• 보건의료산업학회지
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.67-79
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• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors affecting the utilization of emergency medical services and characteristics of emergency medical services according to age group among elderly individuals. Methods: This study conducted t-test and linear regression analysis on data of 1,960,575 participants to achieve the objective. Results: Analysis of the factors affecting the use of emergency medical services showed statistically significant correlation in all age groups. As the age of elderly people increased, the use of emergency medical service increased. Conclusions: Emergency medical policies are needed, such as coordinators with expert knowledge of medical and health administration and specialist emergency room operations that can provide specialized medical service for older patients.

• 대한임상독성학회지
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.24-30
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• 2017

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the frequency and clinical characteristics of anaphylaxis patients who are registered inaccurately with other disease codes. Methods: Study subjects presenting at the emergency department (ED) were retrospectively collected using disease codes to search for anaphylaxis patients in a previous studies. The study group was divided into an accurate and inaccurate group according to whether disease codes were accurately registered as anaphylaxis codes. Results: Among 266 anaphylaxis patients, 144 patients (54%) received inaccurate codes. Cancer was the most common comorbidity, and the radio-contrast media was the most common cause of anaphylaxis in the accurate group. Cutaneous and respiratory symptoms manifested more frequently in the inaccurate group, while cardiovascular and neurological symptoms were more frequent in the accurate group. Blood pressure was lower, and shock and non-alert consciousness were more common in the accurate group. Administration of intravenous fluid and epinephrine use were more frequent in the accurate group. Anaphylaxis patients with a history of cancer, shock, and epinephrine use were more likely to be registered as anaphylaxis codes accurately, but patients with respiratory symptoms were more likely to be registered with other disease codes. Conclusion: In cases of anaphylaxis, the frequency of inaccurately registered disease codes was higher than that of accurately registered codes. Anaphylaxis patients who were not treated with epinephrine at the ED who did not have a history of cancer, but had respiratory symptoms were at increased risk of being registered with disease codes other than anaphylaxis codes.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.149-157
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• 2015

Purpose: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the most common cause of pediatric trauma patients came to the emergency department. Without guidelines, many of these children underwent repeat brain computed tomography (CT). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the value of repeat brain CT in children with TBI. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of TBI in children younger than 19 years of age who visited the emergency department (ED) from January 2011 to December 2012. According to the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and Pediatric Glasgow Coma Scale score of the patients, study population divided in three groups. Clinical data collected included age, mechanism of injury, type of TBI, and outcome. Results: A Total 83 children with TBI received repeat brain CT. There were no need for neurosurgical intervention in mild TBI (GCS score 13-15) group who underwent routine repeat CT. 4 patients of mild TBI group, received repeat brain CT due to neurological deterioration, and one patient underwent neurosurgical intervention. Routine repeat CT identified 12 patients with radiographic progression. One patient underwent neurosurgical intervention based on the second brain CT finding, who belonged to the moderate TBI (GCS score 9-12) group. Conclusion: Our study showed that children with mild TBI can be observed without repeat brain CT when there is no evidence of neurologic deterioration. Further study is needed for establish indication for repetition of CT scan in order to avoid unnecessary radiation exposure of children.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.31-36
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• 2011

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the correlations among pulmonary contusion severity, trauma score and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) level. Methods: We prospectively evaluated patients with multiple injuries who had been admitted to the emergency department (ED) from July 2007 to July 2008. We first measured the total creatinine kinase (CK), the MB fraction of CK (CK-MB), TnI, and myoglobin within 2 hours after the injury. We then checked the electrocardiogram, x-ray, and computed tomography (CT) results. Finally, we assessed the injuries as variables and then compared the results for patients with elevated TnI levels (group A) and patients whose TnI levels fell within the normal range (group B). Results: Eighty-six of the 92 patients admitted to the ED were enrolled. The pulmonary contusion score (PCS) was well correlated with $PaO_2/FiO_2$. TnI levels were correlated with PCS. When TnI levels were above 0.86 ng/ml, the mortality was estimated with 100% sensitivity and 86.1% specificity. Conclusion: Pulmonary contusion severity is correlated with TnI level. When the PCS is high and the cTnI level is elevated in multiple-injury patients, we recommend continuous cardiac monitoring and further evaluation

• 대한임상독성학회지
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.25-31
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• 2006

Purpose: In the year of 2005, it enforced the basic study for establishing program of Poison Control Center by National Institute of Toxicologic Research. The object of our survey is to analyze the characteristics of intoxication from the City of Goyang by same protocol. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of medical records of the intoxication patient in the two hospitals of the Goyang from 2004 June 1st to 2005 May 31th. The investigation protocol applied the TESS report form which was used from the Basic study for establishing program of Poison Control Center. Results: The intoxication patients were total 269 persons, the patients of A hospital were 184 persons, B hospital were 185 persons. The most common intoxication materials were medicines, in afterwords it was an agricultural chemical. The most common place of intoxication was the home. The intentional suicidal attempts in the reason of intoxication were 51.2%. The rate of the patients who discharges from the emergency department was 50.4% and death rate was 4.3%. Conclusion: We concluded that the continuous and systemic report and analysis should be accomplished from the Goyang area.

• 대한임상독성학회지
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• 제8권1호
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• pp.37-42
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal length of time to observe patients with contrast media anaphylaxis in the Emergency Department. Methods: This study included the patients of all age groups who presented with anaphylaxis due to contrast media to the ED of Pusan National University Hospital from January 2006 to August 2009. The medical records were retrospectively reviewed. We analyzed the 100 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Their median age was 55 (46-62), and 38 out of the 100 patients (38%) were male. Results: The most common symptom of patients was urticaria. Corticosteroid and H1 antihistamine were given to most of the patients in the ED. All were discharged after observation in the ED and none were admitted to the ward. The average time from injection of the contrast media to the onset of symptom was 31 minutes (24-39) and the average time to symptom recovery was 127 minutes (89-188). The mean observation time in the ED was 93 minutes (59-153). Biphasic reactions were reported in only one case (1/100, 1%). Conclusion: These results suggest that patients who present with an anaphylactic reaction after radiologic studies that use intravenous contrast media can be safely discharged early from the ED because the symptom recovery time is not long and a biphasic reaction is rare.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.89-92
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• 2006

Penetrating facial wounds are uncommon and are usually life threatening because of the possibility of brain damage. There are three possible pathways for penetrating the cranium through the orbit: via the orbital roof, via the superior orbital fissure, or between the optic canal and lateral wall of the orbit. Brain injuries resulting from the penetrating wounds show extensive parenchymal damage, hemorrhage, and brain edema. Transorbital penetrating wounds can lead to diverse lesions of the optical apparatus, including the eye globe, the optical nerve, and the chiasm. Moreover, intracerebral structures may be hurt, and bleeding and infection may occur. Early diagnosis and prompt debridement are the fundamental factors affecting the outcome of a penetrating facial wound. An 87-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department with a grinder impacted into the medial aspect of the right eye. On presentation, the man was fully conscious with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 15 and complained of a visual disturbance of the right eye. Computed tomography demonstrated a right orbital medial and inferior wall fracture, a frontal bone fracture, and a contusional hemorrhage in frontal lobe of the brain. A craniotomy with hematoma removal and repair of the orbital floor was done. He showed no neurological deficits except right visual loss. This appears to be the first report of a man with a penetrating facial wound caused by a grinder, who presented with a potentially disastrous craniocerebral injury that did not lead to any serious neurological seguelae.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권7호
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• pp.3423-3426
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• 2016

Background: Sepsis is an emergency condition with high mortality and morbidity rate. There are limited data on the association of cancer as a risk factor for mortality in sepsis patients in the emergency department (ED). Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at the ED, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand. The study period was between January 1st and December $31^{st}$, 2014. The inclusion criteria were as follows: adult patients over 15 years of age who presented at the ED with suspicion of sepsis, received treatment at the ED, and whose blood culture was found to be positive. Clinical data were recorded from medical records including the Mortality in Emergency Department Sepsis score (MEDS score). The primary outcome of this study was mortality at one month. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent factors associated with death. Results: During the study period, there were 775 eligible patients. The two most common pathogens identified from blood cultures were Staphylococcus aureus (193 patients; 24.9%) and Escherichia coli (158 patients; 20.4%). At one month after presenting at the ED, 110 patients (14.2%) had died. There were four significant factors for death, having cancer, being on an endotracheal tube, initial diagnosis of bacteremia, and high MED scores. Having cancer had an adjusted OR of 2.12 (95% CI of 1.29, 3.47). Conclusions: Cancer patients have double the risk of mortality if presenting with sepsis at the ED.

• 대한임상독성학회지
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.23-27
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• 2013

Zoletil is a non-opioid, non-barbiturate animal anesthetic and proprietary combination of two drugs, a dissociative anesthetic drug, tiletamine, with the benzodiazepine anxiolytic drug, zolazepam. Zoletil has greater potency than ketamine. Zoletil is abused for recreational purposes, especially by people with easy access to medicine. However, in Korea, it is available over-the-counter. Here we report on a case of an 83-year-old woman who received injection of seven vials of "Zoletil 50" by her daughter and presented with an altered mental change. Her mental state was stupor and vital sign was hypotension, bradycardia. Her blood tests indicated metabolic and respiratory acidosis and hyperkalemia. She was treated with intravenous naloxone and flumazenil but was not responsive. She was admitted to the ICU and treated with supportive therapy. Her mental state showed transient recovery, however, her clinical manifestation worsened and she expired.

• 대한임상독성학회지
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.86-93
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• 2017

Purpose: Some advanced countries have reported annual statistics for poisoning based on data from poison control centers. This study was conducted to propose a baseline format and statistics of poisoning in Korea from a national representative database. Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis of poisoning patients based on data from an emergency department (ED) based injury in-depth surveillance project by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2016. Bite or sting injuries were not included. Variables related to poisoning were summarized using a similar format as the National Poison Data System in the United States. Results: A total of 7,820 poisoning patients presented to 23 EDs. Adults ${\geq}20$ years accounted for 84% of the population, while the proportion of intentional poisoning was 59.4%. The most common poisoning substances were therapeutic drugs (45%), gas (21%), pesticides (15%), and artificial toxic substances (13%). Overall, 34.5% of patients were admitted for further treatment. The mortality was 3.2% (248 cases), and the most common causative substances were carbon monoxide, glyphosate, and paraquat, in order. Conclusion: This study showed the recent status of poisoning in Korea. However, a comprehensive poisoning registry based on poison control centers may be required to provide more accurate national statistics in the future.