• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.266-276
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• 2021

Fundus hemorrhage refers to abnormalities in the retinal tissue and blood vessels. Therefore, when a hemorrhagic change in the fundus occurs, the ophthalmologist orders various ophthalmic tests to evaluate the degree of hemorrhage and determine the progress of the lesion before, during, and after treatment to accordingly establish a treatment plan. Currently, the most useful and universal fundus examination includes optical coherence tomography (OCT), fundus photography (FP), and fluorescein angiography (FAG). Existing fluorescein angiography test methods for establishing a treatment plan for severe fundus bleeding have limitations. The authors propose that peripheral pupil and the 5-quadrant method should be performed using ultra-wide-angle fluorescence fundus angiography (UWFFA). Using this method, it is possible to quickly determine the area to be described, avoid the radius of bleeding as much as possible, and provide the ophthalmologist with a range of damaged tissue and abnormal blood vessels. Nevertheless, there are cases in which ophthalmologists judge that fundus bleeding is so severe that ultra-wide-angle fluorescence fundus angiography is meaningless. In such cases, ophthalmic ultrasound and electroretinogram may be used in that order as alternative methods of examination. Therefore, some clinical situations require the use of ophthalmic ultrasound and electroretinogram and should be performed accurately.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.72-82
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• 2021

Purpose: A high anion gap (AG) is known to be a significant risk factor for serious acid-base imbalances and death in acute poisoning cases. The strong ion difference (SID), or strong ion gap (SIG), has recently been used to predict in-hospital mortality or acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome. This study presents a comprehensive acid-base analysis in order to identify the predictive value of the SIG for disease severity in severe poisoning. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on acute poisoning patients treated in the emergency intensive care unit (ICU) between December 2015 and November 2020. Initial serum electrolytes, base deficit (BD), AG, SIG, and laboratory parameters were concurrently measured upon hospital arrival and were subsequently used along with Stewart's approach to acid-base analysis to predict AKI development and in-hospital death. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and logistic regression analysis were used as statistical tests. Results: Overall, 343 patients who were treated in the intensive care unit were enrolled. The initial levels of lactate, AG, and BD were significantly higher in the AKI group (n=62). Both effective SID [SIDe] (20.3 vs. 26.4 mEq/L, p<0.001) and SIG (20.2 vs. 16.5 mEq/L, p<0.001) were significantly higher in the AKI group; however, the AUC of serum SIDe was 0.842 (95% confidence interval [CI]=0.799-0.879). Serum SIDe had a higher predictive capacity for AKI than initial creatinine (AUC=0.796, 95% CI=0.749-0.837), BD (AUC=0.761, 95% CI=0.712-0.805), and AG (AUC=0.660, 95% CI=0.607-0.711). Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that diabetes, lactic acidosis, high SIG, and low SIDe were significant risk factors for in-hospital mortality. Conclusion: Initial SIDe and SIG were identified as useful predictors of AKI and in-hospital mortality in intoxicated patients who were critically ill. Further research is necessary to evaluate the physiological nature of the toxicant or unmeasured anions in such patients.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.208-216
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• 2021

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This study aimed to investigate the status of renal function in patients with COVID-19. The study surveyed a total of 649 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at a hospital located in southern Gyeonggi Province, South Korea over a one month period in January 2021. The parameters analyzed were blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, sodium, potassium, chloride, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The BUN and creatinine of the COVID-19 patients were found to be higher than the normal reference range, specially in males, and in the elderly (60s and 80s or older). The serum electrolyte levels of the patients were observed to be within the reference intervals. Of the subjects, males over 80 years of age had a Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) of 60 mL/min/1.73 m² or less. Recent research suggests that some severe cases of COVID-19 are showing signs of kidney damage, even in those with no prior underlying kidney disease. Thus, assessment of kidney function using multiple indicators could help diagnose abnormal renal function in patients with COVID-19.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.105-124
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• 2023

Modern society is facing an unstable environment due to unexpected accidents and hazardous situations. For example, incidents such as the collapse of the Bundang Bridge and the crushing accident in Itaewon could serve as examples. In addition to these, critical emergencies like sudden cardiac arrests and strokes frequently occur, requiring swift actions and smooth transfers to specialized medical institutions for effective responses. In response to these risks, the country has been establishing various systems to protect the lives and safety of its citizens. Among these, the 119 First Aid Activities plays a crucial role within the emergency medical system. Its goal is to promptly respond to critical emergency situations involving severe trauma patients or patients with serious illnesses, minimizing damage and safeguarding lives by swiftly transferring them to emergency medical institutions for specialized treatment. The core activity related to this is emergency rescue operations. In particular, the 119 First Aid system serves as a crucial institution responsible for the hospital transportation of emergency patients. However, rescue personnel still encounter cases of interference with their activities during their duties. Despite efforts from the police, these interference cases persist, and they share similarities with the crime of obstructing official duties. Interference with emergency activities exhibits a comparable nature to instances such as physical assaults and equipment damage against emergency medical practitioners working within the emergency medical system. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding and improvement efforts regarding the issues of interference that arise during the process of emergency medical activities, including the 119 First Aid system, are necessary. The solution to these problems is to establish and improve the conditions for obstruction of first aid activities, focusing on the "Framework Act on Firefighting" and the "Act on 119 Rescue and Emergency."

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.861-870
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• 1997

Background : Though acute respiratory distress(ARDS) often occurs in the early stage of severe acute pancreatitis and significantly contributed to the mortality of the condition, the characteristics of the group who develops ARDS in the patients with acute pancreatitis have not been fully found. The objective of this investigation was to identify predictable factors which distinguish a group who would develop ARDS in the patients with acute pancreatitis. Method : A retrospective analysis of 94 cases in 86 patients who were admitted the Medical Intensive Care Unit with acute pancreatitis was done. ARDS were developed in 13 cases among them (13.8%). The possible clinical factors related to the development were analyzed using univariate analysis and $x^2$-test. Results : The risk of ARDS development was increased in the patients with abonormal findings of chest X-ray at admission compared to the patients with normal chest X-ray (p<0.05). The risk was also increased according to the sevecrity index score in abdominal computed tomography at the time of admission (p<0.05). The higher APACHE III score of the first day of admission, the more risk increment of ARDS development was observed (p<0.01). Patients with more than one points of Murray's lung injury score showed higher risk of ARDS compared to the patients with 0 points of that. The patients with sepsis and the patients with more than three organ dysfunction at admission had 3.5 times and 23.3 times higher risk of the development of ARDS compared to the patients without sepsis and without organ failure in each (p<0.05, p<0.01). Conclusion : The risk of ARDS development would be higher in the acute pancreatitis patients with abnormal chest X-ray, higher CT severity index, higher APACHE III or Murray's lung injury score, accompanying sepsis, and more than three organ failure at admission.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.502-508
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• 2009

Background: Rib fractures are the most common injuries that are caused by blunt chest trauma. However, fractures of the costal cartilage generally go unnoticed on chest X-rays unless they involve a calcified cartilage. For this reason, the sensitivity of conventional radiography for detecting rib fractures is low, and especially those involving the cartilaginous part of the rib. Thus, we have evaluated the usefulness of ultrasonography for detecting fractures of the costal cartilage that were overlooked on the conventional radiographs of patients who suffered minor blunt chest traumas. Material and Method: A total of 45 patients who suffered minor blunt chest trauma and who had no evidence of rib fractures or other major fractures on conventional radiographs were admitted for ultrasonography between April 2008 and March 2009. There were 24 women and 21 men, and the mean age of the patients was 50.4$\pm$15.91 years (range: 17$\sim$76 years). They were examined for the detection of fractures of the costal cartilage by performing ultrasonography with a 7.5-MHz linear transducer. Result: A total of 30 patients (67%) had fractures of the costal cartilage, whereas 15 patients (33%) had no evidence of chondral rib fractures. The mean number of fracture sites of the fractured costal cartilage was 1.6$\pm$0.81 (range: 1$\sim$4 sites) in 30 patients. Periosteal hematoma was the most common finding associated with fractures of the costal cartilage (n=7, 17%), followed by sternum fracture (n=5, 12%). However, periosteal hematoma was noticed in 1 patient (2%) who was without fracture of the costal cartilage, and sternum fracture was noticed in 1 patient (2%) who was without fractures of the costal cartilage. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that ultrasonography may be a useful imaging modality for detecting fractures of the costal cartilage that are overlooked on the conventional radiographs of patients who suffer minor blunt chest trauma.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.28-32
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• 2010

Purpose : Although eosinophilia is a common laboratory finding in many neonatal intensive care units (ICUs), its causative mechanisms remain obscure. We aimed to determine the causes of eosinophilia in the neonatal ICU environment. Methods : Serial eosinophil counts were determined weekly for 288 hospitalized, appropriately grown neonates. Infants were divided into four groups according to gestational age, and the incidence and etiologic factors of eosinophilia were retrospectively studied. Results : Absolute eosinophilia (>$700/mm^3$) was documented in 18% (52/288) of neonates. Twenty-two infants (42.3%) exhibited mild eosinophilia ($700-999cells/mm^3$), 27 (51.9%) exhibited moderate eosinophilia ($1,000-2,999cells/mm^3$), and 3 (5.8%) exhibited severe eosinophilia (>$3,000cells/mm^3$). Of the 288 infants studied, 54 suffered sepsis. Thirty of these 54 infants (55.6%) showed eosinophilia, and 22 out of the remaining 234 infants (9%) without sepsis showed eosinophilia, indicating that eosinophilia was more prevalent in the sepsis group (P <0.05). All 5 infants suffering from bronchopulmonary dysplasia showed eosinophilia, and 47 out of the remaining 283 infants (16.7%) without bronchopulmonary dysplasia showed eosinophilia. Thus, eosinophilia was more prevalent in the bronchopulmonary dysplasia group (P<0.05). Furthermore, increased prevalence of eosinophilia was associated with respiratory distress syndrome, ventilator use, blood transfusion, and total parenteral nutrition (P<0.05). Conclusion : Our results suggest that eosinophilia is influenced by sepsis and bronchopulmonary dysplasia, although it can also occur idiopathically at birth. Moreover, the potential role of eosinophils in conditions such as wound healing and fibrosis in sepsis or chronic lung disease may be a cause of eosinophilia.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.724-732
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• 2000

Background : In patients with severe chronic lung diseases even a small pneumothorax can result in life-threatening respiratory distress. It is important to treat the attack by chest tube drainage until the lung expands. Pneumothorax with a persistent air leak that does not resolve under prolonged tube thoracostomy suction is usually treated by open operation to excise or oversew a bulla or cluster of blebs to stop the air leak. Pleurodesis by the instillation of chemical agents is used for the patient who has persistent air leak and is not good candidate for surgical treatment. When the primary trial of pleurodesis with common agent fails, it is uncertain which agent should be used f or stopping the air leak by pleurodesis. It is well known that inappropriate drainage of hemothorax results in severe pleural adhesion and thickening. Based on this idea, some reports described a successful treatment with autologous blood instillation for pneumothorax patients with or without residual pleural space. We tried pleurodesis with autologous bood for pneumothorax with persistent air leak and then we evaluated the efficacy and safety. Methods : Fifteen patients who had persistent air leak in the pneumothorax complicated from the severe chronic lung disease were enrolled. They were not good candidates for surgical treatment and doxycycline pleurodesis failed to stop up their air leaks. We used a mixture of autologous blood and 50% dextrose for pleurodesis. Effect and complications were assessed by clinical out∞me, chest radiography and pulmonary function tests. Results : The mean duration of air leak was 18.4${\pm}$6.16 days before ABP (autologous blood and dextrose pleurodesis) and $5.2{\pm}1.68$ days after ABP. The mean severity of pain was $2.3{\pm}0.70$ for DP(doxycycline pleurodesis) and $1.7{\pm}0.59$ for ABDP (p<0.05). There was no other complication except mild fever. Pleural adhesion grade was a mean of $0.6{\pm}0.63$. The mean dyspnea scale was $1.7{\pm}0.46$ before pneumothrax and $2.0{\pm}0.59$ after ABDP (p>0.05). The mean $FEV_1$ was $1.47{\pm}1.01$ before pneumothorax and $1.44{\pm}1.00$ after ABDP (p>0.05). Except in 1 patient, 14 patients had no recurrent pneumothorax. Conclusion : Autologous blood pleurodesis (ABP) was successful for treatment of persistent air leak in the pneumothorax. It was easy and inexpensive and involved less pain than doxycycline pleurodesis. It did not cause complications and severe pleural adhesion. We report that ABP can be considered as a useful treatment for persistent air leak in the pneumothorax complicated from the severe chronic lung disease.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.356-364
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• 1999

Backgrounds: Previous reports have revealed a high morbidity and mortality in fatal asthma patients, especially those treated in the medical intensive care unit(MICU). But it has not been well known about the predictable factors for the mortality of fatal asthma(F A) with acute respiratory failure. In order to define the predictable factors for the mortality of FA at the admission to MICU, we analyzed the relationship between the clinical parameters and the prognosis of FA patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis of all medical records of 59 patients who had admitted for FA to MICU at a tertiary care MICU from January 1992 to March 1997 was performed. Results: Over all mortality rate was 32.2% and 43 patients were mechanically ventilated. In uni-variate analysis, the death group had significantly older age ($66.2{\pm}10.5$ vs. $51.0{\pm}18.8$ year), lower FVC($59.2{\pm}21.1$ vs. $77.6{\pm}23.3%$) and lower $FEV_1$($41.4{\pm}18.8$ vs. $61.l{\pm}23.30%$), and longer total ventilation time ($255.0{\pm}236.3$ vs. $98.1{\pm}120.4$ hour) (p<0.05) compared with the survival group (PFT: best value of recent 1 year). At MICU admission, there were no significant differences in vital signs, $PaCO_2$, $PaO_2/FiO_2$, and $AaDO_2$, in both groups. However, on the second day of MICU, the death group had significantly more rapid pulse rate ($121.6{\pm}22.3$ vs. $105.2{\pm}19.4$ rate/min), elevated $PaCO_2$ ($50.1{\pm}16.5$ vs. $41.8{\pm}12.2 mm Hg$), lower $PaO_2/FiO_2$, ($160.8{\pm}59.8$ vs. $256.6{\pm}78.3 mm Hg$), higher $AaDO_2$ ($181.5{\pm}79.7$ vs. $98.6{\pm}47.9 mm Hg$), and higher APACHE III score ($57.6{\pm}21.1$ vs. $20.3{\pm}13.2$) than survival group (p<0.05). The death group had more frequently associated with pneumonia and anoxic brain damage at admission, and had more frequently developed sepsis during disease progression than the survival group (p<0.05). Multi-variate analysis using APACHE III score and $PaO_2/FiO_2$, ratio on first and second day, age, sex, and pneumonia combined at admission revealed that APACHE III score (40) and $PaO_2/FiO_2$ ratio (<200) on second day were regarded as predictive factors for the mortality of fatal asthma (p<0.05). Conclusions: APACHE III score ($\geq$40) and $PaO_2/FiO_2$ ratio (<200) on the second day of MICU, which might reflect the response of treatment, rather than initially presented clinical parameters would be more important predictable factors of mortality in patients with FA.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.320-327
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• 2011

Purpose: To determine the effect of changing practice guidelines designed to avoid hyperoxia or hypoxia in very low birth weight or very preterm infants. Methods: We analyzed a database of <1,500 g birth weight or <32 weeks of gestation infants who were born and admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Chungnam National University Hospital from January 2007 to July 2010. First, we defined the relationship between arterial partial pressure of oxygen ($PaO_2$) and pulse oxygen saturation ($SpO_2$). When we evaluated 96 pairs of $PaO_2$ and $SpO_2$ measurements, oxygen saturation was 90-94% at a $PaO_2$ of 43-79 mmHg on the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve, according to pulse oximetry. Based on this observation, a change in practice was instituted in August 2008 with the objective of avoiding hypoxia and hyperoxia in preterm infants with targeting a $SpO_2$ 90-94% (period II). Before the change in practice, high alarms for $SpO_2$ were set at 100% and low alarms at 95% (period I). Results: Sixty-eight infants the met enrollment criteria and 38 (56%) were born during period II, after the change in $SpO_2$ targets. Demographic characteristics, except gender, were similar between the infants born in both periods. After correcting for the effect of confounding factors, the rates for mortality, severe retinopathy of prematurity, and IVH attended to be lower than those for infants in period II. No difference in the rate of patent ductus arteriosus needed to treat was observed. Conclusion: A change in the practice guidelines aimed at avoiding low oxygen saturation and hyperoxia did not increase neonatal complication rates and showed promising results, suggesting decreased mortality and improvements in short term morbidity. It is still unclear what range of oxygen saturation is appropriate for very preterm infants but the more careful saturation targeting guideline should be considered to prevent hypoxemic events and hyperoxia.