• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.1211-1217
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• 2014

Background: Cancer in infants younger than one year of age represents a unique problem with distinct epidemiological, clinical and genetic characteristics compared with older age groups. No report is yet available from Iran regarding epidemiological and survival rate of cancers diagnosed in this age group. Materials and Methods: The population under study comprised of patients which were diagnosed and admitted to Ali-Asghar hospital between years 1996-2005. In total, 287 infants were included in the retrospective descriptive survey. Patient files were evaluated for age of patient at the time of diagnosis, sex, geographical residence, consanguinity of parents, histological diagnosis, site of cancer involvement, type of therapy, date of last follow-up and cause of death (if applicable). Results: The average age at the time of diagnosis was 7.2 months old. The most frequent malignancy was retinoblastoma (44%), followed by leukemia (19%) and neuroblastoma (10%), with five-year overall survival rates of 77.7%, 41% and 90%, respectively Parents of 40 infants (13.9%) had consanguinity relationships. Conclusions: Although we cannot make any conclusions regarding the incidence of infant cancer subtypes based on this study, survival rates for major types were similar to the developed countries, which signifies strict adherence to standards of care in Ali-Asghar hospital, the main infant cancer care centre in Iran. A Childhood Cancer Registry with high-resolution data collection and also advanced genetic testing is advocated for in-depth analysis of variation in incidence and survival.

• 한국임상수의학회지
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.268-272
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• 2009

An-11-year-old male Shih-tzu was admitted to emergency care unit of Haemaru Referral Animal Hospital with signs of dyspnea, anuria and depression. There were abnormalities on complete blood count and serum chemistry included leukocytosis with mild left shift, mild azotemia, and increased ALT activity. Fluid therapy(0.9% saline, 40 ml/hr) and antibiotics were immediately initiated. The patient began to vomit after 5 hours' rest and pale mucous membrane, bradycardia, and hypertension were noted. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed enlarged left adrenal gland and thrombus in caudal vena cava(CVC). Result of ACTH stimulation test was normal. Cytology of ultrasound-guided FNA smears showed numerous naked nuclei, which was suggestive of adrenal medullar tumor. Concentrations of 24 hour urine metanephrine and normetanephrine was moderately increased compared to those of a control dog. Adrenal mass was surgically removed, and biopsy of the CVC mass was obtained. After surgery the patient began to recover but the dog acutely developed cardiopulmonary arrest and died. On histopathology the adrenal mass and biopsy of the CVC mass were consistent with pheochromocytoma. On electron microscopic view norepinephrine specific granules were found in the cytoplasm of tumor cells.

• 의학교육논단
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.10-17
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• 2022

South Korea is not a wasteland of publicly funded health care-instead, it has a good medical social security system known as the national health insurance (NHI). The NHI of Korea has three unique features; (1) low premiums, low insurance fees, and low coverage; (2) obligatory designation of medical institutions; (3) and allowance of non-benefit services. These features have made hospitals and doctors interested in profit-seeking. However, the commercialization of medical institutions has taken place in both private- and public-established sectors. A basic problem of commercialization is the co-existence of the obligatory designation of medical institutions and non-benefit services. The problem became worse in the Kim Dae-Jung government because it officially permitted non-benefit services. Since 2000, the Korean government has consistently pursued benefit extension policies, but the coverage rates of the NHI have stagnated. In addition, premiums and current medical expenses have markedly increased because policy-makers have emphasized accessibility to the NHI, while ignoring important principles of medical social security such as a needs-based approach and patient-referral system. In order to resolve the commercialization problem, the obligatory designation of medical institutions to the NHI should be changed to a contract system, and non-benefit services should be prohibited at NHI institutions. We must re-establish the patient-referral system via a needs-based approach. We also need to build a primary healthcare system and public health policies. We should make a long-term plan for healthcare reform.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.51.1-51.11
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• 2024

Importance: Feline calicivirus (FCV)-associated viral systemic disease (VSD) is a severe systemic disease caused by virulent FCV strains and has a very poor prognosis. Objective: To evaluate the clinical characteristics of a nosocomial FCV-VSD outbreak involving 18 cats in Korea. Methods: Medical records of cats diagnosed with FCV-VSD from March to September 2018 at a referral veterinary hospital were reviewed. The patient's signalment, history, clinical features, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis were evaluated. Results: Two outbreaks involving 18 cats diagnosed with FCV-VSD occurred over a 6-month period at a referral hospital in Korea. Anorexia, lethargy, fever, and limb edema were the most commonly observed clinical symptoms. Lymphopenia and macrothrombocytopenia were the most common hematological findings, and hyperbilirubinemia and increased levels of aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, and serum amyloid A were the most frequent results of serum biochemistry. FCV was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in 11 patients and the remaining 7 were suspected with FCV-VSD. The overall mortality rate was 72.2%. The hospital was closed and disinfected twice, and no additional outbreaks have occurred since the last patient. Conclusions and Relevance: The clinical and diagnostic characteristics and outcomes of FCV-VSD described in this study can be used to recognize and contain infectious diseases through quick action. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of a nosocomial outbreak of FCV-VSD in Asia.

• Journal of mucopolysaccharidosis and rare diseases
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.11-13
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• 2018

In Malaysia, diagnosis and treatment of patients with mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) is mainly localized at Hospital Kuala Lumpur, which is the national referral center for rare diseases. To date there are 83 patients diagnosed with MPS in our center, with MPS II being the commonest. The Malaysian National Medicines Policy second edition has a specific section on the orphan drugs which includes recombinant human enzyme for enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) in MPS. So far, National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency Malaysia has approved recombinant human enzyme for MPS types I (Loranidase), II (idursulfase), IVA (elosulfase alfa), and VI (Galsufase). Access to Idursulfase beta (another recombinant human enzyme for MPS II) and vestronidase alfa-vjbk (MPS VII) required special authorization on named patient basic. Currently there are 25 patients receiving ERT, 70% of the funding are from Ministry of Health (MOH), the remaining 30% are from various charitable funds and humanitarian programs. Thirteen newly diagnosed patients have to queue for an additional fund. Four patients have been treated with Hematopoietic stem cell transplant. MOH has also published guidelines regarding the patient selection criteria for ERT and treatment monitoring schedule.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.112-114
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• 2011

Due to its complex pathophysiology and wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, the diagnosis of CRPS is often missed in the early stage by primary care physicians. After being treated by a primary care physician for 5 months for chronic cellulitis, a 16-year-old girl was referred to our hospital with features of type-1 CRPS of the right upper extremity. Inability to diagnose early caused prolonged suffering to the girl with all the consequence of CRPS. The patient responded well with marked functional recovery from multimodal therapy. Ability to distinguish CRPS from other pain conditions, referral for specialty care at the appropriate time and full awareness of this condition and its clinical features among various healthcare professionals are essential in reducing patient suffering and stopping its progression towards difficult-to-treat situations.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.10-17
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• 2012

목적: 완화의료를 위해서는 완화의료 대상자에 대한 판단을 하고 완화의료를 직접 시행하거나 완화의료에 자문/의뢰하는 의료인의 역할이 중요하다. 이에 본 연구는 한국의 암환자를 주로 진료하는 의사들의 완화의료에 대한 인식과 완화의료 의뢰 시 장애요인에 대해 알아보았다. 방법: 2010년 5월부터 6월까지 암환자를 주로 진료하는 전문의 477명을 대상으로 무기명 자기 기입식 웹 설문 조사를 수행하였다. 결과: 총 128명(26.8%)이 응답하였고, 설문에 응답한 모든 의사들은 말기암환자에게 완화의료가 필요하다고 생각하는 것으로 조사되었다. 80% 이상의 응답자들이 '3차 의료기관 및 암센터는 완화의료 서비스를 제공해야 한다.', '진행 암환자는 항암 화학요법을 받는 중이더라도 완화의료를 받아야 한다.', '말기암환자의 치료에는 여러 과의 협력이 필요하다.'에 동의하였다. 완화의료 수행능력에 대해서는 58% 이상이 자신이 하고 있는 신체 증상 조절 및 정신증상 조절, 말기암환자 가족의 정서적 지지에 만족한다고 응답하였으나 전반적인 말기암환자 및 임종 환자 관리 서비스는 64%에서 '만족스럽지 않다'고 응답하였다. 응답자 중 34명(26.6%)은 '자신의 말기암환자를 완화의료팀으로 자문'하거나 '의뢰한 경험이 없는 것'으로 나타났고 완화의료 의뢰의 장애 요인으로 '환자나 보호자의 거부'가 61명(47.7%)으로 가장 많았으며 다음으로 '믿고 의뢰할 수 있는 완화의료팀이 없어서'라고 응답한 의사가 59명(46.1%)으로 많았다. 결론: 본 연구에서 대부분의 암환자를 주로 진료하는 의사들은 말기암환자의 완화의료 시행에 대해 긍정적 인식을 가지고 있지만 실제 말기암환자 진료에 있어 다학제 간 협력이나 임종관리까지 충분한 완화의료의 제공은 이뤄지지 않는 것으로 나타났다. 효율적이고 수준 높은 말기암환자의 관리를 위해서 보다 적극적인 완화 의료 자문이나 의뢰가 시행되어야 할 것으로 생각된다.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제45권4호
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• pp.384-387
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• 2018

Blepharoplasty is one of the most commonly performed aesthetic procedures. Surgical complications are rare, but can have severe consequences, such as permanent vision loss. In this report, we describe a patient who developed primary angle-closure glaucoma (ACG) with associated vision loss after a oculoplastic procedure using local anesthesia. So far, six similar cases have been described in the literature. It is believed that acute ACG is triggered by the surgical procedure in patients with predisposing risk factors such as a cataract. Surgical triggering factors include the use of buffered lidocaine/xylocaine with adrenaline/epinephrine, stress, and coverage of the eyes postoperatively. Due to postoperative analgesic use, the clinical presentation can be mild and atypical, leading to a significant diagnostic delay. Acute ACG should therefore be excluded in each patient with postoperative complaints by assessing pupillary reactions. If a fixed mid-wide pupil is observed in an ophthalmologic examination, an immediate ophthalmology referral is warranted. Surgeons should be aware of this rare complication in order to offer treatment at an early stage and to minimize the chance of irreversible vision loss.

• 보건의료산업학회지
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• 제6권2호
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• pp.101-109
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• 2012

This study purposed to analyze the differences of cost, length of stay, and number of visits between patients who referred from clinics to a general hospital and patients who directly visit a general hospital. Study sample included 402 patients (177 patients who were not referred from clinics, 225 patients who referred from clinics) who visited the Dept. of Gastroenterology in a university hospital in Daejeon from January to June in 2007. Cost and patients' information were collected from Hospital Information System and medical record. SPSS v.12.0 was used for the statistical analysis. Multiple regression analysis found that for inpatients, location variables and malignant tumors of digestive organs had a significant influence on cost variable. For outpatients, a referring hospital type and visiting month had significant influences on total cost, and sex and visiting month (February) had significant relationship with number of visit. The study results help to understand the differences of patient care depending on whether they were referred from clinics or not. Hospital managements could use the results for marketing purposes, and it could provide valuable information for increasing the competitiveness of hospital in a given market.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• 제48권4호
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• pp.181-185
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• 2023

We present a case report of a 52-year-old male patient who suffered head trauma in a car accident and subsequently experienced taste and smell disorders. Following the accident, the patient reported difficulty detecting salty and sour tastes and diminished olfactory perception. Neurosurgical evaluation revealed subarachnoid and subdural hemorrhages, while otolaryngology investigations revealed hyposmia-a decreased sense of smell. Upon referral to the Department of Oral Medicine, a comprehensive assessment revealed a general bilateral reduction in taste sensation, particularly ageusia for salty taste. Electric taste-detection thresholds significantly exceeded the normal ranges. Integrating our findings from neurosurgery, otolaryngology, and oral medicine resulted in a diagnosis of mixed chemosensory disorder attributed to head trauma. This case highlights the intricate interplay of alterations in taste and smell following head injury, emphasizing the significance of multidisciplinary evaluations in diagnosing mixed chemosensory disorders resulting from traumatic brain injury.