Torsades de pointes, a polymorphic ventricular tachycardia associated with prolonged QT interval, is a well-known life-threatening arrhythmia, which has been found to be induced by various causes such as drugs, electrolyte imbalances, and severe bradycardia. Cisapride is a gastrointestinal prokinetic drug, which is widely used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease or other functional gastrointestinal disorders. Cisapride can cause torsades de pointes and cases of torsedes de pointes induced by cisapride have been reported in other countries. Cases of torsades de pointes associated with antihistamine drugs have been reported in Korea, however, cisapride-induced torsades de pointes case has not been reported. We report a case of 31 year-old female patient who experienced repeated loss of consciousness due to cisapride-induced torsades de pointes.
Adult ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Bradycardia ; Cisapride* ; Female ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; Humans ; Korea ; Tachycardia, Ventricular ; Torsades de Pointes* ; Unconsciousness

PURPOSE: This study was to examine the reliability and validity of Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) as a nutritional measurement for stroke patients. METHODS: This was a methodological study performed from May 6 to June 10, 2009 at a tertiary university hospital in Seoul. For reliability of PG-SGA, inter-rater reliability was used for statistics. For concurrent validity, BMI and biomarkers were compared between PG-SGA 0 ~ 8 and > or = 9. In addition, sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of PG-SGA compared with SGA were calculated using a contingency table. For predictive validity, hospital day, complications, and readmission within 1-month after discharge were compared between PG-SGA 0 ~ 8 and > or = 9. RESULTS: Correlation of PG-SGA score between two observers was 0.83, and kappa value for the agreement of severe malnutrition was 0.78(all p(s) < .001). The scored PG-SGA showed high sensitivity and specificity (100% and 96.7%, respectively). Severe undernourished patients (PG-SGA > or = 9) had significantly low TLC, protein, albumin, and prealbumin (all p(s) < .01) compared with non-undernourished patients (PG-SGA 0 ~ 8). Also, in severe undernourished patients, complications and readmission (all p(s) = 0.01) were more often represented, and hospital days (p = .013) were significantly delayed. CONCLUSION: PG-SGA is a reliable and valid measurement to assess nutritional status for stroke patients.
Biomarkers ; Humans ; Malnutrition ; Nutrition Assessment ; Nutritional Status ; Prealbumin ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Stroke

The hepatitis C vims(HCV) is now known to be the chief cause of transfusion-associated non-A, non-B hepatitis. The ultimate goal of blood donor screening for anti-HCV antibodies is the specific exclusion of vital carriers from the blood donor population. Recently, a third generation anti-HCV screening(Green Cross Center Innotest HCV 3.0 Genedia HCV 3.0 ) and immunoblot assay, Inno-Lia HCV Ab III (Innogenetics) using antigens derived from the core and different nonstructural regions(NS3, NS4 and Ns5) of the HCV viral genome were developed. To evaluate the usefulness of these assays, anti-HCV reaction patterns of the Inno-Lia HCV Ab III or presence of HCV-RNA detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) were examined samples in which were repeatedly positive or discrepant with Abbott EIA-2, Innotest HCV 3.0 Genedia HCV 3.0 The reaction intensity of Innotest HCV 3.0 Genedia HCV 3.0 was higher than that of Abbott EIA-2. The sensitivity and specificity of Innotest HCV 3.0 and Genedia HCV 3.0 were 92.9% and 86.8%, respectively, and the positive and negative predictive values were 72.2% and 97.1%. both. The sensitivity and specificity of Abbott EIA-2 were 100% and 78.9%, respectively, and the positive and negative predictive values were 63.6% and 100%, respectively. We concluded that the new third generation HCV EIA reagents can decrease a false positivity of second generation EIA reagents and correlate well with detection of HCV-RNA by RT-PCR.
Blood Donors ; Genome, Viral ; Hepacivirus* ; Hepatitis C Antibodies ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques* ; Indicators and Reagents* ; Mass Screening ; Sensitivity and Specificity

No abstract available.
Animals ; Horns* ; Nevus, Sebaceous of Jadassohn*

BACKGROUND: Pyoderma gangrenosum is a rare disease in which a painful nodule or pustule breaks down to form a progressive enlarging ulcer. Until now, only 8 cases of pyoderma gangrenosum have been reported in Korea. Therefore, we thought it necessary to perform a clinical analysis of pyoderma gangrenosum in Korea with a review of literature. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to find the clinical features of pyoderma gangrenosum in Korea. METHODS: Fourteen cases with pyoderma gangrenosum were investigated by reviewing medical records. Results There were 6 males and 8 females. The onset age was between 4 years and 65 years, and most(9 cases) had developed the condition between the ages of 20 and 60. Thirteen cases involved the extremities and 3 cases had whale body involvement, Seven cases(50%) had multiple lesions. All cases had pain at the lesional sites. Two cases were classified as the bullous type and the others were ulcerative in nature. The histological fmdings were non-specific. Dense inflarnmatory infiltrates composed of lymphocytes and predominant neutrophils were found in the epidermis and dermis associated with ulceration. Two cases were treated only with systemic steroids, and 2 cases with dapsone and steroids, 2 cases with colchicine and steroids, and 1 case with steroids, dapsone and colchicine. One case was treated with colchicine and anti-Tbc drug, 1 case with dapsone, 3 cases with antibotics, 1 case with the anti-Tbc drug and 1 case with anti-cancer drugs. Systemic disease was present in 5D% of the cases. The associated diseases were Behcets disease(3 cases), tuberculosis(2 cases), systemic lupus erythematosus(1 case), pancytopenia(1 case), iron deficiency anemia(1 case), acute leukemia(1 case), and colon adenoma(1 case). Recurrence developed in 2 cases and positive pathergy reactions were observed in 3 cases. CONCLUSION: Pyoderma gangrenosum was eccompanied with systemic disease in 50% of the cases and the most common therapeutic drugs were steroids. It is therefore impartant to detect the presence of any underlying disease and to treat this alongside pyoderma gangrenosum.
Age of Onset ; Colchicine ; Colon ; Dapsone ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Iron ; Korea ; Lymphocytes ; Male ; Medical Records ; Neutrophils ; Pyoderma Gangrenosum* ; Pyoderma* ; Rare Diseases ; Recurrence ; Steroids ; Ulcer ; Whales

PURPOSE: This study was to identify the factors determining the turnover intention of nurses in Emergency Department (ED). METHODS: The subjects were 123 ED nurses working at 10 general hospitals in Busan, Korea. The data were collected from August 15th to September 22nd, 2013. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS program through descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple regression. RESULTS: There were positive correlations between traumatic events experience and post-traumatic stress (r=.416, p<.001), between depression and traumatic events experience (r=.212, p=.001), between traumatic events experience and turnover intention (r=.289, p=.001), between post-traumatic stress and depression (r=.251, p=.005), and also between depression and turnover intention (r=.315, p<.001). Factors influencing turnover intention were depression and traumatic events experience with R2 value 16.7%. CONCLUSION: Considering these results, it seems that the important factors determining the turnover intention of nurses in ED are depression and traumatic events experienced by nurses. Therefore, an active plan is needed to develop strategies for reducing nurses' depression and traumatic events experienced by nurses.
Busan ; Depression ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Hospitals, General ; Intention* ; Korea

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study explores the parental characteristics that affect the eating behaviors of preschool children. The nutrition quotient for preschool children (NQ-P) tool was applied to measure the eating behaviors of preschool children, and the relationship between parents’ health beliefs and children’s eating behaviors was investigated by applying the health belief model.MATERIALS/METHODS: In August 2018, a self-administered online survey was conducted on a sample of parents of children aged 3 to 5 years living in the Seoul and Gyeonggi area. A total of 248 respondents were analyzed via descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, Tukey’s multiple comparison test, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The eating behaviors of preschool children significantly differed based on parents’ education level and monthly income (P < 0.01). Among the factors of the health belief model, “perceived benefit” had the highest score at 4.37 points. The multiple regression analysis confirmed that parents’ “self-efficacy” raised the NQ-P scores (β = 0.175, P< 0.05), balance scores (β = 0.204, P < 0.01), and environment scores of preschool children (β = 0.149,P < 0.05). The study results showed that if parents are educated on healthy eating habits and their level of self-efficacy for healthy eating practices increases, the formation of correct eating behaviors for preschool children is more likely. CONCLUSION This study provides preliminary data to develop an education program for parents to understand proper eating behaviors for their children and may help form healthy eating habits and encourage the healthy growth of preschool children.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the relationship between focal aggravation of the macular edema on retinal thickness change analysis (RTCA) of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and fluorescein angiographic findings in patients after an intravitreal triamcinolone injection (IVTA). METHODS: From May 2004 to April 2005, RTCA in a fast macular thickness map (FMTM) of OCT was performed before and 4 weeks after IVTA in patients who had macular edemas caused by diabetic retinopathy and retinal vein occlusion. Patients underwent IVTA, and focal aggravation of the edema was detected. After overlapping the OCT findings onto angiographic pictures, the relationship between the focal aggravation on OCT and the leaking point on angiography was investigated. RESULT: In the patient group, focal aggravation was found in 5 of 27 eyes (18.5%); in the control group, only 2 of 30 eyes (6.7%) showed focal aggravation. As compared with angiographic pictures, 4 eyes with focal aggravation showed no relation to the leakage on angiography. CONCLUSIONS: Focal aggravation of macular edemas after IVTA on RTCA are not related to the leakage on angiography and could be an error from several artifacts.
Angiography ; Artifacts ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Edema ; Eye ; Fluorescein ; Humans ; Macular Edema ; Retinal Vein Occlusion ; Retinaldehyde ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Triamcinolone

BACKGROUND: To determine the molecular structure of type II collagen-specific T-cell receptors associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: We generated CII-specific T-cell lines of 8 RA patient s by prolonged in vitro culture with bovine CII (bCII) and the immunogenic peptide (256-270) of human CII. The proliferation response towards CII stimulation was measured from the uptake of 3 H-thymidine. Changes in the secretion of Th 1 and Th2 cytokines in the culture supernatent were measured by ELISA. The TCR clonotypes of these T-cells were examined by RT-PCR/ SSCP analyses of all 22 V beta chains. RESULTS: T-cells from patients' tissue exhibited strong proliferation index upon CII stimulation, which was maintained up to 6 months in the culture. The secretion of INF-gamma from these T-cells increased along with the duration of culture time, while the amount of IL-4 production did not show significant changes. The SSCP band patterns of patients' T-cells appear as discrete bands unlike the smeary streak produced from normal samples. Some SSCP bands, each representing selected expansion of a TCR containing certain subtype of V beta peptides, appeared to be identical in more than one patients. Among these, the expansion of SSCP band representing the V beta 14 CDR3 region persisted after switching the antigen to the immunogenic human peptide (256-270). CONCLUSION: CII-reactive T-cells expressing distinct CDR3 motifs are selectively expanded in the peripheral blood and synovial fluid of RA patients, and their persistent proliferation upon CII stimulation, as well as the production Th 1-type cytokines, may play pivotal roles in RA pathogenesis.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Cytokines ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Interleukin-4 ; Molecular Structure ; Peptides ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell ; Synovial Fluid ; T-Lymphocytes*

Congenital hypertrophic pyloric stenosis is the most common intra-abdominal disease required surgery during the first few months of life. The expression of pyloric stenosis is dependent upon the genetic influence of ancestors affected with the disease, as well as unknown environmental influences in the postnatal period. Pyloric stenosis has been reported in multiple sibs in a family, which suggests the genetic influence on the expression of this disease. Until now, the genetic influence is thought a sex-modified polygenic or multifactorial background which facilitates the expression of a common dominant gene. We experienced a case of congenital hypertrophic pyloric stenosis in a two siblings. The siblings suffered projectile vomiting for 2~4 days at 16 days old of age and 15 days old of age. After we confirmed the diagnosis by upper gastrointestinal series and abdominal sonogram, the Fredet-Ramstedt pyloromyotomy was done successfully. This case suggests the genetic influence on the expression of this disease.
Diagnosis ; Genes, Dominant ; Humans ; Pyloric Stenosis ; Pyloric Stenosis, Hypertrophic* ; Siblings* ; Vomiting