OBJECTIVE: To investigate the fertility outcomes after abdominal or laparoscopic myomectomy in infertile patients with no other infertility factors except uterine myoma. METHODS: From January, 1992 to December, 1998, abdominal or laparoscopic myomectomy was performed in 76 patients with desire for children and no other recognizable infertility factors. The medical records were reviewed retrospectively. The mean duration of postoperative follow-up was 23.4+/-21.2 months(1~82 months). RESULTS: After myomectomy, 35 patients(46.1%) became pregnant during the follow-up period, especially with 24(68.6%) within 12 months. Excluding 7 cases of spontaneous abortion and 2 cases of intrauterine fetal death, 26 patients(74.3%) had a viable birth. Parity, duration of infertility, number, type and location of myoma, and the proportion of opening the intrauterine cavity during operation were not significantly different between the pregnant and nonpregnant groups. However, the size of uterine myoma was significantly larger in the pregnant group(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: We obtained a reasonable pregnancy rate in infertile patients with uterine myoma as a sole infertility factor. The size of myoma may influence the postmyomectomy pregnancy rate, and this may indicate a more beneficial effect of myomectomy in infertile patients with a relatively larger myoma.
Abortion, Spontaneous ; Child ; Female ; Fertility* ; Fetal Death ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infertility ; Leiomyoma ; Medical Records ; Myoma* ; Parity ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Retrospective Studies ; Uterus*

BACKGROUND: Mycobacteria are traditionally identified with biochemical reactions. Since it takes 2 to 6 weeks, more rapid method is needed for timely treatment of mycobacterial infection. Mycolic acid analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was recently introduced, which showed species-specificity with more than 95% sensitivity and 100% specificity for identifing Mycobacterium spp. within 2-4 hours. In this study, We performed mycolic acid analyses of standard strains of Mycobacterium spp. and two clinical isolates of known M. tuberculosis for demonstrating their species-specific nature and evaluated its reproduciblity. METHODS : 8 standard strains of Mycobacterium spp. (M. tuberculosis H37Rv, M. intracellurae, M. avium, M. fortuitum, M. chelonae subsp. chelonae, M. scrofulaceum, M. kansasii, M. gordonae) and 2 clinical isolates of known M. tuberculosis were analyzed. The extracted mycolic acids which were prepared by 3 steps were analyzed by HPLC with rC18 column. RESULTS: Mean retention time (MRT) of low and high molecular weight internal standards were 3.757min+/-0.017 (C.V. <0.455%) and 9.829min+/-0.015 (C.V. <0.015%), respectively (n=30). The C.V. of MRT for M. intracellurae for positive control showing double cluster pattern was less than 0.3% from 4 injection. The C.V. of MRT for M. tuberculosis H37Rv and 2 clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis with single cluster pattern were less than 0.4%, and 0.9%, respectively. The chromatographic patterns of M. kansasii and M. gordonae showed a single cluster pattern, and M. avium, M. fortuitum, M. chelonae subsp. chelonae, and M. scrofulaceum showed a double cluster pattern which were species-specific nature. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated HPLC method was rapid and highly reproducible.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Chromatography, Liquid* ; Gordonia Bacterium ; Molecular Weight ; Mycobacterium* ; Mycolic Acids* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tuberculosis

PURPOSE: Cervical neoplasias are known to be preventable. But the outcome of our efforts for early detection in Korea is disappointing. This study was undertaken to determine the level of screening participation in Korean women with cervical cancer and how the early detection of cervical cancer might be improved. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred and forty-nine women with cervical cancer diag- nosed and treated at Seoul National University Hospital from September 1996 to February 1998 were subjected to this study. Self-reported cervical cancer screening histories, med- ical records obtainable were reviewed and analysed. RESULTS: One hundred forty-seven women (147/249; 59.0%) hadn't got through the screen- ing at proper intervals. Ninety-nine women (39.9%) had never been screened and remain- ing 48 (19.3%) hadn't had their last Pap test 3 years before their diagnosis of nvasive cancer. Of the 150 women (60.1%) who had ever had a Pap test, only 47 (18.9%) had had annual Pap test during recent 5 years and 55 (22.1%) had had routine Pap test with interval between 1-3 years. Among 102 women who had at least one Pap test during recent 3 year, 73 (71.6%) had had a normal Pap report within three years of diagnosis, including 36 (35.3%) whose last normal Pap report was within a year of diagnosis. This results suggest the possibilities of smear-taking and/or reading errors. Women who had had routine Pap with interval less than 3 years had significantfy less chance of advanced tumor (FIGO stage Ib < ) than unscreened population. There was a statistically significant trend for the more younger and educated groups to be participated at the screening program with more shortened interval. All the other factors had failed to show significant correlation with adequacy or regularity of screening interval. CONCLUSIONS: Despite widespread chance of opportunistic cervical cancer screening, non-participants form the main reason for the failure of cervical cancer screening in Korea. So, far much efforts should be aimed at participating more women in cervical cytologic screening program, especially in the old-aged and less-educated groups.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Screening* ; Nose ; Seoul ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

In disease diagnostics and health surveillance, the use of saliva has potential because its collection is convenient and noninvasive. Over the past two decades, the development of salivary utilization for the early detection of cancer, especially oral cavity and oropharynx cancer has gained the interest of the researcher and clinician. Until recently, the oral cavity and oropharynx cancers are still having a five-year survival rate of 62%, one of the lowest in all major human cancers. More than 90% of oral cancers are oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Despite the ease of accessing the oral cavity in clinical examination, most OSCC lesions are not diagnosed in the early stage, which is suggested to be the main cause of the low survival rate. Many studies have been performed and reported more than 100 potential saliva biomarkers for OSCC. However, there are still obstacles in figuring out the reliable OSCC salivary biomarkers and the clinical application of the early diagnosis protocol. The current review article discusses the emerging issues and is hoped to raise awareness of this topic in both researchers and clinicians. We also suggested the potential salivary biomarkers that are reliable, specific, and sensitive for the early detection of OSCC.

Symptoms of basal rot occurred sporadically on creeping bent grasses growing at a golf course in Hampyeong, Korea in April 2007. Ten isolates of Microdochium sp. were obtained from leaves and crowns of the diseased bent grasses. All isolates were identified as Microdochium bolleyi based on morphological, cultural, and molecular characteristics. This is the first report on M. bolleyi associated with basal rot on creeping bent grass in Korea.
Crowns ; Golf ; Korea ; Poaceae

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To compare efficacy and tolerability of rabeprazole (RAB) 10 mg versus omeprazole (OME) 20 mg in patients with duodenal ulcer. METHODS: This randomized, comparative, multicenter study was conducted at 10 centers in Korea, from February to September in 1999. Patients with active duodenal ulcer as proven by endoscopy were randomized to RAB (n=123) or OME (n=123) groups. One hundred-twenty-three patients received RAB 10 mg once daily, and 123 patients received OME 20 mg once daily for 2 or 4 weeks. Primary efficacy parameter was complete healing by endoscopy and secondary parameter was the improvement in the severity of clinical symptoms after the therapy. RESULTS: After 2 weeks, complete healing was achieved in 81.7% (85/104) of patients given RAB 10mg and in 81.1% (77/95) of patients given OME 20 mg (p=0.902). After 4 weeks, complete healing was documented in 97.1% (101/104) of patients given RAB 10 mg and in 93.7% (89/95) of patients given OME 20 mg (p=0.315). The percentages of patients resolved daytime pain and night-time pain at Day 4 were 87.5% and 90.1% in RAB group and 79.0% and 80.5% in OME group (p=0.138 and p=0.087 for day-time k night-time pain, respectively). No clinically meaningful changes or other between-group differences were observed in laboratory parameters and adverse events which were evaluated to be related with medication. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, rabeprazole 10 mg produced healing rates and symptom relief equivalent to omeprazole 20 mg at weeks 2 and 4 in patients with active duodenal ulcer and provided a tendency of faster symptom relief than omeprazole 20 mg, although it didn't reach statistical significance. Both the treatments were well tolerated.
Duodenal Ulcer* ; Endoscopy ; Humans ; Korea ; Omeprazole* ; Rabeprazole*

PURPOSE: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is emerging as a new therapeutic method for the management of hepatic malignancy. We report our experience on the use of his technique for the management of liver metastasis of colorectal cancer. METHODS: All 32 colorectal cancer patients with synchronous or metachronous liver metastasis treated with RFA from May 1999 to May 2001 were reviewed using retrospective method including chart review and telephone interview. All patients were followed up postoperatively to assess complications, complete necrosis, local recurrence, and survival rate. RESULTS: Forty-one RFA sessions were performed on 70 metastatic tumors in 32 patients. There were no treatment- related death. Two complications related with RFA treatment, one intrahepatic bleeding and one intrahepatic abscess, occurred in 41 sessions of RFA (6.2%). With a median follow-up of 13.5 months, tumors recurred in 7 of 70 lesions (10.0%) from 5 patients due to incomplete necrosis and intrahepatic new lesion or distant metastasis in 13 patients of 27 patients (51.9%) after complete necrosis. There were 5 deaths and the 2 year survival rate was 80.9%. Disease free survival was 90.1%, 75%, 26.4% in 6 months, 12 months and 24 months, respectively. Seven patients underwent liver resections successfully with the application of RFA for the residual lesions in the remaining contralateral lobe. In these patients, with 9.0 months median follow up, the disease recurred in 2 patients due to incomplete necrosis, while recurring in 2 patients after complete necrosis and 3 patients were survived without recurrence or distant metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: Radiofrequency ablation is a safe, well-tolerated, and effective treatment for liver metastasis in colorectal cancer patients. The procedure can be used to treat the residual tumor load in the contralateral lobe following liver resection in those considered unresectable at first presentation. This new therapeutic strategy seems to increase surgical resectability in patients whose mass is determined unresectable. To approve the efficacy of RFA, more long- term follow up should be attempted.
Abscess ; Catheter Ablation* ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Liver* ; Necrosis ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

The poisoning information database (PIDB) provides clinical toxicological information on commonly encountered toxic substances in Korea. The aim of this study was to estimate the coverage rate of the PIDB by comparing the database with the distribution of toxic substances that real poisoning patients presented to 20 emergency departments. Development of the PIDB started in 2007, and the number of toxic substances increased annually from 50 to 470 substances in 2014. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with toxic exposure who visited 20 emergency departments in Korea from January to December 2013. Identified toxic substances were classified as prescription drug, agricultural chemical, household product, animal or plant, herbal drug, or other. We calculated the coverage rate of the PIDB for both the number of poisoning cases and the kinds of toxic substances. A total of 10,887 cases of intoxication among 8,145 patients was collected. The 470 substances registered in the PIDB covered 89.3% of 8,891 identified cases related to poisoning, while the same substances only covered 45.3% of the 671 kinds of identified toxic substances. According to category, 211 prescription drugs, 58 agricultural chemicals, 28 household products, and 32 animals or plants were not covered by the PIDB. This study suggested that the PIDB covered a large proportion of real poisoning cases in Korea. However, the database should be continuously extended to provide information for even rare toxic substances.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Animals ; Animals, Poisonous ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Databases, Factual ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/poisoning ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pesticides/poisoning ; Plants, Medicinal/poisoning ; Poisoning/*epidemiology ; Prescription Drugs/poisoning ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the differences in the surgical and chemotherapeutic outcomes of elderly versus younger patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. METHODS: We compared clinical characteristics, operative factors and outcomes of chemotherapy of elderly patients 65 years old or over (n=26) with those of younger patients aged 41-49 years (n=47). All subjects underwent their primary surgical therapy and following adjuvant chemotherapy at Seoul National University Hospital, from January 1996 to June 2003. RESULTS: As for tumor characteristics (tumor stage, histology etc.), there were no differences between two groups. Medical comorbidities were more frequent in the elderly group, primarily due to hypertension (50.0% vs. 28.3%; p=0.02). Optimal surgical treatment and adjuvant chemotherapy were performed less frequently in the elderly group (54.2% vs. 78.3; p=0.012). Perioperative and postoperative variables (operation time, intraoperative bleeding, postoperational complications and duration of hospitalization etc.) showed no differences except episode of transfusion in the elderly group. Residual mass, diameter less than 2 cm, showed difference between two groups with marginal significance (30.4% vs 55.6%, p=0.072). Chemotherapeutic dosage reduction was more frequent in elderly group (23.1% vs. 8.5%; p=0.003), but the occurrences of the chemotherapeutic cycle delay and toxicity profiles, were similar in the two groups. Response rate to adjuvant chemotherapy and the number of recurrence were not different between two groups (p=0.119 and p=0.587). CONCLUSION: Elderly women who present the same distribution of stages as their younger counterparts are likely to be treated more conservatively than younger ovarian cancer patients.
Aged* ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Comorbidity ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Ovarian Neoplasms* ; Recurrence ; Seoul

BACKGROUND: Recently the incidence of coronary artery disease has been increased rapidly in Korea. After the introduction of coronary care unit, the mortality rate of cardiovascular patients has been decreased. The predictive factors for mortality in patients admitted at Coronary Care Unit (CCU) are important in the management of acutely ill cardiovascular patients. METHODS: One thousand one hundred and thirty patients (64.8+/-14.5 years), who were admitted at CCU from January 2002 to June 2003, were analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups according to mortality: the survived group (Group I: n=1055, 63.3+/-13.3 years) and the moribund group (Group II: n=75, 64.8+/-14.1 years). Clinical characteristics, risk factors, clinical diagnosis, laboratory, echocardiographic and coronary angiographic findings were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The overall mortality at CCU was 6.6%, 75 out of 1130 patients. Age and sex were not different between both groups. Coronary artery disease was the most common cause of admission (886 out of 1130 patients) and death (46 out of 75 patients). Coronary angiographic findings were not different between the two groups. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) by echocardiogram was higher in Group I than in Group II (53.1+/-15.6% vs. 42.3+/-16.3%, p<0.05). Predictive factors for mortality by multiple logistic regression analysis were low LVEF (OR 11.4, 2.9-21.4 95%CI, p<0.001), no performance of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI, OR 10.8, 2.5-17.8 95%CI, p<0.001) and clinical diagnosis of aortic dissection (OR 3.8, 1.3-9.8 95%CI, p=0.021). CONCLUSIONS: The predictive factors for mortality at CCU were low LVEF, no PCI and aortic dissection.
Clinical Laboratory Techniques ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Care Units* ; Coronary Disease ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Mortality* ; Myocardial Infarction ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Risk Factors ; Stroke Volume