• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.98-104
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• 2012

Objectives : This study aimed to investigate the correlations between neurological and psychiatric symptoms at two weeks after stroke. Methods : For 412 stroke patients, stroke severity was evaluated by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS), disability by the Barthel Index(BI) and modified Rankin Scale(mRS), cognitive function by the Korean Mini-Mental State Examination(K-MMSE), and muscle power by grip strength. Psychiatric symptoms were assessed by Symptom check list-90-Revision(SCL-90-R), consisted of nine symptom domains : Somatization, Obsessive-compulsive, Interpersonal sensitivity, Depression, Anxiety, Hostility, Phobic anxiety, Paranoid ideation, Psychoticism, and Additional items. The correlations between the neurological and psychiatric symptoms were investigated at the time of admission and before discharge(i.e. before and after treatment). Results : At the time of admission, NIHSS score was associated with scores on Phobic anxiety and Additional items ; and scores on BI and mRS were associated with Depression, Phobic anxiety and Additional items. At the time of discharge, NIHSS score was associated with scores on Somatization, Depression, Phobic anxiety, and Additional items ; scores on BI and mRS were associated with scores on Depression, Phobic anxiety and Additional items ; MMSE score was associated with Obsessive-compulsive, Depression, Phobic anxiety, and Additional items ; and grip strength was associated with Somatization, Depression, Anxiety and Additional items. Conclusions : More severe neurological symptoms were associated with higher psychiatric morbidity particularly in depression, phobic anxiety, sleep and appetite disturbance at acute stage of stroke. More intensive psychiatric care and intervention are needed for the high risk group.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.65 no.2
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• pp.99-104
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• 2008

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is ultimately an inflammatory state. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) level are inflammatory markers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of the ESR, CRP and APACHE II score as prognostic factors for patient with ARDS. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 87 ARDS patients. The predictors (APACHE II score, ESR and CRP) and outcomes (mortality and length of the total hospital stay, the ICU stay and mechanical ventilator care) were obtained from the patients' records. The patients were grouped according to survival as the Survivor and Non survivor groups. We compared the APACHE II score, the ESR and the CRP level between the survivor group and the nonsurvivor group. We evaluated the correlation between the predictors and the outcomes. The initial ESR, CRP level and APACHE II score were checked at the time of ICU admission and the second ESR and CRP level were checked $3.3{\pm}1.2$ days after ICU admission. Results: Thirty-eight (43.7%) patients remained alive and 49 (56.3%) patients died. The APACHE II score was significantly lower for the survivor group than that for the non survivor group ($14.7{\pm}7.6$ vs $19.6{\pm}9.1$, respectively, p=0.006). The initial ESR and CRP level were not different between the survivor and non-survivor groups (ESR $64.0{\pm}37.8mm/hr$ vs $63.3{\pm}36.7mm/hr$, respectively, p=0.93, CRP $15.5{\pm}9.6mg/dl$ vs $16.3{\pm}8.5mg/dl$, respectively, p=0.68). The decrement of the CRP level for the survivor group was greater than that for the non survivor group ($-8.23{\pm}10.0mg/dl$ vs $-1.46{\pm}10.1mg/dl$, respectively, p=0.003). Correlation analysis revealed the initial ESR was positively correlated with the length of the total hospital stay and the ICU stay (correlation coefficient of the total hospital days: R=0.43, p=0.001, correlation coefficient of the ICU stay: R=0.39, p=0.014). Conclusion: The initial APACHE II score can predict the mortality of ARDS patients, and the degree of the early CRP change can be a predictor of mortality for ARDS patients. The initial ESR has positive correlation with the ARDS patients' duration of the total hospital stay and the ICU stay.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.443-448
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• 2007

Purpose : To evaluate the potential prognostic value of the antithrombin-III (AT-III) level in the children with acute lung injury (ALI), we analyzed several early predictive factors of death including AT-III level at the onset of ALI and compared the relative risk of them for mortality. Methods : Over a 18-month period, a total of 198 children were admitted to our pediatric intensive care unit and 21 mechanically ventilated patients met ALI criteria, as defined by American-European consensus conference, i.e., bilateral pulmonary infiltrates and $PaO_2/FiO_2$ lower than 300 without left atrial hypertension. Demographic variables, hemodynamic and respiratory parameters, underlying diseases, as well as Pediatric Risk of Mortality-III (PRISM-III) scores and Lung Injury Score (LIS) at admission were collected. AT-III levels were measured within 3 hours after admission. These variables were compared between survivors and non-survivors and entered into a multiple logistic regression analysis to evaluate their independent prognostic roles. Results : The overall mortality rate was 38.1% (8/21). Non-survivors showed lower age, lower lung compliance, higher PEEP, higher oxygenation index (OI), lower arterial pH, lower $PaO_2/FiO_2$, higher PRISM-III score and LIS, and lower AT-III level. PRISM-III score, LIS, OI and decreased AT-III level (less than 70%) were independently associated with a risk of death and the odds ratio of decreased AT-III level for mortality is 2.75 (95% confidence interval; 1.28-4.12) Conclusion : These results suggest that the decreased level of AT-III is an important prognostic factor in children with ALI and the replacement of AT-III may be considered as an early therapeutic trial.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.114-123
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• 1997

Background : To assess the diagnostic role of bronchoscopic lavage for the evaluation of pneumonia in intensive care unit(ICU), the results were compared to blind endobronchial specimen. Method : From September 1993 to August 1996, twenty-eight ICU patients suspected pneumonia on the basis of clinical evidence and performed bronchoscopy under the diagnostic or therapeutic purpose were studied retrospectively for the clinical findings including culture of bronchoscopic and blind endobronchial specimen. Bronchoscopic specimen was got through small amount of bronchoalveolar lavage with 20-40ml saline, one or two times on the suspected site. Results : l. Main reasons of ICU admission were respiratory and impending respiratory failure Nosocomial pneumonia was most common with 16 cases; each for community acquired and immunocompromised type with 6 cases. Diagnostic purpose of bronchoscopy was performed in 20 cases as 71 percent in total, whereas therapeutic removal of secretion in 8 cases. The complication during bronchoscopic evaluation was trivial. 2. The agreement between blind endobronchial and bronchoscopic specimen on microbial culture was only 39.3 percent. However, 2 cases each for aspergillosis and tuberculosis were diagnosed under bronchoscopic evaluation. 3 The application of mechanical ventilation occured significantly frequently in multidrug resistant pneumonia compared with other pneumonia in terms of bronchoscopic specimen. 4. The application of mechanical ventilation was significantly common in nosocomial pneurmonia compared with other types of pneumonia. Conclusion : The selective bronchoalveolar lavage and therapeutic removal of bronchial secretion with bronchoscopy in ICU patient accompanying pneumonia is a very useful tool with safety. The multidrug resistant pneumonia or nosocomial pneumonia could be closely associated with the use of mechanical ventilation.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.735-744
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• 2010

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine the stressors and stress-adaptation patterns of students preparing for the national dental hygiene certification examination. Methods : The subjects in this study were dental hygiene juniors in four selected colleges located in the metropolitan area. After a survey was conducted, the collected data were analyzed. Results : 1. Concerning motivation of choosing the department of dental hygiene, the largest group that accounted for 72.2 percent chose it due to employment prospects. As to satisfaction level with the department, 40.4 percent were satisfied. In relation to employment prospects, 54.1 percent thought the prospects were bright. 2. They got a mean of 3.23 in stressors. To be specific, they felt the most stress due to test anxiety(3.70), followed by leisure insufficiency (3.21), the uncertainty of the future(3.18) and parental pressure(2.64). 3. They got a mean of 2.02 in stress-adaptation method. They got 2.31 and 1.72 in long-term and short-term adaptation respectively, which showed that long-term stress adaptation method were more prevailing than short-term ones. 4. As for the relationship of the stressors, there was positive correlation among all the test anxiety, future uncertainty, leisure insufficiency and parental pressure, and their correlation was statistically significant(p<0.000). 5. Regarding connections between general characteristics and the stressors, whether they spent two years or more for college admission, satisfaction level with the dental hygiene department, employment prospects and health status made significant differences to the stressors (p<0.05), and there were significant gaps in adaptation patterns according to academic standing, satisfaction level with the department and health state(p<0.05). Conclusions : The dental hygiene students were under great pressure since they had to prepare for the national dental hygiene certification examination to become a certified dental hygienist, one of professional health care workers. Therefore stress counseling programs and stress-coping programs should be developed to relieve the stress of dental hygiene students who are going to take the national dental hygiene certification examination. And they should be assisted to stay away from stress and to handle their stress in a more active manner.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.95-97
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• 2011

Purpose: We analyzed the medical costs for severely traumatized patients according to the severity and medical performance so that we could improve the financial balance of the trauma center. Methods: Retrospective analysis was performed on patients visiting SNUH Trauma Center from May 2011 to August 2011. Among a total of 55 severely traumatized patients, 31 patients whose medical bills were available and categorized were included in this study. The injury severity score (ISS) was calculated from the abbreviated injury score (AIS), which was updated in 2008,for each patient to assess the severity of injury. Major trauma was defined as an ISS above 15. Results:The 31 patients in this study included 20 males and 11 females. The average ISS was $33.23{\pm}16.65$ points. We categorize the patients into three groups according to ISS, 16-24: group 1, 25-40: group 2, and above 41: group 3. Total incomes, admission fees, surgery fees, and imaging test fees are shown in table 1. The costs seem to be higher costs in group 2, but this result has no statistical significance. Statistical significantly data are as follows: high radiologic test fees in group 1, short hospital stay in groups 1 and 2, and short ICU stay in group 1. The average hospital stay was 17 days, and the average emergency intensive care unit (EICU) stay was 7.5 days. Although the EICU stay was only 44% of the total hospital stay, the income from the EICU covers 79.4% of the total hospital income. Conclusion: From this study, we found several items that show relatively high medical income from severely traumatized patients visiting the SNUH Trauma Center. Most of the medical fees arise in the early phase of acute medicine usually in the ICU. Efforts to identify the items with high income and to minimize expenses will improve the financial structure of the Trauma Center,which is facing a budget crisis.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2012

Purpose: This study analyzed the characteristics of unstable pelvic bone fractures associated with intra-abdominal solid organ injury. Methods: Medical records were retrospectively collected from January 2000 to December 2010 for patients with unstable pelvic bone fractures. Unstable pelvic bone fracture was defined as lateral compression types II and III, antero-posterior compression types II and III, vertical shear and combined type by young classification. Subjects were divided into two groups, with (injured group) and without (non-injured group) intra-abdominal solid organ injury, to evaluate whether the characteristics of the fractured depended on the presence of associated solid organ injury. Data included demographics, mechanism of injury, initial hemodynamic status, laboratory results, revised trauma score (RTS), abbreviated injury scale (AIS), injury severity score (ISS), amount of transfusion, admission to the intensive care unit (ICU), and mortality. Results: The subjects were 217 patients with a mean age of 44 years and included 134 male patients(61.8%). The injured group included 38 patients(16.9%). Traffic accidents were the most common mechanism of injury, and lateral compression was the most common type of fracture in all groups. The initial blood pressure was lower in the injured group, and the ISS was greater. The arterial pH was lower in the injured group, and shock within 24 hours after arrival at the emergency department was more frequent in the injured group. The amount of the transfused packed red blood cells within 24 hours was higher in the injured group than the non-injured group. Invasive treatment, including surgery and angiographic embolization, was more common in the injured group, and the stay in the ICU was longer in the injured group. Conclusion: A need exists to decide on a diagnostic and therapeutic plan regarding the possibility of intra-abdominal solid organ injury for hemodynamically unstable patients with unstable pelvic bone fractures and multiple associated injuries.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.149-152
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• 1975

In spite of great advances in surgical treatment during past several decades, surgery of the trachea failed to develop correspondingly, partly because of relative rarity of the tracheal lesions and partly because of difficulties in surgical technique and anesthesia. Surgical diseases of the trachea are largely obstructions due to neoplasm or cicatrical stenosis and tracheal malacia. The present treatment of respiratory failure, using cuffed endotracheal and tracheostomy tubes, has produced, apparently with increasing frequency, tracheal stenosis, tracheomalized tracheal erosion. Surgery is presently the only reasonable way to treat stenotic lesions of the tracheobronchial tree. In the case of tumors, the current trend has been that of radical excision. Primary end-to--end reconstruction of the trachea has been generally recognized as the ideal method of repair following resection. However, for decades it was believed that a maximum of four tracheal rings only might be excised and primary healing achieved with safety. A great variety of procedures, developed by numerous investigations and directed at tracheal substitution, have almost invariably met with discouraging results. A meticulous study done by Grillo and associates on autopsy specimens has shown that an average 6.4cm of mediastinal trachea can be safely resected by full mobilization of the right lung and transplantation of the left main bronchus into the bronchus intermedius. Recently, we experienced a case of successful resection of a tumor of the tracheal carina and primary tracheo-left main bronchial anastomosis at the Department of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery, the National Medical Center in Seoul. The patient, a 29-year-old man, was admitted to the hospital with complaints of dyspnea and cough. On admission, chest film showed hydropneumothorax on the right. After closed thoracostomy, hydropneumothorax disappeared, but hazy densities, developed in the right middle and lower lung fields, resisted to treatment. Bronchoscopy uncovered irregular tumor covering the carina and the right main bronchus, and biopsy indicated well differentiated squamous Cell carcinoma. Operation was performed on July 2, 1975. A right postero-lateral thoracotomy was used. Excision involved the lower trachea, the carina, the left main bronchus and the right lung. This was followed by direct anastomosis between the trachea and the left main bronchus. Bronchography was done on 17th postoperative day revealed good result of operation without stricture at the site ofanastomosis. About one month after the operation symptoms and signs of bronchial irritation with dyspnea developed, and these responded to respiratory care. On 82nd postoperative day, sudden dyspnea developed at night and the patient expired several hours later. Autopsy was not done and the cause of death was uncertain.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.12
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• pp.876-881
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• 2002

Acute aortic dissection associated with high mortality rate has an extremely poor prognosis if early diagnosis and treatment are not received. Recently, with advanced computed tomography and echocardiography, diagnostic rate is higher and early operation is possible. Therefore preoperative medical therapy at ER(emergency room) lowered the mortality rate. This study was done to analyze the results with preoperative management at ER and operations, retrospectively. Material and Method: A series of 42 patients treated surgically for acute aortic dissections from 1991 to 2001 were included in this study. There were 18 males and 24 females. Mean age was 51.1 years. The admission course through emergency and outpatient department(OPD) was 34 and 8 respectively. Result: 26 patients underwent ascending aorta replacement-7 combined aortic valve replacements, 7 patients underwent descending aorta replacements and 9 patients received Bentall's operation. At emergency department, 20 patients received antihypertensive drugs and $\beta$-receptor blockers and 6 patients died. 22 patients did not receive antihypertensive and $\beta$-receptor block drugs and 10 patients died. There were 16(38%) overall deaths. Conclusion: Early diagnosis at ER or OPD is essential for acute aortic dissection, and it is important to select the most appropriate noninvasive interventions as possible. Therefore, preoperative drug therapy at ER is suggested according the patient conditions.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.1234-1243
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• 2011

Our study was carried out to develop the severity-adjustment model for length of stay in hospital for community-acquired pneumonia so that we analysed the factors on the variation in length of stay(LOS). The subjects were 5,353 community-acquired pneumonia inpatients of the Korean National Hospital Discharge In-depth Injury Survey data from 2004 through 2006. The data were analyzed using t-test and ANOVA and the severity-adjustment model was developed using data mining technique. There are differences according to gender, age, type of insurance, type of admission, but there is no difference of whether patients died in hospital. After yielding the standardized value of the difference between crude and expected length of stay, we analysed the variation of length of stay for community-acquired pneumonia. There was variation of LOS in regional differences and insurance type, though there was no variation according whether patients receive their care in their residences. The variation of length of stay controlling the case mix or severity of illness can be explained the factors of provider. This supply factors in LOS variations should be more studied for individual practice style or patient management practices and healthcare resources or environment. We expect that the severity-adjustment model using administrative databases should be more adapted in other diseases in practical.