• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.853-863
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• 1999

This study was designed and undertaken to examine the sexual concern and sexual satisfaction in diabetic patients. The data were collected from September to November, 1997. The subjects in this study were 77 diabetic patients who visited to check their blood glucose level to the outpatient department of internal medicine in one of hospitals located in Taejon city. The questionnaires developed by Derogatis L. R. were used. Data were analysed using percentages, means, F-test, done with the SAS program. The results of this study were as follows ; 1) In the question that If the patients want to be counselled about sexual need or not, male and female diabetic patients answered "moderate"(37 patients(48.1%). 2) In the question that if the patients are worry for their sexual life or not because of present illness, male and female diabetic patients answered "moderate"(27 patients (35.1%). 3) In the question that If the patients worried about sexual life, they wish to counsell for who, the majority of patients answered that want to counsell the medical doctor(49 patients(64.5%). 4) In the question that if a medical team is concerned about patient's sexual need or not, the patients usually answered negatively. 5) In the question of attitude about masturbation, male and female answered that they think it doesn't matter if they maintain privacy. 6) In the question that if they use professional therapeutic method for sexual act or not, it is highly appeared not using(72 patients(93.5%). 7) In the relationships between the sexual satisfaction and the sex, age, the period of disease, want to counselling about sexual need, the concern of the medical team about sexual need of the Patients showed statistically significant differences.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2002

Central Cancer Registry of Korean National Cancer Center in 1999 reported that mortality from lung cancer is higher than mortality from stomach cancer or hepatocellular carcinoma in Korean male. Lung cancer is classified into small cell cancer and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and NSCLC patients account for $70\%$ of the whole lung cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of docetaxel and cisplatin combination in Korean patients with NSCLC. All patients who had received the combination therapy of docetaxel and cisplatin for histologically confirmed NSCLC in Ajou University Hospital between 2000. $2\~2001$. 4 were retrospectively evaluated for the responses and toxicities of that combination therapy. Nineteen patients were treated with docetaxel 75 $mg/m^2$ on Day 1 and cisplatin 25 $mg/m^2$ on Day 1-3 every 4 weeks. The response for combination regimen was evaluated by CT scans after 2 or 3 cycles of treatments. Seventeen patients were evaluated for the responses and the 19 patients far the toxicities. Among the 19 patients (14 men and 5 women), there were one patient $(5.3\%)$ with stage I disease, 4 patients $(21.1\%)$ with stage III disease, and 14 patients $(73.1\%)$ with stage IV disease. Of the 17 patients who were evaluable for response, complete response (CR) was not observed in any patient while partial response (PR) was observed in 5 patients $(29.4\%)$. The overall response rate (CR+PR) was $29.4\%$. Stable disease (SD) was observed in 11 patients $(64.7\%)$ and progressive disease (PD) in 1 patient $(5.9\%)$. The toxicities were graded by NCI (National Cancer Institute) Common Toxicity Criteria for the evaluable 70 cycles. Grade 3 or 4 neutropenia occurred in 53 cycles $(76\%)$. Four patients were hospitalized due to febrile neutropenia. The combination chemotherapy of docetaxel and cisplatin was effective as NSCLC treatments, however, the regimen must be administered carefully due to its hematological side effects.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 2002

After the introduction of cyclosporin, the graft survival rate of renal transplant and patients' life expectancy have been greatly improved. However, cyclosporin is known to cause several undesirable side effects, one of which is hyperuricemia, which may subsequently cause gouty nephropathy and graft dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the frequency and predisposing factors of hyperuricemia in cyclosporin-treated patients within one year of kidney transplantation and uricosuric efficacy of benzbromarone. The patients who were treated with cyclosporin after kidney transplantation in 1998 and the patients who were treated with benzbromarone for the control of cyclosporin-induced hyperuricemia in 1999 were investigated retrospectively. Among the 76 patients in cyclosporin-treated patients in 1998, hyperuricemia occurred in 55 patients $(72.4\%)$ and the mean time from kidney transplantation to occurrence of hyperuicemia was $5.0\pm8.0$ months. In 1999, 22 patients were treated with benzbromarone for hyperuricemia and their mean time from kidney transplantation to occurrence of hyperuricemia was $4.5\pm10.4$ months. Acute rejection developed in one patient $(4.8\%)$ out of 21 normo-uricemic patients and 11 patients $(20.0\%)$ out of 55 hyperuricemic patients in 1998. The difference of rejection rate in these two groups was significant (p<0.001). There was no difference of rejection rate between before and after treatment of benzbromarone. Cyclosporin trough levels did not show a significant correlation with the serum uric acid levels among the three groups. However, hyperuricemic patients showed significantly higher serum creatinine levels than patients with normal uric acid levels (p<0.001). Benzbromarone decreased serum uric acid levels from $8.3\pm2.3\;mg/dl\;to\;5.1\pm2.0\;mg/dl$ (p<0.0001) and normalizing serum uric acid in all of 22 patients. Except for one patient $(4.5\%)$ who experienced diarrhea, no significant side effect was noted.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.19-28
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• 2015

Purpose: To compare the clinicopathological data and long-term survival of gastric cancer patients in China and Korea. Materials and Methods: Patients who had undergone gastrectomy for gastric cancer between 1998 and 2009 in 2 high-volume institutions in both China (n=1,637) and Korea (n=2,231) were retrospectively evaluated. Clinicopathological variables, overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and surgery-related complications were assessed for all patients and compared between the 2 institutions. Results: Chinese patients included in the study were significantly older and had a significantly lower body mass index (BMI) than the Korean patients. Esophagogastric junction tumors were more frequent in Chinese patients. However, the number of patients with stage I gastric cancer, the number of harvested lymph nodes, and the number of total gastrectomies were significantly higher in the Korean population. Korean patients also presented with fewer undifferentiated tumors than Chinese patients. Furthermore, Korean patients had prolonged OS and PFS for stage III cancers only. BMI, tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, tumor invasion, number of positive lymph nodes, and distant metastases were all independent factors affecting OS and PFS. Conclusions: Although China and Korea are neighboring Asian countries, the clinicopathological characteristics of Chinese patients are significantly different from those of Korean patients. Korean gastric cancer patients had longer OS and PFS than Chinese patients. Influencing factors included TNM stage, tumor invasion, and lymph node metastasis.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.75-80
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• 2007

Background: While restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common disorder, many patients are still remained undiagnosed and clinical data on Asian RLS patients is still limited in amount. Thus, we aimed to describe the clinical spectrum of Korean patients with RLS. Methods: We assessed the clinical characteristics of 77 consecutive RLS patients (43 men, mean age $59.1{\pm}14.9years$; 34 women, mean age $59.3{\pm}14.7years$) followed up by us for at least one and a half years. Results: The mean age at onset of symptoms was $56.4{\pm}14.1$. Two patients (2.6%) developed RLS before the age of 20 years (early-onset RLS). In 44 patients (57.1%), no underlying cause of RLS was found (idiopathic RLS). Family history for RLS was positive only in two (4.5%) of the 44 idiopathic RLS patients. The mean age of patients with idiopathic RLS was $56.8{\pm}13.1$ and that of patients with symptomatic RLS was $60.9{\pm}14.3$. However, there was no statistically significant difference between two groups (p=0.196). All patients complained sensory and motor symptoms in legs, and additional patients (14.3%) also had symptoms in arms. Two significant complications of long-term treatment with dopaminergic agents, namely augmentation and rebound of symptoms, were only reported in two patients. No patient had been diagnosed as RLS before evaluated by us. Conclusions: Our study had some limitations because limited number of patients was enrolled during a fixed period of follow-up in single third referral hospital. However, our findings suggest there are differences in the clinical characteristics of RLS and long-term responses to dopaminergic agents between patients in Korea and western countries.

• Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.662-674
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• 2018

Purpose: Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of allergic disease. However, the effect of allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) on ILCs remains to be clarified. The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of ILC subsets in allergic rhinitis (AR) patients in response to house dust mite (HDM)-specific immunotherapy. Methods: We enrolled 37 AR patients undergoing AIT (16 responders and 11 non-responders) for 2 years, 35 HDM AR patients and 28 healthy subjects. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were analyzed by flow cytometry to identify ILC subsets. Stimulation of ILC2s with recombinant allergen-specific protein was used to determine ILC2's activation (CD69 expression). Results: Responder AIT patients and healthy subjects had a decreased frequency of circulating ILC2s compared to non-responder AIT and AR patients. Conversely, ILC1s from responder AIT patients and healthy subjects showed increased frequency compared to non-responder AIT and AR patients. The frequency of ILC3s natural cytotoxicity receptor $(NCR)^+$ and $NCR^-$ in responder AIT patients was significantly lower compared to AR patients and healthy subjects. The ILC1: ILC2 proportion in responder AIT patients was similar to that of healthy subjects. PBMCs from patients who were responders to AIT had a significantly lower expression of the activation marker CD69 on ILC2s in response to allergen re-stimulation compared to AR patients, but no difference compared to non-responder AIT patients and healthy subjects. Conclusions: We propose that AIT might affect ILC responses. The activation of ILC2s was reduced in AR patients treated with AIT. Our results indicate that a relative ILC1/ILC2 skewed response is a possible key to successful AIT.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.344-349
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• 2021

Background: Cancer patients have been disproportionally affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, with high rates of severe outcomes and mortality. Fever is the most common symptom in COVID-19 patients. During the COVID-19 pandemic, physicians may have difficulty in determining the cause of fever (COVID-19, another infection, or cancer fever) in cancer patients. Furthermore, there are no specific guidelines for managing cancer patients with fever during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, this study evaluated the clinical characteristics and outcomes of cancer patients with fever during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 328 cancer patients with COVID-19 symptoms (fever) admitted to five hospitals in Daegu, Korea from January to October 2020. We obtained data on demographics, clinical manifestations, laboratory test results, chest computed tomography images, cancer history, cancer treatment, and outcomes of all enrolled patients from electronic medical records. Results: The most common COVID-19-like symptoms were fever (n=256, 78%). Among 256 patients with fever, only three (1.2%) were diagnosed with COVID-19. Most patients (253, 98.8%) with fever were not diagnosed with COVID-19. The most common solid malignancies were lung cancer (65, 19.8%) and hepatobiliary cancer (61, 18.6%). Twenty patients with fever experienced a delay in receiving cancer treatment. Eighteen patients discontinued active cancer treatment because of fever. Major events during the treatment delay period included death (2.7%), cancer progression (1.5%), and major organ dysfunction (2.7%). Conclusion: Considering that only 0.9% of patients tested for COVID-19 were positive, screening for COVID-19 in cancer patients with fever should be based on the physician's clinical decision, and patients might not be routinely tested.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 2019

Objectives To obtain future research basis of Korean Medicine for total knee arthroplasty patient by analyzing medical and Korean Medical service utilization and treatment duration. Methods Data sampling was performed on Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service patient data of 2015 (Confidence level of 97%) to analyze patients' medical and Korean Medical service tendency. Sampling groups were divided into two groups; i) Patients who completed their treatment within 5 months of total knee arthroplasty, ii) Patients who continued their treatment after 5 months of total knee arthroplasty, to investigate patients' medical and Korean Medical service tendency and individual characteristics were carefully monitored. Results It was confirmed that total of 1,655 patients had gone through total knee arthroplasty out of 1,453,486 patients who were gathered for sampling. First sampling group (Patients who completed their treatment within 5 months of total knee arthroplasty) was 287 patients and second sampling group (Patients who continued their treatment after 5 months of total knee arthroplasty) was 385 patients. The proportion of patients who visited Korean Medical service in first sampling group was lower than that of second sampling group. Conclusions It was confirmed that medical and Korean Medical service and cost consumed by second group (Patients who continued their treatment after 5 months of total knee arthroplasty) was higher than that of first group (Patients who continued their treatment after 5 months of total knee arthroplasty). It is highly recommended to continue with further study for efficient medical and Korean Medical service and reduced cost.

• Translational and Clinical Pharmacology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.118-127
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• 2018

The safety and efficacy of fimasartan have been evaluated through post-marketing surveillance in real world clinical practice. The multi-center, prospective, open-label and non-interventional study. A total of 3,945 patients (3,729 patients for safety assessment and 3,473 patients for efficacy assessment) were screened in patients with essential hypertension in 89 study centers from 9 September 2010 through 8 September 2016. Among the total patients, 2,893 patients (77.6%) were administered fimasartan for 24 weeks or longer and were classified as 'patients with long-term follow-up', and the additional safety and efficacy analysis were performed. The improvement was defined as systolic blood pressure (SBP) controlled to ${\leq}140mmHg$ or decreased SBP differences ${\geq}20mmHg$ after treatment or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) controlled to ${\leq}90mmHg$ or decreased DBP differences ${\geq}10mmHg$ after treatment. Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) were reported in 3.8% patients; dizziness, and hypotension were the most frequently reported ADRs in total patients. The results of patients with long-term follow-up were comparable with total patients. The overall improvement rate in all efficacy assessment at the last visit was 87.1% (3,025/3,473 patients). The overall improvement rate of the patients with long-term follow-up was 88.9%. Fimasartan was well tolerated, with no new safety concerns identified and an effective treatment in the real world clinical practice for Korean patients with hypertension.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.20-29
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• 2022

Background: Patients with high-risk (HR) operable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may have unique prognostic factors. This study aimed to evaluate surgical outcomes in HR patients and to investigate prognostic factors in HR patients versus standard-risk (SR) patients. Methods: In total, 471 consecutive patients who underwent curative lung resection for NSCLC between January 2012 and December 2017 were identified and reviewed retrospectively. Patients were classified into HR (n=77) and SR (n=394) groups according to the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group criteria (Z4099 trial). Postoperative complications were defined as those of grade 2 or higher by the Clavien-Dindo classification. Results: The HR group comprised more men and older patients, had poorer lung function, and had more comorbidities than the SR group. The patients in the HR group also experienced more postoperative complications (p≤0.001). More HR patients died without disease recurrence. The postoperative complication rate was the only significant prognostic factor in multivariable Cox regression analysis for HR patients but not SR patients. HR patients without postoperative complications had a survival rate similar to that of SR patients. Conclusion: The overall postoperative survival of HR patients with NSCLC was more strongly affected by postoperative complications than by any other prognostic factor. Care should be taken to minimize postoperative complications, especially in HR patients.