• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2006

Purpose: Recently, the American Heart Association recommended that routine cervical spine protection in submerged patients was not necessary, except in high-energy injury situations. However, until now, this recommendation has few supportive studies and literatures. This retrospective study was performed to demonstrate the risk of cervical spine injury in patients who had been submerged in a river. Methods: Seventy-nine submerged patients who visited St. Mary's Hospital between January 2000 and December 2005 were included in this retrospective study. We investigated and analyzed the victim's age, sex, activity on submersion, mental status and level of severity at admission, prognosis at discharge, associated injuries, and risk group by using the medical records and cervical spine lateral images. According to the activity on submersion, victims were classified into three groups: high risk, low risk, and unknown risk. The reports of radiologic studies were classified into unstable fracture, stable fracture, sprain, degenerative change, and normal. Results: The patients' mean age was 36.8 yrs, and 54% were males. Of the 79 patients, adult and adolescent populations (80%) were dominant. Jumping from a high bridge (48%) was the most common activity on submersion and accounted for 52% of the high-risk group. The Glasgow coma scale at admission and the cerebral performance scale at discharge showed bimodal patterns. The results of the radiologic studies showed one stable fracture, one suspicious stable fracture, and 18 sprains. The incidence of cervical spine fracture in submerged patients was 2.5% in our study. The incidence of cervical spine injury was higher in the high-risk group than it was in the low-risk group, especially in the jumping-from-high-bridge subgroup; however this observation was not statistically significant. No other factors had any significant effect on the incidence of cervical spine injury. Conclusion: Our study showed that even submerged patients in the high risk group had a low incidence of cervical spine fracture and that the prognosis of a patient did not seem to be influenced by the cervical spine fracture itself.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.1707-1710
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• 2014

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate baseline use and positive rates of staging images (bone scan, CT) in newly diagnosed patients with prostate cancer (PCa) and to improve staging image overuse. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study covered a consecutive series of patients with PCa who underwent stage imaging at our institution between 2006 and 2011. Various clinical and pathological variables (age, PSA, biopsy Gleason score, clinical T stage, positive biopsy core rate) were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression analysis for their ability to predict a positive staging image. All patients were stratified according to the NCCN risk stratification and positive rates were compared in each risk group. Results: 410 patients (100%) underwent a bone scan and 315 patients (76.8%) underwent a CT scan. Some 51 patients (12.4%) had a positive bone scan, clinical T3 and T4 being significant independent predictors. Positive bone scan rates for low-, intermediate-, high-, and very high-risk groups were 0%, 0%, 8.25%, and 56.6%. Some 59 (18.7%) patients had a positive CT scan, with elevated PSA and clinical T3, T4 as significant independent predictors. Low-, intermediate-, high- and very high-risk group rates were 0%, 0%, 13.8% and 80.0%. Conclusions: The incidences of positive staging image in low- and intermediate- risk group were reasonably low. Following feedback on these results, staging in low- and intermediate- risk groups could be omitted.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.2413-2418
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• 2015

Background: Although adjuvant chemotherapy is a standard treatment in stage III colon cancer, its benefit is not as clear for stage II patients. In this retrospective analysis, we aimed to evaluate the survival of patients with low-risk stage II colon cancer, the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy in high-risk stage II colon cancer patients, and prognostic factors in stage II disease. Materials and Methods: One hundred and seventeen patients who were diagnosed with stage II colon cancer between January 2006 and December 2011 were included in the study. Patients were stratified into two groups as being low-risk and high-risk according to risk factors for stage II disease. Adjuvant 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy were administered to the patients with risk factors. Results: Ninety-four patients were treated with adjuvant chemotherapy due to high risk factors and 23 were monitored without treatment. Median follow-up time was 43 months. In terms of disease free survival and overall survival, adjuvant chemotherapy did not provide a statistically significant difference. Univariate analysis demonstrated that bowel obstruction was the major risk factor for shortened disease-free survival, while bowel perforation and perineural invasion were both negative prognostic factors for overall survival. Conclusions: The recommendation of adjuvant chemotherapy for stage II colon cancer is not clear. In our study, it was found that adjuvant chemotherapy did not contribute to survival in high-risk stage II patients. Due to the fact that prognosis of stage II patients is good, many more patients will be needed for statistically significant differences in survival. Adjuvant chemotherapy containing 5 fluorouracil is being used to high-risk stage II patients although it is not a standard treatment approach.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.14
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• pp.5951-5956
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• 2015

Background: To evaluate the rate of pathologic high-risk factors, intermediate-risk factors, and treatment outcomes in early-stage cervical cancer patients undergoing radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy (RHPL). Materials and Methods: Medical records of stage IA-IIA1 cervical cancer patients who underwent RHPL during the 2006 to 2012 time period and patient follow-up data until December 2013 were reviewed. Results: Of 331 patients, 52 women (15.7%) had pathologic high-risk factors and 59 women (17.8%) had intermediate-risk factors without high-risk factors. All studied patients had an initial complete response. At median follow-up time of 40.9 months (range 1-103.3 months) and mean follow-up time of$ 43.3{\pm}25.3$ months, 37 women had disease recurrence and 4 women had died of disease. The most common site of recurrence was the pelvis (64.8%). Five-year and 10-year disease free survival rates were 96.1% and 91.5%, respectively. Five-year and 10-year overall survival rates were 100% and 99.4%, respectively. Independent factors related to recurrence were pelvic node metastasis (odds ratio [OR], 2.670; 95%CI, 1.001-7.119), and >1/3 cervical stromal invasion (OR, 3.763; 95%CI, 1.483-9.549). Conclusions: The rates of pathologic high-risk and intermediate-risk factors should be considered and disclosed when counseling patients regarding primary treatment by RHPL. Oncologic outcomes of primary surgical treatment for early-stage cervical carcinoma were found to be excellent.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.116-122
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• 2004

Purpose: Several risk factors related with chronic complications and mortality related with liver injury of mushroom poisoning were reported. But, there were few reports about the long term outcomes. The aim was to evaluate the long term clinical outcomes in mushroom poisoning regarding the risk factors. Methods: Clinical data were reviewed and outcomes were evaluated with medical records and/or telephone interviews. The patients who had one or more risk factors such as markedly elevated aspartate aminotransferase (AST) or alanine aminotransferase (ALT), prolonged prothrombin time (PT) were classified into high risk group. Patients had no risk factor classified into low risk group. Results: From June 1989 to December 2003, nineteen mushroom poisoning patients admitted to Asan Medical Center, seven were male, and mean age was $58\pm9$ years old. All the patients accidentally ingested and the interval from ingestion to symptom onset was $9\pm4$ hours. There were four patients in high risk group, and fifteen in low risk group. In high risk group, peak AST was $2,263.3\pm1,303.0IU/L$most prolonged PT was $38.0\pm27.4\%$, and stuporous mental status was shown in one patient. In low risk group, laboratory values returned to the normal values but histological evaluation revealed specific features of toxic hepatitis on sixth hospital day. Chronic complications such as persistent or chronic hepatitis, mortality was not occurred during follow up period (from 10 months to 16 years) in both groups. Conclusion: Although the number of patients were small, there were no chronic complications or mortality related with liver injury after mushroom poisoning regardless risk factors of chronic complications and mortality.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.36-42
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• 2018

The risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is known higher in cancer patients and lower incidence in the east country. This study was conducted in order to check the incidence rate of VTE in the Korean high risk patients who are treated in the intensive care unit (ICU), and to verify the correlation of the incidence of VTE and prophylaxis methods. This study was conducted as a retrospective study for 492 cancer patients from April 2011 to December 2014. According to the medical records of subjects, their prophylaxis methods and the incidence of VTE were surveyed and then correlation of them was investigated with statistical methods. 385 patients met the inclusion criteria. VTE occrred in 17 of them (4.4%). The prophylaxis methods are consisted of medical method (136 subjects), mechnical method(33 subjects), and medical & mechnkcal method (124 subjects). VTE occurred in 14 patients (4.8%) from 293 patients (76%) who were given at least one prophylaxis method. From all of 93 patients without prophylaxis, three patients experienced VTE (3.3%). The target patients were high risk in VTE, but the incidence rate of VTE was lower than reported in previous studies. The reason of this is considered that more active prophylaxis intervention was applied to the subjects because of their high risk status. As a result, it is considered that in the high risk patients, it would be effective to apply active and complex prophylaxis intervention for the prevention of VTE.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.2279-2285
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• 2014

Background: To evaluate treatment outcomes of patients with stage I-III endometrial cancer treated with postoperative radiation. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of 166 endometrial cancer patients, undergoing surgery and postoperative radiotherapy at Siriraj Hospital from 2005-2008 was performed. Pathology was reviewed. Results of treatment were reported with 5-year loco-regional recurrence free survival (LRRFS), 5-year overall survival (OS), patterns of failure and toxicity, and according to stage and risk groups. Results: Median follow up time was 62.8 months. Pathological changes were found in 36.3% of the patients after central reviews, leading to 19% changes in risk groups. Most of the patients (83.7%) received pelvic radiation (PRT) and vaginal brachytherapy (VBT). Five-year LRRFS and OS of all patients were 94.9% and 85.5%, respectively. There was no recurrence or death in low and low-intermediate risk groups. For the high-intermediate risk group, 5-year LRRFS and OS were 96.2% and 90.8%, respectively, and for the high risk group 90.5% and 71%. Late grade 3 and 5 gastrointestinal toxicity was found in 3% and 1.2% of patients, respectively. All of them received PRT 5,000 cGy in 25 fractions. Conclusions: Low and intermediate risk patients had good results with surgery and adjuvant radiation therapy. For high risk patients, postoperative radiation therapy alone appeared to be inadequate as the most common pattern of failure was distant metastasis.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.273-278
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• 2021

Purpose: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is a safe method to feed patients with feeding difficulty. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of conventional PEG and laparoscopic-assisted PEG (L-PEG) placement in high-risk pediatric patients. Methods: In our tertiary pediatric department, 90 PEG insertions were performed between 2014 and 2019. Children with severe thoracoabdominal deformity (TAD), previous abdominal surgery, ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt, and abdominal tumors were considered as high-risk patients. Age, sex, diagnosis, operative time, complications, and mortality were compared among patients who underwent conventional PEG placement (first group) and those who underwent L-PEG placement (second group). Results: We analyzed the outcomes of conventional PEG placement (first group, n=15; patients with severe TAD [n=7], abdominal tumor [n=6], and VP shunts [n=2]) and L-PEG placement (second group, n=10; patients with VP shunts [n=5], previous abdominal surgery [n=4], and severe TAD [n=1]). Regarding minor complications, 1 (6.6%) patient in the first group underwent unplanned PEG removal and 1 (10%) patient in the second group had peristomal granuloma. We observed three major complications: colon perforation (6.6%) in a patient with VP shunt, gastrocolic fistula (6.6%) in a patient with Fallot-tetralogy and severe TAD, and pneumoperitoneum (6.6%) caused by early tube dislodgement in an autistic patient with severe TAD. All the three complications occurred in the first group (20%). No major complications occurred in the second group. Conclusion: In high-risk patients, L-PEG may be safer than conventional PEG. Thus, L-PEG is recommended for high-risk patients.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.87-94
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• 2015

Purpose: We investigated comparison of clinical characteristics and prognosis by initial endoscopic severity in caustic injury and then discussed predisposing factors which can be helpful in predicting the prognosis and determining the treatment. Methods: This study was a retrospective review of medical records from patients over the age of 15, who underwent initial endoscopy for caustic injury from April 2007 through November 2014. Patients were classified according to two groups based on the initial endoscopic finding by Zargar's classification: patients with grade 0, I, IIa at esophagus (low risk group) and patients with grade IIb, IIIa, IIIb at esophagus (high risk group). The two groups were then compared. Results: A total of 55 patients were included (low risk group [n=44] vs. high risk group [n=11]). Old age (p<0.001), large amount of ingestion (p<0.05), oropharyngeal symptoms (p<0.01), high SOFA score (p<0.001), high WBC count (p<0.05), low base excess (p<0.01), and HCO3 (p<0.05) were statistically significant factors in the high risk group. A poor prognosis was observed for hospital stay (p<0.001), ICU admission (p<0.001), mortality (p<0.01), and stricture (p<0.001) in the high risk group. Conclusion: Clinical characteristics including age, amount of ingestion, oropharyngeal symptoms, SOFA score, WBC count, base excess, and $HCO_3$ can be helpful in the decision to undergo initial endoscopy and risk assessment by initial endoscopic severity can be helpful in predicting prognosis and determining the treatment plan.

• The Korean journal of helicobacter and upper gastrointestinal research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.225-230
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• 2018

Upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding (UGIB) is the most common GI emergency, and it is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Early identification of low-risk patients suitable for outpatient management has the potential to reduce unnecessary costs, and prompt triage of high-risk patients could allow appropriate intervention and minimize morbidity and mortality. Several risk-scoring systems have been developed to predict the outcomes of UGIB. As each scoring system measures different primary outcome variables, appropriate risk scores must be implemented in clinical practice. The Glasgow-Blatchford score (GBS) should be used to predict the need for interventions such as blood transfusion or endoscopic or surgical treatment. Patients with GBS ${\leq}1$ have a low likelihood of adverse outcomes and can be considered for early discharge. The Rockall score was externally validated and is widely used for prediction of mortality. The recently developed AIMS65 score is easy to calculate and was proposed to predict in-hospital mortality. The Forrest classification is based on endoscopic findings and can be used to stratify patients into high- and low-risk categories in terms of rebleeding and thus is useful in predicting the need for endoscopic hemostasis. Early risk stratification is critical in the management of UGIB and may improve patient outcome and reduce unnecessary health care costs through standardization of care.