BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Idiopathic restrictive cardiomyopathy is a very rare and poorly recognized disease in children. This study is performed to describe the clinical course and to define potential predictors of outcome. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We reviewed the medical records and diagnostic studies of 11 consecutive patients during the period from Jan.1991 to Aug. 2000. RESULTS: The age at diagnosis was 1.2-13 years (median 7 years) and the duration of follow up was 3-90 months (median 3.6 years). All except one were symptomatic (dyspnea in ten, chest pain in four). The chest pain was associated with significant ST depression on both resting and exercise ECG, suggesting myocardial ischemia. Two had complete heart block as either initial or terminal event. Cardiac catheterization was done in nine ( mean pulmonary arterial wedge pressure 23+/-6mmHg, systolic pulmonary arterial pressure 47+/-14mmHg, mean right atrial pressure 11+/-9mmHg). Echocardiographic dimensional ratio of left atrium and aorta (LA/Ao) was 2.41+/-0.58. Mitral E/A inflow ratio was 2.72+/-1.42, E wave deceleration time was 93.6+/-44.2ms. During follow up, six died. The 2 year and 5 year cumulative survival rates were 54.5% and 18.8% respectively. The predictor for nonsurvivor were pulmonary venous congestion and LA/Ao >2.5(p<0.05). Verapamil was tried in 6 cases without favorable effect in all. CONCLUSION: Considerable numbers of restrictive cardiomyopathy have myocardial ischemia associated with ST depression and chest pain. The patients with pulmonary venous congestion and severe left atrial enlargement (LA/Ao>2.5) were at risk for death, requiring prompt definitive treatment such as cardiac transplantation.
Aorta ; Arterial Pressure ; Atrial Pressure ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Cardiomyopathy, Restrictive* ; Chest Pain ; Child* ; Deceleration ; Depression ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Atria ; Heart Block ; Heart Transplantation ; Humans ; Hyperemia ; Medical Records ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Pulmonary Wedge Pressure ; Survival Rate ; Verapamil

Expression of the pS2 protein in breast carcinoma is a useful guide to evaluate the prognosis and response to tamoxifen. The pS2 protein is an estrogen-regulated 60 amino acid protein which was originally discovered following the screening of cDNA libraries in MCF-7 breast carcinoma cells and is induced through estrogen-dependent transcription of the pS2 gene. The presence of the pS2 protein in breast cancer is considered as valuable as the receptor status, or even more so, in predicting the response to hormonal therapy. We have investigated the pS2 protein expression in 62 cases of primary breast cancer in order to know the relationship between the expression rate of the pS2 protein and hormonal receptor status using immunohistochemical procedures on formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues. Concomitantly, both the estrogen receptors (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR) were examined using the immunohistochemical technique. Positive staining for the pS2 was seen in forty-nine cases (79%) of the tumors. Forty three cases (88%) of the pS2 positive tumors were ER positive and forty one cases (84%) of the pS2 positive tumors were PR positive ; forty six cases (93%) of pS2 positive tumors were positive for ER and/or PR. The pS2 status correlated significantly with the ER (p<0.0001) and PR (p<0.001). The results reveal a close association between the pS2 protein and either or both the ER and PR status.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Estrogens* ; Gene Library ; Mass Screening ; Progesterone* ; Prognosis ; Receptors, Estrogen ; Receptors, Progesterone* ; Tamoxifen

In order to evaluate the safe ligation time and sites of dural venous sinuses during neurosurgical operation, systemic arterial pressure(SAP), cerebral perfusion perssure(CPP), intracranial pressure (ICP) and intrasinal pressure(ISP) were measured in cats through neuromonitor before and after obstruction of anterior 1/3, middle 1/3, posterior 1/3 of the superior sagittal sinus and the results were as follows. There were no significant increases of pressures after obstruction of anterior 1/3 of the superior sagittal sinus. In the obstructed middle 1/3 of the superior sagittal sinus group, signifi6int increases were seen un the m-SAP within 2, 4 and 6 minutes, the m-ICP within 2-7 minutes, the r.i-ISP within 14 minutes after obstruction. In the -obstructed posterior 1/3 of the superior sagittal sinus group, there were significant increases of m-SAP within 2, 4 and 6 minutes, the m-ICP within 27 minutes, the m-ISP within 13 minutes. In the obstructed Torcular Herophili,group, there were significant increases of the m-SAP within 1-2 and 4-7 minutes, the m-ICP within 36 minutes and the m-ISP within 1-7 minuted and less significant dercreases of the m-CPP within 5-7 minutes after obstruction. In the obstructed right transverse sinus group, significant increases of the m-ICP and the m-ISP were seen within 1-7 minutes after obstruction. there were no remarkable changes in the obstructed left transverse sinus group.
Animals ; Arterial Pressure* ; Cats* ; Intracranial Pressure* ; Ligation ; Perfusion* ; Superior Sagittal Sinus ; United Nations

No abstract available.
Peer Review*

No abstract available.
Meningocele*

No abstract available.
Erythema Infectiosum*

No abstract available.
Cholangitis*

No abstract available.
Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Hospitals, General* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Hepatitis, Chronic*

BACKGROUNDS: As life expectancy is increasing, it is necessary to evaluate the health and nutritional status in elderly, especially in tube-fed elderly patients whose malnutritional status is related to the increase in mortality. This study was conducted to improve the nutritional status in tube-fed elderly patients. METHODS: Effects of nutritional support on tube-fed elderly patients(> or =65years) for 8 weeks were investigated by biochemical assessment and weight. RESULTS: When comparing the biochemical changes of the control group(n=8) with those of the case group(n=8), it showed significant differences in total protein, serum albumin and TLC(p<0.05), not in serum transferrin, serum iron, hemoglobin, hematocrit and weight(p>0.05). CONCLUSION: This study suggests the in tube-fed elderly patients can be improved if nutritional support is properly administrated.
Aged* ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Iron ; Life Expectancy ; Mortality ; Nutritional Status ; Nutritional Support* ; Serum Albumin ; Transferrin