Eosinophils play a major role in the airway inflammation in asthma. to verify an association between airway responsiveness of asthmatics and eosinophil and/or ECP, we measured serum ECP in 23 children with atopic asthma during acute attacks and stable states, and in 10 normal healthy controls. Peak flows were monitored in 15 children. The data suggest that serum ECP levels were higher in acutely ill asthmatics than in stable state. With successful therapy for asthma, serum ECP levels were mostly decreased. However, rising ECP values after treatment may suggest unsatisfactory results with conventional therapy despite a predicatable PEFR. ECP should prove a helpful for monitoring airway responsiveness which had been evoked by inflammation and/or late phase reaction in asthma.
Asthma* ; Child* ; Eosinophil Cationic Protein ; Eosinophils* ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate

Total exchangeable sodium and plasma volume were measured to evaluate role of sodium in hypertension by radioisotope 24 Na and Evans blue in 25 patients with essential hypertension, 10 with malignant hypertension, 5 with renal hypertension and 15 normal controls. The results obtained are as follows. 1. The total exchangeable sodium content was 35.8+/-3.5mEq/kg in normal controls, 35.6+/-2.7mEq/kg in essential hypertension and 36.2+/-3.5mEq/kg in renal hypertension revealing no statistical significance in difference. In malignant hypertension, it was 44.9+/-2.0mEq/kg and it was markedly elevated than in normal controls. 2. Plasma volume in normal controls was 44.0+/-4.7ml/kg. In essential hypertension there was two groups, one (group II, 35.2+/-5.6ml/kg) was slightly lower than the other (group I, 43.2+/-4.8ml/kg). In malignant hypertension, it was 56.9+/-7.5ml/kg revealing significant increase than in normal controls. 3. Changes of the total exchangeable sodium content was observed after the administration of hydrochlorothiazide 50mg in normal controls and essential hypertension. In normal controls there was no statistical significance in reduction. In essential hypertension, initially low salt group (group II) showed no significant reduction and the other group (group I) showed significant reduction with depression on blood pressure. 4. Long term therapy with hydrochlorothiazide 50mg for 2~3 months in the group of hypertension who responded well with short term therapy (group I), the contents of exchangeable sodium reduced significantly than normal controls and the antihypertensive effect was sustained. 5. The reduction of plasma volume with hydrochlorothiazide in essential hypertension are similar as changes of total exchangeable sodium. 6. In cases of low salt diet 4gm of daily salt intake, there was similar results as diuretic therapy in exchangeable sodium. 7. In patients who responded well to antihypertensive effect of hydrochlorothiazide or low salt diet (group I), salt loading of 10gm daily showed an increase of total exchangeable sodium and an elevation of blood pressure with statistical significance.
Blood Pressure ; Depression ; Diet ; Evans Blue ; Humans ; Hydrochlorothiazide ; Hypertension* ; Hypertension, Malignant ; Hypertension, Renal ; Plasma Volume* ; Plasma* ; Sodium*

Total exchangeable sodium and plasma volume were measured to evaluate role of sodium in hypertension by radioisotope 24 Na and Evans blue in 25 patients with essential hypertension, 10 with malignant hypertension, 5 with renal hypertension and 15 normal controls. The results obtained are as follows. 1. The total exchangeable sodium content was 35.8+/-3.5mEq/kg in normal controls, 35.6+/-2.7mEq/kg in essential hypertension and 36.2+/-3.5mEq/kg in renal hypertension revealing no statistical significance in difference. In malignant hypertension, it was 44.9+/-2.0mEq/kg and it was markedly elevated than in normal controls. 2. Plasma volume in normal controls was 44.0+/-4.7ml/kg. In essential hypertension there was two groups, one (group II, 35.2+/-5.6ml/kg) was slightly lower than the other (group I, 43.2+/-4.8ml/kg). In malignant hypertension, it was 56.9+/-7.5ml/kg revealing significant increase than in normal controls. 3. Changes of the total exchangeable sodium content was observed after the administration of hydrochlorothiazide 50mg in normal controls and essential hypertension. In normal controls there was no statistical significance in reduction. In essential hypertension, initially low salt group (group II) showed no significant reduction and the other group (group I) showed significant reduction with depression on blood pressure. 4. Long term therapy with hydrochlorothiazide 50mg for 2~3 months in the group of hypertension who responded well with short term therapy (group I), the contents of exchangeable sodium reduced significantly than normal controls and the antihypertensive effect was sustained. 5. The reduction of plasma volume with hydrochlorothiazide in essential hypertension are similar as changes of total exchangeable sodium. 6. In cases of low salt diet 4gm of daily salt intake, there was similar results as diuretic therapy in exchangeable sodium. 7. In patients who responded well to antihypertensive effect of hydrochlorothiazide or low salt diet (group I), salt loading of 10gm daily showed an increase of total exchangeable sodium and an elevation of blood pressure with statistical significance.
Blood Pressure ; Depression ; Diet ; Evans Blue ; Humans ; Hydrochlorothiazide ; Hypertension* ; Hypertension, Malignant ; Hypertension, Renal ; Plasma Volume* ; Plasma* ; Sodium*

Echocardiography was done with Ekoline 20 model of Smith Kline Instrument in 91 patients of mitral valvular heart disease, 46 with mitral stenosis, 10 with mitral insufficiency, 38 with mitral stenoinsufficinency and 115 normal controls. The results obtained are as follows. 1. Right ventricular dimension was 13.61+/-5.61 mm/sq m. in normal controls, 16.50+/-5.06mm/sq m. in mitral stenosis, 20.17+/-3.28mm/sq m. in mitral insufficiency, 18.61+/-8.48mm/sq m. in mitral stenoinsufficiency revealing significant increment in all mitral valvular disease groups but there was no significant difference btw. each disease groups. 2. Left ventricular end-diastolic dimensions was 29.83+/-7.06mm/sq m. in normal controls, 41.57+/-7.77mm/sq m. in mitral insufficinency, 38.48+/-10.22mm/sq m. in mitral stenoinsufficiency revealing significant increment but there was no significant difference btw. mitral stenosis and normal controls. 3. Left atrial dimension was 17.57+/-4.96mm/sq m. in normal controls, 33.22+/-5.32mm/sq m. in mitral stenosis, 35.96+/-7.35mm/sq m. in mitral insufficiency, 35.00+/-8.22 in mitral stenoinsufficiency revealing significnat increment in whole mitral valvular disease. 4. E-F slope was 90.76+/-30.20mm/sec in normal controls 18.08+/-10.3mm/sec in mitral stenosis, 29.52+/-19.3mm/sec in mitral stenoinsufficiency revealing marked decrement. In mitral insufficiency, it was 65.3+/-45.4mm/sec revealing significant decrement but not so severe as previous. 5. There was no significant difference between normal controls and mitral valvular disease in valve excursion. 6. Left atrial dimension to aortic root size was 1.13+/-0.31 in normal controls, 1.77+/-0.63 in mitral stenosis, 1.56+/-0.60 in mitral regurgitation and 1.82+/-0.56 in mitral stenoinsufficinecy revealing significant increment in whole mitral valvular heart disease.
Echocardiography* ; Heart Valve Diseases* ; Humans ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Mitral Valve Stenosis

PURPOSE: It is reported that 65% of diabetic male patients over 60 of their age are impotent. However, there is no report concerning the effect of serum glucose control on erectile dysfunction in diabetic patient. This study was performed to evaluate the effects of serum glucose control on erectile dysfunction. MATERIALS AMD METHODS: The development of Diabetes mellitus was defined that the serum glucose level was above 200mg/dL in random test at 25 weeks. We designed the experimental specimen into 3 groups; group I: diabetic OLETF (Otsuka Long Evans Tokushima Fatty) rats without blood sugar control (n=10), group II: diabetic OLETF rats with blood sugar control with 4U insulin subcutaneous injection daily from 26 to 46 weeks (n=10), group III: diabetic OLETF rats with blood sugar control with 10U insulin subcutaneous injection daily from 26 to 46 weeks (n=10). We estimated the collagen content of penile tunica albuginea with the scanning electron microscopy and observed the endothelial layers of corpus cavernosum with the transmission electron microscopy in each group. RESULTS: The serum glucose level was 249 +/- 4.1mg/dL, 234 +/- 2.7mg/dL, 215 +/- 3.0mg/dL respectively in group I, II, III, and decreased in order of group II, III. The differences among groups were statistically significant (p<0.05). The thickness of collagen bundles of penile tunica albuginea was 0.98 +/- 0.1 micrometer, 0.94 +/- 0.3 micrometer, 0.92 +/- 0.1 micrometer respectively in group I, II, III, and decreased in order of group II, III. The differences among groups were statistically significant (p<0.05). The endothelial layers of corpus cavernosum were decreased in II, III. CONCLUSIONS: The serum glucose control in diabetic rats decreases the collagen con tents in penile tunica albuginea and the endothelial layers of corpus cavernosum.
Animals ; Blood Glucose* ; Collagen* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Endothelium ; Erectile Dysfunction ; Humans ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Insulin ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Rats* ; Rats, Inbred OLETF

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Follow-Up Studies* ; Intermittent Urethral Catheterization*

Case histories of isolated and complete volar dislocation of the carpal scaphoid have rarely been reported .We report here another such case. On examination, the wrist was moderately swollen and tender over its volar aspect. Radiographs showed isolated, complete volar dislocation of the scaphoid. We used open reduction with K-wire fixation as treatment. After four weeks of operative reduction the patient had undertaken neurolysis due to median nerve compression symptom (carpal tunnel syndrome). At six weeks, the K-wires were removed and the patient was allowed to do a range of motion exercise. Twenty months after injury, the wrist was asymptomatic and had a mid-range of active motion without instability. There was no roentgenographic evidences of scapholunate dissociation or avascular necrosis
Dislocations* ; Humans ; Median Nerve ; Necrosis ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Wrist

Correction of funding statement.