No abstract available.
Benzofurans ; Depsides ; Diabetic Nephropathies

For determining the distribution of specific IgE and IgG-subclass antibodies and their role in allergic disorders, we measured the serum levels of specific IgG-subclass and IgE antibodies to Dermatophagoides farinae (Df) on 60 atopic children, aged between 8 to 12. All of them had positive skin test to Df, and was grouped into three: children with asthma only (group 1), with rhinitis (group 2), and with them together (group 3). Every data were compared with that of 47 nomal children. ELISA (for IgG and IgG-subclass) and RIA (for IgE) were used. The results are as following. 1) Specific IgE-antibody is significantly higher in all three allergic groups, compared with normal control group. But there was no significant difference between three allergy groups. 2) Specific IgG, IgG1, IgG2 IgG4-antibodies were higher than those in normal control group, but IgG3 was not significant. IgG1 and IgG2 were elevated particularly in patients with asthma and rhintis, but IgG4 was elevated in asthma group. 3) The linear correlation between specific IgE and IgG1-antibody was significant (r=0.286), but IgG4 did not have this correlation with IgE. In conclusion, the levels of specific IgE is essential for the diagnosis of allergies, and IgG1 and IgG4 seem to participate in allergic reactions with a different mechanism.
Antibodies ; Asthma ; Child* ; Dermatophagoides farinae* ; Diagnosis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulin G ; Pyroglyphidae* ; Rhinitis ; Skin Tests

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Albuminuria ; Glomerular Filtration Rate

No abstract available.
Humans ; Korea

No abstract available.
Risk Factors

The worldwide prevalence of type 2 diabetes increases with age and almost 40% of men and more than 50% of women in Korean diabetic patients are over the age of 65. Recent clinical trials suggest that early intensive glycemic control reduces chronic complications associated with morbidity and mortality in type 2 diabetic patients. The principles of management of type 2 diabetes in the elderly are not different from those in middle-aged patients. However, before initiating any form of glucose-lowering therapy in the elderly it is necessary to assess the patient overall health status, coexisting illnesses, social environment, psychological well-being and degree of cognitive function. Furthermore, it should be considered to keep glucose control on individualized target without the risk of hypoglycemia in elderly diabetic patients due to the more deleterious and serious conditions. The old and more recent oral glucose-lowering agents and insulins are effective in the elderly patient. The characteristics and side effects of diabetic agents should be carefully reviewed by clinician before starting any form of medication in the elderly.
Aged ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Female ; Glucose ; Humans ; Hypoglycemia ; Insulin ; Insulins ; Male ; Prevalence ; Social Environment

The increasing risk of glucose intolerance and diabetes associated with aging is well established. However, it is difficult to determine whether changes in glucose metabolism result from biological aging itself or due to various environmental factors that occur during the aging process. Many epidemiologic studies have shown that plasma glucose levels after oral glucose tolerance test rise consecutively for every decade of age, but many of these studies also demonstrated the effects of environmental factors including obesity and exercise. In some studies, the development of insulin resistance and insulin secretion defects due to biological aging itself have also been identified as major etiologic factors of glucose intolerance. However, the rate of diabetes development due to these factors is expected to be very slow and largely preventable by addressing environmental risk factors.
Aging ; Blood Glucose ; Carbohydrate Metabolism ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Glucose Intolerance ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Glucose ; Incretins ; Insulin ; Insulin Resistance ; Metabolism ; Obesity ; Risk Factors

This study was performed to observe the changes of glucose-related hormones and the morphological change including ultrastructure of the pancreatic islets in the male Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty rat. Area under the curve (AUC) of glucose at the 30th (709 +/- 73 mg.h/dL) and at the 40th week (746 +/- 87 mg.h/ dL) of age were significantly higher than that at the 10th week (360 +/- 25 mg.h/ dL). AUC of insulin of the 10th week was 2.4 +/- 0.9 ng.h/mL, increased gradually to 10.8 +/- 8.3 ng.h/mL at the 30th week, and decreased to 1.8 +/- 1.2 ng.h/mL at the 40th week. The size of islet was increased at 20th week of age and the distribution of peripheral alpha cells and central beta cells at the 10th and 20th weeks was changed to a mixed pattern at the 40th week. On electron microscopic examination, beta cells at the 20th week showed many immature secretory granules, increased mitochondria, and hypertrophied Golgi complex and endoplasmic reticulum. At the 40th week, beta cell contained scanty intracellular organelles and secretory granules and apoptosis of acinar cell was observed. In conclusion, as diabetes progressed, increased secretion of insulin was accompanied by increases in size of islets and number of beta-cells in male OLETF rats showing obese type 2 diabetes. However, these compensatory changes could not overcome the requirement of insulin according to the continuous hyperglycemia after development of diabetes.
Animals ; Body Weight ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/*metabolism/pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Glucagon/*metabolism ; Insulin/*metabolism ; Islets of Langerhans/*metabolism/pathology/ultrastructure ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred OLETF

BACKGROUND: Bisphosphonates are now well established as successful antiresorptive agents for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. We investigated the effect of cyclic intravenous treatment with an aminobisphosphonate, pamidronate in cases of primary osteoporosis. METHODS: Eighteen patients with primary osteoporosis (bone mineral density BMD t-score < -2.5) received four courses of pamidronate (30 mg with 500 mL normal saline over 2 hours every 3 months). The serum biochemical parameters and bone turnover markers were measured before each treatment. The bone pain score, medication score, and the side effects were also monitored. BMD and simple spine X-ray were performed before and 1 year after of treatment. RESULTS: BMD at the lumbar spine (L2-4) significantly increased from 0.798+/-0.110 g/cm2 to 0.860+/-0.107 g/cm2 after 1 year of treatment with pamidronate: by +8.3+/-9.4% of baseline. BMDs at the femoral neck, Ward s triangle and the trochanter also increased, but not significantly. Serum total alkaline phosphatase (p<0.05) and urine deoxypyridinoline/creatinine (p=0.069) decreased with treatment. Other bone turnover markers were unchanged. The bone pain score decreased significantly. None of the patients experienced a new fracture during treatment. The frequency of the side effects following the first infusion was 61.1% (a transient fever and myalgia with flu-like symptoms in 10 patients and mild phlebitis in 1 patient). However, only two patients complained of flu-like symptoms after second infusion, and no patient complained following the third infusion. CONCLUSION: Cyclic intravenous treatment of pamidronate every three months was effective in increasing BMD and in the decreasing bone turnover rate, and was relatively well tolerated in primary osteoporotic women.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Bone Density ; Bone Density Conservation Agents ; Diphosphonates ; Female ; Femur ; Femur Neck ; Fever ; Humans ; Myalgia ; Osteoporosis ; Phlebitis ; Spine