BACKGROUND: White coat effect (WCE) and white coat hypertension (WCH) are relatively prevalent in clinical situation (20 - 57% of WCH in the hypertensive population). The aim of this study was to analyze the determinant factors of WCE. METHODS: A prospective study was carried out in outpatient clinic in a consecutive hypertensives without receiving pharmacologic treatment. Twenty-four hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) was performed following more than two resting blood pressure (BP) determinations carried out with the interval of 1 - 2 weeks by mercury sphygmomanometer. WCE was calculated for systolic and diastolic BP as the difference between a clinic BP (CBP) and an average daytime ambulatory BP (ABP). WCH was defined as;BP in the clinic > or = 140/90 mmHg with a mean daytime BP by ABPM < or =137/< or =89 mmHg. RESULTS: 1) Two hundred thirty-five patients (mean age 49.7 years, females 74%) were studied. Thirty-seven percent in male and forty-six percent in female patients fulfilled WCH criteria. 2) CBP was significantly correlated to daytime ABP (systolic BP;r=.47, p<.001 and diastolic BP;r=.65, p<.001). 3) The magnitude of WCE was greater in the group of WCH (28.9+14.6/19.3+6.9 mmHg) than ambulatory hypertensives (15.1+15.7/13.0+8.2 mmHg) (p<.001). 4) The magnitude of WCE is significantly correlated with female (r2=.12, p<.001) and the stage of CBP according to JNC-V (r2=.23, p<.001) in systolic BP, the stage (r2=.08, p<.001) in diastolic BP, and the stage (r2=.09, p<.001) and weight (r2=.15, p<.01) in mean BP. CONCLUSIONS: The magnitude of WCE in essential hypertension diagnosed at the clinic is significantly correlated with female, the magnitude of clinic BP, and weight.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Blood Pressure ; Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Male ; Prospective Studies ; Sphygmomanometers ; White Coat Hypertension

BACKGROUND: A clinical study of rosacea has never been reported in Korea. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the clinical observations of rosncea. METHODS: During a 5-year-period from Jan. 1990 to Dec. 1994, 133 patients were evaluated with regard to age, sex, location of skin lesions, clinical type, duration, and precipitating factors. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. Of the 7,787 cases amongst outpatients, 133 cases(1.7% ) were dignosed with rosacea. Of there 46 were male patients and 87 females, giving a sex ratio of 1:1.9 in favor of females. 2. The most common type of rosacea was vascular rosacea(60.2%) 3. The average duration of rosacea was 3.4 years. 4. Rosacea afflict persons aged 40-49 most frequently. 5. The predilection sites of the rosacea were : cheek(42.9%), nose(23.3%), entire face(11.3%), cheek & nose(9%), zygomatic area(6.8%), extra-facial area(3.8%), forehead(2.9%). 6, The aggravating factors of rosacea were : unknown cause(32.3%), coffee & tea(18%), alcohol(13.5%), emotional stress(10.5%), sun exposure(9.8%), multi-factoral(7.5%), drugs(steroids)4.6%).
Cheek ; Coffee ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Outpatients ; Precipitating Factors ; Rosacea* ; Sex Ratio ; Skin ; Solar System

Recently non-invasive diagnostic imaging replaced the invasive catheter angiography in the diagnosis of vascular disease. Catheter methods are now almost confined to the purpose of intervention. Coronary artery or coronary artery bypass graft still needs catheter technique because of small diameter and the cardiac motion. The last challenge for radiologists in this domain is to obtain a non-invasive imaging. Electron beam tomography(EBT) for high temporal resolution is able to obtain a coronary arteriogram or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), of which CABG imaging is quite useful for the evaluation of patency. In our experience as well as others, the accuracy of EBT angiogram in evaluating CABG patency revealed that the accuracy of patency of saphenous vein grafts(SVG) is high due to relatively wide lumen, short and straight course and less influence from cardiac motion. The sensitivity and specificity of patency of SVGs were 92%, 97% respectively in the prospective evaluat on and 100% each in the retrospective evaluation. A false positive and a false negative case are rudimentary errors in the initial learing period. In contrast the analysis of left internal mammary artery(LIMA) graft was difficult due to the inherent small size and the adjacent surgical clips provoking beam-hardening artifact; therefore, the method of combining 3 dimensional reconstruction and flow mode study was important in improving the accuracy of LIMA patency. The sensitivity and specificity of LIMA patency were 100% and 80% in both prospective and retrospective evaluation. Therefore, EBT angiography is an accurate non-invasive diagnostic modality for evaluating the patency of CABG, particularly in SVGs. The accuracy can be improved with the improvement of the EBT and the development of the image reconstruction software.
Angiography ; Artifacts ; Catheters ; Coronary Artery Bypass* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Diagnosis ; Diagnostic Imaging ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Prospective Studies ; Retrospective Studies ; Saphenous Vein ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Surgical Instruments ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed* ; Transplants ; Vascular Diseases

Ecthyma Gangrenosum is a rapidly progressing skin infection charact,erized by edema, hemorragic bullae and necrosis. Ecthyma Gangrenosum occurs almost exclusively in severely imrnunocompromised patients during the course of pseudomanas aeruginosa septisemia. A 5 month-old boy was transferred to our department because of multiple well defined central necrotic black-colored large erythematous bullae. In the bacterial cultures of skin, stool and liver aspiration fluid, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was grown. In the abdominal ultrasonogram and computed tomogram, the multiple liver abscess, hepatomegaly and ascites were shown on both hepatic lobes. Herein we report a case of ecthyma gangrenosum associated with liver abscess.
Ascites ; Ecthyma* ; Edema ; Hepatomegaly ; Humans ; Infant ; Liver Abscess* ; Liver* ; Male ; Necrosis ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Skin ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.
Femur* ; Osteosarcoma*

From July 1997, Authors have reconstructed the posterior cruciate ligament(PCL) deficient knees with two graft tendons; an autogenous bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) and a semitendinosus tendon. At Femoral side, the two graft tendons were fixed through the two tunnels which were made at the site of foot print of PCL. The original site of anterolateral bundle of the PCL was reconstructe(I with the autogenous BPTB and the original site of posteromedial bundle with the semitendinosus tendon. At tibial side, the two graft tendons were fixed by modified inlay technique; the BPTB was fixed with a cancellous screw and the semitendinosus tendon with staples. Seven cases were followed up more than six months and authors evaluated the results with the KT-1000TM arthrometer and the posterior stress radiographs by Telos stress dcvice and compared the resu]t of injured knee with the uninjured side of each patient. The results of manual maximal displacement test with arthrometer were less than 4 mm in six patients and 8 rnm in one patient at last follow up. The average distance of posterior displacement on stress radiographs was 10.3 mm preoperatively and 2.7 mm at final follow up period. Six of the seven patients had a good stability on posterior stress radiographs compared with the uninjured side. One patient had posterior knee insta- bility on stress radiographs due to loosening of the grafted tendon and retightening of the grafted tendon was performed through the posterior approach to the proximal tibia. The original idea of femoral dual tunnel method in PCL reconstructiori is to reconstruct the PCL more anatomically and the modified tibial inlay technique can solve the problern of graft tendon abrasion at the posterior opening of the tibial tunnel in transtibial tunnel method and retightening of the loose grafted tendon is simple than the other methods of PCL reconstruction. Authors expect that this combined femoral dual tun- nel and modified tibial inlay method may improve the quality of the outcome of the arthroscopic PCL reconstruction.
Arthroscopy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Foot ; Humans ; Inlays* ; Knee ; Posterior Cruciate Ligament* ; Tendons* ; Tibia ; Transplants*

Chondromalacia patella is a symptom complex characterized by aching pain behind the knee cap, retropatella tenderness that is aggravated by the stair climbing. Malalignment is an important factor causing chondromalacia patella. And to recognize it, is important in the diagnosis and treatment. We studied 3 parameters in the chondromalacic knee and nonchondromalacic knee and the following results was obtained. l. In nonchondromalacic knee, the sulcus angle is 141° 7′ and the congruence angle is −5° 1′ 2. In chonduomalacic knee the sulcus sagle is 139° 2′ and the congruence angle is +5° 3′ 3. In the group with abnormal congruence angle, there was much degenerative changes in the patellofemaral joint. So, it can be inferred that chondromalacia is a precursor of the osteoarthritis and the patient with abnormal congruence angle should be treated actively at the early stage if the conservative treatment had failed.
Cartilage Diseases ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Joints ; Knee ; Osteoarthritis ; Patella ; Sesamoid Bones

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between gingival biotype and underlying crestal bone morphology in the maxillary anterior region. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The maxillary anterior teeth from 40 subjects (20 thin biotype, 20 thick biotype) with ages from 20 to 50 years were included in this study. All subjects had healthy gingiva in the maxillary anterior region and had no history of orthodontic treatment, periodontal treatment, or hyperplastic medication. Using the probe transparency method, the scalloped distance (SCD) between the contact point-bone crest and the midface-bone crest was measured for each maxillary anterior teeth of two groups. RESULT: The mean SCD was 3.00±0.21 mm in thin biotype and 2.81±0.20 mm in thick biotype. The SCD value in the thin biotype was statistically significantly greater than in the thick biotype (t=2.982, P<0.01). Comparing the degree of crestal bone scallop in each maxillary anterior teeth in the two groups, all six teeth in the thin biotype showed higher bone scallop than in the thick biotype. CONCLUSION: A simple procedure using a probe could to determine gingival biotype and to predict the underlying crestal bone morphology was introduced. This may be useful for effective treatment planning.
Gingiva ; Maxilla ; Methods ; Pectinidae ; Tooth

Four cases of malignant hyperpyrexia were reported in Korea since 197I and three of these cases expired. We discuss here the four cases of malignant hyperpyrexia with clinical features and management, and the importance of early recorgnition and aggressive treatment of malignant hyperpyrexia are stressed.
Korea* ; Malignant Hyperthermia*

BACKGROUND: Magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) is widely used in the treatment of preeclamptic Hyperreflexia. Eclamptic convulsions are almost always prevented by MgSO4 in plasma concentrations of 4 to 7 mEq/L. It is well known that MgSO4 enhances the effect of nondepolarizing neuromuscular blockade. But the onset time of rocuronium is not shortened by MgSO4. METHODS: The effect of magnesium on the onset time of rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade was investigated in vitro rat phrenic nerve-hemidiaphragm preparation. The phrenic nerve-hemidiaphragm was dissected and suspended in an organ bath containing modified Krebs' solution and produced single twitch responses under 0.2 ms, 0.1 Hz, electrical stimulation. We added rocuronium until the twitch height decreased more than 95% of the initial level and determined a dose in 95% decrease twitch height as an effective concentration (EC95). After the administration of MgSO4, the onset time of neuromuscular blockade by rocuronium 1 x EC95, 1.5 x EC95, 2 x EC95 was compared with the onset time without MgSO4. RESULTS: EC50 and EC95 of rocuronium was 0.178 and 1.10 mg/dl. After administration of MgSO4, the concentration of Mg2 in the organ bath was 4.38 mEq/L. The onset time of the neuromuscular blockade by 1 x EC95 rocuronium was significantly shortened, but in the case of over 1.5 x EC95, it was not influenced by MgSO4. CONCLUSIONS: The concentration of Mg2 was within the therapeutic range for inhibition of uterine contraction. The onset time of rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade was shortened by magnesium but because a high dose of rocuronium was administered for intubation due to low potency and high plasma concentration, the effect of magnesium on the onset time of rocuronium seems to be masked. Therefore clinically, the onset time of rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade was not shortened by MgSO4.
Animals ; Baths ; Electric Stimulation ; Intubation ; Magnesium ; Magnesium Sulfate ; Masks ; Neuromuscular Blockade* ; Plasma ; Rats* ; Reflex, Abnormal ; Seizures ; Uterine Contraction