The case is presented a 49-year-old man had several year history with chronic renal failure with hyperlipidemia due to diabetes mellitus. Treatment of hyperlipidemia was started by oral bezafibrate intake 600 mg per day. Several days later, patient noticed muscle weakness and myalgia. The serum CK, LDH, AST levels were remarkably elevated, myoglobulinuria was also noticed The symptoms of the patient were resolved after the drug was discontinued, thus the diagnosis was established as having bezafibrate induced rhabdomyolysis. On the basis of the above description, bezafibrate may induce muscle damage if dose is excess over the renal capacity. Extreme caution is warranted when the patient is placed on bezafibrate and has renal dysfunction.Strict dose adjustment is necessary in taking account of renal function to avoid muscle damage including rhabdomyolysis.
Bezafibrate ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Middle Aged ; Muscle Weakness ; Myalgia ; Rhabdomyolysis

No abstract available.
Adolescent* ; Arteries* ; Humans ; Male*

OBJECTIVE: To assess the reliability of triple marker screening test in midtrimester pregnancy for fetal Down syndrome. METHODS: From October 1, 1996 to May 31, 1998 at Nowon Eulji Hospital, 3700 Pregnant women underwent serum tiple marker screening for Down syndrome during 15-20weeks of gestational age. The results of serum triple marker screenig tests for Down syndrome and the outcomes of pregnancies were retrospectively assesed. RESULTS: Sixty seven of 3700 cases(1.81%) were positive in screening test, and 3633(98.18%) cases were negative. Among 67 cases of positive screening test, 1 case(1.49%) was diagnosed as Down syndrome. Among 3633 cases of negative screening test, 4 cases(0.1%) were diagnosed as chromosomal abnormalies postnatally. Two of these 4 cases of chromosomal abnormalies were Down syndrome. CONCLUSION: With this results, sensitivity of triple marker screeing test for Down syndrome is very low as 33.3%. In order to increase the sensitivity, some compensatory adjustment is required in triple marker screening test.
Down Syndrome* ; Equidae ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Mass Screening* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second* ; Pregnant Women ; Retrospective Studies

Mycobacterium neoaurum is rapidly growing mycobacteria that can cause human infections. It commonly causes bloodstream infections in immunocompromised hosts, and unlike other mycobacteria species, it rarely causes pulmonary infections. We confirmed the first pulmonary infection case in Korea caused by M. neoaurum using full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Diseases/*diagnosis/microbiology ; Mycobacterium/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Mycobacterium Infections/*diagnosis/microbiology ; Nontuberculous Mycobacteria/genetics/isolation & purification ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics ; Republic of Korea ; Sequence Analysis, RNA

The present study was performed to examine whether acupuncture can regulate the expression of cytokines that play important roles in wound healing and morphological changes in the burn wound healing of rats, such as transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1, TGF-beta3, epidermal growth factor (EGF), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 250~300 g were divided into two control groups and two experimental groups. Among the control groups, no-treatment group was classified as C and acupuntured group as Ca. Among the experimental groups, burned group (n = 6) was classified as B and acupunctured group after burn (n = 6) as Ba. The lumbar area of rats was burned 15 x 25 mm in size for 15~18 seconds with special small iron adapter and acupunctured at 5~7 mm in diameter and 1 cm in depth using 0.25 mm x 50 mm acupuncture needle for 20 minutes in wound area. Rats in group Ca were acupunctured once. Rats in group Ba were acupunctured every 12 hours 3 times. Rats were sacrificed at days 1, 3, 7, 15 and 20 after burn treatment. Morphological changes were examined by hematoxylin-eosin staining methods. The expression profiles of TGF-beta1, TGF-beta3, EGF and IL-6 were detected by immunohistochemical staining methods. The results we obtained were as follows: 1. In gross observation, the burn wounds were less odorous and cleaner in the acupunctured group (Ba) compared with those of no-acupuncture group (B). 2. Reepithelialization and formation of panniculus carnosus and granulation tissue were more prominent at days 3 and 7 in the acupunctured group Ba than group B. However, this difference was disappear at day 15. 3. In the muscle of group B, TGF-beta1 was observed after day7. However, in group Ba, TGF-beta1 was observed as early as days 1 and 3 and rapidly turnovered at day 7. 4. For TGF-beta3, both B and Ba groups showed similar results. 5. At day 3, EGF was observed in the subcutaneous tissue in both B and Ba groups. However, in day 7, EGF was rapidly decreased in Ba group compared with that of B. 6. For IL-6, both B and Ba groups showed similar results in epidermis, dermis, subcutaneous tissue and muscle. But, at day 3, IL-6 was rapidly decreased in theconnective tissue under the muscle in Ba group compared with that of B. These results suggest that acupuncture may improve the wound healing in the early stage by increasing the TGF-beta1 that is essential for the formation of extracellular matix and by decreasing EGF.
Acupuncture* ; Animals ; Burns* ; Cytokines ; Dermis ; Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Epidermis ; Granulation Tissue ; Interleukin-6* ; Iron ; Needles ; Odors ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skin ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta3* ; Transforming Growth Factors ; Wound Healing* ; Wounds and Injuries*

The present study was performed to examine whether acupuncture can regulate the expression of extracellular matrix proteins that play important roles in burn wound healing of rat, such as fibronectin, type I and IV collagens, and laminin. Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 250~300 g were divided into 4 groups such as normal control group (C), only acupuncture treatment group (Ca), burn treatment group (B), and a group for acupuncture treatment after burn (Ba). We burned 15x25 mm in size for 15~18 seconds at lumbar area of rats with special iron adapter and acupunctured at 5~7 mm in diameter and 1 cm in depth using 0.25 mm x 50 mm acupuncture needle for 20 minutes in wound area. Rats in group Ca were acupunctured once, and rats in group Ba were acupunctured every 12 hours 3 times. Rats sacrificed at days 1, 3, 7, 15 and 20 after burn treatment. Histological changes were examined by azan staining methods and expression profiles of fibronectin, type I and IV collagens, and laminin were detected by immunohistochemical staining methods. The results we obtained were as follows: 1. At day 1, fibers in epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous tissue in both groups B and Ba were not observed. However groups B and Ba exhibited fibers stained mildly and moderately, respectively, in muscle and connective tissues. At day 20 , the level of fiber in group B which was comparable to group C was less than that of in B group. 2. At day 3, fibronectin in group Ba was observed in the muscle. At days 15 and 20, fibronectin was increased in epidermis and dermis of group Ba compared with those of group B. 3. Type I collagen in subcutaneous tissue was observed at days 1, 3 and 7 in both groups B and Ba. However type I collagen was observed only in group Ba at day 15. In the epidermis of group Ba, type I collagen was observed at day 3 and maintained until day 20, while observing only at day 20 in group B. 4. For type IV collagen, both groups B and Ba showed similar results. 5. For laminin, both groups B and Ba showed similar results except the 7th day results. However after day 15, laminin was stained moderately and mildly in groups Ba and B, respectively. These results suggest that acupuncture may improve the burn wound healing by increasing fibronectin and type I collagen.
Acupuncture* ; Animals ; Burns* ; Collagen Type I ; Collagen Type IV ; Collagen* ; Connective Tissue ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins ; Fibronectins* ; Iron ; Laminin* ; Needles ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skin ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Wound Healing* ; Wounds and Injuries*

Nitric oxide synthases (NOSs) that catalyzed the conversion of L-arginine to nitric oxide and L-citrulline play a role in ischemic-reperfusion injury. The purpose of this study was to observe the expression patterns of nNOS, iNOS and eNOS in the rat tibialis anterior and soleus muscles after multiple cyclic episodes of ischemic preconditioning (IP). Nine weeks old male SD rats were divided into control and IP groups. The IP group was further divided into 3 groups based on cycle of IP. For IP, left commom iliac artery was occluded 3, 6 and 10 times for 5 minutes ischemia followed by 5 minutes reperfusion using rodent vascular clamps. The animals were sacrificed at 0, 3, 6, 24 and 72 hours of reperfusion and the left tibialis anterior and soleus muscles were removed. The expression of nNOS, iNOS and eNOS were examined with immunohistochemical methods and Western blot analysis. IP increased the expression of nNOS, compared with the control. In the tibialis anterior muscle, the levels of nNOS in the 3IP and 6IP were higher than that in 10IP. IP increased the expression of iNOS, compared with the control, and the levels of iNOS in tibialis anterior muscle were higher than that in soleus muscle. The level of iNOS in the 10IP was higher than those in the 3IP and 6IP. IP increased the expression of eNOS, compared with the control, and the level of eNOS in soleus muscle were higher than that in tibialis anterior muscle. At 0 and 3 hours after reperfusion, the level of eNOS in 6IP and 10IP were higer than that in 3IP. In summary, these results suggest that the ischemic preconditioning increases the expression of nNOS, iNOS and eNOS, and 10 times of ischemic preconditioning may induce ischemic injury through upregulation of iNOS. And tibialis anterior muscle is more susceptabile to ischemic injury than soleus muscle.
Animals ; Arginine ; Blotting, Western ; Humans ; Iliac Artery ; Ischemia ; Ischemic Preconditioning* ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Muscles* ; Nitric Oxide Synthase* ; Nitric Oxide* ; Rats* ; Reperfusion ; Rodentia ; Up-Regulation

Proper seat belt use saves lives; however, the use rate decreased in Korea. This study aimed to measure the magnitude of the preventive effect of seat belt on case-fatality across drivers and passengers. We used the Emergency Department based Injury In-depth Surveillance (EDIIS) database from 17 EDs between 2011 and 2012. All of adult injured patients from road traffic injuries (RTI) in-vehicle of less than 10-seat van were eligible, excluding cases with unknown seat belt use and outcomes. Primary and secondary endpoints were in-hospital mortality and intracranial injury. We calculated adjusted odds ratios (AORs) of seat belt use and driving status for study outcomes adjusting for potential confounders. Among 23,698 eligible patients, 15,304 (64.6%) wore seat belts. Driver, middle aged (30-44 yr), male, daytime injured patients were more likely to use seat belts (all P < 0.001). In terms of clinical outcome, no seat belt group had higher proportions of case-fatality and intracranial injury compared to seat belt group (both P < 0.001). Compared to seat belt group, AORs (95% CIs) of no seat belt group were 10.43 (7.75-14.04) for case-fatality and 2.68 (2.25-3.19) for intracranial injury respectively. In the interaction model, AORs (95% CIs) of no seat belt use for case-fatality were 11.71 (8.45-16.22) in drivers and 5.52 (2.83-14.76) in non-driving passengers, respectively. Wearing seat belt has significantly preventive effects on case-fatality and intracranial injury. Public health efforts to increase seat belt use are needed to reduce health burden from RTIs.
Accidents, Traffic/mortality/*prevention & control ; Adult ; Aged ; Craniocerebral Trauma/prevention & control ; Databases, Factual ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Motor Vehicles ; Odds Ratio ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Seat Belts/*utilization ; Young Adult

We analyzed alcoholic extracts of herbs possessing anti-neosporal activity against Neospora (N.) caninum. To identify the chemical components of Sophora (S.) flavescens and Torilis (T.) japonica associated with anti-neosporal activity, specific fractions were isolated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In vitro activity of the fractions against N. caninum was then assessed. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used to identify and quantify specific anti-neosporal molecules in the herbal extracts. Almost all HPLC fractions of S. flavescens and T. japonica had higher levels of anti-neosporal activity compared to the not treated control. Active constituents of the extracts were sophoridane, furosardonin A, and tetraisopropylidene-cyclobutane in S. flavescens; 5,17-beta-dihydroxy-de-A-estra-5,7,9,14-tetraene, furanodiene, and 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)-(CAS,1) in T. japonica.
Apiaceae/*chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Coccidiostats/*chemistry ; Fruit/chemistry ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Neospora/*drug effects/growth & development ; Plant Extracts/*chemistry ; Plant Roots/chemistry ; Sophora/*chemistry

BACKGROUND: Vitiligo is a common disorder caused by a loss of epidermal pigment cells. The pigment cells in the skin and uveal tract are similar in their physiology and morphology and share a common embryologic origin. OBJECT: The purpose of our study was to determine the nature of the relationship between vitiligo and ocular disease. METHODS: Fifty-two patients with vitiligo were examined for ocular abnormalities. RESULTS: There were 17ocular abnormalities our study; 5 fundal focal hypopigmented spots (9.6%), 6 iris pigment clumps(11.5%), and 6 lens opacity(11.5%). CONCLUSION: We believe that vitiligo may affect pigment cells in the eye. Therefore, all patients with vitiligo should have ocular examinations.
Humans ; Iris ; Physiology ; Skin ; Vitiligo*