Incidence and Risk Factors of Vestibular Schwannoma in Korea : A Population-Based Study

Objective@#: This study aims to investigate the incidence of vestibular schwannoma (VS) and demographic characteristics in Korea using population-based National Health Insurance Service data. @*Methods@#: This study analyzed Korean National Health Insurance Service data from 2005 to 2020, based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10th version, Clinical Modification codes D333 and D431. Only those patients who had undergone magnetic resonance imaging and audiologic tests were considered definitive cases. Demographic variables included age, sex, treatment modality, hypertension, diabetics, dyslipidemia, smoking history, alcohol history, and income status. @*Results@#: The total number of VS patients was 5751. The average incidence rate was 0.71 per 100000 from 2005 to 2020, and the annual incidence rate increased from 0.33 in 2005 to 1.32 in 2019 but decreased to 0.80 in 2020. Incidence was highest in those aged 60–69 years (1.791) and lowest in those younger than 20 years (0.041). Incidence was higher in females, and the number of patients who received radiosurgery (46.64%) was largest compared to the wait and scan group (37.96%), microsurgery group (12.85%), or the group who received both (2.56%). Diabetes, dyslipidemia, and alcohol consumption increased the risk of VS, while cigarette smoking reduced the risk of VS. @*Conclusion@#: The incidence of VS exhibited an increasing trend from 2005 to 2019. Radiosurgery (46.64%) was the most common treatment modality. Diabetes, dyslipidemia, and alcohol consumption increased the risk of VS, while cigarette smoking reduced the risk of VS.

Case of Crohn’s Disease Initially Misdiagnosed as Intestinal Tuberculosis Due to Active Pulmonary Tuberculosis / 대한소화기학회지

Differentiating Crohn’s disease (CD) from intestinal tuberculosis (TB) is a challenge. In patients suspected of having CD or intestinal TB compounded with active pulmonary TB in its early stages, clinicians often lean towards a diagnosis of intestinal TB. A 14-year-old female patient was admitted with symptoms of abdominal pain and diarrhea with hematochezia. Colonoscopy revealed a stricture of the ileocecal valve and scattered longitudinal ulcers. Initial chest radiography showed consolidation in the left lower lobe of the lung. Chest CT revealed branching nodular opacities and consolidation. The TB PCR of the bronchial washing fluid was positive. The patient was diagnosed with pulmonary and intestinal TB. The colonoscopy findings favored CD. Despite this, anti-tubercular therapy was initiated based on the radiology findings and PCR test. After treatment with anti-tubercular therapy, the patient’s diarrhea and abdominal pain worsened despite the improvement observed on her chest radiography. Follow-up colonoscopy revealed aggravation of her ulcers. The patient was diagnosed with CD and treated with prednisolone and mesalazine. Her clinical condition improved, and follow-up colonoscopy showed significant improvement of the ulcers. This case highlights the need for caution in diagnosis and suggests that clinicians consider reevaluation in similar cases.

Factors Influencing Quality of Nursing Service among Clinical Nurses: Focused on Resilience and Nursing Organizational Culture / 임상간호연구

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine nursing organizational culture and resilience and their effects on quality of nursing service. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted. A convenience sampling method was used to collect data from 199 participants who worked in a tertiary hospital in G city. Demographic and work related variables, quality of nursing service, resilience, and nursing organizational culture were measured using validated self-report questionnaires. RESULTS: All of the participants were women and the majority were staff nurses and single. A statistically significant difference in quality of nursing service was found for age, marital status, educational level, clinical career, position and perceived health status. Age, educational level, clinical career, position, resilience, innovation-oriented culture, relation-oriented culture, and hierarchy-oriented culture were significant predictors of quality of nursing service, explaining 47% of total variance. Among the predictors, resilience was the strongest predictor, followed by innovation-oriented culture, and hierarchy-oriented culture. CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that quality of nursing service can be improved by raising individual nurse's resilience and advancing nursing organizational culture. Considering the identified factors, researchers and administrators need to develop and provide clinical nurses with a variety of programs to improve the quality of their nursing service.

Symptom Experience, Self-Efficacy, Depression, and Medication Adherence in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease / 임상간호연구

PURPOSE: This study was done to investigate the correlation among symptom experience, self-efficacy, depression, and medication adherence in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS: Participants were 100 patients with COPD recruited in one general hospital in Seoul. A structured questionnaire was used to measure the study variables. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, and Spearman correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Symptom experience and depression were positively correlated (r=.41, p < .001), symptom experience and self-efficacy were negatively correlated (r=-.21, p=.035). Depression was negatively correlated with self-efficacy (r=-.60, p < .001) and medication adherence (r=-.48, p < .001). Self-efficacy and medication adherence were positively correlated(r=.76 p < .001). CONCLUSION: Findings from this study indicate that depression and self-efficacy are important variables related to medication adherence in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Therefore, depression and self-efficacy should be assessed, and customized nursing interventions should be provided in order to increase medication adherence.