ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases are major cause of death. In many countries, several studies reported moderate alcohol drink reduces cardiovascular diseases. High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is useful as a biochemical marker that can evaluate the risk of cardiovascular diseases. This study investigated the association between alcohol consumption and hsCRP. METHODS: The subjects included 769 men and 449 women who had visited a health promotion center in one university hospital from May 2006 to June 2006. They responded to self-reported questionnaire on past medical history, quantity and frequency of alcohol intake. Blood sample was taken to examine hsCRP, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglyceride. The participants were classified into 4 groups in males and 3 groups in females by alcohol intake quantity. Using general linear model, analysis of covariance was done to evaluate the association between hsCRP and alcohol intake quantity after adjusting for smoking, body mass index, blood pressure, age, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. RESULTS: Men who had drunk 1~4 drinks weekly had the lowest hsCRP. And a U-shaped correlation between alcohol intake quantity and hsCRP was found (P for U- shape trend test=0.059). In women, hsCRP decreased as the alcohol intake quantity increased (P for linear trend test= 0.0002). CONCLUSION: In Korean males, U-shaped relationship was found between hsCRP and alcohol intake quantity. In Korean females, inverse relationship was found between them.
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Alcohol Drinking , Biomarkers , Blood Pressure , Body Mass Index , C-Reactive Protein , Cardiovascular Diseases , Cause of Death , Cholesterol , Cholesterol, HDL , Health Promotion , Linear Models , Smoke , Smoking , Triglycerides , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: As medical informations are expanded, searching for useful information has become ever more important. Presently, teaching EBM (evidence-based medicine) is emphasiged. The purpose of this study was to survey family medicine residents' knowledge and utilization of EBM. Also, we investigated whether teaching EBM increased the knowledge and use of EBM in family medicine residents. METHODS: In July 2005, we sent a questionnaire to family medicine residents in Korea and received 260 answers. The questionnaire concerned education, attitude, utilization and knowledge of EBM. We analyzed the relationship of the level of knowledge and utilization of EBM in practice by using chi-square test. RESULTS: The family medicine residents who hed experienced learning EBM was 61%. Almost half of them were educated during their family medicine training programs (42.2%). Among the total, 33.6% of the respondents had an experience to attend EBM journal club. As for the knowledge of EBM, 59.8% of respondents knew the concept of what is EBM, 36.5% understood PICO question structure, and 28.5% knew how to calculate the NNT value. In the residents who had experienced EBM learning, the level of knowledge (P<0.001), the frequency of utilization (P<0.001), and the intention to use EBM in their practice were higher than in those who had not yet experienced EBM learning. CONCLUSION: Although family medicine residents usually learn EBM in medical school and resident training program, education and utilization of EBM were not organized enough. As can be seen in this study, it is necessary to make an effective education program in medical schools and resident training programs to increase the knowledge and utilization of EBM education.
Subject(s)
Humans , Surveys and Questionnaires , Education , Education, Medical , Evidence-Based Medicine , Intention , Internship and Residency , Korea , Learning , Schools, MedicalABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The significance of MIDCAB is emerging topics recently as OPCAB is going to be universalized, and long-term outcome of bypass graft surgery was proved to be more excellent than balloon dilation or stent insertion. We report our MIDCAB results in 73 patients in the last three years. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Retrospective analysis of medical records was done from November 1, 2000 through November 31, 2003. There were 47 males and 26 females ranging in age from 31 years to 79 years (average 61.3+/-9.8 years). Observation periods after operative procedures were 10 to 1238 days (average 763+/-319.8 days). Left longitudinal parasternal incision as a standard procedure was done to approach the heart after dissection of the left internal thoracic artery by partial or total resection of 3rd to 5th ribs. RESULT: Of those patients, 46 patients were transferred to ICU after extubation at operation room and 58 patients were extubated within 3 hours after operation. Average ICU staying periods was 26.8+/-11.5 hours. Follow-up angiography during admission was done in 36 patients and showed 100% patency. Only one patient died on the 10th post operative day because of sudden CVA. Complications included wound problems in 4 patients, and constructing pericardial window using thoracoscopy due to continuous pericardial effusion in 1. Permanent pacemaker was inserted in one patient owing to sick sinus syndrome. In one patient with recurrence of angina 8 months after operation, stenosis at anastomic site was found and improved with balloon dilatation. CONCLUSION: We were satisfied with our results of MIDCAB in single and multi-vessel coronary artery disease. These results have made the cardiologists tried to operate positively and we expect widening operative indications including hybrid revascularization.