• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.247-251
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• 2022

This study is to show the clinical effect of Korean medicine integrated treatment for medial collateral ligament tear with bone contusion by traffic accident. The patients were treated using Korean medicine integrated treatment including acupunture, pharmacoacupunture and herbal medication. The effect of treatment was measured by Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC), EuroQol-5 Dimension Index (EQ-5D) and Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). After treatment, case 1 improved WOMAC from 94 to 24, EQ-5D from -0.056 to 0.72, and NRS from 10 to 2. Case 2 showed an improvement in symptoms from WOMAC 91 to 14, EQ-5D from 0.077 to 0.862, NRS from 10 to 2.5. In addition, as a result of follow-up about 5 months after each onset, case 1 showed a further improvement with WOMAC 0, EQ-5D 0.95 and case 2 WOMAC 7, EQ-5D 0.913. These results suggest that Korean medicine integrated treatment might be a possible therapeutic option for the medial collateral ligament tear with bone contusion by traffic accident.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.362-374
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• 2015

Objectives: This study was performed to investigate the effects of overestimation of their own body shape on weight control behaviors, mental condition, physical activity, dietary behavior, health-related quality of life, and nutritional status among young Korean females. Methods: A total of 1,514 women aged 20-39 years who are not pregnant and lactating among those who participated in the Fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010~2011), were analyzed and grouped into underestimation (n=120), normal estimation (NE, n=840), and overestimation (OE, n=554), based on their body perception compared to actual percent ideal body weights. Variables were compared between OE group and NE group. Results: The subjects in OE group were significantly younger (29.5 vs. 30.5 years, respectively p < 0.05) and had lower body mass index (20.9 vs. 22.2 respectively, p < 0.01), health-related quality of life measured by EQ-5D (EuroQol-5 Dimension)(0.97 vs. 0.98 respectively, p < 0.05), nutrition adequacy ratio (NAR) of protein (0.91 vs. 0.93 respectively, p < 0.05), phosphorous (0.93 vs. 0.96 respectively, p < 0.05), and iron (0.70 vs. 0.75 respectively, p < 0.01), and index of nutrition quality (INQ) of iron (0.84 vs. 0.89 respectively, p < 0.05) compared to those in the NE group. The results of logistic regression showed that unmarried status (OR 1.32; 1.01~1.72) and severely underweight/underweight status (OR 1.94; 1.01~3.75)/(OR 1.81; 1.34~2.45) were significantly related to the probability of overestimation by the subjects. Significantly more women in OE group practiced fasting, skipping meals, and taking prescribed pills to lose body weights and had skipped breakfast compared to those in the NE group. Conclusions: The results of this study suggested that the Korean young women's distorted perception of own body shape may be associated with undesirable weight control behavior, low quality of life, and lower nutritional status. Therefore, nutrition education for this group should include information on correct body shape perception and its importance.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.23-33
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• 2015

Objectives : This study was designed to assess the general distribution and clinical effectiveness of Korean medical treatment on lumbar disc herniation. Methods : This is an observational study. 72 patients admitted to Daejeon Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine with a diagnosis of herniated intervertebral disc(HIVD) by lumbar-CT of lumbar-MRI were observed from July, 2014 to April, 2015. They were analyzed according to sex, age, the period of disease, causal factors, symptoms on admission, admission day, disc herniation type and treatment efficacy. All patients received a combination of treatments during hospitalization, including acupuncture, Chuna, herbal medicines and physical therapy. A zero to ten numerating rating scale(NRS) assessing pain, Oswestry disability index(ODI) and EuroQol-5 dimension(EQ-5D) was used before and after treatments. Results : Average admission duration was $28.00{\pm}12.85$ days in lumbar disc patients. For lumbar patients, lower back pain NRS decreased from $5.89{\pm}2.00$ to $3.42{\pm}1.87$(p<0.001) and radiating pain from $5.96{\pm}2.12$ to $3.38{\pm}1.83$(p<0.001). ODI decreased from $46.69{\pm}19.25$ to $35.69{\pm}16.67$(p<0.001), and EQ-5D index increased from $0.63{\pm}0.26$ to $0.71{\pm}0.20$(p<0.05) after treatment in lumbar disc patients. Conclusions : Korean medical combination treatment might be effective in reducing pain and improving quality of life for patients with lumbar disc herniation. This study further confirmed the efficacy of Korean medical treatment on HIVD.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.141-147
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• 2021

This study's purpose is to report the effectiveness of Korean medicine treatment to posterior cruciate ligament tear patients due to traffic accident. 2 patients were treated with Korean medicine by acupuncture, pharmacopuncture and herbal medication. We assessed the knee pain and functional improvement by using numeric rating scale (NRS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities arthritis (WOMAC) index and EuroQol-5 dimension (EQ-5D) index. After treatment, NRS decreased from 6 to 2 in case 1 and from 5 to 3 in case 2. EQ-5D index chaged from 0.465 to 0.72 in case 1 and from 0.719 to -0.171 in case 2. WOMAC index decreased from 82 to 13 in case 1 and from 55 to 54 in case 2. NRS improved in both cases, but WOMAC index and EQ-5D index improved in only one case. Korean medicine treatment could be helpful for posterior cruciate ligament tear traffic accident patients. However, further clinical studies are needed to clarify the effectiveness to the patients with old age, degeneration and accompanying injury.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.243-249
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• 2023

This case study showed improvement both in pain and gait disturbance caused by SCH. KM can be a positive treatment for reducing pain or improving gait disturbance caused by SCH, and it can be considered a treatment option for SCH. Future studies with a larger number of cases and longer period of follow-up in SCH with gait disturbance and rigidity are needed.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.161-169
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• 2014

The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) on the alleviation of lumbar myalgia. This is a randomized, real-sham, double blind pilot study. 38 patients were divided into the PEMF group and the Sham group, each of which was composed of 19 patients (1 patient dropped out in the Sham group) of randomized allocation. The PEMF group was treated by using the PEMF device and the Sham group by using a sham device on the lumbar muscle and acupuncture points, three times a week for a total of two weeks. Evaluations of Visual Analogue Scale for bothersomeness (VASB), Visual Analogue Scale for pain intensity (VASP), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), 36-Item Short Form Health Survey Instrument (SF-36), EuroQol-5Dimension (EQ-5D), Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) and Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), etc. before and 1 week after treatment were carried out. The primary outcome measure was the VASB, measured 1 week after the end of the pulsed electromagnetic therapy. VASB scores for the PEMF group changed by $-2.06{\pm}2.12$ from the baseline, and that for the Sham group changed by $-0.52{\pm}0.82$ (p < 0.05). VASP scores for the PEMF group were reduced by $-2.10{\pm}2.12$ from the base line, and that for the Sham group was reduced by $-0.53{\pm}1.50$ (p < 0.05). PEMF group showed significant improvements in all VASB, VASP, ODI, SF-36, EQ-5D, BDI and RMDQ scores, while the Sham group showed significant improvements in all scores, except the VASP score. However, the VASB, VASP and RMDQ scores of the PEMF group were much lower than those of the Sham group. The two groups showed no significant difference in ODI, SF-36, EQ-5D and BDI. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of PEMF treatment for alleviating lumbar myalgia.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.14-23
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• 2020

Objectives : We investigated the efficacy and safety of miniscalpel acupuncture (MA) treatment combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for chronic neck pain (CNP) in an assessor-blinded randomized controlled pilot trial to establish a basis for larger-scale randomized controlled studies on this subject. Methods : Participants (n=36) were recruited and randomly allocated to the MA group, NSAIDs and combined treatment group. The MA group received MA three times over three weeks. The NSAIDs group was administered orally with zaltoprofen 80mg t.i.d. over three weeks. The combined treatment group received MA and zaltoprofen in the same manner as MA and NSAIDs groups. The primary outcome was pain as assessed by a visual analogue scale (VAS) and the secondary outcomes were assessed using the Neck Disability index (NDI), EuroQol 5-dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D), and Patients' Global Impression of Change scale (PGIC). Assessments were made at week 0 (baseline), 1, 2, 3 (primary end point) during treatment and at week 7 (4 weeks after the end of treatment). Results : 35 participants completed the study. No serious adverse event occurred and blood test results were within normal limits. The improvement of VAS and NDI was significantly greater in combined and MA group than that in NSAIDs group (p<0.017). The combined group showed better outcomes in EQ-5D at visit 2 and 5, in PGIC at visit 4 than the NSAIDs group (p<0.017). No significant differences were found between combined and MA group. Conclusions : Our results suggest that both combined and MA group can be more effective in improving pain control than NSAIDs group. A large-scale clinical study is warranted to further clarify these findings.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.109-115
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• 2019

Cervical dystonia (CD) is a disorder characterized by sustained or intermittent, involuntary muscle contractions which cause twisting, repetitive movements and abnormal postures. In this case report, a CD patients was treated with transfer energy capacitive and resistive (TECAR) therapy and conventional Korean medicine, which consists of acupuncture, Chuna manual medicine, pharmacopuncture and herbal medicine. For outcome measures, this study evaluated Cobb's angle, EuroQol five dimension scale (EQ-5D), numerical rating scale (NRS), neck disabillity index (NDI) and cervical range of motion. As a result, improvements were found in Cobb's angle ($18.65^{\circ}$ to $15.90^{\circ}$), EQ-5D score (0.808 to 0.862), NRS (5 to 3), NDI (16 to 8) and angle of cervical lateral bending ($15^{\circ}$ to $25^{\circ}$). In conclusion, this study shows that combined therapy of conventional Korean medicine treatment and TECAR therapy can be effective for CD patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.121-129
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• 2021

Sodium intake has been associated with the health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study examined the demographic factors related to HRQoL and whether there is an association between sodium intake and HRQoL in adults residing in rural areas. A total of 1,980 adults (aged ≥20 years) were selected from a cross-sectional study conducted between December 2013 and February 2014 in Gyeongju, South Korea. The sodium intake and HRQoL were measured using a validated food frequency questionnaire and the EuroQol Five-Dimension (EQ-5D) (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression), respectively. The education levels (<5 years) were inversely associated with all five dimensions of HRQoL. Men had better EQ-5D scores for each of the five components examined. Adults living with spouses had better scores related to usual activities and anxiety/depression, whereas widowers had decreased scores of mobility and self-care. Unlike older adults aged 70-79 years, adults aged <60 years were more likely to have greater scores related to mobility, usual activities, and pain/discomfort. The income levels were also inversely related to the scores for self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression. Sodium intake was positively associated with the HRQoL related to self-care, usual activities, and pain/discomfort, but it was negatively associated with anxiety/depression. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the demographic factors and sodium intake were independently associated with HRQoL. The results highlight the need to provide tailored, targeted policies and interventions that consider personal characteristics and dietary intake to improve the overall HRQoL in adults residing in rural areas.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.826-835
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating effect of stress on the relationship between oral health behaviors and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in the elderly. We analyzed 8148 subjects aged 65 or older who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010-2015). All individuals were asked about their socioeconomic history, general health, and oral health behaviors (the frequency of tooth brushing, regular dental check-ups, and use of interdental cleaners). In the results, HRQOL was low in the elderly from a low socioeconomic class, or with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, or poor oral health behaviors. A partial mediating effect from stress was confirmed on the relationship between oral health behaviors and HRQOL. In conclusion, HRQOL was associated with oral health behaviors, with a mediating effect from stress. Therefore, it is necessary that a convergence health promotion program should be planned with an oral health education program and a stress management program for the elderly.