• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.284-296
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• 2018

Obesity is considered as a primary health problem over the past century in line with life environmental changes. It is mainly associated with increased risk of numerous chronic diseases which may significantly reduce health-related quality of life. Therefore, efforts to reduce weight should be performed. This study suggested a novel approach to reduce body fat by applying external stimulation which is micro-current stimulation (MCS). In this clinical study, we evaluated the potential effects of MCS for reduction of abdominal fat and weight loss. Prior to the clinical test, computational simulation was conducted to find the proper MCS conditions that allow externally applied stimulation to reach the internal fat section from the external skin. Particularly, the clinical study evaluated the unilateral effects of MCS for body fat loss and lipolysis without any additional limitations such as physical exercise and dietary therapy. The results showed that whole body fat, waist circumferences, and abdominal fat are gradually decreased after intervention in proportion to the time. From the results, we can estimate that MCS can be effective on the body fat loss by activation of lipolysis in human adipose.

• Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.250-258
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• 2018

Objectives. To compare narrative skills between fourth and fifth grades of Persian-speaking students with hearing impairments and typical hearing students of the same grade and also to evaluate the effects of group, sex, hearing age, and educational grade of the students on their spoken/written narrative performance. Methods. The subjects were 174 students aged 10-13 years, 54 of whom wore cochlear implants, 60 suffered from moderate to severe hearing losses and wore hearing aids, with the remaining 60 students being typical hearing in terms of the sense of hearing. The micro- and macrostructure components of spoken and written narrative were elicited from a pictorial story (The Playful Little Elephant) and then scored by raters. Results. Compared to the typical hearing, the students with hearing impairments had significantly lower scores in all of the microstructure components of narratives. However, the findings showed no significant difference among different groups in macrostructure components of narratives. It was also revealed that the students had equal performance in spoken and written narrative. Finally, factor analysis manifested that group, sex, hearing age, and educational level of children might alter the outcome measures in various interactions. Conclusion. Although cochlear implantation was more effective than hearing aid on spoken and written narrative skills, the Persian-speaking students with hearing impairments were seen to need additional trainings on microstructure components of spoken/written narrative.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.337-356
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• 2020

This systematic review focused on the efficacy of topical products in reducing temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD)-associated pain, in comparison to placebo or control interventions. The EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and MEDLINE via PubMed databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using topical interventions in adults diagnosed with TMD. The pain intensity was the primary outcome, and other clinical findings were the secondary outcomes. The risk of bias was evaluated according to the Cochrane's handbook. The search up to February 7, 2020 identified a total of 496 unduplicated references. Nine RCTs with 355 adult patients diagnosed with TMD were included. The meta-analysis did not show a significant reduction in baseline pain intensity in the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) group, when compared to the placebo group (P = 0.288). One study demonstrated a statistically significant pain score decrease for Theraflex-TMJ compared to placebo after 10 d of treatment (P = 0.003) and follow-up, 5 d after the last application (P = 0.027). Ping On reduced pain at 4 weeks of application (P < 0.001) but not after 7 d of application (P = 0.136). In one study, cannabidiol (CBD) significantly improved the pain intensity compared to placebo (P < 0.001). However, no differences were found with capsaicin in the two studies (P = 0.465). Evidence was of low quality because the studies were considered as having an unclear or a high risk of bias and a small number of studies were analyzed. The evidence is not sufficient to support the use of topical NSAIDs and capsaicin, and limited evidence was found for Threraflex-TMJ, bee venom, Ping On, and CBD, with only one study reporting for each. Additional studies are recommended to validate these results.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.299-304
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• 2021

Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) is a rare, progressive, life-threatening condition of thrombotic microangiopathy characterized by thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, and renal impairment. The mechanisms underlying aHUS remain unclear. Herein, we present the first case in the literature of aHUS after a traumatic injury. A 55-year-old male visited the emergency department after a traumatic injury caused by a tree limb. Abdominal computed tomography revealed a rectal wall defect with significant air density in the perirectal space and preperitoneum, implying rectal perforation. Due to the absence of intraperitoneal intestinal perforation, we performed diverting sigmoid loop colostomy. An additional intermittent simple repair was performed due to perianal and anal injuries. One day postoperatively, his urine output abruptly decreased and serum creatinine level increased. His platelet level decreased, and a spiking fever occurred after 2 days. The patient was diagnosed with acute renal failure secondary to aHUS and was treated with fresh frozen plasma replacement. Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) was also started for oliguria and uremic symptoms. The patient received CRRT for 3 days and intermittent hemodialysis thereafter. After hemodialysis and subsequent supportive treatment, his urine output and renal function improved. The hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia also gradually improved. Dialysis was terminated on day 22 of admission and the patient was discharged after recovery. This case suggests that that a traumatic event can trigger aHUS, which should be considered in patients who have thrombocytopenia and acute renal failure with microangiopathic hemolytic anemia. Early diagnosis and appropriate management are critical for favorable outcomes.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.133-138
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• 2021

Glufosinate-containing herbicides is a non-selective herbicide commonly used worldwide. As the use of them increased gradually since paraquat was banned in 2012, the number of suicides by their ingestion is also increasing continuously. Complications of glufosinate-containing herbicide poisoning include various central nervous system (CNS) toxicities such as convulsions, loss of consciousness, memory impairment, and respiratory depression, which may be accompanied by hemodynamic changes such as bradycardia and hypotension. However, it is very rare that arrhythmias other than bradycardia occurred and Takotsubo cardiomyopathy was combined due to cardiotoxicity. A 71-year-old female patient was transferred to our hospital after ingesting 500 mL of glufosinate-containing herbicide and receiving 5 L of gastric lavage at a local hospital. A few hours later, she presented stuporous mentality, respiratory depression, and convulsions, and was accompanied by hypotension and bradycardia. On the second day of admission, electrocardiogram (ECG) showed bradycardia and QTc prolongation with hemodynamic Instability. Accordingly, we conducted the early treatment with continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) and the application of temporary cardiac pacemaker. An echocardiogram demonstrated decreased ejection fraction (EF) and Takotsubo cardiomyopathy on the third day of admission. Then, she was discharged safely with conservative treatment. At the follow-up after 1 year, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, EF and QTc prolongation were recovered on echocardiogram and ECG. Because cardiac toxicity after glufosinate-containing herbicide poisoning may cause life-threatening consequences, caution is required while treating the patient. Therefore, if electrocardiogram changes are seen in the elderly with a large amount of glufosinate herbicide ingestion, additional cardiac function test through echocardiography should be concerned, and early treatment through CRRT or artificial cardiac pacing should be considered.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.130-143
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• 2022

Objective: This case report presents the effects of traditional Korean medical treatment for a patient with symptoms of the upper burner due to Beçhet's disease. Methods: A 42-year-old male patient was treated with traditional Korean herbal medicine (herbal formulas and patent medicines), acupuncture, and cupping therapy. Neck, ocular, and right wrist pain and xerostomia were assessed daily with a numeric rating scale (NRS) and grading assessment tool for subjective symptoms. Results: For a total of 20 days over two hospitalizations, the patient's neck pain was relieved from NRS 4 to 1, the ocular pain from NRS 5 to 1, the right wrist pain from NRS 7 to 1, and the xerostomia from grade 8 to 1. Conclusion: These results show that Beçhet's disease symptoms of the upper burner can be relieved with traditional Korean medical treatment, although additional well-designed studies are required to confirm these findings.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.973-979
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to report the improvement of tracheal granuloma after herbal medicine treatment. Methods: A patient with tracheal granuloma was treated with Sipyukmiyuki-eum, and we checked laryngoscopy images to observe the improvement of this condition. Results: After treatment with Sipyukmiyuki-eum and Korean medicine therapy, we found that tracheal granuloma showed improvements in the laryngoscopy image. Conclusion: This case suggests that Sipyukmiyuki-eum might be effective for patients who develop tracheal granuloma after tracheostomy. However, additional studies with more patients are required to verify this finding.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 2021

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical features and the clinical factors associated with prognosis of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) in diabetic patients. Subjects and Methods: Forty-nine diabetic with unilateral SSNHL were retrospectively included. All patients received systemic high dose steroid therapy within one month after onset and had more than one month of follow-up audiogram. The basic characteristics of the patients, initial and follow-up audiograms, laboratory data, and methods of steroid treatment were collected. Results: Compared to reference values in healthy subjects, 79%, 55%, and 45% of the patients had higher values of mean neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), respectively. Older patients had significantly less degree of hearing loss, but they also had significantly worse hearing thresholds in the unaffected ear. After steroid treatment, less than half patients (47%) showed hearing recovery. Simultaneous intratympanic dexamethasone (ITD) injections with systemic steroid did not confer an additional hearing gain or an earlier recovery rate in diabetic patients with SSNHL. In the multivariate analysis, initial hearing thresholds of affected ear and timing of steroid treatment were significantly associated with hearing prognosis in diabetic patients with SSNHL. Conclusions: Diabetic patients with SSNHL tended to have increased NLR, LMR, and PLR, which are reported to be associated with microvascular angiopathy. Simultaneous ITD injections to improve hearing recovery in diabetic patients with SSNHL seems unnecessary.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 2021

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical features and the clinical factors associated with prognosis of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) in diabetic patients. Subjects and Methods: Forty-nine diabetic with unilateral SSNHL were retrospectively included. All patients received systemic high dose steroid therapy within one month after onset and had more than one month of follow-up audiogram. The basic characteristics of the patients, initial and follow-up audiograms, laboratory data, and methods of steroid treatment were collected. Results: Compared to reference values in healthy subjects, 79%, 55%, and 45% of the patients had higher values of mean neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), respectively. Older patients had significantly less degree of hearing loss, but they also had significantly worse hearing thresholds in the unaffected ear. After steroid treatment, less than half patients (47%) showed hearing recovery. Simultaneous intratympanic dexamethasone (ITD) injections with systemic steroid did not confer an additional hearing gain or an earlier recovery rate in diabetic patients with SSNHL. In the multivariate analysis, initial hearing thresholds of affected ear and timing of steroid treatment were significantly associated with hearing prognosis in diabetic patients with SSNHL. Conclusions: Diabetic patients with SSNHL tended to have increased NLR, LMR, and PLR, which are reported to be associated with microvascular angiopathy. Simultaneous ITD injections to improve hearing recovery in diabetic patients with SSNHL seems unnecessary.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.53-56
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• 2021

Sebaceous carcinoma (SC) is a rare malignant tumor, with an estimated incidence of approximately 1 to 2 per 1,000,000 per year. Approximately 75% of SCs are reported to occur in eyelids. Most of these tumors are diagnosed at age 40 or over and exhibit a wide variety of patterns in addition to the general appearance previously reported. SC is difficult to diagnose clinically, but can be diagnosed by accompanying biopsy. In cases of SC, additional examinations, such as endoscopy and computed tomography, may be necessary because of its association with Muir-Torre Syndrome. We present the case of a 22-year-old Asian man who complained of a rapidly growing chin tumor. The tumor was treated by surgical resection and adjuvant radiation therapy.