The incidence and risk factors for hypercalciuria were studied in 23 sick preterm (Group I), 36 well preterm (Group II), 16 sick term(Group III)and 41 well term(Group IV) neonates who were admitted to NICU and nursery of Ewha Woman's University Hospital from May 1988 to February 1992. The results were as follws: 1) The incidences of hypercalciuria were 73.9% in sick preterm (Group I) and 56.3% in sick term (Group III) which were significantly higher than 13.9% of control preterm (Group II) and 7.3% of control term (Group IV). Maximal urinary Ca/Cr ration were 0.63+/-0.503 in group I and 0.50+/-0.513 in group III, significantly higher than 0.19+/-0.142 of control term and 0.17+/-0.131 of control term. 2) In sick neonates with hypercalcuria, birth wight and gestational age were significantly lower and the frequencies of frosemide and intravenous calcium therpy were significantly higher than those of sick neonates without hypercalciuria. 3) In sick neonates, furosemide increased the incidence of hypercalciuria to 90.9%, significantly higher than 57.1% in neonates without furosemide. Maximal urine Ca/Cr ratio 24 hour urine calcium were also significantly higher in neonates with furosemide than those of neonates without furosemide. 4) In sick neonates, intravenous calcium gluconate increased the incidence of hypercalciuria to 86.6%, significantly higher than 54.2% in neonates without intravenous calcium. Maximal urine Ca/Cr ratio and 24 hour urine calcium were also significantly higher in neonates treated with IV calcium than those of neonates without IV calcium. 5) Calcium intake and maximal random urine Ca/Cr ratio were positively correlated (r=0.46, p=o.037). In conclusion, the majority of sick newborns in our intensive care unit were hypercalciuric. Sick condition, premature, furosemide and intravenous calcium gluconate were the risk factors that could lead to hypercalciuria. Use of these agents in sick neonates especially preterm neonates requires careful monitoring of urine calcium excretion.
Calcium ; Calcium Gluconate ; Furosemide ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Hypercalciuria* ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn* ; Intensive Care Units ; Nurseries ; Parturition ; Risk Factors

No abstract available.
Fetus* ; Humans*

Malignant melanoma is considered as one of the tumor originated from precancerous melanosis and predilected in the iris and choroid. The Authors experienced a case of malignant melanoma affecting the upper palpebral conjunctiva in 39 year old female. The tumor mass was excised radically and followed by X-Ray therapy. Slight opacities of lens body is developed after X-ray irradiation.
Adult ; Choroid ; Conjunctiva* ; Female ; Humans ; Iris ; Melanoma* ; Melanosis ; X-Ray Therapy

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of magnetization transfer contrast(MTC) andfat-suppression(FS) in variable spin-echo and gradient-echo sequences for articular cartilage imaging and todetermine the optimal pulse sequences. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using variable 7-pulse sequences, the knees of 15pigs were imaged Axial images were obtained using proton density and T2-weighted spin-echo (PDWSE and T2WSE),turbo spin-echo (TSE), multiplanar gradient-echo (MPGR), and 3D steady-state gradient-echo (3DGRE) sequences, andthe same pulse sequences were then repeated using MTC. Also T1-weighted spin-echo(T1WSE) and 3D spoiledgradient-echo(3DSPGR) images of knees were also acquired, and the procedure was repeated using FS. For each knee,a total of 14 axial images were acquired, and using a 6-band scoring system, the visibility of and thevisibilities of the the articular cartilage was analyzed. The visual effect of MTC and FS was scored using a4-band scale. For each image, the signal intensities of articular cartilage, subchondral bone, muscles, and salinewere measured, and signal-to-noise ratios(SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratios(CNR) were also calculated. RESULTS: Visibility of the cartilage was best when 3DSPGR and T1WSE sequences were used. MTC imaging increased the negativecontrast between cartilage and saline, but FS imaging provided more positive contrast. CNR between cartilage andsaline was highest when using TSE with FS(-3 5 1 . 1 +/-15.3), though CNR between cartilage and bone then fell to-1 4 . 7 +/-10.8. In MTC imaging using MPGR showed the greatest increase of negative contrast between cartilage andsaline(CNR change=-74.7); the next highest was when 3DGRE was used(CNR change=-34.3). CNR between cartilage andbone was highest with MPGR(161.9 +/-17.7), but with MTC, the greatest CNR decrease(-81.8) was observed. Thegreatest CNR increase between cartilage and bone was noted in T1WSE with FS. In all scans, FS provided acartilage-only positive contrast image, though the absolute value of CNR was lower than that of MTC imaging. CONCLUSION: The most prominent effects of MTC and FS were seen in MPGR and T1WSE, respectively, though forcartilage, optimal high signal intensity and contrast can be achieved using 3DGRE with MTC, and 3DSPGR with FS.
Cartilage ; Cartilage, Articular* ; Knee ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Muscles ; Protons

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is frequent in hemophilia patients treated with non-viral inactivated factor concentrates. In Korea, solvent/detergent method was introduced in 1989 and majority of hemophila patients treated before 1989 were infected with HCV. A number of studies have described the identification of virus genotypes in different geographical regions and racial groups. In order to clarify the characteristics of HCV infection in Korean hemophiliacs, we investigated the HCV genotypes in 125 hemophilia patients infected with HCV. METHODS: The HCV infection was confirmed by anti-HCV test and HCV-RNA detection method. To analyze the HCV genotypes, we used the reverse hybridization line probe assay (INNO LiPA HCV II, Innogenetics N.V., Belgium). RESULTS: Among 125 hemophilia patients, ten (8.0%) patients were infected with type 1a, 56 (44.8%) type 1b, 38 (30.4%) ambiguous type 2a/2c, eight (6.4%) type 2b, four (3.2%) type 3a, two (1.6%) type 4. And seven (5.6%) patients had mixed infection (four 1b+2a/2c, one 1a+2a/2c, one 2b+2a/2c, one 1a+2b+2a/2c). CONCLUSION: In Korean hemophiliacs, HCV genotype 1b was the most predominant and 2a/2c the second.
Coinfection ; Genotype ; Hemophilia A ; Hepacivirus* ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Korea

Pseudohypoaldosteronism type 1 is a genetic renal tubular disease of salt wasting, presenting in young infants. Tubular unresponsiveness to elevated endogenous and exogenous aldosterone is the suggested pathogenetic mechanism. Oral sodium chloride supplementation relieve the clinical symptoms and electrolyte distrubances. We experienced 2 cases of PHA type 1 in 38-day and 45-day old male infants who were presented with failure to thrive, vomiting and/or dehydration. Laboratory data showed hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, hypochloremia and metabolic acidosis. Renal and adrenal functions were normal. Plasma renin activity and plasma aldosterone concentration were markedly elevated. Under the diagnosis of pseudohypoaldosteronism type 1, oral supplementation of NaCl and/or kayexalate improved the clinical states of the patients.
Acidosis ; Aldosterone ; Dehydration ; Diagnosis ; Failure to Thrive ; Humans ; Hyperkalemia ; Hyponatremia ; Infant ; Male ; Plasma ; Pseudohypoaldosteronism* ; Renin ; Sodium Chloride ; Vomiting

Scrotal calcinosis, consisting of solitary or multiple circumscribed calcium deposits within the dermis of the scrotum, is generally assumed to be one the idiopathic type of calcinosis. We present herein a case of serotal calcinosis associated with scrotal epidermal cysts in a 29-year-old male patient who had multiple, 2 to 6mm sized, yellowish or flesh colored nodules in the dermis, Histopathologically multiple ncdules showed intact epidermal cyzts, an epidermal cyst with a partialIy degenerated wall and surrounding foreign body reaction, and calcium deposits with foreign body reaction in the dermis without an epithelial lining around calcium deposit. Therefore, idiopathic scrotal calcinosis may repreeent the end stage of dystrophic calcificati.on associated with inflammation of the scrotal epidermal cysts.
Adult ; Calcinosis* ; Calcium ; Dermis ; Epidermal Cyst* ; Foreign-Body Reaction ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Male ; Scrotum

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant* ; Pregnancy*

Heterotopic panereas is pancreactie tissue occuring outside its normal anatomical location and without any connection and normal pancreas and it is a developmental anormaly. The most commen site is stomach(esp. greater curvature of the antrum), duodenum and jejunum, In majority of cases heterotopic pancreas does not produce symptoms. When it produces complications, the symptoms depend on the site of lesion and the size of mass. Pathologically, the heterotopic pancreatic tissue is subject to all the lesions found in the normally placed pancreas. Tbe smooth broad base intramural defect with central niche ie typical radiologic fiadings of heterotoPic pancreas. Gastrofiberscopy revealed a small round, submucosal projection with a central umblication. The lesions are frequently confused with polys, lymphoma, in.tramural neoplasm and gastric uleer. Accurate diagnosis may prevent needless surgical procedures. Three cases of heterotopic pancreas of stomach were reported and the pertinent literature were reviewed briefly.
Diagnosis ; Duodenum ; Jejunum ; Lymphoma ; Pancreas* ; Stomach*

PURPOSE: To compare the incidence between author's first and current report on urinary tract stone in patient with spinal cord injury and to evaluate the effectiveness of recent developed in medical technology and care on in treating the patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed urinary tract stone in 257 patients with paraplegia or quadriplegia after spinal cord injury. These patients were diagnosed retrospectively by KUB and intravenous urography at the Korea Veterans Hospital during 10years from January, 1984 to December, 1993. We evaluated and compared the overall incidence, incidence of specific location of urinary tract, recurrent rate, incidence according to the level of spinal cord injury, and the duration of development in urinary tract stone. RESULTS: Total patients were 257 with 186(72.4%) paraplegia and 71(27.6%)quadriplegia. Overall incidence of the stone was 16.0% in this study and 38.1% in the first study. Incidence of the stone in individual organ ;5.5% in kidney, 1.2% in ureter, and 13.6% in urinary bladder. The recurrent rate was 29.3% in this study and 40.6% in the first study. Incidence of the stone according to the level of spinal cord injury was as follows;15.6% in cervix, 17.1% in upper thorax, 17.9% in lower thorax and 13.9% in lumbar. The stone developed during the first 4 years and between 12 to 16 years following spinal cord injury was 28.3% each. CONCLUSION: Overall incidence and recurrent rate of urinary tract stone was obviously decreased since the first study. Highest incidence of the stone occurred in urinary bladder and in patient with lower thoracic spinal cord injury, which is similar to first report. Peak incidence of the stone was in the first 4years, and another peak was in 12-16years after spinal cord injury. The decreased overall incidence of urinary tract stone maybe attributable to the development in medical technology and care, and active rehabilitation.
Cervix Uteri ; Female ; Hospitals, Veterans ; Humans ; Incidence ; Kidney ; Korea ; Paraplegia ; Quadriplegia ; Rehabilitation ; Retrospective Studies* ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord* ; Thorax ; Ureter ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Calculi* ; Urinary Tract* ; Urography