• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.248-251
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• 2018

This retrospective study reports the effects of combined traditional Korean treatment of cervical radiculopathy in patients who underwent ineffective epidural steroid injection treatment. This study analyzed cervical radiculopathy in patients who visited traditional Korean medicine hospital following an ineffective epidural steroid injection. There were 29 cases included in this study. Scores for Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Neck Disability Index (NDI) were measured before and after combined treatment with acupuncture, herbal medicine, and chuna therapy. The results of this study showed that patient VAS scores for neck and shoulder pain were significantly reduced (p < 0.001) when comparing scores before treatment ($6.03{\pm}2.04$) with after treatment ($2.14{\pm}1.27$). In addition, the VAS score for radiating pain before treatment ($6.67{\pm}1.44$) compared with after treatment ($2.89{\pm}1.83$) showed a significant reduction (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the NDI score before treatment ($25.85{\pm}6.33$) compared with after treatment ($11.33{\pm}7.47$), also showed a significant reduction (p < 0.001). The results in this study showed the positive effects of combined traditional Korean medicine treatment in significantly reducing pain for patients with cervical radiculopathy, who had ineffective anesthesia.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.208-213
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• 2023

Objectives: Orthognathic surgery is a corrective intervention for maxillofacial deformities. Bleeding is a major concern for oral and maxillofacial surgeons. Various agents, such as hemocoagulase, tranexamic acid, and aprotinin have been developed to reduce intraoperative bleeding and transfusion requirements. Therefore, in this study we aimed to investigate the effects of hemocoagulase and tranexamic acid, as well as their simultaneous use, to reduce bleeding during orthognathic surgery. Patients and Methods: This retrospective study included patients who had undergone simultaneous orthognathic surgery of the maxilla and mandible between January 2013 and September 2022 and were classified into three groups based on drugs administered: hemocoagulase (Botropase), tranexamic acid, and a combination of both drugs. We recorded patient age, sex, weight, blood loss, and duration of surgery. Red blood cell (RBC), hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelet levels were measured before, immediately after, and one day after surgery. Results: No statistically significant differences were found in blood loss, RBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit, or platelet levels between any of the groups. There were no differences in the drug effects between Le Fort I and bilateral mandibular sagittal split osteotomies, with or without double genioplasty. However, there were significant reductions in RBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelet levels during genioplasty. Conclusion: Tranexamic acid, hemocoagulase, and their combination had similar efficacy in patients who underwent Le Fort I and bilateral mandibular sagittal split osteotomies with and without genioplasty.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.69-80
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• 2020

Objective: The aim of this study was to report the improvement of stroke symptoms in patients using Mokdanpisaback-san. Methods: This study was carried out on patients hospitalized at the Department of Korean Internal Medicine of Jecheon Korean Medicine Hospital of Semyung University from October 2014 to September 2019. A retrospective study was performed on 43 patients who were diagnosed with stroke and Soyangin and treated with Mokdanpisaback-san. Results & Conclusion: 1. Mokdanpisaback-san is effective in improving various symptoms of stroke, including dysarthria, dysphagia, movement disorder, paresthesia, quadriplegia, and dizziness. 2. Mokdanpisaback-san significantly improves the motor disorders of stroke, including lower extremity muscle strength, standing, and walking disorders. 3. Mokdanpisaback-san does not affect the liver or kidney function.

• Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.73-95
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• 2012

Two experiments were conducted to verify how the factors of attentional dispersion, reason for waiting, and cue of time flow affect the perceived waiting time. In experiment 1, based on the characteristics of waiting experience that Maister(1985) suggested, levels of attentional dispersion and whether or not offering a reason for waiting were manipulated. Participants estimated elapsed time(the objective time was 10 minutes) using either prospective or retrospective estimation method. Overall results were that they overestimated the elapsed time regardless of the experimental conditions. However, both main effects of the attentional dispersion and the reason for waiting were statistically significant. That is, when attention was more dispersed and when the reason was given, overestimation of elapsed time was reduced. No difference was found between the two estimation methods, and none of the interaction was significant. Experiment 2 was a replication of Experiment 1 except that a cue of time flow was added by using scroll bar on a computer screen. Because it has been suggested that the cue can help us to manage the waiting time and result in differences between the two time estimation methods. The results showed that main effects of the attentional dispersion and the reason for waiting were significant as those in Experiment 1. In addition, main effect of time estimation method and the three-way interaction were also significant. None of two-way interaction was significant. That is, the perceived waiting time is much shorter in the retrospective method, and the effects of the attentional dispersion and the reason of waiting were dependent upon the estimation methods. Both experiments showed that offering a clear reason for waiting is more important than the attentional dispersion in reducing the perceived waiting time. Some implications of these results for the service industry and the future direction of research were discussed in the final section.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.22-31
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• 2021

Objectives: We conducted a retrospective chart review to investigate the effects of Korean Medicine (KM) treatment on weight loss in patients with morbid obesity (body mass index [BMI]≥30 kg/m²) and to compare the effects of KM counseling and non-counseling on weight loss. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of patients with morbid obesity who received KM treatment for at least 1 month. We evaluated the effects of KM treatment on body weight, BMI, body fat, fat mass, EuroQol-5D, and the Korean version of the obesity-related quality of life scale (KOQOL). We also assessed the liver and kidney functions, and adverse events. We performed a comparative analysis between the counseling and non-counseling groups. Results: A total of 37 patients who underwent 4 weeks of KM treatment involving Wolbi-tang, electroacupuncture, and KM counseling were included in this study. Twenty-one patients were assigned to the counseling group and sixteen patients to the non-counseling group. There was a significant decrease in weight, BMI, fat mass, and KOQOL (P<0.05) with improvements in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides. The counseling group had a greater reduction in body weight, BMI, body fat, and fat mass compared to the non-counseling group, although it was not significant. In the BMI below 35 (n=25), the reduction ratio of body weight, body fat mass, and body fat was higher in the counseling group than in the non-counseling group; additionally, body fat decreased significantly in counseling group (P<0.05). No severe adverse effects were observed. Conclusion: KM treatment could be effective for weight loss, especially in patients with morbid obesity, KM counseling could also be a good tool for weight loss, typically in patients with BMI<35 kg/m².

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.41-58
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• 2023

Objectives: This retrospective observational study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of Cheongpebaedok-tang, a traditional Korean herbal medicine, provided via telemedicine to patients with asymptomatic to mild COVID-19 in Korea. Methods: From February to April 2020, a retrospective analysis investigated COVID-19 patients treated via Korean telemedicine. The study involved asymptomatic to mild cases receiving Cheongpebaedok-tang more than three times, along with continuous Korean medicine care in convalescence. Diagnoses and treatment adhered to the telemedicine guidelines of the Association of Korean Medicine, with varied Cheongpebaedok-tang prescriptions based on symptom severity. Symptom evaluation involved a detailed assessment using a 15-item tool at initial and final sessions. Results: The study included 27 patients, with a mean age of 48.7 ± 2.3 years (mean ± standard error). Patients began self-administering oral Cheongpebaedok-tang for an average of 19.4 ± 1.8 days after the date of COVID-19 diagnosis confirmation and continued the medication for 15.8 ± 1.2 days. The reported side effects of the Cheongpebaedok-tang included palpitations (11.1%), insomnia (7.4%), dizziness (3.7%), and diarrhea (3.7%). All side effects disappeared after adjusting the prescription according to standard treatment guidelines. The occurrence of all COVID-19-related adverse symptoms, except fatigue and myalgia, decreased. Fatigue was the most common chronic symptom persisting after 6 months (51.9%), followed by ocular symptoms (37.0%) and sore throat (22.2%). Conclusions: This study implies Cheongpebaedok-tang may offer a potentially safe, symptom-alleviating approach for managing mild COVID-19 cases via telemedicine, although further comprehensive research is warranted.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.259-269
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• 2020

Background: This study aims to statistically analyze and compare the curative effect and satisfaction level between typical traditional Korean medicine treatment and nonsurgical spinal decompression treatment. Methods: Of the patients who were diagnosed with the cervical or lumbar herniated intervertebral disc at the Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Medicine at the Daejeon Korean Medicine Hospital from April 14^th to August 25^th, 2019, this study retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 31 patients who underwent nonsurgical spinal decompression treatment and traditional Korean medicine (assigned to Group A) and another 31 patients who received typical traditional Korean medicine alone (assigned to Group B). The clinical data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Version 23.0. Results: No statistically significant differences appeared in terms of sociodemographic, condition, and therapeutic characteristics, except whether the patient received Western medicine treatment, before or after a treatment with traditional Korean medicine. Group A exhibited higher variations in numeric rating scale, EuroQol- 5 dimension and EuroQol visual analogue scale scores compared to Group B as determined by independent sample t test and analysis of covariance. In addition, the satisfaction score of Group A was higher than that of Group B The result of cross analysis revealed that desire for continued treatment in Group A was higher than that of Group B. Conclusion: This retrospective observational study showed that the patients with nonsurgical spinal decompression treatment reported a greater reduction in pain, improved quality of life and satisfaction than patients receiving typical traditional Korean medicine.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.212-224
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• 2014

There are several studies on the effects of emissions of highly reactive volatile organic compounds (HRVOC) from the industrial sources in the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria (HGB) area on the high ozone events during the Texas Air Quality Study (TexAQS) in summer of 2000. They showed that the modeled atmosphere lacked reactivity to produce the observed high ozone event and suggested "imputation" of HRVOC emissions from the base inventory. Byun et al. (2007b) showed the imputed inventory leads to too high ethylene concentrations compared to the measurements at the chemical super sites but still too little aloft compared to the NOAA aircraft. The paper suggested that the lack of reactivity in the modeled Houston atmosphere must be corrected by targeted, and sometimes of episodic, increase of HRVOC emissions from the large sources such as flares in the Houston Ship Channel (HSC) distributed into the deeper level of the boundary layer. We performed retrospective meteorological and air quality modeling to achieve better air quality prediction of ozone by comparison with various chemical and meteorological measurements during the Texas Air Quality Study periods in August-September 2006 (TexA QS-II). After identifying several shortcomings of the forecast meteorological simulations and emissions inputs, we prepared new retrospective meteorological simulations and updated emissions inputs. We utilized assimilated MM5 inputs to achieve better meteorological simulations (detailed description of MM5 assimilation can be found in F. Ngan et al., 2012) and used them in this study for air quality simulations. Using the better predicted meteorological results, we focused on the emissions uncertainty in order to capture high peak ozone which occasionally happens in the HGB area. We described how the ozone predictions are affected by emissions uncertainty in the air quality simulations utilizing different emission inventories and adjustments.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.39-47
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• 2016

Objectives : This study was conducted to examine the clinical effects of thread embedding acupuncture on lumbar herniated intervertebral disc patients. Methods : This is a retrospective study based on clinical charts. Despite the treatments of acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, herbal medicine, and physical therapy during admission period, 10 lumbar herniated intervertebral disc patients who had shown few improvements in their symptoms were selected as subjects. Thread embedding acupuncture was conducted to reduce patient pain. Patient progress was categorized into three periods based on when the embedding procedure performed. Verbal numeric rating scale (VNRS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), and a 5 step evaluation scale for satisfaction were used to analyze the outcome. Results : Regarding comparison of VNRS improvement rate, both 3 and 6 days after embedding progress showed significant difference compared to before embedding progress. ODI improvement rate showed significant difference only 6 days after embedding progress. Patients' satisfaction with treatment had increased by several degrees. Conclusion : Thread embedding acupuncture for lumbar herniated intervertebral disc patients may be effective in reducing pain and improving their quality of life.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.96-99
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• 2014

Purpose: The objective of this retrospective pilot study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Gabapentin in patients with primary burning mouth syndrome (BMS). Methods: Ten subjects were diagnosed with primary BMS (8 women and 2 men). The mean age was 60.1 years. They had clinical examination to exclude local factors such as the presence of Candida species, xerostomia, lichen planus, etc. They also underwent hematological examination to exclude secondary BMS due to systemic disorders. Pain was assessed by patients on an 11-point numerical rating score system (0 to 10). Gabapentin was administered at a starting dose of 300 mg/day, slowly titrated up to maximum of 1,800 mg/day. All patients were treated for 4 weeks. Results: One half of the patients (n=5) obtained reduction in pain over the treatment period. Four patients reported no reduction in pain symptoms. One patient reported that symptoms were worsening. The average pain score before the treatment was 6.3 and after the treatment was 5.25. No significant relationship was detected between pretreatment and posttreatment pain score. Only one patient noted mild side effect (dizziness). Conclusions: This retrospective pilot study provides no preliminary evidence that Gabapentin has effect in the management of BMS. However, further research (well-designed, randomized, and controlled trial with large sample) would be needed to investigate the efficacy of Gabapentin in treatment of BMS.