• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.224-231
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• 2001

Purpose : An anthracofibrosis(AF), dark multiple anthracotic pigmentations combined with narrowing and obstruction of bronchi, was reported to be strongly related with past and active pulmonary tuberculosis. This study was performed to determine whether anti-tuberculous regiemens would be helpful in patients with anthracofibrosis who failed to demonstrate the evidences of pulmonary tuberculosis. Methods : Twenty-two patients with multiple anthracotic pigmentations in bronchial mucosa with luminal narrowing were enrolled in this study. The bacteriological and histological findings for Mycobacterium tuberculosis was reviwed in each patients. They are composed of 8 males and 14 females ranging from 55 to 85 years old in age. Results: The most common symptoms were coughing(73%, 16/22), followed by sputum(41%, 9/22), dyspnea on exertion(32%, 7/22), and hemoptysis(27%, 6/22). The evidence of pulmonary tuberculosis, defined by positive AFB smear or culture of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from sputum or bronchial washing fluid or histological findings of granuloma with caseous necrosis, were found in eleven patients(50%) and the others has showed no evidences. Among 11 patients without pulmonary tuberculosis, only one patient showed the evidences of pulmonary tuberculosis after 16 months, and the 8 patients still showed no evidence of pulmonary tuberculosis during follow-up periods of ranging from 8 months to 60 months. Conclusions : Beause the anthracofibrosis is closely related to tuberculosis, it needs to find out extensively the evidences of tuberculosis in patients with anthracofibrosis. Chemotherapy for tuberculosis should be administrated only with confirmation of tuberculosis on bacteriologic study.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.584-596
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• 2008

Purpose : This study was conducted to investigate treatment compliance and related factors in pediatric patients. Methods : Three hundred and fifty-five patients diagnosed with various acute diseases at a teaching hospital or clinic in October 2003 were enrolled. Data were analyzed using the Health Belief Model, which includes items on self-efficacy and family assistance. Results : The study found that 62.9% of pediatric patients adhered faithfully to agreed-upon hospital revisits, 41.6% complied with dose timings instructions, 65.8% precisely took medication, and 27.2% complied with all of these requirements. According to ${\chi}^2$ test analysis, the factors found to be related to therapeutic compliance (the taking of medicines requested) were; susceptibility, severity, benefit, barriers, mother's self-efficacy, and family assistance (P<.05). Multiple logistic analysis and path analysis showed that susceptibility, severity, barriers, and mother's self-efficacy were related to therapeutic compliance (P<.05). Moreover, mother's self-efficacy was identified as the most important factor. Conclusion : To improve therapeutic compliance among pediatric patients, parental education is necessary, and a health care professional must take a thorough history of how the medication was taken before it is assumed that treatment failure is attributable to the medication prescribed. Furthermore, the type of device recommended for dosing should be determined by clinicians. In addition, it is important that pediatric medications be discussed in relation to their palatability and internal acceptability.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.62-70
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• 2013

The aim of this study was to analyze factors related to xerostomia in adults aged 30 years and over. The data were analyzed using the t-test, one-way ANOVA and multiple linear regression analysis in the SPSS version 12.0 program. The results were as follow. 1. The respondents who were older than 51 years old, unemployed and had less than 3 million won of average monthly income were more aware of xerostomia (p<0.05). 2. The respondents who answered poor and moderate for their general and oral health and the group with duplicate medication and comorbidity were more aware of xerostomia (p<0.05). 3. The respondents that had problems in chewing, communication, ordinary activities and complained of pain discomfort and suffered from anxiety depression were more aware of xerostomia (p<0.001). 4. The respondents that answered frequent dryness on their skin, eyes, lips, and nasal mucosa were more aware of xerostomia (p<0.001). 5. Xerostomia showed highest correlation with quality of life ($\beta$=0.436) followed by the number of medications ($\beta$=0.239), sense of entire body dryness ($\beta$=0.200), feeling of hopelessness ($\beta$=0.160) and number of oral mucosa disease symptoms ($\beta$=0.099) (p<0.05). According to the results of the study, xerostomia may cause deterioration in quality of life. Thus, it is advised to improve the patient management system among dental professions to prevent various complications caused by xerostomia and conduct regular health education on the cause and management method of xerostomia.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2014

Purpose: Although vitamin D deficiency is more commonly found in cancer patient than in non-cancer patients, there have been little data regarding the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in cancer patients at the very end of life. We examined vitamin D deficiency in terminally ill cancer patients and related factors. Methods: This study was based on a retrospective chart review of 133 patients in a hospice ward. We collected data regarding age, sex, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level, cancer type, physical performance, current medications and various laboratory findings. We investigated factors related to serum vitamin D levels after multivariate adjustment for potential confounders. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D<20 ng/mL was considered deficient and <10 ng/mL severely deficient. Results: Ninety-five percent of the patients were serum vitamin D deficient. Severe vitamin D deficiency was more common in male patients, non-lung cancer patients, $H_2$ blocker users and non-anticonvulsant users. Elevated levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were also associated with low serum vitamin D levels. Multiple regression analysis showed that severe vitamin D deficiency was associated with male gender (aOR 3.82, 95% CI: 1.50~9.72, P=0.005), $H_2$ blocker users (aOR 3.94, 95% CI: 1.61~9.65, P=0.003) and elevated serum ALT levels (aOR 4.52, 95% CI: 1.35~15.19, P=0.015). Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency was highly prevalent among terminally ill cancer patients. Severe vitamin D deficiency was more common in male patients, $H_2$ blocker users, and patients with elevated ALT levels.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.29-40
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to examine the association among bone mineral density (BMD), biochemical bone markers, nutrients, and salt intake in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. We evaluated 431 subjects who visited a health promotion center of a university hospital between January 2008 and July 2009. We excluded those who were taking medications or who had an endocrine disorder affecting osteoporosis. The subjects were divided into premenopausal (n = 283) and postmenopausal (n = 143) women. We evaluated the correlation among BMD of the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total femoral, as well as biochemical bone markers, hormone, serum profiles, general characteristics, nutrient intakes, and food intake frequencies. From a stepwise multiple regression analysis, lumbar spine BMD was positively correlated with weight (p < 0.001) and negatively correlated with osteocalcin (OC)(p < 0.001), Femoral neck BMD was positively correlated with weight (p < 0.001) and negatively correlated with C-telopeptide (CTx) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP)(p < 0.001, p < 0.05). In premenopausal women, femoral total BMD was positively correlated with BMI (p < 0.001) and negatively correlated with CTx (p < 0.001). In postmenopausal women, lumbar spine BMD was positively correlated with calcium intake (p < 0.01) and negatively correlated with sodium intake (p < 0.01). Femoral neck and femoral total BMD were both positively correlated with weight (p < 0.001), and femoral neck BMD was negatively correlated with age and ALP (p < 0.001, p < 0.05). Femoral total BMD was negatively correlated with age and OC (p < 0.001, p < 0.01). These results suggest that reducing sodium intake may play an important role delaying bone resorption and preventing a decrease in BMD.