Neuroimaging of the brain is useful diagnostic evaluation of patients with hepatic encephalopathy msofar as it is able to exclude other causes of abno rmal mental status. Recently, changes of basal ganglia on MRI characteriwd by increased signal mtensity on Tl-weighted images were reported m patients with liver cirrhosis. Signal abnormality involves mainly the globus pallidus and seems to be specific for patients with chronic liver disease. Its pathogenesis and significance are obscure, and no pathological reports have been made. We experienced 3 cases of Chronic acquired hepatic failure whose MRI showed increased signal in-tensity in the basal ganglia on Tl-weighted imaging. Our findings su-ggest that basal ganglia signal abnormality could arise as a marker of brain impairment related to deposition of an unidentified paramagnetic substance or altered intracellular water relaxation.
Basal Ganglia ; Brain ; Globus Pallidus ; Hepatic Encephalopathy ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Failure* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neuroimaging ; Relaxation

BACKGROUND: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common type of hair loss found in both males and females. Oral finasteride and topical minoxidil are the only drugs approved, till now, by the Food and Drug Administration of USA for the treatment of this condition. Unfortunately, these treatment options are not satisfactory. Therefore, it has been necessary to develop new agents for this psychologically frustrating disease. OBJECTIVE: This is a 16-week, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial to determine whether a new topical agent, cytopurine/pentadecanoic glyceride topical solution, is effective in showing clinical improvements in patients with AGA. METHODS: A total of 74 men and 21 women (24~55 years old) with AGA were treated either with the new topical solution or a placebo, twice daily. Efficacy was evaluated by daily shed hair count, phototrichogram and patients' subjective and investigators' subjective assessments for clinical improvement. All adverse effects were reported during the study. RESULTS: After 16 weeks of therapy, combination cytopurine/pentadecanoic glyceride topical solution treatment resulted in a significant improvement from the baseline in total hair count and daily shed hair count. But there were no statistically significant differences in anagen hair count, mean hair diameter, patients' subjective and investigators' subjective assessments for clinical improvement and side effects between the cytopurine/pentadecanoic glyceride treated and placebo group. CONCLUSION: We have confirmed the efficacy of combination cytopurine/pentadecanoic glyceride topical solution in treating AGA, by an objective assessment with phototrichogram.
Alopecia* ; Female ; Finasteride ; Hair ; Humans ; Male ; Minoxidil ; United States Food and Drug Administration

OBJECTIVE: The predominant histopathologic lesion in Behcet's disease is vasculitis. Thrombotic complications have been reported in approximately 10-40% of patients with Behcet's disease, but the precise mechanisms are not known. To investigate the coagualtion abnormalities in patients with Behcet's disease, coagulation and fibrinolytic activities were examined. METHODS: Thirty-two patients with Behcet's disease and thirty-two healthy individuals as a control group were included in the study. The presence of thrombosis and risk factors for hypercoagulability, and blood components concerning coagulation and fibrinolytic activites were evaluated. RESULTS: Of thirty-two patients with Behcet's disease, thrombosis was found in four patients(13%). No patient had risk factors for hypercoagulability except one with lymphoma. Levels of white blood cell count(mean+/-SD 8,362+/-2,893 vs 5,934+/-1,755/mm2, p<0.001), erythrocyte sedimentation rate(40.5+/-37.6 vs 3.3+/-2.73mm/hr, p<0.001), C reactive protein(2.26+/-3.99 vs 1.20+/-0.26mg/dl, p=0.008), fibrinogen(387.7+/-128.5 vs 240.6+/-49.5mg/dl, p<0.001) and von Willebrand factor antigen(131.9+/-46.6 vs 105.2+/-1.75%, p=0.008) were significantly higher in patients with Behcet's disease compared with controls. The level of fibrinogen correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate(r=0.721, p<0.001) and C reactive protein(r=0.454, p=0.018). High density lipoprotein(HDL) cholesterol(46.6+/-12.7 vs 65.5+/-16.1mg/dl, p<0.001), apolipoprotein A-1(118.8+/-24.7 vs 134.6+/-18.5mg/dl, p=0.018) and antithrombin III(92.8+/-16.7 vs 106.3+/-14.7%, p=0.004) were significantly lower in patients with Behcet's disease. No differences were observed in lipoprotein(a), plasminogen, protein C, and protein S activities. Activated protein C(APC) resistance was not observed in any patients with Behcet's disease. Lupus anticoagulant was positive in four patients(13%), one of whom had deep vein thrombosis. Antiphospholipid antibody was found in one patient(3%), but thrombosis was not found. CONCLUSIONS: Significantly higher level of von Willebrand factor antigen was observed in Behcet's disease, which suggested injury of vascular endothelium. Levels of HDL cholesterol, apolipoprotein A-1 and antithrombin III were decreased in Behcet's disease. APC resistance was not found.
Activated Protein C Resistance ; Antibodies, Antiphospholipid ; Antithrombin III ; Apolipoprotein A-I ; Apolipoproteins ; Blood Sedimentation ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Endothelium, Vascular ; Fibrinogen ; Fibrinolysis ; Humans ; Leukocytes ; Lipoprotein(a) ; Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor ; Lymphoma ; Plasminogen ; Protein C ; Protein S ; Risk Factors ; Thrombophilia ; Thrombosis ; Vasculitis ; Venous Thrombosis ; von Willebrand Factor