• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.994-1004
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• 2021

Objective: To extract pulmonary and cardiovascular metrics from chest CTs of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) using a fully automated deep learning-based approach and assess their potential to predict patient management. Materials and Methods: All initial chest CTs of patients who tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 at our emergency department between March 25 and April 25, 2020, were identified (n = 120). Three patient management groups were defined: group 1 (outpatient), group 2 (general ward), and group 3 (intensive care unit [ICU]). Multiple pulmonary and cardiovascular metrics were extracted from the chest CT images using deep learning. Additionally, six laboratory findings indicating inflammation and cellular damage were considered. Differences in CT metrics, laboratory findings, and demographics between the patient management groups were assessed. The potential of these parameters to predict patients' needs for intensive care (yes/no) was analyzed using logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curves. Internal and external validity were assessed using 109 independent chest CT scans. Results: While demographic parameters alone (sex and age) were not sufficient to predict ICU management status, both CT metrics alone (including both pulmonary and cardiovascular metrics; area under the curve [AUC] = 0.88; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.79-0.97) and laboratory findings alone (C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase, white blood cell count, and albumin; AUC = 0.86; 95% CI = 0.77-0.94) were good classifiers. Excellent performance was achieved by a combination of demographic parameters, CT metrics, and laboratory findings (AUC = 0.91; 95% CI = 0.85-0.98). Application of a model that combined both pulmonary CT metrics and demographic parameters on a dataset from another hospital indicated its external validity (AUC = 0.77; 95% CI = 0.66-0.88). Conclusion: Chest CT of patients with COVID-19 contains valuable information that can be accessed using automated image analysis. These metrics are useful for the prediction of patient management.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.131-160
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• 2023

An amendment to Medical Law allowing permanent face-to-face treatment has been proposed in the 21st National Assembly, with five different bills introduced. However, each proposed amendment focuses on different aspects, and the issue is currently in a state of 'ongoing review' due to factors such as opposition from the medical profession and political considerations. However, from the perspective that the introduction of non-face-to-face treatment should be institutionalized and legislated prioritizing patient safety, certain directions are proposed. These include focusing on returning patients as the primary target, chronic diseases as the focal conditions, outpatient medical institutions as the implementing agencies, restricting non-face-to-face means primarily to video systems, and legally exempting healthcare professionals from responsibility for incidents beyond their control. The proposed directions also emphasize establishing the right to demand face-to-face treatment. It is suggested to legislate initial standards that ensure a minimum level of safety and gradually expand the scope of non-face-to-face treatment through future research, evaluation, and similar step-by-step approaches.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.66-72
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• 2024

Background: This study examines the relationship between functional disability and work ability in workers affected by low back pain (LBP) through an analysis of correlations between the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Work Ability Index (WAI). The role of personal and work factors on functional disability/work ability levels has also been studied. LBP is the most common musculoskeletal problem and a major disabling health problem worldwide. Its etiology is multifactorial. Multidisciplinary approaches may help reduce the burden of pain and disability and improve job continuity and reintegration at work. Methods: A cohort of 264 patients affected by LBP from an Italian outpatient clinic were included in a clinical diagnostic/therapeutic trial aiming at rehabilitation and return to work through an integrated investigation protocol. Data were collected during the first medical examination using anamnestic and clinical tools. The final sample is composed of 252 patients, 57.1% man, 44.0 % blue collars, 46.4% with the high school degree, 45.6% married. Results: WAI and ODI reported a negative and fair correlation (r = -0.454; p = .000). Workers with acute LBP symptoms have a higher probability of severe disability than those with chronic LBP symptoms. White collars without depressive symptoms reported higher work ability - even in chronic disability conditions-than those with depressive symptoms. Conclusion: The study found that ODI and WAI have a convergent validity and this suggests that the two tools measure capture distinctive aspects of disability related to personal, environmental, and occupational characteristics. The most important and modifiable prognostic factors found for ODI and WAI were depressive symptoms, workday absence, and intensity of back pain. The study also found a mild association between age and ODI. The study's findings highlight the importance of using a multidisciplinary approach to manage and prevent disability due to LBP.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.439-452
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• 2000

This study sought to figure out women's needs during early postpartum for developing adequate nursing intervention toward postpartal women's healthy adaptation. A convenience sample of 89 women who are in the early postpartal period and admitted in a university hospital located in Seoul, Korea was studied from July 1, 1999 to August 13. 1999. 1. The age group of 26-30 years was 52.8% and the level of education above high school 91%. 67.6% of women had no job, 62.9% had experienced one time of delivery, and 52.8% had no experience of abortion. 2. 31.5% of women received prenatal education, 44.9% only postpartal education. 77.5% of women planned breast-feeding, and 53.9% of women had an experience of breast-feeding during hospital stay. For the feeling of confidence related to the self-care, 27% only expressed 'yes. I have' and 59.5% 'just a little bit'. For the feeling of confidence related to the baby rearing, 29.2% only expressed 'yes. I have' and 60.7% 'just a little bit'. 3. The rate of postpartal women's mother as a preferred non-professional care giver was the highest, 75.3%. The rate of the style of Sanhujori highly preferred and planned at this time was at postpartal women's maiden home or her home with mother, 58.4%, 47.7% respectively. It shows that women still wish to have traditional Sanhuiori at home. 4. The mean of nursing need of postpartal women was 4.25% and it means that universally the degree of nursing need during postpartum is still high. General nursing need (4.29) was higher than that of traditional Sanhujori (4.09), however, the need of Sanhujori is still high. 5. Specifically, the degree of nursing need according to the category of needs was 'educational need for baby rearing,' 4.43; 'emotional-psychological care', 4.41; 'environmental care,' 4.31; 'self-care,' 4.14; and 'physical care,' 3.85 in rank. The educational need core of the specific method about Sanhuiori (4.35) was second to the highest among 15 items of self-care. 6. The related factors to the degree of nursing need were age to physical care; educational level, plan of breast feeding and experience of breast feeding during hospital stay to emotional-psychological care; and the feeling of confidence in baby rearing to environmental care. 7. There was highly positive correlation between the degree of traditional Sanhujori need and general care need(r=.77). This result strongly reflects that there is a necessity of professional care givers' capability to consider the integrative care reflecting the socio-cultural need for women's healthy adaptation during postpartum. It provides a challenge to the professional care givers to research further on the effects of Sanhuiori on the health status, health recovery after abortion or delivery from the various aspects through the cross-sectional and longitudinal research for the refinement of the reality of Sanhuiori not only as cultural phenomenon but as an inseparable factor influencing on women's postpartal healthy adaptation and for the appropriateness of intervention and quality of care for desirable health outcome.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.227-236
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• 1998

Objectives：Conduct disorder is one of the most frequent diagnosis in outpatient and inpatient mental health facilities for children and adolescents. This study investigated the clinical characteristics of children and adolescents with conduct disorder. Methods：The study employed a retrospective review of 45 inpatients diagnosed with conduct disorder by DSM-IV criteria at SNUH Child Psychiatric Unit from 1993, March to 1998, September. Results：The results were as follows：1) The sex ratio was 2：1, male dominant. Mean age on admission was $12.8{\pm}2.4$ years old(male：$12.2{\pm}2.3$, female：$14.1{\pm}2.1$). The mean age of male subjects was significantly lower than that of female subjects(p<.05). 2) We classified all subjects according to child- or adolescent-onset type by DSM-Ⅳ. Childhoodonset type was 42.2%, and adolescent-onset, 57.8%. The onset of male subjects were significantly earlier than that of female subjects(p<.05). 3) The most common complaint was 'serious violation of rules'(77.8%) by DSM-Ⅳ dimensions, while the most common single symtom was 'run away from home overnight at least twice while living in parental or parental surrogate home'(48.9%). 4) The comorbid psychopathology of the subjects were frequently described as follows, in order of frequency：substance use(42.2%), ADHD(35.6%), depression(20.0%), tic disorder(11.1%), bipolar disorder(4.4%). 5) On MMPI, both Pd and Ma subscales got the highest scores. The mean of total IQ by KEDIWISC was $100.0{\pm}15.1$. Female subjects' IQ was higher than that of male subjects. 6) Regarding the number of visits to the OPD after discharge, many subjects(33.3%) had visited OPD fewer than four times. Conclusions：In this study, the male to female ratio of adolescent type showed a decreasing trend. An interesting finding was the fact that socio-economic circumstances, as well as the level of education among patients, were higher than those of previous studies. The subjects' problem were also principally self contered and posed no threat to others.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.113-120
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• 1987

The effect of intravesical formalin instillation as a therapeutic modality for intractable bladder hemorrhage is well known. And despite clear evidence of therapeutic efficacy of intravesical cytotoxic drugs and/or BCG immunotherapy, there have been substantial recurrences during followup after transurethral resection for superficial bladder tumor. If formalin injected at the bed of superficial bladder tumor is able to coagulate and necrotize the tumor, it will be greatly helpful to the patients With recurrent bladder tumor developed during followup. Since this technique is applicable on outpatient basis, an economical as well as a psychological burden of the patients can be reduced considerably. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of submucosal formalin injection on rat bladder wall, 36 healthy adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (weighing 350gm in average) were divided into 3 groups: In Group I (control group), 0.01ml of normal saline was injected submucosally at the left posterolateral wall of the bladder opened under intraperitoneal Nembutal anesthesia ; In Group II and III, 0.01 ml of 10% and 4% formalin, respectively, were administered at the same site as in the Group I, two rats in each group were sacrificed at day 1, 2, and 3, and week 1, 2 and 4 after injection, respectively. Gross and microscopic examination of the cystectomized specimen were done in each group. In the Group II, bladder stones were formed at week I, and in both the Group I and III, stones were seen at week 2 post injection. There was no significant difference III histologic findings of the bladder between the group II and III. Mucosal ulcer and/or prominent mucosal disruption was observed at 24 hours after injection in both Group II and III. Epithelial regeneration began at day 2, and was marked at day 3, and epithelial lining was almost normalized one week after injection. Subepithelial edema, telangiectasia and inflammatory reaction were prominent at 24 hours post formalin injection. Subepithelial edema persisted in moderate degree for 1 week. Telangiectasia and inflammatory reaction were noted for 4 weeks. Mild degree of these findings also appeared In the control group. Fibroblastic proliferation appeared at day 2 and persisted in moderate degree for 4 weeks. There has been no mortality or bladder perforation. These results suggest that clinical application of this technique is feasible for the selected cases of recurrent, solitary superficial bladder tumor. However, optimal dosage of formalin in relation to the size of the lesion remains to be investigated.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.44-59
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• 1994

Medical consumers(patients) want evening-clinic because of busy work. For patient's convenience and improving service, hospital should accept it. Considering payment system and patient's demand, personnel expenses, hospital can not accept. The practice of shift system to accept patient's demand and hospital's economic aspect was made. To analysis the effect of the system and probability to alternative to evening clinic this study was done. This study was composed of basal study, intervention, evaluation of effect. The basal study were composed of studying demand on evening clinic, the number of beds, doctors employee, the time table of practice and work, and the number of patients at arrival time. The intervention composed of changing of practice time, changing of working time by the number of patients at arrival time, increasing of employee. The evaluation of effect were composed of evaluating the number of patient at time, the effect of shift system, the comparison of the number of in and out patients and questionnairing the practice of shift system. In the practice time at 2 shift system First team works 7-15 hours and Second team 12-20 hours. there are no lunch and supper time. At 18-20 hours the number of patients were 25-30. The number of patient a depart were 6-7. The number of out-patient increase in 13% and inpatient increase in 10% before the system. Doctors(100%), employee(94.6%), and patients(86.4%) approved this system. The advantage of this system were utilization of surplus time, lengthen the practice time, even distribution of patients and shortening of waiting time, rapid treatment of emergent patients. The disadvantage of this system were shortage of manpower, not all depart practice, continuity of practice, no lunch and supper time, irregular rounding. At present because of small Demanding on evening clinic, this shift system was economical. To succeed this study more effectively all depart in hospital participate. But because of economical reason it is impossible for hospital to do it. If the government assist the economic loss that all depart participate in this system it is very helpful for hospital to succeed in implementing this system more early.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.73 no.5
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• pp.266-272
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• 2012

Background: Limited data on the incidence and clinical characteristics of adult pertussis infections are available in Korea. Methods: Thirty-one hospitals and the Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collaborated to investigate the incidence and clinical characteristics of pertussis infections among adults with a bothersome cough in non-outbreak, ordinary outpatient settings. Nasopharyngeal aspirates or nasopharyngeal swabs were collected for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and culture tests. Results: The study enrolled 934 patients between September 2009 and April 2011. Five patients were diagnosed as confirmed cases, satisfying both clinical and laboratory criteria (five positive PCR and one concurrent positive culture). Among 607 patients with cough duration of at least 2 weeks, 504 satisfied the clinical criteria of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (i.e., probable case). The clinical pertussis cases (i.e., both probable and confirmed cases) had a wide age distribution ($45.7{\pm}15.5$ years) and cough duration (median, 30 days; interquartile range, 18.0~50.0 days). In addition, sputum, rhinorrhea, and myalgia were less common and dyspnea was more common in the clinical cases, compared to the others (p=0.037, p=0.006, p=0.005, and p=0.030, respectively). Conclusion: The positive rate of pertussis infection may be low in non-outbreak, ordinary clinical settings if a PCR-based method is used. However, further prospective, well-designed, multicenter studies are needed.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.66-73
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• 2011

Objectives:The present study investigates the status of inpatient psychiatric consultations at a general hospital in order to find factors that contribute to treatment compliance related to psychiatric consultations. Methods:The subjects were 333 patients who were hospitalized at Korea University Medical Center Ansan Hospital from 1 September 2009 to 31 July 2010.The patients were referred for psychiatric consultation during hospitalization. This study investigates demographic data, request department, referral causes, requestor, psychiatric history and diagnosis, andpsychiatric treatment compliance. Treatment compliance was defined as whether or not the patient had accepted psychiatric treatment during hospitalization or outpatient department(OPD) follow-up. This study ascertains the factors that have impact on compliance, by taking binary logistic regression with compliance and other variables. Results:Among the patients that were offered psychiatric treatment during hospitalization(N=310), treatment compliance was 82.9%. Among the patients that were offered OPD treatment(N=111), compliance was 55.8%. Elderly group(>65 years) showed better compliance to treatment during hospitalization than the younger patient group(OR=4.838, p=0.004). Patients with secondary psychiatric disorders showed better OPD follow-up compliance than patients with secondary psychiatric disorders(OR=8.520, p=.008). Conclusion:Elderly patients showed better compliance for psychiatric treatment during hospitalization. However they commonly have disorders such as delirium and mood disorders that have impact on the patient's physical state, hence further active measures should be carried out. Patients referred due to primary psychiatric disorders showed poor OPD compliance. Therefore clinicians have to suggest multidisciplinary interventions that will improve treatment compliance of such patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.627-634
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• 2010

Background: The durability of the tissue valve is important in choice between a mechanical valve and a tissue valve in cardiac surgery. We studied the mid-term results of tissue valve in the aortic position. Material and Method: The subjects were 380 patients who had undergone aortic prosthesis replacement between May 1990 and March 2009. We retrospectively analyzed hospital and outpatient records: the mean age was $69{\pm}9$ years; the male to female ratio was 227 : 162; and the mean follow-up duration was $46.7{\pm}40.8$ months (range 0~196 months). Result: 389 surgical cases in total had been taken with 380 patients. Early death occurred in 15 patients (3.9%). Overall survival rate at 1, 5 and 10 years were 92.3%, 78.1% and 54.2% respectively. Freedom from reoperation at 1, 5 and 10 years were 98.4%, 97.1% and 91.7% respectively. Freedom from structural valvular deterioration at 1, 5 and 10 years were 96.1%, 92.3% and 88.0% respectively. In the multivariate analysis of preoperative risk factors, young age (p<0.001) was significant risk factor for reoperation. High peak velocity in the postoperative period (p=0.034) and young age (p=0.029) were significant risk factors for structural valvular deterioration. Old age (p=0.001), long bypass time (p=0.035), concomitant coronary artery bypass graft surgery (p=0.003) and preoperative low left ventricular ejection fraction (p=0.003) were significant factors for early mortality. Preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (< 60 mL/min) (p=0.025) and persistent left ventricular hypertrophy (p=0.032) were the risk factors for late mortality. Conclusion: This study showed that the freedom from reoperation and the freedom from structural valvular deterioration in aortic tissue valve replacement were acceptable. It will be necessary to conduct further studies with long-term follow-up and more patients.