BACKGROUND: This study was undertaken to compare the outcome of supervised and home exercises with respect to range of motion (ROM), pain, and Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE). We further correlated the ROM recovery and pain reduction as well. METHODS: The study included 49 patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Rehabilitation was initiated after 4 weeks of immobilization. A total of 29 patients performed supervised exercise 3 times a week. Standardized education and brochures for review were provided to the remaining 20 patients who insisted on home rehabilitation. Statistical analysis was performed for comparing pain Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), SANE, and ROM. In addition, we also evaluated the correlation between pain and ROM. RESULTS: Comparison of the two groups revealed no significant differences in forward flexion, internal rotation, abduction, and pain NRS. However, SANE at the 9th week (63.8 vs. 55.0, p=0.038) and improvement of external rotation from the 5th to the 9th week (17.6 vs. 9.3, p=0.018) were significantly higher in the supervised exercise group as compared to the home exercise group. Correlation of pain NRS with forward flexion, external rotation, internal rotation and abduction were statistically not significant (correlation coefficient=0.032 [p=0.828], −0.255 [p=0.077], 0.068 [p=0.642], and −0.188 [p=0.196], respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The supervised rehabilitation after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair showed better improvement in external rotation and higher SANE score after 4 weeks of rehabilitation exercise. However, no statistically significant correlation was observed between the recovery of ROM and short-term pain relief.
Education ; Exercise ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Pamphlets ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Rehabilitation ; Rotator Cuff ; Shoulder

BACKGROUND/AIMS: There are few available data regarding the association between the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the gene encoding interleukin 28B (IL28B) and a sustained virologic response (SVR) to peginterferon (PEG-IFN) plus ribavirin (RBV) therapy in Korean chronic hepatitis C patients. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of 156 patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection who received combination treatment of PEG-IFN plus RBV. Blood samples from these patients were analyzed to identify the IL28B SNPs at rs12979860, rs12980275, rs8099917, and rs8103142. Association analyses were performed to evaluate the relationships between each IL28B SNP and SVRs. RESULTS: Seventy six patients with HCV genotype 1 and 80 with genotype non-1 were enrolled. The frequencies of rs12979860 CC and CT genotypes were 90.4% and 9.6%, respectively; those of rs12980275 AA and AG genotypes were 87.2% and 12.8%, respectively; those of rs8099917 TT and TG genotypes were 92.3% and 7.7%, respectively; and those of rs8103142 TT and CT genotypes were 90.4% and 9.6%, respectively. Among the patients with HCV genotype 1, the SVR rates were 69.7% and 80.0% for rs12979860 CC and CT, respectively (P=0.71). Among the HCV genotype non-1 patients, SVR rates were 88.0% and 100% for rs12979860 CC and CT (P=1.00), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Genotypes of the IL28B SNP that are known to be favorable were present in most of the Korean patients with chronic hepatitis C in this study. Moreover, the IL28B SNP did not influence the SVR rate in either the HCV genotype 1 or non-1 patients. Therefore, IL28B SNP analysis might be not useful for the initial assessment, prediction of treatment outcomes, or treatment decision-making of Korean chronic hepatitis C patients.
Adult ; Alleles ; Antiviral Agents/*therapeutic use ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group/*genetics ; Cohort Studies ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Hepatitis C, Chronic/drug therapy/*genetics ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha/therapeutic use ; Interleukins/*genetics ; Linkage Disequilibrium ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyethylene Glycols/therapeutic use ; *Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Recombinant Proteins/therapeutic use ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies ; Ribavirin/therapeutic use

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Identifying the impact of a patient's ethnicity on treatment responses in clinical practice may assist in providing individualized treatment regimens for chronic hepatitis C (CHC). The effectiveness of standard peginterferon plus ribavirin therapy and the need for triple combination therapy with protease inhibitors in Koreans remain matters of debate. These issues were investigated in the present study. METHODS: The clinical data of 272 treatment-naive Korean CHC patients who were treated in a community-based clinical trial (Clinical Trial group; n=51) and in clinical practice (Cohort group; n=221), were analyzed and compared. All were treated with standard protocols of peginterferon alfa-2a plus ribavirin therapy. RESULTS: For patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1, the sustained virological response (SVR) rates in the Clinical Trial and Cohort groups were 81% (21/26) and 55% (58/106), respectively, by intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis (P=0.02), and 100% (13/13) and 80% (32/40), respectively, in treatment-adherent patients (P=0.18). For patients with HCV genotype 2, the SVR rates in these two groups were 96% (24/25) and 88% (101/115), respectively, by ITT analysis (P=0.31). Adherence and treatment duration were independent predictors of SVR for genotypes 1 and 2, respectively (P<0.01 for each). Korean patients with CHC achieved high SVR rates with peginterferon alfa-2a plus ribavirin in both the clinical trial and clinical practice settings. CONCLUSIONS: Measures to raise adherence to standard therapy in clinical practice may improve the SVR rates in these patients as effectively as adding protease inhibitors, thus obviating the need for the latter.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antiviral Agents/*therapeutic use ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cohort Studies ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepacivirus/genetics ; Hepatitis C, Chronic/*drug therapy ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha/*therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; Polyethylene Glycols/*therapeutic use ; Predictive Value of Tests ; RNA, Viral/genetics ; Recombinant Proteins/therapeutic use ; Republic of Korea ; Ribavirin/*therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an important risk factor of cardiovascular disease in diabetic nephropathy patients. Renin-angiotensin system has an independent role as a neurohormonal factor in promoting cardiac growth and remodeling. Genetic and environmental factors also influence the pathogenesis of LVH. The association of LVH progression and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphism is well known, especially in ACE DD genotype. But there is some controversy between LVH and ACE gene polymorphism. So, we evaluated the prevalence and patterns of LVH and analyzed the associated factors including ACE polymorphism in diabetic nephropathy patients. METHODS: One hundred and eighty one type 2 diabetic patients with overt proteinuria were recruited in the study. ACE genotyping and echocardiogram were performed to observe the association between LVH and ACE polymorphism. RESULTS: The prevalence of LVH was 141 out of 181 (77.9%) patients (concentric, 35.9% and eccentric, 42.0%, each). Patterns of LVH, left ventricular mass (LVM), and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) showed no differences among the three genotypes. But, LVMI was higher in DD genotype group than in II group in men (171.2 vs. 144.8, p=0.028). On the other hand, in women, there were no differences of clinical and echocardiographic variables among three genotypes. LVM and LVMI were negatively correlated with hemoglobin level in all patients. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that ACE DD genotype is associated with LVH in male patients with diabetic nephropathy, but not in female patients. Determining whether or not the gender influences LVH in the diabetic nephropathy patients will require further studies.
Angiotensins* ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Diabetic Nephropathies* ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Genotype ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular* ; Male ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A* ; Prevalence ; Proteinuria ; Renin-Angiotensin System ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: In the past 30 years, the chemotherapeutic approach to advanced colorectal cancer has remained major challenge. Fluorinated pyrimidine has been the main active drugs, and cisplatin was introduced under clinical conditions. Because of the renal and hematologic toxicity of cisplatin, oxaliplatin was developed. The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical response to and the side effects of oxaliplatin chemotherapy. METHODS: From January 1999, 11 patients who received oxaliplatin chemotherapy entered this study. There were 9 males and 2 females, and their ages varied from 40 to 71 years old. The mean ECOG scale was 1. According to TNM staging, 2 was stage 2 at diagnosis, 5 at stage 3, and 4 at stage 4. Totally, we performed 57 cycles of oxaliplatin chemotherapy. Labaratory data and toxicity were assessed for each cycle according to the WHO scale. Ten (10) patients have received follow-up CT since treatment. RESULTS: Grade 1 anemia occurred in 68% of the cycles, grade 2 in 20%, and grade 3 in 12%. Grade 1 thrombocytopenia occurred in 35% of the cycles and grade 2 in 14%. Grade 1 leukopenia and neutropenia occurred in 27% and 25% of the cycles, respectively. Grade 1 stomatitis occurred in 12% of the cycles and grade 2 in 2%. Grade 1 nausea occurred in 44% of the cycles. Grade 1 vomiting occurred in 14% of the cycles and grade 2 in 4%. Grade 1 diarrhea occurred in 10% of the cycles and grade 2 in 4%. Nephrotoxicity was absent, and typical oxaliplatin neurotoxicity was reported as grade 1 in 2% of the cycles. No complete response was observed, and oxaliplatin che motherapy induced one partial remission. CONCLUSION: There was a mild hematologic and alimentary side effect. There were no renal and few neurologic side effects, but the response to oxaliplatin was poor.
Aged ; Anemia ; Cisplatin ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Diagnosis ; Diarrhea ; Drug Therapy* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leukopenia ; Male ; Nausea ; Neoplasm Staging ; Neutropenia ; Stomatitis ; Thrombocytopenia ; Vomiting

No abstract available.
Sparganosis*

No abstract available.
Humans*

An epidemiological study on brugian filariasis was carried out in endemic areas including Cheju Island in Korea, with a brief review of literatures.The results showed that the incidence among residents has remarkably decreased in Cheju Island, which was the main endemic area. Reviewing available informations on the prevalence of filariasis reported in recent years and also judging from the present socio-economic conditions which enable people to practice personal protection against mosquitos, it can be said with confidence that filariasis has almost disappeared from Cheju Island and inland areas. The disease is considered to remain at a low level of endemicity in Hugsan Islands. Certainly mass diethylcarbamazine (DEC) treatment carried out in Cheju Island in the 1960s and 1970s and remarkable economic growth followed by improved living standard and altered life-style of inhabitants could all have combined effects on the disappearance of this mosquito-borne diseae in this island. If the present trends go on, the possibility of resurgence of filariasis in Cheju Island is hardly postulated.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; Brugia malayi ; filariasis ; epidemiology

A study on the effect of diethylcarbamazine (DEC) (Supatonin) against Brugia malayi infection was conducted on Cheju Island in September 1965. A total of 182 persons living in a village of Aiwol Myun, Bukcheju-Gun was examined for microfilaraemia. Microscopic examination of smears of 20 microliter of blood revealed a microfilaria positivity rate of 28.5 per cent. At the end of September 1965, 34 confirmed microfilaria positive cases were treated with DEC at a daily dosage of 5 mg/kg body weight. A full course of 12 days of drug administration divided of two rounds for 6 days each was used. The first round of treatment was given under a strict supervision of the author in order to observe carefully side-effects of the drug. The second round of treatment was given in January 1966. The microfilaria density in 20 microliter of blood of those who received the drug was checked four times; before the treatment, during the first round of the treatment, 2 weeks and 4 months after the completion of the first round. The pre-treatment mean microfilaria density of 104.6 diminished to nearly zero (only two cases with one microfilaria respectively) 2 weeks after the first round and again slightly rose up to 0.5 four months after the first round. These results indicate that DEC (Supatonin) is highly effective to eliminate the microfilaria of B. malayi. However, severe side-effects, e.g. fever (average 38.6C, maximum 39.7C), headache, backache and seldom abdominal discomfort ect. were observed. There were two cases of withdrawal from the scheme due to refusal.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; Brugia malayi ; chemotherapy-diethyl carbamazine ; diethylcarbamazine

No abstract available.
Herpes Simplex* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Simplexvirus*