No abstract available.
Bacteremia*

No abstract available.
Respiratory System* ; Respiratory Tract Infections* ; Roxithromycin*

A new hypolipidemic agent, lovastatin, hydroxy-methyl-gultaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor was administred to 25 patients with primary hyperlipidemia 20 to 40 mg daily for 12 weeks and sequential changes of serum lipid profile were analysed as follow. 1) Mean average at baseline period of serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL and low desity lipoprotein cholesterol were 271, 179, 51 and 185 mg/dl respectively. 2) Total cholesterol showed 20% decrease at 4th week and 23% decrease at the end of 12th week while low density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased 31% and 33% respectively. 3) Triglyceride dropped 7% at 8th week and 3% at 12th week. High density lipoprotein cholesterol increased 4% at 4th week and showed 2% decrease at the end of study. 4) Only one patient complained of moderate abdominal pain, which subsided after 2 weeks drug withdrawal. In conclusion, lovastatin was well tolerated and effective, in the treatment of primary hyperlipidemia.
Abdominal Pain ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Coenzyme A ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias* ; Lipoproteins ; Lovastatin ; Oxidoreductases ; Triglycerides

BACKGROUND: Vancomcyin-resistantenterococci (VRE) have been an important nosocomial pathogen in the 1990s. Recently, VRE have become an emerging nosocomial pathogen in Korea, but there have been no nationwide study about the status of VRE in Korea. This nationwide questionnaire survey was aimed to determine the prevalence of VRE, the appropriateness of detection method for VRE, and to evaluate the infection control program in hospitals of various size in Korea. METHODS: During 4 weeks (September 1 to October 1, 1999), a questionnaire surveillance study was conducted. We had sent the questionnaire to 200 large hospitals in Korea, which were distributed nationwide. Questionnaire included the prevalence of VRE within the hospital, the detection method for VRE, method of enterococci isolation, antibiotics-susceptibility test and infection control method of VRE. RESULTS: The response rate to questionnaire was 42%. The species identification of enterococci was capable in 62.3% but the accurate enterococcal speciation were capable in 18%. Appropriate antibiotic-susceptibility test were produced only in 6.5%. Total 746 VRE were detected in 42 hospitals during 1-year despite of low sensitivity of detection methods. VRE was noted in 54.4% of hospitals at least. The isolation programme of VRE infected patients was presented in 20.3%, regular surveillance of VRE in high-risk population was produced only in 16.5%. CONCLUSOIN: The prevalence of enterococci among microorganisms isolated from clinical specimens were increased up to 27.7% in Korea. VRE has been emerged in many big cities as well as in Seoul. The microbiological methods that include the speciation of enterococcal isolates, antimicrobial susceptibility test, and VRE detection appeared to be inappropriate in many hospitals. And, proper control and prevention methods were presented in a few hospitals. Education and training about accurate detection of VRE as well as proper infection control programs for VRE are urgently needed.
Education ; Humans ; Infection Control* ; Korea ; Prevalence* ; Seoul ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Cryptococcosis* ; Humans

It has been well known that successful anesthesia is provided by rendering patients free from apprehension and fear prior to operation. This report is concerned with a new sedative compound which appears to reduce anxiety-tension and relax skeletal muscles. Preanesthetic usefulness of diazepam, which is a derivative of benzodia-zepine and has a high safety index as a preanesthetic medication agent, has been clinically assessed by a standard double blind study on 288 patients in this hospital. They received diazepam(0.3mg/ kg), meperidine hydrochloride (1.0~1.5mg/kg) or saline (1.0ml) via intramuscular route. The following are the results: 1) Diazepam was effective in producing a sound sleep during the preoperative night. 2) Diazepam was effective in reducing apprehension and fear immediately prior to induction of anesthesia. 3) Less nausea and vomiting as well as better sedation were produced by diazepam than by meperidine hydrochloride.
Anesthesia ; Diazepam* ; Double-Blind Method ; Humans ; Meperidine ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Nausea ; Preanesthetic Medication* ; Vomiting

Cancer may be a disease of genes, arising from genetic damage of diverse sorts-recessive and dominant mutations, large rearrangement of DNA and gene translocation on chromosomes, all leading to distorisions of either the expression or biochemical function of genes. The search for these genetic damage in neoplastic cells now is the most important in cancer research. It has been found that the cancer relevant genes were located on the specific regions of chromosomes. To determine whether epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR), P53 and bcr genes located in chromosomes 7, 17 and 22 are altered, we examined 12 neuroepithelial tumor with Southern blot analysis(five low grade astrocytoma, two high grade astrocytoma, two medulloblastoma, on oligodendroglioma, one ependymoma, one choroid plexus papilloma). The loss of heterozygosity(LOH) of EGFR gene was detected in two cases of medulloblastoma. The rearrangement of EGFR gene was detected in a case of ependymoma. The LOH of P53 gene was found in a case of choroid plexus papilloma and low grade astrocytoma. The rearrangement of P53 gene was founs id a case of oligodendroglioma. The LOH of bcr gene was observed in two cases of medulloblastoma and low grade astrocytoma. The rearrangement of bcr gene was observed in two cases of high grade astrocytoma. These results suggested that tumorigenesis and tumor development in the neuroepithelial tumor may invlove specific gene changes in chromosomes 7, 17 and 22.
Astrocytoma ; Blotting, Southern ; Carcinogenesis ; Choroid Plexus ; DNA ; Ependymoma ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; Genes, erbB-1 ; Genes, p53 ; Loss of Heterozygosity ; Medulloblastoma ; Neoplasms, Neuroepithelial* ; Oligodendroglioma ; Papilloma, Choroid Plexus

No abstract available.
Adult* ; Humans ; Mucormycosis* ; Skin*

Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is a rare systemic vasculitis. It is characterized by peripheral eosinophilia, asthma, neuropathy, skin manifestation, and less frequently gastrointestinal tract symptoms. Here we report a case of CSS which is initially manifested as acute acalculous cholecystitis. A 67-year-old asthmatic woman visited Emergency Room because of acute abdominal pain. Computed tomography showed acalculous cholecystitis and laparoscopic cholecystectomy was done. Pathology of gallbladder showed marked eosinophilic infiltration with necrotizing vasculitis and granuloma. On the basis of asthma, sinusitis, lung infiltration, combined peripheral eosinophilia and neuropathy, the patient was diagnosed as CSS. To our knowledge, this is the first case of pathologically proven eosinophilic cholecystitis in Korea.
Abdominal Pain ; Acalculous Cholecystitis* ; Aged ; Asthma ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic ; Cholecystitis ; Churg-Strauss Syndrome* ; Emergencies ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils ; Female ; Gallbladder ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Korea ; Lung ; Pathology ; Sinusitis ; Skin Manifestations ; Systemic Vasculitis ; Vasculitis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Optimal international normalized ratio (INR) in elderly atrial fibrillation (AF) patients at higher risk of hemorrhagic events remains unclear. We investigated the efficacy and safety of low-intensity warfarin therapy (target international normalized ratio [INR], 1.6-2.6) in elderly Korean patients with nonvalvular AF (NVAF). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We enrolled 528 NVAF patients (mean age, 67±9 years; 361 men) who were actively taking warfarin. Major events were defined based on the annual rates of ischemic stroke, systemic embolism, and major bleeding events requiring blood transfusion or hospitalization. Time in therapeutic range (TTR) was 45±19% for all patients. RESULTS: Ischemic stroke and systemic embolism occurred in 20 patients with INR between 1.00 and 2.44 (16 ischemic strokes and 4 systemic embolisms) and major bleeding in 37 patients with INR between 1.74 and no coagulation (exceed laboratory detection capability, more than 10 [7 intracranial hemorrhages, 21 gastrointestinal bleedings, and 9 others]). Incidence rates of ischemic or hemorrhagic events at INR<2.00, 2-3, and >3 were 3.0%, 1.4%, and 20.1% per year, respectively. In patients who were ≥70 years old, CHADS₂, CHA₂DS₂VASc, and HAS-BLED scores were significantly higher compared with those in patients who were <70 years old. When we applied the INR between 1.6 and 2.6, as recommended by the Japanese AF Guideline for patients≥70 years old, the TTR increased from 43.8% to 58.6%. In addition, ischemic or hemorrhagic event rates decreased from 1.9% to 1.2% within the optimal INR range. CONCLUSION: Low-intensity warfarin therapy (INR, 1.6-2.6) should be considered in elderly Korean patients with NVAF.
Aged* ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Atrial Fibrillation* ; Blood Transfusion ; Embolism ; Hemorrhage ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Incidence ; International Normalized Ratio* ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Stroke ; Warfarin*