BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Abciximab has been shown to have beneficial effects beyond the improvement in the patency of an infarct-related artery and the microvascular integrity. However, it remains uncertain whether abciximab may lead to beneficial effects on the left ventricular remodeling in patients with an acute myocardial infarction, treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Therefore, whether abciximab is effective in the left ventricular remodeling in patients with acute myocardial infarction, treated with primary PCI, was investigated. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study included 28 patients with an acute myocardial infarction (1 vessel disease) that had received either a primary PCI alone (group A, n=14) or an abciximab+primary PCI (group B, n=14). The baseline characteristics of the two groups were similar, with the exception of a thrombusburden lesion. All patients were examined by echocardiography within 72 hours, and at an average 11.7 months after the acute myocardial infarction. The change in the left ventricular end-diastolic volume index, end-systolic volume index and ejection fraction, between the two groups, were compared. RESULTS: At an average follow-up of 11.7 months, the left ventricular volume indices were smaller, and the left ventricular ejection fraction higher, compared with those at the baseline in each group. The change of the left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (-7+/-3 mL/m2 vs. -9+/-2 mL/m2, p=0.56), the left ventricular end-systolic volume index (-8+/-3 mL/m2 vs. -9+/-2 mL/m2, p=0.73) and the left ventricular ejection fraction (7+/-3% vs. 9+/-2%, p=0.49) did not show significant differences between groups A and B. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that abciximab does not improve the left ventricular remodeling in patient with an acute myocardial infarction, treated with primary PCI.
Arteries ; Echocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention* ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; Stroke Volume ; Ventricular Remodeling*

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the antihypertensive effect, safety and effect on serum lipids of terazosin, second generation alpha1-blocker. METHODS: Terazosin 1-4mg was adminstered once daily in 20 patients for 12 weeks with dose titration every 2 weeks. RESULTS: 1) The systolic and diastolic blood pressure were decreased from 170.0+/-13.0/104.0+/-6.0mmHg to 144.0+/-13.3/88.0+/-5.6mmHg(p<0.01), but the heart rate and body weight were independant of terazosin administration. 2) Total cholesterol was decreased significantly from 209.9+/-33.5mg/dL to 194.6+/-30.1mg/dL after 12 weeks treatment(p<0.05), triglyceride was decreased significantly from 185.4+/-37.0mg/dL to 168.9+/-35.0mg/dL(p<0.05). and LDL-cholesterol was decreased significantly from 134.5+/-31.9mg/dL to 122.7+/-29.9mg/dL(p<0.05), but HDL-cholesterol was increased significantly from 37.8+/-5.6mg/dL to 40.6+/-5.5mg/dL(p<0.05). 3) The adverse effects of terazosin were dizziness in 2, headache in 2, asthenia in 1, peripheral edema in 1 and skin rash in 1 patient, but were not troublesome enough to stop medication. CONCLUSIONS: Terazosin 1-4mg once daily regimen was effective and safe as an antihypertensive agent, and moreover terazosin has favorable effects on serum lipids.
Asthenia ; Blood Pressure* ; Body Weight ; Cholesterol ; Dizziness ; Edema ; Exanthema ; Headache ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Triglycerides

BACKGROUND/AIMS: With the development of self-expanding metallic stents, colonic obstruction can be relieved without the need for surgery. The results of preoperative placement of stents for malignant colorectal obstruction might be different according to the obstructing lesion. The objective of this study was to compare clinical improvement rates and operative results after preoperative placement of stents for malignant colorectal obstruction according to the location of the obstructing lesion. METHODS: This is a retrospective study including 57 patients who underwent self-expanding metallic stent insertion for obstructing resectable colorectal cancers. Patients were classified into three groups according to the location of the lesion as follows: proximal to the sigmoid colon (Group A), sigmoid colon (Group B), and rectum (Group C). RESULTS: The number of patients in A, B, and C groups was 13, 22, and 22, respectively. No significant differences in age, gender, stent type, and accompanying diseases among the three groups were observed. There were no significant differences in stent-related complications, clinical improvement rates, and one-stage resection rates among the three groups. The postoperative complications, the requirement rate of ICU care, the period of ICU stay, postoperative hospital stay, and hospital mortality did not significantly differ among the three groups. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical improvement rates and operative results after successful placement of stents for obstructing resectable colorectal cancers are not different according to the location of the obstructing lesion, suggesting that preoperative stenting for one-stage curative resection is useful, irrespective of the location of lesion.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Colorectal Neoplasms/*diagnosis/surgery ; Female ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Intestinal Obstruction/*surgery ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Preoperative Care ; Retrospective Studies ; *Stents

Fibrosing mediastinitis is a rare disease that is characterized by the proliferation of dense fibrous tissue of the mediastinum. The pathogenesis of fibrosing mediastinitis is unknown in most cases. However, histoplasmosis, tuberculosis, autoimmune disease, radiation therapy, and other idiopathic fibroinflammatory diseases have been implicated in some cases. Most clinical features are related to an obstruction or compression of the mediastinal structure. Fibrosing mediastinitis is often progressive and occurs diffusely throughout the mediastinum. We encountered a case of fibrosing mediastinitis of a very focal lesion without evidence of mediastinal involvement. The condition was confirmed by biopsy and graft bypass surgery was performed because of SVC syndrome.
Autoimmune Diseases ; Biopsy ; Histoplasmosis ; Mediastinitis* ; Mediastinum ; Rare Diseases ; Transplants ; Tuberculosis

Gastric lipoma is rare submucosal tumor, accounting for less than 3% of all be- nign gastric tumor. Most are usually asymptomatic, but on occasion, they may present with abdominal pain, obstruction, dyspepsia, intussuception and gastrointestinal bleeding. Surgical resection is definitive diagnostic and therapeutic procedure. Surgical removal of gastric lipoma should be considered in the following situations: 1) the lesion is large, 2) the lesion is difficult to differentiate from malignant tumor, 3) the patient is symptomatic or has recurrent bleeding or obstruction. We report a case of gastric lipoma with bleeding in a 67-year-old male. Gastroscopy showed active gastric ulcer with fresh blood clot. Although medical conservative treatment was done, bleeding was continued. We referred patient to general surgical department for open surgical procedure and subtotal gastrectomy was performed. Histopathological examination of surgical gastric segment showed 5 5.5 cm sized ulcerated mass. Microscopic finding of cross section showed uniform and mature adipose cell, finding consistent with lipoma. We confirmed it submucosal gastric lipoma with ulcer bleeding.
Abdominal Pain ; Adipocytes ; Aged ; Dyspepsia ; Gastrectomy ; Gastroscopy ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Lipoma* ; Male ; Stomach ; Stomach Ulcer ; Ulcer

BACKGROUND: While smoking prevalence in Korean men has been decreasing, it is increasing in Korean women. Little is known about women's smoking inequalities in Korea. This study was conducted to investigate the association of socioeconomic indicators with the initiation and cessation of smoking among Korean women. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study on 9,089 women aged 25-64 years from the 2008 Seoul Community Health Survey. The data on smoking and socioeconomic status were obtained through face-to-face interviews. Smoking initiation rate was defined as the proportion of the individuals who had started smoking at least one cigarette among all subjects. Smoking cessation rate was calculated by dividing the number of individuals who had quit smoking by the number of ever smokers. Education level, total family income and occupation were investigated as socioeconomic indicators. RESULTS: Education level was significantly associated with both initiation and cessation of smoking. Lower educated women had a higher likelihood of smoking initiation (odds ratio [OR], 1.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17 to 2.51) but lower likelihood of smoking cessation (OR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.22 to 0.66) than higher educated women. Smoking initiation rate was higher in manual workers (OR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.20 to 2.27) than in non-manual workers. However, there were no significant differences of both initiation and cessation of smoking according to total household income. CONCLUSION: This study shows that there are smoking inequalities among Korean women. It is thought that education level and occupation are important determinants of women's smoking status.
Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Occupations ; Prevalence ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Smoking Cessation ; Social Class ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Tobacco Products