Objective: Menstruation is a great part as the procedure for physiological, psychological development and physical growth, and menstrual disorders are very common problems in adolescence period. these problems can be resolved by interview or appropriate education of normal pubertal development. However unlike other developed countries, systematic report or appropriate education for menstruation may not be performed in our country. Therefore. our pediatric department investigated for menstruation of normal pubertal age women as an information educating adolescence. Methods: In cross-sectional study (ex, questionnaire), 4112 junior high and high school girl students (12~18 years old) in Ansan, Kyungki-do were investigated for menarcheal age, menstrual cycle, duration, amount, premenstrual syndrome, dysmenorrhea and relation to family history. Resulta: 1) Mean Menarcheal age was 12.9+/-1.2 years. According to menarcheal age by present age, menarcheal age was younger when present age was young as menarcheal age 11.8+/-0.6 years at 12 years, 13.3+/-1.1 years at 16 years, and 13.7+/-1.1 years at 18 years, respectively (p<0.001). 2) The month during which menarche occurs most frequently was August (14.7%), followed by July, December and January. 3) Considering menstrual cycle, mixed type (regular and irregular cycle) was most common (39.0%), and menstrual cycle became regular after mean 8.8+/-8.4 months. 4) In women having regular menstrual cycle, most women (53.l0%) had menstrual cycles between 26 and 30 days, next was 21~25 days and 31~35 days according to frequency. 5) Menstrual duration was 5~6 days by 49.6% of the women. 6) Premenstrual syndrome was noted in 56.0% of the women, in that 42.5% experienced occasionally and 13.5% always, respectively. 7) Dysmenorrhea was showed in 85.0% of the women. A total of 63.7% of the respondents suffered from dysmenorrhea was unaffected on daily activity as grade l and was needed no medication to relieve pain. Grade 2 (20.5%) was defined that limited daily activity and was needed medication to relieve pain. Grade 3 (0.9%) was defined that inhibited daily activity seriously, and was unimproved by analgesics. 8) The prevalence of dysmenorrhea was 78.0% at 12 years, 85.9% at 15 years and 94.0% at 18 years, respectively. Getting older, frequency of dysmenorrhea was increasing. 9) Dysmenorrhea was experienced for the first time during the first year after the menarche by 65.3% of the women. The amount of menstrual bleeding was significantly correlated to the severity of dysmenorrhea (P<0.001), and dysmenorrhea reported by the women was singificantly correlated to maternal dysmenorrhea (p<0.01) and to sisters with dysmenorrhea (p<0.001). Conclusions: We found that Korean adolescent girls had earlier menarcheal age than past period, and they had many problems for menstruation. This study suggested that it may be needed adolescent education and appropriate treatment of menstrual disorders.
Adolescent ; Analgesics ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Developed Countries ; Dysmenorrhea ; Education ; Female ; Female* ; Gyeonggi-do* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Menarche ; Menstrual Cycle ; Menstruation* ; Premenstrual Syndrome ; Prevalence ; Siblings

PURPOSE: This study was performed to find out the role of routine lumbar puncture in children presented with their first seizure with Fever. METHODS: This study included 220 children, over a 5 year period, from April 1999 to March 2003, who visited or were admitted at Dae Dong Hospital with their first febrile convulsion. Lumbar puncture was performed in all children. We analyzed their age, family history, type of seizure, duration of seizure, cause of fever, and the results of lumbar puncture. RESULTS: In the sex distribution, males(58.6%) outnumbered females(41.4%) and the ratio was 1.2:1. 81.7% of the patients had febrile convulsion from 6 months- to 3 years of age(P<0.05). 30.5% also had family history of febrile convulsion. The types of seizure were generalized tonic-clonic(72.7%), generalized tonic(17.7%), and generalized clonic(6.4 %). For the duration of seizure, 90.4% of the patients were estimated less than 15 minutes(P<0.05). The causes of fever were pharyngotonsilitis(40.5%), gastroenteritis(19.1 %), pneumonia or bronchitis(13.2%), meningitis(11%), otitis media, urinary tract infection, and exanthem subitum. However, 9.1% of the patients were diagnosed meningitis, with 18 of 20 patients under 3 years of age. CONCLUSION: In the first seizure with fever, lumbar puncture is a useful method for meningitis, especially under 3 years of age.
Child* ; Exanthema ; Fever* ; Humans ; Meningitis ; Otitis Media ; Pneumonia ; Seizures* ; Seizures, Febrile ; Sex Distribution ; Spinal Puncture* ; Urinary Tract Infections

A malignant rhabdoid tumor of the kidney, an uncommon renal tumor of children, is one of the most lethal neoplasms in early life. It was considered to be a sarcomatous variant of Wilms' tumor; however, further studies of its histological and clinical characteristics have proven it to be a distinct entity. We report a case of malignant rhabdoid tumor of the kidney in a 3-month-old girl, with a left abdominal palpable mass that had developed over the previous month. A left radical nephrectomy, with a regional lymph node biopsy, and 4 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy, was performed. On the 45th postoperative day, multiple metastasises in liver, contralateral kidney and left upper lobe of lung were found. The patient expired 2 months after the operation.
Biopsy ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Infant* ; Kidney* ; Liver ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Nephrectomy ; Rhabdoid Tumor* ; Wilms Tumor

BACKGROUND: Tracheal intubation and skin incision are potent stimuli that can induce increased sympathetic activity, tachycardia and hypertension. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether the epidural clonidine pretreatment reduce the sympathetic activity and cardiovascular response. We compared the hemodynamic changes and catecholamine concentration before, during and after general anesthesia with epidural clonidine pretreatment. METHODS: Forty patients undergoing lower abdominal surgery were randomly allocated into the two groups. In Group 1, 10 ml of 0.9% normal saline was administered epidurally 15 minutes before induction of anesthesia as control. In Group 2, 3 microgram/kg clonidine diluted in 10 ml normal saline was administered epidurally 15 minutes before induction of anesthesia. We measured the blood pressure, heart rate and plasma catecholamine concentration at preinduction, 1 minute after intubation (T1), 1 (T2) and 30 minutes after skin incision (T3), 1 (T4) and 2 (T5) hours after arrival at recovery room and the results were compared between group 1 and group 2. RESULTS: There was statistically significant difference in systolic pressure at T1 and T2 between the two groups. Heart rate was statistically significant difference at T1 and T4 between the two groups. There was statistically significant difference in epinephrine and norepinephrine concentration at T1 and T2 between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The elevation of blood pressure, heart rate and plasma catecholamine concentration accompanying tracheal intubation and skin incision may be reduced by administration of epidural clonidine.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General* ; Blood Pressure ; Clonidine* ; Epinephrine ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Intubation ; Norepinephrine ; Plasma* ; Recovery Room ; Skin ; Tachycardia

The clinical trial was carried out with carteolol in 30 patients with essential hypertension. The results were as follows : 1) Before medication and after 2,4,6 and 8 weeks of medications, the overall average systolic and diastolic blood pressure were 175+/-17.7/105+/-9.3, 144+/-8.9/92+/-6.9, 143+/-11.2/90+/-6.6, 141+/-8.4/88+/-6.9, and 142+/-9.0/88+/-7.1 mmHg. As a result, blood pressure significantly fell with carteolol treatment. 2) In 80+/- of all cases, marked or moderate degree of hypotnesive effect was observed within 2 weeks of treatment. 3) Before medication and after 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks of medication, the overall average heart rates were 75+/-11.8, 73+/-9.0, 71+/-8.7, 71+/-8.2 and 71+/-8.6 beats/minute. There was no significant changes in heart rates before and after treatment. 4) Dizziness or fatigability were complained in 4 patients (13+/-) each while receiving carteolol. These side effects were mild in 3 patients, but one patient discontinued treatment due to dizziness. On the basis of these results, carteolol was evaluated to be promising hypotensive drug.
Blood Pressure ; Carteolol* ; Dizziness ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension

Carcinoid tumors are low-grade malignant tumors arising from neuroendocrine cells. Primary renal carcinoid tumors are extremely rare, and only 56 cases have been reported in the literature. Because of the rarity of the lesion, its histogenesis and prognosis are unclear. Here we report a case of a primary renal carcinoid tumor in a 51-year-old man that was found incidentally in a medical examination and was treated by transperitoneal radical nephrectomy.
Carcinoid Tumor ; Humans ; Kidney ; Middle Aged ; Nephrectomy ; Neuroendocrine Cells ; Prognosis

PURPOSE: We studied to investigate the minimum concentration and preservation time of ethanol for sterilization of donor sclera. METHODS: Fresh sclera was inoculated with Staphylococcus epidermidis(ATCC 155), Staphylococcus aureus(ATCC 28213), Pseudomonas aeruginosa(ATCC 27843), and transferred to preservative vials containing the concentration of ethanol(10, 30, 50, 70, and 90%) or trypticase soy broth(TSB, control) and stored at room temperature. The sclera was then homogenized, plated on blood agar, and incubated at 37 degreesC for 24 hours. Colonies were counted at 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours. RESULTS: Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus were recovered from contaminated sclera plates preserved in 10% ethanol until 72 hours and in 30% ethanol until 12 hours, but no bacteria was recovered from the sclera preserved in more than 50% ethanol(P<0.05). Pseudomonas aeruginosa was recovered in 10% ethanol until 72 hours but not recovered in more than 30% ethanol until 24 hours(P<0.05). However, all three species were recovered from the control sclera preserved in TSB until 72 hours. CONCLUSIONS: From the above results it is concluded that the concentration of more than 50% ethanol for at least 6 hours is recommendable as human sclera disinfectants.
Agar ; Bacteria ; Disinfectants ; Ethanol* ; Humans ; Pseudomonas ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Sclera* ; Staphylococcus ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Staphylococcus epidermidis ; Sterilization* ; Tissue Donors*

BACKGROUND: The objective of the present study was to evaluate whether left ventricular diastolic function is altered in rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS: Thirty-six patients of rheumatoid arthritis diagnosed by 1988 revised criteria for rheumatoid arthritis and 20 cases of normal control group were matched with respect to left ventricular ejection fraction and diastolic parameters. RESULTS: Parameters of diastolic function such as peak filling rate, time to peak fillling rate and 1/3 filling rate were not significantly different between patients with rheumatoid arthritis and control groups. although time to peak filling rate was significantly prolonged in seropositive group(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Left ventricular diastolic function is notes not to be impaired in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Humans ; Stroke Volume

Ullrich's disease is a congenital muscular dystrophy clinically characterized by generalized muscle weakness, multiple contractures of the proximal joints, and hyperextensibility of the distal joints. All the patients develop rigidity of spine, often assoicated with scoliosis, failure to thrive, and early and severe respiratory involvement, irrespective of their levels of motor function. Intellectual development is normal. The biopsied muscles show dystrophies including remarkable variation in the fiber size, notably proliferated endomysial connective tissues, and a lot of degenerated and regenerated fibers. The expression of merosin and dytrophin is normal. Recent studies have demonstrated that collagen VI is deficient in the muscles of the patients with Ullrich's disease, and some result from recessive mutations of the collagen VIalpha 2 gene(COL6A2). And a marked reduction of fibronectin receptors in the extracellular matrix of skin and cultured fibroblasts of these patients is also reported. These results suggest that collagen VI deficiency may lead to the reduction of fibronectin receptors and that any abnormalities of cell adhesion may be involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. A case of Ullrich's disease has not been reported yet in Korea. So, we describe a male patient with Ullrich's disease with a brief review of the literature.
Cell Adhesion ; Collagen ; Connective Tissue ; Contracture ; Extracellular Matrix ; Failure to Thrive ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Integrin alpha5beta1 ; Joints ; Korea ; Laminin ; Male ; Muscle Weakness ; Muscles ; Muscular Dystrophies ; Receptors, Fibronectin ; Scoliosis ; Skin ; Spine

Laryngeal schwannoma is extremely rare. We report the CT and MRI findings of a case occurring in a 65-year-oldwoman, and describe the pathologic correlation. Pre-contrast CT scanning revealed a right supraglot-tic mass witha slightly hyperdense central part and a hypodense peripheral part. Post-contrast CT scanning re-vealed anenhanced hyperdense central part and a rim-like hypodense peripheral part. The density of the pe-ripheral part waslower than that of muscle. The mass showed homogeneous low signal intensity on T1-weighted MR images, homogeneoushigh signal intensity on T2-weighted MR images, and an enhanced high signal intensity central part and a lowsignal intensity peripheral part on gadolinium enhanced T1-weighted images. The enhanced central part correlatedwith Antoni A areas and the peripheral part, showing low attenuation, correlated with Antoni B areas.
Gadolinium ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neurilemmoma* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed