BACKGROUND: Common environmental allergens play a role in the pathogenesis of urticaria via type I hypersensitivity reaction. Changes in the number of eosinophils and serum IgE in circulating blood in various allergic disorders have been reported by several investigators. However, there are only a few reports about the measurement of those numbers according to a clinical type of urticaria. OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to measure the peripheral blood eosinophil and serum IgE levels in 514 patients with different types of urticaria. METHOD: We measured the peripheral blood eosinophil and serum IgE levels in 514 patients who visited the Department of Dermatology, Kyungpook National University Hospital from November 1993 to December 1996. Of these patients there were 122 with acute urticaria (23.7%), 160 with chranic urticaria (31.2%), 164 with dermographism (31.9%), 11 with acute urticaria plus dermographism (2.1%) and 57 with chronic urticaria plus dermographism (11.1%).
Allergens ; Dermatology ; Eosinophils* ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity, Immediate ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Research Personnel ; Urticaria*

No abstract available.
Gyeongsangbuk-do* ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies*

Endometriosis is defined as the presence of endometrial tissue(gland and stroma) outside the uterus. The incidence of scar endometriosis is quite rare, and must differentiate with cellulitis and abscess. We have experienced one case of perineal endometriosis and one case of abdominal wall endometriosis at the site of postoperative wound scar. The possible pathogenesis of endometriosis and treatment were discussed.
Abdominal Wall ; Abscess ; Cellulitis ; Cicatrix* ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Incidence ; Uterus ; Wounds and Injuries

Pilomatricoma is a benign tumor differentiating towards the hair matrix. Perforation may rarely take place with extrusion of part of the contents. A 3-year-old girl presented with a 5×6 mm sized, erythematous, elevated and indurated mass with a tiny horny projection on its surface, on her righ,t upper arm. It had been present for one year. Histopathologically, there were several islands of epithelial cells in the upper to mid-dermis composed of basophilic, shadow and transitional cells. A few tumor islands adjacent to the epidermis were in the course of a characteristic transepithelial elimination process.
Animals ; Arm ; Basophils ; Child, Preschool ; Epidermis ; Epithelial Cells ; Female ; Hair ; Horns* ; Humans ; Islands ; Pilomatrixoma*

We studied the guidelines on the serum bilirubin concentration of 12mg% for the management of neonatal jaundice and compared the effectiveness of oral phenobarbital and continuous phototherapy with singularly phototherapy, in reducing neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in the 100 cases admitted to the department of pediatrics, St. Benedict Hospital from April 1977 to August 1977. The results were as follows; 1. Among the 35 full term normal newborn infants without any risk factors for kernicterus, 14 infants had serum bilirubin concentration below 12mg%. In this group, 5 infants received phototherapy (35.7%). 21 infants had serum bilirubin concentration above 12mg%. In the latter group, 5 infants received phototherapy (71.4%) 2. The mean rate of fall of serum bilirubin per day was 1.81mg% in phototherapy plus phenobarbital groups and 1.57mg% in singularly phototherapy. 3. The mean peak rate of fall of serum bilirubin was 2.28mg% per day in the third to fourth day of phototherapy and phenobarbital groups and 2.76mg% per day in the fourth to fifth day of singularly phototherapy. 4. The mean duration of phototherapy was 74 hours in phototherapy plus phenobarbital groups and 82 hours in singularly phototherapy.
Bilirubin* ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Jaundice, Neonatal* ; Kernicterus ; Pediatrics ; Phenobarbital* ; Phototherapy* ; Risk Factors

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is an acute fulminating disease of neonate characterized by diffuse or patchy intestinal necrosis accompanied by sepsis and often followed by perforation, peritonitis and death. We had experienced 2 cases of NEC recently which were diagnosed by clinical, X-Ray survey, histologic finding of operation. Review of the references concerning NEC was made briefly.
Enterocolitis, Necrotizing* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Necrosis ; Peritonitis ; Sepsis

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of nonsurgical treatment and to evaluate the usefulness of ultrasonographic assessment in postburn hypertrophic scar. METHODS: The subjects were twenty-seven burn patients with hypertrophic scar. Hypertrophic scars were treated by four different methods: triamcinolone acetonide injection (Group I), pressure garment application (Group II), combination treatment of triamcinolone acetonide and garment (Group III) and no treatment (Group IV). To assess the effectiveness of each treatment method, ultrasonographic measurement of scar thickness and punch biopsy of scar were done before and after treatment. RESULTS: After 4 weeks treatment, the scar thickness decreased by 14.9 9.4% in Group I, 4.7 8.4% in Group II and 20.5 13.2% in Group III. However the scar thickness increased by 10.0 13.5% in Group IV (no treatment). The pathologic findings didn't show significant change. CONCLUSION: The TA solution injection therapy and pressure garment therapy were effective methods for the treatment of the postburn hypertrophic scar, but the combinations of both therapies was more effective than each single therapy. The ultrasonography can be used as objective measure to assess effectiveness of therapy.
Biopsy ; Burns ; Cicatrix ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic* ; Humans ; Triamcinolone Acetonide ; Ultrasonography

Emergency free flap has been advocated to cover the severely injured extremity for more than two decades, due to its numerous advantages such as low incidence of flap failure and infection rate and early recovery of function. But there are very few reports about these. The authors report their experience in using the emergency free flap for reconstruction of extremities. For last 10 years, 4 patients ranging from 3 to 27 years old with severely traumatized extremities were treated with emergency free flap transfers. Three were males and the other was a female. Flap size ranged from 2x5 cm2 to 7x22 cm2. The locations of the recipient site were the dorsum of the foot, the cubital fossa, the popliteal fossa and the upper arm. The number of the donor sites used was as follows: one scapular flap, two parascapular flaps, and one radial forearm flap with the radial bone. All of the flaps survived without need of re-exploration. There was no infection or flap loss. Involved joints have recovered a normal range of motion. Therefore, we consider that the emergency free flap is a very safe and reliable method to cover the severely injured extremities.
Arm ; Emergencies ; Extremities ; Female ; Foot ; Forearm ; Free Tissue Flaps ; Humans ; Incidence ; Joints ; Male ; Recovery of Function ; Reference Values ; Tissue Donors

No abstract available.
Cervical Ripening* ; Cervix Uteri* ; Dinoprostone* ; Female ; Misoprostol* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy*

PURPOSE: Our study was designed to evaluate the prevalence of secondary skin infection in patients with atopic dermatitis and their sensitivity to antibiotics for appropriate choice of antibiotics. METHODS: We studied skin culture and their sensitivity results for 218 patients who visited to pediatric allergy clinic from June 2003 to August 2004. After determining minimal inhibitory concentrations(MICs) of antibiotics from randomly selected 40 cases of them, we compared the result with previous data. RESULTS: Age distribution was as follows; 28 cases(12.8%) were under 1 year old, 64 cases(29.4%) were 1 to 3 years old, 63 cases(28.9%) were 4 to 6 years old, and 63 cases (28.9%) were over 7 years old. 121 cases(55.5%) of 218 cases were found to have secondary skin infection. The most common organism was Staphylococcus aureus(S. aureus; 85 cases, 70.2%). The next was Staphylococcus epidermides(S. epidermidis; 22 cases, 18.2%). S. aureus were highly resistant to ampicillin and penicillin, but were relatively highly sensitive to 1st and 2nd generation cephalosporin, gentamicin, and erythromycin. To teicoplanin and vancomycin, they were entirely sensitive. On the other hand, S. epidermidis was highly resistant to 1st generation cephalosporin in addition to ampicillin and penicillin. Moreover, alpha- and beta-hemolytic streptococcus, which were co-infected with S. aureus, showed highly resistance to ampicillin, oxacillin and cephalosporin. In MIC test, methicillin-resistant S. aureus were found in 4 cases. CONCLUSION: Skin culture, sensitivity test and the appropriate choice of antibiotics might be important to control secondary skin infection and atopic dermatitis.
Age Distribution ; Ampicillin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents* ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Erythromycin ; Gentamicins ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Methicillin Resistance ; Oxacillin ; Penicillins ; Prevalence ; Skin* ; Staphylococcus ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Streptococcus ; Teicoplanin ; Vancomycin