Although this vascular anomaly, angiomatosis retinae, was initially observed over 85 years ago, and although excellent clinical description of the lesion exist in the literature, treatments for the angiomatosis retinae is difficult and unless the condition is in its early stages, impossible but available symptomatic therapy. Two cases of the angiomatosis retinae, the first, 11 year old girl, von Hippel disease, early stage of vascular dilatation and angiomatous formation, and the second, 15 year old boy, von Hippel-Lindau disease, the final stage of glaucoma and destruction of the eye, are reported. Intravenous fluorescein angiography has been demonstrated, the retinal vascular malformations in von Hippel-Lindau disease are distributed focally and not diffusely, The retinal veins showing greater changes than the arteries are disclosed. This paper presents the fluorscein angiographic findings of von Hippel-Lindau disease and discusses the treatments and the pathologic findings of angiomatosis retinae with literatures related to von Hippel-Lindau disease.
Adolescent ; Arteries ; Child ; Dilatation ; Female ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Glaucoma ; Humans ; Male ; Retinal Vein ; Retinaldehyde ; Vascular Malformations ; von Hippel-Lindau Disease*

The auther has presented recently treated 2 cases of squamous cell cancer, which are found in the lower lid in 25 years old male, and a tumd arising from the lacrimal sac in 47 years old female. It was reviewed clinically with the literature.
Adult ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms, Squamous Cell

Authors experienced a case of acute optic neuritis, 12 years old female patient, following scarlet fever which is rare among bacterial origin in ophthalmological aspects. On the first day of admission, the visual acuities of 0.04(N.C.) in right eye and 0.2 (N.C.) in left eye, blurring of disc margins (OU), central scotoma (OD), and high antistreptolysin O titer (A.S.T.O.) were noted. After bed rest and medical treatment with corticosteroid, penicillin, and vitamin B12 for two and a half months, the visual acuities and antistreptolysin O titer were recovered completely.
Antistreptolysin ; Bed Rest ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Optic Neuritis* ; Penicillins ; Scarlet Fever* ; Scotoma ; Visual Acuity ; Vitamin B 12

Authors experienced a case of acute optic neuritis, 12 years old female patient, following scarlet fever which is rare among bacterial origin in ophthalmological aspects. On the first day of admission, the visual acuities of 0.04(N.C.) in right eye and 0.2 (N.C.) in left eye, blurring of disc margins (OU), central scotoma (OD), and high antistreptolysin O titer (A.S.T.O.) were noted. After bed rest and medical treatment with corticosteroid, penicillin, and vitamin B12 for two and a half months, the visual acuities and antistreptolysin O titer were recovered completely.
Antistreptolysin ; Bed Rest ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Optic Neuritis* ; Penicillins ; Scarlet Fever* ; Scotoma ; Visual Acuity ; Vitamin B 12

BACKGROUND: Most current reseatch using prognostic scoring systems in critically ill patients have focused o prediction using the first intensive care unit(ICU) day data or daily updated data. Usually the mean ICU length of stay in Korea is longer than in the western world. Consequently, a more cost-effective and practical prognostic parameter is required. The principal aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of the seventh day(7th day : the average mean ICU length of stay) APACHE III score in a medical intensive care unit. METHODS: 241 medical ICU patients from July 1997 to April 1998 were enrolled. The 1st and 7th scores were measured by using the APACHE III scoring system and compared between survivors and non-survivors. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the relationship between the 1st and 7th APACHE III scores and the mortality risk. RESULTS: 1) The mean length of stay in the ICU was 10.3±13.8 days. 2) The mean 1st and 7th day APACHE III scores were 59.7±30.9 and 37.9±27.7. 3) The mean 1st day APACHE III scores was significantly lower in survivors than in non- survivors(49.9±23.8 vs 86.3±32.3 P<0.0001). 4) The mean 7th day APACHE III scores was significantly lower in survivors than in non- survivors(30.1±18.5 vs 80.1±30.4, P<0.0001). 5) The odds ratios among the 1st and 7th day APACHE III scores and the mortality rate were 1.0507 and 1.0779 respectively. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the seventh day APACHE III scores is as useful in predicting the outcome as is such like the first day APACHE III score. Therefore, in comparison to the daily APACHE III score, measuring the 1st and 7th day APACHE III scores are also useful for predicting the prognosis of critically ill patients in terms of cost-effectiveness. It is suggested that the 7th day APACHE III score is useful for predicting the clinical outcome.
APACHE* ; Critical Illness ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units* ; Critical Care* ; Korea ; Length of Stay ; Logistic Models ; Mortality ; Odds Ratio ; Prognosis ; Survivors ; Western World

BACKGROUND: Rhinovirus is an important precipitating factor in acute exacerbation of asthma and COPD. Rhinovirus has short incubation period, causing transient inflammatory process and then has spontaneous resolution. We hypothesized that alterations in anti-inflammatory cytokines are present at sites of rhinoviral infection and these alterations contribute to the transient nature of rhinovirus-induced inflammation and symptomatology. To test this hypothesis, we characterized time-sequenced alterations in anti-inflammatory cytokines elaboration from human bronchial epithelial cells (HBEC). METHODS: We compared the ability of rhinovirus-infected HBEC to produce anti-inflammatory cytokines with controls. We infected HBEC, BEAS-2B with rhinovirus 14 obtained from American Type Culture Collection. We harvested the supernatants from rhinovirus infected BEAS-2B cells and the controls at 2hr, 4hr, 8hr, 12hr, 24hr, 48hr from inoculation time. We measured the concentration of interleukin(IL)-1 Ra(receptor antagonist), IL-1 sRII(soluble receptor type II), IL-4, transforming growth factor(TGF)-beta by ELISA kits. RESULTS: Rhinovirus-infected BEAS-2B cells increased the production of IL-1 Ra, IL-1 sRII from 24hr and produced outstandingly compared with the controls at 48hrs. However, the production of IL-4 and TGF-beta was so minimal that there was no significant difference between the rhinovirus-infected BEAS-2B cells and the controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that rhinovirus elaborates the IL-1 Ra and IL-1 sRII but not TGF-beta, IL-4. At the beginning of rhinoviral infection, the elaboration of IL-1 Ra, IL-1 sRII was so minimal but notably increased at 48hrs. with slower kinetics. These results suggest the possibility of rhinovirus- induced IL-1 Ra, IL-1 sRII to contribute to the spontaneous resolution.
Asthma ; Cytokines* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epithelial Cells* ; Humans* ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-1 ; Interleukin-4 ; Kinetics ; Precipitating Factors ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Rhinovirus* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta

BACKGROUND: Rhinovirus (RV) or smoking are one of the most important precipitating factors in acute exacerbation of COPD and bronchial asthma. We hypothesized that alterations in interleukin (IL)-8 elaboration are present at sites of RV infection and cigarette smoke stimulation and also there is an additive effect if both agents are present in bronchial epithelial cells. To test this hypothesis, we characterized time-sequenced alterations in IL-8 elaboration from human bronchial epithelial cells in vitro under the stimuli of RV and cigarette smoke extract (CSE). METHODS: We compared the ability of RV-infected and/or CSE-stimulated bronchial epithelial cells, BEAS-2B (from American Type Culture Collection) cells to produce the IL-8 with controls. We stimulated BEAS-2B cells with RV 14 and/or CSE. We harvest the supernatants from RV and/or CSE- stimulated BEAS-2B cells and the controls at 2 hr, 4 hr, 6 hr, 12 hr, 24 hr, 48 hr from inoculation time. We measured the concentration of IL-8 by ELISA kits from supernatants and analysed IL-8 mRNA transcript semiquantitatively by RT-PCR. RESULTS: RV-infected and/or CSE-stimulated BEAS-2B cells increased the production of IL-8 from 24hr and produced outstandingly compared with the controls at 48 hr and there were an additive effects when both agents were present, especially in the combinations of RV and CSE stimuli. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that RV infection and components of cigarette smoke elicit inflammatory responses in bronchial epithelial cells and RV and CSE could be more harmful to respiratory tract in combination.
Asthma ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epithelial Cells* ; Humans* ; Interleukin-8* ; Interleukins ; Precipitating Factors ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Respiratory System ; Rhinovirus* ; RNA, Messenger ; Smoke* ; Smoking ; Tobacco Products*

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma(HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer among men in the developed world affecting the tongue, pharynx, larynx and oral cavity. HNSCC is thought to represent a multistep process whereby carcinogen exposure leads to genetic instability in the tissue and accumulation of specific genetic events, which result in dysregulation of proliferation, differentiation, and cell loss and the acquisition of invasive capacity. Despite therapeutic and diagnostic progress in oncology during the past decades, the prognosis of HNSCC remains poor. Thus it seems that finding a biological tumor markers which will increase the early diagnosis and treatment monitoring rates, is of paramount importance in respect to improving prognosis. In an effort to identify gene expression signatures that may serve as biomarkers, this study several genes were selected, such as H3,3A, S100A7, UCHL1, GSTP1, PAI-2, PLK, TGFbeta1 and bFGF, and used 7 HNSCC cell lines that were established various anatomical sites, and also 17 other cancer cell lines were used for control group using real-time quantitative RT-PCR and immunocytochemical analysis with a monoclonal antibody. In this study, S100A7 showed a clearly restricted occurrence in tongue originated cell line, and GSTP1 expression level in the pharynx originated cell line was very increased, relative to corresponding other cell lines. These results suggest that S100A7 and GSTP1 genes' expression can occur during tongue and pharynx originated head and neck tumorigenesis and that genetic change is an important driving force in the carcinogenesis process. This data indicate that S100A7 and GSTP1 expression pattern in HNSCC reflect both diagnostic clue and biological marker. And this is provides a foundation for the development of site-specific diagnostic strategies and treatments for HNSCC.
Biomarkers, Tumor ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Cell Line* ; Early Diagnosis ; Head* ; Humans ; Larynx ; Male ; Mouth ; Neck* ; Pharynx ; Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 2 ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Prognosis ; Tongue ; Transcriptome

BACKGROUND: The surfactant protein A(SP-A) is important in the regulation of surfactant secretion, synthesis and recycling. Since the acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS) is usually viewed as the functional and morphological expression of a similar underlying lung injury caused by a variety of insults and since abnormalities in surfactant function have been described in ARDS, the authors investigated the different effects of endotoxin and thiourea on the accumulation of mRNA encoding SP-A. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were given 5 mg/kg intraperitoneal endotoxin from Salmonella enteritidis and 3.5 mg/kg intraperitoneal thiourea and sacrified at different time periods. RESULTS: 1) SP-A mRNA was significantly increased 67.0% in 6 hours and 73.4% in 24 hours after 5 mg/kg endotoxin treatment respectively(P<0.005, P<0.005). 2)SP-A mRNA was significantly decreased 32.9% in 24 hours after 3.5 mg/kg thiourea treatment(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the differential regulation of surfactant protein A in vivo is evident and suggest that surfactant protein A might be differentially regulated during different kind of insults of lung injury at different time periods without altering lung wet to dry ratios.
Animals ; Gene Expression* ; Lung Injury ; Lung* ; Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Recycling ; RNA, Messenger* ; Salmonella enteritidis ; Thiourea*

BACKGROUND: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is more frequent in the elderly and results in higher morbidity and mortality. Korea is undergoing extraordinary demographic change. Elderly patients constitute an even-increasing proportion of the population but there have been few studies on the epidemiological investigation of the CAP in the elderly. The purpose of this study was to characterize the background, etiology, clinical course and outcome of CAP in elderly compared with younger patients. METHODS: During the study period (from 1st January to 31th December 1997), 214 patients with CAP were reviewed with regard to epidemiological, clinical, laboratory and microbiological data. 119 elderly patients (> or =65 years-old of age) were compared with 95 younger patients (<65 years-old of age). The both groups were compared with each others in terms of variables related to CAP. RESULTS: Comparison of epidemiological data between older and younger patients revealed a high prevalence of alcoholics (40% vs 56%), current smoker (33% vs 56%), malignancy (8% vs 24%) in the elderly. In terms of complication and clinical manifestation, shock (1% vs 6%), intubation (6% vs 20%), mechanical ventilation apply (5% vs 18%), respiratory failure (2% vs 12%), dyspnea (26% vs 56%), altered consciousness (0% vs 13%), extrapulmonary symptom (11% vs 18%) and bilateral infiltration (8% vs 20%) showed higher incidence in the elderly than in the younger patients. Causative organisms are identified in 47% (56/119) of elderly patients: those identified most frequently were S. pneumoniae (25%), K. pneumoniae (20%), S. aureus (16%), other Gram-negative bacilli (13%) and H. influenzae (11%). The overall mortality were significantly higher in the elderly patients (24%) than younger patients (5%). Two independent risk factors, those were related to the mortality of the elderly:higher APACHE II score (RR:3.43, 95% CI=1.43~7.21) and requirement of endotracheal tube (RR:4.73; 95% CI=1.72~16.5). CONCLUSION: CAP in the elderly shows more serious clinical and abnormal laboratory features than younger patients. In elderly, S. pneumoniae was the most common causative organism for CAP but other agents, particularly K. pneumoniae was isolated frequently. The severity of illness at initial presentation such as high APACHE II score and requirement of endotracheal tube were the major variables affecting the outcome.
Aged* ; Alcoholics ; APACHE ; Consciousness ; Dyspnea ; Humans ; Incidence ; Influenza, Human ; Intubation ; Korea ; Mortality ; Pneumonia* ; Prevalence ; Respiration, Artificial ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Risk Factors ; Shock