Purpose: To analyze prognostic factors for morphological and functional recovery after vitrectomy in patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM). Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with ERM who underwent vitrectomy. Postoperative outcomes were evaluated in terms of functional and morphological changes, assessing best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) after 6 months. Logistic regression was used to identify factors influencing postoperative outcomes. Results: This study included 77 patients (35.1% men). Thirty-eight patients underwent combined vitrectomy and cataract surgery. Logistic regression revealed that better preoperative BCVA was associated with improved postoperative BCVA (p = 0.002). Among the 38 eyes that underwent combined surgery, longer preoperative axial length was linked to better visual outcomes in univariate analysis (p = 0.043), although the association was not statistically significant in multivariate analysis (p = 0.064). Younger age and thinner preoperative CMT were associated with better morphological outcomes (p = 0.034 and p = 0.001, respectively). Conclusions Preoperative BCVA, age, preoperative CMT, and axial length are predictive factors for functional and morphological outcomes after vitrectomy in patients with ERM. These findings may facilitate treatment planning and prognosis prediction before surgery.

Purpose: To analyze prognostic factors for morphological and functional recovery after vitrectomy in patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM). Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with ERM who underwent vitrectomy. Postoperative outcomes were evaluated in terms of functional and morphological changes, assessing best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) after 6 months. Logistic regression was used to identify factors influencing postoperative outcomes. Results: This study included 77 patients (35.1% men). Thirty-eight patients underwent combined vitrectomy and cataract surgery. Logistic regression revealed that better preoperative BCVA was associated with improved postoperative BCVA (p = 0.002). Among the 38 eyes that underwent combined surgery, longer preoperative axial length was linked to better visual outcomes in univariate analysis (p = 0.043), although the association was not statistically significant in multivariate analysis (p = 0.064). Younger age and thinner preoperative CMT were associated with better morphological outcomes (p = 0.034 and p = 0.001, respectively). Conclusions Preoperative BCVA, age, preoperative CMT, and axial length are predictive factors for functional and morphological outcomes after vitrectomy in patients with ERM. These findings may facilitate treatment planning and prognosis prediction before surgery.

Purpose: To analyze prognostic factors for morphological and functional recovery after vitrectomy in patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM). Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with ERM who underwent vitrectomy. Postoperative outcomes were evaluated in terms of functional and morphological changes, assessing best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) after 6 months. Logistic regression was used to identify factors influencing postoperative outcomes. Results: This study included 77 patients (35.1% men). Thirty-eight patients underwent combined vitrectomy and cataract surgery. Logistic regression revealed that better preoperative BCVA was associated with improved postoperative BCVA (p = 0.002). Among the 38 eyes that underwent combined surgery, longer preoperative axial length was linked to better visual outcomes in univariate analysis (p = 0.043), although the association was not statistically significant in multivariate analysis (p = 0.064). Younger age and thinner preoperative CMT were associated with better morphological outcomes (p = 0.034 and p = 0.001, respectively). Conclusions Preoperative BCVA, age, preoperative CMT, and axial length are predictive factors for functional and morphological outcomes after vitrectomy in patients with ERM. These findings may facilitate treatment planning and prognosis prediction before surgery.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of clinical nurses' nursing character, organizational communication satisfaction and organizational commitment on quality of nursing service. Methods: This study used a descriptive research design. Data were collected from 209 general nurses working in a tertiary hospitals in D city using self-report questionnaires from November 28 to December 14, 2022. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Independent t-test, ANOVA, Scheffé test, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis using SPSS/WIN 23.0 program. Results: There was a significant positive correlation between nursing character, organizational communication satisfaction, organizational commitment, and quality of nursing services. The regression analysis showed nursing character (β=.75, p<.001), organizational communication satisfaction (β=.12, p=.034) significantly influenced quality of nursing service, and explained 64.0% of the quality of nursing service. Conclusion The findings indicate that the quality of nursing service can be improved by raising nursing character and organizational communication satisfaction. Therefore, to improve the quality of nursing services, repeated and continuous implementation of training programs, including education to enhance nursing character, is necessary. Additionally, it is essential to develop and apply a programs to strengthen organizational communication satisfaction.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of clinical nurses' nursing character, organizational communication satisfaction and organizational commitment on quality of nursing service. Methods: This study used a descriptive research design. Data were collected from 209 general nurses working in a tertiary hospitals in D city using self-report questionnaires from November 28 to December 14, 2022. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Independent t-test, ANOVA, Scheffé test, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis using SPSS/WIN 23.0 program. Results: There was a significant positive correlation between nursing character, organizational communication satisfaction, organizational commitment, and quality of nursing services. The regression analysis showed nursing character (β=.75, p<.001), organizational communication satisfaction (β=.12, p=.034) significantly influenced quality of nursing service, and explained 64.0% of the quality of nursing service. Conclusion The findings indicate that the quality of nursing service can be improved by raising nursing character and organizational communication satisfaction. Therefore, to improve the quality of nursing services, repeated and continuous implementation of training programs, including education to enhance nursing character, is necessary. Additionally, it is essential to develop and apply a programs to strengthen organizational communication satisfaction.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of clinical nurses' nursing character, organizational communication satisfaction and organizational commitment on quality of nursing service. Methods: This study used a descriptive research design. Data were collected from 209 general nurses working in a tertiary hospitals in D city using self-report questionnaires from November 28 to December 14, 2022. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Independent t-test, ANOVA, Scheffé test, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis using SPSS/WIN 23.0 program. Results: There was a significant positive correlation between nursing character, organizational communication satisfaction, organizational commitment, and quality of nursing services. The regression analysis showed nursing character (β=.75, p<.001), organizational communication satisfaction (β=.12, p=.034) significantly influenced quality of nursing service, and explained 64.0% of the quality of nursing service. Conclusion The findings indicate that the quality of nursing service can be improved by raising nursing character and organizational communication satisfaction. Therefore, to improve the quality of nursing services, repeated and continuous implementation of training programs, including education to enhance nursing character, is necessary. Additionally, it is essential to develop and apply a programs to strengthen organizational communication satisfaction.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of clinical nurses' nursing character, organizational communication satisfaction and organizational commitment on quality of nursing service. Methods: This study used a descriptive research design. Data were collected from 209 general nurses working in a tertiary hospitals in D city using self-report questionnaires from November 28 to December 14, 2022. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Independent t-test, ANOVA, Scheffé test, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis using SPSS/WIN 23.0 program. Results: There was a significant positive correlation between nursing character, organizational communication satisfaction, organizational commitment, and quality of nursing services. The regression analysis showed nursing character (β=.75, p<.001), organizational communication satisfaction (β=.12, p=.034) significantly influenced quality of nursing service, and explained 64.0% of the quality of nursing service. Conclusion The findings indicate that the quality of nursing service can be improved by raising nursing character and organizational communication satisfaction. Therefore, to improve the quality of nursing services, repeated and continuous implementation of training programs, including education to enhance nursing character, is necessary. Additionally, it is essential to develop and apply a programs to strengthen organizational communication satisfaction.

Purpose: To determine subjective symptoms and medical history of patients with intermittent exotropia in a large study population. Methods: The Korean Intermittent Exotropia Multicenter Study (KIEMS) is a nationwide, observational, cross-sectional, multicenter study conducted by the Korean Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus including 5,385 patients with intermittent exotropia. Subjective symptoms and medical history of patients with intermittent exotropia were extracted by a comprehensive survey based on a self-administered questionnaire according to the study protocol of the KIEMS. Results: The mean age of symptom onset was 5.5 years. The most common symptom reported in patients with intermittent exotropia was photophobia (52.1%), followed by diplopia at near fixation (7.3%) and distance fixation (6.2%). Preterm birth was found in 8.8%, and 4.1% had perinatal complications. A family history of strabismus was present in 14.9%, and 5.5% of patients had a family member who underwent strabismus surgery. Conclusions The KIEMS is one of the largest clinical studies on intermittent exotropia. Intermittent exotropia frequently caused photophobia and diplopia, and patients with a family history was not uncommon.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify the early predictors of neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants undergoing therapeutic hypothermia for neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. METHODS: The medical records of 24 neonates who underwent hypothermia therapy for hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy at the neonatal intensive care unit of Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital of the Catholic University of Korea between August 2013 and May 2016 were reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups according to their neurological outcome at the age of 18 to 24 months: a normal group (n=14), which included patients with normal neurological function, and an abnormal group (n=10), which included patients with neurological deficits. The clinical characteristics, clinical outcomes, and laboratory findings before and after hypothermia treatment were compared between the groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the demographic characteristics between the two groups. With regard to clinical outcomes, only brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings showed significant differences between the normal and abnormal groups (21.4% vs. 100.0%, P < 0.001). With regard to laboratory findings, there were significant differences in the white blood cell (WBC) count after hypothermia treatment between the normal and abnormal groups (9.78±3.52 vs. 14.90±3.48, P=0.003). However, logistic regression analysis showed that the WBC count was not an independent risk factor for abnormal neurodevelopment (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The presence of abnormal lesions on MRI was the most useful predictor of poor neurodevelopmental outcome in infants treated with therapeutic hypothermia after perinatal asphyxia.
Asphyxia ; Brain ; Humans ; Hypothermia ; Hypothermia, Induced ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Korea ; Leukocytes ; Logistic Models ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Medical Records ; Risk Factors ; Treatment Outcome

In the 2016 and 2017 programs for blood gas analysis (BGA) in central laboratory and by point-of-care testing (POCT), and glucose analysis by POCT, external quality assessment of 9, 3, and 1 analytes, respectively, was performed each year. The materials used were commercially available quality control materials, and three levels were used per trial. Based on the information and results from each participating laboratory, statistical analysis was carried out. Results were provided to each laboratory through individual and comprehensive reports. The mean response rates were 96.6%, 96.5%, and 95.6% for BGA in central laboratory, BGA (POCT), and glucose (POCT), respectively. The number of participating laboratories in BGA (central laboratory and POCT) in 2017 was not significantly different from that in 2016. However, in the glucose (POCT) program, the number of registered instruments sharply increased in 2017 as the allowable number of registered instruments was increased from 5 to 30. The coefficient of variation (CV) did not show any significant differences in pH, sodium, chloride, and ionized calcium of BGA. However, the differences of CV were found to be relative large between instruments in other analytes of BGA and glucose POCT.
Blood Gas Analysis ; Calcium ; Glucose* ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Korea* ; Point-of-Care Systems* ; Point-of-Care Testing ; Quality Control ; Sodium