OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluated the difference of depressive symptoms and attention between estrogen user and non-user in postmenopausal women. METHODS: 30 Estrogen users and 30 non-users were participated in this study. They were all menopausal for at least 1 year and have 12 or more education years. We used BDI(Beck Depression Inventory), digit span and digit symbol to evaluate depressive symptoms and attention in both groups. We also measured the plasma estradiol level and identified the correlation between estradiol level and BDI, digit span and digit symbol. RESULTS: The demographic data was not different between both groups. Estrogen users scored higher than non-users in digit span(forward) and lower than non-users in BDI. The correlation between estradiol level BDI, digit span and digit symbol was not significant. CONCLUSION: Estrogen replacement therapy was effective in alleviation depressive symptoms but ineffective in improving attention in postmenopausal women.
Depression* ; Education ; Estradiol ; Estrogen Replacement Therapy* ; Estrogens* ; Female ; Humans ; Plasma

Mucocele of the appendix is uncomrnon and rarely diagnosed preoperatively. The malignant rountpart-i.e. mucinous cystadenocarcinoma--has the same grross appearance and many micro scopic features in cornmon wilhe the benign form. It rnay be associated with ovarian mucinous cystadenoma of strikingly similar microscopic appearence. A serious complication is a rupture of the mucoeele resulting in pseudomyxoma peritonei. Each case of benign and malignant mucocelr of the appendix falsely diagnosecl as an oovarian tumor before laparotxumy are presented wilh a brief rieview of the literatures.
Appendix* ; Cystadenoma, Mucinous ; Mucins ; Mucocele* ; Pseudomyxoma Peritonei ; Rupture

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The majority of laryngeal tumors are known to be SCC (squamous cell carcinoma). Non-SCC (non-squamous cell cancers) of the larynx represent a diverse spectrum of diseases with different prognosis and ratio-nales of management from SCC. Therapeutic options to these tumors depend on their histopathological characteristics and clinical behaviors. The purpose of this study was to assess the unique aspects of the non-SCC and to draw diagnosis and provide management options and prognostic variables. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Eleven non-SCC of the larynx from the 212 patients who were diagnosed with larynx cancer during their 3-year visits from 1997 to 2000 were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: The incidence of non-SCC was 5.2%. Pathology of non-SCC revealed 3 cases of malignant lymphoma, 2 cases of verrucous cell carcinoma and neuroendocrine carcinoma one case each of basaloid squamous cell carninoma, salivary duct carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and spindle cell carcinoma. The most common site of origin was supraglottis (6 case, 56.5%), followed by glottis (4 cases, 36.4%) and subglottis (2 cases, 17.2%). Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and basaloid squamous cell carninoma were treated by chemotherapy. The remaining cases were treated with surgery followed by postoperative radio-therapy or postoperative chemotherapy. The mean follow-up period was 26.8 months (12-43 months). CONCLUSION: Non-SCC accounts for approximately 5.2% of all malignancies of the larynx. Tissue biopsy is the most important diagnostic tool for the non-SCC of the larynx and the tissue sample must be obtained from the deep portion of the submucosal layer. Except for malignant lymphomas, the combined therapy that includes surgery would be the best method of treatment for non-SCC.
Adenocarcinoma ; Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glottis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; Larynx* ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Pathology ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Salivary Ducts

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to analyze the factors affecting the longevity of failed prosthesis and the success rate of the prosthesis based on the data evaluated with the newly developed Korean Academy of Prosthodontics (KAP) criteria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Evaluation was performed in the restored prosthesis for patients who visited the prosthodontics department of the 13 dental university hospitals and general hospitals. The status of the prosthesis was classified into four categories: Good, Fair, Bad, Worst. The success was recorded if only the category was classified in ‘good’. The mean duration of failed prostheses and the success rate through Kaplan-Meier method were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 1,804 cases of prosthesis were evaluated: 810 cases of fixed dental prostheses (FDP), 519 cases of Removable Dental Prostheses (RDP), and 475 cases of implant prosthesis. The mean duration of failed FDP was 11.41 ± 0.30 years and the median was 10 years. The mean duration of failed RDP was 8.18 ± 0.29 years and the median was 7 years. The mean duration of failed implant prosthesis was 7.99 ± 0.30 years and the median was 7 years. The factors related to the failure were as follows: number of units, abutments, abutments treated with root canal, and plaque index in FDPs; treated and opposing dentition in RDPs; the number of implants, duration of use, and plaque index in implant prostheses. CONCLUSION: The average duration of failed prosthesis was 11.41 years for FDPs, 8.18 years for RDPs, and 7.99 years for implant prosthesis, according to the evaluation with newly developed KAP criteria.
Dental Prosthesis ; Dental Pulp Cavity ; Dentition ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hospitals, General ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Korea* ; Life Expectancy ; Longevity* ; Methods ; Prostheses and Implants* ; Prosthodontics

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Western guidelines recommend Helicobacter pylori eradication in H. pylori-associated gastric polyps; however, there is no standard guideline in Korea. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of H. pylori eradication on the regression of gastric hyperplastic polyps in National Cancer Screening Cohort, representative of general population. METHODS: Among participants in National Cancer Screening Program, subjects who had H. pylori positive gastric hyperplastic polyps less than 10 mm and underwent follow-up endoscopy and H. pylori testing were enrolled. The effect of H. pylori eradication on hyperplastic gastric polyps was estimated using odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: A total of 183 H. pylori infected subjects with hyperplastic polyp at baseline underwent follow-up endoscopy and H. pylori test after mean of 2.2 years. Successful H. pylori eradication markedly induced the disappearance of hyperplastic polyps comparing to non-eradication group (83.7% vs. 34.1%, p = 0.001). Successful eradication increased the possibility of disappearance of hyperplastic polyps (adjusted OR, 5.56; 95% CI, 2.63 to 11.11). Polyp size was inversely related with the disappearance of hyperplastic polyps (adjusted OR, 59; 95% CI, 0.48 to 0.71). CONCLUSIONS: Eradication of H. pylori infection may induce disappearance of gastric hyperplastic polyps in National Cancer Screening Cohort.
Cohort Studies ; Early Detection of Cancer* ; Endoscopy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Korea ; Odds Ratio ; Polyps*

BACKGROUND: Opioids can produce potent antinociceptive effects by interacting with local opioid receptors in inflamed peripheral tissue. However, reports on pain relief with intra-articular morphine after arthroscopic knee operations are conflicting. In this study we examined the analgesic effects of the intraarticular administration of morphine after knee surgery. METHODS: In a double-blind, randomized trial, we studied 26 patients who had received one of two injections at the end of surgery. The patients in group M(n=11) received 3 mg of morphine intraarticularly; those in group P(n=15), saline 20 ml intraarticularly as a placebo. RESULTS: Patients in the morphine group had significantly lower pain scores throughout the 24-h postoperative period compared with those in the placebo group(P<0.05). There was less requirement for supplementary analgesics in the morphine group. CONCLUSIONS: Low doses of intraarticular morphine can significantly reduce pain after knee surgery without any systemic side effect.
Analgesics ; Analgesics, Opioid ; Humans ; Knee* ; Morphine* ; Postoperative Period ; Receptors, Opioid

PURPOSE: This study has carried out to clarify the relationship between changes in the anal sphincter muscle thickness and pressure. Also, this study shows the effect of vaginal delivery and benign anal disease on the function and structure of the anal sphincter. METHODS: Women (n=42; mean age: 33.2 +/- 9.6 years old) without defecation problems or history of anal surgery, who came to Ewha Womans University Hospital between July 1999 and October 1999, were chosen. We measured the resting and the squeezing pressure with anal manometry and the thickness of the internal anal sphincter (IAS) and external anal sphincter (EAS) by endoanal sonography. RESULTS: The mean squeezing and resting pressures were 98.3 +/- 38.2 and 53.9 +/-17.4 cmH2O, and the mean EAS and IAS thicknesses were 4.9+/-0.9 and 1.9+/-0.3 mm, respectively. The thickness of the EAS and squeezing pressure did not correlate. Neither did the IAS thickness and the resting pressure. In cases with a history of vaginal delivery (n=15), the squeezing and the resting pressures were 94.0+/-43.0 and 57.1+/-22.2 cmH2O, and the thicknesses of the EAS and the IAS, 4.6+/-0.9 and 2.0+/-0.4 mm, respectively. The number of deliveries had no correlation with the thickness or the pressure of the anal sphincter. In patients with benign anal lesions (n=11), the squeezing and the resting pressure was 113.0+/-42.9 and 57.0+/-14.0 cmH2O, and the thicknesses of the EAS and the IAS were 5.0+/-1.3 and 2.1+/-0.4 mm, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that the function and the structure of the anal sphincter are independent. In adult women, the thickness of the anal sphincter, the history of vaginal delivery, and the existence of benign anal lesions had no effect on anal sphincter function.
Adult* ; Anal Canal* ; Defecation ; Female ; Humans ; Manometry

BACKGROUND: Occipital neuralgia (ON) is a condition characterized by a paroxysmal stabbing pain in the area of the greater or lesser occipital nerves; it is usually regarded by clinicians as idiopathic. Some have suggested that ON can be induced by trauma or injury of the occipital nerves or their roots, but tumor has rarely been reported as a cause of ON. CASE REPORT: We report herein a case of foramen magnum meningioma in a 55-year-old woman who presented with ON triggered by head motion as the only symptom without any signs of myelopathy. CONCLUSIONS: This case indicates that it is important to consider the underlying causes of ON. Precise neurologic and radiological evaluations such as cervical spine magnetic resonance imaging are needed.
Female ; Foramen Magnum ; Head ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Meningioma ; Middle Aged ; Neuralgia ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; Spine

PURPOSE: The most important factor in longevity studies of dental prostheses is objective and consistent evaluation of the prosthesis. The Korean Academy of Prosthodontics suggested developing a standardized method for longevity studies of dental prostheses. The purpose of this study is to evaluate previously-used criteria and to develop new criteria, in the form of a procedure flowchart and an evaluation sheet. These new criteria may be able to provide a unified standard for future longevity studies of dental prostheses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A literature review was performed about the evaluation of dental prostheses. Taking into account the strengths and weaknesses of previously used criteria, a novel, intuitive and objective method was developed for assessment of dental prostheses. Then, a pilot survey was performed with the newly developed flowchart and evaluation sheet to determine problems and implement possible improvements. RESULTS: Thirty cases of fixed dental prosthesis (FDP), 25 cases of removable dental prosthesis (RDP), and 13 cases of implant supported prosthesis (ISP) were evaluated. The average life expectancy estimate was 12.82 years for FDP, 5.96 years for RDP, and 4.82 years for ISP with Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Additionally, possible improvements discovered by the pilot survey were reflected in the flowchart and evaluation sheet. CONCLUSION: The newly developed KAP criteria, flowchart and evaluation sheet enabled objective and consistent results in trial longevity studies of dental prostheses. It is expected that future studies will not only use the KAP criteria but also further improvement will be made on them.
Data Collection ; Dental Prosthesis* ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Korea* ; Life Expectancy ; Longevity* ; Methods ; Prostheses and Implants ; Prosthodontics* ; Software Design ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether an audible cracking sound during shoulder manipulation following distention arthrography is clinically significant in patients with adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder. METHODS: A total of 48 patients (31 women, 17 men) with primary adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder completed the study. All participants underwent C-arm-guided arthrographic distention of the glenohumeral joint with injections of a corticosteroid and normal saline. After distention, we performed flexion and abduction manipulation of the shoulder. The patients were grouped into sound and non-sound groups based on the presence or absence, respectively, of an audible cracking sound during manipulation. We assessed shoulder pain and disability based on a Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), and passive range of motion (ROM) measurements (flexion, abduction, internal and external rotation) before the procedure and again at 3 weeks and at 6 weeks after the intervention. RESULTS: The patients were divided into two groups: 21 were included in the sound group and 27 in the non-sound group. In both groups, the results of the NRS, SPADI, and ROM assessments showed statistically significant improvements at both 3 and 6 weeks after the procedure. However, there were no significant differences between the two groups except with respect to external rotation at 6 weeks, at which time the sound group showed a significant improvement in external rotation when compared with the non-sound group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings showed that manipulation following distention arthrography was effective in decreasing pain and increasing shoulder range of motion. In addition, the presence of an audible cracking sound during manipulation, especially on external rotation, was associated with better shoulder range of motion.
Adhesives* ; Arthrography* ; Bursitis* ; Female ; Humans ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Shoulder Joint ; Shoulder Pain ; Shoulder*