There have been accumulating evidences that dyslipidemia is a major risk factor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and improvement in lipid profile can reduce the incidence of CVD. Guidelines for management of dyslipidemia have been developed by major organizations in several contries including the United States. In Korea, a guideline was also published by the Korean Society of Lipidology and Atherosclerosis. However, This guideline was not based on evidences in Korea, but was made by a consensus of experts using a pre-developed guideline as a reference. For clinical application for Korean of guidelines developed in different nations, the disease epidemiology and medical environment in Korea should be considered. In this article, we reviewed whether guidelines for management of dyslipidemia are applicable in Korean context.
Atherosclerosis ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Consensus ; Dyslipidemias ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors ; Incidence ; Korea ; Risk Factors ; United States

The surgical outcomes of Arnold-Chiari malformation associated with syringomyelia have been reported with respect to improvement in symptoms and signs. But there are only a few studies about the changes of size in syrinx cavity after the era of magnetic resonance image. The authors employed two different surgical modalities and compared the difference in outcomes. Between 1988 and 1994, 17 patients suffering from Arnold-Chiari malformation associated with syringomyelia were treated by foramen magnum decompression(FMD), with or without shunt. Their ages ranged from 3 to 62 (median, 42) years; four were males and 13 were females. Eight were treated by FMD with syringosubarachnoid shunt (FMD with shunt group) and 9 by FMD only(FMD group). Changes in the extent of syrinx and clinical improvements were retrospectively compared between the two groups; the median follow-up period was 22(range 5-79) months. Changes in the extent of syrinx were analyzed by pre- and postoperative magnetic resonance images; improvements in symptoms or signs were classified by lower cranial nerves, the cerebellum and the spinal cord. The size of syrinx was decreased in 7/8 patients of FMD with shunt group(88%) and in 7/9 patients of FMD group (78%) and there was no significant difference in ratio statistically(p=0.54). Shrinkage of syrinx cavity was occurred regardless of its preoperative extent. In FMD with shunt group, 5/8 patients(63%) were improved in symptoms or signs and in FMD group, 6/9 patients(67%)(p=0.21). In all 3 cases which showed no collapse of syrinx cavity, the clinical improvements were not found. There was correlation between collapse of syringomyelia and improvement of clinical findings(p=0.035).
Arnold-Chiari Malformation* ; Cerebellum ; Cranial Nerves ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Foramen Magnum ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Cord ; Syringomyelia*

About one tenth of all CNS neoplasms involves the brain. Due to their location in the ventricles they often present similar nonspecific clinical manifestation. Localization and differential diagnosis are dependent on radiological investigation. For the identification of specific CT characteristics of the intraventricular tumors and the differental diagnosis, we retrospectively analyzed 22 pathologically proved cases seen on CT. Important differential features included age and sex of the patient, the location within the ventricle, and the morpholgic appearance of the mass and density on CT before and after intravenous administration of contrast material. Meningiomas (4 cases) and a germinoma showed increased density on the precontrast CT scans, and demonstrated dense uniform enhancement of the postenhanced scan. Choroid plexus papillomas (3 cases) showed dense uniform contrast enhancement. Intraventricular neurocytomas (3 cases) demonstrated characteristic attachment to the septum pellucidum, confinement of the lateral and third ventricle, and calcification within the mass Colloid cysts (2 cases) showed characteristic location of anterosuperior aspect of the third ventricle. In conclusion, CT findings of intraventricular tumors are usually nonspecific. The location of the mass and the patient's age are the most helpful information in the differential diagnosis.
Administration, Intravenous ; Brain ; Colloid Cysts ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Germinoma ; Humans ; Meningioma ; Neurocytoma ; Papilloma, Choroid Plexus ; Retrospective Studies ; Septum Pellucidum ; Third Ventricle ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

No abstract available.
Danazol* ; Panniculitis*

BACKGROUND: Recently in Korea, the rate of addictive drug abuse is rapidly increasing in men on salary, housewives, and even in adolescents, who have been considered to be free from drugs, which presents a serious problem to the society. Especially, the habituation to gateway drug, such as cigarettes and alcohol, before 15 years old, would lead to the increased possibility of other drug abuse, including illicit drugs. Thereupon in this study, we intended toreview the effect of adolescents smoking an the drug abuse and deviated behaviors. METHODS: On September, 1997, randomly selected were 12 classes, an the basis of 2 classes per grade, from the two schools which was located each in Seoul and Buchean. And survey was dane on 610 students with non non-nominl, self-reported questionnaire. RESULTS: The rate of adolescent smoking was 28.1% in male students and had increasing tendency of "the higher the grades, the higher the smoking rate"(17.0% in the 1st gade, 31.5% in the 2nd grade, 35.9% in the 3rd grade). The smoking rate of female students was 12.3%. From the 2nd grade of middle school to the 2nd grade of high school was the critical period when the smoking habit was initiated in almost 90% of the students. The experiencing rates of drug abuse in studied subjects were as follows : drinking(79.0%), stimulants(4.8%), sedatives(4.1%), hypnotics(3.1%), glue sniffing(1.5%), butane gas(0.7%), marijuana/hemp(0.2%). They were higher in the smoking group than in the nansMoking group, showing statistical significances in most items except hypnotics and marijuana/hemp. Also simihr results were shown in deviated behaviors between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: With the concerted efforts of family, school, society and natian, we as family physicians should make efforts to delay and prevent adolescent's smoking, which is a gateway to drug abuse and deviated behaviors, and to increase people's recognition of health risks caused by smoking, and to provide proper program for adolescents to stop smoking.
Adhesives ; Adolescent ; Critical Period (Psychology) ; Female ; Humans ; Hypnotics and Sedatives ; Korea ; Male ; Physicians, Family ; Salaries and Fringe Benefits ; Seoul ; Smoke* ; Smoking* ; Street Drugs ; Substance-Related Disorders* ; Tobacco Products ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: Mesenteric and omental cysts are uncommon lesions found all age groups. They elicit interest because of their unclear pathogenesis and confusing terminology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CT findings of 12 case with mesenteric and omental cysts were described and compared with surgical and pathologic findings. RESULTS: In mesenteric and omental cyst, the histologic diagnoses were lymphangioma(7 cases), nonpancreatic pseudocyst(3 cases), mesothelial cyst(2 cases). Lymphangiomas were usually multiloculated with enhancing wall, located in the small bowel mesentery. And these cystic lesions were frequently attached to bowel and required resection of a bowel segment. In three cases of pseudocyst, thick and enhancing wall was shown in unilocular cyst. Two cases of mesothlial cyst were located in greater omenturn, showed very thin wall in unilocuation. CONCLUSION: The CT features of the mesenteric and omental cysts are fairly characteristic. Identification of lymphangioma, which shows a multilocuation and enhancing wall, is important due to frequent bowel resection in operative field.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Lymphangioma ; Mesentery

The diagnostic possibility and the incidence of ectopic pregnancy are increasing due to several factor. Furthermore, radioimmunoassay of serum β-HCG and US make it possible to diagnose early before the tubal rupture. A conventional surgical approach has been considered as a choice of treatments. Until recent years, however, surgery may have considerable risk of infertility and sugical hazard. In view of the natural tendency of some ectopic pregnancies to terminate in tubal abortion or complete resorption, we tried to cure ectopic pregnancy with nonsurgical transcervical intervention. Five of 8 patients with unruptured tubal pregnancies, it was possible to inject PGF2a into the tubes or gestational sac. 4 of them were ended up with satisfactory reduction of serum β-HCG level and improvement of symptoms & signs. In only one patient, β-HCG level remained a high level continuously, so salpingectomy was done. As a result, we consider that fluoroscopy-guided transcervical interventional procedure is a useful treatment modality for early unruptured ectopic pregnancy.
Abortion, Spontaneous ; Female ; Gestational Sac ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infertility ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic* ; Pregnancy, Tubal ; Radioimmunoassay ; Rupture ; Salpingectomy

The diagnostic possibility and the incidence of ectopic pregnancy are increasing due to several factor. Furthermore, radioimmunoassay of serum β-HCG and US make it possible to diagnose early before the tubal rupture. A conventional surgical approach has been considered as a choice of treatments. Until recent years, however, surgery may have considerable risk of infertility and sugical hazard. In view of the natural tendency of some ectopic pregnancies to terminate in tubal abortion or complete resorption, we tried to cure ectopic pregnancy with nonsurgical transcervical intervention. Five of 8 patients with unruptured tubal pregnancies, it was possible to inject PGF2a into the tubes or gestational sac. 4 of them were ended up with satisfactory reduction of serum β-HCG level and improvement of symptoms & signs. In only one patient, β-HCG level remained a high level continuously, so salpingectomy was done. As a result, we consider that fluoroscopy-guided transcervical interventional procedure is a useful treatment modality for early unruptured ectopic pregnancy.
Abortion, Spontaneous ; Female ; Gestational Sac ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infertility ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic* ; Pregnancy, Tubal ; Radioimmunoassay ; Rupture ; Salpingectomy

No abstract available.
Granuloma Annulare ; Rheumatoid Nodule

No abstract available.
Granuloma Annulare ; Rheumatoid Nodule