ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Recent studies have reported associations of retinoid-related orphan receptor alpha (RORA) gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with depression and anxiety disorders. Based on these, we attempt to test whether RORA polymorphism is associated with anxiety sensitivity (AS), the intermediate phenotype of depression and anxiety disorders. Considering gene-environment interactions and sex differences in AS, childhood maltreatment (CM) and sex were considered as confounders. METHODS: Two-hundred and five healthy young Korean adults (female: 98, male: 107; age, 23.0±3.2 years) completed genotyping for the RORA SNP rs11071547, as well as measures for AS and CM. Generalized linear models were used to examine the main and interaction effects of RORA genotype, CM, and sex in determining AS. RESULTS: The main effect of RORA polymorphisms was not found (p=0.760) whereas the main effect of CM and interaction effects among sex, genotype, and maltreatment were significant on AS. In separate analyses by sex, the interaction effect between RORA genotype and maltreatment was significant only in males (p < 0.001). In females, the main effects of genotype and CM were significant (both were p < 0.001), in which both a history of CM and C genotype tended to be associated with higher AS. CONCLUSION: The association between RORA polymorphism and AS might differ by sex. The interaction between RORA polymorphism and CM was significant only in males whereas RORA genotype and CM independently associated with AS in females. Further studies are encouraged to confirm the relationship between RORA polymorphism and AS.
Subject(s)
Adult , Child , Female , Humans , Male , Young Adult , Anxiety Disorders , Anxiety , Child, Orphaned , Depression , Gene-Environment Interaction , Genotype , Linear Models , Phenotype , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide , Sex CharacteristicsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Obesity is a complex problem that is now considered a chronic metabolic disease. In Korea, phentermine has been widely used for the treatment of obesity in the primary care setting since 2004. However, there have been very few studies on the safety and efficacy of phentermine. To investigate the safety and efficacy of this drug, a postmarketing surveillance study was performed. METHODS: A total of 795 patients with obesity (body mass index > or = 25 kg/m2) were enrolled from 30 primary care centers in Korea from September 2006 to November 2007. Patients were examined to ascertain safety and efficacy at 4-, 8-, and 12-week intervals. The criterion for efficacy was defined as a weight loss > or = 5% of body weight. RESULTS: Of the 795 enrolled patients, 735 (92.5%) were evaluated in safety assessments and 711 (89.4%) was included in efficacy assessments. A total of 266 adverse events (AEs) were reported by 218 patients (30.6%), and no serious AEs were reported. Among 711 patients, 324 patients (45.6%) lost > or = 5% of their body weight. The mean weight loss was 3.8 +/- 4.0 kg. CONCLUSION: AEs are commonly associated with phentermine, even though phentermine is effective for weight loss and relatively well-tolerated.
Subject(s)
Humans , Body Weight , Korea , Metabolic Diseases , Obesity , Phentermine , Primary Health Care , Weight LossABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of radiologists for mammographic screening, and to analyze interobserver agreement in the interpretation of mammograms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 50 women were selected as subjects from the patients who were screened with mammograms at two university hospitals. The images were analyzed by five radiologists working independently and without their having any knowledge of the final diagnosis. The interobserver variation was analyzed by using the kappa statistic. RESULTS: There were moderate agreements for the findings of the parenchymal pattern (k=0.44; 95% CI 0.39-0.49), calcification type (k=0.66; 95% CI 0.60-0.72) and calcification distribution (k=0.43; 95% CI 0.38-0.48). The mean kappa values ranged from 0.66 to 0.42 for the mass findings. The mean kappa value for the final conclusion was 0.44 (95% CI 0.38-0.51). In general, moderate agreement was evident for all the categories that were evaluated. CONCLUSION: The general agreement was moderate, but there was wide variability in some findings. To improve the accuracy and reduce variability among physicians in interpretation, proper training of radiologists and standardization of criteria are essential for breast screening.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Breast , Diagnosis , Hospitals, University , Mammography , Mass Screening , Observer VariationABSTRACT
No abstract available.
ABSTRACT
No abstract available.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The future health of our increasing senior population depends upon the interrelationship between the onset time of the first major disease, infirmity or disability and the time of death. Reduction of morbidity requires compressing the average period between two points and reducing the average level of morbidity during this period. In this article, authors demonstrated the change of mortality curve and estimated the mortality curve upto 2010. And we intend to use this result as basic data in the future for preventive health service, health promotion, and health policy for senior people. METHODS: In this study, the authors demonstrated the survival curve from 1970 to 1995. And we intended to estimate death rate according to age and year upto 2010 and construct a new forecasting model. By using this model, we can calculate the data upto 2010 and suggest mortality curve. RESULTS: According to the results, the relative and absolute rectangularization and the convergency of survival curves were observed, and all the Keyfitz's H, NH, SD and CV decreased while the life expectancy in creased in the period of 1970 to 2010. So we conclude that the hypothesis of mortality compression suggested by Fries explains the changing pattern of aged population in Korea very well. CONCLUSION: According to Fries theory, this study shows compression of mortality is exist in Korea But when we observe the tail of mortality curve, there are no evidence that life expectancy reaches to limitation in Korea and we expect life expectancy of Korean will continuously increase.
Subject(s)
Forecasting , Health Policy , Health Promotion , Korea , Life Expectancy , Mortality , Preventive Health ServicesABSTRACT
To clarify the prognostic factors influencing clinical outcome, the authors retrospectively analyzed 50 cases of thoracolumbar vertebral junction fracture treated at our hospital between September 1989 and October 1992. The age of the patients ranged from 23 to 75 years(median 49 years) and the male-to-female ratio was 33:17. Falling was the major mode of injury(m=27). The kyphotic angle between fractured vertebrae and the ratio of neural canal encroachment was measured in a simple X-ray and a computed tomography(CT) of the thoracic spine. An ANOVA test was performed to evaluate the predicting factors to determine the final outcome. The kyphotic angle and loss of height of vertebral body were not significantly correlated with the neurological status of the patients. However, the ratio of the compromised area of the neural canal was closely correlated with the neurological outcome(p value<0.05). The worst prognosis was found in patients with fracture-dislocation. In conclusion, it is suggested that early surgical intervention must be considered in the neurologically compromised patients whose CT demonstrates neural canal encroachment by bony fragments.
Subject(s)
Humans , Neural Tube , Prognosis , Retrospective Studies , SpineABSTRACT
To clarify the prognostic factors influencing clinical outcome, the authors retrospectively analyzed 50 cases of thoracolumbar vertebral junction fracture treated at our hospital between September 1989 and October 1992. The age of the patients ranged from 23 to 75 years(median 49 years) and the male-to-female ratio was 33:17. Falling was the major mode of injury(m=27). The kyphotic angle between fractured vertebrae and the ratio of neural canal encroachment was measured in a simple X-ray and a computed tomography(CT) of the thoracic spine. An ANOVA test was performed to evaluate the predicting factors to determine the final outcome. The kyphotic angle and loss of height of vertebral body were not significantly correlated with the neurological status of the patients. However, the ratio of the compromised area of the neural canal was closely correlated with the neurological outcome(p value<0.05). The worst prognosis was found in patients with fracture-dislocation. In conclusion, it is suggested that early surgical intervention must be considered in the neurologically compromised patients whose CT demonstrates neural canal encroachment by bony fragments.
Subject(s)
Humans , Neural Tube , Prognosis , Retrospective Studies , SpineABSTRACT
The author performed anterior transposition of the inferoir oblique muscle to a point 1mm posterior to the lateral end of the inferior rectus insertion in 36 eyes of 36 cases of +3 inferior oblique overaction, and to the lateral end of the inferior rectus insertion in eight eyes of five cases of +4 inferior oblique overaction. Postoperatively, the eyes that have normal action of the inferior oblique were 36 eyes(81.8%). Only one eye was overcorrected and four eyes were undercorrected. The overcorrected one case developed a hypotropia in primary position. It appears that this anterior transposition of the inferior oblique muscle is effective weakening method of the inferior oblique muscle for the treatment of +3 to +4 overaction of inferior oblique muscle.
ABSTRACT
The fibrovascular tissues surrounding a glaucoma implant have been found to play a major role for the orbital absorption of aqueous humor following a glaucoma implant surgery. An ultrasonographic study was performed to investigate the ultrasonographic, characteristics of the tissues and its relationship with the postoperative intraocular pressure(IOP) control. Twenty-three eyes of 23 patients had undergone the e-PTFE membrane-silicone tube implantation and had been followed up for at least 6-month(mean +/- SD, 17 +/- 8.8 months). An ultrasonographic study for these eyes included such paramneters as presence of an aqueous reservoir surrounding the implant, size(height) of the aqueous reservoir and echoreHectivity from the reservoir wall tissues. The aqueous reservoir was identified in 22(96%) of 23 eyes and had a height varying from 1.0 mm to 5.5 mm. In eyes with an aqueons reservoir. 3 mm high or more, the IOPs were all 21 mmHg or less without further glaucoma medications(p=0.040, chi-square). In one eye with an obliterated reservoir on ultrasonography, the opening of the silicone tube was found to be occluded toward the extrascleral portion of the implant when reoperation was performed. The echo reflections from reservoir wall tissues were denser and higher comparing with those from the sclera of the respective eye in 7 eyes with a complete failure of postoperative lOP control(>or=30 mmHg on maximum medical theraph). These eyes also had and irregular echoreflections within the aqueous reservoir, which reflect an invasion of proliferating tissues into the reservoir.
Subject(s)
Humans , Absorption , Aqueous Humor , Glaucoma , Orbit , Reoperation , Sclera , Silicones , UltrasonographyABSTRACT
No abstract available.