BACKGROUND: Noninvasive estimation of pulmonary artery pressure is an important component of echocardiographic studies. A number of methods are available for estimation of pulmenary pressure, each with varying degrees of reported accuracy. To assess accuracy and difficulties, noninvasive pulmonary artery pressure estimates were performed in infants and children with congenital heart diseases. METHODS: Noninvasive estimates from 8 methods were compared with catheterization measurements. Systolic pressure was estimated by the Burstin method and from perak tricuspid regurgitation velocity, and also from systolic pressure gradients through the VSD(ventricular septal defect) and PDA(patent ductus arteriosus). Mean pressure was estimated by acceleration time divided by ejection time measured from Koppler spectrum obtained at the right ventricular out flow tract. Diastolic pressure was estimated from pulmonary regurgitation velocity spentrum at end-diastolic, and also from diastolic pressure gradient through the patent ductus arteriosus. RESULTS: IN systolic pressure, Burstin and tricuspid regurgitation velocities estimates correlated significantly(r=0.92, 0.90 respectively), whereas VSD and PDA estimates correlated less well with catheterization estimates(r=0.83, 0.65 respectively). The mean pressure, measured from RVOT(right ventricular outflow tract) Doppler spectrum corresponded well with catheterization pressure(r=0.89), whereas those obtained from the main pulmonary artery correlated less well(r=0.74). The diastolic pressure estimates from pulmonary regurgitation velocity spectrum, revealed good correlation(r=0.79), but those from diastolic Doppler spectrum at PDA correlated less well with catheterization estimates(r=0.63). CONCLUSION: All of eight Doppler echocardiographic methods seemed to be easily performable for estimation of pulmonary artery pressure. But, the degree of accuracy was variable. Because a pressure estimante from only a single method may be in error, care should be taken in combining use of other(one or two) methods.
Acceleration ; Blood Pressure ; Catheterization ; Catheters ; Child ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent ; Echocardiography* ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Infant ; Pulmonary Artery* ; Pulmonary Valve Insufficiency ; Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency

No abstract available.

No abstract available.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The clinical manifestation of Henoch-Schonlein purpura and existance of renal involvement may influence on its course and prognosis. To verify prevention with early administration of steroid, we studied the efficacy of corticosteroid treatment. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We analysed 65 children under 15 years of age with Henoch-Scho nlein purpura according to their age, sex, and seasonal incidence. Forty children showed typical skin lesions, arthralgia and abdominal pain. We have divided them two groups. Group A consisted of 20 children who received 1 mg/kg of prednisolone/perday for 2 weeks and group B did not. We carried out their physical examination and urinalysis monthly for a year. RESULT: The main clinical manifestations were skin rash(100% ), abdominal symptoms(41.5 %), joint symptoms (49.2%), and renal involvement(34%). As for gastrointestinal symptoms, abdominal pain(66.7% ) was most commonly observed one and others were nausea or vomiting (44.7%) and melena(25.9%). The joint involvement was observed mostly in knee(56.3%) and ankle joint(31.3% ), Hematuria was observed in all cases with renal involvement and proteinuria, in 28% of them. The improvement of renal manifestations were noted in 84.2% of them within 4 months. Mild elevation of IgA was more frequently observed in renal involvement group than non-involved group (p< 0.01). There were no significant differences in immonologic parameters such as IgG, IgM, IgE, duration of the acute phase and severity of cutaneous symptoms between two growps. None of steroid treated growp showed progression of nephropathy. Of the 20 non-steroid treated growp, 2(10%) developed nephropathy. Conclusion We may suggest that existance of renal involvement in Henoch-Schonlein purpura influences its course and prognosis.
Abdominal Pain ; Ankle ; Arthralgia ; Child ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Incidence ; Joints ; Nausea ; Physical Examination ; Prognosis ; Proteinuria ; Purpura* ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch ; Seasons ; Skin ; Urinalysis ; Vomiting

No abstract available.
Cryotherapy* ; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous* ; Metronidazole*

No abstract available.
Myiasis*

This study aimed 1) at determining the seasonal pattern of the first onset and 2) at examining different demographic and clinical factors by the seasonality of first onset, for shizophrenia, mood disorder and subtypes of each diagnosis. Finally, the 52 subjects with paranoid schizophrenia were selected from all patients who fulfilled DSM-IV criteria far schizophrenia who had been admitted to the National Seoul Mental Hospital from March 1994 to February 1995. And the 44 subjects with bipolar I disorder were selected from all patients who fulfilled DSM-IV criteria for mood disorder who had been admitted to the hospital from March 1994 to February 1996. This study was done by reviewing the hospital records about season of the first outset, demographic factors(sex, age, occupation, educated period, religion, marital status, residence and socioeconomic status) and clinical factors(age at the first onset, duration of illness, family history, length of admission, frequency of admission and treatment result). The seasonal pattern of the first onset and the different demographic and clinical factors by the season of the first onset in paranoid shizophrenia and I disorder were analyzed. The results were as follows: 1) There was no significant seasonal variation of the first onset for paranoid schizophrenia. 2) There was a significant seasonal variation of the first onset with a maximum in spring for bipolar I disorder. 3) There was no significant seasonal variation of the first onset in case of bipolar I disorder that began with the manic episode. 4) There was nonsignificant seasonal tendency to peak in spring/summer in the case of the first manic episode for bipolar I disorder. 5) There were no significant differences in demographic and clinical factors by the season of the first onset for paranoid schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder.
Diagnosis ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Hospital Records ; Hospitals, Psychiatric ; Humans ; Marital Status ; Mood Disorders* ; Occupations ; Schizophrenia* ; Schizophrenia, Paranoid* ; Seasons ; Seoul

Human untreated costal cartilage was compared with lyophilized human costal cartilage which was treated with defatting solution for 48 hours and freeze drying for 72 hours (-70degree C, 10??bar) on the tendency of distortion. All cartilages, which were taken from six cadavers, were carved 5x5x30mm in size on principle of the balanced cross section. Their distortions were evaluated by two methods at intervals of one week, one month, three months, six months after experiment. At first, the degree of distortion was grossly graded with four steps: grade O; no distortion / grade I; minimal distortion / grade II; moderate distortion / grade III; severe distortion. Second method is measurement and quantification of distortion in the horizontal and vertical plane of cartilage.Untreated cartilage is shown to be an unsatisfactory material, with only three(12%) of the 25 cartilages being cosmetically acceptable(grade 0 and 1) after 6 months. In lyophilized cartilage, 18(94%) of the 19 cartilages were cosmetically acceptable(grade 0 and 1) at 6 months. This figure is highly significant(p<0.01). In another method, distortion in the horizontal(h) and vertical (v) planes of cartilage were measured, and mean values of ???? were calculated. In untreated group, the mean values of ???? were 0.82 at 1 week, 0.91 at 1 month, 1.13 at 3 months, and 1.31 at 6 months. In lyophilized group, the mean values were 0.27 at 1 week, 0.29 at 1 month, 0.40 at 3 months and 0.47 at 6 months. All values were statistically significant(p<0.01).
Cadaver ; Cartilage* ; Freeze Drying ; Humans

Takayasu,s arteritis is a systemic disease characterized by occlusion of aorta and its major branches because of a panaortitis with thickening of the adventitia. Coronary artery narrowing is due to extension of inflammations that occur in aorta. Angina pectoris may be the first symptom of the disease if the coronary arteries are the initial site of severe arterial narrowing. We present a case of bilateral coronary ostial stenosis where Takayasu,s arteritis was pathologically proved as an etiology. The patient was taken coronary ostial angioplasty with good result.
Adventitia ; Angina Pectoris ; Angioplasty ; Aorta ; Arteritis ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Coronary Vessels ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Takayasu Arteritis*

PURPOSE: To assess the combined effectiveness of angioinfarction and immunotherapy for improving survival in patients with stage IV renal cell carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS:During the past 3 years, 13 patients of stage IV renal cell carcinoma were treated with angioinfarction and immunotherapy. Angioinfarction was performed on these 13 patients using absolute ethanol and occlusive baloon catheter. After angioinfarction, Interferon alpha was used for immunotherapy. For our analysis, 12 control patients of stage IV renal cell carcinoma without treatment were included in the study. Survival has been calculated according to the Kaplan and Meier method. RESULTS: The 1 year survival rate and median survival time in patients treated with angioinfarction and immunotherapy, were 46% and 13 months and in patients without treatment, 16% and 4 months, respectively. CONCLUSION:The combined treatment of angioinfarction and immunotherapy is of considerable value for improving survival in patients with stage IV renal cell carcinoma
Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Catheters ; Ethanol ; Humans ; Immunotherapy* ; Interferon-alpha ; Survival Rate