To evaulate the possible pathogenetic significance of allergen-specific IgA antibody in respiratory secretion from asthmatics, we measured house dust mite(HDM)-specific IgA antibody in 3% saline-induced sputum from 23 HDM-sensitive asthmatics, 4 atopic asthmatics without mite-sensitivity, 6 non-atopic asthmatics, and 13 non-atopic, non-asthmatic controls (including 6 non-atopic healthy controls, 4 patients with chronic bronchitis, and 3 patients with rheumatoid arthritis) by ELISA. We also measured HDM-specific IgA antibody in serum and numbers of eosinophils in sputum. 1) Levels of HDM-specific IgA antibody in sputum from mite-sensitive asthmatics were significantly higher than those from non-atopic, non-asthmatic controls and non-atopic asthmatics(p<0.05). Levels of HDM-specific IgA antibody in sputum from atopic asthmatics without mite-sensitivity were significantly higher than those from non-atopic, non-asthmatic controls (p<0.05), however HDM-specific IgA/albumin raito was not significantly different between two groups (p>0.05). 2) The ratio of HDM-specific IgA antibody to albumin in sputum was not significantly different in mite-sensitive asthmatics with sputum eosinophila (> or = 5% of 200 counted leukocytes) and those without sputum eosinophilia (p>0.05). 3) The ratio of HDM-specific IgA to albumin in sputum from asthmatics was higher than that of serum. 4) There was no significant correlation of HDM-specific IgA/albumin ratios between serum and sputum (p>0.05). 5) When comparing sputum and saliva samples from 7 mite-sensitive asthmatics, levels of HDM-specific IgA antibody in sputum were significantly higher than those in saliva (p<0.05). In conclusion, HDM-specific IgA anti-body was increased in sputum from HDM-sensitive asthmatics, and it might be locally produced from bronchial mucosa. To evlauate the pathogenetic significance of allergen-specific IgA antibody in respiratory secretion from asthmatics, further studies might be needed.
Bronchitis, Chronic ; Dust* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A* ; Mucous Membrane ; Saliva ; Sputum*

No abstract available.
Genetic Markers* ; Immunity, Cellular*

No abstract available.
Venous Thrombosis

BACKGROUND: Genus of Aspergilli are ubiquitous saprophytic molds in nature, but its change from a saprophytic fungus to a pathogenic organism has occurred since the use of various antibiotics. The fungus affects the chronically ill and debilitated population. Recently frequency of the fungal infection is increasing in Korea with abuse of antibiotics and glucocorticoids. METHOD: We analyzed medical records of 52 patients with pulmonary aspergillosis seen at Hanyang University Hospital from 1980 to 1994. The results were as follows; RESULTS: 1) Ages ranged between second to eighth decades with majority(50%) in the fourth to fifth decades. The male to female ratio was 1.1:1. 2) Hemoptysis and productive cough, the leading symptoms, occurred in 42.3% and 25% respectively. 3) On chest X-ray fingings, the characteristic 'fungus ball' pattern were observed in 53.8% of the 52 cases. 4) Sputum culture for aspergilli were positive in 21.6% of the cases. We performed foe needle aspiration in 22 patients and the diagnostic yield was 100%. 5) Thirty-six patients had history of treatment with antituberculous drugs under diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis for an average of 27.3 months. But sputum analysis for acid-fast bacilli were positive in 5.6%(2cases of 36cases), and postoperative pathologic findings showed that 38.9% (12 cases of 28cases) were combined with tuberculosis. 6) Right upper and left upper lobes were predominantly involved(34.6% and 19.2% respectively) and lobectomies were performed in 21 cases. 7) Underlying diseases were present in 47 cases and 48.9% of them were pulmonary tuberculosis. CONCLUSION: These results showed that pulmonary aspergillosis usually develops in patients with open cavitary pulmonary tuberculosis. And we must consider the possibility of pulmonary aspergillosis in a patient with hemoptysis and cavitary lung lesion.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Aspergillus ; Chronic Disease ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Fungi ; Glucocorticoids ; Hemoptysis ; Humans ; Korea ; Lung ; Male ; Medical Records ; Needles ; Pulmonary Aspergillosis* ; Sputum ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

No abstract available.
Humans ; Oligochaeta* ; Prospective Studies*

Adenoid cystic carcinoma is known to be a neoplasm of the major and minor salivary glands but it also occurs in the lacrimal gland, external auditory canal, easphagus, breast and skin. Adenoid cystic carcinoma of salivary gland is a slow-growin nalignant tumor. Although metastasis of this tumor clevelnps in about half the cases, its meta taes to the overlying skin is not common, moreover the skin metastasis to the remote site is raely found. Primary cutaneous adenoid cystic carcinoma is rare and histologically indistingisl able from skin metastasis of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary gland. A 53 year-old man presented a solitary, well defined, erythen at us, 1.3 x 1.3cm sized nodule on the vertex of the scalp, which revealed the typical histopatholog ndings of adenoid cystic carcinoma. One and half years ago, a tumor of the parotid gland va removed and proved to be a cribriform pattern of adenoid cystic carcinoma. The skin lesion was diaghosed as a skin metastasis of the alenoid cystic carcinoma of parotid gland rather than a primary cutaneous adenoid cystic carcinona because a similar pattern of adenoid cystic carcinorom had been discovered on the parotidg an l although it developed on the scalp, the usual site of primary cutaneous adenoid cystic carcinama.
Adenoids* ; Breast ; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic* ; Ear Canal ; Humans ; Lacrimal Apparatus ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Parotid Gland* ; Salivary Glands ; Salivary Glands, Minor ; Scalp ; Skin*

Intravascular papillary endotholial hyperplasia is a relatively rare (istose which is characterized by the development of endothelialdined papillary projections in a vascula humen. It is commonly found to be associated with thromboticrraterial and is now considered a reative process of the endothelium rather than a neoplastic one. Although this disease usually presents petri dish or bluish nodule on the head, neck or upper extremiti it can develop anywhere on the bod, . There are many reports about lesions in unusal locations, but t.hey are almost always solitary. A 61-year-old woman complained of multiple, tender, 1 x 1 to 4 x 5 creasized nodules on both hands, antecubital fossa, chest, abdomen, left shoulder and right calf. These the nodules showed reddish to bluish colors and had long hisbiries from 1 year to 7 years. Four our 13 lesions were excised for histopathologic diagnosis intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplaian 3 lesions and cavernous hemangioma in 1 lesion.(
Abdomen ; Diagnosis ; Endothelium ; Female ; Hand ; Head ; Hemangioma, Cavernous ; Humans ; Hyperplasia* ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Shoulder ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: Measurement of allergen-specific IgE antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been developed and the results were shown to correlate well with those obtained by radioimmunoassay (RIA). However, consensus on the optirnal condition and data expression method for the measurement of allergen-specific IgE using ELISA is still not present. Object: To define the optimal condition for the measurement of allergen-specific IgE using ELISA and to evaluate the accuracy and reproducibility of the results, METHOD: We measured the concentrations of house dust mite-specific IgE antibodies in serum samples by ELISA and RIA method (AlaSTAT, DPC, USA) using standardized Dermatop~hagoides farinae antigen (kindly donated by Allergopharma Joachim Ganzer KG, Reinbek, Germany). RESULTS: Optirnal antigen coating amount was 2 ug/well and optimal serum dilution was 1: 10 for ELISA. The expression of the absolute concentration of house dust mite-specific IgE antibodies within the unknown sample using serial dilutions of samples and standard serum seemed to be more reasonable than the expression of absorbance value at a single serum dilution, because the former method provided better inter-assay variation and correlation with RIA results. The results of specific IgE rneasurement using ELISA significantly correlated with RIA results (r=0.96, p<0.001, n=26). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the measurement of allergen-specific IgE antibodies using the ELISA method can be accurate and reliable if optimal assay conditions and standardized data expression are applied.
Antibodies* ; Consensus ; Dust* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay* ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Pyroglyphidae ; Radioimmunoassay

BACKGROUND: Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) is the most prevalent agent to cause occupational asthma (OA) in Korea. The pathogenic mechanism of TDI-induced OA is still unclear. Involvement of both immunological and non-immunologicaI mechanisms have been suggested. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a possible role of neutrophil in the development of TDI-asthma. OBJECT AND METHOD: Myeloperoxidase (MPO) as a neutrophil activation marker in both serum and induced sputum, and IL-8 in induced sputum were measured. Induced sputa and sera were collected from 15 TDI-induced OA patients (classified to group I) during TDI- bronchoprovocation test and were compared with those from 11 asthmatic subjects with negative TDI-bronchoprovocation test (group II). MPO levels were measured by radioimmunoassay, IL-8 levels, by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and albumin levels, by nephelometry. Sputum MPO and IL-8 levels were presented as a ratio to albumin. RESULT: Serum MPO level tended to decrease during the TDI-bronchoprovocation test in two groups, but no statistical significance was reached (p>0.05). However, the ratios of MPO (the ratio of MPO level measured at 30 min to MPO level at baseline, and the ratio MPO level measured at 360 min to MPO baseline) in group I were significantly lower than group II (p=0.004, p=0.03 respectively). The IL-8/albumin and MPO/albumin levels in induced sputum from group I were significantly increased after the TDI-bronchprovocation test in comparison to the baseline value which was obtained before the bronchoprovocation test (p=0.0l, p=0.02 respectively). There was a significant correlation between the percent increase of IL-8/albumin and the MPO/albumin in induced sputum (r=0.89, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest a possible involvement of neutrophil in the development of bronchoconstiction after the TDI exposure, and IL-8 might contribute to neutrophil recruitment to airway mucosa. Further investigation will be needed to investigate mechanism of neutrophil activation in the pathogenesis af TDI-induced OA.
Asthma, Occupational* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Interleukin-8 ; Korea ; Mucous Membrane ; Nephelometry and Turbidimetry ; Neutrophil Activation* ; Neutrophil Infiltration ; Neutrophils* ; Peroxidase ; Radioimmunoassay ; Sputum* ; Toluene 2,4-Diisocyanate

The transarterial embolization has been widely used to control bleeding. It has a variety of clinical utility; to reduce bleeding on the surgical field, to reduce the size of malignant tumor as a preopearative treatment, to treat arteriovenous malformation or arterial aneurysm as a curative method and to promote life qua' ity of patient with diffuse or multiple hepatocellular carcinoma as a palliative treatment, etc. With the advance of modem technology, various embolic materials have been also developed. IIowever, it has not- been -fully investigated of histopathologic changes of the embolized organs according to the embolic materials used. This study was undertaken to investigate the histopathologic changes of embolized renal artery in rabbit by various embolic materials, according to each embolic material and to time passed by after embolization. Of the 5 arteries embolized by ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer(EVAL), one showed abscess formation in embolized kidney. The other 4 allowed to perform further pathologic study: within a week after embolization there was no any specific change in vessels, however, r,unimal endothelial hypertrophy was observed following 2 weeks of embolization. Of the 8 renal arteries embolized by N-buthyl-2-cyanoacrylate(Histoacryl), 4 showed total occlusion of the main renal arteries as well as renal infarction, which reflects the strong adhesiveness of Histoacryl to vascular wall. The other 4 showed fibrinoid degeneration in vascular wall within a week. However, further change was not observed thereafter. In all the 5 renal arteries embolized by polyvinyl
Abscess ; Adhesiveness ; Aneurysm ; Arteries ; Arteriovenous Malformations ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Enbucrilate ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Infarction ; Kidney ; Modems ; Palliative Care ; Polyvinyls ; Renal Artery*