• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.71-78
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• 2014

Objectives : Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia(BPSD) represent significant clinical problems, resulting in functional decline, caregiver distress, institutionalization and increased mortality. A recent study showed gender differences have important role in the development of BPSD, but relationship between BPSD and gender has never been studied in Korea. This study was designed to examine whether patients with Alzheimer's disease show gender differences in behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia(BPSD). Methods : Ninety-eight subjects with Alzheimer's disease were included in this study. We carried out history taking and cognitive assessment for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease based on DSM-IV. Cognitive impairment and BPSD were measured using the Mini Mental State Examination(MMSE), Global Deterioration Scale (GDS), Clinical Dementia Rating(CDR) and the Korean Neuropsychiatric Inventory(K-NPI). Independent samples t-test was used to examine the differences across gender in BPSD. Correlation analysis between MMSE, CDR, GDS and NPI was performed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results : There were no significant gender differences between the gender in BPSD. We found statistically significant negative correlations between MMSE with NPI total score, and with scores of several sub-domains such as hallucination. Conclusions : This study showed that gender differences in BPSD are not significant. Further research is necessary to identify whether BPSD affect gender differences or individual differences.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.94-101
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• 2016

Objectives : Anemia is a common problem in the management of elderly patients. Recent studies reported that anemia was associated with cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. This study was aimed to analyze the differences of hemoglobin levels in Korean patients with Alzheimer's disease(AD) dementia, mild cognitive impairment(MCI), and healthy controls. Furthermore, the study also examined if any association between hemoglobin levels and cognitive functions existed. Methods : A total of 116 Korean elderly adults were participated in this study(mean age 74.67 years ; 60.3% female). The Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE-K), Clinical Dementia Rating(CDR) and Global Deterioration Scale(GDS) were applied to all subjects. Hematological and related blood chemistry values were investigated. Results : We found that patients with AD dementia had significantly lower hemoglobin and hematocrit levels than MCI subjects and healthy control group. The hemoglobin levels showed a positive correlation with MMSE-K and negative correlation with CDR, GDS. Conclusions : Among Korean elderly, low hemoglobin level is associated with a cognitive impairment. This study indicates that AD is associated with anemia, and low hemoglobin levels may contribute to potentially useful clinical markers of AD. The risk factor for dementia needs to be confirmed by prospective longitudinal studies in a larger group of patients.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.117-127
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• 2023

Purpose: No consensus currently exists regarding the maximal pressure of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO₂) therapy performed within 24 hours of acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. This study aimed to evaluate the difference in therapeutic effects according to the first HBO₂ pressure (3.0 atmospheres absolute [ATA] vs. 2.8 ATA). Methods: We used prospectively collected registry data on CO poisoning at a tertiary academic hospital in the Republic of Korea. Adult patients with acute CO poisoning treated with HBO₂ within 24 hours after arrival at the emergency department and without the use of additional HBO₂ after 24 hours between January 2007 and February 2022 were included. Data from 595 patients were analyzed using propensity score matching (PSM). Patients with mild (non-intubated) and severe (intubated) poisoning were also compared. Neurocognitive outcomes at 1 month after CO poisoning were evaluated using the Global Deterioration Scale combined with neurological impairment. Results: After PSM, the neurocognitive outcomes at 1-month post-CO exposure were not significantly different between the 2.8 ATA (110 patients) and 3.0 ATA (55 patients) groups (p=1.000). Similarly, there was also no significant difference in outcomes in a subgroup analysis according to poisoning severity in matched patients (165 patients) (mild [non-intubated]: p=0.053; severe [intubated]: p=1.000). Conclusion: Neurocognitive sequelae at 1 month were not significantly different between HBO₂ therapy pressures of 2.8 ATA and 3.0 ATA in patients with acute CO poisoning. In addition, the 1-month neurocognitive sequelae did not differ significantly between intubated and non-intubated patients.