OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between the fetal doppler flow velocimetry and birth weight in low risk pregnancy population. METHODS: From December 1995 to May 1996, We prospectively performed doppler study in 254 uncomplicated, term pregnant women, who visited Pohang Hospital, Dongguk University. Using pulsed color doppler, we measured umbilical artery RI, middle cerebral artery RI and middle cerebral-umbilical artery RI ratio within one week before delivery. RESULTS: The result was that low birth weight group (below 2500gm) had very significant lationship with umbilical artery RI(P<0.01), middle cerebral artery RI(P<0.05) and middle cerebral-umbilical artery RI ratio(P<0.05), but there was no significant relationship in these blood flow indices between normal birth weight group (2501gm- 3999gm) and macrosomia group (above 4000gm). CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that application of doppler ultrasonopaphy in the assessment of fetal weight is somewhat helpful for identification of low birth weight, not for macrosomia.
Arteries ; Birth Weight ; Female ; Fetal Weight* ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Prospective Studies ; Rheology ; Ultrasonography* ; Umbilical Arteries

No abstract available.
Asthma, Occupational*

BACKGROUNDS: As the elderly population in-creases the health problem, especially dementia, becomes the clinically important problem. So in the part of primary care medicine it becomes so important that family physician make a focus on the detection, evaluation, and management of demented patient. Until nowadays there is few cohort study about the dementia and few nursing home in Korea. So author performed the MMSE-K in the elderly who are over 65 to get the cognitive function for early diagnosis, management and rehabilitation of psychosocial problem. METHODS: One hundred three persons who included in community society in Seoul and nursing home of Kyunggido were tested. The survey was done twice on september 1997 and September 1998. Author used the MMSE-K to the elderly by same doctors. The analysis was done by SAS 6.12 and t-test, one-way ANOVA and two-way ANOVA with linear trend test. RESULTS: The mean of first MMSE-K score in the community is 26.1 and in the nursing home is 24.4. And the mean of second MMSE-K score in the community is 25.5 and in the nursing home is 22.0. The MMSE-K score is elevated with male and longer duration of education and is decreased with the advanced age in two groups. According to the classification by MMSE-K score the number of people who have normal cognitive function is 45(43.7%), mild impaired cognitive function is 45(43.7%), moderately impaired cognitive function is 13(12.6%) and none has severely impaired cognitive function in both groups. The follow up MMSE-K score shows that the difference of two MMSE-K scores increases as the age increases. CONCLUSION: Until todays there is few study that designed in the form of cohort study about the elderly cognitive function in Korea. So family physicians must perform the prospective cohort study with the consistent concern and effort to get the research data about the dementia for earthy detection, management and rehabilitation for elderly.
Aged* ; Classification ; Cohort Studies ; Dementia ; Early Diagnosis ; Education ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Nursing Homes ; Physicians, Family ; Primary Health Care ; Rehabilitation ; Seoul

PURPOSE: Rush immunotherapy (RIT) with house dust mite may be effective to treat house dust mite allergic disease, but the mechanisms are not clear. Considerable attention has been devoted to the IgG subclass in relation to clinical outcome. Usually, conventional immunotherapy with D.f and D.p is followed early on by a rise in allergen-specific IgG1 with a gradual decline over time and slow rise in allergen-specific IgG4. Some investigators have implicated that IgG4 is a more important blocking antibody than IgG1 in RIT. But there is no consistent data on the early changes of allergen-specific IgG1 or IgG4. To inves- tigate the alteration of humoral immunity in the mechanism of early phase of RIT, the D.f -specific IgE, IgG1, and IgG4 levels of the RIT group were compared with that of the con- trol group with asthma. METHOD: The RIT group included 17 D.f and D.p-sensitized asthmatic children, who had received RIT with D.f and D.p, and the control group included 15 D.f and D.p-sensitized asthmatic children who had not received RIT. They received RIT to mite for just over 8 weeks until maintenance was achieved. The symptom scores of asthma, skin reactivity to D.f (allergen/histamine ratio), RIT changes of D.f-specific IgE, IgG1, and IgG4 levels were compared before and 8 weeks after for the two groups. D.f-specific IgE, IgG1, and IgG4 levels were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: The symptom scores and the skin reactivity to D.f decreased significantly 8 weeks after RIT. D.f-specific IgG1 levels increased significantly 8 weeks after RIT in the RIT group but not in the control group. But D.f-specific IgE and D.f- specific IgG4 levels did not change 8 weeks after RIT in either of the two groups. CONCLUSION: D.f-specific IgG1 production was increased in the early phase of RIT. These findings suggest that the early clinical changes after RIT may be linked to the early increase of IgG1 blocking antibody.
Asthma ; Child* ; Dermatophagoides farinae* ; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus* ; Dust* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Immunity, Humoral* ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunotherapy* ; Mites ; Pyroglyphidae* ; Research Personnel ; Skin

OBJECTIVE; This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of pregnancy on the activities of oxygen hee radical generating and scavenging system in the female rats. MATERIAL & METHOD; Rats weighing 200-220 gm were grouped to non-pregnant, 2nd trimester and 3rd trimester of pregnancy. The experiment was carried out following overnight fasting. Animals were anesthetized by administration of pentothal sodium, and blood was drawn via abdominal aorta. After exsanguination, the liver, kidney, heart, lung, with or without placenta tissues were excised immediately. The excised tissue was frozen in liquid nitrogen rapidly, and stored in liquid nitrogen for analysis. RESULTS; The gain in body weight was higher in pregnant rats than in normal rats. Lipid peroxidation was not significantly different among all groups in the liver, kidney, heart, lung, and placenta tissue. Xanthine oxidase activity of the kidney in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy was lower than that of non-pregnant rats. Superoxide dismutase activity of the liver was significantly decreased in the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pegnancy compared with that of non-pregnant rats, and that of lung was also decreased than that of non-pregnant rats. Catalase activity of the kidney was decreased in the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy compared with that of non-pregnant rats. Glutathione content of the liver was markedly decreased in the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy compared with that of non-pregnant rats. CONCLUSION; In conclusion, these results suggest that oxygen free radical will not increase in the liver, kidney, heart, lung, and placenta during normal pregnancy, but in the cases of overproduction of oxygen free radical, the liver, kidney, and lung will have me chance of tissue damage because of decreased activity of some anti-oxidant enzymes and/or decreased amount of anti-oxidant materials.
Animals ; Aorta, Abdominal ; Body Weight ; Catalase ; Exsanguination ; Fasting ; Female ; Glutathione ; Heart ; Humans ; Kidney ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Liver ; Lung ; Nitrogen ; Oxygen* ; Placenta ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Sodium ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Thiopental ; Xanthine Oxidase

Mayer-Rokitansky-Kster-Hauser Syndrome is characterized by the absence of the vagina and uterus, the presence of apparently normal tubes and ovaries, feminine appeara-nce, normal female secondary sexual characteristics, a normal 46,XX karyotype, and a fem-inine psychosexual orientation. Various methods of surgical treatment have been introduced, but the ideal method is still not found. The two cases reviewed in this paper were all treated with McIndoe operation using full thickness skin graft. Both women were satisfied with vaginal depth and excellent result was achieved. We report two vaginoplasties in patients of Mayer-Rokitansky-Kster-Hauser Syndr- ome including a brief review of literature.
Female ; Humans ; Karyotype ; Ovary ; Skin ; Transplants ; Uterus ; Vagina

EDTA-dependent pseudothrombocytopenia (PTCP) is the phenomenon of a spurious low platelet count due to EDTA-induced aggregation of platelets. Since the failure to recognize EDTA-dependent PTCP may result in incorrect diagnosis and inappropriate treatment, the recognition of this phenomenon is very important. We report an insidious case of EDTA-dependent PTCP confirmed by supplementation of kanamycin to anticoagulant in a 53-year-old women. Although sodium citrate and heparin usually prevented the aggregation of platelets in EDTA-dependent PTCP patients, these anticoagulants failed in preventing PTCP in our case. EDTA-dependent PTCP was confirmed by the findings that the clumping of platelets on microscopic evaluation was found in EDTA-anticoagulated blood samples, whereas thrombocytopenia and platelet aggregation were not revealed in the sample supplemented with kanamycin.
Antibiotics, Aminoglycoside/*pharmacology ; Anticoagulants/*adverse effects/pharmacology ; Case Report ; Edetic Acid/*adverse effects ; Female ; Human ; Kanamycin/*pharmacology ; Middle Age ; Platelet Aggregation/*drug effects ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors/*therapeutic use ; Platelet Count ; Thrombocytopenia/*blood/chemically induced

Adenoid basal carcinoma of the cervix is very rare tumor. It is slow-growing and locally invasive tumor amenable to simply hystrectomy. It is common to be associated with severe dysplasia and carcinoma in situ(CIS) of cervix Occasionally, concommitant microinvasive squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma may also be seen. Differential diagnosis includes adenoid cystic carcinoma, which is more aggressive tumor associated with regional lymph node involvement and late pulmonary metastasis. We have recently experienced a case of adenoid basal carcinoma of the cervix in 61 years-old woman, which is presented with a brief review of the literature.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenoids* ; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cervix Uteri* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis

BACKGROUND: Urinary tract infection(UTI) is one of the most common diseases dealt with by primary physicians. UTI is common in the elderly and has a great influence on the quality of the elderly's life. Thus, we conducted a study in one nursing home to find out the prevalence of bacteriuria and epidemiologic characteristics of the elderly. METHODS: The study was performed twice on April 12 and on May 4, 1999 among 108 subjects residing in a nursing home of Hanam City. The authors inquired the subjects pertaining to the history of UTI symptoms, collected urine samples by midstream clean-catch technique and catheterization and performed routine and microscopic urine analysis and urine culture. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of bacteriuria in subjects was 23.1%(25/108) ; 20% (3/15) in males and 23.7%(22/93) in females. The prevalence of the bedrriden subjects was 40.9%(9/22). Among the urine samples of 25 cases which were positive in the urine culture, E. Coli was found in 15 cases(60%). The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of pyuria for bacteriuria were 44.0%(11/25), 87.9%(73/83), 52.3%(11/21) and 83.9%(73/87), respectively, while those of nitrite test for bacteriuria were 64.0%(16/25), 97.5%(81/83), 88.8%(16/18) and 90.0%(81/90), respectively. The prevalence of bacteriuria increased by 16.23% as age increased by ten years using the Cochran-Armitage's linear trend test. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of bacteriuria in the elderly residing in a nursing home was higher than that of the elderly residing in a community. In the elderly over 60 years old, the prevalence of bacteriuria increased as the age increased. Immobility is considered as a risk factor of bacteriuria. Bacteriuria may be treated by antibiotics focused on E. Coli. Thus, we can expect improvement in the quality of life as well as extension of life span.
Aged* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacteriuria* ; Catheterization ; Catheters ; Female ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nursing Homes* ; Nursing* ; Prevalence ; Pyuria ; Quality of Life ; Risk Factors ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Urinary Tract

BACKGROUND: About 80 percent of the Korean population over 55 years old show radiographic signs of osteoarthritis. Hence, osteoarthritis has become one of the most important public health problem among the old age. Despite the importance of this disease, proper methods for evaluation and diagnosis of osteoarthritis have not been developed. Authors have investigated the sensitivity and specificity of thermography in diagnosing osteoarthritis. METHODS: Twenty patients who had visited the department of family medicine, Korea University Hospital, with non-traumatic knee pain during the period from April 1 to May 30, 1999, were included in the study. Patients had gone through series of careful history taking, physical examination and laboratory evaluations for clinical evaluation of osteoarthritis of the knee joints. Furthermore, the radiographic and thermographic examination of both knee joints were assessed. RESULTS: Among the twenty patients who have been examined, 15 patients were to have shown radiographic abnormality; on the other hand, 14 patients showed thermographic abnormality. Seventeen patients showed clinical manifestations of osteoarthritis. Twelve patients, among those who had clinical osteoarthritis, were shown to have osteoarthritis in both image studies, i.e. radiographic and thermographic abnormalities. All patients who had not shown clinical osteoarthritis, were normal on both image studies. The sensitivity and specificity of thermography in diagnosing osteoarthritis were 80% and 80%, respectively (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Hot spots or asymmetric distribution in the knee joint area of osteoarthritis patients were in thermographic examination. Thermography has shown efficacy in the evaluation of osteoarthritis.
Diagnosis ; Hand ; Humans ; Joints* ; Knee ; Knee Joint ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Osteoarthritis* ; Osteoarthritis, Knee* ; Physical Examination ; Public Health ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Thermography*