BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy & safety of a new HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, atorvastatin, to improve serum lipid profiles in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three hundred and six patients from 21 hospitals, all with total cholesterol level over 240 mg/dl and triglyceride level below 400 mg/dl were enrolled in the study. Following diet therapy for 2 weeks, atorvastatin 10 mg was taken for 6 weeks if the total cholesterol level remained higher than 240 mg/dl. The percent change of total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol from baseline to 6 weeks of treatment were evaluated. Patients were monitored for safety through careful history talking, physical examination, serum sampling for liver and muscle enzyme. RESULTS: 1) The study was completed in a total of 166 patients. The mean age of patients the was 58 1/2 years and the percent of male and female patients was 37%, 37% and 63%, respectively. 2) The baseline mean values of total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol following diet therapy for 2 weeks were 280+/-34 mg/dl, 172+/-77 mg/dl, 190+/-35 mg/dl, 56+/-13 mg/dl, respectively. 3) After 6 weeks treatment, the level of total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol were 195+/-34 mg/d, 150+/-67 mg/dl, 110+/-33 mg/dl, 55+/-12 mg/dl, respectively, and the rates of change were -30%, -7%, -42%, -0.2%, respectively. 4) The level of LDL-cholesterol at the end of treatment was below 100 mg/dl in 44%, 100-130 mg/dl in 33%, 130-160 mg/dl in 14%, over 160 mg/dl in 9% of patients. 5) 77% of total patients achieved the target goal of LDL cholesterol (below 130 mg/dl) according to the NCEP guideline. 6) The reduction rate of LDL-cholesterol was different among the patients. At the end of treatment, the patients with initial LDL-cholesterol below 100 mg/dl achieved a higher reduction rate (52%) as compared with those patient's inithal LDL-cholesterol level were higher. 7) There are was only 1 patient (0.6%) who showed 3 times a three-fold increase of liver enzyme and no patient showed an increase of creatine kinase. CONCLUSION: Atorvastatin is effective and safe in improving the lipid profiles in of patients with hypercholesterolemia without serious side effects. (Korean Circulation J 2001;31 (4):434-441)
Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Creatine Kinase ; Diet Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia* ; Liver ; Male ; Oxidoreductases ; Physical Examination ; Triglycerides ; Atorvastatin Calcium

No abstract available.
Female ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic*

No abstract available.
Cesarean Section* ; Female ; Pregnancy

No Abstract Available.
Patellar Ligament*

Atypical adenomatous hyperplasia (AAH) is regarded as a precancerous lesion in the multistep process for carcinogenesis of pulmonary adenocarcinoma. AAH is found in up to 25% of the lung tissue adjacent to cancer, particularly adenocarcinoma and also in 2-4% of autopsy cases. Until now, its main clinical significance is that some tumor recurrences are the lesions that have progressed from undetected AAH or they are newly developed cancers arising from AAH during the follow-up after the resection of adenocarcinoma. We present here the case of a 58-year-old woman having a large main adenocarcinoma with multiple small AAHs that mimicked lung-to-lung metastasis. AAH should be considered in the differential diagnosis of multiple small nodules during the preoperative evaluation and also during the follow-up of lung cancer patients.
Adenocarcinoma ; Autopsy ; Carcinogenesis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperplasia* ; Lung Neoplasms ; Lung* ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Recurrence

Fat can be prominet around the aortic root and within the right atrioventricular (AV) groove (1). At times, the fat can be globular, suggesting a mass especially on echocardiography. Computed tomography (CT) and masnetic resonance (MR) images are well suited for characterization of fat in and around the heart (1, 2). This report illustrates CT and MR findings of a very unusual case of prominent fat lump in the left AV groove.
Echocardiography ; Heart

We report a case of prenatal diagnosis of fetal congenital goiter at 31weeks of gestation by ultrasonogram and fetal hypothyroidism confirmed at birth as thyroid function test by umbilical cord blood sampling. Maternal Graves' disease and the drugs used to treat hyperthyroidism in pregnant women can affect the fetus, causing hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism and goiter. Fetal hypothyroidism may be caused by transplacental passage of either maternal thyrotropic-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin(TBII) antibodies or maternal treatment with propylthiouracil(PTU). Untreated fetal hypothyroidism may result in mental retardation, perceptual-motor, visual-spatial, and language developmental problems. In this article fetal thyroid function was not assessed by cordocentesis, but fetal congenital goiter was detected ultrasound. Ultrasound should be used to detect fetal goiter from 20 weeks onward. Fetal goiter should resolve when maternal PTU treatment is decreased. We have diagnosed fetal hypothyroidism in utero by ultrasonography. Significance of in utero management of fetal hypothyroidism is discussed.
Antibodies ; Congenital Hypothyroidism ; Cordocentesis ; Female ; Fetal Blood ; Fetus ; Goiter* ; Graves Disease ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism* ; Hypothyroidism ; Intellectual Disability ; Language Development ; Mothers* ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Prenatal Diagnosis* ; Thyroid Function Tests ; Thyroid Gland ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.
Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Nodule*

No abstract available.
Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung*

No abstract available.