PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between tooth loss and sub-clinical atherosclerosis in Korean adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The subjects were part of a cohort study conducted in Ansan city by the Korea University medical school as part of the Korean Genome project. 749 subjects over than 40 years old were evaluated. After taking panoramic radiography, the amount of tooth loss was calculated. The intima-media thickness (IMT) was assessed by using ultrasonography at the common carotid artery. Traditional cardiovascular risk factors for atherosclerosis were also evaluated. The relationship between tooth loss and the IMT was evaluated using ANOVA with Scheffe's multiple comparison method in univariate analysis. Multiple regression analysis was also performed to determine the significance between the IMT and tooth loss. RESULTS: With age, tooth loss increased, but there was no significant increase in other traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Univariate analysis revealed the IMT to be positively related with the amount of tooth loss. Regression analysis of the IMT in the anterior and posterior tooth loss revealed that only the posterior tooth loss was significantly related with the IMT at all sites of the common carotid artery (right far wall, P = .015; left far wall, P = .008; right near wall, P < .001; left near wall, P = .001). CONCLUSION: This study verified the positive relationship between the increased tooth loss at the posterior area and the accumulation of atheroma in arteries.
Adult ; Arteries ; Atherosclerosis ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness ; Cohort Studies ; Genome ; Humans ; Korea ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; Radiography, Panoramic ; Risk Factors ; Schools, Medical ; Tooth ; Tooth Loss

PURPOSE: Some investigators have noted that the renal scarring that occurs after pyelonephritis is closely related to the inflammation or the free oxygen radicals rather than to direct injury by the bacterial infection. We examined whether delayed administration of the antioxidant agent selenium only or its combined administration with antibiotics suppresses renal scarring in a rat model of pyelonephritis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An inoculum of 1x10(8) colony-forming units/ 0.1ml of Escherichia coli was injected directly into the renal parenchyma of both kidneys of 12 rats (n=24). The control group with 2 rats (n=4 kidneys) received injections of isotonic saline instead of bacterial solution. Three days after surgery, the animals were given the following treatment. In the pyelonephritis group, 2 rats (n=4) received isotonic saline intramuscularly twice daily for 5 days. For the antibiotic treatment group (antibiotic only), 3 rats (n=6) were treated with only with an antibiotic, ciprofloxacin (intramuscular injection, 15mg/kg twice daily) for 5 days. For the selenium treatment only group (selenium only), 4 rats (n=8) were treated with selenium (intraperitoneal injection, 0.5mg/kg twice daily). For the combined group (selenium antibiotic), 3 rats (n=6) received selenium (0.5mg/kg, intraperitoneal injection twice daily) and ciprofloxacin (15mg/kg, intramuscular injection twice daily) together. Six weeks after the bacterial inoculation, all the rats were killed and all the kidneys were examined histopathologically for renal scarring by using an OLYMPUS BX 51 microscope and I-solution. RESULTS: Delayed treatment with antibiotics-only or selenium-only had no effect on scarring compared with the untreated controls. However, the addition of selenium to the delayed antibiotic therapy significantly inhibited renal scarring compared with the pyelonephritis group or the antibiotic treated-only group or the selenium-treated only group (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that selenium is effective in preventing renal scar formation during pyelonephritis when the initiation of antimicrobial treatment is delayed in this rat model of pyelonephritis.
Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacterial Infections ; Cicatrix ; Ciprofloxacin ; Escherichia coli ; Humans ; Inflammation* ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Kidney ; Models, Animal* ; Pyelonephritis* ; Rats* ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Research Personnel ; Selenium*

Captopril tablets of two different producers were tested for bioequivalence as well as therapeutic equivalence. The pharmacokinetics, the time course of plasma angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition, and the changes of systolic and diastolic blood pressure after administration of drugs were studied. In a balanced, randomized two-way crossover design, two single doses of 50mg each of captopril were administered orally to twelve male volunteers. Peak blood levels of free captopril were observed about 0.85 hour after the dose, and practically free captopril could not be detected in blood within 8 hours. Peak free captopril levels of both compounds were almost identical(Capoten(R), 464.3ng/ml ; Capril(R), 504.6ng/ml). No statistically significant difference was identified between two compounds when area und the concentration time curve, peak level, time to peak were compared. Inhibition of plasma angiotensin-converting enzyme to blood free captopril concentration showed the hyperbolic concentration-response relationship with IC50 value of 7.4ng/ml. The area under the percent angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition versus time curve were quite similar after administration of both drugs. The compounds were also found to be equivalent on the premise that no significant difference was detected when the time courses of systolic and diastolic blood pressure reduction were compared.
Biological Availability* ; Blood Pressure ; Captopril* ; Cross-Over Studies ; Humans ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Male ; Pharmacokinetics ; Plasma* ; Tablets* ; Therapeutic Equivalency ; Volunteers

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine), a pineal neurohormone, is a hydroxyl radical scavenger and antioxidant, and plays an important role in the immune system. We studied the effect of exogenous melatonin on the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). EAE was induced in Lewis rats by immunization with rat spinal cord homogenates. Subsequent oral administration of melatonin at 5 mg/kg significantly reduced the clinical severity of EAE paralysis compared with administration of the vehicle alone (p<0.01). Infiltration of ED1 macrophages and CD4 T cells into spinal cords occurred both in the absence and presence of melatonin treatment, but melatonin-treated rats had less spinal cord infiltration of inflammatory cells than did the control group. ICAM-1 immunoreactivity in the blood vessels of EAE lesions was decreased in melatonin-treated rats compared to vehicle-treated rats. These findings suggest that exogenous melatonin ameliorates EAE via a mechanism involving reduced expression of ICAM-1 and lymphocyte function associated antigen-1a in autoimmune target organs.
Animals ; Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/*immunology/prevention & control ; Female ; Immunohistochemistry ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1/analysis/*immunology ; Male ; Melatonin/administration & dosage/*physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred Lew ; Spinal Cord/chemistry/pathology

BACKGROUND: The common histopathology of Behget's disease is vasculitis associated with activation of neutrophils. The level of plasma elastase a 1 proteinase inhibitor (E a 1 PI), which represents the activation of neutrophils, may be a marker of Behcet's disease. OBJECTIVE: We examined the level of plasma elastase al proteinase inhibitor to evaluate the degree of neutrophil activation in Behcet's disease. METHOD: We measured plasma elastase a 1 proteinase inhibitor in 34 cases of untreated Behcet's disease patients and 30 cases of normal individuals by an enzyme immunoassay. We also studied the differences between the levels in two clinical types of Behcet's disease, the complete and incomplete type. RESULTS: The plasma level of elastase a 1 proteinase inhibitor was significantly higher in untreated Behcet's disease patients than in healthy controls. However, there was no significant difference between the levels in the two clinical types. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that the elevated level of plasma elastase a 1 proteinase inhibitor may reflect a state of chronic activation of neutrophils in Behcet's disease immunologically and further studies will be needed to evaluate the clinical status of Behcet's disease patients by measuring levels of plasma elastase a 1 proteinase inhibitor.
Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Methods ; Neutrophil Activation ; Neutrophils ; Pancreatic Elastase ; Plasma* ; Vasculitis

PURPOSE: An adrenalectomy is needed in about 10 to 25% of Cushing's syndrome cases due to adrenal adenoma, hyperplasia, or carcinoma. The purpose of this study is to compare the postoperative compli cations of an adrenalectomy between Cushing's and non-Cushing's patients. METHODS: Data were collected by reviewing the hospital charts of patients treated at Korea University from July 1987 to Jan. 1998 the clinical data were compared using statistical method. RESULTS: An adrenalectomy was performed in 77 patients, and the causes of the adrenalectomy were primary aldosteronism (25 cases), pheochr mocytoma (23 cases), Cushing's syndrome (20 cases), adrenal carcinoma (5 cases), non-functioning adre nal adenoma (2 cases), ganglioneuroma (1 case), and neuroblastoma (1 case). The causes of Cushing's syndrome were adenoma (16 cases), nodular hyperplasia (3 cases), and carcinoma (1 case). The types of adrenalectomy used were anterior (60 cases), posterior (14 cases), and lateral (3 cases). Postoperative complications were atelectasis, pneumonia, wound infection, paralytic ileus, intra-abdominal abscess, intra-abdominal bleeding, acute renal failure and psychosis, in order of frequency. The rate of post operative complications in patients with Cushing's syndrome was 85%, which was higher than rate of 31.6% (p=0.02). Postoperative respiratory complications, such as atelectasis and pneumonias, were more common for patients with Cushing's syndrome (p=0.02). In patients of Cushing's syndrome, the devel opment of postoperative complication was related to the length of the operation, the size of the tumor, the weight of the tumor, the site of the tumor, the pathology and the method of approach (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The patients with Cushing's syndrome were prone to postoperative complications, and respiratory complications were the most common postoperative complication. Careful preoperative and postoperative respiratory management should reduce the complications of an adrenalectomy in patients with Cushing's syndrome.
Abdominal Abscess ; Acute Kidney Injury ; Adenoma ; Adrenalectomy* ; Cations ; Cushing Syndrome* ; Ganglioneuroma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hyperaldosteronism ; Hyperplasia ; Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction ; Korea ; Neuroblastoma ; Pathology ; Pneumonia ; Postoperative Complications* ; Psychotic Disorders ; Pulmonary Atelectasis ; Wound Infection

PURPOSE: An adrenalectomy is needed in about 10 to 25% of Cushing's syndrome cases due to adrenal adenoma, hyperplasia, or carcinoma. The purpose of this study is to compare the postoperative compli cations of an adrenalectomy between Cushing's and non-Cushing's patients. METHODS: Data were collected by reviewing the hospital charts of patients treated at Korea University from July 1987 to Jan. 1998 the clinical data were compared using statistical method. RESULTS: An adrenalectomy was performed in 77 patients, and the causes of the adrenalectomy were primary aldosteronism (25 cases), pheochr mocytoma (23 cases), Cushing's syndrome (20 cases), adrenal carcinoma (5 cases), non-functioning adre nal adenoma (2 cases), ganglioneuroma (1 case), and neuroblastoma (1 case). The causes of Cushing's syndrome were adenoma (16 cases), nodular hyperplasia (3 cases), and carcinoma (1 case). The types of adrenalectomy used were anterior (60 cases), posterior (14 cases), and lateral (3 cases). Postoperative complications were atelectasis, pneumonia, wound infection, paralytic ileus, intra-abdominal abscess, intra-abdominal bleeding, acute renal failure and psychosis, in order of frequency. The rate of post operative complications in patients with Cushing's syndrome was 85%, which was higher than rate of 31.6% (p=0.02). Postoperative respiratory complications, such as atelectasis and pneumonias, were more common for patients with Cushing's syndrome (p=0.02). In patients of Cushing's syndrome, the devel opment of postoperative complication was related to the length of the operation, the size of the tumor, the weight of the tumor, the site of the tumor, the pathology and the method of approach (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The patients with Cushing's syndrome were prone to postoperative complications, and respiratory complications were the most common postoperative complication. Careful preoperative and postoperative respiratory management should reduce the complications of an adrenalectomy in patients with Cushing's syndrome.
Abdominal Abscess ; Acute Kidney Injury ; Adenoma ; Adrenalectomy* ; Cations ; Cushing Syndrome* ; Ganglioneuroma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hyperaldosteronism ; Hyperplasia ; Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction ; Korea ; Neuroblastoma ; Pathology ; Pneumonia ; Postoperative Complications* ; Psychotic Disorders ; Pulmonary Atelectasis ; Wound Infection

BACKGROUND: Animals with zoophilic dermatophytes are important sources of dermatophytoses in man, because zoophilic dermatophytes are frequently transmitted directly or indirectly from domestic and wild animals. Trichophyton(T.) mentogrophytes has a wide range of hosts. Among these, rodents are well-known reservoirs in many other countries. In our country a few sporadic reports of incidence in experimental rats have been reported, but there is no study on the incidence in wild rodents in Korea. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of wild rodents as a host of dermatophytes and keratinophilic fungi in Korea. METHODS: Forty-nine wild rodents (Apodemus(A.) agrarius; 44, Crocidura spp; 5) were captured from 6 different regions of Kyungi-do with Sherman traps. Fungi were isolated by using the Mackenzie's brush technique. RESULTS: 1. Isolation rate of dermatophytes from wild rodents in Korea was 16.3%. 2. T. mentagrophytes was isolated from six A. agrarius (12.2%). Isolation rates from dorsum hairs, ventral hairs and feet were 4.5%, 9.1% and 9.1% respectively 3. Other dermatophytes and related keratinophilic fungi isolated were Chrysosporium spp.(65.3%), Scopulariopsis spp.(10.2%) and T. terrestre(4.1%). 4. Chrysosporium. was the most frequently isolated species from four out of six Kyonggi-do regions ranging 58.3%~83.3%. Scopulaiopsis was isolated the most in Kumgwang-myun Ansung-gun, and T. terrestre in Kimpo-gun. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that wild rodents, especially A. agrarius may be the important reservoirs of T. mentagrophytes and other keratinophilic fungi in Korea.
Animals ; Animals, Wild ; Arthrodermataceae* ; Chrysosporium ; Foot ; Fungi* ; Gyeonggi-do ; Hair ; Incidence ; Korea* ; Rats ; Rodentia* ; Scopulariopsis ; Tinea

Only few studies focused on ocular motor paralysis in herpes zoster ophthalmicus. The manifestation of ptosis and paralysis of ocular motor nerve or one of its branches is rarely seen. However, careful examinations with regard to external ocular movements and iris would be helpful to detect the ocular motor paralysis. We report a case of ocular motor paralysis resulting from herpes zoster ophthalmicus. A 66-year-old woman was treated with acyclovir and steroid for an ophthalmic herpes zoster. Ptosis and impairment of gaze except lateral gaze appeared after the periorbital edema subsided. She showed moderately edematous cornea, corneal erosion, chemosis, but no definite dendritic lesions. The paralytic lesions cleared four months later.
Acyclovir ; Aged ; Cornea ; Edema ; Female ; Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus* ; Herpes Zoster* ; Humans ; Iris ; Paralysis*

Only few studies focused on ocular motor paralysis in herpes zoster ophthalmicus. The manifestation of ptosis and paralysis of ocular motor nerve or one of its branches is rarely seen. However, careful examinations with regard to external ocular movements and iris would be helpful to detect the ocular motor paralysis. We report a case of ocular motor paralysis resulting from herpes zoster ophthalmicus. A 66-year-old woman was treated with acyclovir and steroid for an ophthalmic herpes zoster. Ptosis and impairment of gaze except lateral gaze appeared after the periorbital edema subsided. She showed moderately edematous cornea, corneal erosion, chemosis, but no definite dendritic lesions. The paralytic lesions cleared four months later.
Acyclovir ; Aged ; Cornea ; Edema ; Female ; Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus* ; Herpes Zoster* ; Humans ; Iris ; Paralysis*