BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome increases the risk for cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Many studies have revealed that eating frequency influences the total serum cholesterol level, glucose tolerance and obesity. Hypothesizing that an increase in eating frequency decreases the prevalence of metabolic syndrome with total energy intake adjusted, we evaluated the association between eating frequency and the risk of metabolic syndrome in Koreans aged more than 20 years old. METHODS: We used the data from the 2005 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III and the Asia-Pacific regional obesity guidelines. To examine the association of metabolic syndrome with eating frequency, snack frequency and meal frequency, we performed multiple logistic regression analysis adjusting for age, sex, physical activity, daily caloric intake, smoking and drinking. RESULTS: Meal frequency was associated with metabolic syndrome in the 20-45 years group (P=0.011). Eating frequency was significantly related with metabolic syndrome in the group aged more than 45 years (P=0.025). Within the subgroup of subjects more than 45 years who had one or two meals a day, snack frequency showed a significant association with metabolic syndrome (P=0.038). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that a decreased eating frequency is associated with a risk of metabolic syndrome, although the causal relationship is not exactly known. It would be useful to pursue this question through further studies.
Adult ; Aged ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cholesterol ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Eating ; Energy Intake ; Food Habits ; Glucose ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Meals ; Motor Activity ; Nutrition Surveys ; Obesity ; Prevalence ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Snacks

Uterine sarcomas are relatively rare tumors of mesodermal origin that constitute 2-6% of uterine malignancies. Uterine sarcomas include endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS), leiomyosarcoma (LMS), malignant mixed m llerian tumor (MMMT) of both homologous and heterologous type, pure heterologous sarcomas, blood vessel sarcomas, and lymphoma. Endometrial stromal tumors are divided into three types: 1) endometrial stromal nodule, 2) low-grade stromal sarcoma or endolymphatic stromal myosis, and 3) endometrial stromal sarcoma. The low grade endometrial stromal sarcoma is very rare. It shows occasional local recurrence, which might arise from endometrial stroma, from adenomyosis, and rarely from endometriosis. We have experienced a case of low grade endometrial stromal sarcoma of the uterus in a 54-year-old woman, which is presented with a review of literatures.
Adenomyosis ; Blood Vessels ; Endometrial Stromal Tumors ; Endometriosis ; Female ; Humans ; Leiomyosarcoma ; Lymphoma ; Mesoderm ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence ; Sarcoma ; Sarcoma, Endometrial Stromal* ; Uterus*

BACKGROUND: It is well known that intracoronary thrombolysis during the early period of acute myocardial infarction leads to the limitation of myocardial necrosis, preserves left ventricular function, and improves survivals. The recanalization rate of intracoronary rrokinase infusion into infarct-related coronary artery was known as 62-94 percents in previos studies. The various factors influence the outcome of intracoronary thrombolysis, including total dose of urokinase, time from onsrt of chest pain to thrombolysis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the occlusion site morphology influences recanalization rates of intracoronary thrombolysis. METHODS: We evaluated infarct-related coronary artery morphology of 56 acute mycardial infarction patients who performed intracoronary thrombolytic therapy within 6-12 hours after the onset of acute myocardial infarction. Intracoronary urokinase infusion was performed at a rate of 25000 IU/minute. The presence of calcification, collaterals, side branches and the stump site morphologies(thrombus type, pencil type, cutting type) were identified on magnified 35mm cine frames. RESULTS: Reperfusion was successed in 34 patients and failed in 22 patients. There were no statistically significant difference in the pressure of calcification, collaterals, and side branches between success and failure groups. Intracoronary thrombus was identified in 21 percent of success group, but not in failure group. The reperfusion rates according to stump site morphology were 76% in thrombus type, 58% in cutting type, and 42% in pencil type(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Our study indicates the presence of intracoronary thrombus and the morphology of thrombus type is more effective in intracoronary thrombolysis in acute myocardial infarction. The identification of types of the coronary obstruction will be helpful for the selection of intracoronary thrombolysis in acute myocardial infarction patients. And the results suggest that the difference of stump composition show different stump morphologies.
Chest Pain ; Coronary Vessels* ; Humans ; Infarction ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Necrosis ; Reperfusion ; Thrombolytic Therapy ; Thrombosis ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator ; Ventricular Function, Left

PURPOSE: We performed dynamic MR imaging using GdDTPA to find characteristic enhancement pattern of hepatic hemangioma distinguishing from hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS AND MATERIALS: 28 hepatic hemangiomas and 10 hepatocellular carcinomas were evaluated. Serial dynamic scans after Gd-DTPA(0.1mmol/kg) intravenous injection were obtained by using 0.5T machine and analyzed contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR) of the lesion and enhancement pattern on each scan. RESULTS: Hepatic hemangiomas had positive CNR from 1-2 minute images, and revealed typical "fill-in phenomenon" on early phase with prolonged enhancement in 26 cases(92.8%), and early homogeneous enhancement with isointensity on delayed phase in 2 cases(7.2%) of small hemangiome~ Hepatocellular carcinomas revealed inhomogeneous enhancement with hypointensity on delayed phase in 10 cases(100%) and 3 cases (30%) of capsular enhancement. CONCLUSION: Hepatic hemangioma can be easily distinguished from hepatocellular carcinoma by using Gd DTPA enhanced dynamic MR imaging according to its typical enhancement pattern of "fill-in phenomenon" and prolonged enhancement.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Hemangioma* ; Injections, Intravenous ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Percutaneuous transvenous mitral commissurotomy(PTMC) has been performed as an effective non-surgical treatment modality of rheumatic mitral stenosis. Mitral regurgitation(MR) as a complication of the procedure occur in 20-53% of the patients. The moderate to severe mitral reguargitation, created by the PTMC, sometimes leads to the requirement for mitral valve replacement, but most of the MR limits the optimal dilation of mitral commissure due to the worry about the progression of the MR. This study was designed to evaluate the occurrence of mitral regurgitation and predictive factors for the moderate to severe mitral regurgitation(grade> or =2) induced by PTMC. METHODS: This study enrolled 46 patients(female 42, mean age 45 years) who have performed PTMC in Yeungnam University Hospital from May 1996 to May 1999. We analyzed the occurrence rate of mitral regurgitation(MR) and predictive factors for MR grade> or =2 after procedure. RESULTS: MR was detected in 35% of the patients prior PTMC, and in 56% after the procedure(grade 1, 30%; grade 2, 15%; grade 3, 11%). 21 cases of the MR was commissure MR as a grade< or =2. MR grade 3, occured in 5 patients, was non-commissure MR caused by the unilateral rupture of the lateral commissure in 4 patients and tearing of the annulus in one patient. On the univariate analysis, patients with MR grade> or =2 showed more frequent atrial fibrillation, mitral regurgitation and fluoroscopic calcification, and had more severe symptoms than patients with MR grade<2 before the procedure. On the analysis of the calcification, there was no significant difference of the leaflet calcification score, but the commissure calcification score was significantly higher in MR> or =2 group than MR<2 group(1.5+/-0.54 vs 2.5+/-0.96, p=.02). On the multivariate logistic regression analysis, independent predictor of MR grade> or =2 was fluoroscopic mitral calcification(OR 6.38, p=.048). CONCLUSION: Mild to moderate commissure MR was observed in most of the patients after PTMC. Commissure calcification have more influence on the development of MR grade> or =2 than valvular calcification, and the fluoroscopic mitral calcification can predict the occurrence of MR grade> or =2 mitral regurgitation after PTMC.
Atrial Fibrillation ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Mitral Valve ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency* ; Mitral Valve Stenosis ; Rupture

No abstract available.

BACKGROUND: It is well known that ischemic preconditioning protects the heart against infarction or arrhythmias from a subsequent ischemic injury. Two phases of the effect of preconditioning has been explored, early protection and second window of protection at 24 hours. The late protection was seen in some animal model, but the precise mechanism is controversal. This study was designed to evaluate the late cardioprotective effect and role of HSP70 in ischemic preconditioning of cat heart. METHODS: Two groups of cats were studied. Control animals were subjected to an episode of 40-min coronary artery occlusion followed by 30-min reperfusion. Experimental animals were subjected to ischemic preconditioning before the 40-min ishcemia/reperfusion. The preconditioning protocol was comprised of three 5-min episodes of ischemia interspersed by 10-min episodes of reperfusion. After sustained ischemia and reperfusion, left ventricular risk area and infart area were measured by injection of Evans blue bye and triphenyltetrazolium staining, and myocardial HSP70 mRNA was examined in risk(left ventricular anterior wall) and nonrisk(left ventricular posterior wall) area using northern blot hybridization. HSP70 mRNA expression was quantified as a percent of GAPDH. The late cardioprotective effects of ischemic preconditioning were determined by infarct size (% area at risk). RESULTS: Infarct size was markedly limited by ischemic preconditioning when compared with the control group (18.5+/-6.9% vs 38.5+/-11.1%; p<0.001). HSP70 mRNA expression in risk area was much higher in preconditioning group than control group(78+/-12% vs 41+/-11%; p<0.01). But, there was no significant difference of HSP70 mRNA expression in the posterior wall between control and ischemic preconditioning group. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that ischemic preconditioning have delayed myocardial protective effect from ischemia. The increase in myocardial HSP70 mRNA may be one of the contributing factors to the delayed cardioprotective effects of ischemic preconditioning in cats.
Animals ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Blotting, Northern ; Cats* ; Coronary Vessels ; Evans Blue ; Heart* ; Heat-Shock Proteins* ; Hot Temperature* ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; Infarction ; Ischemia ; Ischemic Preconditioning* ; Models, Animal ; Reperfusion ; RNA, Messenger

BACKGROUND: It is well known that ischemic preconditioning protects the heart against infarction or arrhythmias from a subsequent ischemic injury. Recent laboratory data indicate that the adenosine during the ischemic period may trigger protection via A1 or A3 adenosine receptor and also protein kinase C(PKC) plays a central role. This study was designed to determine the role of adenosine receptor subtypes and PKC in the preconditioning protection. METHODS: All cat heart groups were subjected to 40min ischemia and 30min reperfusion. The preconditioning protocol consists of 4min ischemia and then 10min of reperfusion 4 times. The effects of ischemic preconditioning, nonselective adenosine receptor blocker(SPT), an A1 specific antagonist(DPCPX) and protein kinase C inhibitor(Polymyxin B), on ischemic preconditioning were determined by infarction size. There were 5 groups : (1) control group (Group 1, n=10)(2) Ischemic preconditioned group(Group 2, n=9)(3) DPCPX pretreatment group(Group 3, n=6)(4) SPT preteatment group(Group 3, n=6)(5) Polymyxin B pretreatment group(Group 5, n=6). SPT and DPCPX were given intravenously 5 min before ischemic preconditioning. Polymyxin B was administered to cats for 30min during ischemic preconditioning period. RESULTS: Ischemic preconditioning only or pretreatment with DPCPX prior to preconditioning demonstrated a significant reduction in infarct size(22.6+/-1.5, 25.4+/-0.9% infarction of the risk zone, respectively, p<0.05) with respect to control, SPT-pretreatment, and polymyxin B-pretreatment groups(44.0+/-1.7, 43.0+/-2.0 and 40.3+/-0.4% infarction of the risk zone, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Ischemic preconditioning protects heart from subsequent ischemia. Protection was blocked by SPT and protein kinase C inhibitor(polymyxin B), but not by A1 antagonist DPCPX. The cardioprotective effects by ischemic preconditioning in the in vivo cat heart appear to be dependent on A3 adenosine receptors and activation of protein kinase C.
Adenosine* ; Animals ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Cats* ; Heart* ; Infarction ; Ischemia ; Ischemic Preconditioning* ; Polymyxin B ; Polymyxins ; Protein Kinase C* ; Protein Kinases* ; Receptors, Purinergic P1* ; Reperfusion

No abstract available.
Female ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Tubal*

No abstract available.
Bronchopulmonary Sequestration*