Objectives: Presenteeism is known to be a much more economically damaging social cost than disease rest while going to work despite physical pain. Since COVID-19, social discussions on the sickness benefit have been taking place as a countermeasure against presenteeism, and in particular, farmers and fishermen do not have an institutional mechanism for livelihood support when a disease other than work occurs. This study attempted to examine the relationship between agricultural, fishing, and forestry workers and presenteeism using the 6th Korean Work Conditions Survey. Methods: From October 2020 to January 2021, data from the 6th working conditions survey conducted on 17 cities and provinces in Korea were used, and a total of 34,981 people were studied. Control variables were gender, age, self-health assessment, education level, night work, shift work, monthly income, occupation, working hours per week, and employment status. Results: As a result of the analysis, farmers and fishermen showed the characteristics of the self-employed and the elderly, and as a result of the regression analysis, when farmers and fishermen analyzed the relationship with presenteeism tendency compared to other industry workers, farmers and fishermen increased by 23% compared to other industry groups. Conclusion This study is significant in that it has representation by utilizing the 6th working conditions survey and objectively suggests the need for a sickness benefit for farmers and fishermen who may be overlooked in the sickness benefit.

Objectives: Presenteeism is known to be a much more economically damaging social cost than disease rest while going to work despite physical pain. Since COVID-19, social discussions on the sickness benefit have been taking place as a countermeasure against presenteeism, and in particular, farmers and fishermen do not have an institutional mechanism for livelihood support when a disease other than work occurs. This study attempted to examine the relationship between agricultural, fishing, and forestry workers and presenteeism using the 6th Korean Work Conditions Survey. Methods: From October 2020 to January 2021, data from the 6th working conditions survey conducted on 17 cities and provinces in Korea were used, and a total of 34,981 people were studied. Control variables were gender, age, self-health assessment, education level, night work, shift work, monthly income, occupation, working hours per week, and employment status. Results: As a result of the analysis, farmers and fishermen showed the characteristics of the self-employed and the elderly, and as a result of the regression analysis, when farmers and fishermen analyzed the relationship with presenteeism tendency compared to other industry workers, farmers and fishermen increased by 23% compared to other industry groups. Conclusion This study is significant in that it has representation by utilizing the 6th working conditions survey and objectively suggests the need for a sickness benefit for farmers and fishermen who may be overlooked in the sickness benefit.

Objectives: Presenteeism is known to be a much more economically damaging social cost than disease rest while going to work despite physical pain. Since COVID-19, social discussions on the sickness benefit have been taking place as a countermeasure against presenteeism, and in particular, farmers and fishermen do not have an institutional mechanism for livelihood support when a disease other than work occurs. This study attempted to examine the relationship between agricultural, fishing, and forestry workers and presenteeism using the 6th Korean Work Conditions Survey. Methods: From October 2020 to January 2021, data from the 6th working conditions survey conducted on 17 cities and provinces in Korea were used, and a total of 34,981 people were studied. Control variables were gender, age, self-health assessment, education level, night work, shift work, monthly income, occupation, working hours per week, and employment status. Results: As a result of the analysis, farmers and fishermen showed the characteristics of the self-employed and the elderly, and as a result of the regression analysis, when farmers and fishermen analyzed the relationship with presenteeism tendency compared to other industry workers, farmers and fishermen increased by 23% compared to other industry groups. Conclusion This study is significant in that it has representation by utilizing the 6th working conditions survey and objectively suggests the need for a sickness benefit for farmers and fishermen who may be overlooked in the sickness benefit.

PURPOSE: Diabetic foot gangrene has a high morbidity rate and a great influence on the quality of life. Amputation is an appropriate treatment if conservative treatment is impossible according to the severity of gangrene and infection. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of preoperative percutaneous transluminal angioplasty for the postoperative outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From February 2013 to April 2016, among 55 patients with diabetic foot gangrene, who require surgical treatment, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty was performed on patients with an ankle brachial index (0.9 and stenosis) 50% on angiographic computed tomography. The study subjects were 49 patients, comprised of 37 males (75.5%) and 12 females (24.5%). The mean age of the patients was 70.0±9.6 years. The treatment results were followed up according to the position and length of the lesion and the changes during the follow-up period. RESULTS: As a result of angiography, there were 13 cases of atherosclerotic lesions in the proximal part, 11 cases in the distal part and 25 cases in both the proximal and distal parts. As a result of the follow-up after angiography, in 13 patients, the operation was not performed and only follow-up and dressing were performed around the wound. Sixteen patients underwent debridement for severe gangrene lesions and 20 patients, in whom the gangrene could not be treated, underwent amputation (ray amputation or metatarsal amputation, below knee amputation). CONCLUSION: Preoperative percutaneous angioplasty in diabetic foot gangrene patients with peripheral vascular occlusive disease is simple, and 59.2% of the patients with diabetic foot gangrene could be treated by conservative treatment or debridement.
Amputation ; Angiography ; Angioplasty* ; Ankle Brachial Index ; Bandages ; Debridement ; Diabetic Foot* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gangrene* ; Humans ; Knee ; Male ; Metatarsal Bones ; Quality of Life ; Wounds and Injuries

Cap polyposis is extremely rare in children. We report a case of an 11-month-old male infant who visited our hospital because of rectal prolapse and small amount of hematochezia lasting several days. He also had an epidermal nevus in the sacral area. Colonoscopy showed erythematous, multilobulated, circumferential, polypoid lesions with mucoid discharge from the rectum. He was diagnosed with cap polyposis by endoscopy and histologic examination. He was treated with surgical resection, and was closely followed up. In the relevant literature, there is no report of cap polyposis in an infant. We report the first case of cap polyposis in the youngest infant.
Child ; Colonoscopy ; Endoscopy ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Infant* ; Male ; Nevus* ; Rectal Prolapse ; Rectum

Despite a remarkable increase of deceased donors, organ shortage is the main hurdle of organ transplantation in Korea. Therefore, liver transplantation priority is a major issue of liver allocation. We confront a situation that needs to change in order to achieve more adequate and objective allocation of the system. We considered the MELD system as an alternative to the CTP score and Status system. For application of the MELD system, comparison between two systems is required; and a national-based retrospective review of liver transplantation candidates (waiting list) was conducted as a multi-center collaborative study. Eleven transplant centers participated in this national study. From 2009 to 2012, 2,702 waiting lists were enrolled. After mean 349+/-412 days follow-up, 967 patients (35.8%) of liver transplantation, 750 patients (27.8%) of drop-out/mortality, and 719 patients (26.6%) on waiting were identified. In analysis of patient mortality during waiting time, status system showed significant difference of waiting mortality by status at registration. However, differences of waiting mortality by MELD system were more prominent and discriminate. In comparisons by MELD score in exclusive Status 2A waiting patients, there was a significant difference of waiting mortality by MELD score. This means that the MELD system is a good predictor of short-term survival after listing compared with status system with CTP score. Korean national-based retrospective study showed the superiority of the MELD system in prediction of short-term mortality and usefulness as a determinant for allocation priority.
Cytidine Triphosphate ; Emergencies* ; End Stage Liver Disease ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Korea ; Liver Transplantation* ; Liver* ; Mortality ; Organ Transplantation ; Resource Allocation ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Analysis* ; Tissue Donors* ; Transplants ; Waiting Lists

PURPOSE: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a severe and common complication that occurs after the major operation. Despite the commonality of DVT there is limited data on the incidence of DVT after kidney transplantation (KT). Furthermore, most studies have been retrospective in design and were conducted in western countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of lower extremity DVT with mechanical thromboprophylaxis within 1 month of KT in Korea. METHODS: A total of 187 consecutive patients who underwent KT were included in this study. Patients used a graduated elastic stocking (n = 93) or an intermittent pneumatic compression device (n = 94) to prevent DVT. The frequency of DVT during the first month after KT was evaluated using serial color duplex ultrasound on postoperative days 7 +/- 2, 14 +/- 2, and 28 +/- 3. All patients were tested for eight thrombophilic factors before KT. RESULTS: DVT occurred in four patients (2.1%) during the first month after KT. All DVT developed in the graduated elastic stocking group. Interestingly, none of the patients had the factor V Leiden mutation or the prothrombin gene 20210A mutation. CONCLUSION: The incidence of DVT in this study was relatively lower than that of western populations. We did not encounter a factor V Leiden mutation or a prothrombin gene 20210A mutation in our study population. These findings suggest that inherited thrombophilic risk factors may be partially responsible for the difference in DVT incidence rates between different nationalities and/or ethnicities.
Ethnic Groups ; Factor V ; Humans ; Incidence ; Kidney Transplantation* ; Korea ; Lower Extremity* ; Prothrombin ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Stockings, Compression ; Ultrasonography ; Venous Thrombosis*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The placement of self expandable metal stent (SEMS) is one of the palliative therapeutic options for patients with unresectable malignant biliary obstruction. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a covered SEMS versus the conventional plastic stent. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 44 patients with unresectable malignant biliary obstruction who were treated with a covered SEMS (21 patients) or a plastic stent (10 Fr, 23 patients). We analyzed the technical success rate, functional success rate, early complications, late complications, stent patency and survival rate. RESULTS: There was one case in the covered SEMS group that had failed technically, but was corrected successfully using lasso. Functional success rates were 90.5% in the covered SEMS group and 91.3% in the plastic stent group. There was no difference in early complications between the two groups. Median patency of the stent was significantly prolonged in patients who had a covered SEMS (233.6 days) compared with those who had a plastic stent (94.6 days) (p=0.006). During the follow-up period, stent occlusion occurred in 11 patients of the covered SEMS group. Mean survival showed no significant difference between the two groups (covered SEMS group, 236.9 days; plastic stent group, 222.3 days; p=0.182). CONCLUSIONS: The patency of the covered SEMS was longer than that of the plastic stent and the lasso of the covered SEMS was available for repositioning of the stent.
Acetamides ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Plastics ; Retrospective Studies ; Stents

Poikiloderma vasculare atrophicans (PVA) is a rare variant of mycosis fungoides, and is characterized by generalized hyperkeratotic scaly papules in net-like, retiform, or zebra-like patterns. A 59-year-old Korean woman presented with asymptomatic, erythematous-to-violaceous, reticulated confluent papules on the trunk and extremities. Skin lesions were initially limited to both thighs 25 years ago, and then spread slowly over her body. Histopathological examination showed band-like inflammatory infiltrations and epidermotropism consisting of mostly CD8+ lymphocytes. Based on the clinical manifestations and histological findings, the diagnosis of PVA was made. We herein report on a case of PVA, which featured a long-benign course without progression into the tumor stage over a period of 30 years.
Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Middle Aged ; Mycosis Fungoides ; Skin ; Thigh

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate normal healthy persons without spasticity to observe normal findings of the elbow stretch reflex using a newly developed, portable, hand-driven spasticity-measuring system. METHOD: Thirty normal persons without any disease involving the central or peripheral nervous system were enrolled in this study. The portable hand-driven isokinetic system is able to measure the joint angle, angular velocity, electromyographic (EMG) signals, and torque during elbow passive extension-flexion. One set of 10 passive elbow extension and flexion movements was performed for data acquisition at each angular velocity, including 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 degrees per second (degrees/sec). Electromyographic data were collected from the biceps brachii and the triceps brachii. Torque data were collected from sensors around the wrist. RESULTS: We were able to detect EMG activity and torque in all subjects by using the new portable hand-driven isokinetic system. EMG activity and torque increased with incremental increase of angular velocities. The joint angle of maximal EMG activity according to different angular velocities did not show any significant difference (116degrees-127degrees in elbow extension and 37degrees-66degrees in elbow flexion). The joint angles of maximal torque according to different angular velocities were not significantly different either. CONCLUSION: Using the portable hand-driven isokinetic system on the elbows of normal subjects, we were able to obtain expected results. By considering our normal findings of the elbow stretch reflex using this system, we propose that the various aspects of spasticity-related data can be measured successfully.
Adult ; Elbow ; Humans ; Joints ; Muscle Spasticity ; Peripheral Nervous System ; Reflex, Stretch ; Torque