Purpose: We investigated the efficacy and safety of a fixed combination of bimatoprost (0.03% w/v) and timolol (0.5% w/v) (Ganfort® , Allergan Inc., Irvine, CA, USA; fixed combination of bimatoprost-timolol, BTFC) for open-angle glaucoma patients. Methods: We included 25 right eyes with open-angle glaucoma treated with eye drops. The drops were changed to the BTFC without a wash-out period. The therapeutic and adverse effects were evaluated by comparing the intraocular pressure (IOP) before the change to that at 1, 4, 7, and 10 months thereafter. Results: The mean IOP before the instillation of eyedrop and the mean reduction of IOP at each time was 18.66 ± 8.22 mmHg (n = 21) and 2.47 ± 3.19 mmHg (13.24%) at 1 month, 19.05 ± 8.54 mmHg (n = 18) and 3.68 ± 5.55 mmHg (19.32%) at 4 months, 16.68 ± 2.52 mmHg (n = 16) and 2.13 ± 2.87 mmHg (12.77%) at 7 months, and 20.07 ± 9.91 mmHg (n = 14) and 2.79 ± 4.48 mmHg (13.90%) at 10 months (p < 0.05). Side effects included soreness (two eyes, 7.7%), red eye and allergic symptoms (three patients, 11.5%), and discomfort (three patients, 11.5%); there were no severe adverse events such as permanent vision loss or systemic side effects. Conclusions BTFC reduced the IOP of open-angle glaucoma patients without causing permanent vision loss or any other serious side effects.

One hundred and thirty-eight strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from the 7th nationwide tuberculosis prevalence survey in 1995 were subjected to the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis using IS6110 probe to define the representative fingerprinting patterns of Korean strains of M. tuberculosis and to evaluate the usefulness of DNA fingerprinting in tracing the transmission link of M. tuberculosis. Among 138 strains, 129 different IS6l10 RFLP types were identified. The number of bands in IS6110 RFLP types diversed from 1 to 20, and the majority (75%) was 9 to 14 bands. The RFLP patterns of 8 out of 15 strains isolated from the follow-up survey of one and half year later after the 7th national TB prevalence survey were unchanged when compared with previous RFLP patterns. Fifteen (11%) out of 138 strains were grouped in 6 IS6110 clusters; 2 with 10 copies, 2 with 12 copies, 1 with 14 copies, and 1 with 17 copies. These clusters were unable to be subclassified by IS1081 or (GTG) probes except one cluster by pTBN12 probe. The transmission links of 2 clusters were deducible; one from household and another from neighborhood, but those of remaining clusters were unclear because they had no contact one another. The results suggest that vigorous transmissions in tuberculosis are still progressing in Korea.
Dermatoglyphics ; DNA Fingerprinting* ; DNA* ; Family Characteristics ; Follow-Up Studies ; Korea ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Prevalence* ; Residence Characteristics ; Tuberculosis*

BACKGROUND: Oral allergy syndrome(OAS) is composed of it,ching sense and edema in oral cavity, lips, throat, pharynx, and larynx following eating some fresh fruits or vegetables. It has been known that most of patients with OAS are allergic to pollens. Common epitopes were found among pollens, fruits and vegetables. Although OAS is a common farm of food allergy in adults, this is the first epidemiologic study of OAS in Korea. MATERIAL AND METHOD: One hundred and fifty one patients who showed positive skin reaction to pollens were telephone-interviewed. Investigation of the prevalence and clinical manifestations of OAS was possible in 81 patients. RESULT: The prevalence of OAS among these patients was 34.6% (28/81). OAS was found in 24(48%) out of 50 patients sensitized to tree pollens, whereas 4(13%) of 31 grass or weed pollen-sensitized paients had OAS. Most common causative food was apple and all of 17 apple- OAS patients were sensitized to tree pollens. Peach was the second common food and 14 of 15 peach-OAS patients were sensitized to tree pollens. Besides oral symptoms, rhinitis, asthma, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting or generalized urticaria were accompanied in half of the OAS patients (14/28). Some patients showed OAS to some unique Korean foods such as dropwort, taro and Aster. CONCLUSION: OAS was very common in pollen-sensitized patients. Larger epidemiologic studies are needed to find unique Korean foods and their antigensm causing OAS.
Adult ; Asthma ; Colocasia ; Diarrhea ; Eating ; Edema ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Epitopes ; Filipendula ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Fruit ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity* ; Korea ; Larynx ; Lip ; Mouth ; Nausea ; Pharynx ; Poaceae ; Pollen* ; Prevalence ; Prunus persica ; Rhinitis ; Skin ; Urticaria ; Vegetables ; Vomiting

PURPOSE:We investigated the production of oxygen hydroxyl radicals in the striatum of neonatal rat brain after intrastriatal injection of dopamine (DA) and the effect of growth hormone (GH) on the apoptosis of striatal neurons injured by hypoxia-ischemia. METHODS:The extracellular striatal levels of 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHBA) and 2,5-DHBA as indicators of hydroxyl radical(OH-) production were measured by in vivo microdialysis in the striatums of 7 day-old newborn rats (n=10) after direct intrastriatal infusion of dopamine hydrochloride (1.0 micromol/microL). The samples of perfused artificial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were collected every 10 minutes interval. The levels of DA, 2,3-DHBA and 2,5-DHBA of CSF were analysed by HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography). Also, the brains were removed at 24 hour after hypoxic-ischemic injury by Rice-Vannucci method. The coronal sections (12 micrometer) of paraffin-fixed brains were stained by TUNEL (terminal transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end-labelling) technique, and the neuronal cells undergoing apoptosis in the striatum were observed by fluorescent microscopy and compared between GH-treated (50 mg/kg, Dong-Ah Pharmacy Co.) and saline-treated rats. RESULTS:The extracellualr striatal levels of 2,3-DHBA and 2,5-DHBA increased abruptly in the first 10 minutes samples after intrastriatal injection of DA. After then, the levels declined slowely. The levels of striatal extracelluar 2.3-DHBA increased up to 621.8+/-508.7% of basal levels (P<0.05), and the levels of 2.5-DHBA increased up to 262.8+/-198.1% of basal levels (P<0.05). GH reduced markedly the number of apoptotic neuronal cells in the striatum after hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. CONCLUSION: The level of hydroxyl radicals increased abruptly after intrastriatal injection of DA and GH reduced markedly the number of apoptotic neuronal cells in the striatum after hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.
Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Brain Injuries ; Brain* ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Dopamine* ; Growth Hormone* ; Humans ; Hydroxyl Radical* ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Infant, Newborn* ; Microdialysis ; Microscopy ; Neurons* ; Oxygen ; Pharmacy ; Rats*

The incidence of traumatic rupture of the tracheobronchial tree has been increased considerably with advent of widespread mechanization and high speed era. Rupture of the bronchus is an unusual result of nonpenetrating trauma to chest. Early diagnosis and primary repair not only restore normal lung function but also avoid difficulties and complications associated with delayed diagnosis and repair. These complications are pneumonia, atelectasis and lung abscess secondary to the bronchial obtruction. We experienced a case of partial rupture on left main bronchus caused by nonpenetrating blunt chest trauma with rib fractures 1 year ago. He was suffered from progressively developing dyspnea on exercise and treated as bronchial asthma at other hospital. Bronchoscopic finding was the narrowed lumen of left main bronchus at 1cm from carina by web-like membrane. We confirmed by bronchogram and repaired by end to end anastomosis, which is rare delayed finding in bronchial rupture without pulmonary complications. We report a case of nonpenetrating traumatic bronchial rupture, manifested by bronchial web in bronchoscopy.
Asthma ; Bronchi ; Bronchoscopy* ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Early Diagnosis ; Incidence ; Lung ; Lung Abscess ; Membranes ; Pneumonia ; Pulmonary Atelectasis ; Rib Fractures ; Rupture* ; Thorax* ; Trees

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To describe the toxicity profile of anti-neoplastic agents from real clinical settings, we analyzed spontaneously reported adverse events (AEs) using data from the adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting system of the Korean Food and Drug Administration (KFDA). METHODS: Data were extracted from the nationwide spontaneous ADR reporting system of KFDA from July 2009 to December 2010. We extracted and analyzed data related to chemotherapy and identified unlabeled ADR that were not described in the package insert of the products. RESULTS: In total, 5,867 cases of antineoplastic agent-related AE reports were identified after excluding cases for duplication and cases assessed as 'unlikely' and 'unclassifiable', based on expert opinion. Of the patients with AEs, 52.4% were males and the median age was 56 years. In total, 460 AEs (7.8%) from 267 patients were reported as 'serious' AEs. The most common causative anti-cancer drug class was pyrimidine analogs (31.5%), followed by platinum compounds (19.9%), protein kinase inhibitors (10.8%), and taxanes (8.8%). The most common clinical manifestation of AEs was gastrointestinal toxicities (25.5%), followed by skin disorders (25.3%), and generalized reactions (14.3%). In total, 168 cases (2.9%) of unlabeled AEs were identified. Among these, 10 were reported as serious AEs. CONCLUSIONS: The most common causative class of antineoplastic agents was that of pyrimidine analogs. Gastrointestinal and dermatological toxicities were the most common clinical chemotherapy-related adverse events. Further investigation and monitoring to evaluate causality associated with unlabeled AEs identified in this analysis are needed.
Antineoplastic Agents ; Drug Toxicity ; Expert Testimony ; Humans ; Male ; Pharmacovigilance ; Platinum Compounds ; Product Labeling ; Protein Kinase Inhibitors ; Pyrimidines ; Skin ; Statistics as Topic ; Taxoids ; United States Food and Drug Administration

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To describe the toxicity profile of anti-neoplastic agents from real clinical settings, we analyzed spontaneously reported adverse events (AEs) using data from the adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting system of the Korean Food and Drug Administration (KFDA). METHODS: Data were extracted from the nationwide spontaneous ADR reporting system of KFDA from July 2009 to December 2010. We extracted and analyzed data related to chemotherapy and identified unlabeled ADR that were not described in the package insert of the products. RESULTS: In total, 5,867 cases of antineoplastic agent-related AE reports were identified after excluding cases for duplication and cases assessed as 'unlikely' and 'unclassifiable', based on expert opinion. Of the patients with AEs, 52.4% were males and the median age was 56 years. In total, 460 AEs (7.8%) from 267 patients were reported as 'serious' AEs. The most common causative anti-cancer drug class was pyrimidine analogs (31.5%), followed by platinum compounds (19.9%), protein kinase inhibitors (10.8%), and taxanes (8.8%). The most common clinical manifestation of AEs was gastrointestinal toxicities (25.5%), followed by skin disorders (25.3%), and generalized reactions (14.3%). In total, 168 cases (2.9%) of unlabeled AEs were identified. Among these, 10 were reported as serious AEs. CONCLUSIONS: The most common causative class of antineoplastic agents was that of pyrimidine analogs. Gastrointestinal and dermatological toxicities were the most common clinical chemotherapy-related adverse events. Further investigation and monitoring to evaluate causality associated with unlabeled AEs identified in this analysis are needed.
Antineoplastic Agents ; Drug Toxicity ; Expert Testimony ; Humans ; Male ; Pharmacovigilance ; Platinum Compounds ; Product Labeling ; Protein Kinase Inhibitors ; Pyrimidines ; Skin ; Statistics as Topic ; Taxoids ; United States Food and Drug Administration

We report a patient suffering from Marie Unna's hypotrichosis. A 24-year-old man presented with a progressive hair loss. Since puberty, he had experienced a loss of hair on the scalp, eyebrow and eyelash, and the hair was coarse and twisted. On physical examination and laboratory studies, there were no associated abnormalities in the patient. The scanning electron microscopic examination of the affected hair demonstrated cuticular peeling, and twisting or angulation of hair shaft, which showed the typical clinical manifestations of Marie Unna's hypotrichosis.
Adolescent ; Eyebrows ; Hair ; Humans ; Hypotrichosis* ; Physical Examination ; Puberty ; Scalp ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Long-term maintenance of smoking cessation is important to reduce smoking related diseases. There are few studies that evaluated long-term maintenance and related factors. For effective cessation treatment, we analyzed the relapse pattern after cessation and related factors. METHODS: We selected people who visited a health care center more than two times between January 1995 and December 2006 and who have succeeded in cessation after the first visit. Telephone survey was done and their medical records was analyzed. A total of 308 people whose medical records corresponded to the results of the telephone survey were finally included and analyzed. RESULTS: The mean follow-up duration was 112 months and the mean age of the first visit was 47.9 years. The median maximum duration of abstinence was 5.50 years, and the annual hazard ratio of relapse was about 2.5-4.2% from two to seven years of duration of abstinence. Mean age of smoking onset was 22.9 years, the mean smoking duration was 24.5 years, and the mean smoking amount per a day was 20.0 cigarettes. In single-variate analysis, the total number of cessation success, the age of smoking onset, the mean smoking duration, the mean smoking amount per day, the cessation method, the reason for trying cessation were related with the long-term cessation maintenance. In multivariate analysis, the total number of success for cesstion, the reason for trying cessation, the cessation method, the mean number of cigarettes per day were related. CONCLUSION: The experience of relapse, the motive of cessation and self-willingness were shown to be important for long-term maintenance of smoking cessation.
Delivery of Health Care ; Follow-Up Studies ; Medical Records ; Multivariate Analysis ; Recurrence ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Smoking Cessation ; Telephone ; Tobacco Products

BACKGROUND: Chronic cough is a common clinical problem to which various etiologies are attributable; postnasal drip, asthma, gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and chronic bronchitis, However, in some cases, no particular etiology can be confirmed. OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to evaluate cough sensitivity and the clinical manifestations of patients with idiopathic chronic cough. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We recruited 70 non-smoking patients who had been coughing for more than 3 weeks without any history, symptoms or signs of rhinitis, sinusitis, typical asthma, GER or recent upper respiratory infection episodes. Nineteen healthy controls were also enrolled. Bronchial provocation tests with methacholine, capsaicin and distilled water (DW) were performed. RESULTS: Thirteen patients were positive to rnethacholine test (PC20 < 25mg/ml) and defined as cough variant asthma. The others are classified into idiopathic chronic cough. By capsaicin and DW challenge tests, idiopathic cough patients could be divided into two groups, i.e., increased cough sensitivity (ICS) and normal cough sensitivity (NCS) groups. DW- induced cough counts were negatively correlated with C7 (lowest capsaicin concentration inducing continuous 7 or more coughs) (r=-0.739, p<0.001). No difference was found in clinical features such as age, sex, atopy, or peripheral eosinophil counts between these two groups but cough counts per cough burst were significantly higher in the ICS group. CONCLUSION: The heterogeneity in cough sensitivity of idiopathic chronic cough patients may refiect different pathophysiologic mechanisms. It is unclear whether patients with NCS merely have habitual or psychogenic cough or not. These suggest that different therapentic strategies should be established on idiopathic chronic cough patients according to cough sensitivity.
Asthma ; Bronchial Provocation Tests ; Bronchitis, Chronic ; Capsaicin ; Cough* ; Eosinophils ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Humans ; Methacholine Chloride ; Population Characteristics ; Rhinitis ; Sinusitis ; Water