Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) has been recognized as a main cause of gastritis and most cases of peptic ulcer, gastric adenocarcinoma, and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. An immunological response to H. pylori infection has been suggested to play a major role in determining gastroduodenal damage through the production of cytokines and the autoantibody against gastric epithelial cell. H. pylori has been implicated in the pathogenesis of some autoimmune disease, such as Sjogren disease, Henoch-Schnlein purpura, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune thyroid disease, and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Serveral studies recently showed a high prevalence of H. pylori infection in patients with ITP and reported a platelet recovery after bacterial eradication therapy. We report a case of a 54-year-old man with chronic ITP who was resolved after eradication of H. pylori.
Adenocarcinoma ; Arthritis ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Blood Platelets ; Cytokines ; Epithelial Cells ; Gastritis ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone ; Middle Aged ; Peptic Ulcer ; Prevalence ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic* ; Thyroid Diseases

No abstract available.
Asthma*

To investigate frequency of painful and/or silent myocardial ischemia(SMI) determined by ECG ST-segment depression(more than 1.0mm depression for 0.08 second after J point over 60 seconds) during unrestricted daily activities, 24-hour dynamic ECG was performed in 19 patients(11 males, 8 females) with chronic stable angina pectoris, aged 57.4 years(44 to 73 years). During 456 hours of recording, there were 154 episodes of SMI. Of these, 139 episodes(90.3%) were silent and 15 episodes(9.7%) accompaned chest pain. The higher incidence of SMI than previously published data is probably influenced by 1 patient who disclosed 56 episodes (excluding this, SMI 84.7%). Sixty one percent of episodes of SMI occurred during light activities such as slow walk, hand labor, eating or at rest(sitting at ease), smoking and sleep, and 39% during more strenuous activites such as walk, climbing stairs and physical exercise. In contrast, most of the painful myocardial ischemia(PMI) developed during climbing stairs, walk and physical exercise. Heart rate during episodes of SMI varied ranging from 85.2+/-13.7/min at rest to 115.5+/-19.2/ min druing climbing stairs. Mean ST-segment depressions during episodes of SMI and PMI were 2.0(1.0-4.0)mm and 2.6(1.2-7.0)mm, respectively, in 6 patients who disclosed both SMI and PMI on 24-hour ECG recordings. However, frequency of ischemic episodes was higher(9.0 vs 2.5/day) and duration was longer(13.8min vs 3.0min) in SMI. These findings indicate that transient SMI in patients with chronic stable angina pectoris occurs more frequently than painful myocardial ischemia. In addition, SMI develops during activities that increase heart rate(increased O2 demand) as well as during activites that do not increase heart rate(decreased O2 supply). Therefore, both O2 demand and supply mechanisms may be involved in the pathogenesis of transient SMI in Patients with chronic stable angina pectoris.
Angina, Stable* ; Chest Pain ; Depression ; Eating ; Electrocardiography ; Exercise ; Hand ; Heart ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia* ; Smoke ; Smoking

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma remains a highly chemoresistant neoplasm and is a common malignancy with poor prognosis in Korea. We performed a phase II study to evaluate the efficacy and toxicities of topotecan and cisplatin combination chemotherapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS: Between November 1999 and May 2001, ten patients with histologically proven hepatocellular carcinoma were enrolled in this study. The median age was 54 (range: 53~74) years and all were male. Six patients demonstrated stage IV, 1 stage IIIC, 2 stage IIIB and 1 stage IIIA. Six patients showed a ECOG performance status of 1. The treatment regimen consisted of topotecan 1.25 mg/m2 and cisplatin 20 mg/m2 for 5 days. The treatment was repeated every 4 weeks. Toxicities were evaluated according to WHO toxicity criteria. RESULTS: All ten patients were evaluable for response and toxicity. There was only one patient who achieved partial response. The overall response rate was 10% (95% C.I.) and the response duration was 46 weeks. The median survival of all patients was 21 (range: 17~54+) weeks. During a total of 24 cycles, neutropenia of WHO grade 3 and 4 occurred in 33%, thrombocytopenia in 33% and anemia in 21%. In non-hematologic toxicity, diarrhea and hepatoxicity of grade 3 occurred in 1 and 2 patients, respectively. But there was no treatment-related death. CONCLUSION: When used in this dose and schedule, topotecan and cisplatin combination chemotherapy does not seem to be effective for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.
Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/*therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*drug therapy ; Cisplatin/*administration & dosage ; Human ; Liver Neoplasms/*drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Topotecan/*administration & dosage ; Treatment Outcome

No abstract available.
Cisplatin* ; Drug Therapy* ; Humans ; Ifosfamide* ; Paclitaxel*

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of paclitaxel and cisplatin against advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as a second-line chemotherapy. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Twenty-five patients were enrolled. The patients received 200 mg/m2 paclitaxel as a 3-hour intravenous infusion and 60 mg/m2 cisplatin as 30-minute intravenous infusion with vigorous hydration on day 1 every 28 days. The response was assessed every 2 cycles. RESULTS: All 25 patients were assessed for their response and toxicity. Partial responses were observed in 5 patients. The overall response rate was 20% (95% confidence interval, 4%~36%) and the median response duration was 4.5 (range, 2-11) months. The median time to progression was 3.3 (range, 0-14) months. The median overall survival of all patients was 7.4 (range, 1.3-39) months. The hematologic toxicities were minor and easily controlled. CONCLUSION: The combination chemotherapy of paclitaxel and cisplatin as a second-line treatment has a moderate efficacy with an acceptable toxicity in patients with advanced NSCLC.
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* ; Cisplatin* ; Drug Therapy* ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Humans ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Paclitaxel*

The nose is located centrally in the face and occupy an important place in the harmonic architecture of the face. Also, it plays important functions such as respiraton, olfaction and phonation. Therefore, reconstructive rhinoplasty is dealt with both cosmetic and functional aspect in mind. We have recently experienced three cases of reconstructive rhinoplasty for seborrheic keratosis of the nose, traumatic nasal defect, and basal cell carcinoma of the nose. Local flap and split calvarial bone graft were used for the reconstruction of the nose.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Keratosis, Seborrheic ; Nose ; Phonation ; Rhinoplasty* ; Smell ; Transplants*

Sarcoidosis is a systemic inflammatory disease characterized by non-caseating granulomas of unknown origin. Of the fewer than 6% of sarcoidosis cases that occur in subcutaneous tissue, most occur on the face or forearm, but rarely in the toe. A 33-year-old man was admitted to our institute with a 2-cm mass on his chin and a 0.5-cm mass on his right fourth toe. Based on preoperative ultrasonography, epidermal cysts were suspected, and histopathological tests were performed after removing the masses. Histopathologically, the chin and toe tissue samples showed chronic granulomatous inflammation, without necrosis, indicative of sarcoidosis. Chest computed tomography revealed a large number of small nodules in both the interlobar fissures and the peribronchial area, and a large number of small lymph nodes in both the hilar and interlobar node areas. On the basis of the histopathologic and imaging findings, the patient was diagnosed with sarcoidosis. This very rare case of sarcoidosis, occurring in both chin and toe, suggests that thorough evaluation is needed to find other mass when we find sarcoidosis in facial area.
Adult ; Chin* ; Epidermal Cyst ; Forearm ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Lymph Nodes ; Necrosis ; Sarcoidosis* ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Thorax ; Toes* ; Ultrasonography

Intradural lipomas not associated with spinal dysraphism are rare tumors of the spinal canal. The clinical course of most of the patients with intradural lipoma is slowly progressive with increasing leg weakness and gait disturbance during the first 5 years of life or early adulthood. Since neurologic deficits usually occur very slowly and insidiously, symptoms are present over 2 years in the majority of patients before a diagnosis is made. In view of such a clinical course, a huge intradural lipoma presenting with no neurological deficits in an adult is a very rare case. We present our recent experience with a case of a huge intradural lipoma of the cervical cord without any association with spinal dysraphism and other anomalies of the spine in a neurologically intact adult patient. A review of the literature is also discussed.
Adult ; Diagnosis ; Gait ; Humans ; Leg ; Lipoma* ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Spinal Canal ; Spinal Dysraphism ; Spine

Angiosarcomas are extremely rare in the nasal cavity and para-nasal sinus. Upto the present only nineteen cases have been reported in the literature. A 31-year-old male presented with right facial swelling and large oral cavity mass. He was treated with wide excision of the tumor by radical maxillectomy. The tumor was diagnosed as angiosarcoma by immunohistochemical staining with factor VIII-reactive antigen. No adjuvant radiotherapy after surgery was done. After 9 montbs from surgery, the tumor recurred in the primary sites of oral cavity and right maxillary sinus and metastasized to the both lungs. He was treated with palliative chemotherapy and showed a stable disease in follow-up magnetic resonance image of para-nasal sinus and simple chest X-ray after second cycle of chemotherapy. He is undergoing further chemotherapy without any problems. We report first in Korea a case of primary angiosarcoma of the right maxillary sinus in a 31-year-old male.
Adult ; Drug Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemangiosarcoma* ; Humans ; Korea ; Lung ; Male ; Maxillary Sinus* ; Mouth ; Nasal Cavity ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Thorax