BACKGROUND: Soluble IL-2R, soluble CD8 and TNF-alpha are elevated in sera of some patients with hematological malignancies, and a marked elevation of these cytokines could be used to assess disease activity and prognosis in this malignancy group. METHODS: The serum levels of sIL-2R, sCD8 and TNF-alpha were assessed in 28 patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and 32 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and 39 cases of healthy control subjects to define clinical usefulness as prognostic markers by sandwich enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: In MDS patients, serum sIL-2R levels were significantly higher as compared with controls, and a more pronounced increase of serum sIL-2R levels was found in patients with RAEB RAEB-t and CMML as compared with RA and RARS. Serum sCD8 levels were higher as compared with controls, but not related with FAB classification. In patients with leukemic conversion. sCD8 levels tended to be higher as compared with patients with non-conversion. The sIL-2R levels of AML patients were significantly higher than controls, and a significant correlation was detected between the levels of sIL-2R and WBC counts. Higher sIL-2R levels( >2000 U/ml) tended to affect both complete remission rate and survival. Serum sCD8 levels were higher than controls, but not related to FAB classification. No differences of serum TNF-alpha levels were detected as compared with healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: From these results, this study indicates that serum sIL-2R and sCD8 are significantly increased in some patients with MDS and AML, and increased levels of serum sIL-2R and sCD8 may be useful for predicting prognosis of these patients.
Anemia, Refractory, with Excess of Blasts ; Classification ; Cytokines ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute* ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes* ; Prognosis ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

PURPOSE: To evaluate and compare the characteristics of patients whose nerve fiber layer (NFL) photographs showing diffuse or focal nerve fiber layer defects. METHODS: Patients with diffuse NFL defect were selected by comparing upper and lower half of a NFL photo, and we included the patients only when one part of it showed NFL defect. Patients with focal NFL defect were selected only when one eye had a wedge-shape NFL defect. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups in visual field index, nor in the results of glaucoma hemifield test. However, patients with diffuse NFL defect (13 eyes, 13 patients) mostly had primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) (62%), and patients with focal NFL defect (13 eyes, 13 patients) mostly had normal- tension glaucoma (NTG) (62%) (p=0.048, chi-square test). CONCLUSIONS: We found significant differences in the diagnosis of glaucoma between the diffuse and focal NFL loss groups. Our results suggest that the characteristics of NFL loss in POAG and NTG may be different.
Diagnosis ; Glaucoma* ; Glaucoma, Open-Angle ; Humans ; Nerve Fibers* ; Visual Fields

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the surgical results of balloon catheter dacryocystoplasty (DCP) for congenital nasolacrimal duct (NLD) obstruction in children and partial NLD obstruction in adults. METHODS: The authors performed balloon catheter DCP as a secondary treatment of eight children (nine lacrimal systems) over 12 months of age who had been failed by probing, and as a primary treatment of five adults (five lacrimal systems) whose lacrimal system was partially obstructed. In children, Lacricath was inflated at the level of the valve of Hasner and 5 mm proximal to that level, three times with eight atm (bars) for 90 seconds at each level. In adults, the procedure was the same for children, but if there is any doubt of common canalicular stenosis, inflation at that level was included. RESULTS: Seven of eight children (eight of nine lacrimal systems) and three of five adults (three of five lacrimal systems) showed objective and subjective improvement at the mean follow-up period of 5.3 months and 5.0 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Balloon catheter DCP was thought to be an alternative to silicone tube intubation in children with NLD obstruction who had been failed by probing and also a useful primary treatment in adults with partial NLD obstruction in the office setting.
Adult* ; Catheters* ; Child* ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Inflation, Economic ; Intubation ; Nasolacrimal Duct ; Silicones

PURPOSE: Standard treatment of asymptomatic spinal cord hemangioblastoma in von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease has yet to be established. The purpose of this study was to propose guidelines for the treatment of asymptomatic spinal cord hemangioblastomas in VHL disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: VHL disease patients treated for spinal cord hemangioblastomas between 1999 and 2009 were included. All spinal cord hemangioblastomas were divided into three groups: Group 1, asymptomatic tumors at initial diagnosis followed with serial imaging studies; Group 2, asymptomatic tumors at initial diagnosis that were subsequently resected; and Group 3, symptomatic tumors at initial diagnosis, all of which were resected. RESULTS: We identified 24 spinal cord hemangioblastomas in 12 patients. Groups 1, 2 and 3 comprised 13, 4 and 7 tumors, respectively. Group 1 exhibited a smaller tumor volume (257.1 mm3) and syrinx size (0.8 vertebral columns) than those of Group 2 (1304.5 mm3, 3.3 vertebral columns) and Group 3 (1787.4 mm3, 6.1 vertebral columns). No difference in tumor volume or syrinx size was observed between Groups 2 and 3. Five tumors in Group 1 were resected during follow-up because symptoms had developed or the tumor had significantly grown. Finally, among 17 asymptomatic tumors at the initial diagnosis, nine tumors were resected. Only one tumor of these nine tumors resulted in neurological deficits, while five of seven symptomatic tumors caused neurological deficits. CONCLUSION: Selective resection of asymptomatic tumors before they cause neurological deficits might bring about better outcomes.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Hemangioblastoma/etiology/*pathology/*surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; von Hippel-Lindau Disease/*complications

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to report findings of exploratory arthroscopic assessment performed in conjunction with removal of internal fixation device placed in the initial surgery for rotational ankle fracture. METHODS: A total of 53 patients (33 male, 20 female) who underwent surgery for rotational ankle fracture between November 2002 and February 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients gave consent to the exploratory arthroscopic surgery for the removal of internal fixation devices placed in the initial surgery. Lauge-Hansen classification system of ankle fractures was assessed for all patients. Intra-articular lesions (osteochondral lesion, loose body, and fibrosis) were evaluated via ankle arthroscopy. Comparative analysis was then performed between radiological classification of ankle fracture/patient's symptoms and arthroscopic findings. RESULTS: Lauge-Hansen classification system of ankle fractures included supination-external rotation type (n = 35), pronation-external rotation type (n = 9), and pronation-abduction type (n = 9). A total of 33 patients exhibited symptoms of pain or discomfort while walking whereas 20 exhibited no symptoms. Arthroscopic findings included abnormal findings around the syndesmosis area (n = 35), intra-articular fibrosis (n = 51), osteochondral lesions of the talus (n = 33), loose bodies (n = 6), synovitis (n = 13), and anterior bony impingement syndrome (n = 3). Intra-articular fibrosis was seen in 31 of symptomatic patients (93.9%). Pain or discomfort with activity caused by soft tissue impingement with meniscus-like intra-articular fibrosis were found in 19 patients. There was statistical significance (p = 0.02) between symptoms (pain and discomfort) and the findings of meniscus-like fibrosis compared to the group without any symptom. CONCLUSIONS: Arthroscopic examination combined with treatment of intra-articular fibrosis arising from ankle fracture surgery may help improve surgical outcomes.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Ankle/*pathology/radiography/*surgery ; Ankle Fractures/*pathology/radiography/*surgery ; Arthralgia ; Arthroscopy/*methods ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: To report the surgical results of volar percutaneous cannulated compression screw fixation in subacute scaphoid fracture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2004 and January 2007, eight consecutive patients with subacute scaphoid waist fracture, who sought medical attention between 4 weeks to 6 months after injury, were included in this study. All patients were male of an average age 29.2 years (range, 19 to 44). Mean duration of injury was 10.3+/-4.1 weeks. An acutrak cannulated screw (Acumed, Hillsboro, OR) was introduced volarly under image intensifier guidance in all patients. We performed radiological evaluation preoperatively and postoperatively. And we performed 12 months postoperatively using grip strength, range of motion (ROM) of the wrist, Mayo Modified Wrist Score (MMWS) and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and the Hand (DASH) score for functional evaluation. RESULTS: Preoperative radiography showed minimal sclerosis line in three patients and a bone resorption around fracture sites in two patients. However, no patient had dorsal intercalated segment instability or more than 35 degrees of lateral intrascaphoid angle. Fractures united successfully at 11.6+/-2.1 weeks postoperatively without any requirement for a further procedure. At 12 months follow-up evaluations, ROM of the injured wrist was 93% of the uninjured wrist and grip strength of the injured wrist was 95% of the injured wrist. The mean MMWS was 93+/-6.6 and the mean DASH score was 4.8+/-1.2. CONCLUSION: We believe that volar percutaneous cannulated screw fixation is a reliable method in case of subacute scaphoid waist fracture without scaphoid deformity or carpal instability.
Arm ; Bone Resorption ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hand ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Male ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Sclerosis ; Shoulder ; Wrist

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to review the diffusion process and factors affecting the adoption of the Health Center Information System (HIS). METHODS: Data were collected from POSDATA (private company), MOHW, other Ministries and local governments. To specify the date of adoption, supplementary information was collected from 40 health centers. The following three kinds of factors were analyzed. Internal factors included type, size, and innovativeness of health centers. Community factors were composed of population size, economic status, and level of education. Organizational environmental factors consisted of information score of the municipalities, financial support of the from central government, and the neighborhoodness of innovator health centers. RESULTS: All health centers in the metropolitan cities of Seoul, Gwangju and Jeju adopted the HIS. The laggards were those in the metropolitan cities of Busan (18.8%), Incheon (20.0%) and Daejun (20.0%), and cities with population more than 300, 000 (54.8%) and counties with health center hospitals (47.1%). Financially supported rural health centers adopted the HIS more rapidly than those not supported. The factors identified as being statistically significant (p< 0.05), from a univariate analysis by Kaplan-Meier method, were: (1) internal factors of the type, size and innovativeness of health centers; (2) community factors of population size and economic status; (3) organizational environmental factors of the central government financial support and the neighborhoodness of innovator health centers. A multivariate analysis, using a Cox proportional hazard method, proved the innovativeness of health centers, central government financial support and the neighborhoodness of innovator health centers, were statistically significant (p< 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The innovativeness of health centers, financial support from central government and the neighborhoodness of innovator health centers, rather than community factors related to regional socioeconomic status, affected the adoption of the HIS in health centers. Further in-depth studies, modifying the MOHW's strategy to propagate the HIS to the laggard health centers, are recommended.
Busan ; Diffusion of Innovation ; Diffusion* ; Education ; Financial Support ; Gwangju ; Incheon ; Information Systems* ; Methods ; Multivariate Analysis ; Population Density ; Residence Characteristics ; Rural Health Services ; Seoul ; Social Class

No abstract available.
Typhlitis*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Dizocilpine Maleate* ; Rats* ; Spinal Cord*

Recent studies have demonstrated that tumor necrosis factor-alpa(TNF-alpa) decreased production of type I and III procollagens and increased production of collagenase in cultured human dermal fibroblasts. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of TNF-alpa on the level of expression of type I procollagen, collagenase mRNA in hypertrophic scar and keloid fibroblasts in culture. The cultured fibroblasts from normal skin, hypertrophic scar and keloid were exposed to 0, 1, 10, and 100 ng/ml of TNF-alpa for 24 hours. Then, type I procollagen mRNA and collagenase mRNA were measured by quantitative RT-PCR and quantified by computerized densitometry(TINA). In normal skin fibroblasts, TNF-alpa significantly decreased the level of type I procollagen mRNA and increased collagenase mRNA. The maximal inhibition for type I procollagen mRNA was noted at 100 ng/ml of TNF-alpa and maximal enhancement for collagenase mRNA was noted at 100ng/ml of TNF-alpa. In hypertrophic scar fibroblasts, TNF-alpa significantly decreased the level of type I procollagen mRNA and increased collagenase mRNA. The maximal inhibition for type I procollagen mRNA was noted at 100 ng/ml of TNF-alpa which was the same as normal skin fibroblasts but there were no significant differences among TNF-alpa treated groups for collagenase mRNA. In keloid fibroblasts, TNF-alpa also significantly decreased the level of type I procollagen mRNA and increased collagenase mRNA. The maximal inhibition for type I procollagen mRNA was noted at 100 ng/ml of TNF-alpa which was the same as normal skin and hypertrophic scar fibroblasts but there were no significant differences among TNF-alpa treated groups for collagenase mRNA. These results strongly suggested that TNF-alpa might have a role in preventing progression of fibroproliferative disease, such as hypertrophic scar or keloid, and that the most effective concentration of TNF-alpa was found in 100 ng/ml.
Cicatrix, Hypertrophic* ; Collagen Type I* ; Collagenases* ; Fibroblasts* ; Gene Expression* ; Humans ; Keloid* ; Necrosis* ; Procollagen ; RNA, Messenger ; Skin