• 대한임상검사과학회지
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.189-195
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• 2009

Lung cancer is a type of cancer with high mortality; its 5-year survival rate is at a low 14%. Related cytological tests include sputum, bronchial brushing, bronchial washing and fine needle aspiration cytology test etc. From the test specimens in which sputum, bronchial brushing, bronchial washing, and fine needle aspiration cytology were performed, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy between cytology test and histology test. In the sputum test, sensitivity was 27.71% and specificity was 98.02%, and the bronchial brushing test showed sensitivity of 93.33% and a specificity of 91.3%. The bronchial washing test was a sensitivity of 53.7% and its specificity was 98.9%, and the fine needle aspiration cytology test showed sensitivity and specificity were 88.46% and 72.97%, respectively. In the specimens diagnosed as normal at the sputum test, malignant diagnosis was found in 21 specimens of bronchial brushing, 30 cases of bronchial washings and 37 cases of fine needle aspiration cytology specimens. In the specimens diagnosed as normal at the bronchial washing test, malignant diagnosis was found in 5 specimens of sputum, 7 specimens of bronchial brushin and 1 cases of fine needle aspiration cytology. One specimens found to be normal in fine needle aspiration cytology turned out to maligant in sputum test. The result of this research shows that, in diagnosis lung cancer, a test method of high sensitivity and specificity should be pursued. However, depending on the location and malignancy of the illness, diagnosis may not be obtained in some cases. Therefore, we conclude that the cytological tests performed for lung cancer testing such as sputum, bronchial brushing, bronchial washing, and fine needle aspiration cytology should be carried out in a mutually complementary manner.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제38권4호
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• pp.508-511
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• 2011

Purpose: Blue toe syndrome consists of blue or purplish toes in the absence of a history of obvious trauma, serious cold exposure, or disorders producing generalized cyanosis. It is a life-threatening and still underrecognized disease. It can be commonly occurred by vascular surgery, invasive cutaneous procedures or anticoagulant therapy. Our case is presented of blue toe syndrome related to atheromatous embolization that was presumably triggered by angio CT. Methods: A 69-year-old man presented with the suddenly developed pain, cyanosis and livedo reticularis of the toes in right foot. Dorsalis pedis pulses were palpable. He had been performed a diagnostic angio CT 1 month earlier. Angio CT revealed diffuse aortic atheromatous plaque in lower abdominal aorta and both common iliac artery. One month after angio CT, he visited our clinic. There was no visible distal first dorsal metatarsal artery and digital artery of right first toe in lower extremity arteriography. A diagnosis was established of blue toe syndrome. Because his symptom was aggravated, we performed the exploration of the right foot. After exposure of first dorsal metatarsal artery, microsurgical atheroembolectomy was done. Results: There were no postoperative complications. After three months the patient had no clinically demonstrable problems. Conclusion: Patient with blue toe syndrome is at high risk of limb loss and mortality despite treatment. Blue toe syndrome produces painful, cyanosed toes with preserved pedal pulses. It needs to be aware of blue toe syndrome. Careful history should reveal the diagnosis. Treatment is controversial, however, most believe that anticoagulation therapy should be avoided.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제42권3호
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• pp.93-119
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• 2004

Acanthamoeba and Naegleria are widely distributed in fresh water, soil and dust throughout the world, and cause meningoencephalitis or keratoconjunctivitis in humans and other mammals. Korean isolates, namely, Naegleria sp. YM-1 and Acanthamoeba sp. YM-2, YM-3, YM-4, YM-5, YM-6 and YM-7, were collected from sewage, water puddles, a storage reservoir, the gills of a fresh water fish, and by corneal washing. These isolates were categorized into three groups based on the mortalities of infected mice namely, highly virulent (YM-4), moderately virulent (YM-2, YM-5 and YM-7) and nonpathogenic (YM-3). In addition, a new species of Acanthamoeba was isolated from a freshwater fish in Korea and tentatively named Korean isolate YM-4. The morphologic characters of its cysts were similar to those of A. culbertsoni and A. royreba, which were previously designated as Acanthamoeba group III. Based on experimentally infected mouse mortality, Acanthamoeba YM-4 was highly virulent. The isoenzymes profile of Acanthamoeba YM-4 was similar to that of A. royreba. Moreover, an anti-Acanthamoeba YM-4 monoclonal anti-body reacted only with Acanthamoeba YM-4, and not with A. culbertsoni. Random amplified polymorphic DNA marker analysis and RFLP analysis of mitochondrial DNA and of a 188 small subunit ribosomal RNA, placed Acanthamoeba YM-4 in a separate cluster based on phylogenic distances. Thus Acanthamoeba YM-4 was identified as a new species, and assigned Acanthamoeba sohi. Up to the year 2002 in Korea, two clinical cases were found to be infected with Acanthamoeba spp. These patients died of meningoencephalitis. In addition, one case of Acanthamoeba pneumonia with an immunodeficient status was reported and Acanthamoeba was detected in several cases of chronic relapsing corneal ulcer, chronic conjunctivitis, and keratitis.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제62권1호
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• pp.36-41
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• 2019

Purpose: In this study, we investigated the clinical features and prognostic factors of early-onset sepsis (EOS) in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on medical records from January 2010 to June 2017 (7.5 years) of a university hospital NICU. Results: There were 45 cases of EOS (1.2%) in 3,862 infants. The most common pathogen responsible for EOS was group B Streptococcus (GBS), implicated in 10 cases (22.2%), followed by Escherichia coli, implicated in 9 cases (20%). The frequency of gram-positive sepsis was higher in term than in preterm infants, whereas the rate of gram-negative infection was higher in preterm than in term infants (P<0.05). The overall mortality was 37.8% (17 of 45), and 47% of deaths occurred within the first 3 days of infection. There were significant differences in terms of gestational age (26.8 weeks vs. 35.1 weeks) and birth weight (957 g vs. 2,520 g) between the death and survival groups. After adjustments based on the difference in gestational age and birth weight between the 2 groups, gram-negative pathogens (odds ratio [OR], 42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4-1,281.8) and some clinical findings, such as neutropenia (OR, 46; 95% CI, 1.3-1,628.7) and decreased activity (OR, 34; 95% CI, 1.8-633.4), were found to be associated with fatality. Conclusion: The common pathogens found to be responsible for EOS in NICU patients are GBS and E. coli. Gram-negative bacterial infections, decreased activity in the early phase of infection, and neutropenia were associated with poor outcomes.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제38권2호
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• pp.127-135
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• 2021

Background: Dialysis patients are prone to having disabilities. We aimed to evaluate the association between disability and various clinical outcomes in Korean dialysis patients. Methods: This study consisted of 1,615 dialysis patients from 27 centers. We evaluated disability by using four questions on the activities of daily living (ADLs) concerning whether help was needed for feeding, dressing/undressing, getting in/out of bed, or taking a bath/shower. We divided the patients into three groups: no disability (Non-D, none of the four ADL domains required help; n=1,312), mild disability (Mild-D, one ADL domain required some/full help; n=163), or moderate to severe disability (MS-D, two or more ADL domains required some/full help; n=140). We evaluated falls, frailty, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), mortality, and hospitalization. Results: The numbers of participants with a fall during the last 1 year were 199 (15.2%), 42 (25.8%), and 44 (31.4%) in the Non-D, Mild-D, and MS-D groups, respectively (p<0.001). The numbers of participants with frailty in the Non-D, Mild-D, and MS-D groups were 381 (29.0%), 84 (51.5%), and 93 (66.4%), respectively (p<0.001). In both univariate and multivariate analyses, the physical component scale and mental component scale scores decreased as the grade of disability increased (p<0.001 for both scores). Hospitalization-free survival rate at 500 days was 64.2%, 56.7%, and 51.1% in the Non-D, Mild-D, and MS-D, respectively (p=0.001 for trend). Patient survival rate at 500 days was 95.3%, 89.5%, and 92.3% in the Non-D, Mild-D, and MS-D, respectively (p=0.005 for trend). Conclusion: Disability was associated with falls, frailty, HRQoL scales, and survival trends in Korean dialysis patients.

• Infection and chemotherapy
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• 제50권4호
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• pp.328-339
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• 2018

Background: Pneumococcal disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in patients with comorbidities and advanced age. This study evaluated trends in epidemiology of adult pneumococcal disease in Crete, Greece, by identifying serotype distribution and antimicrobial resistance of consecutive Streptococcus pneumoniae strains isolated from adults during an 8-year time period (2009-2016) and the indirect effect of the infant pneumococcal higher-valent conjugate vaccines 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV10) and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13). Materials and Methods: Antimicrobial susceptibility was performed by E-test and serotyping by Quellung reaction. Multidrug resistance (MDR) was defined as non-susceptibility to penicillin (PNSP) combined with resistance to ${\geq}2$ non-${\beta}$-lactam antimicrobials. Results: A total of 135 S. pneumoniae strains were isolated from adults during the study period. Twenty-one serotypes were identified with 17F, 15A, 3, 19A, and 11A, being the most common. The coverage rates of PCV10, and PCV13 were 17.8% and 37.8%, respectively. PCV13 serotypes decreased significantly from 68.4% in 2009 to 8.3% in 2016 (P = 0.002). The most important emerging non-PCV13 serotypes were 17F, 15A, and 11A, with 15A being strongly associated with antimicrobial resistance and MDR. Among all study isolates, penicillin-resistant and MDR strains represented 7.4% and 14.1%, respectively. Predominant PNSP serotypes were 19A (21.7%), 11A (17.4%), and 15A (17.4%). Erythromycin, clindamycin, tetracycline, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and levofloxacin resistant rates were 30.4%, 15.6%, 16.3%, 16.3%, and 1.5%, respectively. Conclusion: Although pneumococcal disease continues to be a health burden in adults in Crete, our study reveals a herd protection effect of the infant pneumococcal higher-valent conjugate vaccination. Surveillance of changes in serotype distribution and antimicrobial resistance among pneumococcal isolates are necessary to guide optimal prevention and treatment strategies.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제55권5호
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• pp.415-423
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• 2022

Economic evaluations in the healthcare are used to assess economic efficiency of pharmaceuticals and medical interventions such as diagnoses and medical procedures. This study introduces the main concepts of economic evaluation across its key steps: planning, outcome and cost calculation, modeling, cost-effectiveness results, uncertainty analysis, and decision-making. When planning an economic evaluation, we determine the study population, intervention, comparators, perspectives, time horizon, discount rates, and type of economic evaluation. In healthcare economic evaluations, outcomes include changes in mortality, the survival rate, life years, and quality-adjusted life years, while costs include medical, non-medical, and productivity costs. Model-based economic evaluations, including decision tree and Markov models, are mainly used to calculate the total costs and total effects. In cost-effectiveness or costutility analyses, cost-effectiveness is evaluated using the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, which is the additional cost per one additional unit of effectiveness gained by an intervention compared with a comparator. All outcomes have uncertainties owing to limited evidence, diverse methodologies, and unexplained variation. Thus, researchers should review these uncertainties and confirm their robustness. We hope to contribute to the establishment and dissemination of economic evaluation methodologies that reflect Korean clinical and research environment and ultimately improve the rationality of healthcare policies.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.8-13
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• 2022

Jeju is the largest island in Korea and one of its key tourist attractions. As the number of foreign tourists steadily increases, so does the number of injuries incurred there. Accordingly, this study aimed to describe and compare the characteristics of injuries suffered by foreign tourists versus those of domestic tourists. As a cross-sectional study of a retrospective medical record survey, the study was conducted with reference to the Jeju Injury Surveillance System from the 11-year period of January 2008 to December 2018. The following factors were investigated: demographic data, mechanism of injury, place of occurrence, activity when injured, patient outcome, and mortality. A total of 92,095 injured Jeju Island visitors was recorded during this time, a number that included 88,050 Koreans and 4,045 foreigners. The gender ratio showed similar patterns between the two groups and there were no significant age differences. In both groups, the most common mechanism of injury was collisions/cuts. Also, more foreigners experienced falls than Koreans. Regarding the location, Koreans had the most road accidents, while foreigners were most likely to be injured at outdoor locations, such as seas and rivers. Furthermore, more foreigners experienced severe injuries requiring hospitalization. Notably, this study showed the differences in injury between foreign and Korean tourists visiting Jeju Island and its findings lend support to targeted safety promotion programs.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.341-346
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• 1999

배경: 소아에서의 심장판막치환술은 성인에서의 심장판막치환술의 제반문제 이외에도 작은 판막의 혈류역학적 문제, 신체발육에 따른 재수술, 출산 및 항응고요법에 따른 여러 문제점이 있다. 이에 본 연구에서는 계명대학교 동산의료원 흉부외과에서 경험한 심장판막치환술에 대하여 후향적 조사를 실시하여 소아 심장판막치환술의 여러 문제점과 해결책을 규명하려 하였다. 대상 및 방법: 1982년부터 1997년까지 15세 이하 소아 30명에서 심장판막치환술을 시행하였다. 남아가 16명, 여아가 14명이었으며, 연령 분포는 3세에서 15세로 평균 연령은 12.1$\pm$3.2세 였다. 판막 부위별로 보면 승모판치환술 15례, 대동맥판치환술 11례, 삼첨판치환술이 3례였으며, 승모판 및 대동맥판치환술이 1례 있었다. 판막질환의 원인을 보면 선천성이 17명, 후천성이 13명이었다. 이용한 판막으로는 조직판막 10례, 기계판막 20례였으며 1985년 이후로는 조직판막은 사용하지 않았다. 기계판막치환 환자에서는 술후 coumadin으로 항응고치료를 지속하였으며, 조직판막치환 환자에서는 술후 3개월간 coumadin을 복용하였다. 판막치환술 이전에 심장수술을 받은 환자는 8명으로 엡스타인씨기형 교정술 2례, 심실중격결손증과 대동맥폐쇄부전의 교정술 2례가 있었으며, 그 외 대동맥판막하협착, 방실중격결손증, 대동맥판협착증 및 심실중격결손증 등의 교정술이 각각 1례씩 있었다. 판막치환시 동시에 시행한 술식으로는 삼첨판륜성형술 3례, 심실중격결손증 교정 2례, 동맥관개존증 결찰 2례, 대동맥판륜확장술 2례, 심실중격결손증과 동맥관개존증 교정 1례, 승모 풉낮첬括珝낵\ulcorner1례등이 있었다. 결과: 수술사망은 2례로 조기사망률은 6.7%였다. 수술생존자 28명중 4명은 장기추적관찰이 불가능하였으며, 총 2091환자.월(평균 74.7$\pm$68.4개월, 최장 187개월)동안 관찰하였다. 이 기간중 판막의 혈전, 혈전색전증 및 항응고치료에 따른 출혈등의 합병증은 없었으나, 조직판막을 이용한 10례중 8례에서 술후 평균 87.1$\pm$23.6개월에 판막기능부전으로 재수술하였으며(이중 2례는 타 병원에서 수술함), 기계판막을 치환한 1례에서 판막주위누출과 감염으로 술후 3개월째 재수술하였다. 재수술시 사망례는 없었다. 만기사망은 1례로 방실중격결손증 교정술후 잔존 승모판폐쇄부전으로 승모판치환술을 받은 7세환아로 판막치환술후 4개월에 확장성심근염으로 사망하였다. 조직판막의 경우 생명표분석에 의한 판막실패가 없는 장기누적률은 6년째 75.0%, 7년째 50.0%, 8년째 12.5%의 기록을 보여 술후 6년에서 8년에 걸쳐 격감하는 양상을 보였다. 수술사망 2례를 제외한 28명의 장기생존률을 Kaplan-Meiyer법에 의해 분석하였을때 4개월째 생존률이 96.0%로 그 이후로는 사망례가 없었다. 결론:이상의 결과로 보아 소아 심장판막치환술은 비교적 안전하고, 술후 적절한 추적관찰이 행해질 경우 항응고요법에 따른 합병증은 거의 없으나, 5세이하 소아나 판막치환술 이전에 심장수술을 한 경우는 위험도가 여전히 높은 것으로 사료된다.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제40권1호
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• pp.17-24
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• 2007

배경: 본 연구의 목적은 선천성 대동맥 판막협착증의 치료 술식에 따른 성적 및 추적 결과를 조사하여 증상이 나타나는 시기와 판막 형태에 따라서 바람직한 치료 술식을 알아보는 것이다. 대상 및 방법: 1987년 8월부터 2004년 6월까지 선천성 대동맥 판막협착증의 진단으로 시술 또는 수술 및 재수술을 시행한 53명을 대상으로 하였다(평균 연령=$8.2{\pm}6.0$세). 이중 49% (26/53)에서 이엽성 판막이었다. 시행한 시술은 경피적 풍선 판막성형술 16예, 대동맥 판막성형술 32예, Ross 술식 19예, 그리고 대동맥 판막 치환 14예였다. 평균 추적기간은 처음 수술을 받은 후부터 평균 $80.6{\pm}60$개월$(0{\sim}207)$이었다. 결과: 조기 사망은 15.1% (8/53)이었고 만기 사망은 없었다 사망원인은 위급한 대동맥 판막협착증(critical aortic stenosis)으로 초기에 대동맥 판막성형술을 시행했던 6예(1세 미만; 4예)와 Ross 술식과 판막치환을 시행한 환자에서 각각 1예씩 발생하였다 경피적 풍선 판막성형술은 위급한 대동맥 판막 협착증의 처음 치료술식(initial operation)으로 16예 중 14예에서 재수술이 필요하였고 10예에서 Ross술식이 행하여 졌다. 대동맥 판막성형술을 시행한 32예 중 13예에서 재수술이 필요하였고 9예에서 판막치환, 4예에서 Ross술식이 시행되었다. Ross술식을 시행한 19예 중 2예에서 재수술이 필요하였다. Ross술식의 7년 실제 생존율은 90.5%였다. 결론:선천성 대동맥 판막협착증의 치료는 1세 미만에서는 경피적 풍선 판막성형술은 고식적이지만 초기 시술로서 안전하게 시술될 수 있었다. 1세 이상에서는 대동맥 판막성형술이 비교적 만족스런 장기 성적을 보였다. Ross 술식은 최근에는 안전하게 시술될 수 있었고 장기 성적도 나쁘지 않았다.