BACKGROUND: Adverse cutaneous drug reactions (ACDRs) are common and are responsible for increased morbidity, mortality, and socioeconomic costs. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to investigate the common drugs and clinical patterns related to ACDRs using an electronic drug adverse reaction reporting system at a single secondary referral center. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the ACDR database between January 2014 and April 2016 at the Ilsan Paik Hospital. RESULTS: The study analyzed 320 patients with ACDRs (male:female ratio=93:227; mean age 50.8±17.8 years). Using a Korean causality evaluation algorithm, the percentage of drugs with a possible relationship with ACDRs was calculated to be 50.6%, while the percentage with a probable relationship was 44.7%. Antibiotics (44.0%), radiocontrast media (15.1%), and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (14.3%) were the most commonly implicated drugs. Antibiotics, including cephalosporins (30.6%) and quinolones (10.2%), were responsible for the majority of the ACDRs. Acetic acid (5.9%) and propionic acid (5.9%) derivatives of NSAIDs were also common causative agents. The most common clinical presentations were maculopapular exanthema (33.4%), pruritus (30.9%), and urticaria (25.7%). Severe ACDRs were significantly associated with older age, eosinophilia, and underlying heart and renal diseases (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Antibiotics, radiocontrast media, and NSAIDs were identified as common causes of ACDRs. Older age, eosinophilia, heart disease, and renal disease were associated with severe ACDRs.
Acetic Acid ; Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; Cephalosporins ; Contrast Media ; Diethylpropion ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Eosinophilia ; Exanthema ; Heart ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Mortality ; Pruritus ; Quinolones ; Retrospective Studies* ; Secondary Care Centers* ; Urticaria

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study aimed to compare the clinical characteristics and management patterns of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients in a secondary hospital (SH) with those in tertiary referral centers (TRC). METHODS: Data from IBD patients in SH and 2 TRCs were retrospectively reviewed. The cumulative thiopurine use rate was compared between hospitals after controlling for different baseline characteristics using propensity score matching. RESULTS: Among the total of 447 patients with IBD, 178 Crohn's disease (CD) and 269 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients were included. Regarding initial CD symptoms, patients from SH were more likely to show perianal symptoms, such as anal pain or discharge (56.6% vs. 34.3%, P=0.003), whereas those from TRCs more often had luminal symptoms, such as abdominal pain (54.9% vs. 17.1%, P < 0.001), diarrhea (44.1% vs. 18.4%, P < 0.001), and body weight loss (9.8% vs. 1.3%, P=0.025). Complicating behaviors, such as stricturing and penetrating, were significantly higher in TRCs, while perianal disease was more common in SH. Ileal location was more frequently observed in TRCs. For UC, SH had a more limited extent of disease (proctitis 58.8% vs. 21.2%, P < 0.001). The cumulative azathioprine use rate in SH was significantly lower than that in TRCs in both CD and UC patients after controlling for disease behavior, location, and perianal disease of CD and extent of UC. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical characteristics and management of the IBD patients in SH were substantially different from those in TRCs. Thiopurine treatment was less commonly used for SH patients.
Abdominal Pain ; Azathioprine ; Body Weight ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; Crohn Disease ; Diarrhea ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases* ; Phenobarbital ; Propensity Score* ; Retrospective Studies ; Secondary Care ; Tertiary Care Centers*

PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate treatment of cancer patients at a secondary hospital. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed with electronic medical records of cancer patients admitted to a secondary hospital from January 1, 2009 through September 31, 2017. RESULTS: A total of 223 patients were studied. Sixty-nine patients were hospitalized for supportive care after receiving a surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy at a tertiary hospital, 58 patients for other supportive care, 53 patients for symptom control, 16 patients with a decision not to take active cancer treatment, and 27 patients for treatment of cancer that was diagnosed during their hospital stay. Among 75 patients who were discharged to other institutions, 50 were transferred to tertiary hospitals, 10 to long-term care hospitals, eight to hospice hospitals, four to nursing homes and two to secondary hospitals. Comorbidities were found in 120 patients (53.8%). For patients who consulted with more than one department, more consultations were for non-cancer diseases than cancer. Seventy-three patients had a do-not-resuscitate order. CONCLUSION: For treatment of cancer patients, it is needed to establish a cooperation system among medical institutions and provide comprehensive management including treatment of comorbidities.
Comorbidity ; Drug Therapy ; Electronic Health Records ; Hospices ; Humans ; Korea* ; Length of Stay ; Long-Term Care ; Nursing Homes ; Palliative Care ; Radiotherapy ; Referral and Consultation ; Resuscitation Orders ; Retrospective Studies ; Secondary Care Centers ; Tertiary Care Centers

BACKGROUND: Delivery of pathology reports to the patient is a key step in the biopsy pathway, which is important for patient safety in dermatology. Automated systems for facilitating such medical process began in 2010 in our hospital, sending short message service to scheduled patients. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the delivery of pathology reports to patients and investigate factors that influence this process and annual trends. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all outpatients (n=2,452) who underwent skin biopsy at our department of dermatology in 2009 and 2014. In each year group, we analyzed the proportion of revisiting patients in terms of year, sex, age, season, biopsy method and diagnosis. RESULTS: In 2009, a smaller proportion of patients (205; 91.5%) who had undergone shave or excisional biopsy than of those who had undergone punch biopsy returned (781; 98.0%; p<0.001). This trend was not significant in 2014. Whereas there was no significant difference of return visit ratio between men and women in 2009, a higher proportion of women (754; 98.0%) than men (633; 95.6%) re-visited after skin biopsy to confirm their diagnosis in 2014 (p=0.008). Three patients with either a malignant tumor or suspected malignant lesion that required complete excision did not return to our clinic. CONCLUSION: Pathology report delivery rates were fairly satisfactory, regardless of year, age, season, and diagnosis. Sex and biopsy method influenced the return visit ratio. More organized follow-up protocols are required to strengthen patient safety and prevent critical patient drop-out.
Biopsy ; Dermatology ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Medical Records ; Methods ; Outpatients ; Pathology* ; Patient Safety ; Retrospective Studies ; Seasons ; Secondary Care Centers* ; Skin ; Text Messaging

BACKGROUND: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health problem and human rights concern that has an enormous impact on physical, mental, reproductive and socioeconomic aspects of health. Several health professional organizations recommend screening for violence though current screening rates tend to be low because healthcare providers are generally hesitant to be involved in dealing with women who are victims of violence.

OBJECTIVE: This study therefore attempted to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of obstetricians and gynecologists on screening for intimate partner violence in a private tertiary hospital.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Physician Readiness to Manage Intimate Partner Violence Survey (PREMIS) tool was utilized among 123 obstetricians and gynecologists in a private tertiary hospital in Pasig, Metro Manila, with a response rate of 65.8% (81/123).

RESULTS: Results showed that the sample participants did not have adequate knowledge on IPV; majority of the sample participants were not fully prepared and equipped to handle patients who are victims of IPV; and the sample participants did not routinely screen for IPV.

CONCLUSION: In the Philippines, the obstetricians and gynecologists generally act as the primary care physicians to the general female population. This provides them a good opportunity to be involved in the secondary prevention of IPV. Recognition of barriers to screening for IPV, development of strategies for increasing awareness to IPV, and education and training of physicians and allied health care professionals may improve the screening practices for IPV. These in turn will help them to provide appropriate, effective, and holistic care to their patients who are victims of violence. 

Human ; Physicians, Primary Care ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Spouse Abuse ; Public Health ; Secondary Prevention ; Philippines ; Violence ; Intimate Partner Violence ; Attitude ; Human Rights

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Chronic daily headache (CDH) is defined as a headache disorder in which headaches occur on a daily or near-daily basis (at least 15 days/month) for more than 3 months. Chronic migraine (CM) and medication overuse headache (MOH) are very disabling headaches that remain underdiagnosed. The aim of this study was to establish the frequency of CDH and its various subtypes, and examine the associations with MOH among first-visit headache patients presenting at neurology outpatient clinics in Korea. METHODS: Eleven neurologists enrolled first-visit patients with complaints of headaches into outpatient clinics for further assessment. Headache disorders were classified according to the International Classification of Headache Disorder (third edition beta version) by each investigator. RESULTS: Primary CDH was present in 248 (15.2%) of the 1,627 included patients, comprising CM (143, 8.8%), chronic tension-type headache (CTTH) (98, 6%), and definite new daily persistent headache (NDPH) (7, 0.4%). MOH was associated with headache in 81 patients (5%). The association with MOH was stronger among CM patients (34.5%) than patients with CTTH (13.3%) or NDPH (14.3%) (p=0.001). The frequency of CDH did not differ between secondary and tertiary referral hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: The frequencies of CDH and MOH diagnoses were 15.2% and 5%, respectively in first-visit headache patients presented at secondary or tertiary referral hospitals in Korea. CM was the most common subtype of CDH and was most frequently associated with MOH.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Classification ; Diagnosis ; Epidemiology ; Headache Disorders* ; Headache Disorders, Secondary* ; Headache* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Migraine Disorders ; Neurology ; Prescription Drug Overuse* ; Research Personnel ; Tension-Type Headache ; Tertiary Care Centers

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: New-onset headache in elderly patients is generally suggestive of a high probability of secondary headache, and the subtypes of primary headache diagnoses are still unclear in the elderly. This study investigated the characteristics of headache with an older age at onset (≥65 years) and compared the characteristics between younger and older age groups. METHODS: We prospectively collected demographic and clinical data of 1,627 patients who first visited 11 tertiary hospitals in Korea due to headache between August 2014 and February 2015. Headache subtype was categorized according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders, Third Edition Beta Version. RESULTS: In total, 152 patients (9.3%, 106 women and 46 men) experienced headache that began from 65 years of age [elderly-onset group (EOG)], while the remaining 1,475 patients who first experienced headache before the age of 65 years were classified as the younger-age-at-onset group (YOG). Among the primary headache types, tension-type headache (55.6% vs. 28.8%) and other primary headache disorders (OPH, 31.0% vs. 17.3%) were more common in the EOG than in the YOG, while migraine was less frequent (13.5% vs. 52.2%) (p=0.001) in the EOG. Among OPH, primary stabbing headache (87.2%) was more frequent in the EOG than in the YOG (p=0.032). The pain was significantly less severe (p=0.026) and the frequency of medication overuse headache was higher in EOG than in YOG (23.5% vs. 7.6%, p=0.040). CONCLUSIONS: Tension-type headache and OPH headaches, primarily stabbing headache, were more common in EOG patients than in YOG patients. The pain intensity, distribution of headache diagnoses, and frequency of medication overuse differed according to the age at headache onset.
Age of Onset ; Aged ; Classification* ; Diagnosis ; Electrooculography ; Female ; Headache Disorders* ; Headache Disorders, Primary ; Headache Disorders, Secondary ; Headache* ; Humans ; Korea ; Migraine Disorders ; Prescription Drug Overuse ; Prospective Studies ; Tension-Type Headache ; Tertiary Care Centers

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The requirement for neurology liaison is increasing in accordance with the growing health care demands associated with aging populations. The aim of this study was to characterize the nature of neurological inpatient liaisons (NILs) to help plan for the appropriate use of neurology resources. METHODS: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study of NILs in a secondary referral hospital over a 12-month period. RESULTS: There were 853 neurological consultations with a liaison rate of 3% per admission case. Chest medicine, gastroenterology, and infectious disease were the three most frequent specialties requesting liaison, and altered consciousness, seizure, and stroke were the three most frequent disorders for which a NIL was requested. Infection was the most common cause of altered consciousness. Epilepsy, infection, and previous stroke were common causes of seizure disorders. Acute stroke accounted for 44% of all stroke disorders. Electroencephalography was the most recommended study, and was also the most frequently performed. Ninety-five percent of emergency consultations were completed within 2 hours, and 85% of regular consultations were completed within 24 hours. The consult-to-visit times for emergency and regular consultations were 44+/-47 minutes (mean+/-standard deviation) and 730+/-768 minutes, respectively, and were shorter for regular consultations at intensive care units (p=0.0151) and for seizure and stroke disorders (p=0.0032). CONCLUSIONS: Altered consciousness, seizure, and stroke were the most common reasons for NILs. Half of the patients had acute neurological diseases warranting immediate diagnosis and treatment by the consulting neurologists. Balancing increasing neurologist workloads and appropriate health-care resources remains a challenge.
Aging ; Communicable Diseases ; Consciousness ; Cross-Sectional Studies* ; Delivery of Health Care ; Diagnosis ; Electroencephalography ; Emergencies ; Epilepsy ; Gastroenterology ; Humans ; Inpatients* ; Intensive Care Units ; Nervous System Diseases* ; Neurology ; Referral and Consultation ; Retrospective Studies* ; Secondary Care Centers* ; Seizures ; Stroke ; Taiwan* ; Thorax

PURPOSE: The use of abdominal computed tomography (ACT) utilization is increasing to a remarkable extent in the pediatric Emergency Department (ED), but the clinical benefit of increased use of ACT for pediatric surgical patients remains uncertain. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted to investigate if, for patients who had visited pediatric ED during the last 5 years, increasing utilization of ACT would increase the detection rate of acute appendicitis, increase the detection rate of surgical conditions other than appendicitis, and decrease the hospital admission rate for surgical conditions. RESULTS: During the study period, there were 37,918 ED visits; of these, 3,274 (8.6%) were for abdominal pain, 844 (2.2%) had ACT performed. The annual proportional increase of the ACT was statistically significant (1.56% to 2.46%, P = 0.00), but the detection rate of acute appendicitis (3.3% to 5.1%) or other surgical conditions (1.7% to 2.8%) showed no statistically significant changes. Hospital admission rates (5.6% to 6.8%) also showed no significant changes during the study period. CONCLUSION: Increasing utilization of ACT does not lead to the improved outcomes in caring for pediatric surgical patients visiting the pediatric ED. Careful evaluation for the indication for ACT is needed in the pediatric ED.
Abdominal Pain ; Appendicitis ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Secondary Care Centers* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) and Hurthle cell carcinoma (HCC) of the thyroid are relatively uncommon thyroid malignancies in iodine-sufficient areas. In this study we evaluated the clinical behavior, prognostic factors and treatment outcomes of FTC and HCC in Korea. METHODS: This multicenter study included 483 patients with FTC and 80 patients with HCC who underwent an initial surgery between 1995 and 2006 in one of the four tertiary referral hospitals in Korea. We evaluated clinicopathological factors associated with distant metastases and recurrence during a median of 6 years of follow-up. RESULTS: HCC patients were significantly older (49 years vs. 43 years; p < 0.001) and had more lymphovascular invasions (22% vs. 14%; p = 0.03) compared with FTC patients. Distant metastases were confirmed in 40 patients (8%) in the FTC group and in two patients (3%) in the HCC group (p = 0.07). Distant metastases were significantly associated with older age, widely invasive cancer and extrathyroidal invasion. Only 14 patients (3%) had recurrent disease and there was no significant difference between FTC and HCC groups (p = 0.38). Recurrence was associated with larger tumor size and cervical lymph node metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: HCC patients were older and had more lymphovascular invasions than FTC patients. However, FTC and HCC patients had similar initial clinicopathological features. Older age, wide invasiveness and extrathyroidal invasion were independent risk factors for predicting distant metastases in FTC and HCC patients.
Adenocarcinoma, Follicular/*epidemiology/secondary/surgery ; Adult ; Age Factors ; *Diet ; Female ; Humans ; *Iodine ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; *Nutritional Status ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Thyroid Neoplasms/*epidemiology/pathology/surgery ; Thyroidectomy ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome