Background: Dry sauna treatments improve the quality of life for chronic pain, congestive heart failure, and type 2 diabetes patients. This study aimed to determine whether dry sauna therapy improved the quality of life of obese people. Methods: A total of 38 consecutive participants aged over 20 years with a body mass index of ≥25 kg/m2 were recruited for the study. The participants were treated with a 90°C dry sauna for 15 minutes, twice daily for 4 consecutive days. To assess the quality of life, all participants completed the 5 level EQ-5D questionnaires and the EQ-Visual Analog Scale. Study parameters were measured on the same day prior to commencing the sauna sessions in a fasted state and 2 days after the last sauna session. Results: The average age was 62.3±9.5 years; 84.2% of the participants were female. The mean body mass index was 28.5±2.4 kg/m2. Dry sauna significantly improved the mean 5 level EQ-5D index scores from 0.83±0.12 to 0.89±0.11 and increased the mean EQ-Visual Analog Scale from 79.0±15.2 to 91.1±9.7. However, there were no significant changes in body mass index, blood pressure, heart rate, or body composition before and after the 8-session sauna therapy. Conclusion Dry sauna improved the health-related quality of life of obese patients without adverse events. Further clinical studies in larger study populations are needed to verify these findings and provide concrete evidence for obesity treatment.

BACKGROUND: The Korean Society for Nosocomial Infection Control (KOSNIC) ran a surveillance system, called as Korean Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (KONIS), since July 2006. Here, we report the annual data of the intensive care unit (ICU) module of the system from July 2012 through June 2013. METHODS: This is a prospective surveillance of nosocomial urinary tract infections (UTI), bloodstream infections (BSI), and pneumonia (PNEU) at 161 ICUs in 91 hospitals using the KONIS system. The nosocomial infection (NI) rate was calculated as the number of infections per 1,000 patient days or device days. RESULTS: A total of 3,042 NIs were reported during the study period: 877 UTIs (854 cases were urinary catheter-associated), 1,272 BSIs (1,096 were central line-associated), and 893 PNEUs (526 cases were ventilator-associated). The rate of urinary catheter-associated UTIs (CAUTIs) was 1.26 cases per 1,000 device days (95% confidence interval; 1.18-1.34) and urinary catheter utilization ratio was 0.78 (0.779-0.781). The rate of central line-associated BSIs was 2.57 (2.42-2.72) and the utilization ratio was 0.49 (0.489-0.491). The rate of ventilator-associated PNEUs was 1.64 (1.50-1.78) and the utilization ratio was 0.37 (0.369-0.371). The urinary catheter utilization ratio was lower in the ICUs of hospitals with 400-699 beds than in those of hospitals with more than 900 beds; nevertheless, CAUTIs were more common in the hospitals with 400-699 beds. The central line-associated BSI (CLABSI) rate was lower in the study period than in the previous period of July 2011-June 2012 [2.57 (2.42-2.72) vs. 3.01 (2.84-3.19)]. CONCLUSION: The CLABSI rates were lower in the study period than those in the previous years. CAUTIs were more common in the ICUs of hospitals with 400-699 beds than in those of larger hospitals.
Cross Infection* ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units* ; Critical Care* ; Pneumonia ; Prospective Studies ; Urinary Catheters ; Urinary Tract Infections

Fibrous dysplasia is a benign pathological condition of bone in which fibrous tissue gradually expands and replaces normal bone. Histologically, it shows various degrees of osseous metaplasia. Fibrous dysplasia frequently affects the maxilla, frontal bone, and mandible. The sign and symptoms of fibrous dysplasia of head and neck vary and are related to the location and extent of bony abnormalities. Facial asymmetry is the most common sign of fibrous dysplasia, while pain and ocular proptosis are the next most frequent symptoms. Fibrous dysplasia is rare in the nasal cavity, especially involving the turbinate and nasal septum. So we report a case of fibrous dysplasia, which extensively involves the middle turbinate and nasal septum, with a review of literature.
Exophthalmos ; Facial Asymmetry ; Frontal Bone ; Head ; Mandible ; Maxilla ; Metaplasia ; Nasal Cavity ; Nasal Septum* ; Neck ; Turbinates*

BACKGROUND: This article reports annual data of intensive care units (ICU) module of the Korean Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (KONIS) system from July 2011 through June 2012. METHODS: We performed a prospective surveillance of nosocomial urinary tract infections (UTI), bloodstream infections (BSI), and pneumonia (PNEU) at 143 ICUs in 81 hospitals using the KONIS system. Nosocomial infection (NI) rates were calculated as the number of infections per 1,000 patient days or device days. Asymptomatic bacteriuria was excluded on or after October 1, 2011. RESULTS: A total of 3,374 NIs were found during the study period: 1,356 UTIs (1,336 cases were urinary catheter-associated), 1,253 BSIs (1,091 were central line-associated), and 765 PNEUs (481 were ventilator-associated). The rate of urinary catheter-associated UTIs (CAUTIs) was 2.26 cases per 1,000 device-days (95% confidence interval, 2.14-2.39) and urinary catheter utilization ratio was 0.85 (0.849-0.851). The rate of central line-associated BSIs was 3.01 (2.84-3.19) and the utilization ratio was 0.52 (0.519-0.521). The rate of ventilator-associated PNEUs (VAPs) was 1.70 (1.56-1.86) and the utilization ratio was 0.40 (0.399-0.401). Ventilator and urinary catheter utilization ratios were lower in the ICUs of hospitals with 400-699 beds than those in hospitals with 700-899 beds or more than 900 beds. Nevertheless, VAPs and CAUTIs were more common in hospitals with 400-699 beds. CONCLUSION: Nosocomial infection rates were similar to the findings of those of the previous period, July 2010-July 2011. Implementation of proven infection-control strategies are needed, especially in the hospitals having fewer than 700 beds.
Bacteriuria ; Cross Infection* ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units* ; Pneumonia ; Prospective Studies ; Urinary Catheters ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Ventilators, Mechanical

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to share our clinical experience on the use of bioresorbable poly L-/DL-lactide 70/30 implant to repair blow out fracture. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: The medical records of 130 patients with orbital fractures that were treated surgically from June 2006 to February 2011 were reviewed retrospectively. Patients who had diplopia or limited extraocular motion, significant Enophthalmos (>2 mm), or a large orbital wall fracture on a computed tomographic scan were enrolled for the study. We investigated diplopia, limited extraoacular motion, enophthalmos before and after surgery. RESULTS: The mean postoperative follow-up was 28 months. There was no evidence of sinus infection related to the implant. However, six patients showed dislocation of orbital implant in the nasal cavity. After six postoperative months, diplopia was seen in 1 (2%) patient, and significant enophthalmos was seen 2 (2%) patients. We carried out re-operation on six cases and the main cause was incomplete reduction or over reduction. CONCLUSION: Bioresorbable poly L-/DL-lactide 70/30 implants are safe and reliable for the reduction for blowout fracture.
Diplopia ; Dislocations ; Enophthalmos ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Nasal Cavity ; Orbit* ; Orbital Fractures ; Orbital Implants ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: We present here the annual data of the intensive care unit (ICU) module of the Korean Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System (KONIS) from July 2010 through June 2011. METHODS: We performed a prospective surveillance of nosocomial urinary tract infections (UTI), bloodstream infections (BSI), and pneumonia (PNEU) at 130 ICUs in 72 hospitals using KONIS. Nosocomial infection (NI) rates were calculated as the number of infections per 1,000 patient-days or device-days. RESULTS: A total of 3,757 NIs were found: 1,978 UTIs (1,949 cases were urinary catheter-associated), 1,092 BSIs (with 932 being central line-associated), and 687 PNEUs (410 were ventilator-associated). The rate of urinary catheter-associated UTIs (CAUTIs) was 3.87 cases per 1,000 device-days (95% confidence interval, 3.70-4.05), and the urinary catheter utilization ratio was 0.86 (0.859-0.861). The rate of central line-associated BSIs was 3.01 per 1,000 device-days (2.82-3.21), and the utilization ratio was 0.53 (0.529-0.531). The rate of ventilator-associated PNEUs (VAPs) was 1.75 per 1,000 device-days (1.59-1.93), and the utilization ratio was 0.40 (0.399-0.401). Although both the ventilator utilization ratiosand the urinary catheter utilization ratios were lower in hospitals with 400-699 beds than thosein hospitals with 700-899 beds ormore than 900 beds, the rates of VAPsand CAUTIs were higher in hospitals with 400-699 beds than thosein hospitals with 700-899 beds or more than 900 beds. CONCLUSION: The risk of acquiring VAP and CAUTI is higher in the ICUs of 400-699 bed hospitals than in ICUs oflarger hospitals. Therefore, ongoing targeted surveillance and implementation of proven infection control strategies are needed especially for hospitals having fewer than 700 beds.
Benzamides ; Cross Infection ; Infection Control ; Critical Care ; Intensive Care Units ; Pneumonia ; Prospective Studies ; Urinary Catheters ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Ventilators, Mechanical

A 51-year-old man diagnosed with Plasmodium vivax malaria was transferred to our clinic with newly developed drowsy mentality and myoclonus after the initiation of hydroxychloroquine therapy. Following therapy to treat the vivax malaria and supportive care, the patient recovered completely with no sequelae. Cerebral complications caused by vivax malaria are very rare worldwide, and only two cases have been reported in Korea. Here, we report the third published case of P. vivax infection with cerebral complications in Korea.
Humans ; Hydroxychloroquine ; Korea ; Malaria, Cerebral ; Malaria, Vivax ; Middle Aged ; Myoclonus ; Plasmodium ; Plasmodium vivax

A 51-year-old man diagnosed with Plasmodium vivax malaria was transferred to our clinic with newly developed drowsy mentality and myoclonus after the initiation of hydroxychloroquine therapy. Following therapy to treat the vivax malaria and supportive care, the patient recovered completely with no sequelae. Cerebral complications caused by vivax malaria are very rare worldwide, and only two cases have been reported in Korea. Here, we report the third published case of P. vivax infection with cerebral complications in Korea.
Humans ; Hydroxychloroquine ; Korea ; Malaria, Cerebral ; Malaria, Vivax ; Middle Aged ; Myoclonus ; Plasmodium ; Plasmodium vivax

BACKGROUND: Patients with malignancy are considered to be at high risk of severe pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009. This study was conducted to identify the severity of pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 among patients with malignancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between August 2009 and December 2009, we reviewed clinical data and medical records of 31 patients with malignancy and 63 hospitalized patients without malignancy. RESULTS: Eighty-three patients with laboratory-confirmed pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 were admitted. The rate of ICU admission was higher among patients with malignancy (without malignancy 13% vs with malignancy 35%, P=0.024). The mortality rate was higher among patients with malignancy (without malignancy 6% vs with malignancy 25%, P=0.033). Patients using immunosuppressants showed a higher rate of lower respiratory tract infection (83% vs 24%, P=0.013). CONCLUSIONS: Pandemic influenza A/H1N1 2009 in patients with malignancy was more severe than in patients without malignancy.
Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Influenza, Human ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Pandemics ; Respiratory Tract Infections

Pityriasis rotunda is a rare disease characterized by round to oval, sharply defined, hypopigmented or hyperpigmented, scaly patches of variable number and size located trunk and extremity. The etiology is unknown but it has been associated with a variety of systemic illnesses, such as tuberculosis, malnutrition and malignancy. The first case was a 28-year-old male who presented with a 2-year history of multiple round shaped hyperpigmented patches on the trunk. The second-case was a 38-year-old female who presented with a 2-month history of circular, sharply defined multiple patches with ichthyosiform scaling on the trunk. Both patients had no systemic disease or familial history. We experienced 2 cases of pityriasis rotunda on the trunk without underlying systemic illnesses or familial association.
Adult ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Ichthyosis ; Male ; Malnutrition ; Pityriasis ; Rare Diseases ; Tuberculosis