No abstract available.
Hepatitis*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hepatitis C virus(HCV) was known to most common etiologic agent of chronic liver disease in United states and Japan. Although hepatitis B virus(HBV) was well known to be a its major etiologic agent in Korea, it has been showed that HCV and HBV are associated with liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma as major causative agent of chronic liver disease. Interferon alpha therapy is generally accepted as effective single agent for chronic hepatitis or to decrease the chronicity of acute hepatitis C. So, we evaluated the efficacy of interferon alpha in hepatitis C. METHODS: 46 patients who were positive for anti-HCV antibody and HCV RNA were included in this study. Liver biopsy was per formed on all patients and all of them were tested as negative for serum HBsAg, anti Hbe. Patients were divided into 2 groups . 30 patients received interferon therapy(treated group) and 16 patients received no therapy(untreated group). We compared the change of liver function test and HCV RNA before and after therapy between two groups. Treated group was subdivided into 5 groups according to response to interferon therapy '. Non-response, partial response, breakthrough, relapse and sustained response. RESULTS: 1) The mean age and sex distribution were 49.9 year old, male 19, female 11 in treated group and 48.7 years, male 12, female 4 in untreated group. 2) The number of patients with acute hepatitis, chronic persistent hepatitis, chronic active hepatitis and liver cirrhosis were 1, 2, 23, 4 in treated group and 0, 1, 12, 3 in untreated group, respectively. 3) The mean follow up period was 1.7 year and 2.3 years in treated and untreated group, respectively. 4) The activity of serum ALT before and after therapy were 195+ 134.6 IU/L, 87.4+ 40.5 IU/L and 186.7+ 106.4 IU/L, 157+ 87.1 IU/L in treated and untreated group, respectively. Serum ALT after therapy in treated group was significantly lower than untreated group(P<0.01). 5) The number of patients for patterns of reponse in treated group was non-response 5, partial response 8, breakthrough 1, relapse 4, sustained response 12 and there was no difference in age among them(P>0.05). 6) The case of negative conversion for HCV RNA in treated group was 12, but there was no case in untreated group. 7) Sex distribution of sustained response was 6(31% ) of 19 male, 6(54.5%) of 11 female and 12 patients(40.0%)(1 of 1 patients with acute hepatitis, 1 of 2 chronic persistent hepatitis, 10 of 23 chronic active heaptitis) included in sustained reponse, but any patients with liver cirrhosis had response. 8) Mean total dose and duration of interferon therapy was non-response 10353.6 million unit(MU)/5.8month(M), partial response 20025.06MU/6.4 M, breakthrough 36000.0MU/5.0M, relapse 11700.0MU/3.3M, sustained response 28100.0MU/6.6M, respectively. 9) 3 of 7 patients who were followed up over 1 year in sustained response and mean time to the relapse was 2.2 years. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that interferon alpha therapy is effective in patients with hepatitis C and further study and attempts should be performed to augument the efficacy of interferon alpha for the treatment of hepatitis C.
Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis* ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha* ; Interferons* ; Japan ; Korea ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Function Tests ; Male ; Recurrence ; RNA ; Sex Distribution ; United States

Generalized granuloma annulare is a rare skin disease presenting generalized eruption with a distinctive histologic picture. The age of onset of generalized granuloma annulare differs from that of localized granuloma annulare. Most of the patients with generalized granuloma annulare were in the fifth to seventh decades and cases of generalized granuloma annulare in infancy or in early childhood have been rarely reported. We herein report two cases of generalized granuloma annulare in 45- and 18-month-old boys, who is the youngest patient yet reported in the Korean literature. The histopathologic findings were compatible with granuloma annulare and all lesions completely involuted in two months after administration of topical or systemic corticosteroids.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Age of Onset ; Granuloma Annulare* ; Granuloma* ; Humans ; Infant ; Skin Diseases

The functioning filtering bleb constructed after trabeculectomy in glaucomatous patient might be fail after cataract operation probably due to transient collapse during cataract extraction and inflammatiry reaction of the filtering bleb which result in unsuccessful intraocular pressure control. To compare if the results were identical in cases with the use of encircling band to enlarge the aqueous absorbing scar tissue to trabeculectomy, intraocular pressure was followed for more than 6 months after cataract extraction and posterior chamber lens implantation in 7 eyes that previously underwent silicone tube insertion with the use of encircling band. There were no cases with increased intraocular pressure needed to control postoperatively. Therefore it could be possible to concluded that inflammatory reaction of the filtering bleb or transient collapse during cataract extraction has no negative influences on intraocular pressure in silicone tube implanted eye using encircling band.

The maintenance of pure primary lymphocytes culture for long periods may be difficult because of its inability to divide continuously. In addition, lymphocytes separation methods such as Ficoll-Paque, RBC lysis and immunomagnetic microbeads separation may have some affect on cell viability. The objective of this study is to determine various types of lymphocytes purification methods, in order to prolong primary lymphocytes culture to 72 hours. The second objective is to use these primary lymphocytes as targets for quantitative and qualitative cell viability assays when analysing the action of toxins isolated from natural products. Human blood was drawn and purified by using Ficoll-Paque, RBC lysis or immunomagnetic separation column method in various combinations. The purified lymphocytes were also grown with and without the growth enhancement factor, concanavalin-A. Cell viability assays were carried out for 72 hours at 24 hours interval. The lymphocytes purified using RBC lysis method, with or without concanavalin-A can prolong 100% cell viability for 72 hours whilst lymphocytes purified using Ficoll-Paque and supplemented with concanavalin-A showed an increase in cell viability of over 250% at 72 hours incubation. It was observed only lymphocytes purified using Ficoll-Paque followed by the immunomagnetic microbeads separation method and supplemented with concanavalin-A showed overall cell viability increase, reaching 300% at 72 hours incubation. This method was a reliable model to test the cytotoxicity of the Bacillus thuringiensis parasporal inclusion, suggesting that the method achieves the objectives of the study.

Closed loop onstruction represent a surgical emergency, because this lesion leads to small boweel infarction, perforation, and peritonitis if not treated in time. We analyzed the CT and ultrasonographic findings of 4 patients prospectively and 2 patients retrospectively with surgically proven closed loop obstruction of the small boweel to evaluate the characteristic findings, the cause of the closed loop obstruction and predictive criteria for the viablity of the involved bowel loop. The characteristic CT and sonographic features of the closed loop obstruction of the small bowel included; dilated fluid-filled bowel loops, the thickened bowel wall, absence of peristalsis, and ascites. In one case, closed loop obstructio originating from umbilical hernia was documented by CT and sonography. The possible criteria for the gangrenous changes could be the maximal thickness of bowel more than 7mm, and infiltration in the mesentery/omentum.
Ascites ; Emergencies ; Hernia, Umbilical ; Humans ; Infarction ; Peristalsis ; Peritonitis ; Prospective Studies ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography*

No abstract available.
Bronchoscopy* ; Hemoptysis* ; Hemorrhage*

No abstract available.
Cicatrix* ; Skin* ; Suture Techniques* ; Sutures*

No abstract available.
Colitis, Ulcerative* ; Ulcer*

Cystic entrapment of infraspinatus branch of suprascapular nerve is a rare cause of shoulder pain with infraspinatus atrophy. We discuss the ultrasonographic diagnosis and ultrasonography- guided aspiration of the cyst as a treatment. Case: A 37-year-old, ship-yard laborer had experienced left shoulder discomfort and pain without trauma history. Physical examination showed profound selective atrophy of left infraspinatus muscle. Simple X-ray of shoulder showed normal findings. Electrodiagnostic examination revealed delayed motor latency of infraspinatus branch of suprascapular nerve and denervation potentials of infraspinatus muscle exclusively. Ultrasonographic finding showed 13.5X21.5 mm sized cystic mass around left infraspinatus notch. Ultrasonography-guided aspiration was done, and then electrical stimulation therapy and strengthening exercise of left shoulder were performed. Symptoms were improved. We report a rare case of cystic entrapment of infraspinatus branch of suprascapular nerve in a patient without traumatic insult.
Adult ; Atrophy ; Denervation ; Diagnosis ; Electric Stimulation Therapy ; Humans ; Physical Examination ; Shoulder ; Shoulder Pain ; Ultrasonography*