Although basic mechanisms of atopic dermatitis remain largely speculative, many studies on pathogenesis suggest the importance of food and inhalent allergens. To evaluate the frequency of food and house dust mite hypersensitivity and differences in this frequency according to ages, we measured the levels of specific IgE antibodies to egg white, egg yolk, milk, soy, and house dust mites in 119 children with atopic dermatitis. The results showed that 53% of patients had positive RAST to any one kind of allergens. The frequency of food and house dust mite hypersensitivity were 34.5%, 30.3 %, respectively. Among allergens, house dust mites and egg white are the most prevalent allergens in all atopic dermatitis patients. The Prevalence of egg white is most common under the age of 2 years, but those of house dust mites are the dust mites are the highest in the ages of 5-12 years. In conclusion, we recommend an egg restriction diet in atopic dermatitis patients who are less than 2 years old when their symptoms do not improve with general skin care.
Allergens ; Antibodies ; Antigens, Dermatophagoides ; Child* ; Child, Preschool ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Diet ; Dust* ; Egg White ; Egg Yolk ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Mites ; Ovum ; Prevalence ; Pyroglyphidae* ; Skin Care ; Soy Milk

No abstract available.
Hematoma*

Cortical dysplasia(CD) is recently known as a cause of intractable partial epilepsies that are amenable to surgical treatment. The development of new neuroimaging has facilitated the recognition of these neuronal migration disorders. Here we examine some clinical features that permit early suspicion of focal cortical dysplasia and better surgical results. From a consecutive surgical series of 239 patients with intractable epilepsy since 1992, pathologically verified 31 CD including 6 CD with dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor(DNT) were selected for this study. The location and extent of resection were determined by both epileptogenic zones and the structural lesion, according to presurgical evaluation(neuroimaging, EEG, intracranial recording), intraoperative electrocorticography(ECoG) and functional brain mapping. The series consisted of 21 men and 10 women with ages at seizure onset ranging from 1 to 26 years(mean 11.1year). The duration of the epilepsy prior to surgery ranged from 3 to 30 years(mean 14.3). The CD was verified in 17(11.1%) of 153 cases with temporal lobe epilepsy and 8(16.6%) of 48 cases with extratemporal epilepsy, mainly peri-Rolandic area. The lesion location of CD with DNT were temporal(4 cases) and extratemporal(2 cases). The histology of the surgical specimens showed cortical dyslamination in 26 patients, additional dysplastic neurons in 2 patients, and additional balloon cells in 3 patients. Excellent and good clinical results were achieved in 29 cases. CD should be suspected when intractable partial epilepsy occur in children. Careful investigation of neuroimaging techniques with high resolution MRI and sophisticated presurgical and intraoperative tailoring is essential for better outcome with identification of CD.
Brain Mapping ; Child ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsies, Partial ; Epilepsy* ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Malformations of Cortical Development* ; Neuroimaging ; Neuronal Migration Disorders ; Neurons ; Seizures

Asthma is a chronic disease associated with airway constriction due to inflammation caused by eosinophils, mast cells, and T lymphocytes, leading to serious chronic illness in children. The eotaxin gene family has been shown to play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma. We hypothesized that the distinctive variations among the four seasons in Korea may affect the expression of eotaxin polymorphisms, especially in children. We examined the possible effects of birth season (spring, March-May; summer, June-August; fall, September-November; and winter, December-February) on the phenotype of asthma in children. All SNP data sets of the eotaxin-2 and eotaxin-3 genes were collected from 78 asthma patients and 101 controls. Here, we investigated the effects of birth season on the expression of eotaxin-2 and eotaxin-3 in Korean children. Using the HAPLOTYPE procedure with the HTR method in SAS/Genetics, we showed that children born in spring and summer show significant haplotypes in both the eotaxin-2 and eotaxin-3 genes. Thus, the expression of polymorphisms in eotaxin-2 and eotaxin-3 may vary by season.
Asthma ; Chemokine CCL24 ; Child ; Chronic Disease ; Constriction ; Eosinophils ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Korea ; Mast Cells ; Parturition ; Phenotype ; Seasons ; T-Lymphocytes

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to identify the factors influencing the intention to have stomach cancer screening using the theory of planned behavior (TPB) in Korea. METHODS: For this population-based study, 1,535 adult respondents (aged 40 to 70 years) were recruited using multi-stratified random sampling and a face-to-face administered questionnaire. This study was based on Ajzen's theory of planned behavior. Intentions were divided into three scenarios for fee payment in the next two years: (1) free of charge, (2) co-payment, and (3) full charge. Multiple linear regression was used to identify the factors influencing the intention to have stomach cancer screening. RESULTS: Perceived behavioral control and attitude toward stomach cancer screening were significant predictors of the intention to have stomach cancer screening. However, subjective norm only influenced the intention to have stomach cancer screening with full charge in the next two years. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that attitude and perceived behavioral control are likely to contribute toward increasing the intention to have stomach cancer screening. Especially, perceived behavioral control is a good predictor. Because the study subjects were nation wide residents, the study results can be generalized.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Health Expenditures ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Patient Acceptance of Health Care ; Stomach Neoplasms/*diagnosis

BACKGROUND: Cryotherapy is a standard treatment for warts. However, there have been few studies to assess the recurrence rate of warts after cryotherapy. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to assess the efficacy and recurrence rate of common viral warts when treated with liquid nitrogen. METHODS: We carried out a retrospective analysis of patients with warts of the hands and/or feet, who had been treated with cryotherapy in Korea University Ansan Hospital between January 2003 and June 2005. Cryotherapy had been performed at 2- or 3-weekly intervals. Warts had been pared prior to freezing and treated with two or three freeze-thaw cycles. Follow-up assessments for recurrence of warts had been done in 78 cases, with a mean follow-up time of 12 months (range 6~30 months). RESULTS: One-hundred and eighty-one patients (78 females, 103 males) were assessed. The mean age was 19.6 years (range 5~73 years). Sixty nine patients had warts on the hands only, 81 on the feet only, and 31 on both sites. The average number of treatments for cured patients was 4.3 (range 1~8). Eighty patients showed complete clearance (44.2%). Thirteen of the 78 patients who could be followed up by telephone or medical records reported recurrences (16.7%) and the mean time of recurrence was 7.7 months. Most recurrences (10/13) occurred within the first 8 months of cryotherapy. CONCLUSION: We consider that cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen is an effective method for the treatment of warts. However, our results indicate that there may be frequent recurrence of warts after treatment with cryotherapy.
Cryotherapy* ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Foot ; Freezing ; Gyeonggi-do ; Hand ; Humans ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Nitrogen ; Recurrence* ; Retrospective Studies* ; Telephone ; Warts*

PURPOSE: To compare the effect of breast milk containing fortifier with preterm formula on bone mineral metabolism in premature infants, we evaluated the state of bone mineralization, biochemical alteration and the frequency of rickets during the first five months of life. METHODS: Fourteen fortified breast milk-fed infants and eleven preterm formula-fed infants who were born at Il-Sin Christian Hospital from August, 1996 through July, 1997, were studied. The breast milk-fed group received human milk fortifier. The intake of Ca, P, Mg, protein, and fat was calculated at one month of age. Birth weight and weight at one, two and five months of age were measured. Serum Ca, P, alkaline phosphatase and 25-hydroxyvitamine D were measured at one month of age, and the wrist received X-ray examinations monthly. Total body bone mineral content was measured by Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (Lunar WI) at two and five months of age. RESULTS: The two groups were similar in birth weight, gestational age, and weight at one, two and five months of age. Enteral Ca, P, protein, Mg, and fat intake, and urinary excretion of Ca, P were similar among the two groups. Serum Ca, P, ALP and 25-hydroxyvitamin D were not different. Occurrence of rickets and bone mineral content were similar among the two groups. CONCLUSION: Fortified breast milk-fed infants and preterm formula-fed infants showed no difference in total body bone mineral content and occurrence of rickets. Ultimately, we could enhance the advantage of breast milk fed to premature infants by adding fortifier.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Birth Weight ; Bone Density ; Breast ; Calcification, Physiologic ; Gestational Age ; Humans* ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Metabolism* ; Milk, Human* ; Rickets* ; Wrist

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection(SCD) is a rare entity that is infrequently diasnosed antemortem. The majority of patients have presented with acute myocardial infaction or sudden death. the etiology, prognosis and treatment of this entity remain ill-defined. We report two cases of SCD which were diagnosed by coronary agniogram and intracoronary ultrasound.
Coronary Vessels* ; Death, Sudden ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Ultrasonography

Citrullinemia is an inborn error of urea cycle metabolism caused by deficiency of arginosuccinate synthetase. It is characterized by hyperammonemia and high citrulline level in serum, CSF and urine. The clinical symptoms include vomiting, lethargy, seizure, coma and ultimately death if hyperammonemia is not controlled. We report a case of 9- day old male with citrullinemia who was initially treated with sodium benzoate during acute stage followed by gradual weaning to discontinuation. Hyperammonemia was well controlled by low protein milk diet and arginine.
Arginine* ; Citrulline ; Citrullinemia* ; Coma ; Diet* ; Humans ; Hyperammonemia ; Lethargy ; Ligases ; Male ; Metabolism ; Milk ; Seizures ; Sodium Benzoate ; Urea ; Vomiting ; Weaning

Neuronal migrational disorders of the brain represent abnormalities in the formation of the neocortex caused by faulty migration of the subependymal neuroblasts. The neuroblasts normally migrate between the sixth and 15th gestational week and in doing so form the six-layered neocortex. When the migration does not occur in a normal fashion the resultant brain anomalies include lissencephaly, pachygyria, schizencephaly, hemimegalencephaly, heterotopia, and polymicrogyria. Neuronal heterotopia is a collection of nerve cells in abnormal locations as a result of arrest of their radial migration, improper formation, or destruction of the radial glial fiber. We reported a case of neuronal heterotopia with brief review of related literatures.
Agenesis of Corpus Callosum ; Brain ; Lissencephaly ; Malformations of Cortical Development ; Neocortex ; Neuronal Migration Disorders ; Neurons*