No abstract availalbe
Comorbidity* ; Hepatitis C, Chronic* ; Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Humans ; Quality of Life*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The selection of allergen panels is a prerequisite to effectively test for innumerable allergens scattered throughout the environment. However, the selection of the pre-existing panel has been vague and contains some allergens that have not been verified as being common in Korea. This study was aimed to produce allergen panels in Korea. METHODS: For 12 months in 1996, sera were tested by the chemiluminescent assay of Multiple allergen simultaneous test (MAST-CLA: Immunosystems, Mountain view, U.S.A.). A total of 2, 467 specimens that either tested positive or were negative but had high total IgE level were pooled together. The pooled ser a were assayed for 60 allergens supplied by Dexall Acti Tip System (Dexall biomedical Labs. Inc., Gaithersburg, U.S.A.), a recently developed enzyme immunoassay. According to the Allerg Ens Unit (Allergen Unit:AU), 12 of the most frequently encountered and 6 of the leaot frequent allergens with reactions between classes 3 and trace were selected. RESULTS: The 12 most frequently encountered allergens were : Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farinae, house dust, timothy grass, perennial rye, mugwort, birch, oak, hazel nut, common ragweed, alder and dog dander. The 6 least frequently encountered were : wheat, egg-white, cat epithelium, milk, cockroach and shrimp. CONCLUSION: The 12 allergens we chose proposed to be the minimally required panel of frequently encountered allergens in allergy testing. We conclude that the 12 most frequent allergens should be tested with the total IgE level as a major panel (panel-M) and that the 6 least frequently encountered allergens may be tested separately when needed, as a minor panel (panel-m).
Allergens ; Alnus ; Ambrosia ; Animals ; Artemisia ; Betula ; Cats ; Cockroaches ; Dander ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus ; Dogs ; Dust ; Epithelium ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Immunoglobulin E ; Korea ; Luminescent Measurements ; Milk ; Nuts ; Phleum ; Secale ; Triticum

he carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common perripheral nerve entrapment syndrome. Many tests have been used for diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome. A new test, called the instrumented carpal tunnel and the Tinel percussion test, the Phalen wrist-flexion test, tourniquet test, and the trodiagnostically proved carpal tunnel syndrome and in a group of 49 patients(79 hands) during the period from October 1994 to July 1995. The results were as follows; 1. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy results of each provocative test were 53%, 88%, 70% on Tinel test, 72%, 66%, 69% on tourniquet test, 62%, 91%, 76% on Phalen test, 85%, 95%, 90% on the instrumented carpal compression test. 2. For the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome, the instrumented carpal compression test was found to be the most sensitive, specific and accuracy results. 3. As a results, the new, instrumented carpal compression test with Durkan's CTS gauge was thought to be the most useful provocative diagnostic method & a simple, rapid & inexpensive technique for screening for carpal tunnel syndrome, and consisted of lightweight device.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ; Diagnosis ; Mass Screening ; Methods ; Nerve Compression Syndromes ; Percussion ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tourniquets

Fractures of the patella are predominantly intra-articular fractures of a sesamoid bone. The options of treatment vary from closed treatment to total patellectomy, in the middle of the spectrum are osteosynthesis and partial patellectomy. In this series, we experienced 59 cases of patellar fractures from October 1974 to October 1983 at the Department of the Orthopedic Surgery, College of Medicine, Kyungpook National University. The results were as follows:1. Most fractures were encountered in man from twenties to forties. 2. The most common cause of fractures was traffic accident(34 cases, 59.7%), followed by slip down or falling down(15 cases, 26.3% ). 3. The most frequent configuration of fractures was the comminuted. 4. 36 cases were treated with osteosynthesis (32 cases), partial excision (1 case) or total excision (3 cases). Of the 32 cases treated with osteosynthesis, most were treated by modified tension band wiring (16 cases). And as compared with other fixation techniques, the best results were obtained by this method. 5. Modified tension band wire fixation has given accepatable results even in severely comminuted, displaced patellar fractures. Excision was sometimes unavoidable.
Accidental Falls ; Clinical Study ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Intra-Articular Fractures ; Methods ; Orthopedics ; Patella ; Sesamoid Bones

The usage of electromyography is customized in the diagnosis of the neuromuscular disorder and the determination of motor conduction velocity is important in the diagnosis of the peripheral nerve lesion and in the posing of the site and severity of nerve damage. Although the radial nerve is frequently involved in generalized neuropathy and in entrapment syndrome, relatively fewer reports have appeared in the literature regarding the radial nerve. The purpose of this study is to determine the normal data of the motor conduction velocity of the proximal and distal segments of the radial nerve. The radial nerve fibers supplying the extensor indicis muscls muscle was stimulated at Erb's point, above the elbow and in the distal forearm and its muscle action potential was sampled. Seventy-four radial nerve were studied in thirty-seven healthy young subjects. The results obtained were as follows; 1. The mean proximal velocity was 70.7±6.8m/sec and the mean distal velocity was 57.6±4.3m/sec. 2. In any case tested, the proximal velcity was over 55m/sec. 3. The proximal velocity was faster than the distal velocity and the mean difference was 13.1m/sec In only 7 of the 74 nerves tested, the proximal velocity was slower than the distal velocity and the difference of Sm/sec was the most reversal. 4. The velocity in dominant limb was faster than that in nondominant limb. 5. There were no significant difference between the sexes.
Action Potentials ; Diagnosis ; Elbow ; Electromyography ; Extremities ; Forearm ; Peripheral Nerves ; Radial Nerve

The subluxation of the femoral head is one of important prognostic factors in LCPD and current treatment of LCPD is based on the premise that adequate containment of the vulnerable femoral head within the acetabulum during the process of repair should result in a more spherical femoral head and a more congruous joint than if treatments were not provided.We analised the arthrographic findings of 18 hips in unilateral LCPD in order to determine the changes of the femoral head and acetabulum, degree of the subluxation and containment of the femoral head in various position of hip. The results were as follows: 1. According to the result of sphericity, the femoral head was deformed mainly in coronal plane in LCPD. 2. Average medial joint space of normal hip was about 3.8mm in the AP view of hip, but it was more increased in any position of LCPD. 3. In abduction with internal rotation, average subluxation ratio was 7.5% in normal hip and 10.9% in LCPD. In abduction with external rotation, it was 8.3% in normal hip and 12.4% in LCPD. 4. In normal hip, the containment ratio was more than 1.0 in any position of hip, but the containment ratio was 1.03 in abduction with internal rotation and 0.95 in abduction with external rotation of hip in LCPD. 5. On the basis of these results, efficacy of the Scottish Rite orthosis was doubtful in most hips of LCPD.
Acetabulum ; Arthrography ; Containment of Biohazards ; Head ; Hip ; Joints ; Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease ; Orthotic Devices

No abstract available.
Equidae*

Acute bacterial infection of bone and joint presents a real challenge to orthopedist because early diagnosis and treatment are difficult and also essential. In almost all practices, fever and erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR) are widely used for monitoring the course, for estimating the effectiveness of treatment, and for the recovery of such illnesses. However, interpreting body temperature is difficult and ESR is nonspecific, is not not sensitive, normalizes slowly. Otherwise, C-reactive protein(CRP) is very sensitive and normalizes fast. CRP, body temperature, and ESR were sequentially measured until a normal value was reached in twenty seven patients in whom acute osteomyelitis (17 patients), acute exacerbation of chronic osteomyelitis(4 patients), and septic arthritis(6 patients) had been diagnosed by positive bacterial culture at Kyungpook National University Hospital from June 1984 to May 1985. The results were as follows: 1. CRP normalized within 8.8 days on average. 2. Fever lasted 4.5 days on average. 3. ESR normalized within 41.6 days on average. 4. Initial mean value of CRP was 4.2 positive in acute in acute osteomyelitis and septic arthritis and 3.5 positive in acute exacerbation of chronic osteomyelitis, therefore CRP can be considered as a very sensitive indicator for early detection of acute bacterial infection of bone and joint. Also sequential CRP determination can be used for monitoring the course, for estimating the effectiveness of treatment, and for the recovery of such illnesses.
Arthritis, Infectious ; Bacterial Infections ; Blood Sedimentation ; Body Temperature ; C-Reactive Protein ; Early Diagnosis ; Fever ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Joints ; Osteomyelitis ; Reference Values

Penetrating vascular trauma to zone one of the neck is potentially life-threatening. Trauma in this anatomical location is difficult to access and manage because the neck is a small anatomic area with the anatomical proximity of vital structures. An accurate diagnosis and aggressive surgical intervention are critical to the successful outcome of penetrating zone one vascular trauma in the neck. Here we report two cases with review of the medical literature.
Neck

A 60-year-old man with a history of gunshot vascular injury on the right inguinal area, and this happened in the military service 40 years ago, was admitted to our hospital with claudication and dyspnea on exertion. The patient was diagnosed with a chronic traumatic femoral arteriovenous fistula. The patient underwent a successful operation for arteriovenous fistula closure with bovine pericardium and for femoropopliteal bypass with using a right greater saphenous vein graft. The patient is well at 14 months after the operation.
Arteriovenous Fistula ; Dyspnea ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Military Personnel ; Pericardium ; Saphenous Vein ; Transplants ; Vascular System Injuries