Diabetic muscle infarction (DMI), also known as diabetic myonecrosis, is a rare complication of diabetes mellitus (DM); hence, it is often underdiagnosed. Thus, timely diagnosis and treatment are essential for a better prognosis. We describe a 24-year-old woman with Prader-Willi syndrome and an 8-year history of uncontrolled type 2 DM, who presented with a sudden onset of fever and subacute painful swelling of her left thigh. She was finally diagnosed with DMI based on magnetic resonance imaging and muscle biopsy after excluding other infectious and inflammatory diseases of proximal muscles. The patient was treated with bed rest, strict glycemic control, and analgesics, and her symptoms gradually resolved. DMI should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with poorly controlled DM, who present with subacute pain and swelling of lower extremity muscles, without a history of trauma.

Diabetic muscle infarction (DMI), also known as diabetic myonecrosis, is a rare complication of diabetes mellitus (DM); hence, it is often underdiagnosed. Thus, timely diagnosis and treatment are essential for a better prognosis. We describe a 24-year-old woman with Prader-Willi syndrome and an 8-year history of uncontrolled type 2 DM, who presented with a sudden onset of fever and subacute painful swelling of her left thigh. She was finally diagnosed with DMI based on magnetic resonance imaging and muscle biopsy after excluding other infectious and inflammatory diseases of proximal muscles. The patient was treated with bed rest, strict glycemic control, and analgesics, and her symptoms gradually resolved. DMI should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with poorly controlled DM, who present with subacute pain and swelling of lower extremity muscles, without a history of trauma.

The purpose of this review is to discuss the debate concerning the interpretation of epidemiologic studies on particles and health effects. Study of the 1952 air pollution disaster in London established that very high levels of particulate-based smog can cause dramatic increases in daily mortality. However, recent epidemiologic studies have reported statistically significant health effects and mortality due to low levels of air pollution. The statistical significance does not prove causation in observational studies; therefore it is necessary to evaluate these associations. There are arguments for and against each of the numerous studies using Hill's criteria, however the body of accepted evidence supports the causal association. In particular, a high level of consistency in the estimated effect of PM10 has been observed across studies worldwide. The mechanism of the relationship between air pollution and health effects is not obvious. The mechanism of particle-induced injury may involve the production of an inflammatory response by the particulate. The harvesting and the threshold effect are also major concerns regarding the health effects of air pollution. However, current epidemiologic findings indicate that linear models lacking a threshold are appropriate for assessing the effect of particulate air pollution on daily mortality even at current levels.
Air Pollution* ; Disasters ; Epidemiologic Studies* ; Linear Models ; Mortality ; Smog

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of ketorolac, paracetamol, and paracetamol plus morphine on pain relief after thyroidectomy. METHODS: Eighty patients were randomly allocated to one of the 4 groups: normal saline (group C), ketorolac 30 mg (group K), paracetamol 1 g (group P), and paracetamol 700 mg plus morphine 3 mg (group PM). Each regimen was administered intravenously (IV) 30 min. before the end of surgery. If pain was not relieved, patients received an IV bolus of pethidine hydrochloride 25 mg. Pain intensity using a visual analogue scale (VAS) was recorded at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 6 hr after the end of surgery. RESULTS: VAS at 0.5 and 1 hr after the end of surgery were significantly lower in group K, group P, and group PM than in group C (P < 0.05). The number of patients receiving pethidine hydrochloride at 0.5 and 1 hr after the end of surgery was significantly lower in group K, group P, and group PM than in group C (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference among the groups in the incidences of adverse events associated with study medications and patient satisfaction (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Paracetamol 1 g IV possesses a similar analgesic efficacy to ketorolac 30 mg IV after thyroidectomy. Paracetamol may represent an alternative to ketorolac for pain prevention after mildly to moderately painful surgery in situations where the use of NSAIDs is unsuitable.
Acetaminophen ; Analgesics ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; Humans ; Incidence ; Ketorolac ; Meperidine ; Morphine ; Patient Satisfaction ; Thyroidectomy

The authors carriod out lumbodorsal fasciotomy on six cases of paralytic scoliosis with pelvic obliquity. In our experience, in those older children and adolescents with paralysis in whom scoliotic curve is not severe and is more or less static, correction and maintenance of the correction can be achieved by lumbodorsal fasciotomy without resorting to spine fusion. While it is a common practice to leave a mild and static curve uncorrected, even a mild degree of scoliosis, when associated with pelvic obliquity, abduction contracture of the hip, instability of the other hip and leg length discrepancy, is a major problem in paralytic patients. Initial results indicate that lumbodorsal fasciotomy, combined with contralateral Soutters or Campbells fasciotomy if necessary, is a simple and effective method in correcting these deformities and restoring balance and function.
Adolescent ; Child ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Contracture ; Health Resorts ; Hip ; Humans ; Leg ; Methods ; Paralysis ; Scoliosis ; Spine

OBJECTIVE: Sperm must be properly prepared in in vitro fertilization (IVF)-embryo transfer (ET) programs in order to control the fertilization rate and ensure that embryos are of high quality and have appropriate developmental abilities. The objective of this study was to determine the most optimal sperm preparation method for IVF. METHODS: Patients less than 40 years of age who participated in a fresh IVF-ET cycle from November 2012 to March 2013 were included in this study. Poor responders with less than three mature oocytes were excluded. Ham's F-10 medium or sperm-washing medium (SWM) was used in combination with the density-gradient centrifugation/swim-up (DGC-SUP) or SUP methods for sperm preparation. A total of 429 fresh IVF-ET cycles were grouped according to the media and methods used for sperm preparation and retrospectively analyzed (DGC-SUP/Ham's F-10, n=82; DGC-SUP/SWM, n=43; SUP/Ham's F-10, n=181; SUP/SWM, n=123). RESULTS: There were no significant differences among these four groups with respect to the mean age of the female partners, duration of infertility, number of previous IVF cycles, and retrieved oocytes. We determined that both the DGC-SUP and SUP methods for sperm preparation from whole semen, using either Ham's F-10 or SWM media, result in comparable clinical outcomes, including fertilization and pregnancy rates. CONCLUSION: We suggest that both media and both methods for sperm preparation can be used for selecting high-quality sperm for assistive reproductive technology programs.
Centrifugation, Density Gradient ; Embryonic Structures ; Female ; Fertilization ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Infertility ; Oocytes ; Pregnancy Rate ; Reproductive Techniques ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Retrospective Studies ; Semen ; Spermatozoa

PURPOSE: Having been disappointed with standard anticoagulation therapy for acute deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in lower extremity, we started catheter-directed thrombolytic therapy. And the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects on venous function of catheter-directed thrombolytic therapy by noninvasive venous tests such as Air plethysmography (APG) and duplex ultrasonography. METHOD: 36 patients with DVT of less than 3 weeks after development into two groups according to treatment modality:Group 1; catheter-directed thrombolysis with Urokinase followed by low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH) and coumadin therapy (n=19, men; 11, women; 8, mean age 47.6 years), Group 2; conventional anticoagulation with LMWH followed by coumadin therapy (n=17; men; 12, women; 5, mean age 47.1 years). The results of lytic therapy were examined by complete phlebography on time of removal of catheter. The location and extent of thrombotic changes were followed-up with duplex scan and venous function was examined with APG. RESULT: Complete clot resolution by lytic therapy was obtained in 12 cases out of 19 cases (63.2%) in Group 1. The residual thrombi at follow-up around 1 year were detected in 4 cases in Group 1, in 11 cases in Group 2. APG parameters that were significantly different (P<0.05) between the two groups were the venous filling index:(Group 1; 1.63+/-1.36 ml/sec, Group 2; 2.66+/-1.58 ml/sec), residual volume fraction (Group 1; 27.54+/-17.40%, Group 2; 49.19+/-20.45%) and outflow fraction (Group 1; 37.79+/-7.05%, Group 2; 32.36+/-6.31 %). The parameters of APG and ultrasonography in Group 1 revealed lesser degree of reflux and smaller amount of residual thrombi. CONCLUSION: Catheter-directed thrombolytic therapy shows better results in complete resolution rate of the acute DVT, reducing remnant thrombi, and preserving venous function such as venous filling index, residual volume fraction and outflow fraction. APG and duplex scanning seem to be useful methods for a complete follow-up evaluation of limbs with DVT.
Catheters ; Extremities ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heparin ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight ; Humans ; Lower Extremity* ; Male ; Phlebography ; Plethysmography ; Residual Volume ; Thrombolytic Therapy ; Ultrasonography ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator ; Venous Thrombosis* ; Warfarin

An accurate preoperative evaluation of lymph nodes(LNs) in gastric cancer is a prerequisite for successful surgery and favorable prognosis. We retrospectively analyzed the Ct accuracy in perigastric LN localization and LN staging of gastric cancer as well as the size criteria for the metastasized LN in 64 patients who hed undergone a surgery for gastric cancer. The results of perigastric LNs evaluation by CT are as follows; sensitivity 67%(64/95), specificity 90%(839/929), accuracy 88%(903/1024). Of 95 pathologically metastasized LN groups, 66 could be retrospectively identified on Ct scans(69%). In LN staging, CT was correct in 60%(38/64), overstaged in 32%(21/64), and understaged in 8%(5/64). The perigastric LN groups which were easily localized on CT were #3, 7, 8, and 13. The mean size of metastasized LNs on CT according to the I.N group was #3 (13mm), #4(9mm), #6 (10mm), #7(10.5mm), #8 (10mm), #9 (11mm), #13 (9mm).
Humans ; Lymph Nodes* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Stomach Neoplasms*

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) commonly occurs in childhood and adolescence and diabetic nephropathy is a serious metabolic complication of T1DM that leads to serious morbidity. With poor glycemic control prepubertal diabetes duration contributes to the risk of long-term microvascular complications, however, the younger age at onset or longer prepubertal diabetes duration seems to prolong the time to development of microalbuminuria or later end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Therefore, there have been a few cases of diabetic nephropathy in prepubertal patients and therefore the ESRD cases developed during adolescence in T1DM children were very rare. Here we report an adolescent with T1DM who had poor glycemic control and was diagnosed as diabetic nephropathy in a prepubertal period and leading to end-stage renal disease during adolescence.
Adolescent ; Child ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic

BACKGROUND: The infrarenal abdominal aorta and the iliac arteries are the most common sites of chronic atherosclerosis in patients with symptomatic occlusive disease of the lower extremities. Direct anatomic reconstruction is the standard surgical treatment for a patient with aortoiliac occlusive disease, but extraanatomic bypass is used in patients with high cardiac or other risks. The purpose of this study was to compare the operative results of direct anatomic reconstruction with those an extraanatomic bypass and to select the optimal surgical treatment according to the preoperative risk. METHOD: The cases of 40 patients who received vascular reconstruction for aortoiliac occlusive disease between January 1995 and October 1997 were reviewed. The patients were classified in two groups: a direct anatomic reconstruction group and an extraanatomic bypass group. Operative risks were analyzed by the scoring system recommended by the Subcommittee on Reporting Standards for Lower Extremity Ischemia of International Society for Cardiovascular Surgery (ISCVS). Graft patency, operative mortality, and morbidity were also analyzed for the two groups. RESULT: There was no significant difference in operative risk (p>0.05) between the two groups, but the result of graft patency was better and the postoperative morbidity was less in direct anatomic reconstruction group. There was no postoperative mortality in either group. CONCLUSION: According to this study, direct anatomical reconstruction was superior to extraanatomic bypass inspite of same operative risks.
Aorta, Abdominal ; Atherosclerosis ; Humans ; Iliac Artery ; Ischemia ; Lower Extremity ; Mortality ; Transplants