BACKGROUND: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has very poor prognosis and the prevalence of the disease is also not well delineated. This study was designed to assess the prevalence of PAH in asymptomatic SLE patients and to analyze the potential association between the presence of PAH and SLE including disease activity, organ involvement, and serology. METHODS: Asymptomatic 50 SLE patients and 50 healthy controls of a similar age and sex were assessed by an echocardiographic and clinical study. The diagnosis of PAH was made when the right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP), measured by 2-dimensional echocardiography, was > or =40 mmHg. RESULTS: Compared to control subjects, lupus patients had significantly increased RVSP (mean+/-SD, 34.9+/-8.9 vs 31.2+/-3.6 mmHg, p=0.008). Patients with SLE were divided into three groups: RVSP> or =40 mmHg, RVSP=30~39 mmHg, RVSP<30 mmHg. Seven patients (14%) had RVSP> or =40 mmHg, 36 patients (72%) had RVSP=30~39 mmHg and 7 patients (14%) had RVSP<30 mmHg. In the healthy controls, none of them had RVSP> or =40 mm Hg. Of the controls, 43 (86%) had RVSP=30~39 mmHg and 7 (14%) had RVSP<30 mmHg. There was no statistical difference in organ involvement, Raynaud's phenomenon, vasculitis, anti-RNP and anti-cardiolipin Ab among the three SLE groups. However, lupus disease activity (checked by SLEDAI-2K) was associated with PAH (p=0.014). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of PAH as seen on echocardiograms in SLE patients was 14%. Organ involvement, Raynaud's phenomenon, vasculitis, antiphopholipid antibodies and anti-RNP except SLEDAI-2K were not associated with pulmonary arterial pressure.
Antibodies ; Arterial Pressure ; Blood Pressure ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertension, Pulmonary* ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Prevalence ; Prognosis ; Vasculitis

Malignancy may cause variable musculoskeletal symptoms which resemble connective tissue disorder. This symptoms as a fine sign of hidden neoplasm can precede the diagnosis of underlying malignancy. But only one case of stomach cancer associated with cancer arthritis was reported in the world. This fact is very interesting in Asia which has high prevalence of stomach cancer. We experienced one case of gastric adenocarcinoma with oligoarthritis involving both knee and right elbow. A 48-year-old man was diagnosed stomach cancer by gastric endoscope and biopsy. After then, he complained pain, tenderness, heating sensation, swelling of both knee and right elbow with high fever. Both knee MRI showed abundant synovial effusion and soft tissue edema. Full dose of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug was not effective to control fever and arthritis. But fever and arthritis were gone after resection of tumor.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Arthritis ; Asia ; Biopsy ; Connective Tissue ; Diagnosis ; Edema ; Elbow ; Endoscopes ; Fever ; Heating ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Knee ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Sensation ; Stomach Neoplasms

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology. Inflammation may usually extend beyond the joints and involve other organs. Clinically detectable splenomegaly is present in 5~10% of RA. Methotrexate (MTX) is a structural analog of folic acid that inhibits the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase, so cellular proliferation is reduced. MTX has been proven to be effective in treating RA and is believed to be nononcogenic at low, weekly dose employed in the patients with RA. However, recently there has been increased concern about the oncogenic potential of MTX because of several case reports describing the occurrence of non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL) in the patients with RA treated with MTX. A 65-year-old woman with RA was treated with low dose MTX (i.e. 10 mg/week) for 3 years. Because of prolonged left upper abdominal pain and thrombocytopenia associated with huge splenomegaly, splenectomy was performed. Biopsy revealed splenic B-cell NHL. We report a case of RA with splenomegaly who developed B-cell NHL in spleen during low dose MTX therapy.
Abdominal Pain ; Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; B-Lymphocytes ; Biopsy ; Cell Proliferation ; Female ; Folic Acid ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Joints ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin* ; Methotrexate ; Spleen ; Splenectomy ; Splenomegaly ; Tetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase ; Thrombocytopenia

Urokinase use after stereotaxic evacuation of hematoma became a popular method in treatment of hypertensive intracerebral hematoma. We obtained excellent result in evacuaIon of the hematoma which was remained after stereotaxic evacuation or direct approach for 24 raumatic intracerebral hematoma cases. And we found several advantages in this method compared with standard treatment modalities. We think that this is a new, effective treatment method for traumatic intracerebral hematoma.
Hematoma* ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator*

Bone and joint involement develops in approximately 10 percent of patients with tuberculosis and half of these affected patients have tuterculosis of the spine. The goals of management are to eradicate the infection and to prevent or treat neurologic deficits and spinal deformity. An operation may be performed to drain abscess, to debride sequestered bone and disc, to decompress the spinal cord, or to stabilize the spine for the prevention of correction of deformity. But there are difficulties in approaching the upper thoracic spine(T1-T3). These vertebral bodies can be visualize through a standard thoracotomy. Access is greatly restricted, however, by the scapula and the remaining rabs, making a vertebrectomy and spinal cord decompression very difficult. Reconstruction of the vertebral defect and instrumentation to give spinal stability are equally difficult. We describe a surgical approach to the upper thoracic spine which allow an adequate exposure of the vertebral bodies from T1 to T3. The posterolateral thoracotomy approach seems to be a safe and useful method for the upper thoracic lesion, allows adequate exposure exposure and easy reconstruction.
Abscess ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Decompression ; Humans ; Joints ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Scapula ; Spinal Cord ; Spine ; Spondylitis* ; Thoracic Vertebrae* ; Thoracotomy* ; Tuberculosis

The spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma has a rare occurrence. Recently the authors have experienced a case of chronic spontaneous thoracic epidural hematoma in a 26 year old woman. She presented with Lt. scapular and upper thoracic pain, paraparesis and acute voiding difficulty during pregnancy and postpartum period. The thoracic myelography with niopam was performed by lumbar tap and C1-2 tap. Resoluted spinal epidural hematoma was removed with nearly complete recovery after 5 weeks. There was no trauma history but Lt. scapular and upper thoracic pain had been developed during previous pregnancy about 3 years ago. We present that this case may be related with pregnancy and delivery.
Adult ; Female ; Hematoma ; Hematoma, Epidural, Spinal* ; Humans ; Iopamidol ; Myelography ; Paraparesis ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy

In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), besides immunosuppressive therapy, the immunological abnormalities such as impaired phagocytosis and deficiency of cell-mediated immunity contribute to the increased risk of infection. Most of all, the incidence of tuberculous infection is higher and the pattern tends to be more extensive and extrapulmonary than in general population. Therefore the contributory role of tuberculous infection in mortality of SLE should be emphasized, especially in areas endemic for Mycobacterium tuberculosis like Korea. When tuberculous infection involves central nervous system, it can mimic lupus myelitis, showing the clinical manifestations like paraplegia, sensory impairment and bladder dysfunction. Tuberculous myelitis should be differentiated with lupus myelitis as early as possible for proper treatment and better prognosis. We report a 52 year-old woman with SLE presented with paraplegia and urinary incontinence, who were initially suspected as lupus myelitis. But the AFB smear and culture of cerebrospinal fluid were compatible with tuberculosis myelitis.
Central Nervous System ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Female ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Incidence ; Korea ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Middle Aged ; Mortality ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Myelitis* ; Paraplegia ; Phagocytosis ; Prognosis ; Tuberculosis ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Incontinence

BACKGROUND: One of the groups with highest risk for avascular necrosis is patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Corticosteroid therapy is also the most important risk factor. No predictive test, however, was known to detect avascular necrosis. The purpose of this study is to evaluate hemodynamic flow to the proximal femur in patients with SLE with long term corticosteroid therapy. METHODS: Twenty-two patients with SLE without avascular necrosis and with long-term corticosteroid treatment (mean months; 41 (1-156)) versus 15 healthy controls were evaluated. Medial and lateral circumflex arteries of 44 hips in 22 SLE patients and 30 hips in healthy controls were examined using ultrasoud equipment with color Doppler and power Doppler capability. Arterial pulstality index (PI) and peak systolic velocity (PSV) were determined with neutral and internal rotation position (stimulated ischemia). RESULTS: PSV was significantly increased in patients with SLE than healthy controls (70.6+/-40.4 vs 46.9+/-19.3; p<0.001) with neutral position as well as (74.8+/-42.3 vs 49.9+/-19.9; p<0.001) with internal rotation. PI was also higher in SLE patients than healthy controls (8.9+/-6.3 vs 5.5+/-3.4; p<0.001) with neutral position as well as (8.1+/-7.1 vs 3.9+/-2.5; p<0.001) with internal rotation. PI strongly correlated with PSV (r=0.99, p<0.001). But PSV or PI did not correlate with duration of corticosteroid use. CONCLUSION: Peak systolic velocity and pulstality index of arteries to the femur head in patients with SLE with long-term corticosteroid treatment were significantly higher than healthy controls. These hemodynamic changes may contribute to develop avascular necrosis of the hip in patients with SLE.
Arteries ; Femur Head* ; Femur* ; Hemodynamics* ; Hip ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Necrosis ; Osteonecrosis ; Risk Factors ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of local anesthesia compared to spinal anesthesia and the usefulness of pentothal induction before infiltration of a local anesthetic agent. METHODS: A concurrent non-randomized prospective study was conducted on 52 patients who underwent a hemorrhoidectomy. For the spinal anesthesia (SA) group (n=29), 0.5% heavy bupivacaine (Marcaine(R)), 5 mg (1 ml), was used, and for the local anesthesia (LA) group (n=23), pentothal, 3.3 mg/kg, was administrated intravenously prior to infiltration of a mixture of local anesthetics (2% lidocaine, 14 ml, with 0.5% bupivacaine, 7 ml). RESULTS: There were no differences between the two groups in terms of operating time, postoperative pain, headache, urinary difficulty, nausea or vomiting, pain-free interval after operation, analgesic requirements, and patient's or surgeon's satisfaction. Postoperative ambulation was earlier in the LA group than in the SA group. CONCLUSIONS: Local anesthesia after pentothal induction can be used effectively for a hemorrhoidectomy and may be a safe alternative to spinal anesthesia.
Anesthesia, Local* ; Anesthesia, Spinal* ; Anesthetics, Local ; Bupivacaine ; Headache ; Hemorrhoidectomy* ; Humans ; Lidocaine ; Nausea ; Pain, Postoperative ; Prospective Studies* ; Thiopental* ; Vomiting ; Walking

Fourteen consecutive patients underwent application of V.S.P(Variable Screw Placement) spinal plate between January 1989 and July 1989. Operative indications were spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis, segmental instability, herniated disc with instability, pseudoarthrosis. unstable fracture, and failed surgery syndrome. Our patients consist of 8 cases of spondylolisthesis, 4 cases of fracture-dislocation, one case of spondylolysis with instability, one case of herniated disc(L1- 2 interspace). Overall results showed 36% excellent, 50% good, 7% fair, 7% poor. Two deep wound infections were observed. Screw alignment and the angular relationship of each screw to the spinal plate is considered as important technical factors in minimizing screw failure.
Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; Pseudarthrosis ; Spinal Stenosis ; Spine* ; Spondylolisthesis ; Spondylolysis ; Wound Infection