• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.317-326
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• 2012

Objectives : To investigate the prevalence and utilization pattern of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Methods : We conducted a nationwide survey and a total of 535 individuals with type 2 diabetes were asked about their demographic, diabetes-related characteristics and CAM use. We used multiple logistic regression modeling to determine independent predictors of CAM use. Results : Of the 535 subjects, 417 (77.9%) used CAM in last 12 months. The most commonly used modality was red ginseng (17.9%). CAM use was independently associated with being married, northern area residence, higher education and diabetes duration of 3-5 years. More than half(58.3%) of the CAM users used it expecting a better outcome in addition to conventional therapy. Information sources about CAM were mostly friends (36.0%) and family (31.9%), only 28.1% of diabetic patients seek counsel from medical doctors or oriental medical doctors about CAM. Many people perceived CAM as effective (62.7%) and reported side effects only rarely (1.2%). Conclusions : Many diabetic patients used CAM and found it effective, which urges clinicians to pay attention to CAM use of their diabetic patients. Also, further studies are required regarding efficacy and safety about CAM.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.427-453
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• 2009

This study aims to review legal problems of similar medical practice and suggest methods of improvement. Similar medical practice refers to all medical practices conducted in the state that human qualification is not fulfilled. It may cause serious damages on health and lives of national people. Currently, similar medical practices are recognized as unlicensed medical practices and prohibited based on the Medical law and additionally punished by then special law in Korea. However, the current Medical Law does not provide clear and accurate concept of medical practices so that it is difficult to regulate similar medical practices. The issue of complementary and alternative therapy related to similar medical practices is also in special state different from other countries. In addition, since similar medical practices lack of evidences in terms of safety, the dangerousness of accidents is high and it may affect badly on health of national people and health care policies. Methods of improvement in order to resolve problems regarding similar medical practices are: first, concept and scope of medical practice should be clear, accurate and concrete. Second, complementary and alternative therapies related to similar medical practices need to be strictly examined and the supervisory right should be given to doctors should be given even though a part of it is allowed. Third, research institutes specialized in the field should be established for scientific examination of complementary and alternative therapy and objective research results should be open to the public. Finally, since damage cases caused by similar medical practices by non-medical personnel, national management and supervision for similar medical practices should be reinforced.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.417-422
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• 2017

This study conducted frequency analysis for male and female patients aged 60 and over from the results of analyzing improvement strategies for inconvenience due to wearing alopecia wigs. When the patoent started perceive their depilatory diseases was right after treatment of anticancer drugs or radiotherapy, and they were found to suffer from inconveniences of being dried, etc. After treatment of chemotherapy, as for the falling-out parts, eyebrows were found to be the highest 52.1%, and pubic hair 38%, axilla hair 29% in that order. And the inconvenience level of wearing wigs among the patients with the different background of education indicates that the professions of the patients affect the ease of use. It is presumed that the easiness in use which the college graduates, high school graduates, and postgraduates showed is attributable to the age difference. to improve the inconveniences from cancer patients wearing wigs, scape troubles and close adhesion are constantly needed.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.294-299
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• 2013

This study has investigated the effect of intentional contact through the intercom during MRI scans on the decrease of anxiety in patients. The results obtained through the test group and control group are as follows. 1. The homogeneity of the anxiety score before the scan between the two groups was not acknowledged, hence a significant result could not be deduced. 2. Intentional contact through the intercom displayed decreasing results rational discomfort (t=-2.214, p=.031). 3. Intentional contact through the intercom displayed decreasing results of (t=-3.722, p=.000), and fear (t=-2.74, p=.009). 4. Intentional contact through the intercom displayed decreasing results of heart rate (t=-4.180, p=.000). In conclusion, the attempt to perform MRI scans with intentional contact through the intercom did not display significant effect on the blood pressure of the subject after the scan, however, displayed a decrease in objective and rational discomfort, as well as the heart rate, another vital sign. Accordingly, it is judged that intentional contact through the intercom can be used as an effective substitutive treatment method in patient care and test, as it relieves psychological tension in the patient and allows the patient to feel stability.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.488-496
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perception and utilization of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) for diabetic patients in Busan. The subjects were 227 patients at two general hospitals (over 400 bed). This study was performed through the interviewing process using questionnaires conducted from January to April, 2010. Of a total of subjects, 109 patients (48.0%) had taken CAM at least one time. The patients used CAM recognized that they were 'auxiliary medicines' (39.4%), 'supplementary health foods' (32.1%) and 'medicines' (19.3%), but inexperienced patients perceived them as 'supplementary health foods' (29.6%), 'unscientific treatment' (22.6%) and 'medicines' (20.2%), It was significantly different between two groups of patients (p < 0.001). The number of CAM types used for the patients was 51. The CAM types were plant foods (64.3%), dietary supplement (23.6%) and animal diets (12.1%). The patients used an average of 5.9 different kinds of CAM and an average of 3.8 years them and paid \93,345 per month. The patients with diabetic complications and for longer morbidity periods used CAM for significantly (p < 0.05) longer periods. The mean effectiveness scores of the patients used CAM were 3.31/5.00 for efficacy satisfaction, 3.58/5.00 for fewer side effects compared to those of oral drugs, 3.60/5.00 for psychological stability, 3.81/5.00 for easiness to use, and 3.06/5.00 for economic satisfaction. Of the patients that used CAM, 55.9% did not consult with doctors about CAM. More than two-thirds of the patients (77.1%) did not feel the need to consult with doctors.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.239-244
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• 2008

Calcification in patients with endstage renal disease on renal replacement therapy can occur in extraskeletal area such as conjunctiva and cornea. Conjunctival and corneal calcification(CCC) has mostly has been reported in adults with endstage renal disease on hemodialysis. CCC seems to be associated with the duration of renal replacement therapy, and high Ca$\times$P value. We report a 10-year-old girl who was on peritoneal dialysis for 31 months and presented with CCC on both eyes. Her corneal calcification was resolved after the epithelial debridement and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid(EDTA) soaking therapy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.827-832
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• 1997

Lung volume reduction surgery(LVRS) has recently been advocated as an alternative or a bridge to lung transplantation for patients with evere dibbling emphysema. This procedure is a palliative treatment performed to alleviate the dyspnea of patients with emphysema and improve performance in the activities of daily living. The rationale of lung volume reduction for generalized emphysema is that the removing of the diseased and functionless lung may improve the function of remaining, less diseased lung. The factors critical to the success of LVRS are careful patient selection, accurate localization of target areas, meticulous anesthetic and operative technique, and intensive postoperative support. We have experienced a case of severe emphysema in a 59-year-old male patient. After selection process and pulmonary rehabilitation, the patient was treated with video-assisted thoracoscopic LVRS and the post-operative course was uneventful.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.35 no.11B
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• pp.1651-1658
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• 2010

As indicators of life quality have recently shown great improvement, early stage medical examination and health care patterns are usually preformed before diseases occur. Thus, hand acupuncture, as an alternative medicine to reflect these movements of preventative work and health care, is widely used these days. Therefore, in this paper, we measured the change of voice signals elements associated with heart by stimulating the heart A16 acupuncture point, and then we investigated possible improvements of cardiac function through analysis of cross-comparisons between measurements of cardiac changes. With this in mind, we collected voice samples associated with heart before and after stimulating the corresponding A16 acupuncture point, and we performed an experiment by applying the second formant bandwidth and Jitter. As result, stimulating the A16 acupuncture point results to lowering the second formant bandwidth and Jitter. The result has proven that using voice signal processing technology can help improvement of heart function.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.150-155
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• 2009

Purpose: Extracorporeal elimination of drugs is a critical part of managing poisonings, although the indications and optimal method remain a matter of debate. The aim of this study is to report our clinical experiences with continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), as performed by emergency room physicians, as method of extracorporeal drug elimination in patients with poisoning. Methods: This study was a retrospective study of the consecutive patients who underwent CRRT, as performed by an emergency room physician, for acute poisoning. The patient characteristics, the kinds of drugs and the method of extracorporeal elimination were analyzed by reviewing the patients' charts. Results: During eleven months, 26 patients with acute poisoning underwent extracorporeal elimination (2 patients; intermittent hemodialysis, 24 patients; CRRT). The mean time from the decision to performing extracorporeal elimination was $206.0{\pm}36.8$ minutes for intermittent hemodialysis, $62.9{\pm}8.5$ minutes for continuous venoveno-hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) and $56.6{\pm}6.8$ minutes for charcoal hemoperfusion. For the patients with CRRT, CVVHDF was conducted in 10 patients (3 patients; valproic acid, 2 patients; Lithium, 1 patient; salicylates, 1 patient; methanol) and charcoal hemoperfusion by using CRRT was done in 14 patients (13 patients; paraquat, 1 patient; dapsone). For the 12 patients who required hemodialysis due to severe poisoning, 7 patients underwent CRRT because of their unstable vital signs. Conclusion: CRRT was an effective method of extracorporeal drug elimination in patients with acute poisoning, and especially for the cases with unstable vital sign and for those patients who required an early start of extracorporeal elimination according to the characteristics of the drug. (ED note: the writing of the abstract was not clear. Check it carefully.)

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.13-29
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• 2017

Objectives: The objective of this review is to investigate the use of conventional Western medicine (WM) and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) on leg cramps. Leg cramps are the occurrence of muscular spasm in the leg muscles which occur frequently in the elderly and are frequently observed in the clinical field. Methods: Relevant clinical studies were searched from five medical databases including PubMed, KISS, RISS, OASIS, and J-STAGE. Systematic review, clinical studies, and clinical practice guideline were included in this review. Results: In total, 27 clinical studies, 9 systematic review and meta-analysis, and 1 clinical practice guideline met the inclusion criteria. Included studies were classified and analyzed according to the type of intervention. Studies on quinine and magnesium have been most studied in WM and CAM, respectively. Although quinine shows some clinical effects on leg cramps, however, the risk of side effects are suggested. In addition, magnesium failed to improve the clinically significant effects in most studies. Five case reports using Oriental herbal medicine (OHM) were included and OHMs were effective in improving leg cramps without side effects, however, the quality of evidence was low. Clinical studies on other interventions were lacking. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that there is no definite treatment standard for leg cramps until now, and there are limitations such as low level of evidence and side effects for each treatment. OHM can be an effective alternative to conventional intervention on leg cramps, therefore, related clinical studies are needed.