• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.141-149
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• 2019

Purpose: To compare the results of two different instruments made of stainless steel and titanium alloy for correction of single thoracic adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) using pedicle screw instrumentation. Materials and Methods: A total of 141 patients with single thoracic AIS treated with pedicle screw instrumentation and selective thoracic fusion were retrospectively reviewed after a follow-up of 2 years. The patients had a main thoracic curve of 40° to 75° and were divided into two groups based on instrument materials; S group (stainless steel, n=90) and T group (titanium alloy, n=51). The diameter of the stainless steel rod used was 7.0 mm while that of the titanium alloy rod was 6.35 mm or 6.0 mm. Standing long-cassette radiographic measurements including various coronal and sagittal parameters for the preoperative, early postoperative and 2-year postoperative followup were analyzed. There were no significant differences in the preoperative curve characteristics between the two groups. Results: In the S group, the preoperative main thoracic curve of 51.3°±8.4° was improved to 19.0°±7.6° (63.1% correction) and the lumbar curve of 32.3°±8.4° spontaneously decreased to 12.7°±8.2° (62.9% correction) at 2 years postoperatively. In the T group, the preoperative main thoracic curve of 49.5°±8.4° and the lumbar curve of 30.3°±8.9° was improved to 18.8°±7.4° (62.2% correction) and 11.3°±5.4° (63.3% correction), respectively. The corrections of coronal curves were not statistically different between the two groups (p>0.05). The thoracic kyphosis was changed from 16.8°±8.5° to 24.3°±6.1° in the S group and from 19.6°±11.2° to 26.6°±8.5° in the T group. There were no significant differences in the changes of sagittal curves, coronal and sagittal balances at the 2-year follow-up and the number of fused segments and used screws between the two groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: When conducting surgery for single thoracic AIS using pedicles screw instrumentation, two different instruments made of stainless steel and titanium alloy showed similar corrections for coronal and sagittal curves.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.39-53
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• 2021

Purpose: Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) have so far been trained as professionals under the same conditions, with no change in the 1995 Act. We aimed to find ways for them to secure expertise in accordance with social needs by strengthening the quality of the EMT education. Methods: This is a descriptive study comparing the operation status of the national emergency medical examination conducted by the Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute, and the national examinations of EMT paramedic and EMT basic. The scope of the national examinations for EMT was compared by subject and area. Results: The national written exam for EMT paramedic consists of five areas. EMT basic does not include basic medicine in three related subjects, 11 areas, and 18 detail areas. Paramedic care does not include advanced pediatric life support. In addition, nine areas and 20 detail areas are not included. Conclusion: The study suggests the need for institutional supplementation so that those who have completed EMT basic and the subjects prescribed by the ordinance of the Ministry of Health and Welfare at universities, etc., in the Higher Education Act can take the EMT paramedic national exam.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.131-140
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• 2018

Purpose: The National Emergency Medical Center has been running a project for the storage and delivery of antidotes for acute poisoning patients of the Department of Health and Welfare, Korea. This study analyzed the results of this project over the past two years. Methods: The requests received by the National Emergency Medical Center and the data on the delivery process were analyzed. Results: This study analyzed a total of 121 patients with acute poisoning, who were requested to receive an antidote reserved at 20 key hospitals in 2015-2017, and whose age was $52.3{\pm}23.5\;years$; old; 54 were women. Intentional poisoning were 58.7%, and the home was the most common place of exposure (66.9%). The toxic substances were chemicals (32.2%), pesticides (27.3%), medicines (24.8%), and snake venom (4.1%). The patient's poison severity score was $2.4{\pm}0.7$ (median 3) indicating moderate-to-severe toxicity. Antidote administration was the cases treated in key hospitals 67.8% (82/121), in which transferred patients accounted for 57.3% (47/82). After receiving an antidote request from a hospital other than the key hospitals, the median was 75.5 minutes (range 10 to 242 minutes) until the antidote reached the patient, and an average of 81.5 minutes was required. The results of emergency care were intensive care unit (70.3%), general wards (13.2%), death (10.7%), and discharge from emergency department (5.0%). Conclusion: This study showed that the characteristics of acute poisoning patients treated with an antidote were different from previous reports of poisoned patients in the emergency department, and basic data on the time required for delivery from key hospitals was different.

• Journal of Clinical Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.229-234
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• 2018

Background and Objectives : Vocal nodules occur with a 12-22% prevalence in pediatric populations. Most otolaryngologists recommend voice therapy as the primary treatment. The aim of this study is to evaluate patient compliance with voice therapy and its effect on vocal nodules in children. Materials and Methods : We retrospectively reviewed 44 pediatric patients between 3 and 11 years old diagnosed with vocal nodules between March 2015 and December 2017. We evaluated the treatment adoption rate, dropout rate during voice therapy, and reasons for dropout. For patients who completed voice therapy, we measured the changes in nodule size, perceptual parameters, and acoustic parameters. We evaluated patient satisfaction using the pediatric voice handicap index (P-VHI). Results : Of the 44 pediatric patients diagnosed with vocal nodules, 22 (50%) agreed to voice therapy. Of the 22 patients who started voice therapy, 5 (22.7%) dropped out during therapy because they were unsatisfied with their treatment. Another 4 patients discontinued therapy for reasons unrelated to treatment effectiveness. Vocal nodule disappeared or decreased in all 13 patients who completed voice therapy. All voice parameters were improved and statistically significant changes were observed in perceptual, acoustic, and P-VHI parameters. Conclusions : Although compliance to voice therapy among the pediatric patients with vocal nodules was low, there were significant improvements in voice parameters for those who completed voice therapy. A change toward a positive perception of voice therapy is necessary and a multidisciplinary approach is needed to improve the effect of voice therapy on pediatric patients with vocal nodules.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.174-183
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• 2016

Objectives : The aim of this study is to evaluate difference of somatic symptoms of anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder and domainal association with suicidal idealization, plan, and attempts. Methods : A total of 359 adults diagnosed with major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder of last one year participated. Participants interviewed with certain sections of Korean version of Composite International Diagnostic interview of CIDI. Sections of interests includes questionnaires regarding somatic symptoms and suicidal idea, plan and attempts of last one year. Results : Chest pain shows more prevalence in major depressive disorder. Symptoms of Headache and loose stool are more prevalent in anxiety disorder. Difficulty in equilibrium and fainting spells are more common somatic complaints of co-diagnosis states of anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder. Comparing 3 domains of pain symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms and pseudo-neurological symptoms, pain symptom domains, gastrointestinal symptoms domain shows significant statistic difference between diagnosis. Average somatic symptom numbers of each symptom domains increase through suicidal idealization, plan and attempt, accordingly. Conclusions : Our finding shows some of somatic symptoms are more prevalent at certain diagnosis. Since increasing numbers of somatic complaints of each symptom domains goes with the suicidal idealization to suicidal attempts, proper psychiatric evaluation and consultations are crucial for patients with numerous somatic complaints in non-psychiatric clinical settings.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.159-165
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• 2004

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the clinical outcome of acute poststreptocaccal glomerulonephritis (APSGN) between patients who had presented with gross hematuria and those with microscopic hematuria. Methods: Thirty-nine patients with acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis, who were diagnosed from January 2000 to April 2003 were enrolled. Results: The mean age was 8.85 years and the male to female ratio was 1.1:1 Seventeen patients presented with gross hematuria at diagnosis(group A) and twenty-two patients had microscopic hematuria only(group B). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the incidence of edema, fever or history of respiratory infection and oliguria. But hypertension was more frequent in group B. Laboratory data showed decreased C3 and C4 level in group B. Spot urine protein/creatinine ratio and 24hr urine protein showed higher levels in group A. Conclusion; Patients with gross hematuria at diagnosis had lower incidence of hypertension and a higher rate of nephrotic range of proteinuna than patients with microscopic hematuria. However, no difference in the duration of admission or complication rate was observed. All patients had clinical improvement during follow-up. We conclude that gross hematuria is not a significant prognostic factor for poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis.

• Journal of Industrial Convergence
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.59-70
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• 2022

Background: Diabetes education is an important factor in blood glucose control. Reinforced education is necessary for effective diabetes education. However, it is difficult to provide reinforced diabetes education within Korea's medical environment. Therefore, we want to analyze the effect of continuous diabetes education using mobile health care that can effectively provide repeated education without having to face the patient. Methods: This study is a multicenter, randomized, controlled, pre-post design study conducted to analyze the effect of a continuous diabetes education method. A total of 109 people were registered at five hospitals in south Korea, and they were randomly assigned to the app group (34 people) who received real-time coaching and repetitive training, the logbook group (37 people) who received face-to-face training after writing a blood glucose logbook, and the general group (38 people) who received a one-time diabetes education. The study was conducted for a total of 24 weeks. Twenty-one patients withdrew their consent and failed to perform an HbA1c. A final 88 patients were analyzed. The difference in HbA1c, Self-management behavior, and Quality of life before and after education was analyzed. Results: The study involved 51 (58%) male subjects, mean age was 55.8 years and mean duration of diabetes was 7.6 years. After 24 weeks of intervention, there was no significant difference in self-care behavior and quality of life between the three groups, but the HbA1c of the app group significantly decreased after education compared to the logbook group and the general group (F=4.62, p=.013). Conclusion: It can be seen through the app group that receiving real-time education is more effective in improving blood glucose management and continuous diabetes education is important.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.83 no.2
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• pp.304-316
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• 2022

Purpose To evaluate the effect of the emergence of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) on pediatric intussusception. Materials and Methods Patients (< 18 years) who were diagnosed with intussusception and received enema reduction from 2011 to 2020 were included. We reviewed the demographics, yearly/monthly/seasonal incidence of intussusception, method and failure rate of enema reduction, recurrence rate of intussusception, surgical record, and pathologic report. Subsequently, we investigated the differences in mean age, failure rate of enema reduction, and recurrence rate of intussusception between the cases in 2020 and those in the period from 2011 to 2019. Results A total of 859 enema reductions were performed during the past decade, more in males and in the age < 1 year (mean age, 22.2 months). The yearly incidence was highest in 2014 and lowest in 2020, and the monthly incidence was highest on December and September. The cases in 2020 (n = 27) had a lower mean age (18.1 months vs. 22.8 months), higher failure rate of enema reduction (7.4% vs. 2.4%), and higher recurrence rate of intussusception (14.8% vs 7.3%) compared with those that occurred between 2011 and 2019 (n = 832). However, these results did not show statistical significance (p = 0.07, p = 0.15, p = 0.14, respectively). Conclusion With the emergence of COVID-19, the number of enema reductions was remarkably decreased with a lower mean age, higher failure rate, and higher recurrence rate.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.8
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• pp.839-844
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• 2006

Purpose : We studied clinical patterns of the febrile infants and children presenting to the Pediatric Emergency Department(ED) in the general pediatric population. Method : We analyzed 1,764 infants and children who had a history of measured body temperature of $38.3^{\circ}C$ or higher, before or after arrival at Pediatric ED of Ilsan Paik Hospital from September 2004 to August 2005. We analyzed their clinical patterns, such as the frequency of febrile illness, age distribution, monthly distribution, diagnosis. Result : The frequency of the febrile illness at Pediatirc ED was 19.9 percent (1,764/8,881 cases). The percentage of admission into hospital was 26.4 percent. The most common age group presenting to Pediatric ED with febrile illness was the 12-23 months group(22.8 percent) followed by the 4-11 months group and the 2 years group. In May, the most numerous patients presented to the Pediatric ED with febrile illness. The frequency of febrile illness was significant higher in the 'Spring & Summer group' compared to the 'Autumn & Winter group'. The ratio of male to femal was 1.4:1. The most common diagnosis was acute pharyngitis(42.5 percent), followed by acute gastroenteritis (15.3 percent), pneumonia(7.0 percent). Conclusion : The frequency of the febrile illness at Pediatirc ED was 19.9 percent. The most numerous patients visited Pediatric ED in May. And, the most common age group was 12-23 months. The proportion of non-urgent disease, such as acute pharyngitis, acute gastroenteritis, acute nasopharyngitis and acute bronchitis, was high. There is a need to educate parents and improve the medical system in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2011

Objective: Hyperprolactinemia is common side effect associated with antipsychotics use. Nevertheless, hyperprolactinemia is relatively neglected by clinician. Especially, there is no study related to amisulprideinduced hyperprolactinemia in korea. This study aimed to determine whether amisulpride can be induced hyperprolactinemia in Korean psychiatric patients. Methods: This study methodology consisted of a retrospective review of medical charts and prolactin levels. Serum prolactin levels were measured in 24 Korean patients(12 males and 12 females) with psychosis who were treated over 400mg of amisulpride per day. Results: All patients had hyperprolactinemia. Prolactin levels significantly increased after receiving amisulpride(z=-3.702, p=0.000). The prolactin level was significantly higher in females($156.29{\pm}63.75$ng/mL) than in males($69.04{\pm}39.91$ng/mL) after administering amisulpride(p=0.000). There was a correlation between dosage and prolactin levels(r=0.61, p=0.002). However, there was no correlation between duration of treatment and prolactin levels. Conclusions: Antipsychotics, especially amisulpride can increase serum prolactin levels and may results in short and long term side effects. Routine clinical assessment of initial and additional prolactin level and associated symptoms should be done