• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.655-661
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• 2004

Anorexia nervosa is a serious, often chronic, and life-threatening eating disorder defined by a refusal to maintain minimal body weight (within 15% of an individual s normal weight). Other essential features of this disorder include an intense fear of gaining weight, a distorted body image, and amenorrhea(absence of at least three consecutive menstrual cycles when they are otherwise expected to occur). With anorexia nervosa, the nails and hair become brittle, and the skin may become dry and yellow. In addition to depression, hypothermia, lanugo, nausea, vomiting, anxiety and dehydration from sweating can appear. Starvation, weight loss, and related medical complications are quite serious and can result in death. Recently one patient was admitted with anorexia nervosa-like symptoms. The patient is a 18-year-old girl with complaints of weight loss, amenorrhea, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, tremor, and sweating. After treatment through oriental medicine for 2 weeks, most of the symptoms improved. Therefore, this application of oriental medicine is reported with a plea for further investigation.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.201-204
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• 1986

A study on the effect of diethylcarbamazine (DEC) (Supatonin) against Brugia malayi infection was conducted on Cheju Island in September 1965. A total of 182 persons living in a village of Aiwol Myun, Bukcheju-Gun was examined for microfilaraemia. Microscopic examination of smears of $20{\mu}l$ of blood revealed a microfilaria positivity rate of 28.5%. At the end of September 1965, 34 confirmed microfilaria positive cases were treated with DEC at a daily dosage of 5mg/kg body weight. A full course of 12 days of drug administration divided of two rounds for 6 days each was used. The first round of treatment was given under a strict supervision of the author in order to observe carefully side-effects of the drug. The second round of treatment was given in January 1966. The microfilaria density in $20{\mu}l$ of blood of those who received the drug was checked four times; before the treatment, during the first round of the treatment, 2 weeks and 4 months after the completion of the first round. The pre-treatment mean microfilaria density of 104.6 diminished to nearly zero (only two cases with one microfilaria respectively) 2 weeks after the first round and again slightly rose up to 0.5 four months after the first round. These results indicate that DEC (Supatonin) is highly effective to eliminate the microfilaria of B. malayi. However, severe side-effects, e.g. fever (average $38.6^{\circ}C$, maximum $39.7^{\circ}C$), headache, backache and seldom abdominal discomfort etc. were observed. There were two cases of withdrawal from the scheme due to refusal.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.87-100
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• 1988

The authors evaluated 200 cases of primary carcinoma of lung in terms of the cell type, operability, resectability and survival rate, that proved by histopathologic examination at the Dept. of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Catholic Medical College during the period of 11 years from Jan., 1977 to Dec., 1987. The results are as follows; 1] The peak incidence was observed in the 7th decade of life [34%] and followed by 6th [30%] 8 5th decade [25%]. Male to female ratio was 3.4:1. 2] Histopathologic classifications were squamous cell carcinoma 48% [96 cases], adenocarcinoma 27% [34 cases], small cell carcinoma 13%[26 cases], ;bronchioloalveolar cell carcinoma 5% [10 cases], large cell carcinoma 4.5% [9 cases], adenosquamous cell carcinoma 1.5% [3 cases] and adenoalveolar cell carcinoma 0.5% [1 case]. 3] Among 200 cases of primary lung cancer, the operability was 47.5% [95 cases], refusal of operation 6.0% [12 cases] and inoperability 46.5% [93 cases]. 4] Ninety five cases [47.5%] were operated. Of these, post-surgical stage I was 18.9% [18 cases], stage II 24.2% [23 cases] and stage III 56.8% [54 cases]. Among 54 cases of stage III, 32 cases were unresectable, while 22 cases were resectable. Consequently, the resectability was 31.5% [63 cases] from the total numbers of 200 cases, and the resectability for the operable 95 cases was 66.3% [63 cases]. 5] Surgical complications were empyema with bronchopleural fistula [4 cases], G-I bleeding [1 case], tedious pleural effusion [1 case] and acute respiratory insufficiency [1 case]. Operative mortality was 3.2% [2 cases], which caused by massive G-I bleeding [1 case] and respiratory insufficiency [1 case]. 6] On the long term follow-up of resectable 63 cases, overall 3 year survival rate was 35%, 5 year 22% and 9 year 2%. Five year survival rate was 39% in stage l, 30% in stage II and 0% in stage III. As for the cell types, the higher 5 year survival rate was observed in resectable squamous cell carcinoma [35%] as compared to adenocarcinoma [15%], alveolar cell carcinoma [14%], small cell carcinoma [0%] and large cell carcinoma [0%].

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.3-10
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• 2000

Objectives : The author wanted to summarize the psychiatric and social aspects of the patients with hepatitis B virus infection. Methods : The author reviewed all pertinent citations in the Medline database from 1966 to 1999. Results : Psychiatric problems in this population include delirium, psychotic disorder due to general medical condition(especially mania), anxiety, depression, adjustment disorder, alcohol abuse/dependence, and drug abuse/dependence. Social aspects of the patients with hepatitis B viral infection relate to the stigma of being a carrier, guilty feeling about infection, guilty feeling about increased family burden, impacts of having hepatitis on interpersonal relations, sexual difficulties, and job loss with increased financial burden, and health care worker's refusal. Conclusions : Appropriate early educational counseling interventions regarding the expected course and psychosocial intervention should be tailored to the sociocultural needs of special populations. Those interventions will increase compliance of treatment and prevent progression to hepatocellalar carcinoma from hepatitis.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.50-60
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• 2017

Purposes: The purpose of this study was to identify the preferred types of the hospital reservation cancellation management to help reduce the reservation cancellations. Methodology: This study sampled 327 outpatients or their guardians who had reserved a university hospital and a general hospital located in the southwestern part of Seoul, and the responses from 300 of them were used for the final analysis. The subjects' preferences of reservation cancellation management types were analyzed in reference to their demographic variables. The timing and frequency of pre-notification preferred by the subjects were examined. A multidimensional scaling methods and correspondence analysis was used to identify preference for management methods of no-show and type of reservation guide. Findings: As a result, 77.3% of the respondents were perceived that the reservation cancellation was a habit. The most preferred method of managing the reservation cancellation would be refusal to refund the reservation deposit (61.7%), followed by payment for cancellation (16.0%), limit of future reservations (16.0%) and penalty (6.3%) in their order. 186 of the subjects (62.0%) preferred the texting for prevention of reservation cancellations, and 102 of the subjects (34.0%) preferred the phone calls. The preferred timing and frequency of the SMS were twice 3 days before, once a day before and three times 7 days before, while the preferred timing and frequency of phone call was once a day before. Practical Implications: The no-show rate can be improved by enhancing SMS pre-notification and by improving afterwards telephone counseling. For other factors, it needs to study on the service differentiation with the characteristics of each patient group.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.42-57
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• 2020

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is indicated for various mental disorders (e.g., major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder) and the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia in elderly patients. Furthermore, ECT is a useful first-line treatment in emergency and crisis situations such as suicide risk, violent behavior, catatonia, and food refusal, which are more frequent in elderly patients. ECT is also effective in the treatment of the motor symptoms of neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease. Due to the high risk of various physical diseases, the comorbid physical conditions of elderly patients should be individually controlled to optimize ECT treatment. Compared to young adults, in elderly patients the seizure threshold is higher, the seizure duration is shorter, and the anesthetic dose is lower. On the contrary, the response rate in the elderly is both faster and higher. Considering potential cognitive decline and the prevention of further deterioration of cognitive function in elderly patients, in the absence of significant comorbidities, twice weekly sessions and right unilateral electrode placement with a lower seizure threshold and less cognitive effect are preferred to bilateral electrode placement, which has a high risk of adverse cognitive effects. After an acute course of ECT, continuation and maintenance of ECT, combined with prescription of therapeutic drugs, may prevent possible relapse or recurrence of mental disorders. In conclusion, ECT can be used to treat mental disorders in elderly adults, with safety and effectiveness comparable to that in young adults.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.687-698
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• 2018

Objective: This study examined the characteristics of suicidal attempters, including pre-hospital patients and those who visited the emergency department. Methods: Suicidal attempters who had been reported to the 119 call center were selected between July 2015 and June 2016. Sex, age, place, methods of suicidal attempt, season, time, and suicide success rate were reviewed in the fire center records. Results: A total 961 suicide attempters were enrolled. Among them, 53.6% were males who had an approximately 2.6 times higher mortality than that of females (9.2%). The most preferred place to commit suicide was the home in both sexes (68.0% in male, 82.8% in female) and the most preferred methods was drug intoxication, particularly pesticide. The method with the highest mortality was hanging and the lowest was self-harm. The season of the highest mortality was spring. The success of suicide and the time variation were similar. Most of the un-transferred patients also selected fatal suicide attempts compared to transfer patients. Conclusion: Unlike previous studies, this study includes information on un-transferred patients. Overall, the probability of death was highest as more than 50 years men chose hanging as a method, which had an influence on the un-transferred patients group.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.309-341
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• 2009

According to a case of Supreme Court's Sentence No. 2009DA17417 (May 21, 2009), the Supreme Court judges that 'the right to life is the ultimate one of basic human rights stipulated in the Constitution, so it is required to very limitedly and conservatively determine whether to discontinue any medical practice on which patient's life depends directly.' In addition, the Supreme Court admits that 'only if a patient who comes to a fatal phase before death due to attack of any irreversible disease may execute his or her right of self-determination based on human respect and values and human right to pursue happiness, it is permissible to discontinue life-sustaining treatment for him or her, unless there is any special circumstance.' Furthermore, the Supreme Court finds that 'if a patient who is attacked by any irreversible disease informs medical personnel of his or her intention to agree on the refusal or discontinuance of life-sustaining treatment in advance of his or her potential irreversible loss of consciousness, it is justifiable that he or she already executes the right of self-determination according to prior medical instructions, unless there is any special circumstance where it is reasonably concluded that his or her physician is changed after prior medical instructions for him or her.' The Supreme Court also finds that 'if a patient remains at irreversible loss of consciousness without any prior medical instruction, he or she cannot express his or her intentions at all, so it is rational and complying with social norms to admit possibility of estimating his or her own intentions on withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment, provided that such a withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment meets his or her interests in view of his or her usual sense of values or beliefs and it is reasonably concluded that he or she could likely choose to discontinue life-sustaining treatment, even if he or she were given any chance to execute his or her right of self-determination.' This judgment is very significant in a sense that it suggests the reasonable orientation of solutions for issues posed concerning withdrawal of meaningless life-sustaining medical efforts. The issues concerning removal of medical instruments for meaningless life-sustaining treatment and discontinuance of such treatment in regard to medical treatment for terminal cases don't seem to be so much big deal when a patient has clear consciousness enough to express his or her intentions, but it counts that there is any issue regarding a patient who comes to irreversible loss of consciousness and cannot express his or her intentions. Therefore, it is required to develop an institutional instrument that allows relevant authority to estimate the scope of physician's medical duties for terminal patients as well as a patient's intentions to withdraw any meaningless treatment during his or her terminal phase involving loss of consciousness. However, Korean judicial authority has yet to clarify detailed cases where it is permissible to discontinue any life-sustaining treatment for a patient in accordance with his or her right of self-determination. In this context, it is inevitable and challenging to make better legislation to improve relevant systems concerning withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment. The State must assure the human basic rights for its citizens and needs to prepare a system to assure such basic rights through legislative efforts. In this sense, simply entrusting physician, patient or his or her family with any critical issue like the withdrawal of meaningless life-sustaining treatment, even without any reasonable standard established for such entrustment, means the neglect of official duties by the State. Nevertheless, this issue is not a matter that can be resolved simply by legislative efforts. In order for our society to accept judicial system for withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment, it is important to form a social consensus about this issue and also make proactive discussions on it from a variety of standpoints.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.786-793
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• 2000

Objectives : A clinical analysis was performed to provide management strategy and to improve management outcome of elderly patients with intracranial aneurysm. Patients and Methods : We reviewed medical records of 746 consecutive patients with intracranial aneurysm who were admitted from July 1991 to December 1996. They were divided into two age groups : elderly(120 patients aged 65 years or older) and non-elderly(626 patients aged 64 years or younger). We investigated the differences between the two groups in clinical characteristics, management outcome and surgical results. Results : Female(80.0%), internal carotid artery aneurysm(48.9%), poor clinical grade(Hunt and Hess Grade IV, V : 39.8%), postoperative subdural fluid collection(38.2%), and postoperative hydrocephalus(39.7%) were more frequent in the elderly patients. There were no significant differences in the incidence of hypertension, multiple aneurysm, unruptured aneurysm, rebleeding, delayed ischemic neurological deficits, postoperative hemorrhage, and low density on the postoperative brain CT scan. In some cases, surgical clipping of ruptured aneurysm could not be performed due to moribund state or refusal of surgery by the elderly patient's family. Both management outcome and surgical results in elderly aneurysm patients at 3 months after rupture were worse than those of the non-elderly group. The most common reason of unfavorable outcome was poor clinical grade in both groups, while serious medical illness causing unfavorable outcome was more common in the elderly group. Conclusion : Surgical treatment of a ruptured aneurysm should not be avoided in elderly patient solely on the basis of advanced age. If the patients are in good clinical grade, early aneurysm surgery followed by early ambulation should be recommended. Further improvements in outcome may be achieved by thorough knowledge of poor resilience of brain, CSF flow dynamics, and diminished cardiopulmonary reserve in elderly patients with intracranial aneurysm.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.273-277
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• 2006

Purpose : The prevalence of Reye syndrome has decreased since late 1980's. But we report that recently there were concentrative attacks of Reye syndrome after acute enteritis during the neonatal period. Methods : Clinical symptoms and laboratory results(quantitative organic acid analysis, routine chemistry, arterial blood gas analysis, serum ammonia) of seven patients admitted at the Samsung Medical Center, Sanggye Paik Hospital, Wonju Christian Hospital and Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, referred from Jan. 2005 to Apr. 2005, were analysed retrospectively. The major clinical symptoms were derived from the patients' clinical records sended with urine samples and quantification of organic acids were done with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Results : The mean age of seven cases is 18 days and the major preceding symptoms were gastrointestinal symptoms(vomiting, diarrhea, refusal to feeding). The major clinical symptoms were clouded conciousness, repiratory difficulty, vomiting, seizures, and diarrhea. One patient died; that patient's serum ammonia was twenty times higher than normal. Conclusion : The seven patients were neonates. Reye syndrome has been known to be closely related with upper respiratory infections as a preceding disease and to internal use of aspirin, but in our study, the major preceding disease of the seven cases was gastrointestinal infection and none of these used aspirin.