No abstract available.
Echocardiography, Doppler* ; Heart Diseases* ; Heart*

Chronic ingestion of licorice or licorice-like compounds induces a syndrome with typical findings of mineralocorticoid excess such as hypertension, hypokalemia, metabolic alkalosis, low plasma renin activity. The only unique feature is that plasma aldosterone concentration is decreased. We described a 79-year-old woman who, with a plasma K+ 1.75 mEq/L, showed a paralysis and severe rhabdomyolysis after the habitual comsumption of licorice in the form of a herbal medication. Following potassium replacement therapy and discontinuation of licorice ingestion, complete clinical recovery was observed within ten days. It is important for physicians to keep licorice consumption in mind as a cause for hypokalemic paralysis and rhabdomyolysis.
Aged ; Aldosterone ; Alkalosis ; Eating ; Female ; Glycyrrhiza ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypokalemia* ; Mineralocorticoid Excess Syndrome, Apparent ; Muscular Diseases* ; Paralysis ; Plasma ; Potassium ; Renin ; Rhabdomyolysis

It has been already reported that diazepam pretreatment attenuated succinylcholine(Sch)-induced myalgia, fasciculation and potassium elevation. The effect of midazolam, a benzodiazepine derivative like diazepam, on Sch has not been investigated. So Midazolam, d-Tubocurarine and diazepam pretreatment were studied to determine the effect on subsequently administered Sch in 36 female patients. The patients were divided into 4 groups. Group 1 received no pretreatment, only Sch 1mg/kg(control). While Group 2 received d-Tubocurarine 0.05mg/kg, Group 3 received diazepam 0.05 mg/kg, and Group 4 received midazolam 0.025 mg/kg. After the pretreatment 4 minutes before Sch administration, the time to abolition and recovery of twitch height, the degree of fasciculation, the adequacy of relaxation for intubation, the changes in serum potassium and creatine pliosphokinase(CPK) were measured. The results are as follows: I) Group 2 showed increased time to abolition of twitch and decreased time to recovery of twitch. Group 3 showed increased time to recovery of twitch. 2) The incidence of fasciculation was decreased in Groups 2, 3 and 4. 3) Serum potassium was increased in Groups 1 and 2 but not in Groups 3 and 4. 4) Serum creatine phosphokinase was in- creased in all groups at post-Sch. 24 hours. It is concluded that diazepam and midazolam pretreatment attenuate Sch-inducedifasciculation and potassium increase.
Benzodiazepines ; Creatine Kinase* ; Creatine* ; Diazepam* ; Fasciculation* ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intubation ; Midazolam* ; Muscle Relaxation* ; Myalgia ; Potassium* ; Relaxation* ; Succinylcholine* ; Tubocurarine

BACKGROUND: The adhesion of H. pylori to the gastric epithelial cells may be an essential step for the pathophysiology of various H. pylori-induced gastrointestinal diseases. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ultrastructural relation of H. pylori and gastric epithelial cells in their adhesion. METHODS: Endoscopic biopsy of gastric antrum and body was performed from 15 patients (9 men, 6 women) with chronic gastritis and H. pylori infection. The specimens were processed for electron microscopy and observed with a transmission electron microscope (Hitachi H-600). RESULTS: On the basis of morphological appearances, the adhesions of H. pylori to the gastric epithelial cells were categorized into three types; filamentous connection, adhesion pedestals and membrane fusion. Coccoid and undetermined forms adhered mainly by the filamentous connection, whereas the bacillary forms adhered primarily by the adhesion pedestals and membrane fusion. CONCLUSION: Various types of adhesion were associated with H. pylori and gastric epithelium. Further studies are needed to evaluate the influence of different types of adhesion to the pathophysiology of H. pylori.
*Bacterial Adhesion ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Female ; Gastritis/*microbiology/pathology ; Helicobacter Infections/*microbiology/pathology/physiopathology ; Helicobacter pylori/classification/physiology/*ultrastructure ; Human ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Middle Age ; Stomach/*microbiology/pathology ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't