The survival rate of children admitted in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) after birth is on the increase; hence, proper evaluation and care of their neurodevelopment has become an important issue. Neurodevelopmental assessments of individual domains regarding motor, language, cognition, and sensory perception are crucial in planning prompt interventions for neonates requiring immediate support and rehabilitation treatment. These assessments are essential for identifying areas of weakness and designing targeted interventions to improve future functional outcomes and the quality of lives for both the infants and their families. However, initial stratification of risk to select those who are in danger of neurodevelopmental disorders is also important in terms of cost-effectiveness. Efficient and robust functional evaluations to recognize early signs of developmental disorders will help NICU graduates receive interventions and enhance functional capabilities if needed. Several age-dependent, domain-specific neurodevelopmental assessment tools are available; therefore, this review summarizes the characteristics of these tools and aims to develop multidimensional, standardized, and regular follow-up plans for NICU graduates in Korea.

Objectives: . To investigate the prognostic factors and treatment outcomes of primary parotid carcinoma treated with surgery and postoperative radiotherapy (PORT). Methods: . We reviewed retrospectively 57 patients with primary parotid carcinoma who were treated with surgery and PORT between 2005 and 2014. Superficial parotidectomy was performed in 19 patients, total parotidectomy in 10 patients, and total parotidectomy with lymph node dissection in 28 patients PORT on the tumor bed was performed in 41 patients, while PORT on tumor bed and ipsilateral cervical lymph nodes was performed in 16 patients. Results: . With a median follow-up of 66 months, the 5-year overall survival, disease-free survival, locoregional control, and distant control rates were 77.0%, 60.2%, 77.6%, and 72.8%, respectively. The 5-year overall survival by stage was 100%, 100%, 80.0%, and 46.4% in stage I, II, III, and IV, respectively. Recurrences at primary lesions were found in seven patients, while at cervical nodes in six patients. Distant recurrences were developed in 12 patients. No patient with the low and intermediate histologic grade developed distant failure. As prognostic factors, the histologic grade for overall survival (P=0.005), pathological T-stage (P=0.009) and differentiation grade (P=0.009) for disease-free survival, pathological T-stage for locoregional control (P=0.007), and lympho-vascular invasion (P=0.023) for distant recurrence were significant on multivariate analysis. Conclusion . This study revealed that differentiation grade, histologic grade, pathological T-stage, and lympho-vascular invasion were significant independent prognostic factors on clinical outcomes.

PURPOSE: To investigate the differences in treatment outcomes between two radiation techniques, intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT).MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 160 (IMRT = 23, 3DCRT = 137) patients with stage I glottic cancer treated from January 2005 through December 2016. The IMRT was performed with TomoTherapy (16 patients), volumetric-modulated arc therapy (6 patients), and step-and-shoot technique (1 patient), respectively. The 3DCRT was performed with bilateral parallel opposing fields. The median follow-up duration was 30 months (range, 31 to 42 months) in the IMRT group and 65 months (range, 20 to 143 months) in the 3DCRT group.RESULTS: The 5-year overall survival and 3-year local control rates of the 160 patients were 95.7% and 91.4%, respectively. There was no significant difference in 3-year local control rates between the IMRT and 3DCRT groups (94.4% vs. 91.0%; p = 0.587). Thirteen of 137 patients in the 3DCRT group had recurrences. In the IMRT group, one patient had a recurrence at the true vocal cord. Patients treated with IMRT had less grade 2 skin reaction than the 3DCRT group, but this had no statistical significance (4.3% vs. 21.2%; p = 0.080).CONCLUSION: IMRT had comparable outcomes with 3DCRT, and a trend of less acute skin reaction in stage I glottic cancer patients
Follow-Up Studies ; Glottis ; Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; Radiotherapy, Conformal ; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin ; Vocal Cords

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study is to describe the outcome of the national survey and to determine the endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) quality in Korea by comparing with the quality indicators. METHODS: We used the database of Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service and then performed anonymous national survey. RESULTS: Completed questionnaires were returned by 129 of 157 ERCP endoscopists. In Korea, annual ERCP rates have been consistently increased over years. Individual ERCP volume was high (>200 per year) in about half of ERCP endoscopists. Most ERCP endoscopists performed all of level I procedures. However, manometry, cholangiopancreatoscopy, and pancreatic procedures were performed mostly in institutions with high hospital volume. The rate of overall success was more than 90% in most ERCP endoscopists. However, the rate of precut sphincterotomy was high in more than a fourth of ERCP endoscopists. Twelve ERCP endoscopists experienced post-ERCP mortality within recent 1 year. ERCP training and radiation protection during ERCP did not meet the standard of quality indicators especially in institutions with low or moderate hospital volume. CONCLUSIONS: Technical issues during ERCP procedures in Korea fulfill the standard of quality indicators. However, a great effort is needed to improve issues about ERCP training and radiation protection.
Anonyms and Pseudonyms ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Insurance, Health ; Korea ; Manometry ; Mortality ; Radiation Protection ; Republic of Korea ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: To determine prognostic significance of lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in prostate cancer patients who underwent adjuvant or salvage postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) after radical prostatectomy (RP) MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 168 patients with prostate cancer received PORT after RP, with a follow-up of ≥12 months. Biochemical failure after PORT was defined as prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ≥0.2 ng/mL after PORT or initiation of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for increasing PSA levels regardless of the value. We analyzed the clinical outcomes including survivals, failure patterns, and prognostic factors affecting the outcomes. RESULTS: In total, 120 patients (71.4%) received salvage PORT after PSA levels were >0.2 ng/mL or owing to clinical failure. The 5-year biochemical failure-free survival (BCFFS), clinical failure-free survival (CFFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), overall survival, and cause-specific survival rates were 78.3%, 94.3%, 95.0%, 95.8%, and 97.3%, respectively, during a follow-up range of 12–157 months (median: 64 months) after PORT. On multivariate analysis, PSA level of ≤1.0 ng/mL at the time of receiving PORT predicted favorable BCFFS, CFFS, and DMFS. LVI predicted worse CFFS (p = 0.004) and DMFS (p = 0.015). Concurrent and/or adjuvant ADT resulted in favorable prognosis for BCFFS (p < 0.001) and CFFS (p = 0.017). CONCLUSION: For patients with adverse pathologic findings, PORT should be initiated as early as possible after continence recovery after RP. Even after administering PORT, LVI was an unfavorable predictive factor, and further intensive adjuvant therapy should be considered for these patients.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prognosis ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Radiotherapy ; Survival Rate

The aim of this study is to identify changes of recognition to death before and after observation on the cadaver dissection to paramedical students. This study was done on 472 freshmen using questionnaire survey. Recognition to death questionnaire was consisted of 36 items. Data were collected before and after observation on the cadaver dissection with agreement of subjects. The data were analyzed using SPSS win 24.0. This study showed that recognition to death was significantly increased after observation on the cadaver dissection (3.19 points) than before observation on the cadaver dissection (3.06 points) (p=.000). Especially, anxiety on death was significantly increased (p=.000), and interest in death was significantly increased, too (p=.000). The results of this study suggest that we need positively to encourage observation on the cadaver dissection for paramedical students with providing program to decrease anxiety on death because of not only improving anatomy knowledge but also increasing recognition to death.
Anxiety ; Cadaver* ; Humans

The aim of this study is to provide basic data to prevent adolescent crime or violence by analyzing aggression according to second digit to fourth digit ratio (2D : 4D). Index and ring finger length on both hands by photocopy was measured using Callipers from ventral proximal crease to finger tip. This study was done on 187 elementary school students (98 males, 89 females). Data were collected by measuring index and ring finger length on both hands by photocopy and by completing self-reported questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS win 21.0. This study showed that the 2D : 4D of males was significantly lower than female, and the aggression score of males was significantly higher than female. Especially, there was significantly differences between 0.900 or less than 0.900 digit ratio group and 1.000 or more than 1.000 digit ratio group only left hand of males. The results of this study suggest that left digit ratio of males in elementary school students are able to be used as one of physical markers to evaluate aggression.
Adolescent ; Aggression* ; Crime ; Female ; Fingers ; Hand ; Humans ; Male ; Violence

OBJECTIVES: Unmet needs for dental treatment are one of the potential contributing factors to poor oral health because oral health problems worsen if left untreated. This study aimed to demonstrate the prevalence of and the causes for unmet dental needs, and to evaluate the association between unmet needs for dental treatment and oral health status. METHODS: Data on 3,883 subjects aged ≥18 years from the Korean National Oral Health Survey 2006 were analyzed. Information regarding unmet needs for dental treatment was obtained using standardized questionnaires. Eight trained dentists examined decayed, missing, or filled teeth (DMFT). Multiple regression models were built to assess the association between unmet needs for dental treatment and the DMFT scores. RESULTS: The prevalence of perceived unmet needs for dental treatment was 34.7% among the adult Korean population. Economic constraints were the main cause (38.6%) for unmet dental needs. The average DMFT scores were higher in the subjects with unmet needs for dental treatment than in those without. In individuals with unmet needs for dental treatment within the past 1 year, the number of decayed teeth after adjusting for confounders was likely to be greater by 0.58 and that of missing teeth by 0.27 compared to that in their counterparts with no unmet dental needs in the past 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: Perceived unmet needs for dental treatment were significantly associated with poor oral health status among the adult Korean population. Further studies are needed to clarify the direct and indirect effects of unmet needs for dental treatment on an individual's oral health status by investigating critical variables of the causal pathways among perceived dental needs, dental care utilization, and oral health status.
Adult* ; Dental Care ; Dental Health Surveys ; Dentists ; DMF Index ; Health Services Needs and Demand ; Humans ; Oral Health ; Prevalence ; Tooth

The 2nd to 4th digit ratio (2D : 4D) reflects exposure level of sex hormones in fetal period. The aim of this study is to identify a change of digit ratio according to age and a critical age showing gender difference in Korean children. This study was done on 1,182 children (588 males, 594 females). Data were collected by measuring index and ring finger length on both hands by photocopy. The data were analyzed using SPSS win 21.0. This study showed that the 2nd and 4th finger length and digit ratio of both hands increased with age both male and female. There was no differences in 2nd to 4th digit ratio between males and females until they were 3 years old. However, there were significant differences in 2nd to 4th digit ratio between males and females from the age of four. The results suggest that digit ratio in Korean children increases with age and a critical age showing gender difference is from the age of four.
Child* ; Female ; Fingers ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones ; Hand ; Humans ; Male

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Accurate risk stratification is important in the management of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This study aimed to develop a new assessment tool for the prediction of 1-year mortality in patients with AMI, including biochemical markers. The author developed a new assessment tool (new risk score) that takes biochemical markers into account for 1-year mortality in patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and identifies the risk factors related to 1-year mortality. METHODS: A total of 1,427 patients (65 +/- 11.8 years of age, 985 males) who were admitted to the Chonnam National University Hospital with NSTEMI from November 2005 to March 2012 were retrospectively analyzed for score derivation. Multivariable Cox-regression analysis was used to select correlates of 1-year mortality that were subsequently weighted and integrated into an integer scoring system. RESULTS: Seven variables selected from the initial multivariate model were weighted proportionally to their respective hazard ratio for 1-year mortality; age > or = 65 years (2 points), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT pro-BNP) > 991 pg/mL (1 point), baseline left ventricular ejection fraction < 40% (1 point), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) > 3 mg/dL (1 point), glomerular filtration rate (GFR) < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 (1 point), heart rate > 82 beats/min (2 points), and final thrombolysis In myocardial infarction flow < 3 (2 points). CONCLUSIONS: In NSTEMI patients, our new score that incorporates seven risk factors accurately predicts the 1-year mortality. Additionally, the biochemical markers hs-CRP, NT pro-BNP, and GFR are reliable predictors of 1-year mortality.
Biomarkers ; C-Reactive Protein ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Jeollanam-do ; Mortality* ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Stroke Volume