PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of brinzolamide 1%/brimonidine 0.2% fixed combination (BBFC) in normal tension glaucoma (NTG) patients. METHODS: This prospective study included patients treated with brinzolamide 1% monotherapy, brimonidine 0.2% monotherapy or brinzolamide 1% and brimonidine 0.2% concomitant therapy, as well as newly diagnosed NTG patients. The enrolled patients who used brinzolamide 1% or brimonidine 0.2% switched to BBFC and newly diagnosed NTG patients were treated with BBFC. The patients receiving brinzolamide 1% or brimonidine 0.2% monotherapy or brinzolamide 1% and brimonidine 0.2% concomitant therapy switched antiglaucoma drugs to BBFC. Newly diagnosed NTG patients used BBFC as the first therapy. The study consisted of 1 screening/baseline visit and 3 follow-up visits conducted after 1, 4, 8, 12 and 24 weeks of treatment. Intraocular pressure (IOP), mean deviation value and adverse drug reactions were evaluated before treatment and after treatment with BBFC. RESULTS: The mean IOP in the brinzolamide 1% monotherapy group was 13.5 ± 1.6 mm Hg and the mean IOP after switched from brinzolamide 1% monotherapy to BBFC was 12.1 ± 1.5 mm Hg. The mean IOP in the brimonidine 0.2% monotherapy group was 14.2 ± 1.3 mm Hg and the mean IOP after switched from brimonidine 0.2% monotherapy to BBFC was 11.7 ± 1.5 mm Hg. The mean IOP was 11.9 ± 2.1 mm Hg in the brinzolamide 1% and brimonidine 0.2% concomitant therapy group and the mean IOP after switched from brinzolamide 1% and brimonidine 0.2% concomitant therapy to BBFC was 12.0 ± 1.1 mm Hg. The mean IOP and reduction rate were 10.7 ± 2.1 mm Hg and 35.5%, respectively,in the newly diagnosed NTG patients treated with BBFC. There was no serious adverse drug reaction causing ocular damage. CONCLUSIONS: BBFC provides a significant IOP reduction and is a safe antiglaucoma medication for NTG patients.
Brimonidine Tartrate ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Low Tension Glaucoma* ; Prospective Studies

A variety of therapeutic options are available for managing arteriovenous malformations(AVM's) including microsurgical resection, embolization, stereotactic radiosurgery or a combination of these treatments. The primary advantages of neurosurgical resection include immediate and almost certain cure, immediate elimination of the risk of hemorrhage, and the absence of longterm delayed complications. Surgery, however, is more invasive than other therapeutic options and is associated with the potential for perioperative morbidity or mortality. A series of 42 patients undergoing microsurgical resection of AVM's of the brain between January 1990 and March 1998 were analyzed for complications and postoperative outcomes. Twelve patients(28.6%) had complications. There were 5 deaths(11.9%) which were thought to be caused by increased intracranial pressure(3 cases), venous infarction(1 case) and postoperative hemorrhage(1 case). Other nonfatal complications were 3 cases of motor weakness, a case of visual field defect following occipital lobe retraction, a case of dilated cardiomyopathy in children and two cases of new onset of seizures. All cases were graded according to the Spetzler-Martin classification. There were six cases of complications in 22 patients with Grade I AVM'(22.7%), three cases of complications in 10 patients with Grade II AVM'(30.0%), one case of complications in 7 patients with Grade III AVM'(14.2%), no complications in 1 patient with Grade IV AVM', and two cases of complications in 2 patients with Grade V AVM'(100%). The various components of the AVM' grading system were analyzed for the ability to predict complications, but there was no statistical significance in this study. The preoperative Glasgow coma scale accurately correlated with the incidence of postoperative complications(p=0.004).
Arteriovenous Malformations* ; Brain* ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated ; Child ; Classification ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Microsurgery ; Mortality ; Occipital Lobe ; Radiosurgery ; Seizures ; Visual Fields

No abstract available.
Lymphangioma* ; Mediastinal Cyst*

BACKGROUND: Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is widely available in clinical practice. To evaluate the pattern of normal 24 hour variation of blood pressure and the problems in analysis of data which was obtained with use of automatic blood pressure recorder, 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure was measured. METHODS: Ambulatory blood pressure was recorded for 24 hours with automatic blood pressure monitor in 22 normotensive young adolescents. RESULTS: 1) Average 24-hour BP was 109mmHg in systolic(115+/-30 for male, 102+/-30 for female), 66mmHg in diastolic(69+/-18 for male, 63+/-19 for female) and pulse rate was 72 beats per minute(70+/-23 for male, 75+/-26 for female). 2) Data obtained from ambulatory blood pressure monitor should be analyzed after deletion of unacceptable data with use of conventional criteria. Blood pressure increase which is not accompanied by increase in pulse rate increase can be used as another criteria to rule out unacceptable blood pressure data. 3) Blood pressure was low from mid-night to 6 A.M. and began to rise slowly till mid-day and then maintained steadily through the remainder of the day. And 24 hour variation of blood pressure was more adequately assessed after application of Fourier analysis. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that certain deletion criteria was inevitable during analysis of the data which were obtained from ambulatory blood pressure recorder and Fourier analysis can be used as valuable smoothing technique to assess the 24-hour blood pressure profiles.
Adolescent* ; Blood Pressure ; Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory* ; Blood Pressure Monitors ; Fourier Analysis ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Male

BACKGROUND: Flow interruption technique has been used to measure respiratory system mechanics, and its prominent advantage is to partitionate the respiratory system resistance into airway and tissue component. In this study, we investigated the effects of varing concentrations of enflurane on respiratory system mechanics using flow interruption technique. METHODS: Six cats, weighing 3.0~3.6 kg were used. Pentobarbital sodium was injected intraperitonially and endotracheal intubation was followed. Intermittent mandatory ventilation was applied with Siemens Servo 900C ventilator. The inspiratory flow rate, tidal volume, and respiratory rate were fixed, and normocarbia (PaCO2; 30~35 mmHg) was maintained throughout the experiment. The changes in the pressure and volume were recorded with Bicore CP100 pulmonary monitor at control, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 MAC of enflurane. The data were transfered to a PC and analyzed by Anadat processing software. Respiratory system, airway and tissue viscoelastic resistances, and dynamic and static compliances were calculated. RESULTS: Respiratory system resistances decreased up to 1 MAC of enflurane compared to the control value (p<0.05), but there were no significant differences in the values of resistance among 1, 1.5, 2 MAC of enflurane. There were no significant differences in tissue viscoelastic resistances, and dynamic and static compliances with varying concentrations of enflurane. CONCLUSIONS: Enflurane significantly reduces the respiratory system resistance mainly by decreasing airway resistance. Tissue viscoelastic resistance and respiratory system compliances are not influenced by changes in concentration of enflurane.
Airway Resistance ; Animals ; Cats* ; Enflurane* ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Mechanics* ; Pentobarbital ; Respiratory Rate ; Respiratory System* ; Tidal Volume ; Ventilation ; Ventilators, Mechanical

No abstract available.
Occupational Health*

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to compare executive functions in patients with Organic Brain Syndrome(OBS), Schizophrenia, Depression and normal control group with Wisconsin Card Sorting Test Computer Version (WCST). METHODS: WCST was administered to 82 normal adults, 32 OBS patients, 29 schizophrenic patients, and 22 depressive patients. WCST 16 indices in four groups were compared, using ANOVA and posthoc comparison. WCST performance was examined by factor analysis on the 15 indices of WCST on total subjects and the factor scores were compared. RESULT: WCST 16 indices in mental disorders (OBS, Schizophrenia, Depression) were lower than those of control groups. Three factors were derived from the analysis. These consisted of 'perseveration', 'nonperseverative error' and 'inefficient sorting'. Comparing factor scores, differences in 'perseverative error' factor and 'inefficient sorting' factor were found. CONCLUSION: The impairment of higher cognitive functions, especially executive function impairment in OBS and schizophrenia, was qualitatively different from those of depression and normal control groups. WCST can differentiate specific pattern of executive function impairment in mental disorders.
Adult ; Brain ; Depression ; Executive Function* ; Humans ; Mental Disorders ; Schizophrenia ; Wisconsin*

PURPOSE: To investigate the preoperative factors affecting the visual outcome after a vitrectomy in a rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). METHODS: A retrospective study of 79 eyes was carried out. The 41 eyes were macula-off RRD (group I), the 38 eyes were macula-on RRD (group II). The preoperative factors examined in this study included the preoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), age, the duration of macular detachment, the extent of the detached retina, the delay of operation. The correlation between these factors and the postoperative 6 months BCVA were investigated. RESULTS: In group I, preoperative BCVA (r = 0.313, p = 0.037) and preoperative retinal detachment (RD) extent (r = 0.483, p = 0.001) were significantly correlated with postoperative 6 months BCVA. In group II, preoperative BCVA and preoperative RD extent were not significantly correlated with postoperative 6 months BCVA. Regardless of including macula, the patient's age, duration of symptom and delay of operation after clinic visit were not affected to the visual outcome. Patients with symptom duration of 7 days or less achieved better final BCVA (0.36 ± 0.45 log MAR, n = 29) than patients with longer symptom duration (0.79 ± 0.55 log MAR, n = 16) (p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: After vitrectomy for macula-off RRD, the factors related to favorable visual outcome were the better preoperative BCVA, the less extent of the detached retina. And surgical repair within 7 days of the symptom onset yielded better visual outcomes. Otherwise, in macula-on RRD, preoperative BCVA, age, the duration of retinal detachment, the extent of the detached retina, the delay of operation did not impact on visual outcome.
Ambulatory Care ; Humans ; Retina ; Retinal Detachment* ; Retinaldehyde* ; Retrospective Studies ; Visual Acuity ; Vitrectomy*

BACKGROUND: Hemorrhagic shock and trauma are two of the most common causes of acute lung injury. The activation of cyclooxygenase is one of the important causes of acute lung injury. This study investigated the effect of aspirin, a well-known cyclooxygenase inhibitor, on severe hemorrhage-induced acute lung injury in rats. METHODS: The hemorrhagic shock was induced by withdrawing blood; 20ml/kg of B.W., through the femoral artery in 5 min. The mean arterial pressure was recorded through the femoral artery on a polygraph. RESULTS: In the present investigation, the lung tissue myeloperoxidase activity, protein contents and leukocyte counts, in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, increased significantly 2 and 24 h after the hemorrhage induction. Although the decreased mean arterial pressure spontaneously recovered, acute lung injury occurred after severe hemorrhage. These changes were effectively prevented by a single intravenous injection of aspirin (10 mg/kg of B.W.) 30 min before the hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that severe hemorrhage-induced acute lung injury is mediated, in part, by the activation of cyclooxygenase. Furthermore, pretreatment of aspirin in acute lung injury-prone patients, or prophylactic treatment of aspirin to the patients with precipitating conditions, could be helpful in the prevention of acute lung injury.
Acute Lung Injury* ; Animals ; Arterial Pressure ; Aspirin* ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Femoral Artery ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Injections, Intravenous ; Leukocyte Count ; Lung ; Peroxidase ; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases ; Rats* ; Shock, Hemorrhagic

Lipoma Arborescens is rarely encountered in hip joint. This term was first used by Mueller in 1838, to describe a fatty trmor of the knee which presented branched villous-like projection. The etiology is unknown, Suggests its probable reationship to tuberculosis, rheumatoid arthitis, trauma, chronic inflammation, diabetes mellitus and degenerative arthritis. It frequently involves knee joint, hand, wrist, foot, ankle, tendon sheath and hip joint. It usually presents bilaterally. Their nonspecific symptoms and signs are mild pain, joint swelling with minimum effusion, festriction of joint motion, redness, local heating and crepitus. We experienced a case of lipoma arborescens of hip joint, which was treated by synovectomy with excision of lesion.
Ankle ; Arthralgia ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Foot ; Hand ; Heating ; Hip Joint ; Hip ; Hot Temperature ; Inflammation ; Joints ; Knee ; Knee Joint ; Lipoma ; Osteoarthritis ; Tendons ; Tuberculosis ; Wrist