• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.3-12
• /
• 1981

To identify the changes in professional care patterns after the introduction of medical insurance in Korea, professional care in hospitals and clinics of two succeeding years were compared. The hospitals and clinics selected for this study were those which located in Seoul city. Hospitals were classified into 3 categories: university hospital, general hospital and hospital. The diseases selected for this study were acute appendicitis and normal delivery. They were selected because their disease courses are considered to be fairly stable. The variables used for this study were length of stay, total hospital costs, costs of each components of cares. The information used for this study was obtained from the official forms requested by the medical facilities to the Korea Medical Insurance Corporation. The two periods studied were 3 months of each year from March 1st to May 31st in 1979 and 1980, The total number of normal delivery studied was 289 in 1979, 301 in 1980 respectively and the acute appendicitis was 92 and 111 respectively. In order to compare the quantity of medical care between 2 study periods the insurance price scores of 1979 were converted to prices of 1980. For statistical test of difference between 2 periods T-test and Welch's test were used. The result of the study were briefly summarized in below. 1. No significant difference was observed in the average length of stay of both disease between two study periods in all types of hospitals. 2. No significant difference was observed in the average total hospital costs of both diseases in all types of hospital, but in the private clinic the average clinic costs was rather decreased significantly in 1980. 3. More cost decrease were seen than cost increase in 1980 in all types of facilities, More cost changes by items were seen in acute appendicitis than in normal delivery between two study periods. The total hospital costs can be devided into 2 portions: charges for drug and material and for physician. In normal delivery, costs for physician's charges was significantly decreased in almost all the hospitals and costs for drug and material were not changed significantly in all the hospitals in 1980. In the university hospitals, however, the costs for drug and material were increased significantly in 1980. The cost decrease for physician's charge were mainly due to the decrease in the costs of laboratory test, treatment and physical therapy. The increase in the costs for the drug and material in the university hospitals was mainly due to the increase in the cost for drugs for oral administration and injection. 4. The proportion of components of medical care in the hospital has not been changed significantly, however, the cost for injection in normal delivery was characteristically increased in 1980 in all hospitals studied. In general the proportion of the costs for drug and material was tended to increase and the costs for physician was tended to decrease in 1980. The increase in the costs for drug and material were considered to be due to increase in the cost for drugs for oral administration and injection. The decrease in the costs for physician were due to decrease in the costs of laboratory test, treatment and physical therapy. Above mentioned changes in hospital and clinic care patterns are considered to be mostly influenced by the review criteria set by the K.I.C. for the assessment of the fee request made by clinics and hospitals.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.224-227
• /
• 1993

We experienced one case of orthotopic cardiac transplantation in a patient with end stage dilated cardiomyopathy. This 50 year-old female recipient was suffered from NYHA functional class IV cardiac failure and dependent upon intravenous inotropic support for 2 months [recipient category 1]. Her preoperative condition was grave with left ventricular ejection fraction of 20% and estimated systolic pulmonary arterial pressure [from Doppler study] was 50mmHg. The brain-dead donor was 31 year-old male with head trauma. The body sizes [weight, height] of the donor/recipient were 70 Kg, 165 cm / 43 Kg, 160 cm and appropriately overmatched. Preoperatively, identical ABO/Rh blood group [A+] and nonreacting HLA crossmatching were confirmed. On November 11 1992 cardiac transplantation was performed without complication. Multiple organ procurement team and heart transplantation team were organized the operation schedule appropriately to minimize the ischemic time. The pump time was 126 minutes and aortic crossclamping time of recipient heart was 73 minutes and, as a result, total ischemic time of the transplanted heart was 75 minutes. Postoperatively, the vital signs were stable with minimal inotropic support. The immunosuppressive therapy was commenced from preoperatively and cyclosporine, azathioprine, and corticosteroid were used as a combination therapy as scheduled and monitored with blood drug concentration, WBC count, renal function and most importantly regular endomyocardial biopsy.Now, 5 months after transplantation, the patient is in NYHA functional class II with minimal cardiac drug support.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.64-71
• /
• 2018

Objectives The purpose of this study is to examine the correlation of antibiotics administration duration and antimicrobial resistance by reviewing domestic and foreign literatures. Methods We searched literatures dated up to 23 February, 2018 in PubMed and Cochrane Library using terms of "Anti-Bacterial Agents", "Carrier State", "Nasopharynx", "Drug Administration Schedule", and also searched via RISS (Research Information Service System), KISS (Koreanstudies Information Service System), DBpia (DataBase Periodical Information Academic) using terms of antibiotics, resistance, and dose. Results In comparison with shortened and standard antibiotic course, longer treatment duration is associated with greater antimicrobial resistance or non-significant difference, but we cannot find literature that shortened antibiotic course increases antimicrobial resistance on human nasopharyngeal flora. Conclusions Currently, there is no evidence that completing the standard antibiotic course reduces antimicrobial resistance. It can be a strategy for reducing antibiotic use to apply Korean medicine treatment, as well as short-course antibiotic therapy or delayed antibiotic prescription. Additional well-designed trials should be conducted in domestic and foreign settings about the appropriate duration of antibiotic therapy.

• Journal of Magnetics
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.164-168
• /
• 2011

Magnetic nanoparticles can potentially be used in drug delivery systems and for hyperthermia therapy. The applicability of $Fe_3O_4$, $CoFe_2O_4$, $MgFe_2O_4$, and $NiFe_2O_4$ nanoparticles for the same was studied by evaluating their magnetization, thermal efficiency, and biocompatibility. $Fe_3O_4$ and $CoFe_2O_4$ nanoparticles exhibited large magnetization. $Fe_3O_4$ and $NiFe_2O_4$ nanoparticles exhibited large induction heating. $MgFe_2O_4$ nanoparticles exhibited low magnetization compared to the other nanoparticles. $NiFe_2O_4$ nanoparticles were found to be cytotoxic, whereas the other nanoparticles were not cytotoxic. This study indicates that $Fe_3O_4$ nanoparticles could be the most suitable ones for hyperthermia therapy.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.40 no.1
• /
• pp.12-22
• /
• 2023

Graves disease (GD) is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism, accounting for more than 90% of cases in Korea. Patients with GD are treated with any of the following: antithyroid drugs (ATDs), radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy, or thyroidectomy. Most patients begin treatment with ATDs, and clinical guidelines suggest that the appropriate treatment period is 12 to 18 months. While RAI treatment and surgery manage thyrotoxicosis by destroying or removing thyroid tissue, ATDs control thyrotoxicosis by inhibiting thyroid hormone synthesis and preserving the thyroid gland. Although ATDs efficiently control thyrotoxicosis symptoms, they do not correct the main etiology of GD; therefore, frequent relapses can follow. Recently, a large amount of data has been collected on long-term ATDs for GD, and low-dose methimazole (MMZ) is expected to be a good option for remission. For the long-term management of recurrent GD, it is important to induce remission by evaluating the patient's drug response, stopping ATDs at an appropriate time, and actively switching to surgery or RAI therapy, if indicated. Continuing drug treatment for an extended time is now encouraged in patients with a high possibility of remission with low-dose MMZ. It is also important to pay attention to the quality of life of the patients. This review aimed to summarize the appropriate treatment methods and timing of treatment transition in patients who relapsed several times while receiving treatment for GD.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.183-193
• /
• 1998

The Therapeutic pattern for the urinary incontinence in women should be chosen by means of the correct diagnosis. The therapeutic methods are various but drug therapy, electrical therapy and excercise therapy make the urinary incontinance be teated well, except some patient. This study carried out to investigate the therapeutic method fer urinary incontinence by the scope of excercise therapy. The excercise therapy demands the therapist of the correct diagnosis and evaluation. The patient should be Supine position not to increase the, abdominal pressure, and during the early excercise, the excercise should be applied by simple pattern to complex one. The change of position sod duration of therapy are to correspond with the sequels of patient and the patient has to abstrain from stimulant food such as coffee.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.58 no.6
• /
• pp.575-579
• /
• 2014

Development of liposomes has been actively studied for effective delivery of drug at tumor site. However, despite their preferential accumulation at tumor site, the therapeutic efficacy of such liposomal drug has been limited because of low drug release. Therefore, we developed a temperature-sensitive liposome (TSL), which can be made to maximize release of drug by external stimulation such as ultrasound. Doxorubicin (DOX) as a model drug was encapsulated into TSL by a pH gradient method. The particle size of the TSL was $142.0{\pm}6.24nm$. Surface charge was $-10.55{\pm}1.12mV$. Release of drug from TSLs was up to 80% within 15 min at over $42^{\circ}C$ measured by fluorescence intensity. Cytotoxicity of released DOX from TSLs with ultrasound was highly increased compared to TSLs without ultrasound. Taken together, we demonstrate that temperature sensitive drug release from TSLs with ultrasound, which may be useful for cancer therapy to increase drug concentration at tumor site by external stimulation.

• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.155-168
• /
• 2012

Therapeutic cancer is a long lasting and turbulent history accompany with the milestones in surgical intervention, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In the past decade, however, metastatic cancer still obstinately exists challenging the professional scientist. Beside the major forms of cancer treatment, Diphtheria toxin (DT) which is produced by a pathogenic strain of bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheria to shield themselves against the other dangerous organism, have been researched as a potential candidate to overcome the drawback such as non-specific, non-effect to drug resistant cancer cell and side effects when using chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In the context of suicide gene therapy, the DT expression under controlling of tissue-specific promoter will be targeted in cancer cell but defect in normal cell. The molecular mechanism, characteristic of DT-bases therapy and prominent achievements of preclinical and clinical studies for the past decade are summarized and discussed in this review.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.735-744
• /
• 2001

After providing the purpose, scope and methods of present study in the first chapter. the second chapter discusses a theoretical overview on the social implication of medical expenditure and the medical insurance program for the aged population. In conclusion, to realize the reduction of aged population's medical expenditures, some possible plans are conceivable. Firstly, the payment level of medical insurance should be upgraded and the insurance coverage in oriental medicine treatment and the drug-store protection program need to be implemented. Secondly, the medical facilities and man-power have be expanded for the sake of reducing the social and geographical distances the aged population has to overcome to receive the medical benefits. Thirdly, the expansions of medical services for the home-stay aged are all the more required. Finally, a wide range of programs needs to be augmented to promote health for the aged population.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.60 no.2
• /
• pp.142-150
• /
• 2006

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is often difficult to diagnose and challenging to treat. Untreated, it is characterized by a progressive increase in pulmonary vascular resistance leading to right ventricular failure and death. The past decade has seen remarkable improvements in therapy, driven largely by the conduct of randomized controlled trials. Still, the selection of most appropriate therapy is complex, and requires familiarity with the disease process, evidence from treatment trials, complicated drug delivery systems, dosing regimens, side effects, and complications. We tried to provide evidence-based treatment recommendations for physicians involved in the care of these complex patients. Due to the complexity of the diagnostic evaluation required, and the treatment options available, it is strongly recommended that consideration be given to referral of patients with PAH to a specialized center.