Background
: As the metabolic syndrome represents a constellation of cardiovascular risk factors,its prevention is very important. Especially, child and adolescent obesity and metabolic abnormalities track into adulthood and it may promote the development of the metabolic syndrome in adults. however, in Korea there are only few studies about the metabolic syndrome of children and adolescents. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and distribution of the metabolic syndrome in Korean children and adolescents.

Methods : The Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey (KNHNS) 2001 was a nation representative survey with a stratified multistage sampling design. Data from a comprehensive questionnaire, physical examination, and blood sample were obtained from 1,090 Korean children and adolescents (567 boys, 523 girls), aged 10 to 19 years. The metabolic syndrome was determined by using the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATPIII) definition modified for age.

Results : The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in Korean children and adolescents was 7.1% (9.2% in boys, 4.8% in girls). The syndrome was present in 36.6% of overweight children and adolescents (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 95^th percentile) compared with 11.2% of at-risk children and adolescents (BMI 85^th to ＜95^th percentile) and 2.5% of those with a BMI below the 85th percentile (P＜0.001). A multivariate logistic regression model showed a significant increase in risk of the metabolic syndrome in association with gender and BMI.

Conclusion : Overall, 7.1% of children and adolescents and 36.6% of overweight children and adolescents in Korea met the criteria for the metabolic syndrome. These findings emphasize the need for both public health and clinical interventions to improve the detection, prevention, and treatment of the metabolic syndrome, especially in obese children and adolescents.

Background
: To investigate the relationship between adiposity and risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in normal weight individuals.

Methods : The study subjects were those over 19 years old, less than 23 kg/m² of body mass index (BMI). They were examined in a health promotion center of a general hospital from June to November, 2001 (309 men and 369 women). Height, weight, BMI, blood pressure (BP), serum lipids and fasting blood glucose (FBS) were checked. Percent body percent (%BF) was obtained by bioelectrical method. Normal weight subjects were divided into two groups according to their %BF; then, the groups were evaluated for the presence of CVD risk factors.

Results : The average age of the study subjects was 43.66±11.26 years old in men and 41.11±10.90 years old in women. The average BMI was 21.15±1.47 kg/m² in men and 20.68±1.53 kg/m² in women. High %BF group showed significantly increased frequency of higher BP, FBS, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and LDL- cholesterol (LDL-C) compared with low %BF group in both sexes. In men, odds ratios (ORs) of the high %BF group with respect to the low %BF group were significantly high for BP and TG elevation. ORs of the high %BF group were significantly high for FBS, TC, LDL-C and TG elevation in women. ORs for more than one CVD risk factor was 2.46 (1.38∼4.38) in men and 1.50 (0.95∼2.36) in women.

Conclusion : Increased %BF was related to cardiovascular risk factors in normal weight subjects. The result was more significant for normal weight men than normal weight women.

Background
: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common diseases dealt with by primary physicians. UTI is common in the elderly and has a great influence on the quality of the elderly's life. Thus, we conducted a study in one nursing home to find out the prevalence of bacteriuria and epidemiologic characteristics of the elderly.

Methods : The study was performed twice on April 12 and on May 4, 1999 among 108 subjects residing in a nursing home of Hanam City. The authors inquired the subjects pertaining to the history of UTI symptoms, collected urine samples by midstream clean-catch technique and catheterization and performed routine and microscopic urine analysis and urine culture.

Results : The overall prevalence of bacteriuria in subjects was 23.1%(25/108) ; 20%(3/15) in males and 23.7% (22/93) in females. The prevalence of the bedridden subject was 40.9% (9/22). Among the urine samples of 25 cases which were positive in the urine culture, E. Coli was found in 15 cases(60%). The sensitivity, specificiy, positive and negative predictive value of pyuria for bacteriuria were 44.0%(11/25), 87.9%(73/83), 52.3%(11/21) and 83.9%(73/87), respectively, while those of nitrite test for bacteriuria were 64.0%(16/25), 97.5%(81/83), 88.%(16/18) and 90.0%(81/90), respectively. The prevalence of bacteriuria increased by 16.23% as age increased by ten years using the Cochran-Armitage's linear trend test.

Conclusion : The prevalence of becteriuria in the elderly residing in a nursing home was higher than that of the elderly residing in a community. In the elderly over 60 years old, the prevalence of bacteriuria increased as the age increased. Immobility is considered as a risk factor of bacteriuria. Bacteriuria may be treated by antibiotics focused on E. Coli. Thus, we can expect improvement in the quality of life as well as extension of life span.

Background
: About 80 percent of Korean population over 55 years old show radiographic signs of osteoarthritis. Hence, osteoarthritis has become one of the most important public health problem among the old age. Despite the importance of this disease, proper methods for evaluation and diagnosis of osteo-arthritis have not been developed. Authors have investigated the sensitivity and specificity of thermography in diagnosing osteoarthritis.

Methods : Twenty patients who had visited the department of family medicine, Korean University Hospital, with non-traumatic knee pain during the period from April 1 to May 30, 1999, were included in the study. Patients had gone through series of careful history taking, physical examination and laboratory evaluations for clinical evaluation of osteoarthritis of the knee joints. Furthermore, the radiographic and thermographic examination of both knee joints were assessed.

Results : Among the twenty patients who have been examined, 15 patients were to have shown radiographic abnormality; on the other hand, 14 patients showed thermographic abnormality. Seventeen patients showed clinical manifestations of osteoarthritis. Twelve patients, among those who had clinical osteoarthritis, were shown to have osteoarthritis in both image studies, i,e. radiographic and thermographic abnormalities. All patients who had not shown clinical osteoarthritis, were normal on both image studies. The sensitivity and specificity of thermography in diagnosing osteoarthritis were 80% and 80%, respectively (P<0.05).

Conclusion : Hot spots or asymmetric distribution in the knee joint area of osteoarthritis patients were in thermographic examination. Thermography has shown efficacy in the evaluation of osteoarthritis.

Background
: The objective confirmation of subjective symptom of patient is important in the primary care consisted largely by functional disorders of which mechanism could not explain the symptoms clearly. Definite diagnostic method is not established yet for the functional disorders densptie the fact that various investigations have been done. So, we tried to reveal the relationship between the value of indicator drop(ID) from electroacupunctrure point accordint to Voll and the clinical diagnosis and subjective symptom by using noninvasive electroacupuncture diagnosis according to Voll.

Methods : Among the patients of three university level hospitals health care centers from April to June 1997, consenting 203 persons were enrolled .Various laboratory finding and ID from EAV were measured by double blind test methods. In parallel, subjective symptoms were classified by each organ. Validity was tested by the relationship between the gastrofiberscopy finding and the stomach control measurement point ID.

Results : There were statistically significant ID increases in the CMPs of endocrine, lung, circulation system, gastrointestinal system, kidney and bladder compared to a laboratory findings or subjective symptom by the comparison between the variables of the assessed clinical or laboratory findings and organ specific CMP score. Especially, the ID increase of stomach shows 79.3%-90.9% positive predictive value to positive findings of gastrofiberscopy when gastrofiberscopy is definded to confirmation test of gastritis, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer.

Conclusion : Our results show that the noninvasive electrodiagnostic method result by measuring EAV of organ system is related statistically to subjective symptoms and laboratory findings. Also they show that it could be useful tool as a clinical diagnostic method. We suggest that further study is needed to reveal organ specific sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value by using confirmation method of organ specific disease.

Background
: Among a number of social habits, smoking is an important factor of human health to prevent related disease morbidity and death. It is essential for family physicians to participate in this subject considering the influence of smoking on life pattern or one's behavior as well as smoking itself, physician should keep above aspects in mind through smoking consultation session. therefore, this report is to elaborate the correlations between smoking and the other health activities.
Method: The survey was performed to those who had their health examined at an university hospital and a general hospital during the period between April and May, 1995. Smoking group(male:141, female:14, total:155) and nonsmoking group(male:141, female:18, total:159) were rando-mly selected among those who had answered to the survery(total:650). The questionnaire of the survey consisted of 12 categories and 25 questions to evaluate health score graded 0 point to 4 point according to interpreted version of Wilosn's FANTASTIC Lifestyle Assessment.
Result: The health score of smoking group was lower than that of nonsmoking group in terms of alcohol, exercise, toxin, stress and personality. Nevertheless, the grade between 2 groups was family and friends. Total score of smoking group(68.2 out of 100). The longer the period of smoking was and the more cigarettes one smoked, the lower total health point he had. The onset of smoking, however, is insignifa-ntly related to the health status.

Conclusion : This report shows that concerning the relationship between smoking and other health behaviours, physician must take not only tratment of disease and smoking, but other health behaviours into consideration.