• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제48권1호
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• pp.1-8
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• 2022

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to reveal the circumstances under which the cases of harm to health caused by humidifier disinfectant were neglected and show the points where the number of victims and the degree of damage could have been reduced. In addition, it attempts to describe how damage management proceeded immediately after the incident and actually exacerbated the damage. Finally, it explores the unfortunate aspects of the recent trial. By doing so, it attempts to take this as an opportunity to consider whether a tragic event such as the humidifier disinfectant incident could occur in the future. Methods: This study collected and analyzed data on chemical material characteristics related to humidifier disinfectants, data on health effect characteristics, data on related laws and regulations from the Ministry of Environment, data related to the damage investigation by the Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute, and current contents. Results: The lack of related systems and laws is the area where the greatest responsibility for the cause of the humidifier disinfectant disaster falls, so it is difficult for the government to escape this responsibility. Establishing a dedicated department to identify the prevalence of certain diseases within the functions of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service to monitor health can greatly contribute to the prevention and management of diseases through early detection and management of group outbreaks caused by harmful factors. Humidifier disinfectant damage relief should have been expanded earlier beyond HDLI (humidifier disinfectant lung injury) to include non-specific diseases such as asthma, pneumonia, and interstitial pneumonia. The scope of relief benefits should have also been expanded earlier to include the payment of disability benefits. Fortunately, with the 2020 revision of the Special Act, the conditions for estimating causal relations were eased and individual screening systems such as health impact assessment were reorganized along with the introduction of a rapid screening system. Conclusions: The management system for chemical substances in a country is clearly of paramount importance, and the ministry in charge must have a response system in case of damage to health effects. Administration that looks at the victims' situation from their point of view is needed, and technical countermeasures are required to quickly recognize the prevalence of certain diseases.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.462-468
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• 2012

The present study was conducted with the object of examining how ST36 and LR3 electro acupuncture affects the injured side and the intact side in rats with sciatic nerve injury. For this study, we divided rats into a control group that were injured but not treated, experimental group I that were injured and had electro acupuncture on the intact side, experimental group II that were injured and had electro-acupuncture on the injured side, and experimental group III that were injured and had electro-acupuncture on both the intact side and the injured side, and performed behavioral and immunohistochemical tests. The results of this study are as follows. In the results of hot plate test, on Day 1 of experiment, experimental group I did not show a statistically significant difference but experimental group II and III showed a statistically significant difference, and on Day 2 and 3, all of experimental group I, II and III showed a statistically significant difference. In the results of SFI test, on Day 7 of experiment, experimental group I did not show a statistically significant difference but experimental group II and III showed a statistically significant difference, and on Day 14 and 21, all of experimental group I, II and III showed a statistically significant difference. In the results of immunohistochemical test, the expression of c-fos decreased gradually on Day 1, 2 and 3 in all the experimental groups, and the decrease was larger in the experimental groups that had electro-acupuncture than in the control group. In the results of immunohistochemical test, the expression of BDNF increased gradually on Day 7, 14 and 21 in all the experimental groups, and the expression was higher in the experimental groups than in the control group. Summing up the results, ST36 and LR3 electro acupuncture was effective when it was applied to the injured side and to both sides after sciatic nerve injury, but it was also effective in pain relief and nerve regeneration when it was applied to the intact side.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제27권4호
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• pp.133-138
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• 2014

Purpose: If the survival of patients suffering from severe blunt trauma is to be improved, appropriate interventions should be taken immediately. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical utility of end-tidal carbon dioxide ($ETCO_2$) as a surrogate marker for predicting both the need for intervention and the prognosis. Methods: This is a prospective observational study. Nasal cannula was applied to measure $ETCO_2$, and the following parameters, which are known to be related to the prognosis for a patient, were recorded: injury severity score (ISS), revised trauma score (RTS), arterial blood gas (ABG), lactate, and hemoglobin (Hb). To evaluate the outcome, we investigated the details of emergent interventions and expired patients. Results: A total of 93 patients were enrolled in this study. Emergent intervention was significantly associated with systolic blood pressure (sBP, p-value=0.001), $ETCO_2$ (p-value<0.001), serum lactate level (p-value<0.001), pH (p-value< 0.003), $HCO_3$ (p-value=0.004), base excess (p-value<0.002), ISS (p-value<0.001) and RTS (p-value=0.005). In the multivariate logistic regression, only $ETCO_2$ (odds ratio (OR): 0.897, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.792-0.975, p-value= 0.048) and ISS (OR: 1.132, 95% CI: 1.053-1.233, p-value=0.002) were associated with emergent intervention whereas $ETCO_2$ (p-value=0.973) and ISS (p-value=0.511) were not statistically significant in predicting the survival of patients in the univariate analysis. An optimal ETCO cut-off of 29 mmHg on the ROC curve was determined, with the area under the ROC curve (AUC) being 0.824 (0.732-0.917)]. Conclusion: This study has revealed that $ETCO_2$, which can be rapid and easily measured through a nasal cannula, and the ISS may be prognostic indicators of emergent interventions in Emergency Departments.

• 대한임상독성학회지
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• 제7권2호
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• pp.121-126
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• 2009

Purpose: We investigated the clinical characteristics and demographics of patients who suffered from hydrofluoric acid chemical injury and the mechanism of damage. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who were exposed to hydrofluoric acid from March 2004 to March 2009 and who were seen at the emergency centers in two university teaching hospitals. Results: Forty four patients out of 47 patients suffered from chemical burn, while the injuries of the remaining 3 could not be identified by the medical records. A total of 17 hydrofluoric acid chemical injury patients were enrolled during the study period, and their mean age was $29.6{\pm}7.0$. All the patients were accidentally injured by contact with the material and none of them inhaled or ingested the material. Only 6 patients wore appropriate protective equipments and 5 underwent the water irrigation for more than 10 minutes. The most common exposure area was the hand and forearm (70.5%). Less than 1% of all of the patients had their total body surface (TBS) exposed to hydrofluoric acid (mean=0.35%). The mean time interval from calcium gluconate administration to pain relief was $33.6{\pm}8.8$ hours. Conclusion: When exposed to hydrofluoric acid, it is important to wear protective equipment and undergo water irrigation for more than 10 minutes. Pain and skin damage were observed in all the patients. After treatment, we concluded that administration of calcium gluconate and pain killers was successful in relieving pain, and the prognosis was also positive for the admitted and followed up patients when less than 1% of the TBS was exposed.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제6권2호
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• pp.275-279
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• 1993

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy is a syndrome characterized by persistent, burning pain, hyperpathia, allodynia & hyperaesthesia in an extremity, with concurrent evidence of autonomic nervous system dysfunction. It generally develops after nerve injury, trauma, surgery, et al. The most successful therapies are directed towards blocking the sympathetic intervention to the affected extremity by regional sympathetic ganglion block or Bier block with sympathetic blocker; other traditional treatments include transcutaneous electrical stimulation, immobilization with cast & splint, physical therapy, psychotherapy, administration of sympathetic blocker, calcitonin, corticosteroid and analgesic agents. The purpose of this report is to evaluate and describe the effects of magnetic resonance following unsatisfactory results with traditional treatments of RSD. A 17 year old female patient, 1 year earlier, had received excision and drainage of pus at the right femoral triangle due to an injury caused by a stone. Afterwards, she experienced burning pain, knee joint stiffness, and muscle dystrophy of the right thigh, especially when standing and walking. Despite a year of number of traditional treatments such as: lumbar sympathetic block, continuous epidural analgesia, transcutaneous electrical stimulation, & administration of predisolone, her pain did not improve. Surprisingly, the patients was able to walk free from pain and difficulty after just one application of magnetic resonance. The patient has been successfully treated with further treatment of two to three times a week for approximately ten weeks. More recently, magnetic resonance has been demonstrated to produce effective results for the relief of pain in a variety of diseases. From our experiences we recognize magnetic resonance as a therapeutic modality which can provide excellent results for the treatment of RSD. It has been suggested that polysynaptic reflex which are disturbed in RSD may be modulated normally on the spinal cord level through the application of magnetic resonance.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제62권5호
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• pp.437-440
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• 2007

기관절개술은 가장 오래된 수술기술 중의 하나로 상기도 폐쇄의 경감, 장기간의 기계호흡유지, 보조적 기계호흡시에 기도 저항의 감소 등의 목적으로 시행할 수 있다. 기관절개술에 따른 초기합병증으로는 기흉, 피하조직기종, 절개부위 출혈, 종격동 기종, 흡인, 기관절개 관 전위 등을 들 수 있다. 수술에 따른 피하조직기종과 기흉은 0.9-5%에서 보고되었다. 본 증례에서는 기관절개술 직후에 피하조직기종과 양측 폐에서 발생한 긴장성 기흉을 경험하였기에 보고하는 바이다.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제46권6호
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• pp.538-544
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• 2009

Objective : Primary treatment of spinal metastasis has been external beam radiotherapy. Recent advance of technology enables radiosurgery to be extended to extracranial lesions. The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical effectiveness and safety of stereotactic radiosurgery using Cyberknife in spinal metastasis. Methods : From June, 2002 to December, 2007, 129 patients with 167 spinal metastases were treated with Cyberknife. Most of the patients (94%) presented with pain and nine patients suffered from motor deficits. Twelve patients were asymptomatic. Fifty-three patients (32%) had previous radiation therapy. Using Cyberknife, 16-39 Gy in 1-5 fractions were delivered to spinal metastatic lesions. Radiation dose was not different regarding the tumor pathology or tumor volume. Results : After six months follow-up, patient evaluation was possible in 108 lesions. Among them, significant pain relief was seen in 98 lesions (91%). Radiological data were obtained in 83 lesions. The mass size was decreased or stable in 75 lesions and increased in eight lesions. Radiological control failure cases were hepatocellular carcinoma (5 cases), lung cancer (1 case), breast cancer (1 case) and renal cell carcinoma (1 case). Treatment-related radiation injury was not detected. Conclusion : Cyberknife radiosurgery is clinically effective and safe for spinal metastases. It is true even in previously irradiated patients. Compared to conventional radiation therapy, Cyberknife shows higher pain control rate and its treatment process is more convenient for patients. Thus, it can be regarded as a primary treatment modality for spinal metastases.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.98-103
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• 2001

Neuropathic pain originating from multiple condition of nerve cell injury is common, but is difficult to treat. Even though many drugs such as anti-convulsants, anti-depressants, NSAIDs, opioids have been used, their clinical analgesic action were not satisfactory due to occur severe side effects. Gabapentin was introduced in 1994 as a novel antiepileptic drug and has been used to treat partial seizure. After 1995 gabapentin treatment for reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) started, 45% of the reports about the analgesic efficacy of gabapentin were restricted to the treatments of non-epileptic pain syndrome. This drug is preferred to treat neuropathic pain because of a lower incidence of its side effects than those of other anti-convulsants and anti-depressants. For evaluating it's analgesic efficacy, the changes in the patients' subjective pain intensity was measured by the score on the visual analogue scale (VAS) and patient's objective pain intensity by measuring the skin temperature via infrared thermography were investigated respectively. Side effects of gabapentin were look into. We observed successful relief of neuropathic pain in the three patients which included post-herpetic neuraligia, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and diabetic neuropathic pain, and the side effects of gabapentin were at acceptable levels.

• 정신신체의학
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• 제7권2호
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• pp.274-280
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• 1999

중추신경계와 말초신경계의 손상으로 인한 다양한 기전에 의해서 신경병성 통증이 생길 수 있다. 특정한 질병과 관련된 기전에 의해서 생기는 경우는 거의 없고, 진단과는 상관없이 한 환자에서 여러 가지 기전이 동시에 관여하여 생긴다. 신경병성 통증은 신경학적 검사와 환자의 문진으로부터 쉽게 진단할 수 있으나 치료는 아직 만족할 만하지 못하다. 신경병성 통증의 치료가 어렵다 하더라도 의사가 치료시 문제점을 완전히 이해하고 있다면 적절한 치료에 도달될 수 있을 것이다. 적절한 약물의 선택은 환자마다 효과가 있는 약제, 용량, 혈중농도 등이 각기 다르기 때문에 치료의 시도와 실패의 반복을 통해서 얻어질 수 있다. 효과가 있다고 알려진 각 약물들의 적절한 치료연구는 신경병성 통증의 약물치료에 있어 핵심일 것이다. 삼환계 항우울제는 일차약물로 알려져 있고 이에 대한 효과가 만족스럽지 못할 경우에는 항경련제, 국소마취성 항부정맥제제, clonidine, 마약성 진통제, 국소도포제 순으로 사용해 볼 수 있다. Venlafaxine, nefazodone 같은 항우울제가 최근에 삼환계 항우울제 보다 부작용이 적고 비슷한 효과가 있으며, 항경련제인 gabapentine도 효과있는 약물로 널리 사용되고 있다.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.53-66
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• 2015

Objectives : This study was designed to investigate effects of Curculiginis Rhizoma pharmaco-acupuncture at $ST_{36}$ on monosodium iodoacetate-induced osteoarthritic rats. Methods : Twenty rats were divided into four groups consisting of 5 rats: rats receiving no injection(normal), rats injected with monosodium Iodoacetate(MIA, control), rats injected with MIA and normal saline(N-S), and rats injected with MIA and Curculiginis Rhizoma (CRPA). N-S and CRPA were administered once a day at $ST_{36}$ during 21 days. After that we examined the weight-bearing ability of hind paws, liver and kidney function, immunocell, cytokines, proteins, and gene expression of cytokines. Injury of synovial tissue was measured by H & E, Safranin O immunofluorescence. Results : The weight-bearing ability of the hind paws, Serum TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, PGE2, LTB4, DPD, Osteocalcin, Protein COX-2 of CRPA decreased significantly. Protein Arachidonate 5 lipoxygenase of CRPA was decreased, but not significantly. Expression of gene COX-2, TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, NOS2 of CRPA decreased. In histological observations, CRPA was improved, compared with other control groups. Conclusions : It can be suggested that Curculiginis Rhizoma pharmaco-acupuncture at $ST_{36}$ has anti-inflammatory and pain relief effects on monosodium iodoacetate-induced osteoarthritic rats.