No abstract available.
Heart* ; Thoracic Surgery*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Mothers*

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to investigate the clinical features and outcomes of meconium intestinal obstruction (MIO) in preterm infants. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of medical records and radiologic images was conducted in a neonatal intensive care unit over a 3-year period (2009-2011). In addition, birth year- and gestational age-matched babies were selected by random sampling with twice the number as the control group. RESULTS: There were 43 infants with MIO who were appropriate as subjects. In perinatal factors, a maternal history of hypertension and the use of magnesium sulfate were more frequent in patients with MIO, but not significant. Feeding intolerance was more common in the MIO group than the control (86% vs. 24.4%; P<0.001). The frequency of gastrografin enema was once in all but one of the patients, and the microcolon was detected in 7 cases (16.3%. Radiographic change after enema was seen earlier than clinical improvement (P<0.05).The patients with MIO took longer to achieve full enteral feeding, and had a more prolonged hospital stay (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Feeding intolerance in preterm infants may be an early clinical finding of MIO. Meconium obstruction causes a delay of full enteral feeding and extension of hospital stay.
Colon ; Diatrizoate Meglumine ; Enema ; Enteral Nutrition ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Length of Stay ; Magnesium Sulfate ; Meconium ; Medical Records ; Parturition ; Retrospective Studies

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating disease, characterized by optic neuritis and myelitis. NMO is a very uncommon and serious neurologic manifestation of systemic lupus erythematous (SLE). We report a 28-year-old man with NMO as neuropsychiatric manifestation of SLE. He was diagnosed as lupus nephritis at 16-year-old. He had optic neuritis at three years and seven months ago. Oral prednisolone was tapered off according to the improved eye symptoms. Two months later, he visited rheumatology clinics for urinary disturbance and paresthesia on both feet. A spinal magnetic resonance imaging revealed increased signal intensity in T2-weighted images from second to sixth cervical level and from eleventh to twelfth thoracic level. We diagnosed neuromyelitis optica and treated with intravenous cyclophosphamide therapy monthly for three times. He was discharged without any neurological deficits and has been followed up.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Cyclophosphamide ; Demyelinating Diseases ; Foot ; Humans ; Lupus Nephritis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Myelitis ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Neuromyelitis Optica* ; Optic Neuritis ; Paresthesia ; Prednisolone ; Rheumatology

OBJECTIVE: 5-HTTLPR (5-HT transporter-linked polymorphic region), located in the promoter region of 5-HT transporter gene, was reported to be associated with several neuropsychiatric illnesses. In this study, we investigated the genotype distribution and allele frequency of serotonin transporter gene 5-HTTLPR in schizophrenic patients and normal controls using an independent Korean sample. METHODS: Subjects were 156 schizophrenic patients fulfilling the DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia who had taken antipsychotics for at least 6 months and 96 normal controls who had no past and family history of psychiatric illnesses. Two negative symptoms of PANSS, blunted affect and emotional withdrawal, were rated in all patients by two experienced psychiatrists. We examined the genotype distribution and allele frequency of the serotonin transporter gene 5-HTTLPR in all subjects, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of genomic DNA with primers flanking the promoter regions of the 5-HTT gene. Between-group comparisons of the genotype distribution and allele frequency were performed by using score test for trend, Fisher's exact test, and chi-square test. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in 5-HTTLPR genotype distribution and allele frequency between schizophrenic patients and normal controls. There was also no significant difference in 5-HTTLPR genotype distribution and allele frequency between schizophrenic patients with and without the two negative symptoms, blunted affect or emotional withdrawal, respectively. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that 5-HTTLPR polymorphism had no significant association with schizophrenia and negative symptoms in a Korean sample.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; DNA ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Psychiatry ; Schizophrenia* ; Serotonin ; Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins

BACKGROUND: Antiplatelet drugs play an important role in the prevention and treatment of coronary artery diseases. Triflusal, an antiplatelet drug structually related to acetylsalicylic acid, selectively inhibits the cyclooxygenase of platelet and thromboxane A2 formation. However there is a controversy about the clinical dosage and the quantitative evaluation of the platelet antiaggregatory effect of triflusal. In this study we have evaluated the platelet antiaggregatory effect and cost-effective dosage of triflusal in the whole blood of healthy volunteers. METHODS: Using the whole blood of 50 healthy people, we performed a baseline platelet aggregation function test induced by adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and collagen. The subjects were subdivided into 3 treated groups (300 mg, 600 mg, 900 mg). We compared the platelet aggregation effect between the baseline results and 2 weeks after triflusal administration. RESULTS: Triflusal inhibited the platelet aggregation induced by ADP and collagen in the 600 mg administration group most effectively. The platelet aggregation induced by collagen was inhibited dose-dependently. The definite inhibitory responders (% inhibition > or = 25) for platelet aggregation induced by collagen were more common than those induced by ADP (33% vs 27% in 300 mg, 71% vs 53% in 600 mg, 78% vs 39% in 900 mg). There were no serious clinical side-effects except gastrointestinal trouble. One volunteer in the 900 mg treated group discontinued the treatment due to epigastric pain. CONCLUSION: We conclude that triflusal has a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation induced by collagen and that the most effective dosage for platelet antiaggregation effect is 600 mg per day.
Adenosine Diphosphate ; Aspirin ; Blood Platelets* ; Collagen ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Electric Impedance* ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Healthy Volunteers* ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; Platelet Aggregation* ; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases ; Thromboxane A2 ; Volunteers

BACKGROUND: Antiplatelet drugs play an important role in the prevention and treatment of coronary artery diseases. Triflusal, an antiplatelet drug structually related to acetylsalicylic acid, selectively inhibits the cyclooxygenase of platelet and thromboxane A2 formation. However there is a controversy about the clinical dosage and the quantitative evaluation of the platelet antiaggregatory effect of triflusal. In this study we have evaluated the platelet antiaggregatory effect and cost-effective dosage of triflusal in the whole blood of healthy volunteers. METHODS: Using the whole blood of 50 healthy people, we performed a baseline platelet aggregation function test induced by adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and collagen. The subjects were subdivided into 3 treated groups (300 mg, 600 mg, 900 mg). We compared the platelet aggregation effect between the baseline results and 2 weeks after triflusal administration. RESULTS: Triflusal inhibited the platelet aggregation induced by ADP and collagen in the 600 mg administration group most effectively. The platelet aggregation induced by collagen was inhibited dose-dependently. The definite inhibitory responders (% inhibition > or = 25) for platelet aggregation induced by collagen were more common than those induced by ADP (33% vs 27% in 300 mg, 71% vs 53% in 600 mg, 78% vs 39% in 900 mg). There were no serious clinical side-effects except gastrointestinal trouble. One volunteer in the 900 mg treated group discontinued the treatment due to epigastric pain. CONCLUSION: We conclude that triflusal has a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation induced by collagen and that the most effective dosage for platelet antiaggregation effect is 600 mg per day.
Adenosine Diphosphate ; Aspirin ; Blood Platelets* ; Collagen ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Electric Impedance* ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Healthy Volunteers* ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; Platelet Aggregation* ; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases ; Thromboxane A2 ; Volunteers

BACKGROUND: Apolipoprotein E has been one of the most thoroughly studied genetic polymorphisms, particularly for its effects on lipid profiles and coronary heart disease risk. This study investigated the relationship between the apolipoprotein E polymorphism and essential hypertension in a Korean population. METHODS: The subjects (n=1,243) were participants in a population-based study in Incheon metropolitan City, Korea. The apolipoprotein E polymorphism was determined using a polymerase chain reaction method. RESULTS: The frequencies of the genotypes did not differ significantly between the hypertensive groups (60.0% epsilon2/epsilon2, 30.8% epsilon2/epsilon3, 44.4% epsilon2/epsilon4, 33.3% epsilon3/epsilon3, 32.3% epsilon3/epsilon4, and 15.4% epsilon4/epsilon4; p=0.498). After adjusting for other risk factors, genotypes were not associated with hypertension(OR 5.74, 95% CI 0.81-40.76, epsilon2/epsilon2 vs. epsilon3/epsilon3; OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.60-1.47, epsilon2/epsilon3 vs. epsilon3/epsilon3; OR 1.21, 95% CI 0.30-4.89, epsilon2/epsilon4 vs. epsilon3/epsilon3; OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.56-1.13, epsilon3/epsilon4 vs. epsilon3/epsilon3; OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.06-1.45, epsilon4/epsilon4 vs. epsilon3/epsilon3). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the apolipoprotein E polymorphism is not associated with hypertension.
Adult* ; Apolipoproteins* ; Coronary Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Incheon ; Korea ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Risk Factors

An osteoclast-like giant cell tumor of the pancreas is a very rare neoplasm, with only three cases reported in Korea. Due to the rarity of this tumor type, few clinical data are available. We present a case of undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cell tumor arising in the tail of the pancreas in a 72-year-old woman hospitalized to evaluate epigastric pain and a palpable abdominal mass. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed the presence of a large enhancing mass with septation arising from the tail of the pancreas. A distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy was performed. The pathological diagnosis was undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cell tumor. Here, we describe the histopathological and immunohistochemical findings and review the clinical features of the cases reported in the Korean literature.
Aged ; Carcinoma ; Female ; Giant Cell Tumors ; Giant Cells ; Humans ; Korea ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Pancreas ; Pancreatectomy ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Splenectomy

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic resection (ER) is a well-established treatment modality for gastric epithelial neoplasm. However, there is a discrepancy between forceps biopsy and ER specimen pathology, including a negative pathologic diagnosis (NPD) after ER. It has been suggested that pit dysplasia (PD) is a subtype of gastric dysplasia, and the aim of this study was to assess the significance of PD in cases with NPD after ER for early gastric neoplasms. METHODS: After ER, 29 NPD lesions that had an associated pretreatment forceps biopsy specimen, were correctly targeted during ER, and had no cautery artifact on the resected specimen were included in this study. RESULTS: Sixteen lesions showed PD and 13 had no neoplastic pathology. The initial pretreatment forceps biopsy diagnoses of 29 NPD lesions were low-grade dysplasia (LGD) in 17 lesions, high-grade dysplasia (HGD) in seven lesions, and adenocarcinoma in five lesions, which after review were revised to PD in 19 lesions, LGD in four lesions, adenocarcinoma in two lesions, and no neoplastic pathology in four lesions. Overall, nine lesions (31%) were small enough to be removed by forceps biopsy, four NPD lesions (14%) were initially misinterpreted as neoplastic lesions, and 16 PD lesions (55%) were misinterpreted as NPD lesions on ER slides. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately half of the lesions initially diagnosed as LGD or HGD were subsequently classified as PD. Therefore, including PD as a subtype of gastric dysplasia could reduce the diagnostic discrepancy between initial forceps biopsy and ER specimens.
Adenocarcinoma ; Artifacts ; Biopsy ; Cautery ; Diagnosis ; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial* ; Pathology* ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Surgical Instruments