Erythromelalgia is a rare disease characterized by burning pain of the extremities associated with erythema and increased temperature of the skin. A case of erythromelalgia was reported with review of literatures. It seemed that this is the first reported case in Korean literatures. patient was 12 years old male having erythematous swelling associated with burning pain on his feet and lower legs for five years. Immersion of his feet in warm water quickly, increased the pain but cold water gave prompt relief that he soaked his feet for many hours during the day and night. No specific abnormalities were noticed in Iaboratory studies, Treatment with various topical, systemic medication revealed of unfavorable result.
Burns ; Child ; Erythema ; Erythromelalgia* ; Extremities ; Foot ; Humans ; Immersion ; Leg ; Male ; Rare Diseases ; Skin ; Water

The increase of serum IgE in atopic dermatitis is well known. And atopic patients are frequently complicated by viral infection, such as molluscum contagiosum. So, we studied the serum IgE level in patients of atopic dermatitis and atopic dermatitis with molluscum eontagiosum to evaluate the relationship between molluscum contagiosum and IgE level in patients with atopic dermatitis. The results were summarized as follows : 1. Serum IgE level in patients of atopic dermatitis was 168.8+117.0 IU/ml, which was higher than that of control group (87.6+/-40.0 IU/ml) (p<0.05). 2. Serum IgE level in patients of atopic dermatitis with molluscum contagiosum was 137.8+/-91.9 IU/ml, which was lower than that of atopic dermatitis without molluscum contagiosum (178.3+/-123.7 IU/ml) (p>0.05).
Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Molluscum Contagiosum*

We experienced a case of childhood derrnatomyositis associated with calcinosis universalis in a 3-year-old boy. The skin lesion showed generalized, hard nodules and ulcers, 0, 3-1 cm in cliameter, or the trunk and buttock. The hitopathologic findings revealed patch fat necrosis and calcium deposits in the subcutis.
Buttocks ; Calcinosis* ; Calcium ; Child, Preschool ; Dermatomyositis* ; Fat Necrosis ; Humans ; Male ; Skin ; Ulcer

Biliary strictures are one of the most common complications following liver transplantation, representing an important cause of morbidity and mortality in transplant recipients. The reported incidence of biliary stricture is 5% to 15% following deceased donor liver transplantations and 28% to 32% following living donor liver transplantations. Bile duct strictures following liver transplantation are easily and conveniently classified as anastomotic strictures (AS) or non-anastomotic strictures (NAS). NAS are characterized by a far less favorable response to endoscopic management, higher recurrence rates, graft loss and the need for retransplantation. Current endoscopic strategies to correct biliary strictures following liver transplantation include repeated balloon dilatations and the placement of multiple side-by-side plastic stents. Endoscopic balloon dilatation with stent placement is successful in the majority of AS patients. In patients for whom gaining biliary access is technically difficult, a combined endoscopic and percutaneous/surgical approach proves quite useful. Future directions, including novel endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography techniques, advanced endoscopy, and improved stents could allow for a decreased number of interventions, increased intervals before retreatment, and decreased reliance on percutaneous and surgical modalities. The aim of this review is to detail the present status of endoscopy in the diagnosis, treatment, outcome, and future directions of biliary strictures related to orthotopic liver transplantation from the viewpoint of a clinical gastroenterologists.
Bile Duct Diseases ; Bile Ducts ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Dilatation ; Endoscopy ; Humans ; Incidence ; Liver ; Liver Transplantation ; Living Donors ; Plant Extracts ; Plastics ; Recurrence ; Retreatment ; Stents ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

OBJECTIVES: This study is to examine the efficacy and the limitation of translated Korean version of the Obsessive-compulsive Drinking Scale. The Korean version of the scale is to be used for treatment and research on alcoholism. METHODS: This study was carried out to examine reliability and validity of the translated Korean version of the Obsessive-compulsive Drinking Scale. One hundred forty two out-patient alcohol dependence subjects were measured of their cognitive and behavioral aspects of craving with this scale. RESULTS: For 142 tested alcoholic subjects, internal consistency among 14 items of the Obsessive-compulsive Drinking Scale was 0.8947(Crohnbach's alpha). For 40 detoxified alcoholics, test-retest reliability of total score of the Korean version of the Obsessive-compulsive Drinking Scale was 0.76 (correlation coefficient, p<0.01). In 131 alcoholic subjects, validity of total score of the Korean version of the Obsessive-compulsive Drinking Scale was examined by correlation analysis with visual analogue scale (VAS). Correlation coefficient was 0.52 with VAS. Especially, correlation coefficient of compulsive subscale of the Korean version of the Obsessive-compulsive Drinking Scale was 0.61 with VAS. The total score of the Korean version of the Obsessive-compulsive Drinking Scale which was analyzed by repeated measure analyses of variance during 8 weeks was significantly different between the relapse group and the abstinence group. CONCLUSION: The Korean version of the Obsessive-compulsive Drinking Scale shows very similar psychometric performance to the original Obsessive-compulsive Drinking Scale developed by Anton. The Korean version, therefore, is an useful instrument that reflects characteristic drinking behaviors of alcoholics.
Alcoholics ; Alcoholism* ; Drinking Behavior ; Drinking* ; Humans ; Outpatients* ; Psychometrics ; Recurrence ; Reproducibility of Results*

OBJECTIVES: Alcohol craving, is not only the most common symptom but the key element in alcohol dependence. The aim of this study is to measure ERPs, especially P3 elicted by alcohol related photographs in order to assess the craving in alcohol dependent patients. METHODS: Based on the result of previous study, 6 alcohol related photographs and 6 control photographs were chosen as visual stimuli. Each stimuli set consisted of alcohol related or control photographs as target stimuli and the same sized checkerboards as non-targets. Stimuli were presented using oddball paradigm for 300 msec with an inter-stimulus interval of 1000 msec in 12 normal controls and 16 abstinent alcohol dependent patients. One session consisted of three blocks; exercise block, control block, alcohol craving block. RESULTS: The amplitudes of P3 elicited by alcohol related visual stimuli were significantly larger than those of P3 elicited by control stimuli in alcohol dependent patients while there was no significant difference in normal controls. CONCLUSION: Consistent with the hypothesis, only alcohol-dependent patients were characterized by increased P3 amplitude associated with alcohol-realted visual stimuli compared with control stimuli. The results suggest the ERPs can be used as a neurophysiological correlate of alcohol craving in alcohol dependent patients. Future investigations will be needed to assess the relapse in the patients included in this study in order to elucidate the meaning of the increased P3 amplitude.
Alcoholism ; Evoked Potentials* ; Humans ; Recurrence

OBJECTIVES: Craving is the subjectively experienced motivational states inducing ongoing drug use in addicts. It also proceeds or precipitates relapse episode in drug addicts. Alcohol craving may be triggered by exposure to an object, environment, or emotion that a person has come to associate with alcohol consumption. Such stimuli are called alcohol-related cues. Among alcohol-related cues, alcohol-related visual stimuli are simple and reliable methods in inducing alcohol craving. The object of this study is to develop alcohol-related visual stimuli which induce alcohol craving reliably and to investigate the characteristics of alcohol-related visual stimuli in alcoholics. METHODS: First, the authors developed 27 alcohol and drinking color photos as candidate stimuli. Then, 3 photos which induce alcohol craving most were chosen as alcohol-related visual stimuli respectively by alcoholics, alcoholism high risk group and normal control group. The authors compared characteristics, situation and complexity of selected alcohol-related visual stimuli among three groups. RESULTS: 1) 'A glass of Soju', 'Drinking together' and 'A glass of beer, a bottle of beer and a sidedish' were chosen as alcohol-related visual stimuli which induce most craving in alcoholics, alcoholism high risk group and normal control group respectively. 2) Alcohol photo(stationary object) induced craving most in alcoholics in contrast with drinking photo(situation) in social drinkers. Alcoholics clung to alcohol per se, not to atmosphere or situation of drinking, and alcoholism high risk group felt craving by the expectation of drinking situation. Normal control group showed no consistent finding in choosing alcohol-related visual stimuli. CONCLUSION: With these results, the author suggests classical conditioning as psychopathological model of alcohol craving with alcoholics. In contrast with alcoholics, alcohol craving of alcoholism high risk group may be related to alcohol specific memory or positive expectancies about alcohol use. These finding may support different neurobiological mechanisms of alcohol craving between alcoholics and social drinkers.
Alcohol Drinking ; Alcoholics ; Alcoholism ; Atmosphere ; Beer ; Conditioning, Classical ; Cues ; Drinking ; Drug Users ; Glass ; Humans ; Memory ; Recurrence

Many researchers have used cue reactivity paradigm to study alcohol craving. But the difference of craving response to drinks between alcoholic patients and social drinkers was little evaluated. To investigate characteristics of alcohol-related visual cues which induce alcohol craving in alcoholism, we examined the response of subjects to alcohol-related cues considering qualitative aspects. The authors developed 27 photographs related to alcohol as candidate visual cues. Thirty five patients with alcohol dependence, 35 heavy drinkers and 35 social drinkers were shown these pictures and asked to rate these 6 pictures in order of inducing alcohol craving the most. 'A glass of Soju' and 'A Party scene' were chosen as the alcohol-related visual cues which induced craving the most in the patients and heavy drinkers, respectively. The results suggest that the patients with alcohol dependence are more absorbed by alcohol without drinking context such as an atmosphere or situation involving drinking. Heavy drinkers may experience craving in anticipation of being in a drinking situation.
Photic Stimulation ; *Motivation ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Humans ; Female ; *Drinking Behavior ; Cues ; Brain/*physiopathology ; Behavior ; Alcoholism/*pathology/psychology ; Alcoholic Intoxication ; Alcoholic Beverages ; *Alcohol Drinking ; Adult

OBJECTIVES: The decline in general neurocognitive functions of alcoholics has been previously reported, especially in the area of memory, problem-solving and executive function which are important for occupational performance or adaptation to enviroment. On the other hand, young alcoholics under the age of 40 with relatively short duration of problem drinking were reported of no significant decline in neurocognitive functions consisting of memory, problem-solving and executive function. The objective of this study is to investigate whether there is a decline in neurocognitive functions around memory, problem-solving and executive function in abstinent young alcoholics. METHODS: 24 male and female alcohol dependent patients from the age of 19 to 39 years, who were detoxified in the hospotal were recruited as subjects. Normal control group of 20 males and females who matched for age, sex, educational level were selected. Clinical characteristics of the subjects were examined by demographic variables, alcohol history, Beck's Depression Inventory, Michigan Alcohol Screening Test and Standard Progressive Matrices. Also, subtests of Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised, Block design from the Korean-Wechsler Adult Intelligence, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test were performed in order to evaluate the subjects' neurocognitive functions. RESULTS: Compared to normal controls, significant decline in neurocognitive functions such as memory, problem-solving and executive function were observed in young alcohol dependent patients with an average age of 32. Parts of the neuropsychological tests showed significant correlation with duration of lifetime drinking and lifetime alcohol consumption. CONCLUSION: This study shows that, unlike previous reports, decline in memory, problem-solving and executive function occur in young alcoholics as in chronic alcoholics. This implies that young alcoholics can experience difficulty in occupational performance and adaptation to environment, and may be less responsive to treatment due to neurocognitive damage. The results of this study inclicate the importance of early identification, intervention, and planning therapeutic strategies in young alcoholics.
Adult ; Alcohol Drinking ; Alcoholics ; Depression ; Drinking ; Executive Function* ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Intelligence ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Memory ; Michigan ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Problem Solving* ; Wisconsin

PURPOSE: Authors intend to evaluate the mid-term clinical, radiographic results and patient's satisfaction degree for hybrid total knee replacement arthroplasties (TKRA) retrospectively. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-one knees in 39 patients were followed retrospectively for at least 5 years at a mean 6.5 (5.1-9.1) years. The average age of the patients at the time of operation was 55 (29-70) years. RESULTS: The average 26.4 preoperative knee rating score and 22.5 function score were improved to average 91 and 85.9 respectively at the last follow-up. The average range of motion was increased to 100.1 preoperatively to 121.2 at the final follow-up. Roentgenographic evaluation revealed a radiolucency rate of 82% of patients at tibia and femur interface, but no radiolucent line was detected on patellar component. All of patients were satisfactory for their postoperative status subjectively. CONCLUSION: The mid-term results of hybrid TKRA was reliably good with increased range of motion, restoration of function, rare complication and patient's own satisfaction. But authors considered that more long-term follow-up evaluation must be needed because of the high rate of radiolucency.
Arthroplasty* ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee* ; Femur ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Knee ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Retrospective Studies ; Tibia