No abstract available.
Humans ; Mycosis Fungoides* ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing* ; Infliximab

We conducted this cohort analytic study to determine whether women with unexplained elevations of maternal serum hCG at 15-18 weeks' gestation are at increased risk for pregnancy complications and adverse perinatal outcomes. The inclusion criteria were a singleton gestation, a confirmed gestational age, and an hCG level greater than 2.0 multiples of the median (MoM). The exclusion criteria were fetal anomalies, an abnormal karyotype, molar pregnancy, and an MSAFP level greater than 2.5 multiples of the median (MoM). A group of randomly selected women with hCG levels under 2.0 MoM served as controls. Patients with elevated levels of hCG had a significantly higher risk for PIH (17.9% versus 4.5%; P <.05) and preterm delivery (17.9% versus 3.5%; P<, 05) than control. But no significant differences were observed in the incidence of intrauterine growth restriction and low birth weight and in the newborn weight. We suggested that pregnancies with unexplained elevated hCG levels should be regarded as high-risk pregnancies. And these patients require careful monitoring with adequate obstetric management.
Abnormal Karyotype ; Chorionic Gonadotropin* ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans* ; Hydatidiform Mole ; Incidence ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; Pregnancy Outcome* ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnancy, High-Risk

No abstract available.
Foot* ; Neuroma*

This study was undertaken to investigate mineral changes in weathered scalp hair after burial. EDX (energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) analysis was performed to measure the presence of minerals on the hair surface. Twelve scalp hairs, buried for 5-40 years, were chosen from deceased individuals buried in tombs in Soha-Ri, Kyonggi-Do, and other regions in Korea. Three normal hairs were used as the control group. EDX data showed that carbon, oxygen, and sulfur were detected in hair collected from all three burial grounds. In contrast, calcium was only detected in hair collected from tombs in Soha-ri. The amounts of calcium and sulfur were found to decrease with time for hair collected from tombs in Soha-ri. Similar results were observed with sodium for hair collected from other regions. These results show region specific mineral detection and a decrease in the concentration of minerals with time. Consequently, it is suggested that changes in minerals concentration in weathered hair could be used as basic data in the field of forensic medicine.
Burial ; Calcium ; Carbon ; Forensic Medicine ; Forensic Sciences ; Hair ; Humans ; Korea ; Minerals ; Oxygen ; Scalp ; Sodium ; Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission ; Sulfur ; Weather

Background: Studies on prevalence and social variables affecting postpartum depression appear to be inconsistent. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of postpartum depression, as well as the correlation between education, offspring, age, and risk of the postpartum depression. Methods: This study included 144 mothers living in Chungju who appeared to experience postpartum depression based on a score of >10 marks on the Korean version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Correlation and logistic regression analyses were used to calculate correlation coefficients and odds ratios (OR) for postpartum depression based on the education level of mothers and number of offspring. Results: Prevalence of postpartum depression was found to be 29.17%. Age was not significantly correlated with EPDS score. EPDS scores tended to decrease with the increase in the number of education years (OR, 0.66); however, EPDS scores tended to increase with the increase in the number of offspring increased (OR, 1.65). Conclusion The result of this study demonstrates that education acts as a protective factor and number of offspring acts as a risk factor for postpartum depression. It also suggests that proper intervention in the mothers’ educational level and number of offspring is necessary.

Inappropriate treatment of the injury of the lateral collateral ligaments of the ankle produce residual instability, which causes serious disability. There is considerable divergence of opinion as to whether fresh rupture of the lateral ligaments of the ankle are best treated by conservative or opreative method. We have conducted a trial to analyze thirty patients, who were treated by immediate open surgical rupair of rupture of the lateral ligaments of the ankle between April 1991 and February 1992. The results were as follows: 1. All patients were active, young men, Injuries to left ankle were three times more than right side. The most common cause of injury is occurred during sports, especially association football. 2. The decision to operate was based on 1)Talar tilt angle of the injured ankle measures 8-10 degrees more than that of the stress uninjured ankle. 2)A positive arthrogram showing contrast leakage into peroneal tendon she-aths & anterolateral aspect of the lateral malleolus. 3. Diagnostic accuracy rate of arthrography is 94.5%, stress radiography 61.1 %. Arthrography is more reliable than stress radiography in the diagnosis of acute injuries to the lateral ligament of the ankle. 4. At operation, isolated rupture of anterior talofibular ligament was in 5 cases, isolated rupture of middle calcaneofibular ligament in 3 cases, concomittant ruptures of anterior talofibular and middle calcaneofibular ligements in 22 cases. 5. Location of tears of anterior talofibular ligament was mostly mid-portion, middle calcaneofibular ligament in mid-portion or distal portion. 6. On radiologic results, average angle of talar tilt was 14.4° preoperatively, 5.2 preoperatively. There was correction of talar tilt angle of average 9.2°. 7. Clinical results of treatment were excellent in 9 patients, good in 6 patients, fair in 4 patients, poor in 2 patients by authors rating system. The satisfactory result was achieved in 15 patients(71.4%). 8. Postoperative complication was reduced mobility in 4 cases, functional instability 1 case, neuroma in operation scar in 2 cases, minor sensory loss in 4 cases. 9. Primary surgical repair gave good results in the aspect of radiologic & fun ctional instability, but clinical results were not satisfactory, due to high incidence of postoperative complication.
Ankle ; Arthrography ; Cicatrix ; Collateral Ligaments ; Diagnosis ; Football ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lateral Ligament, Ankle ; Ligaments ; Male ; Methods ; Neuroma ; Postoperative Complications ; Radiography ; Rupture ; Sports ; Tears ; Tendons

BACKGROUND: The diagnostic significance of ECG ergonovine test and the incidence of vasospastic angina in patients with chest pain are still uncertain. METHODS: From May 1998 to June 1999, 133 consecutive patients with chest pain were admitted for diagnostic coronary angiography. ECG ergonovine provocation tests were performed in 64 patients who have a clinical history suggesting vasospatic angina, including 27 of 28 patients with vasospastic angina documented electrocardiographically, or who's coronary angiographic findings could not be explained by their clinical history. Ergonovine was administered intravenously in incremental dose of 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 mg up to total cumulative dosage of 1.0mg during coronary angiography(41 cases), in the exercise laboratory(21 cases) or both(2 cases). RESULTS: Of 133 patients with chest pain, vasospastic angina was documented in 32(24%), unstable angina in 52(34%), stable angina in 10(8%), and others in 39(29%). Angiography demonstrated coronary spasm in 4 additional patients as well as 22 patients with vasospastic angina documented electrocardiographically, but ergonovine tests in the exercise laboratory showed positive response in 5 of 6 patients with vasospastic angina documented. Among the 25 patients with coronary spasm proved angiographically during ergonovine test, ECG findings at the time of coronary spasm were ST segment elevation in 21(84%), depression in 1(4%) and no change in 3(12%) patients, who had branch vessel spasm, 3 vessel spasm or incomplete spasm on coronary angiogram. Of the 31 patients with vasospastic angina who underwent ergonovine tests, positive response occurred in 24(77%) after a cumulative dose of < or = 0.4mg and in additional 3(10%) after the higher dose of >0.4mg. However the other 4(13%) had no ECG changes even after the higher dose(>0.4mg) of ergonovine. CONCLUSION: This results suggest that vasospastic angina appear to be a common cause of chest pain, and ECG ergonovine test with high dose can improve diagnostic sensitivity but cannot detect some patients with vasospastic angina.
Angina, Stable ; Angina, Unstable ; Angiography ; Chest Pain ; Coronary Angiography ; Depression ; Electrocardiography* ; Ergonovine* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Spasm

Cyclosporin A-induced gingival hyperplasia is frequently found in the patients who have been received an immunosuppressant for the organ transplantation. However, its exact mechanism is still unknown. The expression of FGF-5 and FGF-7 were studied in cyclosporine A-induced gingival hyperplasia (CGH) and inflammatory gingival hyperplasia (IGH). Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization were used for localization of protein and mRNA. The expression of FGF-5 and FGF-7 was different from CGH and IGH. FGF-5 and FGF-7 was strongly expressed in fibroblast in CGH (P<0.005 and P<0.05, respectively). FGF-5 mRNA was localized in the middle portion of connective tissue. FGF-7 mRNA was also identified in fibroblasts and mast cells. In conclusion, FGF-5 and FGF-7 were produced excessively by fibroblasts in CGH. Considering their known functions, their expression in CGH is important for production of collagen and proliferation of fibroblasts.
Collagen ; Connective Tissue ; Cyclosporine* ; Fibroblasts ; Gingival Hyperplasia* ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization ; Mast Cells ; Organ Transplantation ; RNA, Messenger ; Transplants

BACKGROUND: The aim of the current study was to investigate the changes of the olfactory function in the Korean elderly population related to cognitive decline by using the CDR (Clinical Dementia Rating scale) and KVSS Test (Korean Version of Sniffin' Sticks Test). METHODS: 41 subjects between the ages of 65-85 years, were included in this study. All subjects were screened to exclude conditions affecting olfactory functions. These subjects were divided into three groups according to CDR. 23 subjects belonged to the CDR 0 group, 9 to the CDR 0.5 group and 9 to the CDR 1 group. The KVSS Test consisted of the olfactory threshold test and olfactory identification test. RESULTS: Significant differences were found among the CDR 0 group, CDR 0.5 group and CDR 1 group (p<0.001) in the olfactory identification test. Scores in the olfactory identification test was lower in the CDR 1 group than in the CDR 0.5 group and CDR 0 group. There were no significant differences between the scores of subjects in the CDR 0 group and those in the CDR 0.5 group on the olfactory identification test. Scores in the olfactory threshold test were not different in the CDR 0 group, CDR 0.5 group and CDR 1 groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the cognitive deficits were associated with the decrease of scores in the olfactory identification test and that the olfactory identification test may have clinical utility in the diagnosis of the dementia.
Aged ; Dementia ; Diagnosis ; Humans

BACKGROUND: Exercise tests (ET), hyperventilation tests (HVT) and cold pressor tests (CPT) have been used to induce coronary artery spasm. However their diagnostic significance and the circadian variation of exercise test response in patients with vasospastic angina are still uncertain. METHODS: To elucidate the circadian variation of ET response and to evaluate the diagnostic significance of non-pharmacological provocation tests, 21 consecutive patients with pure vasospastic angina were studied. Six ETs were performed in the early morning, late morning, and late afternoon in consecutive days, 2 HVTs and 2 CPTs in the early morning. The circadian distribution and types of angina (at rest, on physical activity, or both) from before admission to after discharge (mean follow-up periods 19+/-9 months) were evaluated by clinical history, clinical records and Holter recordings. Circadian distribution of anginal attacks recorded through the all observation periods were classified into 3 patterns (morning and night : MN, morning and afternoon or evening : M+F/E, morning, night and afternoon and/or evening : MN+F/E). RESULTS: One hundred and eleven ETs (39 early morning, 38 late morning, 34 late afternoon tests), 35 HVTs and 33 CPTs were performed. ETs showed 14 positive responses (36%) in the early morning, 14 (37%) in the late morning and 12 (35%) in the late afternoon without any circadian variation. Among the 11 patients who underwent all 6 exercise tests, 3 patients (27%) showed at least one positive response in the early morning, 4 (36%) in the late morning and 4 (36%) in the late afternoon. Subgroups of the subjects according to the types and activity of angina and the numbers of spastic artery also failed to show any circadian variation in ET response, but M+F/E group of circadian pattern of angina showed a peak of positive response in the early morning (p<0.05). HVTs showed significantly higher positive response (23/35, 66%, p<0.05) than ETs (14/39, 36%) and CPTs showed significantly lower positive response (2/33, 6%, p<0.01) than ETs in the early morning. Double tests with more than 1 positive response couldn't increase the positive response in ETs (9/19, 47%), and CPTs (2/14, 14%) but increased significantly in HVTs(15/16, 94%, p<0.05), particularly in the group with low activity (7/8, 86%, p<0.01). ETs showed ST segment elevation in 29 (72%) and depression in 11 (28%) of the 40 positive tests, HVTs in 21 (91%) and 2 (9%) of the 23 positive tests and CPTs in 2 (100%) and 0 (0%) of the 2 positive tests. The ST segment elevation was significantly higher in HVTs than in ET (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the exercise test in the early morning do not increase positive response and is not a sensitive diagnostic test associated with occasional depression of ST segment, but hyperventilation test, especially if repeated, is a very sensitive test with predominant elevation of ST segment in patients with vasospastic angina.
Arteries ; Circadian Rhythm ; Coronary Vasospasm ; Coronary Vessels ; Depression ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Exercise Test* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperventilation ; Motor Activity ; Muscle Spasticity ; Spasm