• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.15-19
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• 2015

Purpose: Soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) is a truncated extracellular form of the membrane transferrin receptor produced by proteolysis. Concentrations of serum sTfR are related to iron status and erythropoiesis in the body. We investigated whether serum sTfR levels can aid in diagnosis and treatment of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in children. Methods: Ninety-eight patients with IDA were enrolled and were classified according to age at diagnosis. Group 1 comprised 78 children, aged 6-59 months, and group 2 comprised 20 adolescents, aged 12-16 years. Results: In group 1, patients' serum sTfR levels correlated negatively with mean corpuscular volume; hemoglobin (Hb), ferritin, and serum iron levels; and transferrin saturation and positively with total iron binding capacity (TIBC) and red cell distribution width. In group 2, patients' serum sTfR levels did not correlate with ferritin levels and TIBC, but had a significant relationship with other iron indices. Hb and serum sTfR levels had a significant inverse relationship in both groups; however, in group 1, there was no correlation between Hb and serum ferritin levels. In 30 patients of group 1, serum sTfR levels were significantly decreased with an increase in Hb levels after iron supplementation for 1 month. Conclusion: Serum sTfR levels significantly correlated with other diagnostic iron parameters of IDA and inversely correlated with an increase in Hb levels following iron supplementation. Therefore, serum sTfR levels can be a useful marker for the diagnosis and treatment of IDA in children.

• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.151-159
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify nursing demands according to general characteristics and diseases of inpatients to whom comprehensive payment systems apply. Methods: This study was designed as a retrospective research study using the electronic medical records of Hospital Information Systems (HIS). Participants were 836 subjects who received seven Diagnostic-Related Group diagnoses among inpatients of one tertiary hospital from January 1, 2015 to June 30, 2015. Data were analyzed using SPSS 23.0. Results: Nursing demand among inpatients'seven Diagnostic-Related Group diagnoses was relatively higher for appendectomy, cataract surgery, and hysterectomy, while there was a significant difference depending on the age, duration of admission, admission path, hospital entry method and Diagnostic-Related Group. Conclusion: The results can be utilized as basic data on accurate nursing demands that reflect various features of patients.

• The Journal of the Society of Stroke on Korean Medicine
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.13-23
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• 2012

Object : The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between left ventricular hypertrophy and Dampness-Phlegm diagnosis in cerebral infarction patients. Methods : Among 227 of the total recruited patients, 59 patients were diagnosed as left ventricular hypertrophy. We assessed their general characteristics, risk factors, lab findings and Korean medical diagnosis. We compared the assessed variables between left ventricular hypertrophy group and non left ventricular group. We analyzed the relationship between left ventricular hypertrophy and risk factors. And we also analyzed the relationship between left ventricular hypertrophy and dampness-phlegm diagnosis. Results : 1. The rate of left ventricular hypertrophy in female patients was larger than the rate of male patients. 2. There were more patients finally diagnosed hypertension in left ventricular hypertrophy group. 3. According to the analysis about the rate of Dampness-phlegm related Index for Pattern Identification by left ventricular hypertrophy, Sallow complexion and obesity were significantly higher in the left ventricular hypertrophy than in the non left ventricular hypertrophy group. 4. In multivariate analysis, Dampness-phlegm group showed close relationship with left ventricular hypertrophy. Conclusions : According to the analysis, significance between dampness-phlegm diagnosis diagnosed group and left ventricular hypertrophy were clarified. These results can be utilized in the future as a basic material to be used for diagnosis and management of dampness-phlegm diagnosis on cardiovascular diseases.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.143-148
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• 2015

Objective : This study examined benzodiazepine prescription patterns of outpatients visiting the psychiatry department in a single general hospital in Korea. Methods : A retrospective descriptive analysis of benzodiazepine prescriptions was performed on a database from 2014 in a general hospital in Korea. We analyzed the following factors of adult outpatients: demographic factors such as sex and age, amount of benzodiazepine prescribed, treatment duration, and diagnosis based on the ICD-10. Results : In 2014, benzodiazepines were prescribed to 46.4% of the outpatients. Percentage of benzodiazepine prescription increased with age and was highest in the age group 40-59 years. Prescription was more prevalent in women and the prescription percentage increased by treatment duration. Patients with the F4 diagnosis (neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders) were the most highly prescribed group. For all diagnosis groups, prescription was more prevalent in females or similar for both sexes except for patients with F5 diagnosis (behavioral syndromes associated with physiological disturbances and physical factors), with males being more predominant. Conclusion : Despite the concern regarding the rate of benzodiazepine prescription and administration to geriatric patients, long-term prescription and usage among older patients is still prevalent.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.524-532
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• 2010

Purpose: This study was done to explore the relationship of social support and meaning of life to suicidal thoughts among patients with cancer. Methods: Data were collected by questionnaires from 138 patients who had been in cancer treatment at medical clinics and 8 patients who were members of an internet cancer association. The data were collected between August and November 2009 and analyzed using SPSS 12.0. Results: Of the participants, 47.3% reported having had suicidal thoughts and 16.4% had attempted suicide since the diagnosis of cancer. The study participants received most support from family members, but 73.3% reported experiencing an existential vacuum. The suicide attempt group had significantly higher scores according to gender, age, level of education, diagnosis, treatment modality, level of activity, caregiver and social support compare to the suicide thought group. Suicidal thoughts were negatively related to social support and meaning of life was positively associated with social support. Support from family and friends and diagnosis explained 50.0% of variance for suicidal thoughts with 36.0% of variance being explained by family support. Conclusion: Nurses should be able to identify risk factors for suicide in cancer patients. Prevention and intervention efforts need to be directed toward improving social support, family support in particular, and assisting patients finding meaning in life after a diagnosis of cancer.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.81-96
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• 1993

In order to evaluate the prognosis of conservative treatment for Craniomandibular Disorders, 127 patients were subjected at the Dept. of Oral Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital from 1983 through 1991. All the changes of patients' symptoms and related factors were analyzed before treatment, after treatment and at follow-up examination by means of subjective and objective symptom indicies (Ai, AAI, SDS, Di, CDS, MCO). 1. All the indices were reduced and MCO became increased at follow-up examination (p<0.01). 2. As the duration after treatment became longer, all the indices became reduced and MCO became increased. 3. There were no significant differences in index scores according to sex and age. 4. Long-term patients showed higher index scores and lower MCO than short-term patients(p<0.01). 5. Chronic group showed higher index scores and lower MCO than acute group (p<0.05). 6. Macrotrauma group showed higher index scores and lower MCO than microtrauma group (p<0.05) 7. While muscle group showed the lowest MCO, muscle and joint group showed the highest index scores (p<0.01). 8. The long-term success rate of conservative treatment was more than 80% (p<0.01)

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.117-124
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• 1991

The purpose of his study was to investigate the variations of occlusal contact pattern according to chewing side preference. The author selected 59 dental students (mean age 23.6 years) who had no signs and symptoms of masticatory disorders and divided into two groups, that is, bilateral chewing side group and unilateral chewing side group, respectively. For recording, T-Scan System(Teksan Inc., USA) was used and the recorded occlusal contacts were examined as to the number of occlusal contacts, points distribution in dental arch, time sequence and force snapshot. The obtained results were as follow s: 1. Total number of occlusal contacts were more in unilateral chewing side group and there were significant difference in number between right and left side or between chewing and less-chewing side in all two groups. 2. All items related to time sequence showed no statistical significant difference between two groups in any case. 3. Unilateral chewing side group had more occlusal contact force than bilateral group, especially in chewing side. From the above finding, the author considered that there was occlusal unbalance in unilateral chewing side group. 4. Chewing side preference would possibly have more effects on the occurrence rate of anterior tooth contact that the rate of prolonged their contact but proved.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.19
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• pp.8401-8404
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• 2014

Background: To determine survival times of cervical cancer patients with bone metastasis related to the effect of age at the time of cervical cancer diagnosis, we performed the retrospectively analytical study. Methods: A total of 68 cervical cancer patients with bone metastasis were treated at a single hospital, during January 1998 to December 2010. Fifty-two medical records were identified and collected, the remaining sixteen medical records were not found. Main outcome measures were patient characteristics, clinical information, duration from cervical cancer diagnosis to bone metastasis diagnosis, survival time after bone metastasis and overall survival time. Results: Among fifty-two cervical cancer patients with bone metastasis, there were 13 patients who were less than 45 years old, and 39 patients were 45 years old or more at the time of cervical cancer diagnosis. The younger group had less median overall survival than the older group, with a statistically significant difference (21 months, 95% CI 19.93-22.06; 34 months, 95% CI 23.27-44.72, p = 0.021). However, they were comparable in the duration from cervical cancer diagnosis to bone metastasis diagnosis and the survival time after bone metastasis. Conclusion: Young patients with bone metastasis aged less than 45 years old at the time of cervical cancer diagnosis have a poorer prognosis than the elderly patients. Impact: To improve survival and quality of life, more intensive and novel multimodal treatments at the time of cervical cancer diagnosis should be considered in patients less than forty-five years, who can tolerate the side effects better.

• The Journal of the Society of Stroke on Korean Medicine
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.24-31
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• 2011

Objective : Fire and heat related symptoms and signs are considered common in acute stage of diseases. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the occurrences and changes of fire and heat related symptoms and signs in acute cerebral infarction patients. Method & subjects : 40 acute cerebral infarction patients hospitalized in Oriental medicine hospital, Kyung-Hee University, who had examined and diagnosed 2 or 3 times based on oriental medical diagnosis were selected. We chose 23 as fire and heat related symptoms and signs from 94 diagnostic articles, and we added all those scores together of each patient. We analysed the scores of fire and heat related symptoms and signs as the time passed, and depending on oriental medical diagnosis. Result : In acute cerebral infarction patients of this study, 4 of fire and heat related symptoms and signs were took 1st, 2nd, 4th and 8th places in most changeable 10 articles of total 94 articles. The mean score of fire and heat related symptoms and signs of all patients were decreased significantly over the 3 times of measurements. The 8 patients diagnosed as fire and heat diagnosis at visit1 were samely diagnosed as fire and heat diagnosis at visit2, and at visit3 5 patients of them except for 3 patients excluded between visit2 and visit3, were still diagnosed as fire and heat diagnosis. At all of 3 measuring times, the scores of fire and heat related symptoms and signs of fire and heat diagnosis group were higher than non-fire and heat diagnosis group. Conclusion : This study indicated that fire and heat related symptoms and signs were very changeable phenomenon in acute cerebral infarction patients. And they decreased as time goes on.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.44-51
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• 2013

Background: This study designed to evaluate the homogeneity of Korean diagnosis related group (KDRG) version 3.4 classification system. Methods: The total 5,921,873 claims data submitted to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service during 2010 were used. Both coefficient of variation (CV) and reduction in variance of cost were measured for evaluation. This analysis was divided into before and after trimming outliers at the level of adjacent DRG (ADRG), aged ADRG (AADRG) split by age, and DRG split by complication and comorbidity. Results: At the each three level of ADRG, AADRG, and DRG, there were 38.9%, 38.7%, and 30.0% of which had a CV > 100% in the untrimmed data and there were 1.4%, 1.4%, and 1.9% in the trimmed one. Before trimming outliers, ADRGs explained 52.5% of the variability in resource use, AADRGs did 53.1% and DRGs did 57.1%. The additional explanatory power by age and comorbidity and complication (CC) split were 0.6%p and 4.6%p for each, which were statistically significant. After trimming outliers, ADRGs explained 75.2% of the variability in resource use, AADRGs did 75.6%, and DRGs did 77.1%. The additional explanatory power were 0.4%p and 2.0%p for each, which were statistically significant too. Conclusion: The results demonstrated that KDRG showed high homogeneity within groups and performance after trimming outliers. But there were DRGs CV > 100% after age or CC split and the most contributing factor to high performance of KDRG was the ADRG rather than age or CC split. Therefore, it is recommended that the efforts for improving clinical homogeneity of KDRG such as review of the hierarchical structure of classification systems and classification variables.