Journal of Korean medical science
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A nationwide survey was conducted to determine the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in Korea and the intercenter differences in survival and BPD rates among preterm infants. Questionnaires were sent to all registered neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The questionnaires inquired about the survival and BPD rates of very low birth weight (VLBW, < 1,500 g) infants who had been admitted to each NICU from 2007 to 2008. ⋯ The BPD rate and combined outcome of BPD or death rate varied considerably from 5% to 50% and 11% to 73%, respectively across the centers. There was no significant correlation between the survival rate and the BPD rate across the centers. In conclusion, the incidence of BPD among VLBW infants in Korea during the study period was 18%, and a considerable intercenter difference in BPD rates was noted.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Aug 2012
Factors related to prehospital time delay in acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.
Despite recent successful efforts to shorten the door-to-balloon time in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), prehospital delay remains unaffected. Nonetheless, the factors associated with prehospital delay have not been clearly identified in Korea. We retrospectively evaluated 423 patients with STEMI. ⋯ Among sociodemographic and clinical variables, diabetes, low educational level, triage via other hospital, use of private transport and night time onset were more prevalent in long delay group (21% vs 30%; P = 0.038, 47% vs 59%; P = 0.013, 72% vs 82%; P = 0.027, 25% vs 41%; P < 0.001 and 33% vs 48%; P = 0.002, respectively). In multivariate analysis, low educational level (1.66 [1.08-2.56]; P = 0.021), symptom onset during night time (1.97 [1.27-3.04]; P = 0.002), triage via other hospital (1.83 [1.58-5.10]; P = 0.001) and private transport were significantly associated with prehospital delay (3.02 [1.81-5.06]; P < 0.001). In conclusion, prehospital delay is more frequent in patients with low educational level, symptom onset during night time, triage via other hospitals, and private transport, and is associated with higher inhospital mortality.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Aug 2012
Portable document format file showing the surface models of cadaver whole body.
In the Visible Korean project, 642 three-dimensional (3D) surface models have been built from the sectioned images of a male cadaver. It was recently discovered that popular PDF file enables users to approach the numerous surface models conveniently on Adobe Reader. Purpose of this study was to present a PDF file including systematized surface models of human body as the beneficial contents. ⋯ The PDF file, downloadable freely from the homepage (http://anatomy.co.kr), is expected to be used as a satisfactory self-learning tool of anatomy. Raw data of the surface models can be extracted from the PDF file and employed for various simulations for clinical practice. The technique to organize the surface models will be applied to manufacture of other PDF files containing various multimedia contents.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Aug 2012
Abdominal aortic calcification is associated with diastolic dysfunction, mortality, and nonfatal cardiovascular events in maintenance hemodialysis patients.
This study evaluated the significance of aortic calcification index (ACI), an estimate of abdominal aortic calcification by plain abdominal computed tomography (CT), in terms of left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction, mortality, and nonfatal cardiovascular (CV) events in chronic hemodialysis patients. Hemodialysis patients who took both an abdominal CT and echocardiography were divided into a low-ACI group (n = 64) and a high-ACI group (n = 64). The high-ACI group was significantly older, had a longer dialysis vintage and higher comorbidity indices, and more patients had a previous history of CV disease than the low-ACI group. ⋯ The E/E' ratio was independently associated with the ACI. The event-free survival rates for mortality and nonfatal CV events were significantly lower in the high-ACI group compared with those in the low-ACI group, and the ACI was an independent predictor for all-cause deaths and nonfatal CV events. In conclusion, ACI is significantly associated with diastolic dysfunction and predicts all-cause mortality and nonfatal CV events in hemodialysis patients.