Journal of Korean medical science
-
J. Korean Med. Sci. · Sep 2018
Premature Deaths Attributable to Long-term Exposure to Ambient Fine Particulate Matter in the Republic of Korea.
Ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the major environmental health risk factor in Korea. Exposure to PM2.5 has been a growing public concern nationwide. With the rapid aging of the Korean population, the health effects attributable to long-term exposure to PM2.5 were expected to increase further in the future. We aimed to estimate premature deaths attributable to long-term exposure to ambient PM2.5 in Korea. ⋯ Premature deaths due to long-term exposure to PM2.5 accounted for 6.4% of all deaths in Korea. However, individual efforts alone cannot prevent the effects of air pollution. This disease burden study can serve as a basis for the establishment of government policies and budgets and can be used to assess the effectiveness of environmental health policies.
-
J. Korean Med. Sci. · Sep 2018
Prognostic Factors of Penile Cancer and the Efficacy of Adjuvant Treatment after Penectomy: Results from a Multi-institution Study.
Penile cancer is a rare malignancy associated with high rates of mortality and morbidity. Currently, the efficacy of adjuvant treatment (AT), including radiotherapy and chemotherapy, for penile cancer remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the prognostic factors for treatment outcomes and the efficacy of AT in consecutive patients who underwent penectomy for penile cancer at multiple Korean institutions between 1999 and 2013. ⋯ AJCC stage ≥ III disease, which mainly reflects lymph node positivity, is a significant prognosticator in patients with penile cancer. By contrast, AT does not seem to affect CSS and RFS.
-
J. Korean Med. Sci. · Sep 2018
Safety and Efficacy of Off-label and Unlicensed Medicines in Children.
The aim of this study was to explore the use of off-label/unlicensed drugs to confirm the safety and efficacy of their prescription in children in Korea. ⋯ Children are still prescribed medicines that are not authorized in terms of age, weight, indications, or routes of administration. Therefore, many old products require re-assessment of authorization. More prospective clinical studies should be performed to confirm the efficacy and safety of drugs in the pediatric population.
-
J. Korean Med. Sci. · Sep 2018
ReviewImplementation of Hospital Policy for Healthcare Workers and Patients Exposed to Varicella-Zoster Virus.
Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) causes a highly contagious and generally benign, self-limited disease. However, in high-risk populations including immunocompromised patients, pregnant women, and neonates, VZV infection can be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Healthcare-associated transmission of VZV occurs among healthcare workers (HCWs) and patients by airborne transmission or by direct contact with the index case. ⋯ For post-exposure management, active immunization (varicella vaccine), passive immunization (varicella-zoster immune globulin) and/or antiviral agents, and isolation could be used in specific situations. To prevent the transmission of VZV infection in the hospital settings, the development and implementation of hospital policies for appropriate infection control is also warranted. This article reviews the general information and healthcare-associated transmission of VZV and summarizes the recommendations for the pre- and post-exposure management of HCWs and patients, in hospital settings.