This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of PTSD on memory funtion and hippocampal volume, and to identify major variables correlated to hippocampal volume and memory function. Thirty four Vietnam veterans were collected for this study, among whom eighteen were PTSD patients and sixteen were combat control subjects. The author used Impact of Event Scale(IES), Combat Exposure Scale(CES), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale(HDRS) and Beck Depression Inventory(BDI). Korea Memory Assessment Scale(K-MAS) was assessed for memory function. Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) was used to measure hippocampal volume. There were significant differences between PTSD and Non-PTSD veterans in IES, HDRS and BDI. Significant difference was found in verbal memory and total memory of K-MAS between PTSD and Non-PTSD veterans. There was significant difference in hippocampal volume between PTSD and Non-PTSD veterans. Short term memory, verbal memory and total memory were positively correlated to hippocampal volume. Hippocampal volume was negatively correlated to IES, HDRS, and BDI. These results suggest that PTSD severity be associated with hippocampal atrophy and memory dysfunction. Reduced or smaller hippocampal volume may be preexisting risk factor for stress exposure or the development of PTSD on combat exposure.
Atrophy ; Depression ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Korea ; Memory* ; Risk Factors ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic* ; Veterans ; Vietnam

OBJECT: This study examined the demographic characteristics, abused substance types, comorbid psychiatric diagnosis and associated crimes of substance-related offenders. METHOD: We surveyed 205 offenders of substance-related crime from court. RESULT: Substance-related offenders were all men and most of them were unemployed, living alone in the major city and mean age was 27.9+/-5.77years. 78.5% frequently abused inhalants like adhesives and 17.1% abused the methamphetamine. They violated the 1 or more times and the classification of crimes was violence, rape and rape-injury, larceny, arson. Substance-related offenders had comorbid psychiatric disorder ; 26 of them had personality disorder, 23 had mood disorder and 13 had psychotic disorder. Mean hospital day was 14.8+/-6.55 months. CONCLUSION: Substance-related offenders were young single men without a job living major city. They had comorbid psychiatric disorder and high risk to commit crime.
Adhesives ; Classification ; Crime ; Criminals* ; Firesetting Behavior ; Humans ; Male ; Mental Disorders ; Methamphetamine ; Mood Disorders ; Personality Disorders ; Psychotic Disorders ; Rape ; Violence

No abstract available.
Acidosis, Renal Tubular*

Enteroenteric anastomotic strictures of UGI tract are common and require treatment if significant obstruction occurs. We performed fluoroscopic guided balloon dilatation in 6 patients who had symptomatic stricture of gastrojejunostomy. The stricture was successfully resolved in 4 patients with benign stricture. But 2 patients with malignant stricture had recurrence of obstructive symptom 2 weeks later, and they required a stent. Asymptomatic balloon rupture was seen in one patient, but other procedural complications did not occur. We found that fluoroscopic guided balloon dilatation is an effective and safe method in the treatment of anastomotic stricture of gastrojejunostomy. We also found transient effect in malignant gastrojejunal anastomotic strictures, which required an interventional procedure, such as placement of a stent.
Constriction, Pathologic* ; Dilatation* ; Gastric Bypass* ; Humans ; Methods ; Recurrence ; Rupture ; Stents

Enteroenteric anastomotic strictures of UGI tract are common and require treatment if significant obstruction occurs. We performed fluoroscopic guided balloon dilatation in 6 patients who had symptomatic stricture of gastrojejunostomy. The stricture was successfully resolved in 4 patients with benign stricture. But 2 patients with malignant stricture had recurrence of obstructive symptom 2 weeks later, and they required a stent. Asymptomatic balloon rupture was seen in one patient, but other procedural complications did not occur. We found that fluoroscopic guided balloon dilatation is an effective and safe method in the treatment of anastomotic stricture of gastrojejunostomy. We also found transient effect in malignant gastrojejunal anastomotic strictures, which required an interventional procedure, such as placement of a stent.
Constriction, Pathologic* ; Dilatation* ; Gastric Bypass* ; Humans ; Methods ; Recurrence ; Rupture ; Stents

Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is one of the most common causes of acute renal failure in childhood and is primarily diagnosed in up to 4.5% of children who undergo chronic renal replacement therapy. Escherichia coli serotype O157:H7 is the predominant bacterial strain identified in patients with HUS; more than 100 types of Shiga toxin-producing enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) subtypes have also been isolated. The typical HUS manifestations are microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and renal insufficiency. In typical HUS cases, more serious EHEC manifestations include severe hemorrhagic colitis, bowel necrosis and perforation, rectal prolapse, peritonitis, and intussusceptions. Colonic perforation, which has an incidence of 1%-2%, can be a fatal complication. In this study, we report a typical Shiga toxin-associated HUS case complicated by small intestinal perforation with refractory peritonitis that was possibly because of ischemic enteritis. Although the degree of renal damage is the main concern in HUS, extrarenal complications should also be considered in severe cases, as presented in our case.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Anemia, Hemolytic ; Child* ; Colitis ; Colon ; Enteritis ; Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli ; Escherichia coli ; Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intestinal Perforation* ; Intussusception ; Necrosis ; Peritonitis ; Rectal Prolapse ; Renal Insufficiency ; Renal Replacement Therapy ; Shiga Toxin ; Thrombocytopenia

No abstract available.

BACKGROUND: The changes in the epidemiology of native valve endocarditis have been known in western countries recent years due to the decrease in the inci-dence of rheumatic heart disease, increased longevity of patients with valvular or congenital heart diseases, and the increase in degenerative heart disease due to the in-crease in the average life span of the general popula-tion. In this study, we analyzed and compared the epide-miological and clinical characteristics of patients with na-tive valvular endocarditis fro two different time periods. METHODS: We compared native valve endocarditis patients diagnosed from 1979 - 1984(group I) with those diagnosed from 1991 - 1996(group II). We used modified Duke' s criteria for the diagnosis and statistical analysis was done using SPSS window program. RESULTS: In our study, mean age of the population was higher in group II and significantly larger number of patients were over the age of 50 in group II. Involve-ment of multiple valves with vegetations and peri-valvular abscess were found more frequently in group II. Also, significantly higher percentage of patients from group II underwent surgical treatment. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that the epidemiolocaland clinical characteristics of infective endocarsitis in Korea may change to resemble those in western countries. Further studies regarding this subject are needed.
Abscess ; Diagnosis ; Endocarditis* ; Epidemiology ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Korea ; Longevity ; Rheumatic Heart Disease

PURPOSE: Maternal premature rupture of membrane(PROM) over 24 hours is a risk factor in neonatal sepsis and a main cause of administration to neonatal intensive care unit. Levels of proinflammatory cytokines were studied to diagnose and treat early in newborn infants with sepsis and with a history of maternal PROM. METHODS: Interleukin-1beta(IL-1beta), Interleukin-6(IL-6), Interleukin-8(IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-alpha) were checked using ELISA kits in neonatal infants who were admitted to the Catholic University of Daegu from May, 2002 to Feb, 2003. We divided them into three sets of groups; sepsis group(n=26), PROM group(n=20), and control group(n=24). RESULTS: Levels of IL-1beta, IL-8, and TNF-alpha in the sepsis group were all significantly statistically different from the PROM and the control group, but there was no significant difference between the PROM group and the control group. Levels of IL-6 in the sepsis, the PROM, and the control group were all significantly statistically different from each other. CONCLUSION: Levels of IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-alpha in the sepsis group increased but only levels of IL-6 in the PROM group increased. Thus we can use cytokines as a marker of neonatal sepsis, especially, in neonatal infants with a history of maternal PROM.
Cytokines* ; Daegu ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Interleukin-1beta ; Interleukin-6 ; Interleukin-8 ; Necrosis ; Risk Factors ; Rupture ; Sepsis* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disorder, which may be associated with other rheumatologic or endocrine diseases induced by autoantibodies. Hashimoto's thyroiditis is also an organ-specific autoimmune disorder, and its association with multiple sclerosis during interferon therapy has been reported. Cases of Hashimoto's thyroiditis with multiple sclerosis are very rare. Herein is reported our experience of a 27 year-old woman who presented with general weakness, cold intolerance and progressive muscle weakness. She had been treated with levothyroxine due to subclinical hypothyroidism, which rather aggravated the symptom. In a CSF analysis, the myelin basic protein level was above 10 ng/dL and that of the IgG and the IgG index were 135 mg/dL and 7.8, respectively. In a brain MRI, demyelinating lesions in the left middle pontocerebellar junction and right subcortex were shown. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and the symptom improved after glucocorticoid and levothyroxine therapy. Herein is reported the first Korean case of Hashimoto's thyroiditis associated with multiple sclerosis
Adult ; Autoantibodies ; Brain ; Endocrine System Diseases ; Female ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism ; Immunoglobulin G ; Interferons ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Multiple Sclerosis* ; Muscle Weakness ; Myelin Basic Protein ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroiditis* ; Thyroxine