• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.53 no.3
• /
• pp.121-126
• /
• 2020

Background: The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical outcomes of autogenous brachiocephalic arteriovenous fistulas and to investigate the factors associated with 1-year patency after initiation of hemodialysis. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 41 patients who underwent surgery to create an autogenous brachiocephalic arteriovenous fistula between January 2015 and December 2017, received hemodialysis at the same hospital for longer than 1 year, and were monitored for their vascular access status. Intraoperative flow was measured using transit-time ultrasonography. Results: The 1-year primary and secondary patency rates were 61% (n=25) and 87.8% (n=36), respectively. The functional group (subjects who required no intervention to maintain patency within the first year after hemodialysis initiation) displayed a significantly higher median intraoperative flow rate (450 mL/min) than the non-functional group (subjects who required intervention at least once regardless of 1-year patency) (275 mL/min) (p=0.038). Based on a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, all patients were additionally subdivided into a high-flow group (>240 mL/min) and a low-flow group (≤240 mL/min). The high-flow group included a significantly greater number of functional brachiocephalic arteriovenous fistulas than the low-flow group (74.2% vs. 20%, respectively; p=0.007). Conclusion: Transit-time flow, as measured with intraoperative transit-time ultrasonography, was associated with patency without the need for intervention at 1 year after initiation of hemodialysis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.7
• /
• pp.3261-3265
• /
• 2014

Background: To evaluate serum VEGF-A levels in squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck (SCCHN) patients and relationships with response to therapy. Materials and Methods: Serum VEGF-A levels in patients (n=72) treated with radiotherapy (RT) or radio-chemotherapy (RCT) and controls (n=40) were measured by ELISA. Results: Serum VEGF-A levels of the SCCHN cases were significantly higher (p=0.001) than in healthy controls, and in patients with positive as compared to negative lymph node status (p=0.004). Similarly, patients with advanced stage (Stage III-IV) disease had more greatly elevated levels of serum VEGF-A level than their early stage (Stage I-II) counterparts (p=0.001). In contrast, there was no significant difference (p=0.57) in serum level of VEGF-A in patients with advanced T-stage (T3-4) as compared to early stage (T1-2). Similarly, patients with distant metastasis had no significant (p=0.067) elevation in serum VEGF-A level as compared to non-metastatic disease. However, the non-responder patients had significantly higher serum VEGF-A level as compared to responders (p=0.001). Conclusions: Our results suggest that the serum VEGF-A level may be a useful biomarker for the prediction of response to therapy in SCCHN.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.1053-1057
• /
• 2012

Objective: Identifying cancer-related genes or proteins is critical in preventing and controlling colorectal cancer (CRC). This study was to investigate the clinicopathological and prognostic value of activating transcription factor 1 (ATF1) in CRC. Methods: Protein expression of ATF1 was detected using immunohistochemistry in 66 CRC tissues. Clinicopathological association of ATF1 in CRC was analyzed with chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. The prognostic value of ATF1 in CRC is estimated using the Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression models. Results: The ATF1 protein expression was significantly lower in tumor tissues than corresponding normal tissues (51.5% and 71.1%, respectively, P = 0.038). No correlation was found between ATF1 expression and the investigated clinicopathological parameters, including gender, age, depth of invasion, lymph node status, metastasis, pathological stage, vascular tumoral emboli, peritumoral deposits, chemotherapy and original tumor site (all with P > 0.05). Patients with higher ATF1 expression levels have a significantly higher survival rate than that with lower expression (P = 0.026 for overall survival, P = 0.008 for progress free survival). Multivariate Cox regression model revealed that ATF1 expression and depth of invasion were the predictors of the overall survival (P = 0.008 and P = 0.028) and progress free survival (P = 0.002 and P = 0.005) in CRC. Conclusions: Higher ATF1 expression is a predictor of a favorable outcome for the overall survival and progress free survival in CRC.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• v.47 no.4
• /
• pp.324-332
• /
• 2020

Background The deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flap is the commonest flap used for breast reconstruction after mastectomy. It is performed as a unilateral (based on one [unipedicled] or two [bipedicled] vascular pedicles) or bilateral procedure following unilateral or bilateral mastectomies. No previous studies have comprehensively analyzed analgesia requirements and hospital stay of these three forms of surgical reconstruction. Methods A 7-year retrospective cohort study (2008-2015) of a single-surgeon's DIEP-patients was conducted. Patient-reported pain scores, patient-controlled morphine requirements and recovery times were compared using non-parametric statistics and multivariable regression. Results The study included 135 participants: unilateral unipedicled (n=84), unilateral bipedicled (n=24) and bilateral unipedicled (n=27). Univariate comparison of the three DIEP types showed a significant difference in 12-hour postoperative morphine requirements (P=0.020); bipedicled unilateral patients used significantly less morphine than unipedicled (unilateral) patients at 12 (P=0.005), 24 (P=0.020), and 48 (P=0.046) hours. Multivariable regression comparing these two groups revealed that both reconstruction type and smoking status were significant predictors for 12-hour postoperative morphine usage (P=0.038 and P=0.049, respectively), but only smoking, remained significant at 24 (P=0.010) and 48 (P=0.010) hours. Bilateral reconstruction patients' mean hospital stay was 2 days longer than either unilateral reconstruction (P<0.001). Conclusions Although all three forms of DIEP flap breast reconstruction had similar postoperative pain measures, a novel finding of our study was that bipedicled DIEP flap harvest might be associated with lower early postoperative morphine requirements. Bilateral and bipedicled procedures in appropriate patients might therefore be undertaken without significantly increased pain/morbidity compared to unilateral unipedicled reconstructions.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.36-41
• /
• 2008

Surgical treatment of compressive ulnar neuropathy at the elbow has been performed with a wide variety of techniques. Among these techniques, anterior submuscular transposition of the ulnar nerve has been regarded as the method of choice by many authors. It has many advantages including a low recurrence rate, scar-free vascular bed, and protection from repeated trauma to the nerve. However, anterior submuscular transposition is technically demanding and requires more extensive soft tissue dissection. On the other hand, anterior subfascial transposition is less invasive, requires a relatively shorter operation time than the submuscular technique, and also can be done safely even in patiensts with elbow arthritis. We evaluated the clinical results of anterior submuscular transposition compared with anterior subfascial transposition. Fifteen patients underwent anterior submuscular transposition and ten patients underwent anterior subfascial transposition of the ulnar nerve. The mean follow-up time was 15 months (range 10 to 38 months) in the anterior submuscular transposition group and 7 months (range 6 to 15 months) in the anterior subfascial transposition group. According to the outcome status determination algorithm devised by Mowlavi, 3 patients (20%) showed total relief, 10 patiensts (66.7%) improvement and 2 patients (13.3%) no changes in the anterior submuscular transposition group. In the anterior subfascial transposition group, 2 patients (20%) showed total relief, 7 patients (70%) improvement and 1 patient (10%) displayed no changes. Statistically there was no significant difference of the clinical results between the two surgical techniques. Therefore we would suggest anterior subfascial transposition of the ulnar nerve as a preferred method for treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.15-27
• /
• 2009

To reveal conservation value of Sowhangbyungsan-neup among wetlands in Mt. Odae designated as a Ramsar convention site in 2008, ecological characteristics were investigated. The maximum depth of sediment was 86cm and average at central part was 56cm. Average pH of water was 5.8 and this indicates that this wetland has the characteristics between bog and fen. Average electron conductivity was $11{\mu}S$/cm, which is the lowest among Korean wetlands. Nutrient status was oligotrophic based on contents of cation, nitrate, ammonia, soluble reactive phosphorus in water. Out-flow of water was related with the 3 day cumulative precipitation. Soil texture was loam and nutrient level was very low. Vascular plants of 45 family, 95 genus, 121 species, 2 subspecies, 16 variety, 4 forma, total 121 taxa were recorded. Main plant communities on Sphagnum base were Osmunda cinnamomea community, Carex dispalata community and Carex curta community. The results indicated that this wetland has very different ecological characteristics than others in Korea and deserves conservation value well. Also, this study revealed that there is no evident threatening factor and this wetland will have characteristics of fen continuously in near future.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.38 no.6
• /
• pp.413-418
• /
• 2005

Objective : Although an encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis procedure using the superficial temporal artery [STA-EDAS] is an effective indirect bypass method in children with moyamoya disease[MMD], there is still a need for an additional bypass operation that can cover the area of the posterior circulation. The goal of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the EDAS procedure using the occipital arteries [OA-EDAS]. Methods : From August 2003 to April 2004, We performed OA-EDAS in sixteen patients with MMD who have a circulatory insufficiency in the territory of the posterior cerebral artery[PCA]. The medical records were reviewed retrospectively. The surgical outcomes, including the changes in neurological status and imaging studies, with the degree of neovascularization on the cerebral angiogram, and the hemodynamic changes on single-photon emission computed tomography[SPECT], were analyzed. Results : These 16 children consisted of 5 boys and 11 girls aged 2 to 9 years. The clinical outcome of their PCA symptoms, such as visual transient ischemic attacks[TIAs] or visual field defect, was favorable in 14 patients of 16. Nine patients of 11 who underwent follow up magnetic resonance imaging[MRI] showed favorable MRI changes. On angiogram most of the patients exhibited good or fair revascularization of the PCA territory [7 of 8]. The hemodynamic changes on SPECT in the PCA territory after surgery showed improved vascular reserve in 13 of the 16 territories. Conclusion : OA-EDAS is a safe and efficacious revascularization procedure in patients with MMD who have compromised cerebral perfusion in PCA territory, or with visual TIAs.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.319-328
• /
• 2019

This study investigated the needs assessment of health education for adults with lately visual impairments. Focus group interview was conducted two times with 10 participants(4~6 participants/each). Most subjects addressed to have interest in social support group; health promotion behavior including exercise and having a positive mind; taking the medicine/supplements. Preferred contents of health education for adults with lately visual impairments were overcoming the depression, various exercise, maintaining of the healthy vascular, overcoming the insomnia, joint health, and diet which was different according to subject's health status. Also, care giver education was needed to help the subject to be independent on the activity daily living. These findings will be used to develop the design of health education programs for adults with visual impairments.

• Yonsei Medical Journal
• /
• v.59 no.9
• /
• pp.1079-1087
• /
• 2018

Purpose: Obstructive sleep apnea and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are independent risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and their coexistence is known as overlap syndrome (OS). Endothelial dysfunction is the initial stage of CVD; however, underlying mechanisms linking OS and CVD are not well understood. The aim of this study was to explore whether OS can lead to more severe inflammation and endothelial apoptosis by promoting endothelial dysfunction, and to assess the intervention effects of antioxidant tempol. Materials and Methods: Male Wistar rats (n=66) were exposed to normal oxygen [normal control (NC) group], intermittent hypoxia (IH group), cigarette smoke (CH group), as well as cigarette smoke and IH (OS group). Tempol intervention was assessed in OS group treated with tempol (OST group) or NaCl (OSN group). After an 8-week challenge, lung tissues, serum, and fresh blood were harvested for analysis of endothelial markers and apoptosis. Results: The levels of intracellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cellular adhesion molecule-1, and apoptosis in circulating epithelial cells were the highest in OS group and the lowest in NC group. These levels were all greater in IH group than in CH group, and were lower in OST group than in OS and OSN groups (all p<0.001). Conclusion: Synergistic effects of IH with cigarette smoke-induced emphysema produce a greater inflammatory status and endothelial apoptosis. OS-related inflammation and endothelial cell apoptosis may play important roles in promoting cardiovascular dysfunction, and antioxidant tempol could achieve a partial protective effect.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.31 no.spc
• /
• pp.534-548
• /
• 2020

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence and lifestyle habits of cardiovascular disease (CVD) according to the type of disability in Korean adults compared to adults without disability. Methods: This study was secondary data analysis using the National Health check-up database from 2010 to 2013. Among the total 395,627 adults aged 30~80, the physically disabled (n=21,614) and the mentally disabled (n=1,448) who met the diagnosis criteria were extracted and compared with non-disabled (n=372,565) through 1:2 propensity score matching for nine characteristics. Results: Prior to matching, the prevalence of CVD was 34.4% in individuals without disabilities, accounting for 53.8% in those with physical disabilities and 22.4% in those with mental disabilities, showing significant differences between groups (p<.001). After matching, compared to the individuals without disability, those with physically disabled had significantly higher prevalence of CVD and the average number of CVD (p<.001). The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, and vascular disease was significantly higher in the physically disabled (p<.05). Drinking was significantly higher in the non-disabled than in the physically and mentally disabled, and smoking was more in the non-disabled than in the mentally disabled. Physical activity was found to be significantly less in both the physically and mentally disabled than in the non-disabled (p<.01). Conclusion: It is necessary to confirm the differences in the prevalence of CVD risk factors and lifestyle according to the type of disability, suggesting the development and verification of health promotion programs including physical activity for CVD prevention in the disabled with CVD risk factors.