No abstract available.
beta-Thalassemia*

No abstract available.
Ear, Middle*

To compare the differences between hemodialysis and essential hypertension patients and its affecting factors of left ventricular hypertrophy and left ventricular systolic dysfucntion in patients with hemodialysis, M-mode and two dimensional echocardiography were performed in 77 essential hypertension without azotemia and 78 chronic renal failure patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis. M-mode measurement including LV mass (192.56+/-63.6g vs 300.01+/-95.99g, P=0.000), r/th (radius/LV thickness, 4.41+/-0.97 vs 4.74+/-1.0, P=0.039), LV dimemsion and fractional shortening (4.68+/-0.6 vs 5.63+/-0.97, P=0.000, 30.0+/-19.7% vs 36.6+/-97%, P=0.000 respectively) showed more severe eccentric LV hypertrophy and LV dysfunction in patients with hemodialysis than those of essential hypertension. Using Pearson correlation in hemodialysis patients, Interdialytic weight gain was positively correlated with LVEDD (r=0.318, P=0.005). In addition to the determinant, serum PTH level was negatively (r=-0.344, P=0.002) and Kt/V (r= 0.0487, P=0.003) was positively correalated with systolic function. The hypertension and dialysis duration, patient's age, had no relationship with LV function and mass in this study. In Conclusion, LV hypertrophy and LV systolic dysfunction occur more frequently in hemodialysis patients than in essential hypertension patients. And the LV systolic dysfunction, which is acutally related with the patient's quality of life, was partially explained by serum parathyroid level and Kt/V. But additional laboratory and prospective clinical studies are needed to further elucidate the mechanisms involved in the development of LVH and LV impairment in hemodialysis patients.
Azotemia ; Dialysis ; Echocardiography* ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Hypertrophy ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Quality of Life ; Renal Dialysis* ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left ; Weight Gain

Necrobiotic xanthogranuloma(NXG) is a characteristic cutaneous manifestation associated with paraproteinemia. A case of NXG associated with an IgG (lambda) monoclonal gammopathy occurred in a 48-year-old man. Skin lesions were dome-shaped, hard palpable nodules, 2x3 cm to 4x4 cm sized, on both arms and forearms. They were arranged in a linear pattern. Also, hard palpable tumors, 1x2 cm to 2x3 cm in size, were present on the left leg and the dorsum of the left foot. They were violaceous, slightly protruded, and hard on palpation. Histologically, the lesion was characterized by inflammatory xanthogranuloma with broad hands of hyaline necrobiosis. Many foreign body type of bizarre giant cells, Touton type of giant cells and foamy histiocytes were infiltrated into the dermis and subcutaneous fat tissue. Three days after medication with ledercort and immuran, the cutaneous masses decreased in size and became soft.

We carried out the mouse tail technique and the Candida albicans test for the study of the phototoxic reaction to amiodarone. The mouse tail technique is based on the inflammatory response of mouse tails after systemic administration of the drug and UVA irradiation and the Candida albicans test is based on growth inhibition of Candida albicana In the mouse tail technique, following the administration of amiodarone and UVA irradia tion for 5 consecutive days, there was a significant increase(14% ) in the relative water content as compared to other control groups. In the Candida albicans test, UVA irradiation after pretreatment with amiodarone resulted in a clear Candida-free zone around the disc. The results showed that amiodarone had a phototoxic potential and that both of the methods were a good screening test for demonstrat.ing the phototoxicity of a certain drug.
Amiodarone ; Animals ; Candida albicans* ; Candida* ; Dermatitis, Phototoxic ; Mass Screening ; Mice* ; Tail* ; Water

The influence of ultraviolet light(UVL) upon sunburn cell(SBC) formation according to the change of mitosis was studied in mouse skin. Decrease of mitosis which suppress cell proliferation was done by methotrexate (MTX) intradermal injection. Increase of mitosis which stimulate cell proliferation was performecl by tape stripping(TS). A total of 75 ICR female albino mice was used in this study. UV light source was UVB using high pressure mercury arc. The arnount exposed was 100m J/cm2. 1. The number of SBC in 1cm epidermis after UVI exposure was 42.4+/-20.9. The number of SBC was decreased by MTX injection(18.4+/-9.2), and increased by TS(78.5+/-12.8). 2. Labelling index(LI, %) in normal mouse skin was 8.9+/-1.8. LI was decreased by MTX injection(4.4+/-1.7), and markedly increased by TS (24.2+/-4.7). These results suggest that the change of mitosis which correlated with cell proliferation influence the SBC formation by UV exposure.
Animals ; Autoradiography ; Cell Proliferation ; Epidermis ; Female ; Humans ; Injections, Intradermal ; Methotrexate ; Mice ; Mitosis* ; Skin ; Sunburn* ; Ultraviolet Rays*

BACKGROUND: Primary stenting as a direct reperfusion procedure after acute myocardial infarction might reduce recurrent myocardial infarction and target vessel revascularization. However, result of long or multiple stenting in the long or tandem lesions were not known. METHOD: From Jan. 1996 to Dec. 1998, patients with acute myocardial infarction including cardiogenic shock were undergone primary stenting using long or multiple stent. The clinical end points were death, recurrent infarction, subsequent bypass surgery, or repeat angioplasty of the infarct-related vessel. The results were compared with age, sex, lesion, and risk matched standard stenting group. RESULT: Baseline characteristics were similar for the 20 patients who underwent standard length stenting and the 13 patients who underwent long or multiple stenting. Stent diameter was similar in two group (3.4+/-0.3 mm vs. 3.5+/-0.4 mm, p=0.65), but total stent length was longer in long or multiple stenting group (15.5+/-1.8 mm vs. 40.18.4 mm, p=0.01). Average numbers of stent using in multiple stenting were 1.5+/-0.7. Stenting in the infarct-related artery was successful in all patients randomized to stent treatment. At 6 months, the incidence of the primary end point was 25% (5/20) in the standard stent group and 31%(4/13) in the long or multiple stent group (p=0.5). CONCLUSION: Outcomes of long or multiple stenting including mortality, recurrent myocardial infarction and target vessel revascularization was similar to standard stenting. Long or multiple stenting after acute myocardial infarction may possible procedure in some selective cases having long or tandem lesion.
Angioplasty* ; Arteries ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infarction ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction ; Reperfusion ; Shock, Cardiogenic ; Stents*

No abstract available.
Diagnosis* ; Tuberculosis, Lymph Node*

We report our experience of renal polyomavirus infection after renal allograft leading to graft dysfunction. A fourty seven-years-old male patient, has been on Tacrolimus based dual immunosuppression, showed graft dysfunction with rising serum creatinine at post-transplant day 140. His graft function had been good without any acute rejection episode. A tentative diagnosis of acute rejection was rendered and core needle biopsy was performed. Viral infection was initially suggested by the occurrence of markedly enlarged tubular epithelial cells containing large nuclei with smudgy chromatin pattern. Confirmatory diagnosis of human polyomavirus induced interstitial nephritis was obtained by electron microscopy, which showed viral particles in the nuclei of tubular epithelial cells. After Tacrolimus was converted to cyclosporine, renal function was stabilized. A review of the literature indicates that asymptomatic infection, ureteric stricture, and hemorrhagic cystitis are other possible manifestations of polyomavirus in the human urogenital tract. According to some prior reports, polyomavirus induced interstitial nephritis might be a cause of graft loss. But our patient has retained a stable graft function with a chnange of immunosuppression.
Allografts* ; Asymptomatic Infections ; Biopsy, Large-Core Needle ; Chromatin ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Creatinine ; Cyclosporine ; Cystitis ; Diagnosis ; Epithelial Cells ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Nephritis* ; Nephritis, Interstitial ; Polyomavirus Infections ; Polyomavirus* ; Tacrolimus ; Transplants ; Ureter ; Virion

Transplant glomerulopathy (TG) is a special form of glomerular injury in renal allografts. It affects varying proportions of glomeruli, which may have an influence on the amount of proteinuria or graft survival. We reviewed 32 cases of TG to evaluate histologic changes and graft outcome. The severity of TG as well as acute and chronic changes of the glomerular, tubulointerstitial and vascular compartment were scored according to Banff classification. There were 17 cases of cg1, 3 cases of cg2 and 12 cases of cg3. There was no significant difference in age, duration of transplant at time of biopsy and duration of follow-up between groups. Serum creatinine level and the degree of proteinuria were higher in cg3 and statistically significant. However, there was no difference in the degree of glomerulosclerosis, interstitial inflammation, fibrosis, tubular atrophy or vascular wall thickening between groups. Graft failure was present in 13 cases, mostly due to chronic rejection including sepsis and CMV infection in one case each. Five-year graft survival was 84.1% and was not significantly different from cases without TG. In conclusion, the severity of TG indicates profuse proteinuria, but does not affect graft outcome, which indicates tubulointerstitial and vascular pathology as being a more important prognosticator.
Allografts ; Atrophy ; Biopsy ; Classification ; Creatinine ; Fibrosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Graft Survival* ; Inflammation ; Pathology ; Proteinuria* ; Sepsis ; Transplants*