• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.230-239
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• 2016

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the effect of geographic units of analysis on measuring geographic variation in medical services utilization. For this purpose, we compared geographic variations in the rates of eight major procedures in administrative units (districts) and new areal units organized based on the actual health care use of the population in Korea. Methods: To compare geographic variation in geographic units of analysis, we calculated the age-sex standardized rates of eight major procedures (coronary artery bypass graft surgery, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, surgery after hip fracture, knee-replacement surgery, caesarean section, hysterectomy, computed tomography scan, and magnetic resonance imaging scan) from the National Health Insurance database in Korea for the 2013 period. Using the coefficient of variation, the extremal quotient, and the systematic component of variation, we measured geographic variation for these eight procedures in districts and new areal units. Results: Compared with districts, new areal units showed a reduction in geographic variation. Extremal quotients and inter-decile ratios for the eight procedures were lower in new areal units. While the coefficient of variation was lower for most procedures in new areal units, the pattern of change of the systematic component of variation between districts and new areal units differed among procedures. Conclusions: Geographic variation in medical service utilization could vary according to the geographic unit of analysis. To determine how geographic characteristics such as population size and number of geographic units affect geographic variation, further studies are needed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.185-188
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• 1999

The pulmonary giant cell carcinoma is classified as a variant of a large cell carcinoma and is diagnosed by the minimum component of 10% huge, pleomorphic and multinucleated giant tumor cell and emperipolesis of the neutrophils into the tumor cells. This tumor is characterized by local recurrences and early metastasis with extremely short patient survival. However, there are some reports that state that the survival time was extended by the operative resection and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. A 46-year old male was admitted with complaint of hemoptysis for 2 months. Through chest X-ray and chest CT, a 5cm sized mass was found in the apical segment of the right upper lobe. During the preoperative evaluation, stenotic lesion in the left anterior descending coronary artery was found and treated by percutaneous transarterial coronary angioplasty. Four weeks later, right upper lobectomy was performed and the mass was proven to be a giant cell carcinoma. The patient received adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.146-151
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• 2015

Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (RAS) may result in hypertension, azotemia, and acute pulmonary edema. We report on a renal angioplasty with stent placement for bilateral RAS in a patient with acute decompensated heart failure and acute kidney injury. A 67-year-old female patient was admitted to our hospital with acute shortness of breath and generalized edema. Echocardiography showed left ventricular wall motion abnormality and the follow up electrocardiography showed T wave inversion in the precordial leads. We performed a coronary angiography to differentiate ischemic heart disease from non-cardiac origin for the cause of the heart failure. The coronary angiography showed no significant luminal narrowing, but bilateral RAS was confirmed on the renal artery angiography, therefore, we performed renal artery revascularization. After the procedure, the pulmonary edema was improved and the serum creatinine was decreased. Two weeks later, an echocardiography showed improvement of the left ventricular systolic function.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 2017

Objectives: The accurate measurement of geographic patterns of health care utilization is a prerequisite for the study of geographic variations in health care utilization. While several measures have been developed to measure how accurately geographic units reflect the health care utilization patterns of residents, they have been only applied to hospitalization and need further evaluation. This study aimed to evaluate geographic indices describing health care utilization. Methods: We measured the utilization rate and four health care utilization indices (localization index, outflow index, inflow index, and net patient flow) for eight major procedures (coronary artery bypass graft surgery, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, surgery after hip fracture, knee replacement surgery, caesarean sections, hysterectomy, computed tomography scans, and magnetic resonance imaging scans) according to three levels of geographic units in Korea. Data were obtained from the National Health Insurance database in Korea. We evaluated the associations among the health care utilization indices and the utilization rates. Results: In higher-level geographic units, the localization index tended to be high, while the inflow index and outflow index were lower. The indices showed different patterns depending on the procedure. A strong negative correlation between the localization index and the outflow index was observed for all procedures. Net patient flow showed a moderate positive correlation with the localization index and the inflow index. Conclusions: Health care utilization indices can be used as a proxy to describe the utilization pattern of a procedure in a geographic unit.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.678-685
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• 2013

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of 7 traditional Korean formulations (7TKFs) on intimal thickening of rat carotid artery injured by balloon catheter in vivo and on the proliferation of human smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) and secretion of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) in vitro. 7TKFs (400 mg/kg) were administered orally for 4 weeks from the day of balloon injury in the rats. HASMC proliferation was assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay while enzymatic action of MMP-2 was carried out by gelatin zymography. Among 7TKFs, Samhwang-sasim-tang (SST), Banha-sasim-tang (BST) and Kegi-honghwa-tang (KHT) significantly reduced the intimal thickening by suppressing HASMC proliferation and MMP-2 expression in both extracellular and intracellular levels. Thus, the results suggest that SST, BST and KHT can be considered as a therapeutic value in the prevention of atherosclerosis because restenosis after PTCA (percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty) is supposed to be 'accelerated atherosclerosis'.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.556-565
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• 2004

Purpose: According to Lazarus & Folkman (1984), appraising a stressor as a threat is associated with negative psychological and physical adjustment, whereas appraising a stressor as a challenge is positive psychological and physical adjustment. This study examined how cognitive appraisal of PTCA(heart disease threat and treatment appraisal) related to the cardiac risk reduction behaviors(smoking cessation, low salt and low cholesterol diet, regular exercise and stress management) 6 weeks following discharge. Method: Data were collected from 50 subjects with successful primary PTCA. Result: Heart disease threat was negative related to treatment appraisal (r=-0.240, p=0.046). Psychological well-being was negative related to heart disease threat (r=-0.317, p=0.012) and positive related to treatment appraisal(r=0.402, p=0.002). The cardiac risk reduction behaviors score was negative related to heart disease threat(r= -0.296, p=0.018) and positive related to treatment appraisal(r=-0.291, p=0.020). Conclusion: More negative appraisal was related to lower the cardiac risk reduction behaviors score. But more positive appraisal was related to higher the cardiac risk reduction behaviors score. So, there is a need to develop the cognitive-behavioral intevention that increase the coping strategy to replace with positive appraisal.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.115-130
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• 2003

Reperfusion delay in patients with acute myocardial infarction leads to increased morbidity and mortality. We sought to measure the rates of reperfusion delay and to identify factors associated with reperfusion delay after arrival to hospitals. We included 360 patients who had acute myocardial infarction with ST-elevation or left bundle branch block on electrocardiogram and received reperfusion therapy from the three participating academic medical centers from 1997 to 2000. Through retrospective chart review, we collected data about time to reperfusion therapy, patient and hospital factors potentially associated with reperfusion delay. Factors independently associated with reperfusion delay were determined by logistic regression analysis. Median door­to­needle time was 60.0 minutes, and median door­to­balloon time was 102.5 minutes. According to recommendation of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guidelines, 226 out of 264(85.6％) of thrombolytic patients and 43 out of 96(44.8％) percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty(PTCA) patients experienced reperfusion delay. The significant factors associated with delay were type of reperfusion therapy, patient factors including hypertension and delayed symptom onset to presentation(>4 hours), and hospital factors including nocturnal presentation(6pm∼8am), weekend, and an individual hospital. A significant proportion of patients experienced reperfusion delay. The identified predictors of reperfusion delay may help design a hospital system to reduce the delay in reperfusion therapy

• 대한상한금궤의학회지
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-19
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• 2021

Purpose : Sayeok-tang (Sini decoction, SND) is a cold-dispelling formula used for cold deficiency syndrome and is composed of Aconiti Lateralis Radix Preperata, Zingiberis Rhizoma, and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma. It is used for diseases such as myocardial infarction, heart failure, acute and chronic gastroenteritis, and gastric effusion. This study proposes the possibility of expansion of basic research and clinical applications for ischemic heart disease (IHD) through systematic analysis of domestic and foreign studies on SND. Methods : We collected studies within the last 10 years on the use of SND in IHD and excluded those lacking relevance. Selected studies were classified by research method and the main themes of the studies were analyzed for each classification. Result: Out of 15 studies, there were 5 animal studies, 8 metabolite analyses in animals, 1 in vitro study, and 1 systematic review. Our review suggests that SND may be used as an adjuvant to nitroglycerin and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, and may improve symptoms and quality of life of patients with IHD. Myocardial protective effects through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and anti-hypertensive actions were confirmed through these studies. Effects on carbohydrate, protein, and lipid metabolism were also reported. Conclusions : This study suggests that SND has potential as a treatment for IHD.

• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.53 no.12
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• pp.843-854
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• 2023

Background and Objectives: We evaluated the effect of diabetes on the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and clinical outcomes in patients following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stent implantation. Methods: A total of 6,688 patients who underwent PCI were selected from five different registries led by Korean Multicenter Angioplasty Team. They were categorized according to their BMI into the following groups: underweight (<18.5 kg/m²), normal weight (18.5-24.9 kg/m²), overweight to obese (≥25.0 kg/m²). Major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), defined as a composite of death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke, and target-vessel revascularization, were compared according to the BMI categories (underweight, normal and overweight to obese group) and diabetic status. All subjects completed 1-year follow-up. Results: Among the 6,688 patients, 2,561 (38%) had diabetes. The underweight group compared to normal weight group had higher 1-year MACCE rate in both non-diabetic (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 2.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-4.84; p=0.039) and diabetic patients (adjusted HR, 2.86; 95% CI, 1.61-5.07; p<0.001). The overweight to obese group had a lower MACCE rate than the normal weight group in diabetic patients (adjusted HR, 0.67 [0.49-0.93]) but not in non-diabetic patients (adjusted HR, 1.06 [0.77-1.46]), with a significant interaction (p-interaction=0.025). Conclusions: Between the underweight and normal weight groups, the association between the BMI and clinical outcomes was consistent regardless of the presence of diabetes. However, better outcomes in overweight to obese over normal weight were observed only in diabetic patients. These results suggest that the association between BMI and clinical outcomes may differ according to the diabetic status.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.275-281
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• 1997

The radial artery as a graft for myocardial revascularization was introduced by Carpentier in the early 1970s. Mid-term results were unfortunately discoura ing, and the clinical experience with this graft was interrupted. At the end of the 1980s, these authors reproposed the same arterial conduit with more satisfying results, because of improved technique and pharmacological management of the graft. Between October 1994 and July 1995, 36 patients underwent myocardial revascularization with a radial artery graft in Seiong General Hospital. Left internal mammary artery was concomitantly used as a pedicled Vift in 34 patients. Fifteen patients (42%) had a complete arterial waft revascularization. A total of 12) distal anastomoses were performed (average 3.4 per patient), including 36 left internal mammary artery wafts (two sequential in 2 patients), and 23 saphenous vein grafts. The remaining 64 distal anastomoses were perFormed with radial artery grafts (mean 1.8 per patient). The radial arteries were anastomosed to the circumflex (n=38), diagonal (n= 18), right coronary(n=G), and left anterior descending coronary artery(n=2). The percent ge of radial artery graft anastomoses (64) to the total anastomoses(123) was 52%. The radial artery was used as a single graft in 10 patients, as a sequential graft in 25 patients, and two grafts in 1 patient. Twenty patients underwent associated procedures coronary endarterectomy (14), coronary artery patch angioplasty (4), mitral valve repair (1), and repair of ventricular septal rupture (1). One patient died of low cardiac output syndrome and the others had no perioperative myocardial infarction. There are no ischemic and functional complications in the arm or hand aftcr removal of the radial artery. Only 1 patient required reexploration of the am, for the hematoma evacuation, and 2 patients complained transient thumb dysesthesia of the side of the havested arm. This dysesthesia improved within one month. Postoperative angiovaphic controls were obtained in 11 patients(31%) postoperative 79 to 210 days (mean 126 days). The patency rate were as follows : left internal mammary artery (100%), saphcnous vein (100%), and radial artery(95%). We concluded that the radial artery is useful alternative graft, but long term clinical and angiographic studies are required to derterminc whether wider application is warranted.