• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.65-76
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• 2013

Objective : The purpose of this study is to report the effectiveness of a long-term Korean Medicine Treatment on 511 atopic dermatitis patients. Methods : Total 511 atopic dermatitis patients, who has visited oriental medical clinics from 2011.1.9 to 2012.1.31 and continued treatment 3 month to 9 month were analyzed by Objective SCORAD Index(OSI). Subanalysis of OSI were done according to gender, age, treatment period, and intensity. Results : 1. Male and female percent was 42.5:57.5. Age percent was 0 to 11:12 to 18:above 19=30:16.6:53 and 41.9% was steroid users. 2. OSI Improvement rate was significantly higher in women than men after 3 month of treatment, but not significant after 6, 9 month of treatment. 3. There was no improvement difference of OSI among the age. 4. OSI was significantly lower after 3, 6, 9 month of treatment. Average post-treatment score was lowest in 9 month treatment group. 5. 86.7% of total patients reported decrease in OSI score at the final visit. 6. 85.9% was severe, 13.5% was moderate, and 0.6% was mild by OSI intensity assessment at initial visit. The percent changed at final visit to 37% severe, 54.2% moderate, and 8.8% mild. 7. Patient diagnosed as OSI intensity severe at first visit, their average treatment period was 6.58 months and final improvement rate was 36.27%. Conclusion : A significant percent of Atopic dermatitis patients who were treated with Korean Medicine Treatment reported decrease in OSI. There was significant decrease in OSI before and after 3, 6, 9 month treatment. The difference increased with the treatment period.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze the prognostic factors related to tooth loss after 5 years of periodontal surgery in periodontal disease patients. Materials and Methods: From January to December 2017, 22 patients and 124 teeth who underwent periodontal treatment through periodontal surgery were targeted. At the time of treatment, the measured values were evaluated after recording the maximum probing depth, average periodontal probing depth, number of root, furcation involvement, pulp vitality, and prosthesis state on the day of periodontal surgery. Based on the initial records at the time of visit, patient-related factors were gender, age, smoking, tooth loss due to periodontal disease at the time of first visit, diabetes, and maintenance period. The influence of each factor on tooth loss was evaluated. Results: As a result of examining the influence of tooth-related factors on tooth loss, the maximum probing depth depth (P: 0.000), bone loss (P: 0.021) was found to have a significant effect on tooth loss. Conclusion: As a result of examining the influence of patient-related factors on tooth loss, any variables had no significant effect. Bone loss, maximum probing depth acted as statistically significant prognostic factors for tooth loss in patients who underwent periodontal surgery.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical and radiological results of single and double fusions in the transverse tarsal joint. Materials and Methods: Between December 2000 and April 2009, 16 patients (16 feet) who had been treated by fusion of transverse tarsal joint were included in this study. In 8 patients, only talonavicular joint was fused and in the other 8 patients, both talonavicular and calcaneocuboid joints were fused simultaneously. We have measured talo-first metatarsal angle, calcaneal pitch angle, talonavicular coverage angle and presence of adjacent joint arthritis for radiological assessment at both preoperative and last visit. Furthermore, we have evaluated Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score and patient's satisfaction. Results: In a single fusion group, VAS was improved from $6.4{\pm}1.4$ to $0.8{\pm}1.0$ (p=0.0011) and AOFAS score was improved from $63.8{\pm}6.2$ to $89.4{\pm}9.8$ (p=0.0012). In a double fusion group, VAS was improved from $8.0{\pm}0.75$ to $2.0{\pm}1.8$ (p=0.0011) and AOFAS score was improved from $60.5{\pm}11.2$ to $89.5{\pm}6.0$ (p=0.0012). In the difference of talo-first metatarsal angle between two groups, a single fused group was more improved than a double fused group (p=0.04). Conclusion: Both single and double fusions are useful and attractive treatment for the transverse tarsal joint arthritis. Furthermore, a single fusion has advantages of less invasiveness and preserving some degree of hindfoot motion and could be an effective alternative to a double fusion if patient meets appropriate criteria through careful preoperative evaluation.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.72 no.1
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• pp.82-87
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• 2012

In 2005, a group of mycolic acid-containing bacteria was characterized as belonging to a novel genus, Segniliparus with species Segniliparus rugosus and S. rotundus. We report a case of the S. rugosus isolated from a 54-year-old woman with radiologic features mimicking that of non-tuberculous mycobacteriosis (NTM). When the patient first visited our hospital, an acid-fast bacteria (AFB) smear tested positive and Mycobacterium tuberculosis polymerase chain reaction (TB PCR) was negative in the bronchoalveolar lavage sample. After 2 months, the growing colonies were reported as NTM, but could not be identified because they had died. One year after the initial visit, induced sputum samples showed the same results, positive AFB smear and negative TB PCR. At this point, the growing colonies were identified as S. rugosus. Therefore, we should consider Segniliparus genus as a differential diagnosis for AFB in respiratory specimens in addition to the genus Mycobacterium.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.52-60
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• 2014

Objectives The purpose of this study is to report the clinical effects of oriental medical treatment on Extensive limb swelling which is rare adverse reaction of vaccination. Methods A 11 months old infant who appealed unilateral thigh swelling after immunization and signs of local inflammation was administered a complex herbal medicine consisting of five decoctions; Gwakhyangjunggisan, Binsosan, Danggwisusan, Samchulgunbitang and Gwibitang. The length of the constant regions of the thigh circumference was measured every visit. Each process was recorded by photograph. After one year from the first visit, phone call was conducted to follow-up. Results The length of the thigh after administration of herbal medicine did not change much, but the part where swelled hard became little bit softer. A year later, patient's growth and walking was normal but the swollen part not changed. Since then the similar adverse effects did not recur on booster doses vaccines. Conclusions The adverse reactions of vaccination are rarely reported and there is no specific treatment for swelling from Hepatitis B vaccine. It will be more helpful to study if more cases reported about any adverse drug reactions or any side effects from the immunization.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.168-176
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• 2014

Objective: The aim of this randomized controlled clinical trial was to compare oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of patients treated with conventional, active self-ligating (ASL), and passive self-ligating (PSL) brackets in different therapeutic phases. Methods: Sixty patients (mean age 18.3 years; 29 males and 31 females) requiring orthodontic treatment were randomly and equally assigned to receive conventional (Victory Series), ASL (In-Ovation R), or PSL (Damon 3MX) brackets. OHRQoL was measured with a self-administered modified 16-item Malaysian version of the Oral Health Impact Profile for immediate (soon after the visit) and late (just before the subsequent visit) assessments of the bonding and activation phases. Data were analyzed with the Kruskal-Wallis and chi-square tests. Results: The PSL and ASL groups showed more immediate and late impacts in the bonding phase, respectively; the conventional group was affected in both the assessments. The first activation phase had similar impacts in the groups. After the second activation, the conventional group showed more immediate impacts, whereas the PSL and ASL groups had more late impacts. The commonly affected domains were "physical disability," "functional limitation," "physical pain," and "psychological discomfort." No significant differences in the prevalence and severity of immediate and late impacts on OHRQoL of the patients were noted in any therapeutic phase. Conclusions: No bracket system seems to ensure superior OHRQoL. This information could be useful for explaining the therapeutic phases, especially the initial one, and selecting the optimal bracket system based on the patient's preference.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.32-39
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• 2003

Although medical nutrition therapy (MNT) is considered as a cornerstone of medical treatment for hypercholesterolemia, few studies have evaluated medical and economical outcome of MNT. This study was conducted to identify whether MNT administered by registered dieticians could lead to a beneficial clinical and cost outcome in persons with hypercholesterolemia. A prospective clinical trial was carried out at outpatient clinics, which involved an initial visit with a dietitian followed by another visit at first 4 weeks during the 6 weeks study periods. Thirty-nine subjects took part in a 6 weeks nutrition intervention program. Clinical and economical outcomes were compared before and after MNT. Medical nutrition therapy lowered total serum cholesterol level 6.1% (P<0.05), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) 9.4% (P<0.05) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) 3.0% (P<0.05). The cost-effective ratio was ￦ 1,520/cholesterol mg/dl and ￦ 1,441/LDL-cholesterol mg/dl, respectively. After dietitian's intervention, lipid drug eligibility was obviated in 16 of 39(41%) subjects. The cost savings from the avoidance of lipid medications was ￦ 151,107 per patient annually. In conclusion, it is suggested that provision of systemic intensive nutritional care for persons with hypercholesterolemia has significant effects on serum cholesterol reduction and clinical cost savings.

• Clinical Pain
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.105-121
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• 2021

Objective: Physiologically, the vastus medialis muscle is the first muscle to undergo muscle atrophy, and it was thought that pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis could be reduced if this muscle could be strengthened and stabilized. The purpose of this study was to prove the effectiveness in knee osteoarthritis using polydioxanone sutures that have been tried in other musculoskeletal areas. Method: Forty knee osteoarthritis patients voluntarily participated in the study, and divided into 30 polydioxanone suture needle (MEST-B2375 produced by Ovmedi Co.) and 10 sham needle (without suture). And the needles were inserted into the vastus medialis muscle. In all patients, safety evaluation including blood tests and ultrasonography as well as efficacy evaluation including isometric maximal contractile strength of quadriceps muscle, weight bearing pain, impression of change, quadriceps angle, rescue drug intake were evaluated up to 30 weeks after the procedure. Results: Isometric maximal contractile strength showed a significant improvement at 4 weeks after the procedure in the polydioxanone suture group, and the weight-bearing pain showed a significant improvement at every visit in the polydioxanone suture group compared with baseline values. Patient global impression of change score showed significant improvement at 20 and 30 weeks, and clinical score showed improvement at every visit. Conclusion: Insertion of polydioxanone sutures showed improvement in muscle strength and knee pain by supporting and fixation of the vastus medialis muscle in patients with degenerative knee osteoarthritis. Insertion of polydioxanone sutures is considered to have a therapeutic effect in knee osteoarthritis patients.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.159-176
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• 1993

The utilization of outpatient care services involves two steps of sequential decisions. The first step decision is about whether to initiate the utilization and the second one is about how many more visits to make after the initiation. Presumably, the initiation decision is largely made by the patient and his or her family, while the number of additional visits is decided under a strong influence of the physician. Implication is that the analysis of the outpatient care utilization requires to specify each of the two decisions underlying the utilization as a distinct stochastic process. This paper is concerned with the number of physician visits, which is, by definition, a discrete variable that can take only non-negative integer values. Since the initial visit is considered in the analysis of whether or not having made any physician visit, the focus on the number of visits made in addition to the initial one must be enough. The number of additional visits, being a kind of count data, could be assumed to exhibit a Poisson distribution. However, it is likely that the distribution is over dispersed since the number of physician visits tends to cluster around a few values but still vary widely. A recently reported study of outpatient care utilization employed an analysis based upon the assumption of a negative binomial distribution which is a type of overdispersed Poisson distribution. But there is an indication that the use of Poisson distribution making adjustments for over-dispersion results in less loss of efficiency in parameter estimation compared to the use of a certain type of distribution like a negative binomial distribution. An analysis of the data for outpatient care utilization was performed focusing on an assessment of appropriateness of available techniques. The data used in the analysis were collected by a community survey in Hwachon Gun, Kangwon Do in 1990. It was observed that a Poisson regression with adjustments for over-dispersion is superior to either an ordinary regression or a Poisson regression without adjustments oor over-dispersion. In conclusion, it seems the most approprite to assume that the number of physician visits made in addition to the initial visist exhibits an overdispersed Poisson distribution when outpatient care utilization is studied based upon a model which embodies the two-part character of the decision process uderlying the utilization.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.61-67
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• 2019

Objective : This study aimed to investigate the general process from the symptom onset to the psychiatric treatment in Korean panic patients and the effect of improved public awareness on it. Methods : This study has a retrospective design. The subjects were the new patients with panic disorder who visited the psychiatric outpatient clinic in twelve university-affiliated hospitals all across Korea. The medical chart was reviewed retrospectively and the data were collected including chief complaints of symptoms, recent stressors, the time to visit the psychiatric outpatient clinic, and visit of other departments and diagnostic approaches for their symptoms. Results : A total of 814 participants were included in the study. The most common department other than psychiatry the panic patients visited were cardiology (28.3%), general internal medicine (16.0%) and neurology (11.4%). The most frequently used diagnostic tests were a echocardiography (17.9%), 24-hour Holter monitoring (11.2%), and brain MRI (8.2%). Only 37.3% of participants visited psychiatric clinic directly. About 80% of participants visited psychiatric department within 1 year after their first panic symptoms and it took $13.8{\pm}13.7weeks$ on average. Comparing before and after 2012, the number of participants increased who visit directly the psychiatric clinic without visiting other departments (p=0.002) and without visiting emergency room (p<0.001). Conclusions : Our results suggest that a substantial number of patients visit departments other than psychiatry when they experience first panic symptoms. However, most patients begin psychiatric treatment within 1 year after their first symptoms and the number of patient are increasing who visit psychiatric department directly without visiting other departments.