Background: Hypertension results from an impaired baroreceptor reflex and enhanced sympathetic activity. The prevalence of hypertension differs among ethnicities and is more frequent in South Asians than in Caucasians, suggesting that baseline autonomic nervous system functions and their regulation may also differ among ethnic groups. In most studies, the reference values for clinical autonomic function tests are obtained from heterogeneous ethnic populations, or ethnic factors are not considered in the study design. Obtaining reference data in a homogenous ethnic group and comparing them within various ethnic groups could be helpful to detect ethnic differences in autonomic functions. The aim of this study was to identify normative reference values for standard autonomic reflex measurements in a homogeneous Korean population. Methods: A total of 181 healthy Korean volunteers (age, 20–74 years) underwent standard autonomic function tests: heart rate difference during deep breathing, Valsalva maneuver, and the quantitative sudomotor axon-reflex test. Mean and 5th and 95th percentile values were obtained for each age group. We also analyzed factors (age, sex, and body mass index) that can influence autonomic functions. Results: The heart rate difference during deep breathing and expiratory-inspiratory ratio were higher in males than in females and were inversely related to age. The Valsalva ratio was inversely related to age. Males had higher sweat volumes at all body areas evaluated than those of females, and only forearm sweat volume was significantly different between the age groups. Conclusions: Cardiovagal function was affected by age and sex in Koreans. Sudomotor function was affected by sex, and only forearm sweat volume was affected by age and sex. These results represent preliminary normative clinical autonomic data in a Korean population comprised of a single ethnicity
Hypertension

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify factors that have an influence on the pain which patients recognize when receiving an intravenous injection. METHOD: Participants were 111 patients who were admitting to C University Hospital. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS 11.0 program. RESULTS: For the participants, factors related to administration of medication were the following: Phlebitis scale, who administers the IV injection, failure to complete the IV injection, explaination of the IV injection and rate of injection. Level of pain, depression and anxiety in the participants was as follows: Pain (4.86+/-2.09), depression (35.76+/-9.91), anxiety (32.34+/-8.87). There were positive correlations between pain and depression (r= .437, p< .000), between pain and anxiety (r= .478, p< .000), and between depression and anxiety (r= .544, p< .000). CONCLUSION: Such findings provide new insights into the dynamic relationships between depression, anxiety and pain which patients recognize when having an intravenous injection. Further studies should be conducted to establish the causal relation between depression, anxiety and pain and to determine appropriate nursing interventions.
Anxiety* ; Depression* ; Humans ; Injections, Intravenous* ; Nursing ; Phlebitis

No abstract available.
Aged ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Tremor

Objectives: White matter hyperintensities are known to influence dementia in Alzheimer’s disease. Genetic components are suggested as putative risk factors for vascular pathology and cognitive decline. This study aimed to determine whether there is an association between candidate genetic polymorphisms and the severity of white matter hyperintensities in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Methods: Seventy-five patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease underwent genetic tests for specific alleles of apolipoprotein E, angiotensin-converting enzyme, and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase. All patients underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging scans and neuropsychological tests. The severity of white matter hyperintensities was semiquantified using the CREDOS rating scale, and patients were divided into three groups according to their rating. Results:The severity of white matter hyperintensities was related to age and hypertension. However, none of the gene polymorphisms we tested was found to be associated with the severity of white matter hyperintensities. Conclusion:The genetic polymorphisms found in apolipoprotein E, angiotensin-converting enzyme and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase did not contribute to white matter hyperintensities in Alzheimer’s disease.Only age and hypertension factors were found to be contributory to white matter hyperintensities.
Alzheimer Disease ; Dementia

BACKGROUND :Protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) such as c-Abl, c-KIT, PDGFR-alpha and PDGFR-bata are key proteins in the regulation of cell growth. In this study, we evaluated the correlations between the expression of c-Abl, c-KIT, PDGFR-alpha and PDGFR-beta and the survival of patients with ovarian cancer. METHODS: We performed the immunohistochemistry for 102 patients with ovarian cancer and we retrospectively reviewed the overall and disease free survival and also the response to platinum-based chemotherapy in those patients. RESULTS: The short disease free survival rate was significantly associated with the increased expression of PDGFR-alpha (p=0.0459). The short overall survival time in patients with advanced (stage III and IV) ovarian cancer was associated with the overexpression of c-Abl (p=0.0268) and the reduced expression of c-KIT (p=0.0307). On multivariate analysis, the tumor stage and c-Abl maintained their prognostic influence. Meanwhile, none of the four PTK expression patterns predicted the response to the platinum-based chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that for patients with advanced ovarian cancer, the overexpression of c-Abl and the reduced expression of c-KIT might be used as poor prognostic factors for overall survival. It is further noteworthy that the tumor stage and c-Abl may be useful in predicting the patients' survival. Although any of the four PTKs could not predict the response to platinum chemotherapy, the expression of the kinases targeted by tyrosine kinase inhibitor suggests the potential usefulness of imatinib mesylate for the treatment of ovarian cancer.
Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mesylates ; Multivariate Analysis ; Ovarian Neoplasms* ; Phosphotransferases ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor* ; Platinum ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; Receptors, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor* ; Retrospective Studies ; Imatinib Mesylate

Primary mesenchymal neoplasm of the adrenal gland is very rare. Recently we experienced a case of leiomyosarcoma of the adrenal gland in a 47-year-old female patient. The resected adrenal gland showed a large lobulated mass, which replaced the entire gland. The cut surface was firm and whitish gray with foci that showed hemorrhage and necrosis. Histologically, the tumor was composed of intersecting fascicles of pleomorphic spindle cells with numerous giant cells and mitotic figures. Some of the tumor cells showed elongated nuclei. Immunohistochemical studies were strongly positive for vimentin and smooth muscle actin. Cytokeratin, desmin, alpha-1-antitrypsin and lysozyme were all negative. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case reported in Korea.
Actins ; Adrenal Gland Neoplasms ; Adrenal Glands* ; Desmin ; Female ; Giant Cells ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Keratins ; Korea ; Leiomyosarcoma* ; Middle Aged ; Muramidase ; Muscle, Smooth ; Necrosis ; Vimentin

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe the clinical features of patients with congenital hypothyroidism due to ectopic thyroid including locations of ectopic thyroid, thyroid function, age of treatment, and starting dose of medication. METHODS: A total of 71 children with congenital hypothyroidism due to ectopic thyroid diagnosed by thyroid ultrasonography (USG) or 99mTc-petechnetate thyroid scan in the department of pediatrics, Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital from 1992 to 2015 were enrolled and analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Among 71 patients, 26 patients (36.6%) were male and 45 patients (63.4%) were female as the gender ratio was 1:1.73. The locations of ectopic thyroid confirmed by USG or scan were found to be sublingual in 52 patients (73.2%), lingual in 17 patients (23.9%), prelaryngeal in 1 patient (1.4%), and combined in 1 patient (1.4%), respectively. The average value of serum thyroid stimulating hormone was 267.5 µIU/mL and free thyroxin was 0.63 ng/dL. The average value of thyroglobulin (TG) was 217.6 ng/mL. Fifty two patients (73.2%) started treatment within the 1 month of age and 19 patients (26.8%) started after the 1 month of age. The average of the medication starting dose was 12.2 µg/kg/day. There was no significant difference on TG value and starting medication dose. CONCLUSION: As the previous literatures, the presence of ectopic thyroid was more common in female than male. It was coincident with this study. It is generally accepted that lingual ectopic thyroid is most common ectopic location, but in this study, proportion of sublingual thyroid was most common.
Child ; Congenital Hypothyroidism* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Pediatrics ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Thyroglobulin ; Thyroid Dysgenesis* ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyrotropin ; Thyroxine ; Ultrasonography

We recently experienced an atypical chondroid lesion metastatic to the lung. Examined under the microscope, the excised nodules displayed abundant amounts of chondroid tissue and necrosis with dystrophic calcification. The calcification had a characteristic "chicken wire" pattern. The chondroblasts contained one or two round to oval, focally indented nuclei with inconspicuous nucleoli. Although some enlarged nuclei with mild to moderate pleomorphism were present, significant nuclear atypia was lacking. Mitotic figures were scarce (1/10 high power field). Scattered multinucleated osteoclast-type giant cells were observed among the chondroblasts. Thus, the possibility of chondroblastoma was considered first. Metastasis of histologically benign chondroblastoma is a rare event, but well documented. The pulmonary metastatic nodules were described as ceasing to grow in some cases; and a significant number of patients were free of tumors following removal of the metastatic nodules. These findings suggest that the metastasis may represent a simple transport phenomenon. However, there are, as yet, no histologic parameters that help determine whether these metastases are to cease their growth or will progress to kill the host.
Chondroblastoma ; Chondrocytes ; Giant Cells ; Humans ; Lung ; Necrosis ; Neoplasm Metastasis

Amyloidosis is a systemic disorder associated with clonal plasma cell dyscrasia. Nephrotic syndrome, congestive heart failure, autonomic and peripheral neuropathy is often associated features in amyloidosis. Early diagnosis is most important because of different prognosis by stage. The diagnosis can be delayed since symptoms of amyloidosis may vary or nonspecific. We describe a patient of myeloma-associated amyloidosis, who showed orthostatic intolerance as the first symptom of the disease.
Amyloidosis* ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Orthostatic Intolerance* ; Paraproteinemias ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Prognosis