OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study were to clarify the significance of PCNA and DNA ploidy as a possible parameter of the prognosis in squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix. STUDY DESIGN: Women with the diagnosis of cervical cancer operated between January 1987, and July 1991, composed the study group(n=35) in this case-control group. Among these 35 patients.In theese patients we chose the patients with complete follow up treatment. Also we employed 7 control paraffin-embedded cervical specimens without any specific pathologic lesions for the comparison. Immunohistochemical staining to identify PCNA was applied to case of paraffin section and PCNA indices was obtained. DNA analysis was done by using flow cytometry and S-phase fraction and DNA ploidy were obtained. RESULT: The results were summarized as follows. 1. S-phase fraction were 20+/-7% in cervical cancer and 16+/-11% in control group. There were no statistical difference. Aneuploid ratio were 26%(9/35) in cervical cancer and 0%(0/7) in control group. There were statistical difference. PCNA indices were 45+/-6% in cervical cancer and 5+/-4% in control group. There were statistical difference. 2. There were no statistical difference in PCNA indices between large cell keratinizing type, and large cell nonkratinizing type of cervical cancer. 3. According to lymph node metastasis, there were no statistical difference in PCNA indices between positive group and negative group.4. According with various pathologic parameters, recurrence rate was hihger in cases of parametrial involvement. 5. The correlation of coefficient was 0.747 between PCNA indices and S-phasd fraction that is a significant relationship.6. According to recurrence, there were no statistical difference in S-phase fraction, aneuploidy and PCNA indices between group of recurrence and no recurrence.7. There were no statistical difference between <20% group nad>20%, group of S-phase, aneuploid and <60%, group and >60%, group of PCNA index in view of recurrence rate. conclusion: That is a significant relationship between S-phase fraction and PCNA indices, But, there are no statictical significance of PCNA indices, DNA ploid and a prognostic factor. So, that is a limitation in PCNA index DNA ploid when it was used as as prognostic parameter of nterine cervical cancer.
Aneuploidy ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Case-Control Studies ; Cervix Uteri ; Diagnosis ; DNA* ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Paraffin ; Ploidies* ; Prognosis ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Recurrence ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

No abstract available.

The depressive symptoms are frequent and important ones in the elderly population. We studied the various factors affecting the severity of depressive symptoms in the elderly population. The Korean elderly (more than 65 years old; n=490) in Seoul area (city) were studied on the identifying data and medical and psychiatric history, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) Korean Depression Scale(KDS: under development)were also administered. In our study, the significant effect of sex, age, education, marital status, and the status of medical security on the severity of depressive symptoms were not found. Significantly higher GDS and KDS scores were found in the elderly who have more than one physical illness, subjective memory complaints, and seven life events. To examine the strength of association of these variables of depression, we conducted logistic regression. Depressive symptoms were associated with 1)the loss of spouse, 2)a current physical illness, and 3)low socioeconomic status. These results showed that depression in the elderly may be correlated with the loss of spouse, a current physical illness, and low socioeconomic status.
Aged* ; Depression* ; Education ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Marital Status ; Memory ; Seoul ; Social Class ; Spouses

PURPOSE: The object of this study is to determine whether QT interval variability in patients with postoperative tetralogy of Fallot increases. METHODS: We enrolled 41 patients who had total correction of tetralogy of Fallot, and 31 healthy controls. They were 6-12 years old. Patients were divided into 2 groups : arrhythmia-positive patients(n=10) who had ventricular premature contractions more than 30/hour or who had couplets, and arrhythmia-negative patients(n=31). We selected the 10-minute arrhythmia-free portion of 24-hour ambulatory ECG recorded during sleep(1-3AM). We selected the 2nd beat of recordings for a template, then found the QT interval for each beat. The method was that T-wave shape best matches template T-wave under the time-stretch model. The mean heart rate and variance and mean QT interval and variance were computed and then a QT variability index(QTVI)-which represents the log ratio between QT interval variability and heart rate variability-was derived. RESULTS: Postoperative tetralogy of Fallot patients with/without ventricular arrhythmia showed significantly increased QTVI compared with the control(-0.481+/-0.310/-0.661+/-0.376 vs -1.200+/-0.380, P<0.0001). There was a trend that QTVI in patients with ventricular arrhythmia increased more than in patients without ventricular arrhythmia, but there were no statistical significances. CONCLUSION: QT interval variability increased in repaired tetralogy of Fallot patients with/without ventricular arrhythmia compared with the control. And this finding indicates that inhomogeneity of temporal ventricular repolarization exists in repaired tetralogy of Fallot patients.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Electrocardiography ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Tetralogy of Fallot*

Transplantation of ABO-nmatched solid organs has been associated with the development of immune hemolysis due to donor-erived antibodies produced by passenger lymphocytes in the graft, called "Passenger Lymphocyte Syndrome". In a liver transplantation, about 40% of patients at risk has detectable donor-erived antibodies and hemolytic anemia occurs in 29% of patients. It is characterized by hemoglobinemia, a rapid fall in hemoglobin, hyperbilirubinemia, and an excessive red cell transfusion requirement occurring 1 to 3 weeks after the transplantation. These clinical findings are accompanied by the laboratory findings of a positive direct antiglobulin test and the detection of unexpected antibodies in the patients' red cell eluate and serum. Both the hemolytic anemia and serology resolve over the course of weeks to months. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of hemolytic anemia due to passenger lymphocyte syndrome after ABO-nmatched liver transplantation in Korea.
Anemia, Hemolytic ; Antibodies ; Coombs Test ; Hemolysis ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia ; Korea ; Liver Transplantation ; Liver* ; Lymphocytes* ; Transplants

OBJECTIVE: The overexpression of p16(INK4A) is induced by human papillomavirus (HPV) and associated with the carcinogenesis of cervical epithelia. So, immunostaining of p16(INK4A) may be useful biomarker in detecting CIN of cervix uteri in abnormal cervical lesions. The potential of p16(INK4A) as a biomarker for Atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) examined in liquid-based specimens. METHODS: We collected samples 30 cases of ASCUS in Thinprep(TM) smears between March 2003 and August 2003. 23 control Thinprep(TM) cases were included; 10 negative for intraepithelial lesions, 13 cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions. p16(INK4A) immunochemial staining was performed on 53samples. At the same time, we tested another cervical swabs of patients by the Hybrid Capture II(TM) test. The cut off value was scored positive if it contained above 5 abnormal cells with nuclear and cytoplasmic immunostaining. RESULTS: The results of p16(INK4A) immunochemial staining comparing with one of HC II(TM) showed negative results with low kappa coefficient of 0.034. The sensitivity of p16(INK4A) immunochemial staining were 30.8% and the specificity were 82.4% respectively (p<0.01). p16(INK4A) is a useful marker for the detection of the cervical intraepithelial neoplasia but is not ASCUS. CONCLUSION: Immunostaining of p16(INK4A) is not useful triage test in detecting abnormal lesion of ASCUS in liquid-based specimens.
Carcinogenesis ; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; Cervix Uteri ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16* ; Cytoplasm ; Female ; Humans ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Triage

Acute gastric volvulus is extremely rare emergency surgical condition by abnormal rotation of stomach. It presents a puzzling picture which makes early diagnosis difficult, yet surgical interference must be accomplished early if life is to be saved. Gastric volvulus can be classified anatomically as organoaxial or mesenteroaxial. The symptoms triad of gastric volvulus are severe nausea with a paradoxical inability to vomiting, localized epigastric pain and impossibility of introducing a gastric tube. The diagnosis of it may be suspected on plain radiographic examination of the abdomen and symptoms, it is confirmed by specific findings on the upper gastrointestinal series. We experienced a case of mesenteroaxial type of acute gastric volvulus associated with diaphragmatic eventration. We treated this patient with reduction of volvulus, repair of diaphragmatic eventration, gastrojejunostomy and gastropexy. The authors report this case with a brief review of recent literatures.
Abdomen ; Diagnosis ; Diaphragmatic Eventration* ; Early Diagnosis ; Emergencies ; Gastric Bypass ; Gastropexy ; Humans ; Intestinal Volvulus ; Nausea ; Stomach ; Stomach Volvulus* ; Vomiting

The endometrial osseous metaplasia is one of a rare conditions which gynecologist experience clinically. Clinical presentation may include irregular menstration, abnormal uterine bleeding, discharge, dysmenorrhea, pelvic pain, and secondary infertility. However the etiology and treatment about this disease are unclear. Recently, ultrasound-guided management of ectopic bone in uterus was suggested more potentially safer based on reported multi-patients women, a large majority was successfully treated. We have experienced a case of endometrial osseous metaplasia diagnosed and treated by ultrasound-guided dilatation and curettage. Which is presented with a brief review of literatures.
Dilatation and Curettage* ; Dilatation* ; Dysmenorrhea ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility ; Metaplasia ; Pelvic Pain ; Uterine Hemorrhage ; Uterus

BACKGROUND: Infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) has been associated with an increased risk for developing gastric cancer. This risk is further enhanced with CagA positive H. pylori strains. Increased epithelial cell proliferation is associated with an increased risk for gastric cancer. The aim of the study was to investigate whether the gastric epithelial cell proliferation was related to the expression of CagA and VacA in H. pylori infection. METHODS: The subjects were 77 patients who had undergone diagnostic esophagogastroduodenoscopy with biopsy; 18 gastritis, 18 gastric ulcer, 17 duodenal ulcer and 24 gastric cancer. The expression of cytotoxic genes was determined indirectly by assaying serum IgG antibodies to specific antigens of H. pylori. Gastric epithelial cell proliferation was assessed using immunohistochemical method using Ki-67 monoclonal antibody. Acute and chronic inflammation, intestinal metaplasia and glandular atrophy were scored according to the updated Sydney system. RESULTS: Ki-67 labeling index, acute and chronic inflammation were significantly higher in H. pylori infected persons (n=70, 90.9%) than in uninfected persons (n=7, 9.1%) (p< 0.05), but the difference in intestinal metaplasia and glandular atrophy between the two groups was not statistically significant. Ki-67 labeling indices in persons infected with CagA positive strains (n=56, 80.0%) were significantly higher than in persons infected with CagA negative strains (n=14, 20%) (0.55+/-0.13 vs 0.37+/-0.17, p< 0.05), but the differences in acute and chronic inflammation, intestinal metaplasia and glandular atrophy between the two groups were not statistically significant. No significant difference was found in Ki-67 labeling index, acute and chronic inflammation, intestinal metaplasia and glandular atrophy according to expression of VacA. CONCLUSION: Gastric mucosal cell proliferation, which might be closely involved in the pathogenesis of gastric carcinoma, was significantly higher in CagA positive H. pylori infected persons.
Antibodies ; Atrophy ; Biopsy ; Cell Proliferation ; Duodenal Ulcer ; Endoscopy, Digestive System ; Epithelial Cells* ; Gastritis ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Inflammation ; Metaplasia ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Stomach Ulcer

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of repeated photodynamic therapy (PDT) for subfoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in Korean patients. METHODS: Clinical data of patients who were treated with repeated (3 times or more) PDT for subfoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to AMD and followed up for more than 6 months were collected from 17 hospitals around the country. Visual outcomes at 12 and 24 months, follow-up were compared between subtypes of choroidal neovascularization. The factors related to final visual prognosis and PDT-related adverse effects were evaluated. RESULTS: 244 patients (244 eyes) were recruited (male: 60%, age: 67.7+/-9.1 years). The portion of patients with predominantly classic, minimally classic, and occult without classic choroidal neovascularization was 57%, 13%, and 24%, respectively and that of patients with visual improvements or less than moderate visual loss at 24 months follow-up were 28%, 38%, 30% and 47%, 56%, and 65%, respectively. Baseline visual acuity and age were significantly related to the final visual prognosis (p<0.05). PDT-related adverse events developed in 15 (6.1%) patients, but most were mild and transient. CONCLUSIONS: Repeated PDT for subfoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to AMD has effects comparable to those of previous prospective, controlled trials without any significant safety concerns in Korea.
Choroid* ; Choroidal Neovascularization* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Korea ; Macular Degeneration* ; Photochemotherapy* ; Prognosis ; Visual Acuity