Purpose: To compare the structural features of the optic nerve head (ONH) in moderate glaucoma patients with single-hemispheric and bi-hemispheric visual field (VF) defects. Methods: Patients with open-angle glaucoma (OAG) and a VF mean deviation between -6 and -12 dB were retrospectively enrolled. Based on VF defect patterns, eyes were classified into two groups: those with single-hemispheric VF defects and those with bi-hemispheric VF defects. Structural features analyzed included Bruch’s membrane opening area, lamina cribrosa (LC) thickness, temporal β-zone parapapillary atrophy with and without Bruch's membrane (βPPA+BM, βPPA-BM, respectively), and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Results: Out of 137 eyes from 124 patients, 80 eyes had single-hemispheric VF defects and 57 eyes had bi-hemispheric VF defects. The bi-hemispheric group exhibited longer axial length (p = 0.038), thinner central corneal thickness (p = 0.003), thinner LC (p < 0.001), and larger temporal βPPA+BM (p = 0.002) compared to the single-hemispheric group. Conclusions Among Korean OAG patients with moderate VF defects, those with bi-hemispheric VF defects showed more structurally vulnerable optic discs characterized by longer axial lengths, thinner central corneal thickness, thinner LC, and larger β PPA+BM compared to those with single-hemispheric VF defects. These findings underline the importance of evaluating ONH structures in monitoring glaucoma progression particularly in patients with extensive VF damage.

Objective: : Deciphering the anatomy of posterior communicating artery (PCoA) aneurysms in relation to surrounding structures is essential to determine adjuvant surgical procedures. However, it is difficult to predict surgical structures through preoperative imaging studies. We aimed to present anatomical structures using preoperative high-resolution three-dimensional proton densityweighted turbo spin-echo magnetic resonance (PDMR) imaging with simple classification. Methods: : From January 2020 to April 2022, 30 patients underwent PDMR before microsurgical clipping for unruptured PCoA aneurysms in a single tertiary institute. We retrospectively reviewed the radiographic images and operative data of these patients. The structural relationship described by PDMR and intraoperative findings were compared. Subsequently, we classified aneurysms into two groups and analyzed the rate of adjuvant surgical procedures and contact with the surrounding structures. Results: : Correlations between preoperative PDMR predictions and actual intraoperative findings for PCoA aneurysm contact to the oculomotor nerve, temporal uncus, and anterior petroclinoid fold (APCF) reported a diagnostic accuracy of 0.90, 0.87, and 0.90, respectively. In 12 patients (40.0%), an aneurysm dome was located on the plane of the oculomotor triangle and was classified as the infratentorial type. Compared to the supratentorial type PCoA aneurysm, adjuvant procedures were required more frequently (66.7% vs. 22.2%, p=0.024) for infratentorial type PCoA aneurysm clipping. Conclusion : Preoperative PCoA aneurysm categorization using PDMR can be helpful for predicting surgical complexity and planning of microsurgical clipping.

This report provides a detailed description of the methodology for ophthalmic examinations according to the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) VII and VIII (from 2017 to 2021). The KNHANES is a nationwide survey which has been performed since 1998 in representatives of whole Korean population. During the KNHANES VII and VIII, in addition to the ophthalmic questionnaire, intraocular pressure measurement, visual field test, auto refractometry, axial length and optical coherence tomography measurements were included. This new survey will provide not only provide normative and pathologic ophthalmic data including intraocular pressure, refractive error, axial length, visual field and precise measurement of anterior segment, macula and optic nerve with optical coherence tomography, but also a more accurate diagnosis for major adult blindness diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and other ocular diseases, for the national Korean population.

This report provides a detailed description of the methodology for ophthalmic examinations according to the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) VII and VIII (from 2017 to 2021). The KNHANES is a nationwide survey which has been performed since 1998 in representatives of whole Korean population. During the KNHANES VII and VIII, in addition to the ophthalmic questionnaire, intraocular pressure measurement, visual field test, auto refractometry, axial length and optical coherence tomography measurements were included. This new survey will provide not only provide normative and pathologic ophthalmic data including intraocular pressure, refractive error, axial length, visual field and precise measurement of anterior segment, macula and optic nerve with optical coherence tomography, but also a more accurate diagnosis for major adult blindness diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and other ocular diseases, for the national Korean population.

PURPOSE: Optic nerve head surface depression in patients with glaucoma has been previously reported. We quantitatively compared the mean optic disc cup surface depth between glaucoma-like disc (GLD) patients with large cup-to-disc ratios and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients. METHODS: A total of 40 eyes of 40 patients with GLD and 40 eyes of 40 patients with POAG were included in this study. All patients had an average cup-to-disc ratio of 0.7–0.8. The optic disc area, mean cup-to-disc ratio, and mean optic disc cup volume were measured using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (Cirrus™ HD-OCT; Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin, CA, USA). The mean optic disc cup surface depth was calculated using the formula: (mean optic disc cup volume/[optic disc area × mean cup-to-disc ratio2]) − 200 µm. RESULTS: The mean ages of patients were 61.18 ± 11.83 and 59.65 ± 11.69 years for the GLD and POAG groups, respectively. The average cup-to-disc ratios were 0.74 ± 0.03 and 0.75 ± 0.03 for the GLD and POAG groups, respectively, but no significant difference was observed between the two groups. The mean optic disc cup surface depths were 144.74 ± 82.78 µm and 199.53 ± 90.26 µm for the GLD and POAG groups, respectively, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p = 0.006, t-test). CONCLUSIONS: POAG patients showed a significantly greater mean optic disc cup surface depth compared to GLD patients with a similar mean cup-to-disc ratio. Based on the results of spectral domain optical coherence tomography, confirming the mean optic disc cup surface depth is expected to provide additional information to distinguish GLD from POAG patients.
Depression ; Glaucoma ; Glaucoma, Open-Angle ; Humans ; Optic Disk ; Tomography, Optical Coherence

PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine the effects of interpersonal relationship ability, job stress, and stress coping type on the turnover intention of nurses in the early stage of their careers. METHODS: Data were collected from 136 early stage nurses from two general hospitals and one tertiary hospital in Chungbuk province. An early stage nurse was defined as the nurse with a work experience of 3 to 36 months. The collected data were analyzed using independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U test, Person's correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression. RESULTS: It was seen that turnover intention had a negative correlation with interpersonal competency (r=-.20, p=.020) and a positive correlation with job stress (r=.56, p < .001). Job stress due to work over load, inadequate compensation and working environment, interpersonal relationship ability, and length of clinical career were significant factors influencing turnover intention (p < .05). These variables explained for 50.4% of the variance in turnover intention. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to develop an interpersonal relationship ability improvement program to decrease turnover intention among early stage nurses by helping them to successfully adapt to their job. Moreover, it is important to bring about continuous improvements in terms of provision of adequate workload and appropriate rewards, and creation of a suitable work environment to reduce the job stress of early stage nurses.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Compensation and Redress ; Hospitals, General ; Intention ; Interpersonal Relations ; Reward ; Tertiary Care Centers

PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine the effects of interpersonal relationship ability, job stress, and stress coping type on the turnover intention of nurses in the early stage of their careers. METHODS: Data were collected from 136 early stage nurses from two general hospitals and one tertiary hospital in Chungbuk province. An early stage nurse was defined as the nurse with a work experience of 3 to 36 months. The collected data were analyzed using independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U test, Person's correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression. RESULTS: It was seen that turnover intention had a negative correlation with interpersonal competency (r=-.20, p=.020) and a positive correlation with job stress (r=.56, p < .001). Job stress due to work over load, inadequate compensation and working environment, interpersonal relationship ability, and length of clinical career were significant factors influencing turnover intention (p < .05). These variables explained for 50.4% of the variance in turnover intention. CONCLUSION It is necessary to develop an interpersonal relationship ability improvement program to decrease turnover intention among early stage nurses by helping them to successfully adapt to their job. Moreover, it is important to bring about continuous improvements in terms of provision of adequate workload and appropriate rewards, and creation of a suitable work environment to reduce the job stress of early stage nurses.

OBJECTIVE: This retrospective case series study of the effectiveness of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) augmentation on clozapine-resistant schizophrenia was conducted by EMR review. METHODS: Clozapine-resistance was defined as persistent psychotic symptoms despite at least 12 weeks of clozapine administration with blood levels over 350 ng/mL in order to rule out pseudo-resistance. Seven in-patients who were taking clozapine and treated with ECT were selected. We analyzed the psychopathology and subscales changed by ECT. RESULTS: The average number of ECT sessions was 13.4 (±4.6). Total Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) score was significantly reduced by 17.9 (±12.8) points (p=0.0384) on average, which represented a reduction of 25.5% (±14.3). 71.4% (5/7) of patients were identified as clinical remission, with at least a 20% reduction in PANSS score. PANSS reduction was associated with number of ECT sessions, stimulus level in the final session, and blood clozapine levels before ECT. However, the negative subscale on the PANSS were not reduced by ECT in any patient. We did not observe any persistent adverse cognitive effects. CONCLUSION: This study supports that ECT augmentation on clozapine-resistant schizophrenia reveals clinically effective and safe. Further research should be done involving a larger number of patients to investigate the effectiveness of clozapine/ECT combination therapy.
Clozapine ; Electroconvulsive Therapy* ; Humans ; Psychopathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Schizophrenia*

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been recognized effective as primary or secondary treatments for major psychiatric disorders including depression and schizophrenia, as well as psychiatric emergency such as suicide, food refusal and catatonia, and so on. Medicines used in anesthetic induction for ECT, cause various reactions in autonomous, hemodynamic, and neuromuscular systems. The anesthetics also affect the duration, threshold, and intensity of seizures evoked with electric stimuli, and thus modify the seizure quality in ECT. Individual characteristics of age, sex, weight, comorbid physical disorders, and medications should also be considered for optimal clinical response after ECT. When preparing for anesthesia, adequate anesthetic agents and muscle relaxants, and rapid recovery should be carefully considered. We conducted a case-series study to address practical issues that are frequently encountered during ECT anesthesia with reviews of updated journals in order to provide practical helps to clinicians who are preparing ECT for their patients.
Anesthesia* ; Anesthetics ; Catatonia ; Depression ; Electroconvulsive Therapy* ; Emergencies ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Schizophrenia ; Seizures ; Suicide

PURPOSE: Intra-abdominal leiomyosarcoma is an uncommon malignant tumor, and its standard treatment is surgical resection. However, there is no generally preferred treatment for its metastatic mass, especially in the liver.METHODS: According to the sarcoma registry, 476 patients were diagnosed as leiomyosarcoma and received treatment in Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. And from 2003 to 2015, surgical resections of liver metastases were performed in 10 patients with leiomyosarcoma. The characteristics and short-term results were documented.RESULTS: Of the 10 patients, the median age was 48 years and the median survival period was 34.2 months. The mean period from primary resection to liver metastasis was 12.9 months. Six patients had a single metastatic mass, and four had multiple nodules. One patient had an additional distant metastasis outside of the liver. Eight patients had a partial hepatectomy, and the others were treated using segmentectomy or lobectomy. Two patients (20%) died during follow-up. Four patients showed metastasis to other organs after surgical resection of the liver.CONCLUSION: Intra-abdominal leiomyosarcoma with liver metastasis is a very rare disease. Long-term survival can be achieved after surgical resection and should be considered for all patients.
Chungcheongnam-do ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Korea ; Leiomyosarcoma ; Liver ; Mastectomy, Segmental ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Rare Diseases ; Sarcoma ; Seoul