No abstract available.
Fetus* ; Humans*

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

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*

No Abstract Available.
Fas Ligand Protein* ; Keratoconus*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in investigating changes in the area of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) and normal subjects. METHODS: Eighty-five eyes of 50 DR patients and 50 eyes of 25 normal subjects were included. OCTA images of the FAZ were acquired using the split-spectrum amplitude decorrelation angiography algorithm of Optovue Avanti RTVue XR OCT. Patients were divided into three groups according to DR severity: mild-to-moderate non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) group, severe NPDR group, and proliferative DR group. The area of the FAZ was measured using built-in software and was compared between the patients and normal subjects and among the three groups. RESULTS: The area of the FAZ in patients with diabetic retinopathy (0.46 mm²) was significantly larger than that in normal subjects (0.30 mm², p = 0.001). A significant difference was observed depending on DR severity: 0.40 mm² in the mild-to-moderate NPDR group, 0.45 mm² in the severe NPDR group, and 0.53 mm² in the PDR group (p = 0.03). Correlation between area of the foveal avascular zone and visual acuity showed a tendency toward reduction in visual acuity (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: OCTA effectively detected changes in the FAZ area in DR patients. OCTA has the potential to be used for noninvasive quantification and monitoring of the FAZ.
Angiography ; Diabetic Retinopathy* ; Humans ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Visual Acuity