BACKGROUND: Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common human pathogen causing community-acquired pneumonia. There is little information on the recent antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of S. pneumoniae in Busan and Gyeongnam of Korea. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution and antimicrobial resistance of S. pneumoniae at 4 university hospitals in Busan and Gyeongnam. METHODS: We collected and analyzed the antimicrobial susceptibility results of 850 S. pneumoniae strains isolated from regional 4 university hospitals during the last 2 years from July 2013 through June 2015. RESULTS: Among 850 S. pneumoniae strains, 635 strains were isolated from respiratory specimens, followed by blood (N=121), CSF (N=13), and others (N=81). Antimicrobial susceptibility rates to penicillin, cefotaxime and ceftriaxone were 79.4%, 76.6% and 83.6%, respectively. The resistant rates to erythromycin and clindamycin were 80.9% and 68.2%, respectively. The resistant rates to levofloxacin were 9.2%. There were some differences in resistant rates by age groups, years, and specimen types. CONCLUSION: We found the changes of antimicrobial resistance of S. pneumoniae during the last 2 years. It is necessary to monitor the antimicrobial susceptibility of S. pneumoniae regularly for empirical therapy and for early detection of the changes of resistance.
Busan* ; Cefotaxime ; Ceftriaxone ; Clindamycin ; Drug Resistance ; Erythromycin ; Hospitals, University* ; Humans ; Korea ; Levofloxacin ; Penicillins ; Pneumonia ; Streptococcus pneumoniae* ; Streptococcus*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study was designed to determine whether bile aspiration before contrast injection cholangiogram prevent of post-ERCP cholangitis, liver function worsening, cholecystitis and pancreatitis. METHODS: One hundred and two patients in the bile aspiration group before contrast injection from December 1, 2008 to December 30, 2009 and 115 patients in the conventional control group from January 1, 2010 to June 30, 2010 were analyzed. The incidence of post-ERCP cholangitis, liver function worsening, cholecystitis, pancreatitis, and hyperamylasemia only were compared between these two groups. RESULTS: In the 102 patients with the bile aspiration group, post-ERCP cholangitis in 3 patients (2.9%), liver function worsening in 4 patients (3.9%), cholecystitis and pancreatitis in none, and hyperamylasemia only in 6 patients (5.8%) occurred. In the 115 patients with control group, post-ERCP cholangitis in 1 patient (0.4%), liver function worsening in 9 patients (7.8%), cholecystitis in none, pancreatitis in 3 patients (2.6%), hyperamylasemia only in 10 patients (8.6%) developed. The two groups did not significantly differ in terms of the incidence of post-ERCP cholangitis, liver function worsening, pancreatitis, and hyperamylasemia only (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Initially bile juice aspiration just before contrast injection into the bile duct rarely prevented post-ERCP cholangitis, liver function worsening, and pancreatitis in patients with the extrahepatic bile duct obstruction.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; *Bile ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde/*adverse effects ; Cholangitis/epidemiology/etiology/prevention & control ; Contrast Media/*diagnostic use ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperamylasemia/epidemiology/etiology/prevention & control ; Incidence ; Liver Diseases/physiopathology ; Liver Function Tests ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatitis/epidemiology/etiology/prevention & control ; Suction

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence and correlated factors of high myopia in 19 year-old men in Southeast Korea. METHODS: This retrospective study was based on the medical checkup data of conscription during 2005. The study subjects were 19 years old men in Busan, Ulsan and Gyeongsangnam-do. The health checkup data of the conscripts consisted of noncycloplegic autorefraction test, the biometric data and social factors. To analyze the social and biometric effects, we classified the biometric factors into 4 or 5 groups and the social factors into 3 groups. High myopia was defined as a spherical equivalent of under -6.0 diopter. Data analysis was performed using the chi square test for trends and multiple logistic regression analysis. The SAS(version 9.1) program was used for all the analyses. RESULTS: The prevalence of high myopia was 12.39% (6256 / 50 508). The factors correlated with high myopia were the residence area (OR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.77 to 2.4 for small city; OR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.72 to 2.34 for metropolis; the reference group was rural area), academic achievement (OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.34 to 1.53 for students of 4-and 6-year-course university; the reference group was high school graduates & under) and blood pressure (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.10 to 2.16 for hypertension; OR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.17 for prehypertension; OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.20 for hypotension; the reference group was normal blood pressure). CONCLUSIONS: More than one tenth of the young men were high myopia as one of the risk factor for visual loss. Further studies on high myopia and its complications are needed to improve eye health in Southeast Korea.
Body Mass Index ; Cluster Analysis ; Comorbidity ; Humans ; Hypertension/*epidemiology ; Hypotension/*epidemiology ; Male ; Military Personnel/statistics & numerical data ; Myopia/classification/*epidemiology ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; *Residence Characteristics ; Retrospective Studies ; Rural Population ; Severity of Illness Index ; Urban Population ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: In Korea, there have been many epidemiologic studies about allergic diseases of school children, but so far only a few studies of preschool children have been done. Research on preschool children will be a great help to understand the epidemiology of the allergic diseases in the pediatric population. In this perspective, we researched the prevalence and risk factors of allergic diseases in preschool children in Jung-gu, Seoul. METHODS: A modified International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire survey was done on 917 (male, 492; female, 425) preschool children in Jung-gu area of Seoul in June, 2009. Parents or caregivers answered the questionnaires that asked about the prevalence of allergic diseases and the risk factors. RESULTS: For asthma, the prevalence of "wheeze, ever", "diagnosis" and "treatment, last 12 months" were 18.4%, 5.8% and 2.8%, respectively. For allergic rhinitis (AR), the prevalence of "rhinitis, ever", "diagnosis" and "treatment, last 12 months" were 31.8%, 16.2% and 12.9%, respectively. For atopic dermatitis (AD), the prevalence of "itchy rash, ever", "diagnosis" and "treatment, last 12 months" were 26.1%, 34.3% and 19.0%, respectively. The risk factors of asthma were cesarean section delivery, use of antibiotics and history of bronchiolitis before the age of 2 years. The risk factor of AR was history of asthma. The risk factor of AD was parent allergy. CONCLUSION: In comparison to preceding studies of preschool children in Seoul, the prevalence of allergic diseases is similar. In comparison to the studies of school children, the prevalence of AR was lower and the prevalence of AD was higher.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Asthma ; Bronchiolitis ; Caregivers ; Cesarean Section ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Exanthema ; Female ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Korea ; Parents ; Pregnancy ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Rhinitis ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: To investigate the prevalence of myopia and its influencing factors in an epidemiologic study of conscripts living in Gyeongsangnam-do, Ulsan and Busan. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 19-year-old conscripts in Gyeongsangnam-do, Ulsan and Busan. Health checkup data of the conscripts were collected and analyzed along with subjective visual acuity, noncycloplegic autorefraction test, biometric data, and social factors such as education level and residence area. Myopia and high myopia were defined as having a refractive error of more than -0.5D, -6.0D, respectively. To analyze the social and biometric effects, we classified social factors into three groups and biometric factors into five groups. The estimated myopic prevalence was calculated adding excluded conscripts who scored under 0.5 on the subjective visual acuity test and missed autorefraction data. Data analysis was performed with descriptive analysis and the chi square test for trends using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 14.0K. RESULTS: From 66,917 eligible conscripts, 50,243 were analyzed. The prevalence of myopia and high myopia in 19-year-old men in Gyeongsangnam-do, Ulsan and Busan were 45.60% (95% CI: 45.17~46.03) and 11.50% (95% CI: 11.23~11.77). The estimated myopic prevalence using 66,917 eligible conscripts was 54.31% (95% CI: 53.88~54.74). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of myopia and high myopia and the estimated prevalence of myopia in 19-year-old men in Gyeongsangnam-do, Ulsan and Busan were 45.60%, 11.50% and 54.31%, respectively.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Myopia ; Prevalence ; Refractive Errors ; Social Sciences ; Statistics as Topic ; Visual Acuity ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Chronic Disease ; Humans ; Korea ; Language ; Liver Diseases/*diagnosis ; Needs Assessment ; *Quality of Life ; Questionnaires ; Sickness Impact Profile

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Reflux esophagitis is a recurring condition for which many patients require maintenance therapy. This comparative, randomized multicenter study was designed to evaluate the effect of long-term maintenance treatment comparing proton pump inhibitor, rabeprazole and H2 receptor antagonist, ranitidine. METHODS: Eighty four patients with healed reflux esophagitis confirmed by endoscopy were randomly allocated to receive maintenance treatment with either rabeprazole 10 mg once daily or ranitidine 300 mg once daily for 32 weeks. Patients were seen every 8 weeks or at symptomatic relapse. RESULTS: Of 84 initially treated patients, 73 entered the maintenance study. The percentage of asymptomatic patients after 90-day and 210-day treatment were 97% and 81.5%, for rabeprazole and 74.3% and 62.3%, for ranitidine, respectively. After 32 weeks, the relapse rates of esophagitis were 21.3% in the rabeprazole group and 62.9% in the ranitidine group (RR: 0.405, 95% CI: 0.215-0.766). CONCLUSIONS: Maintenance treatment with rabeprazole (10 mg once daily) is superior to ranitidine (300 mg once daily) in keeping the patients with reflux esophagitis in remission over a 32 week period.
2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles ; Adult ; Anti-Ulcer Agents/*therapeutic use ; Benzimidazoles/*therapeutic use ; Esophagitis, Peptic/*drug therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Omeprazole/*analogs & derivatives/therapeutic use ; Ranitidine/*therapeutic use

OBJECTIVE: In this study, the exposure levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and urinary 1-hydroxypyrene(1-OHP) were surveyed among the workers using coal tar paint. METHOD: The study subjects for the exposed group were 107 male coal tar workers in 10 factories, and for the comparison group were 201 male clerk workers who had never been exposed to coal tar paint. Ambient PAHs, and pre-shift and end-shift urinary 1-OHP were sample and 16 PAHs were analysed. Smoking history was recorded during the survey day. RESULTS: The geometric mean of ambient concentration of total PAHs was 120.17 microgram/m3. Naphthalene had the highest level among the 16 PAHs. The pre-shift 1-OHP in the exposed group (8.89 micro mol/mol creatinine) was significantly higher than that in the control group (0.29 micro mol/mol creatinine). The end-shift 1-OHP in the exposed group (19.02 micro mol/mol creatinine) was significantly higher than that in the pre-shift (8.89 micro mol/mol creatinine) (Ed- confirm). 1-OHP of smokers was significantly higher than that of non-smokers in both groups. The difference between pre-shift and end-shift 1-OHP in smokers (12.40 micro mol/mol creatinine) was twice as high as that in non-smokers (6.06 micro mol/mol creatinine). The difference of 1-OHP between smokers and nonsmokers was 7.59 micro mol/mol creatinine in pre-shift and 13.96 micro mol/mol creatinine in end-shift. Thus, the effect of smoking and exposure to PAHs on 1-OHP may not be additive. In regression analysis for 1-OHP, the significant independent variables were pre-shift 1-OHP and PAHs. The direction of these variables was positive. When the analysis was performed in workers exposed to higher PAHs, smoking was significant independent variable. CONCLUSION: The above results suggest that not only ambient PAHs but also smoking, one of the most important non-occupational PAHs source, influenced the level of 1-OHP. Moreover, the effect of smoking to 1-OHP changed according to the exposure level of PAHs.
Coal Tar* ; Coal* ; Creatinine ; Humans ; Male ; Paint* ; Polycyclic Hydrocarbons, Aromatic* ; Smoke ; Smoking

OBJECTIVES: To gather information about the factors which influence the interest and intention of admission into charging nursing homes for the elderly(CNH), as these homes represent an important method for resolving the problems related to the rapid population aging occurring in Korea. METHODS: A face-to-face interview survey was carried out with 328(men 159, women 169) patients over 60 years old who were admitted at 2 university hospitals and 5 general hospitals in the Busan area between December 1998 and March 1999. Data were analyzed through t-test, ANOVA, correlation and multiple regression analysis. microgram/g RESULTS: The mean age and years of education of the study population was 67.8 and 7.7 years, and the types of chronic degenerative disease included musculoskeletal disorders(20.1%), cerebrovascular disease(17.1%), and diabetes(14.3%). The major forms of household living arrangement prior to admission were elderly alone(22.6%), and elderly couple(33.5%), while about half of them(55.5%) didn't want to live with their children in the future. Almost half were paying medication fees by themselves(46.6%). The level of actual intention of admission(3.07+/-1.39) into a CNH was lower than that of interest(3.22+/-1.33)(p<0.01). Multiple analysis revealed that the intention of admission increased with decreasing number of future supportive persons(beta=0.107), lower level of activity in daily life(beta=0.447), and longer years of education(beta=0.447) with 32.7% of R2. As for the factors which determined the admission into a CNH, the fee and facilities were considered to be most important, and professional nursing and physician's care were the most desired services. In nomenclature, they preferred "elderly hospital" or "elderly health center" to CNH. CONCLUSIONS: Interest in CNH is increasing recently, but existing studies about patient experiences in CHN are still limited. This study may form a basis for future examinations of the needs and uses for CNH. Active financial support and public information are considered by the authors to be important factors for the induction of welfare services for the elderly, through CNH.
Aged* ; Aging ; Busan ; Child ; Education ; Family Characteristics ; Fees and Charges ; Female ; Financial Support ; Hospitals, General ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Intention* ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Nursing Homes* ; Nursing* ; Residence Characteristics

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to suggest a proper method for the detection of heaptitis B surface antibody(anti-HBs) in a screening program for hepatitis B vaccination. METHODS: Sensivitity, specificity and predictive values were compared between Immunochromatographic assay (ICA) and passive hemagglutination(PHA) in 978 subjects(565 males, 413 females, 19-78 years ranging in age, mean 46.5 years old). EIA was used as a standard method for the detection of HBsAb. RESULTS: Sensitivity in the detection of anti-HBs of PHA and ICA was 88.7% and 94.9%, specificity was 94.3% and 96.6%, negative predictive value was 96.5% and 98.0%, and positive predictive value was 82.3% and 91.3%, respectively. False negative rate(11.3%) of PHA was higher than that(5.1%) of ICA. The higher the titer of anti-HBs in EIA was, the lower the false negative rate was. There was no false negative result in the cases with 101mIU/ml or more in EIA. CONCLUSION: We suggest that ICA should be the choice of screening method in the detection of anti-HBs in Hepatitis B vaccination program.
Female ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Immunochromatography ; Korea* ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Vaccination*