An Open Pilot Trial of Written Exposure Therapy for Patients With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Korea

Objective@#Written exposure therapy (WET) is exposure therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Compared to evidencebased treatments for PTSD, WET requires only five sessions, has a shorter session time, and no between-session assignments. The current study examined the efficacy of WET among Korean patients with PTSD due to various traumatic events on PTSD symptoms, depressive symptoms, and global functioning levels. @*Methods@#The study recruited 41 patients with a current primary diagnosis of PTSD in psychiatric outpatient clinics. Assessments were conducted at baseline, and at 6, 12, and 24 weeks following the first treatment session. @*Results@#In total, 25 patients started WET. Findings showed a significant reduction in the rate of PTSD diagnosis and symptom severity scores. Fourteen of 23 (60.9%) patients at 6 weeks, 15 of 22 (68.2%) patients at 12 weeks, and 14 of 18 (77.8%) patients at 24 weeks no longer met the diagnosis of PTSD. Depressive symptoms and global function scores also improved after WET. The dropout rate was 8% (n=2). @*Conclusion@#This study suggests the feasibility of implementing WET among various types of patients with PTSD in Korea and other Asian countries.

An Open Pilot Trial of Written Exposure Therapy for Patients With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Korea

Objective@#Written exposure therapy (WET) is exposure therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Compared to evidencebased treatments for PTSD, WET requires only five sessions, has a shorter session time, and no between-session assignments. The current study examined the efficacy of WET among Korean patients with PTSD due to various traumatic events on PTSD symptoms, depressive symptoms, and global functioning levels. @*Methods@#The study recruited 41 patients with a current primary diagnosis of PTSD in psychiatric outpatient clinics. Assessments were conducted at baseline, and at 6, 12, and 24 weeks following the first treatment session. @*Results@#In total, 25 patients started WET. Findings showed a significant reduction in the rate of PTSD diagnosis and symptom severity scores. Fourteen of 23 (60.9%) patients at 6 weeks, 15 of 22 (68.2%) patients at 12 weeks, and 14 of 18 (77.8%) patients at 24 weeks no longer met the diagnosis of PTSD. Depressive symptoms and global function scores also improved after WET. The dropout rate was 8% (n=2). @*Conclusion@#This study suggests the feasibility of implementing WET among various types of patients with PTSD in Korea and other Asian countries.

Metastatic eyelid cancer from gastric adenocarcinoma / 영남의대학술지

Gastric cancer is the most common cancer in Korean males and can easily spread to distant organs such as the liver, lungs, brain, or bones. However, skin metastasis, particularly of the eye, is rare. Metastatic eyelid cancer is extremely rare; metastases from internal organs have not been reported so far. We recently experienced a patient with metastatic eyelid cancer from adenocarcinoma of the stomach. A 62-year-old female was admitted with a right upper eyelid mass and foreign body sensation. She had a history of stomach cancer of 3 years. She was treated by chemotherapy and radiotherapy for pathologic fracture. After receiving supportive care for 2 years, the mass appeared on her right pupil. Punch-biopsy of the mass was performed and histological examination revealed adenocarcinoma, the same as the initial histological result. We report this case with a review of related literature.

Severe hyponatremia and seizures after bowel preparation with low-volume polyethylene glycol plus ascorbic acid solution / 영남의대학술지

The widely used polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based solutions have been proven effective for bowel preparation when 4 L of the solution is administered before colonoscopy. However, large volumes of the solutions are generally poorly tolerated. A new PEG-based solution consisting of 2 L of PEG and a high dose of ascorbic acid has recently become available. Electrolyte abnormalities caused by PEG-based solutions have rarely been reported. We report on a case of acute severe hyponatremia with associated generalized tonic-clonic seizures after bowel preparation with a low-volume PEG plus ascorbic acid solution in a 74-year-old woman with no history of seizures. She took a beta blocker, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, and glimepiride for hypertension and diabetes mellitus. She showed general weakness, nausea, agitation, muscle cramping, and seizures after ingestion of the PEG plus ascorbic acid solution. Her serum sodium level was 112 mEq/L. Her symptoms improved after intravenous administration of hypertonic saline. Physicians should pay attention to screening for electrolytes and development of neurological symptoms during bowel preparation.