BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The doubly labeled water (DLW) method is the gold standard for estimating total energy expenditure (TEE) and is also useful for verifying the validities of dietary evaluation tools. In this study, we compared the accuracy of total energy intakes (TEI) estimated by the 24-h diet recall method with TEE obtained using the doubly labeled water method. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study involved 71 subjects aged 20–49 yrs. Over a 14-day period, three 24-h diet recalls per subject (2 weekdays and 1 weekend day) were used to estimate energy intakes, while TEE was measured using the DLW method. The paired t-test was used to determine the significance of differences between TEI and TEE results, and the accuracy of the 24-h recall method was determined by accuracy predictions percentage, root mean square error, and bias. RESULTS: Average study subject age was 33.4 ± 8.6 yrs. The association between TEI and TEE was positive and significant (r = 0.463, P < 0.001), and the difference between TEI (2,084.3 ± 684.2 kcal/day) and TEE (2,401.7 ± 480.3 kcal/day) was also significant (P < 0.001). In all study subjects, mean TEI was 12.0% (307.5 ± 629.3 kcal/day) less than mean TEE, and 12.2% (349.4 ± 632.5 kcal/day) less in men and 11.8% (266.7 ± 632.5 kcal/day) less in women. Rates of TEI underprediction for all study subjects, men, and women, were 60.5%, 51.4%, and 66.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS This study shows that 24-h diet recall underreports energy intakes. More research is needed to corroborate our findings and evaluate the accuracy of 24-h recall with respect to additional demographics.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the degree of oral care, perceived halitosis, halitosis, interpersonal relationships and oral health-related quality of life and to examine the relationships among these variables.METHODS: The participants were 94 elderly people. The questionnaire included questions on oral care, perceived halitosis, interpersonal relationships, and oral health-related quality of life. Halitosis was measured using odor breath tester.RESULTS: A total of 63.8% of the elderly did not receive regular oral care. The halitosis score was 1.59, thus indicating moderate halitosis. The current perceived halitosis figure was 1.54, participants responded that they feel slight. There was no significant correlation between halitosis and perceived halitosis. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in halitosis and perceived halitosis according to the oral care. Perceived halitosis was negatively correlated with oral health-related quality of life. Interpersonal relationships were correlated with oral health-related quality of life.CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to actively promote the need for oral care among the elderly. Moreover, older people need regular oral care to prevent halitosis and improve their oral health-related quality of life.
Aged ; Breath Tests ; Halitosis ; Humans ; Odors ; Oral Hygiene ; Quality of Life

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the degree of oral care, perceived halitosis, halitosis, interpersonal relationships and oral health-related quality of life and to examine the relationships among these variables. METHODS: The participants were 94 elderly people. The questionnaire included questions on oral care, perceived halitosis, interpersonal relationships, and oral health-related quality of life. Halitosis was measured using odor breath tester. RESULTS: A total of 63.8% of the elderly did not receive regular oral care. The halitosis score was 1.59, thus indicating moderate halitosis. The current perceived halitosis figure was 1.54, participants responded that they feel slight. There was no significant correlation between halitosis and perceived halitosis. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in halitosis and perceived halitosis according to the oral care. Perceived halitosis was negatively correlated with oral health-related quality of life. Interpersonal relationships were correlated with oral health-related quality of life. CONCLUSIONS It is necessary to actively promote the need for oral care among the elderly. Moreover, older people need regular oral care to prevent halitosis and improve their oral health-related quality of life.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The doubly labeled water (DLW) method is considered the gold standard for the measurement of total energy expenditure (TEE), which serves to estimate energy requirements. This study evaluated the accuracy of predictive dietary reference intake (DRI) equations for determining the estimated energy requirements (EER) of Korean adults by using the DLW as a reference method. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Seventy-one participants (35 men and 36 women) aged between 20 and 49 years were included in the study. The subjects' EER, calculated by using the DRI equation (EER(DRI)), was compared with their TEE measured by the DLW method (TEE(DLW)). RESULTS: The DRI equations for EER underestimated TEE by -36.3 kcal/day (-1.3%) in men and -104.5 kcal/day (-4.9%) in women. The percentages of accurate predictions among subjects were 77.1% in men and 62.9% in women. There was a strong linear correlation between EER(DRI) and TEE(DLW) (r=0.783, P<0.001 in men and r=0.810, P<0.001 in women). CONCLUSIONS: The present study supports the use of DRI prediction equations to determine EER in Korean adults. More studies are needed to confirm our results and to assess the validity of these equations in other population groups, including children, adolescents, and older adults.
Adolescent ; Adult* ; Child ; Energy Metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Methods* ; Nutritional Requirements ; Population Groups ; Recommended Dietary Allowances* ; Water*

PURPOSE: Leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs) are used to treat aspirin-intolerant asthma (AIA); however, the protective effects of long-term LTRA administration against aspirin-induced bronchospasm have not been evaluated. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the efficacy of a 12-week treatment with a LTRA in protecting against aspirin-induced asthma in AIA patients. METHODS: Fifty-two adult patients with AIA underwent an aspirin challenge test just before administration of montelukast (10 mg/day) and just after 12 weeks of treatment. The protective effect was assessed as the disappearance of aspirin-induced bronchospasm after 12 weeks of treatment. The results were compared according to the patients' clinical and physiological parameters. RESULTS: The decline in FEV1 following aspirin challenge was significantly reduced from 28.6+/-1.9% to 10.2+/-1.7% (P=0.0001) after 12 weeks of montelukast treatment. However, 14 subjects (30%) still showed a positive response (>15% decline in FEV1) to aspirin challenge. Grouping the subjects into good and poor responders according to post-treatment responses revealed that the pretreatment aspirin-induced FEV1 decline was significantly greater in the poor responders and that the triggering dose of aspirin and the induction time for a positive response were lower and shorter, respectively, in the poor responders. Histories of aspirin hypersensitivity and sinusitis were more prevalent among the poor responders than among the good responders. CONCLUSIONS: Twelve weeks of treatment with montelukast protected against aspirin-induced bronchospasm in 70% of the AIA cases. A poor response was associated with more severe aspirin-induced bronchospasms before treatment and a history of aspirin hypersensitivity or sinusitis. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: A severe response to aspirin challenge may be a predictor of poor responsiveness to leukotriene antagonist treatment.
Acetates ; Adult ; Aspirin ; Asthma ; Asthma, Aspirin-Induced ; Bronchial Spasm ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Leukotriene Antagonists ; Quinolines ; Receptors, Leukotriene ; Sinusitis

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study compared the clinical benefits of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR TKIs) with pemetrexed to identify the clinical parameters that correlated with response. METHODS: A retrospective chart review examined patients who were 1) treated with EGFR TKI or pemetrexed, 2) diagnosed with advanced non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer, and 3) previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy in Soonchunhyang Bucheon Hospital. RESULTS: Sixty-one patients (18 erlotinib, 18 gefitinib, 25 pemetrexed) were investigated from February 2002 to August 2009. The median follow-up period was 37 months (7~97 months). Overall, their median age was 63 years, 41 patients were non-smokers, 57 patients had adenocarcinoma, and 55 patients were at stage IV. Twenty-one patients received the study drugs as second-line chemotherapy, and others as third-line or more. No significant differences in the overall response rate (erlotinib 33.3% vs. gefitinib 38.9% vs. pemetrexed 20.0%) and progression-free survival (erlotinib 1.9 months vs. gefitinib 3.0 months vs. pemetrexed 2.9 months) were found among the three groups. Female gender was related to a good response to EGFR TKIs (p=0.047). Skin rash in the erlotinib group (p=0.037) and adenocarcinoma in the pemetrexed group (p=0.02) were related to improved progression-free survival. Few side effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Both EGFR TKIs and pemetrexed therapy for non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer were efficient and tolerable after the failure of first-line platinum-based chemotherapy. Further prospective studies are needed to validate the predictive role of the suggested clinical parameters in this study.
Adenocarcinoma ; Disease-Free Survival ; Exanthema ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glutamates ; Guanine ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; Quinazolines ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; Retrospective Studies ; Erlotinib Hydrochloride ; Pemetrexed

Extranodal NK-T cell lymphoma is a subtype of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and this most commonly affects the nasal and paranasal cavities. Primary lymphoma of the gallbladder is extremely rare and solitary relapsed extranodal NK-T cell lymphoma of the gallbladder has not yet been reported in Korea. We experienced a case of a solitary relapsed extranodal NK-T cell lymphoma of the gallbladder. One year earlier, a 55-year-old man was diagnosed with extranodal NK-T cell lymphoma of the anus, and he underwent six cycles of chemotherapy with CHOP (cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, vincristine and prednisone), and he achieved complete remission. The patient was admitted for right upper quadrant pain. Computed tomography (CT) performed on readmission revealed gallbladder wall thickening. Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) showed hypermetabolic lesions along the gallbladder wall. The specimen obtained at cholecystectomy revealed CD3(+) and CD56(+) lymphoma, which is characteristic of NK-T cell lymphoma.
Anal Canal ; Cholecystectomy ; Doxorubicin ; Gallbladder ; Gallbladder Neoplasms ; Humans ; Korea ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Middle Aged ; Vincristine

PURPOSE: High-dose chemotherapy (HDT) and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) have been used for the treatment of clinically aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). However, the superiority of specific conditioning regimens has not yet been established. The present study evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of a conditioning regimen involving fractionated total body irradiation (TBI), and the use of Ara-C and melphalan (TAM) for clinically aggressive NHL. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between March 2002 and December 2004, 31 patients with aggressive NHL received fractionated TBI with a dose of 12 Gy over 3 days, and were administered 9 g/m2 Ara-C and 100 mg/m2 melphalan followed by autologous peripheral blood stem Cell Transplantation at the Catholic Hematopoietic Stem cell transplantation Center Korea. Patients that responded to first line chemotherapy and achieved complete remission (CR), or were in a first sensitive relapse were defined as having less advanced disease, while the other patients were defined as having more advanced disease. RESULTS: Objective responses were obtained in 24 of 31 patients (77.4%), comprising complete remission in 19 patients (61.3%) and partial remission in 5 (16.1%) patients. The median follow-up time was 28 months (range 1~62 months). At 3 years, the overall survival and event-free survival (EFS) rates were 62.3% and 47.3%, respectively. Patients with less advanced disease and more advanced disease showed 3-year EFS rates of 73.3% and 22.5 %, respectively (p=0.006). Early (within the first 100 days) treatment-related mortality occurred in 3 (9.7%) patients. Of the 31 total patients, 15 (48.4%) developed grade 3 mucositis, 22 (70.9%) developed neutropenic fever, and two (6.5%) developed interstitial pneumonia syndrome >grade 3. CONCLUSION: The modified TAM conditioning regimen and ASCT appear to be a feasible treatment regimen for clinically aggressive NHL, particularly for patients with less advanced disease.
Cytarabine ; Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy ; Fever ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Korea ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin* ; Melphalan ; Mortality ; Mucositis ; Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; Recurrence ; Stem Cell Transplantation* ; Stem Cells* ; Whole-Body Irradiation

BACKGROUND: This study was to evaluate a nationwide nosocomial infection rate and antimicrobial resistance in intensive care units(ICUs) in Korea. METHODS: The study was carried out at 16 university-affiliated teaching hospitals from July through October 2004. We performed a prospective multicenter study to investigate nosocomial infection rates, device-associated infection rated, and causative pathogens and their antimicrobial resistance. RESULTS: The urinary tract was the most commonly involved site. Nosocomial infection rate was 12.48 in medical. ICU (MICU), 9.59 in medical surgical ICU (MSICU), 14.76 in surgical ICU (MSICU), and 11.60 in other lCU. Device-associated infection rates were as follow: 1) rates of urinary catheter-associated urinary tract infection were 4.26 in MICU, 3.17 in SICU, 4.88 in MSICU, and 5.87 in other ICU; 2) rates of central line-associated bloodstream infection were 3.24 in MICU, 1.56 in SlCU, 2.36 in MSICU, and 1.78 in other ICU; 3) rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia were 3.61 in MlCU, 13.05 in SICU, 1.68 in MSICU, and 4.84 in other lCU. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently identified microorganism in this study; 93% of S. aurues were resistant to methicillin; 17% of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated were resistant to imipenem; 11% of Enterococcus faecium and 18% of Enterococcus faecalis showed resistance to vancomycin. Over a half of Acinetobacter spp, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Escherichia coli showed resistant to fluoroquinolone. Conclusion: This study shows the seriousness of antimicrobial resistance and the importance of infection control in the lCU in Korea. This study should provide a theoretical strategy to enforce the infection control.
Acinetobacter ; Cross Infection* ; Enterococcus faecalis ; Enterococcus faecium ; Escherichia coli ; Hospitals, Teaching ; Hospitals, University* ; Imipenem ; Infection Control ; Intensive Care Units* ; Critical Care* ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Korea* ; Methicillin ; Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated ; Prospective Studies ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Stenotrophomonas maltophilia ; Urinary Tract ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Vancomycin

The molecular basis of variable phenotypes in P-thalassaemia patients with identical genotypes has been associated with co-inheritance of alpha-thalassaemia and persistence of HbF production in adult life. The Xmn I restriction site at -158 position of the Ggamma-gene is associated with increased expression of the Ggamma-globin gene and higher production of HbF This study aims to determine the frequency of the digammaferent genotypes of the Ggamma Xmn I polymorphism in P-thalassaemia patients in two ethnic groups in Malaysia. Molecular characterisation and frequency of the Ggamma Xmn I polymorphism were studied in fifty-eight Chinese and forty-nine beta-thalassaemia Malay patients by Xmn I digestion after DNA amplification of a 650 bp sequence. The in-house developed technique did not require further purification or concentration of amplified DNA before restriction enzyme digestion. The cheaper Seakem LE agarose was used instead of Nusieve agarose and distinct well separated bands were observed. Genotyping showed that the most frequent genotype observed in the Malaysian Chinese was homozygosity for the absence of the Xmn I site (-/-) (89.7%). In the Malays, heterozygosity of the Xmn I site (+/-) was most common (63.3%). Homozygosity for the Xmn I site (+/+) was absent in the Chinese, but was confirmed in 8.2% of the Malays. The ratio of the (+) allele (presence of the Xmn I site) to the (-) allele (absence of the Xmn I site)) was higher in the Malays (0.66) compared to the Chinese (0.05). The (+/-) and (+/+) genotypes are more commonly observed in the Malays than the Chinese in Malaysia.
Chinese People ; Thalassemia ; With frequency ; Malaysia ; seconds