BACKGROUND/AIMS: The distribut ion of HCV genotypes varies with geographical area, and genot ypes can affect t he nat ur al course of HCV infection, but adequate genot yping data were not accumulat ed in Korea. This study was des igned to det ermine the pattern of distribution of HCV genotypes in Korea and it's clinical implications. METHODS: 100 cons ecut ive anti- HCV( +), RT-PCR(+) cases were recruited. Genotype specific oligonucleotide primers were made according to the sequence variation of NS5 region of HCV genome. Heminested PCR with mixed primersets was per formed, and genotype specific PCR products of different size were verified. Sequencing of cloned PCR products was done in cases with representative genotypes. Clinical profiles of genotype 1b and 2a were compared. RESULTS: Genotyping was done in 78 among 100 cases. Genotype 1b (48/ 78, 57.7%) and 2a (25/ 78, 32.1%) were most prevalent , and 1a (1/ 78, 1.3%) and mixed form (7/ 78, 9.0%) were also found. Milder cases with persistent normal ALT levels were more frequently seen in genotype 2a ( 9/ 25, 36.0%) than in genot ype 1b (3/ 45, 6.7%) (p< 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Genotype 1b and 2a were major ones in anti- HCV( +) Korean adults, and the tendency of milder clinical course of genotype 2a was suggested.
Adult ; Clone Cells ; DEET ; DNA Primers ; Genome ; Genotype ; Hepacivirus* ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Korea ; Polymerase Chain Reaction*

BACKGROUND: There has been reports which suggest that the morphologic feature of ventricular premature complex(VPC) might reflect the cardiac state. METHODS: To test this, we studied retrospectively the association between the morphologic feature of VPC(shape and duration) and cardiac state(structural and functional) by analysing the records of ECG(179 cases) obtained from reviewing echocardiogram performed in our hospital from 1988 to early 1991. Group 1(n=84) had VPC-QRS complexes with either smooth and uniterruped contour or narrow(<0.04 sec) notching and group 2(n=95) demonstrated VPC with broad(> or =0.04 sec) notching or shelves. Without taking into account of either the presence of the type of the underlying cardiac disease and other constitutional disease state, we classified the type of VPC on ECG according to the above criteria and analysed its simple association with cardiac size and functional state on echocardiogram. RESULTS: In group 1, 68 of 84 cases with a VPC had no notching. In group 2, the VPC-QRS duration was greater than group 1(0.154+/-0.022 vs 0.141+/-0.011 sec(mean+/-S.D.), p=0.0001).Left ventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVED) and ejection fraction(EF) showed a significant difference between the two groups(5.12+/-0.64 vs 5.72+/-0.95cm, p=0.0003 and 65.89+/-10.84 vs 60.82+/-15.5%, p=0.012 respectively). In group 2, 50 of 95 cases(53%) showed ejection fraction less than 64%. By defining left ventricular structural dilatation and functional impairment on echocardiogram as LEVD greater than 5.5cm and EF less than 64% respectively, the sensitivity and specificity of VPC morphology was 60% and 74% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that a broadly(> or =0.04 sec) notched VPC of long duration(> or =0.15 sec) is a simple and reliable 12-lead ECG marker for an abnormal structural and functional state of the heart(dilatation and hypokinetic left ventricle), irrespective to underlying cardiac disease, while a VPC with smooth contour or narrow(<0.04 sec) notching with short duration(<0.15 sec) reflects a normal sized heart with normal systolic function.
Dilatation ; Electrocardiography ; Heart ; Heart Diseases ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity

No abstract available.

An open clinical trial was performed to test the efficacy and side effects of Pravastatin(Mevlotin(R)), HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, administering 5mg twice daily for 12weeks in 30 patients of hypercholesterolemia in out patient clinics, Pusan National University Hospital. The total cholesterol, triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol were measured with enzyme methods and LDL-cholesterol was calculated indirectly by Friedewald formula. The result obtained were as follows: 1) The degree of change at the end points compared with baseline pretreatment levels were 26.1% fall in serum total cholesterol.36.6% fall in LDL-cholesterol, 20.8% fall in triglyceride and 14, 6% rise in HDL-cholesterol. And the rate of improvement more than moderate degree were 90.0% in total cholesterol(the fall of 10% or more), 53.3% in triglyceride (the fall 20% or more) and 33.3% in HDL-cholesterol(the rise of 7mg% or more). 2) The total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratios were decreased significantly from 6, 4+/-0.7 to 4.2+/-0.5(34.4%) and from 4.5+/-0.7 to 2.5 +/-0.4(44.4%) respectively. 3) The greatest fall in serum total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were observed in 2 weeks after administrating drug and thereafter fell gradually and maintained until 12 weeks of endpoint, but HDL-cholesterol showed significant rise from the 4 weeks of administration. On the other hand triglyceride showed remarkable fall in the measured values from the 4 weeks but statistical significance was observed only in 10 and 12 weeks after administration owing to wide individual variation of values. 4) There observed the tendency that the higher the initial pretreatment levels the greater the degree of fall in total cholesterol and triglyceride. 5) Neither side effects nor abnormal laboratory findings were shown during the period of observation. The results suggest that Pravastatin will be a useful and safe drug in the treatment of hyperlipidemia.
Busan ; Cholesterol ; Hand ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia* ; Hyperlipidemias ; Oxidoreductases ; Pravastatin ; Triglycerides

OBJECTIVE: To collect the informations of the traumatic spinal cord injury persons in Suwon city. METHOD: Seventy-five traumatic spinal cord injury persons were evaluated by the neurological level, American Spinal Injury Association scale, Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique (CHART), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and questionnaire on their voiding methods, complications, etc. RESULTS: The leading cause of 75 persons with traumatic spinal cord injury was a traffic accident. Among them, paraplegics were 46 persons. The most common complication was a pressure sore which was also the leading cause of their rehospitalization. Twenty-six persons voided by reflex. Among five dimensions of CHART, the physical independence score was the highest and the economic self sufficiency score was the lowest. The total CHART scores were significantly correlated with BDI scores, FIM scores, and level of injury. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that physical impairment, disability and depression affect the handicaps of spinal cord injury persons. These data could be used to develop a social rehabilitation program for the spinal cord injury persons in the community.
Accidents, Traffic ; Depression ; Gyeonggi-do* ; Humans ; Pressure Ulcer ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Reflex ; Rehabilitation ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord* ; Spinal Injuries

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze relationships between injury-related variables, demographic variables, disability, handicap and life satisfaction of persons with spinal cord injury. METHOD: Data was collected through personal interviews of 96 persons with spinal cord injury. Neurologic variables, demographic variables, FIM (functional independence measure) scores and CHART (Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique) scores were obtained. Life domain satisfaction measure, a self-administered questionnare containing 12 items, was used to assess the life satisfaction. RESULTS: Life satisfaction was related with the total CHART score (p=0.00), severity of disability (p=0.02), annual family income (p=0.019) and employment status (p=0.008). Life satisfaction was not related with the level of injury, age, duration of injury, sex or marital status (p>0.05). Social integration was the most strong predictor of life satisfaction (p=0.00). Economic-self sufficiency (p=0.004) and FIM scores (p=0.018) were also predictors of the life satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The result of this study provides an evidence that social integration and employment warrant a priority in rehabilitation efforts to promote the quality of life following spinal cord injury.
Employment ; Humans ; Marital Status ; Quality of Life* ; Rehabilitation ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Spinal Cord*

Although lymphoma may involve any part of gastrointestinal tract either primary or secondary, esophageal involvement is rare. Secondary esopahgeal involvement of lymphoma is showing an incidence between 0% and 6% with autopsy series and lesser then 1% in living patients. The occurrence of a tracheoesophageal fistula(TEF) in patient with lymphoma is even more rare. We describe one case of TEF due to secondary esophageal invasion of T-cell lympboma and review the literature, with particular attention to chest CT and esophagoscopic finding, and endoscopic biopsy result.
Autopsy ; Biopsy ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, T-Cell* ; T-Lymphocytes* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tracheoesophageal Fistula*

The correction of risk fators is very important in the prevention of stroke. This study was designed to investigate the risk factors of stroke patients and to correlate these risk factors with Functional Independence Measure(FIM) scores to be used for possible prognostic values in rehabilitation program. The subjects were 75 patients from 36 to 84 years of age. Data collection was done through chart reviews on risk factors of stroke including hypertension, transient ischemic attacks or previous stroke history, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, cigarette smoking, alcohol intake and hypercholesterolemia. Risk factors in stroke by the order of frequency were hypertension(68.0%), previous stroke history(38.7%), heart diseases(22.7%), hypercholesterolemia(24.0%), and diabetes mellitus(16.0%). The frequency of hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, smoking in cerebral infarction group was higher than in intracerebral hemorrhagic group. There was no stastically significant correlation between risk factors and FIM scores. The results suggest that hypertension was the most important risk factor in stroke and the rate of risk factors was higher in cerebral infarction than in cerebral hemorrhage.
Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Cerebral Infarction ; Data Collection ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Heart ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Hypertension ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; Rehabilitation ; Risk Factors* ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Stroke*

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis(SBP) is a diffuse bacterial infection of peritoneum without an apparent intra-abdominal source of infection. Initially, it was believed to be associated with an alcholic liver cirrhosis, however, its clinical spectrum has been broadened and now it is thought to be a variant syndrome rather than an unique complication of liver cirrhosis. A 25 year old quadriparetic man with a low-grade astrocytoma of cervicomedullary junction underwent a partial resection of tumor and a course of radiation therapy. While recieving rehabilitation therapy, the patient developed sudden abdominal pain, constipation and fever. The laboratory findings including CBC, plain abdominal X-rays, gastroduodenal endoscopy, abdominal ultrasonography were not specific. Physical examination revealed rebound tenderness over the epigastric region and signs suggesting paralytic ileus. A diagnostic peritoneal lavage was performed and its result was compatible with SBP even though no specific orgnisms were identified. The patient was taken parenteral antibiotics. On the 13th day of treatment, his symptoms and physical signs were subsided and antibiotics were discontinued. The patient remained symptom free until rehabilitation therapies were completed.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Astrocytoma ; Bacterial Infections ; Constipation ; Endoscopy ; Fever ; Humans ; Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Peritoneal Lavage ; Peritoneum ; Peritonitis* ; Physical Examination ; Rehabilitation ; Ultrasonography

According to the World Health Organization(WHO), handicaps exist when individual is unable to fulfill expected social roles. The purposes of this study were to assess the handicap in spinal cord injury(SCI) outpatients, and to investigate the correlation of handicaps, impairments, disabilities and depression. Eighty-five SCI outpatients were evaluated by the Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique(CHART), Katz scale, neurologic level and Frankel classification and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Seventy(82.4%) were male and 15(17.6%) were female. Average age of the subjects was 34.5 years with the age range of 18 to 63. The subjects were devided into four groups: complete quadriplegics (9), incomplete quadriplegics(12), complete paraplegics (41) and incomplete paraplegics(23). There was no significant statistical difference in total CHART scores between male and female subjects. However, male subjects had higher mobility and social integration scores than female subjects. The occupation score was low and the social integration score was high in all groups. No correlation was found between sex, severity and the level of injury, time since injury and the CHART scores. However, significant correlation was noted between the CHART scores and BDI scores. We can carefully conclude that the CHART can be a valuable tool in the assessment of handicaps of disabled people. Futher extensive studies are recommended to identify the factors which might influence the handicaps of spinal cord injury persons.
Classification ; Depression ; Female ; Humans ; Korea* ; Male ; Occupations ; Outpatients ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord* ; World Health ; World Health Organization