Types of Perception Toward Quarantine Measures among Patients Infected with COVID-19

Purpose@#This study was conducted to identify the types of perception toward quarantine measures at hospitals or community treatment centers among patients infected with COVID-19. @*Methods@#This study applied Q-methodology. Two hundred and nineteen Q populations were constructed based on related literature and in-depth interviews with 5 adults infected with COVID-19 and who experienced quarantine and hospitalization. Interviews were performed from November 14 to 29, 2020. A total of 45 Q samples were extracted and Q sorting was performed using a 9-point scale for 30 adult subjects who experienced quarantine at hospitals and community treatment centers. The data were analyzed using the PC-QUANL program. @*Results@#The perception of subjects toward quarantine measures was classified into the following six types: ‘passive acceptance’, ‘social stigma perception’, ‘appreciation of daily life through awareness of the realities of illness’, ‘why me?’, ‘fearful perception’, and ‘positive meaning’. @*Conclusion@#The perception of quarantine measure among patients with COVID-19 is identified as six types with positive and negative emotional characteristics. This result will contribute to the development of individualized strategies to address psychosocial health problems among patients with infectious diseases.

A Case of Red Blood Cell Exchange Transfusion in a Patient with Hemoglobin S/beta-Thalassemia / 대한수혈학회지

Sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia are caused by abnormal hemoglobin (Hb) derived from mutation of the HBB gene encoding beta-globin. Compound heterozygous status for both mutations results in Hb S/beta-thalassemia (sickle-beta-thalassemia). Vaso-occlusive phenomena and hemolysis are the clinical hallmarks and major causes of mortality. Due to the limited availability of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with or without gene therapy, red blood cell (RBC) exchange transfusion is the first-line adjunctive therapy. Here we report on a successful reduction of Hb S level in a Tunisian male sickle-beta-thalassemia patient by RBC exchange transfusion for primary prophylactic transfusion therapy before flying to his country. Results of both Ion exchange high-performance liquid chromatography and HBB gene mutation analysis indicated sickle-beta-thalassemia. Pre-erythrocytapheresis Hb S level was 80.6% of total Hb. Two volumes of RBC exchange were performed using automated erythrocytapheresis with the COBE Spectra Apheresis System (Version 7.0, Caridian BCT, CO, USA). Post-erythrocytapheresis Hb S level was 23.4% of total Hb and hematocrit level was 32.6%, both of which met the target end points. This is the first case report in Korea on successful RBC exchange transfusion in a patient with sickle-beta-thalassemia for rapid reduction of pathologic RBCs with Hb S.

A Case of Red Blood Cell Exchange Transfusion in a Patient with Hemoglobin S/beta-Thalassemia / 대한수혈학회지

Sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia are caused by abnormal hemoglobin (Hb) derived from mutation of the HBB gene encoding beta-globin. Compound heterozygous status for both mutations results in Hb S/beta-thalassemia (sickle-beta-thalassemia). Vaso-occlusive phenomena and hemolysis are the clinical hallmarks and major causes of mortality. Due to the limited availability of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with or without gene therapy, red blood cell (RBC) exchange transfusion is the first-line adjunctive therapy. Here we report on a successful reduction of Hb S level in a Tunisian male sickle-beta-thalassemia patient by RBC exchange transfusion for primary prophylactic transfusion therapy before flying to his country. Results of both Ion exchange high-performance liquid chromatography and HBB gene mutation analysis indicated sickle-beta-thalassemia. Pre-erythrocytapheresis Hb S level was 80.6% of total Hb. Two volumes of RBC exchange were performed using automated erythrocytapheresis with the COBE Spectra Apheresis System (Version 7.0, Caridian BCT, CO, USA). Post-erythrocytapheresis Hb S level was 23.4% of total Hb and hematocrit level was 32.6%, both of which met the target end points. This is the first case report in Korea on successful RBC exchange transfusion in a patient with sickle-beta-thalassemia for rapid reduction of pathologic RBCs with Hb S.

Antipsychotic Effects of Quetiapine in Naturalistic Long Term Follow Up Study

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of quetiapine and the effects of dosage relates to its effectiveness on schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder in a naturalistic setting in Korean people. METHODS: This study was a 24-week, open-label, non-comparative, naturalistic study of quetiapine in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder according to DSM-IV. We stratified the patients into mild [(clinical global impression severity (CGI-S) or =4 at baseline). We investigated the response rate, defined as clinical global impression improvement (CGI-I) < or =2, in the severe group and the aggravation rate in the mild group using the last-observation-carried-forward (LOCF) and the Kaplan-Meier method (K-M). RESULTS: During the 24 weeks, 151 (18.4%) of the participants dropped out of the study. There was a significant decrease in the mean CGI-S score, from 4.5+/-1.1 at baseline to 2.8+/-1.1 at 24 weeks. The response rate of severe group was 54.5% (estimated by LOCF) and 73.3% (K-M estimated) at 24 weeks. All patients who completed the study had taken a mean quetiapine dosage of 507.9+/-245.9 mg daily. The decrease of CGI-S score in high-dose group (the maximum dose was 750 mg/d or above) was statistically significant than that in recommended-dose group (the maximum dose was less than 750 mg/d). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the long-term effectiveness of quetiapine in the treatment of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder in a naturalistic setting in Korean people. This study suggests that higher than recommended quetiapine dosages could be more effective in some patients.

Ubiquitous-Severance Hospital Project: Implementation and Results / 대한의료정보학회지

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to review an implementation of u-Severance information system with focus on electronic hospital records (EHR) and to suggest future improvements. METHODS: Clinical Data Repository (CDR) of u-Severance involved implementing electronic medical records (EMR) as the basis of EHR and the management of individual health records. EHR were implemented with service enhancements extending to the clinical decision support system (CDSS) and expanding the knowledge base for research with a repository for clinical data and medical care information. RESULTS: The EMR system of Yonsei University Health Systems (YUHS) consists of HP integrity superdome servers using MS SQL as a database management system and MS Windows as its operating system. CONCLUSIONS: YUHS is a high-performing medical institution with regards to efficient management and customer satisfaction; however, after 5 years of implementation of u-Severance system, several limitations with regards to expandability and security have been identified.

A Case of Polyarteritis Nodosa Combined with Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Polyarteritis nodosa is systemic necrotizing vasculitis of medium and small-sized arteries and results in variable manifestations due to ischemia of the involving organs. Diagnosis can either be made pathologically by demonstrating necrotizing vasculitis of arteries or angiographycally by demonstrating small arterial aneurysm. We experienced a case of PAN with dilated cardiomyopathy, confirmed by clinical feature, renal biopsy, angiography and echocardiography.