Speckled lentiginous nevus is a clinical variant of nevus-cell nevus first described by Stewart et al. in 1978. It is characterized by small, dark hyperpigmentated speckles superimposed on a tannish-brown background. The speckled areas show varying histologic patterns ranging from nevus incipiens to junctional or compound nevus. The back ground shows histologic features of Ientigo simplex. Recently, we observed clinical and histological features of 5 cases of speckled lentiginous nevi. The age of onset ranges from birth to infancy, The locations are face, thigh, back and scapula. One has zosteriform distribution in upper extrernity, chest and back. Histologic features of speckles are junctional or compound nevus. We suggest that the origin of dark speckles may be from the tannish-brown background, lentigo simplex.
Age of Onset ; Lentigo ; Nevus* ; Parturition ; Scapula ; Thigh ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: Dopamine receptors have been regarded as a strong candidate involved in etiology of schizophrenia and a target for various antipsychotic drugs. The purpose of our study was to investigate whether dopamine D1 receptor(DRD1) gene polymorphisms would predict the treatment response to antipsychotics in schizophrenia. METHOD: One hundred thirty-four schizophrenic patients, who met DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia were entered into a 48-week study. The psychopathology of the patients was assessed at baseline, 12th, 24th, 48th weeks of treatment by PANSS. Responders were defined by a 20% of the reduction in total PAnSS score at end point. The genomic DNA fragment corresponding to nucleotides of dopamine D1 receptor gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction(PCR). RESULT: Neither allelic frequencies nor genotypes for dopamine D1 receptor differed significantly between responders and non-responders. Also, there was no difference of changes of PANSS scores among three genotype groups of the dopamine D1 receptor. CONCLUSION: Allelic variation in the dopamine D1 gene is not associated with individual differences in antipsychotic response.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; DNA ; Dopamine* ; Genotype* ; Humans ; Individuality ; Nucleotides ; Psychopathology ; Receptors, Dopamine ; Receptors, Dopamine D1* ; Schizophrenia

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We measured the brachial artery pulse wave velocity (BaPWV) and intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery to evaluate atherosclerosis in young women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and healthy controls. METHODS: Twenty-one premenopausal female patients with SLE and 21 healthy controls were enrolled. The groups were matched for age, sex, ethnicity, and atherosclerosis risk factors. Smokers and those with the atherosclerosis risk factors hypertension and diabetes were excluded from this study. IMT was measured with high-resolution ultrasonography. BaPWV was measured with volume plethysmography. RESULTS: The mean age was 34.20 years in the SLE group and 36.87 years in the healthy controls. The IMT of the right and left common carotid arteries in the SLE group did not differ significantly from that in the healthy controls. The BaPWV was significantly higher in the right (1.40+/-0.26 vs. 1.17+/-0.09 cm/sec, mean+/-SD; p=0.003) and left (1.41+/-0.26 vs. 1.19+/-0.08 cm/sec, p=0.013) arms in the SLE group than in the healthy controls. There were no significant differences in the ankle-brachial pressure index (ABI), body mass index (BMI), C-reactive protein (CRP), total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, lipoprotein a, and homocysteine between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The IMT in premenopausal women with SLE was not significantly different from that in healthy controls, while the BaPWV, which reflects arterial stiffness, was significantly higher than in the healthy controls.
Arm ; Atherosclerosis ; Body Mass Index ; Brachial Artery ; C-Reactive Protein ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Cholesterol ; Female ; Homocysteine ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Lipoprotein(a) ; Lipoproteins ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Pulse Wave Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Vascular Stiffness

OBJECTIVES: To ascertain whether some result of hematological examination could be as reference data for health management of welders. METHOD: The authors conducted the hematological examination of 1,018 welders and 531 control workers of a shipbuilding industry in Ulsan using automatic blood analyzer. RESULTS: The WBC count of welders was lower than that of control on controlling the age and the duration of employment, but changes of other blood cells were not observed. CONCLUSION: We could use the results of hematological examination such as WBC counts as an indicator for subtle changes of health status of welders.
Blood Cells ; Employment ; Ulsan

OBJECTIVES: This study was to evaluate the impacts of simultaneous exposure to noise and mixed solvents on workers'hearing threshold level (HTL) over five-year period. METHODS: The study was conducted by interview and annual audiometric test on workers in ship building industry from 1994 to 1998. The cases(workers who exposed to noise and mixed solvent simultaneously) were 43 male workers and controls (workers who exposed to nolle) were selected by matching method with regard to age, sex, carrier, and noise exposure level. To assess the impacts of solvent exposure on hearing threshold level, with considering other factors, general liner model was used. RESULTS: 1. The audiogram of all subjects showed typical sensorineural hearing loss pattern. The mean HTLe were increased at high frequency (4000HB and 8000Hz) for study period. 2. The HTLs of cases were more increased than those of controls at high frequencies (4000Hz and 8000Hz), but there was not statlstical significance. 3. The impact of age on the HTL was statistically significant at 250Hz and 500Hz (p(0.05), and the impact of noise on the HTL was statistically significant at 250Hz, 2000Hz and 4000Hz (p(0.05), but the impact solvent exposure on the HTL was not significant. 4. The changes in HTLs of cases were higher than those of controls at high frequency, there were not statistical significance at 4000Hz, but only at 8000Hz (p=0.087). 5. Statistical analysis of the general linear model implicated that the changes in HTL was impacted by noise exposure bevel significantly (p=0.031) and Impacted by solvent exposure weakly (p=0.087) at 8000Hz. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that workers who simultaneously exposed to noise and mixed solvent were at risk for more affected HTL than those exposed to noise exposure only, but we could not find definitive evidence. Further detailed studies must be made in large number of workers.
Construction Industry ; Hearing Loss* ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Hearing* ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Male ; Noise ; Ships ; Solvents

OBJECTIVES: To obtain basic data on blood lead level and urinary level of arsenic and cadmium of children living near a petrochemical estate and a suburban area in Ulsan, Korea and to observe the trend of the changes in the level of these metals in these children. METHODS: The study subjects comprised 626 children living near a petrochemical estate and 299 children living in a suburban area of Ulsan. We analyzed the level of lead, arsenic and cadmium using atomic absorption spectrometer. RESULTS: The mean levels of blood lead in children living near the petrochemical estate were 5.25 microgram/dl, 5.24 microgram/dl, and 7.24 microgram/dl in the years 1997, 1999, and 2000, respectively, whereas those of children living in the suburban area were 3.81 microgram/dl, 4.75 microgram/dl, and 7.19 microgram/dl respectively. The mean levels of urinary arsenic in children living near the petrochemical estate were 4.57 microgram/g creatinine, 4.78 microgram/g creatinine, and 6.02 microgram /g creatinine in the year 1997, 1999, and 2000 respectively, whereas those of children living in suburban area were 2.35 microgram/g creatinine, 4.75 microgram/g creatinine, and 7.07 microgram/g creatinine, respectively. The mean levels of urinary cadmium in children living near the petrochemical estate were 1.15 microgram/g creatinine, 1.05 microgram/g creatinine, and 1.71 microgram/g creatinine in the year 1997, 1999, and 2000, respectively, whereas those of the children living in the suburban area were 0.74 microgram/g creatinine, 1.29 microgram/g creatinine, and 1.48 microgram/g creatinine, respectively. There were increasing trends in the level of blood lead, urinary arsenic and cadmium of children in Ulsan, and the differences in the level of these metals were disappearing between the children living in other areas year by year. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the amount of exposure to lead, arsenic, and cadmium is increasing from year to year, and there is a need for periodic biological and atmospheric monitoring of these metals in Ulsan.
Absorption ; Arsenic* ; Cadmium* ; Child* ; Creatinine ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Korea ; Metals ; Ulsan*

The current practice for the management of upper ureteral stones is to push the stone back into the renal pelvis before extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. But recent treatment modality for urinary stone is required to be less invasive and morbid. We evaluated 194 patients with upper ureter stones for the effectiveness or push-back. When in situ treatment was performed in 122 patients, the stone free rate at 3 months was 83.6% and the storage for complete fragmentation was 153.5. Push back was tried in 72 patients randomly. Out of them, 13 cases(18.6 %) were manupulated into the renal pelvis successfully and operation was required in 2 cases due to ureteral perforation. The stone free rate was 79.6% and storage for complete fragmentation was 153.7 in push back success group. There was no significant difference between two groups. We think that the primary treatment of choice for upper urinary stone is in situ ESWL. The treatment modality of push back is secondary choice in the case that was railed by primary in situ ESWL.
Humans ; Kidney Pelvis ; Kidney* ; Lithotripsy* ; Shock* ; Ureter* ; Urinary Calculi

Pyoderma gangrenosum is uncommon neutrophilic dermatosis characterized by richness of the mature neutrophilic polynuclear dermal infiltrate. Pyoderma gangrenosum is associated with variable diseases, most commonly inflammatory bowel disease, hematological diseases, malignancies, but it is reported rarely in rheumatoid arthritis. We report a case of pyoderma gangrenosum in rheumoid arthritis patient. A 50-year-old woman admitted to our hospital due to painful pretibial ulcerative skin lesions. She had been treated as rheumatoid arthritis for 8 years. At admission, body temperature was 36.5degrees C and other vital sign was unremarkable. Physical examination revealed right pretibial ulceration, multiple pustules on left pretibial area and both palms. Laboratory studies revealed WBC count 7,600/uL (neutrophils 60.3%, eosinophil 3.2%), hemoglobin 11.4 g/dL, platelet count 319,000/uL, ESR 65 mm/hour. Other lab findings were also unremarkable. Skin biopsy was done, which showed dense dermal infiltrate of neutrophils and wound culture were negative. By 8 weeks after systemic high dose corticosteroid (1 mg/kg/day), cyclosporine A (5 mg/kg/day), sulfasalazine 2 g therapy, symptoms and skin ulceration were being improved. Without skin relapse, she is followed up our hospital with low dose corticosteroid and sulfasalazine.
Arthritis* ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Biopsy ; Body Temperature ; Cyclosporine ; Eosinophils ; Female ; Hematologic Diseases ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Middle Aged ; Neutrophils ; Physical Examination ; Platelet Count ; Pyoderma Gangrenosum* ; Pyoderma* ; Recurrence ; Skin ; Skin Diseases ; Skin Ulcer ; Sulfasalazine ; Ulcer ; Vital Signs ; Wounds and Injuries

STUDY DESIGN: A case of brain infarction due to occlusion of vertebral artery after cervical spine fracture is reported. OBJECTIVES: Documentation of possibility and clinical significances of brain infarction as one of grave complications after cervical spine injury. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Occlusion of vertebral artery and consequent brain infarction can be associated with cervical spine injuries because vertebral arteries course through the transverse foramina from sixth to second corvical vertebrae. Infarction of vertebrobasilar system may cause impairment of cerebral, cerebellar, or brain stem function and can occasionally bring grave functional loss, even death. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A case of occlusion of vertebral artery and consequent cerebral infarction after cervical spine fracture in a 66 year-old man. Brain CT and angiogram were performed. He was managed with anticoagulants. RESULTS: Neurologic deficits from brain infarction disappeared after 2 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Attention to the possibility of these complications and awareness of their clinical features seem to be mandatory in managing cervical spine injury patients.
Aged ; Anticoagulants ; Brain ; Brain Infarction ; Brain Stem ; Cerebral Infarction* ; Humans ; Infarction ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Spine* ; Vertebral Artery*

The treatment of epidural hematoma is operative or conservative and sometimes, the choice of the method is somewhat controversial. Traditional operative method is craniotomy or craniectomy. 34 patients treated surgically with burr hole trephination and urokinase irrigation at Taegu Fatima hospital between Jan 1989 and Mar 1991 are reviewed in point of clinical features, brain computerized tomography findings and outcomes. And we found several advantages in this method compared to conservative or traditional operative method. Advantages of this method were as follows: 1) It was simple. 2) It enabled us to operate under local anesthesia. 3) It was possible to reduce the rate of delayed intracranial hematoma and rebleeding. 4) It was possible to prevent air embolism. 5) Possible seizure focus was removed. But, there were disadvantages as follows: 1) There was difficulty in early ambulation. 2) Much effort to irrigate the hematoma was required.
Anesthesia, Local ; Brain ; Craniotomy ; Daegu ; Early Ambulation ; Embolism, Air ; Hematoma* ; Humans ; Seizures ; Trephining ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator*