• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.84 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 2021

Several clinical trials are being conducted worldwide to investigate the protective effect of the bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine against death in healthcare providers who are working directly with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. Clinical studies suggested that certain live vaccines, particularly the BCG vaccine, could reduce the mortality due to other diseases caused by non-targeted pathogens, most probably through the nonspecific effects (heterologous effects). By the end of May 2020, the available information on the COVID-19 pandemic indicated the great effect of the BCG vaccine in reducing the number of COVID-19 death cases. The occurrence of death due to COVID-19 was found to be 21-fold lower in countries with a national BCG vaccination policy than in countries without such a policy, based on the medians of COVID-19 death case per 1 million of the population in these two groups of countries (p<0.001, Mann-Whitney test). Therefore, it can be concluded that the early establishment of a BCG vaccination policy in any country is a key element in reducing the number of COVID-19 and tuberculosis death cases.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.1-4
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• 2014

Objective : The case fatality rate of nonlesional intracerebral hemorrhage (n-ICH) was high and not changed. Knowing the causes is important to their prevention; however, the reasons have not been studied. The aims of this study were to determine the cause of death, to improve the clinical outcomes. Methods : We retrospectively analyzed consecutive cases of nonlesional intracerebral hemorrhage in a prospective stroke registry from January 2010 to December 2010. Results : Among 174 patients ($61.83{\pm}13.36$, 28-90 years), 29 patients (16.7%) died during hospitalization. Most common cause of death was initial neurological damage (41.4%, 12/29). Seventeen patients who survived the initial damage may then develop various potentially fatal complications. Except for death due to the initial neurological sequelae, death associated with immobilization (such as pneumonia or thromboembolic complication) was the most common in eight cases (8/17, 47.1%). However, death due to early rebleeding was not common and occurred in only 2 cases (2/17, 11.8%). Age, initial Glasgow Coma Scale, and diabetes mellitus were statistically significant factors influencing mortality (p<0.05). Conclusion : Mortality of n-ICH is still high. Initial neurological damage is the most important factor; however, non-neurological medical complications are a large part of case fatality. Most cases of death of patients who survived from the first bleeding were due to complications of immobilization. These findings have implications for clinical practice and planning of clinical trials. In addition, future conduct of a randomized study will be necessary in order to evaluate the benefits of early mobilization for prevention of immobilization related complications.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.159-170
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• 2011

This study aims at providing basic data on brain death by analyzing factors of influencing toward attitude to brain death subject to citizens of Busan City. The data was collected for 47 days from 14 July to 31 August, 2009. Among a total of 2200 cases of the questionaries, only 2042 cases were used. For data analysis, SPSS 17.0 was used, and for the specific analysis method frequency analysis to understand general characteristics of the participants. In addition, examination on T-test and ANOVA analysis were conducted after analyzing the factors for participants' consciousness on brain death, and logistic regression analysis for understanding of relations between participants' will to brain death and general characteristics. The results of this study are summarized as follows; First, attitudes towards brain death according to general characteristics was high in those with will to donate their organs than those without in the attitude factors, namely, death recognition, acceptive, exclusive and religious attitude factors. Second, Significant variables for effects of attitudes towards brain death were gender, patients or their family's chronic or incurable diseases, religion, occupation and death recognition, acceptive, and exclusive attitude factors.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.131-136
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• 2016

Clostridium novyi (C. novyi) is a gram positive, non-capsulated, motile, obligatory anaerobe that produces endospores. Both C. novyi type A and B produce a bacteriophage encoded lethal alpha toxin which belongs to a family of large clostridial cytotoxins. These large clostridial cytotoxins of C. novyi bind to the uncharacterized receptors on host vascular endothelial cells, which leads to the loss of integrity of the vascular endothelium with subsequent edema, refractory hypotension, organ failure, and sudden death. A total of 13 sudden death cases were submitted to Chonbuk National University-Veterinary Diagnostic Center between June and October, 2015. The samples, mainly liver, were collected in sterile vials after necropsy and processed within 12~24 hours for diagnosis, isolation and identification of C. novyi. All of the 4 gram positive samples showed amplification by PCR. Out of 4 positive samples, 3 were detected to be C. novyi type B and 1 was detected as C. novyi type A. Based on the 16S rDNA sequence analysis, 1 case (150564) showed 99% similarity with C. novyi type A while other 3 cases (150388, 150557 and 150775) presented 99% similarity with C. novyi type B. Based on the results, C. novyi was found to be prevalent in Korean pig farms and causes sudden death to finishing pigs or sows during summer season. Thus, C. novyi should be considered for differential diagnosis on sudden death cases during the summer season.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.535-540
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• 1978

Between January 1974 and November 1978, 23 cases of double valve replacement were done in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Seoul National university Hospital. All had symptoms of rheumatic valvular heart disease and belonged to functional class III or IV according to NYHA classification. Among 23 cases, mitral and aortic valves were replaced in 14, and mitral and tricuspid valves in 9 cases. Six operative deaths [26%] and 4 late deaths [23%] were found. In the former group 5 and in latter one operative death were noted. Main cause of operative death was low cardiac output syndrome due to myocardial failure. Among 4 late deaths, 2 were caused by thromboembolism, one by bacterial endocarditis, and one by arrhythmia.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.167-173
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• 1980

From 1976 through June 1980, 75 patients underwent Open heart operation at Korea University Hospital.Of the 75 patients, 39 were congenital heart cases and 36 were acquired heart disease cases. 39 cases of congenital heart disease were consisting of 16 T.O.F.,4 A.S.D., 10 V.S.D., 3 P.S., 1 P.D.A., 1 V.S.D. + Mi, 1 Truncus arteriosus, 1 Ebstein, 1 D.C.R.V., 1 Single ventricle. Among 36 valvular replacement cases, 18 cases of MVR, 3 cases of AVR, 6 cases of Double valve replacement, and 10 cases of Open Mitral commissurotomy, were performed. Postoperative mortality rate of congenital heart disease was 25.6% and that of acquired heart disease was 8.3%. Overall mortality rate of open heart surgery was 17.3%. Among 16 cases of postoperative death cases, 5 cases of autopsy were performed. Postoperative cause of death of our series were intracranial bleeding, pacemaker failure, low output syndrome, protamine anaphylaxis, bleeding, prosthetic valve embolism, C V A, miliary tuberculosis, hypothermia due to pump failure.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.281-295
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• 1978

Last year in this department 100 cases of open heart surgery were done annually. This year 200 cases of open heart surgery were scheduled. During the first 6 months of this year 112 open heart surgery cases were done with 13 deaths [11.6%]. There were 72 cases of cougenital malformation with 9 operative deaths [12.5%], consisting of 23 acyanotic cases with one death [4.5%] and 49 cases of cyanotic cases with 8 deaths [16.3%]. Out of 40 tetralogy of Fallot, 6 cases expired [15%]. For 39 cases of acquired valvular heart disease and one Ebstein anomaly valves were replaced with 4 operative deaths [10%]. Single valve replacement in 33 with 3 operative deaths and double valve replacement in 7 cases with one death were noted. Two patients expired among 28 mitral valve replacement cases [7.1%]. Among 7 double valve replacement patients, consisting of 3 mitral and aortic and 4 mitral and tricuspid valve replacement one case expired. In a case of Ebstein anomaly, tricuspid valve was replaced with plication of atrialized right ventricle successfully. The operative result was excellent.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 2020

Purpose: This study examines errors in death certificates (DCs) issued to cases of poisoning. Methods: DCs issued in poisoning cases were retrospectively reviewed. Errors in the DC were classified as major and minor errors, and were evaluated in accordance with their impact on the process of selecting the cause of death (COD). Results: A total of 79 DCs were evaluated; 43 (54.4%) DCs were issued in the emergency department (ED), and 36 (45.6%) DCs were issued outside the ED. The average major and minor errors per DC were determined to be 0.4 and 3.3, respectively. Moreover, an average of 3.0 errors were discovered in DCs issued at the ED, and 4.4 errors in DCs issued outside the ED. The most common major errors were incorrect manner of death (11.4%, 9/79), followed by unacceptable COD (7.6%, 6/79), and the mode of dying as an underlying COD (5.1%, 4/79). The common minor errors most frequently encountered were incorrect time interval (86.1%, 68/79), followed by incorrect other significant conditions (73.4%, 58/79), and no record for date of onset (62.0%, 49/79). Conclusion: Our results indicate that the total numbers of major errors, minor errors and cases of misjudged cause of death were greater in DCs issued outside the ED than in DCs issued at the ED. The most frequently quoted major error of DCs related to poisoning was determined to be the incorrect manner of death.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.951-959
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• 1989

Between September, 1972 and September, 1989, total 359 patients were operated for acquired heart disease at Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Hanyang University Hospital. A consecutive series of 293 prosthetic valve replacement was also performed during this period. The results were summarized as follows; 1. There were 141 men and 218 women, whose ages ranged from 6 to 64 years, [mean 35.5 years] 2. Out of 293 cases, mitral valve replacement was 182 cases, aortic valve replacement was 39 cases and double valve replacement was70 cases. 3. Early post-operative death was 30 cases [Mortality; 8.4 %] and late death was 9 cases in the survivors. 4. Re-operation was 30 cases and operative mortality was 10%. 5. Mean post-operative interval was 76 months. [Ranged from 216 months to 2 months] 6. Among re-operation cases, primary prosthetic valve failure was 16 cases and paravalvular leakage was 2 cases. 7. Since January 1988, 79 cases of prosthetic valve replacement were performed and then 1 case was expired. [Mortality; 1.2 %]

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.45 no.9
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• pp.1065-1074
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• 2002

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to analyze the epidemiologic characteristics of sudden unexpected death in infancy and to evaluate the importance of postmortem autopsy. Methods : We reviewed, retrospectively, medical records of 34 infants admitted to Kangnam General Hospital from January 1987 to December 2001 because of sudden unexpected death. We investigated the cause of death through medical history, death scene examination, autopsy findings, acylcarnitine and organic acid analysis. Results : Among the total 34 infants, 18 were male(52.9%) and 16 were female(47.1%). Thirty infants(88%) were below the six months of age. Winter was the most affected season(38.2%). Eighteen infants(52.9%) died between 6 and 12AM. The prone sleeping position was observed more frequently than the supine position at death; nine cases in the prone position, six cases in the supine position. The cause of death of 23 cases could not be found by only history and death scene examination. Autopsy was done in 13 cases. Seven cases of them were thought to be SIDS. In six cases, we explained the cause of death with autosy findings. They were an endocardial fibroelastosis, a nesidioblastosis, a subdural hematoma, a bronchopneumonia and two fatty changes of liver. Metabolic screening tests performed in three cases to rule out metabolic disorder since 2000 were all normal. Conclusion : We concluded that autopsy and metabolic screening test should be performed to find out the cause of death in sudden unexpected death in infancy.