This study was conducted to investigate actual conditions associated with veterinary anesthetic drug use in Korea, and to obtain responses from Korean veterinarians and researchers pertaining to the use of anesthetic drugs. To accomplish this, a nationwide survey was issued to veterinarians working at animal hospitals and to researchers in the Korean Association for Laboratory Animal Science (KALAS). A self-administered questionnaire-based survey was then conducted in which respondents were asked questions about actual conditions associated with the use of animal anesthetic drugs. The survey revealed that the distribution and management of animal medicines in Korea was quite vulnerable to misuse or abuse due to a variety of factors. Therefore, a relevant regulatory system should be strictly enforced to protect vulnerable individuals from abuse or misuse.
Anesthetics* ; Animals ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Hospitals, Animal ; Humans ; Korea ; Laboratory Animal Science ; Prescription Drug Misuse ; Research Personnel ; Substance-Related Disorders ; Veterinarians

This study investigated the epidemiology (prevalence, risk factors, and impact on quality of life) of knee pain and its severity in elderly Koreans. The subjects (n=3,054) were participants aged > or =50 yr from the fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, conducted in 2010. Knee pain was defined as pain in the knee lasting > or =30 days during the most recent 3 months; severity was categorized as mild, moderate, or severe. EQ-5D was used to measure quality of life. The prevalence of knee pain was 23.1% (11.7% in men, 31.9% in women). The prevalences of mild, moderate, and severe knee pain were 4.3%, 9.1%, and 9.7%, respectively (2.8%, 5.4%, and 3.5% in men and 5.4%, 12.0%, and 14.4% in women). Old age, female gender, a low level of education, a manual occupation, obesity, and radiographic osteoarthritis were risk factors for knee pain, and were associated with increased severity of knee pain. Excluding men with mild knee pain, people with knee pain had significantly lower quality of life than those without knee pain. Early interventional approaches are needed to reduce the medical, social, and economic burden of knee pain in elderly Koreans.
Age Factors ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Obesity/complications ; Odds Ratio ; Osteoarthritis, Knee/complications/epidemiology/radiography ; Pain/*epidemiology/etiology ; Prevalence ; *Quality of Life ; Questionnaires ; Republic of Korea ; Risk Factors ; Severity of Illness Index ; Sex Factors

Vulvodynia is a chronic pain syndrome in female genitalia in the absence of visible infectious, inflammatory, or neoplastic findings or a clinically identifiable neurological disorder. We report a case of vulvodynia successfully treated with dry needling using a specially designed round needle (Ahn's needle). A 50-year-old woman was seen with 20-year-history of left-sided vulvar pain in the absence of infectious, inflammatory, neoplastic, or neurological disorder. We diagnosed her condition as vulvodynia and conducted dry needling using an Ahn's needle. Dry needling was performed along left upper and middle labiocrural fold. She reported 50% improvement of vulvodynia after the first treatment and 100% improvement after the second treatment. She remained symptom free 9 months after treatment. Our report suggests that dry needling using an Ahn's needle have clinical significance in managing vulvodynia.
Chronic Pain ; Female ; Genitalia ; Genitalia, Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Needles ; Nervous System Diseases ; Vulvodynia

We examined time trend and age-period-cohort effects on acute myocardial infarction (AMI) mortality in Korean adults from 1988 to 2007. Annual AMI mortality data and population statistics from 1988 to 2007 were obtained from the STATISTICS KOREA website. Age adjusted mortality for four 5-yr calendar periods (1988-1992 to 2003-2007) was calculated by direct standardization using the Year 2000 WHO world standard population. A log-linear Poisson regression model was used to estimate age, period, and cohort effects on AMI mortality. In both genders, age-adjusted AMI mortality increased from period one (1988-1992) to period three (1998-2002) but decreased in period four (2003-2007). An exponential age effect was noted in both genders. The rate ratio of the cohort effect increased up to the 1943 birth cohort and decreased gradually thereafter, and the rate ratio of the period effect increased up to period three (1998-2002) and decreased thereafter. Our results suggest that AMI mortality in Korean adults has decreased since the period 1998-2002 and age, period, and cohort effects have influenced on AMI mortality.
Adult ; Age Distribution ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Cohort Effect ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction/*mortality ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Time Factors

A 49-year-old woman with spasmodic torticollis was treated with interventional muscle and nerve stimulation (IMNS). Her neck was tilted to the left, and her chin was rotated and tilted to the right. Based on patient history, physical examination, and X-ray findings, the right C2-3, C3-4, C4-5 and C5-6 facet joints were selected for IMNS treatment. Under ultrasound guidance, an Ahn's Needle (a specially designed needle for IMNS) was inserted from the midline of the posterior neck and advanced toward a point over the capsule of the facet joints. The needle was moved gently forward and backward within a 1-2 mm range until no resistance was felt at the tip. After undergoing three rounds of IMNS treatment, the dystonic features were grossly normal but spontaneous activities of the muscles innervated by C6 remained. Although we did not demonstrate complete improvement of spasmodic torticollis, our report suggests that IMNS has therapeutic value for spasmodic torticollis.
Chin ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Muscles ; Neck ; Needles ; Physical Examination ; Torticollis ; Zygapophyseal Joint

BACKGROUND: This study estimated the number of Korean adults with osteoarthritis from a representative sample. METHODS: We analyzed the data from phase 2 of the fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted in 2008 using surveyfreq procedure of the SAS statistical package and estimated the number of Korean adults who reported that they experienced osteoarthritis lasting for three or more months during the past year (chronic patients) or were suffering from osteoarthritis at the time of survey (current patients). RESULTS: It was estimated that there were 3,597,774 (proportion, 9.8%; 95% confidence interval, 3,238,651-3,956,897) chronic patients and 3,916,417 (10.7%; 3,548,768-4,284,066) current patients among 36,744,994 Korean adults aged 20-89 years in 2008. CONCLUSIONS: Further efforts to investigate exact number of Korean adults with osteoarthritis and improve treatment outcomes of osteoarthritis are needed.
Adult ; Aged ; Humans ; Korea ; Nutrition Surveys ; Osteoarthritis ; Phenothiazines ; Prevalence ; Stress, Psychological

No abstract available.

This study examined urinary cotinine levels and self-reported smoking among pregnant women in Korea and the factors associated with smoking during pregnancy. The subjects were selected from pregnant women who visited 30 randomly sampled obstetric clinics and prenatal care hospitals in Korea in 2006. Smoking status was determined by self-reporting and urinary cotinine measurement. A total of 1,090 self-administered questionnaires and 1,057 urine samples were analyzed. The percentage of smoking revealed by self-reporting was 0.55% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.11-0.99) and that revealed by urinary cotinine measurement (>100 ng/mL) was 3.03% (95% CI, 1.99-4.06). The kappa coefficient of agreement between self-reported smoking status and urinary cotinine measurement was 0.20 (95% CI, 0.03-0.37). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that early gestational period, low educational level, and being married to a smoker were significant risk factors for smoking during pregnancy. Smoking among pregnant women in Korea is not negligible, and those who are concerned to maternal and child health should be aware of this possibility among pregnant women in countries with similar cultural background.
Adult ; Cotinine/*urine ; Female ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Middle Aged ; Pregnancy ; Reproducibility of Results ; Self-Examination/*statistics & numerical data ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Smoking/*epidemiology/*urine ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: We developed a sonographically assisted minimally invasive release technique (entitled as interventional microadhesiolysis) of the A1 pulley to treat trigger digit. This paper introduces the procedure and evaluates the efficacy of the intervention for trigger digit. METHODS: Eleven trigger digits in nine patients were treated with a specially designed needle using ultrasonographic assistance. The technique includes subcutaneous and intrasheath release. Subcutaneous release was performed by obliquely inserting the needle into the interdigital space and advancing it to release the subcutaneous tissue overlying the affected area. If the A1 pulley was not completely released, intrasheath release was performed by advancing the needle into the flexor tendon sheath, and the operator fixed the needle while the digit was passively flexed and extended. RESULTS: After the patients underwent the technique, all of the patients reported a reduction in pain and improved range of motion. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that interventional microadhesiolysis is an effective treatment for trigger digit.
Humans ; Needles ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Tendons ; Trigger Finger Disorder

OBJECTIVE: We estimated the number of Korean adults with back pain and evaluated population-based associated factors of back pain from a representative sample data from the Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. METHODS: The number of Korean adults who experienced back pain (experienced patients), those who experienced back pain lasting for three or more months during the past year (chronic patients), and those who were currently suffering from back pain (current patients) were estimated by analyzing the data from the fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted in 2007 using surveyfreq procedure of the SAS statistical package. Population-based odds ratios for being experienced, chronic, and current patient according to demographic (age and gender), socioeconomic (education and occupation), and lifestyle factors (smoking, drinking, and exercise) were estimated using surveylogistic procedure. RESULTS: It was estimated that there were 5,554,256 (proportion, 15.4%; 95% CI, 4,809,466 - 6,299,046) experienced patients, 2,060,829 (5.7%; 1,557,413-2,564,246) chronic patients, and 3,084,188 (8.5%; 2,600,197 - 3,568,179) current patients among 36,107,225 Korean adults aged 20-89 years in 2007. Each of explanatory variables was significantly associated with at least one of the response variables for back pain. CONCLUSION: Based on our study results, further efforts to investigate epidemiology of back pain, to evaluate associated factors, and to improve treatment outcomes are needed.
Adult ; Aged ; Back Pain ; Drinking ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Style ; Nutrition Surveys ; Odds Ratio ; Phenothiazines ; Stress, Psychological ; Surveys and Questionnaires