Journal of Korean medical science
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Medical radiation is a very important part of modern medicine, and should be only used when needed and optimized. Justification and optimization of radiation examinations must be performed. The first step of reduction of medical exposure is to know the radiation dose in currently performed examinations. ⋯ Lastly, we talk about computerized programs that can be used in medical facilities for managing patient dose. While patient dose monitoring and management should be used to decrease and optimize overall radiation dose, it should not be used to assess individual cancer risk. One must always remember that medically justified examinations should always be performed, and unneeded examinations should be avoided in the first place.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Feb 2016
ReviewImaging Guidelines for Enhancing Justifications for Radiologic Studies.
Justification in the field of radiology refers to the appropriate use of radiologic imaging modalities, and may be achieved by establishing clinical imaging guidelines (CIGs). Recently, CIGs have been shown to be useful in selecting the proper medical imaging modality, resulting in the reduction of inappropriate radiologic examinations, thereby enhancing justifications. ⋯ Thus, although the radiologic societies in developed countries such as the United Kingdom and USA are already developing and implementing CIGs in their clinical practices, CIGs are not yet readily available in many other countries owing to differences in medical circumstances and resources. In this review, we assess the role and limitations of CIGs by examining the current status of CIGs in developed countries, and also describe the specific efforts made to establish CIGs in Korea.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Feb 2016
Clinical TrialImproving Effect of the Acute Administration of Dietary Fiber-Enriched Cereals on Blood Glucose Levels and Gut Hormone Secretion.
Dietary fiber improves hyperglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes through its physicochemical properties and possible modulation of gut hormone secretion, such as glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). We assessed the effect of dietary fiber-enriched cereal flakes (DC) on postprandial hyperglycemia and gut hormone secretion in patients with type 2 diabetes. Thirteen participants ate isocaloric meals based on either DC or conventional cereal flakes (CC) in a crossover design. ⋯ However, there were no differences in the plasma insulin, glucagon, GLP-1, and GIP levels. In conclusion, acute administration of DC attenuates postprandial hyperglycemia without any significant change in the representative glucose-regulating hormones in patients with type 2 diabetes (ClinicalTrials.gov. NCT 01997281).
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Feb 2016
Factor V Deficiency in Korean Patients: Clinical and Laboratory Features, Treatment, and Outcome.
Due to rarity of factor V (FV) deficiency, there have been only a few case reports in Korea. We retrospectively analysed the clinical-laboratory features of FV deficiency in 10 Korean patients. Between January 1987 and December 2013, 10 case reports published in a Korean journal or proceedings of Korea Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis were reviewed. ⋯ The majority of bleeding episodes were controlled with local measures and fresh-frozen plasma replacement. Two acquired FV deficient-patients showing life-threatening haemorrhages received the immunosuppressive therapy, but one of them died from postoperative bleeding complications. Despite the small sample size of this study due to rarity of the disease, we found that Korean patients with FV deficiency had similar clinical manifestations and treatment outcomes shown in previous studies.
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J. Korean Med. Sci. · Feb 2016
Falls in Korean Polio Survivors: Incidence, Consequences, and Risk Factors.
Falls and fall-related injuries are important issue among polio survivors. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of, and consequences and factors associated with falls among Korean polio survivors. A total of 317 polio survivors participated in this study. ⋯ Female sex, old age, low bone mineral density, the presence of symptoms related to post-polio syndrome (PPS), poor balance confidence, short physical performance battery and weak muscle strength of knee extensor were not significantly associated with falls. Only leg-length discrepancy using spine-malleolar distance (SMD) was a significant factor associated with falls among Korean polio survivors. Our findings suggest that malalignment between the paralytic and non-paralytic limb length should be addressed in polio survivors for preventing falls.