Smoking cessation services to which physicians can refer patients

The purpose of this article is to introduce smoking cessation services in the community to which physicians can refer their patients. There are three types of services: smoking cessation clinics at public health centers, regional smoking cessation centers, and quitlines. Smoking cessation clinics were established in 2005 at public health centers to reduce the smoking rate. Tailored counseling, nicotine replacement therapy, and drug treatment can improve the success rate of smoking cessation in clinical settings, and behavioral therapy can promote smoking cessation in the community. Quitlines have been launched and operated throughout the world as effective cessation services that guarantee confidentiality, accessibility, convenience, and cost-effectiveness. Tailored information and intervention programs for smoking prevention and smoking cessation have been offered through the telephone, multimedia messaging services, social networking services, and chatting in Korea. Referrals from other national cessation programs for maintaining cessation are also available. Since 2015, regional smoking cessation centers have administered two types of camps. The target group of intensive-care smoking cessation camps includes heavy smokers, who should receive inpatient care at the regional smoking cessation center for 5 days. The general support smoking cessation camps target smokers who wish to quit or who have unsuccessfully quit, and provide education and consulting programs over 1 to 2 days. These three types of services provide different services and programs to smokers in the community. If physicians refer to their patients to these services, they may prove to be excellent resources for increasing smoking cessation.

Smoking cessation services to which physicians can refer patients

The purpose of this article is to introduce smoking cessation services in the community to which physicians can refer their patients. There are three types of services: smoking cessation clinics at public health centers, regional smoking cessation centers, and quitlines. Smoking cessation clinics were established in 2005 at public health centers to reduce the smoking rate. Tailored counseling, nicotine replacement therapy, and drug treatment can improve the success rate of smoking cessation in clinical settings, and behavioral therapy can promote smoking cessation in the community. Quitlines have been launched and operated throughout the world as effective cessation services that guarantee confidentiality, accessibility, convenience, and cost-effectiveness. Tailored information and intervention programs for smoking prevention and smoking cessation have been offered through the telephone, multimedia messaging services, social networking services, and chatting in Korea. Referrals from other national cessation programs for maintaining cessation are also available. Since 2015, regional smoking cessation centers have administered two types of camps. The target group of intensive-care smoking cessation camps includes heavy smokers, who should receive inpatient care at the regional smoking cessation center for 5 days. The general support smoking cessation camps target smokers who wish to quit or who have unsuccessfully quit, and provide education and consulting programs over 1 to 2 days. These three types of services provide different services and programs to smokers in the community. If physicians refer to their patients to these services, they may prove to be excellent resources for increasing smoking cessation.

Alcohol Intake and Risk of Thyroid Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess whether alcohol intake is associated with the risk of thyroid cancer by a meta-analysis of observational studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched PubMed and EMBASE in June of 2015 to locate eligible studies. We included observational studies such as cross-sectional studies, case-control studies, and cohort studies reporting odd ratios (ORs) or relative risk (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: We included 33 observational studies with two cross-sectional studies, 20 case-controls studies, and 11 cohort studies, which involved a total of 7,725 thyroid cancer patients and 3,113,679 participants without thyroid cancer in the final analysis. In the fixed-effect model meta-analysis of all 33 studies, we found that alcohol intake was consistently associated with a decreased risk of thyroid cancer (OR or RR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.83; I2=38.6%). In the subgroup meta-analysis by type of study, alcohol intake also decreased the risk of thyroid cancer in both case-control studies (OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.65 to 0.92; I2=29.5%; n=20) and cohort studies (RR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.60 to 0.82; I2=0%; n=11). Moreover, subgroup meta-analyses by type of thyroid cancer, gender, amount of alcohol consumed, and methodological quality of study showed that alcohol intake was significantly associated with a decreased risk of thyroid cancer. CONCLUSION: The current meta-analysis of observational studies found that, unlike most of other types of cancer, alcohol intake decreased the risk of thyroid cancer.

Risk Factors for Thyroid Cancer: A Hospital-Based Case-Control Study in Korean Adults / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: Although the incidence of thyroid cancer in Korea has rapidly increased over the past decade, few studies have investigated its risk factors. This study examined the risk factors for thyroid cancer in Korean adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study design was a hospital-based case-control study. Between August 2002 and December 2011, a total of 802 thyroid cancer cases out of 34,211 patients screened from the Cancer Screenee. Cohort of the National Cancer Center in South Korea were included in the analysis. A total of 802 control cases were selected from the same cohort, and matched individually (1:1) by age (±2 years) and area of residence for control group 1 and additionally by sex for control group 2. RESULTS: Multivariate conditional logistic regression analysis using the control group 1 showed that females and those with a family history of thyroid cancer had an increased risk of thyroid cancer, whereas ever-smokers and those with a higher monthly household income had a decreased risk of thyroid cancer. On the other hand, the analysis using control group 2 showed that a family history of cancer and alcohol consumption were associated with a decreased risk of thyroid cancer, whereas higher body mass index (BMI) and family history of thyroid cancer were associated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that females, those with a family history of thyroid cancer, those with a higher BMI, non-smokers, non-drinkers, and those with a lower monthly household income have an increased risk of developing thyroid cancer.

Comparison of Serum Interleukin-8 and Regulated on Activation in Normal T-Cell Expressed and Secreted Levels in Atopic and Non-Atopic Children with Lower Respiratory Tract Infections / 소아알레르기및호흡기학회지

PURPOSE: Several studies have shown that viral respiratory infections induce more severe respiratory symptoms in atopic patients than in normal subjects. We attempted to investigate if there is any difference in the viral etiology, clinical manifestations, production of interleukin (IL)-8, and regulated on activation in normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) between atopic and non-atopic subjects with lower respiratory infections. METHODS: Sera and nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPA) were collected from 97 children with lower respiratory infections who were admitted to the pediatric ward. Seventy-one children were classified as atopic subjects. We detected respiratory viruses with multiplex reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in NPA and measured total immunoglobulin E (IgE) and specific IgE in sera. IL-8 and RANTES levels measured in sera by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, etiology, and clinical manifestations were compared between atopic and non-atopic subjects. Atopic patients were defined as having elevated specific IgE to more than one allergen or age-matched, high serum total IgE levels. RESULTS: Both serum IL-8 and RANTES levels were significantly higher in atopic than in non-atopic patients. There was no significant difference in viral etiology and clinical diagnosis between the two groups. The frequency of wheezing was higher in atopic than in non-atopic patients. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that both serum IL-8 and RANTES levels and the frequency of wheezing were significantly higher in atopic than in non-atopic patients. That suggests that chemokine responses to viral respiratory infection may be different between atopic and non-atopic patients and may be associated with a difference in clinical manifestation, such as wheezing, between the two groups. However, further prospective large-scaled studies are required to clarify our conclusion.

Sialadenosis in a Patient with Alcoholic Fatty Liver Developing after Heavy Alcohol Drinking / 대한소화기학회지

Sialadenosis is a unique form of non-inflammatory, non-neoplastic bilateral salivary gland disorder characterized by recurrent painless swelling which usually occurs in parotid glands. Alcoholism is one of the main causes of sialadenosis along with diabetes, bulimia, and other idiopathic causes. The prognosis is verified according to the degree of liver function. We present a case of a 46 year-old man who had alcoholic fatty liver disease diagnosed as alcoholic sialadenosis based on clinical points of recurrent bilateral parotid swelling after heavy alcohol drinking, computed tomography, and fine-needle aspiration biopsy. After stopping alcohol drinking and treated with conservative treatment, he got improved without specific sequela.

Factors Predicting Medication Compliance among Elderly Visitors of Public Health Centers

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate compliance with prescribed medication in the elderly visiting public health centers. METHOD: Data were collected from 665 elders living in Seoul and the Gyeonggi Province during the period from February 21 to June 30 in 2006. The data were collected through individual interviews and were analyzed using correlation and multiple regression analysis with the SAS 9.1 program. RESULTS: The mean of medication compliance was 2.97(+/-.68) on a 5-point Likert scale. Specifically, compliance 3.14(+/-.70) for medication dose, 2.94(+/-.77) for medication frequency, and 2.84(+/-.79) for medication time. The elderly with a higher level of education (beta=.095, p<.001), with health insurance (beta=.208, p=.0009) and with a higher level of family support (beta=.040, p=.0306) showed a higher level of mediation compliance. Female elders (beta=.142, p<.001) kept higher medication compliance than male ones. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that people with low education, low socioeconomic status and less family support need more education before medication. The evaluation of medication compliance needs to be encouraged before starting medication to distinguish those who may not comply with medical prescription. Predictive factors identified in this study must be considered when designing interventions, program development and education for appropriate medication management for the elderly.

Effect of Cyclosporine A on Plasma and Urine Levels of Endothelin-1 in Steroid Dependent Minimal Change Nephrotic Syndrome

A fine needle aspiration biopsy specimen of a retroperitoneal mass in a 26-year-old man who had had an orchiectomy for seminoma was submitted for cytologic evaluation. Cytologic features of the specimen included uniform neoplastic cells found singly or in groups of several cells intermingled with lymphocytes in a characteristic foamy, lacelike background. These cells varied from 10 to 20 m in diameter. The nuclei were round to ovoid with fine or reticular chromatin and one or more prominent nucleoli. The poorly defined cytoplasm stained pale-blue or blue with cytoplasmic vacuoles. The cytologic appearance was consistent with seminoma. Documented reports of the cytological appearance of seminoma are rare. The diagnosis of primary gonadal seminoma by fine needle aspiration biopsy is probably not indicated since the treatment of a primary gonadal tumor, regardless of its histogenesis, requires surgical resection. However, fine needle aspiration biopsy is extremely valuable in the diagnosis of extragonadal as well as metastic and recurrent seminoma.

A clinical review of intussusception

No abstract available.