Purpose: It is important to reduce stress and improve quality of life for shift nurses, who experience high levels of occupational stress. Identifying evidence-based interventions to enhance their well-being is crucial for both individual and healthcare system outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of music therapy and aromatherapy on stress, quality of life, and happiness among shift nurses. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, participants were randomly assigned using computer-generated random numbers. A total of 78 shift nurses who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled. The experimental treatment involved providing music therapy for one week to the music group and aromatherapy for one week to the aroma group, whereas the control group followed their usual daily routines for one week. Results: No significant differences were observed among the three groups concerning general characteristics and baseline dependent variables, thereby confirming the homogeneity of the groups. Nevertheless, post-intervention analyses demonstrated significant improvements in perceived stress (F = 5.55, p = .006), stress index (F = 3.38, p = .039), quality of life (F = 11.79, p < .001), and happiness (F = 9.29, p < .001) in the experimental groups. Conclusion Both music therapy and aromatherapy were found to be effective in mitigating stress and improving quality of life and happiness among shift nurses. Therefore, these interventions can be regarded as valuable strategies for improving overall well-being within this population.

Purpose: It is important to reduce stress and improve quality of life for shift nurses, who experience high levels of occupational stress. Identifying evidence-based interventions to enhance their well-being is crucial for both individual and healthcare system outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of music therapy and aromatherapy on stress, quality of life, and happiness among shift nurses. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, participants were randomly assigned using computer-generated random numbers. A total of 78 shift nurses who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled. The experimental treatment involved providing music therapy for one week to the music group and aromatherapy for one week to the aroma group, whereas the control group followed their usual daily routines for one week. Results: No significant differences were observed among the three groups concerning general characteristics and baseline dependent variables, thereby confirming the homogeneity of the groups. Nevertheless, post-intervention analyses demonstrated significant improvements in perceived stress (F = 5.55, p = .006), stress index (F = 3.38, p = .039), quality of life (F = 11.79, p < .001), and happiness (F = 9.29, p < .001) in the experimental groups. Conclusion Both music therapy and aromatherapy were found to be effective in mitigating stress and improving quality of life and happiness among shift nurses. Therefore, these interventions can be regarded as valuable strategies for improving overall well-being within this population.

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the factors that influence deep sleep restoration in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) following positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy. Methods: In total, 363 patients diagnosed with OSA who received PAP therapy over at least 3 months were enrolled in the study. Polysomnographic parameters, anatomical characteristics, and subjective sleep-related parameters were evaluated according to the presence of daytime sleepiness and morning headache before and after 3 months of PAP treatment. Results: Age was significantly different according to whether excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) was alleviated (average: 49.35 years) or persisted (average: 52.82 years) (p=0.001). Age was also significantly associated with morning headache (p=0.037). Body mass index (BMI) was higher in the alleviated EDS group (28.70 kg/m2) than in the persistent EDS group (27.13 kg/m2; p=0.002). The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was correlated with the EDS outcome (p=0.011). The group with alleviated EDS had a longer mandibular plane to hyoid distance (MPH) than the group with persistent EDS (17.95 mm vs. 15.38 mm; p<0.001). However, BMI, AHI, and MPH showed no significant associations with morning headache. Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores were higher in the alleviated EDS and alleviated morning headache groups (EDS: p<0.001, morning headache: p=0.001). Self-Efficacy Measure for Sleep Apnea (SEMSA) values differed significantly between the EDS groups (p<0.001), but not between the morning headache groups (p=0.122). After 3 months of PAP therapy, the MPH was negatively correlated with EDS in univariate (odds ratio [OR]=0.921, p<0.001) and multivariate analyses (OR=0.937, p=0.028). The SEMSA score was also negatively correlated with EDS in univariate (OR=0.961, p<0.001) and multivariate (OR=0.973, p=0.019) analyses. Conclusion Age, polysomnographic metrics, and anatomical considerations were important for sleep quality-associated daytime symptoms. In addition, anatomical characteristics and the patient’s self-efficacy were significantly associated with the effect of PAP treatment on sleep quality.

Purpose: It is important to reduce stress and improve quality of life for shift nurses, who experience high levels of occupational stress. Identifying evidence-based interventions to enhance their well-being is crucial for both individual and healthcare system outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of music therapy and aromatherapy on stress, quality of life, and happiness among shift nurses. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, participants were randomly assigned using computer-generated random numbers. A total of 78 shift nurses who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled. The experimental treatment involved providing music therapy for one week to the music group and aromatherapy for one week to the aroma group, whereas the control group followed their usual daily routines for one week. Results: No significant differences were observed among the three groups concerning general characteristics and baseline dependent variables, thereby confirming the homogeneity of the groups. Nevertheless, post-intervention analyses demonstrated significant improvements in perceived stress (F = 5.55, p = .006), stress index (F = 3.38, p = .039), quality of life (F = 11.79, p < .001), and happiness (F = 9.29, p < .001) in the experimental groups. Conclusion Both music therapy and aromatherapy were found to be effective in mitigating stress and improving quality of life and happiness among shift nurses. Therefore, these interventions can be regarded as valuable strategies for improving overall well-being within this population.

Purpose: It is important to reduce stress and improve quality of life for shift nurses, who experience high levels of occupational stress. Identifying evidence-based interventions to enhance their well-being is crucial for both individual and healthcare system outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of music therapy and aromatherapy on stress, quality of life, and happiness among shift nurses. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, participants were randomly assigned using computer-generated random numbers. A total of 78 shift nurses who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled. The experimental treatment involved providing music therapy for one week to the music group and aromatherapy for one week to the aroma group, whereas the control group followed their usual daily routines for one week. Results: No significant differences were observed among the three groups concerning general characteristics and baseline dependent variables, thereby confirming the homogeneity of the groups. Nevertheless, post-intervention analyses demonstrated significant improvements in perceived stress (F = 5.55, p = .006), stress index (F = 3.38, p = .039), quality of life (F = 11.79, p < .001), and happiness (F = 9.29, p < .001) in the experimental groups. Conclusion Both music therapy and aromatherapy were found to be effective in mitigating stress and improving quality of life and happiness among shift nurses. Therefore, these interventions can be regarded as valuable strategies for improving overall well-being within this population.

Fixed drug eruption (FDE) is a well-defined hyperpigmented patch that recurs in a fixed location each time a particular drug is taken. Common causative agents of FDE are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, non-narcotic analgesics, sedatives, anticonvulsants, sulfonamides, and tetracycline. We report a 33-year-old male who presented with a recurrent, localized, brownish-to-erythematous macule and papules on the peri-philtrum area two hours after taking valacyclovir. Three episodes of valacyclovir ingestion for treatment of Herpes simplex virus infection provoked a similar skin rash at the same site. Histopathology results showed vacuolar degeneration in the basal layer of the epidermis, pigmentary incontinence, and perivascular inflammatory cell infiltration in the papillary dermis. Although patch test and skin prick test showed negative responses to acyclovir and valacyclovir, an intradermal test showed a positive reaction only to valacyclovir. The oral provocation test to acyclovir and valacyclovir showed a positive reaction only to valacyclovir. Through drug history, histopathological examination, patch test, intradermal test, and oral provocation test, we established a final diagnosis of FDE due to valacyclovir without cross-reactivity to acyclovir. To find alternative therapeutic drugs, we suggest diagnostic tests with not only the suspected drugs, but also other drugs in the same class.

African tick-bite fever (ATBF), caused by Rickettsia africae, is the second most frequent cause of fever after malaria in travelers returning from Southern Africa. As the Korean outbound travelers are increasing every year, tick-borne rickettsial diseases as a cause of febrile illness are likely to increase. We describe a febrile Korean returning traveler who showed two eschars after visiting the rural field in Manzini, Swaziland. We performed nested polymerase chain reaction using the eschar and diagnosed the patient with ATBF. He was treated with oral doxycycline for 7 days, and recovered without any complications. We believe that the present case is the first ATBF case diagnosed in a Korean traveler.

Purpose: To confirm that the phaco chop method using an illuminated chopper (iChopper; Oculight, Seongnam, Korea) can reduce cataract surgery complications, and that even beginners can safely and effectively perform phaco chop. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of the first 30 phaco chop cases using illuminated chopper of four cataract surgeons. Four ophthalmologists had a variety of empirical backgrounds, from those who have experienced more than 10,000 cataract surgery, to beginners who have experienced 20 cataract surgery. Results: Of the total 120 eyes, two eyes (1.67%) had posterior capsule rupture. The chopping method was changed from phaco chop to stop and chop in three eyes (2.5%) including one eye with brown cataract with pseudoexofoliation syndrome and two eyes with nuclear opacity grade ≥5. Conclusions The rates of posterior capsule rupture of phaco chop using an illuminated chopper were very low in four surgeons with various experiences and who became proficient shortly in phaco chop.