No abstract available.
Chlamydia* ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect*

BACKGROUND: Whether the changes of risk factors (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, alcohol) can precipitate stroke remains unknown, and antecedent infection and psychologic stress are described insufficiently as predisposing risk factors for cerebral infarction. Therefore, we attempted to examine the roles of recent infection, psychologic stress, and the changes of risk factors as potential precipitants in each stroke subtypes. We also tested the temporal relationship between preceding exposure to coldness and stroke onset. METHODS: In this case-control study, 113 consecutive patients with acute cerebrovascular disease (38 small vessel disease, 43 large vessel disease, 11 cardiogenic infarction, 4 infarction of undetermined cause, and 17 intracerebral hemorrhage) and 23 control subjects were evaluated. Changes of the risk factors (and their management) were interviewed. A sign/symptom based questionnaire was used to characterize the prevalence of recent prior infection and exposure to coldness. Psychologic stress was measured with the use of Social Readjustment Rating Scale. RESULTS: The negative change of alcohol drinking was significantly higher in the stroke group. However, there was no significant difference between stroke and control groups in the changes of the other risk factors. The prevalence of previous (within 1 month) infection was significantly higher in the stroke group compared with control subjects (p=0.03). However, there were no significant differences among the stroke subtypes in the prevalence of infection(p=0.08). Upper respiratory tract infections constituted the most common type of infection. The exposure to coldness was significantly higher in the stroke group compared with control subjects (p=0.002). The level of stress within the prior 1 month/1 year was significantly higher in the stroke group than control group (p=0.01). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that preceding infection, exposure to coldness, psychologic stress, and the negative change of alcohol drinking may be com.
Alcohol Drinking ; Case-Control Studies ; Cerebral Infarction ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Infarction ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Risk Factors* ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Stress, Psychological* ; Stroke*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

The authors have analysed 39 rheumatoid wrists in 25 rheumatoid patients, who underwent vsrious surgeries including arthroscopic and open synovectomy, partial and total arthrodesis and total wrist arthroplasty at the department of orthopaedic surgery, St. Mary's Hospital from November 1985 to April 1988, and the effect of eaeh surgery on the wrist function and proper time of operation are discussed. The results were as follows; 1. The patients who were classified as a classical rheumatoid arthritis according to the ARA criteria were four males and twenty-one females, with a mean age of 43 yesrs, and the functional capacity of the patients before operation was graded in III for twenty-threeand in IV for two patients. 2. Out of 25 patients (39 wrists), 14 patients are in bilateral and II patients in unilateral involvement. The synovectomy in 13 wrists, arthrodesis in 24 wrists and total joint replacement in 2 wrists were performed and followed them for average 17 months after operation. 3. The synovectomy were done for 13 wrists in grade II and III according to the classification of rheumstoid arthritis by radiology(3). There were two cases of recurrence in the cases of synovectomy, but not in replacement and arthrodesis. 4. The arthrodesis of wrist was performed for 24 wrists-bilateral arthrodesis in 3 patient (6 wrists) and unilateral fusion in 18 patients. For 4 cases out of 24 cases of wrist arthrodesis, the second and third carpo-metacsrpal joints were fused simultaneously. 5. Protek total wrist arthroplasty was done in 2 cases snd followed them for more than9 months with relatively good clinical results. Finally, it is our beliefs for rheumatoid wrists that surgery is often indicated to control the various wrist problems, early synovectomy is strongly indicated, and partial wrist fusion has proven to be effective in patients with moderate destruction, deformity and pain, but the total wrist arthrodesis and arthroplasty is still in controversy. The proper surgery for rheumatoid wrist should be determined by the clinical severity of disease and radiological changes of wrist.
Arthritis ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Arthrodesis ; Arthroplasty ; Classification ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Female ; Humans ; Joints ; Male ; Recurrence ; Wrist

The limb-body wall malformation complex is a sporadic congenital anomaly characterized by protean manifestations. The diagnosis is based upon the presence of at least two out of craniofacial anomaly, body wall defect, and limb abnormalities. We present a case of limb-body wall malformation complex. This case shows abdominal and pelvic wall defects with eventration of the viscera. It also shows an absence of right kidney, polycystic left kidney, absence of external genitalia and anus, and lower extremity abnormalities. The right lower extremity is absent and the deformed left leg shows malformed foot-like structure attached to the shin in addition to a normally positioned left foot. Our patient is the first case of complete absence of the external genitalia associated with limb-body wall malformation complex in Korean publications and the seventh in English publications.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the level of distress and quality of life (QoL) in esophageal cancer patients, and to identify the factors influencing QoL METHODS: A sample of 103 patients who have esophageal cancer were included in a descriptive study. The instruments used were the Distress Thermometer and Problem List, and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) version 4. RESULTS: The mean distress score of the subjects was 4.06±2.04 out of 10. The total mean score of quality of life was 66.39±12.86 out of 108, the highest category was physical well-being with a mean item score of 21.78±5.51, the lowest was emotional well-being with a mean item score of 14.69±3.68. The levels of distress and QoL were negatively correlated (r=−.61, p<.001). Stepwise regression analysis revealed that the QoL of the patients was explained by type of treatment and distress. These variables explained 35% of the variance in QoL. CONCLUSION: The QoL of patients with esophageal cancer was relatively low, and the type of treatment and distress was the most important factor affecting quality of life. Thus, to improve the QoL of patients with esophageal cancer, it is important to assess their distress and to provide appropriate interventions.
Esophageal Neoplasms* ; Humans ; Quality of Life* ; Thermometers

No abstract available.
Communicable Diseases* ; Zinc*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Vitamin K* ; Vitamins*

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia is inherited disorder of adrenal steroidogenesis. 21-hydroxylase deficiency is the most commone enzymatic defect and is divided into classic and late-onset or nonclassic forms. Both classic non-classic 21-hydrozylase deficiencies are inherited in a recessive manner as allelic variants. But it is rare that happened in twin infants. Chief complaints of affected twins in our case were ambiguous genitalia, hyperpigmentation and dehydrations. They were revealed into hyponatremia, hyperkalemia and increased amount of serum progesterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone and urinary 17-ketosteroid excretion and were administered with DOCA, 9alpha-fluorohydrocortisone, hydrocortisone to control the electrolyte imbalance. And now, both of them are going to normal ratio of weight gain and body growth.
17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone ; Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital* ; Desoxycorticosterone Acetate ; Disorders of Sex Development ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Hyperkalemia ; Hyperpigmentation ; Hyponatremia ; Infant ; Progesterone ; Steroid 21-Hydroxylase* ; Twins* ; Weight Gain