BACKGROUND: Plasmapheresis or plasma exchange is the procedure to remove various pathogenic materials from the circulation of patients and retransfuse the formed elements into the doners with type specific fresh frozen plasma or albumin for the replacement of the withdrawn plasma. METHODS: In order to evaluate clinical experience of plasma exchange, we examined a total of 133 plasma exchange procedure on 25 patients of January 1993 - May 1994 in Kyungpook national university hospital. RESULTS: The results are as follows: 1. There were 8 kinds of diseases and the most frequent diseases was Guillian-Barre syndrome(l 2 cases) and the decreasing order was CIDP(6 cases), multiple myeloma(2 cases), acute fulminant hepatitis(1 case), mushroom poisoning(1 case), lupus nephritis(l case), TTP(I case) and myasthenia gravis(l case). 2. The patient's age ranged from 13 to 65 years. 3. There were 14 males and 11 females and the sex ratio was 1.3:1. 4. We had got clinical improvement in 16 of 25 cases, especially most dramatic effect in Guillian-Barre syndrome. CONCLUSION: To achieve more successful outcome of plasma exchange, we should select patients with restrict application, prevent rebound phenomenon with intense practice, choose what kind of replacement fluid to consider patient's clinical condition and check serological parameter with clinical evaluation to monitor effectiveness of treatment.
Agaricales ; Female ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Male ; Plasma Exchange* ; Plasma* ; Plasmapheresis ; Sex Ratio

BACKGROUND: This study tested the efficacy of 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate for improving oral hygiene in intubated intensive care patients. METHODS: In a group of 57 ventilated patients, 29 received normal saline (NS) for oral hygiene, and 28 were treated with chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG). Data on oral bacterial colonization was collected for 11 months from October 2005 to August 2006. Tests of oral hygiene and oral microorganism culture were performed on the day of the ventilation, and repeated on days 4, 8, and 12. RESULTS: Oral hygiene was significantly improved in the CHG group compared to that in the NS group (P<.001). Further, all patients (100%) in the NS group tested positive for Staphylococcus aureus on the 12th day after the endotracheal intubation, whereas only 42.9% (P=0.026) of the CHG group were positive. The NS group also had higher isolation rates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa at 66.7% on the 8th day after intubation and 87.5% on the 12th day. At these same intervals, the CHG group had isolation rates of 29.4% (P=.028) and 14.3% (P=.010) respectively. CONCLUSION: The longer the period of endotracheal intubation, the more effective the 0.12% CHG treatment was for improved oral hygiene and reduction of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa colonization when compared to treatment with NS.
Chlorhexidine ; Colon ; Humans ; Critical Care ; Intensive Care Units ; Intubation ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Oral Hygiene ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Sodium Chloride ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Ventilation

Itching is a rare symptom in neurological disease. Paroxysmal symptom is uncommon in neuromyelitis optica (NMO) or multiple sclerosis. We describe a 45-year-old woman who presented with paroxysmal pruritus in association with relapse of NMO on two separate occasions. Cervical MRI showed a lesion at a level corresponding to the dermatomal site of the itching. Paroxysmal pruritus could be a predictive symptom of relapse in NMO unless there are other comorbid causes such as systemic diseases, allergy, drug reaction, or emotional stress responsible for the itching.

Lumbosacral radiculoplexopathy in colon cancer treatment is a very rare but serious complication after radiation. We report here a 66-year-old man with slowly progressive lower limb weakness which arose 30 years after local radiation treatment for colon cancer. Electrophysiological studies revealed signs of denervation confined to the lower limbs. Other causes were excluded by clinical presentation, serological, cerebrospinal fluid and imaging studies. This case shows that delayed radiation-induced lumbosacral radiculoplexopathy can occur 30 years after the initial treatment.
Colonic Neoplasms

The authors studied Psychoticism, using SCL-90, in the subjects of 3,893 male college students and 1,976 female college students of Yeung Nam University, collecting data during the periods from October to November, 1984. The results could be summarized as follows: 1. There was significant difference in the mean averages of total psychoticism scores between male and female students; male students scored 6.81±5.13 female students scored 8.14±5.05. 2. Eighty eight male students (2.4%) showed seriously high psychoticism scores of 20 or higher, while 63 female students (3.2%) showed the same scores. 3. In a comparison between male students in different school grades, freshmen showed the highest level of psychoticism scores, and as the grades of students became higher, the levels of psychoticism scores were lower. 4. Among the psychoticism factors, there were strong tendencies toward higher psychoticism scores in the students who were dissatisfied with their college, and had pessimistic views of self-image in the past, present or future, in both groups. 5. The male students whose educational fees were paid by their parents, and whose spending money per month was under 10,000 won, showed higher level of psychoticism scores. 6. The female students whose maturation locations were city, who were dissatisfied with their departments, who resided in dormitory of other residencies, and whose educational fees were paid by their brothers or sisters, showed higher level of psychoticism scores. 7. The items relating to 5 (Feeling lonely with people) 9 (Never feeling close to another) 10 (Idea something writh mind) in psychoticism and the item of depressed affect in SDS were significantly correlated over 0.40 of correlation coefficient.
Fees and Charges ; Female ; Humans ; Internship and Residency ; Male ; Parents ; Siblings

The authors studied depression, using Zung's Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) in the subjects of 3,499 male and 1,335 female college freshmen of Yeungnam University. The authors collected the reports of SDS during the periods from January to February, 1986, and applied ANOVA and t-test on depression scores in order to compare them between various psychosocial factors, and sexes. The results are as follows: There was significant difference in the mean averages of total depression scores between male and female students: male students scored 35.68+7.46, female students scored 38.93+7.26 (P<0.01). The depression scores relating to the items of indecisiveness, psychomotor retardation, decreased libido, and diurnal variation were relatively higher in both groups. One hundred and sixty-one male students (4.6%) showed seriously high degree depression scores of 50 or higher, while one-hundred and seventeen female students (8.8%) showed the same scores. Female students attending in liberal arts showed higher level of depression scores (P<0.01). There was a strong tendency toward higher depression scores in the students who were dissatisfies with their home atmosphere, college, department and familiarity of parents and those who had pessimistic views of self in the past, present or future in both groups (P<0.001).
Atmosphere ; Depression* ; Female ; Humans ; Libido ; Male ; Parents ; Psychology ; Recognition (Psychology)

No abstract available.
Agammaglobulinemia*

The heterotopic and tissues may be divided into two categories: those that are found in the head and neck region, and those that arise elsewhere. The latter type is rare and most cases are found in the lungs of patients with neural tube defect, particularly anencephaly. Our report descrives anencephalic male infant with heterotopic glial nodules in both lungs. The largest nodule is 2x1.5x1 cm, locates in the lower lobe of the left lung, and has a round gray-white cut surface with cystic spaces. Microscopically, the nodules consist of irregularly arranged astrocytes and glial fibers, in which are embedded gland-like or cystically dilated bronchioles. The astrocytes and glial fibers are strongly positive for glial fibrillary acidic protein and show astrocytic filaments on electron microscopy. This will be an additional case supporting the amniotic fluid aspiration/implantation theory of pathogenetic mechanism of distal heerotopic glial tissue.
Infant ; Male ; Female ; Humans

No abstract available.
Cytomegalovirus Infections* ; Cytomegalovirus*

Ocular rosacea is the eye manifestations of rosacea, which involves the lids, conjunctiva, and cornea. A recent study revealed that all patients with cutaneous rosacea had some degree of ocular involvement which is often undiagnosed. It is difficult to make a diagnosis of ocular rosacea because it lacks clinical or pathological hallmarks. However, early diagnosis and treatment are emphasized to decrease morbidity and prevent potential blindness. We report a case of ocular rosacea in a 49 year-old man who showed blepharoconjunctivitis, keratitis, and cutaneous manifestations of persistent erythema, telangiectasia, and papules. The ocular symptoms and signs had improved significantly with tetracycline therapy.
Blindness ; Conjunctiva ; Cornea ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Erythema ; Eye Manifestations ; Humans ; Keratitis ; Middle Aged ; Rosacea* ; Telangiectasis ; Tetracycline