No abstract available.
Antibodies, Antinuclear* ; Scleroderma, Systemic*

No abstract available.
Gonadal Dysgenesis, Mixed*

Cryptosporidium, a coccidian parasite first described by Tyzzer (1907) from a laboratory mouse, has become an important human enteric pathogen causing overwhelming diarrhea especially in immunocompromised patients such as AIDS. This parasite has been reported from over 20 countries and is recognized as a cosmopolitan species. In Korea, however, there has been no report on human as well as animal cryptosporidiosis. This study was performed so as to verify the presence of Cryptosporidium in Korea by activating the parasite from laboratory mice by immunosuppression. Total 65 conventionally-bred ICR mice including a control (5 mice) and 3 experimental groups (20 each) were used for this study. Group I was immunosuppressed with prednisolone injection (1 mg IM, every other day) for 7 weeks. Group II (prednisolone injection and tetracycline administration) and Group III (prednisolone injection and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole administration) were prepared to observe the effect of antibacterial agents on the activation of cryptosporidiosis. In fecal examinations of mice Cryptosporidium oocysts (4-6 microns in size) were detected from 1 week after the start of immunosuppression and the mice began to die. In H-E stained tissue sections of the lower jejunum, numerous very small (2-4 microns), dense, ovoid or spherical, slightly basophilic bodies were seen attached on the free border of mucosal epithelial cells. In scanning and transmission electron microscopic observations, these organisms were identified as various developmental stages of Cryptosporidium. The species is considered to be C. parvum.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Cryptosporidiosis-etiology ; Cryptosporidiosis-immunology ; Cryptosporidium-growth-and-development ; English-Abstract ; Immune-Tolerance ; Intestinal-Diseases,-Parasitic-etiology ; Intestinal-Diseases,-Parasitic-immunology ; Mice- ; Mice,-Inbred-ICR ; *Cryptosporidiosis-parasitology ; *Cryptosporidium-pathogenicity ; *Immunosuppression- ; *Intestinal-Diseases,-Parasitic-parasitology

No abstract availalbe.

OBJECTIVE: Low dose corticosteroids (steroid) ( Adrenal Cortex Hormones* ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; Antirheumatic Agents ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Cohort Studies ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; Delivery of Health Care ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Misoprostol ; Omeprazole ; Quality-Adjusted Life Years ; Rheum

Carcinoid tumors are well-differentiated epithelial neoplasms that usually can be diagnosed without difficulty based on their distinctive histologic patterns. These tumors are composed of variable numbers of calls that contain endocrine secretory granules in their cytoplasm, which can be identified by histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy, Carcinoid tumors of the duodenum are relatively rare, the reported incidence being 2.0-8.9% of all gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors dianosed in Western countries. The rate of occurrence among all duodenal tumors is 3-5.5%. We experienced a case of carcinoid tumor of the duodenum in a 53 year-old male patient. He was admitted to our hospital because of epigastric pain. On the gastrofiberscopic examination, 0.7 cm sized Yamada type II polyp with central ulceration was noticed on the duodenal bulb. The biopsy specimen revealed carcinoid tumor. He was treated with polypectomy.
Biopsy ; Carcinoid Tumor* ; Cytoplasm ; Duodenum ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Incidence ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial ; Polyps ; Secretory Vesicles ; Ulcer

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the cost-effectiveness of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) and ranitidine in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in Korea. METHODS: We assessed the cost-effectiveness two ways. First, mean costs for the complete healing of one patient with GERD within one year were calculated. Second, Markov (state-transition) models were used to simulate a cohort of patients with GERD, taking one of following strategies for 5 years : 1) PPI (rabeprazole 10 mg, omeprazole 20 mg, or lansoprazole 30 mg), 2) ranitidine 300 mg per day. Data on healing rate, relapse rate, surgical complication rate, success rate of surgery were taken from the literature. Direct medical costs of each strategy and surgical complications were calculated. Health effects were expressed as quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Sensitivity analyses using various ranges of probability of healing rates and costs were performed. Costs and health outcomes were discounted at a rate of 3 % per year. RESULTS: The mean costs for complete healing of one case within one year was 475,836 in PPI and 1,064,704 in ranitidine, respectively. In the base case analysis using Markov model, the treatment costs of PPI were 155,238 and 214,781 in ranitidine and the effects were 4.81 QALYs and 4.26 QALYs, respectively; PPI strategy was more effective and less costly than ranitidine strategy. The sensitivity analyses using varying ranges of probability, cost, discount rate and utility were robust. CONCLUSION: PPI was superior to ranitidine in terms of cost-effectiveness in the treatment of GERD.
Cohort Studies ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Esophagitis ; Gastroesophageal Reflux* ; Health Care Costs ; Humans ; Korea ; Lansoprazole ; Omeprazole ; Proton Pump Inhibitors* ; Proton Pumps* ; Protons* ; Quality-Adjusted Life Years ; Ranitidine* ; Recurrence

Molecular karyotyping was applied to Pneumocystis carinii(Pc) from two strains of experimental rats, Sprague Dawley(SD) and Fisher(F), in Korea. Field inversion gel electrophoresis and contour clamped homogeneous electric field electrophoresis resolved 15 chromosomal bands from the Pc. The size of the bands was estimated 270kb to 684kb from SD rats, and 273kb to 713 kb from F rats. The bands of 283 kb from SD rats and of 273 kb from F rats stained more brightly suggesting duplicated bands. Total number of chromosomes was at least 16, and total genomic size was estimated 7 x 10(6) bp. All of the bands from F rats hybridized to the probe of repeated DNA sequences of Pc and the band of 448 kb size was proved to contain rDNA sequences, but Pc. chromosome bands from SD rats showed no reactions to the probes. The 2 different karyotypes of P. carinii from 2 strains of rats were maintained consistently for 2 years.
Electrophoresis- ; ; Korea- ; ; Nucleic-Acid-Hybridization ; Pneumocystis-carinii-isolation-and-purification ; Rats- ; *Karyotyping- ; ; *Pneumocystis-carinii-genetics ; *Rats,-Inbred-F344-microbiology ; *Rats,-Sprague-Dawley-microbiology

BACKGROUND: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used in nearly every patient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) but their use can be associated with gastrointestinal (GI) side effects, which may be prevented with prophylactic prescription of misoprostol and omeprazole. Recently marketed COX-2 specific inhibitor (COX-2) affords protection against gastropathy. This study was performed to assess Korean cost-effectiveness of NSAIDs, NSAIDs with co-treatments to prevent GI toxicity, and COX-2 in the treatment of RA, and compare it with American cost-effectiveness analysis. METHODS: Markov (state-transition) models were used to simulate a cohort of RA patients with approximately 2.5:1 female to male ratio and 50 years, taking disease modifying antirheumatic drugs, low dose steroid (prednisone < or =10 mg/day) and one of the following strategies: 1) NSAIDs without prophylaxis, 2) NSAIDs with misoprostol, 3) NSAIDs with proton pump inhibitor (PPI), or 4) COX-2. Data on incidence, USA cost and consequences of adverse events from treatments were taken from the literature. Treatment costs of adverse events in Korea were calculated based on each disease code. Health effects were expressed as quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Sensitivity analyses of probability of GI complication and cost were performed. Costs and health outcomes were discounted at a rate of 3% per year. RESULTS: Among the strategies to prevent GI toxicity, PPI was the most cost-effective strategy in Korea and COX-2 was in USA, respectively. The incremental C/E (cost/effectiveness) ratio between PPI and no prophylaxis was 38,068x103won/QALY (32,044$/QALY) in Korea. The incrementalC/E ratio between COX-2 and no prophylaxis was 53,228$/QALY in USA. The base case analysis results were sensitive to cost of NSAIDs and COX-2 in Korea, and cost of NSAIDs in USA, respectively, and adverse event rates of NSAIDs, misoprostol, and PPI in Korea. The medical cost of NSAID side effects in Korea is 11% of USA, but the sensitivity analyses varying medical costs were robust. The sensitivity analyses using age, discount rate and utility were robust. CONCLUSIONS: Although PPI in Korea and COX-2 in USA are the best option among the strategies to prevent GI toxicity, the incremental C/E ratios between PPI versus no prophylaxis in Korea and COX-2 versus no prophylaxis in USA are over 30,000 and 50,000$/QALY, respectively. However, it appears that the prescription of COX-2 in the group of higher cost NSAIDs users in Korea was the best option.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal* ; Antirheumatic Agents ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Health Care Costs ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Misoprostol ; Omeprazole ; Prescriptions ; Proton Pumps ; Quality-Adjusted Life Years

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The mortality of colon cancer is reduced by a proper screening test. Recently, colonoscopic screening was reported more cost-effective than stool occult blood test or sigmoidoscopy in America. In this study, we performed cost-effectiveness analysis of colonoscopy as a colon cancer screening test in Korea by using Markov model. METHODS: A hypothetical population of 50 years of age divided into 2 groups. Markov model was applied to those with colonoscopic screening and consecutive polypectomy or without screening. The effect of screening test to the general health was expressed as quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). The variables during the screening test and treatment were regarded carefully by sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: The mean cost estimates for colonoscopic exam was 75,164 won and colon cancer treatment was 10,867,177 won. From the analysis using Markov model, the mean cost required for the screening group was 166,717 won and 76,938 won for non-screening group. The QALY in screening group was 18.49. The incremental cost-effectiveness was 1,097,992 won/QALY. CONCULSIONS: Regular colonoscopic exam requires higher medical cost than non-screening group, with its property of reducing mortality from colorectal cancer, however, colonoscopy is a cost-effective means of colorectal cancer screening.
Americas ; Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms* ; Colonoscopy ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Korea* ; Mass Screening* ; Mortality ; Occult Blood ; Quality-Adjusted Life Years ; Sigmoidoscopy