No abstract available.
Prostatic Hyperplasia* ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate* ; Ultrasonography*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory* ; Peritonitis*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Diabetes is associated with a unique form of cardiomyopathy in the absence of atherosclerosis. The mechanisms of diabetic cardiomyopathy have not been defined, but is associated with early left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction following an altered LV contractile performance. However, less attention has been paid to the right ventricular (RV) diastolic function in diabetes. Therefore, the changes in the RV ans LV filling dynamics, in patients with early type 2 diabetes, were investigated. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The transtricuspid and trans-mitral flows were assessed by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography, at maximal inspiration and expiration, in 48 subjects (mean age: 62+/-9 years, M:F=16:32) with type 2 diabetes (Type 2 DM group) and 34 normal subjects (control group ; mean age:59+/-9 years, M:F=15:19, ranging from 45-75 years of age) with normal LV systolic function and ECG at rest. Subjects with diabetic complication, nephropathy (Cr >1.5 mg/dL), LVH and COPD were excluded. RESULTS: The mitral E/A ratio and DT (deceleration time) showed no significant difference between the type 2 DM and control groups. The LV and RV systolic functions also showed no significant difference between the two groups. However, the type 2 DM group had a lower tricuspid E/A ratio (0.98+/-0.25 vs. 1.17+/-0.21, p<0.001) and a longer tricuspid DT (241+/-65 msec vs. 208+/-51 msec, p=0.016) than the control group. CONCLUSION: The right ventricular diastolic function is frequently abnormal in early type 2 diabetes. This suggests that right ventricular diastolic dysfunction may be an important predictor for the early detection of diabetic cardiomyopathy.
Atherosclerosis ; Cardiomyopathies ; Diabetes Complications ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetic Cardiomyopathies ; Diastole ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Electrocardiography ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive

No abstract available.
Leiomyosarcoma*

BACKGROUND: Pharmacological ACTH test provide information only about the ability of the adrenal gland to respond to unusual stimuli and may not reflect the daily cortisol secretion. There were some controversies in the diagnosis of mild adrenal insufficiency by using a pharmacological dose of ACTH. The purpose of the present study was to assess and compare the effect of low dose 1 pg ACTH and high dose 249 pg ACTH in the evaluation of adrenal function. The intravenous injection of a pharmacological dose(250 pg) of ACTH has been used as a standard test in the initial assessment of adrenal function. So we low dose ACTH to evaluate the adrenal function and compare the result of high dose ACTH. METHOD: Basal serum cortisol sampling was done at 2:00 p.m.. And after 1 pg ACTH iv bolus injection, cortisol sampling was done at 20, 30, 45 and 60 min respectively. On the next day same procedure was repeated at same time, but 249 mg ACTH was given instead of the low dose. Normal adrenal function was diagnosed with the criteria of stimulated serum cortisol concentration over 20 mg/dL. Total 65 patients took part in this study. Three hypopituitarism patients and one Addisons disease were included. Sixty-one patients had the history of glucocorticoid ingestion or had physical findings of cushingoid features with symptoms suggest the adrenal insufficiency. RESULTS: Sixteen patients showed normal response to both low dose and high dose ACTH. Thirty-six patients were not stimulated to both low dose and high dose ACTH. The remaining thirteen patients revealed normal response to high dose ACTH, but not to low dose ACTH. CONCLUSION: It appears that low dose ACTH stimulation test is more sensitive and specific than high dose ACTH and is capable of revealing mild adrenal insufficiency.
Addison Disease ; Adrenal Glands ; Adrenal Insufficiency ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone* ; Diagnosis ; Eating ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Hypopituitarism ; Injections, Intravenous

BACKGROUND : There are various factors affecting the nutritional status of the elderly. Depression has been known as an important factor of malnutrition in them. We had already reported the poor nutritional status of elderly diabetics [J Kor Diabetes Association 22(1):71, 1998]. We investigated to document the prevalence of malnutrition and its relationship to depression in elderly diabetic patients. METHODS : We studied 52 patients aged 65 and over (65-00 y, mean 76.7 y; 22 men, 30 women) with diabetes mellitus admitted during from 1996 through 1997. Malnutrition was diagnosed on presence of 1 or more criteria; 10% weight loss in last 3 months, serum albumin <3.3 g/dL, serum transferrin <200 mg/dL, and blood total lymphocyte<1,800/mm3. There was no significant differences between depressed Group and non-depressed Group in duration of diabetes, body mass index, fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, and number of complication including hypoglycemic episodes. Depression was assessed on Hamilton Depression Scale score of 16 or more. Data were analyzed by Chi square test. RESULTS : 28/52 (53.9%) were malnourished, 12/52 (23.1%) having depression. Of the 12 patients with depression, only 5 had malnutrition. No significant relation between depression and malnutrition was found (Chi squre=2.689, p=0.992). CONCLUSION : Depression might have no significant relationship to malnutrition in the elderly diabetic in-patients.
Aged* ; Blood Glucose ; Body Mass Index ; Depression* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Fasting ; Humans ; Male ; Malnutrition* ; Nutritional Status ; Prevalence ; Serum Albumin ; Transferrin ; Weight Loss

The authors analysed retrospectively, 69 cases of chronic subdural hematoma admitted to the Department of Neurological Surgery, from January 1992 to February 1995. All hematomas were operated on by one burr hole trephination and continuous closed-system cather drainage system. The results were as follows: 1) Male was more frequently involved than female with ratio of 5.3:1 and the incidence was prredominent in the patients whose ages were over 50. 2) History of head trauma was found in 52 cases(75.4%), among which habitual alcoholism was found in 6 cases(8.7%). 3) The major symptoms and signs at admission were headache(55.1%), hemiparesis(44.9%), and mental changes(30.4%). 4) On the brain CT scan, hematoma showed low, iso, mixed, and high in density, and the shapes of hematoma were crescenteric, biconvex, planoconvex, and concave in order of frequency. 5) We have found a significant relationship between the neurological grade at admission and the prognosis, and noted full recovery in 45 cases(65.2%) and no d eath as a result of 1-burr hole trephination.
Alcoholism ; Brain ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Drainage ; Female ; Hematoma ; Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Trephining

Intradural spinal lipomas are rare, primary genign tumor of the spinal canal. A case of intradural spinal lipoma with intramedullary extension is presented. Clinical feature was slowly progressing paraparesis. A subtotal excision was performed, and pathological studies confirmed the diagnosis.
Diagnosis ; Lipoma* ; Paraparesis ; Spinal Canal ; Spinal Cord Compression ; Spinal Cord Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: DHEA-S is the most abundant steroid hormone in circulation, and primarily secreted from the adrenal cortex, but its physiological role is little known. One of the characteristic features of DHEA-S is progressive decrement of plasma DHEA-S level with advancing age, in contrast, plasma levels of other adrenal hormones are not chaging or littie decreasing. To grasp the trends of plasma DHEA-S level and DHEA-S/cortisol ratio by age in healthy Korean, we measured the plasma DHEA-S levels and DHEA-S/cortisol ratios in healthy Korean. METHODS: Healthy Korean (men: 99, women: 102, age range: 15-97 year old)were studied. Subjects were not taking drugs (such as glucocorticoid or androgenic medication) or cigarettes known to modify the plasma level of DHEA-S and cortisol, and had no evidence of hepatic, renal disease or hyperlipidemia as determined by serum lipid, bilirubin, SGOT, SGPT, BUN, creatinine. Data were analyzed by 10-year age group for men and women: i.e, 10-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, 80-89 and 90 year or more. Plasma DHEA-S levels were measured by using a commercially available RIA kit with 125I labeled-DHEA-SO4 (Coat-A Count DHEA-SO4), and for the measurement of plasma cortisol levels, commercial Gamma Coat TM[125I] Cortisol Radioimmunassay Kit was used. RESULTS:. 1) In both men and women, plasma DHEA-S level showed high interindividual variation within the same age group. 2) There were individual sex differences in plasma levels of DHEA-S, in all age groups, plasma DHEA-S levels were significantly higher values for men than for women. 3) Maximum plasma DHEA-S levels (men; 237+-3.35 ug/dL, women; 108+-17.5 ug/dL) were at third decade in both men and women. 4) Both men and women showed the continuous decline in plasma DHEA-S level with age. These age-related decline was more prominent in men than in women (men; y=-3.152 * +292.6, r2= 0.8459, P<0.05, women; y= -1.417 * +143.3, r2 = 0.7278, P< 0.05). 5) As an index of aging, there was no stastical difference between DHEA-S and DHEA-S/cortisol ratio. CONCLUSION: In healthy Korean, there were high interindividual variation of plasrna DHEA-S levels. In both men and women plasma DHEA-S level was peak at third decade, and from when it declined progressively with age. These results suggest that although the reliability of single plasma DHEA-S measurement are limited, the decline of DHEA-S with advancing age might be a specific marker of endocrinologic hormonal milieu (aging index). Also, concerning to individual adrenal secreting capacity, we measured DHEA-S/cortisol ratio. But we did not found that plasma DHEA-S/cortisol ratio is superior to the plasma DHEA-S level as an aging index.
Adrenal Cortex ; Aging ; Alanine Transaminase ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Bilirubin ; Creatinine ; Female ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone* ; Hyperlipidemias ; Male ; Plasma* ; Sex Characteristics ; Tobacco Products

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Radiation therapy is one of the promising new treatment for restenosis, which is a major problem for the long-term success after angioplasty. We compared radiation therapy only and combined therapy of paclitaxel and radiation on neointimal hyperplasia after injury of rat carotid artery to see whether we can reduce the effective dosage of radiation and thus diminish untoward consequence of radiation if paclitaxel could function as a cell-cycle selective radiosensitizer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A standardized carotid balloon catheter arterial injury was produced in 65 rats. First group was composed of a single dose of paclitaxel 1 mg/kg body weight, 2 mg/kg or 4 mg/kg, which was administrated intraperitoneally at 2 hours after injury. Second group received external radiation at doses of 2.5 or 5 Gy at 24 hours after injury. Third group was treated with combined paclitaxel-radiation: paclitaxel was injected at 2 hours after injury and then external radiation was delivered 24 hours later. At 21 days after injury, the cross-sectional area of neointima and the ratio of intima/medial area were determined from axial sections using image analysis. RESULTS: Single dose of paclitaxel had no effect in reducing smooth muscle cell proliferation. Minimum effective single dose to inhibit neointimal hyperplasia was 5 Gy. Combined paclitaxel-radiation group except subgroup with paclitaxel 1 mg/kg and 2.5 Gy radiation showed significant reduction of neointimal area compared to group with 2.5 Gy radiation. CONCLUSION: Low-dose external radiation combined with paclitaxel can more effectively inhibit smooth muscle cell pro-liferation and neointimal hyperplasia than radiation only in the rat carotid injury model.
Angioplasty ; Animals ; Body Weight ; Carotid Arteries ; Catheters ; Hyperplasia* ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Neointima ; Paclitaxel* ; Radiation Dosage ; Rats*