This study was designed to identify the relationship between the perceived burden that is felt by family caregivers of hemodialysis patients and the quality of life of these caregivers. The subjects for this study were 102 family caregivers of patients who received hemodialysis regularly in the hemodialysis units of 4 hospitals located in Chonbuk. The data was collected during the period from February 17 to March 28, 1997 through interviews and by distributing a structured questionnaire to family caregivers through hemodialysis patients, and by mail service. The instruments used for this study are as follows : The burden instrument was the Burden Questionnaire developed by Lee Sook-Ja by referring to the Burden Scale developed by Novak & Guest(1989) and Zarit et al.(1980). The quality of life instrument was the Andrews' Scale that was treanslated and proof-read by Jeong Chu-Ja and partially amended by the author of this study. The collected data was analyzed by descriptive statistics, ANOVA, the Scheff test, Pearson's correlation and Stepwise Multiple Regression using the SAS PC+ program. The results of this study are as follow : 1. Hypothesis 1 : "The higher the perceived burden, the lower the quality of life of family caregivers of hemodialysis patients" was supported(r=-0.463, p=.000). 2. Hypothesis 2 : "The burden of family caregivers of hemodialysis patients will differ depending on the demographic characteristics of hemodialysis patients and family caregivers" was partially supported-age of family caregiver(F=3.04, p=.020), educational level of family caregiver(F=3.81, p=.012), marital status of family caregiver(F=5.82, p=.004), relationship with hemodialysis patient(F=2.74, p=.016), sex of hemodialysis patient(F=6.79, p=.010). 3. Hypothesis 3 : "The quality of life family caregivers of hemodialysis patients will differ depending on the demographic characteristics of hemodialysis patients and family caregivers" was partially supported-age of family caregiver(F=2.82, p=.029), educational level of family caregiver(F=4.64, p=.004), marital status of family caregiver(F=6.62, p=.002), monthly total income of family(F=5.61, p=.001), age of hemodialysis patient (F=3.42, p=.011), occupation change of hemodialysis patient(F=3.54, p=.032). 4. Stepwise Multiple Regression Analysis indicated that the six variables-the perceived burden of family caregiver, monthly total income of family, religion of family caregiver, occupation of family caregiver, marital status of hemodialysis patient, education level of family caregiver-were significantly predictive of the quality of life of family caregivers of hemodialysis patients. The six variables explained 41.7% of the variance in quality of life. In conclusion, this study revealed that the perceived burden is an important factor related to the quality of life of family caregivers of hemodialysis patients. Therefore, nurses must recognize family caregivers as well as hemodialysis patients as important care receivers and incorporate an intervening plan that reduces the burden and promotes the quality of life, taking into account the demographic characteristics of hemodialysis patients and their family caregivers.
Caregivers* ; Education ; Humans ; Jeollabuk-do ; Marital Status ; Occupations ; Postal Service ; Quality of Life* ; Renal Dialysis* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Heart Rate* ; Heart* ; Shock, Hemorrhagic*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy, on the basis of CT findings, of high dose methyl prednisolone for treating acute lung injury that was induced by oleic acid injection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 30 healthy rabbits (1.8-2.2 kg) were included in this study. Group I included 10 rabbits in which 0.2 mL oleic acid was injected through their ear veins. Group IIa included 10 rabbits in which 30 mg/kg methyl prednisolone and 0.2 mL oleic acid were intravenously injected at the same time. Group IIb included 5 rabbits in which 30 mg/kg methyl prednisolone was injected 6 hours prior to the 0.2 mL oleic acid intravenous injection. The other 5 rabbits (Group III) were injected intravenously with 30 mg/kg methyl prednisolone without the oleic acid. After that, 30 mg/kg methyl prednisolone per every 12 hours was injected in the non-sacrificed rabbits of Group II and Group III. Nonenhanced Chest CT scans were performed prior to and 30 minutes, 4 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours after the intravenous injection of oleic acid or methyl prednisolone. We randomly sacrificed one rabbit of groups I, II and III 30 minutes, 4 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours after CT scanning. The distribution, extent, and pattern of the lesions on the CT scan were analyzed. The analyzed pattern of the lesions was ground glass attenuation, consolidation and interstitial thickening. Pathologic correlation was then done. RESULTS: The main CT findings of Group I were peripheral, wedge shaped, ill-defined ground glass attenuations and/or consolidations. The pathologic findings of Group I were interstitial or intraalveolar edema, intraalveolar hemorrhage and coagulation necrosis. Diffuse ground glass opacities with interstitial thickening were noted in 20% (n=2/10) of Group I and in 60% (n=9/15) of Group II at the 30 minute CT; however, there was no statistical difference between the two groups (p=0.09). Consolidations with air bronchogram were noted in 22.2% (2/9) of Group I and in 38.5% (5/13) of Group II at the 4 hour CT. The main pathologic findings of consolidations were intraalveolar hemorrhage and coagulation necrosis. There was no statistical difference in the extent of the lesions between Group I and Group II (p=0.20, 0.14, 0.59 and 0.46 at 4, 24, 48 and 72 hours, respectively). The CT findings of Group IIa and Group IIb were not significantly difference. The CT findings of Group III were normal in all 5 rabbits. CONCLUSION: Because there was no significant difference for the extent of lung injury induced by oleic acid between the group treated with high dose methyl prednisolone and non-treated group on CT scans, high dose steroid therapy for acute respiratory distress syndrome and pulmonary fat embolism may not be effective in the acute stage.
Acute Lung Injury ; Ear ; Edema ; Embolism, Fat ; Glass ; Hemorrhage ; Injections, Intravenous ; Lung Injury* ; Lung* ; Necrosis ; Oleic Acid ; Prednisolone ; Rabbits* ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; Steroids* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Veins

Actinomycosis, in which the principal causative agent in man is known to Actinomyces israelii, is a chronic, suppurative diseases characterized by extensive fibrosis, multiple abscesses, and formation of sinus tracts that drain suppurative exudates. On the basis of the anatomical sites involved; it can be subclassified into the cervicofacial form, which is the most common form, pulmonary form and abdominal form. Kidneys are rarely affected. Clinically, radiologically, and at operation it is difficult to differentiate the renal actinomycosis from renal tuberculosis and renal carcinoma. The prognosis is excellent after nephrectomy followed by appropriate antibiotic therapy. We presented a case of renal actinomycosis with a brief review of the literatures.
Male ; Humans

Because of the frequent misdiagnosis of the carpal injury, the orthopedic surgeon must know the mechanism of injury and exact radiological interpretation. We had encountered 114 cases of carpal injury, in which carpal fracture, carpal dislocation and instability were analysed by radiological examination. The following results were obtained: 1. In 75 carpal bone fractures, the most common fracture was scaphoid fracture (64 cases), the next com- mon one was triangular fracture (4 cases). 2. Among the 64 scaphoid fractures, the waist portion was the most frequent site (45 cases) and the least was tubercle fracture (2 cases). 3. Of the carpal bone fractures, the fresh fracture was 48 cases (64%) and old one was 27 cases (36%), these showed sclerosis, cystic change, and degenerative change in radiological examination. 4. In 14 carpal dislocations, perilunar dislocation was 2.5 times move common than lunate dislocation, and the trans-scaphoid perilunar dislocation was the most common dislocation. 5. Carpal instability was 25 cases. These were dorsiflexion instability, navicular rotary subluxation, and pal- mar-flexion instability. The most common instability was dorsiflexion instability.
Carpal Bones ; Classification ; Diagnostic Errors ; Dislocations ; Incidence ; Orthopedics ; Sclerosis ; Wrist

70 cases free fiap were performed from March 1978 to July 1985. The donor fiap were dorsalis pedis flap in 34 cases, groin flap in 8 cases, osteocutaeous flap in 3 cases, gracilis flap in 17 cases, and latissimus dorsi flap in 8 cases respectively. The success rate was 90% in total including partial success. The causes of failure were 2 cases infection necrosis, and 1 case kinking of drain vessel. The gracilis and latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap were very satisfactory method for the reconstruction of the upper extremity flexion power, especially in the case of Volkmann's ischemic contracture. The neurovascular dorsalis pedis flap was regarded as excellent method for the heel pad reconstruction, and tactile sensation reconstruction of the hand.
Free Tissue Flaps ; Groin ; Hand ; Heel ; Humans ; Ischemic Contracture ; Methods ; Microsurgery ; Myocutaneous Flap ; Necrosis ; Sensation ; Superficial Back Muscles ; Tissue Donors ; Upper Extremity

Osteocalcin is the major noncollagenous protein of the bone matrix and has been described as a sensitive marker reflecting bone turn-over rate. It's believed to play a role in the process of mineralization. The level of osteocalcin is considered to be influenced by other calcium regulating hormones. To obtain the normal value of osteocalcin in Korean young adults and to clarify the usefulness of osteocalcin as a marker reflecting bone turn-over in suspicious disuse-osteporotic patient, author measured the level of osteocalcin by radioimmunoassay. The results are; 1. The mean circulation osteocalcin level in healthy young adults was 4.43+ 1.09ng/ml. 2. In normal Korean male, the serum osteocalcin level was 4.38±1.16ng/ml and in normal Korean female, 4.48±1.02ng/ml. There was no significant difference in both sexes, but the serum osteocalcin level in female reveals some tendency of elevation when compared with male. 3. In suspicious disuse-osteoporotic patients, the mean serum osteocalcin level was 4.21±1.30ng/ml and this result shows no difference from that of normal young adults. 4. The level of osteocalcin measured in the normal young Korean adults shows no difference from the prerecorded INC level measured in the Western people. 5. In conclusion, the normal value of osteocalcin in normal young Korean adults is similar that of western people, and the measurement of osteocalcin in suspicious disuse-osteoporotic patients could not be used as a sensitive marker reflecting bone turn-over.
Adult ; Bone Matrix ; Calcium ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Miners ; Osteocalcin ; Radioimmunoassay ; Reference Values ; Young Adult

Two Patients having endgphthalmitis associated with filtering blebs were diagnosed clinically when they developed ocular inflammation with hypopyon after Scheie's operation for glaucoma. They had a good response to treatment outlined below with no loss of visual acuity.
Blister* ; Endophthalmitis* ; Glaucoma ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Visual Acuity

A review of 16 patients diagnosed as having retinal detachment was presented. These cases were patients seen in P.M.C. eye clinic from Sep-73 to Feb-75. 9 of these patients did not have operation for various reasons, but the other 7 were operated by cryopexy, full-thickness scleral buckling with silicone materials, or encircling method with silicone band. The results were as follows; 1) 5 among 7 patients were successful in re-attachment and improvement of visual acuity. 2) No intraocular hemorrhage, the most serious complication due to cryopexy was seen in any of these cases. 3) In one case, the encircling band and implant were removed because small pus pocket and fistula were formed on the bulbar conjunctiva 3 months postoperatively.
Conjunctiva ; Fistula ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Retinal Detachment* ; Retinaldehyde* ; Scleral Buckling* ; Silicones ; Suppuration ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to determine for upper abdominal pain, the accuracy of emergency abdominal ultrasonography (EAU) performed by emergency physicians with limited training. METHODS: Two PGY-3 emergency physicians, who had received 2 hours of hands-on training, including the normal anatomy of a biliary system, liver, kindney, spleen, and pancreas, and who had studied the pathologic findings for another month were the subjects of this study. They used a Sonosite 180 R to perform EAU on patients with upper abdominal pain within 2 months after training. We determined the agreement between the radiologist 's abdominal ultrasonography(RAU) and EAU by using Kappa statistics. RESULTS: A total of 59 patients were enrolled. The agreement between the EAU and the RAU findings was 0.97, 0.88, 0.79, 0.73, 0.62, and 0.57 for gall bladder (GB) distension, cholelithiasis, GB wall thickening, duct dilatation, choledocholithiasis, and pericholecystic fluid, respectively (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The results of EAU, performed by emergency physician with limited training on patients suffering from upper abdominal pain had a significant agreement with the RAU. However, more educations and cautions are warranted for diagnosing pericholecystic fluid and choledocholithiasis.
Abdominal Pain ; Biliary Tract ; Choledocholithiasis ; Cholelithiasis ; Dilatation ; Emergencies* ; Humans ; Liver ; Pancreas ; Spleen ; Ultrasonography* ; Urinary Bladder