In order to evaluate the effects of a topical application of homologous fibronectin on the healing of skin wounds, we made 2 excisional wounds on the back skin of each rat, applied ointment with or without fibronectin purified from citrated homologous plasma, and evaluated the effect according to wound size and microscopic findings. Excised lesions treated with carrier alone, but the difference was significant only in the early phase of wound healing, 2 and 3 days, according to wound size and microscopic changes. A significant decrease in wound size could be found in both groups, treated with ointment containing and not containing fibronectin, between day 4 and 9 when wound contraction was a major contributor to wound closure. Therefore it can be concluded that topical application of fibronectin has a beneficial effect on wound healing during its early phase, but no significant influence on wound contraction.
Administration, Topical ; Animals ; Fibronectins/blood/*therapeutic use ; Ointment Bases ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred Strains ; Skin/pathology ; Wound Healing/*drug effects

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to examine the risk factors of cognitive impairment in elderly hip fracture patients with no underlying neurologic disease, and to determine its effect on functional recovery postoperatively. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From August 2012 to August 2013, 39 patients older than 65 years of age, who underwent hip fracture surgery and were followed-up for a minimum of 1 year at Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, were enrolled. All patients were assessed using Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE-K) after admission. All patients were divided into cognitive normal group (MMSE-K> or =24) and cognitive impairment group (MMSE-K<24). WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster University) score and Harris hip score were used for assessment of functional recovery at 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: Sixteen patients (41.0%) were classified as the cognitive impairment group. The number of underlying diseases was the only statistically different factor between the two groups. In the evaluation of functional outcome, the functional decline was less in the cognitive normal group. Risk factors for cognitive impairment in elderly hip fracture patients were old age, high body mass index, and the number of underlying diseases, particularly an endocrinologic disease like diabetes. CONCLUSION: Cognitive impairment in elderly patients may have a negative effect on functional recovery after hip fracture surgery. Therefore, we recommend routine evaluation of cognitive function in elderly hip fracture patients even with no underlying neurologic disease.
Aged ; Body Mass Index ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart ; Hip Fractures ; Hip* ; Humans ; Ontario ; Risk Factors*

We report a case of a solitary osteochondroma as a dumbbell tumor compressing the spinal cord and its surgical strategy. The patient is a 16-year-old female with longstanding posterior neck pain and left arm abduction weakness. She was examined by plain X-ray, three-dimensional-computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and vertebral angiography. The analyses indicated a calcified extradural mass compressing the cord in the C3–4 portion extending into the neural and vertebral foramen with eroded vertebral body. The tumor was successfully excised using a modified combined anterior and posterior approach. Histopathologic study of the resected material confirmed the diagnosis. The postoperative assessment was followed by clinical and radiologically therapy for 5 years after surgery. Osteochondroma arises from enchondral bone but it rarely involves the spine, especially not as s dumbbell type. In this patient, the tumor may have arisen from the neural arch and extended into the extradural and extraforaminal space over a long period. We successfully removed the dumbbell tumor with a combined anterior oblique and posterior approach. However, further observation is essential because of the possibility of recurrence and sarcomatous change.
Adolescent ; Angiography ; Arm ; Cervical Cord* ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neck Pain ; Osteochondroma* ; Recurrence ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Compression ; Spine

Multiple primary tumors at adjacent site are rare. We report a rare case of coincidentally found nasopharyngeal cancer and ventral foramen magnum meningioma. The 68-year-old male patient presented with a year history of ataxia. Radiological examination revealed lesions in the nasopharyngeal space and ventral foramen magnum. A needle aspiration biopsy for nasopharyngeal space and surgical removal for foramen magnum lesion were performed. The pathological diagnoses were nasopharyngeal cancer and meningioma, respectively. The concomitant occurrence of these two tumors is very rare and there is no known association between these two tumors. We report a case of ventral foramen magnum meningioma simultaneously present with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Objective: The aim of this nationwide age- and sex- matched longitudinal follow up study is to determine the risk of Parkinson’s disease (PD) associated with ischemic stroke in Korea. Methods: Patient data were collected from the National Health Insurance Service-National Health Screening Cohort (NHIS-HEALS). PD was identified using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 10-CM code G 20. In total, 6,475 patients were enrolled in the PD group from the NHISS. After subtracting 1,039 patients who underwent hospitalization less than once or those who visited an outpatient clinic less than two times, 5,259 patients who were diagnosed after January 1, 2004 ultimately participated in this study. After case-control match was done through 1:5 age- and sex- stratified matching, 26,295 individuals were chosen as control. Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard regression analysis were performed to evaluate the risk of ischemic stroke in PD. Results: The hazard ratio of ischemic stroke in the PD group was 3.848 (95% confidence interval (confidence interval [CI]): 3.14-4.70) after adjusting for age and sex. The adjusted hazard ratio of ischemic stroke in PD group was 3.885 (95% CI: 3.17-4.75) after adjusting for comorbidities. According to subgroup analysis, in male and female and non-diabetes and diabetes and non-hypertension and hypertension and dyslipidemia and non-dyslipidemia subgroups, ischemic stroke incidence rates were significantly higher in the PD group than those in the control group. Conclusions This nationwide longitudinal study suggests an increased risk of ischemic stroke in PD patients.

Objective: The aim of this nationwide age- and sex- matched longitudinal follow up study is to determine the risk of Parkinson’s disease (PD) associated with ischemic stroke in Korea. Methods: Patient data were collected from the National Health Insurance Service-National Health Screening Cohort (NHIS-HEALS). PD was identified using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 10-CM code G 20. In total, 6,475 patients were enrolled in the PD group from the NHISS. After subtracting 1,039 patients who underwent hospitalization less than once or those who visited an outpatient clinic less than two times, 5,259 patients who were diagnosed after January 1, 2004 ultimately participated in this study. After case-control match was done through 1:5 age- and sex- stratified matching, 26,295 individuals were chosen as control. Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard regression analysis were performed to evaluate the risk of ischemic stroke in PD. Results: The hazard ratio of ischemic stroke in the PD group was 3.848 (95% confidence interval (confidence interval [CI]): 3.14-4.70) after adjusting for age and sex. The adjusted hazard ratio of ischemic stroke in PD group was 3.885 (95% CI: 3.17-4.75) after adjusting for comorbidities. According to subgroup analysis, in male and female and non-diabetes and diabetes and non-hypertension and hypertension and dyslipidemia and non-dyslipidemia subgroups, ischemic stroke incidence rates were significantly higher in the PD group than those in the control group. Conclusions This nationwide longitudinal study suggests an increased risk of ischemic stroke in PD patients.

Objective: : The goal of the following statewide age and gender-coordinated cohort study in Korea is to find out if there is a link between acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Methods: : Utilizing the National Health Insurance Sharing Service cohort, patient data were collected. Six thousand four hundred seventy-five individuals with PD were distinguished by utilizing the International Classification of Diseases 10 code G20 and have enrolled in the PD group. The number of participants decreased to 5259 after excluding 1039 patients who were hospitalized less than one time or who visited an outpatient clinic less than twice. Then, 26295 individuals were selected as part of the control group after case control matching was conducted through 1 : 5 age- and gender-coordinated matching. The Cox proportional hazard regression analysis and Kaplan-Meier method were utilized to analyze the likelihood of AMI in PD. Results: : After controlling for age and gender, the hazard ratio of AMI in the PD group was 3.603 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.837–4.577). After that, the following hazard ratio of AMI in the PD group was modified against for co-morbid medical disorders, resulting in 3.551 (95% CI, 2.795–4.511). According to a subgroup analysis, in males and females aged <65 and aged ≥65 and in the non-diabetes and diabetes, hypertension and non-hypertension, dyslipidemia and non-dyslipidemia subgroups, the AMI incidence rates were dramatically higher in the PD group compared to that of the control. Conclusion : Individuals with PD have a greater chance of AMI, according to this cross-national study.

Ependymoma is a rare adult tumor that originates from ependymal cells of the central nervous system, primarily occurring in the cerebral ventricles or the central canal of the spinal cord. In this paper, we report a case of extensive leptomeningeal seeding of ependymoma of a 39-year-old male patient, in whom the tumor was found incidentally after head trauma. The MRI exhibited diffuse leptomeningeal infiltrative lesions along with bilateral multiple cerebral sulci, basal cisterns, cerebellopontine angle, cerebellar folia. It also showed multinodular enhancing T1 low T2 high signal intensity lesions along the whole spinal cord. After the tumor biopsy at right temporal lesion, pathologic diagnosis was classic ependymoma (WHO grade 2). The patient has undergone radiation therapy and chemotherapy, and is currently maintaining a stable condition two years after surgery. This report suggests that when considering the differential diagnosis of extensive lesions both in the intracranial and intraspinal space, ependymoma should also be considered.

Objective: The purpose of this nationwide age- and sex- matched longitudinal study was to determine the pyogenic spondylitis (PS) increases the incidence of ischemic stroke (IS) in Korea. Methods: From the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), we collected the patient data for the period from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2015. PS was classified according to the International Classification of Disease codes M46.2-M46.8, M49.2, and M49.3. By using a 1:5 age- and sex- stratified matching, a total of 628 patients and 3140 control subjects were included in the study. The IS incidence rates in PS and control group was calculated by using the Kaplan-Meier method. The outcome of hazard ratio of IS was estimated by Cox proportional hazards regression analyses. This study did not exclude PS as a result of postoperative complications. Results: According to the study, 51 patients (8.12%) in the PS group and 201 patients (6.4%) in the control group experienced IS. The adjusted hazard ratio of IS in the PS group was 3.419 (95% CI: 2.473-4.729) after adjusting individual medical condition and demographics. Following the results of subgroup analysis, the risk ratio of IS was greater in most of the subgroup categories (male, female, age <65, age >65, non-diabetic, hypertensive, non-hypertensive, dyslipidemic and non-dyslipidemic subgroup). However, the risk of IS did not differ significantly in diabetic subgroup (95% CI: 0.953-4.360). Conclusions The risk rate of IS increased in patient with pyogenic spondylitis.

Objective: : We attempted to compare the incidence of pyogenic spondylitis (PS) and tuberculous spondylitis (TS) between 2007 and 2016. Furthermore, we investigated the patients who underwent surgery in 2016 compared to that in 2007. Methods: : We used a nationwide database managed by the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) in 2007 and 2016. Total 9655 patients with a newly diagnosis of PS or TS were enrolled in PS or TS group. Among them, 1721 patients underwent either fusion or decompression surgery. We analyzed demographic distribution of patients according to gender and age and year of diagnosis. Results: : Comparing between 2007 and 2016, the incidence of PS has increased in 2016 than in 2007 (4874 vs. 2431, p<0.0001). Conversely, declination of incidence of TS was discovered in 2016 compared to 2007 (594 vs. 1756, p<0.0001). Females showed predominance over males regarding both PS and TS (5228 vs. 4427, p<0.0001). Among them, the number of PS patients who underwent surgery increased significantly in 2016 relative to that in 2007 (979 vs. 592, p<0.0001). Conclusion : This nationwide study suggests that PS may increase and TS may decrease in Korea. In addition, demand for surgery regarding PS may increase.