• Health Policy and Management
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.16-28
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• 2001

This study was to compare multidimensional outcomes of patient's satisfaction after cataract surgery and to identify factors influencing satisfaction after operation. Patient's satisfaction was measured with three dimensions : interpersonal care, physician explanation and hospital care. Overall satisfaction was measured as means of three dimensional scores. For the study, a prospective study was performed with 389 patients who had undergone cataract surgery for either one eye or both eyes. The surgery was performed by 20 ophthalmologists who were practicing at university hospitals and general hospitals. Patients were interviewed and clinical data (the visual acuity of operated eye, visual function, symptom score and satisfaction with vision) were obtained. The doctors were questioned with self-reported questionnaire forms. Medical records were also examined to understand surgery Process. The survey was conducted before(389) and after operation(327). Alter excluding cases with incomplete data, 3n cases were enrolled In this study. Both the overall satisfaction and the satisfaction with physician explanation increased after the operation whereas the satisfaction with interpersonal care and hospital care did not change significantly. Multiple regression analysis showed that the level of education, baseline satisfaction scores and the degree of vision improvement were statistically significant variables. The preoperative lower level of education, higher level of overall satisfaction (interpersonal care, physician explanation, hospital care scores) and the more the satisfaction with vision improvement were associated with the improvement of postoperative satisfaction scores.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.234-238
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• 2022

A 53-year-old male who had received surgery on his right ankle joint 10 years previously was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome the following year. Despite various treatments (sympathetic nerve-block medication, pain relievers, corticosteroids, nerve blocks, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) over the years there was no improvement in his symptoms. Recently the patient was admitted to a Korean medicine hospital where he received treatment (acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and herbal treatment) and his symptoms gradually showed improvement. The patient was concurrently on psychiatric medicine, antihistamine medication, and opioids for pain (when necessary). A decrease in numeric rating scale, Oswestry disability index scores, and an increase in the Korean version of the 5-level EuroQol-5 dimension score showed symptom improvement within 36 days. This study suggests complex Korean medicine treatment for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome may result in a reduction in pain and improved quality of life.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.100-110
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• 2024

This case report demonstrates the effect of modified Bangibokryeong-tang (Fangji Fuling Decoction), a traditional herbal prescription in treating dyspnea and palpitations, symptoms that often lead to anxiety and reduced quality of life of cardiac patients. A female patient in her late 70s with congenital valve malformation and atrial fibrillation presented with dyspnea and palpitations, each rated at a severity of 8 on a numeric rating scale (NRS). After voluntarily discontinuing Western medication, she received modified BGBRT for 25 days, leading to significant symptom relief and NRS improvement to 0-2. The patient reported maintaining an improved condition and showed a significant increase in vitality. This improvement was sustained for 7 months, but the symptoms recurred; thus, modified BGBRT was restarted. Modified BGBRT showed substantial effects on persistent cardiac-origin dyspnea and palpitations. Thus, this TKM has the potential to manage symptoms and enhance the quality of life of cardiac patients.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.177-184
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• 2007

Purpose: To evaluate the palliative effect of endobronchial brachytherapy (EBB) for patients with lung cancer that previously received external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). Materials and Methods: From July 1992 to May 2003, 29 patients with a recurrent or persistent lung cancer were treated with palliative EBB at our institute. EBB consisted of three fractions (once a week) of a dose of 5 Gy using the high dose-rate remote afterloader. Symptomatic improvement was assessed subjectively, and patients were divided into two groups according to whether symptoms were improved or not. Factors such as age, performance status, duration from EBRT to EBB and the location of the tumor were compared between the improved and unimproved groups of patients. Results: Overall symptomatic improvement was found in 27 out of 52 symptoms (52%). Improvement as to the type of symptoms was seen in 41 %, 50%, 82% and 33% of patients with cough, dyspnea, hemoptysis, and obstructive pneumonia respectively. The rate of improvement of hemoptysis was more than that of cough (p<0.05). The median time to symptom relapse was 5 months. The improved patient group (n=17, 59%) had a better performance status and longer duration from EBRT to EBB than the unimproved patient group (p<0.05). Lesions located in the distal trachea and/or main bronchus were found more frequently in the improved group of patients than in the unimproved group of patients, but the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.06). Fatal complications developed in two patients (7%), which were a hemoptysis and bronchopleural fistula respectively. Conclusion: Symptom improvement was found in 60% of patients after EBB and improvement was maintained for 5 months. Palliative EBB, even when EBRT was given previously, can be effective for a patient that has an endobronchial symptom, such as hemoptysis, and for a patient with good performance and a long duration from previous EBRT to EBB.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.205-210
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• 2012

Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate clinical profile, efficacy, and safety of long-term treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in Korean autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) patients. Methods Effectiveness was assessed through a retrospective review of self-reported target symptom improvement at the last follow-up visit. Changes in illness severity and improvement were measured using the Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) of illness and Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) Scales. Tolerability was assessed through a review of the reason for discontinuation of SSRI and documented adverse events. Results A total of 21 ASDs patients (aged 9 to 19 years) treated with SSRI during July 2010 to July 2011 in department of child and adolescent psychiatry of Seoul National Hospital were identified. The mean duration of SSRI treatment was 47.9 (standard deviation = 36.9) months (range 0.7-114.5), and the mean fluoxetine equivalent dosage of SSRIs was $27.1{\pm}10.8$ mg. Nineteen (90.5%) patients were using concomitant medication. We found that SSRIs were prescribed for symptoms of agitation, stereotyped behavior, aggression, depression, impulsivity and self-injury in ASDs. Ten patients (47.6%) reported improvement in their target symptom after SSRI treatment based on CGI-I scores (CGI-I ${\leq}$ 2). The side effects were reported in 5 patients (23.8%) ; vomiting (n = 2, 9.5%), excessive mood elevation (n = 1, 4.8%), insomnia (n = 1, 4.8%), somnolence (n = 1, 4.8%) and decreased appetite (n = 1, 4.8%). Self-injurious behavior was reported in one patient (4.8%). Conclusions The results of this study suggest that SSRIs may be used effectively in children and adolescents diagnosed with ASDs. However, safety issues need to be considered carefully when choosing SSRIs for treatment. Future controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3903-3907
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• 2013

Background: Patients with colorectal cancer are usually treated with chemotherapy, which reduces the number of blood cells, especially white blood cells, and consequently increases the risk of infections. Some research studies have reported that aromatherapy massage affects the immune system and improves immune function by, for example, increasing the numbers of natural killer cells and peripheral blood lymphocytes. However, there has been no report of any study which provided good evidence as to whether aromatherapy with Thai massage could improve the immune system in patients with colorectal cancer. The objectives of this study were to determine whether the use of aromatherapy with light Thai massage in patients with colorectal cancer, who have received chemotherapy, can result in improvement of the cellular immunity and reduce the severity of the common symptoms of side effects. Materials and Methods: Sixty-six patients with colorectal cancer in Phichit Hospital, Thailand, were enrolled in a single-blind, randomised-controlled trial. The intervention consisted of three massage sessions with ginger and coconut oil over a 1-week period. The control group received standard supportive care only. Assessments were conducted at pre-assessment and at the end of one week of massage or standard care. Changes from pre-assessment to the end of treatment were measured in terms of white blood cells, neutrophils, lymphocytes, CD4 and CD8 cells and the CD4/CD8 ratio and also the severity of self-rated symptom scores. Results: The main finding was that after adjusting for pre-assessment values the mean lymphocyte count at the post-assessment was significantly higher (P=0.04) in the treatment group than in the controls. The size of this difference suggested that aromatherapy with Thai massage could boost lymphocyte numbers by 11%. The secondary outcomes were that at the post assessment the symptom severity scores for fatigue, presenting symptom, pain and stress were significantly lower in the massage group than in the standard care controls. Conclusions: Aromatherapy with light Thai massage can be beneficial for the immune systems of cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy by increasing the number of lymphocytes and can help to reduce the severity of common symptoms.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.501-508
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• 2001

Objectives : Hemifacial spasm is painless uncommon disorder characterized by involuntary paroxysmal movement on one side of face. It is known that hemifacial spasm is mainly due to pulsatile compression by vessels at the root exit zone(REZ) of the facial nerve. Microvascular decompression at REZ of the facial nerve has become the standard treatment modality for hemifacial spasm. The authors have analized patients with hemifacial spasm treated with microvascular decompression to evaluate operation result and clinical course after operation. Patients and Methods : From 1992 to 1999, 41 patients with hemifacial spasm underwent this operation. Retrospective analysis of operation results and clinical recovery patterns was done. The length of observation had been more than 6 months in all cases. Results : The ratio of male to female was 1:1.4, and age at operation ranged from 24 to 66 years. Their mean age was 47.6 years and the mean preoperative duration of symptoms was 7.2 years. Most common offending vessels were AICA in 18 cases(48%) and second most common were PICA in 13 cases(31.7%). The rest of them were 3 case in vertebral artery, and 7 cases(13%) in multiple offending vessels. Patterns of improvement after surgery could be divided into 4 clinical types. There was complete recovery in 3 days after operation in 24 cases(58.6%, Immediate complete recovery). There was complete recovery in 3 days after operation, and symptom was recurred partially, which was gradually subsided in 2 weeks after operation in 4 cases(9.8%, Delayed complete recovery type I). There was partial recovery after operation and symptom was compretely disappeared gradually in 6 months after operation in 7 cases(17.1%, Delayed complete recovery type II). Finally, there was partial recovery after operation, and symptom was somewhat remained after 6 months later(14.5%, Delayed partial recovery). Conclusion : In conclusion, microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm is a safe and reliable treatment modality with good results of improvement and there are 4 recovery patterns in clinical course after operation in our series. Therefore, follow-up observation after microvascular decompression is necessary to evaluate the operative results and complication, especially in the delayed resolved cases.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.60-69
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• 2013

Objective : This case series study was designed to assess the effect of Gamisungmagalguntang for chronic urticaria identified as "Wind-Heat" pattern by retrospective methods. Methods : We treated 19 patients for chronic urticaria with Gamisungmagalguntang(加味升麻葛根湯), who visited to care chronic urticaria at the department of Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology and Dermatology of Korean Medicine at Kyunghee University Korean Medical Center from 1st January 2013 to 31st August 2013. We analyzed information and body conditions of 19 patients. And by using Urticaria Activicy Score(UAS), frequency and number of wheals, itch severity and total score on a 4-point(0-3) scale were assessed in 19 patients. The change of each criterion and total scores between baseline and follow up were analyzed using paired t-test and Wilcoxon test(p<0.05). Results : 1. UAS improvement was statistically significant(p<0.001). Effects of symptom improvement were excellent(31.58%) that means symptom remission and good(42.10%) that means symptom improved over 50%. 2. Heat sensitivity as suspected provocation factor could be a marker for the Wind-Heat pattern urticaria. 3. Among the Wind-Heat pattern urticaria patients, normal digestion(52.63%) and no thirst(78.95%) were higher than abnormal conditions. Whereas about sweat item, abnormal conditions(57.89%) were higher than normal. That means abnormal sweat conditions could be a marker for a defense qi(衛氣) dysfunction of the Wind-Heat pattern urticaria. Conclusions : Our findings suggest that Gamisungmagalguntang could be effective on the Wind-Heat pattern urticaria.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.833-845
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• 2021

Parkinson's syndrome is a degenerative brain disease that presents characteristic motor symptoms of tremor, rigidity, and gait disturbance. In addition to these motor symptoms, Parkinson's syndrome also presents non-motor symptoms (NMSs) such as sleep disturbance and cognitive decline. NMSs reduce patient's quality of life and psychosocial functioning and cause economic burden on the patient, so appropriate evaluation and treatment are required. Lewy body dementia is one of the several diseases belonging to Parkinson's syndrome. Its symptoms such as cognitive function, memory impairment, and hallucinations occur with Parkinsonism. Although drug therapy is being used with drug treatment to treat non-motor symptoms, it has limitations such as side effects, which stimulated interest in other complementary treatment methods such as oriental medicine treatment, dance, and yoga. The patient in this case complained of tremor in the right upper extremity, muscle hypertension and pain, and persistent vision, memory, and cognitive decline. The patient was diagnosed with probable Lewy body dementia. The patient was hospitalized for 4 months and received acupuncture and herbal medicines. After treatment, the patient's NMS scale scores decreased from 90 to 63, and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale scores (summed I, II, and III) decreased from 17 points to 8 points. The Beck Depression Inventory score decreased from 22 points to 13 points. In addition, the patient's subjective evaluation revealed improvement. In this case, a patient diagnosed with probable Lewy body dementia who did not respond to the standard treatment and did not want to take medications showed improvement in not only motor symptoms but also NMSs after integrative Korean medicine treatment.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.293-305
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• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to confirm effects of oral exercise program intended to improve the condition of salivary hypofunction and to provide basic data for development of oral health program for the elderly Methods : The subjects were 125 elderly women who resided in Gyeong-In area and were aged 65 years and older. During a 2-month period, an oral exercise was conducted twice a week. A survey was conducted by interviewing the selected elders to determine the state of their subjective dry mouth. Unstimulated whole saliva was measured before and after the oral exercise program. Results : There was a significant improvement in subjective dry mouth symptoms, severity scores of dry mouth after the oral exercise, and there were affected by age and income level. There was a significant increase in unstimulated whole-saliva after the oral exercise program. There was positive interrelationship between dry mouth Symptom improvement level and inconvenience improvement level, and between inconvenience improvement level and the increase of unstimulated whole-saliva. Conclusions : This study showed the effects of the oral exercise program. It is suggested that this oral exercise program has positive effects on the condition of dry mouth. For the explicit improvement effect on the condition of dry mouth, the oral exercise program needs to be carried out in consideration of the elderly's general characteristics.