No abstract available.
Cauda Equina* ; Ependymoma*

OBJECTIVEs: Cytogenetic investigations were carried out on 770 women with primary (n=560) and secondary amenorrhea (n=210) to determine the frequency of chromosomal or genetic causes of amenorrhea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 770 women with primary amenorrhea (n=560) and secondary amenorrhea (n=210), chromosomal analysis were performed. RESULTS: 1) The most prevalent age group is 16-20 years of age group with primary amenorrhea and 26-30 years of age group with secondary amenorrhea. 2) Out of 560 cases of primary amenorrhea, 343 cases (61.3%) had the normal chromosome constitution and 217 cases (38.7%) had the abnormal chromosome constitution including 46,XY. 3) In 217 cases of abnormal chromosome of primary amenorrhea, 57 cases (26.3%) had 45,X and 34 cases (15.8%) had the 46,XY, 24 cases (11.0%) had 45,X/46,X,i (Xq), 23 cases (10.6%) had 45,X/46,X,+mar and 14 cases (6.6%) had 45,X/46,XY. 4) Out of 210 cases of secondary amenorrhea, 181 cases (86.2%) had the normal chromosome constitution and 29 cases (13.8%) had 45,X/46,XX. CONCLUSION: High percentage of chromosomal abnormalities was diagnosed in primary amenorrhea and most of them were sex chromosome anomalies. In secondary amenorrhea, the prevalence was lower than primary amenorrhea, so a preselection of patients with secondary amenorrhea for cytogenetic investigations seems to be necessary.
Amenorrhea* ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Constitution and Bylaws ; Cytogenetics* ; Female ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Sex Chromosomes

PURPOSE:Cardiovascular morbidity has recently been demonstrated to potentially reduce life expectancy in growth hormone deficiency(GHD). The aim of this study was to evaluate cardiovascular abnormalities and atherosclerotic changes in adults with childhood-onset GHD in whom GH treatment had been stopped at the achievement of final height. METHODS:Nine patients with childhood-onset GHD(7 idiopathic and 2 organic), with an age of 24.0+/-.0 year, were studied. Clinical characteristics of subjects were determined and blood pressure, body mass index(BMI), and serum concentrations of lipids were measured. Structural and functional evaluation of cardiovascular system was performed by M-mode echocardiography and linear phase array imaging transducer. RESULTS:BMI of patients was 27.3+/-.7 mg/m2, and four patients(44%) were overweight(BMI 25-30 mg/m2), but none was obese(BMI >30 mg/m2). The percentage of patients who had total cholesterol > or = 200 mg/dL, triglyceride > or = 150 mg/dL, LDL cholesterol > or = 140 mg/dL, and HDL cholesterol < or = 40 mg/dL were 56%, 44%, 33 %, and 44%, respectively. Interventricular septum thickness(IVST), left ventricular posterior wall thickness(LVPWT), left ventricular end-diastolic internal diameter (LVID), left ventricular mass index(LVMI) of patients were 6.4+/-2.1 mm(SDS -1.5+/-1.1), 6.3+/-1.2 mm(SDS -2.1+/-0.8), 44.9+/-4.3 mm(SDS -1.0+/-0.9), and 85.4+/-94.8 g/m2 (SDS -0.5+/-6.8), respectively. The number of patients whose IVST, LVPWT, LVID, and LVMI were decreased(<-2SD) were 4(44%), 5(56%), 1(11%), and 6(67%), respectively. Carotid artery intima-media thickness(IMT) was 0.86+/-0.22 mm, and it was increased(>2SD) in 3 patients(33%). Three out of four patients with IVST lower than -2SD had increased carotid artery IMT, whereas none of five patients with IVST higher than -2SD had increased carotid artery IMT. There were no differences in echocardiographic findings between groups according to sex, age, duration of disease, duration after GH discontinuation, BMI, and severity of dyslipidemia. CONCLUSION: Decreases in IVST, LVPWT, and LVMI, and an increase in carotid artery IMT were observed in a significant number of patients with childhood-onset GHD. These findings support the need of GH replacement after completion of growth and careful evaluation of cardiovascular changes in patients with childhood-onset GHD.
Adult* ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiovascular Abnormalities* ; Cardiovascular System ; Carotid Arteries ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Dyslipidemias ; Echocardiography ; Growth Hormone* ; Humans ; Life Expectancy ; Transducers ; Triglycerides

PURPOSE:Improved adult final height(FH) is a major goal in the treatment of children with short stature due to growth hormone deficiency(GHD). The purpose of this study was to evaluate final height in idiopathic and organic GHD children after long-term growth hormone(GH) treatment. METHODS:Twenty five(16 males and 9 females) patients with GHD(14 idiopathic and 11 organic GHD) were included. GHD was diagnosed by two or more GH provocation tests(peak GH level <10 ng/mL). All subjects had multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies, and aged 10.7+/-.5(5.5-14) years at the start of GH treatment. The patients were treated with GH 0.45-0.7 IU/kg/week in 3-7 divided doses for 6.9+/-.8(5.2-10) years. Treatment was ended when growth velocity reached lower than 2 cm/year and/or bone age reached 16 years. Standard auxologic measurements were performed at the start of GH treatment and at every 6 month after initial GH treatment. RESULTS:FH was 166.9+/-.8 cm, which was not significantly lower than target height(167.1+/-.9 cm) and predicted adult height(169.1+/-5 cm). FH SDS was significantly improved to -0.8+/-.5 compared with -3.4+/-.0 of height SDS at the start of GH treatment. The largest height increment was observed in the first year of GH treatment, with a gradual decrease in the following years. There was no difference in FH and FH SDS between idiopathic and organic GHD. Unwanted serious adverse events were not observed in all patients during GH therapy. CONCLUSION: Early diagnosis and continuous treatment with optimal doses of GH to near adult height improve the outcome in children with short stature due to idiopathic and organic GHD.
Adult ; Child* ; Early Diagnosis ; Growth Hormone* ; Humans ; Male

No abstract available.
Plasminogen Activators* ; Plasminogen* ; Pulmonary Embolism*

The authors attempted to choose what has the best reproducibility and predictability for prognosis of the prostatic adenocarcinoma among four most widely used gradings methods; the Gleason's Mostofi's, Bocking and MD Anderson hospital systems. According to these gradings systems, each of two pathologists made histologic gradings of 40 consecutive prostatic adenocarcinomas which had been diagnosed with the surgically resected specimens. Correlation between the histological grades and the clinical stages was studied and a comparison was made among each system. For the comparison, the Gleason's and MDAH systems were revised as 3 grades and adjusted to the other gradings systems. In this study, MDAH grading system yielded the highest reproducibility as represented by 90% agreement, as compared with the other systems which showed 82.5~87.5% agreement. By the Gleason's, Mostofi's and Bocking's systems, 46.2%, 23.1% and 46.2% of grade 3 tumors respectively fell under the clinical stage A. On the contrary, there were no cases of grade 3 in stage A and no cases of grade 1 in stage D, by MDAH gradings system. These results suggest that MDAH gradings system is superior to the other systems in reproducibility and for predicting the biological behavior.
Adenocarcinoma

No abstract available.
Pneumoconiosis* ; Thorax*

The metallic failure is one of the annoying problems after fracture surgery. The seventeen cases of metallic failures after compression plate fixation were treated at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine between January, 1980 and December, 1988. The results were summerized as follows: l. Among 17 cases, 12(70.5%) were under 40 years of age and 14(80%) were male patients. 2. The sites of fracture of the seventeen cases; 12 femurs, 3 tibiae, and 2 radii. Of the cases, there were breakage of plates in 13 cases, bending 1 case and failure of screw in 3 cases. 3. The pattern of fracture: communited fracture
Femur ; Fractures, Bone ; Fractures, Open ; Gangwon-do ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Osteoporosis ; Radius ; Tibia ; Transplants ; Weight-Bearing

Although several kinds of instrumentation systems are available for the transpedicular screw fixation in the treatment of spondylolisthesis, the clinical results and the difference between them remdins unclear. In order to study the feasibility of Zielke instrumentation system for that purpose, the author analysed the clinical results of 73 patients with mild or moderate degree of spondylolisthesis who were instrumented with the systems and followed up 25 months in average(Min. 12Ms). The results between the groups with different rod thickness in the system, 3.2mm(20 patients), 4mm(33 patients) and 5mm(20 patients), were compared to study the most appropriate thickness. Reduction of the deformity were done by aid of temporarilly applied Harrington system in 3.2mm group. Inlayed reduction potential coming from the jointing mechanism was utilized in the cases with less than 30% of slippage in 4 and 5mm group. Percentage of slippage was changed from 20% preoperatively, to 4% postoperatively and 6% at the end of follow up. The methods of fusion after reduction and fixation were anterior in 25 and posterolateral in 48. Bony fusion was achieved in all but one with pathological spondylolisthesis. Rod failures were observed in two of 3.2mm and one of 4mm group, and loosening of the joint were developed in three of 5mm group. Clinically, 93% of the patient showed excellent and good results at the end of follow up. From the results, we concluded that the instrumentation is a efficient method of treatment with several advantages in the reduction capacity and the stability of fixation. However, this system has several points in its mechanics that needs to be improved.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Joints ; Mechanics ; Methods ; Spondylolisthesis

No abstract available.
Anemia, Hypoplastic, Congenital*