BACKGROUND: The length of postoperative drug therapy remains controversial in pulmonary tuberculosis. We analyzed our experiences to determine the postoperative duration of chemotherapy after resection. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed in 66 of 95 patients that underwent pulmonary resection for pulmonary tuberculosis between January 1993 and December 1998. We compared the relapse rates according to the length of postoperative chemotherapy in each group, classified by the results of sputum AFB culture before the surgery, the number of resistant durgs, the number of prior treatment and the division of anti-TB drugs used postoperatively. RESULTS: Fifty three of 66(80.3%) were men and 13(19.7%) were women with a median age of 33.5 years(range, 16 to 63). The mean lengths of the pre-and post-operative chemotherapies were 4.9 months, and 12.9 months respectively. Five of 66 patients(7.6%) relapsed during the mean period of follow up(39.7 months). In the group less than three times of the prior treatment, there were two relapses(20%) in Ed-the highlight above-rephrase 10 patients that were medicated for 6 months or less, and one relapse in 43 patients(2.3%) that took medicine for more than 6 months(p=0.03). In the group using second-line drugs postoperatively, there was one relapse(25%) in four patients that were medicated for 12 months or less. No patient in a total of 17 that received medicine for more than 12 months relapsed(p=0.03). CONCLUSION: We recommend that patients with the prior treatment less than three times should be treated for more than 6 months after resection and patients using the second-line drugs postoperatively should be medicated for more than 12 months.
Drug Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Sputum ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary*

No abstract available.

Authors experienced a case of acute myocardial infarction confirmed by analysis of LDH isoenzyme. 53-year-old male was admitted to Sacred Heat Hospital, Chung Ang University Because of severe precordial pain radiating to both arm, shoulder and back. Chest X-ray film & electrocardiogram were within normal limit and SGOT was 110 unit/ml on the day of admission. Determination of total LDH value and analysis of LDH isoenzyme by agar gel electrophoresis were made on the second hospital day. Total LDH was 315unit/ml, but there was significant increased percentage of LDH isoenzyme(LDH1). Electrocardiogram showed ST segment elevation only on the 8th hospital day.
Male ; Humans

BACKGROUND: Pruritus, which is a frequent accompanying symptom of dermatological diseases, is also common during pregnancy, either localized or generalized. It may be related to specific dermatoses of pregnancy. OBJECTIVE: A clinical study was performed to know the exact nature of pruritus in pregnancy. METHODS: Subjects with systemic diseases, or laboratory abnormalities were excluded. People who have had pruritic dermatologic diseases before pregnancy were also excluded. One hundred and fifty five pregnant women were interviewed with physical examinations and followed up to the date of delivery. Pruritus was graded. RESULTS: Pruritus was present in 31.6%. Most affected subjects had mild or moderate severity. The abdomen was the most common site. There was a tendency for the duration of itching to increase with the duration of pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Conclusion: These findings may provide basic and useful data on pruritus during pregnancy.
Abdomen ; Clinical Study* ; Female ; Humans ; Physical Examination ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Pruritus* ; Skin Diseases

To investigate the human lung development and the distribution of elastic and reticular fibers during the fetal period proper, lung tissues taken from the periphery of the right lower lobes of Korean fetuses (n=49) of both sex were studied. The fetuses were the prodocts of spontaneous or therapeutic abortions and were found to have no associated lesions or anomalies at autopsy. The fetal age were estimated from crown-rump length or foot length. Paraffin sections, cut at 5-7 µm, were stained with routine hematoxylin and eosin for general structure, acid orcein and a1dehyde fuchsin for elastic fiber, and with Gomori's silver technique for reticular fiber, respectively. The lung development during fetal period proper, could be subdivided into three continuous periods according to the relation between airspaces, surrounding mesenchymal tissue, their structural changes and distribution, i.e., an early stage of the formation of conductive airways (pseudoglandular period, before 16th week of gestation), a middle stage of the development of lung parenchyma and new blood vessels (canalicular period, between 16th and 28th week of gestation), and a late stage of transition of respiratory portion to vascular organ (terminal sac stage, after 28th week of gestation). In places, secondary septa of sac or saccule formed by capillaries, capillary connective tissue, elastic and reticular fuel could be identified by the 33rd week of gestation. Elastic fibers could be noted in pleura, subepithelial areas of bronchioles and the wall of blood vessels in the late stage of pseudoglandular period. By the 28th week of gestation, elastic fibers were seen in the wall of small blood vessels or capillaries in the septal wall among the airspaces. And these fibers were observed in the tip of the secondary septa by the 33rd week of gestation but were not still completely developed in the walls of primary or secondary septa. Reticular fibers were already developed and widely distributed in fetal lung by the 10th week of gestation. These fibers were concentrated particular around the subepithelial area of bronchicoles, the airspaces and the blood vessel wall in the canalicular period. By the late stage of terminal sac period, reticular fibers formed a network along the small blood vessels in the septum of airspaces. These results indicate that primitive alveoli might be formed by the late stage of fetal period proper. The fibrous framework could partially formed by collagenous and reticular fibers during the pseudoglandular period, by addition of elastic fiber to the preformed network, and incompletely still finally by the three kinds of connective tissue fiber.
Abortion, Therapeutic ; Autopsy ; Blood Vessels ; Bronchioles ; Capillaries ; Collagen ; Connective Tissue ; Crown-Rump Length ; Elastic Tissue ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Female ; Fetus ; Foot ; Gestational Age ; Hematoxylin ; Humans ; Lung* ; Paraffin ; Pleura ; Pregnancy ; Reticulin* ; Rosaniline Dyes ; Saccule and Utricle ; Silver

BACKGROUND: Porokeratosis is a rare disorder characterized by an abnormal keratinization. Five different clinical types have been described, however most reports are on a small scale and rest,ricted to a particular type. OBJECTIVE: We tried to distinguish clinical and histopathologi'cal feat.ures of each type of porokeratosis. Methods: All patients with porokeratosis visiting the Dermatological Department of Chonnam University Hospital were retrospectively reviewed and finally 79 patients were evaluated. RESULTS: Disseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis(DSAP) was most common it was present in 44 patients(56%). This was f'ollowed by the plaque type(28%), linear type(14%) and punctate type(2%). The:;oungest average age of onset was in the linear type at 13 years old (range 2-34 years old), and the oldest in DSAP which appeared in all patients after the age of 20. The plaque type was predominant in males 2.6 times rnore than in females. The predilection sites were the trunk in the plaque type, the unilateral lower limbs in the linear type and the face lower limbs in DSAP. 1tching was a complaint in 71% of DSAP and pain was in 14% of t.he plaque type. DSAP revealed a family history in 23% and a solar exacervation in 41%. Three cases of the plaque type t ad a malignant change. The average number of cornoid lamella per section was 1.8(ranging from one to seven). The height and invagination depth of cornoid lamellae were most prominent in the plaque type, and the le~ast in DSAP. Dysk(ratotic cells and vacuolar cell degenerat,ion in t.he underlying epidermis were most frequent in the plaque type. However dermal melanophage were present in DSAP. The Epidermis inside ring of:o~rnoid lamella was acanthotic chiefly in the plague type and atrophic chiefly in DSAP. CONCLUSION: These resuts demonstrate that each type of porokeratosis is somewhat, different in clinical and histopathological features.
Actins ; Adolescent ; Age of Onset ; Epidermis ; Female ; Humans ; Jeollanam-do ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Plague ; Porokeratosis* ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: Porokeratosis is a rare disorder characterized by an abnormal keratinization. Five different clinical types have been described, however most reports are on a small scale and rest,ricted to a particular type. OBJECTIVE: We tried to distinguish clinical and histopathologi'cal feat.ures of each type of porokeratosis. Methods: All patients with porokeratosis visiting the Dermatological Department of Chonnam University Hospital were retrospectively reviewed and finally 79 patients were evaluated. RESULTS: Disseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis(DSAP) was most common it was present in 44 patients(56%). This was f'ollowed by the plaque type(28%), linear type(14%) and punctate type(2%). The:;oungest average age of onset was in the linear type at 13 years old (range 2-34 years old), and the oldest in DSAP which appeared in all patients after the age of 20. The plaque type was predominant in males 2.6 times rnore than in females. The predilection sites were the trunk in the plaque type, the unilateral lower limbs in the linear type and the face lower limbs in DSAP. 1tching was a complaint in 71% of DSAP and pain was in 14% of t.he plaque type. DSAP revealed a family history in 23% and a solar exacervation in 41%. Three cases of the plaque type t ad a malignant change. The average number of cornoid lamella per section was 1.8(ranging from one to seven). The height and invagination depth of cornoid lamellae were most prominent in the plaque type, and the le~ast in DSAP. Dysk(ratotic cells and vacuolar cell degenerat,ion in t.he underlying epidermis were most frequent in the plaque type. However dermal melanophage were present in DSAP. The Epidermis inside ring of:o~rnoid lamella was acanthotic chiefly in the plague type and atrophic chiefly in DSAP. CONCLUSION: These resuts demonstrate that each type of porokeratosis is somewhat, different in clinical and histopathological features.
Actins ; Adolescent ; Age of Onset ; Epidermis ; Female ; Humans ; Jeollanam-do ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Plague ; Porokeratosis* ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: As an antihypertensive drug, Nifedipine, a calcium channel blocker was introduced recently, which also has antianginal effect. But due to the relatively short duration of action, another antihypertensive agents having longer duration of action and stronger hypertensive effect were under investigation. Nilvadipine, a new calcium channel blocker, was introduced to have more prologned duration of action and to act more specifically on vascular smooth muscle. So the efficacy and safety of oral Nilvadipine on essestial hypertension was investigated and represented by our institute. METHODS: In order to investigate the efficacy and safety of oral Nilvadipine, daily doses of 4mg twice a day were administered in 30 hypertensive patients whose states were compatible to the criteria : 1) severity of hypertension rated in Stage I and Stage II according to the classification by WHO, 2) ages ranging from 30 to 74 years regardless of sex, 3) blood pressure with 95mmHg or higher but less than 115mmHg in diastolic pressure which was the mean in a sitting position at the last two out of not less three consultations in the 2 week observation period, 4) outpatients with informed consent for 6 weeks. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured every 2 weeks. The complete with blood count with platelet, uronalysis and the electrocardiography were performed at the beginning period and the 6th weeks of therapy. And kinds of side effects were questioned by examining physicians. RESULTS: The following results were obtained : 1) Blood pressure fell significantly in 6 weeks of treatment with Nilvadipine(Mean pressure+/-S.D., 6.00mmHg vs 108.90+/-9.68mmHg p<0.05), 2) There was no significant change in EKG in 6 weeks of treatment with Nilvadipine, 3) Pulse rate was decreased in 6 weeks of treatment with Nilvadipine(80.14+/-11.90/min vs 75.39+/-6.47/min, p<0.05). 4) No significant chsange in body weight was observed(64.50+/-8.7kg vs 63.50+/-10.25kg, p<0.05). 5) There were no significant changes in blood chemistry including blood sugar, cholesterol, electrolytes, serum creatinine and alkaline phosphatase values, 6) Hematologic findings and urinalysis findings reamained unchanged, 7) Total 10 patients(33.30%) had various side effects;facial flushing 30.00%, palpitation 23.33%, headache 20.00%, nausea 10.00%, drowsiness 3.33%, heaviness 3.33% and indigestion 3.33%. But there was no serious side effect that requires to discontinue the medication of the test drug. And there was no need to reduce the dosage due to the side effect, 8) The antihypertensive effect was judged to decrease markedly in 76.70%, decrease 20.00%, unchange 3.30% and increase 0.00%, 9) The utility which was assessed with the data from the overall safety and antihypertensive effect, the drug was judged to be very useful in 60.00%, useful 33.30%, useless 6.67% and inhibited 0.00%. CONCLUSION: From the above results, Nilvadipine in doses of 4mg twice a day was effective and useful in most cases without severe side effects in essential hypertensive patients with diastolic blood pressure of 95 to 115mmHg.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Antihypertensive Agents ; Blood Glucose ; Blood Platelets ; Blood Pressure ; Body Weight ; Calcium Channels ; Chemistry ; Cholesterol ; Classification ; Creatinine ; Dyspepsia ; Electrocardiography ; Electrolytes ; Flushing ; Headache ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Informed Consent ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; Nausea ; Nifedipine ; Outpatients ; Referral and Consultation ; Sleep Stages ; Urinalysis

No abstract available.
Bronchopulmonary Sequestration*

BACKGROUND: Brief episodes of coronary blood flow interruption, ischemic preconditioning (IP), following a prolonged ischemia induces myocardial tolerance to ischemia and improves myocardial function during reperfusion by undefined mechanism. Recently, it has been suggested that the signal transduction pathway of the cardiomyocyte itself may involve in this protection. The aims of the present study were : (1) to examine the effect of adenosine in early phase of IP, (2) to define the relationship between the adenosine and protein kinase C(PKC) METHOD AND RESULTS: Heart isolated from New Zealand White rabbit (1.2 - 1.5kg body weight, n=78) were perfused with Tyrode solution by non-recirculating Langendorff technique. After stabilization of baseline hemodynamics, the hearts were subjected to receiving 45min global ischemia (I) and 120min reperfusion (R) with or without IP. IP was induced by a single dose of 5min I and 10min R. A part of the IP hearts, calphostin C (200nmol/L), a PKC inhibitor, was administered 5min before IP and sustained during IP regimen. Left ventricular function and coronary flow were monitored. Infarct size was determined by staining with 1% triphenyltetrazolium chloride solution and computerized planimetry. Adenosine concentration in the coronary flow was determined by HPLC. Myocardial cytosolic and membrane PKC activities were measured by (32)P-r-ATP incorporation into PKC specific peptide. Expression of PKC-e and PKC-o was determined by SDS-PAGE and Western blot. IP enhanced improvement of functional recovery (p<0.05, in the left ventricular developed and end-diastolic pressure ; p<0.01, in the coronary flow) during 120min R after 45min I. Preconditioned hearts showed reduction in the infarct size compared with the non-preconditioned hearts (p<0.05) ; however, IP-induced protection was lost by calphostin C. Adenosine release from the cardiomyocytes abruptly increased to 10-20 folds baseline just after IP manipulation and decreased rapidly on reperfusion. Cytosolic PKC activity significantly decreased in the preconidtioned hearts which received 45min I(p<0.05) and 45min I and 120min R(p<0.01), while the membrane fraction increased in the former(p<0.05) and the latter(p<0.01) groups. There was no significant difference in the PKC-o activity among all experimental groups in cytosolic and membrane fraction, however, the membrane PKC-e isoenzyme activity was increased in the preconditioned hearts which received 45min I. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that (1) a single dose of brief ischemia has an infarctlimiting effect and can improve post-ischemic contractile dysfunction after 45min subsequent sustained I ; and (2) increase of adenosine release in the earlier period of IP regimen and translocation of PKC from the cytosol to myocyte membrane may be important processes signal transduction for protection. These results suggest that cardioprotective mechanism responsible for IP in isolated rabbit heart may be initiated by adenosine and PKC.
Adenosine* ; Blotting, Western ; Body Weight ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Cytosol ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Heart ; Hemodynamics ; Ischemia ; Ischemic Preconditioning* ; Membranes ; Muscle Cells ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; New Zealand ; Protein Kinase C* ; Protein Kinases* ; Reperfusion ; Signal Transduction ; Ventricular Function, Left