PURPOSE: Kawasaki disease is notorious for coronary arterial complication which is usually developed as a febrile disease in early childhood. Increased polymorphonucleus(PMN) cell levels in acute phases may be associated with the pathophysiology of Kawasaki disease. We studied the relationship between coronary arterial dilatation and elastase activity which was excreted from PMN cell and roles as an important factor for vasculitis. METHODS: Ten patients diagnosed with Kawasaki disease in Yonsei University Medical Center were examined between November, 2001 and January, 2002. In addition, 15 patients with other febrile diseases were also examined. Echocardiography was done in patients with Kawasaki disease on the first day of admission and four weeks after the onset of the disease. At each time, venous samples were drawn and separated into plasma and leukocytes. In patients with other febrile disease, samples were drawn on admission. Elastase activities in plasma and neutrophil extracts were measured. RESULTS: The significant increased plasma elastase activity, 6.19+/-0.74 U/mL, found in Kawasaki disease patients compared with the other febrile disease patients, 4.86+/-1.17 U/mL(P<0.05). And there was no significance between the above two diseases in terms of the elastase activity in neutrophil extracts. The relationship between initial elastase activity and the coronary arterial complication which was shown in subacute phase wasn't significant. CONCLUSION: Plasma elastase activity was increased in Kawasaki disease significantly, but the initial plasma elastase activity in the acute phase could not reflect the range of coronary arterial complication.
Academic Medical Centers ; Dilatation* ; Echocardiography ; Humans* ; Leukocyte Elastase* ; Leukocytes ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome* ; Neutrophils* ; Pancreatic Elastase ; Plasma ; Vasculitis

We successfully closed the isolated patent ductusarteriosus(PDA) in 2 female patients using the Rashkind Double-Disc Occlusion system. nonsurgical closure of PDA usin plug was introduced by Porstmann in 1968 through transfemoral artery catheter and using umbrella by Rashkind in 1977 througth venous site. There has been continued improvement and simplification of the equipment as well as in the implantation technique. Nowaday, a multicenter study was conducted to test the safety and effectiveness of this interventioal method in States. Successful closure rate was high but some problems were reported such as embolization, abnormal deployment and residual shunt. Residual shunt was visualized by aortography in our both cases immediately after intervention but continuous murmur could not be heard in both cases. Oxygen step-up disappeared immediately after occluder implantation in both cases. Complete occlusion was expected with thrombus in near future.
Aortography ; Arteries ; Catheters ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent* ; Female ; Humans ; Oxygen ; Thrombosis

Liver cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in Korea. Liver cancer imposes a considerable societal burden due to its high incidence and high mortality rate in younger patients, as compared to other cancers. However, interest in liver cancer among researchers and health-policy makers is low. In this review, recent trends in the number of published articles on liver cancer in Korea and internationally were analyzed. The key finding is that the rate of growth in the number of published articles on liver cancer is slowly decreasing and financial investment for research into liver cancer is very limited, despite the increasing research and development investment budget in Korea. Meanwhile, the rate of growth of research into liver cancer in China has recently increased markedly. Therefore, the scale and rate of growth of research into liver cancer in Korea should be enhanced.
Budgets ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; China ; Humans ; Incidence ; Investments ; Korea* ; Liver Neoplasms* ; Liver* ; Mortality

No abstract available.

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is a useful diagnostic tool for evaluation of esophagogastric varices and guidance of endoscopic therapy. EUS can visualize not only collateral veins around the esophagus but also perforating veins that connect esophageal varices with collateral veins. They are associated with high risk of bleeding and early recurrence after initial variceal eradication. Isolated gastric varices can be easily diagnosed using EUS that mimic thickened gastric folds or subepithelial tumors. EUS-guided endoscopic therapy is a challenging field of variceal bleeding. It has a potential role for assistance of interventions and evaluation of treatment outcome.
Endosonography ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices ; Esophagus ; Hemorrhage ; Hydrazines ; Hypertension, Portal ; Recurrence ; Treatment Outcome ; Varicose Veins ; Veins

This retrospective clinical study consists of 27 patients with lacrimal canalicular injury caused by various accidents and which were reconstructed with various materials in the department of plastic surgery at Catholic University Medical College from December 1987 to July 1996. These 27 patients were followed up at least 6 months after the canalicular reconstruction and their medical records were reviewed and analysed retrospectively in order to obtain the clinical pattern and understand the therapeutic results. The statistical items were the age and sex distribution, the causes of injury, the prevalent site of injury, the reconstruction materials, the duration of intubation and the results of treatment. The following results are obtained: 1. Males were more dominant than females by 4.4 : 1. 2. The patient age was from 6 to 73 years old and the prevalent age groups were the third and fourth decades(55.5%). 3. The most common cause of canalicular injury was the violence(29.6%) and was followed by traffic accident. 4. The left canaliculi, especially inferior canaliculi, was the prevalent injury site. 5. Regardless of the materials(P.V.C. tube, nylon and silicone tube) used in canalicular reconstruction, the longer duration of intubation was obtained the better result of treatment. 6. So the silicone tube with stainless steel(C-line canaliculus intubation set) was relatively inert and less complicating, it could be maintained more longer and had better results than other materials such as P.V.C. tube and nylon.
Accidents, Traffic ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Intubation ; Male ; Medical Records ; Nylons ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Distribution ; Silicones ; Surgery, Plastic

No abstract available.
Antiviral Agents/*administration & dosage ; *Disease Progression ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/*drug therapy/*pathology ; Humans ; Male

Collagen is the major component of scar tissue. Considerable progress of fibroblast growth kinetics and of collagen synthesis has been achieved in the past decade. We have been interested in fibroblasts activities as they are expressed by cells cultured in collagen substrate. This study is to examine the effects of collagen substrate and peptide growth factors In culture medium on DNA and protein synthesis of human dermal fibroblasts. Collagen, interleukin-1(IL-1) and transforming growth factor-beta(TGF-beta) were added to fibroblast culture media according to the designed experiment model and DNA and protein synthesis were measured by [3H]-thymidine, [3H]-leucine, and [3H]-proline incorporation method. The morphological features of fibroblasts were observed by light microscope. The results were as follows ; 1) There were significant decreases of DNA and protein synthesis of cultured fibroblasts in the presence of collagen substrate compared with those in Control groups(p<0.01). 2) DNA and protein synthesis were decreased as dose dependant manner of collagen density in culture media. 3) Morphological features of fibroblasts became less stellate and flat, more spindle-like in the presence of collagen. 4) In responsiveness to IL-1, collagen non-treated groups responded to IL-1 but collagen treated groups were unresponsive to IL-1 (P<0.05). 5) Cells In collagen non-treated groups responded to TGF-beta as dose-related manner(P<0.01). Collagen treated groups desponded to TGF-beta but did not show TGF-beta dose-dependant relationship. In Conclusion, collagen substrate in the culture medium could lower the DNA and protein synthesis of fibroblasts. Cells in collagen substrate were unresponsive or less responsive to peptide growth factors than those in non-collagen substrate.
Cicatrix ; Collagen* ; Culture Media ; DNA* ; Fibroblasts* ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Interleukin-1 ; Kinetics ; Transforming Growth Factor beta

PURPOSE: To evaluate the value and the radiologic findings of CT discography in the diagnosis of the far lateral disk herniation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 7 cases of surgically proven far lateral lumbar disc herniation. CT discography was performed for all cases. Four cases underwent conventional CT and three cases MRI as a primary diagnostic imaging method. Far lateral diac herniation was divided into 3 groups by location;Intraforaminal herniation, extraforaminal herniation, and mixed type. We analyzed the findings of CT discography including location and extent of far lateral disc herniation. RESULTS: In all 7 cases, CT discography clearly demonstrated the filling of contrast media in laterally-protruded disc material. Intraforaminal and extraforminal types were seen in 2 cases each, and mixed type in 3 cases. Subligamentous herniated nucleus pulposus was present in 6 cases and extruded disc in 1 case. Far lateral disc herniation was located at L4-5 in 5 cases and L5-S1 in 2 cases. CONCLUSION: CT discography can help establishing accurate preoperative diagnosis for far lateral disc herniation.
Contrast Media ; Diagnosis ; Diagnostic Imaging ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: As patients can go to specialists and family doctors do not have gate-keeping role, doctor-shopping is very popular in Korea. The introduction of family doctor registration program is proposed several years ago, and the debate is still being done about that issue. This study is to show the possession rate of regular doctor and to investigate the factors associated with it. METHODS: We interviewed 657 adults of Seoul, Bundang, Ilsan and Pyungchon with preformed questionnaire which included the questions about regular doctor and attitudes to the family doctor registration program. Respondents were sampled according to the age structure and population distribution of the cities. RESULTS: About half of the respondents had regular doctor. Internists were regular doctors of nearly half of the respondents and pediatricians 30.6%, oriental doctors 5.6%, general surgeon 4.4%, and family doctors 3.8%. About half of the regular doctors worked in primary clinic and 48.2% in hospitals. The most important reason choosing regular doctor was distance to the medical facilities. The most frequently provided service by regular doctor was vaccination(57.1%), the least was home visit(2.9%). Factors associated with the possession of regular doctors were residence area, sex of respondents, level of income and education. CONCLUSION: Nearly half of the respondents had regular doctors and half of the regular doctors were internists and worked in primary clinics. The area of residence, sex, income level, level of education, and interest for health were related with the possession of regular doctor.
Adult ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Demography ; Education ; Family Practice ; Humans ; Korea* ; Primary Health Care ; Seoul ; Specialization