A study of job stress, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in display manufacturing workers: a crosssectional study

Background@#This study aimed to investigate the association between job stress and suicide ideation/attempts among display manufacturing workers. @*Methods@#Data were collected from 836 workers in a display manufacturing company who participated in health screenings from May 22 to June 16, 2017. The data included general characteristics, night work, job tenure, previous physician-diagnosed chronic diseases, suicidal ideation/suicide attempts, and job stress. We investigated suicidal ideation/suicide attempts that covered the past year by using a self-reported questionnaire. Job stress was measured using the 43-item Korean Occupational Stress Scale. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association between job stress and suicidal ideation/ suicide attempts. The mediator effect of depression on suicidal ideation/suicide attempts was tested using a series of logistic regression by applying Baron and Kenny's mediation method. @*Results@#In the model adjusting for variables (e.g., age, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption, regular exercise, shift work, job tenure, chronic disease and depression), physical environment (OR: 3.60, 95% CI: 1.08–12.02), lack of reward (OR: 5.31, 95% CI:1.54–18.34), and occupation climate (OR: 7.36, 95% CI: 2.28–23.72) were correlated with suicidal ideation/suicide attempts in women. However, all subscales of job stress were not significantly correlated with suicidal ideation/suicide attempts in men. In mediation analysis, job instability and occupational climate were correlated with suicidal ideation/suicide attempts and were mediated by depression in men workers. @*Conclusions@#In women workers, the experiences of suicidal ideation/suicide attempts were significantly correlated with the physical environment, lack of reward, and occupational climate that were subscales of job stress. In men workers, depression rather than job stress was correlated with experiences of suicidal ideation/suicide attempts.

A study of job stress, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in display manufacturing workers: a crosssectional study

Background@#This study aimed to investigate the association between job stress and suicide ideation/attempts among display manufacturing workers. @*Methods@#Data were collected from 836 workers in a display manufacturing company who participated in health screenings from May 22 to June 16, 2017. The data included general characteristics, night work, job tenure, previous physician-diagnosed chronic diseases, suicidal ideation/suicide attempts, and job stress. We investigated suicidal ideation/suicide attempts that covered the past year by using a self-reported questionnaire. Job stress was measured using the 43-item Korean Occupational Stress Scale. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association between job stress and suicidal ideation/ suicide attempts. The mediator effect of depression on suicidal ideation/suicide attempts was tested using a series of logistic regression by applying Baron and Kenny's mediation method. @*Results@#In the model adjusting for variables (e.g., age, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption, regular exercise, shift work, job tenure, chronic disease and depression), physical environment (OR: 3.60, 95% CI: 1.08–12.02), lack of reward (OR: 5.31, 95% CI:1.54–18.34), and occupation climate (OR: 7.36, 95% CI: 2.28–23.72) were correlated with suicidal ideation/suicide attempts in women. However, all subscales of job stress were not significantly correlated with suicidal ideation/suicide attempts in men. In mediation analysis, job instability and occupational climate were correlated with suicidal ideation/suicide attempts and were mediated by depression in men workers. @*Conclusions@#In women workers, the experiences of suicidal ideation/suicide attempts were significantly correlated with the physical environment, lack of reward, and occupational climate that were subscales of job stress. In men workers, depression rather than job stress was correlated with experiences of suicidal ideation/suicide attempts.

Modified CLIP Score as a New Prognostic Index for Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma / 대한간학회지

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: The prognosis of cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) depends on both residual liver function and tumor characteristics. The aims of this study was to construct a new prognostic index for HCC patients: the modified CLIP score, and to compare its discriminatory ability and predictive power with those of the CLIP score that is currently the most commonly used integrated staging score in patients of HCC. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 237 cases of HCC diagnosed at Dong-A university hospital was performed. Prognostic analysis was performed for single variables by estimating survival distributions with the Kaplan-Meier's method, and statistically compared by the log-rank test. RESULTS: Patients had a mean age of 57.5 years and were predominantly males (79.7%). The overall median survival period was 25.7 months. It was correlated to ascites, portal vein thrombosis, AFP, tumor size, and Child-Pugh classification. The median survival period was 41.0, 25.2, 13.8, 13.4, and 6.5 months for CLIP scores 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 to 6, respectively (P<0.001), and 42.1, 34.0, 25.7, 14.0, and 6.8 months for modified CLIP scores 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 to 6, respectively (P<0.001). The Kaplan-Meier's curve showed that the modified CLIP score had additional explanatory power above that of the CLIP score. CONCLUSIONS: The modified CLIP score, compared with the CLIP score, particularly in the score 2- to 3- patient groups of HCC, had greater discriminant ability and survival predictive power, but was not able to discriminate 4- to 6- patient group.

A Case of Primary Small Cell Carcinoma of the Liver / 대한간학회지

Primary small cell carcinoma of the liver is an extremely rare tumor. Extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma shares many features of pulmonary small cell carcinoma, including the histological appearance, the aggressive clinical behavior and the frequent short-lasting response to either chemotherapy or radiotherapy. We experienced a 56-year-old man with small cell carcinoma that arose in the liver. Abdominal CT scan showed an 8 cm size, low density mass in the segment 4 of the liver and also multiple lymphadenopathies. Chest X-ray showed no abnormal finding, but the chest CT showed a right lower paratracheal lymphadenopathy. The pathological findings showed nests of small round cells with fine granular chromatin, inconspicuous nucleoli and scanty cytoplasm. Distinct and strong immunoreactions were seen for CD56 and c-kit, and sparse immunoreaction was seen for synaptophysin. Thyroid transcription factor-1 showed no immunoreaction. The tumor did not decrease in size despite chemotherapy. We report this case along with a review of the relevant literatures.

Comparison of Colonoscopy and Virtual Colonoscopy for the Detection of Colorectal Polyps / 대한소화기내시경학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Virtual colonoscopy using abdominal spiral computed tomography scanning allows total colonic evaluation with minimal invasiveness. We compared the performance of virtual colonoscopy and colonoscopy for the detection of colorectal polyps. METHODS: We performed colonoscopy before the virtual colonoscopy. Virtual colonoscopy was performed immediately before the colonoscopic polypectomy in 24 adults (16 men and 8 women: mean age, 59 years). RESULTS: A total of 48 polyps were found by colonoscopy. Virtual colonoscopy identified 20 of 28 polyps that were 10 mm or more in diameter (71%), 3 of 4 that were 6 to 9 mm (75%), and 9 of 16 that were 5 mm or smaller (56%). Overall sensitivity of virtual colonoscopy for colorectal polyps was 67%. CONCLUSIONS: Our result of virtual colonoscopy showed lower sensitivity for detection of significant colorectal lesions than previously reported studies. Further large group study may be needed to determine the usefulness of virtual colonoscopy.

A Case of Giant Gastric Villous Tumor with Carcinomatous Change / 대한소화기학회지

Villous tumors of the stomach are somewhat rare with approximately 100 cases only reported in the literatures and have tendency to undergo malignant transformation as high as 72%. They are frequently multiple and associated with other gasrtrointestinal neoplasm. Thirty percent of them are associated with an independent gastric carcinoma. Gastric villous tumor has certain radiologic characteristics that may permit a preoperative diagnosis and also some distinctive clinicopathologic features which make early diagnosis and proper treatment possible. We experienced a 64-year-old man who complained of prolonged general weakness, weight loss for several months and left upper quadrant pain for four days. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy and barium study of upper gastrointestinal tract demonstrated typical, irregular, frond-like surfaced villous tumor occupying nearly whole gastric lumen and located eccentrically along the lesser curvature side. Endoscopic biopsy of the tumor revealed a gastric villous tumor with carcinomatous change.

Endoscopic Injection Treatment for Gastric Dieulafoy Lesion in Two Newborn Infants / 대한소화기학회지

Dieulafoy lesion is an abnormally large calibered submucosal artery associated with a minute mucosal defect in the gastrointestinal mucosa. It is a rare cause of profuse, but intermittent gastrointestinal bleeding. The lesion is usually located in the stomach, although it may occur anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract. Dieulafoy lesion is extremely rare in the neonates. We report two newborn infants with a gastric Dieulafoy lesion which was treated by endoscopic epinephrine injection therapy without complication and recurrence.

Prognostic Factors and Survival according to the Okuda Stage in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: There are several staging systems to decide the stage of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but yet incomplete. Okuda stage which includes both tumor characteristics and liver function is widely used. The aims of this study were to assess the usefulness of known prognostic factors and Okuda staging system in 237 cases of HCC. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 237 cases of HCC diagnosed from 2000 to 2002 was performed. We analyzed prognostic factors such as age, sex, liver cirrhosis, Child-Pugh classification, tumor size, albumin, bilirubin, alpha-FP, ascites, encephalopathy and Okuda stage. Prognostic analysis was performed for single variables and estimating survival distributions were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method, statistically compared by the log-rank test. RESULTS: Patients had a mean age of 57.5 years and were predominantly men (79.7%). Liver cirrhosis were noticed in 214 cases (90.3%). The overall median survival period was 25.7 months. The median survival period was correlated to bilirubin, ascites, alpha-FP, tumor size, and Child-Pugh classification, but not to age, sex, and pattern of viral infection. The median survival period of the Okuda stage I, II and III cases was 35.8, 11.9 and 8.5 months (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The median survival period of patients with HCC is significantly correlated to Okuda staging system, and survival period has improved than the initial data when the Okuda staging system was published in 1985. However, in order to discriminate early staged HCC more accurately, other prognostic factors such as alpha-FP and tumor morphology should be included in future staging system for HCC.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Associated with Familial Moyamoya Disease

We report on a 13-year-old female with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who exhibited symptoms of severe migraine and familial moyamoya disease. Cerebral magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) showed stenosis and occlusion of the bilateral internal carotid arteries associated with the development of collateral circulation (moyamoya vessels). In a child, as in this case, headaches with cerebral infarction associated with moyamoya disease are unusual. Few cases of SLE associated with familial moyamoya disease have been reported, with no previous reports of such cases from Korea. There were no evidences of antiphospholipid syndrome, and activity of SLE or other risk factors for cerebral occlusion were also absent.

A Case of Cytomegalovirus Pneumonia and Retinitis in a Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus / 대한류마티스학회지

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the member of the herpesviridae of virus, which are large DNA viruses that share the biologic properties of latency and reactivation. In patients with advanced acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and those immunocompomised due to bone marrow transplantation or solid organ transplantation, CMV infection is the major cause of morbidity and mortality. CMV pneumonia is the most severe complication of these CMV disease. There have been reported a few cases of CMV interstitial pneumonitis occurring in a patient with SLE after intensive immunosuppressive therapy with prednisolone and cyclophosphamide, and there has been reported a case in Korea. Then we report a case of CMV pneumonia and retinitis occurring in a patient with SLE who was being treated with high dose steroid for 1 month, and was treated with ganciclovir and immunoglobulin.

Hepatic CT Enhancement: Comparison between Dimeric and Monomeric Nonionic Contrast Agents in Rabbits

PURPOSE: To determine the hepatic and vascular enhancement profiles with nonionic dimeric, iodixanol, contrast agent in the rabbit and to compare them with nonionic monomeric, ioversol, contrast agent. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven rabbits initially underwent hepatic dynamic CT scan with either iodixanol or ioversol, followed by repeated CT scan with other unused contrast agent with one week interval between scans. Pre and post contrast attenuation values of hepatic parenchyma, aorta and portal vein were measured sequentially. The mean enhancement of the hepatic parenchyma, aorta and portal vein were compared between two agents. The mean peak enhancement and peak enhancement time of the liver, aorta, and portal vein were also compared. RESULTS: The attenuation values of ioversol showed a greater mean hepatic enhancement than iodixanol from 18 seconds to 39 seconds after injection (from late arterial phase to early portal venous phase) with a statistical significance (p<0.05). The mean peak enhancement of hepatic parenchyma, aorta and portal vein was also greater using ioversol than iodixanol, but the mean peak enhancement times of ioversol and iodixanol were nearly identical. CONCLUSION: Ioversol may have the greater effects than iodixanol on hepatic tumor conspicuity, especially from late arterial phase to early portal veneous phase.

A Case of Hypertrophic Osteoarthropathy Associated with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in a Child

Hypertrophic osteoarthropathy is characterized by clubbing of the digital tips and periosteal reaction of long bones. Most of the cases are associated with malignancy or other conditions such as congenital heart disease, liver cirrhosis, pulmonary fibrosis, biliary atresia, and gastrointestinal polyps. Hypertrophic osteoarthropathy associated with malignancy is rare in children. A few cases of hypertrophic osteoarthropathy in children with nasopharyngeal carcinoma have been reported, however, there has been no report of such case in Korea. We present a case of hypertrophic osteoarthropathy associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma with lung metastasis in a 14-yr-old boy. In this case, hypertrophic osteoarthropathy regressed after intensive chemotherapy, but subsequently the patient died of progressive lung metastasis.

A Case of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis / 대한류마티스학회지

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is though to be a collagen disease induced by auto-immune mechanism of unknown etiology. Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a disease characterized by overproduction of cells of the granulocytic, especially the neutrophilic series and occasionally the monocytic series, leading to marked splenomegaly and very high white blood cell counts. There's no consensus on the risk of leukemia in RA. There are some reports ragarding the relationship between low dose of methotrexate (<20 mg weekly) and the development of leukemia in RA. Although RA is a complex process, it can be considered initially as a stem cell disorder requiring treatment similar to that administered to transplant patient. We experienced a case of CML associated with RA. A 60-year-old woman with RA was treated with low dose methotrexate (7.5 mg weekly), hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drug (NSAID) and low dose steroid. This therapy was continued for 3 years. She was diagnosed CML after 3 years of therapy. CML was confirmed by bone marrow biopsy and the presence of the Philadelphia chromosome.

Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) levels in premenopausal women with systemic lupus erythematosus / 대한류마티스학회지

OBJECTIVE: Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS), the major steroidal product of the human adrenal, is abnormally low in patients with SLE. Moreover, a recent study confirms a positive effect of the precursor DHEA on the disease course in SLE, which supports an etiologically important role of the hormone on SLE. The aim of this study is to search for an interrelation between clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, and disease activities and DHEAS in patients with SLE. METHOD: DHEAS were measured by radioimmunoassay kit using 125I-labeled DHEA-SO4 antibody-coated tube in the serum of 48 patients with SLE and in 46 control subjects. Laboratory findings, clinical symptoms, signs and SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) in SLE patients were evaluated at blood sampling time. RESULTS: DHEAS was lower in patients with SLE compared to controls (45.60+/-42.62 mug/dL vs 101.55+/-56.54 mug/dL, p<0.005). The serum DHEAS levels were significantly negative correlation with SLEDAI (r=-0.333, p<0.05). There were significantly negative correlations between daily steroid dose and DHEAS (r=-0.384, p=0.012), and the amount of steroid used during previous 2 months and DHEAS (r=-0.011, p=0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with SLE have low levels of DHEAS and significant negative correlation between SLEDAI, steroid dose and DHEAS.

A Case of Cryoglobulinemic Vasculitis Developed in Multiple Myeloma / 대한류마티스학회지

Cryoglobulins are cold-precipitable monoclonal or polyclonal immunoglobulins,which can occur without an identifiable underlying disease condition or in association with underlying disorders.Cryoglobulinemic vasculitis is immune complex-mediated vasculitis that predominantly affect small vessels.Less often,medium-sized or even large vessels can be affected.Cryoglobulinemic vasculitis is a rare one of the cutaneous manifestations of multiple myeloma.We experienced a patient with cryoglobulinemic vasculitis developed in multiple myeloma who presented with Raynaud's phenomenon,purpuric patch and skin ulcer.