Patient-Centeredness of Medical Students during a Real Patient Encounter and a Standardized Patient Encounter on the Clinical Performance Examination / 한국의학교육

PURPOSE: Patient-centered care is one of the most important factors of high-quality medical care. Medical educators have been increasingly interested in education for patient-centered care. This study was conducted to guide such education by assessing the patient-centeredness of medical students in a real patient encounter and a standardized patient encounter on the clinical performance examination (CPX). METHODS: During the first semester of 2010 and 2011, fourth-year medical students in a clinical clerkship interviewed outpatients who visited the Department of Family Medicine. The interviews were videotaped, 25 of which were selected for study. We searched the 25 students' CPX videotapes that were recorded in the same year for comparison. The patient-centeredness of the students was assessed by measure of patient-centered communication (MPCC). RESULTS: The inter-rater reliability of the MPCC was 0.89 when measuring real patient encounters. MPCC scores of 25 students were very low for both real patients (mean, 28.8; range, 8.2~53.1) and for standardized patients (mean, 27.5; range, 8.2~52.7), and there was no significant difference between two groups. The component 1 MPCC scores were significantly higher for real patient encounters compared with those of CPX encounters (0.28 vs 0.18, p=0.0001). The component 2, 3 MPCC scores of two groups were not different each other. CONCLUSION: Medical educators must emphasize the importance of exploring a patient's illness and social background and involving them in making a diagnosis and treatment plan for patient-centered care. They should give students more opportunities to interview real patients and diversify scenarios for standardized patients.

Relationship between Food-frequency and Glycated Hemoglobin in Korean Diabetics: Using Data from the 4th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to evaluate the association between food intake frequencies and long-term blood glucose control using glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in Korean diabetes. METHODS: This study used data collected from the 4th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Patients with diabetes were defined as people who responded "yes" to the question "Are you currently suffering from diabetes?" or in whom serum fasting glucose was 126 mg/dL or more. Using the food frequency questionnaire and HbA1c in surveys, we examined the association between the annual food-frequencies of each food group and long-term blood glucose control. RESULTS: After adjustment for other covariates, HbA1c decreased significantly as the frequency of the intake of fish increased in each population (P = 0.001 for all, P = 0.043 for men, P = 0.001 for women). The intake of mackerel played an especially important role in the control of diabetes. Among women, HbA1c decreased as the frequency of intake of legumes increased (P = 0.029) and increased as the frequency of intake of staple carbohydrates increased (P = 0.015). On the other hand, any intake of other food groups showed no significant relationship with HbA1c. CONCLUSION: Frequent intake of fish in all populations and legumes in woman were associated with good glycemic control in diabetics. Frequent intake of carbohydrates was associated with elevated HbA1c in women.

Bone Mineral Density and Food-frequency in Korean Adults: The 2008 and 2009 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: Diet and Nutrition are important modulators of bone health in men and women. We investigated the associations between frequency of food intake among certain food groups and bone mineral density (BMD) in a large population of Korean adults. METHODS: We used the data from Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey during 2008 to 2009. Participants were aged 20 years and over. BMDs were measured at lumbar spine and femoral neck with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Dietary and supplement intakes were assessed by food-frequency questionnaire. We used multiple linear regression analysis to evaluate the relationships between annual food-frequency of each food group and BMD. RESULTS: After adjustment of multiple covariates, femoral neck and lumbar BMD significantly increased as the frequency of fruit consumption increased in both men and women. Frequency of other carbohydrates consumption was significantly associated with greater femoral neck and lumbar BMD for women. Frequency of milk and dairy product consumption was significantly associated with greater femoral neck BMD in men. Other food groups, however, had no significant associations with BMDs. CONCLUSION: Frequent consumption of fruit has a positive association with BMDs in men and women. Milk and dairy products and other carbohydrates also had positive effects on BMD for men and women, respectively.

Accuracy of Three-dimensional Coronary Arteriography by Electron-Beam Tomography

PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of non-invasive coronary angiography by electron beam tomography(EBT) for the depiction of coronary artery stenosis, as compared with conventional coronary angiography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 20 patients with no history of coronary artery disease, EBT (Imatron C-150) study was performed with EKG-gating. Forty images were obtained in each patient from the pulmonary trunk to the cardiac base at 80% R-R interval, and data were reconstructed into a three-dimensional coronary angiography. The interval between conventional coronary arteriograpy and EBT was less than 30 (mean, 9) days. Coronary arteries were divided into seven segments, and stenosis was defined as a narrowing of the luminal diameter of the coronary artery of more than 50 %. The results of EBT and of conventional angiography were compared for diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS: Conventional argiography revealed significant stenosis of the coronary artery in 12 of the 20 patients, while the use of three-dimensional coronary angiography by EBT revealed this in 16. The sensitivity and specificity of EBT were relatively high in the depiction of stenosis in the proximal left anterior descending (LAD), left circumflex (LCx), and right coronary artery (RCA) and middle LAD, but low sensitivity in the middle LCx and RCA. In the left main coronary artery, sensitivity was 50%. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values for the depiction of coronary artery stenosis with three-dimensional coronary arteriography by EBT were 79%, 95 %, 93 %, 71%, and 97 %, respectively. CONCLUSION: Three-dimensional coronary angiography by EBT is a non-invasive diagnostic modality for the depiction of proximal epicardial coronary artery stenosis and appears to be useful for excluding the probability of ischemic heart disease in a selected patient group.

Correlation Between Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease and Electron Beam Tomography Coronary Artery CalciumScan

PURPOSE: To determine the correlation between obstructive coronary artery disease and electron beamtomography coronary artery calcium(EBT CAC) scan and to measure the difference in calcium score according tosymptoms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-six patients underwent EBT CAC scanning and either coronary angiography orstress thallium 201 scanning or the treadmill test. When the results were positive, coronary artery obstructivedisease(CAOD) was assumed to be present. The patients were divided into three groups : symptomatic CAOD,asymptomatic CAOD, and asymptomatic non- CAOD; those with a previous history of myocardial ischemia or who showedpositive results in any of the three tests relating to typical symptoms of angina were assigned to the symptomaticgroup. RESULTS: The number of cases assigned to group to group 1,2 and 3 was 19, 16 and 21, respectively; totalCAC scores were 571+/-751, 600+/-726 293+/-401, respectively. The difference in CAC score between asymptomatic CAODand asymptomatic non- CAOD was not statistically significant(p=0.079) but in asymptomatic CAOD, the score tendedto be higher. The CAC score was not different between symptomatic and asymptomatic CAOD(p>0.1). When the CACthreshold was 1, sensitivity was 89% and specificity was 14%;when the threshold was 200, sensitivity was 60% andspecificity was 67%. CONCLUSION: When the EBT CAC score is high, further evaluation provides early evidence ofcoronary artery obstructive disease.

The Role of MR Imaging in Determination of Atrial Situs in Congenital Heart Disease with Situs Ambiguus

PURPOSE: to assess the role of MR imaging in determining of the atrial situs in complicated congenital heart disease with situs ambiguus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In order to classify the situs, the morphology of atrial appendages, on bronchial length ratio, the superior-inferior relation of the pulmonary artery (PA) and main bronchi on each side, and splenic abnormality were evaluated by MR imaging in 22 patients (12 boys and 10 girls), and the results were compared. RESULTS: In all patients, the superior-inferior relation of the PA and main bronchi tended to lateralize, and in one, bronchial length ratio was not consistent with the relation between the PA and bronchus. Bronchial and atrial situs, as determined by appendage morphology, were consistent in ten of 13 right isomerism patients, and in only three of nine of these with left isomerism. All 13 right isomerism patients, classified by the relation of the PA and main bronchi, showed asplenia, whereas eight of nine of these with left isomerism had polysplenia. CONCLUSION: In the assessment of atrial situs by MR imaging, the positional relation of a bronchus and the PA, bronchial length ratio, and splenic abnormality are constant and reliable. The accuracy of classification of situs on the basis of atrial appendage morphology is, however, limited.

Chest Wall and Fissural Invasion of Peripheral Lung Cancer: Evaluation with HRCT

PURPOSE: We studied the accuracy of high resolution computed tomography in staging chest wall/fissural invasion of peripheral lung cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HRCT findings in 27 patients with suspected chest wall (n=18) or fissural (n=16) invasion of peripheral lung cancer were correlated with surgical and pathologic findings. The HRCT images were restrospectively evaluated for pleural thickenings adjacent to mass, maximal contact length (cm) between mass and chest wall/fissure, angle between the mass and chest wall/fissure, ratio of maximal contact to mass diameter, abnormality of extrapleural fat layer, mass extension across the fissure and fissural irregularity adjacent to mass. Various CT findings and the presence or absence of chest pain were correlated with surgical and pathologic findings. RESULTS: For the evaluation of chest wall invasion, abnormality of extraphleural fat layer was the most useful finding (sensitivity 100 %, specificity 36 %, accuracy 61 %). The remaining HRCT findings proved to have high sensitivity but low specificity, and a high false positive rate. For chest pain, sensitivity was 43 % and specificity, 82 %. In cases without chest pain, the positive predictive value of extraphleural fat abnormality was 44 % ; in the absence of chest pain and extrapleural fat abnormality,positive predictive value was zero. The evaluation of transfissural tumor invasion using variable HRCT findings proved to be accurate, especially when the criteria of mass extension across the fissure and fissural irregularity adjacent to the mass were used (accuracy 81 % and 75 %, respectively). CONCLUSION: Using the finding of 'extrapleural fat abnormeality', HRCT was accurate in the staging of chest wall invasion and its predictability was betten than that of other results obtained with conventional CT. Chest pain had high specificity but low prevalence, and extrapleural fat abnormality was more valuable in cases without chest pain. HRCT proved to be accurate in the evaluation of transfissural invasion of lung cancer using the findings 'fissural cross' and 'fissural irregularity'.

CT Findings of Bowel and Mesenteric Injury

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of CT in the diagnosis of bowel and mesenteric injury we studied the CT findings and its usefulness in patients of abdominal trauma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CT scans of 27 patients who were confirmed to have bowel and/or mesenteric injury due to abdominal trauma were analyzed retrospectively. Of these 27 patients 15 had bowel injury only and 12 had both bowel and mesenteric injury. CT findings analysed were bowel wall thickening, presence or absence of highly attenuated bowel wall, sentinel clot, mesenteric infiltration, peritoneal fluid collection and free intraabdominal air in cases with bowel injury only and with both bowel and mesenteric injury respectively. Ten patients had other accompanying abdominal injuries, such as liver, spleen, pancreas, kidney, bladder injuries, intraperitoneal abscess or retroperitoneal hemorrhage. RESULTS: Findings observed were bowel wall thickening in 23 cases(85%), peritoneal fluid collection in 21 (78%), highly attenuated bowel wall in 19(70%), mesenteric infiltration in 17(63%), free intraperitoneal air in 10 (37%) and sentinel clot in 7(26%). Pneumoperioneum were observed in 10 of 24 patients(41.7%) having bowel perforation. Two cases did not show any CT findings suggesting bowel and/or mesenteric injury. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of the CT findings between the patient group with bowel injury only and the patient group with both bowel and meseneric injury. CONCLUSION: CT scan is a useful tool in evaluating the degree and extent of bowel and/or mesenteric injury as well as in planning the patient's management.