• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.23-37
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• 2004

Fibromyalgia syndrome(FMS) is a chronic pain disorder of unknown etiology characterized by widespread musculoskeletal aches and pains, stiffness, and general fatigue, disturbed sleep and sleepiness. Frequently misdiagnosed, FMS is often confused with myofascial pain syndrome, polymyalgia rheumatica, polymyositis, hypothyroidism, metastatic carcinoma, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, or systemic lupus erythematosus, any of which may occur concomitantly with FMS. The management of FMS often begins with a thorough examination and a diagnosis from a physician who is formally trained in tender-point/trigger-point recognition. An initial diagnosis provides reassurance to the patient and often reduces the anxiety and depression patterns associated with FMS. The most common goals in the management of FMS are (1) to break the pain cycle, (2) to restore sleep patterns, and (3) to increase functional activity levels. Because FMS is a multifactorial syndrome, it is likely that the best treatment will encompass multiple strategies. Medication with analgesics and antidepressants and also physiotherapy, are often prescribed and give some relief. The other most effective intervention for long-term management of FS to date is physical exercise. Physical therapists can instruct patients in the use of heat at home (moist hot packs, heating pads, whirlpools, warm showers or baths, and hot pads) to increase local blood flow and to decrease muscle spasm and tension. Also instruct patients in the proper use of cold modalities (ice packs, ice massage, and cool baths) to anesthetize localized areas of pain (tender points) and break the pain cycle. Massage and tender-point massage also may promote muscle relaxation. To date, the two most important interventions for the long-term management of FS are patient education and physical exercise. Lately, is handling FMS and Chronic Fatigue syndrome(CFS) together, becuase FMS and CFS are poorly understood disorders that share similar demographic and clinical characteristics. Because of the clinical similarities between both disorders it was suggested that they share a common pathophysiological mechanism, namely, central nervous system dysfunction.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.391-395
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• 2008

An 8-year-old intact male Yorkshire cross dog (7.5 kg of body weight) was referred with the primary complaint of exercise intolerance and occasional syncope. Initial cardiological examination could not identify any abnormalities except mild mitral regurgitation. Exercise stress test revealed chronotrophic incompetence. Furthermore the 1 hr-digital event recording found the sudden onset of paroxysmal sinus tachycaridas (156-172 bpm) lasting few minutes and stopping abruptly. In addition, the tachycardia terminated by vagal maneuver and verapamil administration. Based on this finding, the case was diagnosed as sinoatrial reentrant tachycardia (SART). The dog was treated with diltiazem and enalapril. Although the dog still has exercise intolerance, no syncope has been observed after medication.

• Archives of Obesity and Metabolism
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.74-77
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• 2022

Treatment of obesity includes diet therapy, exercise therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, drug therapy, and bariatric surgery. Most obese patients lose weight by combining diet, exercise, cognitive behavioral therapy or medication. But, in some cases, only one of these treatments is preferred. A 56-year-old male patient had a body mass index (BMI) of 33.1 kg/m² and a waist circumference of 108 cm. He had been treated for hypertension; diabetes and dyslipidemia were diagnosed but not treated. However, at the initial visit to treat obesity, he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia again. So he decided to treat these two diseases with drugs first and modify his lifestyle. He started walking more than 20,000 steps every day and then he really walked about 15,000 steps every day during 5 months, although diet calorie or alcohol drinking amount was not significantly decreased. After about 6 months, the patient's weight decreased by 10.1 kg, the BMI decreased by 4.1 kg/m², the waist circumference decreased by 10 cm, the glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) decreased by 4.59%, the visceral fat area decreased by 115 cm², and the subcutaneous fat decreased by 38 cm². As a result of body composition analysis, muscle mass increased by 1.2 kg, and the percentage of body fat decreased by 10.4%. The walking exercise does not have any space restrictions and has high accessibility by using a mobile phone app. Therefore, considering the patient's situation, it would be better to treat obese patients by first recommending walking exercises and increasing the number of steps to lose weight and improve the comorbidities.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.49-64
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• 2021

Objectives: This study analyzed medical records and online survey of mothers who received herbal medicine treatment using the Jeollabuk-do Postpartum Health Support Project. Through this, we would like to discuss the proposal of a postpartum questionnaire of korean medicine for the initial examination, and the project direction. Methods: This study investigated the medical records of 46 mothers who received herbal medicine treatment using the Jeollabuk-do Postpartum Health Support Program at one korean medical hospital. The mother's general characteristics, past history, symptoms, and herbal medicine prescription were analyzed. In addition, through the 33 mothers who responded to the online survey questionnaire, 13 items including medication satisfaction, lactation, and side effects were investigated. Results: The average age of the subjects was 34.46±4.27 years. Musculo-skeletal pain was the most common in both medical records and online surveys. The date of visit from the date of delivery was 47.56±57.15 days. Boheo-tang was prescribed the most, and 84.8% of mothers answered positively about their health after taking herbal medicine. Conclusions: The satisfaction of mothers who received herbal medicine treatment through this project was very high. There were no significant side effects on the mother and the breastfeeding baby who took herbal medicine. In the future, support projects for postpartum korean medical treatment at the national or local level will be necessary.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.65 no.5
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• pp.230-238
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• 2022

Myocarditis was previously attributed to an epidemic viral infection. Additional harmful reagents, in addition to viruses, play a role in its etiology. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine-induced myocarditis has recently been described, drawing attention to vaccine-induced myocarditis in children and adolescents. Its pathology is based on a series of complex immune responses, including initial innate immune responses in response to viral entry, adaptive immune responses leading to the development of antigen-specific antibodies, and autoimmune responses to cellular injury caused by cardiomyocyte rupture that releases antigens. Chronic inflammation and fibrosis in the myocardium eventually result in cardiac failure. Recent advancements in molecular biology have remarkably increased our understanding of myocarditis. In particular, microRNAs (miRNAs) are a hot topic in terms of the role of new biomarkers and the pathophysiology of myocarditis. Myocarditis has been linked with microRNA-221/222 (miR-221/222), miR-155, miR-10a^*, and miR-590. Despite the lack of clinical trials of miRNA intervention in myocarditis yet, multiple clinical trials of miRNAs in other cardiac diseases have been aggressively conducted to help pave the way for future research, which is bolstered by the success of recently U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved small-RNA medications. This review presents basic information and recent research that focuses on myocarditis and related miRNAs as a potential novel biomarker and the therapeutics.

• Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.42-50
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• 2019

Objectives: In this preliminary study, we investigated the clinical characteristics of patients who were first diagnosed with psychotic disorder and explored the impact of the adherence to antipsychotics on long-term medical use. Methods: All national health insurance claims related to psychotic disorders including gender, age, income, and drug compliance, from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2015, were examined. With trend test using Medication Possession Ratio (MPR), we compared the medical use between the compliant group (MRP≥0.8) and the comparative non-compliant group (0.2≤MPR<0.8). Results: Among 28,095 participants in total, 16,239 patients (57.8%) were diagnosed as schizophrenia; the 30s were the most common (n=7,151, 25.5%). Drug compliance was generally low regardless of the diagnosis and was the lowest among 20s with the 40-60% range of income. The compliant group showed lower psychiatric and medical use than the comparative group in the following years (p<0.0001). Conclusion: These findings suggest that patients in the 20s and 30s with the 40-60% range of income, who are diagnosed with schizophrenia at the first psychiatric visit, may need more clinical and political attention. The results also emphasize the importance of initial drug adherence to antipsychotics in reducing long-term psychiatric costs.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.278-283
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• 2023

The initial instance of isolated unilateral temporalis muscle hypertrophy (IUTMH) was reported in 1990. Since then, only few cases have been documented. The cause of this condition remains ambiguous; however, it is presumed to be linked to compensatory and stress-induced hypertrophy. We introduce a rare case of the diagnosis and treatment of IUTMH. A 39-year-old woman presented with a steadily enlarging pain-free swelling on the left side of her face, first noticed a month ago. Apart from a hyperthyroidism medication regimen her medical history was unremarkable. She had no history of temporomandibular joint disease, bruxism, surgery, or trauma. However, she complained of having been under substantial stress lately. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging revealed asymmetric temporalis muscle hypertrophy. The treatment plan consisted of administering type A botulinum toxin injections into left temporalis muscle, supplemented by lifestyle changes and relaxation techniques. At a follow-up visit 9 months after the injections, the muscle contour was normalized both in physical and in radiologic examinations. While further supportive evidence is needed, it can be anticipated that cosmetic treatment with botulinum toxin, rather than surgical interventions, will become the standard treatment of IUTMH.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.64 no.2
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• pp.10.1-10.9
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• 2024

Hyperthyroidism, characterized by elevated thyroid hormone levels and thyroid gland hyperplasia or adenoma, is a prevalent endocrinopathy in older cats. Treatment options include antithyroid drugs, surgical thyroidectomy, and radioiodine therapy (RAIT), which is non-invasive treatment option that can achieve complete remission. However, efficacy and safety of RAIT in hyperthyroid cats have not been investigated in South Korea. This study includes 10 hyperthyroid cats with RAIT. Initial assessments comprised history, physical examination, blood analysis, and serum total T4 (tT4) concentration. Thyroid scintigraphy revealed hyperactivity and enlargement of thyroid gland at 24 hours before the RAIT. Radioiodine (RAI) was injected subcutaneously with 2 to 6 mCi, determined by the fixed dose or the scoring system based on severity of clinical signs, tT4 concentration, and thyroid size individually. After RAIT, the concentration of serum tT4 and liver enzymes were significantly decreased at discharge. However, no significant differences were noted in blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, symmetric dimethylarginine, hematocrits, and white blood cell counts pre- and post-treatment. Although 4 cats received RAI twice, clinical signs disappeared and tT4 levels decreased following the RAIT. All 10 cats achieved complete remission after 6 months without critical adverse effect. The safety and the effectiveness of RAIT was confirmed based on protocols reported other countries. Therefore, RAIT could be considered the treatment option and prevent adverse effects from medication or surgery. This preliminary study presents the first evaluation of RAIT for hyperthyroid cats using locally produced RAI in South Korea and provide valuable insight for clinicians and further studies.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.149-160
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• 2024

Purpose: The objective of this retrospective clinical study was to provide evidence supporting the adjunctive local application of doxycycline solution or minocycline ointment, in conjunction with drainage, for the treatment of acute periodontal abscesses. Methods: The study included 63 patients who had received treatment for acute periodontal abscesses through drainage supplemented with 1 of 3 types of adjunctive medications during their initial visit (visit 1; baseline): 1) saline irrigation (the control group), 2) 2% minocycline ointment (the TM group), or 3) 300 mg/mL doxycycline irrigation (the TD group). The same adjunctive medication was administered at visit 2, which took place 1 week after visit 1. Probing depth (PD), bleeding on probing (BOP), plaque index, gingival recession, clinical attachment level, and tooth mobility were clinically evaluated at visits 1, 2, and a third visit (visit 3; 4 weeks after visit 1). Statistical significance was considered to be indicated by P values <0.05. Results: By visit 3, all clinical indices and tooth mobility had significantly decreased in each group. At this visit, PD and BOP on the abscess side were significantly lower in the TM and TD groups compared to the control group. The TD group showed a significantly greater improvement than the TM group, with mean PD reductions of 1.09 mm in the control group, 1.88 mm in the TM group, and 2.88 mm in the TD group. Similarly, mean BOP reductions were 45% in the control group, 73.02% in the TM group, and 95.45% in the TD group. Conclusions: Local and adjunctive administration of doxycycline and minocycline in combination with drainage exhibited clinical advantages over drainage alone in improving PD and BOP. Notably, a doxycycline solution of 300 mg/mL was more effective than a 2% minocycline ointment.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.1001-1010
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• 1997

Background : PCR technique is useful in diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. But, its sensitivity and specificity is some different among several studies. Our aim is compare our PCR results with other's previous PCR results in AFB smear negative patients. Methods : PCR were performed in patients that their disease were suspected as active pulmonary tuberculosis and that their initial serial sputum AFB smear results were negative. Total number of patients studied by PCR technique was 177. Also, we analyzed the data only in patients whose bronchial washing fluid AFB smear was negative. And the primer had been used was IS 6110. Results : In our retrograde study, the number of patients who are diagnosed as having active pulmonary tuberculosis, inactive pulmonary tuberculosis and nontuberculous pulmonary disease was 99, 28, 50, respectively. In the sputum study, the sensitivity of PCR is 41.5% (27 PCR positive cases/65 active TBc cases). And the sensitivity of TB culture is 53.8% (35 TB culture positive cases/65 active TBc cases). In the bronchial washing specimen study, the sensitivity of PCR is 53.8% (21 PCR positive cases/39 active TBc cases). And the sensitivity of TB culture is 43.6% (17 TB culture Positive cases/39 active TBc cases). The specificity of PCR in our study is 94.9%. (74 PCR negative cases/78 inactive TBc or nontubereulous cases) In the cases of patients who were never takened anti-TBc medication, the sensitivity of PCR (45.6%--25 positive cases/55 cases) is some lower than culture (58.2%--32 positive cases/55 cases). In the cases of patients who had been takened anti-TBC medication. the sensitivity of PCR (60%--18 positive cases/30 cases) is some superior than culture (50%--15 positive cases/30 cases). Conclusion : We think that PCR results in cases of sputum AFB smear negative patients is nearly same as culture. And PCR is especially useful in patients who had been takened anti-TBc medication on admission.