No abstract available.
Blood Transfusion* ; Lymphocytes*

No abstract available.
Cervix Uteri* ; Female ; Health Expenditures*

The Sturge Weber syndrome is an uncommon disorder characterized by port-wine nevus of the face with angiomatosis of the ipsilateral cerebral leptomeninges and extensive calcification in the underlying cerebral cortex. Associated with this syndrome are mental retardation, choroidal angioma, buphthalmus or glaucoma, seizure and hemiplegia. We studied a case of incomplete form of Sturage Weber syndrome in a 12 year-old boy, who had generalized seizure, a homonymous hemianopsia, intracranial calcification and leptomeningeal angiomatosis. There are no characteristic facial nevus, mental retardation, occular changes and hemiplegia.

Congenital obstuction of pulmonary vein without anomalous drainage can cause long-standing pulmonary congestion and pulmonary arterial hypertension, and it may include stenosis of individual pulmonary veinsor total pulmonary vein atresia. We reviewed seven cases of pulmonary vein obstruction, five of which accompanied other cardiac anomalies. Right pulmonary veins were involved in all seven cases including one bilateral case. Pulmonary veins were occluded totally in five and partially in three lungs. Pumonary catheterization and angiography were done for diagnosis. Chest radiographs of total occlusion cases showed decreased lung volume, features of pulmonary edema, interstitial lesions, and pleural thickening, which were quite specific, whereas pulmonry venous dilatation was dominant findings in partial obstruction cases. Pulmonary perfusion scans (n=3) showed total perfusion defects in the cases of total occlusion of veins. MR imaging (n=2) demonstrated total occlusion of pulmonary veins in the venoatrial junction in two, and membranous focal obstruction in one lung. Two patients had pneumonectomy and histological confirmation, Although catheterization and angiography are essential for the diagnosis, MR imaging is thought to be useful for the diagnosis of pulmonary vein obstruction.
Angiography ; Catheterization ; Catheters ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diagnosis ; Dilatation ; Drainage ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Lung ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Perfusion ; Pneumonectomy ; Pulmonary Edema ; Pulmonary Veins* ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Veins

OBJECTIVES: It is well known that pneumoconiotic patients experience impairments of macrophage function, as well as poor penetration of drugs into the fibrotic nodules and the immune system. Resultantly, pneumonia is frequently involved in pneumoconiotic patients and its treatment is not easy. Therefore, we conducted a clinical evaluation of immunoglobulin G which is known to be effective in severe infectious diseases. METHODS: We randomly selected 45 pneumoconiotic patients with pneumonia and classified them into 2 groups. The experimental group (IgG group) was scheduled to receive antibiotics and IgG (5 g I.V./day for 7 days). The control group was treated with antibiotics alone. Sputum gram stain (counts of WBCs and microorganisms), body temperature, arterial oxygen tension, and counts of peripheral venous blood leukocytes and band neutrophils were used as markers to assess the response effect therapy at time periods of 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 days after completion of therapy. We compared the clinical scores between the two groups. RESULTS: The experimental IgG treated group was composed of 27 patients, and the control group comprised 18 patients. There was no statistical differences between two groups in terms of age, pneumoconiotic profusion, impairment degree of pulmonary function, or frequency of pathogen isolation in the sputum before medication. The experimental IgG treated group showed lower clinical scores as compared with the control group (p=0.083). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that IgG infusion with antibiotics will have an effect on pneumonia therapy in pneumoconiosis patients that are under 60 years and exhibit simple pneumoconiosis.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Body Temperature ; Communicable Diseases ; Humans* ; Immune System ; Immunoglobulin G* ; Immunoglobulins* ; Leukocytes ; Macrophages ; Neutrophils ; Oxygen ; Pneumoconiosis ; Pneumonia* ; Sputum

No abstract available.
Hodgkin Disease*

Purpose: Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta is a member of the superfamily of polypeptides, which control cell cycle progression and a variety of other cellular activities. TGF-beta1 has been implicated as an effector of the induction of apoptosis in response to 5alpha-reductase inhibitor (5ARI) and; therefore, causes a decrease in the prostate volume. We investigated the effect of 5ARI in the expression of TGF-beta1 in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Materials and Methods: 50 patients diagnosed with BPH were divided into two groups. The control group (n=30), in which a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) was performed without medication, and the 5ARI group (n=20), who were administrated with 5 mg of 5ARI daily for at least 3 months, followed by TURP. The resected specimens were stained with anti-rabbit TGF-beta1 polyclonal antibody using immunofluoroscent staining. The expression of TGF-beta1 was analyzed with a confocal laser scanning microscope and an image analyzer. The mRNA level of TGF-beta1 was determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: There were no statistical differences in the patient characteristics, including age, serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level and prostate volume, between the two groups. The expression of TGF-beta1 was demonstrated in the luminal epithelium and smooth muscle cells in BPH. TGF-beta1 was more strongly expressed in the luminal epithelium of both groups, and in the 5ARI group than the control (p<0.001). Conclusions: These results suggest that 5ARI up-regulates the expression of TGF-beta1 in BPH patients, and may a play role as an inhibitor in the proliferation of BPH through the TGF-beta1 signal pathway.
Apoptosis ; Cell Cycle ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Peptides ; Phenobarbital ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatic Hyperplasia* ; RNA, Messenger ; Signal Transduction ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; Transforming Growth Factors ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate

Localized granulomatosis with polyangiitis (loc-GPA) is a milder disease state of GPA restricted to the respiratory tract. Transition from localized form to systemic/generalized disease is predicted to occur in approximately 10% of the patients. We report an unusual case of loc-GPA involving multiple cranial nerves, which in 3 years progressed into systemic disease involving pituitary gland. Initially antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) was negative, but as symptoms of diabetes insipidus started, ANCA became positive. Clinical course of ANCA negative loc-GPA should be carefully monitored for development of systemic disease. ANCA may be a useful marker for detecting transition from localized to systemic disease.
Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic ; Cranial Nerves ; Diabetes Insipidus ; Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis* ; Humans ; Pituitary Gland ; Respiratory System

Background/Aims: Veno-occlusive disease/sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (VOD/SOS) is one of the most fatal complications of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), and defibrotide is the only curative drug. We conducted this study to confirm the survival rate of VOD/SOS patients diagnosed in Korea and assess the efficacy of defibrotide. Methods: Patients diagnosed with VOD/SOS after allogenic HCT between 2003 and 2020 were enrolled. We investigated day +100 survival rates and associated risk factors in patients who satisfied the modified Seattle criteria within 50 days of HCT. Results: A total of 110 patients satisfied the modified Seattle criteria, of which 65.5% satisfied the Baltimore criteria. Thirty-seven patients were treated with defibrotide. The day +100 survival rate of the 110 patients was 65.3%. The survival rates in patients who did not meet the Baltimore criteria and in those who did were 86.8% and 53.7%, respectively (p = 0.001). The day +100 survival rate of patients treated with defibrotide was 50.5%. Among the patients receiving defibrotide, those whose creatinine levels were more than 1.2 times the baseline had a significantly lower survival rate at 26.7% (p = 0.014). On multivariate regression analysis, the hazard ratio of satisfaction of the Baltimore criteria was 4.54 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.69 to 12.21; p = 0.003). In patients treated with defibrotide, the hazard ratio was 8.70 (95% CI, 2.26 to 33.45; p = 0.002), when creatinine was more than 1.2 times the baseline on administration. Conclusions The day +100 survival rate was significantly lower when the Baltimore criteria were satisfied, and when there was an increase in creatinine at the time of defibrotide administration.

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic appendectomy has many benefits compared to the open technique, such as easy localization of the appendix, less scarring for cosmetic reasons and less reported wound infection. However, for patients with complicated appendicitis, controversy exists as to whether laparoscopic appendectomy is a safe procedure. Some recent studies have reported no significant difference of the complication rate compared to that of the open procedure, suggesting that laparoscopic appendectomy could be used as an alternative procedure. This study was performed to evaluate the safety and benefits of laparoscopic appendectomy as compared to that of the open technique for treating complicated and uncomplicated appendicitis. METHODS: We studied the patients who underwent appendectomy by either the laparoscopic or open technique at Bundang Jaesaeang General Hospital between January 2005 and September 2008. Of the total 2,226 patients, there were 168 patients in the laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) group and 2,058 patients in the open appendectomy (OA) group. We compared the patient demographic data and perioperative outcomes of the two groups. RESULTS: Both patient groups were comparable in terms of age. The mean operative time was 91.8 minutes in the LA group and 47.2 minutes in the OA group (p<0.00). There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of the mean hospital stay. The noncomplicated appendicitis LA group showed a quicker time to start an oral diet (p=0.03) & wound infection (p=0.032). For complicated appendicitis, there were no differences of wound infection & intestinal obstruction between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Although laparoscopic appendectomies requires a longer operation time, it did not lengthen the hospital stay nor delay the start of a soft oral diet. Appendiceal abscess in complicated appendicitis did not occur in the laparoscopic or open appendectomy groups. Therefore, laparoscopic appendectomy is a safe procedure for both complicated and uncomplicated appendicitis. To reach a final consensus on the scope of this study, a prospective randomized controlled study is needed in the near future.
Abscess ; Appendectomy ; Appendicitis ; Appendix ; Cicatrix ; Consensus ; Cosmetics ; Diet ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Length of Stay ; Operative Time ; Postoperative Complications ; Wound Infection