• Industry Promotion Research
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.109-117
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• 2023

Modern industrial society demands socially-prescribed perfectionism from office workers and causes self-discrepancy. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to propose a counseling strategy that integrates the divided self based on Fairbairn's psychological structure and reduces self-discrepancy by changing interpersonal relation patterns. 14 sessions were conducted once a week from March 2022 to July 2022. T-test was used as a research method to compare the level of self discrepancy by conducting the Self Questionnaire before and after. During the initial stage, the client was in conflict with his boss and showed anger, depression, somatic symptoms such as gastrointestinal disorder, strict judgement on himself and others, and high self-discrepancy. This research showed that the client's libidinal ego and anti-libidinal ego were de-repressed and integrated into his central ego, and his self-discrepancy level was decreased, which was confirmed through the pre-post test. This research, as a case study applying Fairbairn's psychological structure, has a meaning that it confirmed a change in the interpersonal relation patterns of a socially-prescribed perfectionistic client.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.285-293
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• 2023

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a digestive disorder characterized by abdominal discomfort or pain accompanied by a change in stool condition. Owing to its complicated mechanisms, a standard treatment for IBS has not yet been established. Yukgunja-tang (YGT) is a Korean herbal medicine known in Asia to be effective in the treatment of gastrointestinal symptoms. In this study, we will conduct a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to assess the efficacy and safety of YGT in IBS treatment. Methods and analysis: English databases, such as Embase, Medline (via PubMed), Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, will be searched for articles published up to April 2023. Additional databases, such as five Korean, one Chinese, and one Japanese database, will be included. RCTs and quasi-RCTs will also be included in the assessment of the efficacy of YGT. The overall efficacy rate will be the primary outcome, and data such as IBS quality-of-life measurements, global symptom scores, and adverse events will be the secondary outcomes. Review Manager Version 5.3 will be used for evaluation, and the risk of bias (RoB) will be evaluated using Cochrane Collaboration's RoB tool. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach will be used to score the quality of evidence. Conclusion: This study will demonstrate the efficacy and safety of YGT for treating patients with IBS.

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Research
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2013

Peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) is defined as the dissemination of cancer cells in the peritoneal cavity resulting in deposition of malignant cells onto parietal or visceral peritoneal surfaces, and is associated with malignant ascites. In general, PC has been treated similarly to metastatic cancers of the primary tumor, but associated with unfavorable outcomes as compared to other sites of metastatic disease from the same primary tumor origin. It has been known to have the median survival of only 3-6 months with supportive care alone. PC is an intractable problem to physicians because of its poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Recent studies have reported that a combination of cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy improved survival in PC of colorectal cancer. This paper gives overviews of the characteristics, symptoms, prognosis, and diagnosis of PC and current treatment options on PC of stomach, colorectal, and unknown primary origin.

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Research
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.108-110
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• 2013

The relationship between malignancy and venous thromboembolism(VTE) has been well established. About 20% of all VTE cases are associated with cancer and thrombotic events are the second leading cause of death in cancer patients after death from cancer itself. Effective prophylaxis and treatment will reduce morbidity and may decrease overall mortality. We report a case of VTE in a patient with advanced gastric cancer who treated with low-molecular weighted heparin (LMWH). A 49-year-old man with heartburn was admitted to our hospital. On the endoscopic and radiologic imaging, the patient was diagnosed as an advanced gastric cancer with perigastric infiltration and liver metastasis. During the combination chemotherapy, he had pain and swelling of left lower leg. Doppler ultrasonography showed left posterior tibial venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism CT showed thromboembolism in subsegmental pulmonary artery branch in right lower lobe. He was treated with LMWH, Dalteparin once daily via subcutaneous injection, and his symptoms was subsided.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.875-884
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• 2023

Objective: The purpose of this study is to report the clinical improvement of aggravated functional dyspepsia due to COVID-19 with Korean medicine treatment. Methods: To assess treatment outcomes, we used the GIS (Gastrointestinal Symptom Score), European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) scale, and Numeral Rating Scale (NRS). Results: After treatment, the patient's clinical symptoms improved, as indicated by GIS, EQ-5D, and NRS scores. Conclusions: Korean medicine treatment improved late complications in COVID-19 patients. This finding suggests the possibility of Korean medicine treatment for long-term COVID infections.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.55-74
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• 2024

Objectives: This study reviewed the status of adverse event (AE) reporting in VigiAccess using anti-obesity agents as examples and explored the possibility of its use and future challenges. Methods: AE reports related to some representative drugs among herbal medicines (HMs), complex HM prescriptions, ingredients of supplements, and over-the-counter and prescription medicines were investigated using VigiAccess on February 1, 2024. Results: AE reports on prescription drugs were overwhelmingly higher than those on HMs or supplements. Although most reports were submitted from North America, reports on Ephedra sinica and green tea extract (GTE) were more from Asia and Europe, respectively. The female population reported more, and the difference in the sex ratio was the smallest for Ephedra spp. The age group was concentrated on young adults, but many older patients reported GLP-1 receptor agonist-related AEs. Symptoms related to the gastrointestinal and nervous systems were most commonly reported, but mental and cardiac disorders were common in Ephedra-type HMs. Hepatobiliary disorders are also commonly found in GTE-related reports. Conclusions: VigiAccess was useful for easily checking the global status of AE reporting for prescription drugs. However, several limitations were observed in using VigiAccess for HMs because of the few reports. Thus, it is necessary to increase the number of reports by education and to promote AE reporting among HM prescribers and users. The full range of HMs should be included in the pharmacovigilance system, and the coding and classification of HMs should be revised.

• Clinical Endoscopy
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.239-244
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• 2023

Tuberculosis is an adverse event in patients with Crohn's disease receiving anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy. However, tuberculosis presenting as a bronchoesophageal fistula (BEF) is rare. We report a case of tuberculosis and BEF in a patient with Crohn's disease who received anti-TNF therapy. A 33-year-old Korean woman developed fever and cough 2 months after initiation of anti-TNF therapy. And the symptoms persisted for 1 months, so she visited the emergency room. Chest computed tomography was performed upon visiting the emergency room, which showed BEF with aspiration pneumonia. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy with biopsy and endobronchial ultrasound with transbronchial needle aspiration confirmed that the cause of BEF was tuberculosis. Anti-tuberculosis medications were administered, and esophageal stent insertion through endoscopy was performed to manage the BEF. However, the patient's condition did not improve; therefore, fistulectomy with primary closure was performed. After fistulectomy, the anastomosis site healing was delayed due to severe inflammation, a second esophageal stent and gastrostomy tube were inserted. Nine months after the diagnosis, the fistula disappeared without recurrence, and the esophageal stent and gastrostomy tube were removed.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.199-207
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• 2024

Introduction: Gullain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is a rapid, symmetric muscle weakness that often follows respiratory or gastrointestinal infections. Standard treatments include plasmapheresis and intravenous immunoglobulin, but outcomes can vary among patients. The integration of Korean medicine, notably unexplored in quantitative assessments of balance and walking, provides a novel approach to treatment. Case presentation: A 53-year-old male diagnosed with GBS presented to the hospital 8 days post-onset. He received treatments consisting of acupuncture, electroacupuncture, and rehabilitation over a period of approximately 4 weeks. Upon admission, the patient exhibited symptoms of both limb weakness and paresthesia, requiring the use of a wheelchair. Post-treatment, muscle strength and balance were significantly improved, leading to the restoration of independent ambulation, including running. Conclusions: This case illustrates the potential of integrated Korean and conventional medical treatments to accelerate recovery in GBS patients, overcoming typical prognosis timelines. The improvements in gait and balance were substantiated by quantitative assessments, suggesting a promising area for further research into the effects of combined therapeutic approaches to GBS recovery.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.45 no.7
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• pp.862-874
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• 2002

Purpose : We tried to evaluate whether the detection rate of Helicobacter pylori in gastric biopsy specimens could be improved by using pre-embedding immunoelectron microscopy. Methods : A total of 119 children who complained of upper gastrointestinal symptoms were endoscoped at the Gyeongsang National University Hospital from July, 1996 to July, 1999. Five biopsy specimens(three for urease test, one for hematoxylin-eosin(H & E) staining, and one for preembedding immunoelectron microscopy) were obtained from each antrum and body. Immunoblotting analysis were also performed. Results : Among the 119 patients, H. pylori were found in 116 patients(97.5%) by the immunoelectron microscopy. Among three patients who were found H. pylori negative in immunoelectron microscopy, two patients showed H. pylori in H & E stained slides and one patient was urease test positive(color change within six hours). Urease tests were positive in 107 patients(89.9 %). The positive rate of immunoblotting tests was 81.5%. However, only 13 patients(10.9%) showed H. pylori on the H & E stained antrum or body tissue. Conclusion : In this study, we found H. pylori histopathologically in most of the pediatric patients who complained of upper gastrointestinal symptoms. This study showed that pre-embedding immunoelectron microscopic examinations can be used as a gold standard in the diagnosis of childhood H. pylori infection. However, this method also has limited capacity to detect widely scattered H. pylori compared to the other histopathologic diagnostic methods.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.40-47
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• 2011

Purpose : Norovirus infection, a common cause of community-acquired gastroenteritis, can also lead to severe illness in immunocompromised patients. We investigated clinical manifestations of norovirus infection in pediatric cancer patients. Methods : Stool specimens were collected from pediatric patients with gastrointestinal symptoms between November 2008 and September 2009 at Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. Norovirus infection was identified by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). A retrospective chart review was performed in pediatric cancer patients who were diagnosed with norovirus infection. Results : Ten patients were diagnosed with norovirus infection by RT-PCR in stool samples. The median age was 0.83 years (range 0.25-5.5 years) and the male to female ratio was 1.5:1 (6 males and 4 females). Underlying diseases were hematologic malignancies (4/10, 40%), neuroblastoma (4/10, 40%), and brain tumors (2/10, 20%). Three patients were infected before hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and four patients after HCT. All patients had diarrhea (10/10, 100%), with a median frequency of diarrhea of 8.5 times/day (range 4-22 times/day). Median virus shedding duration was 72.5 days (range 19-299 days). Four patients with pneumatosis intestinalis were conservatively treated with bowel rest and total parenteral nutrition. One patient with severe diarrhea and bloody stool had concomitant chronic gut graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Norovirus infection-related mortality was not observed. Conclusion : Norovirus infection can cause significant clinical manifestations with prolonged viral shedding in immunocompromised patients. Norovirus should be considered in pediatric cancer patients with severe gastrointestinal symptoms.