we excluded deliveries of Cesarean section or induction. Comparing the remained group(25 patients), median of latency period in oligohydramnios group were 41.5 hours and median of latency period in non-oligohydramnios group were 44 hours. There were no statistically significant correlations in oligohydramnios and latency period. CONCLUSION: There were no significant effects of the oligohydramnios on poor perinatal outcome and latency period in patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes
Amniotic Fluid ; Apgar Score ; Birth Weight ; Cesarean Section ; Chorioamnionitis ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Latency Period (Psychology)* ; Medical Records ; Membranes* ; Mothers ; Oligohydramnios* ; Parturition ; Perinatal Mortality ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture* ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors for maternal morbidity in eclamptic woman. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the record of eclamptic woman during from August 1989 to February 2002. Univariate analysis was used to determine which of the independent variables were significantly different between two groups (antepartum vs postpartum). RESULTS: The incidence of eclampsia was 1 in 1,795 deliveries and the maternal mortality rate was 4.3%. Maternal complications associated with eclampsia were abruptio placentae (13.0%), pulmonary edema (26.1%), acute renal failure (39.1%), HELLP syndrome (30.4%), disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (8.7%), neurologic sequelae (8.7%), maternal death (4.3%). One patient died from disseminated intra- vascular coagulopathy, sepsis, and multiorgan failure after postpartum eclampsia. Women with antepartum eclampsia had higher incidence of acute renal failure (44.4% vs 20%) and HELLP syndrome (33.3% vs 20%) than did in women with postpartum eclampsia. Conversely, women with postpartum eclampsia had higher incidence of disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (6.7% vs 20%) and neurologic sequelae (6.7% vs 20%). CONCLUSION: Early detection and management of preeclampsia can prevent the eclampsia and maternal mortality and morbidity.
Abruptio Placentae ; Acute Kidney Injury ; Eclampsia ; Female ; HELLP Syndrome ; Humans ; Incidence ; Maternal Death ; Maternal Mortality ; Postpartum Period ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Pregnancy ; Pulmonary Edema ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors* ; Sepsis

Break of a stent delivery catheter and subsequent stent loss (SL) has been a rare event in the drug-eluting stent (DES) era. We here report a case of successful retrieval of a stent after a break if the delivery catheter and SL from a balloon catheter at a culprit lesion. We finally resolved this situation using a simple balloon technique for both the broken stent catheter inside of the guide catheter and the unexpanded stent in the culprit lesion. Thus balloons are an important weapon in our armamentarium in the cardiac catheterization laboratory for urgent retrieval of a lost stent. Their apt use definitely allowed our patient to avoid undergoing emergency cardiovascular thoracic surgery.
Angioplasty ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Catheters ; Dimaprit ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Stents ; Thoracic Surgery

PURPOSE: There are few reports from Asian countries about the long-term results of aromatase inhibitor adjuvant treatment for breast cancer. This observational study aimed to evaluate the long-term effects of letrozole in postmenopausal Korean women with operable breast cancer. METHODS: Self-reported quality of life (QoL) scores were serially assessed for 3 years during adjuvant letrozole treatment using the Korean version of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast questionnaires (version 3). Changes in bone mineral density (BMD) and serum cholesterol levels were also examined. RESULTS: All 897 patients received the documented informed consent form and completed a baseline questionnaire before treatment. Adjuvant chemotherapy was administered to 684 (76.3%) subjects, and 410 (45.7%) and 396 (44.1%) patients had stage I and II breast cancer, respectively. Each patient completed questionnaires at 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 months after enrollment. Of 897 patients, 749 (83.5%) completed the study. The dropout rate was 16.5%. The serial trial outcome index, the sum of the physical and functional well-being subscales, increased gradually and significantly from baseline during letrozole treatment (p<0.001). The mean serum cholesterol level increased significantly from 199 to 205 after 36 months (p=0.042). The mean BMD significantly decreased from −0.39 at baseline to −0.87 after 36 months (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: QoL gradually improved during letrozole treatment. BMD and serum cholesterol level changes were similar to those in Western countries, indicating that adjuvant letrozole treatment is well tolerated in Korean women, with minimal ethnic variation.
Aromatase ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Bone Density ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Cholesterol ; Consent Forms ; Female ; Humans ; Observational Study ; Quality of Life*

Objective: Recently, rational polypharmacy approaches have been proposed, regardless of the lower risk and cost of monotherapy. Considering monotherapy as first-line treatment and polypharmacy as rational treatment, a balanced attitude toward polypharmacy is recommended. However, the high prevalence of polypharmacy led the Japanese government to establish a polypharmacy reduction policy. Based on this, the association between the policy and psychiatrists’ attitude toward polypharmacy has been under debate. Methods: We developed an original questionnaire about Psychiatrists’ attitudes toward polypharmacy (PAP). We compared the PAP scores with the treatment decision-making in clinical case vignettes. Multiple regression analyses were performed to quantify associations of explanatory variables including policy factors and PAP scores. The anonymous questionnaires were administered to psychiatrists worldwide. Results: The study included 347 psychiatrists from 34 countries. Decision-making toward polypharmacy was associated with high PAP scores. Multiple regression analysis revealed that low PAP scores were associated with the policy factor (β=-0.20, p=0.004). The culture in Korea was associated with high PAP scores (β=0.34, p<0.001), whereas the culture in India and Nepal were associated with low scores (β=-0.15, p=0.01, and β=-0.17, p=0.006, respectively). Conclusion Policy on polypharmacy may influence psychiatrists’ decision-making. Thus, policies considering rational polypharmacy should be established.

Purpose: Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MP) is a major cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children and is associated with extrapulmonary manifestations (EPM). The incidence and risk factors for EPM in children are unknown. Methods: This was a retrospective study involving 65,243 pediatric patients with CAP between 2010 and 2015 at 23 nationwide hospitals in South Korea. Medical records were reviewed to collect information regarding the clinical characteristics, radiological results, and laboratory findings. Logistic regression with multivariate analysis was performed to evaluate the risk factors associated with EPM in MP. Results: The incidence of EPM was 23.9%, including elevation of liver enzymes (18.1%), mucocutaneous manifestations (4.4%), proteinuria (4.1%), cardiovascular and neurological manifestations (0.4%), hematologic manifestations (0.2%), and arthritis (0.2%). Statistical analysis showed that mucocutaneous manifestations significantly increased with elevated alanine aminotransferase (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 3.623; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.933-6.790) and atopic sensitization (aOR, 2.973; 95% CI, 1.615–5.475) and decreased with respiratory virus coinfection (aOR, 0.273; 95% CI, 0.084–0.887). Elevated liver enzymes were significantly associated with elevated lactate dehydrogenase (aOR, 3.055; 95% CI, 2.257–4.137), presence of pleural effusion (aOR, 2.635; 95% CI, 1.767–3.930), and proteinuria with respiratory virus coinfection (aOR, 2.245; 95% CI, 1.113–4.527). Conclusion Approximately 24% of pediatric patients with MP had various EPM. As the risk factors associated with each EPM were different, it is necessary to evaluate the various clinical aspects and findings of MP to predict and prepare for the occurrence of EPM.