A low-dose chest CT is performed for early detection of lung cancer, but the CT scan frequently shows several incidental abnormalities. Identification of the incidental findings may enable early detection of diseases other than lung cancer, thereby improving the survival of the individual undergoing screening. However, insignificant incidental abnormalities may cause unnecessary additional examination and costs. It is crucial for radiologists to appropriately comprehend and report significant incidental abnormalities other than lung cancer for successful implementation of the national lung cancer screening program in Korea.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to validate a Perceived Competence Scale for Disaster Mental Health Workforce (PCS-DMHW) designed to measure the core competences of mental health workers in disaster response situations at individual and organizational levels. core competences essentially required in disaster response situations were defined on the basis of literature review, focus-group interview with disaster response professionals, and expert judgment.METHODS: The preliminary items of the PCS-DMHW thus generated were administered to 509 participants consisted of mental health professionals and semi-professionals. The data retrieved from questionnaires were equally divided by two halves. The final items were determined through the exploratory factor analysis of the half data (n=255), and the construct validity was tested by performing the confirmatory factor analysis and criterion-related validity test of the remaining half data (n=254).RESULTS: Three factors were derived from the individual competences scale; 1) perceived competence of knowledge and skill, 2) ethic, and 3) qualification. And three factors were derived from the organizational competence scale; 1) teamwork, 2) network, and 3) followship.CONCLUSION: The PCS-DMHW demonstrated fairly high reliability and validity. Finally, the necessity of continuous validation study and the application modalities of this scale in education and training settings were discussed.
Disasters ; Education ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Judgment ; Mental Competency ; Mental Health ; Reproducibility of Results

BACKGROUND/AIMS: There is substantial evidence supporting a role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer; however, little is known about the association between serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and the risk of colorectal adenoma. This study was conducted to investigate the association between serum CRP and colorectal adenoma risk. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed on first-time screening colonoscopies in asymptomatic subjects who also had their serum CRP level measured during a routine health check-up between September 2006 and September 2009 in Korea. Serum CRP level was compared between high-risk and low-risk adenoma groups and independent predictors of high-risk adenoma were analyzed using multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS: Among the 3,309 eligible patients, the high-risk adenoma group had higher serum CRP levels than the low-risk adenoma group (P=0.000). In addition, patients with a high-risk adenoma were more frequently included in the high CRP group than in the low CRP group (8.6% vs. 4.0%, P<0.001). The prevalence of high-risk adenoma was 3.5 times higher in the highest quartile of CRP level (P=0.000) compared with that in the lowest quartile. In logistic regression analysis, a higher quartile CRP level was found to be an independent risk factor for high-risk adenoma (odds ratio, 1.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.3–2.5; P=0.000). CONCLUSIONS: High CRP level is associated with high-risk adenoma in both men and women. Our data may support the association between chronic inflammation and colorectal neoplasia, which warrants further investigation.
Adenoma* ; C-Reactive Protein* ; Colon ; Colonoscopy ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: Paclitaxel (P) and gemcitabine (G) are clinically synergistic in small cell lung cancer (SCLC). We evaluated the efficacy of PG as a salvage treatment for SCLC patients whose disease progressed after a platinum-containing regimen. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eligibility included histologically confirmed SCLC, one dimensionally measurable disease, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-2, and progressive disease after platinum-based chemotherapy. Treatment consisted of P (80 mg/m2) and G (1,000 mg/m2) on days 1 and 8 of each cycle of 21 days until disease progression. RESULTS: Thirty-three patients seen between December 2005 and February 2009 were selected into this study. Thirty patients (91%) had received irinotecan-platinum, and three had received etoposide-platinum. Sixteen patients (49%) had a treatment-free interval of less than 3 months. The overall response rate was 30.3% (29.4% in sensitive relapse and 31.3% in refractory relapse). The median time to progression was 12.0 weeks and median overall survival (OS) 31.0 weeks, with a 1-year OS rate of 30.3%. Toxicities were moderate and manageable with 18.2% grade (G) 4 neutropenia, 24.2% G3 thrombocytopenia, 6.1% G3 sensory neuropathy, and 3% G3 asthenia. One patient developed febrile neutropenia. CONCLUSION: Second-line paclitaxel and gemcitabine were well-tolerated and moderately active in SCLC patients previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy.
Asthenia ; Disease Progression ; Drug Therapy ; Febrile Neutropenia ; Humans ; Neutropenia ; Paclitaxel* ; Recurrence ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma* ; Thrombocytopenia

Deficiency of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase is a purine nucleotide disorder and is the most common genetic cause of uric acid overproduction. This disease has a wide range of spectrum with regard to neurological features depending on the extent of the enzymatic deficiency. Complete deficiency of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase, called Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, is presented with hyperuricemia and characteristic neurological manifestation and self-mutilation. Partial hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase--deficient patients are presented with a various intensities of the aforementioned symptoms, from almost normal neurologic manifestation to a severe form along with hyperuricemia. We report a twenty-year-old man with complete hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase mutation and Lesch-Nyhan sydrome, who manifested gouty arthritis without neurologic symptom.
Arthritis, Gouty* ; Humans ; Hyperuricemia ; Hypoxanthine Phosphoribosyltransferase ; Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome* ; Neurologic Manifestations* ; Uric Acid

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The prevalence of coronary artery disease has increased in young adults. We evaluated the differences in clinical characteristics and clinical outcomes in young patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). METHODS: A total of 164 patients with acute myocardial infarction who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention were divided into two groups: the STEMI group (120 patients; mean age, 35.7 +/- 3.8 years; 118 males) and the NSTEMII group (44 patients; mean age, 35.7 +/- 4.3 years; 43 males). We analyzed clinical and angiographic characteristics and major adverse cardiac events (MACE), including death from any cause, non-fatal myocardial infarction, target lesion revascularization, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery, during a 1-year clinical follow-up of the two groups. RESULTS: During hospitalization, Killip class II acute myocardial infarction (5.8% vs. 15.9%, p = 0.041) was observed more frequently in the NSTEMI group. The levels of troponin-I (66.9 +/- 103.6 vs. 26.6 +/- 38.5 ng/mL, p = 0.014) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (733.0 +/- 1,018.1 vs. 476.2 +/- 374.5 pg/mL, p = 0.012) were significantly higher in the STEMI group. One-year MACE did not differ between the two groups. By multiple logistic regression analysis, bare metal stents (odds ratio, 3.360; 95% confidence interval, 1.105-10.217; p = 0.033) and high lipoprotein (a) levels (odds ratio, 1.047; 95% confidence interval, 1.020-1.075; p = 0.001) were independent predictors of 1-year MACE. CONCLUSIONS: Young patients with STEMI and NSTEMI have similar clinical outcomes. Bare metal stents and high serum lipoprotein (a) levels are independent predictors of MACE during 1-year clinical follow-ups in young patients with acute myocardial infarction.
Coronary Artery Bypass ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Lipoprotein(a) ; Logistic Models ; Myocardial Infarction ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Prevalence ; Prognosis ; Stents ; Transplants ; Troponin I ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records to estimate the feasibility and surgical outcome of laparoscopic herniorrhaphies in patients with previous lower abdominal surgery. METHODS: Between December 2000 and December 2008, a total of 1,101 cases of laparoscopic herniorrhaphies were performed in 974 patients, among them 47 cases (4.27%) of laparoscopic herniorrhaphy in 40 patients who had undergone previous lower abdominal surgery were enrolled to this study. RESULTS: Most patients (23 of 24) who had a history of appendectomy successfully underwent laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal (TEP) repair. Six patients who had history of a prostatectomy and 2 patients with a Pfannenstiel incision underwent an intraperitoneal only mesh (IPOM) repair after a failed TEP repair. Five patients had lower midline incisions due to panperitonitis, among them TEP repairs were performed in 3 patients and IPOM was performed after failed TEP repairs in 2 patients who had undergone surgery due to trauma-induced rupture of the bladder. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic TEP hernia repair could be possible and reasonable in patients after an appendectomy; however, it is difficult in patients with previous pelvic surgeries. Additional studies are needed to determine whether or not laparoscopic TEP repair for inguinal hernias is feasible in patients who have undergone other general surgical procedures.
Appendectomy ; Hernia, Inguinal ; Herniorrhaphy ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Medical Records ; Prostatectomy ; Pyrazines ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture ; Urinary Bladder

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: We hypothesized that patients with nitroglycerin-induced headache had preserved systemic vasomotion and there might be an increased nitroglycerin-mediated dilation (NMD) response in the brachial artery. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether nitroglycerin (NTG)-induced headache is associated with the level of the NMD and flow-mediated dilation (FMD) or the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study included 87 patients (Group I: mean age: 54.8+/-9.5 years, 46 males) with headache and new onset chest pain, and 109 patients (Group II: mean age: 57.4+/-8.9 years, 67 males) without headache and with new onset of chest pain. Patients were excluded from this study if they had a history of chronic headache, long term nitrates use and coronary artery procedures. Coronary angiography was performed within one month after administering nitroglycerin for the usual clinical indications. RESULTS: The clinical characteristics did not differ between the two groups. The NMD was significantly higher in Group I than in Group II (23.0+/-7.5% vs. 18.5+/-8.6%, respectively, p<0.001). The FMD was significantly higher in Group I than in Group II (9.0+/-4.1% vs. 7.5+/-4.3%, respectively, p=0.007). On multiple regression analysis, NTG-induced headache was a predictor of CAD {oddsratio (OR), 0.04, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.02-0.11: p<0.001, respectively}. CONCLUSION: We have shown that the vasodilator response to NTG and FMD are increased in the patients with NTG-induced headache. More NTGinduced headache developed in the patients with normal coronary arteries or minimal CAD than in the patients with obstructive CAD. This finding might be helpful as additional information for evaluating the patients with chest pain syndrome.
Brachial Artery ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Headache ; Headache Disorders ; Humans ; Nitrates ; Nitroglycerin ; Thorax

OBJECTIVE: We aim to analyze each variable of FHR in high risk pregnancies, namely intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) including chronic hypertensive vascular disease (CHVD), mild and severe preeclampsia to build an objective decision basis using correlation analysis. METHODS: The patients were divided into two groups (500 normal pregnancies and 500 high risk pregnancies related to IUGR, CHVD, mild and severe preeclampsia), and then subdivided into intrauterine pregnancy before 24 weeks, 25-39 weeks, and after 40 weeks. We compared the canonical correlation between each group using variables of FHR after nonstress test (NST). RESULTS: In high risk pregnancies, the linearity was 0.6-0.8 in intrauterine pregnancy before 24 weeks, 0.53-0.68 in 25-29 weeks, 0.50-0.60 in 30-34 weeks, 0.38-0.45 in 35-39 weeks and 0.42-0.55 in after 40 weeks. In normal pregnancies, the linearity was 0.44-0.52 in intrauterine pregnancy before 24 weeks, 0.38-0.45 in 25- 39 weeks which was stable, and there was no specific change in after 40 weeks. Before 32 weeks, canonical variates of FHR_D and FHR_I revealed highest (0.36, 0.47 respectively) in high risk pregnancy and fetal movement and signal loss was the most valuable factors in normal pregnancy. In between 33 to 37 weeks, fetal movement (0.40) and signal loss (0.48) were related most closely in high risk pregnancies and 0.34 and 0.49 respectively in normal pregnancies which show similar pattern. In contrast, FHR_D was most highly related to the duration of pregnancy and FHR_I to fetal movement (0.38) in high risk pregnancy. In normal pregnancies, fetal movement (0.40) and signal loss (0.52) showed the highest linearity. CONCLUSION: The pregnancy with intrauterine growth restriction and pregnancy induced hypertension has more linear relation and less complexity in each variable of FHR than the normal pregnancy group. The formal, functional underdevelopment of fetus may results in the increasement of the linear depedent relation in each variable of FHR in these type of high risk pregnancies.
Female ; Fetal Development* ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; Fetal Heart* ; Fetal Movement ; Fetus ; Heart Rate, Fetal* ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced* ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnancy, High-Risk ; Vascular Diseases

PURPOSE: Neonatal immune hemolytic jaundice due to blood group incompatibility is important to treat properly because of an early rise and a high peak of serum bilirubin level and a risk of kernicterus. The conventional therapeutic modalities for neonatal immune hemolytic jaundice due to blood group incompatibility are phototherapy and exchange transfusion. We evaluated the effect of intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) therapy on hyperbilirubinemia due to ABO incompatibility. METHODS: This study included 6 infants with hyperbilirubinemia due to ABO incompatibility who were admitted to the nursery of Eulji Medical Center, Nowon Hospital, from January 2000 to February 2001. All 6 infants had a positive direct Coombs test. Their serum bilirubin levels were above 12 mg/dl within 24hours of age and above 20 mg/dl after 24hours of age. They were treated with intensive phototherapy and IVIG. RESULTS: We classified the effective group when a decline in serum bilirubin level was more than 2 mg/dl in 3-4 hours after IVIG therapy, and the ineffective group when there was a decline in serum bilirubin level less than 2 mg/dl, a re-rise after the initial response to IVIG, or a decline after the combined therapy with intensive phototherapy and IVIG equal or less than that after intensive phototherapy alone. In the effective group (n=2), the average decline in serum bilirebin level was 4.1 mg/dl in 3-4 hours and 8.1 mg/dl in 12-16 hours after IVIG therapy, while in the ineffective group (n=4), the average decline was 1.9 mg/dl and 2.7 mg/dl, respectively. Five among 6 infants were treated with IVIG therapy and 1 infant was treated with exchange transfusion. No serious side effect was detected during and after IVIG therapy. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated the effectiveness of IVIG therapy in 2 infants out of six who were treated with intensive phototherapy and IVIG for hyperbilirubinemia due to ABO incompatibility. IVIG therapy could be considered if hyperbilirubinemia due to ABO incompatibility does not respond to intensive phototherapy alone. Further prospective and randomized studies would be needed.
Bilirubin ; Blood Group Incompatibility ; Coombs Test ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous* ; Infant ; Jaundice* ; Kernicterus ; Nurseries ; Phototherapy