No abstract available.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Stent thrombosis (ST) after a successful drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation has been reported in around 1% of clinical trials. However, the incidence of ST with a DES in practice is not well known. Here, we evaluated the possible causes of ST encountered in four Korean hospitals. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Between March 2003 and December 2003, 450 patients were treated using a DES in the four study hospitals. We reviewed the clinical and procedural characteristics of 8 patients that experienced ST after a successful DES implantation. RESULTS: Eight patients (1.8%), who were administered antiplatelet medication, experienced ST, with a mortality of 50% at the 2 month follow-up. ST occurred within 7 days in all patients, with the exception of one, with an occurrence 37 days after intervention. Initially, all patients were diagnosed as having acute coronary syndrome. Direct PTCA was performed in 3 patients (38%). Severe calcification or a thrombus was noted in 6 (67%) of 9 lesions. In all cases, no GPIIbIIIa inhibitors were used prior to the DES implantation. Incomplete lesion coverage and incomplete stent expansion appeared in 7 (88%) cases. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that full expansion of the DES and complete lesion coverage must be accomplished, with high pressure inflation or use of cutting balloon preferably under IVUS guidance, for the prevention of ST. Those patients with acute coronary syndrome might warrant intensive antiplatelet therapy, including GPIIbIIIa inhibitors.
Acute Coronary Syndrome ; Coronary Thrombosis ; Drug-Eluting Stents* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inflation, Economic ; Mortality ; Stents* ; Thrombosis*

Ganglioneuroma is generally considered to be the benign mature from of tumor arising from neural crest tissue. The great chain of sympathetic ganglia including the adrenal medulla accounts for the origin of most of ganglioneuroma. Complete surgical excision of adrenal ganglioneuroma is the treatment of choice. Herein we report a cases of adrenal ganglioneuroma in a 17-year-old male which is confirmed by surgical exploration and histopathologic examination.
Adolescent ; Adrenal Medulla ; Ganglia, Sympathetic ; Ganglioneuroma* ; Humans ; Male ; Neural Crest

BACKGROUND: The associations between angiotensinogen M235T polymorphism and essential hypertension or ischemic stroke are still controversial. The aims of this study were to observe the associations of the angiotensinogen M235T polymorphism with hypertension or ischemic stroke, and to elucidate whether angiotensinogen M235T polymorphism was related to ischemic stroke itself or to hypertension. METHODS: We analyzed a particular polymorphysm in exon 2 of the angiotensinogen gene, a threonine to methionine substitution at position 235 (M235T), by a polymerase chain reaction in sixty patients with symptomatic ischemic stroke, one hundred patients with hypertension, and one hundredcontrol subjects without cardiovascular risks. Cardioembolic stroke was excluded. RESULTS: The three groups differed with respect to age and sex, but not total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, triglyceride, or body mass index. However, the distribution of angiotensinogen M235T genotypes was not different among the ischemic stroke group, hypertensive group, and control subjects. The TT genotype of angiotensinogen M235T was not significantly associated with ischemic stroke or hypertension (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.02, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.44 to 2.41, adjusted OR = 0.74, 95% CI=0.41 to 1.33, respectively), adjusting for age and sex. CONCLUSIONS: We found no significant associations between the angiotensinogen 235T alleles and hypertension or ischemic stroke in the Korean population. (J Korean Neurol Assoc 19(1):24~28, 2001
Alleles ; Angiotensinogen* ; Body Mass Index ; Cholesterol ; Exons ; Genes, vif ; Genotype ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Lipoproteins ; Methionine ; Odds Ratio ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Stroke* ; Threonine ; Triglycerides

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) on embryonal development in in vitro culture. METHODS: This is designed in vitro model using eggs from mouse. The eggs from mouse were assigned 29 for control group, 53 for 20 ng/ml of LIF, 88 for 40 ng/ml of LIF, 68 for 80 ng/ml of LIF respectively for in vitro fertilization. And 26 fertilized eggs at 2 cell stage from mouse also were assigned. The mouse embryos of all groups were cultured in medium supplemented with LIF in different concentrations, whereas the eggs in control group was cultured in medium without supplement of LIF. RESULTS: At 72 hours culture of eggs from in vitro fertilization, there was a slight increas in rate of embryonal development to morula in both LIF-20 and LIF-40 as results of 64.15% and 75% respectively, while 42.65% in inferior rate of LIF-80, compare with 51.72% in control group. But the difference between these each groups were not significant in statistically (p< or =0.05). And after 96 hours culture of eggs, the rates blastocyst formation was significantly higher in both LIF-20 and LIF-40 as 56.6% and 63.63% than those in control and LIF-80 as 44.83% and 35.29% respectively. On culturing eggs from in vivo fertilization, the rates of blastocyst formation was significantly not only higher as 85% and 81.81% respectively in medium supplemented with LIF-40 and LIF-80 than 42.3% in LIF-20 but also embryonal cell viability were remakedly improved at 96 hours after culture. CONCLUSION: The LIF in low dose is embryotrophic, but LIF in high dose is embryotoxic on eggs from in vitro fertilization. Whereas on culturing eggs from in vivo fertilization, LIF is more beneficial with dose dependent in high concentration.
Mice ; Animals

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of 1-day frequency-volume charts in assessing lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in patients with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between Jan. 2006 and Dec. 2006, we retrospectively analyzed the medical records of men with LUTS due to BPH who visited our out-patient department. All of 70 men completed 3-days frequency-volume chart for the initial evaluation of their LUTS. We compared mean values of variables with values from respective days. Test-retest reliability was evaluated by calculating intraclass correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The mean age was 66.7 years, mean prostate size was 33.6ml, mean IPSS was 18, and mean maximal flow rate was 13.8ml/s. The mean total voided volume was 1716.3ml/day, mean number of voids was 9.2/day, mean number of daytime voids was 7.1, and mean number of nocturnal voids was 2.0. No significant differences were found between the three 24-hr periods for the variables from the charts by ANOVA test. The intraclass correlation coefficients were mostly 0.7-0.9. But nocturnal bladder capacity was slightly less reliable than other variables, 0.557. Mean voiding volume, total voiding number, and daytime frequencyhad the high reliability. CONCLUSIONS: A 1-day frequency-volume charts can be sufficiently reliable to provide an insight into a patient's voiding behavior. But more research of high quality is required, especially into the relationship of frequency-volume charts duration with compliance.
Compliance ; Humans ; Hyperplasia* ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms* ; Male ; Medical Records ; Outpatients ; Prostate* ; Retrospective Studies ; Urinary Bladder

PURPOSE: Although nonunion is a relatively common complication in the management of subtrochanteric fractures, there are few studies regarding the treatment of nonunion. The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical and radiological results for the treatment of subtrochanteric nonunions with a blade plate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 16 cases of subtrochanteric nonunions that were treated with a blade plate between April 1997 and June 2008 and were followed for at least one year after the index operation. There were 8 males and 8 females with an average age of 58 years (range, 42-77 years). Outcome variables included the time to union, postoperative complications, Harris hip score, and the functional rating scale of Sanders. The average follow-up period was 26 months (range, 12-63 months). RESULTS: Union was achieved in 15 (94%) of 16 subtrochanteric nonunions after an average of 7 months (range, 4-11 months). One patient who did not reach union after the index operation underwent repeated surgery with a longer blade plate and bone graft, but this patient was eventually treated with total hip arthroplasty because of persistent nonunion and breakage of the blade plate. Two patients developed complications. One patient had bursitis around the greater trochanter and the other developed avascular necrosis of the femoral head. Of these, the patient with avascular necrosis of the femoral head was treated with total hip arthroplasty because of persistent hip pain 2 years after the index operation. At latest follow-up, the mean Harris hip score was 88 points (range, 36-100 points) and the functional rating scale of Sanders was good or excellent in 14 (88%) of 16 patients. CONCLUSION: The treatment of subtrochanteric nonunions with a blade plate is associated with a very high union rate and good clinical results.
Arthroplasty ; Bursitis ; Female ; Femur ; Follow-Up Studies ; Head ; Hip ; Hip Fractures ; Humans ; Male ; Necrosis ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Transplants

Mice deficient in the toll-like receptor (TLR) or the myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) are resistant to acute liver failure (ALF) with sudden death of hepatocytes. Chalcone derivatives from medicinal plants protect from hepatic damages including ALF, but their mechanisms remain to be clarified. Here, we focused on molecular basis of piperidylmethyloxychalcone (PMOC) in the treatment of TLR/MyD88-associated ALF. C57BL/6J mice were sensitized with D-galactosamine (GalN) and challenged with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS, TLR4 agonist) or oligodeoxynucleotide containing unmethylated CpG motif (CpG ODN, TLR9 agonist) for induction of ALF. Post treatment with PMOC sequentially ameliorated hepatic inflammation, apoptosis of hepatocytes, severe liver injury and shock-mediated death in ALF-induced mice. As a mechanism, PMOC inhibited the catalytic activity of TGF-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1) in a competitive manner with respect to ATP, displaced fluorescent ATP probe from the complex with TAK1, and docked at the ATP-binding active site on the crystal structure of TAK1. Moreover, PMOC inhibited TAK1 auto-phosphorylation, which is an axis in the activating pathways of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) or activating protein 1 (AP1), in the liver with ALF in vivo or in primary liver cells stimulated with TLR agonists in vitro. PMOC consequently suppressed TAK1-inducible NF-κB or AP1 activity in the inflammatory injury, an early pathogenesis leading to ALF. The results suggested that PMOC could contribute to the treatment of TLR/MyD88-associated ALF with the ATP-binding site of TAK1 as a potential therapeutic target.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Catalytic Domain ; Chalcone ; Death, Sudden ; Escherichia coli ; Hepatocytes ; In Vitro Techniques ; Inflammation ; Liver ; Liver Failure, Acute* ; Mice ; Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88 ; Phosphotransferases ; Plants, Medicinal ; Toll-Like Receptors

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), the most common acquired hypercoagulable condition, is diagnosed by persistent presence of antiphospholipid antibodies and episodes of vascular thrombosis. It may be an important predisposing factor for stent thrombosis, resulting in poor outcomes. Also, anti-platelet therapy non-responsiveness is associated with stent thrombosis. We report a case of a 39-year-old man who after undergoing successful percutaneous coronary intervention for significant coronary artery disease suffered repeated stent thrombosis events leading to ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Eventually, he underwent coronary artery bypass surgery because of uncontrolled thrombosis and was diagnosed as having APS and dual antiplatelet therapy non-responsiveness.
Adult ; Antibodies, Antiphospholipid ; Antiphospholipid Syndrome* ; Causality ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Stents* ; Thrombosis*

A young woman who had a delivery history 3 months previously presented with dyspnea and orthopnea. Initial findings of physical examination, chest radiography, and echocardiogram showed typical congestive heart failure with severe left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. At first, we considered peripartum cardiomyopathy because she had given birth to a baby 3 months previously. However, even though we massively tried conventional drug therapy for 10 days, the patient still remained with refractory heart failure. We performed additional laboratory studies such as complement level and autoantibodies, of which the results supported systemic lupus erythematosus. We could make the diagnosis of acute lupus myocarditis and treated her with corticosteroid. The symptoms were dramatically disappeared and LV function also improved.
Acute Disease ; Administration, Oral ; Adult ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Glucocorticoids/administration & dosage ; Heart Failure/*diagnosis ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/complications/*diagnosis/radiography ; Methylprednisolone/administration & dosage ; Myocarditis/*diagnosis/etiology/radiography ; Prednisolone/administration & dosage