BACKGROUND: To identify the prevalence and related factors for vitamin D deficiency in the patients who admitted to the medical intensive care unit (ICU) of a Korean tertiary care hospital. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data from ICU patients requiring mechanical ventilation (MV) for a period of > 48 h to identify the prevalence and associated factors for vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] level < 20 ng/mL. RESULTS: Among 570 patients admitted to the ICU, 221 were enrolled in the study, 194 in the vitamin D deficient group and 27 in the non-deficient group. Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in critically ill patients was 87.8%. The patient age was lower in the vitamin D deficient group compared with the non-deficient group (64.4 ± 15.4 vs. 71.0 ± 9.6 years, p = 0.049). A higher acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score (odds ratio [OR] 1.23, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10-1.37) and chronic illness (OR 3.12, 95% CI 1.08-9.01) were associated with vitamin D deficiency after adjusting for age and body mass index. Clinical outcomes of duration of MV, ICU stay, and 28- and 90-day mortality rates were not significantly different between the vitamin D deficient and nondeficient groups. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D deficiency was common in critically ill patients, particularly among younger patients. Higher APACHE II score and chronic illness were associated with vitamin D deficiency.
APACHE ; Body Mass Index ; Calcitriol ; Chronic Disease ; Critical Care ; Critical Illness* ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Mortality ; Prevalence* ; Respiration, Artificial ; Retrospective Studies ; Tertiary Healthcare ; Vitamin D Deficiency* ; Vitamin D* ; Vitamins*

A survey was performed in order to determine the infection status of the metacercariae of heterophyid fluke in two goby species, Boleophthalmus pectinirostris and Scartelaos sp., collected from Gangjin-gun, and Shinangun, Sooncheon-shi, Jeollanam-do, Republic of Korea. A total of three metacercariae of Heterophyopsis continua was found in only one B. pectinirostris (10.0%) from Gangjin-gun. Heterophyes nocens metacercariae were detected in 24 B. pectinirostris (96.0%) and 14 Scartelaos sp. (63.6%) from Shinan-gun. Heterophyopsis continua metacercariae were found in 11 B. pectinirostris (44.0%) and 21 Scartelaos sp. (95.5%) from Shinan-gun. Stictodora fuscata metacercariae were detected in 18 B. pectinirostris (72.0%) from Shinan-gun. No metacercariae were detected in 20 B. pectinirostris from Sooncheon-shi. From the above results, this study is the first to prove that B. pectinirostris and Scartelaos sp. serve as the second intermediate hosts of some heterophyid flukes in Korea.
Trematoda/*isolation & purification ; Perciformes/*parasitology ; Korea ; Animals

No abstract available.
Prevalence* ; Ulsan*

The thirty eight newborn infants with periventricular leukomalacia who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Gil General Hospital from March 1, 1988 to June 30, 1991, were investigated for ultrasonographic findings, risk factors and neurological outcome. The results were as follows: 1) There were 38 cases of PVL including 21 echogenic flarings and 17 cystic PVL's. 2) Mean birth weight was 2,250 gm and mean gestational age was 35 week. 3) Mean detection timing was 4th day in echogenic flarings and 18th day in cystic PVL's. 4) PVL's were located in the parietal region in 1 case and fronto-parieto-occipital in 3 cases. 5) Mean cyst size was 6 mm. 6) Multiple logistic regression analysis for the risk factors of PVL showed that low birth weight, apnea and seizure were the most significant contributing factors (p<0.05). 7) In the follow-up study of cystic PVL's, 7 cases showed improvement, 7 cases developed into multicystic encephalomalacia and 3 cases developed into atrophy. 8) Neurodevelopmental outcome of cystic PVL's showed nomal; 6.2%, minor neurodevelopmental defect; 43.8%, major neurodevelopmental defect; 31.2% and death; 18.8%. 9) Neurosonographic predictability for neurodevelopemental sequelae by cystic PVL's showed sensitivity; 63.6%%, specificity; 98.0%, positive predictive value; 92.8% and accuracy; 88.2%. 10) Major neurodevelopmental defect was more frequent, cyst size being larger and location being more extensive (p<0.05).
Apnea ; Atrophy ; Birth Weight ; Encephalomalacia ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gestational Age ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Leukomalacia, Periventricular* ; Logistic Models ; Rabeprazole ; Risk Factors* ; Seizures ; Sensitivity and Specificity

No abstract available.
alpha-Fetoproteins ; Common Bile Duct* ; Endoderm* ; Endodermal Sinus Tumor*

Superficial siderosis (SS) is a rare disorder characterized by deposition of hemosiderin in the leptomeninges and subpial layer of the central nervous system. Recently SS suggested a subtype of cerebral amyloid angiopathy which is an important cause of lobar intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). We present a patient with cortical SS had seizure and cognitive dysfunction as symptom and lobar ICH in the existed area of cortical SS 4 years later. This case suggested cortical SS could be a warning sign of lobar ICH.
Central Nervous System ; Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Hemosiderin ; Humans ; Seizures ; Siderosis

PURPOSE: To know the discrepancy of rotational alignment using human femur. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used 22 adult human femurs which were not able to distinguish age and sex and absent articular cartilage. In a horizontal plane, we made a cross-section perpendicularly at supra-condyle of femur to a mechanical axis and took a simple roentgenogram in coronal plane focusing on the center of transepicondylar axis. In terms of roentgenogram and gross specimen, the angle between per-pendicular to the anteroposterior axis and the posterior condylar axis, the angle between the transepi-condylar axis and the posterior condylar axis were measured by 5 observers. According to t-test in statisti-cal method, we figured out the difference between two angles and made a significance at p<0.05. RESULTS: About posterior condylar axis, the line perpendicular to anteroposterior axis was observed the average 4.8(+/-1.5)degree, 6.0(+/-1.9)degree external rotation in roentgenogram and gross specimen respectively. The transepicondylar axis was observed the average 3.5(+/-1.2)degree, 3.9(+/-1.4)degree external rotation in roentgenogram and gross specimen respectively. There was statistically significant difference between two angles. Moreover, angles measured by 5 observers were found that to have a line perpendicular to the anteroposterior axis has much more external rotation respectively and there was a statistically significant difference also. CONCLUSIONS: On determination of a rotational alignment using human femur, there is statistically sig-nificant difference between the anteroposterior axis and the transepicondylar axis in gross specimen as well as roentgenogram.
Adult ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra* ; Cartilage, Articular ; Femur* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Blepharoptosis*

BACKGROUND: In diagnosis or monitor of the airway obstruction in bronchial asthma, the measurement of FEV1 in the standard method because of its reproducibility and accuracy. But the measurement of peak expiratory flow(PEF) by peak flow meter is much simpler and easier than that of FEV1 especially in children. Yet there have been still no data of the predicted normal values of PEF measured by peak flow meter in Korean children. This study was conducted to provide equations to predict the normal value of PEF and correlation between PEF and FEV1 in healthy children. METHOD: PEF was measured by MiniWright peak flow meter, and the forced expiratory volume and the maximum expiratory flow volume curves were measured by Microspiro HI 501(Chest Co.) in 346 healthy children (age:5-16 years, 194 boys and 152 girls) without any respiratory symptoms during 2 weeks before the study. The regression equations for various ventilatory parameters according to age and/or height, and the regression equations of FEV1 by PEF were derived. RESULTS: 1. The regression equation for PEF(L/min) was:12.6×age(year)+3.4×height(cm)-263(R2=0.85) in boys, and 6×age(year)+3.9×height(cm)-293(R2=0.82) in girls. 2. The value of FEFmax(L/sec) derived from the maximum expiratory flow volume curves was multiplied by 60 to compare with PEF(L/min), and PEF was faster by 125 L/min in boys and 118 L/min in girls, respectively. 3. The regression equation for FEV1(ml) by PEF(L/min) was:7×PEF-550(R2=0.82) in boys, and 5.8×PEF-146(R2=0.81) in girls, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study provides regression equations predicting the normal values of PEF by age and/or height in children. And the equations for FEV1, a gold standard of ventilatory function, was predicted by PEF. So, in taking care of children with airway obstruction, PEF measured by the peak flow meter can provide useful information.
Airway Obstruction ; Asthma ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Reference Values

Juvenile spinal AVM consists of an abnormal tangle of vessels fills the spinal cord at involved levels. Contains neural parenchyma within the nidus of the AVM and is fed by mult ple medullary arteries. We report a case of juvenile spinal AVM treated with conventional radiation therapy instead of embolization or surgery because of its location(from C-2 to C-7) and multiple feeding arteries.
Arteries ; Radiotherapy* ; Spinal Cord