• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제14권1호
• /
• pp.419-422
• /
• 2013

Conventional classifications of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (GEP-NETs) are rather unsatisfactory because of the variation in survival within each subgroup. Molecular markers are being found able to predict patient outcome in more and more tumours. The aim of this study was to characterize the expression of the proteins cyclin D1, cyclin E and P53 in GEP-NETs and assess any prognostic impact. Tumor specimens from 68 patients with a complete follow-up were studied immunohistochemically for cyclin D1, cyclin E and P53 expression. High cyclin D1 and cyclin E immunostaining (${\geq}$ 5% positive nuclei) was found in 48 (71%) and 24 (35%) cases, and high P53 staining (${\geq}$ 10% positive nuclei) in 33 (49%). High expression of P53 was more common in gastric neuroendocrine tumors and related to malignant behavior, being associate with a worse prognosis on univariate analysis (RR=1.9, 95%CI=1.1-3.2). High expression of cyclin E was significantly associated with shorter survival in the univariate analysis (RR=2.0, 95%CI=1.2-3.6) and multivariate analysis (RR=2.1, 95%CI=1.1-4.0). We found no significant correlation between the expression of cyclin D1 and any clinicopathological variables. Our study indicated a prognostic relevance for cyclin E and P53 immunoreactivity. Cyclin E may be an independent prognostic factor from the 2010 WHO Classification which should be evaluated in further studies.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제16권1호
• /
• pp.259-263
• /
• 2015

Background: In the field of cancer, the ICD-10 coding convention is based on the site of a neoplasm in the body and usually ignores the morphology, thus the same code may be assigned to tumors of different morphologic types in an organ. Nowadays, all general (provincial) and center hospitals in Thailand are equipped with the hospital information system (HIS) database. Objective: This study aimed to find the characteristics and magnitude of agreement represented by the positive predictive value (PPV) of provisional cancer diagnoses in the HIS database in Pattani Hospital in Thailand in comparison with the final cancer diagnosis of the ICD-10 codes generated from a well established cancer registry in Songklanagarind Hospital, the medical school hospital of Prince of Songkla University. Materials and Methods: Data on cancer patients residing in Pattani province who visited Pattani Hospital from January 2007 to May 2011 were obtained from the HIS database. The ICD-10 codes of the HIS computer database of Pattani Hospital were compared against the ICD-10 codes of the same person recorded in the hospital-based cancer registry of Songklanagarind Hospital. The degree of agreement or positive predictive value (PPV) was calculated for each sex and for both sexes combined. Results: A total of 313 cases (15.9%) could be matched in the two databases. Some 222 cases, 109 males and 113 females, fulfilled the criteria of referral from Pattani to Songklanagarind Hospitals. Of 109 male cancer cases, 76 had the same ICD-10 codes in both hospitals, thus, the PPV was 69.7% (95%CI: 60.2-78.2%). Agreement in 76 out of 113 females gave a PPV of 67.3% (95%CI: 57.8-75.8%). The two percentages were found non-significant with Fisher's exact p-value of 0.773. The PPV for combined cases of both sexes was 68.5% (95%CI: 61.9-74.5%). Conclusions: Changes in final diagnosis in the referral system are common, thus the summary statistics of a hospital without full investigation facilities must be used with care, as the statistics are biased towards simple diseases able to be investigated by available facilities. A systematic feedback of patient information from a tertiary to a referring hospital should be considered to increase the accuracy of statistics and to improve the comprehensive care of cancer patients.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• 제58권4호
• /
• pp.413-419
• /
• 2020

Eosinophilia occurs commonly in many diseases including allergic diseases and helminthic infections. Toxocariasis has been suggested as one cause of eosinophilia. The present study was undertaken to examine the prevalence of toxocariasis in patients with eosinophilia and to identify the risk factors for toxocariasis. This prospective cohort study recruited a total of 81 patients with eosinophilia (34 males and 47 females) who visited the outpatient clinic at Seoul National University Hospital from January 2017 to February 2018 and agreed to participate in this study. The prevalence of toxocariasis was examined by T. canis-specific ELISA, and the various risk factors for toxocariasis were evaluated by a questionnaire survey. Among 81 patients with eosinophilia, 18 were positive for anti-T. canis antibodies (22.2%); 88.9% were male (16/18) and 11.1% were female (2/18). Multivariate statistical analysis revealed that males (OR 21.876, 95% CI: 1.667-287.144) with a history of consuming the raw meat or livers of animals (OR 5.899, 95% CI: 1.004-34.669) and a heavy alcohol-drinking habit (OR 8.767, 95% CI: 1.018-75.497) were at higher risk of toxocariasis in patients with eosinophilia. Toxocariasis should be considered a potential cause of eosinophilia when the patient has a history of eating the raw meat or livers of animals in Korea. A single course of albendazole is recommended to reduce the migration of Toxocara larvae in serologically positive cases with eosinophilia.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• 제13권3호
• /
• pp.263-268
• /
• 2022

Health care workers (HCWs) are more than ten times more likely to be infected with coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) than the general population, thus demonstrating the burden of COVID-19 among HCWs. Factors that expose HCWs to a differentially high-risk of COVID-19 acquisition are important to elucidate, enable appropriate public health interventions to mitigate against high risk and reduce adverse outcomes from the infection. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize and critically analyze the existing evidence on SARS-CoV-2 risk factors among HCWs. With no geographical limitation, we included studies, in any country, that reported (i) the PCR laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19 as an independent variable (ii) one or more COVID-19 risk factors among HCWs with risk estimates (relative risk, odds ratio, or hazard ratio) (iii) original, quantitative study design, and published in English or Mandarian. Our initial search resulted in 470 articles overall, however, only 10 studies met the inclusion criteria for this review. Out of the 10 studies included in the review, inadequate/lack of protective personal equipment, performing tracheal intubation, and gender were the most common risk factors of COVID-19. Based on the random effects adjusted pooled relative risk, HCWs who reported the use of protective personal equipment were 29% (95% CI: 16% to 41%) less likely to test positive for COVID-19. The study also revealed that HCWs who performed tracheal intubations were 34% (95% CI: 14% to 57%) more likely to test positive for COVID-19. Interestingly, this study showed that female HCWs are at 11% higher risk (RR 1.11 95% CI 1.01-1.21) of COVID-19 than their male counterparts. This article presents initial findings from a living systematic review and meta-analysis, therefore, did not yield many studies; however, it revealed a significant insight into better understanding COVID-19 risk factors among HCWs; insights important for devising preventive strategies that protect them from this infection.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• 제66권6호
• /
• pp.716-725
• /
• 2023

Objective : Anterior cervical spine surgery (ACSS) is a common surgical procedure used to treat cervical spinal degenerative diseases. One of the complications associated with ACSS is prevertebral soft tissue swelling (PSTS), which can result in airway obstruction, dysphagia, and other adverse outcomes. This study aims to investigate the correlation between various cervical sagittal parameters and PSTS following single-level ACSS, as well as to identify independent risk factors for PSTS. Methods : A retrospective study conducted at a single institution. The study population included all patients who underwent single-level ACSS between January 2014 and December 2022. Patients with a history of cervical spine surgery or trauma were excluded from the study. The presence and severity of PSTS was assessed by reviewing pre- and postoperative imaging studies. The potential risk factors for PSTS that were examined include patient age, sex, body mass index, tobacco use, comorbidities, serum albumin levels, operative time, implant type, implanted level, and various cervical spine sagittal parameters. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to identify the independent risk factors for PSTS. Results : A total of 62 consecutive patients who underwent single-level ACSS over a 8-year period at a single institution were enrolled in this study. Only preoperative segmental angle showed positive correlation with PSTS among various cervical spine sagittal parameters (r=0.36, p=0.005). Artificial disc replacement showed a negative correlation with PSTS (β=-0.38, p=0.002), whereas the use of demineralized bone matrix (DBM) had a positive impact on PSTS (β=0.33, p=0.009). We found that male sex, lower preoperative serum albumin, and implantation of upper cervical level (above C5) were independent predictors for PSTS after single-level ACSS (β=1.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.27 to 2.15; p=0.012; β=-1.63; 95% CI, -2.91 to -0.34; p=0.014; β=1.44; 95% CI, 0.38 to 2.49; p=0.008, respectively). Conclusion : Our study identified male sex, lower preoperative serum albumin levels, and upper cervical level involvement as independent risk factors for PSTS after single-level ACSS. These findings can help clinicians monitor high-risk patients and take preventive measures to reduce complications. Further research with larger sample sizes and prospective designs is needed to validate these findings.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• 제37권4호
• /
• pp.337-344
• /
• 2004

Objectives : This study was performed to determine the incidence density and the prevalence of sero-positive hepatitis C from 1999 to 2002 among adults aged 20 and over residing in Seoul and the Gyeonggi province. Method : The data for period was obtained from 114,635 adults, residing in Seoul or the Gyeonggi province, who had undertaken comprehensive health screening tests from Jan 1999 to Dec 2002 in a University hospital in Seoul. Among them, subjects with sero-negative status against hepatitis C were selected (21,408 in 1999, 28,830 in 2000) and then followed up until Dec 2002 to determine the incidence of hepatitis C during this period. The serum was tested with the immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) which uses third generation HCV antibody. Age adjusted rates were estimated by direct standardization using a reference population of 2000 aged from 20 to 80 years. Results : The prevalence of anti-HCV from 1999 to 2002 was 2.1 per 1000 persons(95% CI $1.8{\sim}2.4$). Male showed 1.7 per 1000 persons (95% CI $1.4{\sim}2.1$), while female showed 2.7 per 1000 persons(95% CI $2.2{\sim}3.2$). Age?sex adjusted rate showed 2.8 per 1000 persons (95% CI $2.64{\sim}2.96$), which is lower than the results of some previous study. The prevalence showed a significantly increasing pattern with age both in males and females (p<0.05). The incidence density of anti-HCV among the population aged 20 and over was 1.1 per 104 person-years at risk (95% CI $0.6{\sim}2.4$); 1.2 (95% CI $0.6{\sim}2.7$) for males and 0.8 (95% CI $0.6{\sim}4.2$) for females. Age adjusted incidence density was 2.91 per 104 person-years at risk (95% CI $2.43{\sim}3.38$) for those aged 20 and over. It showed an increasing pattern with age (p<0.05), especially for those age over 50 years. Conclusion : The study subjects for this study were supposedly healthier than the general population so the prevalence and incidence for the general population are thought to be higher than the results of the present study.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제15권24호
• /
• pp.10773-10777
• /
• 2015

Background: Treatment for breast cancer is mainly performed by surgical resection of primary tumors and chemotherapy. However, after tumor invasion and metastases, breast cancer is hard to control. Clarification of the pathogenic mechanisms would be helpful to the prognosis or therapy for the breast cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical and prognostic implications of legumain protein Materials and Methods: In this study, we examined mastectomy specimens from 114 breast cancer and matching, 26 adjacent non-cancerous tissues using immunohistochemistry. Results: The results indicated that positive expression of legumain protein in breast cancer was 51.8 % (59/114) and the positive expression of legumain protein in adjacent non-cancerous tissue was 11.5% (3/26). It appeared to be related with lymph node metastasis of breast cancer (p=0.02) and correlation analysis indicated that legumain expression was correlated positively with the estrogen receptor (ER) and mutant-type p53 expression (both p<0.05). Positive legumain expression was significantly associated with shorter overall survival time in breast cancer patients (log-rank p<0.01). Multivariate survival analysis suggested that the positive legumain expression was an independent predictor of poorer overall survival in patients with breast cancer (HR=0.24; 95%CI 0.11-0.65, p=0.03). Conclusions: Legumain might be a new potential biomarker for breast cancer, which may reflect the prognosis and overall survival.

• 인간행동과 음악연구
• /
• 제14권2호
• /
• pp.1-18
• /
• 2017

본 연구에서는 인공와우이식 난청인(N = 15)을 대상으로 말소리 운율변화에 따른 구어 이해와 음도 변별, 선율윤곽 확인(Melodic contour identification: MCI) 간 관련성을 살펴보았다. 말소리 운율 변화에 따른 구어이해를 살펴보기 위해 말소리 운율지각 검사를 시행하였고, 긍정적인 운율과 부정적인 운율 조건에 따른 의미 변화를 피검자에게 판단하게 하였다. 검사 시 긍정적인 의미(Positive meaning: PW)와 중립적인 의미(Neutral meaning: NW)를 갖는 낱말 및 낱말 조합 형태를 제시하고, 긍정적인 운율과 부정적인 운율 조건에 따른 의미 변화를 피검자에게 판단하게 하였다. 음도 변별 검사를 위해서는 단음도 변화 변별 과제와 3개 음으로 구성된 패턴에서의 음도 변별 과제가 실시되었다. MCI 검사는 기대 확률을 달리한 세부 검사 1, 2로 구성하여 시행하였다. 실시한 검사 간 관련성을 살펴본 결과, 말소리 운율지각 검사 결과는 보청기 착용으로도 청지각적 이득을 기대할 수 없었던 기간과 유의한 관련성을 보였다. PW와 NW 검사에서 운율 조건에 따라 유의한 수행 차를 보였지만, 단어조합 형태에 따른 통계적 유의성은 발견하지 못하였다. 말소리 운율지각 검사 결과는 MCI 1과 유의한 상관을 보인 반면(p < .01), 말지각 검사 수행력과는 유의한 관련성을 보이지 않았다. 이는 인공와우이식 후 시각적 단서 없이 말소리, 음소 지각이 가능해졌다 하더라도 미묘한 운율 변화에 따른 의미 지각의 제한은 계속될 수 있음을 시사한다. 또한 인공와우이식 후 선율윤곽 변화 확인은 음도 변별에 비해 제한을 보이며, 운율지각과 관련 있음을 확인할 수 있었다.

• 대한핵의학회지
• /
• 제34권4호
• /
• pp.285-293
• /
• 2000

목적: 손쉽고 빠른 시간 안에 시행 가능한 Tc-99m을 이용할 갑상선 스캔을 시행하여 I-131 진단적 전신영상을 대체할 수 있는지에 대해 전향적으로 평가하였다. 대상 및 방법: 분화된 유두상 갑상선암으로 진단되어 갑상선 전절제술을 시행한 후 갑상선 잔여조직의 완전한 제거를 위하여 방사선 옥소 치료를 위해 의뢰된 21명의 환자를 대상으로 하였다. Tc-99m을 이용한 영상은 Tc-99m 10 mCi (370 MBq)를 정맥 주사한 후 10분 뒤 pinhole 영상을 목 부위에서 얻었고 가슴과 목을 포함한 평면영상을 얻었다. 진단적 I-131 스캔 영상은 Tc-99m 영상을 얻은 후 곧바로 I-131 2 mCi (74MBq)를 복용 시켰으며 복용 후 2일이 경과된 다음 Tc-99m와 같은 방법으로 영상을 얻었다. 또한 모든 환자에서 치료용량의 방사성 옥소를 투여 후 7일 째 치료적 I-131 스캔을 얻었다. 결과: 1) Tc-99m 스캔과 I-131 스캔의 비교 Tc-99m 평면영상은 19명에서 I-l3l 진단 스캔은 13명에서 시행되었다. 이 중 Tc-99m 평면영상에서 3 환자(16%)는 스캔상 아무런 섭취소견을 보이지 않아 민감도는 84%를 보였다. 그러나 I-131 진단 스캔에서는 모든 환자에서 섭취를 보여 100% 민감도를 보였다. Tc-99m 평면영상에서 보이지 않던 3명의 환자의 I-131 진단 스캔상의 섭취는 2명은 경도의 섭취를 1명은 중등도 섭취를 보였다. 2) Tc-99m pinhole영상과 I-131 pinhole 영상의 비교 Tc-99m pinhole 영상은 20명에서 I-131 pinhole 스캔은 10명에서 시행되었다. Tc-99m pinhole 영상에서 검사를 시행한 20명에서 1명을 제외한 19명에서 양성소견을 보여 민감도는 95%였으며 이들의 목 부위의 섭취 정도는 19명 중 3명에서 경도 섭취를, 7명에서 중등도 섭취를 그리고 9명은 강한 섭취를 보였다. 또한 Tc-99m 평면영상에서 섭취가 없었던 2명의 환자는 Tc-99m pinhole 영상에서 경도의 섭취를 보였으나 1명은 섭취가 없었다. 결론: 간편하게 시행할 수 있는 Tc-99m 스캔상 갑상선 섭취가 관찰될 경우 I-131 진단적 스캔을 생략하고 방사성옥소 치료를 시행할 수 있을 것으로 생각된다. 그러나 Tc-99m 스캔에서 음성인 경우와 전이된 예에 대한 연구가 추가적으로 필요할 것으로 보인다.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• 제54권1호
• /
• pp.113-118
• /
• 2016

Hydatidosis has become a real concern for health care institutions and animal rearers in Tunisia. The Tunisian endemicity is aggravated by the growing number of dogs and the difficulty of getting rid of contaminated viscera because of the lack of equipment in most slaughterhouses. Therefore, microscopic and molecular tools were applied to evaluate the role of slaughterhouses in canine infection and Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (s. l.) egg dissemination. Exposure risk to E. granulosus s. l. eggs in urban and rural areas was explored in order to implant preventive and adapted control strategies. Microscopic examinations detected taeniid eggs in 152 amongst 553 fecal samples. The copro-PCR demonstrated that 138 of 152 taeniid samples analyzed were positive for E. granulosus s. l. DNA. PCR-RFLP demonstrated that all isolated samples belonged to E. granulosus sensu stricto (s. s.). An important environmental contamination index (25.0%) by E. granulosus s. l. eggs was demonstrated. The average contamination index from the regions around slaughterhouses (23.3%; 95% CI: 17.7-28.9%) was in the same range as detected in areas located far from slaughterhouses (26.0%, 95% CI: 21.3-30.8%). Echinococcosis endemic areas were extended in both rural (29.9%, 95% CI: 24.8-34.9%) and urban locations (18.1%, 95% CI: 13.0-22.9%). The pathogen dissemination is related neither to the presence/absence of slaughterhouses nor to the location in urban or rural areas, but is probably influenced by human activities (home slaughtering) and behavior towards the infected viscera.