OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to know the prevalence of cognitive disorders in patients with thyroid cancer, and identify related variables to them. METHODS: Subjects were consisted of fourty-two patients with thyroid cancer, who were admitted for radioiodine ablative therapy at 6-12 months after total thyroidectomy. The data were obtained from interviews about history and assessments of depression and cognitive function(Korean Version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA-K). RESULTS: 1) Among subjects, those with below 22 of total score of the MoCA-K were twenty-one(50.0%). 2) Upon age, education, Pre-radioiodine therapy thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH), there were statistically significant difference between subgroup with above 23 of the total MoCA-K score and those below 22. 3) The total scores of the MoCA-K in subjects had significant correlation with age, education, comorbidity, Pre-radioiodine therapy TSH, total score of the HDRS-17. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive disorders were more prevalent among patients with thyroid cancer before radioiodine therapy. Therefore, further study should be needed to clarify the mechanism for the cognitive disorders in thyroid cancer. Furthermore, physicians should pay attention to the cognitive function and prepare preventative measures for cognitive disorder during management of thyroid cancer.
Carcinoma, Papillary* ; Comorbidity ; Depression ; Education ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Thyroidectomy ; Thyrotropin

The hypokalemic periodic paralysis is characterized by intermittent falccid paralysis of extremities with spontaneous recovery. It is rarely accompanied by cardiac arrhythmia, especially fatal ventricular tachycardia or torsades de pointes. We observed a 29 year old man, who had suffered from intermittent periodic paralysis and fatal ventricular tachyarrhythmia. He had the first episode of muscle weakness in his low grade of elementary school, which lasted for 20 -30 hours. Similar episodes of muscle weakness occurred 1 -7 times per year, especially after carbohydrate rich food. On admission to emergency room, his chief complaints were generalized weakness and chest tightness, serum potassium level was 1.6mEq/l, and four extremities showed Grade 0 motor weakness. His electrocardiography(ECG) showed Atrioventricular dissociation due to sinus tachycardia and accelerated junctional rhythm, intraventricular conduction distrubance. During intravenous potassium administration, ECG showed sustained ventricular tachycardia and cardiovascular collapse occurred. So we carried out resuscitation and cardioversion. After resuscitation, he recovered from cardovascular collapse and ECG showed sinus tachycardia. But during continuous monitoring ECG showed torsades de pointes with cardiovascular collapse. We carried out resuscitation and defibrillation repeatedly. Serum potassium level was 1.7 - 1.8mEq/L at that time. After successful resuscitation, ECG showed sinus rhythm, and his mental status was fully recovered. After he admitted to intensive care unit, paralytic attack and cardiac arrhythmia did not occurred any more. Serum potassium level was maintained between 3.9 -6.1lmEq/L during his hospital days. He was fully recovered but could not take any medications(e.g. acetazolamide, potassium supplying agent and antiarrhythmic drugs) due to severe gastrointestinal disturbances. During the 30 months of postdischarge period, he experienced three mild paralysis attacks, but they were not accompanied by chest tightness, palpitation or syncope.
Acetazolamide ; Adult ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac* ; Electric Countershock ; Electrocardiography ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Extremities ; Heart Block ; Humans ; Hypokalemia ; Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis* ; Intensive Care Units ; Muscle Weakness ; Paralysis ; Potassium ; Resuscitation ; Syncope ; Tachycardia ; Tachycardia, Sinus ; Tachycardia, Ventricular ; Thorax ; Torsades de Pointes

BACKGROUND: Low levels of serum vitamin D is associated with several lung diseases. The production and activation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) may play an important role in the pathogenesis of emphysema. The aim of the current study therefore is to investigate if vitamin D modulates the expression and activation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in human lung fibroblasts (HFL-1) cells. METHODS: HFL-1 cells were cast into three-dimensional collagen gels and stimulated with or without interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) in the presence or absence of 100 nM 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) or 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) for 48 hours. Trypsin was then added into the culture medium in order to activate MMPs. To investigate the activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9, gelatin zymography was performed. The expression of the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP-1, TIMP-2) was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Expression of MMP-9 mRNA and TIMP-1, TIMP-2 mRNA was quantified by real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: IL-1beta significantly stimulated MMP-9 production and mRNA expression. Trypsin converted latent MMP-2 and MMP-9 into their active forms of MMP-2 (66 kDa) and MMP-9 (82 kDa) within 24 hours. This conversion was significantly inhibited by 25(OH)D (100 nM) and 1,25(OH)2D (100 nM). The expression of MMP-9 mRNA was also significantly inhibited by 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)2D. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D, 25(OH)D, and 1,25(OH)2D play a role in regulating human lung fibroblast functions in wound repair and tissue remodeling through not only inhibiting IL-1beta stimulated MMP-9 production and conversion to its active form but also inhibiting IL-1beta inhibition on TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 production.
Collagen ; Emphysema ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fibroblasts* ; Gelatin ; Gels ; Humans ; Interleukin-1beta ; Lung Diseases ; Lung* ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Reverse Transcription ; RNA, Messenger ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 ; Trypsin ; Vitamin D* ; Wounds and Injuries

No abstract available.
Animals ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular* ; Nitric Oxide* ; Rats*

No abstract available.
Hepatocytes* ; Macrophages* ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular* ; Nitric Oxide* ; Rhodiola*

Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE) is a neurological disorder induced by a dietary vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency which is characterized by encephalopathy, gait ataxia, and variant ocular motor dysfunction. In addition to these classical signs of WE, a loss of the horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) is being reported as the major underdiagnosed symptoms in WE. In this retrospective single center study, we report four cases of WE initially presented with impaired horizontal VOR in addition to the classical clinical presentations, and imaging and neurotological laboratory findings were described.
Ataxia ; Brain Diseases ; Dizziness ; Gait Ataxia ; Nervous System Diseases ; Reflex ; Reflex, Vestibulo-Ocular ; Retrospective Studies ; Thiamine ; Wernicke Encephalopathy

BACKGROUND: The pain-screening questionnaire is a self-reported description of the intensity and nature of pain. This study aimed to develop the Korean Neuropathic Pain Questionnaire (KNPQ) and to assess its reliability and validity regarding the diagnosis of neuropathic pain. METHODS: Four screening tools and two rating scales were translated and modified to develop the preliminary KNPQ. Following a development phase and a pilot study, we generated the final 25-item version of the KNPQ. Each item was rated on a numerical scale of 0-10. The validation procedure was performed in 62 patients with neuropathic pain (21 with central pain and 41 with peripheral pain) and in 34 patients with nonneuropathic pain. The internal consistency between items was assessed to determine the reliability of the KNPQ, and its concurrent validity was determined by evaluating the relationship between the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and KNPQ scores. RESULTS: The KNPQ was not influenced by age, sex, or pain duration. The 25-item questionnaire demonstrated high internal consistency. The total score of the KNPQ was correlated with the global pain intensity on a VAS. These items were able to differentiate neuropathic pain from nonneuropathic pain with a sensitivity of 84% and a specificity of 44% (when using a cut-off point of 46). CONCLUSIONS: The newly developed KNPQ may be used for the initial screening of neuropathic pain patients. However, it cannot be used to differentiate central neuropathic pain from peripheral neuropathic pain.
Humans ; Mass Screening ; Neuralgia ; Pain Measurement ; Pilot Projects ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Weights and Measures

The use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be complicated by severe forms of renal dysfunction. These include fluid and electrolyte abnormalities, acute renal insufficiency due to alteration in renal hemodynamics, or interstitial nephritis and proteinuria secondary to glomerular pathology, which has the histologic characteristics of minimal change glomerulopathy (MCG). While NSAID-induced nephrotic syndrome characteristically consists of MCG with interstitial nephritis, which is the most common clinical manifestation, it rarely consists of MCG without interstitial nephritis, which has been reported in a handful of patients who took fenoprofen, ibuprofen, sulindac, diclofenac, or zomepirac. We experienced a 66-year-old female patient who presented with low serum albumin, proteinuria and generalized edema and received Geworin for about 2 year before developing symptoms. She histologically had MCG without interstitial nephritis and achieved a complete remission thirty-fifth days after discontinuing the drug. A cause-and-effect relationship of this disease to Geworin administration is strongly suggested by the resolution of the proteinuria after the drug was stopped and by no evidence of any impairment in renal function after twenty eight months of follow-up.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Aged ; Analgesics* ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; Antipyrine ; Diclofenac ; Edema ; Female ; Fenoprofen ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hand ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Ibuprofen ; Nephritis ; Nephritis, Interstitial* ; Nephrosis, Lipoid* ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Pathology ; Proteinuria ; Serum Albumin ; Sulindac

The 55 years old male patient, undergoing maintenance hemodialysis, was admitted on our department because of painful swelling on left knee joint. At 19th hospital day, he complained of severe dyspnea. He had a large amount of pleural effusion of the left chest that was shown to be hemothorax by thoracentesis. After closed thoracostomy, about amount of 3,000 mL of blood was drained and bleeding was sustained from pleural cavity, and then emergency thoracotomy was done. We cannot find any bleeding focus in thoracic cavity, but oozing blood was seen on entire inner thoracic cavity. He had no previous invasive procedure or history of trauma before 6 months. We think that hemothorax may be developed because of defected coagulopathy and increased bleeding tendency due to platelet dysfunction in renal failure patient. Immediately thoracotomy and cryoprecipitate were helpful for this patient. We report a rare case of spontaneous hemothorax in a maintenance hemodialysis patient with literature review.
Blood Platelets ; Dyspnea ; Emergencies ; Hemorrhage ; Hemothorax* ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pleural Cavity ; Pleural Effusion ; Renal Dialysis* ; Renal Insufficiency ; Thoracic Cavity ; Thoracostomy ; Thoracotomy ; Thorax

Mesenteric panniculitis (MP) is non-specific inflammation of the adipose tissue that primarily involves the small bowel mesentery. Omental involvement has been rarely reported but we report a case of 25 years old woman with isolated lesser omental panniculitis. This patient was diagnosed by CT findings and recovered completely with conservative treatment. Invasive diagnostic methods or surgical exploration has been used to diagnose MP. However, all six reported cases of omental panniculitis including the current case showed a benign course; therefore, awareness of the CT findings is essential for the best diagnosis and management of omental panniculitis.
Adipose Tissue ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Mesentery ; Omentum ; Panniculitis ; Panniculitis, Peritoneal* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed