• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.459-466
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• 2014

An index was developed that estimates cardiovascular health degree with easily available physiological information such as survey and noninvasive measurement. The survey score was calculated by utilizing questions related to personal disease history, self-feeling, and management state. The measurement score was calculated using physiological parameters such as blood pressure, accelerated plethysmograph(APG), and heart rate variability(HRV), and augmentation index(AI). In order to evaluate effectiveness of the cardiovascular index and modify weighting factors used in each item, a clinical trial was done in a general hospital. The cardiovascular index showed a clear correlation of 0.685 with the doctor's score on the cardiovascular health degree. The correlation between the self-estimated score and doctor's score was as low as 0.217. The large gap between these two scores demonstrated necessity of more objective tools like the cardiovascular index. The cardiovascular score showed a significant difference between normal persons and patients suffering hypertension or diabetes. (p=0.000).

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.569-577
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• 2010

Background & Objectives : Yellow fur on the tongue is known to be associated with prognosis of disease in oriental medicine. Higher ratios of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL) to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL) & total cholesterol (TC) to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL) are associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between cardiovascular disease index and yellow fur - oriental medical index - in stroke patients over 60 years old. Methods & Subjects : Among 802 of the recruited patients(434 male, 368 female), 340 were yellow fur group(209 male, 131 female). We assessed their general characteristics and risk factors. We compared the cardiovascular disease index between yellow fur and non-yellow fur groups by sex. Results : On the General Characteristics males have yellow fur more often than females. In cardiovascular disease index, the male yellow fur group showed higher ratios of TC/HDL(atherogenic index), (TC-HDL)/HDL, LDL/HDL and higher LDL and showed lower HDL than the non-yellow fur group. In female patients, there were no differences between the two groups about cardiovascular disease index. There were more patients diagnosed with Fire & Heat in the male yellow fur group, and Dampness & Phlegm in the male non-yellow fur group. The male yellow fur group eat fast food more than the non-yellow fur group. Conclusions : The results indicated that yellow fur may be associated with a high risk of cardiovascular disease. We can thus use yellow fur on the tongue as a cardiovascular disease index in male stroke patients over 60 years old.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.33-43
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• 2004

Background: Recently obesity has become a social problem in all over the world including Korea. It is known that obesity is closely related with cardiovascular disease. Many studies are carrying out in the relation between several obesity indices, such as body mass index(BMI), waist-circumference(WC), body fat percent and risk factors of cardiovascular disease. Objective: This study was done in order to investigate correlation of obesity and cardiovascular risk factors. Method: We gathered totally 138 subjects who have taken health screening test in university hospital. With the exception of 40 abnormal cases on current illness and laboratory study, 98 healthy cases were analysed. We divided the groups as normal, overweight, obese group according to body mass index $(22.9kg/m^2\;and\;below\;/\;23{\sim}24.9kg/m^2\;/\;25kg/m^2\;and\;above)$and investigated the relationship between obesity based on body mass index(BMI) and cardiovascular risk factors. And investigated the relationship between each cardiovascular risk factor and body mass index, waist-hip ratio, body fat percent. Results: With the exception of blood pressure, other lab data such as total cholesterol, triglycerid, glucose were significantly different between the three groups divided by body mass index$(22.9kg/m^2\;and\;below\;/\;23{\sim}24.9kg/m^2\;/\;25kg/m^2\;and\;above)$. And Correlation coefficient of cardiovascular risk factors with body mass index, waist-hip ratio, body fat precent were acquired. Conclusion: We have concluded that the body mass index and waist-hip ratio body fat precent were predictive factors cardiovascular disease.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 1999

Since binge eating is known to be related to increased risk of body weight fluctuations, it may be associated with increased health risks. This study was conducted to investigate the risks of binge eating on the cardiovascular system of female university students in Korea. Sixty-five female university students who were interested in a weight control program were recruited from a university campus. After personal interviews were conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire, 36 individuals were classified as binge eaters and 29 as non-binge eaters according to modified criteria of the proposed DSM-IV by the American Psychiatric Association(APA). All subjects participate in anthropometric and clinical measurements to evaluate the level of obesity and cardiovascular risks. Binge eating subjects showed no significant differences in obesity index compared to non-binge eating subjects. However, they had a higher level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and a higher atherogenic index. They also showed close correlations with general obesity and cardiovascular risk factors. Body mass index(BMI) was the main explanatory index related to cardiovascular risk factors according to the stepwise regression analysis. Furthermore, obese binge subjects had higher levels than non-obese binge subjects or non-binge subjects for total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triacylglycerols, atherogenic index, and systolic blood pressure. The findings strongly suggest that obese young women having binge eating episodes might display a greater risk for cardiovascular disease tan that shown for obese non-binge eating women.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.49 no.sup1
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• pp.14-19
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• 2016

Background: This study uses the relevance index to understand the condition of regional medical service use for cardiovascular surgery and to identify the medical service use imbalance between regions. Methods: This study calculated the relevance index of 16 metropolitan cities and provinces using resident registration address data from the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs and the 2010-2014 health insurance, medical care assistance, and medical benefits claims data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. We identified developments over the 5-year time period and analyzed the level of regional imbalance regarding cardiovascular surgery through the relative comparison of relevance indexes between cardiovascular and other types of surgery. Results: The relevance index was high in large cities such as Seoul, Daegu, and Gwangju, but low in regions that were geographically far from the capital area, such as the Gangwon and Jeju areas. Relevance indexes also fell as the years passed. Cardiovascular surgery has a relatively low relevance index compared to key types of surgery of other fields, such as neurosurgery and colorectal surgery. Conclusion: This study identified medical service use imbalance between regions for cardiovascular surgery. Results of this study demonstrate the need for political intervention to enhance the accessibility of necessary special treatment, such as cardiovascular surgery.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.400-407
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• 2008

A health index was proposed that evaluates personal health state from both measured physiological variables and survey questions. Four health indices were defined such as cardiovascular index, stress index, obesity index, and management index. The total health index was calculated by summing these four health indices. Physiological variables such as blood pressure, heart rate variability(HRV), accelerated photoplethysmograph(APG), and body fat percentage were non-invasively measured and a survey questionnaire that asks personal health state, exercise intensity, and food preference was developed. The suggested health index was applied to thirty eight persons including 30 patients and 8 normal persons with an average age of 51.8. The average health index was estimated to be 75.1 out of 100 points. Young age group(below 50) and men group showed higher health indices than the aged(over 50) and women groups. The correlation coefficient between the cardiovascular index and stress index was found to be 0.513, which means stress is related to cardiovascular health state. The correlation coefficient between the measurements and survey questions was 0.385 for the cardiovascular index. It was as low as 0.182 for the stress index. More case studies may improve correlations between measurements and survey questions, and then, the current health index system may develop as an effective tool to evaluate personal health state.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.1071-1084
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• 1993

This study was performed to investigate the relationships between obese index and major risk factors of cardiovascular disease in CVD patients. Anthropometry, food intake patterns, blood pressure, serum lipids and hematological values were analyzed in 550 patients from June, 1991 to August, 1992. The results are as follows: Total food intakes, especially total vegetable food and alcohol intakes were significantly related with obese index, so that the heavier patients tended to consume more carbohydrate and less fat. The blood pressure were observed to have positive correlation with obese index in man but not in women. However, both in men and women, blood levels of TG, TC, and VLDL tended to be related to obese index positively, while HDL and HDL-C were shown to be oppositive. So, it seems that as the degree of obesity is higher the blood pressure and blood lipids patterns worse. Therefore, these results suggest that obesity is one of the major risk factors of CVD, and for prevention & treatment of the disease, controlling body weight by nutritionally adequate diet along with alcohol restriction is necessary.

• Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.96-97
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• 2023

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.473-479
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• 2021

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare 1-year clinical outcomes between patients who underwent a Nuss operation or vacuum bell therapy and to present vacuum bell therapy as a possible alternative treatment modality for patients who prefer non-surgical correction of pectus excavatum. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of pectus excavatum patients who had undergone vacuum bell therapy for more than 1 year and examined patients who had undergone Nuss bar removal more than 1 year previously. The treatment outcomes were evaluated by comparing changes in the Haller index before and after treatment in both patient groups. Results: We included 57 patients in this study and divided them into 2 groups according to the type of treatment received. Both groups showed no significant difference in the post-treatment Haller index after 1 year of follow-up, although the Nuss operation group showed a greater change in the Haller index than the vacuum bell group. Conclusion: Although the Nuss operation is a well-established and effective treatment of choice to correct pectus excavatum, vacuum bell therapy showed comparable outcomes and could become an alternative treatment modality for select patients who prefer non-invasive treatment.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.365-374
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• 2005

This study was conducted to compare the validity of obese index among body mass index(BMI), waist to hip ratio(WHR), and waist circumference(WC) and to determine which is the best in relation to cardiovascular risk factors of middle aged Korean(40-64yr).Data from the 1998 Korean Health and Nutrition Survey were used(N=3380). Anthropometric indices and cardiovascular risk factors were measured. Chi-square test, analysis of variance following duncan's multiple range test, partial correlation analysis, and Receiver Operator characteristic(ROC) curves were used in the analysis. There was a significant increasing trend in WHR, systolic blood pressure(SBP), high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL), and fasting blood sugar(FBS) with age categories of male and in BMI, WC, WHR, diastolic blood pressure(DBP), SBP, total cholesterol(TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL), triglycerol(TG), and FBS with those of female. Specially female had the characteristics of upper body fat and systolic blood pressure risk(p<0.05). Proportions of subjects with lifestyle factors related to cardiovascular risk in overweight or upper body fat group were higher than that of normal group. Higher proportions of subjects were practiced exercise in upper body fat group of male than in other groups. Among 7 cardiovascular risk factors in partial correlation analysis, BMI had the highest correlation coefficient in 6 risk factors in male, whereas WC in 4 risk factors in female. Mean of each obese index according to cardiovascular risk groups except smoker was higher than that of normal(p<0.05). These trends were shown in upper body fat group and female. In ROC analysis of 12 risk factors and health conditions, the largest area under curve among obese indices for risk factors were BMI in male and WHR in female. The optimal cutoff values of each index(BMI: WHR: WC) for one or more cardiovascular risk factors were 23.13: 0.89: 85.35 in male and 23.57: 0.84: 78.35 in female. The results showed that cardiovascular risk factors were prevalent in middle aged Koreans within normal limits of obese indices like another Asians. For the identification of cardiovascular risk factors of middle aged Koreans, BMI for men and WHR for women are appropriate indices. But it is recommended that BMI, WHR, and WC, all three indices should be considered, when using these indices.