objective: This study was conducted to assess effects of intramuscular stimulation (IMS) in comparison with that of dry needling and intramuscular electrical stimulation (IMES) in the patients with myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) of upper trapezius. METHOD: Thirty patients with MPS were assigned randomly to three groups, such as dry needling group (n=10), IMES group (n=10), and IMS group (n=10). In dry needling group, dry needling was applied to the trigger point of upper trapezius muscle. In IMES group, IMES was applied to the trigger point of upper trapezius muscle. In IMS group, IMS was applied to the trigger point of upper trapezius and parcervical muscles. Treatment were done three times a week for 2 weeks. Effects were assessed on 3rd day, 7th day and 14th day after treatment by visual analogue scale (VAS), McGill pain questionnaire (MPQ), and passive range of motion (PROM) of cervical spine. RESULTS: Significant changes of VAS and PROM were noticed in IMS group, compared with other groups. No significant difference of MPQ was noticed in IMS group, compared with other groups. CONCLUSION: IMS may be more effective treatment modality than dry needling and IMES in patients with MPS of upper trapezius muscle.
Electric Stimulation ; Humans ; Muscles ; Myofascial Pain Syndromes* ; Pain Measurement ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Spine ; Superficial Back Muscles* ; Trigger Points

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to assess the effect of intramuscular electrical stimulation (IMES) and compared it with that of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and dry needling in the patients with myofascial pain syndrome (MPS). METHOD: Forty five patients with MPS was assigned randomly to TENS group (n=15), dry needling group (n=15) and IMES group (n=15). In TENS group, TENS was applied to the trigger point. In dry needling group, dry needling was applied to the trigger point. In IMES group, IMES was applied to the trigger point. Duration of treatment was 2 weeks. Effects were assessed before treatment, 1 day, 3 days, 7 days and 14 days after treatment by visual analogue scale (VAS) and McGill pain questionnaire (MPQ). Thermography was performed before treatment, 7 days and 14 days after treatment. RESULTS: Significant change of VAS improvement ratio was noticed in IMES group from the 1 day after treatment compared with other groups. Significant change of MPQ improvement ratio was noticed in IMES group from the 3 days after treatment compared with other groups. The skin temperature difference was significantly improved in IMES group at 14 days after treatment. CONCLUSION: These results showed that IMES is effective treatment method for pain control in patients with MPS.
Electric Stimulation* ; Humans ; Myofascial Pain Syndromes* ; Pain Measurement ; Skin Temperature ; Thermography ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation ; Trigger Points

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of transvaginal radiofrequency myolysis of uterine myomas. METHODS: 67 women who had undergone transvaginal radiofrequency myolysis of uterine myomas at Eulji university hospital between May 2005 and March 2006 were participated in this study. Pre-procedural transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasonographic evaluation was done for measurement of the size, numbers, location, and volume of the myomas. 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after the procedure the numbers and size of the myomas were measured by the same examiner. And also improvement of menorrhagia, dysmenorrhea, abnormal vaginal bleeding, and any symptoms like urinary frequency and pelvic pain that were caused by compression of the myomas were observed on every visit. RESULTS: The average age of the patients were 42.2 years. The average number of myomas were 1.18, the average of the maximal diameter was 5.52 cm, and the average volume was 89.9 cm3. The average procedure time was 15.1 minutes, and the average procedure frequency was 1.4 times. 1 month, 3 moths, and 6 months after the procedure the average maximal diameter of the myomas were decreased by 14.2%, 22.8%, and 29.8% respectively and the average volume decreased by 34.9%, 52.5%, and 63.6% respectively. 8 women who had no early symptoms and who were postmenopaused were excluded and from the other 59 women, 45 women and 37 women had been confirmed of their symptoms after 3 months and 6 months of the procedure respectively. 86.7%, 82.8% of the group had improvement of dysmenorrhea, and 65.2%, 60% had improvement of menorrhagia after 3 months and 6 months of procedure respectively. The group which had both symptoms, 85% and 81.2% had improvement. There were post-procedural complications of lower abdominal pain in 7 women, vaginal bleeding in 1 woman and in 1 case the patient was transferred to the department of internal medicine due to post-procedural fever and abdominal discomfort. No other major complications were found. CONCLUSION: Transvaginal radiofrequency myolysis had benefits in conserving the uterus, and was less invasive and had great effect on the reduction of size of the myomas and improving the symptoms. So this method could be a effective alternative treatment for uterine myomas.
Abdominal Pain ; Dysmenorrhea ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Internal Medicine ; Leiomyoma* ; Menorrhagia ; Moths ; Myoma ; Pelvic Pain ; Uterine Hemorrhage ; Uterus

Breast Cancer in women poses a problem, and it can be difficult at times to evaluate the possibility of the cancer's recurrence in node negative early cancer. Reliable prognostic markers are needed in breast-cancer management to help clinicians identify patient with high risk of recurrence and arrive at more rational decisions for proper treatment. E-cadherin is a glycoprotein that mediates Ca2 -dependent cell-cell adhesion and maintenance of the epithelial cell phenotype. It has been implicated as an invasion-suppressing protein in experimental systems and in human tumors, and alterations in the cadherin function have been implicated in tumor progression in a number of adenocarcinomas. In this study, the expression of E-cadherin was reduced in 35.3% of the case reviewed(12/34), and we could find no clinical relation between the known prognostic factors except tumor stage(p<0.05), and the degree of E-cadherin expression.
Adenocarcinoma ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Cadherins* ; Epithelial Cells ; Female ; Glycoproteins ; Humans ; Phenotype ; Recurrence

PURPOSE: To evaluate the relationship between metabolic syndrome and benign prostatic hyperplasia in Korean men, we investigated the relation between prostate volume and the serum prostate specific-antigen (PSA) level with the factors for metabolic syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the data of 1,412 men who had a general health check-up without significant evidence of disease between January 2004 and May 2007. The age, prostate volume, PSA, PSA density and metabolic factors were measured, and the relationships of these factors were evaluated. We also compared the prostate-related data between the metabolic syndrome(MS) group and non-metabolic syndrome(NMS) group. RESULTS: The prostate volume was significantly larger in the MS group (23.0+/-7.1ml) than that in the NMS group(20.9+/-6.1ml)(p<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference of the PSA level between the two groups(MS group: 0.86+/-0.66, NMS group: 0.90+/-0.81), but the PSAD was significantly different between the two groups(MS group: 0.038+/-0.027, NMS group: 0.044+/-0.031)(p=0.0035). We concluded that there was a significant correlation between the prostate volume and the metabolic syndrome factors. However, when analyzing the influence of each metabolic syndrome factor on the prostate volume, only the BMI was a relatively influential factor. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that there was significant correlation between each metabolic syndrome factor and the prostate volume. This seemed to be the result of the commonly related pathophysiology of MS and an enlarged prostrate volume, and obesity was a significant factor. It was meaningful that the PSA level in the MS group was lower than that of the NMS group in case of the same prostate volume.
Male ; Humans

Penile metastases are rare, and usually secondary to other genitourinary primary tumors. Bladder, prostate and renal tumors are the main sources of penile metastasis. Rectal and respiratory neoplasms also metastasize to the penis. However, metastatic penile cancer originating from the pancreas is extremely rare. Here, a case of pancreatic cancer, with penile metastasis, is reported.
Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pancreas* ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Penile Neoplasms* ; Penis ; Prostate ; Urinary Bladder

A lymphoma of the prostate is very rare, and is usually incidentally discovered. Malignant lymphomas can be divided into either primary or secondary according to their origin. Secondary involvement of the gland is the most common presentation. Most non-Hodgkin's lymphomas that affect the prostate are of the B-cell type, and present with non-specific obstructive symptoms. A variety of methods have been used for their, including prostatectomy, radiotherapy or combinations of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, the prognosis remains poor, regardless of the patient's age, histological type, treatment or clinical stage at presentation. Here, the case of a patient with a B-cell lymphoma, who presented with symptoms of a bladder outlet obstruction, is reported. The patient has been in complete remission following the completion of 6 cycles of doxorubicin-based chemotherapy and accompanying radiotherapy.
B-Lymphocytes* ; Drug Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination* ; Humans ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell* ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Prognosis ; Prostate* ; Prostatectomy ; Radiotherapy* ; Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction

BACKGROUND: Production of nitric oxide (NO) by inducible NO synthase (iNOS) has been implicated in the pathology of autoimmune disease. It is unknown whether iNOS expression is increased within testes and whether iNOS and NO have essential roles in the pathogenesis of EAO. METHODS: EAO was induced in guinea pig testes at 17 days after secondary immunization by administration of crude extract (CE) and purified glycoprotein 1 (GP1) from normal guinea pig testes. iNOS gene expression was assessed by RT-PCR and Northern blot analysis in testes. Localization of iNOS and Mac-1 and the indicator of NO-mediated tissue injury, nitrotyrosine, were detected in the testicular lesion by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: In control testes, inflammation and iNOS gene expression were not detected, whereas, in CE- and GP1-injected testes, inflammation and marked iNOS gene expression were evident at day 17 after secondary immunization. Immunohistochemistry of Mac-1 showed the colocalization with iNOS protein and nitrotyrosyl proteins in intertubules, suggesting that NO produced by infiltrated macrophages may be involved in inflammatory lesions of intertubules. Intraperitoneal administration of aminoguanidine significantly prevented EAO with reduction of inflammation, iNOS expression and nitrotyrosine formation. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that NO production by macrophages may be important in the pathogenesis of CE- and GP1-induced EAO. Furthermore, this study demonstrated the therapeutic potential of iNOS inhibitor in the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune mediated-diseases.
Animals ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Blotting, Northern ; Gene Expression ; Glycoproteins ; Guinea Pigs* ; Guinea* ; Immunization, Secondary ; Immunohistochemistry ; Inflammation ; Macrophages ; Male ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Nitric Oxide* ; Orchitis* ; Pathology ; Peroxynitrous Acid ; Testis

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to assess the effect of percutaneous vertebroplasty in the patients with chronic osteoporotic compression fracture at the thoracic and the lumbar vertebra. METHOD: Twelve patients with chronic osteoporotic compression fracture of thoracic and lumbar vertebra were engaged in this study. Treated levels were from the ninth thoracic vertebra to the fifth lumbar vertebra. Effects were assessed on the first day, 1 month after treatment and the last follow up (average 164 days after vertebroplasty; range 60 days to 302 days) by visual analogue scale (VAS), McGill pain questionnaire (MPQ), and compression ratio of vertebral body. Complication rate was assessed. RESULTS: Significant improvement by VAS and MPQ was noticed on the first day, 1 month after treatment and the last follow up. Further vertebral height loss was not noticed on follow-up. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous vertebroplasty can be an effective treatment method in patients with chronic back pain due to osteoporotic compression fracture at the thoracic and the lumbar vertebra.
Back Pain ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fractures, Compression* ; Humans ; Pain Measurement ; Spine* ; Vertebroplasty*

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to assess the analgesic effect of intraarticular injection with morphine and hyaluronic acid in comparison with intraarticular injection with hyaluronic acid only in the patients with osteoarthritis of knee. METHOD: Twenty four patients with degenerative osteoarthritis of the knee were assigned randomly to a morphine group (morphine+hyaluronic acid) and a hyaluronic acid group. In the morphine group, intraarticular injection with morphine and hyaluronic acid at first was applied to the knee 2 times. Then intraarticular injection with hyaluronic acid without morphine was applied in the remaining 3times. In the hyaluronic acid group, intraarticular injection with hyaluronic acid was applied to the knee 5 times. Effects were assessed on the 1st week, 5th week after treatment, and on the last follow up day by pain rating score (PRS). RESULTS: Significant change of PRS improvement was noticed in the morphine group in the 1st week after treatment compared with the hyaluronic acid group. CONCLUSION: These results showed that intraarticular injection with morphine and hyaluronic acid was a more effective treatment method than intraarticular injection with hyaluronic acid only for pain control in patients with osteoarthritis of knee.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Injections, Intra-Articular ; Knee ; Morphine* ; Osteoarthritis* ; Osteoarthritis, Knee*