• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.95-100
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• 2018

We conduct this study to compare the difference in duration of labor in nulliparous women received epidural analgesia or non-epidural analgesia for labor pain. This retrospective, observational study based on the review of the medical records from February 2014 to July 2017. Epidural analgesia was initiated with a 10 mL epidural bolus of 1% lidocaine and was maintained with a 0.1% mixture of ropivacaine with fentanyl. Non-epidural analgesia was initiated with pethidine 12.5 mg bolus, followed by additional boluses as needed. The primary outcome was the duration of the labor. 149 healthy nulliparous women at term pregnancies with no evidence of fetal distress were enrolled in this study. 92 women received non-epidural analgesia (Group NE) and 57 women received epidural analgesia (Group E). There were no significant differences between the two groups in maternal demographic characteristics. Using a Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, there was no significant difference in the overall duration of the labor(P=0.233). The duration of the first stage of labor was $187.6{\pm}167.3min$ in Group NE, $248.6{\pm}168.7min$ in Group E (Mean${\pm}$SD, P=0.032). The duration of the second stage of labor was $67.1{\pm}57.8min$ in Group NE, $64.1{\pm}47.5min$ in Group E (Mean${\pm}$SD, P=0.693). Epidural analgesia delayed the first stage of labor in this study. But there were no significant differences between the two groups in the duration of the second stage and the total duration of labor.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.171-178
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• 2011

To investigate the decrease of BMD by age and the risk factor of osteoporosis in Korean men. We describe the study of a five-years retrospective observational study with male patients. Eighty Korean men who visited hospital for health screening were assessed for this study from 2002 to 2006. We evaluated the BMD of the femoral neck and L-spine, and the preferences and habits in the life. The data were collected for 5 years, and we analysed the five-years change of BMD and the relations between BMD and other factors. Subjects were divided into 3 group by 1st assessment of femoral neck BMD, and were compared with each other. The age of subjects was $43.15{\pm}4.82$ and BMD of femoral neck was $-0.61{\pm}0.97$ and BMD of L-spine was $-0.67{\pm}1.10$ in the first year assessment. The femoral neck BMD of 4th and 5th assessment was decreased significantly compared to that of 1st assessment. The L-spine BMD of 2nd assessment was decreased significantly compared to the 1st assessment. There was no significant correlation between the changes of BMD and preferences or habits-drinking, smoking, eating habit, exercise. The femoral neck BMD of 5th assessment was decreased significantly compared to that of 1st assessment in the high femoral neck BMD group. And there was no significant change of femoral BMD and L-spine BMD in other groups. Low BMD group in the 1st assessment showed lowest BMD in the 5th assessment and high BMD group in the 1st assessment showed highest BMD in the 5th assessment. We can guess that the young men who has low BMD could have high risk of osteoporosis when he became older. And the femoral BMD should be considered important in anticipating the changes of BMD in middle aged men.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.1163-1169
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• 2015

Poly-gamma-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) is a natural polymer that is synthesized by Bacillus species and has been reported to have antitumor activity. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of γ-PGA on the treatment of vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VAIN). A retrospective observational study on γ-PGA therapy for biopsy-proven VAIN was conducted. The efficacy was assessed by evaluating the results of Pap cytology and the viral load of high-risk HPV at three time points: at enrollment, and at the first and second post-treatment visits. Of 17 patients treated with γ-PGA, only 12 patients who had a high-risk HPV infection were included in the analysis. Histology was VAIN1 in seven patients, VAIN2 in two patients, and VAIN3 in three patients. γ-PGA was administered for newly diagnosed VAIN in five (41.7%) patients and persistent VAIN in seven (58.3%) patients for the mean time of 4.5 months. At the first and second post-treatment visits, cytological regression was observed in five (41.7%) and six (50%) patients, respectively. Regarding the HPV load, the overall response rate was 66.7%, and the mean level was 670.6 ± 292.5 RLU at the first follow-up, which was lower than the initial viral load of 1,494.8 ± 434.5 RLU (p = 0.084). At the second follow-up, the overall response rate was 58.3%, and the mean viral load level was 924.2 ± 493.7 RLU. γ-PGA may be helpful for the cytological regression and reduction of viral load in patients with high-risk HPV-positive VAIN, suggesting that γ-PGA is a promising treatment option for primary or persistent VAIN.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.266-276
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• 2016

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to retrospectively investigate the influence of potential risk indicators on the development of peri-implant disease. Methods: Overall, 103 patients referred for implant treatment from 2000 to 2012 were randomly enrolled. The study sample consisted of 421 conventional-length (>6 mm) non-turned titanium implants that were evaluated clinically and radiographically according to preestablished clinical and patient-related parameters by a single investigator. A non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test or Kruskal-Wallis rank test and a logistic regression model were used for the statistical analysis of the recorded data at the implant level. Results: The diagnosis of peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis was made for 173 (41.1%) and 19 (4.5%) implants, respectively. Age (${\geq}65$ years), patient adherence (professional hygiene recalls <2/year) and the presence of plaque were associated with higher peri-implant probing-depth values and bleeding-on-probing scores. The logistic regression analysis indicated that age (P=0.001), patient adherence (P=0.03), the absence of keratinized tissue (P=0.03), implants placed in pristine bone (P=0.04), and the presence of peri-implant soft-tissue recession (P=0.000) were strongly associated with the event of peri-implantitis. Conclusions: Within the limitations of this study, patients aged ${\geq}65$ years and non-adherent subjects were more prone to develop peri-implant disease. Therefore, early diagnosis and a systematic maintenance-care program are essential for maintaining peri-implant tissue health, especially in older patients.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.268-275
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• 2023

Background: With the establishment of international guidelines and changes in insurance policies in Korea, the role of targeted ultrasonography has increased. This study aimed to identify the rates and clinical course of anomalies detected using prenatal targeted ultrasonography. Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis of all pregnancies with targeted ultrasonography performed in a single secondary medical center over 5 years. Results: Fetal anomalies were detected by targeted ultrasonography in 137 of the 8,147 cases (1.7%). The rates of anomalies were significantly higher in female fetuses (2.0% vs. 1.3%). In cases of female fetuses, the rate of anomalies was significantly higher in the advanced maternal age group (2.4% vs. 1.2%). In cases of male fetuses, the rate of anomalies was significantly higher in nulliparous (2.4% vs. 1.5%) and twin (5.7% vs. 1.9%) pregnancies. Pulmonary anomalies were significantly more common in the multiparity group (17.6% vs. 5.8%). Among the 137 cases, 17.5% terminated the pregnancy, 16.8% were diagnosed as normal after birth, and 42.3% were diagnosed with anomalies after birth or required follow-up. Conclusion: Through the first study on the rates and clinical course of anomalies detected by targeted ultrasonography at a single secondary center in Korea, we found that artificial abortions were performed at a high rate, even for relatively mild anomalies or anomalies with good prognosis. We suggest the necessity of a nationwide study to establish clinical guidelines based on actual incidences or prognoses.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.88-97
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• 2018

This study was designed to prove the effect of the Daoyin exercise therapy combined with complex korean medicine treatment on pain and function improvement of low back pain patients. A retrospective observational study. 30 low back pain patients, checked numeric rating scale(NRS) over 5, were treated with the Daoyin exercise therapy combined with complex korean medicine treatment. NRS, roland & morris disability questionnaire(RMDQ), range of motion(ROM), isokinetic muscle strength, and euroqol five demension questionnaire(EQ-5D) were checked to evaluate patients. The Daoyin exercise therapy combined with complex korean medicine treatment reduced NRS $5.67{\pm}1.40$ to $3.73{\pm}1.72$, improved RMDQ $10.33{\pm}4.91$ to $8.17{\pm}5.40$, strengthened lumbar muscle's peak torque and improved EQ-5D $0.56{\pm}0.20$ to $0.63{\pm}0.15$ and euroqol visual analogue scale(EQVAS) $46.80{\pm}19.95$ to $57.50{\pm}19.93$ but had no effect on ROM. NRS decreased significantly as the number of trials increased. No one had serious adverse reactions. As described above, the Daoyin exercise therapy combined with complex korean medicine treatment can help reducing low back pain, improving lumbar function, strengthening lumbar muscle power and stamina and improving quality of life of low back pain patients.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.174-180
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• 2012

Objectives: An ambulance can be a potential source of contagious or droplet infection of a community. We estimated the prevalence of positive carriage of tuberculosis (TB), methicillin-resistant $Staphylococcus$ $aureus$ (MRSA), and vancomycin-resistant $Enterococci$ (VRE) in patients transported by ambulance. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study. We enrolled all patients who visited a tertiary teaching hospital emergency department (ED). Blood, sputum, urine, body fluid, and rectal swab samples were taken from patients when they were suspected of TB, MRSA, or VRE in the ED. The patients were categorized into three groups: pre-hospital ambulance (PA) group; inter-facility ambulance (IA) group; and non-ambulance (NA) group. Adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using a multivariable logistic regression model for the prevalence of each infection. Results: The total number of patients was 89206. Of these, 9378 (10.5%) and 4799 (5.4%) were in the PA and IA group, respectively. The prevalence of TB, MRSA, and VRE infection were 0.3%, 1.1%, and 0.3%, respectively. In the PA group, the prevalence of TB, MRSA, and VRE were 0.3%, 1.8%, and 0.4%. In the IA group, the prevalence of TB, MRSA, and VRE were 0.7%, 4.6%, and 1.5%, respectively. The adjusted ORs (95% CI) of the PA and IA compared to the NA group were 1.02 (0.69 to 1.53) and 1.83 (1.24 to 2.71) for TB, 2.24 (1.87 to 2.69) and 5.47 (4.63 to 6.46) for MRSA, 2.59 (1.78 to 3.77) and 8.90 (6.52 to 12.14) for VRE, respectively. Conclusions: A high prevalence of positive carriage of TB, MRSA, and VRE in patients transported by metropolitan ambulances was found.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.48-52
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• 2015

Objectives: This retrospective cohort study aimed at calculating some parameters of changes in the findings of the subsequent screening mammography (SSM) in female Korean volunteers. Methods: The study included screenees aged 30 to 79 years who underwent SSM voluntarily after testing negative in the baseline screenings performed between January 2007 and December 2011. A change to a positive result was defined as category 4 or 5 by using the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System. The proportion of results that had changed to positive (CP, %) was calculated by dividing the number of cases with results that were positive in the SSM by the total number of study participants. The rate of results that had changed to positive (CR, cases per 100 000 screenee-months) was calculated by dividing the number of cases with results that were positive in the SSM by the total number of months of the follow-up period. Results: The overall CP and CR in all age groups (n=77 908) were 2.26% and 93.94 cases per 100 000 screenee-months, respectively. The median CP interval in the subjects who had positive SSM results was 30 to 36 months, while that in the age group of 30 to 39 years was shorter. Conclusions: Different screening intervals should be considered among women aged between 30 and 59 years. In addition, a strategy for a screening program should be developed for the age group of 30 to 39 years, in particular.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.93-103
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• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to report Four cases of Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS) patients after spinal fusion surgery who showed significant improvement in pain and function with Complex Korean medical treatment. Methods: This study was a retrospective observational study. We reviewed medical records of Four patients with lumbar pain or radiating leg pain, who have received spinal fusion surgery in the past. All Four patients took complex treatments of Mokhuri Neck and Back hospital which involes Acupuncture, Pharmaco-acupuncture, Gangchuk herbal medicine, Chuna and Physical therapy during about four-week of admission treatment. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), Pain Free Walking Distance (PFWD) scores were assessed before and after treatments. Results: The average of hospitalization period was 28.5 days. Mean VAS scores decreased from 6.5 to 2.3, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores decreased from 56.25 to 38.25 and Pain Free Walking Distance (PFWD) also improved from 10m to 166.6m. Conclusion: This study implies that a combination of Korean medical treatments might be effective in relieving pain, and improving the functional status of FBSS patients. Further studies are needed to fully understand the mechanisms underlying the effects.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.125-134
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• 2021

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to determine the changes in the pattern of patients who were transferred to the emergency room through inter-hospital private institutions and to determine how long transport takes following the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: This retrospective observational study analyzed the emergency medical services reports of private institutions following the COVID-19 outbreak in South Korea. The study was conducted in Busan between January 19, 2019 and January 18, 2020, and between January 19, 2020 and January 18, 2021. Results: Upon comparing the patient transport times during the "Pre-COVID-19 period" and "COVID-19 period," a significant delay was noticed in the preparation for transfer of patients during the "COVID-19 period" (p<.05). There were significantly more patients with respiratory infections and patients who complained of general symptoms during the "COVID-19 period." Moreover, there was a higher frequency of patients who were transferred to a 'Level I' emergency room during the "COVID-19 period" compared to during the "Pre-COVID-19 period" (p<.05). Conclusion: Following the COVID-19 outbreak, there is a delay in patient transport to the emergency room through private institution inter-hospital transport and an increase in the number of patients complaining of respiratory infection symptoms. Thus, emergency medical services need additional administrative and economic support to transport infected patients.