BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Allergic rhinitis (AR) and rhinitis medicamentosa (RM) have different mucosal color and pathophysiology. To investigate whether the mucosal color and nasal blood flow are different between the diseases in spite of same symptoms, we designed this study. Materials and Methods: 20 patients with allergic rhinitis and 21 patients with rhinitis medicamentosa were compared with 20 normal volunteers using mucosal color grading and Laser Doppler flowmetry. The Laser Doppler flowmetry was performed with a Periflux 4001 (Perimed, Jrtlla, Sweden) and perfusion unit (PU), velocity unit (VU), and concentration Unit (CU) were measured. The Laser Doppler flowmetry data in AR and RM were compared with those of the normal subjects, and between AR and RM. RESULTS: The perfusion score of AR and RM were lower than the control (p<0.05) and it was statistically significant that the mucosal color of AR were pale and of RM were reddish, comparing to the control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The nasal blood flow was decreased with AR and RM compared to control but the mucosal color of AR and RM were different because of the difference of pathophysiology of diseases. When diagnosing RM, observation of mucosal color and measurement of nasal blood flow will be helpful besides the history of long-term use of nasal decongestant.
Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Laser-Doppler Flowmetry* ; Perfusion ; Rhinitis*

BACKGROUND: It is controversial that an electrocardiography (EEG) is valuable in evaluation of patients with headache. The purpose of this study was to determine whether EEG brain mapping can be a useful indicator for evaluating the analgesic efficacy of treatment on the patient with an occipital headache. METHODS: We did an EEG on 20 patients with occipital headaches at the peri-laser application period. The laser was radiated for 3 minutes a third of the total distance from the external occipital protuberance to the mastoid process on the superior nuchal line. An EEG was taKen before laser radiation as control use, and at 10, 30 and 60 minutes after laser radiation by 32 channel electrodes (international 10 20 system). The EEG mapping was red for the high electric potential and blue for the low electric potential. RESULTS: Compared with control group, the alpha wave increased significantly in parieto-occipital and occipital region at 60 minutes after laser radiation (P < 0.05). DarK red color was increased especially in occipital region at 60 minutes after laser radiation, compared with EEG mapping before laser radiation. Good and Fair improvements were observed in 55% of the patients with occipital headaches. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that EEG can be a valuable indicator in the evaluation of analgesic efficacy of treatment in the patients suffering from occipital headaches. Pain scores were assessed by the patient with the visual analogue scale (VAS).
Brain Mapping ; Electrocardiography ; Electrodes ; Electroencephalography* ; Headache* ; Humans ; Mastoid

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Viral breakthrough has been considered a major limitation of lamivudine in the treatment of hepatitis B virus related chronic liver disease. Its clinical meaning has not been thoroughly assessed. METHODS: 64 patients who showed viral breakthrough during lamivudine treatment were retrospectively reviewed. We evaluated the rate of HBeAg seroconversion and hepatic decompensation after viral breakthrough. RESULTS: After viral breakthrough, serum alanine transaminase (ALT) elevation more than 1.2X upper limit of normal (ULN) was noticed in 40 patients (62.5%). Acute flare (serum ALT elevation >X5 ULN, or serum bilirubin >3 mg/dL) occured in 15 patients (23.4%). During the period of follow up (15.0 +/- 9.7 months; range, 0-31 months) since viral breakthrough, decreased serum HBV-DNA level to below the detection limit and serum ALT normalization was seen in 15 patients (23.4%). HBeAg seroconversion was noticed in 7 (13.7%) of a total of 51 HBeAg positive patients at base line; in 4 (15.4%) of 26 patients with non-hepatic failure (chronic hepatitis or Child-Pugh class A liver cirrhosis) at base line; and in 2 (40.0%) of 5 patients with non-hepatic failure at base line and acute flare after viral breakthrough. During this period, terminal hepatic decompensation (Child-Pugh class C) or death was noticed in 9 (90.0%) of 10 patients who had hepatic decompensation (Child-Pugh class B or C) at baseline and acute flare after viral breakthrough. CONCLUSIONS: Acute flare after viral breakthrough seemed to continue during HBeAg seroconversion and rarely developed into terminal hepatic decompensation or death in patients with non-hepatic decompensation at baseline. Its incidence is not only high but lethal to most patients with hepatic decompensation at baseline.
Acute Disease ; Adult ; Aged ; Antiviral Agents/*therapeutic use ; DNA, Viral/blood ; English Abstract ; Female ; Hepatitis B e Antigens/blood ; Hepatitis B virus/genetics/isolation & purification ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/complications/drug therapy/*virology ; Humans ; Lamivudine/*therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors/*therapeutic use

BACKGROUND: Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) has been described as an important candidate for mediation of neurotoxicity after brain ischemia. This study was purposed to evaluate the effects of a PARP inhibitor on hypoxic-ischemic injury in the neonatal rat brain. In this study, a highly potent inhibitor of PARP, 3, 4-Dihydro-5-[4-(1-piperidinyl) butoxy]-1 (2H)-isoquinolinone (DPQ) was investigated. METHODS: Seven-day old Sprague-Dawley rat pups were used. The right common carotid artery was ligated under halothane anesthesia. After a recovery period of 3 hours, they were exposed to 8% oxygen at 37degreesC for about 120 minutes. The animals were divided into four groups: the pre-treatment group (n = 13) and post-treatment group (n = 21) were given DPQ 10 mg/kg and the pre-control group (n = 7) and post-control group (n = 14) were given a vehicle for controls. Pre-treatment and pre-control groups were injected 30 minutes prior to the hypoxic injury while post-treatment and post-control groups were injected 30 minutes after the hypoxic period intraperitoneally. The right cerebral hemisphere of the rats were examined with localized (1)H magnetic resonance spectroscopy on day 1 and 7 after the hypoxic insult. Lipid/N-acetyl aspartate (Lip/NAA) and lipid/creatine (Lip/Cr) ratios were used as apoptotic markers. On day 14, the degree of brain injury was scored by morphological changes. RESULTS: In the DPQ treated groups, the Lip/NAA and Lip/Cr ratios were lower than those of the control groups on day 1 after the hypoxic-ischemic injury (P < 0.05). However on day 7, only the ratios of the pre-treatment group were lower than those of the control group (P < 0.05). The degree of morphological changes of the brain injury on day 14 were lower in the DPQ treated groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that DPQ exerts a neuroprotective effect in cerebral hypoxic-ischemic injury probably by inhibiting apoptosis especially in the early stage after an insult. Acute inhibition of PARP can have a therapeutic value in preventing ischemic brain injury.
Anesthesia ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Aspartic Acid ; Brain Injuries ; Brain Ischemia ; Brain* ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Cerebrum ; Halothane ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Negotiating ; Neuroprotective Agents ; Oxygen ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

It is well recognized that radiation can be carcinogenic for a wide variety of tumors, especially, in breast, thyroid, and bone marrow which appear to be radiosensitive. The criteria for establishing the dignosis of radiation- induced malignancy are the knowledge of prior irradiation and the appearance of a malignancy in the irradiated area. We report a case of carcinoma of the thyroid and esophagus following prior neck irradiation for thyroid mass.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/*etiology ; Esophageal Neoplasms/*etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neck/*radiation effects ; *Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced ; Thyroid Neoplasms/*etiology

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: We usually measure the changes of peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) or forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) to check the bronchial response after inhalation of bronchodilator. Airway resistance determined by interrupter technique (Rint) is simple and easily applicable even to the infant. A comparison among PEFR, FEV1 and Rint was done to find out the feasibility of using Rint instead of PEFR or FEV1 in checking the bronchial response after inhalation of bronchodilator. METHODS: We checked PEFR, FEV1, Rint, and oxygen saturation with twenty eight asthmatic children, over 7 years old, visited emergency or out patient department with acute asthmatic attack. The same parameters were checked in 5, 10, 20 minutes after inhalation of bronchodilator. Comparison and relationship of measures as well as changes of measures after inhalation of bronchodilator among them were analyzed to confirm if Rint can replace PEFR or FEV1 in checking bronchial response after inhalation of bronchodilator. RESULTS: PEFR, FEV1 and O2 saturation increased as time goes on but airway resistance decreased. The relationship among the changes of parameters of PEFR, FEV1 and Rint checked in 5, 10 and 20 minutes after inhalation of bronchodilator showed close correlation with was statistically significant. But, the measures checked in 20 minutes after inhalation statistically insignificant. CONCLUSION: Rint can be used instead of PEFR and FEV1 in checking the bronchial response after inhalation of bronchodilator.
Airway Resistance* ; Child ; Emergencies ; Forced Expiratory Volume* ; Humans ; Infant ; Inhalation ; Oxygen ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate* ; Respiratory Function Tests

Acute gastric anisakiasis is occurred when men intake a raw or inadequate cooked anisakis infected fish. The clinical symptoms are severe cramping abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and epigastric fulling sensation. It is well known that the whale is final host and man is opportunistic host. Recently, we experienced three cases of acute gastric anisakiasis. We think that acute gastric anisakiasis is probably rather undetected than rare disease. So through immediate gastrofiberscopy of patients with severe cramping epigstric pain occuring after ingestion of raw fish,we can find more cases of the anisakis larvae. In is adequate to abstract of larvae by biopsy forceps through gastrofiberscopy.
Abdominal Pain ; Anisakiasis ; Anisakis* ; Biopsy ; Eating ; Humans ; Larva ; Male ; Muscle Cramp ; Nausea ; Rare Diseases ; Sensation ; Surgical Instruments ; Vomiting ; Whales

No abstract available.
Puberty, Precocious* ; Sertoli-Leydig Cell Tumor*

Background: To overcome the limitations of relying on data from a single institution, many researchers have studied data linkage methodologies. Data linkage includes errors owing to legal issues surrounding personal information and technical issues related to data processing. Linkage errors affect selection bias, and external and internal validity. Therefore, quality verification for each connection method with adherence to personal information protection is an important issue. This study evaluated the linkage quality of linked data and analyzed the potential bias resulting from linkage errors. Methods: This study analyzed claims data submitted to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA DATA). The linkage errors of the two deterministic linkage methods were evaluated based on the use of the match key. The first deterministic linkage uses a unique identification number, and the second deterministic linkage uses the name, gender, and date of birth as a set of partial identifiers. The linkage error included in this deterministic linkage method was compared with the absolute standardized difference (ASD) of Cohen’s according to the baseline characteristics, and the linkage quality was evaluated through the following indicators: linked rate, false match rate, missed match rate, positive predictive value, sensitivity, specificity, and F1-score. Results: For the deterministic linkage method that used the name, gender, and date of birth as a set of partial identifiers, the true match rate was 83.5 and the missed match rate was 16.5.Although there was bias in some characteristics of the data, most of the ASD values were less than 0.1, with no case greater than 0.5. Therefore, it is difficult to determine whether linked data constructed with deterministic linkages have substantial differences. Conclusion This study confirms the possibility of building health and medical data at the national level as the first data linkage quality verification study using big data from the HIRA. Analyzing the quality of linkages is crucial for comprehending linkage errors and generating reliable analytical outcomes. Linkers should increase the reliability of linked data by providing linkage error-related information to researchers. The results of this study will serve as reference data to increase the reliability of multicenter data linkage studies.