BACKGROUND: The nature of operation alters the volume of distribution at steady state (Vdss) of drug. The hepatic extraction ratio of midazolam (0.3~0.7) could be influenced by hepatic blood flow (HBF), and hepatic enzyme activity. The pharmacokinetics of intravenous midazolam were determined in patients undergoing lung surgery. METHODS: Midazolam, 0.2 mg/kg, was administered to five patients undergoing lung surgery at 30 minutes after induction of anesthesia. Anesthesia was maintained with O2-enflurane for one lung ventilation. Blood samples from artery were drawn at increasing intervals for 12 h. Plasma midazolam concentrations were measured by gas chromatography. Computer simulations of the times required for 20%, 50%, and 80% decreases in midazolam concentrations were performed. RESULTS: A three compartment model best described the concentration versus time data. The volume of the central compartment (Vc) and volume of distribution at steady state (Vdss) were 4.3 2.8 l and 59.9 20.1 l, respectively. The elimination half-life was 3.4 2.2 h. Simulations indicate that under all the situations, the concentrations would decrease more rapidly in our patients in spite of similar Vdss and elimination half-life of patients undergoing minor gynecological surgery. CONCLUSION: The elimination half-life was in the range of previously reported values. The shorter recovery time is apparently due to relatively faster redistrubution, and relatively greater capacity for redistribution.
Anesthesia ; Arteries ; Chromatography, Gas ; Computer Simulation ; Female ; Gynecologic Surgical Procedures ; Half-Life ; Humans ; Lung* ; Midazolam* ; One-Lung Ventilation ; Pharmacokinetics* ; Plasma

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the safety and the efficacy of amlodipine, a dihydropyridine calcium antagonist, monotherapy in the treatment of moderate essential hypertension. METHOD: Amlodipine 5mg once a day was administered as a starting dose in 30 patients with essential hypertension in the morning and a one step upward titration was performed (amlodipine 10 mg once a day) was done at the end of 4weeks treatment. Final evaluation was done at 12weeks with laboratory test and echocardiogram. RESULT: Within 4weeks treatment with dose of 5mg amlodipine once a day, the systolic blood pressure (SBP) was decreased(184.5+/-23.3/150.5+/-16.0mmHg,p<0.000), and the diastolic blood pressure(DBP) was also decreased significantly (109.9+/-04.6/92.3+/-11.5mmHg, P<0.001). After 12 weeks of treatment with a mean dosage of 6.6mg once a day, SBP and DBP was maintained comparing with basal level (147.0+/-15.8/88.1+/-0.9mmHg, respectively). The efficacy of amlodipine treatment was noted an excellent in 16 patients(53.3%), good in 4 patient(13.3%), fair in 4 patients(13.3%), and failed in 2 patients(6.7%). There was no significant change in heart rate before and after amlodipine treatment. (80.0+/-2.3/80.9+/-10.4 beats/minute n.s). Amlodipine had not significant effects on laboratory findings such as serum creatinine, BUN, ALT/AST, hemoglobin, leukocyte count,platelet and lipid profiles. There was facial flushing 2 patients, but no need to discontinue administration of amlodipine and all patients completed for 12weeks therapy. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that amlodipine is an effective antihypertensive agent, as monotherapy once a day in patients with moderate essential hypertension.
Amlodipine ; Blood Pressure ; Calcium ; Creatinine ; Flushing ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Leukocytes

No abstract available.
Echocardiography* ; Electrocardiography*

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to evaluate the safety and the efficacy of fosinopril(Monopril(R)) in the treatment of mild to moderate essential hypertension. METHOD: Fosinopril(10mg) once a day was administrated as a starting dose in 20 patients with essential hypertension in the morning and a one step upward titration was performed(fosinopril 20mg once a day, after 4 weeks treatment). RESULT: After 2 weeks treatment with dose of 10mg, the systolic blood pressure(SBP) was decreased(183.8+/-28.5 vs, 161.5+/-25.9mmHg, p<0.05) and the diastolic blood pressure(DBP) was also decreased significantly(108.3+/-9.3 vs, 96.6+/-10.3mmHg, p<0.05). The effect of fosinopril were maintained. The SBP an DBP were decreased in 14 out of 20 patients till 8 weeks. There was no significant change in heart rate before and after fosinopril treatment(74.3+/-10 vs, 76.4+/-7.9beats/min). Fosinopril had no significant effects on laboratory findings such as serum creatinin, BUN, AST/ALT, WBC, Platelet and lipid profiles. Mild dry coughing was noticed only in 5 patients and it did not disturb continuing medication. CONCLUSION: Fosinopril is an effective antihypertensive agent, as monotherapy once a day in patients with mild to moderate hypertension.
Blood Platelets ; Cough ; Fosinopril* ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension*

BACKGROUND: In previous study, hypertensive patients with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction showed delayed relaxation time intervals and increased relaxation nonuniformity of regional wall motion. In this point of view, the effects of amlodipine on the regional wall motion and mitral flow patterns were evaluated. METHODS: Before and 32weeks after the antihypertensive medication of amlodipine, M-mode & Doppler echocardiogram were performed in 14 patients with moderate hypertension. We measured A2 to the peak thinning rate point of left ventricular(LV)posterior wall [A2-(-)dpw/dt] and the peak lengthening rate point of mitral annulus [A2-dL/dt] on M-mode echocardiogram and we defined nonuniformity as the time interval, (-)dpw/dt-dL/dt. RESULTS: 1) Mitral flow velocity E/A ratio was increased (0.95+/-0.4 vs 1.42+/-0.6, p<0.05) after amlodipine medication. 2) Heart rate and LV posterior wall thickness was decreased (79+/-9.3 vs 72+/-10.8 beats/min, 10.7+/-1.5 vs 9.4+/-2.0mm, p<0.05 respectively). 3) Long axis relaxation was improved (A2-dL/dt ; 165+/-44 vs 140+/-23msec, p<0.05) and nonuniformity index was decreased ((-)dpw/dt-dL/dt ; 63+/-49 vs 41+/-30msec p=0.07). CONCLUSION: Amlodipine improved E/A ratio of mitral flow (E/A ratio) in hypertensive patients with diastolic dysfunction, which could be attributed to the decreased heart rate, the decrease in wall thickness and the improvement in relaxation movement of LV long axis.
Amlodipine* ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Relaxation

We experienced a case of sudden onset of hyperkalemia during liver lobectomy and this was followed by ventricular tachycardia and cardiac arrest. The main cause of this fatality is assumed to be the wide range of surgical manipulation that induced reduced hepatic blood flow and ischemic necrosis of the hepatic cells. We report here on this case and we review the relevant medical literature.
Heart Arrest ; Hepatocytes ; Hyperkalemia ; Liver ; Necrosis ; Tachycardia, Ventricular

Mitral ring motion and indices of left ventricular diastolic filling were measured by M-mode and Doppler echocardiography in apical 4 chamber view in 11 dilated cardiomyopathy patients and 9 normal subjects without clinical evidence of heart disease. The mean age of patients was 52 years and average heart rate was 76 beats/min. The parameters of mitral annulus motion include earley relaxation amplitude(ER), late atrial contraction amplitude(AC) and A2-peak excursion(A2-PE). Transmitral flow velocity parameters include peak flow velocity of early diastolic flow velocity(PFVE), peak flow velocity of late atrial contraction(PFVA), the ratio between early and late peak flow velocity(PFVE/PFVA), Acceleration rate of early diastolic peak flow(AR), deceleration rate of early diastolic peak flow(DR), time velocity integral of early diastolic flow velocity(TVIE), time velocity integral of late atrial contraction flow velocity(TVIA) and ratio between early diastolic and late atrial flow velocity integral(TVIE/TVIA). In patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, ER(4.5+/-2.3mm) and AC(2.3+/-1.6mm) were significantly decreased than normal(10.7+/-2.6mm, 6.6+/-1.6mm, p<0.01, p<0.01, respectively), whereas ER/AC(1.7+/-0.7) was not significantly different than normal subjects(1.6+/-0.5). A2-PE(100+/-80 msec) was significantly delayed in dilated cardiomyopathy patients than normal subjects(35+/-25 msec, p<0.01). In analysis of transmitral flow velocities, PFVE, PFVA and PFVE/PFVA, etc were not significantly different compared to normal subjects in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. Mitral ring motion amplitude was decreased and A2-peak excursion time interval(A2-PE) was delayed in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, but transmitral flow velocities were not significantly different from normal subjects in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. These results reflect the facts that early diastolic relaxation amplitude is decreased by the change of compliance of LV and late atrial contractin amplitude is decreased by decrease of atrial contractility and increased stiffness of LA and LV. Despite of decreased mitral ring motion, transmitral flow velocity is not significantly different compared to normal subjects in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. From these evidences, not only transmitral flow velocity affected by multiple factors but also mitral ring motion affected by LA and LV function are considered in assessment of LV diastolic dysfuction.
Acceleration ; Blood Flow Velocity* ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated* ; Compliance ; Deceleration ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Relaxation

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a multifactorial autoimmune skin disease with a pathogenesis that has remained obscure. Recently, T cells bearing natural killer receptors (NKRs) were precisely and strongly targeted as new putative pathogenic immunocytes in psoriasis. Among NKRs, killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) is the major molecule recognizing HLA class I allotypes and might be closely related to psoriasis. METHODS: To investigate the association of KIR genotype and patients with psoriasis in Korean, we defined the 14 KIR genotypes in 96 patients with psoriasis and 86 healthy controls using PCR-SSP methods. RESULTS: The frequencies of KIR2DS4 and KIR3DL1 were significantly decreased in psoriasis compared with controls (RR=0.21, p<0.02). When patients were divided into two subgroups at the age of onset, type I (<30 years) and type II (> or =30 years) respectively, these phenomena were similarly observed independent of groups divided (type I: RR=0.26, p<0.005; type II: RR=0.14, p<0.0006). When the patients were divided into subgroups according to the age of onset and family history, the frequencies of KIR2DS4, KIR3DL1, and KIR2DS3 were significantly decreased in type I compared with type II psoriasis (3DL1, 2DS4: p<0.004; 2DS3: p<0.04) and were significantly decreased in psoriasis without family history compared to with family history (3DL1, 2DS4: p<0.007; 2DS3: p<0.05). The frequency of haplotype combination BB was significantly increased in psoriasis compared with controls (RR=2.74, p<0.009). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that KIR genotype is a factor for the occurrence and development of psoriasis and in future how combinations of HLA and KIR genes influence psoriasis needs to be defined.
Age of Onset ; Genotype* ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Psoriasis* ; Receptors, KIR ; Skin Diseases ; T-Lymphocytes

Celiac disease is a chronic absorptive disorder of the small intestine caused by gluten. The prevalence rate of celiac disease is 1% in Western countries. But, it is rare in Asian countries, and there is no celiac disease reported in Korea. Here, we report a case of celiac disease. An 36-years-old woman complained non-specific abdominal pain and diarrhea. She had anemia and was taking medication for osteoporosis. Colonoscopy showed no abnormality except shallow ulcer at the terminal ileum. Gastroduodenoscopy showed micronodularity at the duodenum 2nd and 3rd portion. Capsule endoscopy and enteroscopy showed villous atrophy and blunting of villi from the duodenum. Small intestinal pathology showed villous atrophy with lymphocyte infiltration. After gluten free diet, diarrhea, abdominal pain, anemia and osteoporosis were improved. And, she felt well-being sensation. This is a first case of celiac disease in Korea.
Abdominal Pain/etiology ; Adult ; Anemia/etiology ; Capsule Endoscopy ; Celiac Disease/complications/*diagnosis/diet therapy/pathology ; Diarrhea/etiology ; Diet, Gluten-Free ; Duodenum/pathology ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Female ; Humans ; Ileum/pathology ; Intestinal Mucosa/pathology ; Osteoporosis/etiology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: This study was carrid out to assess the feasibility of cancer registry program (KCR) in Kwangju metropolitan city, Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The incidence cases and mortality data were mainly collected from the Korean national cancer registry system (NCR) and other resources such as medical insurance records, hospital records, pathology reports, radiation records and death certificates of 1996 in Kwangju metropolitan city. RESULTS: This study identified 1,422 cases of cancer in 1996, which was about 1379o more than NCR. Cancer cases reported from the hospitals outside Kwangju metropolitan city reached almost 40% of total cases. Death certificate notification percent (DCN%) in 1996 was estimated about 31.1%. The proposed KCR would cover more than 95% of cancer cases in Kwangju metropolitan city. CONCLUSION: The proposed KCR seems feasible in collecting cancer date with reasonable accuracy.
Death Certificates ; Feasibility Studies* ; Gwangju* ; Hospital Records ; Incidence ; Insurance ; Korea ; Mortality ; Pathology