• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.411-417
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• 2002

Purpose: This study was to investigate symptom occurrence related to the disease characteristics of patients with cancer. Method: A total of 301 patients with cancer participated in this study. The participants were recruited from University Hospitals located in Seoul, Wonju, Kwangju, Daegu, and Pusan. Data collection was performed by using a questionnaire on symptom occurrence. The obtained data was analyzed using SPSS computer program that included descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, one-way ANOVA, and t-test. Result: The mean score of fatigue was the highest (3.24), followed by loss of appetite, lack of concentration, change in appearance, pain, insomnia, change in bowel pattern, nausea/vomiting, coughing, and dyspnea. Most symptoms were significantly correlated with each other. The level of symptom occurrence in patients with lung cancer or cervix cancer was significantly higher than the level in patients with stomach cancer. Patients receiving radiation therapy or a combined therapy of radiation therapy and chemotherapy experienced significantly higher level of symptom occurrence than those receiving chemotherapy only. Also, female patients experienced higher level of symptom occurrence than male patients did. Conclusion: The sites of cancer, types of treatment, and gender influence the level of symptom occurrence of patients with cancer. Thus, these variables should be considered when assessing and planing for symptom occurrence of patients with cancer.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.38-47
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• 2022

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to analyze the characteristics of tinnitus patients according to the presence of headache. Methods : The medical records of 110 tinnitus patients who visited oo Korean Medicine Clinic from June 2019 to June 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical characteristics including gender, age, onset, cause, tinnitus site, severity of tinnitus and accompanied symptoms were analyzed. Results : Among all patients, 40s and 50s and chronic tinnitus over 1 year was the most frequent group. After an average of 2 months of treatment, 61 patients(55.5%) showed improvement, and there were prescribed more frequently 50s and 60s and with tinnitus grade mild to moderate group. The proportions of female(65%, p=0.012) and herbal dialectics which 'tonify and replenish' and 'tranquilize'(32.5%, p=0.043) were prescribed more frequently in patients with headache than those without headache. Dizziness, ear pain, heart symptoms, fatigue, and neck stiffness were more frequent in patients with headache(p<0.05). In patients with improvement in tinnitus, tinnitus grade improved significantly in patients with improvement in headache compared to those with no improvement in headache(1.83±0.79 vs 0.80±0.84, p=0.018). Conclusions : In tinnitus patients treated with Korean medicine, there was no significant difference in the improvement of tinnitus according to the presence or improvement of headache, but the patients with improvement of both tinnitus and headache showed significantly more degree of improvement in tinnitus severity than patients with only tinnitus improved. Based on these findings, further study is needed regarding the correlation headache and tinnitus in clinical setting.

• Anxiety and mood
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.129-135
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• 2015

Objective : Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is implicated in the pathophysiology of several neuropsychiatric disorders. However, there are few studies on BDNF of panic disorder. In this study, we investigated plasma BDNF levels in patients with panic disorder, and evaluated whether there are associations between clinical characteristics of panic disorder and plasma BDNF levels. Methods : We included 110 patients with panic disorder and 110 health controls in the current study. Plasma BDNF levels were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Plasma BDNF level differences were evaluated according to the clinical characteristics, such as duration of illness, recent stressful life event, agoraphobia, and insomnia. Results : The mean plasma BDNF levels of patients with panic disorder were significantly lower, as compared with those of controls (192.50 pg/mL vs. 693.75 pg/mL, t=8.838, p<0.001). The mean plasma BDNF levels of patients who had recent stressful life events were significantly higher, as compared with those who did not ($269.79{\pm}358.96pg/mL$ vs. $136.94{\pm}187.06pg/mL$, t=-2.525, p=0.013). Conclusion : These results suggested that BDNF plays a potential role in the pathophysiology of panic disorder.

• Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.37-43
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• 2017

Objectives : This study was aimed to investigate the associations of childhood trauma with psychopathology and clinical characteristics in patients with schizophrenia. Methods : This study enrolled 66 inpatients with schizophrenia. Korean Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (K-CTQ) and Life Event Questionnaire (LEQ) were administered to assess childhood trauma. Psychopatholgy and clinical characteristics were assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Korean Version of Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (K-ISMI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and visual analogue scale of EuroQoL-5 Dimension Index (EQ-5D). Results : Total scores on K-CTQ were positively associated with scores on the BDI, K-ISMI, PSS, and PANSS and negatively associated with the score on the EQ-5D. Among subscales of K-CTQ, emotional abuse was significantly associated with all measures for psychopathology and clinical characteristics. Patients with physical abuse (36.5%), emotional abuse (30.2%), or bullying (30.6%) according to the LEQ showed sighificanlty higher the ISMI score and lower EQ-5D score. Emotional abuse and bullying were also significantly associated with higher scores on BDI and/or PSS. Conclusion : Our results suggest that childhood trauma negatively influences on internalized stigma, depression, perceived stress and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia. Clinicians should carefully evalute and manage childhood traumatic experience of patients with schizophrenia.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제46권5호
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• pp.441-448
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• 2019

Background Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare neuroendocrine malignancy affecting the skin, for which timely diagnosis and aggressive treatment are essential. MCC has most often been reported in Caucasians, and case reports in Asians are rare. This study presents our experiences with the surgical treatment and radiotherapy of MCC in Asian patients. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the records of seven MCC patients between 2000 and 2018 from a single institution, and analyzed patient characteristics, tumor characteristics, surgical treatment, sentinel lymph node evaluation, reconstruction, adjuvant radiation therapy, and prognosis. Results Eight MCC lesions occurred in seven patients, most commonly in the head and neck region. All patients underwent surgical excision with reconstruction. The final surgical margin was 1.0 cm in most cases, and reconstruction was most commonly performed with a splitthickness skin graft. Five patients received adjuvant radiotherapy, and two patients received sentinel lymph node biopsy. During the follow-up period, three patients remained well, two died from other causes, one experienced recurrence, and one was lost to follow-up. Conclusions We treated seven Asian MCC patients and our series confirmed that MCC is a very dangerous cancer in Asians as well. Based on our experiences, thorough surgical excision of MCC with histopathological clearance should be considered, with sentinel lymph node evaluation if necessary, followed by appropriate reconstruction and careful postoperative observation. Adjuvant radiation therapy is also recommended for all Asian MCC patients. The results of this case series may provide guidance for the treatment of Asian MCC patients in the future.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.219-229
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• 2014

The occurrence trends and moleculargenetic characteristics of noroviruses detected from gastroenteritis patients in Jeju from 2008 to 2010 were investigated. In addition, the norovirus contamination and its characteristics of groundwaters in Jeju were examined. The incidence caused by norovirus in viral gastroenteritis patients has increased every year and was higher in male than in female. The patients caused by norovirus occurred throughout all months. The incidences started to increase from November, were very high from December to February, started to decrease from March, and were very low from June to September. The patients caused by norovirus occurred throughout all ages, however, the infants below 5 years were the most susceptible to norovirus infection and the age group from teens to forties were the most insensitive to norovirus infection. The sequencing analysis showed that 18 genotypes (8 genogroup I (GI) and 10 genogroup II (GII)) were detected, the incidences caused by GI and GII were 11.5% and 88.5%, respectively, and predominant genotype was GII-4 (70.5%), which was the major genotype giving rise to norovirus incidences in Jeju, together with GII-3 (6.1%) and GI-4 (4.1%). Among 20 groundwaters sampled at 9 wells (4 non-drinking water wells and 5 drinking water wells), noroviruses were detected from 2 groundwaters sampled at one non-drinking water well and their genotypes were GI-5 and GI-8.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.52-57
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• 2018

Purpose: Rhabdomyolysis is a metabolic disorder in which the content of damaged muscle cells is released into plasma. Its manifestations include asymptomatic, myalgia, gross hematuria, and complications of acute kidney injury. Because of limited data on rhabdomyolysis in children, we performed this study to determine clinical characteristics of rhabdomyolysis in children. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with rhabdomyolysis who were treated at the Pusan National University Children's hospital from January 2011 to July 2016. The diagnostic criteria were serum myoglobin level of ${\geq}80ng/mL$, exclusive of acute myocardial injury, cardiac arrest, and brain damage. Results: Forty-five patients were enrolled; mean age, $116{\pm}68$ months. Of these, 35 were boys and 10 were girls. Twenty-six patients experienced myalgia and 12 patients showed gross hematuria. Among these, seven patients initially had both myalgia and gross hematuria. The most common causes of rhabdomyolysis were infection, physical exertion, prolonged seizures, metabolic abnormalities, and drug addiction. Acute kidney injury (AKI) was the most common complication, followed by disseminated intravascular coagulation. Thirty-seven patients improved with sufficient fluid supply but two patients underwent hemodialysis due to deterioration of kidney function. Gross hematuria, positive occult blood test, and positive urine protein were more common in patients with AKI than in those without AKI. Conclusions: In children, infection was the most common cause of rhabdomyolysis. Most patients recovered by sufficient fluid therapy. However, in severe cases, especially in patients with underlying kidney disease, hemodialysis may be necessary in the present study.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• 제16권4호
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• pp.254-259
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• 2016

Purpose: Owing to increased life expectancy, the number of elderly patients with gastric cancer has increased. This study aimed to identify the outcomes of gastric cancer patients aged 80 years or older through comparison of their clinicopathological characteristics, surgical outcomes, and oncologic outcomes. Materials and Methods: Between January 2006 and December 2013, the records of 478 patients who underwent surgery for gastric cancer were retrospectively evaluated. Patients were divided into two groups: patients <80 years old (n=446) and patients ${\geq}80$ years old (n=32). Results: There were no significant differences in sex, body mass index, length of hospital stay, duration of surgery, depth of invasion, nodal metastasis, histologic type, or tumor size between the two groups. However, significant differences were found for the American Society of Anesthesiologist score and the serum albumin level between the two groups. Postoperative morbidity, mortality, disease-free survival, and recurrence rate did not differ between curatively resected patients in the two groups. Conclusions: In elderly patients with gastric cancer, active treatment including radical gastrectomy is necessary.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제65권1호
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• pp.15-22
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• 2008

Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in South Korea since the year 2000 and it is more common in elderly patients, with a peak incidence at around 70~80 years of age. However, these elderly patients receive treatment less often than do the younger patients because of organ dysfunction related to their age and their comorbidities, and they show poor tolerance to chemotherapy. The aims of this study were to analyze the clinical characteristics and treatment-related survival of elderly patients with lung cancer. Methods: In this retrospective study, we analyzed the clinical data of 706 lung cancer patients who were diagnosed at hospitals in Daegu and Gyeongsangbukdo from January 2005 to December 2005. We compared the clinical characteristics and outcomes of the patients who were aged 70 years and older (elderly patients) with those clinical characteristics and outcomes of the younger individuals. Results: The median age of the patients was 68 years (from 29 to 93) and the elderly patients were 38.7% (n=273) of all the study's patients. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common type of lung cancer in both the elderly and younger patient groups. Elderly patients had more symptoms of dyspnea and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) than the younger patients (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). A good performance status (ECOG 0-1) was less common for the elderly patients (p<0.001). The median survival of the non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients was significantly higher in the younger patient group than in the elderly patient group (962 days vs 298 days, respectively, p=0.001). However, the median survival of the NSCLC patients who received any treatment showed no significant difference between the younger patient group and the elderly patient group (1,109 days vs 708 days, respectively, p=0.14). Conclusion: Our data showed that appropriate treatment for selected elderly patients improved the survival of patients with NSCLC. Therefore, elderly NSCLC patients with a good performance status should be encouraged to receive appropriate treatment.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.97-106
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• 2010

Recently hospitals are trying to meet requests of patients by reflecting regular survey results of patients into hospital's management in order to increase patients' satisfaction and the rate of return visit. In this paper, degree of patients' satisfaction and the rate of return visit were analyzed using surveys of hospital selection factors and the characteristics of aesthetic plastic surgery. This analysis results can be used as data for setting up efficient management direction of aesthetic plastic surgery hospitals. In the main results, facilities and medical trust factor was the primary cause for aesthetic plastic surgery patients to select hospitals and the results showed that hospitals have to consider carefully not only aesthetic plastic surgery patients but also guardians such as parents or friends because patients are acquiring surgery information from them. The results also showed approachableness to hospitals was not important factor to select a hospital.