BACKGROUND: Ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction increase mortality and morbidity. Two-dimensional echocardiography in acute myocardial infarction provides a useful diagnostic tool for evaluation of ventricular remodeling. The aims of this study were to verify whether follow-up two-dimensional echocardiography could detect ventricular enlargement after acute myocardial infarction and to find early echocardiographic predictors and clinical charateristics of ventricular enlargement. METHODS: Two-dimensional echocardiography was done prospectively at 2 week, 3 month, and 6 month after the first Q-wave acute myocardial infarction in 18 patients. The control group was 11 patients of a normal chest roentgenogram and echocardiogram who were studied for chest pain or arrhythmia. The patients were divided by the mean value of the control group left ventricular end-diastolic volume index(LVEDVI) 56.8ml/m2. The group A was more than 60ml/m2(the control group LVEDVI 56.8ml/m2) and the group B was less than 60ml/m2 of LVEDVI at 2 week post myocardial infarction. The left vantricular volume was measured by the modified disk method at the apical four chamber view. The wall motion abnormality of left ventricle was examined by the recommendation of the American Society of Echcardiography. RESULTS: The left vntricular end-diastolic volume and the left ventricular end-systolic volume were enlarged after 3 month of acute myocardial infarction in the group A compare with those of the control group. There was no ventricular enlargement during 6 month after myocardial infarction in the group B. The frequency of ventricular enlargement was increased in anterior myocardial infarction. There was no difference in left ventricular ejection fraction at 2 week post myocardial infarction between the group A(51.4+/-15.7%) and the group B(50.8+/-10.3%). The wall motion score index more than 1.5 at 2 week post myocardial infarction means the enlarged LVEDVI more than 60ml/m2 and the group of ventricular enlargement. CONCLUSION: The left ventricular enlargement could be diagnosed by the follow-up two-dimensional echocardiography in acute myocardial infarction. The echocardiographic early predictors of ventricular enlagement were the left ventricular end-diastolic volume greater than 60ml/m2 and increased wall motion score index more than 1.5 at 2 week post myocardial infarstion. The anterior myocardial infarction was the electrocardiographic predictor of ventricular dilatation. Therefore these early predictors could identify the patients of ventricular enlargement and these patients could be a candidate of follow-up echocardiography and of a specific treatment for limiting ventricular remodeling.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Chest Pain ; Dilatation ; Echocardiography* ; Electrocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Prospective Studies ; Stroke Volume ; Thorax ; Ventricular Remodeling

One hundred and seven patients with alopecia areata were studied in regard to the character of personality, emotional stress during their military life, socioeconomic status and their possible role in the pathogenesis of alopecia areata by ready-made chart and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (M.M.P.I,) While only 55. 4% of out patients were enlisted men, 73. 0% of alopecia areata patients were soldiers suggesting that soldiers are more prone to develop alopecia areata. This trend was more apparent among soldiers who were less than 6 months in the service. In clinical scale, abnormal MMPI profiles were noted in 65 patients (60. 7%). Among abnormal MMPI profiles, hysteria scale is most common (23. 1%) and followed by hypochondriasis scale 18. 5%, psychiasthenia scale 16. 9%, and paranoia scale 12. 3%. The alopecia areata group showed significant difference in psychopathic deviate, schizophrenia, and paranoia which is high in person having psychotic symptoms and psychopathic personality. The neurotic triad or anxiety index is not significantly elevated.
Alopecia Areata ; Alopecia* ; Antisocial Personality Disorder ; Anxiety ; Humans ; Hypochondriasis ; Hysteria ; Male ; Military Personnel ; MMPI ; Outpatients ; Paranoid Disorders ; Schizophrenia ; Social Class ; Stress, Psychological

Thymic carcinoid tumor is a rare mediastinal tumor, which was firstly described by Rosai and Higa in 1972. A carcinoid tumor of the thymus has recently been regarded as a distinct tumor from thymoma, and is probably Kultschizky cell origin. The pathologic diagnosis of thymic carcinoid is made from findings from light microscopy, immunohistochemical studies and electron microscopy. About 50% of thymic carcinoids were seen with endocrinopathies. Recurrences and extrathoracic metastasis are characteristics of thymic carcinoids. Surgical removal of the intial and tumor recurred are considered to be the most effective treatment today. However, the role of the adjuvant radiotherapy and the chemotherapy is still uncertain. Herein we report a case of thymic carcinoid tumor, which was confirmed by operation and pathologic study.
Carcinoid Tumor* ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Mediastinal Neoplasms ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Electron ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Recurrence ; Thymoma ; Thymus Gland ; Thymus Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: Hypertension following coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) occurs frequently. Pharmacologic therapy of postoperative hypertension has often been treated with sodium nitroprusside (SNP). Nicardipine which is a dihydropyridine calcium-channel blocker, has little or no direct negative effects on cardiac contractility. Thus, we have compared the effects on hemodynamics between nicardipine and SNP after a CABG. METHODS: After a CABG, when systolic blood pressure (SBP) was elevated above 140 mmHg, patients were randomized to receive either nicardipine (N-group, n = 26) or SNP (S-group, n = 21) at an initial rate of 2ng/kg/min until the SBP was lowered to 120 130 mmHg (target blood pressure, TBP) for 10 minutes. If the TBP was not achieved, the infusion rates of both drugs were increased by 1ng/kg/min every 10 minutes. If SBP was lowered below 100 mmHg, phenylephrine was infused. Hemodynamic measurements were obtained just before (T1) and at 10 min (T2), 60 min (T3) and 24 h (T4) after the infusin of nicardipine or SNP. Infusion time, total doses, creatine phosphokinase (CK)-MB, plasma catecholamine and the use of phenylephrine were compared between groups. RESULTS: The SBP and systemic vascular resistance were significantly decreased in both groups. The cardiac index and stroke volume index were significantly increased at T3 in both groups but they were significantly increased only in the N-group at T2. The infusion time and the total doses of both drugs were significantly less in the N-group than the S-group. There were no significant differences in CK-MB, plasma catecholamine and the use of phenylephrine between groups. CONCLUSIONS: It has been suggested that the infusion of nicardipine is as effective as the infusion of SNP for the control of postoperative hypertension and the increase of cardiac output after a CABG. However, immediately after the drug infusion, nicardipine was superior to SNP in maintaining left ventricular performance.
Blood Pressure ; Cardiac Output ; Coronary Artery Bypass* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Creatine Kinase ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Nicardipine* ; Nitroprusside* ; Phenylephrine ; Plasma ; Sodium* ; Stroke Volume ; Transplants ; Vascular Resistance

Obstructive disorders of the biliary trees include occlusions of the bile duct lumen by stones, intrinsic disorders of the bile ducts, and extrinsic compressions. The most common biliary cause of obstructive jaundice is the presence of stones. Intrinsic disorders of the bile ducts may be inflammatory, infectious, or neoplastic. And significant enlargement of adjacent lymph nodes due to metastatic tumors or lymphoma can occasionally obstruct the extrahepatic bile ducts. But obstructive jaundice produced by periportal tuberculous lymphadenitis with no evidence of pulmonary tuberculosis is very rare. We report a case of tuberculous lymphadenitis causing obstructive jaundice with a mass around mid common bile duct on abdominal sonogram, CT scan and ERCP, and it was confirmed by an exploratory laparotomy.
Bile Ducts ; Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Common Bile Duct ; Jaundice, Obstructive* ; Laparotomy ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphoma ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tuberculosis, Lymph Node* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

BACKGROUND: Glycopyrrolate given as reversing agents of muscle relaxants has been reported to be effective in reducing postoperative catheter-related bladder discomfort (CRBD). However, it remains unclear whether glycopyrrolate as premedication is also effective. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of glycopyrrolate as premedication on preventing CRBD in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU). METHODS: Eighty-three patients who received elective ureteroscopic removal of ureteral stone were randomly assigned to the control (n = 43) or the glycopyrrolate group (n = 40). The glycopyrrolate group was treated with glycopyrrolate 0.3 mg as premedication while the control group received 0.9% saline 1.5 ml. The incidence and severity of CRBD and pain score using numerical rating scale (NRS) were measured in the PACU. RESULTS: The incidence of CRBD (26 of 40 patients vs. 41 of 43 patients, relative risk [RR] = 0.68, 95% Confidence interval [CI] = 0.53–0.86, P = 0.001) and the moderate to severe CRBD incidence (6 of 40 patients vs. 20 of 43 patients, RR = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.14–0.72, P = 0.002) were lower in the glycopyrrolate group than in the control group. Also, postoperative pain NRS score was found to be lower in the glycopyrrolate group (median = 1 [Q1 = 0, Q3 = 2]) compared to the control group (3 [1, 5], median difference = 1.00, 95% CI = 0.00–2.00, P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: The use of glycopyrrolate 0.3 mg as premedication in patients receiving ureteroscopic removal of ureteral stone reduced the incidence and severity of CRBD, and decreased postoperative pain in the PACU.
Glycopyrrolate* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Pain, Postoperative ; Premedication* ; Ureter* ; Ureteroscopy ; Urinary Bladder* ; Urinary Catheterization

Anomalous pancreaticobiliary ductal union (APBDU) is an uncommon anomaly, defined as the junction between the common bile duct and the pancreatic duct outside the duodenal wall and beyond the influence of the sphincter of Oddi. This anomaly, which has been recognized frequently since the introduction of ERCP, is believed to be associated with biliary tract lesions such as congenital biliary dilatation, biliary tract carcinoma, and pancreatic lesions such as pancreatitis new paragraph. A 28-year-old male was admitted due to sudden abdominal pain and vomiting. An ERCP revealed a peculiar type of APBDU; the duct of Wirsung and CBD fused and formed a long common channel before entering the major papilla, and the duct of Santorini connected to the duct of Wirsung is patent. So, when contrast dye was inserted into the minor papilla, both the CBD and the duct of Wirsung were made visible. This case of the peculiar type of APBDU which showed characteristic ERCP findings are herein reported.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Biliary Tract ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Common Bile Duct ; Dilatation ; Humans ; Male ; Pancreatic Ducts ; Pancreatitis ; Sphincter of Oddi ; Vomiting

No abstract available.
Angiography ; Coronary Sinus ; Coronary Vessels

PURPOSE: Chemotherapies for breast cancer generally have strong cellular cytotoxicity and severe side effects. Thus, significant emphasis has been placed on combinations of naturally occurring chemopreventive agents. Silibinin is a major bioactive flavonolignan extracted from milk thistle with chemopreventive activity in various organs including the skin, prostate, and breast. However, the mechanism underlying the inhibitory action of silibinin in breast cancer has not been completely elucidated. Therefore, we investigated the effect of silibinin in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells and determined whether silibinin enhances ultraviolet (UV) B-induced apoptosis. METHODS: The effects of silibinin on MCF-7 cell viability were determined using the MTT assay. The effect of silibinin on PARP cleavage, as the hallmark of apoptotic cell death, and p53 protein expression in MCF-7 cells was analyzed using Western blot. The effect of silibinin on UVB-induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells was analyzed by flow cytometry. RESULTS: A dose- and time-dependent reduction in viability was observed in MCF-7 cells treated with silibinin. Silibinin strongly induced apoptotic cell death in MCF-7 cells, and induction of apoptosis was associated with increased p53 expression. Moreover, silibinin enhanced UVB-induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. CONCLUSION: Silibinin induced a loss of cell viability and apoptotic cell death in MCF-7 cells. Furthermore, the combination of silibinin and UVB resulted in an additive effect on apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. These results suggest that silibinin might be an important supplemental agent for treating patients with breast cancer.
Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Cell Death ; Cell Survival ; Humans ; MCF-7 Cells ; Milk Thistle ; Prostate ; Silymarin ; Skin

A lymphatic cyst of the stomach is rare benign tumor which is composed of thin-walled lymphatic space lined by benign-appearing endothelial cells. It rarely manifests clinical symptoms, so it is found incidentally in most cases. Recently, a case of submucosal lymphatic cyst associated with early gastric cancer was experienced. An endoscopy revealed a slightly elevated, edematous lesion adjacent to the malignant ulcer. This case is herein reported with a brief review of related literature.
Endoscopy ; Endothelial Cells ; Lymphocele* ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Ulcer