The State of Smoking and Alcohol Use in Korean Adolescents

PURPOSE: Recently, smoking and alcohol use in adolesecnt have increased and it has been a social issue in Korea. This study was performed to understand the state of smoking and alcohol use in Korean adolescents, and to make a basic data for education of them. METHODS: This study was carried in 1994. 3,360 students in 13 schools aged from 13 to 18 were enrolled in this study (male 1,640, female 1,720) lived in the small and medium cities around Seoul. Question-naire on the experience of smoking and alcohol use was used. RESULTS: 1) Seven hundred and eleven students (21.2%) of subjects (30.5% of male and 12.2% of female) had experienced smoking and the rate of smoking experience was increased with age showing highest rate (41.3%) in male 3rd graders of high school. 6.2% of subjects were classified as habitual smoker. The onset of smoking occurred mostly during primary school period (37.4%), and the motive of smoking was mostly inducement of friend (45.0%). 2) Seventeen hundred and twenty six students (51.4%) of subjects (60.5% of male and 42.7% of female) had experienced alcohol use at anytime and the rate of alcohol experience was increased with age showing highest rate (83.6%) in male 3rd graders of high school. 25.9% of subjects who had drinking history had an experience of drunken state and 6.5% of subjects drank more than one time a week. The onset of drinking occurred mostly during primary school period and the motive of drinking was usually inducement of friends or family. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the significant evidence about excessive smoking and alcohol use in Korean adolescents. So it is necessary to educate them about physical and emotional injury by smoking and alcohol use for prevention of further increment of such fault behaviors.

Identification of the Source of Hematuria by the Ratio of the Urinary Erythrocyte MCV to That in Blood

The frequent occurrence of hematuria in children necessitates diagnostic evaluation. Hematuria may occur with either renal or lower urinary tract disease. Clarification of the etiology of hematuria, whether microscopic or gross, is facilited by localizing the site of bleeding to the kidney (glomerular) or the lower urinary tract (non-glomerular). The mean cellular volume (MCV) of urinary red blood cells (RBCs) of pediatric patients with glomerular (group I; n=77) and non-glomerular (group II; n=34) hematuria was determined using Coulter Counter Model S plus IV. We found that re blood cells of glomerular origin had a smaller volume than non-glomerular cells(73.79 9.75 m3 vs 83.55 3.77 m3, p<0.001). If an urinary MCV equal to 80.56 m3 was taken as the cut-off value between glomerular and non-glomerular hematuria, a correct assessment of the site of bleeding was made in 89 (80%) of the 111 patients studied (sensitivity 76%, specificity 88%). The ratio of the urinary erythrocyte MCV to that in blood(Umcv/Bmcv) was compared with the diagnosis. If an Umcv/Bmcv ratio equal to 0.95 was taken as the cut-off value between glomerular and non-glomerular hematuria, a correct assessment of the site of bleeding was made in 93 (83%) of the 111 patients studied (sensitivity 79.6%, specificity 94%). Coulter counter analysis of urine provides a simple noninvasive and objective aid to the diagnosis of hematurai. This test, when used early in the management of pediatric patients with hematuria, may help to avoid invasive investigations.