BACKGROUND: Androgenetic alopecia is considered to be a genetically determined disorder influenced by age and androgen. The proportion of patients with androgenetic alopecia among the total number of patients with alopecia seems to be gradually increasing. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the family history,clinical and endocrine status of the patients with androgenetic alopecia. METHODS: 1113 patients with androgenetic alopecia who had visited the Department of Dermatology, Yongsan Hospital, College of Medicine,Chung-Ang University during the 3 years (1995.1-1998. 12) have been examined. RESULTS: The results are summarized as follows 1) The incidence of androgenetic alopecia among the total number of alopecia patients was 64.5%, showing recent increment. 2) There were 855 male and 258 female patients being most prevalent in the third decade in both sexes and the patients younger than 30 years old with premature androgenetic alopecia,made up 70.3% of the male patients and 48.8% of the female patients with androgenetic alopecia. 3) While Norwood's type Iia was the most common and following type II, III vertex,and IV in the male AGA, Ludwig's type II was the most common in female AGA 4) There was a family history of baldness in 53.5% of first degree relatives in male patients and 51.6%in female patients. 5)Associated diseases were observed in 565(66.8%) of the male patients and 219 (84.8%) of the female patients:diseases associated with androgen such as seborrheic dermatitis and acne vulgaris occupied 39.1%. CONCLUSION: Based on our findings, those who want to treat androgenetic alopecia at the earlier ages are gradually increasing and it seems to be reasonable to believe that the age, genetic factors, localized effects of androgens on the scalp and the density and/or functional activity of androgen receptors may influence the pathogenesis of androgenetic alopecia.
Acne Vulgaris ; Alopecia* ; Androgens ; Clinical Study* ; Dermatitis, Seborrheic ; Dermatology ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Receptors, Androgen ; Scalp ; Testosterone

PURPOSE: Autonomic dysreflexia represents one of the most serious medical emergencies in the care and rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injury. We evaluated the effect of terazosin for the prevention of symptoms due to autonomic dysreflexia in patients with spinal cord injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effect of terazosin was evaluated in 20 spinal cord injury patients with autonomic dysreflexia. All patients received terazosin as the only medication for the autonomic dysreflexia. Baseline measurements of blood pressure, the autonomic dysreflexia severity score and autonomic dysreflexia frequency score were recorded before terazoxin medication. Follow-up measurements were taken at 1 week, 1 month and 3 month after medication. All the data were statistically evaluated and the following results were obtained. RESULTS: The majority of patients(95%) had manifested headache and sweating. The autonomic dysreflexia severity score after terazosin medication decreased from an average of 9.0+/-0.6 at baseline to 6.8+/-0.7, 5.2+/-0.7 and 4.9+/-0.6 at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months repectively(p=0.001). And the autonomic dysreflexia frequency score after terazosin medication decreased from an average of 2.4+/-0.5 to 1.2+/-0.4 at 3 months. CONCLUSION: Tetazosin appears to be effective in preventing symptoms due to autonomic dysreflexia.
Autonomic Dysreflexia ; Blood Pressure ; Emergencies ; Follow-Up Studies ; Headache ; Humans ; Rehabilitation ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord* ; Sweat ; Sweating

OBJECTIVES: We surveyed this study for knowing the relation within stress, depression and medical comorbidities, and finding the risk factors of major depression. METHODS: 1764 subjects were enrolled from Jan. 2009 to Dec. 2009 who visit Korea University Guro hospital healthcare center. The subjects answered the questionnaire of PSS(Perceived Stress Scale), PHQ-9(Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and the demographic data. We categorized them as the stress group, depressive group, medical comorbidity group and analyzed the correlation analyses and logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: 198 of 1764 subjects(11.8%) were applied to major depression, and the depressive group showed the higher mean stress score(23.19) and mean depression score(12.95) than the normal group. The total PHQ-9 score was increased by perceiving more stress, having more medical comorbidities. The subjects with female, visiting due to recent health problems, irregular exercise, current smoking, history of angina and cerebrovascular disease showed the increased risk of major depression. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we find the PSS, PHQ-9 were valuable for mental health screening in healthcare center. As perceiving more stress and having more medical comorbidity, risk of major depression were increased. Accordingly the individuals with medical diseases or unhealthy lifestyle would need the mental health screen.
Comorbidity ; Delivery of Health Care ; Depression ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Style ; Logistic Models ; Mass Screening ; Mental Health ; Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking

Plexiform schwannoma is a relatively rare, benign peripheral nerve sheath tumor that can be located either in the deep soft tissues or in the dermis or subcutaneous tissue. This tumor may occur singly or as multiple lesions and may be localized to one anatomic site or diffusely distributed. Plexiform schwannoma should be differentiated with plexiform neurofibroma or other plexiform malignant tumors. We describe a case of a 6-year-old patient with multiple cutaneous plexiform schwannomas who had no other stigmata of neurofibromatosis 1 or family history suggesting a genetic disorder. The histopathological study revealed a tumor composed of multiple intradermal or subcutaneous interlacing and interconnecting fascicles and nodules that vary in size and shape. Characteristic Antoni A type cellular tissue showing frequent nuclear palisading and Verocay bodies were observed within well circumscribed elongated nodules.
Child ; Christianity ; Dermis ; Humans ; Neurilemmoma* ; Neurofibroma, Plexiform ; Neurofibromatosis 1 ; Peripheral Nerves ; Subcutaneous Tissue

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We aimed to evaluate recognition of the 2013 revised guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection in Korea by members of the society through a web survey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed the respondents' agreement with the 19 guidelines in terms of awareness and adherence. Among 718 physicians, 149 (20.8%) answered the questionnaire by e-mail between October and November 2013. RESULTS: The mean age of the respondents was 40+/-7 years, and the ratio of men to women were 74.5:25.5. The respondents were as follows: professors (36.2%), fellows (31.5%), salaried doctors (17.4%), private practitioners (11.4%), and screening center clinicians (3.4%). Among the 141 respondents, 69.1% had read, 17.3% agreed completely, and 77.3% agreed generally with the guidelines. The respondents indications for eradication were peptic ulcer disease (77.2%), MALT lymphoma (89.3%), and following endoscopic therapy for early gastric cancer (71.1%). However, 42.3% and 48.3% of the physicians administered H. pylori eradication treatment for patients with atrophic gastritis and a family history of gastric cancer, respectively. Triple therapy as first line regimens was administered by 81.2% of the respondents. The duration was one-week for 77.7% and two-weeks for 13.4%. A total of 55.7% prescribed a bismuth-based secondary treatment. When bismuth-based initial therapy failed, a combination of 2 antibiotics that were not used as first-line therapy were used (37.6%). CONCLUSIONS: This web survey was very helpful for analyzing society members' recognition of 2013 revised guidelines. Generally, all the society members followed the guidelines.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Diagnosis* ; Electronic Mail ; Female ; Gastritis, Atrophic ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Humans ; Internet ; Korea ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Peptic Ulcer ; Stomach Neoplasms

Pigmented squamous cell carcinoma is a very rare malignant, pigmented, epidermal tumor. The rarity of pigmented squamous cell carcinomas may reflect in part their misdiagnosis as other pigmented neoplasms, particularly malignant melanoma. To our knowledge, only five cases have been reported in literature. We recently experienced a case of pigmented squamous cell carcinoma arising from pigmented actinic keratosis in a 77 years old female. Physical examination showed a 0.8 0.6 cm, smooth, dark brown pigmented patch with irregular but sharply defined borders located on the upper left chest. The biopsy specimen showed histologic findings of pigmented actinic keratosis with abundant melanin pigments, which became pigmented squamous cell carcinoma. Most of pigments in the squamous cell carcinoma were contained within the melanocytes along with the neoplastic squamous cells.
Actins* ; Aged ; Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Diagnostic Errors ; Female ; Humans ; Keratosis, Actinic* ; Melanins ; Melanocytes ; Melanoma ; Physical Examination ; Skin ; Thorax

Adenocarcinoma of the ciliary epithelium is a rare tumor, usually occuring in elderly patients who have a history of severe ocular trauma or chronic inflammation. We report an adenocarcinoma of the nonpigmented ciliary epithelium found within the phthisical globe of a 36-year-old female whose eye had been loss of vision since infancy. The mass, measured 4.0 x 4.0 cm, was relatively limited by sclera but had invasion to posterior portion. Histologically, the tumor was a compact mass which consisted of tubular and papillary structures with foci of the pleomorphic area. Strands of cells and individual cells were invested with thick basement membrane that have positivity for periodic acid-Schiff stain. Immunohistochemical staining showed strong reactivity for cytokeratin and epithelial membrane antigen, and focal for neuron-specific enolase and S-100 protein.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenocarcinoma, Papillary* ; Adult ; Aged ; Basement Membrane ; Epithelium* ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Keratins ; Mucin-1 ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; S100 Proteins ; Sclera

We report a case of 46-year-old women who suffered from delayed transfusion hemolytic anemia due to anti-Jkb antibody after renal transplantation. The patient had been treated with hemodialysis and had a past history of multiple transfusion. On the second postoperative day, she received 2 units of packed red cell. During transfusion, she complained of mild chest tightness only, but 10 days later, anemia of unknown origin developed. Irregular antibody was found in her serum and identified as anti- Jkb antibody. Together with other serologic findings, she was diagnosed as delayed hemolytic transfusion reaction due to anti -Jkb antibody. We thought that this reaction might be the amnestic response to previous exposure during delivery or remote multiple transfusion. Our patient responded to steroid and plasmapheresis and recovered without severe hemolytic transfusion reaction. In conclusion, antibody screening tests and identification test might be considered as a routine pretransfusion test for all renal recipients for safe transfusion practices.
Anemia ; Anemia, Hemolytic ; Blood Group Incompatibility* ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Transplantation ; Mass Screening ; Middle Aged ; Plasmapheresis ; Renal Dialysis ; Thorax ; Transplantation*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the fixation strength and tissue reaction of the glue fixation and self-stabilizing leg fixation methods and to compare the results with those of the conventional tagging suture fixation method. MATER AND METHODS: Twelve healthy rabbits were selected and three different methods of implanting the port chamber were employed on the back of each rabbit. A total of thirty six port chambers were implanted with these three different methods, viz. the glue fixation method using tissue adhesive, the self-stabilizing leg method using a self-expandable stabilizing leg, and the suture fixation method. The fixation strength and the gross and histopathologic changes of each fixation method were evaluated at three days, one week, two weeks and four weeks after port implantation. RESULTS: The glue fixation method showed a good fixation strength, which was similar to that of the tagging suture method (p=0.3486). Five of the six ports (83%) implanted with the glue fixation method which were examined after two weeks showed cracks on the external surface, but this had no adverse effects on their function. A large amount of granulation tissue reaction was found at the bottom of the chamber (p=0.0025). The fixation with the self-stabilizing leg showed relatively lower fixation strength (p=0.0043), but no turning-over of the chamber occurred. The fixation strength improved with time after the first week, and minimal granulation tissue reaction was observed with this method. CONCLUSION: The glue fixation method exhibited equal fixation strength compared to the suture fixation, but showed cracking and a large amount of granulation tissue, whereas the fixation with a self-stabilizing leg showed weaker fixation strength.
Alloys ; Animals ; Capillaries/cytology/metabolism/pathology ; Cell Proliferation ; Device Removal ; Enbucrilate/therapeutic use ; *External Fixators ; Fibroblasts/metabolism/pathology ; Granulation Tissue/blood supply/metabolism/pathology ; *Implants, Experimental ; Models, Animal ; Rabbits ; Sutures/*utilization ; Time Factors ; Tissue Adhesives/*therapeutic use

Carotid-cavernous fistulaes are traumatic in origin in over two thirds of all cases. Occlusion of these lesions by endovascular techniques or open surgical approaches is usually indicated. The current treatment of choice is occlusion by use of the intraarterial detachable balloon technique. Pseudoaneurysm, one of the complications after employment of the detachable balloon technique, develop at the balloon placement site after balloon deflation. Its incidence is approximately 44% in the literature. But peudoaneurysms are difficult to treat using endovascular techniques with detachable balloon or coils. The authors report that one case with a pseudoaneurysm who had abducens nerve palsy was treated successfully using Guglielmi detachable coils(GDC). His 6th cranial nerve palsy was improved within 6 weeks.
Abducens Nerve Diseases ; Aneurysm, False* ; Cranial Nerve Diseases ; Employment ; Endovascular Procedures ; Fistula ; Incidence