• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.889-898
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• 1997

Pulmonary Embolism can develop in variable conditions, and presents with nonspecific symptoms and signs. If diagnosis is delayed, it can be resulted in catastrophic results. Therefore, early diagnosis and adequate treatment is crucial in Pulmonary Embolism. Lung Perfusion Scan is useful screening test. Negative result can exclude pulmonary embolism. But, perfusion defects don't always mean pulmonary embolism. To find the better methods of interpretation of lung perfusion scan and To evaluate the clinical course and outcomes of the patients, in whom pulmonary embolism was suspected by lung perfusion scan, we reviewed the clinical records of 49 cases suspected by lung perfusion scan at Seoul National University Hospital during the period of January, 1995 to July, 1996. The results are as follows. First impression of cases in which PE was present at time of admission were pulmonary embolism (63%), heart diseases (26%), and pneumonia (11%) in orders. Underlying diseases of cases in which PE developed during admission were malignancy (36.5%), ICH (22.7%), sepsis (13.7%), and SLE (9.1%) in orders. The predisposing factors were operation (20%), cancer (16%), immobility (16%), connective tissue disease (16%), heart dis. (10%), old age (10%), and preg/pelvic dis. (8%) The results, of lung perfusion scan were HPPE 40 cases(26.8 %), IPPE 21 cases(14.1%), LPPE 88 cases (59.1%), and cases(%) of treatment in these cases were HPPE 34 cases(85%), IPPE 9 cases(42.9%), LPPE 0 case(0.0%). Treatments were heparin and warfarin (69.5%), heparin alone (8.2%), warfarin alone (2.0%), embolectomy (4.1%), thrombolytics (2.0%), IVC filter (2.0%), and no treatment (12.2%) In 34 cases (69.4%), follow up could be done, and 5 cases were recurred (10.2%). The causes of recurrence was incomplete anticoagulant therapy (3 cases) and recurrence of predisposing factor (2 cases). Expired case due to pulmonary embolism was one who was expired just before trial of thrombolytic therapy. Conclusion : Efforts should be made to shorten the interval from onset of Sx to Dx, ie, high index of suspision.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.19-24
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• 2015

Purpose: Many patients who are acutely poisoned with organophosphorus pesticides have co-ingested alcohol. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that influence mortality in organophosphate intoxication and the differences between alcohol coingested patients and non-coingested patients, looking at vital signs, length of admission, cholinesterase activity, complications, and mortality. Methods: All patients visiting one Emergency Department (ED) with organophosphate intoxication between January 2000 and December 2012 were reviewed retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups, alcohol coingested group and non-coingested group. Results: During the study period, 136 patients (alcohol coingested group, 95 patients; non-coingested group, 41 patients) presented to the ED with organophosphate intoxication. Seventy-one alcohol coingested patients (74.1%) vs. 16 non-coingested patients (39.0%) received endotracheal intubation, with results of the analysis showing a clear distinction between the two groups (p=0.001). Twenty-three alcohol coingested patients (24.2%) vs. 1 non-coingested patient (2.4%) required inotropics, indicating a significant gap (p=0.002). Twenty-eight alcohol coingested patients (29.5%) vs. 2 non-coingested patients (4.9%) died, with results of the analysis showing a clear distinction between the two groups (p=0.002). Conclusion: In cases of organophosphate intoxication, alcohol coingested patients tended to receive endotracheal intubation, went into shock, developed central nervous system complications, and more died.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.130-136
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• 2006

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to confirm the epidemiologic change of the causative organisms of neonatal and pediatric bacterial meningitis in Korea. And we tried to evaluate the risk factors correlated with prognosis which was available on the day of admission. Methods : Retrospectively, we reviewed the medical records of 57 patients admitted for bacterial meningitis at six hospitals affiliated with Catholic Medical Center for 6 years(Jan. 2000~Dec. 2005). Results : 22 cases(38.6%) of them were neonates under 28 days and 35 cases were infants and children ; 16 cases(28.1%), under 1 year ; 6 cases(10.5%), under 5 years ; 13 cases (22.8%), under 15 years. In neonates, 16 cases(72.7%) were caused by group B streptococcus (GBS). In infants and children, S. pneumoniae(25.7%), H. influenzae type b(Hib)(22.8%) and N. meningitidis(22.8%) were common cause of bacterial meningitis in order. In the informations available on the day of admission, weight deficit for age under 3 percentile, increased CRP level and decreased glucose level of CSF were related to poor prognosis(P<0.05). Conclusion : GBS became a leading cause of neonatal bacterial meningitis. Though, pneumoccocal, Hib and meningococcal meningitis were confirmed as major causes of bacterial meningitis. The routine immunization of pneumococcal and Hib vaccines will be considered, and it is necessary to introduce meningococcal vaccines to our country in the future.

• The Journal of Sustainable Design and Educational Environment Research
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.1-15
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• 2019

This study analyzes universities in Japan, which haves many similarities with those in Korea in certain aspects of the educational system and a common problem of reduced university admission resources, Korea's national university facility standards, policy related to nation-level university facility, and practical campus case. Through this, the study aims to examine the difference in the national approach and basic philosophy about university facilities in Korea and Japan, and also identify the major planning factors and improvement directions when establishing plans for university campuses in the future. The results of this study are as follows. First, Korea tends to promote policies related to university facilities by individual projects centered on a major pending problem or issue, while Japan has been shown to promote national university facility policies under a comprehensive mid-to-long-term plan by establishing a maintenance plan aimed at national university facilities every five years. Second, In the case of the university facility areas, the average university facility area of the examined universities in Japan is about 5.6% larger than the average university facility area in Korea. Additionally, the university facility area per student in Japan is about 13% wider than that of Korea. The total floor area of university facilities in Japan is also about 20.7% larger than that of Korea, and the university facility area per student in Japan is about 56.7% wider than that of Korea as well. Among support facilities, the total floor area of dormitories in Korea was 2.5 times wider than that of Japan, however, the acceptance rate of dormitory in Korea was 5.6% higher than Japan. Third, the university facility criteria items and systems of two countries are similar. but there are slight differences in the content such as the method of calculating student capacity, division classification, and the method of calculating the number of teachers.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.214-222
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• 2004

Purpose: Appropriate antibiotic therapy is important in childhood urinary tract infection and the selection of anibiotics is based on antimicrobial sensitivity of Escherichia coli. Extended-Spectrum ${\beta}-Lactamase(ESBL)$ is an enzyme produced by gram-negative bacilli that has the ability to hydrolyse penicillins, broad-spectrum cephalosporin and monobactam. There have been many reports of outbreaks of hospital infection by ESBL-producing organism. However, community-acquired infection with ESBL-producing organism are rare. This study was performed to retrospectively identify the incidence, characteristics and risk factors of ESBL (+) E. coli in community-acquired childhood UTI. Methods: In 288 children admitted in Ewha Womans University Hospital with E. coli UTI from Mar 2001 to February 2003, ESBL was isolated. ESBL was confirmed by the utilization of an automatized machine(Vitek GNS 433 card) using liquid medium dilution method according to National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standard. The clinical characteristics, risk factors, antimicrobial resistance and treatment effectiveness were compared with ESBL(-) E. coli UTI. Results: Of 288 E. coli isolates, 31(10.8%) produced ESBL and 93.5%(29/31) occurred in infants younger than 6 month of age(P<0.01). No significant differences were noted in prior antibiotic use, prior admission history and underlying urogenital anomaly. Antimicrobial resistance was significantly higher in ESBL(+) E. coli compared with control patients (P<0.05). Although ceftriaxone showed 100% resistance in ESBL(+) E. coli, bacteriologic sterilization rate after ceftriaxone therapy was higher(96.8%). However, the recurrence rate of febrile UTI within 6 months was higher(25.8%) than control patients(6.6%). Conclusion: Epidemiologic study is required to find out any new risk factors of community-acquired ESBL(+) E. coli UTI and changes in selection of empirical antibiotics should be considered.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.337-343
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• 2021

Background: Chromogranin A (CgA) levels have been reported to predict mortality in patients with heart failure. However, information on the prognostic value and clinical availability of CgA is limited. We compared the prognostic value of CgA to that of previously proven natriuretic peptide biomarkers in patients with acute heart failure. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 272 patients (mean age, 68.5±15.6 years; 62.9% male) who underwent CgA test in the acute stage of heart failure hospitalization between June 2017 and June 2018. The median follow-up period was 348 days. Prognosis was assessed using the composite events of 1-year death and heart failure hospitalization. Results: In-hospital mortality rate during index admission was 7.0% (n=19). During the 1-year follow-up, a composite event rate was observed in 12.1% (n=33) of the patients. The areas under the receiver-operating characteristic curves for predicting 1-year adverse events were 0.737 and 0.697 for N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and CgA, respectively. During follow-up, patients with high CgA levels (>158 pmol/L) had worse outcomes than those with low CgA levels (≤158 pmol/L) (85.2% vs. 58.6%, p<0.001). When stratifying the patients into four subgroups based on CgA and NT-proBNP levels, patients with high NT-proBNP and high CgA had the worst outcome. CgA had an incremental prognostic value when added to the combination of NT-proBNP and clinically relevant risk factors. Conclusion: The prognostic power of CgA was comparable to that of NT-proBNP in patients with acute heart failure. The combination of CgA and NT-proBNP can improve prognosis prediction in these patients.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.215-225
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• 2015

This study was conducted to develop a severity-adjusted LOS(Length of Stay) model for knee replacement patients and identify factors that can influence the LOS by using the Korean National Hospital Discharge in-depth Injury Survey data. The comorbidity scoring systems and data-mining methods were used to design a severity-adjusted LOS model which covered 4,102 knee replacement patients. In this study, a decision tree model using CCS comorbidity scoring index was chosen for the final model that produced superior results. Factors such as presence of arthritis, patient sex and admission route etc. influenced patient length of stay. And there was a statistically significant difference between real LOS and adjusted LOS resulted from health-insurance type, bed size, and hospital location. Therefore the policy alternative on excessive medical utilization is needed to reduce variation in length of hospital stay in patients who undergo knee replacement.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.75-82
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• 2010

Purpose: In Korea, trauma is the $3^{rd}$ most common cause of death. The trauma treatment system is divided into pre-hospital and hospital stages. Deaths occurring in the pre-hospital stage are 50% of the total death, and 20% of those are deaths that are preventable. Therefore, the purpose of our study is to calculate the preventable death rates caused by trauma in our current pre-hospital system, to analyze the appropriateness of the treatment of traumatized patients and to draw a conclusions about the problems we have. Methods: The study was done on traumatized patients who expired at the emergency department from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2009, at the Korea University Medical Centers in Anam, Guro and Ansan. The data on the patients were reviewed retrospectively based on characteristics, conditions on admission and trauma severity. The patient's RTS (revised trauma score) and ISS (injury severity score) was calculated. Preventable death rate was calculated by TRISS (the trauma score-injury severity score). Results: A total of 168 patients were enrolled. All patients were intubated and underwent CPR. Of the total, 72% patients were male, and traffic accidents were the most common form of trauma (52.4%), falls being second (28.6%). Head injury, solitary or multiple, was the most common cause of death (55.4%). Thirty-eight (38, 22.6%) deaths were preventable. The 22.6% preventable death rate consisted of 15.5% potentially preventable and 7.1% definitely preventable deaths. Based on a logistic regression analysis, the relationship between the time intervals until transfusion and imaging and death was statistically significant in the hospital stage. In the pre-hospital stage, transit time from the site of the injury to the hospital showed a significant relationship with the mortality rate. Conclusion: One hundred sixty-eight (168) patients died of trauma at the 3 hospitals of Korea University Medical Center. The TRISS method was used to calculate the preventable death rate, with a result of 22.6%. The only factor that was significant related to the preventable death rate in the pre-hospital stage was the time from injury to hospital arrival, and the time intervals until transfusion and imaging were the two factors that showed significance in the hospital stage. Shortening the time of treatment in the field and transferring the patient to the hospital as quickly as possible is the most important life-saving step in the pre-hospital stage. In the hospital stage, the primary survey, resuscitation and diagnosis should proceed simultaneously.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.1007-1017
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• 2020

Objective: The purpose of our study was to investigate the predictive abilities of clinical and computed tomography (CT) features for outcome prediction in patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Materials and Methods: The clinical and CT data of 238 patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 in our two hospitals were retrospectively analyzed. One hundred sixty-six patients (103 males; age 43.8 ± 12.3 years) were allocated in the training cohort and 72 patients (38 males; age 45.1 ± 15.8 years) from another independent hospital were assigned in the validation cohort. The primary composite endpoint was admission to an intensive care unit, use of mechanical ventilation, or death. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard analyses were performed to identify independent predictors. A nomogram was constructed based on the combination of clinical and CT features, and its prognostic performance was externally tested in the validation group. The predictive value of the combined model was compared with models built on the clinical and radiological attributes alone. Results: Overall, 35 infected patients (21.1%) in the training cohort and 10 patients (13.9%) in the validation cohort experienced adverse outcomes. Underlying comorbidity (hazard ratio [HR], 3.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.67-6.71; p < 0.001), lymphocyte count (HR, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.04-0.38; p < 0.001) and crazy-paving sign (HR, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.03-4.48; p = 0.042) were the independent factors. The nomogram displayed a concordance index (C-index) of 0.82 (95% CI, 0.76-0.88), and its prognostic value was confirmed in the validation cohort with a C-index of 0.89 (95% CI, 0.82-0.96). The combined model provided the best performance over the clinical or radiological model (p < 0.050). Conclusion: Underlying comorbidity, lymphocyte count and crazy-paving sign were independent predictors of adverse outcomes. The prognostic nomogram based on the combination of clinical and CT features could be a useful tool for predicting adverse outcomes of patients with COVID-19.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.672-676
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• 2006

Purpose : Low dose aspirin is used due to its antiplatelet effect for the subacute phase of Kawasaki disease(KD). It is usually used for 6-8 weeks, then various hematologic laboratory tests and follow up echocardiography for evaluating coronary abnormalities are performed. Our review investigated the usefulness of various follow up laboratory tests performed at 6 weeks after the onset of KD. Methods : Two hundred eighty-two children diagnosed and hospitalized with KD were identified by reviewing patient's charts. Cases which were diagnosed between January 1997 and December 2004 were included in this study. We reviewed laboratory data including leukocytes, platelet counts, antistreptolysin O(ASO), erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR), C-reactive protein(CRP), aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alanine aminotransferase(ALT), urinalysis, and echocardiograms performed at admission and 6 weeks after the onset of KD. Paired t-test and Fisher's exact test, as well as logistic regression tests, were used for the statistical analysis. Results : At 6th week data, ESR and CRP were still elevated in 35(12.4 percent) and 12(4.3 percent) patients, respectively. Sterile pyuria were all normalized. But, 36 patients(12.8 percent) showed thrombocytosis, 22(7.8 percent) elevated AST, 15(5.3 percent) leukocytosis, and 6(2.1 percent) coronary abnormalities. Coronary abnormalities at the 6th week were only shown in patients with initial abnormalites. Younger age and initial thrombocytosis were risk factors for thrombocytosis at the 6th week. Conclusion : All children with initial coronary abonormalites should have an echocardiogram at 6 weeks after the onset of fever. In view of case-effectiveness, additional echocardiographic studies are justified only if abnormalities are present at admission. ESR, CRP, and urinalysis performed at the 6 weeks after onset of KD is not significant for clinical information of progression. Platelet count should be estimated at 6th week for a judgement of continuous antiplatelet therapy.