A2 D time, a time interval from aortic second heart sound to the D point of mitral valve echogram, was reported as a valuable index of the left ventricular relaxation in its early diastole. It was suggested, however, that A2D time is influenced by variable factors rather than single factor. This study was performed to evaluate the influences of several on the A2D time and to extend our understandings in A2D time. For this purpose, A2D time was measured in 4 groups whose hemodynamic states were different, i.e.31 normal subjects (group A), 32 patients with essential hypertension without decompensation (group B), 10 normotensive patients with clinically full blown congestive heart failure (group C), and 11 patients with hypertensive heart failure (group D), and the mean values of each group were compared between the groups. Concordantly systolic hemodynamic parameters were observed and the relationship of A2D time and each of these parameters were observed. A2D time was consistently influenced by the level of left ventricle impedance and it is well correlated with parameters representing left ventricular systolic performances. In hypertensive subiects, A2D time was increased before the deterioration of the left ventricular systolic function but shortened after clinical heart failure. These findings suggest that A2D time may be of value in longitudinal follow-up of the left ventricular function in the hypertensive patients even before the development of clinical heart failure.
Diastole ; Electric Impedance ; Heart Failure ; Heart Sounds ; Heart Ventricles* ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Mitral Valve ; Relaxation ; Ventricular Function, Left

Hypertensive encephalopathy is characterized by an acute, severe rise in blood pressure associated with headache, nausea, vomiting, altered mental status, and focal neurologic deficits, and rapid improvement after control of blood pressure. An eight-year old boy had been admitted with symptoms of red urine, fever, headache, convulsion, and visual blurring of vision. Blood pressure was 140/90mmHg, and CSF exam revealed WBC 8/mm3, glucose 83mg/dL, protein 106mg/dL. Serum C3 was 8mg/dL, C4 17mg/dL, ASO 1,024 Todd units. Brain CT showed non specific findings, however, MRI revealed symmetric high signal intensity lesions on T2WI over the parieto-occipital areas bilaterally. These lesions had been completely resolved on the following MRI 4 weeks later.
Blood Pressure ; Brain* ; Fever ; Glomerulonephritis* ; Glucose ; Headache ; Humans ; Hypertensive Encephalopathy* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Male ; Nausea ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Seizures ; Vomiting

No abstract available.
Neural Conduction*

No abstract available.

To analyze the improvement of shouder function after arthroscpic subacrominal decompression and open repair for complete rotator cuff tear, we performed a prospective study in 14 patients using self evaluation form from the American Shouder and Elbow Society(ASES). All patients were treated with arthrscopic biplanar subacromial decompression and open repair by use of bony trough and followed for more than 1 year from November 1994 to June 1996 in Dankook university hospital. All patients were assessed preoperatively and at final follow-up using the standardised method of research committee of American shoulder & elbow surgeons. Tears of the rotator cuff were divided into medium(8 shoulders), large(3 shoulders) and massive(3 shoulders). Most of the patients were heavy laborers. Average age was 56.2 years (51-73 years). There were 9 male and 5 female patients. The dominant arm was affected in 8 shoulders. Postoperative abduction brace was used in all cases and passive range of mortion exercise was started from postoperative third day. At average follow-up of 17 months, average pain scores decreased to 0.8+/-1.1 from 6.9+/-2.3. Scores of ASES evaluation form increased to 87.3+/-12.2 from 35.8+/-16.3(p<0.05). As to the range of mortion, only internal rotation improved from T12 to T8(p<0.05). Thirteen patients achieved excellent or good result. Twelve patients returned to initial occupations. Arthroscopy is helpful to define the tear size which may affect the surgical approach and open repair by use of bony trough and tunnel is useful to recovery of shoulder function.
Arm ; Arthroscopy ; Braces ; Decompression* ; Diagnostic Self Evaluation ; Elbow ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Occupations ; Prospective Studies ; Rotator Cuff* ; Shoulder

Dermatomyositis is a severe, idiopathic systemic disorder with predominant involvement of skin and skeletal muscle. The association of adult dermatomyositis and malignancy in particular has generated much attention. The reported prevalence of cancers in this disease varies from 6.7% to 52.2%. We experienced a concurrent case of transverse colon cancer and dermatomyositis on 67 year old female patient and report with review of literatures.
Adult ; Aged ; Colon* ; Colon, Transverse ; Colonic Neoplasms* ; Dermatomyositis* ; Female ; Humans ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Prevalence ; Skin

Castleman's disease, or giant Iymph node hyperplasia, is a Iymphoproliferative disorder which is characterized by Iymphoid hyperplasia with capillary proliferation, and divide histologically into two 0varieties, hyaline vascular and plasmal cell form. Some system manifestations are occasionally accompanied with the diseases, but peripheral neuropathy is a rarely reported manifestatlon of them and not in Korea. The present report describes a 40 year old female patient who had been admitted to Yonsei university medicai center because of progressive quadriparesis. On examination, she revealed various other manifestations such as hyperpigmentation, Iymphadenopathy, pitting edema, and bilateral papilledema. The electrophysiologic studies and sural nerve biopsy showed severe sensori-motor peripheral neuropathy showing features of mixed demyelinatlon and axonal degeneration. The Iymph node biopsy showed features compatible with Castleman's disease of hyaline vascular type. The recovery was poor over four month period despite of treatment with corticosterold.
Adult ; Axons ; Biopsy ; Capillaries ; Edema ; Female ; Giant Lymph Node Hyperplasia ; Humans ; Hyalin ; Hyperpigmentation ; Hyperplasia ; Korea ; Papilledema ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases* ; Quadriplegia ; Sural Nerve

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of C-reactive protein and fetal fibronectin for patients with preterm labor and intact mxmbranes. STUDY DESIGN: The study group was comprised of sixty patients who presented to the Taegu Fatima Hospital between 24-36 gestational weeks who had a diagnosis of preterm labor. The study group underwent assay of C-reactive protein in the matemal serum, and fetal fibronectin from the external os and posterior fomix of the vagina by means of polyester fiber swabs. The study group was categorized to four groups according to the results of CRP and fetal fibronectin, that is 28 cases of CRP(-)/fetal fibronectin(-); group I, 12 cases of CRP(+)/fetal fibronectin (-); groupII, 9 cases of CRP(-)/fetal fibronectin(+); groupIII, 11 cases of CRP(+)/fetal fibronectin(+): grouplV, and the controls were 12 women without preterm labor. Outcome measures were occurrence of preterm delivery, the admission-to-delivery interval, matemal age and parity, fetal body weight, 1min/5min Apgar score, perinatal morbidity and mortality etc. Statistical analyses were performed by means of ANOVA test and Dunnett's t-test. RESULTS: The prevalence of study group were group I 46.7%, group II 20%, group III 15% and group IV 18.3%. There were no significant difference of matemal age, parity and gestational weeks at admission between study group and control group, but in all study group the admission to delivery interval was significantly shorter than that of control group. Analysis indicated also no significant difference of maternal hemoglobin between study group and conuol group but white blood cell count of group II and IV were significantly higher than that of control group. In perinatal outcomes, the mean birth weight and 1 minute Apgar score of study group except group I were significantly lower than those of control group but 5minutes Apgar score was lower only in group IV compared with control group. Perinatal morbidity and mortality of study group were higher than those of control group except group I. This study group was designed to compare the diagnostic performance of cervical fibronectin and of the serum CRP levels. The sensitivity and specificity of fetal fibronectin as a test to predict of preterm labor were 80% and 90%, which were slightly higher than those of CRP(70%, 78%). CONCLUSION: Both positive cervicovaginal fetal fibronectin and positive C-reactive protein in women with preterm uterine contraction can help identify the pregnancies at risk and to select proper management protocol.
Apgar Score ; Birth Weight ; C-Reactive Protein ; Daegu ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Fetal Weight ; Fibronectins ; Humans ; Leukocyte Count ; Membranes* ; Mortality ; Obstetric Labor, Premature* ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Parity ; Polyesters ; Pregnancy ; Prevalence ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Uterine Contraction ; Vagina

Thanatophoric dysplasia is the most common lethal congenital chondrodysplasia with characteristic features of narrow thorax, short rib, severe platyspondyly, short bowed limbs and skull deformity, etc. It is not a hereditary disorder and there is usually no family history of dysplasia. We experienced a case of thanatophoric dysplasia at 38 weeks of gestation with antenatal sonographic and abdominal radiographic findings of small thorax, short bowed extremities with surrounding thickened soft tissues and marked platyspondyly. Soon atter delivery, the baby died and post-mortem radiographs showed the characteristic findings of thanatophoric dysplasia.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Extremities ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Ribs ; Skull ; Thanatophoric Dysplasia* ; Thorax ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.
MELAS Syndrome*