No abstract available.
Humans ; Lung Compliance* ; Lung Diseases* ; Lung*

BACKGROUND: The intrapleural hypofibrinolysis is caused by mainly excessive concentration of pleural plasminogen ogen activator inhibitor-1 antigen(PAI-1 Ag), which binds tissue type plasminogen activator. In pleural inflammation induced by sclerosing agents for pleurodesis, levels of pleural PAI-1 antigen increase in relation to decreing D-dimer levels. It has been known that the pleural mexothelial cells have the capability of secreting PAI-1 Ag in response to inflammation in vivo. Therefore, we estimated whether pleural inflammation changes the balance between fibrinolytic and coagulative properties in exudative pleural effusions. METHOD: The thirty cases was included in our study. We determined the pleural levels of glucose, lactic dehy-drogenase(LDH), pH and the counts of white blood cell(WBC), polymorpho leukocyte(PMN), lymphocyte as the parameters of pleural inflammation and cellular components of pleural fluid. The plasma level of fibrinogen in fluid and the neutrophil count in blood were determined. The levels of D-dimer, PAI-1 Ag and thrombin-antithrombin lll complex(TAT) were determined by ELISA(Behring, Marburg, Germany). RESULTS: The causes of pleural effusion were as following : tuberculous in 14 cases, malignant in 10 cases and parapneumonic in 6 cases. The levels of pleural D-dimer, PAI-1 Ag and TAT was significantly higher than that of plasma(p<0.001). The severity of pleural inflammation did not correlated with pleural D-dimer, PAI-1 Ag, TAT and their plaxma levels. But the level of pleural TAT correlated with pleural WBC and lymphocyte count. CONCLUSION: We found the the severity of pleural inflammations did not correlated with pleural D-dimer, PAI-1 Ag, TAT and the possibility of local production of PAI-1 antigen is present.
Fibrinogen ; Fibrinolysis* ; Glucose ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Inflammation ; Lymphocyte Count ; Lymphocytes ; Neutrophils ; Plasma ; Plasminogen ; Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 ; Pleural Effusion ; Pleurodesis ; Sclerosing Solutions ; Tissue Plasminogen Activator

No abstract available.
Pericarditis, Tuberculous* ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

No abstract available.
Amphotericin B* ; Hemoptysis*

No abstract available.
Bone Marrow* ; Necrosis*

BACKGROUND: Asthmatic patients frequently suffer cold-weather-associated respiratory symptoms. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and diagnostic value of isocapnic hyperventilation of cold air(IHCA) using a multistep method was investigated in patients suspected to have asthma. METHOD: One hundred and 29 adult patients who had an IHCA performed between july 1999 and December 2000, had an methacholine bronchoprovocation test because of a clinical suspicion of asthma. RESULTS: According to strict criteria, 50 were defined as asthmatics and 79 as symptomatic nonashmatics. There were no differences in age, sex and smoking state between the asthmatic and symptomatic nonasthmatic groups. There was a significant decrease in the percentage reduction in the forced expiratory volume in 1 second(FEV1) after the IHCA between the asthmatics(-10.0±6.8%) and the symptomatic nonasthmatics(-2.3±2.5%). The factors associated with a reactivity to IHCA were FEV1/FVC, FEF25-75/FVC and FEV1(% of predicted). The accuracy was highest using a 7% fall in FEV1; the sensitivity was 76% and the specificity 96%. CONCLUSION: IHCA is a specific, although not a sensitive, test for diagnosing asthma in adult patients. Furthermore, the diagnostic cut-off value of the different methods of IHCA need to be determined.
Adult* ; Asthma* ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Hyperventilation* ; Methacholine Chloride ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Smoke ; Smoking

Gastric pseudolymphoma can be defined as a benign proliferation of lymphoid tissue and is also called the lymphoid hyperplasia or reactive lymphoreticular hyperplasia of the stomach. This lesion has been described in the orbital area, skin, salivary glands, mediastinum and other organs. The etiology of this disease is unknown but chronic inflammation and ulceration have been proposed as the etiologic mechanism in many cases. Most patients exhibit chronic, nonspecific, mild symptoms with the vast majority having symptoms for more than 1 year before undergoing diagnosis and treatment. Unfortunately, upper GI radiography rarely clarifies the diagnosis and gastroacopy is ineffective in establishing the diagnosis of pseudolpnphoma. Therefare, gastric resection is the only sure way to diagnose gastric pseudolympboma, as well as providing curitive therapy in most cases because of its possible malignant potential. There is no typical gross appearance of gastric pseudolymphoma and histologic diagoosis is essential. Smaller tumor size, infiltration with small, round mature lymphoeytos and various inflammatory cells, and formation of a true lymphoid germinal center favor a diagnosis of pseudolymphoma, We report 3 cases of histopathologically confirmed gastric pseudolymphoma after gastrectomy, which were initially suspected to be gastric lymphoma and early gastric cancer
Diagnosis ; Gastrectomy ; Germinal Center ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Inflammation ; Lymphoid Tissue ; Lymphoma ; Mediastinum ; Orbit ; Pseudolymphoma* ; Radiography ; Salivary Glands ; Skin ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Ulcer

No abstract available.
Humans ; Prognosis* ; Respiratory Insufficiency*

BACKGROUND: Chronic cough is a common symptom that requires the systematic diagnostic approach for proper evaluation. Postnasal drip syndrome(PNDS), bronchial asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD), and chronic bronchitis are among the common causes. This study was conducted to evaluate the spectrum and the frequency of the causes of chronic cough. METHODS: We prospectively evaluated 93 patients who had chronic cough despite normal chest radiographic finding. History and physical examination were done along with paranasal sinus radiograph, spirometry, bronchoprovocation test and 24-hours' ambulatory aesophageal pH monitoring as necessary. RESULTS: Forty-nine(52%) of the 93 patients had PNDS, 15 patients(16%) bronchitis, 10 patients(11%) asthma, 4 patients(4%) GERD, 7 patients(8%) both PNDS and asthma, 4 patients(4%) undiagnosed condition and 4 patients(4%) were taking ACE inhibitor. Sixty-nine percent of the patients with PNDS improved after follow up, 73% patients with bronchitis, 80% patients with asthma, 50% patients with GERD, 100% patients with both PNDS and asthma, and 100% patients with ACE inhibitor. CONCLUSION: PNDS was the most common causes of chronic cough. Bronchitis was the second and asthma the third in frequency. The etiology of chronic cough can be determined easily by history and physical examination, successful therapy initiated in most patients. The response to specific therapy also was important in evaluation of chronic cough.
Asthma ; Bronchitis ; Bronchitis, Chronic ; Cough* ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Physical Examination ; Prospective Studies ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Spirometry

BACKGROUND: Chronic cough is a common symptom that requires the systematic diagnostic approach for proper evaluation. Postnasal drip syndrome(PNDS), bronchial asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD), and chronic bronchitis are among the common causes. This study was conducted to evaluate the spectrum and the frequency of the causes of chronic cough. METHODS: We prospectively evaluated 93 patients who had chronic cough despite normal chest radiographic finding. History and physical examination were done along with paranasal sinus radiograph, spirometry, bronchoprovocation test and 24-hours' ambulatory aesophageal pH monitoring as necessary. RESULTS: Forty-nine(52%) of the 93 patients had PNDS, 15 patients(16%) bronchitis, 10 patients(11%) asthma, 4 patients(4%) GERD, 7 patients(8%) both PNDS and asthma, 4 patients(4%) undiagnosed condition and 4 patients(4%) were taking ACE inhibitor. Sixty-nine percent of the patients with PNDS improved after follow up, 73% patients with bronchitis, 80% patients with asthma, 50% patients with GERD, 100% patients with both PNDS and asthma, and 100% patients with ACE inhibitor. CONCLUSION: PNDS was the most common causes of chronic cough. Bronchitis was the second and asthma the third in frequency. The etiology of chronic cough can be determined easily by history and physical examination, successful therapy initiated in most patients. The response to specific therapy also was important in evaluation of chronic cough.
Asthma ; Bronchitis ; Bronchitis, Chronic ; Cough* ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Physical Examination ; Prospective Studies ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Spirometry