PURPOSE: To report a case of frosted branch angiitis (FBA) associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in a child. CASE SUMMARY: A 7-year-old boy presented with bilateral blurred vision. On ophthalmic examination, his best-corrected visual acuity was 20/25 in the right eye and 20/32 in the left eye. The pupils were equal, round, and reactive to light without a relative afferent pupillary defect. He had normal color vision in both eyes. Slit-lamp examination revealed no abnormalities in the anterior parts of the eyes. Fundoscopic examination revealed prominent white sheathing retinal vasculitis predominantly on the veins in all quadrants, as well as macular edema and irregular foveal reflex in both eyes. Fluorescein angiography showed normal blood flow, but late diffuse staining and leakage of the affected vessels. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) showed thickening of the vessel walls, swelling due to hyperreflective material, and hyperreflective retinal depositions. Serological tests and the serum polymerase chain reaction for EBV were positive. A diagnosis of FBA associated with EBV was made. He was treated with systemic acyclovir and steroids. The response was rapid, with improvement in visual acuity to 20/20 in both eyes by day 3. After 7 weeks, all clinical signs resolved and SD-OCT examination showed normal vessel wall thickness and the absence of hyperreflective depositions. CONCLUSIONS: EBV may present with FBA even in the absence of a systemic sign of primary EBV infection. Thus, EBV should be considered as the etiology of FBA.
Acyclovir ; Child ; Color Vision ; Diagnosis ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Humans ; Macular Edema ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pupil ; Pupil Disorders ; Reflex ; Retinal Vasculitis ; Retinaldehyde ; Serologic Tests ; Steroids ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Vasculitis ; Veins ; Visual Acuity

Purpose: The prevalence and risk factors of neovascular glaucoma (NVG) after diabetic vitrectomy were evaluated. Methods: This retrospective study included 171 eyes of 141 patients who underwent diabetic vitrectomy in-hospital between March 2013 and July 2019 and were followed for >12 months postoperatively. Regardless of the presence or absence of neovascularization in the anterior segment, all patients received injections of intravitreal bevacizumab during vitrectomy. Patients with preoperative neovascularization in iris (NVI) or angle (NVA) received both intracameral and intravitreal bevacizumab injections. Data were collected regarding baseline demographics, preoperative best-corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, hypertension, NVG in the fellow eye, panretinal photocoagulation history, iris and angle neovascularization, and postoperative findings (e.g., rebleeding and residual retinal detachment). Results: In total, 141 patients and 171 eyes were included in the study, and the incidence of postoperative NVG was 5.85% (10 patients). Five patients (27.78%) with preoperative NVI or NVA developed postoperative NVG. Significant risk factors for postoperative NVG were preoperative NVA or NVI (odds ratio [OR] = 16.428, p = 0.003), shorter diabetic duration (OR = 0.853, p = 0.033), and the absence of preoperative panretinal photocoagulation (OR = 0.006, p = 0.035). Conclusions There is a high possibility of postoperative NVG in patients with preoperative NVI or NVA, a short duration of diabetes, and no preoperative panretinal photocoagulation. In such patients, close monitoring is required after diabetic vitrectomy.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of axial length and anterior chamber depth in vitrectomy and intraocular lens intrascleral fixation with a fibrin adhesive. Methods: The study retrospectively reviewed 61 eyes of 61 patients, who were followed up for over 6 months after surgery. The patients were divided into three groups according to their axial length: group 1, < 22 mm; group 2, 22 to < 25 mm; and group 3, > 25 mm. The patients were further divided into three sub-groups according to their anterior chamber depth: group A, < 3.0 mm; group B, 3.0 mm to < 3.6 mm; and group C, > 3.6 mm. We measured and analyzed the best-corrected visual acuity, spherical value, cylindrical value, and spherical equivalent of each group before surgery and at 6 months postoperatively. Results: When comparing the groups preoperatively and postoperatively, the best-corrected visual acuity, spherical value, and spherical equivalent showed significant improvement in all groups (p < 0.05). The incidence of complications, such as haptic slippage and intraocular lens dislocation, increased with the axial length and anterior chamber depth. Conclusions The use of fibrin adhesive for intraocular lens intrascleral fixation improves visual acuity and reduces refractive error. Postoperatively, there was no significant change in cylindrical value. Because axial length and anterior chamber depth affect refractive error, both should be considered in correlation with the surgical method.

Purpose: The prevalence and risk factors of neovascular glaucoma (NVG) after diabetic vitrectomy were evaluated. Methods: This retrospective study included 171 eyes of 141 patients who underwent diabetic vitrectomy in-hospital between March 2013 and July 2019 and were followed for >12 months postoperatively. Regardless of the presence or absence of neovascularization in the anterior segment, all patients received injections of intravitreal bevacizumab during vitrectomy. Patients with preoperative neovascularization in iris (NVI) or angle (NVA) received both intracameral and intravitreal bevacizumab injections. Data were collected regarding baseline demographics, preoperative best-corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, hypertension, NVG in the fellow eye, panretinal photocoagulation history, iris and angle neovascularization, and postoperative findings (e.g., rebleeding and residual retinal detachment). Results: In total, 141 patients and 171 eyes were included in the study, and the incidence of postoperative NVG was 5.85% (10 patients). Five patients (27.78%) with preoperative NVI or NVA developed postoperative NVG. Significant risk factors for postoperative NVG were preoperative NVA or NVI (odds ratio [OR] = 16.428, p = 0.003), shorter diabetic duration (OR = 0.853, p = 0.033), and the absence of preoperative panretinal photocoagulation (OR = 0.006, p = 0.035). Conclusions There is a high possibility of postoperative NVG in patients with preoperative NVI or NVA, a short duration of diabetes, and no preoperative panretinal photocoagulation. In such patients, close monitoring is required after diabetic vitrectomy.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of axial length and anterior chamber depth in vitrectomy and intraocular lens intrascleral fixation with a fibrin adhesive. Methods: The study retrospectively reviewed 61 eyes of 61 patients, who were followed up for over 6 months after surgery. The patients were divided into three groups according to their axial length: group 1, < 22 mm; group 2, 22 to < 25 mm; and group 3, > 25 mm. The patients were further divided into three sub-groups according to their anterior chamber depth: group A, < 3.0 mm; group B, 3.0 mm to < 3.6 mm; and group C, > 3.6 mm. We measured and analyzed the best-corrected visual acuity, spherical value, cylindrical value, and spherical equivalent of each group before surgery and at 6 months postoperatively. Results: When comparing the groups preoperatively and postoperatively, the best-corrected visual acuity, spherical value, and spherical equivalent showed significant improvement in all groups (p < 0.05). The incidence of complications, such as haptic slippage and intraocular lens dislocation, increased with the axial length and anterior chamber depth. Conclusions The use of fibrin adhesive for intraocular lens intrascleral fixation improves visual acuity and reduces refractive error. Postoperatively, there was no significant change in cylindrical value. Because axial length and anterior chamber depth affect refractive error, both should be considered in correlation with the surgical method.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The combination of an aging population with a chronic diseased population is leading to an increase in the mortality rate due to cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the Korean population and to evaluate its related factors for sex differences. METHODS: From April 2007 to December 2008, a total of 2,729 volunteers aged 40-69 years living in Changwon city underwent a clinical examination at a hospital in Changwon, Korea. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed following the criteria defined in Circulation 2009. The clinical examination included measuring anthropometric variables and cardiovascular risk factors, while lifestyle factors were assessed through a questionnaire. RESULTS: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in our sampling pool was 25.2% with a break down by sex showing a rate of 30.2% in men and 22.2% in women. Related factors associated with metabolic syndrome common to both sex were age, self-health assessment, and alcohol consumption. Sleep duration seemed to be a related factor in men, while income, education, and menstruation status played significant roles in women. CONCLUSIONS: To better manage metabolic syndrome, men need to be educated on alcohol use and women of low socioeconomic status require particular attention as do the aging population and postmenopausal women.
Adult ; Aged ; Aging ; Alcohol Drinking ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Style ; Male ; Menstruation ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Sex Characteristics ; Social Class

It has been shown that neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM)-induced neuronal differentiation is extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-dependent. However, an involvement of the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase (MEK), an upstream kinase of ERK, has not been directly demonstrated in this process. Therefore, we investigated whether the MEK1 plays a critical role in the NCAM-induced neuronal differentiation of hippocampal neural progenitor cells (NPCs). NPCs were transiently transfected with expression plasmids encoding activated or dominant negative (DN) forms of MEK1. The expression of DN MEK1 inhibited neuronal phenotype acquisition and soluble NCAM rescued the defect in the neuronal phenotype acquisition in DN-MEK1-transfected cells, suggesting that NCAM might contribute to the neuronal differentiation via distinct, parallel pathways including the MEK pathway. In cells expressing wild type MEK1 or constitutively active MEK1 on the other hand, the percentage of cells positive for beta-tubulin type III (Tuj1), a marker for early postmitotic neurons, was higher than seen in vector-transfected cells. These results suggest that the activation of MEK1 is required for obtaining neuronal phenotype in NPCs.
Transfection ; Stem Cells/cytology/drug effects/*metabolism ; Solubility ; Rats ; *Phenotype ; Neurons/cytology/drug effects/*metabolism ; Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules/*pharmacology ; Mutation/genetics ; MAP Kinase Kinase 1/genetics/*metabolism ; Hippocampus/cytology/drug effects/*metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Cells, Cultured ; Cell Differentiation ; Animals

The antiarrhythmic efficacy if low dose amiodarone treatment was studied in 30 cases of ventricular premature beats(VPBs). Amiodarone was administered 600mg daily in three divided doses for for initial 7-10 days as loadihg dosage,then 100-200mg once daily as maintenance. The results obtained were as follow : 1) The complete control of VPBs was achieved by amiodarone treatment in 90%, 27cases of 30 cases(all 11 cases with simple VPBs and 16 cases of the remainders with complex VPBs). 2) The QT interval and QTc were significantly prolonged, whereas heart rate was reduced significantly after amiodarone treatment. 3) In 27 cases of responder, the frequency of VPBs began to decrease overtly 2-3 days after amiodarone administration, then relatively stablized in 6 days, and complete cnotrol of VPBs was achieved in all cases about 10 days after treatment. 4) No significant side-reaction was observed except the decrease of serm T3 level after treatment.
Amiodarone* ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac* ; Heart Rate ; Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Spontaneous progression of severe congestive heart failure is structurally characterized by cellular degeneration and multiple foci of myocardial cell death. The cardiac troponin I (cTnI), one of the subunits of the troponin regulatory complex, binds to actin and inhibits interaction between actin and myosin. cTnI is uniquely expressed in the adult human myocardium, and an increase in its circulating levels is highly indicative of myocardial injury. In this study, we addressed the usefulness of cTnI as a sensitive and specific molecular marker for severity in patients with congestive heart failure. MethodscTnI, creatinin kinase-MB (CK-MB), and myoglobin were assessed in 59 patients with severe congestive heart failure diagnosed by the echo-cardiography and gated equilibrium blood pool heart scan. Also we assesed cTnI, creatinin kinase-MB (CK-MB), and myoglobin in 25 persons without cardiac disease in echocardiography. RESULTS: 1) The cTnI con-centration was 89.6+/-69.3 pg/mL in patients with congestive heart failure and its level was greater than that of the control group (22.4+/-17.1, p=0.001). 2) The cTnI level differed significantly according to left ventricular ejection fraction (EF), 117.3+/-73.8 pg/mL in patients with EF\<40% (28 patients), 66.3+/-44.5 pg/mL in patients with EF> or =40% (31 patients), 22.4+/-17.1 pg/mL in the control group (25 persons) (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: cTnI was useful as a specific and sensitive serum molecular marker in patients of congestive heart failure. And its level reflected the severity of congestive heart failure.
Actins ; Adult ; Cell Death ; Echocardiography ; Equidae ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP)* ; Heart ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Failure* ; Humans ; Myocardium ; Myoglobin ; Myosins ; Stroke Volume ; Troponin I* ; Troponin*

BACKGROUND: Bronchial hbyperresponsiveness (BHR) is a key feature of asthma, and may precede the development of asthma. Genetically determined and acquired factors may contribute to development of BHR. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate expression of bronchial responsiveness to methacholine according to age, sex, smoking habit, and atopy in general population without bronchial asthma, a cross sectional study was performed. METHOD: A total of 1,190 general population who composed of 408 subjects with age less than 19 years (young age group), 621 subjects with age from 20 to 40 years (middle age group), and 161 subjects with age more than 41 years (old age group) were enrolled. Evaluations were made by a questionnaire, serum IgE level and skin prick test to common inhalant allergens, and methacholine bronchial provocation test (MBPT). Bronchial responsiveness were evaluated by positive rate of MBPT (PC,p-methacholine 4 25mg/ml), and slope of dose- response curve (slope, %fall of FEV, / log[last concentration of methacholine, mg/ml]). RESULT: Positive rate of MBPT was 11.0%, and slope (mean+SE) was 10.6+0.2 %/mg/ml. Postive rate of MBPT was more prevalent in the young age group than in middle and old age groups (19.6% vs. 6.6% vs. 6.2%, p<0.05), and slope was higher in young age group than in other groups (14.4+0.4 vs. 8.6+0.3 vs. 8.9+0.5 %/mg/ml, p<0.05). No significant differences in positive rate of MBPT and slope were noted according to sex in young and old age groups. However, in the middle age group, slope was higher in females than in males (9.5+0.4 vs. 7.9+ 0.3 %/mg/ml, p<0.05). No significant differences of slope was observed according to smoking habit in males of middle age group, but in males of old age group, the slope was higher in subjects with smoking habit than those without it (9.6+0.8 vs. 6.5+0.9 %/mg/ml, p<0.05). Significant relationship was observed between geometric value of serum IgE level and slope(r=0. 152, p=0.009). The postive rate of MBPT and slope were significantly higher in subjects with positive skin rea,ctivity to common inhalant allergens than those without it (14.3% vs. 8.6%, p ( 0.05; 11.8+0.4 vs. 9.8+0.3 %/mg/ml, p<0.05). The difference of bronchial responsiveness according to skin reactivity was observed in young and middle age groups, but not in old age group. CONCLUSION: Bronchial responsiveness to methacholine is significantly higher in children than in adults, in middle-aged females than in middle-aged males. Atopy and smoking may have a dif ferent role to determine the bronchial responsiveness depending upon age and sex.
Adult ; Allergens ; Asthma* ; Bronchial Provocation Tests ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Male ; Methacholine Chloride* ; Middle Aged ; Skin ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Surveys and Questionnaires