• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.54 no.2
• /
• pp.95-102
• /
• 2022

The relationship between lipoprotein(a) and dyslipidemia is not clear. This study was therefore undertaken to investigate the relationship between lipoprotein(a) and dyslipidemia in elderly patients over 60 years. From 2014 to 2020, a total of 2,580 adults aged 60 years or older (73.31±7.24 years, 1,954 males) were enrolled in the study. The patients had checked into a general hospital, and data were obtained for lipoprotein(a), LDL-C, TG, HDL-C, hs-CRP, HbA1c, sex, age, BMI, dyslipidemia diagnosis, and use of lipid-lowering agents. BMI and HbA1c showed no correlation with lipoprotein(a), but hs-CRP (r=0.138), LDL-C (r=0.097), HDL-C (r=-0.089), TG (r=-0.073), and age (r=0.072) were significantly correlated to lipoprotein(a). The partial correlation between lipoprotein(a) and LDL-C, which was adjusted for variables, was significant only in the male gender (r=0.158, P<0.001). As the odds ratio of the 4^th quartile of lipoprotein(a) (OR=1.376, 95% CI=1.038~1.822) for dyslipidemia was found to be significant in this study when the level of LDL-C, the primary target, could not be reduced even by taking lipid-lowering drugs, we propose that lipoprotein(a) should also be included among the several factors considered as secondary targets. Our results indicate that studies on various lipid factors considering the sex, age, types and use of lipid-lowering agents, are warranted.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
• /
• v.40 no.2
• /
• pp.290-300
• /
• 2023

This study was understood the risk mechanism of falls in the elderly and reviewed previous research data to see if the principle of Pilates rehabilitation exercise could have a positive effect on balance ability and postural stabilization in the elderly, and the purpose of this study is to present literature-based data on the fall prevention effect of rehabilitation Pilates exercise. First, the rehabilitation Pilates exercise makes it available for strengthening the center of the body to stabilize the spine and pelvis and stimulates the nerve root, thereby having an effect on the balance and the joint stabilization. Second, a proprioceptive sensory impairment and a musculoskeletal degenerative disease due to aging increase the loss of balance ability and the instability in posture maintenance, thereby coming to raise the risk of a fall damage caused by the difficulty in performing motor functions and by the gait disturbance. Third, the rehabilitation Pilates exercise leads to improving the core muscle strength in older adults, resulting in being capable of expecting the betterment in the balance and the reaction time motor function. And there is a positive impact on the improvement in body imbalance and on the stability in movement involved in the fall prevention, resulting in being able to suggest the possibility of likely contributing to a reduction in a fall risk rate. In conclusion, the rehabilitation Pilates as the elderly exercise program showed effects on the improvement in the body's muscular strength, on the upgrade in a sense of balance, and on the stabilization of core. Thus, it was considered to diminish the risk factors for a fall damage caused by musculoskeletal degeneration and to be capable of preventing a serious disorder of activity due to a chronic senile disease.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.411-428
• /
• 2018

This study has attempted to identify whether or not the effects of perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness of the elderly on a suicidal ideation is mediated by the meaning in life and, during this process, examined if social participation known as a protective factor against elderly suicide has a moderating effect. For this, a total of 403 elderly men and women residing in Honam area have been selected as the subjects of the study, among whom self-report surveys have been conducted as to perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, meaning in life (presence of meaning/search for meaning) and social participation. The mediating analysis with the use of the process macro has identified the path where the perceived burdensomeness encourages a suicidal ideation through the presence of the meaning in life. On the other hand, the thwarted belongingness has turned out to be significant only in a direct path to a suicidal ideation. The analysis results of moderated mediating effects, including social participation have found that social participation does mediate the path to a suicidal ideation caused by the perceived burdensomeness through the presence of the meaning in life, verifying its moderated mediating effects.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.28 no.6
• /
• pp.480-494
• /
• 2023

Objectives: This study sought to assess the effectiveness of community-based nutrition counseling on improving nutritional status, managing complex chronic diseases, and enhancing the quality of life for elderly individuals with chronic conditions, particularly in older adults with high levels of food insecurity and multiple chronic illnesses. Methods: Thirty elderly subjects with diabetes and hypertension who were registered at local Senior Welfare Center received individualized nutrition counseling, based on their Nutrition Quotient for the Elderly (NQ-E) index. Over a 16-week period, they received tailored counseling and underwent various health and nutritional assessments. The final analysis included 28 participants after two dropped out. Data analysis was conducted using the SPSS v28.0. Results: The subjects were over 70, with multiple chronic diseases including diabetes and hypertension and predominantly female. After 16 weeks, significant improvements were observed in the subjects' grip strength, and HbA1c levels, as well as in their NQ-E scores, indicating improved dietary balance and diversity. There were no significant improvements in the 'Moderation' subdomain of the NQ-E index, suggesting that this aspect requires further attention in nutritional counseling. The subjects' nutritional risk scores (NSI) were also significantly decreased, indicating less nutritional risk. Lastly, as measured by the SF-36K, the subjects' quality of life showed significant improvement in several domains including physical role performance and social function. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that tailored nutrition counseling, based on the NQ-E index, can improve elderly health, manage chronic diseases, and enhance quality of life. This approach potentially broadens the scope of community nutritionists' roles within an aging society. However, additional research is necessary to evaluate these interventions' long-term effects and sustainability.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• v.22 no.12
• /
• pp.2082-2093
• /
• 2021

Objective: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the tissue adequacy and complication rates of percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy (PTNB) for molecular analysis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Materials and Methods: We performed a literature search of the OVID-MEDLINE and Embase databases to identify original studies on the tissue adequacy and complication rates of PTNB for molecular analysis in patients with NSCLC published between January 2005 and January 2020. Inverse variance and random-effects models were used to evaluate and acquire meta-analytic estimates of the outcomes. To explore heterogeneity across the studies, univariable and multivariable metaregression analyses were performed. Results: A total of 21 studies with 2232 biopsies (initial biopsy, 8 studies; rebiopsy after therapy, 13 studies) were included. The pooled rates of tissue adequacy and complications were 89.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 85.6%-92.6%; I² = 0.81) and 17.3% (95% CI: 12.1%-23.1%; I² = 0.89), respectively. These rates were 93.5% and 22.2% for the initial biopsies and 86.2% and 16.8% for the rebiopsies, respectively. Severe complications, including pneumothorax requiring chest tube placement and massive hemoptysis, occurred in 0.7% of the cases (95% CI: 0%-2.2%; I² = 0.67). Multivariable meta-regression analysis showed that the tissue adequacy rate was not significantly lower in studies on rebiopsies (p = 0.058). The complication rate was significantly higher in studies that preferentially included older adults (p = 0.001). Conclusion: PTNB demonstrated an average tissue adequacy rate of 89.3% for molecular analysis in patients with NSCLC, with a complication rate of 17.3%. PTNB is a generally safe and effective diagnostic procedure for obtaining tissue samples for molecular analysis in NSCLC. Rebiopsy may be performed actively with an acceptable risk of complications if clinically required.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.291-300
• /
• 2024

Objectives: To develop a program that combines the oral health promotion program for the elderly and to investigate the effect of improving oral function by applying the oral health promotion program to elderly people using welfare facilities. Methods: From June to October 2022, a total of 29 elderly individuals utilizing welfare facilities in the Gyeongnam region were recruited. The control group underwent surveys and objective oral health assessments. The experimental group participated in an oral health promotion program, consisting of oral functional rehabilitation exercises and expert oral health management, conducted once a week for 8 weeks at the facilities. Objective oral health assessments were conducted before, during (at 4 weeks), and after (at 8 weeks) the intervention period for both groups. Results: As a result of the oral health promotion program, it was confirmed that there was an improvement effect in bad breath (p<0.001), saliva secretion amount (p<0.001), orbicularis oculi muscle (p<0.001), and plaque index (p<0.001). Conclusions: A revitalization plan is needed so that the efficient oral health promotion program for the elderly can be reflected as a systematic and professional community care oral health management program.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.219-239
• /
• 2022

The study investigated the relationship between subjective socioeconomic status (SES) of 508 Korean adults and their perception of justice (distributive and procedural justice for self and general others), and verified whether there is a moderating effect of age (20s versus 30s and over). A self-report survey on SES and perception of justice was conducted. Then, using the SPSS 27 and PROCESS Macro 4.0 program, a correlation analysis looking into the relationship among the study variables was performed along with the ANOVAs comparing the mean differences of study across age-groups to support the group division criteria. Next, a moderation analysis was conducted. The main results of this study are as follows. First, the participants' SES showed a positive relationship with all sub-factors of justice perception and a negative relationship with age. Second, age had a inverse relationship on distributive justice for self and general others, and procedural justice for self, but a non significant relationship on procedural justice for general others. Third, when looking into the mean differences of the research variables according to age, the 20s had different characteristics compared to the 30s and over. In comparison, there were no significant differences within the 30s and over group. Fourth, the moderating effect of age in the relationship between subjective SES and perception of justice was positively significant in the case of distributive justice for self and procedural justice for general others. In the case of distributive justice for self, the positive slope of the graph in which subjective SES predicts distributive fairness for self was steeper in the 30s and older group compared to the 20s. Regarding the procedural justice for general others, subjective SES was not a significant predictor in the 20s group. However, SES positively predicted procedural justice in the 30s and older group. This study is meaningful since it suggested age differences in subjective SES and perceptions of justice by revealing the different relationship patterns of subjective SES and perception of justice according to age.

• Journal of Korean Dental Hygiene Science
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.17-28
• /
• 2024

Background: Oral health has a significant impact on systemic health, and the close association between oral and systemic diseases has been continuously reported. To prevent oral diseases, the role of oral hygiene products such as dental floss and interdental brushes, in addition to tooth brushing, is becoming increasingly important. This study aims to analyze the effect of using oral hygiene products on the lifetime prevalence of systemic diseases among Korean adults. Methods: This study utilized data from the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016-2018). The study population consisted of 13,199 adults aged 19 years and older. The independent variable was the use of oral hygiene products, and the dependent variable was the prevalence of systemic diseases diagnosed by a physician. Demographic variables, health status, and behavioral variables were included as covariates, and multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed. Results: The use of dental floss showed no significant association with the prevalence of systemic diseases. However, those who did not use interdental brushes had a 22% lower likelihood of dyslipidemia (OR 0.777, 95% CI 0.660-0.913). Among participants with periodontal disease, those who did not use dental floss had a significantly higher risk of myocardial infarction (OR 11.488, 95% CI 1.438-91.772). Conversely, those who did not use interdental brushes had lower risks of dyslipidemia, myocardial infarction, and angina, particularly among women and individuals under 65 years of age. Conclusion: This study found a low overall association between the use of oral hygiene products and the prevalence of systemic diseases, but there was a notable association with cardiovascular diseases. To reduce the risk of myocardial infarction, the prevention and treatment of periodontal disease, along with proper oral hygiene management, are crucial. Future prospective studies are needed to clearly establish the causal relationship between oral hygiene and systemic diseases.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.5 no.4
• /
• pp.313-321
• /
• 2011

The Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) revised the Health Functional Food Act in 2008 and extended the form of health functional foods to general food types. Therefore, this study was performed to investigate consumers' perceptions of the expanded form of health functional food and to predict consumption patterns. For this study, 1,006 male and female adults aged 19 years and older were selected nationwide by multi-stage stratified random sampling and were surveyed in 1:1 interviews. The questionnaire survey was conducted by Korea Gallup. The subjects consisted of 497 (49.4%) males and 509 (50.6%) females. About 57.9% of the subjects recognized the KFDA's permission procedures for health functional foods. Regarding the health functional foods that the subjects had consumed, red ginseng products were the highest (45.3%), followed by nutritional supplements (34.9%), ginseng products (27.9%), lactobacillus-containing products (21.0%), aloe products (20.3%), and Japanese apricot extract products (18.4%). Opinions on expanding the form of health functional foods to general food types scored 4.7 points on a 7-point scale, showing positive responses. In terms of the effects of medicine-type health functional foods versus generic health functional foods, the highest response was 'same effects if the same ingredients are contained' at a rate of 34.7%. For intake frequency by food type, the response of 'daily consistent intake' was 31.7% for capsules, tablets, and pills, and 21.7% for extracts. For general food types, 'daily consistent intake' was 44.5% for rice and 22.8% for beverages, which were higher rates than those for medicine types. From the above results, consumers had positive opinions of the expansion of health functional foods to generic forms but are not expected to maintain accurate intake frequencies or amounts. Thus, continuous promotion and education are needed for proper intake of generic health functional foods.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.171-179
• /
• 2012

The aim of this study was to analyze the factors related to whole saliva flow and the xerostomia for the ground use of the materials in developing oral health improvement program and life quality improvement program. So, this study performed a questionnaire survey, targeting at 160 adults, older than 40 years, living in Gyeonggi and Incheon provinces from January to February 2011 and measured unstimulated salivary flow rate and stimulated salivary flow rate. The results are as followings. The group of participants who took gums and candies to relieve oral dryness had low stimulated whole saliva flow. The group of participants who graduated from middle schools, who separated by death, who were not healthy with menopause, and who recognized periodontal disease symptoms and tongue burning sensation recognized more symptoms of dry mouth than others. In addition, the group of participants who were not satisfied with life so much, who couldn't feel the meaning of life, and who recognized negative feelings frequently recognized symptoms of dry mouth more. Women, the group of participants who graduated from middle schools, who suffered from depressive symptoms, and who recognized halitosis had low unstimulated whole saliva flow. The group of participants who graduated from middle schools, who were not satisfied with life so much, who couldn't feel the meaning of life, and who were not satisfied with themselves had low stimulated saliva flow.