OBJECTIVE: Adult onset Still s disease is an acute systemic inflammatory disorder. There are no pathognomonic symptoms or specific laboratory abnormalities. In recent reports, serum ferritin concentration is increased in active disease phase and decreased after defervescence. Our purpose was to determine the clinical significance of serum ferritin as an indicator for disease activity. METHODS: Seven patients who were diagnosed as adult onset Still s disease at Samsung Medical Center between October 1994 and March 1997, were reviewed. In these patients we checked leukocyte count, ESR, CRP and serum ferritin concentrations at the time of diagnosis and during follow-up periods and recorded febrile events during follow-up periods. RESULTS: At the time of diagnosis and during febrile periods, the concentrations of ferritin were extremely high(927ng/ml to 96,650ng/ml normal 10-290.8 ng/ml). The values were unrelated to other manifestations of the disease or laboratory findings. The ferritin concentrations decreased rapidly after adequate treatment. Eleven febrile reattacks happened in 7 patients. Serum ferritin concentrations were increased in 8 febrile attacks, while leukocyte count, ESR, and CRP were increased in 5, 5, 6 febrile attacks respectively, There were 10 events of increased serum ferritin concentrations in 7 patients during follow-up periods and 8 events were related with fever. The increases of other laboratory tests were similar. CONCLUSIONS: In all patients, serum ferritin concentrations were increased at the time of diagnosis and closely related to fever. During follow-up periods, serum ferritin concentrations are helpful in monitoring disease activity and guiding decisions about treatment.
Adult* ; Diagnosis ; Ferritins* ; Fever ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leukocyte Count ; Still's Disease, Adult-Onset*

The serum concentrations of the major minerals(calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium) and trace elements(iron, Zinc, copper manganese)were datermined in 23 breast fed infants living in Eumsung, Choong-buk region. The results obtained are summarized as follows: 1)The mean levels of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and potassium of the serum of total subjects were 8.15+/-0.33mg/dI, 11.06+/-0.16mg/dI, 2.00+/-0.14mg/dI, 3.4476+/-17.99mg/dI and 9.06+/-2.04mg/dI respectively. 2)The serum concentrations of iron, zinc, copper and manganese in total subjects averaged 95.83+/-0.33mg/dI, 93.79+/-7.06 microgram/dI and 98.57+/-7.06 microgram/dI and 4.93+/-0.62 microgram/dI respecitively. 3)Breast fed infants had significantly higher serum calcim, magnesium, sodium and iron concentrations than the formula fed groups. Otherwise, serum potassium, copper and manganese levels in breast milk fed infants were significantly lower than those in formula fed infants. 4) In formula fed infants, serum potassium and copper levels increased increased significantly with months after birth.
Breast ; Calcium ; Copper ; Humans ; Infant* ; Iron ; Magnesium ; Manganese ; Milk, Human ; Minerals* ; Parturition ; Phosphorus ; Potassium ; Sodium ; Trace Elements* ; Zinc

This study was aimed at evaluating the nutritional status of Korean lactating women, who were attending peripheral community clinics in low-income areas, by anthropometric measurement, estimating dietary intakes and analyzing the contents of breast milk components, serum lipid content and fatty acid composition. Regarding anghropometric measurements, maternal circumferences decreased significantly at the trunk but not at the limbs. The skinfold thickness on all regions had the tendency to decrease during lactation. It was found that intakes of energy, protein, lipid and carbohydrates were desirable while calcium, zinc, copper and vitamin A were low and sodium was excessive. The energy % of fat was 22.41% of the total energy which is higher than the RDA for adults but it is proper for lactating women, but energy % from each fatty acid was usually low and an intake ratio of omega6/omega3 fatty acids was desirable. Accordingly, it is thought that dietary fat intake was balanced in quality. Concentrations of the nutrients in matured human milk showed the same range as that reported form different regions with the exception of calcium and magnesium which were relatively low. Serum lipid contents were decreased with the time postpartum and the average serum lipid content of lactating women were similar to the normal range of adults. Serum polyunsaturated fatty acids. especially omega6 fatty acids have gradually increased with the time postpartum, but the composition were not greatly influenced by dietary intakes.
Adult ; Breast* ; Calcium ; Carbohydrates ; Copper ; Dietary Fats ; Extremities ; Fatty Acids ; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated ; Female ; Humans ; Lactation ; Magnesium ; Milk, Human* ; Nutritional Status ; Postpartum Period ; Reference Values ; Skinfold Thickness ; Sodium ; Vitamin A ; Zinc

Intravascular injection of hydrogen peroxide produces oxygen microbubbles suitable for echocardiographic contrast enhancement. To evaluate the effect of a method of myocardial contrast 2-D-echocardiographic delineation of myocardium during acute coronary occlusion, injection of a fresh mixture of 2ml of 0.2% H2O2 and 1ml of heparinized dog blood into aortic root were made in 12 poenchest dogs 10 minutes after occlusion of left anterior descending coronary artery distal to the first diagonal branch and left ventricular short axis 2-D echocardiographic images at the midpapillary muscle level were obtained. On injection of H2O2 blood mixture normally perfused myocardium was enhanced in echodensity but the area of malperfusion did not change in echodensity. The borderlines between the area of normal perfusion and malperfusion was well delineated. The malperfused area measured at mid papillary muscle level by planimetry area method was 29.7+/-6.0% and 32.6+/-6.7% by endocardial circumferential length method. There was a linear correlation between planimetric estimate of area of malperfusion by H2O2 contrast echocardiography and visual determination of regional wall motion abnormality by 2-D echocardiography(r=0.93, P<0.001). There was no change in heart rate before, during and after H2O2 injection. Infection of H2O2 blood mixture caused bradycardia(8.3%), second degree A-V block(16.6%) and ventricular fibrillation(8.3%). H2O2 clearance was achieved in 3-10 minutes. These findigs suggest that H2O2 enhanced myocardial contrast ehocargiography using 2ml of 0.2% H2O2 and 1ml of blood muxture is an accurate, reproducible, real-time in vivo method of quantifying the extent of myocardial perfusion defect during acute coronary occlusion in dog.
Animals ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Coronary Occlusion ; Coronary Vessels ; Dogs* ; Echocardiography* ; Heart Rate ; Heparin ; Hydrogen Peroxide* ; Hydrogen* ; Microbubbles ; Myocardium ; Oxygen ; Papillary Muscles ; Perfusion*

The purpose of this study was to assess the maternal zinc status during pregnancy and to evaluate the relationship between the zinc concentration of maternal, umblical cord blood and placental tissue and pregnancy outcomes. Venous blood samples were drawn from 53 pregnant women just before delivery and the cord blood of their newborn babies was collected immediately after birth. In addition, placental tissues were extracted. We investigated the difference in the concentration of zinc in maternal, umbilical cord blood and placental tissue in two gestational age groups (preterm delivery group [PT] and normal term delivery group [NT]) at 34.7 wk and 39.0 wk of mean gestational age, respectively). We also assessed correlations of the zinc concentration of maternal, umbilical cord blood and placental tissue. Lastly, we studied the correlations between the birth weights and the zinc concentration in the maternal, umbilical cord blood and placental tissue. The concentrations of maternal serum zinc and of umbilical cord serum zinc were significantly higher in the PT group (76.9 +/- 37.4 microgram/dl, 101.3 +/- 41.4 microgram/dl) than in those of the NT group (57.8 +/- 22.4 microgram/dl, 80.7 +/- 27.5 microgram/dl), respectively (p < 0.05). The zinc concentration of the umbilical cord blood was significantly higher than that of the maternal blood in both groups (p < 0.05). There was no significant correlation between the gestational age and the serum zinc concentration in the cord or the maternal serum. Our results showed that there was a negative relationship between the birth weight (r = -0.286) and the maternal serum zinc concentration. Despite there not being a significant difference, there was tendency for the highest concentrations of maternal serum zinc to be associated with the lowest birth weights. These findings support a possible relationship between the maternal zinc status and the pregnancy outcome, and suggest that zinc may play a role in the many biological processes involved in the successful outcome of a pregnancy.
Biological Processes ; Birth Weight* ; Female ; Fetal Blood ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Parturition* ; Placenta* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnant Women ; Umbilical Cord* ; Zinc*

Few studies have conducted the bone health benefits of usual dietary isoflavone intake in Korean college-student women. To elucidate this benefitial effects and correlations between dietary isoflavone and nutrients intake and bone formation marker (ALPase, osteocalcin), questionnaires, anthropometric measurements, serum mineral (Ca, P, Mg) concentrations were analyzed. Fifty three subjects were used in this study. The average age, height, body weight, BMI, body fat content and triceps skinfold thickness were 21.43 year, 161.07 cm, 52.81 kg, 20.48 kg/m2, 20.72% and 17.59 mm respectively. Soy food intake frequencies were soybean > soybean curd > soypaste stew > soybean milk. The average calorie, protein and Ca intake were 1766.21 +/- 62.54 kcal, 66.45 +/- 2.00 g and 549.62 +/- 27.55 mg respectively. Serum ALPase activity and osteocalcin concentration were 115.74 +/- 3.6 u/L and 7.15 ng/ml respectively. Usual dietary isoflavone intake was positively related to calory, protein, Ca, P intake and serum Ca, Mg concentration. Serum osteocalcin concentration was negatively correlated with isoflavone intake (r2=0.28, p < 0.05). In these results, usual dietary isoflavone can support an additive effect to bone health and Ca nutrition.
Adipose Tissue ; Body Height ; Calcium ; Female ; Humans ; Insurance Benefits ; Milk ; Osteocalcin* ; Osteogenesis ; Skinfold Thickness ; Soy Foods ; Soybeans

This study was performed to investigate nutritional intakes and preference food and blood composition of female college students of premenstrual syndrome. Based on physical measurement test results, both groups showed no noticeable difference and both groups were within the normal range according to body composition analysis. In terms of nutrients consumption, results showed nutritional intakes more than EAR (estimated average requirements) included phosphorus > vitamin B6>vitamin B1, while nutritional intakes less than EAR were vitamin A > vitamin B2> calcium > folic acid. A significant difference was observed for vitamin C intake (p < 0.05). The overall mean values of basic blood (WBC, RBC, Hct, and Hb), sex hormone (Estrogen, Progesterone), aldosterone, cortisol, Cu, Zn, and Ca, Mg indices in female college students were within the normal range and there was no significant difference between the PMS group and the Normal group. In conclusion, vitamin C intake of the PMS group showed a level of 84.8% EAR. Therefore vitamin C supplement can be beneficial to relieve the PMS Syndrome.
Aldosterone ; Ascorbic Acid ; Body Composition ; Calcium ; Ear ; Female ; Folic Acid ; Food Preferences ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Phosphorus ; Premenstrual Syndrome ; Reference Values ; Vitamin A ; Vitamins

This study was performed to investigate nutritional intakes and preference food and blood composition of female college students of premenstrual syndrome. Based on physical measurement test results, both groups showed no noticeable difference and both groups were within the normal range according to body composition analysis. In terms of nutrients consumption, results showed nutritional intakes more than EAR (estimated average requirements) included phosphorus > vitamin B6>vitamin B1, while nutritional intakes less than EAR were vitamin A > vitamin B2> calcium > folic acid. A significant difference was observed for vitamin C intake (p < 0.05). The overall mean values of basic blood (WBC, RBC, Hct, and Hb), sex hormone (Estrogen, Progesterone), aldosterone, cortisol, Cu, Zn, and Ca, Mg indices in female college students were within the normal range and there was no significant difference between the PMS group and the Normal group. In conclusion, vitamin C intake of the PMS group showed a level of 84.8% EAR. Therefore vitamin C supplement can be beneficial to relieve the PMS Syndrome.
Aldosterone ; Ascorbic Acid ; Body Composition ; Calcium ; Ear ; Female ; Folic Acid ; Food Preferences ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Phosphorus ; Premenstrual Syndrome ; Reference Values ; Vitamin A ; Vitamins

No abstract available.
Child* ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome* ; Humans

The lactose, total nitrogen and total lipid contents of human breast milk were determined longitudinally after protein and term deliveries. Milk samples were obtained from day 2 to 5, on weeks 1, 2, 4, and 6 after preform (PM: n=24) and term (TM: n=22) deliveries. The lactose contents of PM and TM increased from 5.28 g/dl and 5.93 g/dl at days 2 to 5, to 7.95 g/dl,7.87 g/dl at 6 weeks, respectively. The total nitrogen contents of PM and TM decreased significantly during the first 6 weeks after birth (from 374 to 220 mg/dl versus 382 to 220 mg/dl respectively). However the total lipid contents of the PM and TM increased during the same periods. Significant differences in the total lipid contents between the PM and TM were 2.15 versus 3.27 g/dl at 2 weeks, and 3.26 versus 2.52 g/dl at 6 weeks, respectively. The energy intakes of preform infants was 134.8 kcal/kg/d during the 6 weeks of lactation, which satisfied with energy requirements (85-130 kcal/kg/d) of the preform infants.
Breast* ; Female ; Humans* ; Infant ; Lactation ; Lactose* ; Milk ; Milk, Human* ; Nitrogen* ; Parturition