OBJECTIVE: To obtain a effect of intraarticular injection of Sodium Hyaluronate in the patient with degenerative osteoarthritis without restriction of activities of daily living. METHOD: Twenty-five patients were participated in this study. These patients are diagnosed as degenerative osteoarthritis by clinical symtoms and radiographic findings. Sodium hyaluronate, 2.5 ml, 3 mg/ampule, were injected intraarticulary without local anesthesia once a week for 5 times consecutively. For evaluation of the effectiveness of sodium hyaluronate, we assess the parameters for subjective and objective symtoms scored from 0 to 3 on 3 items, and for activities of daily living scored from 0 to 4 on 4 items. And then, we compared these data between pre-injection and at post-injection 2, 4, and 5 weeks. Changes of subjective and objective symtoms, and activities of daily living are assessed using Kellgren's X-ray grading of degenerative osteoarthritis. Improvement of the subjective pain is recorded by visual analogue scale. RESULTS: 1. Subjective and objective symtoms, and activities of daily living with time progression were significantly increased at post-injection 4, 5 weeks compared with pre-injection status (P<0.05). 2. Subjective and objective symtoms, and activities of daily living according to Kellgren's X-ray classification were significantly increased at stage II and III (P<0.05). 3. Visual analogue scale is significantly decreased after injection (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Intraarticular injection of sodium hyaluronate showed improvement of patient's subjective and objective symtoms, and activities of daily living. The improvement was pronounced in the cases of high grade of degenerative osteoarthritis (stage II, III) according to Kellgren's X-ray classification as well as low grade (Stage I).
Activities of Daily Living ; Anesthesia, Local ; Classification ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid* ; Injections, Intra-Articular ; Knee* ; Osteoarthritis* ; Sodium*

BACKGROUND: Glucocorticoids (GC) are the most potent medications used to control airway inflammation associated with asthma. The aim of this study was to see whether alterations in GC receptor binding contribute to poor response to GC therapy in severe asthma. METHODS: Seventeen patients with severe persistent bronchial asthma were studied. Patients were classified as GC sensitive if their morning FEV1 increased >15% after a 1-week course of systemic GC (>prednisolone 40mg/day) and GC-resistant if they failed to increase >15%. GC receptor binding affinity for dexamethasone of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were determined by using a radioligand binding assay and Scatchard analysis. RESULTS: There were no significant differences of age, serum IgE levels, peripheral blood eosinophils and atopic states between GC-resistant (n=10) and GC-responsive (n=7) groups. GC-resistant patients had significantly decreased GC receptor binding affinity (Kd=24.3+/-9.55) compared to the GC sensitive patients (Kd=13.5+/-1.48) and normal controls (n=6, Kd=4.24+/-1.09). CONCLUSION: These data suggest that decreased binding affinity of GC receptor is an important factor in clinical GC resistance in chronic severe asthma.
Asthma* ; Dexamethasone ; Eosinophils ; Glucocorticoids ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Inflammation ; Receptors, Glucocorticoid*

No abstract available.
Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous* ; Pulmonary Sclerosing Hemangioma*

PURPOSE: To determine the CT findings which distinguish consolidation-type bronchioloalveolar carcinoma fromnecrotizing pneumonia. MATERIALS AND METHOD: This study involved ten patients with pathologically-provenconsolidation-type bronchioloalveolar carcinoma and 34 with necrotizing pneumonia proven pathologically either inthe laboratory or clinically. We retrospectively analyzed CT features including the enhancement pattern ofconsolidated lung, the presence and internal density of cavity within consolidated lung, CT angiogram sign,air-bronchogram, pleural enhancement, pleural effusion, and change in extrapleural tissue and its density. RESULT: CT findings in patients with necrotizing pneumonia showed higher attenuation in marginal (94.1%) and inner(85.3%) portions in consolidated lung than in muscles (p<0.005); the presence of cavity (91.2%, p<0.05) ; cavitywith fluid or air-fluid level (77.4%, p<0.005); pleural enhancement (88.2%, p<0.00003) ; pleural effusion (33.3%,p<0.05); and change in extrapleural tissue (64.7%, p<0.05). CT findings in patients with consolidation-typebronchioloalveolar carcinoma showed lower attenuation in marginal (90.0%) and inner (60.0%) portions ofconsolidated lung than muscles (p<0.005) and of cavity containing air (100%; p<0.005). However, air-bronchogramand CT angiogram signs were not helpful in differentiating the two groups. CONCLUSION: CT can help differentiateconsolidation-type bronchioloalveolar carcinoma and necrotizing pneumonia.
Adenocarcinoma, Bronchiolo-Alveolar* ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Humans ; Lung ; Muscles ; Pleural Effusion ; Pneumonia* ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: Notified tuberculosis (TB) cases in Korea have not decreased over the last decade (2001-2010). METHODS: To clarify the reasons, we analyzed an annual report on notified tuberculosis patients and age-specific population drift in Korea. RESULTS: Compared to the age-specific notified TB cases between 2001 and 2010, distinctive features in notified TB cases and new cases increased markedly in people aged 45-54 years and in patients over 65 years old, whereas those between 15-34 years in 2010 decreased drastically. In particular, notified TB individuals over 65 years old occupied 29.6% of the cases in 2010, which was 1.5 times higher than that in 2001. The main reason not to decrease in notified TB patients for the last decade (2001-2010) was due to the increasing elderly population as well as the aging of baby boomers, which have a higher risk of TB development. CONCLUSION: Korea needs to pay attention to the older population in order to successfully decrease the burden of TB in the future.
Aged ; Aging ; Humans ; Korea ; Population Dynamics ; Population Growth ; Tuberculosis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Endothelin (ET)-1, a potent endothelium-derived vasoconstrictor peptide, has a potential pathophysiologic role in pulmonary hypertension. Bosentan, a dual ET receptor (ET(A)/ET(B)) antagonist, is efficacious in treatment of pulmonary hypertension. The objectives of this study were to investigate the expression of ET-1 and ET receptor A (ERA) genes and to evaluate the effect of bosentan in monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertension. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated as follows: control (n=36), subcutaneous (sc) injection of saline; MCT (n=36), sc injection of MCT (60 mg/kg); and bosentan (n=36), sc injection of MCT (60 mg/kg) plus 25 mg/kg/day bosentan orally. RESULTS: Serum ET-1 concentrations in the MCT group were higher than the control group on day 28 and 42. Quantitative analysis of peripheral pulmonary arteries revealed that the increase in medial wall thickness after MCT injection was significantly attenuated in the bosentan group on day 28 and 42. In addition, the increase in the number of intra-acinar muscular arteries after MCT injection was reduced by bosentan on day 14, 28 and 42. The levels of ET-1 and ERA gene expression were significantly increased in the MCT group compared with control group on day 5, and bosentan decreased the expression of ET-1 on day 5. CONCLUSION: ET-1 contributes to the progression of cardiopulmonary pathology in rats with MCT-induced pulmonary hypertension. Administration of bosentan reduced ET-1 gene expression in MCT-induced pulmonary hypertension in rats.
Animals ; Arteries ; Endothelin-1 ; Endothelins ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; Male ; Monocrotaline ; Pulmonary Artery ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Endothelin ; Sulfonamides

Objective: Our goal was to review outcomes of patients with heterotopic pregnancies who under went surgical treatment. Methods: From January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2021, 27 women with heterotopic pregnancies who had undergone surgical treatment were enrolled. We investigated pregnancy outcomes based on clinical records and follow-up telephone interviews. Three of the 27 patients were excluded because we were unable to contact them. Results: Of the 24 patients included in the study, 17 underwent salpingectomies for tubal pregnan cies, 5 underwent wedge resections for cornual pregnancies, and 1 underwent a unilateral salpingooophorectomy for ovarian pregnancy. One patient with a suspected heterotopic cervical pregnancy had undergone extraction with forceps and curettage under abdominal ultrasound guidance. Three patients had spontaneous abortions after treatment for heterotopic pregnancies (2 tubal pregnancies, one cervical pregnancy). Twenty-one of 24 patients had heterotopic pregnancies that occurred after assisted reproductive technology. Three cases were heterotopic pregnancies that occurred without reproductive interventions. Among 24 patients who underwent surgical treatment, 18 patients (75.0%) had full-term deliveries. Conclusion There were no hospitalizations due to preterm labor, and 21 deliveries (87.5%) were either late preterm or full-term. There were no fetal abnormalities or maternal complications. Although the development of assisted reproductive technologies has increased the incidence of heterotopic pregnancy, the outcomes of heterotopic pregnancies are generally good.

Objective: Our goal was to review outcomes of patients with heterotopic pregnancies who under went surgical treatment. Methods: From January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2021, 27 women with heterotopic pregnancies who had undergone surgical treatment were enrolled. We investigated pregnancy outcomes based on clinical records and follow-up telephone interviews. Three of the 27 patients were excluded because we were unable to contact them. Results: Of the 24 patients included in the study, 17 underwent salpingectomies for tubal pregnan cies, 5 underwent wedge resections for cornual pregnancies, and 1 underwent a unilateral salpingooophorectomy for ovarian pregnancy. One patient with a suspected heterotopic cervical pregnancy had undergone extraction with forceps and curettage under abdominal ultrasound guidance. Three patients had spontaneous abortions after treatment for heterotopic pregnancies (2 tubal pregnancies, one cervical pregnancy). Twenty-one of 24 patients had heterotopic pregnancies that occurred after assisted reproductive technology. Three cases were heterotopic pregnancies that occurred without reproductive interventions. Among 24 patients who underwent surgical treatment, 18 patients (75.0%) had full-term deliveries. Conclusion There were no hospitalizations due to preterm labor, and 21 deliveries (87.5%) were either late preterm or full-term. There were no fetal abnormalities or maternal complications. Although the development of assisted reproductive technologies has increased the incidence of heterotopic pregnancy, the outcomes of heterotopic pregnancies are generally good.

Objective: Our goal was to review outcomes of patients with heterotopic pregnancies who under went surgical treatment. Methods: From January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2021, 27 women with heterotopic pregnancies who had undergone surgical treatment were enrolled. We investigated pregnancy outcomes based on clinical records and follow-up telephone interviews. Three of the 27 patients were excluded because we were unable to contact them. Results: Of the 24 patients included in the study, 17 underwent salpingectomies for tubal pregnan cies, 5 underwent wedge resections for cornual pregnancies, and 1 underwent a unilateral salpingooophorectomy for ovarian pregnancy. One patient with a suspected heterotopic cervical pregnancy had undergone extraction with forceps and curettage under abdominal ultrasound guidance. Three patients had spontaneous abortions after treatment for heterotopic pregnancies (2 tubal pregnancies, one cervical pregnancy). Twenty-one of 24 patients had heterotopic pregnancies that occurred after assisted reproductive technology. Three cases were heterotopic pregnancies that occurred without reproductive interventions. Among 24 patients who underwent surgical treatment, 18 patients (75.0%) had full-term deliveries. Conclusion There were no hospitalizations due to preterm labor, and 21 deliveries (87.5%) were either late preterm or full-term. There were no fetal abnormalities or maternal complications. Although the development of assisted reproductive technologies has increased the incidence of heterotopic pregnancy, the outcomes of heterotopic pregnancies are generally good.

Objective: Our goal was to review outcomes of patients with heterotopic pregnancies who under went surgical treatment. Methods: From January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2021, 27 women with heterotopic pregnancies who had undergone surgical treatment were enrolled. We investigated pregnancy outcomes based on clinical records and follow-up telephone interviews. Three of the 27 patients were excluded because we were unable to contact them. Results: Of the 24 patients included in the study, 17 underwent salpingectomies for tubal pregnan cies, 5 underwent wedge resections for cornual pregnancies, and 1 underwent a unilateral salpingooophorectomy for ovarian pregnancy. One patient with a suspected heterotopic cervical pregnancy had undergone extraction with forceps and curettage under abdominal ultrasound guidance. Three patients had spontaneous abortions after treatment for heterotopic pregnancies (2 tubal pregnancies, one cervical pregnancy). Twenty-one of 24 patients had heterotopic pregnancies that occurred after assisted reproductive technology. Three cases were heterotopic pregnancies that occurred without reproductive interventions. Among 24 patients who underwent surgical treatment, 18 patients (75.0%) had full-term deliveries. Conclusion There were no hospitalizations due to preterm labor, and 21 deliveries (87.5%) were either late preterm or full-term. There were no fetal abnormalities or maternal complications. Although the development of assisted reproductive technologies has increased the incidence of heterotopic pregnancy, the outcomes of heterotopic pregnancies are generally good.