No abstract available.
Diabetic Retinopathy*

No abstract available.
Diphyllobothrium*

No abstract available.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) infection is known to be strongly associated with varied dermatoses such as rosacea, vasculitic purpura, and Sweet's syndrome. Also, many antibiotics including amoxicillin, clarithromycin, and tetracycline have been used to ameliorate chronic urticaria. This recent knowledge posed the plausibility that H. pylori infection might be an underlying causative factor of chronic urticaria. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to investigate the role of H. pylori infection in patients with chronic urticaria. METHODS: Sixty-five subjects with chronic urticaria were examined for H. pylori infection with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for IgG/M against H. pylori and rapid urease test(CLO test) for endoscopically biopsied gastric mucosa. Amoxicillin or clarithromycin combined with omeprazole as a therapy was administrated to the 44 patients with positive test results for 4 weeks. RESULTS: H. pylori infection was more frequently diagnosed in 44 of 65(67.7%) patients with chronic urticaria than in the control subjects(8.8%). After the completion of treatment for 4 weeks, specific IgG antibodies and a CLO test against H. pylori were negative in 28 of 38(73.7%) and 43 of 44(97.7%) patients respectively. At the post-treatment evaluation, 37 of 44(84.1%) patients with H. pylori-positive urticaria showed significant clinical remission of urticaria. CONCLUSION: Eradication of H. pylori in patients with chronic urticaria was accompanied by clinical remission of urtication. There is substantial evidence that unexplained causes of chronic urticaria may be associated with H. pylori infection.
Amoxicillin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Antibodies ; Clarithromycin ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Gastric Mucosa ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Korea* ; Omeprazole ; Prevalence* ; Prospective Studies* ; Purpura ; Rosacea ; Skin Diseases ; Sweet Syndrome ; Tetracycline ; Urease ; Urticaria*

BACKGROUND: Since 1983, vaccination for Hepatitis B virus(HBV) has been recommended for all neonates in Korea. Therefore, significant change of HBsAg positive rate is expected. The objective of this study is to investigate HBsAg positive rate of grade, junior high, and high schoolers in Kangwon Province. METHODS: From 1997 to 1999, total 120,220 subjects, who were born in 1981 to 1992, were enrolled in this study. HBsAg and anti-HBs were tested by reversed passive hemagglutination and passive hemagglutination, respectively. If their results had been vague, we perfomed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for confirmation. RESULTS: HBsAg positive rate of entire study group was 2.5%(3,045 out of 120,220). Those of schoolboys and schoolgirls were 2.6%(1,567 out of 60,076), 2.5%(1,478 out of 60,144), respectively. Significant statistical difference was not observed in comparison of HBsAg positive rate according to sex(p=0.09). HBsAg positive rate of grade schoolers was 1.4%(676 out of 48,871), which was significantly lower than that of junior high(3.2%, 557 out of 17,577) and high-schoolers(3.4%, 1,812 out of 53,772)(p< 0.01). From 1997 to 1999, HBsAg positive rate has significantly decreased from 2.8%(1,434 out of 50,434) to 1.9%(407 out of 20,991)(p< 0.01). HBeAg positive rate of HBsAg positive subjects was 62.9%(1,000 out of 1,590). CONCLUSION: HBsAg positive rate of grade-schoolers in Kangwon province Korea, tended to be lower than that of junior high, or high-schoolers, and is also thought to be lower than that of the past, which was caused by nationwide vaccination programme.
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Gangwon-do* ; Hemagglutination ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea ; Vaccination

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell*

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation is the commonest arrhythmia seen in clinical practice. However, there have been no epidemiologic data on its prevalence in general population of Korea. We performed this study to investigate the prevalence of atrial fibrillation in Korea. METHODS: From March 1, 1999 to July 31, 2000, Kangwon Branch, Korea Association of Health (KAH) parformed electrocardiograms to investigate the health status in the general public in Kangwon Province. We analyzed these data by of chi square(2) test. RESULTS: A total of 45,133 persons participated in the health screening performed by KAH. The number of persons above 40 years old were 13,768, with men and women 6,367 (46.2%) and 7,401 (53.8%)respectively. Prevalence among those above 40 years old was 0.72% and the prevalence among men, 0.96% (61 persons) was significantly higher than that of women, 0.51% (38 persons)(p<0.01). In the group above 60 years old with the prevalence of 1.24%, a similar phenomenon was observed with 1.57% (40 persons) in men and 0.97% (29 persons) in women (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Prevalence of atrial fibrillation became higher as age increased, specifically in persons older than 40 years.
Adult ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Atrial Fibrillation* ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Gangwon-do* ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence*

PURPOSE: Maspin is known as a tumor suppressor gene, but its significance has been questioned in various human cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression pattern of Maspin in human gastric adenocarcinomas and its possible correlation with clinicopathological findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expression of Maspin mRNA was measured by nested RT-PCR using 60 frozen adenocarcinomas of the stomach and 31 noncancerous tissues from the proximal resection margin. Immunohistochemical study for Maspin protein expression was carried out using 62 paraffin-embedded tissues, composed of both cancer and noncancerous tissues. RESULTS: Maspin mRNA expression was detected in 80.0% (48 of 60) of the gastric adenocarcinomas, but in only 22.6% (7 of 31) of the normal gastric mucosa (p<0.001). The positive rate of Maspin protein expression was higher in the adenocarcinomas than the normal tissues (62.9% vs. 27.4%, p<0.05). In addition, the intestinal type of tumors showed significantly higher expression levels compared to the diffuse type of tumors (81.5% vs. 48.6%, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that Maspin is frequently expressed in human gastric cancers, and its expression might be associated with tumorigenesis of the intestinal type of gastric cancer.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Carcinogenesis ; Gastric Mucosa ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; RNA, Messenger ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms

Intussusception of the appendix is not only extremely rare but also presents with symptoms similar to appendicitis. Therefore, preoperative diagnosis is unusual. On the other hand, appendiceal mucocele refers to obstructive dilatation of the appendiceal lumen caused by mucus. It has been reported in 0.2~0.3% of appendectomy specimens. A 22-year-old woman visited the Emergency Department because of right lower abdominal tenderness with hematochezia. Abdominal CT scan revealed a target sign in the right lower quadrant area that was suggestive of intussusception. The patient underwent emergency surgical reduction of the intussusception and appendectomy. The pathology showed an appendiceal mucocele.
Appendectomy ; Appendicitis ; Appendix ; Dilatation ; Emergencies ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Hand ; Humans ; Intussusception ; Mucocele ; Mucus ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVES: Peptic ulcer is the major condition that affect numerous individuals every year. In 1983, Warren and Marshall presented the evidence that H. pylori was associated with gastritis and peptic ulcer. Thereafter, K. pylori infection is thought to be a important factor in the pathogenesis of gastric and duodenal ulcer. In western studies, about 58% to 100% of patients with peptic ulcer disease were infected with H. pylori. But in Korea, there is no study about the prevalence of H. pylori infection in peptic ulcer disease despite of its high prevalence and importance. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of H. pylori infection in case of gastric and duodenal ulcer disease in Korea. METHODS: We surveyed the prevalence of H. pylori infection of 1031 patients, who were diagnosed as gastric or duodenal ulcer by gastrofiberoscopy. H. pylori infection was evaluated with Rapid Urease Test(CLO test) and/or histology by Wright-Giemsa staining. RESULTS: 1) Peptic ulcer was more frequently developed in males than females, as the frequency of peptic ulcer was 77% in males, and 23% in females. But in view of the prevalence of H. pylori infection, there was no significant difference between males and females, 73% in males and 71% in females. 2) Gastric ulcer was most common in sixth decade(29.8%), but the prevalence of H. pylori infection was peak in fourth(76%), and fifth decade (73%). 3) Duodenal ulcer was most common in fourth decade(26.3%), but the prevalence of H. pylori infection was peak in teenagers(93%) and third decade(87%). 4) The patients who had both gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer concurrently were most common in sixth decade(27.9%), but the prevalence of H, pylori infection was peak in third decade(100%). CONCLUSION: We concluded that the majority of peptic ulcer patients in Korea had H. pylori infection. Particularly, young aged patients had higher H. pylori infection rate than old aged.
Duodenal Ulcer* ; Female ; Gastritis ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Peptic Ulcer ; Prevalence* ; Prospective Studies* ; Stomach Ulcer* ; Urease