No Abstract available.
Cross Infection* ; Korea*

To evaluate the reproducibility of the Ambulatory Electrocardiography (AECG), we examined the consistency rates of premature beats between the baseline AECG's and the repeat AECG's in 23 patients who underwent AECG's times within 1 year. 12 patients were male and 11 patients were female. Their mean age was 48 years. (Range ; 20 years-75 years) The time interval between both AECG's was 1 month 20 days. (Range ; 1 day-9months) They did not take any antiarrhythmic druge during the observation period except 4 patients who were taking calcium channel blockers or beta receptor blockers for hypertensive heart disease or ischemic heart disease. The consistency rate of both frequency and complexity of ventricular premature beats was 52%. The consisency rate of both frequency and complexity of supraventicular premature beats was 35%. These consistency rates seemed to vary as the time interval between both AECG's differed. In the case of ventricular premature beats, the consistency rates of 1 day, 8 days and 5 months as the time interval were 100%, 38% and 14% respectively. In the case of supraventricular premature beats, the consistency rates were 50%, 25% and 29%. We concluded that the reproducility of the AECG was low and this reproducibility became lower as the time interval between both AECG's became longer and that hese facts had to be considered when the effect of the antiarrhythmic drugs was evaluated.
Anti-Arrhythmia Agents ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; Cardiac Complexes, Premature ; Electrocardiography, Ambulatory* ; Female ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary tuberculosis(TB) is still prevalent and remains a significant clinical problem for the elderly. However, the disease presents in many ways, and there are frequent adverse drug reactions that may prevent the early diagnosis and treatment of elderly TB patients compared to the young. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not there are any differences in the clinical feature of pulmonary tuberculosis(TB) in both the diagnosis and treatment between the young (less than 64 years) and the elderly (65 years and more). METHODS: The medical records of 125 young and 70 elderly pulmonary TB patients, who were diagnosed with and treated for pulmonary TB at the Seoul Municipal Boramae Hospital from November 1991 to January 1997, were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Anorexia(12% vs. 31.4%), general weakness (20.0% vs. 54.3%), dyspnea(21.6% vs. 37.1%) and an abnormal mentality (0.8% vs. 15.7%) were more frequent presenting symptoms in elderly TB patients, whereas hemoptysis (32.8% vs. 10.0%) and fever (BT>37℃ 58.4% vs. 35.7%) were more frequent in the young. The elderly had a higher number of cardiovascular and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases as underlying illnesses. In chest PA, there were no differences in the location of the TB lesion, but the appearances were initially diagnosed more frequently as pneumonia or lung cancer (8.8% vs. 30.0%, p<0.05) in the elderly. There was no difference in the detection rate of acid fast bacilli(AFB) in the sputum between the two groups. There were no differences in the treatment response and follow-up loss. However, adverse drug reactions (13.6% vs. 45.7%, p<0.05), and changes in medication (4.9% vs. 25.7%, p<0.05) during treatment occurred more frequently in the elderly. One among the 125 young patients died from tuberculosis whereas 6 among the 70 elderly patients died from the disease. CONCLUSION: Because the clinical and radiological presentations were more atypical, a sputum AFB smear and culture should be done immediately in the elderly who are TB. The elderly experienced more frequent adverse drug reactions and mortality during treatment, but the response to treatment was good and rapid.
Aged* ; Diagnosis ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Early Diagnosis ; Fever ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemoptysis ; Humans ; Lung Diseases, Obstructive ; Lung Neoplasms ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Pneumonia ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Sputum ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*

Sarcopenia-related falls and fractures are increasing worldwide due to the aging population. The purpose of this study was to 1) evaluate anthropometric characteristics related to hip fracture in Korean patients, 2) investigate sarcopenia prevalence in hip fracture (HF) and non-hip fracture (NF) groups, and 3) investigate the correlation between sarcopenia and osteoporosis. This case-control study examined 359 HF and 1,614 NF normal populations using Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. We performed whole-body dual energy X-ray absorptiometry to analyze body composition using the skeletal muscle mass index (SMI: lean mass/height2) and bone mineral density (BMD). In the HF group, using the AWGS definition, the prevalence of sarcopenia in women and men was 44.3% and 68.2%, respectively; in the NF group, it was 7.1% and 16.1%, respectively. Lower appendicular SMI (P < 0.001), leg muscle mass (P < 0.001), and higher prevalence of sarcopenia (P < 0.001) were observed in the HF group after adjustment for age and gender. In multivariate analysis, sarcopenia (OR = 6.52; 95% CI = 4.67-9.09), age (OR = 1.15; 95% CI = 1.13-1.17), and osteoporosis (OR = 1.87; 95% CI = 1.35-2.58) were associated with the occurrence of a hip fracture. This study showed a higher prevalence of sarcopenia in patients with hip fractures compared with a normal population, and higher prevalence of sarcopenia in men.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Accidental Falls ; Aging ; Body Composition ; Bone Density ; Case-Control Studies* ; Female ; Hip Fractures ; Hip* ; Humans ; Korea ; Leg ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Nutrition Surveys ; Osteoporosis ; Prevalence* ; Sarcopenia*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of ketoprofen plaster on knee pain in patients with osteoarthritis who are concomittantly treated with acetaminophen. METHODS: Forty-three patints with knee osteoarthritis were randomized into a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to receive treatment with either placebo or ketoprofen plaster (Ketotop? applied over painful knee for 4 week. The patients were instructed to apply Ketotop%r placebo plaster to more painful knee twice daily. The response to treatment was assessed in I and 4 weeks with the use of visual analog scales (VAS) for pain and a categorical pain scale, and physician's global evaluation. All of the patients continued to receive acetaminophen concomittantly. RESULTS: Significantly more relief of pain was noted in Ketotop treated patients than the placebo treated patients by the end of the study; after four week, Ketotop treated patients demostrated mean reductions in pain of 33%. The reduction in pain was statistically significant in Ketotop group compared with placebo group(p=0.03). According to the physician's global evaluations, 81% of the Ketotop treated patients experienced a reduction in pain after 4 weeks of treatment compared with those treated with placebo(25%o)(p=0.01). No significant adverse effect was noted except mild skin irritation in one case. CONCLUSIONS: The application of Ketotop is a safe and effective adjunctive therapeutic modality for the relief of knee pain in patients with osteoarthritis who are treated with acetaminopen.
Acetaminophen ; Humans ; Ketoprofen ; Knee* ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteoarthritis, Knee* ; Skin ; Visual Analog Scale

BACKGROUND: Both the Korean Society of Infectious Diseases and The Korean Center for Diseases Control recommended MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccination to health care workers (HCWs) but this had rarely been applied mainly due to economic reasons. In this paper, we report a measles outbreak initiated by two inpatients and then spread to other nine infants and three HCWs. We also report that this outbreak was successfully contained by active infection control measures. METHODS: Measles cases were determined according to CDC clinical criteria and confirmed by the level of the measles-specific IgM antibody. Suspected patients were isolated in aeration-limited areas. After measles cases in HCWs were detected, people in 26 pediatric wards were screened for measles-specific IgG antibody. MMR (measle, rubella, mumps) vaccination was applied to HCWs who were negative for measles-specific antibodies or HCWs who were exposed but not sure of their vaccination status. RESULTS: From April 21 to June 4 in 2007, measles-infected patients consisted of eleven infants (11 months old in median age) and three HCW women. Antibody screening revealed that only 73% (19 out of 26) in pediatric wards were positive for measles-specific IgG. After a medical doctor was confirmed as measles-infected, health care worker exposed to measles patients were all vaccinated without antibody test. CONCLUSION: The precise level of anti-measles antibody in adults has to be revealed by further studies involving multiple organizations. This result could be helpful for establishing a proper health care policy of MMR vaccination.
Adult ; Antibodies ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Communicable Diseases ; Delivery of Health Care ; Disease Outbreaks ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Infant ; Infection Control ; Inpatients ; Mass Screening ; Measles ; Mumps ; Rubella ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Vaccination

BACKGROUND: Oral allergy syndrome(OAS) is composed of it,ching sense and edema in oral cavity, lips, throat, pharynx, and larynx following eating some fresh fruits or vegetables. It has been known that most of patients with OAS are allergic to pollens. Common epitopes were found among pollens, fruits and vegetables. Although OAS is a common farm of food allergy in adults, this is the first epidemiologic study of OAS in Korea. MATERIAL AND METHOD: One hundred and fifty one patients who showed positive skin reaction to pollens were telephone-interviewed. Investigation of the prevalence and clinical manifestations of OAS was possible in 81 patients. RESULT: The prevalence of OAS among these patients was 34.6% (28/81). OAS was found in 24(48%) out of 50 patients sensitized to tree pollens, whereas 4(13%) of 31 grass or weed pollen-sensitized paients had OAS. Most common causative food was apple and all of 17 apple- OAS patients were sensitized to tree pollens. Peach was the second common food and 14 of 15 peach-OAS patients were sensitized to tree pollens. Besides oral symptoms, rhinitis, asthma, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting or generalized urticaria were accompanied in half of the OAS patients (14/28). Some patients showed OAS to some unique Korean foods such as dropwort, taro and Aster. CONCLUSION: OAS was very common in pollen-sensitized patients. Larger epidemiologic studies are needed to find unique Korean foods and their antigensm causing OAS.
Adult ; Asthma ; Colocasia ; Diarrhea ; Eating ; Edema ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Epitopes ; Filipendula ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Fruit ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Korea ; Larynx ; Lip ; Mouth ; Nausea ; Pharynx ; Poaceae ; Pollen* ; Prevalence ; Prunus persica ; Rhinitis ; Skin ; Urticaria ; Vegetables ; Vomiting

Background: Umeclidinium/vilanterol (UMEC/VI; ANORO ELLIPTA, GSK) is a commonly used dual bronchodilator. This study evaluated the safety and effectiveness of UMEC/VI in Korean patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) over a 6-year period. Methods: This was an open-label, multicentre, observational, post-marketing surveillance study. A total of 3,375 patients were enrolled consecutively in 52 hospitals, by 53 physicians, between July 2014 and July 2020. Patients who were administered UMEC/VI (fixed-dose 62.5 μg/25 μg) at least once and were monitored for safety and effectiveness were included in the analysis. Incidence and severity of adverse events (AEs) reported after administrating at least one dose of UMEC/VI were monitored, including unexpected adverse events (UAEs) and adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Effectiveness of UMEC/VI after 24 weeks of administration was also assessed using physician’s evaluation (effective, ineffectiveo change, worsening, indeterminable) and lung function improvement. Results: Of 3,375 patients, 3,086 were included in the safety assessment group (mean age±standard deviation: 69.76±8.80 years; 85.9% male [n=2,652]; 73.1% aged ≥65 years [n=2,255]). The overall incidence of AEs was 28.8% (n=890), of which 2.2% (n=67) were ADRs. Serious AEs and UAEs were reported in 181 (5.9%) and 665 (21.6%) patients, respectively, and two patients (<0.1%) reported unexpected severe ADR. Of the 903/3,086 patients analysed for effectiveness, most (82.8%, n=748) showed overall disease improvement after UMEC/VI treatment. Conclusion This study confirmed UMEC/VI administered to Korean patients according to the prescribing information was well-tolerated and can be considered an effective option for COPD treatment.

Streptomyces avermitilis genome includes 33 genes encoding monooxygenation-catalyzing cytochrome P450 enzymes. We investigated the structure of CYP107P2 and its interactions with terpenoid compounds. The recombinant CYP107P2 protein was expressed in Escherichia coli and the purified enzyme exhibited a typical P450 spectrum upon CO-binding in its reduced state. Type-I substrate-binding spectral titrations were observed with various terpenoid compounds, including α-pinene, β-pinene, α-terpinyl acetate, and (+)-3-carene. The calculated binding affinities (Kd) ranged from 15.9 to 50.8 µM. The X-ray crystal structure of CYP107P2 was determined at 1.99 Å resolution, with a well-conserved overall P450 folding conformation. The terpenoid com-pound docking models illustrated that the structural interaction between monoterpenes and CYP107P2, with the distance between heme and terpenes ranging from 3.4 to 5.4 Å, indicates potential substrate binding for P450 enzyme. This study suggests that CYP107P2 is a Streptomyces P450 enzyme capable of catalyzing terpenes as substrates, signifying noteworthy advancements in comprehending a novel P450 enzyme’s involvement in terpene reactions.