No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Primary Health Care*

No abstract available.
Cytomegalovirus* ; DNA* ; Glomerulonephritis* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction*

To investigate the imbalance of the cytokine production profile of T cells from atopic asthmatics, we measured concentrations of IL-4, IL-5 and IFN-y by ELISA method in the culture supernatants of peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs) and Derrnato-phagoides pteronyssinus(Der p) J-stimulated PBMCs from Der p-sensitized atopic asthmatics, Der p-sensitized healthy atopits, non-atopic asthmatics and healthy non-atopics. The suppressive effect of IFN-y on cytokine production of Der p J-stimulated PBMCs was also examined. The PBMCs from atopics showed higher IL-4 and IL-5 production in response to PHA +TPA and higher IFN-gamma production in response to Der p Jq compared with non-atopits. The Der p J-stimulated PBMCs from atopics showed a tendency of increased IL-5 production in response to Der p J and higher IL-4 and IL-5 production in response to PHA+TPA compared with non-atopics. IL-5 production of Der p J-stimulated PBMCs from atopics was suppressed by IFN It is suggested that an imbalance in IL-4, IL-5 and IFN-y production is a feature of the atopic state. The TH2 characteristics of allergen-stimulated PBMCs could be regulated by IFN-y.
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Interleukin-4 ; Interleukin-5 ; T-Lymphocytes

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the distribution of serum uric acid levels among 20000 Korean people who visited health screening center and relationships between serum uric acid and a number of biological variables. METHODS: By descriptive analysis on obesity index, blood pressures and various chemical measurements. Serum uric acid levels were measured by uricase method. Stepwise regression analysis of serum uric acid levels on various host variables selected on the basis of univariate analysis was perfomed. Logistic regression analysis was performed for the odds ratios for hyperuricemia. RESULTS: The mean serum uric acid level and prevalence of hyperuricemia were 5.9+/-1.3 mg/dl, 16.6% respectively in men and 4.2+/-l.0mg/dl, 1.69% in women. Serum creatinine concentration was by far the most important correlate with serum uric acid level. Obesity index, serum calcium, triglycerid were also significantly associated with serum uric acid in both sexes. Contributing factors for hyperuricema were calcium, serum GPT and obesity index in both sexes, and serum trig]yceride level, age, hypertension in men only. CONCLUSIONS: The mean serum uric acid level in men is higher than in women throughout all ages and the uric acid level arised after 5th decade in women. There are differences in contributing factors for serum uric acid level between sexes as well as in risk factor for hyperuricemia.
Adult* ; Calcium ; Creatinine ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hyperuricemia ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 ; Obesity ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Urate Oxidase ; Uric Acid*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the serum levels of IL-10 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis are different from those of normal controls and SLE patients and to find out any correlation with disease activity parameters of rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS: Sera from 20 healthy normal persons, 16 rheumatoid arthritis patients and 16 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus were collected and measured for IL-10 and IL-6. Various disease activity parameters were measured in RA patients. RESULTS: The serum level of IL-10 in RA patients was significantly elevated compared to normal controls but lower than those of SLE patients. In RA patients there was no definite correlation between the disease activity parameters and serum IL-10 levels. Despite significant improvements in terms of various disease activity parameters, there was no significant change of serum IL-10 levels after treatment in RA patients. In seropositive RA patients, positive correlation was found between serun IL-10 and rheumatoid factor levels. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that the serum IL-10 levels in patietns with RA are elevated compared to normal controls but lower than those of SLE patients. There was no correlation between serum IL-10 levels and disease acivity parameters of RA.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Humans ; Interleukin-10* ; Interleukin-6 ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Rheumatoid Factor

Intracranial meningioma is one of the most easily detectable tumor in the preoperative period with the brain computerized tomographic(CT) scan. Although most of them are of benign nature, they present tendency to invade surrounding brain tissue and to recur in spite of complete surgical removal. Authors analysed the clinical features of 27 cases of histologically verified meningiomas and attempted to study the correlation between CT findings and histological types to predict their clinical invasiveness and aggressiveness. Female was predominated in occurance than male in the ratio of 17:10. Mean age of occurance was 40.5-year-old. The most frequent symptoms and signs were headache, papilledema and visual disturbance in order. The most frequent histological type was meningotheliomatous type(55.6%) which was followed by transitional(18.5%), fibroblastic(18.5%) and angioblastic(7.4%) types. In the finding of the brain CT scan, perifocal brain edema was noticed in nearly almost cases and high density of the tumor mass in the precontrast CT scan was predominated in transitional and fibroblastic types. But, marked perifocal brain edema, irregular tumor margin, loss of homogeneity of the tumor density and marked contrast enhancement, which were considered to be more aggressive and invasive findings, were predominated in the meningotheliomatous and angioblastic types. So, these types seemed to be more aggressive and invasive than other types. Large cystic meningiomas were 14.8% in author's cases.
Brain ; Brain Edema ; Female ; Fibroblasts ; Headache ; Humans ; Male ; Meningioma ; Papilledema ; Preoperative Period ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Thirty patient with essential hypertension were administered Manidipine, a new calcium antagonist, 10~20mg once daily to evaluate the hypotensive efficacy and safety for 8 weeks. And the followings were the result. 1) Patients were consists of 14 male, 16 female, aged 53 in average and classified as mild in 21 and moderate in 9 patients. 2) Optimum intial dose was 10mg and 10 to 20mg were the doses recommended. 3) Blood pressure dropped after 8 weeks 24/13mmHg in average, rewarding 80% effectiveness and normalized in 87%. 4) Most frequent side reaction was facial flushing in 5 patiens followed by palpitation and dizziness, all of which did not disturb the continuation of medication. 5) Most of routine laboratory parameter were normal and unchanged between before and after the trial. 6) Overall rating of usefulness was 77%. In conclusion, Manidipine 10 to 20mg once daily regimen is well tolerated and effective in the treatment of mild to moderate essential hypertension.
Blood Pressure ; Calcium ; Dizziness ; Female ; Flushing ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Male ; Reward

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of IL-10 on development of collagen-induced arthritis, on humoral and cellular immunity and on the endogenous production of IL-10 in DBA/1J mice. METHODS: DBA/1J mice were immunized with chicken type II collagen in Freund s complete adjuvant. Murine recombinant IL-10 was given intraperitoneally twice a week from the day of second immunization (week 3) in doses of 0.002ug, 0. 02ug and 0. 2ug for 3 different groups, respectively. Dexamethasone was injected in one group to suppress the arthritis development and this group was used as negative control group. Levels of anti-collagen antibodies, serum IL-10 and stimulation indices of splenic monocytes to collagen were measured at the end of study. RESULTS: The 0. 02ug IL-10 and 0. 2ug IL-10 treated groups developed earlier and more severe arthritis (week 6 and 8) compared to that of the control group while the 0. 002ug IL-10 group has shown similar course to the control group in terms of incidence and severity of arthritis, At week 10, all groups with or without IL-10 injections developed arthritis with similar degree of severity while dexamethasone group showed far less incidence and severity of arthritis. The serum levels of anti-collagen antibody, IL-10 and spleen monocyte stimulation indices to collagen antigen showed no difference among control group, IL-10 injected groups and dexamethasone injected group. CONCLUSION: This study shows IL-10 could worsen the arthritis in CIA with the dosage used in this study without significant influence on the level of anti-collagen antibodies or stimulation indices of spenic monocyte to collagen.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Arthritis ; Arthritis, Experimental* ; Chickens ; Collagen ; Collagen Type II ; Dexamethasone ; Immunity, Cellular ; Immunization ; Incidence ; Interleukin-10* ; Mice ; Monocytes ; Spleen

OBJECTIVES: Lipocortin-1 (LC-1), a member of annexin family of calcium-binding proteins induced by corticosteroid, originally evoked interest as one of the secondary messengers in the antiinflammatory action of corticosteroid, But the exact mechanism of LC-1 responsible for antiinflammatory effect is still unclear. We investigated the potential role of LC-1 in the effect of corticosteroid on amelioration of collagen induced arthritis (CIA) in mice. METHODS: Four groups of DBA/1j mice were immunized by intradermal injection of 5mg/kg of type 2 collagen with complete Freunds adjuvant which was boostered on day 21 and 42. Group 1 received no treatment and group 2 received 1mg/kg dexamethasone intraperitoneally twice weekly from day 21. Group 3 and 4 were treated with 50 and 0.5microgram/kg of anti LC-1 monoclonal antibody subcutaneously and dexamethasone from day 21 twice weekly, respectively. The prevalence of arthritis and arthritis score were assessed twice weekly. At week 10, we measured serum anticollagen antibody levels and splenic mononuclear cell stimulation indices (SI) to collagen. RESULT: CIA started to develop after 4 weeks of collagen treatment in all groups. All mice of group 1 developed arthritis by the 9 week. Treatment with dexamethasone markedly inhibited arthritis development (P<0.05). Cotreatment of anti LC-1 monoclonal antibody and dexamethasone abolished the antiinflammatory effect of dexamethasone (P<0.05). But there was no significant difference in the serum levels of anticollagen antibody or splenic mononuclear cell SI among the groups. CONCLUSION: These findings support the hypothesis that LC-1 is involved, at least in part, in the antiinflammatory actions of corticosteroid in chronic inflammation, although the mechanism of which is unclear.
Animals ; Arthritis* ; Calcium-Binding Proteins ; Collagen* ; Dexamethasone ; Freund's Adjuvant ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Injections, Intradermal ; Mice ; Prevalence