Lovastatin, a competitive inhibitor of the rate limiting enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis was administered to 34 patients with primary hypertlipidemia, 20 mg once daily with the evening meal. Patients experienced mean total and LDL cholesterol reductions of 30.9% and 34.0% respectively. HDL cholesterol level was significantly increased by 15.4% and plasma triglyceride level was decreased by 11.2%. maximal hypocholesterolemic effects were evident at 8 weeks, after which the effects were stable. Adverse effects were noted in 2 patients who had mild gastrointestinal symptoms, that subsided after discontinuing the drug. We concluded that lovastatin is a well tolerated and effective agent for the treatment of primary hyperlipidemia.
Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias* ; Lovastatin ; Meals ; Plasma* ; Triglycerides

Adenocarcinoma of small intestine is rare disease, but its incidence of iluem is the least of small intestinal adenocarcinoma. Its rarity and vague symptoms results in delayed diagnosis, treatment and poor prognosis, Recently we experienced a 65 years old man of ileal adenocarcinoma with liver metastasis, which does not obstuct intestinal lumen, We treat the metastatic tumor with chemoembolization(lipiodol and doxorubicin) through the hepatic artery and so we report the case with review of literature.
Adenocarcinoma ; Aged ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Hepatic Artery ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intestine, Small ; Liver ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Prognosis ; Rare Diseases

PURPOSE: The objectives of this study was to compare the efficacy of antibiotic monotherapy with antibiotic plus alpha-blocker combination therapy for the treatment of inflammatory chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between October 2005 and May 2006, 69 patients who were diagnosed as CPPS(National Institutes of Health; NIH-catagory IIIa), were included in this study. The patients were randomly placed into two groups: group I was treated with gatifloxacin alone(35 patients), and group II was treated with gatifloxacin and doxazosin(34 patients) for 6 weeks. For all the patients, the urinalysis, expressed prostatic massage, the National Institute of Health-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index(NIH-CPSI) and a distal rectal examination(DRE) were performed at the initial visit. The NIH-CPSI was compared both before and after the treatment. RESULTS: On the initial diagnosis, the mean CPSI of the group I patients was 24.0+/-6.3, and that for the group II patients was 24.7+/-6.9. After the treatment, that of the group I was 16.6+/-5.4, and that of group II was 13.4+/-5.3. After 6 weeks of treatment, the changes in the total CPSI scores had significantly improved in group II compared with group I(p<0.05). A statistically significant improvement occurred in the pain score, the voiding symptom score and the quality of life in the group II compared with group I(p<0.05) CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that combination therapy of antibiotic plus alpha-blocker would be more effective than antibiotic monotheraphy for treating patients with inflammatory chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.
Academies and Institutes ; Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Fluoroquinolones ; Humans ; Massage ; Pelvic Pain ; Prostatitis ; Quality of Life ; Urinalysis

BACKGROUND: Although abnormal serum alanine aminotranferase(ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) clearly indicates certain disease in the liver, normal reversion of serum ALT and AST during the disease process, after the histologic diagnosis of chronic hepatitis, does not ensure that the patients liver would be normal. We considered a partial remission of chronic hepatitis as the levels of serum ALT and AST were persistently normal over 6 months or more, and studied how the histologic findings in the partial-remitted patients of chronic hepatitis would change. MATERIALS: Twenty-three agreed to rebiopsy in the patients of chronic hepatitis with normal level of serum ALT and AST over 6 months. The histologic findings between the first and second liver-biopsied specimens were compared, and the classification of their morpholgy was translated with Batts and Ludwigs new scoring system of chronic hepatitis divided into grade and stage. RESULTS: The grading scores of the first and second biopsy were 2.70 +/- 0.16 and 1.48 +/- 0.14, respectively, and the grading scores of the second biopsy decreased significantly than of the first biopsy (p=0.000); 18 cases(78.1%) were improved, but none was aggravated. The staging scores of the first and second biopsy were 1.870.19 and 1.430.22, respectively, and the staging scores of the secand biapsy also decreased significantly than of the first biopsy (p=0,020); 14 cases (61.2%) were unchanged, 8 cases (34.5%) were improved, but 1 case (4.3%) was aggravated. The stage-improved cases were 7 in the patients of chronic viral hepatitis B, and 1 in the patient of chronic viral hepatitis C, and viral loads of them disappeared. Three cases (13.0%) of them changed into no fibrosis, and 2 cases of them (8.7%) with severe fibrosis improved to mild fibrosis. But, although the levels of serum ALT and AST were persistently normal over average 16 months, grading and staging scores decreased over 2 points in 21.0% and 13.0%, respectively, and the case of which both grading and staging scores improved to normal was only 4.3%. CONCLUSION: Serum ALT and AST level were well correlated with grading. However, the correlation between serum ALT and AST level and staging was poor, even though the triggering factors of chronic hepatitis had been disappeared. Then, we recommand close follow-up and treatment to lessen the fibrogenic reaction of the liver in them.
Alanine* ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Aspartic Acid* ; Biopsy ; Classification ; Diagnosis ; Fibrosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatitis C ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Humans ; Liver Diseases* ; Liver* ; Viral Load

PURPOSE: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of radical retropubic prostatectomy(RRP) on lower urinary tract symptoms(LUTS) in patients with clinically localized prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 2000 and 2006, 82 men with clinically localized prostate cancer underwent RRP. The International Prostate Symptom Score(IPSS) and the IPSS quality of life(QoL) score, and uroflowmetry were administered both prior to and 1 year after RRP. RESULTS: The overall mean total IPSS, maximal flow rate, and postvoid residual volume did not change over time after RRP. Prior to and after RRP, the mean maximal flow rate and residual urine changed from 17.6ml/sec to 17.9ml/sec(p=0.566) and 16.9ml to 15.8ml(p=0.777), respectively. Total IPSS also changed after RRP, from 12.8 to 12.5(p=0.731). The reduction of the IPSS was more prominent in patients with severe symptoms(IPSS> or =20), whereas in those with moderate symptoms(8< or =IPSS<20), the score did not change significantly after RRP. Furthermore, in those patients with no or mild symptoms(IPSS<8), the score increased after RRP. CONCLUSIONS: RRP was not shown to improve uroflowmetric parameters, including maximal flow rate, postvoid residual urine, and IPSS, in cases of moderate LUTS. However, RRP may exert a beneficial effect in those patients with severe LUTS, and may also have adverse effects on some individuals with no or mild symptoms. We believe that these results might be utilized when counseling patients about treatment options for localized prostate cancer.
Counseling ; Humans ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms ; Male ; Prostate ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Residual Volume ; Urinary Tract

PUROPOSE: To evaluate the effects of nocturia on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and sleep. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From January 2007 to December 2007, 180 patients with lower urinary tract symptoms were prospectively selected for this study. Study was conducted among respondents with nocturia (void/night> or =1) (n=119) and age matched controls (no nocturia) (n=61), with participants completing a series of questionnaires on HRQoL (OAB-q short form) and Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) sleep scale and frequency voiding chart. RESULTS: The patients population had a mean age of 57.2 years. In the patients, the mean number of void per night was measured, 58 patients reported 2>void/night> or =1, 32 patients reported 3> voids/night> or =2 and 29 patients reported void/night> or =3. The number of nocturia episodes/night was significantly associated with the overactive bladder (OAB) symptom score (p=0.001), symptom bother (p=0.001) and the MOS sleep index (p=0.016). CONCLUSIONS: Increases in the number of voids/night have further negative effects on sleep, symptom bother and HRQoL.
Surveys and Questionnaires ; Female ; Humans ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms ; Nocturia* ; Prospective Studies ; Quality of Life* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Urinary Bladder, Overactive

Background and purpose: The availability and promise of effective treatments for neurodegenerative disorders are increasing the importance of early diagnosis. Having molecular and biochemical markers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) would complement clinical approaches, and further the goals of early and accurate diagnosis. Combining multiple biomarkers in evaluations significantly increases the sensitivity and specificity of the biochemical tests. Methods: In this study, we used color-coded bead-based Luminex technology to test the potential of using chemokines and cytokines as biochemical markers of AD. We measured the levels of 22 chemokines and cytokines in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 32 de novo patients (13 controls, 11 AD, and 8 Parkinson's disease [PD]). Results: MCP-1 was the only cytokine detectable in CSF, and its levels did not differ between control and disease groups. However, the serum concentration of eotaxin was significantly higher in AD patients than in the control group. Conclusions: The analysis of multiple inflammatory mediators revealed marginal differences in their CSF and serum concentrations for the differential diagnosis of AD and PD. These results provide evidence that immunological responses are not major contributors to the pathogenesis of AD and PD.
Alzheimer Disease ; Biomarkers ; Chemokines ; Complement System Proteins ; Cytokines ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Parkinson Disease ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Acromegaly is a chronic condition resulting from the excessive secretion of growth hormone and insulin like growth factor 1, generally from pituitary adenoma. Although there have been several reports suggesting the possible association of hematologic malignancies with acromegaly, myelofibrosis with acromegaly is very rare. Here we report 54-year-old male patient with myelofibrosis accompanied with acromegaly. We treated this patient with low dose thalidomide (50 mg/day) and prednisone (30 mg/day). We reported this case with literature review.
Acromegaly* ; Growth Hormone ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Insulin ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; Prednisone ; Primary Myelofibrosis* ; Thalidomide

Acromegaly is a chronic condition resulting from the excessive secretion of growth hormone and insulin like growth factor 1, generally from pituitary adenoma. Although there have been several reports suggesting the possible association of hematologic malignancies with acromegaly, myelofibrosis with acromegaly is very rare. Here we report 54-year-old male patient with myelofibrosis accompanied with acromegaly. We treated this patient with low dose thalidomide (50 mg/day) and prednisone (30 mg/day). We reported this case with literature review.
Acromegaly* ; Growth Hormone ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Insulin ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; Prednisone ; Primary Myelofibrosis* ; Thalidomide

We report a case of pancreatic pseudocyst presenting as an intramural gastric tumor on upper gastrointestinal examination, endoscopic ultrasound and computed tomography of the abdomen. Pancreatic pseudocysts in the stomach wall is rare and the most of them presented as a cystic mass, but this case was presented as a gastric mural solid tumor. Exploration revealed an about 4 4 2 cm sized round mass at the midbody of great curvature of stomach, it was in the muscle layer, and removed by surgical operation. The correct diagnosis of this case was established postoperately on the pathologic examination revealed pancreatic pseudocyst.
Abdomen ; Diagnosis ; Pancreatic Pseudocyst* ; Stomach ; Ultrasonography