• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.60 no.5
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• pp.540-547
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• 2006

Background : Vital stability and right side heart failure are major prognostic factors of acute pulmonary thromboembolism. While it is important to recognize right side heart failure, it is often difficult in real practice. Recently, several studies have described early diagnostic tools for detecting right side heart failure including echocardiography and biochemical markers. This study, we evaluated the prognostic role of the B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) in an acute pulmonary thromboembolism. Methods : Thirty-four patients with a diagnosis of acute pulmonary thromboembolism were enrolled in the study. The BNP levels were measured and echocardiography was performed at the Emergency Department. Data on the prognostic factors including ventilatory support, vital stability, pulmonary artery pressure, degree of tricuspid valve regurgitation, complications and death was collected from the patients' medical records. The patients with an acute pulmonary thromboembolism were divided into two groups based on the vital stability and the BNP level and the cutoff values and prognostic factors of the two groups were compared. Results : The predictors of the vital stability that influence the prognosis of patients with acute pulmonary thromboembolism were the BNP level, ventilatory support and death. The plasma BNP levels showed a strong correlation with the vital stability, ventilatory support, thrombolytic therapy and death. When the BNP cutoff level was set to 377.5 pg/dl in a ROC curve, the sensitivity and the specificity for differentiating between the groups with stable or unstable vital signs was 100% and 90%, respectively. Conclusion : This study indicates that a measurement of the plasma BNP levels may be a useful prognostic marker in patients with an acute pulmonary thrombo-embolism.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.195-204
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• 2004

Purpose: Hypophosphatemic rickets is a hereditary disease, characterized by hypophosphatemia due to renal phosphate wasting, impaired renal production of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin $D_3$, rachitic bone deformities and impaired growth. The purpose of this study is to provide clinical profiles of patients with hypophosphatemic rickets in our hospital. Methods: Between July 1983 and February 2004, 56 patients were diagnosed as having hypophosphatemic rickets. The medical records of these patients were reviewed retrospectively. Clinical manifestations, family histories, laboratory data, treatment outcomes were described. Results: Fifty six patients were enrolled in this study. The average age at symptom onset and diagnosis were 20 months and 5 years respectively. Fourteen patients had family histories. The main clinical manifestations were bow legs and short stature. There was a significant negative correlation between the ages and the height z-scores at the time of diagnosis(r=-0.47, P=0.005). Initial laboratory data showed normocalcemia, hypophosphatemia, elevated serum alkaline phosphatase, decreased tubular reabsorption of phosphate and a normal range of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin $D_3$ Radiographic examinations of bone revealed fraying, widening and cupping of the metaphyseal ends. Treatment consisted of Joulie solution and vitamin D metabolites, and resulted in improved biochemical and radiographic findings. However, height z-scores remained essentially unchanged(P=0.224). Complications of treatment were frequently observed, including hyperparathyroidism, nephrocalcinosis, and hypercalciuria. Sixteen patients had corrective osteotomy and 4 of them underwent leg lengthening together. Conclusion: There was a gap of several years between the onset of symptoms and the diagnosis. Early treatment seems to be essential to growth. For the earlier treatment, the offsprings of affected parents should be followed up closely.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.155-160
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• 2011

Purpose: This study was performed to evaluate the role of colonoscopy in children with hematochezia. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 277 children who underwent colonoscopy because of hematochezia between January, 2003 and July, 2010. Results: The mean age of the patients was $6.0{\pm}4.4$ (7 days~17.8 years) years. The male to female ratio was 2.2:1. The duration between the 1st episode of hematochezia and colonoscopy was $4.9{\pm}12.1$ months. Characteristics of hematochezia included red stool (65.1%), blood on wipe (12.8%), bloody toilet (11.9%), and blood dripping (10.2%). The most proximal region of colonoscopic approach was terminal ileum (84.5%), cecum (9.5%), hepatic flexure (2.8%), and splenic flexure (3.2%). Eighty five patients (30.6%) had no specific abnormal findings. Major causes of hematochezia were polyp (26.4%), food protein induced proctocolitis (6.9%), infectious colitis (5.4%), lymphofolliculitis (5.7%), non specific colitis (5.7%), and vascular ectasia (5.1%). The hemorrhagic sites included the rectum (24.0%), rectosigmoid junction (18.1%), sigmoid colon (13.5%), ascending colon (14.2%), transverse colon (11.3%), descending colon (7.8%), cecum (8.1%), and terminal ileum (3.1%). The recurrence rate of hematochezia after colonoscopy was 19.1%. Colonoscopy was performed in 262 patients (94.6%) with conscious sedation. Endoscopic hemostasis was performed in 5 patients. Complications of colonoscopy or sedation were not found. Conclusion: The causes and lesional localization of pediatric hematochezia were diverse. Colonoscopy has an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of hematochezia in children. Total colonoscopy is recommended to detect the cause of hematochezia.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.10-17
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• 2016

Purpose: The diagnosis of Kawasaki disease depends on clinical symptoms, which makes it difficult to diagnose early in patients with only cervical lymphadenopathy. The purpose of this study is to understand the clinical characteristics of cervical-lymph-node-first presentation of Kawasaki disease and compare them with those of typical Kawasaki disease. Methods: We surveyed 283 patients who were admitted to Hallym Sacred Heart Hospital and were diagnosed with Kawasaki disease from January 2012 to December 2014. The patients were divided into two groups: cervical-lymph-node-first presentation of Kawasaki disease (LKD, N=24) and typical Kawasaki disease (KD, N=259). The medical records were retrospectively reviewed. Results: The mean age of the LKD group was higher than that of the KD group (P=0.04). At admission, the LKD patients had on average 1.62 out of 5 symptoms, whereas the KD patients had 3.47. The time from fever to diagnosis and administration of IV immunoglobulin was longer in the LKD group than in the KD group (P<0.001). The mean C-reactive protein of the LKD group was higher than that of the KD group (P=0.01). There were no statistical differences in the presence of coronary artery complications between the two groups at two weeks or at two months after diagnosis (P=0.52, P=0.08). Conclusions: The Kawasaki disease patients with fever and cervical lymphadenopathy usually do not present obvious clinical symptoms, which makes it hard to diagnose in the early phase of disease. Clinician must pay attention when examining these patients.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2002

Purpose : To clarify the clinical benefit derived from the combined modality therapy (CMT) consisting of chemotherapy (CT) and involved field radiotherapy (RT) for stage I and II angiocentric lymphomas of the head and neck. Materials and Methods : Of 143 patients with angiocentric lymphoma of the head and neck treated at our hospital between 1976 and 1995, 104 patients (RT group) received involved field RT alone with a median dose of 50.4 Gy (range : 20~70 Gy), while 39 patients (CMT group) received a median 3 cycles (range : 1~6 cycles) of CT before involved field RT. The response rate, patterns of failure, complications, and survival data of the RT group were compared with those of the CMT group. Results : Despite a higher response rate, local failure was the most common pattern of failure in patients of both groups. The patterns of failure, including the systemic relapse rate were not influenced by the addition of combination CT. Although both modalities were well tolerated by the majority of patients, aberrant immunologic disorders or medical illnesses, such as a hemophagocytic syndrome, sepsis, intractable hemorrhage, or the evolution of second primary malignancies were more frequently observed in patients of the CMT group. The prognosis of patients in the RT group was relatively poor, with a 5-year overall actuarial survival rate of 38% and disease-free survival rate of 32%, respectively. However, their clinical outcome was not altered by the addition of systemic CT. Achieving complete remission was the most important prognostic factor by univariate and multivariate analyses, but treatment modality was not found to be a prognostic variable influencing survival. Conclusions : Involved field RT alone for angiocentric lymphoma of the head and neck was insufficient to achieve an improved survival rate, but the addition of CT to involved field RT failed to demonstrate any therapeutic advantage over involved field RT alone.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.62-67
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• 2002

Purpose : This study was undertaken to analyze the efficacy and sphincter preservation rate of platinum based neoadjuvant chemotherapy Plus radiotherapy versus abdominoperineal resection and Postoperative radiotherapy for anal cancer. Materials and Methods : Data of forty-two patients with anal cancer were retrospectively analyzed. Among thirty-eight patients with epidermoid histology, four patients received radiotherapy, and nineteen patients received abdominoperineal resection and adjuvant radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy $(APR+RT{\pm}CT)$, and fifteen patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy (CRT). The CRT regimen was composed of three cycles of 5-fluorouracil $(1,000\;mg/m^2\;bolus\;on\;D1\~5)$ and cisplatin $(60\;mg/m^2\;bolus\;on\;D1)$ followed by 50.4 Gy to the tumor bed and regional lymphatics over 5.5 weeks. Both inguinal lymphatics were treated with an identical dose schedule. Residual disease was treated with an additional three cycles of identical adjuvant chemotherapy. An identical dose schedule was used for post-operative radiotherapy. Median follow-up period was eighty-five months. Results : Overall five-year survival rates were $80.3\%$, 88.9 and $79.4\%$ for entire patients, $APR+RT{\pm}CT$ group, and the CRT group, respectively. No significant difference was found between the two groups (p=0.49). Anus preservation rate for the CRT group was $86.7\%$. Age (0=0.0164) and performance status (p=0.0007) were found to be significant prognostic factors by univariate analysis. Age (p=0.0426), performance status (p=0.0008), and inguinal lymph node metastasis (e=0.0093) were statistically significant prognostic factors by multivariate analysis. No case of RTOG grade 3 complication or higher was reported. Conclusion : This and other recent studies have shown that combined chemotherapy plus radiotherapy for anal cancer results in a high rate of anal sphincter preservation as well as local control and survival. Furthermore, neoadjuvant use of chemotherapy with a cisplatin based regimen rather than a concurrent regimen may lead to a decrease in complications.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.350-354
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• 2009

Background: Complicated pleural space occupying lesions (SOL) have been treated by thoracentesis, closed thoracotomy drainage (CTD) or surgical intervention with using a video thoracosocpe or open thoracotomy depending on the extent of the disease. With the development of video assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), VATS pleural adhesiolysis and decortication have revealed good results as compared to those for open thorcotomy. To assess the effectiveness of VATS pleural adhesiolysis and decortication, we retrospectively analyzed the medical record and radiologic findings of the patients with complicated pleural SOL and who were treated by this surgery. Material and Method: From May 1996 to April 2006, 64 patients (mean age: 41.8 years) with complicated pleural SOL underwent 65 VATS. To analyze the surgical outcome, we classified the postoperative findings on the simple chest X-rays into 4 classes as Class I: no or minimal pleural lesion, Class II: blunting of the cardiophrenic angle and mild pleural thickening, Class III: an elevated diaphgram or persistent lung collapse and Class IV: complicated or recurrent effusion. Result: Before VATS, the patients underwent the diagnostic or therapeutic procedures: single or repeat diagnostic tapping for 41, thoracoscotomy drainage for 11, pigtail catheter drainage for 10 and intrapleural fibrinolytics for 10. The mean duration between the onset of symptom and surgery was 18.4 days. There was neither mortality nor severe complications. The surgical outcomes were class 1 for 28, class 2 for 13, class 3 for 19 and class 4 for 5. There were statistically significant differences between the symptom duration and the classes, and between the operation time and the classes. Conclusion: VATS pleural adhesiolysis and decortication are effective, safe treatments for managing complicated pleural SOL, and an earlier operation is needed for obtaining a better surgical outcome.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.324-330
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• 2009

Background: The long term patency of the free saphenous vein graft, which is the most commonly used conduit, anastomosed to the ascending aorta has been reported to be lower than that of arterial grafts. We evaluated early clinical outcome and the angiographic patency of the saphenous vein composite graft based on the left internal thoracic artery, and compared these results with those of using arterial composite grafts. Material and Method: From September 2006 to October 2008, 419 patients underwent off-pump coronary revascularization. Among those, 295 patients (70.4%) were revascularized using composite grafts (group I: saphenous vein composite graft, n=71, group II: arterial composite graft, n=224). The clinical results were compared between the 2 groups. Early postoperative coronary angiograms were performed in all the patients. ($1.6{\pm}1.6$ days) Result: The number of the distal anastomosis per patient was $3.5{\pm}1.0$ and $3.1{\pm}0.8$ in group I and II, respectively (p=.002). The operative mortality (n=2, 0.7%) and postoperative complications such as atrial fibrillation (n=73, 24.7%), perioperative myocardial infarct (n=6, 2.0%), acute renal failure (n=6, 2.0%), reoperation for bleeding (n=5, 1.7%), cerebrovascular accident (n=3, 1.0%), and mediastinitis (n=1, 0.3%) were not related with the use of saphenous vein graft. Early coronary angiograms revealed a 96.9% (126/130) for the saphenous vein grafts and a 98.8% (479/485) for the composite graft in group II (p=.231). Conclusion: Our data suggested that a saphenous vein graft might be used as analtemative conduit to the arterial graft for constructing a composite graft, as based on our early clinical and angiographic results. Further study is required to establish the long-term efficacy of using a saphenous vein as a composite graft.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.114-128
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• 2002

In order to provide information for the establishment and maintenance of a rehabilitation day care center for stroke patients. this study is to assess needs for the rehabilitation day care center of the stroke patients and to identify the factors influencing the needs for the center. The data were collected face-to-face interview with 223 stroke patients. using a structured questionnaire. from September 24. 2001 to November 20. 2001. Major findings are as follows. 1. Most of the participants($94.6\%$) needed rehabilitation day care center for stroke patients. $95.5\%$ of participants were willing to use the rehabilitation day care center. 2. Also the score of the needs for the center's health services was $2.84\pm60$ out of 4.00. In regards to the sub-contents. while the physical exercise therapy showed the highest mark($3.54\pm71$) in the needs. the following marks showed physical therapy($3.48\pm79$), training for the memory. thinking and judgment($3.30\pm93$). training for ADL($3.09\pm99$). health education program($3.04\pm93$). In the meantime. the expected effects from the use of the center are $2.89\pm61$ out of 4 and its sub-contents showed that the center would promote their physical and mental well-being($3.30\pm74$) and the center would be more effective than in home care($3.12\pm70$). 3. Meanwhile. the desired frequency of use in the future and distance had significant interrelation with their families living together(p<.05). In addition those who paid to use it differentiated significantly according to their ages and the types of insurance they had(p<.05). 4. The needs in degrees of speech disorder therapy and hobbies & amusements. the patients with other disease had significantly higher degrees than those patients without it (p<.05). Also in regard to the need degrees for physical therapy. healthy education programs and individual counseling including their families. the degrees of the patients with speech disorders were significantly lower than those of the patients without the disorder (p<.05). On the other hand. the patients with speech disorders were significantly higher than those patients without it in the need degree of the speech disorder therapy (p=.000). And the needs in degree concerning about speech disorder therapy. physical exercise therapy. training for ADL. medicinal substances therapy and family education were negatively correlated with the ADL (r=-.236$\sim$.305, (p<.005). 5. Finally. the expected effect of using the rehabilitation day care center showed significant differences statistically according to whether or not they had other disease (p<.05). In conclusion. the study showed the stroke patients were willing to use the center and had a high requirements for it and they especially had relatively high need degrees for the physical exercise therapy. physical therapy. training for memory. thinking and judgment. and healthy education program. And significant factors for the use of the center were their ages. types of insurance. family cohabitation. complications and speech disorders. ADL and so forth. Accordingly. the rehabilitation day care center needs to be established for the stroke patients and the center should develop rehabilitation care programs. which are individual and special programs customized for each patient's characteristics and health conditions.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.828-835
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• 1996

From January 1993 to April 1995, 27 neonates (under age of 30 days underwent open heart surgery in the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Dong-A Medical Center. Mean age and weight were 12.1 days(2days∼306ays) and 3.29 kg(2.6kg∼4.1 kg) respectively. Cardiac anomalies were simple complete transposition of great arteries(TGA) in 11 neonates, TGA with coarctation of aorta(COA) in 1 , total anomalous pulmonary venous connection(TAPVC) in 5, double inlet right ventricle with TAPVC in 1, interrupted aortic arch(IAA) with ventricular septal defect(VSD) in 3, pulmonary atresia(PA) with intact ventricular septum(IVS) in 3, pulmonary stenosis with IVS in 1, Taussig-Bing anomaly with IAA in 1, and hypoplastic left heart syndrome(HLHS) in 1 . Postoperative complications were myocardial and/or pulmonary edema which caused open sternum in 13 patients(54.2%), acute renal failure( RF) in 10(37.0%), Intractable low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) including weaning failure from cardiopulmonary bypass in 7(25.9%), bronchopulmonary dysplasia in 1, wound infection in 1, and paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia in 1. Nine of 13 patients with postoperative open sternum were recovered with delayed sternal closure, and seven of 10 patients survived postoperative ARF with peritoneal dialysis. There were 8 operative deaths(29.6%): 3 in the patients with simple complete TGA, 1 In TCA with COA, 1 in PA with IVS, 1 in Taussig-Bing anomaly with IAA, 1 in DIRV with TAPVC, and 1 in HLHS. One late death occurred after arterial switch operation in simple TGA. The mosts common cause of death was low cardiac output syndrome. Our initial experience of open heart surgery in neonates showed high operative mortality and morbidity, especially in complex anomalies.