BACKGROUND: Cardiogenic pulmonary edema increases nonspecific airway responsiveness in humans and animals. Increased extravascular lung water from overt pulmonary edema to subclinical interstitial edema is a common finding in patients with chronic renal failure. Several studies carried out to assess pulmonary function disturbances in this condition have documented a reduction in forced expiratory volume that usually reverses after hemodialysis, suggesting airway edema as the underlying mechanism. This interstitial edema may also lead to nonspecific bronchial hyperre- sponsiveness. We hypothesized that patients with chronic renal failure may present nonspecific bronchial hyperresponsiveness due to subclinical interstitial pulmonary edema. METHODS: We studied 18 chronic renal failure undergoing regular hemodialysis 3 times a week (New York Heart Association Class II) without concomittent disease. These patients were checked pulmonary function test and metacholine provocation test before hemodialysis and same procedure was repeated if responsive, after hemodialysis. RESULTS: 1) 12 out of 18 patients before hemodialysis were reactive in metacholine provocation test (66.7%) before hemodialysis. This airway hyperresponsiveness were decreased after hemodialysis. 2) Pulmonary function was improved after hemodialysis and change in FEV1 was correlated with change in weight(r= -0.62, p<0.01). 3) There was a close correlation between log PD20 and FEF25, which is one of the variables of the peripheral airways(r=0.58, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: We speculated interstitial pulmonary edema may play a significant role in bronchial hyperresponsiveness and lung function impaired in patients with chronic renal failure.
Animals ; Edema ; Extravascular Lung Water ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Heart ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Lung ; Pulmonary Edema ; Renal Dialysis* ; Respiratory Function Tests

Total anomalous pulmonary venous return(connection) is a congenital heart disease. Especially, the reports of the patients with double connections of all pulmonary veins were rare. An infant who underwent operation for total anomalous pulmonary venous return had double drainge of all pulmonary veins to both left vertical vein and anomalous descending vein. This second lesion was not diagnosed preoperatively, but in operative field. Operative treatments were performed by ligation of left vertical vein and central pulmonary vein-to-left atrium anastomosis without ligation of the descending anomalous vein. For these less common variants fo total anomalous pulmonary venous return,a more detailed and precise understanding of morphology can facilitate accurate surgical repair. And also, early detection of the disease is an another issue for a good prognosis.
Heart Defects, Congenital ; Humans ; Infant ; Ligation ; Prognosis ; Pulmonary Veins ; Scimitar Syndrome* ; Veins

No abstract available.
Animals ; Inositol* ; Kidney* ; Liver* ; Phospholipases* ; Rats* ; Type C Phospholipases*

To evaluate the risk and factors associated with seizure recurrence in children with epilepsy while receiving the adequate anticonvulsant treament, we studied 58 patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy who were followed prospectively for a median of 26 months (range 7 to 54). The results were as follows: 1) Forty-four of the 58 patients (75.9%) had recurrence of seizure. 2) The rate of recurrence according to type of seizure was observed to be 22 patients (68.8%) in generalized tonic-clonic seizure, 6 patients (85.7%) in simple partial seizure, 5 patients (83.3%) in complex partial seizure, 3 patients (100%) in mixed seizure, 2 patients (100%) in absence, 3 patients (100%) in infantile spasm, 1 patient (100%) in atonic seizure, 2 patients (50%) in secondary generalized seizure. There was no significant difference in the risk of recurrence observed among these seizure types. 3) The risk of recurrence varied according to the history of seizure, seizure recurrence was observed in 100% of the cases with history of neonatal seizure, 72.7% of the cases with febrile convulsion, and 73.3% of the cases with non-specific history. No significant difference was observed among these past history of seizure. 4) The rate of seizure recurrence according to electroencephalographic abnormalities did not differ significantly. Seizure recurrence was noted in 13 of the 18 patients with mildly disordered tracings (72.2%), 15 of the 20 patients with moderate abnormality (75.0%), and 12 of the 16 patients with severe abnormality (75.0%). 5) Recurrence rate according to cause of seizure was more significantly frequent in those with symptomatic epilepsy than in those with idiopathic type (100% vs 70.2%, p<0.05). 6) The frequency percentage of seizure recurrence by age groups of below 1 year, 1 to 3 years, 4 to 6 years, and above 6 years at onset of seizure were 100, 66.7, 57.1, and 72.7, respectively. The rate of seizure recurrence was significantly highest in patients aged below 1 year at onset of seizure. 7) There was significant difference in seizure recurrence between those with and without abnormalities as shown by neurologic examination (100% vs 70.8%, p<0.05). 8) There was no consistent difference in valproic acid serum levels between those who had a recurrence and those who did not. The patients receiving phenobarbital had significantly high serum levels of the phenobarbital in recurrent groups than those who had no recurrence. In conclusion, factors associated with an increased risk of seizure recurrence were early age at onset of epilepsy, symptomatic epilepsy, and neurologic abnormalities. We found no associations between risks of recurrence and types of epilepsy, or electroencephalographic abnormalities.
Anticonvulsants* ; Child ; Epilepsy ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Neurologic Examination ; Phenobarbital ; Prospective Studies ; Recurrence* ; Risk Factors ; Seizures* ; Seizures, Febrile ; Spasms, Infantile ; Valproic Acid

Cutaneous horn is a clinica) diagnosis based upon the presence of a large protuberant mass of keratin. We report a case of cutaneous horn arising from keratoacanthoma in a 76-year old woman. The patient showed a dome-shaped nodule 2n in diameter with a central crater on thc right temple area. A yellow brown colored cornical hyperkeratotic protruding lesion(0.7* 0.7cm size) from the central crater of the nodule was also observed. Histopathological findings of the lesions showed charaeteristic findings of keratoacanfhoma and cutaneous horn. The lesion was removed by surgical excision.
Aged ; Animals ; Diagnosis ; Dronabinol ; Female ; Horns* ; Humans ; Keratoacanthoma*

Analyses and studies have been made on 34 cases of the combined ICH, showing mass effect among 305 male and female ruptured intracranial aneurysmal patients who were admitted to Kyungpook National University Hospital from Mar. 1984, through Feb. 1990. The incidence of the large ICH was 11.1% with 2.1 to 1 ratio of male to female. The highest age incidence of the hematoma was in the 40 to 60 years bracket. The most frequent site of the aneurysm combined with the large ICH was at MCA aneurysm, 38.6%, followed by at A-com artery aneurysm, 4.8%. The most frequent location of the hematoma was in temporal lobe, 88.2%. The rate of combined large ICH was 20.3% in multiple aneurysmal bleeding patients who revealed higher incidence of the hematoma than the single bleeding patients. In amount of the hematoma, 30-40ml bracket ranked top occupying 32.4% of all cases. After surgical treatment, 29.4% patient was improved to the good and fair on discharge. The rate of mortality was 61.8%, which was mainly due to direct effect of hematoma and cerebral infarction caused by vasospasm.
Aneurysm ; Arteries ; Cerebral Infarction ; Female ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Hematoma* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intracranial Aneurysm* ; Male ; Mortality ; Temporal Lobe

Ventriculitis is one of the most serious complication of the ventriculoperitoneal shunt, which may cause intelligence deterioration in children. The purpose of this study is to investigate the mechanism of the neural damage in lipopolysacciride(LPS)-induced ventriculitis in rat. Ventriculitis was induced by intraventricular injection of 1mg/Kg LPS in rat. H & E and Tunel stains were done on the day 1, 2 and 14 to access the microscopic changes of the periventricular tissue and apoptosis, respectively. TNF-alpha and IL-1beta mRNA expressions were studied using RT-PCR. HRP was injected into the femoral vein and electron microscopic examinations were performed to access the BBB changes. Light microscopic examination one day after LPS injection revealed neutrophilic infiltration, which diminished on day 4, and disappeared on 14. Tunel stain revealed apoptosis on day 1 and 4. TNF-alpha and IL-1beta were expressed on day 1, and diminished progressively thereafter. HRP histochemical electron microscopic examination revealed accumulation of HRP reaction in the interstitial space around the brain parenchyma. These findings suggest the opening of the BBB and increased capillary permeability in the periventricular tissue in the LPS induced ventriculitis. This can possibly damage the periventricular neural tissue. TNF-alpha and IL-1beta seemed to play an important role in the opening of the BBB.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; Brain ; Capillary Permeability ; Child ; Coloring Agents ; Femoral Vein ; Humans ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Injections, Intraventricular* ; Intelligence ; Interleukin-1 ; Neutrophils ; Rats ; RNA, Messenger ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt

STUDY DESIGN: Level III, retrospective studies. OBJECTIVES: This study is conducted to evaluate the effect and usefulness of ultrasound guided facet block for the outpatients who complained of chronic lower back pain. SUMMARY OF THE LITERATURE REVIEW: Facet joint syndrome was introduced in 1976, by Mooney V. It was considered to be one of the major causes of low back pain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between October 2009 to March 2011, 98 cases were selected from the outpatients who complained of chronic lower back pain for more than 3 months. The patients had no surgery history and did not complain of neuromuscular symptoms, and they had more than three times outpatient care at least and could be followed up for 1 year. The patients were divided into three groups; first was the ultrasound guided facet block group (27 cases), second was the Fluoroscopy guided facet block group (39cases) and third was the conservative group (32 cases).The clinical results were analyzed using Kim's criteria and the Visual Analog Scale score, ODI score, Physician's global assessment (subjective), Patient's global assessment (Objective). RESULTS: The VAS score was improved from an average of 7.75+/-1.5 to 4.47+/-2.4 in the ultrasound guided facet block group, and from 7.81+/-1.4 to 4.39+/-2.6 in the Fluoroscopy guided facet block group, and from 7.87+/-1.3 to 6.24+/-2.1 in the conservative group. The VAS score, Kim's criteria, ODI score, Physician's global assessment (subjective), and Patient's global assessment (Objective) showed statistically significant improvement in the ultrasound guided facet block group and Fluoroscopy guided facet block group. CONCLUSION: In the outpatient clinics, comparing with the group that underwent conservative treatment with medication, the group treated with ultrasound for block could have better results in clinical improvement.
Ambulatory Care ; Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; Outpatients ; Retrospective Studies ; Zygapophyseal Joint

We analysed the 49 probands of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) in Korea to elucidate clinical and genetic characteristics. 1) Family history of renal disease or ADPKD was taken from 44% of probands; hypertension 88%, cerebrovascular attack 64%, end stage renal disease 16%. 2) From the family screening with renal ultrasonography, we have confirmed dominant trait in 24 families. We found 2 families which have suspicious new mutations. 3) We performed linkage analysis of 15 families. The PKD-1 to non PKD-1 ratio was 13 : 2. 4) The male to femal ratio was 17 : 32 and age at diagnosis was 41 (24-65)years (mean (range)) in male, 45 (26-68) years in female. 5) The factors leading to the diagnosis of ADPKD were flank pain (23%), incidental finding (17%), palpable abdominal mass (11%), headache (9%) and gross hematuria (9%) 3) Hypertension (80%), azotemia (43%), flank pain (42%), renal calcification (42%), gross hematuria (33%) and cyst hemorrhage (25%) were renal complications. There were 2 renal cell carcinoma cases. 4)Liver cyst (82%) was the most common extrarenal manifestations. There were colonic diverticulosis (13%), cerebral artery aneurysm (7%), adrenal cyst (4%) and pancreatic cyst (2%). Results of our study revealed the clinical and genetic characteristics of ADPKD in Korea. We found only 44% of family history of renal disease, variable initial manifestations, variable renal and extrarenal complications. And we also found the similar percentage of PKD-2 (13%) to that (5-15%) of western countries, but it is necessary to study with more patients and families.
Aneurysm ; Azotemia ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Cerebral Arteries ; Diagnosis ; Diverticulosis, Colonic ; Female ; Flank Pain ; Headache ; Hematuria ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidental Findings ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Korea* ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Pancreatic Cyst ; Polycystic Kidney, Autosomal Dominant* ; Ultrasonography

Cell-mediated immunity frequently becomes impaired after major trauma. To investigate the immune response of the head injury, the authors measured the level of the serum neopterin, which represents the index of macrophage activation, in 53 head-injured patients. In the injured group the serum neopterin level was 5.4+/-3.1 nmol/l and slightly higher than that of the normal control group, 4.4+/-1.0 nmol/1. In the group of the patients with the Glasgow Coma Scale(GCS) 3-9, the level was significantly higher than the group GCS 10-15. The differences were not significantly related to the age or the presence of intracranial hematoma. It is conceivable that head injury will change the patient's immune response and it may be influenced by neural control.
Coma ; Craniocerebral Trauma* ; Head* ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Macrophage Activation ; Neopterin*