No abstract available.
Teratoma*

No abstract available.
Hyperhidrosis

The effects and interactions of pipecuronium and atracurium with diltiazem and verapalmil on the electrically-evoked twitch response, train-of-four and tetanic stimulation were studied in the isolated rat phrenic-hemidiaphragm preparation. Pipecuronium (3X10(-7) -4X10(-6)) and atracurium (10(-6) -3X10(-5) M) decreased the electrically-evoked twitch response, train-of-four and tetanus ratio in a dose-related fashion and the pipecuronium was more potent than atracurium. The inhibitory effects of pipecuronium and atracurium were potentiated by pretreatment of 5 uM diltiazem and verapamil, Ca++-channel blokers, in which the concentration of diltiazem or verapamil has no obvious effect on the twitch response itself. Futhermore, it is noteworthy that the inhibitory effects of pipecuronium and atraeurium were markedly potentiated by 150 uM hemicholinium pretreatment. On the basis of these findings, the results of present study suggests that the muscle relaxation by pipecuronium and atracurium is mediated by pre- and post-junctional receptor blockade, and that diltiazem or verapamil intensifies neuromuscular blockade produced by these musele relaxants. The potentiating effect of diltiazem or verapamil may be due to blocking influx of calcium and/or release of acetylcholine from presynaptic nerve terminals.
Acetylcholine ; Animals ; Atracurium ; Calcium ; Diltiazem* ; Hemicholinium 3 ; Muscle Relaxation ; Neuromuscular Blockade* ; Pipecuronium ; Rats ; Tetanus ; Verapamil*

BACKGROUND: Nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation is common in elderly and associated with an increased risk for thromboembolism. Left atrial spontaneous echo contrast(SEC) and thrombus. which are easily detected by transesophageal echocardiography(TEE) in patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease and atrial fibrillation, have been known as markers of thromboembolism. However, most of the previous studies on left atrial SEC and thrombus were performed in rheumatic mitral valve disease or various conditions including rheumatic mitral valve disease. Therefore this study was underaken in order to investigatd 1) the prevalence of left atrial SEC and thrombus, and 2) clinical and echocardiographic variables related to left atrial SEC and thrombus in nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation. METHODS: In patients with estabished atrial fibrillation over 7 days, we examined the clinical gistory and performed transthoracic echocardiography(TTE) and TEE simultaneously. Enlisted patients were those without rheumatic mitral valve disease, prosthetic valves, previous thromboembolism, and recent anticoagulant therapy. RESULTS: 1) Left atrial SEC was detected in 32(62.7%) of 51 patients and left atrial thrombus in 10(19.6%). All thrombi were located in the left atrial appendage. 2) In univariate analysis, SEC positive group showed higher prevalence of congestive heart failure(CHF)(56.3% vs 0%, p<0.001), lower ejection fraction(42.2+/-14.1% vs 50.8+/-9.7%, p<0.05), lower left atrial appendage blood flow velocity(peak positive flow velocity ; 18.7+/-11.1cm/sec vs 32+/-12.4cm/sec, p<0.01, and peak negative flow velocity ; 21.4+/-12.4cm/sec vs 31.9+/-12.8cm/sec, p<0.01) than SEC negative group. Multivariate analysis identifed CHF as an independent variable related to left atrial SEC(p=0.02, Odds ratio ; 2.38, 95% CI ; 1.18-4.82). 3) In univariate analysis. left atrial thrombus positive group showed higher prevalence of CHF(70% vs 26.8%, p<0.05), larger left atrial demension(34+/-3.4mm/m2 vs 30.6+/-4.6mm/m2, p<0.05) than thrombus negative group. Multivariate analysis identifed CHF as an independent variable related to left atrial thrombus(p=0.04, Odds ratio ; 4.30, 95% CI ; 1.11-16.68). 4) Left atrial thrombus is more frequent in SEC positive group than in SEC negative group(28.1% vs 5.3%), however, there was no statistical significance(p=0.07). CONCLUSION: 1) Left atrial SEC is common in nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation and significantly related to CHF. 2) Left atrial thrombus is frequently detected in SEC positive patients, however, it is more realted to CHF than left atrial SEC itself.
Aged ; Atrial Appendage ; Atrial Fibrillation* ; Echocardiography ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Heart ; Humans ; Mitral Valve ; Multivariate Analysis ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Thromboembolism ; Thrombosis*

BACKGROUND: Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure(ABP) monitoring has become increasingly popular for diagnosing and treating hypertension. Therefore the reference value of normotensive subjects was necessary for interpretation of hypertensive subjects. Several studies were reported on reference values in normotensive subjects. The purpose of this study was to determine 24-hour ABP in normotensive Korean adults stratified for sex and five age groups. This study also assessed ABP in relation to a family history of hypertension, smoking and body mass index(BMI). METHODS: ABP monitoring was performed in 200 healthy normotensive volunteers(ranged in age from 20 to 69 years, five decades, 20 men and 20 women per each decade), over 24 hours, taking measurement at 30-min intervals. The 24-hour interval was divided into day-time(6am-10pm) and night-time(100pm-6am) periods. Mean ABP and pressure loads(percentage of systolic readings>140mmHg, diastolic readings>90mmHg) were obtained. RESULTS: The mean ABP in 200 subjects was 113+/-8.6/72+/-6.9mmHg over 24 hours, 117+/-9.7/75+/-7.0mmHg during day-time, and 106+/-9.8/67+/-8.3mmHg at night-time, and pressure loadd averaged 5.1+/-7.4/7.9+/-8.9% over 24 hours. The +2 standard deviation(SD) as the upper limit of normal was 130/86mmHg over 24 hours in 200 subjects. The mean ABP and pressure load were 116+/-7.6/74+/-7.6mmHg and 6.4+/-8.3/10.1+/-10.2% in 100 subjects of men, and 110+/-8.3+/-70+/-6.6mmHg, 3.7+/-6.0/5.7+/-6.8% in women. Mean ABP and pressure load showed significant difference in relation to age group and sex, however, no significant difference in relation to a family history of hypertension or smoking. In relation to BMI group, diastolic blood pressure and diastolic pressure load were significantly different.
Adult* ; Blood Pressure* ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Male ; Reference Values ; Smoke ; Smoking

No abstract available.
Fournier Gangrene* ; Sweet Syndrome*

No abstract available.
Humans

No abstract available.
Humans

BACKGROUND: Tinea pedis is one of the most comrnon dermatoses in the general population. But its prevalence in the general populat,ion was not yet reported in Korea. OBJECTIVE: Prevalence of tinea pedis and associated tinea unguium were checked in the general population. METHODS: Six hundred fifty eight persons from 179 families of the college students were evaluated. Clinical examinatior. for tinea pedis and onychomycosis and collecting scales from the suspicious lesions of the family members were perforrned by educated college students. Then dermatologists exarnined those specimens mycologically by KOH ~tnount and fungal culture. RESULTS: The results were as follows 1. The prevalence of tinea pedis was 41.2% in the studied 658 persons. 2. Among all 271 patients with tinea pedis, 201 strains of dermatophytes were isolated. They were 143 strains of Trichophyton(T) rubrum, 49 strains of T. mentagrophytes and 9 mixed infections of T. rubrum and T. mentagrophytes. In the co existence of i,inea pedis and tinea unguiurn, isolated species were corresponding. 3. Among 179 families, 143 families (79.9%) had at least one patient with tinea pedis. The isolated species of derrnatophytes in a farnily were one organism, 71.4% and two or more organisms, 28.6% of 77 familiys with more than one patient. CONCLUSION: In our study, the prevalence rate of tinea pedis was 41.2%. That suggests that tinea pedis is a wide spr .ad disease in healthy adult in Korea.
Adult ; Arthrodermataceae ; Coinfection ; Daegu* ; Humans ; Korea ; Onychomycosis ; Prevalence* ; Skin Diseases ; Tinea Pedis* ; Tinea* ; Weights and Measures

Anterior approaches to the cervical spine for performing decompression, fusion and/or instrumentation are common and useful methods for treating many conditions, including degenerative diseases. One of the rare, but serious complications of an anterior cervical approach is respiratory insufficiency as a result of upper airway obstruction, which is due to airway narrowing and prevertebral soft tissue swelling. We experienced a case of serious airway obstruction that was caused by soft tissue edema combined with postoperative hematoma after an anterior cervical spine approach. We report here on this case and include a review of the relevant literature.
Airway Obstruction ; Decompression ; Edema ; Hematoma ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Spine