• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.2 s.70
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• pp.114-125
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• 2007

Objectives : Uterine myoma is the most common pelvic benign tumor and may cause abnormal menstrual pattern. The growth of uterine myoma depends on hormones. The 7-zone-diagnostic system (CP-6000A) is a measuring system using skin resistance variability (SRV). The machine shows organic energy and was reported by the gynecologic department to detect functional abnormality of hypothalamus-hypophysis-ovarian axis (H-P-O). Our study was to investigate the SRV of women with uterine myoma by the 7-zone diagnostic system. Methods: Two groups were selected from those who took the CP-6000A test in the College of Korean Medicine Hospital of Sangji University from March 2003 to September 2006. They were divided into normal control (n=40) and uterine myoma groups (n=40). Electrodermal activity of the two groups was compared. Results : The mean value of electrodermal activity of the uterine myoma group was lower than that of thenormal group in all areas on first and second measurement. Especially, the mean value of the patient group was significantly lower than that of the normal group and fell below normal range in the 1, 2, and 3 areas on first and second measurement. Conclusions : The results suggest that women with uterine myoma may have organic energy deficiency and functional abnormality of the H-P-O axis. Further studies to determine the feasibility of this 7 -zone diagnostic system as a reliable diagnostic tool are needed.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.120-130
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• 2012

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the symptoms accompanied with acne and HRV pattern of the acne patients. Methods: We reviewed 60 acne patients(age 15-38) who visited ${\bigcirc}{\bigcirc}$ hospital from January 2010 to October 2011. We investigated the symptoms accompanied with acne of 60 patients and evaluated HRV of 41 acne patients. The data were analyzed by Mann-Whitney test using SPSS/PC ver 13.0 program. Results: 1. Prevalence of female post-adolescent acne was 66.7% in this study. The symptoms accompanied with acne were dischezia(35%), gastric discomfort(28.3%) in all patients and dysmenorrhea(40%), leukorrhea(38%), irregular menstrual period (24%) in female patients. 2. SDNN, RMSSD, VLF and HF of female were significantly lower than male. 3. SDNN, TP and VLF of un-dysmenorrhea group were significantly lower than dysmenorrhea group. 4. PSI of under 6 months group was significantly higer than over 6 months group. 5. In postadolescent acne patients SDNN, RMSSD, TP, LF and HF were significantly lower and PSI was significantly higher than adolescent acne patients. Conclusions: There are many female post-adolescent acne pateints and the assessment of the symptoms accompanied with acne and stress degree is helpful in treating acne. The further research and development about the diagnostic and therapeutic methods of acne are needed in oriental obstetrics and gynecology field.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.113-118
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• 2016

Objective : Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is known to reduce the quality of sleep and is associated with various psychiatric disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of PMS with depression, sleep qulity and sleep pattern in Korean female adolescents. Methods : Out of 867 high school female students, 400 female subjects were included in this study. All participants completed self-report questionnaires that included demographic variables, shortened premenstrual assessment form (SPAF), patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS), insomnia severity index (ISI) and Korean translation of composite scale (CS). A total of 394 individuals who completed the questionnaires were analyzed. Results : As score of SPAF, 143 subjects was defined PMDD group. They had more prevalence of eveningness, more depressive symptom, poorer sleep quality, and more excessive sleepiness than non-PMDD groups. Although the PMDD groups showed more menstrual dysmenorrhea, no difference was found in bleeding duration and cycle. PMS symptom had correlations with depression, poorer sleep quality and excessive sleepiness during the daytime. There was no difference in sleep duration between two groups, but PMS might have a relationship with eveningness of chronotype. Conclusions : Among Korean female high school students, the PMS might have an association with depression and poor sleep quality, and it might lead to daytime impairment due to excessive sleepiness. An appropriate evaluation of PMS could be helpful in determining the mental health condition of adolescents.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.259-266
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• 2018

Purpose: This study is to investigate the pattern of discomfort, coping style and relief level of female workers. Methods: The subjects were 394 women who worked at three general hospitals located in S city and agreed to the purpose of this study. Data were collected April 20~30, 2010, and one-way ANOVA and Pearson's correlation were performed using descriptive statistics using SAS 9.2. Results: showed that discomfort during menstruation was significantly different from age, marital status, pregnancy experience, and birth experience. The average degree of discomfort during menstruation was $2.46{\pm}0.68$, which was the average of 5, and the pattern was pain, water accumulation and behavior change. The degree of mitigation according to coping strategies was the most effective at $3.55{\pm}0.58$, and the relationship between coping behavior and discomfort during menstruation was correlated only with avoidant coping. p = .001). Conclusion: In order to mitigate the inconvenience of menstruation, women should seek to cope with their own coping strategies rather than passive coping methods and suggest the development of an educational program that can relieve the discomfort during menstruation.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.126-149
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• 2011

Purpose: KCDO-3(Korean Classification of Diseases(Oriental Medicine)-third edition) being used in January, 2010 accepted the KCD(Korean Classification of Diseases) and added disease pattern and syndrome of oriental medicine. But, the diagnoses of oriental medicine are too uncertain to express in A00-Z99(KCD). In this case, you should choose in U codes under the KCD use guidelines, but U codes are not capable of representing the symptoms too. So, we suggest the use criteria and consider the weakness of the U codes with medical records of patients who visited with amenorrhea or oligomenorrhea. Methods: We referred medical records of patients who visited oriental obstetrics and gynecology from January 1st to December 31st, 2010. From among them, we set up 122 patients who related with emmeniopathy as target group and searched codes distribution based on medical records. And we described that the process of choosing appropriate codes based on the medical records of 49 amenorrhea or oligomenorrhea patients. Results and Conclusions: The emmeniopathy is divided into menstrual disorder, amenorrhea and systemic disorders at the period of menstruation. And emmeniopathy is expressed in some codes such as N91, N92, N93, N94, U321, U77. When a patient visit hospital, a doctor should choose causal codes when there is confirmed diagnosis. Otherwise, a doctor chooses symptom codes. And if there are more than two diagnosis consistent with definition of chief condition, a doctor should code the first listed diagnosis as a chief condition. Because KCD-5 is classified according to western medical diagnosis, it is difficult to choose in KCD-5 when we diagnosed with disease pattern and syndrome of oriental medicine. But U codes are also deficient to express various condition of emmeniopathy. So we should add 'deficiency and detriment of the thoroughfare and conception vessels', 'prolonged menstruation' and various systemic disorders at the period of menstruation.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.57-75
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• 1987

Two modalities of gonadotropin secretion, pulsatile gonadotropin and preovulatory gonadotropin surge, have been identified in the mammals. Pulsatile gonadotropin secretion is modulated by the pulsatile pattern of GnRH release and complex ovarian steroid feedback actions. The neural mechansim that regulates the pulsatile release of GnRH in the hypothalamus is called "GnRH pulse generator". Ovarian steroids, estradiol and progesterone, appear to exert thier feedback effects both directly on the pituitary to modulate gonadotropin release and on a hypothalamic site to modulate GnRH release; estradiol primarily affects the amplitude while progesterone decreases the frequency of the pulsatile GnRH. Steroid hormones are known to affect catecholamine transmission in brain. MBH-POA is richly innervated by NE systems and close apposition of NE terminals and GnRH cell bodies occurs in the MBH as well as in the POA. NE normally facilitates pulsatile LH release by acting through ${\alpha}-receptor$ mechanism. However, precise nature of facilitative role of NE transmission in maintaining pulsatile LH has not been clearly understood. Close apposition of DA and GnRH terminals in ME might permit DA to influence GnRH release. Action of DA transmission probably is mediated by axo-axonic contacts between GnRH and DA fibers in the ME. Dopamine transmission does not normally regulate pulsatile LH release, but under certain conditions, increased DA transmission inhibit LH pulse. Endogenous opioid acts to suppress the secretion of GnRH into hypophysial portal circulation, thereby inhibiting gonadotropin secretion. However, an interaction between endogenenous opioid peptides and gonadotropin release is a complex one which involves ovarian hormones as well. LH secretion appears to be most suppressed by endogenenous opioids during the luteal phase, at a time of elevated progesterone secretion. The arcuate nucleus contains not only cell bodies for GnRH and ${\beta}-endorphin$ but also a dense aborization of fibers suggesting that GnRH release is changed by the interactions between GnRH and ${\beta}-endorphin$ cell bodies within the arcuate nucleus. The frequency and amplitude of pulsatile LH release seem to be increased during the preovulatory gonadotropin surge. Estradiol exerts positive feedback action on the hypothalamo-pituitary axis to trigger preovulatory LH surge. GnRH is also crucial hormonal stimulus for preovulatory LH surge. It is unlikely, however, that increased secretion of GnRH during the preovulatory gonadotropin surge represents an obligatory neural signal for generation of the LH discharge in primates including human. Modulation of preovulatory LH surge by catecholamines has been studied almost exclusively in rats. NE and E may be involved in distinct way to accumulate GnRH in the MBH and its release into the hypophysial portal system during the critical period for LH surge on proestrus in rats. However, the mechanisms whereby augmented adrenergic transmission may facilitate the formation and accumulation of GnRH in the ME-ARC nerve terminals before the LH surge have not been clearly understood.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.46-51
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• 1999

Objectives: Patients with premenstrual dysphoric disorder(or PMDD) have impairments of the social, occupational or academic function due to psychological or somatic symptoms, which have the characteristic pattern of symptom exacerbation in the week before menses begin and remission shortly after the onset of menses. In the chronobiological view, many researchers have assumed that the etiology of PMDD is the advanced circadian rhythm. It has been suggested that light has a therapeutic effect on PMDD, because evening light results in phase delay of circadian rhythm through the biochemical changes including melatonin. Methods: The authors investigated the therapeutic effect of light therapy on four patients with prospectively diagnosed PMDD by DSM-IV criteria using clinical psychiatric interview, Premenstrual Assessment Form(PAF) and Daily Rating Form(or DRF). In the evening(6:30pm-8:00pm), the 2,500 lux light administered for seven consecutive days during the symptomatic late luteal phase of menstrual cycle. Beck Depression Inventory(or BDI), Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression(or HAM-D), Spielberg State Anxiety Inventory(or SA), and DRF were evaluated before and after seven days of light therapy. Results: Premenstrual symptoms of PMDD could be effectively treated with the evening bright light therapy, especially in PMDD patients with atypical symptoms. In addition, the light therapy seemed to more effective on the psychologic symptoms than the somatic symptoms of PMDD. There was no significant side-effect of light therapy, except the transient and mild eye-strain in one case. Conclusions: In spite of the results of limited data from our clinical trial, the authors suggest that the potential use of light therapy as an alternative to the pharmacological management of patients with PMDD.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.73-81
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• 2010

Objective: To examine the efficacy of letrozole in infertile women showing a poor endometrial development at previous ovulation induction cycle by using clomiphene citrate. Methods: Eighteen infertile women were selected who showed a poor endometrial development (endometrial thickness$\leq$6.5 mm) after clomiphene treatment (50~100 mg) as ovulation induction for timed coitus. The mean age of the patients was $30.7{\pm}2.8$ years old and the mean duration of infertility was $33.1{\pm}26.6$ months. The infertility factors were identified as corrected endometriosis (n=1), polycystic ovary syndrome (n=5) and unexplained (n=12). Letrozole was given orally in a dose of 2.5 mg for 5 days starting 3~5 of menstrual cycle. Results: The number of follicles was significantly lower in the letrozole cycle when compared with previous clomiphene cycle ($1.1{\pm}0.3$ vs. $2.2{\pm}1.5$, p=0.011). The endometrial thickness (mm) at the time of triggering or LH surge was significantly greater in the letrozole cycle ($8.4{\pm}1.7$ vs. $5.8{\pm}0.5$, p<0.001). The endometrial pattern 'type C' was significantly higher in the letrozole cycle (94.4% vs. 50%, p=0.036). The pregnancy was achieved in 11.1% of the letrozole cycle. Conclusion: Use of letrozole was associated with more thick and improved endometrium than previous clomiphene cycles in which thin endometrium was identified. Use of letrozole appears to be an effective strategy for second-line treatment in women with inadequate endometrial response to clomiphene.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.159-168
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• 2010

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the expression pattern of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in endometrium and the pathogenesis of endometriosis by investigating VEGF expression patterns and their difference between eutopic endometrium of patients with endometriosis and that of normal controls without endometriosis. Methods: Endometrial sections were obtained from 64 hysterectomy specimens from women under age of 40, who had undergone hysterectomies and had histological evidence of endometriosis, with stage 3 and 4 according to the revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine classification. As for controls, 37 sections were gained from women diagnosed as having cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) of the uterine cervix and without evidence of pelvic endometriosis or adenomyosis during their operation. The VEGF content was evaluated immunohistochemically in the eutopic endometrium from 64 patients with endometriosis and 37 normal controls. Histological semiquantitative score (H-score) was calculated and compared between study group and control group throughout the menstrual cycle. Results: There was no significant difference in the H-score of VEGF in the eutopic endometrium between patients with endometriosis and controls without endometriosis when compared according to the same phase of the cycle, although the H-score of the study group was significantly higher in the secretory phase than the proliferative phase. Conclusion: The VEGF expression in the eutopic endometrium of women with endometriosis was not different from that of women without endometriosis. This study suggests VEGF expression in eutopic endometrium is unlikely associated with the pathogenesis of endometriosis.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.111-119
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• 2009

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the clinical efficacy of clomiphene citrate (CC) and letrozole combined with gonadotropins for controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) in patients with CC-induced thin endometrium Methods: Fifty-one intrauterine insemination cycles performed in patients who previously had a thin endometrium (<8 mm) to ovulation induction using CC were included in this study. A CC 100 mg/day (CC+gonadotropin group, n=26) or letrozole 2.5 or 5 mg/day (letrozole+gonadotropin group, n=25) was administered on day 3~7 of the menstrual cycle, combined with gonadotropins at dose 75~150 IU every other day starting on day 5~7. We compared total dose of gonadotropin used, endometrial thickness, endometrial pattern, number of follicles ${\geq}14\;mm$ on hCG day, pregnancy rate and multiple pregnancy rate between the two groups, which were statistically analyzed using Mann-Whitney U test or Fisher's exact test, where appropriate. Results: There were no significant differences in clinical characteristics such as age, duration of infertility, number of previous IUI cycles, basal serum hormone levels and cause of infertility between the two groups. In both groups, the endometrium was significantly thicker than that of previous ovulation induction cycles using CC. No significant differences were found in the total dose of gonadotropin used, day of hCG administration, the rate of triple endometrium and pregnancy rate. The number of follicles ${\geq}14\;mm$ was significantly lower ($3.7{\pm}1.7$ vs. $2.8{\pm}1.7$, p=0.03) and the endometrium on hCG day was significantly thicker ($7.7{\pm}1.5$ vs. $9.1{\pm}1.7$, p=0.001) in letrozole+gonadotropin group compared to CC+gonadotropin group. Conclusion: The clomiphene citrate and letrozole combined with gonadotropins appear to avoid the undesirable effects on the endometrium frequently seen with CC for ovulation induction. However, in terms of adequate endometrial development or optimal follicular growth, letrozole may be more beneficial than CC for gonadotropin-combined COS in patients with CC-induced thin endometrium. Further prospective randomized controlled studies in a larger scale will be necessary to confirm our findings.