• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.479-487
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• 2022

Objective: To prospectively evaluate the efficacy of lauromacrogol injection for ablation (LIA) of benign predominantly cystic thyroid nodules and its related factors. Materials and Methods: A total of 142 benign predominantly cystic thyroid nodules (median volume, 12.5 mL; range, 0.4-156 mL) in 137 patients (male:female sex ratio, 36:101; mean age ± standard deviation [SD], 49 ± 13 years) were treated with LIA after being confirmed as benign via cytology. The volume reduction rate (VRR) of the nodules and cosmetic score were evaluated during follow-up at 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment and every 6 months thereafter. A VRR of ≥ 50% at the 12-month follow-up was considered to indicate effective treatment. The associations between the clinical factors and nodular ultrasound features, including the initial nodule volume, proportion of solid components, vascularity grade and ineffective treatment (VRR of < 50% at the 12-month follow-up), and regrowth were analyzed. Results: All patients completed follow-up for at least 12 months. The average ± SD follow-up period was 32 ± 11 months (range, 12-54 months). The effective treatment rate was 73.2% (104/142), while the regrowth rate was 12.0% (17/142) at the last follow-up. Grade 2-3 intranodular vascularity in the solid components of the nodules was the only independent factor associated with ineffective treatment, with an odds ratio (reference category, grade 0-1) of 3.054 (95% confidence interval, 1.148-8.127) (p = 0.025). Conclusion: LIA is an effective treatment for predominantly cystic thyroid nodules. Grade 2-3 intranodular vascularity in the solid components of nodules is the only independent risk factor for ineffective LIA.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.301-316
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• 2022

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of heat stimuli (e.g., fire needling, warm needling) in acupuncture for acute gout. Methods: Four international online databases (PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure) were searched to identify randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) that used fire needling and warm needling for acute gout. The methodological quality of the RCTs was evaluated using the Cochrane risk-of-bias (RoB) tool. Thirteen RCTs (840 patients) were included and analyzed. Three evaluation tools (total effective rate, uric acid level, and pain score) were mainly used. Comparisons were made between Western medicine (WM) and i) fire needling or warm needling treatment alone, ii) fire needling and bloodletting combination treatment, iii) combination of fire needling, bloodletting, and herbal medicine, iv) warm needling (concurrently). Heat stimuli in acupuncture alone or in combination treatment were more effective in terms of the total efficacy rates, uric acid levels, and pain scores than WM alone. Results: In all the evaluation tools, the treatment effects in the fire needling alone or warm needling alone treatment group and the fire needling and bloodletting combination intervention group were significantly better than those in the WM control group. The warm needling and WM combination intervention groups also experienced significantly better treatment effects in terms of total efficacy rates and uric acid levels. Only the pain scores in the fire needling, bloodletting, and herbal medicine combination groups demonstrated significant improvement. Only four studies mentioned adverse reactions: one reported loss of appetite; three studies reported none. According to the Cochrane RoB tool, most studies showed either high or uncertain RoB. Conclusion: Heat stimuli during acupuncture could be effective for acute gout. However, as the included studies were regionally biased, more high-quality studies are needed to confirm the level of evidence.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.105-119
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• 2005

Purposes： This study was to examine the effects of empowerment education programs on empowerment and mental health in high school students. Methods： This study involved a nonequivalent control group pre-test and post-test design. The subjects for this study consisted of 421 high school students who attended two general high schools in Busan. The 211 students in the experimental group received empowerment education training, while the 210 students in the control group did not. The data were collected from March 2, 2004 to July 20, 2004. The empowerment education program consisted of 17 separate 50-minute sessions. The questionnire was developedby authors and revised it based on experts' advice. SPSS 11.0 program was used to analyze the data. Chi-square test and t-test were used to test the homogeneity of general characteristics and dependent variables. Student's t-test was used to evaluate the differences between the experimental group and control group after the treatment. Results： Just as we hypothesized, the experimental group exhibited higher empowerment scores than the control group. For subcategory, Score of self-efficacy and self-esteem increased significantly in the experimental group compared to the control group. However, the score of decision-making ability did not increase significantly. The data failed to support our second hypothesis that the experimental group would have higher mental health scores than the control group. Although the score of self-scale increased significantly in the experimental group compared to the control group, the score of social-support and psychopathology did not. Conclusions： Empowerment education programs are effective for empowerment of high school students. However, such training is effective only for promoting the self scale but not overall mental health. Thus, we suggest the application of the empowerment education program to make high school students aware of their abilities. Furthermore, we suggest the implementation of mental health programs to supplement such empowerment education programs.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.211-218
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of study was to examine effects of aromatherapy on stress, sleep, nausea and vomiting of women after laparoscopic hysterectomy. Methods: The participants were 60 women who had laparoscopic hysterectomy: experiment group for aromatherapy (n=30) and control group for routine care (n=30). The experimental group received inhalation aromatherapy for 5 minutes, twice; the first was done right after the operation, the second was at 9 pm before sleep on the same day-while the control group had no inhalation. Data were collected from July to September, 2012 at G hospital. Results: The degree of psychological stress was not significantly different between two groups (t=-1.96, p=.054). Yet, there were significant differences between two groups for degree of physiological stress (t=-3.20, p=.002), the level of cortisol (t=-2.01, p=.049), the score of sleep status (t=2.47, p=.016), the score of sleep satisfaction (t=2.43, p=.018), and the score for nausea and vomiting (t=-2.58, p=.012). Conclusion: Inhalation aromatherapy using the mixed oil of lavender, mandarin, and marjoram was effective in decreasing the level of physiological stress, cortisol, and the score for nausea and vomiting, and also allowed the participants to have a better sleep. Therefore, inhalation aromatherapy could be effective in improving the quality of life of these women during recovery.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.53-61
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• 2012

Objectives : The Purpose of this study is to compare the effect of ShinBaro Pharmacopuncture Treatment and Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture Treatment of low back pain and radicular pain caused by spondylolisthesis. Methods : From January 1st,2012 to September 30th, 2012, 30 Low back pain and radicular pain patients with spondylolisthesis who were admitted to Bu-Cheon Jaseng Hospital of Oriental Medicine were divided into two groups. ShinBaro group was treated by ShinBaro Pharmacopuncture Treatment and Bee Venom group was treated by Bee Venom Pharmacopuncture Treatment. We evaluated the treatment effect of each group with numerical rating scale(NRS) and Oswestry disability index(ODI). The evaluations performed at admission day and 14th day after admission. Results : In both ShinBaro group and Bee Venom group, NRS and ODI decreased significantly in ststistics as treatment was perfomed. Though ShinBaro group showed a decreasing ODI score compared to BV group and BV group showed a decreasing NRS score compared to Shinbaro group, There is no statistical significance on NRS and ODI score after the treatment in both groups. Conclusions : The result sugguest that both ShinBaro pharmacopuncture treatment and Bee Venom pharmacopuncture treatment is considered to be effective and useful on low back pain and radicular pain caused by spondylolisthesis, although further study is needed.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.34-46
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• 2012

Objectives: Most patients who have cancer suffer from anxiety and depression. Because most liver cancer patients have cirrhosis, medication can aggravate their liver function. We need the most effective treatment such that the anxiety and depression can be improved without causing deterioration of liver function. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of acupuncture on the anxiety and depression of liver cancer patients. Methods: 8 liver cancer patients who complained of distress were treated by acupuncture three times a week for four weeks (12 times in total). Evaluation of the anxiety, depression and insomnia was measured by NCC (National Cancer Center) score. On visits 1, 4, 7, 10, and 13 we had patients check NCC score after acupuncture treatment. To check deterioration of liver cancer, we checked their abdominal CT, Child-Pugh score and blood test. Results: After 12 treatments, NCC of the anxiety, depression and insomnia were significantly decreased in all of the patients without causing deterioration of liver function. In particular, symptoms were almost completely improved in 6 patients. Conclusions: This study suggests that acupuncture treatment will be beneficial for liver cancer patients to reduce anxiety, depression and insomnia. For liver cancer patients with cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis, a large-scale study to confirm efficacy and safety of acupuncture is needed.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.235-243
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• 2019

Objectives : The aim of this study is to report the effects of Yangdokbaekho-tang and Hwangryunhaedok-Tang wet dressing on the treatment of erythrotelangiectatic rosacea patient. Methods : A patient with Erythrotelangiectatic Rosacea treated with Yangdokbaekho-tang, Hwangryunhaedok-Tang wet dressing and acupuncture. We evaluated the score(frequency ${\times}$ intensity) of the hot flush, the main symptom of rosacea and NRS(numeral rating scale) for the subjective symptom. Results : After treatment, the score of the hot flush decrease from 20 to 6. the NRS changed and NRS score improved from 7 to 1. There are no adverse effects and no relapse of erythrotelangiectatic rosacea after 18 days of discharge. Conclusions : According to the result, Korean Medicine such as Yangdokbaekho-tang and Hwangryunhaedok-tang wet dressing can be effective for the treatment of erythrotelangiectatic rosacea.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.987-998
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• 2023

The purpose of this case study is to report the effectiveness of scalp acupuncture and Cheungsindodam-tang on Wernicke's aphasia in patients with left middle cerebral territory infarction. Scalp acupuncture, herbal medicine (Cheungsindodam-tang), and moxibustion were administered for 66 days to improve the patient's symptoms. The degree of improvement in symptoms was evaluated using the Korean version of the Western Aphasia Battery (K-WAB) and Mini-Mental State Examination-Korea (MMSE-K). Quality of life was evaluated with the Korean version of the Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale-39 (K-SAQOL-39). After 66 days of treatment, the aphasia quotient score of the K-WAB test increased from 19 to 34.6 after treatment. The K-SAQOL-3 score increased from 2.77 to 3.18, and the MMSE-K score increased from 4 to 21. This case report suggests that Korean medical therapy can be effective in improving the language functions of patients with Wernicke's aphasia.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.65-75
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• 2011

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical effect of indirect moxibustion treatment for HIVD patients. Methods : From March 2010 to December 2010, 32 HIVD patients who admitted to Semyung oriental medical hospital were divided into two groups. Group I was treated by indirect moxibustion and general acupuncture, group II by general acupuncture. We evaluated the treatment effect of each group with the visual analog scale(VAS) and Oswestry disability index(ODI) by dividing three period(from admission day to third day after admission, from third day to sixth day after admission and from sixth day to ninth day after admission). Results : 1. Group I was more effective than group II in VAS score reducing rate at sixth day after admission and ninth day after admission but there was no statistical significance between two groups at third day after admission 2. Group I was more effective than group II in VAS improvement rate from third day to sixth day after admission but there was no statistical significance between two groups from admission day to third day after admission and sixth day to ninth day after admission. 3. Group I was more effective than group II in ODI score reducing rate at sixth day after admission and ninth day after admission but there was no statistical significance between two groups at third day after admission. 4. In ODI improvement rate group I was higher than group II, but there was no statistical significance. Conclusions : Through this research, Indirect moxibustion treatment is considered to be effective reducing pain for HIVD(Herniated intervertebral disc) patients.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.90-103
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• 2022

Objective: The purpose of this case study is to report the effectiveness of Baliao acupoints electro-acupuncture treatment on a neurogenic overactive bladder induced by stroke. Method: A patient suffering from middle cerebral artery infarction was diagnosed with a neurogenic overactive bladder and treated by Korean medicine, including electro-acupuncture on Baliao acupoints six times per week. The evaluation was performed by monitoring urinary frequency and using the Korean versions of the Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS) and Urinary Incontinence Quality of Life (I-QoL). Results: After 27 days of electro-acupuncture treatment, the OABSS score improved from 6 to 3. The I-QoL total score improved from 60 to 87. The patient also showed a decrease in nocturia frequency. Conclusion: This case suggests that electro-acupuncture on Baliao acupoints can be effective for overactive bladders due to supra-pontine lesions.