BACKGROUND: Systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) is a clinical syndrome of unknown causes characterized by inflammat.ion and multisystem involvement. Since Hargravas describe the LE cell in 1948, a profound change has occured in the concept of SLE. Many studies of the large series have been reported in the West, but few collective studies have been reported in Korea. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to elucidate the clinical and laboratory characteristics of SLE in Korean people. METHODS: We carried out retrospective study of 64 patients, who were diagnosed as SLE on the base of the 1982 revised bacteria for the SLE by American Collepe of Rheumatology(formerly, American Rheumatism Association), at Korea University Hospital from 1982 to 1991. The results were compared with those of previous studies in Korea and western countries. RESULTS: 1. In 64 patients with SLE, female patients outnumbered male by 6.1 to 1 and the mean age of onset was 28.6 years. 2. The initial manifestations were arthritis or arthralgia, 25%; fatigue, malaise, weight, loss, 21.8%; facial rash or blush, 12.5%, fever, 12.5%. 3. The major clinical manifastations were hematologic(90.6 %), muccutaneous(89%), musculoskeleta (79.7%), and renal(73.4%) involvemant. 4. The ANA test were positive in 83.9% of the patients, and homoenous pattern was most common. There was no significant difference of organ involvement according to the nuclear patterns of ANA, but cardiopulmonary, renal involvement, hypocomplement,emia and positive anti-ds DNA were less frequent in ANA neghative group. 5. In 73.7% of the patients, the titers of anti-ds DNA antibody was elevated. The amount of anti-ds DNA Ab in serum did not always correlate with disease activity. 6. Photosensitivity, arthritis or arthralgia and CNS manifestatioris were less common, but hematologic findings, including anenia and leukopenia were more common in Korean than western reports. CONCLUSION: Patients with SLE are heterogenous in the natural h story of their disease, which is not an uncommon disease in Korea. Continued efforts to clarify the immunopathologic basis for SLE should eventually lead to more effective treatment.
Age of Onset ; Arthralgia ; Arthritis ; Bacteria ; DNA ; Exanthema ; Fatigue ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Korea ; Leukopenia ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Male ; Neutrophils ; Retrospective Studies ; Rheumatic Diseases

Mucormycosis is an infectious disease caused by fungi of the order Mucorales. Almost all patients have a serious uriderlying condition such as diabetes mallitus, imrnunosuppression, starvation, burn, but a few cais have been reported in previously heilthy subjects. In order to successfully treat this infection, diagnosis must be prompt and acior. panied by aggressive debridement and parenteral administration of amphotericin B. We report a case of primary cutaneous mucormycosis in 58-year-old man. The lesion was a well-circumscribed erythematous plaque with central necrcis Histopathologically, a biopsy revealed broad, nonsptate with branches occuring at right anghles.
Amphotericin B ; Biopsy ; Burns ; Communicable Diseases ; Debridement ; Diagnosis ; Fungi ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mucorales ; Mucormycosis* ; Starvation

The problem of carbon monoxide intoxication has been increasing since 1950s and it is still regarded as one of the most serious public health problem in Korea. If the patients survives the acute episode, elimination of carbon monoxide occurs in the rate of a halt-time of 3 to 4 hours. Nevertheless, there may remain after effect. Therefore, the present study was desinged to elucidate the change of myocardial tissue caused by acute carbon monoxide poisoning were evaluated by electrton microscopic observation of the severity of the mitochondrial swelling and cytochrome oxidase activity, which was demonstrated by histochemical staining with diaminobenzidine(DAB). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to the carbon monoxide of 1500 ppm for 150 minutes. They were divided into two groups ; one group were treated with hyperbaric oxygenation 15 minutes after carbon monoxide exposure, the other were not treated. Rats were sacrified 6 hours, 12 hours, 1 day, 3 days, 7days, 14 days, and 21 days after carbon monoxide exposure. The specimens were collected from the apex of the heart. In the group without hyperbaric oxygenation, mitochondrial swelling subsided 21 days after carbon monoxide exposure accompained by restoration of cytochrome oxidase activity. On the other hand, with hyperbaric oxygenation, healing process was shortened. Cytochrome oxidase activity was restored 7 days after carbon monoxide exposure.
Animals ; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning ; Carbon Monoxide* ; Carbon* ; Cytochromes* ; Electron Transport Complex IV* ; Hand ; Heart ; Humans ; Hyperbaric Oxygenation ; Korea ; Male ; Mitochondria* ; Mitochondrial Swelling ; Myocardium* ; Public Health ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

The size of spinal canal is valuable ot detect the body encroachment of spinal canal and expansion due totumors by computed tomography. This study was desinged for taking accurate measurement of the normal thoracicspinal canal in korean adults. The anteroposterior diameter, interpediculate distance and cross-sectional area ofthoracic spinal canal were measured in 80 normal adults. The results were as follows. 1. In A-P diameter, middleparts of the canal were smaller values than those of upper and lower parts from T1 to T6, and upper parts of thecanal were larger than those of middle and lower parts from T7 to T10. 2. In interpediculate distance, middleparts of the canal revealed larger value than those of upper parts. 3. All measurements of male were larger thanthose of female at all levels of the spinal canals and 65 measurement(93%) were statistically significant.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Spinal Canal

No abstract available.

McLeod syndrome is a rare X-linked multisystem disorder which forms the core of neuroacanthocytosis syndrome. Neurological symptoms characterized by chorea, seizure, cognitive impairment, and psychosis mostly develop around the 5-6th decades, accompanied by multisystem involvement comprising neuropathy, myopathy, acanthocytosis and hepatosplenomegaly. We hereby present a 60-year-old male who is the first genetically confirmed Korean McLeod syndrome patient. Genetic analysis of his XK gene revealed a previously reported 5 base pair deletion of exon 3 (c.856_860delCTCTA).
Abetalipoproteinemia ; Base Pairing ; Chorea ; Cognition Disorders ; Exons ; Humans ; Korea* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Muscular Diseases ; Neuroacanthocytosis ; Psychotic Disorders ; Seizures

Intramedullary spinal cord abscess is rare condition, and that, the diagnosis of an abscess is rarely established before operative interference is indicated. A case of spinal cord abscess is reported upon 42 year-old male who was admitted to this hospital because of severe pain in the posterior lower neck and weakness in all 4 extremities. The patient have no history of infection or operation in recent past. On admission the subject was in state of quadriparesis, and the superficial sensory impairement was up to the level of T1 3 spinal dermatome. In an early course of the illness the motor weakness had started to appear in the left arm and the impairement of pain and temperature sensations in the right leg, indicating a picture of Brown-Sequard's syndrome. Radiographic examinations disclosed a localized enlargement of lower cervical canal with a widening of interpedicular distance and showed a defect and obstruction of dye column at C6 spinal level, which were suggestive of picture of intramedullary tumor. Operation the exposed spinal laminae and dura showed nothing abnormal, but the dura mater was under the grerat pressure. Opening the dura the spinal cord was swollen, tense and nonpulsatile with dusky red discoloration on a surface of the cord. Pus contents were obtained by needle aspiration and through a myelotomy opening the contents were evacuated completely. Culture of the pus contents produced no organisms. Pathology reported a nonspecific suppurative inflammation on the biopsy. The surgical treatment was combined with the administration of antibiotics, in full theapeutic doses and steroid postoperatively. Two weeks after the surgery he showed significant recovery from the neurological dysfunctions in his legs.
Abscess* ; Adult ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Arm ; Biopsy ; Brown-Sequard Syndrome ; Diagnosis ; Dura Mater ; Extremities ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Leg ; Male ; Neck ; Needles ; Pathology ; Quadriplegia ; Sensation ; Spinal Cord ; Suppuration ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation

The purpose of this study was to evaluate newly fabricated tricalcium phosphate(TCP)/chitosan microgranuls as bone substitutes. TCP/chitosan microgranules were fabricated by dropping TCP-chitosan suspension into the NaOH/ethanol solution. The size of microgranules could be controllable via airflow rate. PDGF-BB was loaded into the fabricated granules via freeze-drying methods(300 ng/20 mg). To evaluate cell proliferation, cultured osteoblasts cell lines(MC3T3-E1) was dropped on the BioOss(R), chitosan microgranules, TCP/chitosan microgranules and cultured for 1, 7, 14, and 28 days. Scanning electron microscopic observation was done after 7 days of culture and light microscopic examination was done after 28 days of culture. PDGF-BB release from the microgranules was tested. Rabbit calvarial defects(8 mm in diameter) were formed and chitosan, TCP/chitosan, PDGF-TCP/chitosan microgranules, and BioGran(R) were grafted to test the ability of new bone formation. At SEM view, the size of prepared microgranules was 250-1000 um and TCP powders were observed at the surface of TCP/chitosan microgranules. TCP powders gave roughness to the granules and this might help the attachment of osteoblasts. The pores formed between microgranules might be able to allow new bone ingrowth and vascularization. There were no significant differences in cell number among BioOss(R) and two microgranules at 28 day. Light and scanning electron microscopic examination showed that seeded osteoblastic cells were well attached to TCP/chitosan microgranules and proliferated in a multi-layer. PDGF-BB released from TCP/chitosan microgranules was at therapeutic concentration for at least 1 week. In rabbit calvarial defect models, PDGF-TCP/chitosan microgranules grafted sites showed thicker bone trabeculae pattern and faster bone maturation than others. These results suggested that the TCP/chitosan microgranules showed the potential as bone substitutes.
Bone Substitutes ; Cell Count ; Cell Proliferation ; Chitosan* ; Osteoblasts ; Osteogenesis* ; Powders ; Transplants