BACKGROUND: Routine renal function tests are not sensitive enough to detect early renal complication of diabetes. To detect the complication as soon as possible, we measured urine N-Acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase(NAG) and evaluated in comparison with microalbumin and beta2-microglobulin(beta2-MG). METHODS: 87 patients with type II diabetes visited Catholic University Hospital of Taegu Hyosung during the period October 1995 to March 1996. We collected 24 hour urine samples and measured NAG, albumin excretion rate (AER), beta2-MG. urinalysis, BUN, creatinine(Cr) Cr clearance(CrCl), fasting and 2 hour postprandial blood sugar and hemoglobin A1c. RESULTS: The average age of the patients was 53+/-15 years old and their average disease duration was 5.8+/-5.0 years. Abnormal rates of each renal function tests were as follows : NAG/gCr 52.1%, AER 51.7%, CrCl 42.5%, BUN 18.4%, beta2-MG 13.8% and creatinine 6.9% in order. From 36 patients whose AER was within normal limit, 13 of them(36.1%) showed increased level of NAG/gCr. Of 38 patients with increased NAG/gCr results, the 31 patients (81.6%) recorded abnormal results of renal function tests. Among 87 patients studied 60 patients(68.5%) showed increased level of NAG/gCr or AER results. Compared with AER test alone. the combined tests with NAG/gCr increased 16.8% of detection rates of renal complication in type II diabetes. CONCLUSION: Urine NAG/gCr and AER tests were very useful for detecting the early renal complication of type n diabetes. As increase of NAG/gCr suggest the proximal tubule damage, it is necessary to have further evaluation about the proximal tubule damage of renal complication in type II diabetes.
Acetylglucosaminidase* ; Blood Glucose ; Creatinine ; Daegu ; Fasting ; Humans ; Urinalysis

No abstract available.

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: To evaluate surface configuration of intervertebral disc on three dimensional CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three dimensional surface images reconstructed from CTscans(1 mm thick) of 20discs in 14 healthy adults were reviewed. Disc surface was classified into peripheral and central zones in contact with consecutive peripheral ring and central endplate. Local irregularity incidence, pattern in radial, concentric, or mixed form, size, location, and extension were observed. Incidence and severity ranges in 4 grades of general irregularity, and peripheral width relative to central radius were evaluated. RESULTS: Normal disc mostly showed smooth surface with few display of small local irregularity(6/20) which was mainly radial in pattern(4/5), posterolaterally located(4/6), and confined within peripheral zone(5/6). General irregularity displayed(5/20) was all grade I and peripheral width was 0.82 of central radius. CONCLUSION: Normal disc shows smooth surface but few may display small local irregularity maybe due to very early degenerative change.
Adult ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intervertebral Disc* ; Radius

No abstract available.

INTRODUCTION: The number of passengers using aircraft is steadily increasing with the improvement in the air transport business. It requires the investment both in materials and human resources for commercial aircrew members to be able to accomplish their tasks of aircraft safety. Therefore, the aircrew members are required to maintain and improve their mental and physical states to an optimal condition. It is also very important to periodically evaluate a physical condition, which is essential to flight safety. METHODS: In this study, each of a total of 89 out of a population of 278 korea aircrew members over 50 were examined in three aspects: blood lipids, maximal oxygen consumption, and bone density. The examinee were divided into two groups (HDL-C high group and HDL-C low group) and three parameters described above were compared between two groups. RESULTS: The results were as follows: (1) TC and LDL-C were significantly higher(p<0.05), and HDL-C, TG and TC/HDL were significantly lower in HDL-C High group than HDL-C Low group (p<0.01). (2) The maximal oxygen consumption was significantly higher in HDL-C high group (p<0.05). (3) The bone density of lumbar spine was significantly higher in HDL-C high group (p<0.01). (4) VO2max were significant (P< .05) correlate to HDL-C. CONCLUSION: On the basis of the study, an aerobic exercise which helps in improving the maximal oxygen consumption and cardiopulmonary function is considered to be essential for aircrew members to maintain physical conditions for their tasks, and it is desirable to develop more effective aerobic exercise programs.
Aircraft ; Bone Density* ; Commerce ; Exercise ; Humans ; Investments ; Korea ; Oxygen Consumption ; Spine

Diabetes insipidus(DI) of central origin is a clinical syndrome resulting from low blood levels of antidiuretic hormone secreted from the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland, which is usually caused by lesions involving the hypothalamus-neurohypophyseal axis. MR imaging can reveal absence of the posterior pituitary bright signal(PPBS)in DI. The authors reviewed four patients with intracranial germinomas who had DI due to hypothalamus involvement. All patients before radiotherapy revealed absence of PPBS on MRI. Three cases recovered from DI after radiotherapy and showed reappearance of PPBS. Another one patients who continued DI didn't show signal change of the posterior pituitary gland. Ws speculated that the reappearance of PPBS is related to clinical improvement of DI.
Diabetes Insipidus* ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Germinoma* ; Humans ; Hypothalamus ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Pituitary Gland ; Pituitary Gland, Posterior ; Radiotherapy*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Liver Function Tests* ; Liver*

The real time high resolution mechanical neurosonographic sector scanner is a convenient and useful instrumentfor detection of intracranial lesions in premature infants as well as low birth weight. From this experience,authors report with 104 neonates and infants who had been suspected intracranial hemorrhage and had been detectedand graded by sonography. The results were as followed: 1. The incidence of intracranial hemorrhage is 20 of 46(43.5%) neonates who had been studied before 3 days of age. But 7 of 16(43.7%) neonates showed ICH between the 4-7days of age. 2. There was no difference of prevalence in sex ratio in neonates with ICH. 3. There was closerelationship between ICH and gestational weeks. 15 of 27 (55.6%) neonates who were born under 32 gestational weeksshowed ICH was graded as 3 or 4 in 7 of 10. 4. 10 of 16(62.5%) neonate who were born under 1,500 gram body weighthad ICH within first 4 days. The severity of ICH was graded as 3 or 4 in 7 of 10. 5. The mode of deliveryinfluenced neonatal ICH incase of difficulty delivery such as forcep(4/4, 100%), vacuum (7/10, 70%), breech (3/3,100%), and C/S(13/33, 39.4%). 6. Incidence of ICH in neonates with pathologica lung conditions (29/40, 72.5%) washigher than ICH with normal chest findins(15/64, 23.4%). 7. For frequent follow up study of brain, neurosonographywas very helpul and economic in case of ICH, and could find congenital glioblastoma multiformed(1), and low gradeastrocytoma(1) incidentally.
Brain ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glioblastoma ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Lung ; Prevalence ; Sex Ratio ; Thorax ; Vacuum

A retrospective analysis of survival data of 52 cases with brain astrocytomas was presented. All patients received post-perative radiotherapy in the period of 1973~1983 at YUMC, Yonsei Cancer Center. There were 24 patients with Grade II, 12 patients with Grade III and 16 patients with Grade IV astrocytomas. Survival rates were analyzed according to histologic grade of malignancy, age, tumor location. radiation dose and extent of surgical tumor resection. 5 year actuarial survival for patients with Grade II astrocytomas was 32.9% ad Grade III was 42.9%. The 1 year and 2 year survival rate of Grade IV astrocytomas were 46.7% and 0%. Histologic grade of tumor was important prognostic factor in brain astrocytomas. Age and extent of surgical resection were significant prognostic factors in all grades of astrocytomas and tumor location and radiation dose were significant in Grade II astrocytomas.
Astrocytoma* ; Brain* ; Glioblastoma ; Humans ; Radiotherapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate