No Abstract Available.
DNA* ; Interleukin-12* ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium*

OBJECTIVES: The low benefit coverage rate of South Korea's health security system has been continually pointed out. A low benefit coverage rate inevitably causes catastrophic health expenditure, which can be the cause of the transition to poverty and the persistence of poverty. This study was conducted to ascertain the effect of catastrophic health expenditure on the transition to poverty and the persistence of poverty in South Korea. METHODS: To determine the degree of social mobility, this study was conducted among the 6311 households that participated in the South Korea Welfare Panel Study in both 2006 and 2008. The effect of catastrophic health expenditure on the transition to poverty and the persistence of poverty in South Korea was assessed via multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The poverty rate in South Korea was 21.6% in 2006 and 20.0% in 2008. 25.1 - 7.3% of the households are facing catastrophic health expenditure. Catastrophic health expenditure was found to affect the transition to poverty even after adjusting for the characteristics of the household and the head of the household, at the threshold of 28% or above. CONCLUSIONS: 25.1% of the households in this study were found to be currently facing catastrophic health expenditure, and it was determined that catastrophic health expenditure is a cause of transition to poverty. This result shows that South Korea's health security system is not an effective social safety net. As such, to prevent catastrophic health expenditure and transition to poverty, the benefit coverage of South Korea's health security system needs to the strengthened.
Aged ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; *Health Expenditures ; Housing ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Poverty ; Republic of Korea ; *Social Mobility ; *Social Security

Successful repair of lacerated tendons must restore continuity of the tendon and should yield a strong tenorrhaphy. Mechanical strength of repair should be adequate to early postoperative motion and mobility, The optimal repair technique must be able to withstand the rigors of early motion and also must not interfere with tendon healing. The relative strength of three suture methods of lacerated tendon were measured by mechanical disruption in effort to determine the strength of suture technique. Fifty-four Calcaneal tendons of 27 the New Zealand white rabbit were transected at mid portion and repaired with the three suture technique: group 1, Kessler suture, group 2, Pennington’s modified-Kessler suture and group 3, augmented- Becker suture technique. Each group was composed of 18 calcaneal tendons. Nine rabbits were sacrified immediately after suture, nine in postoperative 2 weeks and nine in postoperative 4 weeks Six calcaneal tendons in each three experimental group were obtained immediately after suture, at postoperative 2 and 4 weeks respectively. Tensile strength, maximum strength and modulus of elasticity of all experimental specimens were measured with Instron-UTM-4-100(Toyo-Baldiwin, Japan). The results were evaluated statistically to compare the strength of the three suture technique at three different periods. The tensile strength was predominantly strongest in augmented-Becker method among three suture technique at immediate suture, postoperative 2 weeks and 4 weeks respectively. The augmented Becker repair was strongest in maximum stress among Kessler and modified Kessler repair at immediate operation, postoperative 2 weeks and 4 weeks respectively. The augmented Becker repair was highest in modulus of elasticity than Kessler method and modified-Kessler method at immediate operation, postoperative 2 weeks and postoperative 4 weeks respectively. Tensile strength, maximum stress and modulus of elasticity were gradually increased from immediate operation to postoperative 4 weeks, but there were not statistically significance between experimental three suture methods at postoperative 4 weeks.
Elastic Modulus ; Methods ; New Zealand ; Rabbits ; Suture Techniques ; Sutures ; Tendons ; Tensile Strength

Transpupillary argon laser cyclophotocoagulation has been proposed as an alternative to conventional glaucoma surgery. The procedure involves phoptocoagulation of cilliary process to decrease intraocular pressure by reducing aqueous production. We report our experience with 3 advanced glaucoma patients, who received transpuillary cyclophotocoagulation. Their ciliary process was well visualized by gonioscopy. All visible process were treated up to a maximum of 1800 at one setting and treated again a few weeks later, so total transpupiJIary argon laser cyclophotocoagulation were performed 3 or 4 times. After surgery, each patient was maintained on preoperative glaucoma medication. As a result of this study, one of these patients was sucessfully controled and other one of them had effect of 20mmHg Intraocular pressure reduction.
Argon* ; Glaucoma ; Gonioscopy ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure

PURPOSE : Developmental screening tests are in widespread use, but few reliable and valid tests are available. One of the oldest and best known developmental screening test was recently restandardized and revised as Denver II. Because the Denver II was published without evidence of its accuracy in developmental screening, we evaluate its accuracy in chidren with developmental delay to see whether it can be used on Korean children. METHODS : The Denver II was translated and was administered to 244 children attending the child development clinic in Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital to evaluated motor delay(Group I, n=68), language delay(Group II, n=84) or other problem(Group III, n=92). RESULTS : 1) The ratio of male to female and the mean age of the subject were 2.4:1 and 25.1 months overall, 1.6:1 and 11.8 months in Group I, 4.6:1 and 35.6 months in Group II, and 1.3:1 and 25.4 months in Group III. 2) The distribution of results(abnormal, normal and questionable) were 76%, 13% and 10% in Group I, 76%, 10% and 14% in Group II, and 38%, 53% and 9% in Group III. 3) The neurologic problems were determined 75%(cerebral palsy, central hypotonia, infantile spasm, myopathy etc.) in Group I, 74%(mental retardation, developmental language disorder, epilepsy, cerebral palsy etc.) Group II and 39%(mental retardation, epilepsy, cerebral palsy etc.) in Group III. 4) The sensitivity and the specificity of Denver II were 0.88 and 0.41 in Group 1, 0.90 and 0.27 in Group II, 0.81 and 0.77 in Group III, and 0.85 and 0.59 overall. CONCLUSION: Although the Denver II in identifying children at risk for developmental delay has a excellent sensitivity, it has a poor specificity, especially in identifying children at risk for language delay. These results demonstrate that the Denver fail to reliably identify children in need of developmental delay evaluation. So the Denver II should be standardized and modified to be used on Korean children with developmental delay.
Cerebral Palsy ; Child ; Child Development ; Epilepsy ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Language Development Disorders ; Male ; Mass Screening* ; Muscle Hypotonia ; Muscular Diseases ; Paralysis ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spasms, Infantile

No abstract available.
Apgar Score* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Apgar Score* ; Humans

Congenital renal arteriovenous fistula is a rare disease and manifested by gross hematuria, bladder tamponade and flank pain. We experienced one case of congenital renal arteriovenous firstula which was cirsoid type and treated with superselective transcatheter arterial embolization of four small segmental arteries. The microcoils made of platinum and synthetic fiber were used as theembolization modality.
Arteries ; Arteriovenous Fistula* ; Flank Pain ; Hematuria ; Platinum ; Rare Diseases ; Urinary Bladder

Isolated ACTH deficiency is a uncommon disorder causing secondary adrenocortical insufficiency. Less than 200 cases have been reported in the world. The major clinical manifestations are hypoglycemia, weight loss, hypotension, anemia, weakness, nausea, inability to excrete water load, and hyponatremia. A 56-year-old male was admitted because of weakness, fatigue, nausea and vomiting. He was pallor and not associated with hyperpigmentation. The basal plasma ACTH and cortisol levels were 8.30 pg/ml and 0.6 ug/dl. The serum cortisol did not response to rapid ACTH stimulation test. On combined pituitary stimulation test, the cortisol did not response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia. Other anterior pituitary hormones showed normal responses except elevated prolactin level. Six months after glucocorticoid replacement therapy, the elevated basal prolactin level returned to normal. Brain MRI did not show any anatomic abnormalities of the sellar and suprasella area. We report a case of isolated ACTH deficiency accompanied by hyperprolactineia, which respond to glucocorticoid replacement therapy.
Adrenal Insufficiency ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone* ; Anemia ; Brain ; Fatigue ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Hyperpigmentation ; Hyperprolactinemia* ; Hypoglycemia ; Hyponatremia ; Hypotension ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nausea ; Pallor ; Pituitary Hormones, Anterior ; Plasma ; Prolactin ; Vomiting ; Water ; Weight Loss

PURPOSE: To report two cases of orbital apex syndrome caused by blunt orbital trauma without structural damage of the orbit. CASE SUMMARY: (Case 1) A 50-year-old male came to our clinic complaining of visual loss after blunt orbital trauma by a metal bar. The best-corrected visual acuity was no light perception and light reflex was not observed in the affected eye. He also presented with complete ptosis and ophthalmoplegia with relative sparing of adduction and depression. High signal intensity of the orbital soft tissue including the optic nerve sheath was revealed using a T2-weighted image in magnetic resonance imaging. After starting steroid pulse therapy, his visual acuity improved to counting fingers on the third day. Ocular movement and levator function recovered to the normal range while visual acuity remained counting fingers. (Case 2) A 64-year-old female presented with complete ptosis after trauma to her right eyeball. The best-corrected visual acuity was 20/25 in the right eye. Complete ptosis and ophthalmoplegia with relative sparing of abduction and depression in the right eye were observed at the initial presentation. Magnetic resonance images showed enhancement of the right periphery optic nerve and distal rectus muscle. Two months after undergoing steroid pulse therapy, levator function and ocular movement recovered completely, and visual acuity improved to 20/20. CONCLUSIONS: The orbital apex syndrome caused by blunt orbital trauma showed good response to steroid pulse therapy. Steroid treatments may therefore be considered for the treatment of traumatic orbital apex syndrome.
Depression ; Female ; Fingers ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Optic Nerve ; Orbit ; Reference Values ; Reflex ; Visual Acuity