BACKGROUND: Blunted perception of dyspnea, which may be related to the increased mortality, has been demonstrated in patients with a history of near-fatal asthma and in the elderly. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the perception of dyspnea and the severity of asthma. METHOD: Baseline spirometry and Borg score change(A Borg score) during breathing through an inspiratory muscle trainer were measured in 27 consecutive asthma patients and 11 normal subjects. RESULTS: The baseline Borg score was negatively related to FEV1 A Borg score was significantly lower in asthmatics than in controls at high level of loads. A Borg score was lower in severe asthma than in mild asthma. A Borg score was positively related to the baseline FEV1. Seventy-five percent of severe asthma, 62.5% of moderate one, and 9.1% of mild one showed impaired dyspnea perception. Dyspnea perception was related to age(r, = -0.49, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Three quarters of patients with severe asthma showed impaired dyspnea perception to inspiratory resistive load. Dyspnea perception was related to asthma severity and age.
Aged ; Asthma ; Dyspnea* ; Humans ; Mortality ; Respiration ; Spirometry

Embolization of the closure device is a rare but potentially fatal complication of percutaneous atrial septal defect (ASD) closure. We report a case of 45-year-old woman who underwent ASD device closure with 32 mm Amplatzer device, which was embolized to the pulmonary artery without symptom one day after successful device implantation.
Female ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial ; Humans ; Pulmonary Artery ; Septal Occluder Device

An antrochoanal polyp is a solitary polypoid mass that arises from the maxillary sinus, and protrudes through the natural ostium into the middle meatus, and reaches the choana, The polyp does not differ histologically from an ordinary nasal polyp, which is composed of edematous, hyperplastic submucosal connective tissue stroma, and is relatively hypocellular, In this sequence of events. Its computed tomographic(CT)findings are characteristic. We retrospectively analyzed CT studies of nine cases, all of which showed similar CT findings; a solitary, homogeneous, hypodense mass without bony destruction that extends from the maxillary sinus through the widened ostium into the choana.
Connective Tissue ; Maxillary Sinus ; Nasal Polyps ; Polyps* ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: The authors conducted this study to investigate the safety and efficacy of decompressive surgery alone in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis in the elderly population. METHODS: All charts and records of 323 patients aged 65 years or older who underwent lumbar spinal decompressive surgery without fusion for lumbar spinal stenosis in the period from September 2003 to August 2007 were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 323 patients were identified. Mean age among patients were 72.6years. 197 patients(60.9%) underwent wide decompression, 95 patients(29.4%) had microscopic partial decompression, and 31 patients(9.5%) underwent bilateral decompression via unilateral approach. Perioperative morbidity seen was among 16 patients(4.9%). There were 5 patients(1.5%) reoperated for hematoma formation. Another 5 patients(1.5%) developed wound infection. Cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) leakage were noted among 3 patients(0.9%). 2 patients(0.6%) had urinary difficulty, and Steven Johnson syndrome developed in one patient(0.3 %). Clinical outcome was evaluated using Macnab's classification. 40 patients(12.4%) had excellent results, 241 patients(74.8%) had good results, 34 patients(10.3%) had fair results and 8 patients(2.5%) had poor outcome. CONCLUSION: Decompressive laminectomy alone is a relatively safe and effective treatment option for the elderly.
Aged ; Decompression ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Laminectomy ; Spinal Stenosis ; Wound Infection

The nested variant of transitional cell carcinoma(TCC) is rarely found in the bladder. Only about 80 such cases have been reported in the literature. Irregular nests and tubules of TCC infiltrating the lamina propria, with no involvement of the mucosal layer, characterize this disease. These characteristics make it difficult to diagnose the nested variant of transitional cell carcinoma. In this study we reported on a new case and review the relevant literature. This case was accompanied with hydronephrosis. We report on this case with its accompanying hydronephrosis because of its rarity and unusual histology, and also its prognostic significance emphasizes the need to distinguish it from classic TCC.
Carcinoma, Transitional Cell* ; Hydronephrosis* ; Mucous Membrane ; Urinary Bladder

No abstract available.
Arteries ; Cardiac Imaging Techniques ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Transposition of Great Vessels

PURPOSE: Alarm interventions are effective and safe treatments for nocturnal enuresis when compared with the other treatments. However, the rate of doctors prescribing enuresis alarms is quite low in Korea. This study evaluated the application conditions and treatment results of an enuresis alarm in children with enuresis in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 147 out of 316 patients who purchased an enuresis alarm through a alarm sales agency in Korea were evaluated retrospectively. The questionnaire had two main categories: items of enuresis(number of episodes during the night, enuresis frequency during a week, etc.) and the items of the enuresis alarm(previous treatment history, a motivation of using enuresis alarm treatment, the period of using the enuresis alarm, initial success, continued success, dropout of using enuresis alarm, nocturia after treatment, etc.). RESULTS: A total 147 children participated in this study. The initial success rate was 30.6% whereas the continued success rate was 34.0%. In addition, the dropout rate was 27.2%. 46.2% of patients purchased the enuresis alarm with a doctor's prescription and 53.8% purchased the alarm without a prescription. Among the factors, the success and dropout rate were affected by only whether the patient visited the hospital. Thirty five patients who took combination therapy with medicine had a significantly lower initial success rate. CONCLUSIONS: In Korea, without a doctor's prescription, 53.7% patients attempt to treat enuresis alarm directly. The initial and continued success rate with the enuresis alarm was approximately 30% and the dropout rate was approximately 30%.
Child ; Commerce ; Enuresis ; Humans ; Korea ; Motivation ; Nocturia ; Nocturnal Enuresis ; Patient Dropouts ; Prescriptions ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Mucocele*

No abstract available.
Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid* ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage* ; Humans ; Lung*

No abstract available.
Coronary Artery Bypass* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Echocardiography*