Annual Report on External Quality Assessment in Clinical Chemistry in Korea (2003) / 임상검사와정도관리

Ten trials of external quality assessment for Clinical Chemistry in general chemistry and blood gas were performed in 2003. All the control materials were sent in specifically-made boxes at the same time. The response rates were 90.3% in general chemistry and 91.8% in blood gas. The items included sodium, potassium, chloride, BUN, glucose, calcium, phosphorus, uric acid, creatinine, bilirubin, total protein, albumin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, AST, ALT, ALP, LD and GGT in general chemistry and pH, pCO2 and pO2 in blood gas. Compared with the previous year (2002), the methods of analysis are not changed much and the coefficient of variation and VIS scores of general chemistry items are decreased.

Annual Report on External Quality Assessment in Clinical Chemistry in Korea (2002) / 임상검사와정도관리

Ten trials of external quality assessment for Clinical Chemistry in general chemistry and blood gas were performed in 2002. All the control materials were sent in specially-made boxes at the same time. The response rates were 81.2% in general chemistry and 85.7% in blood gas. The items included sodium, potassium, chloride, BUN, glucose, calcium, phosphorus, uric acid, creatinine, bilirubin, total protein, albumin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, AST, ALT, ALP, LD and GGT in general chemistry and pH, pCO2 and pO2 in blood gas. Compared with the previous year(2001), the methods of analysis are not changed much and the coefficient of variation and VIS scores of general chemistry items show no significant change.

6 Cases of Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome in Grinding Workers Exposed to Hand-arm Vibration / 대한산업의학회지

OBJECTIVES: To confirm the HAVS in workers exposed to hand-arm vibration with using the objective diagnostic methods METHODS: Several tests were used to help substantiate a clinical diagnosis of HAVS. Some other diseases were excluded by a medical interview, hematologic assessment, urinalysis, X-rays. The hand-arm vibration acceleration level of the grinder was evaluated for considering HAVS. Peripheral vascular changes were examined by a cold provocation test. An electromyography was implemented to ascertain the peripheral neural changes. RESULTS: 8 workers with symptoms in hands & fingers, exposed to hand-arm vibration were examined. Some other diseases(primary Raynauds disease, secondary Raynauds disease in not occupational origin) were excluded by a medical interview, hematologic assessment, urinalysis, X-rays. The hand-arm vibration acceleration level of the grinder was 7. 9 m/sec2. The recovery time of a skin temperature followed finger cooling was significantly prolonged in 6 workers with HAVS. The nerve conduction velocity was reduced in 6 workers with HAVS. CONCLUSIONS: So we report 6 cases of HAVS in grinding workers exposed to hand-arm vibration diagnosed objectively by an exclusion of some other disease, handarm vibration acceleration level, cold provocation test, electromyography.

The effect of Residential Environments on the Bronchial Hyperresponsiveness / 대한산업의학회지

OBJECTIVES: The increased prevalence of asthma over the last 30 years has been reported from many different countries, including Korea. The increased prevalence may be due to increased exposure to indoor air pollutants. METHODS: In this study, the relationship between residential environments and airway hyper-responsiveness has been examined among 280 family members. The bronchial hyper-responsiveness was expressed as the log-transformed slope of FEV decrease over the log-transformed dose of methacholine concentration(BRindex). Simple regression analysis was done for the effect of sex, age, atopic status, and residential environments including active and passive smoking exposures on airway responsiveness. Based on simple regression results, multiple rwegression analysis was performed for total group and also according to sex. RESULTS: The mean of BRindex of residents living in gas boiler heating houses was higher than that of central heating system (p=0.014). Smoking status was a significant determinant of bronchial hyper-responsiveness in both genders; male(p=0.017), female (p%.022). In the male group the mean of BRindex of current smokers was significantly higher than those of ex-smokers and non-smokers, and the mean of BRindex of passive smokers was higher than that of non-smokers, but statistical significance was border-line(p=0.069). In female group, the mean of BRindex of kerosene stove users was higher than that of non-users(p=0.057). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that indoor air pollutants including type of heating, passive smoking and kerosene stove use can contribute to the increase in asthma prevalence in Korea.