No abstract available.
Coronary Vessels* ; Dilatation* ; Edema* ; Meningitis, Aseptic* ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome*

BACKGROUND: Epidemics of aseptic meningitis due to enteroviruses has occurred annually in the late spring and early summer season. The early detection of such epidemics is important for the prevention of further infection. Enteroviruses consist of 67 serotypes but one or two serotypes may be the causative agents of epidemics in the year and several different serotypes involve sporadic cases. In order to discriminate epidemics from sporadic infection, the serotype should be determined. We evaluated the significance of the single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) products of 5'-untranslated region (UTR) for the determination of serotypes. METHODS: The specimens of patients were cultured with RD cell and the RT-PCR was performed in case of the positive cytopathic effect. For the amplification of 153-bp of 5'-UTR, primers (EN1: 5'-CTC CGG CCC CTG AAT GCG GCT AAT-3'; EN2: 5'-ATT GTC ACC ATA AGC AGC CA-3') were used. The RT-PCR products were denatured with 95% formamide at 95degrees C for 5 min and SSCP was performed. 12.5% polyacrylamide gel (49/1 acrylamide/bis) was made by using Mighty SmallTM SE245 Dual Gel Caster (Hoefer Scientific Instruments Inc., USA). Electrophoresis was done at 10 mA for 1.5 h, and silver nitrate stain was performed. The SSCP patterns were compared with serotypes determined by sequence analysis of VP1 region. RESULTS: Coxsackievirus A9 (two strains), coxsackievirus A16 (10), coxsackievirus B2 (two), coxsackievirus B3 (two), echovirus 3 (two), echovirus 11 (two), echovirus 16 (seven), echovirus 19 (two), echovirus 30 (three), and enterovirus 71 (six) showed the different SSCP patterns according to their serotypes. The same pattern was observed in the same serotype, except echovirus 30 showing two different patterns. CONCLUSIONS: The SSCP of RT-PCR products of 5'-UTR may be helpful to determine the serotype and discriminate epidemics from sporadic cases. This has the advantage to be able to test the specimens directly without the viral culture. But the serotype should be determined by other method such as neutralization or sequence analysis in case of the first isolate in the epidemic season and the stains showing the new SSCP patterns.
Coloring Agents ; Electrophoresis ; Enterovirus B, Human ; Enterovirus* ; Genotype* ; Humans ; Meningitis, Aseptic ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; Seasons ; Sequence Analysis ; Silver Nitrate ; Natural Resources

OBJECTIVE: To determine the feasibility, safety, advantages and limitations of laparoscopic management of adnexal masses in pregnancy by comparing with laparotomy. METHODS: Between Jan 2001 to Jan 2003, 36 laparoscopic procedures and 15 laparotomy procedures were performed in 51 patients with adnexal masses in pregnancy. Operation time, hospital stay, pathologic findings, complications and pregnancy outcome were analyzed in these patients. RESULTS: Most common pathologic finding was mature cystic teratoma (45%) and malignancy of adnexal tumors were 3 cases (5.9%). There were no differences in size of adnexal tumor, operation time, hemoglobin level change after operation, gestational age at delivery, birth weight, Apgar score, preterm delivery and fetal anomaly between the two groups. Hospital stays was shorter and gestational age at operation was earlier in laparoscopy than explolaparotomy. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic management of adnexal masses in pregnancy is safe and effective procedure.
Apgar Score ; Birth Weight ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Laparoscopy* ; Laparotomy* ; Length of Stay ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy* ; Teratoma

OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study is to evaluate the clinical usefulness of transvaginal sonography (TVS) and saline infusion sonohysterography (SHG) in the evaluation of endometrial abnormality. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 370 patients with abnormal uterine bleeding or uterine cavity abnormalities confirmed by TVS. SHG was carried out by experienced gynecologist, on the same setting in an outpatient clinic after the performance of TVS. Two hundred nineteen patients aged between 23 and 69 years (mean age 41+/-8.2) had operative hysteroscopy (88.2%), hysterectomy (9.1%) and dilatation/curettage (2.7%) within 3 months which provided a detailed description of uterine cavity. Surgical-pathologic findings were compared with the results obtained from TVS and SHG. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity were 71.7% and 31.4% for TVS, and 98.4% and 67.6% for SHG respectively. The positive and negative predictive values were 84.6% and 17.5% for TVS, and 94.3% and 92.3% for SHG, respectively. Twenty one cases showed a discrepancy between the TVS and SHG, and 16 cases showed a discrepancy between SHG and the pathologic diagnosis. Fifty five cases (25%) in TVS were unconfirmed, but SHG showed 51 pathologic confirmed intracavitary lesion. CONCLUSION: SHG is a sensitive tool and is superior to TVS used alone for evaluation of endometrial abnormalities. SHG definitely enhances the diagnostic potential of TVS in assessment of endometrium and intracavitary pathologies.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Diagnosis ; Endometrium ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Hysteroscopy ; Pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Uterine Hemorrhage

BACKGROUND: Since the bioavailability of itraconazole capsule is influenced by patients gastric acidity, it results in treatment failure due to its low dissolution and subsequent low absorption when administered in fasting. Itraconazole Melt-Extrusion tablet has been lately developed in order to improve its dissolution profile. It is the first clinical study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of itraconazole Melt-Extrusion tablet in Korea. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of itraconazole melt-extrusion tablet 400mg daily for 1 week(pulse therapy) for hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis and manus. METHODS: A clinical and mycological investigation was made of 812 outpatients with hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis and/or tinea manus who had visited at 52 general hospitals under the lead of the Korean Dermatological Association from June to December, 1998. Patients confirmed by clinically and microscopically as hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis and/or tinea manus were administered 2 tablets twice a day for one week and followed up for 8 weeks from the start of the medication. RESULTS: The results were summarized as follows; 1. Clinical symptoms of hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis and/or tinea mauns were significantly improved at the end of study, week 8(p<0.001). 2. Clinical response rate, defined as more than 50% decrease of the sum of the clinical symptom scores, was 79.3%(512/646). 3. Mycological cure rate, dafined as both culture and KOH negative at week 8, was 78.2%(244 /312). 4. 40(5.5%) patients, of the 727 patients evaluable for drug safety evaluation, were reported to have adverse event. CONCLUSION: Itraconazole Melt-Extrusion tablet 400mg/day for 1 week (pulse therapy) is effective and safe in the treatment of hyperkeratotic type of tinea pedis and/or tinea manus.
Absorption ; Biological Availability ; Fasting ; Gastric Acid ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Itraconazole* ; Korea ; Outpatients ; Tablets ; Tinea Pedis* ; Tinea* ; Treatment Failure