• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.52 no.2
• /
• pp.128-135
• /
• 2020

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a bacterium that causes infections in different parts of the body and causes skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI). The present study examined the antimicrobial resistance patterns and molecular epidemiological characteristics of MRSA isolated from nasal swabs in clinical patients. SCCmec type of MRSA isolates from clinical patients were analyzed: 24 cases were SCCmec type-II; two cases were type-II/IVa; one case was type-II/V; one case was type-IVa; 11 cases were not-typeable. The mec complex type of MRSA isolates from clinical patients were analyzed: 29 cases were mec complex type A, and 10 cases were not-typeable, but type B was not found in the present study. In conclusion, SCCmec type-II and mec complex type A were the most dominant MRSA subtypes among the MRSA isolates from a nasal swab of patients, and the results were similar to other studies on hospital-acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA). These results can not only provide basic data for hospital infection management but also be a good guideline for MRSA infections in the Republic of Korea.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.201-207
• /
• 2002

Purpose : We analyzed clinical features and causal viruses of acute lower respiratory tract infections(LRTIs) in order to improve the management of these infections. Methods : From end of April to early May 2001, amongst 30 children at a local institute for children's adoption and welfare, 13 were admitted to the hospital with the diagnostic impression of acute LRTIs. Nasopharyngeal aspirates were sent in Seoul National University Hospital for viral culture of respiratory syncytial virus(RSV), adenovirus, parainfluenza virus. Results : One or more viral agents were identified in 4 cases(30.7%) : were RSV(15.4%), adenovirus(7.7%), and a mix of these two viruses(7.7%). Initial symptoms were fever(69%), cough(100%), tachypnea(54%), chest retraction(69%), rale(85%) and wheezing(15%). Leukocytosis was noted in 23%, CRP increased more than 10 mg/L in 46%. Chest X-ray abnormalities were 69%. Conclusion : Although viruses were identified in 30.7%, further studies should be made for prevention and treatment of acute viral LRTIs.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
• /
• v.15 no.4
• /
• pp.438-448
• /
• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify nursing activities and to analyze patient outcomes related to indwelling urinary catheterization. Method: A review was done of 628 medical records from five units for patients admitted between January 1 and June 30, 2006. Twelve nurses who worked in the same units were interviewed. Results: In the interviews, nurses reported considering several non-invasive interventions prior to catheterization but there were no medical records of this activity. Results from the in-depth interviews showed that infection control activities such as urinary bag management were conducted but again there were no medical records. Seventy-five percent of the catheters were removed without prescription. In the medical records there were no notes for approximately 15%, on the time of first voiding and 80%, on volume of first voiding after removal of catheter. There was a significant difference in hospitalization days between the group catheterized for 5 days or less and the group catheterized for 6 days or more. Conclusion: Results indicate a need to close the gap between recorded and described activities and between current and best evidence based practice. Further study is needed to develop a standard recording system and guidelines related indwelling catheterization to decrease the gaps identified in this research.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.51 no.5
• /
• pp.551-555
• /
• 2013

Complicated malaria is mainly caused by Plasmodium falciparum, but, increasingly, Plasmodium vivax is also being reported as a cause. Since the reemergence of indigenous vivax malaria in 1993, cases of severe malaria have been steadily reported in Korea. Herein, we report a case of vivax malaria complicated by adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) that was successfully managed with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). A 59-year-old man presented at our hospital with fever and abdominal pain, which had persisted for 10 days. On admission, the patient had impaired consciousness, shock, hypoxia and haziness in both lungs, jaundice, thrombocytopenia and disseminated intravascular coagulation, metabolic acidosis, and acute kidney injury. A peripheral blood smear and a rapid diagnostic test verified P. vivax mono-infection. Ten hours after admission, hypoxia became more severe, despite providing maximal ventilatory support. The administration of antimalarial agents, ECMO, and continuous venovenous hemofiltration resulted in an improvement of his vital signs and laboratory findings. He was discharged from the hospital 7 weeks later, without any sequelae.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.31-42
• /
• 2015

Purpose: This study was done to develop evidence-based nursing practice guidelines to prevent complications related to indwelling urinary catheterization (IUC) in patients in Korea. Methods: A guideline adaptation process was conducted according to the guideline adaptation manual which consists of three main phases, and 9 modules with a total of 24 steps. Results: The newly developed IUC guideline consisted of an introduction, urinary catheterization, summary of recommendations, recommendations, references, and appendices. There were 110 recommendations in 8 sections including assessment, equipment, catheter insertion, catheter maintenance, catheter change, catheter removal, management of complications, and education/consultation. For the grade of recommendations, there were 6.4% for A, 22.7% for B, 67.3% for C. Conclusion: The IUC guideline was developed based on evidence and therefore it is recommended that this guideline be disseminated and utilized by nurses nationwide to improve the quality of care for patients with IUC and decrease complications related to IUC and that it be revised regularly.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.64-77
• /
• 1999

This study was conducted to investigate the use of medical equipment in patients receiving home care service. The subjects of this study were 88 patients cared by seven home care nursed who were registered in the Seoul Nurses Association. Data was collected from Aug. 1, 1998 to Dec. 30, 1998. The findings are as follows. 1. The sample was found to be 55.7% female : 51.7% over 65 years old. 75% with neurologic disease including CVA, brain tumor, ICH, Parkinsonism & Spinal stenosis and 78.4% living in Seoul. The Clinical experience of the home care nurses was greater than five years. 2. Medical equipment which the patients possessed were foley catheters(61.4%), L-tubes(59.1%) and tracheostomy tubes(51.1%). 3. Technical difficulties in use of medical equipment were related to home care ventilators(60.0%), L-tubes(3.8%) and tracheostomy tubes(2.2%). 4. Most of the medical equipment were obtained from the hospital where they had been admitted previously or from medical equipment companies. 5. Complications from the use of this equipment were infection through invasive techniques including wound drainage tubes(50%), and IV injections(22.2%), The complications were resolved through referral to the doctor of the hospital where they were previously admitted or through community health centers. 6. Most of the equipment was disposable, and equipment was disinfected by using various methods including boiling and soaking in antiseptic solutions. These findings suggest that consistant policy on the management of medical equipment is necessary for the safety of home care patients.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.89-93
• /
• 2014

Background: This study was conducted to investigate the epidemiological features, clinical courses, and diagnoses of neonates who are transferred to neonatal intensive care unit of Yeungnam University Hospital due to tachypnea soon after birth. Methods: Based on medical records, we performed a retrospective study of neonatal intensive care unit admissions due to tachypnea from January 2010 to December 2013. Results: A total of 311 neonates were included in this study. The patient characteristics showed male predominance at 2.65:1. Among the 311 neonates with tachypnea, 127 (40.8%) neonates needed oxygen supply, and 54 (17.4%) neonates needed assisted mechanical ventilation. Transient tachypnea of the newborns (TTN) (158, 50.8%) showed the highest incidence, followed by pneumonia (63, 20.3%), extrapulmonary infection (37, 11.9%), respiratory distress syndrome (21, 6.8%), air leak (16, 5.1%), meconium aspiration syndrome (12, 3.9%), congenital heart disease (5, 1.6%), metabolic acidosis (3, 1%), primary pulmonary hypertension of newborns (2, 0.6%) and anemia (2, 0.6%). Conclusion: Although the neonates with tachypnea showed no other respiratory distress symptom, clinicians should be aware of the possibility of other pulmonary diseases as well as TTN and their extra-pulmonary causes. If tachypnea does not improve within a few hours, the clinician should consider further evaluation and management as soon as possible.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.289-301
• /
• 2002

Background: It is axiomatic that average life span is prolonged in proportion to the advance of socio-economic improvements and medical science. Consequently, the number of elderly patients with skin diseases is increasing. Objective: This study was performed to examine the patterns of skin diseases in elderly patients that had visited Dongguk Oriental Medical hospital, Dept. of Dermatology. We also compared these patients to the young generational groups. Methods: We studied 67 elderly patients with complaints of skin diseases who had visited our hospital from March 2000 to February 2002. We analysed their skin diseases and compared them with the younger group's. Results: The results were as follows; 1. The common disease groups were eczema(32.8$\%$); pruritus(23.9$\%$); viral infections (13.4$\%$); psoriasis(9.0$\%$); fungal infections and urticaria(6.0$\%$). 2. The disorders prevalent in men were eczema(30.0$\%$); herpes zoster & pruritus(23.3$\%$); fungal infection(13.3$\%$); psoriasis (3.3$\%$); melasma(6.7$\%$). 3. The common diseases of women's group were observed in the following order; eczema(35.l$\%$); pruritus(24.3$\%$); psoriasis(13.5$\%$); urticaria(10.8$\%$); other dermatoses(8.1$\%$); herpes zoster(5.4$\%$). 4. The most frequent skin disease for those in their 50's was eczema(32.3$\%$); 60's, pruritus(36.8$\%$); 70's, eczema(50.0); and over eighties., eczema and pruritus(40.0$\%$). Conclusion: This study suggests that dermatologic problems in the elderly are very common, especially eczema, pruritus. It is a very different pattern from the younger group's. And we have to better consider more effective management and treatment for them; especially further dermatologic studies including substantial medical care. Usually Oriental medicine is good at treating chronic diseases and less harmful. So we expect it to be generally better for elderly patients than western medicine.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.269-278
• /
• 2022

Background: PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD) had a great impact on health care workers during the COVID-19 (Corona Virus Disease 2019, COVID-19). Better knowledge of the prevalence of PTSD and its risk factors is a major public health problem. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence and important risk factors of PTSD among medical staff during the COVID-19. Methods: The databases were searched for studies published during the COVID-19, and a PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis) compliant systematic review (PROSPERO-CRD 42021278970) was carried out to identify articles from multiple databases reporting the prevalence of PTSD outcomes among medical staff. Proportion random effect analysis, I² statistic, quality assessment, subgroup analysis, and sensitivity analysis were carried out. Results: A total of 28 cross-sectional studies and the PTSD results of doctors and nurses were summarized from 14 and 27 studies: the prevalences were 31% (95% CI [confidence interval, CI]: 21%-40%) and 38% (95% CI: 30%-45%) in doctors and nurses, respectively. The results also showed seven risks (p < 0.05): long working hours, isolation wards, COVID-19 symptoms, nurses, women, fear of infection, and pre-existing mental illness. Two factors were of borderline significance: higher professional titles and married. Conclusion: Health care workers have a higher prevalence of PTSD during COVID-19. Health departments should provide targeted preventive measures for medical staff away from PTSD.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.40 no.10
• /
• pp.691-695
• /
• 2007

Background: The introduction of central venous catheters in 1979 has aided the administration of chemotherapy to oncologic patients. We analyzed the clinical reviews and complications of totally implantable venous catheters in an effort to achieve optimal management. Material and Method: We retrospectively studied 100 cases with totally implantable venous catheter at our hospital and we report the results. Result: 100 totally implantable venous catheters were placed in the right subclavian vein in 74 cases (74%), the left subclavian vein in 21 cases, the right jugular vein in 3 cases, the left jugular vein in 1 case and the right femoral vein in 1 case. The immediate complications were 5 cases in malposition of the catheter and 5 cases of arterial puncture. The late complications were 1 case of subclavian vein thrombosis, which was treated with anticoagulation, and 2 cases of pinch-of syndrome. There were no other early or late complications. Conclusion: The low rate of complications in this study confirms the safety and convenience of using totally implantable venous catheter in patients undergoing prolonged chemotherapy. Yet because Infection, thrombosis, and catheter fracture are the most common long term complications of totally implantable venous catheters, early diagnosis and management of these problems can prevent severe complications.