Objectives: Sleep disturbance in the elderly is associated with cognitive decline. Sleep quality is known to deteriorate with age, and prospective studies seldom have examined the relationship between sleep quality and cognitive function. This study investigates the relationship between early sleep quality and cognitive function based on six-year follow-up data of community individuals older than 60 years. Methods: The participants included 622 community elderly people older than 60 years from Jinju-Si. The final analysis comprised 322 elderly people. Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and the Korean version of Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease (CERAD-K) were used to assess early sleep quality and cognitive function after six years. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between early sleep quality and cognitive function in the elderly. Results: Early sleep quality (PSQI) was significantly associated with the results of the digit span test, clock drawing test (clox 1), and word recall test after six years. Sleep quality (PSQI) decreased significantly after six years, and lower quality of sleep (PSQI) score was associated with higher digit span test score (β = -0.167, p = 0.026) and higher clock drawing test score (β = -0.157, p = 0.031). Lower quality of sleep (PSQI) score was associated with higher word recall test (β = -0.140, p = 0.039). Conclusion The digit span test, word recall test, and clock drawing task (CLOX 1) shown to be significantly associated to sleep quality can be performed fast and easily in clinical practice. It is important to assess early cognitive function in the elderly with poor sleep quality, and further studies could suggest that these tests may be useful screening tests for early dementia in elderly with poor sleep quality.

Of the drugs developed to prevent and treat osteoporosis, bisphosphonate has played a very important role in preventing osteoporotic fractures. However, case reports describing atypical femoral fractures in patients using long-term bisphosphonates have emerged. The majority of atypical femur fractures occurs in the lateral aspect of the subtrochanteric or femur diaphysis, which is explained by accumulation of tensile stress in these areas. Although the superior cortex of the femur neck withstands maximum tensile stress, to our knowledge, there have been only two reports (three cases) of atypical femoral neck fracture. In addition, none of those case reports revealed detailed pathology related to suppressed bone turnover rate. We encountered an incomplete femoral neck fracture and diagnosed it as “atypical” on the basis of the patient’s lack of trauma and medication history and pathological findings. For patients with groin pain, minimal or no trauma, and a history of long-term bisphosphonate use, an atypical femoral neck fracture should be considered.

PURPOSE: Good results of the cephalomedullary nails have been reported in proximal femoral fractures recently. Based on length of nails and shape of screws fixed in a femoral head for proximal fragment fixation, the proper nail length was in dispute. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiological results of a long cephalomedullary hip nail for the treatment of comminuted subtrochanteric femoral fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-one consecutive patients with severe subtrochanteric femoral fractures who had undergone intramedullary fixation using long-PFNA II between March 2010 and March 2013 were followed-up for over 12 months. Their mean age was 64.8 years old (range, 43-85 years). Sixteen of 22 cases were high energy trauma. According to Seinsheimer's classification, 5 cases were type IV and 16 cases were type V. For radiological assessment, time to union, change of neck-shaft angle, sliding length, tip-apex distance (TAD) and leg length discrepancy (LLD) were measured. For clinical evaluation, a modified Koval index was investigated. RESULTS: Mean operation time was 96 minutes. An average decrease of neck-shaft angle was 4.5°. The average sliding length of the helical blade was 4.2 mm. Average LLD was 3.0 mm, and TAD was 23.0 mm. Mean modified Koval index score at final follow-up was 4.6 points. All the 21 subtrochanteric fractures healed uneventfully on an average of 24.2 weeks (range, 18-30 weeks). CONCLUSION: Long cephalomedullary hip nail provides excellent clinical and radiological outcomes in the comminuted subtrochanteric fracture.
Classification ; Dissent and Disputes ; Femoral Fractures* ; Femur ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Hip Fractures ; Hip* ; Humans ; Leg

BACKGROUND: Open heart surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is considered one of the most frequent surgical procedures in which acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent and serious complication. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficiency of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) as an early AKI biomarker after CPB in cardiac surgery (CS). METHODS: Thirty-seven adult patients undergoing CS with CPB were included in this retrospective study. They had normal preoperative renal function, as assessed by the creatinine (Cr) level, NGAL level, and estimated glomerular filtration rate. Serial evaluation of serum NGAL and Cr levels was performed before, immediately after, and 24 hours after the operation. Patients were divided into two groups: those who showed normal immediate postoperative serum NGAL levels (group A, n=30) and those who showed elevated immediate postoperative serum NGAL levels (group B, n=7). Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 18. RESULTS: Of the 37 patients, 6 (6/37, 16.2%) were diagnosed with AKI. One patient belonged to group A (1/30, 3.3%), and 5 patients belonged to group B (5/7, 71.4%). Two patients in group B (2/7, 28.5%) required further renal replacement therapy. Death occurred in only 1 patient (1/37, 2.7%), who belonged to group B. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that postoperative plasma NGAL levels can be used as an early biomarker for the detection of AKI following CS using CPB. Further studies with a larger sample size are needed to confirm our results.
Acute Kidney Injury* ; Adult ; Biomarkers ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Creatinine ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Humans ; Lipocalins* ; Neutrophils* ; Plasma* ; Renal Replacement Therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Sample Size ; Social Sciences ; Thoracic Surgery*

BACKGROUND: The adequate management of mild to moderate dilatation of the ascending aorta during cardiac operations remains controversial. In this study, we present the short-term outcomes of 90 patients undergoing ascending aortic wrapping with a Dacron graft during other cardiac operations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From March 2008 to January 2011, 90 consecutive patients underwent treatment for ascending aortic aneurysm using the external wrapping technique during the concomitant procedure. The study group consisted of 49 male and 41 female patients with a mean age of 58.7+/-13 years. The primary cardiac surgical procedures were coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in 3, aortic valve replacement in 2, and aortic valvuloplasty in 85 patients (isolated in 62 and combined with CABG or mitral valvuloplasty in 23). The ascending aorta diameter was measured using a computed tomography scan within 4 weeks after surgery, and was compared with the preoperative value. RESULTS: The diameters of the ascending aorta wrapped with the Dacron graft were significantly reduced within a month after surgery from 46.4+/-4.3 mm to 33.0+/-3.5 mm (p<0.05). There was no early mortality or major surgical complication. During the mean follow-up period of 15.4+/-5.2 months, there was only one late death caused by septic multiorgan failure. CONCLUSION: Dacron wrapping of the ascending aorta offers excellent results with very low mortality and morbidity, and it can be regarded as a safe and effective method for the treatment of moderately dilated ascending aorta in selected patients.
Aorta ; Aortic Aneurysm ; Aortic Valve ; Cardiac Surgical Procedures ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Dilatation ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Polyethylene Terephthalates ; Thoracic Surgery ; Transplants

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: To evaluate treatment outcomes and prognostic factors in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with concurrent chemoradiation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2005 to June 2009, 51 patients were treated with concurrent chemoradiation for 3 different aims: locally advanced stage III, locally recurrent disease, and postoperative gross residual NSCLC. Median age was 63 years. Distribution of stages by the 6th edition of American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) was as follows: IIIA (37.3%), IIIB (56.9%). Chemotherapy was administered every week concurrently with radiation using one of the following regimens: paclitaxel (60 mg/m2), docetaxel+cisplatin (20 mg/m2+20 mg/m2), cisplatin (30 mg/m2). Total radiation dose was 16-66.4 Gy (median, 59.4 Gy). RESULTS: Median follow-up duration was 40.8 months. The overall response rate was 84.3% with 23 complete responses. The median survival duration for the overall patient group was 17.6 months. The 3-year survival rate was 17.8%. A total of 21 patients had recurrent disease at the following sites: loco-regional sites (23.6%), distant organs (27.5%). In the multivariate analysis of the overall patient group, a clinical tumor response (p=0.002) was the only significant prognostic factor for overall survival (OS). In the multivariate analysis of the definitive chemoradiation arm, the use of consolidation chemotherapy (p=0.022), biologically equivalent dose (BED)10 (p=0.007), and a clinical tumor response (p=0.030) were the significant prognostic factors for OS.The median survival duration of the locally recurrent group and the postoperative gross residual group were 26.4 and 23.9 months, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that clinical tumor response was significantly associated with OS in the overall patient group. Further investigations regarding the optimal radiation dose in the definitive chemoradiation and the optimal treatment scheme in locally recurrent NSCLC would be required.
Arm ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; Cisplatin ; Consolidation Chemotherapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Joints ; Multivariate Analysis ; Paclitaxel ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: To evaluate treatment outcomes and prognostic factors in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with concurrent chemoradiation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2005 to June 2009, 51 patients were treated with concurrent chemoradiation for 3 different aims: locally advanced stage III, locally recurrent disease, and postoperative gross residual NSCLC. Median age was 63 years. Distribution of stages by the 6th edition of American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) was as follows: IIIA (37.3%), IIIB (56.9%). Chemotherapy was administered every week concurrently with radiation using one of the following regimens: paclitaxel (60 mg/m2), docetaxel+cisplatin (20 mg/m2+20 mg/m2), cisplatin (30 mg/m2). Total radiation dose was 16-66.4 Gy (median, 59.4 Gy). RESULTS: Median follow-up duration was 40.8 months. The overall response rate was 84.3% with 23 complete responses. The median survival duration for the overall patient group was 17.6 months. The 3-year survival rate was 17.8%. A total of 21 patients had recurrent disease at the following sites: loco-regional sites (23.6%), distant organs (27.5%). In the multivariate analysis of the overall patient group, a clinical tumor response (p=0.002) was the only significant prognostic factor for overall survival (OS). In the multivariate analysis of the definitive chemoradiation arm, the use of consolidation chemotherapy (p=0.022), biologically equivalent dose (BED)10 (p=0.007), and a clinical tumor response (p=0.030) were the significant prognostic factors for OS.The median survival duration of the locally recurrent group and the postoperative gross residual group were 26.4 and 23.9 months, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that clinical tumor response was significantly associated with OS in the overall patient group. Further investigations regarding the optimal radiation dose in the definitive chemoradiation and the optimal treatment scheme in locally recurrent NSCLC would be required.
Arm ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; Cisplatin ; Consolidation Chemotherapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Joints ; Multivariate Analysis ; Paclitaxel ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: We wanted to measure the femoral neck anteversion (FNA) angles using a 3D CT scan that perpendicularly cut the mechanical axis of the femur and to assess the accuracy and reproducibility of different measuring methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We obtained 95 cases of 3D CT images of the cross-section perpendicular to the mechanical axis of the femur. The methods used to measure the FNA angles included a method using the CT image of the area where the femoral neck is confluent to the greater trochanter (method 1), a method using the CT image taken from the neck base immediately prior to the beginning of the area of the lesser trochanter (method 2) and a method by which measurements are made after putting 3D bone models on a horizontal plane in virtual space (method 3). The reference axes of the distal femur we used were the anatomical transepicondylar axis, the surgical transepicondylar axis and the real posterior condylar axis. RESULTS: The FNA angles measured by method 1 were 4.79+/-6.41degrees to the anatomical transepicondylar axis (ATEA), 6.09+/-6.58degrees to the surgical transepicondylar axis (STEA) and 7.96+/-6.81degrees to the real posterior condylar axis (rPCA). The FNA angles measured by method 2 were 16.01+/-8.31degrees to the ATEA, 19.52+/-8.38degrees to the STEA and 21.79+/-8.52degrees to the rPCA. The FNA angles measured by method 3 were 20.15+/-12.89degrees to the rPCA. CONCLUSION: The measurement of the FNA angle using a 3D CT scan perpendicular to the mechanical axis is reproducible. The measurement method on the neck base level is more reliable than the one on the proximal neck confluence, and more similar to the measurement method by classic definition.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Femur ; Femur Neck ; Neck

PURPOSE: Our goal was to investigate an improvement in hand strength and its associated factors after carpal tunnel decompression in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2008 and January 2009, a total of 31 patients (50 hands) treated with carpal tunnel decompression for carpal tunnel syndrome were enrolled into the study. Hand-strength was assessed pre- and post-surgery. In the pre-operation evaluation, we assessed multiple factors and investigated the association between these factors and recovery of hand strength. RESULTS: All patients regained hand strength after surgery. On average, the grip strength was 14.8 kg preoperatively, 13.0 kg at 6 weeks, 16.2 kg at 3 months, 18.7 kg at 6 months, and 20.6 kg at 1year postoperatively. The tip-pinch strength was 3.4 kg preoperatively and improved to 3.9 kg at 6 weeks, 4.0 kg at 3 months, 4.4 kg at 6 months and 4.7 kg at 1 year postoperatively. The key-pinch strength showed same pattern of improvement. The recovery of grip strength was significantly slower in patients with longer duration of carpal tunnel syndrome, with diabetes, or with nocturnal pain. There was no factor affecting the recovery of tip-pinch strength. Recovery of key-pinch strength was slower in patients that had experienced a longer duration of symptoms. CONCLUSION: Grip strength and pinch strength were recovered within 3 months and 6 weeks, respectively, after carpal tunnel decompression; both improved gradually until 12 months after surgery. Disease duration, diabetes, and nocturnal pain were significant factors that impacted on post-surgery recovery.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ; Decompression ; Hand ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Median Nerve ; Pinch Strength