Journal of Korean medical science
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Apr 2017
Bacterial Species and Antibiotic Sensitivity in Korean Patients Diagnosed with Acute Otitis Media and Otitis Media with Effusion.
Changes over time in pathogens and their antibiotic sensitivity resulting from the recent overuse and misuse of antibiotics in otitis media (OM) have complicated treatment. This study evaluated changes over 5 years in principal pathogens and their antibiotic sensitivity in patients in Korea diagnosed with acute OM (AOM) and OM with effusion (OME). The study population consisted of 683 patients who visited the outpatient department of otorhinolaryngology in 7 tertiary hospitals in Korea between January 2010 and May 2015 and were diagnosed with acute AOM or OME. ⋯ Bacterial species and antibiotic sensitivity did not change significantly over 5 years. The rate of detection of MRSA was higher in OME than in previous studies. As bacterial predominance and antibiotic sensitivity could change over time, continuous and periodic surveillance is necessary in guiding appropriate antibacterial therapy.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Apr 2017
Spontaneous Renal Artery Dissection as a Cause of Acute Renal Infarction: Clinical and MDCT Findings.
The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence of spontaneous renal artery dissection (SRAD) as a cause of acute renal infarction, and to evaluate the clinical and multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) findings of SRAD. From November 2011 to January 2014, 35 patients who were diagnosed with acute renal infarction by MDCT were included. We analyzed the 35 MDCT data sets and medical records retrospectively, and compared clinical and imaging features of SRAD with an embolism, using Fisher's exact test and the Mann-Whitney test. ⋯ None of SRAD patients progressed to an estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min/1.73 m² or to end-stage renal disease during the follow-up period. SRAD is not a rare cause of acute renal infarction, and it has a benign clinical course. It should be considered in a differential diagnosis of acute renal infarction, particularly in patients with new-onset hypertension, unilateral renal involvement, and normal ranges of CRP, LDH, BUN, and BCR.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Apr 2017
Characteristics and Impact Factors of Renal Threshold for Glucose Excretion in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
Sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors are newly developed but promising medicine for type 2 diabetes. However, patients with a different renal threshold for glucose excretion (RT(G)) may have a different reaction to this medicine. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the characteristics of RT(G) and its impact factors in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). ⋯ Further stratified analysis revealed that RT(G) in T2DM patients increased with age, duration of diabetes, and BMI. In conclusion, RT(G) is increased in patients with T2DM, especially in those with longer diabetic duration, higher BMI, and those who are older. Therefore, these patients may be more sensitive to SGLT-2 inhibitors.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Apr 2017
Vitamin D and Urinary Incontinence among Korean Women: a Propensity Score-matched Analysis from the 2008-2009 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
A recent study investigated the role of vitamin D in urinary incontinence (UI). However, very few data are available on this topic. Therefore, we evaluated these relationships using nationally representative data from Korea. ⋯ There was no significant difference between the mean vitamin D levels of the UI and normal groups (vitamin D: 18.4 ± 6.6 vs. 18.5 ± 7.0 ng/mL; P = 0.752). Additionally, there was no significant difference in the distribution of vitamin D levels (< 20 ng/mL, 20-30 ng/mL, > 30 ng/mL: 63.8%, 30.5%, and 5.7% in normal controls, 64.0%, 27.8%, and 8.2% in UI cases; P = 0.107). In conclusion, low serum vitamin D is not significantly and independently related to female UI after propensity score matching in representative Korean data.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Apr 2017
Therapeutic Effects of Korean Red Ginseng Extract in a Murine Model of Atopic Dermatitis: Anti-pruritic and Anti-inflammatory Mechanism.
Korean red ginseng (KRG) and ginsenosides exhibit diverse biological effects, including anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic. We aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of KRG in a murine model of atopic dermatitis (AD) is mediated whether by diminishing the pruritus or by suppressing the inflammation. Thirty NC/Nga mice were randomly divided to 5 groups. ⋯ The effects of KRG and the other agents were assessed by measuring the clinical severity score, ear thickness, extent of transepidermal water loss (TEWL), number of scratching movements, total systemic immunoglobulin E (IgE) and interleukin (IL)-31 levels, histologic changes of cutaneous lesions, and mRNA expression levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (IFN)-γ, thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), and IL-31. KRG exerts therapeutic effects against AD by inhibiting the T helper 2 (Th2) mediated inflammation as well as by diminishing the itching sensation. Moreover, restricting scratching behavior suppresses the vicious cycle of itching and scratching, thus reducing clinical and systemic inflammation in our murine model of AD.