OBJECTIVES: This study is to investigate the hypothesis that schizophrenic patients have difficulty in inferring mental state of others. METHODS: Twenty schizophrenic patients and twenty normal subjects were administered to the Cartoon Task required inferring the character's intention in a given context. RESULTS: The schizophrenic patients showed a statistically significant impairment in the Cartoon Task. Both groups chose the card depicting a frequent everyday action significantly more rather than the similar card to the last picture in each story for wrong answers. CONCLUSION: These preliminary results suggest that schizophrenia is associated with a specific deficit of the cognitive ability referred to as social cognition, and this deficit can be detected not only in the acute phase as found in previous research studies, but also in remission. Also when subjects fail to appreciate what is going on in the minds of other people, they seem to rely on a socially familiar experience.
Cognition* ; Humans ; Intention ; Schizophrenia*

Behcet's disease (BD) is a multisystem disorder presenting recurrent oral and genital ulcerations as well as ocular lesions, involving the nervous system in a subgroup of patients. BD develops at a young age and is frequently presented with an acute or subacute brainstem syndrome or hemiparesis, as well as with other various neurological manifestations, the syndrome is often included in the differential diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, stroke of the young adult, and other neurological disorders. Transverse myelitis (TM) is a clinical syndrome in which an immune-mediated process causes neural injury to the spinal cord, resulting in varying degrees of weakness, sensory alterations and autonomic dysfunction. Spinal Neuro-behcet's disease is rare case. We reported a 33-year old man who had been treated for BD for 3 years.
Brain Stem ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Multiple Sclerosis ; Myelitis, Transverse ; Nervous System ; Nervous System Diseases ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Paresis ; Spinal Cord ; Stroke ; Ulcer ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Straight raising of the legs in the supine position or Trendelenburg positioning has been used to treat hypotension or shock, but the advantages of these positions are not clear and under debate. We performed a crossover study to evaluate the circulatory effect of full flexion of the hips and knees in the supine position (exaggerated lithotomy), and compare it with straight leg raising. METHODS: This study was a prospective randomized crossover study from the tertiary care unit at our university hospital. Twenty-two patients scheduled for off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery were enrolled. Induction and maintenance of anesthesia were standardized. Exaggerated lithotomy position or straight leg raising were randomly selected in the supine position. Hemodynamic variables were measured in the following sequence: 10 min after induction, 1, 5, and 10 min following the designated position, and 1 and 5 min after returning to the supine position. Ten min later, the other position was applied to measure the same hemodynamic variables. RESULTS: During the exaggerated lithotomy position, cerebral and coronary perfusion pressure increased significantly (P < 0.01) without a change in cardiac output. During straight leg raising, cardiac output increased at 5 min (P < 0.05) and cerebral and coronary perfusion pressures did not increase except for cerebral perfusion pressure at 1 min. However, the difference between the two groups at each time point in terms of cerebral perfusion pressure was clinically insignificant. CONCLUSIONS: Full flexion of the hips and knees in the supine position did not increase cardiac output but may be more beneficial than straight leg raising in terms of coronary perfusion pressure.
Anesthesia ; Cardiac Output ; Coronary Artery Bypass, Off-Pump ; Cross-Over Studies ; Hemodynamics ; Hip ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Knee ; Leg ; Perfusion ; Prospective Studies ; Shock ; Supine Position ; Tertiary Healthcare

No abstract available.
Choanal Atresia* ; Microphthalmos*

We usually accept 1 : 1 ratio soft tissue change in mandibular set-back surgery. But we cannot sure whether we can use this ratio as a long term predictor after surgery. We investigated the change of hard tissue and its effects to soft tissue and examined the predictability of cephalometric analysis in short term and long term follow-up periods in mandibular set-back surgery. Subjects were 15 patients (5 male, 10 female) performed mandibular set-back procedure only by BSSRO with rigid fixation. Cephalometric data were obtained before orthodontic treatment, immediate before surgery and immediate after surgery, 6 months, and 18 months after surgery consecutively. Differences in soft and hard tissue changes among the time intervals were examined using analysis of variance (ANOVA) ; the association between immediate surgical change in chin landmarks and subsequent short and long term soft and hard tissue changes were examined using linear regression analysis 1. Soft tissue mandibular structures were positioned posteriorly and superiorly after surgery. Average mandibular set-back were 8.17mm at Pog. The horizontal and vertical hard tissue mandibular changes were stable for 18 months after surgery. Although there was a small degree of change, soft tissue and hard tissue remain relatively stable after surgery and there was no clinically discernable changes between 6 months and 18 months post-operatively. 2. Some part of upper lip (Ls & stms)and most part of mandibular soft tissue moves postero-superiorly after mandibular set-back. The ratio of horizontal changes of hard tissue to soft tissue at Inf. labial sulcus(B'), Pogonion(Pog') were 84.7%, 74.7% after 18 months. respectively. 3. Predictability of the soft tissue change is less certain than hard tissue and this predictability is decreased over time. These result suggests that we cannot predict the surgical outcomes exactly. It is recommendable that the oral surgeon should be careful in using the computerized surgical prediction software program as a predictor of long term soft tissue change.
Chin ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Lip ; Male

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular hypertrophy(LVH) is a powerful indepedent risk factor of ventricular tachycardia and sudden death. Even though it is not clear the mechanism of sudden death in patients with LVH, inhomogenous ventricular repolarization is highly suggested. QT dispersion which reflecting regional inhomogeneity of repolarization is defined as interlead variation in QT intervals of 12 leads ECG. The purpose of this study was to assess whether QT dispersion is associated with LVH in hypertensive patients. METHODS: We assessed 23 untreated hypertensives with echocardiographic LVH and normal left ventricular systolic function. The criteria of 5th Joint National Committee stage I-III was used to define hypertension. Thirty four normotensives was assessed as controls. On a standard 12 lead ECG, the intervals between onset of QRS to end of T wave were measured(QT intervals) and corrected by heart rate(QTc). QT dispersion was calculated by the difference of maximal and minimal QTc. Left ventricular mass(LVM) was calculated from Devereux's formula using the parameters measured by the recommendation of American Society of Echocardiography. LVH was defined by LVM indices over 130 g/m2. RESULTS: LVM indices of hypertensive group were significantly greater than those of controls (162.2+/-39.3 g/m2 vs 84.2+/-16.1 g/m2, p<0.001). Maximal QT and QTc of hypertensive group were significantly prolonged than those of controls(maximal QT=401+/-31 ms vs 380+/-35 ms, p<0.05 ; maximal QTc=432+/-19 ms vs 414+/-17 ms, p<0.001). QT dispersions were significantly greater in hypertensive group than in controls(60.2+/-15.7 ms vs 33.2+/-11.7 ms, p<0.001). In hypertensive group, there was significant association between LVM index and QT dispersion(r=0.492, p=0.017). CONCLUSIONS: Hypertensives with LVH have a prolonged QT and QTc and increased QT dispersion in comparision with controls. QT dispersion in these patients correlates with degree of LVH.
Death, Sudden ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Heart ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular* ; Joints ; Risk Factors ; Tachycardia, Ventricular

Heterotopic pregnancy with coexistiong intrauterine and extrauterine pregnancy, is a rare event in natural pregnancy. However, in recent years, the increase in the incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease and use of assisted reproductive technology had led to an increase in the frequency of heterotopic pregnancy. When the diagnosis of heterotopic pregnancy is delayed, maternal mortality and morbidity may be increased, and unwanted loss of intrauterine pregnancy may occur. Therefore, the early diagnosis of heterotopic pregnancy is clinically important, and clinicians have to consider the possibility of heterotopic pregnancy and conduct careful and thorough evaluation if suspected. We experienced a case of heterotopic pregnancy in a woman in the absence of the known risk factors. She underwent underwent spontaneous abortion of intrauterine pregnancy at postoperative 4th day, after laparoscopic salpingectomy for left tubal pregnancy. We report this case with brief review of literature.
Abortion, Spontaneous ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Maternal Mortality ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Heterotopic* ; Pregnancy, Tubal* ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Risk Factors ; Salpingectomy

Heterotopic pregnancy with coexistiong intrauterine and extrauterine pregnancy, is a rare event in natural pregnancy. However, in recent years, the increase in the incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease and use of assisted reproductive technology had led to an increase in the frequency of heterotopic pregnancy. When the diagnosis of heterotopic pregnancy is delayed, maternal mortality and morbidity may be increased, and unwanted loss of intrauterine pregnancy may occur. Therefore, the early diagnosis of heterotopic pregnancy is clinically important, and clinicians have to consider the possibility of heterotopic pregnancy and conduct careful and thorough evaluation if suspected. We experienced a case of heterotopic pregnancy in a woman in the absence of the known risk factors. She underwent underwent spontaneous abortion of intrauterine pregnancy at postoperative 4th day, after laparoscopic salpingectomy for left tubal pregnancy. We report this case with brief review of literature.
Abortion, Spontaneous ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Maternal Mortality ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Heterotopic* ; Pregnancy, Tubal* ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Risk Factors ; Salpingectomy

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the pattern of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) in patients with bipolar disorders managed by lithium or valproic acid. METHODS: The study participants were 106 patients with DSM-IV bipolar disorders receiving planned maintenance treatment at the Mood Disorders Clinic of Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (aged between 17 and 64, mean duration of follow-up = 875.65 days). Using the bipolar disorder registry, thyroid function data were analyzed to assess the frequency of and the risk factors for SCH in patients managed by lithium (n = 64) or valproic acid (n = 42) for more than 5 months. RESULTS: Overall frequencies of SCH were 20.3% (13/64) in the lithium group, 14.3% (6/42) in the valproic acid group, and between the two groups there is no difference (p = 0.43). No differences were observed in the potential risk factors for SCH between the two groups including age, sex, subtype of bipolar disorder, baseline TSH, and concomitant antipsychotic use. In cases with SCH, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) showed a tendency to increase at 3 month after the initiation of lithium or valproic acid. A gradual increase in the number of patients showing SCH was found within the first 3 years of medication. CONCLUSIONS: With regular monitoring and careful assessment, there was no difference in the risk of SCH between lithium and valproic acid maintenance. The risk of mood stabilizer-associated SCH may gradually increase within 3 years following the commencement of medication, thereby mandating close monitoring for the first 3 years of treatment. Further studies with large sample size would be needed to confirm these findings.
Bipolar Disorder* ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism* ; Lithium* ; Mood Disorders ; Risk Factors ; Sample Size ; Seoul ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyrotropin ; Valproic Acid*

OBJECTIVES: To provide basic data for psychopharmacologic research of schizophrenic patients, we analyzed and characterized prescribing patterns of outpatients with schizophrenia in Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH). METHODS: This study is a descriptive and retrospective report. Subjects were outpatients with schizophrenia in SNUH from March 1, 2002 through June 31, 2002. We obtained data of prescriptions and diagnoses from order communication system (OCS). RESULTS: There were 825 outpatients with schizophrenia (476 males and 349 females). 805 schizophrenia outpatients were taking antipsychotics. The total number of antipsychotic prescription was 862. The percentage of taking atypical antipsychotics was 88.1% among total antipsychotic prescription and 11.9% taking typical antipsychotics. Risperidone was prescribed most frequently (39.0%), and the next was clozapine (29.0%). There were 57 cases of antipsychotic polypharmacy. CONCLUSION: Our results which reflected evidence-based prescriptions in SNUH showed that atypical antipsychotics were replacing typical antipsychotics. But there was a possibility that clinician's selection of medication was influenced by health insurance policy. Clinical guideline for the treatment of schizophrenia seems necessary for effective pharmacotherapy.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Clozapine ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Insurance, Health ; Male ; Outpatients* ; Polypharmacy ; Prescriptions ; Retrospective Studies ; Risperidone ; Schizophrenia* ; Seoul