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1.
Journal of Menopausal Medicine ; : 25-32, 2022.
Article in English | WPRIM | ID: wpr-926073

ABSTRACT

Objectives@#A retrospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate the effects of combination oral contraceptives (COCs) on bone mineral density (BMD) and metabolism in perimenopausal Korean women. @*Methods@#The study subjects comprised two groups. The COC group included 55 women who took low-dose COC for at least one year to control vasomotor symptoms. Another 55 women who had annual checkups without history of COC use served as controls. BMD and bone turnover markers were assessed periodically. @*Results@#In the control group, 12-month BMD values at the lumbar spine (LS) and total hip (TH) significantly decreased with a greater magnitude at LS, and bone resorption (BR) and formation (BF) markers increased concurrently with a larger change in BR. COCs increased BMD at LS after 12 months and prevented BMD decline at TH. Multivariable linear regression revealed a significant difference in LS BMD between groups at 12 months. In the COC group, there were significant negative correlations between baseline BMD and Z-score at LS and corresponding changes at 12 months. COCs did not alter BR markers, whereas BF markers were significantly decreased at 3 months. Group comparison at 12 months, as tested with adjusted linear regression, disclosed significant differences in both BR and BF makers. @*Conclusions@#Bone loss associated with activated bone turnover is evident during the menopausal transition, and COCs might prevent BMD decrease and suppress bone turnover markers in perimenopausal Korean women. Significant increase in LS BMD and decreases in BF makers suggest underlying mechanisms of greater impact on BF.

2.
Korean Journal of Dermatology ; : 447-455, 2021.
Article in English | WPRIM | ID: wpr-894260

ABSTRACT

Background@#Voiding dysfunction is a rare complication of herpes zoster but impairs patients’ quality of life. @*Objective@#We investigated the clinical features and progression of zoster-associated voiding dysfunction based on the clinical presentation of urological symptoms and sites of zoster. We also investigated factors associated with delayed improvement in urological symptoms. @*Methods@#This retrospective study included 54 patients diagnosed with both herpes zoster and voiding dysfunction within a 15-day period at the National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital between March 2000 and April 2019. Urological symptoms included voiding (urinary retention) and storage (cystitis and overactive bladder) symptoms. @*Results@#Patients were aged 22∼92 years (median 68.5 years), including 19 males (35.2%). We observed sacral, thoracic, lumbar, trigeminal, and disseminated zoster (44.4%, 31.5%, 18.5%, 1.9%, and 3.7%, respectively). Thirty-one patients (57.4%) showed voiding symptoms (61.3% with sacral zoster), 18 (33.3%) showed storage symptoms (83.3% with thoracolumbar zoster), and 5 (9.3%) had both symptoms. The median recovery time from urological symptoms was 14.5 days (3∼150 days), significantly longer in patients with voiding symptoms (22 days [5∼150 days]) than with storage symptoms (10 days [3∼35 days]) (p=0.001). Patients with prolonged urological symptoms (>4 weeks vs. ≤4 weeks) were older (73 years [57∼92 years] vs. 68 years [22∼88 years]), more likely to be male (57.1% vs. 23.7%), and showed persistent pain (35 days [7∼700 days] vs. 23 days [9∼180 days]) (p<0.05). @*Conclusion@#Voiding dysfunction in patients with zoster warrants attention. Delayed recovery of voiding function is associated with old age, male sex, and persistent pain.

3.
Korean Journal of Dermatology ; : 447-455, 2021.
Article in English | WPRIM | ID: wpr-901964

ABSTRACT

Background@#Voiding dysfunction is a rare complication of herpes zoster but impairs patients’ quality of life. @*Objective@#We investigated the clinical features and progression of zoster-associated voiding dysfunction based on the clinical presentation of urological symptoms and sites of zoster. We also investigated factors associated with delayed improvement in urological symptoms. @*Methods@#This retrospective study included 54 patients diagnosed with both herpes zoster and voiding dysfunction within a 15-day period at the National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital between March 2000 and April 2019. Urological symptoms included voiding (urinary retention) and storage (cystitis and overactive bladder) symptoms. @*Results@#Patients were aged 22∼92 years (median 68.5 years), including 19 males (35.2%). We observed sacral, thoracic, lumbar, trigeminal, and disseminated zoster (44.4%, 31.5%, 18.5%, 1.9%, and 3.7%, respectively). Thirty-one patients (57.4%) showed voiding symptoms (61.3% with sacral zoster), 18 (33.3%) showed storage symptoms (83.3% with thoracolumbar zoster), and 5 (9.3%) had both symptoms. The median recovery time from urological symptoms was 14.5 days (3∼150 days), significantly longer in patients with voiding symptoms (22 days [5∼150 days]) than with storage symptoms (10 days [3∼35 days]) (p=0.001). Patients with prolonged urological symptoms (>4 weeks vs. ≤4 weeks) were older (73 years [57∼92 years] vs. 68 years [22∼88 years]), more likely to be male (57.1% vs. 23.7%), and showed persistent pain (35 days [7∼700 days] vs. 23 days [9∼180 days]) (p<0.05). @*Conclusion@#Voiding dysfunction in patients with zoster warrants attention. Delayed recovery of voiding function is associated with old age, male sex, and persistent pain.

4.
Epidemiology and Health ; : e2020063-2020.
Article in English | WPRIM | ID: wpr-890542

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES@#The aim of effective data quality control and management is to minimize the impact of errors on study results by identifying and correcting them. This study presents the results of a data quality control system for the Korea HIV/AIDS Cohort Study that took into account the characteristics of the data. @*METHODS@#The HIV/AIDS Cohort Study in Korea conducts repeated measurements every 6 months using an electronic survey administered to voluntarily consenting participants and collects data from 21 hospitals. In total, 5,795 sets of data from 1,442 participants were collected from the first investigation in 2006 to 2016. The data refining results of 2015 and 2019 were converted into the data refining rate and compared. @*RESULTS@#The quality control system involved 3 steps at different points in the process, and each step contributed to data quality management and results. By improving data quality control in the pre-phase and the data collection phase, the estimated error value in 2019 was 1,803, reflecting a 53.9% reduction from 2015. Due to improvements in the stage after data collection, the data refining rate was 92.7% in 2019, a 24.21%p increase from 2015. @*CONCLUSIONS@#Despite this quality management strategy, errors may still exist at each stage. Logically possible errors for the post-review refining of downloaded data should be actively identified with appropriate consideration of the purpose and epidemiological characteristics of the study data. To improve data quality and reliability, data management strategies should be systematically implemented.

5.
Yonsei Medical Journal ; : 705-711, 2020.
Article | WPRIM | ID: wpr-833321

ABSTRACT

Purpose@#In the recent antiretroviral therapy (ART) era, a large proportion of Korean patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection were shown to have low CD4 cell counts at diagnosis and during ART initiation. We investigated the survival trends in patients living with HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in Korea who started ART in the 2000s, and evaluated the risk factors for mortality to elucidate the association between survival and low CD4 cell counts at ART initiation. @*Materials and Methods@#Patients with HIV infection who were aged >18 years and had started ART between 2001 and 2015 in the Korean HIV/AIDS cohort study were enrolled. We compared the clinical characteristics, mortality, and causes of death among the enrolled subjects based on the time of ART initiation. Cox regression analysis was used to estimate the adjusted hazard ratios of mortality based on the time of ART initiation. @*Results@#Among the 2474 patients enrolled, 105 (4.24%) died during the follow-up period of 9568 patient-years. Although CD4 cell counts at the time of ART initiation significantly increased from 161 [interquartile range (IQR), 73.5–303] in 2001–2003 to 273 (IQR, 108–399) in 2013–2015 (p40 years [adjusted hazard ratio, 3.71; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.35–5.84] and low CD4 counts (<100 cells/mm3: adjusted hazard ratio, 2.99; 95% CI, 1.44–6.23) were significant risk factors for mortality. @*Conclusion@#Despite excellent HIV care available in the recent ART era, the survival of patients with HIV/AIDS undergoing ART did not improve between 2001 and 2015 in Korea.

6.
Epidemiology and Health ; : e2020063-2020.
Article in English | WPRIM | ID: wpr-898246

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES@#The aim of effective data quality control and management is to minimize the impact of errors on study results by identifying and correcting them. This study presents the results of a data quality control system for the Korea HIV/AIDS Cohort Study that took into account the characteristics of the data. @*METHODS@#The HIV/AIDS Cohort Study in Korea conducts repeated measurements every 6 months using an electronic survey administered to voluntarily consenting participants and collects data from 21 hospitals. In total, 5,795 sets of data from 1,442 participants were collected from the first investigation in 2006 to 2016. The data refining results of 2015 and 2019 were converted into the data refining rate and compared. @*RESULTS@#The quality control system involved 3 steps at different points in the process, and each step contributed to data quality management and results. By improving data quality control in the pre-phase and the data collection phase, the estimated error value in 2019 was 1,803, reflecting a 53.9% reduction from 2015. Due to improvements in the stage after data collection, the data refining rate was 92.7% in 2019, a 24.21%p increase from 2015. @*CONCLUSIONS@#Despite this quality management strategy, errors may still exist at each stage. Logically possible errors for the post-review refining of downloaded data should be actively identified with appropriate consideration of the purpose and epidemiological characteristics of the study data. To improve data quality and reliability, data management strategies should be systematically implemented.

7.
Korean Journal of Family Medicine ; : 2-8, 2019.
Article in English | WPRIM | ID: wpr-719540

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This double-blind, randomized controlled design study aimed to assess the dose-dependent effects of synbiotics on gastrointestinal symptoms of and fatigue in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). METHODS: Thirty subjects with IBS were randomly assigned into the following three groups and received 2 capsules a day for 8 weeks: (1) high-dose (2 capsules of synbiotics); (2) low-dose (1 capsule of synbiotics and 1 capsule of placebo); and (3) placebo (2 capsules of placebo). At baseline and 8 weeks, they completed the study questionnaires. RESULTS: Two subjects in the high-dose group were lost to follow-up, leaving a total of 28 patients for the analysis. After 8 weeks, abdominal discomfort, abdominal bloating, frequency of formed stool, fatigue Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory were significantly different among the groups (P=0.002, 0.006, 0.007, 0.028, and 0.041, respectively, by Kruskal-Wallis test). However, only abdominal discomfort, abdominal bloating, frequency of formed stool, and fatigue VAS were significantly improved in the high-dose group compared with those in the placebo group (P=0.002, 0.003, 0.002, and 0.013, respectively) by Mann-Whitney test with Bonferroni correction. No adverse drug reactions were reported. CONCLUSION: High-dose synbiotics were superior to placebo in improving bowel symptoms and fatigue of IBS patients, suggesting that synbiotic dosage plays an important role in the treatment of IBS.


Subject(s)
Humans , Capsules , Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions , Fatigue , Irritable Bowel Syndrome , Lost to Follow-Up , Probiotics , Synbiotics , Visual Analog Scale
8.
Epidemiology and Health ; : 2019037-2019.
Article in English | WPRIM | ID: wpr-785750

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To manage evidence-based diseases, it is important to identify the characteristics of patients in each country.METHODS: The Korea HIV/AIDS Cohort Study seeks to identify the epidemiological characteristics of 1,442 Korean individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (12% of Korean individuals with HIV infection in 2017) who visited 21 university hospitals nationwide. The descriptive statistics were presented using the Korea HIV/AIDS cohort data (2006-2016).RESULTS: Men accounted for 93.3% of the total number of respondents, and approximately 55.8% of respondents reported having an acute infection symptom. According to the transmission route, infection caused by sexual contact accounted for 94.4%, of which 60.4% were caused by sexual contact with the same sex or both males and females. Participants repeatedly answered the survey to decrease depression and anxiety scores. Of the total participants, 89.1% received antiretroviral therapy (ART). In the initial ART, 95.3% of patients were treated based on the recommendation. The median CD4 T-cell count at the time of diagnosis was 229.5 and improved to 331 after the initial ART. Of the patients, 16.6% and 9.4% had tuberculosis and syphilis, respectively, and 26.7% had pneumocystis pneumonia. In the medical history, sexually transmitted infectious diseases showed the highest prevalence, followed by endocrine diseases. The main reasons for termination were loss to follow-up (29.9%) and withdrawal of consent (18.7%).CONCLUSIONS: Early diagnosis and ART should be performed at an appropriate time to prevent the development of new infection.


Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Male , AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections , Anxiety , Cohort Studies , Communicable Diseases , Depression , Diagnosis , Early Diagnosis , Endocrine System Diseases , Follow-Up Studies , HIV Infections , HIV , Hospitals, University , Korea , Pneumonia, Pneumocystis , Prevalence , Surveys and Questionnaires , Syphilis , T-Lymphocytes , Tuberculosis
9.
Korean Journal of Dermatology ; : 182-190, 2019.
Article in Korean | WPRIM | ID: wpr-759714

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Tinea capitis manifests either as a non-inflammatory or inflammatory type including kerion, which may cause permanent alopecia. In addition to antifungals, systemic corticosteroids (prednisolone at 1~2 mg/kg/day) have been used to reduce inflammation in patients with kerion. OBJECTIVE: We studied the clinical and laboratory features, treatments, and prognosis of tinea capitis. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of 12 cases of kerion and 12 cases of non-inflammatory tinea capitis (median age, 8 years; range, 3 months~80 years) diagnosed using a potassium hydroxide mount at the National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital between November 2011 and April 2018. RESULTS: Fungal cultures showed Microsporum species in 6 cases and Trichophyton species in 1 case. The duration of diseases and extent of lesions were greater in the kerion group than in the non-inflammatory tinea capitis group (p<0.05). Sixteen patients were treated with systemic antifungals. In the kerion group, 10 patients were treated with systemic antifungals (6 with itraconazole [median, 26 days; range, 21~58 days] and 4 with terbinafine [median, 24.5 days; range, 13~31 days]). The median intervals between the onset of treatment and scalp clearing (in 10 cases), the onset of new hair growth (in 9 cases), and complete regrowth of hair (in 7 cases) were 27 (range, 13~77), 33 (range, 19~63), and 89 (range, 42~180) days, respectively, in the kerion group. The median dosage of prednisolone used in patients with kerion was 0.26 mg/kg/day (range, 0.15~0.42) with good clinical response. CONCLUSION: The patients with kerion responded well to antifungal treatments. A lower dose of prednisolone was adequate when systemic corticosteroids were required for the treatment of kerion.


Subject(s)
Humans , Adrenal Cortex Hormones , Alopecia , Hair , Inflammation , Itraconazole , Microsporum , National Health Programs , Potassium , Prednisolone , Prognosis , Retrospective Studies , Scalp , Tinea Capitis , Tinea , Trichophyton
10.
Epidemiology and Health ; : e2019037-2019.
Article in English | WPRIM | ID: wpr-937512

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES@#To manage evidence-based diseases, it is important to identify the characteristics of patients in each country.@*METHODS@#The Korea HIV/AIDS Cohort Study seeks to identify the epidemiological characteristics of 1,442 Korean individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (12% of Korean individuals with HIV infection in 2017) who visited 21 university hospitals nationwide. The descriptive statistics were presented using the Korea HIV/AIDS cohort data (2006-2016).@*RESULTS@#Men accounted for 93.3% of the total number of respondents, and approximately 55.8% of respondents reported having an acute infection symptom. According to the transmission route, infection caused by sexual contact accounted for 94.4%, of which 60.4% were caused by sexual contact with the same sex or both males and females. Participants repeatedly answered the survey to decrease depression and anxiety scores. Of the total participants, 89.1% received antiretroviral therapy (ART). In the initial ART, 95.3% of patients were treated based on the recommendation. The median CD4 T-cell count at the time of diagnosis was 229.5 and improved to 331 after the initial ART. Of the patients, 16.6% and 9.4% had tuberculosis and syphilis, respectively, and 26.7% had pneumocystis pneumonia. In the medical history, sexually transmitted infectious diseases showed the highest prevalence, followed by endocrine diseases. The main reasons for termination were loss to follow-up (29.9%) and withdrawal of consent (18.7%).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Early diagnosis and ART should be performed at an appropriate time to prevent the development of new infection.

11.
Korean Journal of Dermatology ; : 569-571, 2018.
Article in Korean | WPRIM | ID: wpr-718091

ABSTRACT

No abstract available.


Subject(s)
Dermatitis , Streptococcus pyogenes
12.
Korean Journal of Community Nutrition ; : 60-72, 2018.
Article in Korean | WPRIM | ID: wpr-740998

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to investigate the awareness of energy drinks, energy drink consumption behaviors, and associated factors among college students. METHODS: A total of 536 students from three universities in Cheongju completed a self-administered questionnaire regarding awareness and consumption of energy drinks as well as general characteristics, health-related characteristics, and eating habits. RESULTS: Approximately half of the respondents reported they knew what energy drinks were, while 45.7% had heard of energy drinks but did not know what they were. However, 76.9% had experience in using energy drinks. The main reason for using energy drinks was to stay awake, and the main place that they were used was on campus or at the library. More than 70% of energy drink users did not read the caffeine contents of energy drinks. After consuming energy drinks, 31.3% experienced adverse effects, the most serious being sleep disturbance. Approximately 33% of students consumed energy drinks once a month or more frequently, and men consumed energy drinks more frequently than females. Energy drink users who consumed at least one drink each month were more likely to be natural science major or drink more milk for male students, and to have more allowances or consume less meat for female students, compared with non-users. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that 33% of students consumed at least one energy drink each month, and there were a small number of students consumed energy drinks almost every day or energy drinks mixed with alcohol. Accordingly, college students should be taught potential health hazards of energy drinks mixed with alcohol as well as energy drinks alone. In addition, reading labels about caffeine and sugar contents in energy drinks is encouraged.


Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Male , Caffeine , Eating , Energy Drinks , Meat , Milk , Natural Science Disciplines , Surveys and Questionnaires
13.
Korean Journal of Community Nutrition ; : 60-72, 2018.
Article in Korean | WPRIM | ID: wpr-740908

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to investigate the awareness of energy drinks, energy drink consumption behaviors, and associated factors among college students. METHODS: A total of 536 students from three universities in Cheongju completed a self-administered questionnaire regarding awareness and consumption of energy drinks as well as general characteristics, health-related characteristics, and eating habits. RESULTS: Approximately half of the respondents reported they knew what energy drinks were, while 45.7% had heard of energy drinks but did not know what they were. However, 76.9% had experience in using energy drinks. The main reason for using energy drinks was to stay awake, and the main place that they were used was on campus or at the library. More than 70% of energy drink users did not read the caffeine contents of energy drinks. After consuming energy drinks, 31.3% experienced adverse effects, the most serious being sleep disturbance. Approximately 33% of students consumed energy drinks once a month or more frequently, and men consumed energy drinks more frequently than females. Energy drink users who consumed at least one drink each month were more likely to be natural science major or drink more milk for male students, and to have more allowances or consume less meat for female students, compared with non-users. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that 33% of students consumed at least one energy drink each month, and there were a small number of students consumed energy drinks almost every day or energy drinks mixed with alcohol. Accordingly, college students should be taught potential health hazards of energy drinks mixed with alcohol as well as energy drinks alone. In addition, reading labels about caffeine and sugar contents in energy drinks is encouraged.


Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Male , Caffeine , Eating , Energy Drinks , Meat , Milk , Natural Science Disciplines , Surveys and Questionnaires
14.
Obstetrics & Gynecology Science ; : 453-460, 2018.
Article in English | WPRIM | ID: wpr-715709

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: In 2007, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommended that all pregnant women be offered screening or diagnostic tests for chromosomal abnormalities regardless of their age. Noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for common chromosomal aneuploidies was introduced as a screening test in case of high-risk pregnancies. We assessed the rates of prenatal tests in women aged 35 years and older. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted to compare the rates of amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling (CVS), serum screening, and NIPT from January 2005 through March 2017 in women aged 35 years and older. We divided the initial 12 months after NIPT introduction into 4-month intervals, beginning in April 2016 through March 2017. RESULTS: The rates of amniocentesis were 56% before the ACOG statement, 38% between the ACOG statement and NIPT introduction, and 10% after NIPT introduction (P=0.001). The rates of CVS during the same periods were 0.5%, 2.1%, and 4.3% (P=0.016), respectively. The rates of serum screening were 44.2%, 61.3%, and 55.1% (P=0.049), respectively. During the 3 quarters after NIPT introduction, the rates of amniocentesis were 16.2%, 12.3%, and 7.3% (P=0.002), respectively; the rates of serum screening were 62%, 54%, and 46% (P=0.03), respectively; and the rates of NIPT were 19.9%, 30.3%, and 39.5% (P=0.007), respectively. The rates of CVS over the same periods were not significantly different. CONCLUSION: The ACOG statement and NIPT introduction significantly decreased the rate of amniocentesis in women of advanced maternal age. NIPT also reduced the rate of serum screening.


Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Pregnancy , Amniocentesis , Aneuploidy , Chorionic Villi Sampling , Chromosome Aberrations , Diagnostic Tests, Routine , Mass Screening , Maternal Age , Pregnancy, High-Risk , Pregnant Women , Prenatal Diagnosis , Retrospective Studies
15.
Infection and Chemotherapy ; : 101-108, 2017.
Article in English | WPRIM | ID: wpr-105549

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: CD4+ cell counts reflect immunologic status of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients. Recommended CD4+ cell counts for the initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has increased over the past several years in various HIV treatment guidelines. We investigated the trend of CD4+ cell counts at diagnosis and treatment start using data from the Korea HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) Cohort Study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Korea HIV/AIDS Cohort Study started in 2006 and enrolled HIV patients from 21 tertiary and secondary hospitals in South Korea. The data for CD4+ cell counts at diagnosis and HAART initiation from these HIV patients were analyzed by three-year time intervals and presented by number of CD4+ cells (≤100, 101-200, 201-350, 351-500 and >500 cells/mm³). The HIV-RNA titer at diagnosis and HAART initiation were presented by 3-year intervals by groups ≤50,000, 50,001-100,000, 100,001-200,000, 200,001-1,000,000, and >1,000,000 copies/mL. RESULTS: Median values of CD4+ cell count and HIV-RNA titer at initial HIV diagnosis were 247 cells/mm³ and 394,955 copies/mL, respectively. At time of initiating HAART, median values of CD4+ cell count and HIV-RNA were 181 cells/mm³ and 83,500 copies/mL, respectively. Patients with low CD4+ cell count (CD4+ cell count ≤200 cells/mm³) at diagnosis (31-51%) and initiation of HAART accounted for the largest proportion (30-65%) over the three-year time intervals. This proportion increased until 2010-2012. CONCLUSION: CD4+ cell count at initiation of HAART was found to be very low, and the increase in late initiation of HAART in recent years is of concern. We think that this increase is primarily due to an increasing proportion of late presenters. We recommend early detection of HIV patients and earlier start of HAART in order to treat and prevent spread of HIV infection.


Subject(s)
Humans , Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active , CD4 Lymphocyte Count , Cell Count , Cohort Studies , Diagnosis , HIV , HIV Infections , Korea
16.
Korean Journal of Dermatology ; : 630-631, 2017.
Article in Korean | WPRIM | ID: wpr-112161

ABSTRACT

No abstract available.


Subject(s)
Adolescent , Humans , Ecthyma , Pseudomonas aeruginosa
17.
Korean Journal of Dermatology ; : 27-35, 2017.
Article in Korean | WPRIM | ID: wpr-27297

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Herpes zoster meningitis and meningoencephalitis, rare complications of herpes zoster, may follow the onset of rash, precede it, or even occur without rash. There have been few studies describing the order of occurrence of neurological symptoms and zoster. OBJECTIVE: We compared the clinical and laboratory features, treatments, and progress of the conditions among patients with herpes zoster meningitis and meningoencephalitis according to the timing of zoster onset in relation to neurological symptoms and also according to the immune status. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of 21 patients with meningitis and 3 patients with meningoencephalitis who showed the characteristic rash of herpes zoster at National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital between March 2000 and June 2015. RESULTS: The 11 patients in whom zoster preceded neurological symptoms had a shorter duration of neurological symptoms (median 3 days; range 1~10) than did the 13 patients who experienced neurological symptoms first (median 10 days; range 4~27) (p<0.05). The intervals between the onset of neurological symptoms and a) presentation to the hospital, b) cerebrospinal fluid tests, and c) intravenous acyclovir treatment were all shorter in the patients with zoster preceding neurological symptoms (p<0.05). No significant differences in age or immune status were observed between the two groups. In the 9 immunocompromised patients, higher incidence of meningoencephalitis and neurologic complications was noted in comparison to the 15 immunocompetent patients (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Antecedent zoster rash in varicella zoster virus-induced meningitis and meningoencephalitis appears to lead to more rapid initiation of diagnostic tests and antiviral treatment. The possibility of central nervous system complications should not be overlooked even in patients with herpes zoster.


Subject(s)
Humans , Acyclovir , Central Nervous System , Cerebrospinal Fluid , Chickenpox , Diagnostic Tests, Routine , Exanthema , Herpes Zoster , Herpesvirus 3, Human , Immunocompetence , Immunocompromised Host , Incidence , Meningitis , Meningoencephalitis , National Health Programs , Retrospective Studies
18.
Yonsei Medical Journal ; : 712-718, 2015.
Article in English | WPRIM | ID: wpr-77294

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This retrospective study was done to investigate the mean platelet volume (MPV) level in patients with psoriasis vulgaris and its relationship with disease severity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We undertook a cross-sectional study on 176 patients and 101 healthy controls to examine the association between MPV and psoriasis. Various clinical and laboratory parameters were analyzed and compared. RESULTS: Platelet distribution width and MPV were significantly higher in patients with psoriasis than controls. In addition, there was positive correlation between Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) and MPV. When psoriasis patients were grouped into mild psoriasis (PASI or =10), the MPV of the latter group was significantly elevated. Nevertheless, patients with higher MPV level (MPV> or =10.4 fL) did not show higher PASI than lower MPV level (MPV<10.4 fL). MPV levels significantly decreased after improvements of psoriasis with various treatments. The variations of MPV and PASI also showed significant correlation. CONCLUSION: We have shown that MPV is increased in psoriasis patients and correlates with disease severity. Therefore, MPV levels may be considered as a marker of disease severity of psoriasis.


Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Blood Sedimentation , Cross-Sectional Studies , Mean Platelet Volume , Platelet Count , Psoriasis/blood , Retrospective Studies , Severity of Illness Index
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