• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.24-44
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• 2003

The purposes of this study was to identify and propose the expected role of the oncology nurse specialist by embodying role theory to oncology nurse specialist. The subjects of this study were 149 persons in 14 hospitals, who were classified to 4 groups, oncology nurse specialists(ONS) group, head nurses and charge nurses(HN & CN) group in hemato-oncology ward, registered nurses(RN) group in hemato-oncology ward, and hematologists & oncologists(H&O) group. The questionnaire which was consisted of 89 items for role of oncology nurse specialist, was made by researcher with a field study and literature review about role of oncology nurse specialist and verified by matrix delphi technique about content validity and construct validity. The data were collected from October 22, 2002 to November 5, 2002. All 4 groups proposed that ONS should perform an expert practitioner role first of all. But ONS group, RN group and H&O group proposed orderly expert practitioner, educator, researcher, consultant, and administrator & change agent, but HN & CN group did expert practitioner, educator, consultant, researcher, administrator & change agent. Expert practitioner had the most highest necessary degree in all groups and most highest performance degree in ONS group. That was consistent with results that all groups proposed role of expert practitioner at first. 4 items out of 20 items showed the meaningful differences between groups. For role of educator, oncology nurse specialist group proposed necessary degrees over 4.0 point out of 5.0 in all items. 4 items out of 18 items showed the meaningful differences between groups. For role of researcher, 3 nurses groups proposed a high necessary degree, but performance of ONS group was most lowest among 5 roles. 6 items out of 14 items showed the meaningful differences between groups. The role of consultant had high necessary degree in some items related to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. 2 items out of 17 items showed the meaningful differences between groups. In nursing behaviors of administrator & change agent, those items about enacting principle, cost development and participation of professional academy had a high necessary degree. 4 items out of 18 items showed the meaningful differences between groups. Oncology nurse specialists group performed 5 roles orderly, expert practitioner, consultant, educator, administrator & change agent, researcher. This result was different from expected role of themselves as well as the other groups. There was a different necessary degree between role and embodied nursing behaviors of role. ONS group and RN group proposed orderly educator, researcher, administrator & change agent, expert practitioner, consultant, but the other groups did educator, expert practitioner, researcher, consultant, administrator & change agent. The expected standards of oncology nurse specialist in this study were usually master's degree, total career of 5-7 years, oncology career of 3-5 years and certification. But for the post, qualification and qualification institution, various opinions were suggested. In the conclusion, there was a different necessary degree between role and embodied nursing behaviors of role. All groups proposed expert practitioner at first in abstract role, but educator at first in embodied nursing behaviors of role. So we have to consider this difference carefully in the future research. ONS acted the role of expert practitioner first of all, but we should develope and expand the roles of researcher, and administrator & change agent. We should enact roles by role behaviors induced from mutual agreements in necessary degree and performance degree, and bargain the role behaviors that showed the meaningful differences between groups But, we should consider carefully which group's opinion we have to select. I suggested 36 items out of 89 items, in which ONS proposed necessary degree over 4.0 out of 5.0 and half of them performed as the nursing behaviors of oncology nurse specialist that did not induce role stress. For the future, We should role bargain the role with other groups based on these items.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.182-189
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• 2007

Purpose : The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the growth and neuropsychologic function following treatments for pediatric hematologic and oncologic diseases. Healthy monozygotic twins served as ideal controls for comparison to exclude possible confounding factors. Methods : Seven children treated with various hematologic and oncologic diseases were included in the study: acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL; n=2), Diamond-Blackfan anemia twins (n=2), and aplastic anemia (n=3). The median age at the diagnosis was 5.2 (0.3-15) years. The median duration of follow-up was 7.2 (4.9-10) years. Controls were healthy monozygotic twins. Growth was measured and the percentile channels were evaluated sequentially for patients. The K-WISC III was applied and compared in 5 pairs of patients and controls. Results : Similar growth profiles were noted for the twins. The percentiles at diagnosis was 3-10 in 3, 25-50 in 2, and 50-75 in 2 cases. All patients stayed in their growth percentiles through follow-up, except for 1 patient who became obese. For IQ tests, the mean behavioral, verbal and full scale IQ scores of patients were 88.0, 93.8, and 89.8, respectively, and those from their corresponding controls were 92.2, 97.0, and 91.7 (P>0.05). However, 2 children who were treated for ALL had lower IQ scores. Conclusion : Similar growth profiles were observed in the monozygotic twins in terms of height and weight. The IQ scores of patients were similar to those of monozygotic twins. However, prophylactic CNS-directed therapy for leukemia might adversely affect the IQ scores. A further prospective study on larger number of twins is warranted.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.73-83
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the viral load dynamics in children with underlying malignancies diagnosed with symptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: This was a retrospective longitudinal cohort study of patients <19 years old with underlying hemato-oncologic malignancies that were diagnosed with their first symptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed COVID-19 infection during March 1 to August 30, 2022. Review of electronic medical records and telephone surveys were undertaken to assess the clinical presentations and transmission route of the patients. Thresholds of negligible likelihood of infectious virus was defined as E gene reverse transcription (RT)-PCR cycle threshold (Ct) value ≥25. Results: During the 6-month study period, a total of 43 children with 44 episodes of COVID-19 were included. Of the 44 episodes, the median age of the patients included was 8 years old (interquartile range [IQR], 4.9-10.5), and the most common underlying disease was acute lymphoid leukemia (n=30, 68.2%), followed by patients post-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (n=8, 18.2%). Majority of the patients had mild COVID-19 (n=32, 72.7%), and three patients (7.0%) had severe/critical COVID-19. Furthermore, 2.3% (n=1) died of COVID-19 associated acute respiratory distress syndrome. The largest percentage of the patients showed E gene RT-PCR Ct value ≥25 between 15-21 days (n=13, 39.4%), followed by 22-28 days (n=10, 30.3%). In 15.2% (n=5), E gene RT-PCR Ct value remained <25 beyond 28 days after initial positive PCR. Refractory malignancy status (β, 67.0; 95% confidence interval, 7.0-17.0; P=0.030) was significantly associated with prolonged duration of E gene RT-PCR <25. A patient with prolonged duration of E gene RT-PCR Ct value <25 was suspected to have infectivity shown by the transmission of the virus to his mother at day 86 after his initial positive test. Conclusions: Children that acquire symptomatic COVID-19 during refractory malignancy state are at a high risk for prolonged shedding warranting PCR-based transmission precautions in this cohort of patients.