Theophylline acts as a bronchodilator and has an anti-inflammatory effect. In addition, theophylline can be applied in patients where there are concerns regarding the side-effects of corticosteroids. This retrospective case series evaluated theophylline-based therapy in tracheal collapse (TC) canine patients. Forty-seven dogs with TC that received theophylline-based therapy during 2013–2017 were investigated. A fluoroscopic examination was performed to diagnose and grade TC. Theophylline was prescribed (7.5–30 mg/kg PO q12h) and the theophylline serum concentrations were measured. Coughing was assessed using a coughing scoring scale. The mean coughing score decreased after the theophylline-based therapy compared with that observed before treatment. Clinical improvements were observed in 46/47 patients (97.9%). As the intrathoracic TC grading increased, the final theophylline dosage also increased (p value 0.019). The symptom-free period (SFP) with therapy was 189.7 ± 194.45 days (range, 0–720 days) and there was no statistically significant correlation between the SFP and age, sex, or TC grade on fluoroscopy. Although theophylline has generally been used as a third-line treatment, it was used as the main treatment in this study and most patients showed improvements. Dogs have a wider therapeutic index of serum concentrations than humans, and any undesirable effects were easily overcome. With further research, this therapy may prove to be a useful approach, but its safety for long-term use in the treatment of canine TC patients needs to be established.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Animals ; Cough ; Dogs ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Theophylline

The authors regret that there were errors in funding section.

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to develop an empowering education program for Maternal-Fetal Intensive Care Unit (MFICU) nurses who provide intensive care to high-risk mother and fetus at hospitals, to test effects of the education program on nursing care confidence and nursing knowledge, and to examine program satisfaction. METHODS: This study comprised of 2 phases: program development and evaluation. First, we have followed a process of program development to develop and refine an empowering education program for MFICU nurses through collaborative works among clinical obstetrics and gynecology doctors and nurses and academic nursing professors. Second, the empowering education program was provided to 49 nurses and evaluated from July 5 to 6, 2019. Levels of MFICU nursing care confidence and knowledge were measured. RESULTS: The empowering education program included 18 hours of lectures, discussion, and Q & A, which continued for 2 days. This program significantly improved high-risk maternal-fetal nursing care confidence and knowledge of nurses. The program was well met with nurses' education need and goals, and found to be highly satisfactory. CONCLUSION: The empowering education program was observed to be effective in terms of improve nursing care confidence and knowledge of nurses in MFICU. It is proposed that this program should be open regularly for nurses to obtain and improve their clinical knowledge, confidence, and competency. Further study is needed to develop and run 2-levels of education such as basic and advanced levels based on nurses' clinical background and competency.
Critical Care ; Education ; Fetus ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Lectures ; Mothers ; Nursing ; Nursing Care ; Obstetrics ; Pregnancy, High-Risk ; Program Development

PURPOSE: Malnutrition and a loss of muscle mass are frequent in cancer patients and have a negative effect on clinical outcome. Nutrition risk screening aims to increase awareness and allow early recognition and treatment of cancer cachexia. Therefore, screenings should be brief, inexpensive, highly sensitive, and have good specificity. Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire (SNAQ) is a simple screening tool including four questions, and validated to predict weight loss within 6 months in community-dwelling adults and nursing home residents. Our study aimed to translate the SNAQ into Korean, and to assess the validity and reliability of the translated screening tool in advanced cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The SNAQ was translated into Korean according to linguistic validation. The internal consistency of the SNAQ was evaluated by Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Test-retest reliability was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient. Concurrent validity was evaluated by measuring the Pearson's correlation coefficient between the SNAQ and Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA). RESULTS: In the 194 patients included in full analysis set, cancer stage was predominantly metastatic (98.5%), the mean age was 60 years (range, 23 to 81 years), and the mean body mass index was 24 kg/m² (range, 15.6 to 39.6 kg/m²). According to MNA score ≤ 11, 57 patients (29.4%) were malnourished. The mean score (±standard deviation) of the Korean version of the SNAQ was 13.8±2.5 with a range of 6-19. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.737, and intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.869. The SNAQ was moderately correlated with MNA (r=0.404, p < 0.001) and PG-SGA (r=–0.530, p < 0.001). A significant weight loss of > 5% of the original bodyweightwithin 6 months occurred in 46 of the 186 patients (24.7%). SNAQ score ≤ 14 predicted > 5% weight loss with a sensitivity of 56.5% and a specificity of 44.3%. CONCLUSION: The Korean version of the SNAQ had high validity and reliability. SNAQ is useful for the screening tool for advanced cancer patients. The SNAQ had a limitation to predict impending weight loss in advanced cancer patients.
Adult ; Appetite ; Body Mass Index ; Cachexia ; Humans ; Linguistics ; Longitudinal Studies ; Malnutrition ; Mass Screening ; Nursing Homes ; Nutrition Assessment ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Weight Loss

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to estimate the effects of a video low intensity exercise program provided during hemodialysis on fatigue, activity of daily living, positive psychological capital and blood pressure of patients being treated. METHODS: A non-equivalent control group pre-post test design was used. Participants were 85 hemodialysis patients assigned to either the experimental group (n=41) or the control group (n=44). The experimental group exercised for about 25 minutes 3 times a week for 8 weeks. Data analyses involved descriptive statistics, χ2 test, t-test, multiple regression and repeated measure ANOVA using SPSS/WIN 23.0. RESULTS: The exercise intervention significantly reduced post hemodialysis fatigue and significantly increased positive psychological capital. There was a significant interaction effect on time by group in blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure changes in the experimental group were stable but, changes in the control group tended to increase gradually. CONCLUSION: To reduce fatigue and increase positive psychological capital for hemodialysis patients, providing exercise during hemodialysis is recommended. Furthermore individualized exercise in terms of intensity, time, duration, etc should be developed and tested. Also, to reduce drastic blood pressure changes during hemodialysis, exercise should be provided.
Blood Pressure ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Fatigue ; Humans ; Renal Dialysis ; Statistics as Topic

Carbohydrates are a primary source of energy and a major component of the structure of living things-; there are many different kinds. As eating behavior is a part of life, it was usually not described in addiction. However, sometimes it seems aspects of addiction. This eating behavior can also appear with regard to other food. A bio-psycho-social model is required for complex analysis of addiction. When highly addictive agents are excluded, we can usually identify a key factor related to the vulnerability of the individual to addictive behavior. Considering that every source of happiness can potentially lead to addictive behaviors, we need to be cautious about the controlling. Not every carbohydrate can be connected with addictive behavior. Addictive behavior could be associated with a variety of ingredients other than carbohydrates. Until recently, sweet substances were thought to be the primary culprit behind addictive behavior. It is necessary to identify the food component or other factors associated with a specific craving. A multidimensional approach to the psychology of addictive behaviors might be more useful than opposing carbohydrate consumption in general.
Behavior, Addictive ; Carbohydrates ; Craving ; Feeding Behavior ; Happiness ; Psychology ; Sweetening Agents

PURPOSE: This study was to examine attitude to death and life satisfaction between groups of elderly people with and without cancer. METHODS: This study used a descriptive research design. Data were collected from January to March 2013. Participants were 66 elderly without cancer and 65 elderly with cancer. A questionnaire was used to collect data. RESULTS: The attitude to death of participants was relatively positive and the degree of life satisfaction was medium or greater. There was no significant difference in attitude to death between the groups with and without cancer. However, the score for the life satisfaction of the group without cancer was significantly higher than that of the group with cancer. Attitude to death was significantly different according to sex, living together with family, and intention to prepare for death. Life satisfaction was significantly different according to gender and religion. The correlation between attitude to death and life satisfaction was not significant in both groups. CONCLUSION: As a result of this study the elderly had a generally positive attitude to death and were satisfied with their lives. Cancer influenced elderly people's life satisfaction, not their attitude towards death. To improve life satisfaction for elderly people with cancer, we need to research which factors could be important.
Aged* ; Attitude to Death* ; Humans ; Intention ; Research Design ; Surveys and Questionnaires

The clinical characteristics of fulminant type 1 diabetes are abrupt onset of disease, very short (<1 week) duration of diabetic symptoms, ketoacidosis at diagnosis, negativity for islet-related autoantibodies, virtually no C-peptide secretion (fasting plasma C-peptide <0.3 ng/mL), a near normal hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level and an elevated serum pancreatic enzyme level. The pathogenesis has not yet been clarified, however the involvement of both genetic background and viral infections has been suggested. We reported a case of fulminant type 1 diabetes. A 37-year-old woman was admitted with stuporous consciousness to our hospital. Four days prior to the admission, she was hospitalized with the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis in another hospital, and at that time her glucose level was 79 mg/dL. Three days after the hospitalization, her state of consciousness became stuporous and she was transferred to our hospital. The laboratory results were as follows: pH 6.94, glucose 1,602 mg/dL, and HbA1c 5.5%. She was negative for islet-related autoantibodies and viral antibodies. HLA haplotypes were DRB1*04:05/*04:06, DQB1*03:02/*04:01 which might be a considerable risk allele for fulminant type 1 diabetes. She was diagnosed with fulminant type 1 diabetes, and has been treated with multiple component insulin regimens.
Adult ; Alleles ; Antibodies, Viral ; Autoantibodies ; C-Peptide ; Consciousness ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; Female ; Glucose ; Haplotypes ; Hemoglobins ; HLA Antigens ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Insulin ; Ketosis ; Leukocytes ; Pancreatitis ; Plasma ; Stupor

BACKGROUND: The skin of atopic dermatitis (AD) patients has a high susceptibility to Staphylococcus aureus colonization, and the toxins produced by S. aureus may aggravate AD by acting as superantigens. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship of the skin barrier function, colonization of S. aureus, and the clinical severity of AD. We also examined the predominant toxin genes produced in Korean AD patients. METHODS: Thirty-nine patients with AD were evaluated for clinical severity and skin barrier function by using Severity Scoring of Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) index and transepidermal water loss (TEWL). S. aureus was isolated from the forearm, popliteal fossa, and anterior nares of AD patients (n=39) and age-matched controls (n=40); the toxin genes were analyzed by performing multiplex polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: TEWL showed a statistically significant correlation with clinical severity in patients with AD (p<0.05). TEWL was correlated with the number of S. aureus colonization sites and the presence of nasal colonization, but these results were not statistically significant. S. aureus strains were isolated in 64.1% of the 39 AD patients. The SCORAD index and AD severity were strongly correlated with the number of colonization sites. The predominant toxin gene found in AD patients was staphylococcal enterotoxin a (sea) only, which was produced in 52.6% of patients. The toxin genes sea and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (tsst-1) were found together in 42.1%, while tsst-1 only was found in 5.3% of the patients. CONCLUSION: S. aureus strains were isolated in 64.1% of the 39 AD patients. Skin barrier function, as measured by TEWL, revealed a statistically significant correlation with clinical severity in AD patients. The SCORAD index and severity of AD was strongly correlated with the number of colonization. The most common toxin gene was sea in the Korean AD patients and this gene might have an important role in the pathogenesis of AD.
Bacterial Toxins ; Colon ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Enterotoxins ; Exotoxins ; Forearm ; Humans ; Shock, Septic ; Skin ; Staphylococcus ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Superantigens ; Water Loss, Insensible