• Title/Summary/Keyword: patient food

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In-hospital malnutrition among adult patients in a national referral hospital in Indonesia

  • Dyah Purnamasari;Nur Chandra Bunawan;Dwi Suseno;Ikhwan Rinaldi;Drupadi HS Dillon
    • Nutrition Research and Practice
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    • v.17 no.2
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    • pp.218-227
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    • 2023
  • BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Malnutrition during hospitalization is linked to increased morbidity and mortality, but there are insufficient studies observing clinical factors contributing to weight loss during hospitalization in Indonesia. This study was therefore undertaken to determine the rate of weight loss during hospitalization and the contributing factors. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This was a prospective study involving hospitalized adult patients aged 18-59 yrs, conducted between July and September 2019. Body weight measurement was taken at the time of admission and on the last day of hospitalization. The factors studied were malnutrition at admission (body mass index < 18.5 kg/m2), immobilization, depression (Beck Depression Inventory-II Indonesia), polypharmacy, inflammatory status (neutrophil-lymphocytes ratio; NLR), comorbidity status (Charlson Comorbidity Index; CCI), and length of stay. RESULTS: Totally, 55 patients were included in the final analysis, with a median age of 39 (18-59 yrs) yrs. Of these, 27% had malnutrition at admission, 31% had a CCI score > 2, and 26% had an NLR value of ≥ 9. In all, 62% presented with gastrointestinal symptoms, and depression was documented in one-third of the subjects at admission. Overall, we recorded a mean weight loss of 0.41 kg (P = 0.038) during hospitalization, with significant weight loss observed among patients hospitalized for 7 days or more (P = 0.009). The bivariate analysis revealed that inflammatory status (P = 0.016) was associated with in-hospital weight loss, while the multivariate analysis determined that the contributing factors were length of stay (P < 0.001) and depression (P = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: We found that inflammatory status of the patient might influence the incidence of weight loss during hospitalization, while depression and length of stay were independent predictors of weight loss during hospitalization.

A Study on Developing Safety and Performance Assessment Guideline for Electronic Warm-Acupuncture Apparatus (전기식 온침기에 대한 안전성 및 성능평가 가이드라인 개발 연구)

  • Hansol Jang;U-Ryeong Chung;Jeong-Hyun Moon;Seong-Kyeong Choi;Won-Suk Sung;Min-Seop Hwang;Seung-Deok Lee;Kyung-Ho Kim;Jong-Hwa Yoon;Eun-Jung Kim
    • The Journal of Korean Medicine
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    • v.43 no.3
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    • pp.150-163
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    • 2022
  • Objectives: This research aimed to develop a guideline for evaluating safety and performance of electronic warm-acupuncture apparatus. With the development of medical devices like electronic warm-acupuncture apparatus with improved performance, convenience and safety measures compared to traditional warm-acupuncture needling, safety and performance guideline is a necessity. Methods: By referring to existing standards and guidelines of other electronic devices for Korean medicine with heating function, guideline for safety and performance assessment of electronic warm-acupuncture apparatus was drafted Results: The guideline, presents explanation for adequate temperature and settings of the apparatus, and safety measurements providing against thermal runaway situations along with guidelines for the manual. Guideline for detailed test method for the performance of the apparatus such as accuracy of temperature increase and the timer, and safety unit was also provided. The test items and suggested test methods for the requirements of biological, electrical and electromagnetic safety were referred to Korean approval documents of ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Conclusion: We proposed the relevant items to verify performance and safety of warm-acupuncture apparatus to assure patient safety and improve the quality of currently developing devices for application in clinical field.

Reviews of Radiation Protection and Shielding for Computed Tomography in Foreign Countries (외국의 컴퓨터 단층촬영 장치의 방어시설 문헌 조사)

  • Jahng, Geon-Ho;Yang, Dal-Mo;Sung, Dong-Wook;Lee, Kwang-Yong;Kim, Hyeog-Ju
    • Progress in Medical Physics
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    • v.19 no.4
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    • pp.276-284
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    • 2008
  • A computed tomography (CT) is a powerful system for the effectively fast and accurate diagnosis. The CT system, therefore, has used substantially and developed for improving the performance over the past decade, resulting in growing concerns over the radiation dose from the CT. Advanced CT techniques, such as a multidetector row CT scanner and dual energy or dual source CT, have led to new clinical applications that could result in further increases of radiation does for both patients and workers. The objective of this study was to review the international guidelines of the shielding requirements for a CT facility required for a new installation or when modifying an existing one. We used Google Search Engine to search the following keywords: computed tomography, CT regulation or shield or protection, dual energy or dual source CT, multidetector CT, CT radiation protection, and regulatory or legislation or regulation CT. In addition, we searched some special websites, that were provided for sources of radiation protection, shielding, and regulation, RSNA, AAPM, FDA, NIH, RCR, ICRP, IRPA, ICRP, IAEA, WHO (See in Table 1 for full explanations of the abbreviations). We finally summarized results of the investigated materials for each country. The shielding requirement of the CT room design was very well documented in the countries of Canada, United States of America, and United Kingdom. The wall thickness of the CT room could be obtained by the iso-exposure contour or the point source method. Most of documents provided by international organizations were explained in importance of radiation reduction in patients and workers. However, there were no directly-related documents of shielding and patient exposure dose for the dual energy CT system. Based international guidelines, the guideline of the CT room shielding and radiation reduction in patients and workers should be specified for all kinds of CT systems, included in the dual energy CT. We proposed some possible strategies in this paper.

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Perception and Satisfaction on Nutrition Counseling Service for Patients Consuming a Therapeutic Diet at Hospitals in Busan (부산지역 일부병원 치료식 섭취 환자의 영양상담에 대한 인식 및 만족도)

  • Yi, Jeong-Ryeh;Son, Eun-Joo;Lyu, Eun-Soon
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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    • v.39 no.9
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    • pp.1305-1312
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    • 2010
  • The purpose of this study was to investigate the perception and satisfaction on the nutrition counseling service for patients consuming a therapeutic diet at hospitals in Busan. The subjects were 153 inpatients at five hospitals with over 400 beds each. The research was performed through the interviewing process using questionnaires conducted from January to February, 2008. In a total of 88 patients, 57.5% had experienced nutrition counseling and were through the motives of counseling with doctors 64.2% and themselves 29.3% of the patients. In the method of nutrition counseling, 58% of the patients had an individual counseling. In the patients' perception on the nutrition counseling, 75.0% of the patients understood very well, 83.0% of them perceived the explanation as very important, 79.5% were very satisfied and 78.7% were helped in nutrition-management. On a scale of 5.00 for the nutrition counseling satisfaction, the average scores were 3.80 for 'explanation of knowledge', 3.71 for 'cognitive communication skills', 4.05 for 'effective communication skills' and 3.60 for 'facilitation skills'. The items of low scores in the nutrition counseling satisfaction were 'follow up diet-therapy after discharge', 'providing to personalized nutrition information', 'presentation of specific menu' and 'methods of menu planning'. There were significant (p<0.01) positive correlation between perception and satisfaction on the nutrition counseling. Therefore, it was suggested that dietitians increase the patients' satisfaction on the nutrition counseling with developing the model based on the patient-centered counseling.

Microbiological, physicochemical, and organoleptic evaluation of fresh-cut vegetables irradiated using X-rays (엑스선 조사처리된 신선편의 채소류의 미생물학적, 이화학적, 관능적 품질 평가)

  • Moon, Byeong-Geum;Song, Beom-Seok;Park, Jong-Heum;Kim, Jae-Kyung;Park, Ha-Young;Kim, Dong-Ho;Son, Eun-Joo;Im, Don-Sun;Eun, Jong-Bang
    • Food Science and Preservation
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    • v.24 no.1
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    • pp.27-35
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    • 2017
  • Microbiological, physicochemical, and organoleptic properties of fresh-cut vegetables (FVs), carrots, green peppers, cherry tomatoes, and paprika after X-ray irradiation were evaluated to verify food quality suitable for the immune-depressed patients. Total concentrations of aerobic bacteria in non-irradiated samples, except for cherry tomatoes, were 1.63-3.34 log CFU/g. Irradiation dose exceed 0.4 kGy was used for carrots and green peppers whereas the sterilization dose of 0.2 kGy was used for both cherry tomatoes and paprika. A dose of 0.4 kGy was tentatively determined as the minimum allowable dose for sterilization of the FVs, based on $D_{10}$-values of X-ray irradiation (0.11-0.32 kGy) for Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella Typhimurium inoculated on the samples. With respect to the physiological properties, only hardness was significantly decreased as the absorbed dose increased; however, there were no significant differences in hardness of the sterilized samples using X-rays at 0.4 kGy compared with those of non-irradiated samples (p<0.05). Moreover, overall acceptance scores of the sterilized FVs were higher than 5.0 points on a 7-point scale, indicating a good organoleptic quality. In a survey on preference of hospitalized patients with cancer (n=50), the average scores for the sterilized FVs, except for carrots, were higher than 4.0 points. In conclusion, it is considered that the FVs, except for carrots, sterilized using X-rays at 0.4 kGy could be served to immune-depressed patients as hygienically safe foods with acceptable organoleptic properties.

A clinical study of allergic rhinitis (알레르기 비염에 관한 임상적 연구)

  • 채병윤
    • The Journal of Korean Medicine
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    • v.21 no.3
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    • pp.149-165
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    • 2000
  • As recent developments of Immunology and Nuclear medicine, serum IgE and IgG values are helpful in the diagnosis and evaluation of the therapeutic effects of nasal allergies. But in Korea, air pollution and the increased use of food additives have become leading factors in nasal allergies, It seems to be induced by environmental change, especially industrialization and urbanization, so allergic rhinitis in our environment has changed in accordance with the changes made in the living environment. Therefore this study is attempted in order to observe a clinical analysis which places more importance on allergic rhinitis. We studied 200 patients who had visited Kyunghee Oriental Medical Center with allergic rhinitis from January 1, 1999 to December 31, 1999 The results were as follows: 1. The sex distribution was 114 males(57%) and 86 females(43%). In age distribution, the average age was 25. In males, ages ranged from 3 to 66 years old and the average was 23.81. In females, ages ranged from 4 to 67 years old and the average was 28.57. The peak age was 30~39 years old(24%); under 9 years old and 10~19 years old were each 18%; 20~29 years old was 22%; 40~49 years old was 11 %; over 50 years old 6.5%. The gulf between males and females showed a statistically significant difference(P<0.025). 2. In the age of onset, male' s maximum was 62.5, minimum was 0.25; female s maximum was 59.5, minimum was 0.2. Under 9 years old was the most with 34%(male 24%, female 10%), 10~19 years old was 18%, 20~29 years old was 22.5%, 30~39 years old was 13.50%, over 40 years old was 12%, The gulf between males and females were showed statistically significant difference.(p<0.014) 3. The average duration of the disease was 5.67 years. In male and female, the maximum was 30, the minimum was 0.05; under 5 years old was the most with 62%(male 34.50%, female 27.50%); 6~10 years old was 23%. So, under 10 years old was 85%. There was no statistically significant difference in the duration of disease. 4. Regarding type of residence, 47.50% of patients with allergic rhinitis lived in apartments, 52.50% lived in houses. In males, 29.50% lived in apartments, 27.50% lived in houses. In females, 18% lived in apartments, 25% lived in houses. There was no statistically significant difference in the residence by T-test and chi-test. 5. In the distribution of season, spring is the most with 29.5% of patients, winter 28%, fall 25.5%, and summer 17%. But there was no statistically significant difference. 6. After observing 200 patients with allergic rhinitis, classifying main symptoms into 5 types, sneezing was the main symptom in 177cases(88.50%), nasal obstruction in 176cases(88%), rhinorrhea in 169cases(84.5%), post nasal discharge in 87cases(43.50%), and itching in I04cases(52%). The Cumulus ration is 98.50% and symptoms overlapped with an average 3.57±0.1 times but in an analysis of variance of these symptoms, the gulf between males and females was not recognized as statistically significant by T-test and ANOVA. 7. Patients whose families have allergic diseases account for 90 cases(45%) : 49cases(24.50%) male and 41cases(20.50%) female. There were 4 cases (71.11 %) whose families have allergic rhinitis, 9cases(10%) of asthma, and 7.78% with allergic dermatitis. There were 61 (67.80%) cases of patients whose parents have allergic diseases; cases wherein the patient s child had allergic diseases numbered 13 (14.45%); and cases with a sibling with allergic diseases totalled 16cases (17.80%). There was no statistically significant difference in allergic disease regarding sex, parents, or siblings by chi-test. 8. Blood type: For males, type A is the most common, with 37cases(18.5%), followed by type B with 32cases(16%), type O 28cases(l4%) and type AB 13cases(6.5%). For females, type B is the most common, with 30cases(15%), followed by type O with 23cases(l1.5%), type A with 18cases(9%) and type AB with 13cases(6.5%). There was no statistically significant difference in blood type by chi-test. 9. In the selection of prefered food, most patients prefer cool food, with 98 such cases(49%), tepid food in 54cases(27%) and warm food in 48cases(24%). These showed a statistically significant difference in the selection of prefered food between males and females by chi-test(p<0.009). 10. The state of Past History was classified into II types. chronic hypertrophic rhinitis is the most common with 11cases (18.64%), tonsil and adenoid hypertrophy is 8cases(l3.56%), sinusitis is 6cases(10.17%), nasal septum deviation is 4cases, nasal polyp is 2cases, others are 10cases(l6.95%). No statistically significant difference in past history between males and females was shown, but a statistically significant difference was shown when males and females were compared with total cases by T-test(p<0.002, P<0.0008). 11. Regarding complications, 37 patients (28.91%) had sinusitis: 22cases(17.19%) in male, 15cases(11.72%) in female. Chronic hypertrophic rhinitis was found in 15cases(11.72%). Others are under 10%. There was no statistically significant difference in the type of complications between males and females, but a statistically significant difference was shown when males and females were compared with total cases by T-test(P<0.00l, P<0.007). 12. In the treatment, medication was used 1691 times, an average of 2.58 times. No.34 was used 370 times for 124 cases, an average of 2.98 times. No. 152 was used 318 times for 106 cases, an average of 3.00 times. No.151 was used 307 times for 97cases, an average of 3.16 times. No. 31 was used 117 times for 33 cases, an average of 3.55 times. No 25 was used 116 times for 33 cases, an average of 3.52 times. 13. In the duration of treatment, the most frequent is 1 week(69cases, 34.50%), the maximum is 20weeks, and the minimum is 1week. A treatment period of 2~3 weeks accounted for 32% of cases, a period of 4~5weeks accounted for 13.5%. The gulf between males and females showed a statistically significant difference in the duration of treatment.(p<0.01). There was a statistical significance when the males were compared with total cases by ANOVA(P<0.03). 14. A comparison between before-treatment and after-treatment showed a statistically significant difference in treatment by T-test (p<0.01) and F-test (p<0.0058).

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The Hospital Life of the Patient with Femoral Neck Fracture (대퇴경부 골절 환자의 입원 생활)

  • Kim, Kyung-Ja;Chi, Sung-Ai
    • Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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    • v.2 no.1
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    • pp.35-56
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    • 1996
  • Nowerdays, the increase of traffic accidents and old age population make the Femoral Neck Fracture(FNF) patients increase. By the improvement of education and standard of living the patients demand better medical service than before. This study is designed to give practical help for the FNF patients by observing their hospital life and establish practical nursing strategies for the FNF patients. For these purposes the Ethnographic Participant Observation was adopted. By this study is focused on the hospital life patient's view. For this end, the field study adopted orthopedic ward in the C University Hospital with 400 beds in Seoul. The object patients of the study were twelve patients. The patients experienced five stages : Embarrassment, Conflict, Stability, Independent, and Extension Stage. The findings and prepared nursing strategies are stated as follows. First, in the Embarrassment Stage they suffered embarrassment, anxiety, pain, they could not do ordinary things. The patients who accidental fractures had anxiety from unfamiliar tests and from hospitalization itself. They lamented that they could not ordinary things, and do nothing but obeying the hospital, and endure the pain. They recognized the changed environment and resigned themselves to life in the ward. In this stage, full openness by the nurses is needed. Second, the attribute of the Conflict Stage were conflict, fear, curiosity, belief, reflection. When they sign the consentment form, they experience conflicts about the possibility of complication, fear of recovery from anesthesia, curiosity about the operation procedure, post - operation state, reflection on their past life, and promise to care for their family members after discharge and keep their religious life faithfully. And they accepted the operation depending on God, believing in modern medicine, and the surgeon. Asking for their changed informations, they expected positive results from the operation. In this stage, an empathic attitude by the nurses is needed. Third, the attribute of the Stability Stage were relief, gratitude, difficulty with excretion, and pain. When they awoke from anesthesia, they felt relief because of a the end of the operation, but they experienced extreme pain, difficulty of excretion in bed. They accepted the changed environment and expected recovery. In this stage, support by the nurses is needed. Fourth, the attributes of the Independence Stage were freedom, exercise, nurturing, anxiety, and discomfort. When they ambulated and exercised, they experienced freedom. They showed exhibited weakness of the digestive organs and discomfort hospital's space, structure, and facilities, the delay of medical certificate issue the lack of prompt response by the medical agents. They ate nurturious food and felt anxiety on the end of hospital life and returning to their ordinary life. They showed the independence of overcoming their environment by increasing exercise and expected their discharges. In this stage, respect by the nurses is needed for the patients to, overcome their environment and prepare for their independence. Fifth, the attributes of the Extension Stage were pessimism, isolation, dissatisfaction, and pain. Accompanied injury and old age made their ward life extend to over seven weeks. They exhibited weariness, melancholy, skeptisis, general pessimistic feeling, and desperation caused by their isolated life. They experienced the digestive discomfort caused by the prolonged medication and psycological pain caused by long-time hospitalization. As a, result, their dissatisfaction on the human, physical, and systematic environments had been increased. They acquired critical power and sought for something to do spending their time. They expected vaguely about the returning of their ordinary life. In this stage, counseling is needed by the nurse to overcome positively their psychological, social, and physical problems. The process of the FNF patient's ward life starts from the dependent state, when they are hospitalized, and gradually progresses to self-fulfillment in order to keep independent life. As a result, the FNF patients showed "Response in Challenge" or "Adaptation in Conflict" through their experiences of social, physical, and psychological difficulties.

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Analysis of Patient Effective Dose in PET/CT; Using CT Dosimetry Programs (CT 선량 측정 프로그램을 이용한 PET/CT 검사 환자의 예측 유효 선량의 분석)

  • Kim, Jung-Sun;Jung, Woo-Young;Park, Seung-Yong
    • The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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    • v.14 no.2
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    • pp.77-82
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    • 2010
  • Purpose: As PET/CT come into wide use, it caused increasing of expose in clinical use. Therefore, Korea Food and Drug Administration issued Patient DRL (Diagnostic Reference Level) in CT scan. In this study, to build the basis of patient dose reduction, we analyzed effective dose in transmission scan with CT scan. Materials and Methods: From February, 2010 to March 180 patients (age: $55{\pm}16$, weight: $61.0{\pm}10.4$ kg) who examined $^{18}F$-FDG PET/CT in Asan Medical Center. Biograph Truepoint 40 (SIEMENS, GERMANY), Biograph Sensation 16 (SIEMENS, GERMANY) and Discovery STe8 (GE healthcare, USA) were used in this study. Per each male and female average of 30 patients doses were analyzed by one. Automatic exposure control system for controlling the dose can affect the largest by a patient's body weight less than 50 kg, 50-60 kg less, 60 kg more than the average of the three groups were divided doses. We compared that measured value of CT-expo v1.7 and ImPACT v1.0. The relationship between body weight and the effective dose were analyzed. Results: When using CT-Expo V1.7, effective dose with BIO40, BIO16 and DSTe8 respectably were $6.46{\pm}1.18$ mSv, $9.36{\pm}1.96 $mSv and $9.36{\pm}1.96$ mSv for 30 male patients respectably $6.29{\pm}0.97$ mSv, $10.02{\pm}2.42$ mSv and $9.05{\pm}2.27$ mSv for 30 female patients respectably. When using ImPACT v1.0, effective dose with BIO40, BIO16 and DSTe8 respectably were $6.54{\pm}1.21$ mSv, $8.36{\pm}1.69$ mSv and $9.74{\pm}2.55$Sv for 30 male patients respectably $5.87{\pm}1.09$ mSv, $8.43{\pm}1.89$ mSv and $9.19{\pm}2.29$ mSv for female patients respectably. When divided three groups which were under 50 kg, 50~60 kg and over 60 kg respectably were 6.27 mSv, 7.67 mSv and 9.33 mSv respectably using CT-Expo V1.7, 5.62 mSv, 7.22 mSv and 8.91 mSv respectably using ImPACT v1.0. Weight and the effective dose coefficient analysis showed a very strong positive correlation(r=743, r=0.693). Conclusion: Using such a dose evaluation programs, easier to predict and evaluate the effective dose possible without performing phantom study and such dose evaluation programs could be used to collect basic data for CT dose management.

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Development and Evaluation of a Nutritional Risk Screening Tool (NRST) for Hospitalized Patients (입원환자의 영양불량위험 검색도구의 개발 및 평가)

  • Han, Jin-Soon;Lee, Song-Mi;Chung, Hye-Kyung;Ahn, Hong-Seok;Lee, Seung-Min
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
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    • v.42 no.2
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    • pp.119-127
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    • 2009
  • Malnutrition of hospitalized patients can adversely affect clinical outcomes and cost. Several nutritional screening tools have been developed to identify patients with malnutrition risk. However, many of those possess practical pitfalls of requiring much time and labor to administer and may not be highly applicable to a Korean population. This study sought to develop and evaluate a Nutrition Risk Screening Tool (NRST) which is simple and quick to administer and widely applicable to Korean hospitalized patients with various diseases. The study was also designed to generate a screening tool predictable of various clinical outcomes and to validate it against the Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS 2002). Electronic medical records of 424 patients hospitalized at a general hospital in Seoul during a 14-month period were abstracted for anthropometric, medical, biochemical, and clinical outcome variables. The study employed a 4-step process consisting of selecting NRST components, searching a scoring scheme, validating against a reference tool, and confirming clinical outcome predictability. NRST components were selected by stepwise multiple regression analysis of each clinical outcome (i.e., hospitalization period, complication, disease progress, and death) on several readily available patient characteristics. Age and serum levels of albumin, hematocrit (Hct), and total lymphocyte count (TLC) remained in the last model for any of 4 dependent variables were decided as NRST components. Odds ratios of malnutrition risk based on NRS 2002 according to levels of the selected components were utilized to frame a scoring scheme of NRST. A NRST score higher than 3.5 was set as a cut-off score for malnutrition risk based on sensitivity and specificity levels against NRS 2002. Lastly differences in clinical outcomes by patients' NRST results were examined. The results showed that the NRST can significantly predict the in-hospital clinical outcomes. It is concluded that the NRST can be useful to simply and quickly screen patients at high-nutritional risk in relation to prospective clinical outcomes.

Effect of Cardiotonic Pills$^{(R)}$ on Chest Pain and Discomfort: A Multi-center Double-blind Randomized Controlled Trial. (심적환$^{(R)}$이 흉통 흉민에 대하여 미치는 영향에 대한 다기관 무작위배정 이중맹검 임상연구)

  • Jang Insoo;Ko Changnam;Lee In;Park Jung-mi;Kim Sehyun;Kim Sangwoo
    • The Journal of Korean Medicine
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    • v.26 no.2 s.62
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    • pp.95-104
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    • 2005
  • Objectives: This was a double blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical study for evaluation of safety and effective dose finding of Cardiotonic Pills$^{(R)}$ in patients with chest pain and discomfort. Cardiotonic Pills$^{(R)}$ are composed of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix (丹蔘), Notoginseng Radix (三七根) and Borneolum (龍腦). Major effects of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix and Notoginseng Radix are vasodilatation, sedation and analgesic action. Borneolum has an antibacterial effect, and can stimulate the central nervous system. All of these substances are oriental herbs that have been used for a long time in east Asia. Cardiotonic Pills fi received Investigational New Drug (IND) approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the USA and 40 million people in the world take this pill. We performed a phase IV clinical study to confirm its efficacy and safety in patients who have probable cardiogenic or psychogenic chest pain or chest stifling. Methods: This study was planned for a multi-center clinical trial including four university hospitals of oriental medicine in Korea. This was the first time to evaluate the 'planning treatment according to diagnosis (辨證施治)' of chest pain or chest discomfort according to oriental medical guidelines. The patients who were included in this trial were adult volunteers from 20 to 70 years old who had chest pain or chest discomfort more than twice during a recent month, and we received written consent to participate in this study from all of them. After administration of Cardiotonic Pills$^{(R)}$ for 8 weeks, number of occurrences, duration, appearance and degree of chest pain or chest discomfort was observed and degree of symptoms (severity of illness, global improvement) were measured using a patient's global assessment composite scale. Results: In the patient's global assessment scale, the severity of illness of the Cardiotonic Pills$^{(R)}$ group (n=25) was 14/25=0.56 but of the placebo group (n=25) was 7/25=0.28 (p-value=0.0449). This result indicates Cardiotonic Pills$^{(R)}$have a positive effect on the symptoms of chest pain and discomfort. However, the global improvement of the Cardiotonic Pills$^{(R)}$group was 23/25=0.92, and of the placebo group was 22/25=0.88 (p-value=0.6374). The total symptom score of the Cardiotonic Pills$^{(R)}$ group was $1.68\pm20.06$, and of the placebo group was $16.76\pm72.l4$(p-value=0.2285). The number of symptom events of the Cardiotonic Pills$^{(R)}$ group was $72\pm29.78$, and of the placebo group (n=25) was $10.80\pm38.42$ (p­value=0.3660). We could not find any effects on the other factors examined besides the severity of illness, beyond the difference of standard deviations. Conclusions: Cardiotonic Pills$^{(R)}$ significantly reduced chest pain and chest discomfort in patients. Therefore, we expect that Cardiotonic Pills$^{(R)}$ will be helpful for patients with chest pain and chest discomfort not only caused by heart disease but also by other diseases.

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