PURPOSE: To examine the cardiac function, incidence and natural history of cardiac hypertrophy (CH) and the association of side effects with CH after pulse dexamethasone therapy in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. METHODS: Twelve infants, gestational age 28.6+/-1.6(26-31)weeks, birth weight 1243+/-186 (1010- 1620)g, received a pulse course of dexamethasone, starting at 0.5mg/kg/d for three days and readministered ten days thereafter at a median of 19 days of age. Serial echocardiographic measurement of septal thickness(ST), left ventricular(LV) posterior wall thickness(PWT), LV diameter(LVD), LV length(LVL), LV mass, ejection fraction(EF) and acceleration time to right ventricular ejection time ratio(AT/RVET) were taken before, and 4, 11 days after starting dexamethasone. For infants diagnosed as CH, echocardiography was performed weekly until the parameters were normalized. Side effects of dexamethasone such as leukocytosis, hypertension, hyperglycemia and insulin therapy were recorded and compared. RESULTS: CH occurred in 5 of 12 infants(47%). ST, PWD, and AT/RVET increased significantly at 4 days and 11 days after starting dexamethasone than baseline. LVD decreased significantly at 4 days and 11 days after the administration of dexamethasone than before. Other parameter such as LVL, LV mass and EF were not changed and the evidence of left ventricular outflow obstruction was not observed. The incidence of hyperglycemia and insulin therapy were higher in CH group than in no CH group(p<0.05). Five infants with CH recovered until five weeks after starting dexamethasone on serial echocardiography, CONCLUSION: Infants receiving a pulse course of dexamethasone developed evidence of septal hypertrophy, thickened left ventricular wall and impaired filling of left ventricle immediately after starting dexamethasone but always resolved within five weeks Serial echocardiography is not probably routinely required in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia receiving pulse dexamethasone therapy.
Acceleration ; Birth Weight ; Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia* ; Cardiomegaly ; Dexamethasone* ; Echocardiography ; Gestational Age ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia ; Hypertension ; Hypertrophy ; Incidence ; Infant* ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Insulin ; Leukocytosis ; Natural History ; Ventricular Outflow Obstruction

No abstract available.
Hand Injuries* ; Hand*

Recently, people living in a rapidly industrializing country such as Korea seems to have less opportunity to be exposed to Rhus and Ginkgo trees than before, which may cause a lower prevalence of sensitivity to such allergens than those reported in the past. To prove the prevalence of sensitivity in Koreans, we have tested 0. 002g and 0.0l%, Urushiols and 10% Ginkgo leaves produced by Torii company to 72 atients with or suggesting contact dermatitis. The results were as follows: 1) Twelve of 72 patients(13, 9%) showed positive reactions and two patients(2. 8 %) showed active sensitization to both 0. 002% and 0. 0l% Urushiols. Only one patient(]. 4%) reacted to 10g Ginkgo leaves, and she was also reacted to the Urushiols. 2) Age and sex distribution of the positive reactors were none under thirty, 2 in thirties, 3 in forties, 4 in fifties, one over sixty, and seven female patients outnumber three male patients. 3) Out of 5 patients having past history cf contact dermatitis to Rhus tree, only patients showed positive reactions. Out of 67 patients without past history of allergy to Rhus, 8(ll, 9%) showed positive reactions and 59(88. 1%) showed negative reactions.
Allergens ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Female ; Ginkgo biloba* ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Korea ; Male ; Prevalence* ; Rhus* ; Sex Distribution ; Trees

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of chronic deprivation of estradiol on the serotonin level in Sprague-Dawley rat's cerebral cortex and hippocampus. METHODS: One hundred of female Sprague-Dawley rats were taken care for seven to eight weeks, then they were randomly assigned into two group; fifty rats underwent bilateral oophorectomy & the remaining rats were the control group. Six months after oophorectomy, brain tissue was extracted from cerebral cortex and hippocampus and then homogenated: this was done in the both groups. The upper layer of the homogenated substance was taken and frozen and finally dried up. The next process was marking with PITC, quantification through HPLC and comparing with authentic serotonin. Protein quantity was measured by using Bradford method. RESULTS: Comparison between the bilateral oophorectomy group and the control group for serotonin content in the cerebral cortex was 134.2+/-14.3 nmol/mg protein(mean+/-SEM) and 122.5+/-11.6 nmol/mg protein in each group. As for the serotonin content in the hippocampus was 148.8+/-13.9 nmol/mg protein and 132.9+/-13.7 nmol/mg protein in each group. It shows that, there was no significant difference in the serotonin level, in the two areas mentioned above. CONCLUSION: The effect of estradiol on the serotonin level may be dependent on the hormonal change duration. Chronic effect of hypoestrogenism might have no effect on tryptophan hydroxylase and monoamine oxidase, thus not changin the serotonin level. These data supported the previous findings that chronic hypoestrogenism had no effect on serotonin level.
Animals ; Brain ; Cerebral Cortex* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Estradiol ; Female ; Female* ; Hippocampus* ; Humans ; Monoamine Oxidase ; Ovariectomy* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley* ; Serotonin* ; Tryptophan Hydroxylase

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (Osler-Weber-Rendu disease) is a familial disease that is characterized by delicate, ectatic vessels in the skin, mucous membrane and viscera. These patients have a generalized vascular derangement including pulmonary A-V fistula and angiomatosis. Episodes of hemorrhage in cornbination with a familial history and cutaneous telangiectasia are diagnostic. We preaented a typical case of hereditary hemorrhagic telangieetasia in a 3-year-old female who had. two episodes of hemoptysis and compatible telangiectatic skin lesion. Her pulmonary and hepatic angiornas were also proved by pulmonary and aortic angiography.
Angiography ; Angiomatosis ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Fistula ; Hemoptysis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Mucous Membrane ; Skin ; Telangiectasia, Hereditary Hemorrhagic* ; Telangiectasis ; Viscera

Low back pain patients an controls of shipyard workers were surveyed between June 1995 and september 1995 to identify risk factors of industrial low back pain. The patients were 17 male workers who had got medical treatment for over 3 days because of industrial back pain controls were 51 male workers who had not have musculoskeletal disorder for one year before the survey. By univariate analysis, the workers who did overtime work 4 times or more for the last 2 weeks showed odds ratio of 3.67 on low back pain with the workers who did less overtime work. Carrying heavy materials was also associated with the low back pain and the odds ratio increased with the increase of carrying weight. work space and work posture were not associated with the low back pain significantly. The welder had higher odds ratio than the other workers on low back pain. The duration of employment and job satisfaction did not affect the risk of low back pain. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that frequency of overtime work for the last 2 weeks and carrying heavy materials among the risk factors were associated significantly with the low back pain. We found that important risk factors of low back pain of shipyard workers are work intensity factors such as overtime work and carrying heavy weight.
Back Pain ; Employment ; Humans ; Job Satisfaction ; Logistic Models ; Low Back Pain* ; Male ; Odds Ratio ; Posture ; Risk Factors*

Nickel is widely known as a common source of contact dermatitis and nickel sensitivity amounts to nearly 10 percent of allergic contact dermatitis patients. Common sources of nickel dermatitis are well known as necklaces, watches, rings, hooks, earrings and spectacle frames. Recently, we have seen five cases of nickel dermatitis the suspected sources of which were metal spectacle frames. The interim patch test result in our occupational and environmental clinic suggests that the metal spectacle frame is one of the most common sources of nickel dermatitis. Out of 84 medical students 27 wore metal spectacle frames. We have done a dimethylglyoxime spot test to the metal spectacle frames and got a positive result in 12 out of 27(44.4%). We conclude that metal spectacle frame seems to be one of the dominant causes of nickel dermatitis and it will be an increasing problem in our society.
Dermatitis ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact ; Dermatitis, Contact* ; Ear ; Humans ; Nickel ; Patch Tests ; Students, Medical

This study was undertaken to observe the difference of patch test and prick test positive reactions in three groups, 20 atopic dermatitis patients, 20 chronic urticaria patients, and 20 normal controls, Twenty commercial antigens (ToriiCo.) and twenty three frozen and boiled antigens of fishes and shellfishes were used as test materials. The results were as follows: 1. No positive reaction was observed in all sixty subjects in patch test. 2 In prick test, difference in reactivity was observed among atopic dermatitis (14. 7%), chronic urticaria (8.7%), and normal control(1. 5%) 3. There was significant difference in reactivity between Torii and frozen antigens in atopic dermatitis group, but no significance in chronic urticaria and control groups. 4. Boiling altered the reactivity in tested materials in all three groups of subjects singificantly. 5. Patients with past or family history of allergic diseases showed double fold higher reactivity tban patients without any history.
Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Fishes ; Humans ; Patch Tests ; Shellfish* ; Urticaria*

The pinch graft is one type of skin graft and is indicated in small, chronic stubborn wounds or ulcers where cosmetic results are not paramount. It is a common procedure for the rapid healing of leg ulcers in countries where these are very common, such as in western society. However, it is an unfamiliar procedure to dermatologists in Korea where leg ulcers are quite rare. We treated a case of leg ulcer in systemic sclerosis using pinch grafts with satisfactory results. The pinch graft may be a useful treatment method for skin ulcers in dermatologic surgery under adverse conditions.
Dermatologic Surgical Procedures ; Korea ; Leg Ulcer* ; Leg* ; Scleroderma, Systemic* ; Skin ; Skin Ulcer ; Transplants* ; Ulcer ; Wounds and Injuries

This clinical and histopatholgical study was performed with 149 cases of acquired melanocyticnevi, which were obtained as surgical specimens from 1975 to 1985 at Depa.rtment of Clinical Pathology, Seoul Red Cross Hopital. The results were as follows: 1) Histologic subdivision of melanocytic nevus into junctional(,J), IJC, compound (C,"), ICI, and intradermal(I) is used. IJC is a lesion in an intermediate state between ,junctional and compound nevus, and ICI, between compound and intradermal nevus. 2) The age distribution of the excisional melanocytic nevus peaks during the third decade of life, with 47% of patients between 21 40 year old of age. 3) Of l49 specimens with excisional melanocytic nevus, the number of junctional, IJC, compound, ICI and intradermal nevus were 17, 4, 21, 32 and 75 in each group And so, it is likely that evolution of the melanocytic nevus have an increased opportunity for surgical excision. 4) Among the 17 cases of junctional nevus, one case is found in 5th and the other one in 7th decade. 5) In distvibution of melanocytic nevus, head including face is the most common site among the body area and then trunk, neck, lower and upper extremity in decreasing orders.
Adult ; Age Distribution ; Head ; Humans ; Neck ; Nevus ; Nevus, Intradermal ; Nevus, Pigmented* ; Pathology, Clinical ; Red Cross ; Seoul ; Upper Extremity