• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.96-102
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• 2017

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Korean Medicine on postural instability and gait difficulty(PIGD) in patient with parkinsonism. Methods: We reviewed the charts of patients with parkinsonism who were admitted to the department of Korean internal medicine, stroke and neurological disorders center, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong from October 2009 to May 2017. We analyzed the data of UPDRS (Unified Parkinson's disease rating scale) and calculated PIGD related UPDRS before and after the admission. Results: The average of PIGD score for the 23 patients of Parkinsonism significantly decreased from $8.35{\pm}5.13$ to $4.52{\pm}3.68$ after treatment. The average of PIGD score for the 16 patients of idiopathic parkinson's disease and 7 patients of atypical Parkinsonism decreased from $9.13{\pm}4.46$ to $4.63{\pm}4.15$ and from $6.57{\pm}6.45$ to $4.29{\pm}2.56$ after treatment, respectively. Conclusions: These results provide that Korean Medicine has an effect on the motor function of patients who suffer from Parkinsonism with Postural Instability and Gait Difficulty. Furthermore it could be effective for improving activities of daily life.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.40-47
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• 2014

Objectives : Postural instability and gait difficulty(PIGD) can develop in all Parkinson's disease patients, especially late in the disease course, but does not respond well to conventional dopamine treatment. This study aimed to report three cases of PIGD in Parkinson's disease patients treated with Korean and Western medicine treatment. Methods : We used acupuncture, bee venom acupuncture, herbal medicine and moxibustion to treat patients during hospitalization. They continued Western medication and received rehabilitation treatment. We observed the changes of PIGD using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale(UPDRS). Results : After treatment, PIGD symptoms improved and UPDRS scores were decreased. Especially, scores of falling, walking, gait and postural stability subsections related with PIGD were decreased. In addition, general conditions of patients were improved. Conclusions : This study suggests that Korean medicine treatment could be effective in the treatment of PIGD in Parkinson's disease patients.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.653-660
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• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Korean medicine on patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease.Methods: The charts of 47 patients diagnosed with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease in the Department of Internal Korean medicine, Stroke and Neurological Disorders Center, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Gangdong between August 2012 and July 2016 were reviewed. The Unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale (UPDRS) was administered before and after treatment with Korean medicine.Results: Thee average UPDRS Ⅱ+Ⅲ, UPDRS Ⅱ, and UPDRS Ⅲ of the 47 patients decreased significantly from 22.26±15.15, 10.19±7.53, and 12.06±8.35, respectively, pretreatment to 16.96±13.63, 7.47±6.44, and 9.49±7.73, respectively, post-treatment. The average postural instability and gait difficulty (PIGD), tremor, and bradykinesia also significantly improved post-treatment.Conclusions: These results provide evidence that Korean medicine can improve the activities of daily living and motor function of patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease. In particular, Korean medicine may be effective for the treatment of PIGD, tremor, and bradykinesia.

• The Journal of the Society of Stroke on Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.13-24
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• 2022

■Objectives This case study is to report the effectiveness of Korean medicine in Parkinsonism patient's treatment. ■Methods We used the acupuncture, electro-acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping therapy, herbal medicine, especially Palmulgunja-tang to the Parkinsonism patient with motor disorder such as Postural Instability and Gait Difficulty(PIGD) and aphonia. Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale(UPDRS), analysis of gait pattern, voice dB and self-evaluation of speed and volume were used to assess the change of symptoms. ■Results ‌After treatment, the UPDRS score decreased in overall category and the walking pattern has improved. In addition, the improvement was observed in voice volume and in self assessment of the patient. ■Conclusion This case suggests the effect of Korean medical treatment on motor disorder and aphonia in Parkinsonism.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.150-164
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• 2024

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the levels of brain iron deposition in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients using Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping (QSM) and to determine whether distinctions compared to the general population exist. Furthermore, we examined potential variations in iron deposition among different PD subtypes. Methods: Structural brain imaging was conducted on 75 participants at Gangdong Kyung Hee University Hospital between August 2017 and May 2020. PD patients were categorized into Tremor Dominant (TD) and Postural Instability and Gait Difficulty (PIGD) subtypes. Voxel-based morphometry and QSM were employed to compare voxel-wise magnetic susceptibility across the entire brain between Normal Controls (NC) and PD groups. Subsequently, QSM values were compared between TD and PIGD groups. Results: QSM values were compared among 46 PD patients and 23 normal controls, as well as between TD (n=22) and PIGD (n=24) groups. Voxel-based QSM analysis revealed no significant differences between groups. Similarly, ROI-based QSM analysis showed no significant distinctions. Conclusions: No significant variations were observed between the PD patient group, NC group, or PD subtypes. This study systematically compared QSM values across a broad range of brain regions potentially linked to PD pathology. Additionally, the subdivision of the PD group into TD and PIGD subtypes for QSM-based iron deposition analysis represents a meaningful and innovative approach.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.23-33
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• 2020

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of pain, clinical characteristics of pain, association between clinical features and pain of patients with Parkinson's Disease(PD). Methods: We undertook a retrospective review of the medical records of patients diagnosed with PD between 2012 and 2019 at Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital at Gangdong in South Korea. Results: A total of 172 PD patients met entry criteria and 147 out of 172 patients(85.5%) reported pain. In comparison with general population, PD patients has high prevalence of pain. Female PD patients more frequently reported pain than male (P=0.03). 102 out of 147patients(69.3) complained of musculoskeletal pain, and musculoskeletal pain show significant difference depending on the PD motor subtypes (P=0.039). Pain was mainly locatedin the leg (57.8%) in all PD motor subtypes. Tremor-dominant PD more frequently felt pain in upper limb than postural instability-gait difficulty dominant(PIGD) PD, but it was not statistically significant. Conclusions: These findings showed high prevalence of pain in PD patients, the correlation between female and pain, and the relationship between PD motor subtype and pain type. Our study can contribute to the clinical approach based on a more in-depth understanding of PD patients with pain.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.290-300
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• 2023

This study was understood the risk mechanism of falls in the elderly and reviewed previous research data to see if the principle of Pilates rehabilitation exercise could have a positive effect on balance ability and postural stabilization in the elderly, and the purpose of this study is to present literature-based data on the fall prevention effect of rehabilitation Pilates exercise. First, the rehabilitation Pilates exercise makes it available for strengthening the center of the body to stabilize the spine and pelvis and stimulates the nerve root, thereby having an effect on the balance and the joint stabilization. Second, a proprioceptive sensory impairment and a musculoskeletal degenerative disease due to aging increase the loss of balance ability and the instability in posture maintenance, thereby coming to raise the risk of a fall damage caused by the difficulty in performing motor functions and by the gait disturbance. Third, the rehabilitation Pilates exercise leads to improving the core muscle strength in older adults, resulting in being capable of expecting the betterment in the balance and the reaction time motor function. And there is a positive impact on the improvement in body imbalance and on the stability in movement involved in the fall prevention, resulting in being able to suggest the possibility of likely contributing to a reduction in a fall risk rate. In conclusion, the rehabilitation Pilates as the elderly exercise program showed effects on the improvement in the body's muscular strength, on the upgrade in a sense of balance, and on the stabilization of core. Thus, it was considered to diminish the risk factors for a fall damage caused by musculoskeletal degeneration and to be capable of preventing a serious disorder of activity due to a chronic senile disease.