• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.83 no.3
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• pp.242-247
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• 2020

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term survival rates of very elderly (age ≥80) critically ill patients admitted to a medical intensive care unit (MICU) at a regional tertiary-care hospital in Korea. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from patients who survived after discharged from the MICU of our hospital. Survival rates at 90 days, 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years were assessed between patients age ≥80 and those age <80. Survival status was evaluated using the National Health Insurance Service data. Results: A total of 468 patients were admitted, 286 (179 males, 97 females; mean age, 70.18±13.2) of whom survived and were discharged soon after their treatment. Among these patients, 69 (24.1%) were age ≥80 and 217 (75.9%) were age <80. The 90-day, 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year survival rates of patients age ≥80 were significantly lower than those in patients age <80 (50.7%, 31.9%, 15.9% and 14.5% vs. 68.3%, 54.4%, 45.6%, and 40.1%, respectively) (p<0.01). The Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed significantly lower survival rates in patients age ≥80 than in those age <80 (p=0.001). Conclusion: The poor rates of long-term survival in very elderly (age ≥80) and critically ill patients admitted to an ICU should be considered while managing and treating them.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.384-394
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• 2014

Purpose: To improve professional intensive care by analyzing admission causes, causes of death, disease conditions, and treatment processes in patients with hematological malignancies admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) in South Korea. Methods: This was a retrospective study approved by IRB, and conducted on admission with 559 adults, in the hematology ICU of a hospital located in Seoul. The study was carried out from April 2009 to March 2012. Data were analyzed using SAS. Results: Pneumonia was the most frequent cause of ICU admission and death, followed by sepsis. The condition at discharge was death (53.6%), recovery (39.9%), or hopeless (5.1%). Mortality of patients in states of incomplete remission was higher than that of patients with complete remission and of patients with multiple myeloma, severe aplastic anemia, and lymphoma. Conclusion: Results show that pneumonia and sepsis are the most frequent causes of ICU admission and for the death of patients with hematological malignancies. The most frequent status at discharge of patients with hematological malignancies was death (53.6%), with mortality of patients at Incomplete Remission status, of mechanically ventilated patients, and of patients on continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) being higher than others.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.91-97
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• 2015

Purpose: Occult hip fracture is not evident on radiographs and the diagnosis is often missed or delayed. This study was undertaken in order to identify the clinical characteristics and complications of patients with a delayed diagnosis of an occult hip fracture. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients with occult hip fracture who had normal findings on initial radiographs, the diagnosis was made on additional studies between August 2006 and February 2012. Patients who were diagnosed as having occult hip fractures at the first visit were categorized as non-delayed group and those who were not diagnosed at the first visit were categorized as delayed group. Results: Non-delayed group included 43 patients (86%). In the remaining 7 patients (delayed group), the diagnosis was delayed by a mean of 9.6 days (range 3~19 days). Patients who were diagnosed with an occult fracture on the initial visit presented later than those with a delayed diagnosis (41/43 .vs. 3/7, p=0.002). Other clinical features were no difference between the two groups. Patients in the delayed diagnosis group were more likely to have fracture displacement (4/7 .vs. 0/43)15patients in non-delayed group (34.9%) needed operative treatment, whereas all delayed patients (100%) needed operative treatment. Conclusion: A delayed diagnosis of occult hip fractures was associated with increased rate of displacement and operation. In patients suspected of having occult hip fractures, additional studies should be recommended.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.229-235
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• 2011

Background: Following major lung resection, patients have routinely been monitored in the intensive care unit (ICU). Recently, however, patients are increasingly being placed in a general thoracic ward (GTW). We investigated the safety and efficacy of the GTW care after lobectomy for lung cancer. Materials and Methods: 316 patients who had undergone lobectomy for lung cancer were reviewed. These patients were divided into two groups: 275 patients were cared for in the ICU while 41 patients were care for in the GTW immediately post-operation. After propensity score matching, postoperative complications and hospital costs were analyzed. Risk factors for early complications were analyzed with the whole cohort. Results: Early complications (until the end of the first postoperative day) occurred in 11 (3.5%) patients. Late complications occurred in 42 patients (13.3%). After propensity score matching, the incidence of early complications, late complications, and mortality were not different between the two groups. The mean expense was higher in the ICU group. Risk factors for early complications were cardiac comorbidities and low expected forced expiratory volume in one second. The location of postoperative care had no influence on outcome. Conclusion: Immediate postoperative care after lobectomy for lung cancer in a GTW was safe and cost-effective without compromising outcomes in low-risk patients.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.93-102
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• 2020

Purpose: The Act on Hospice and Palliative Care and Decisions on Life-Sustaining Treatment for Patients at the End of Life came into force in February 2018 in Korea. This study reviews the practices of end-of-life care for patients who withdrew or withheld life-sustaining treatment at a tertiary care hospital, addresses the limitations of the law, and discusses necessary steps to promote patient-centered self-determination. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients who died after agreeing to withhold life-sustaining treatment in 2018 at our university hospital. The cause of death, the intensity of end-of-life care, and other characteristics were reviewed and statistically analyzed. Results: Of a total of 334 patients, 231 (69%) died from cancer. The decision to stop life-sustaining treatment was made by family members for 178 patients overall (53.3%) and for 101 (43.7%) cancer patients, regardless of the patient's wishes. When the patient decided to stop life-sustaining treatment, the time from the authorization to withhold life-sustaining treatment to death was longer than when the decision was made by family members (28.7±41.3 vs 10.5±23.2 days, P<0.001). Conclusion: In many cases, the decision to discontinue life-sustaining treatment was made by the family, not by the patient. In order to protect human dignity based on the patients' self-determination, it is necessary for patients to understand their disease based on careful explanations from physicians. Ongoing survey-based research will be necessary in the future.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.44-53
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• 2016

Purpose: Parenteral nutrition (PN) not only provides nutritional support but also plays a crucial role in the treatment of children with intestinal failure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance and clinical outcomes of long-term PN. Methods: Retrospective cohort study was conducted using the medical records of patients treated at Seoul National University Children's Hospital. This study included 19 patients who received PN for over six months. Most patients received home PN. Results: The indications for PN included short bowel syndrome, chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction, and intractable diarrhea of infancy. The median age of PN initiation was 1.3 years, and the median treatment duration was 2.9 years. Two patients were weaned from PN; 14 continued to receive PN with enteral feedings; and 3 patients died. The overall survival rates at 2 and 5 years were 93.3% and 84.0%, respectively. The incidence of catheter-related bloodstream infections was 2.7/1,000 catheter-days and was associated with younger age at PN initiation and lower initial height Z-score. Six patients developed catheter-related central vein thrombosis, with an incidence of 0.25/1,000 catheter-days. Eleven patients experienced PN-associated liver disease (PNALD), and one patient underwent multi-visceral transplant. The patients with PNALD exhibited lower final heights and body weight Z-scores. All patients experienced micronutrient deficiencies transiently while receiving PN. Conclusion: PN is an important and safe treatment for pediatric intestinal failure. PNALD was linked to final anthropometric poor outcomes. Micronutrient deficiencies were common. Anthropometric measurements and micronutrient levels must be monitored for successful PN completion.

• Dementia and Neurocognitive Disorders
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.72-77
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• 2017

Background and Purpose Although sleep disturbances are common and considered a major burden for patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), the fundamental mechanisms underlying the development and maintenance of sleep disturbance in AD patients have yet to be elucidated. The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and sleep disturbance in AD patients using technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Methods A total of 140 AD patients were included in this cross-sectional study. Seventy patients were assigned to the AD with sleep loss (SL) group and the rest were assigned to the AD without SL group. SL was measured using the sleep subscale of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. A whole-brain voxel-wise analysis of brain SPECT data was conducted to compare the rCBF between the two groups. Results The two groups did not differ in demographic characteristics, severity of dementia, general cognitive function, and neuropsychiatric symptoms, with the exception of sleep disturbances. The SPECT imaging analysis displayed decreased perfusion in the bilateral inferior frontal gyrus, bilateral temporal pole, and right precentral gyrus in the AD patients with SL group compared with the AD patients without SL group. It also revealed increased perfusion in the right precuneus, right occipital pole, and left middle occipital gyrus in the AD with SL group compared with the AD without SL group. Conclusions The AD patients who experienced sleep disturbance had notably decreased perfusion in the frontal and temporal lobes and increased rCBF in the parietal and occipital regions. The findings of this study suggest that functional alterations in these brain areas may be the underlying neural correlates of sleep disturbance in AD patients.

• Annals of Geriatric Medicine and Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.189-193
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• 2018

Background: This study aimed to reveal the clinicopathologic features and causes of bleeding in older patients with postmenopausal bleeding (PMB) and to investigate the correlation between the ultrasonographic findings and etiology of PMB. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the causes and clinical characteristics of PMB in 498 patients who were diagnosed between January 2007 and December 2017. The population with PMB was divided into 2 groups according to age: Group A (n=204) included individuals more than 65 years of age and group B (n=294) included those less than 65 years of age. Clinical characteristics such as age, parity, underlying conditions, previous surgical history, and previous menopausal hormone therapy were compared between the groups. Cervical cytology testing and transvaginal ultrasonography were performed in all patients with PMB. Endometrial biopsy was performed in all cases of endometrial thickness ${\geq}5mm$. Results: We examined 498 patients with PMB. In group A, atrophic endometrium (n=125, 61.27%) was the most common cause of PMB. Twenty-three patients had gynecological malignancy (cervical cancer: n=12, 5.88%; endometrial cancer: n=8, 3.42%; ovarian cancer: n=3, 1.46%), and 30 patients had benign gynecological disease (endometrial polyp: n=10, 4.90%; submucosal myoma: n=6, 2.94%; uterine prolapse: n=7, 3.42%; cervical dysplasia; n=5, 2.45%; cervical polyp: n=2, 0.98%). Forty patients had endometrial thickness ${\geq}5mm$. Eight patients were diagnosed with endometrial cancer. All cases of endometrial cancer were diagnosed with endometrial thickness >10 mm. Conclusion: Atrophic endometrium was the most common cause of PMB in both groups, and approximately 12% of cases were associated with gynecological malignancy in older patients.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.27-36
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• 2022

Background: Medication-related problems (MRPs) frequently occur during the discharge period. Elderly patients, particularly, are at high risk for these problems due to polypharmacy and the use of potentially inappropriate medications. The purpose of this study was to build and implement collaboration between general hospital and community pharmacies to address MRPs among high-risk elderly patients before/after discharge. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted between June and December of 2020. The inclusion criteria were patients with aged ≥65 years; residents of Jeonju; discharged from Jeonbuk National University hospital; either on medication of exceeding 10 medications (or high-risk medications) after hospitalization through the emergency room, or having severe illness. Patients received medication reconciliation and counselling by hospital pharmacists before discharge and home-visit pharmaceutical care as follow-up by community pharmacists after discharge. Results: Twenty-two patients agreed to home-visit pharmaceutical services. Fifteen and 11 patients completed the first and second home-visit pharmaceutical care service, respectively. Forty-two MRPs were identified in 15 patients. The types of high-frequency MRPs were incorrect administration of drug, adverse drug reactions, medication non-compliance, drug-drug interactions, lifestyle modifications, and expired medication disposal. After consultation with the pharmacist, 34 out of 42 MRPs were resolved. Conclusions: Transitional care for high-risk elderly patients before and after discharge was successfully built and implemented through a collaboration between general hospital and community pharmacies. This study suggests that home-visit pharmaceutical services may have positive effects on the safe use of drugs during the transition period; however, additional research is needed to expand on these findings.

• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.53 no.9
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• pp.606-618
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• 2023

Background and Objectives: The prognostic or safety implication of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (RASi) in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are not well established, mainly due to concerns regarding left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction aggravation. We investigated the implications of RASi in a sizable number of HCM patients. Methods: We enrolled 2,104 consecutive patients diagnosed with HCM in 2 tertiary university hospitals and followed up for five years. RASi use was defined as the administration of RASi after diagnostic confirmation of HCM. The primary and secondary outcomes were all-cause mortality and hospitalization for heart failure (HHF). Results: RASi were prescribed to 762 patients (36.2%). During a median follow-up of 48.1 months, 112 patients (5.3%) died, and 94 patients (4.5%) experienced HHF. Patients using RASi had less favorable baseline characteristics than those not using RASi, such as older age, more frequent history of comorbidities, and lower ejection fraction. Nonetheless, there was no difference in clinical outcomes between patients with and without RASi use (log-rank p=0.368 for all-cause mortality and log-rank p=0.443 for HHF). In multivariable analysis, patients taking RASi showed a comparable risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 0.70, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.43-1.14, p=0.150) and HHF (HR, 1.03, 95% CI, 0.63-1.70, p=0.900). In the subgroup analysis, there was no significant interaction of RASi use between subgroups stratified by LVOT obstruction, left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction, or maximal LV wall thickness. Conclusions: RASi use was not associated with worse clinical outcomes. It might be safely administered in patients with HCM if clinically indicated.