• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.66 no.3
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• pp.186-191
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• 2009

Background: Osteoporosis is a significant comorbidity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study examined the prevalence and risk factors associated with osteoporosis in patients with COPD. Methods: The bone mineral densities (BMDs) of the lumbar spine and femoral bone were measured in 53 patients with clinically stable COPD and 41 age- and gender-matched control subjects showing a normal lung function. Osteoporosis was defined as a T-score $\leq$-2.5. The subjects' clinical characteristics and laboratory data were reviewed, and multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors associated with osteoporosis in COPD patients. Results: The prevalence of osteoporosis was 47% and 32% in the COPD patients and controls, respectively. In particular, using the femoral neck T-score, the prevalence of osteoporosis in COPD patients was higher than that in the controls (26% vs. 5%; p=0.006). The average T-score of the lumbar spine (p=0.025) and femoral neck of COPD patients were significantly lower than those of the controls (p=0.001). The forced expiratory volume in the 1 second ($FEV_1$) % predicted (p=0.019; odds ratio [OR], 0.955; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.919-0.993) and age (p=0.024; OR, 1.144; 95% CI, 1.018-1.287) were independently associated with osteoporosis in patients with COPD. Conclusion: Using the femoral neck T-score, the prevalence of osteoporosis in patients with COPD was higher than the age-and gender-matched controls. A lower $FEV_1$ and older age further increase the risk of osteoporosis in patients with COPD.

• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.331-337
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• 2020

Purpose: The aim of this retrospective study was to define the prognostic factors for liposarcoma to aid in the selection of effective treatments. Materials and Methods: This study analyzed 41 cases out of 45 cases diagnosed with and treated for liposarcoma 2002 to 2015; 4 cases of well-differentiated liposarcoma were excluded. The effects of sex, age, site, stage, and histological classification on survival were analyzed retrospectively. For 28 cases diagnosed with myxoid liposarcoma, additional analysis was performed after the inclusion of round cell components. Results: The mean age at diagnosis was 52.05 years (range 25-82 years) and the average follow-up period was 63.7 months. The disease-free survival rate was 43.2%. Most factors, including sex and age, were not significantly associated with the survival rate. On the other hand, the stage (Musculoskeletal Tumor Society stage) was significantly associated with the survival rate. The survival rate of patients with myxoid liposarcoma was 69% and the local recurrence and metastasis results varied according to the presence of round cells. Conclusion: The stage of liposarcoma and the sex of the patient were found to be effective factors for prognosis. When planning the treatment for liposarcoma, the treatment outcome for liposarcoma differs according to several prognostic factors.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.500-504
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• 2003

Purpose : To assess the clinical features and laboratory findings in Kawasaki patients with nonresponsibility to the acute antiinflammatory treatment, and identify the risk factors for the nonresponsibility, we reviewed the medical records of patients with Kawasaki disease. Methods : A retrospective study of 177 patients with Kawasaki disease at Wonkwang University Medical Center from June, 1997 to June, 2002, was performed. High dose intravenous immune globulin(IVIG) and aspirin were all used for the initial acute antiinflammatory treatment. Two groups, group A(n=19) of initial nonresponders and group B(n=158) of initial responders were compared clinically and laboratorically. Results : Nineteen(10.7%) of 177 patients hardly responded to the initial antiinflammatory treatment. Patients with failure to respond to initial treatment(group A) did not differ from the control group in terms of age, sex, WBC count, coronary abnormalities, and evidence of pyuria. Compared with initial responders(group B), the patients who were retreated(group A) had a significantly shorter feveradmission interval(P=0.041), and a higher level of both AST/ALT(P=0.011) and ASO titier(P=0.000). Conclusion : Among Kawasaki disease patients studied, retreatment group with initial nonresponders had significantly shorter fever-admission interval, and higher both AST/ALT level and ASO titer, than the initial response group.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.384-390
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• 2020

Purpose: Organophosphate insecticide poisoning can have clinically fatal results. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the occurrence of death in patients with organophosphate insecticide poisoning. Methods: For this retrospective study, data on patients with organophosphate insecticide poisoning who visited the emergency room between January 2008 and November 2018 were collected. The NLR was measured at the time of arrival in the emergency room. The patients were divided into survival and death groups. Results: Overall, 150 patients were enrolled: 15 (10%) in the death group and 135 (90%) in the survival group. In the univariate analysis, the following variables were significantly different between the two groups: age, white blood cell count, amylase level, creatinine level, Acute Physiology And Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score, and NLR. In the logistic regression analysis of variables with significant differences in the univariate analysis, there were significant differences between the two groups with respect to age, APACHE II score, and NLR. The NLR was significantly higher in the death group than in the survival group (20.83 ± 22.24 vs. 7.38 ± 6.06, p=0.036). Conclusion: High NLR in patients with organophosphate insecticide poisoning may be useful in predicting mortality.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.322-328
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• 2015

Purpose: The aging of society has rapidly progressed, especially in Korea. Therefore, the necessity of research on end-of-life (EOL) care in elderly patients has increased. However, there are few studies on EOL care intensity for non-cancer patients. This study was designed to compare the EOL care intensity between cancer and non-cancer patients. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the EOL care intensity based on medical records of decedents of Kyung Hee University Medical Center, a tertiary referral hospital from December 2014 through March 2015. And we compared EOL care intensity between cancer patients and non-cancer patients using statistical analysis of the frequency of invasive procedures and logistic regression analysis for factors that affect the EOL care intensity. Results: Statistical analysis showed invasive procedures, such as intensive care unit admission, endotracheal intubation followed by mechanical ventilation and emergency dialysis, were performed more frequently in non-cancer patients than cancer patients (29.3% vs. 72.4%, P<0.001). And age (P=0.038) and morbidity of cancer (P<0.001) influenced the invasive procedural decision when analyzed by logistic regression analysis. Conclusion: The EOL care was more intensive in non-cancer patients, and age and morbidity of cancer were major factors for the treatment intensity.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.8
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• pp.861-867
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• 2008

Purpose : We carried out this study to determine if there is any difference in the occurrence rate of the epileptiform discharge between awake EEG and sleep EEG and if there are any factors influencing on the occurrence rate of EEG. Methods : This study included 178 epileptic children who had visited neurology clinic of the department of pediatrics, Pusan National University Hospital from July 2005 to July 2006. The medical and EEG records of these children who had had both awake EEG and sleep EEG were reviewed. We analysed the occurrence rate of the epileptiform discharge between awake EEG and sleep EEG. We investigated the related clinical factors which included sex, seizure types, underlying causes, age at first seizure, antiepileptic drug (AED) medication, age at recording, and background activity. Results : Among 178 epileptic children, 91 patients (51.1%) showed epileptiform discharge in awake or sleep states, 10 patients (11.0%) abnormal only in awake, 40 patients (44.0%) abnormal only in sleep, 41 patients (45.0%) abnormal in both awake EEG and sleep EEG. The occurrence rate of sleep EEG was 81 of 178 patients (45.5%) which was more than that of the awake EEG (28.7%) (P<0.001). The occurrence rate of sleep EEG is more than that of the awake EEG regardless of sex and underlying causes. But there is no significant difference from awake EEG and sleep EEG in finding the epileptiform discharge in the patient with generalized seizure, younger than 5 years old at first seizure, younger than 10 years old at recording, no antiepileptic medication, and abnormal background activity. Conclusion : The sleep EEG is thought to be more helpful in the diagnosis of childhood epilepsy.

• Journal of the Korean Data and Information Science Society
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.787-796
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• 2009

A random coefficient model is applied when times of the repeated measurements are not fixed in experiments with respect to the subjects. The procedures of the inference of a random coefficient model are same as those of a mixed model. Diet experimental data was used for applying the random coefficient model. Various random coefficient models are investigated for the experimental data, and are compared each other. Finally, optimal random coefficient model would be selected. It resulted from the analysis that for the fixed effect factor, the baseline, treatment, height, and time effect were very significant. The treatment effect of the diet foods and exercises were more effective in losing weight than the effect of the diet foods only. The fixed cubic time effect was very significant. The variance components corresponding to the subject effect, linear time effect, quadratic time effect, and cubic time effect of the random coefficients are all positive. When quartic time effect was added as random coefficients the model did not converge. Thus random coefficients up to the cubic terms was considered as the optimal model.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.12
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• pp.1359-1362
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• 2008

The most effective treatment strategy for patients with hemophilia is replacement therapy with FVIII or FIX concentrates, which usually requires long-term, uncomplicated venous access. However, central venous access device (CVADs, ports) insertion requires inpatient admission and general anesthesia, and presents some problems regarding health insurance coverage. Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) were inserted in two severe hemophilia patients aged 7 and 11 years with high titers of inhibitors. They experienced frequent bleeding episodes and required replacement therapy, which eventually resulted in difficulty in acquiring venous line access. Factor VIII activity was below 1%, and inhibitor titers were 160 and 26.3 BU/ml. In an outpatient setting, PICC lines are easily placed by radiological guidance and require local anesthesia alone. PICC has been feasible, in particular, for hemophilia patients with frequent bleeding episodes.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.391-398
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• 2019

In general, truck-involved crashes increase severity in terms of both injury level and crash impact level. Recently, although the frequency and fatality of truck-involved crashes in Korea are rising, their associative studies are very limited. Therefore, the objective of this study is to identify critical factors influencing on injury severity of truck-involved crashes on Korean freeway system. To carry out this objective, this study uses an ordered probit model (OPM) based on a 6-year crash dataset from 2012 to 2017. From the analysis, eight variables were found to have a great effect on injury severity: older driver, crash speed, rear-end collision, number of vehicles involved, drowsy driving, nighttime (0:00 to 6:00) driving, overturn or rollover, and vehicle's fire after crash. However, injury severity was less severe in crashes under snowy condition and crashes to traffic facilities (i.e., crash alone).

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.52-55
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• 2007

Purpose : Hyperbilirubinemia, jaundice and gallbladder hydrops are unusual manifestations of Kawasaki disease (KD). In this case, abdominal pain, anorexia and abdominal distension may follow eventfully. We reviewed the clinical and laboratory data to investigate the causative factors of hyperbilirubinemia in patients with KD. Methods : Two-hundred eighty two children diagnosed and hospitalized with KD were identified by searching patients' charts. Cases were included in the study if diagnosed between January 1997 and December 2004. We reviewed clinical data, age, sex, duration from the onset of fever to admission and duration from start of treatment to defervescence. Clinical and laboratory data were compared between normal (A) and hyperbilirubinemia (B) groups. Results : Thirteen patients (4.6 percent) showed hyperbilirubinemia. In the hyperbilirubinemia group, age and initial ALT value were higher than group A (P=0.003, 0.018 respectively). Duration from the onset of fever to admission and age were relative risk factors in hyperbilirubinemia (P=0.007, 0.003 respectively) in patients with KD. Conclusion : Shorter duration from the onset of fever to admission and older age group were relative risk factors of hyperbilirubinemia in patients with KD.