BACKGROUND: The diagnostic methods of atherosclerosis before the development of clinical diseases(such as angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction or peripheral vascular disease) are rather limited. The Russian doctors made the observations through the autopsy studies that there is a good correlation between the degree of atherosclersis or the cholesterol content of the aorta and the cholesterol content of the skin. We tried to investigate whether there is a significant degree of differences in the cholesterol content of the skin between the patietns with atherosclerotic disease(disease group), the patients who have not developed the clinical atheroscleric disease but have risk factors for atherosclerosis(risk group), and the normal control patients(normal group). METHODS: The skin choleterol was extracted from the palm of the hands by the closed contact with the chemicals. RESULTS: 1) The skin cholesterol was 2.77+/-1.08/microg/cm2in the disease group, 2.47+/-1.13microg/cm2in the risk group, and 1.84+/-0.60microg/cm2in the control group, The difference between the disease group and the normal group was significant(p<0.001), but the difference between the disease group and the risk group was not significant. 2) When the skin cholesterol of 2.1microg/cm2was used as a criterion. its sensitivity and specificity to predict either the disease gorup or the risk group was 66.1% and 70.8%. 3) In addition to the skin cholesterol of 2.1microg/cm2or more, if we add a criteria of cholesterol >220mg/dl, or TC/HDL-C ratio >4:1, or Apo B/A ratio >0.9, these separated the normal group from either the disease group or risk group much beter. 4) There was no significant correlation between the skin cholesterol and blood cholesterol. Also there were not any significant correlations between the skin cholesterol and the LDL cholesterol, TC/HDL-C ratio or Apo B/A ratio. CONCLUSION: On the basis of the above mentioned observations made by the Russian doctors and the present data showing significantly higher skin cholesterol level in the disease and risk group compared with normal control group, and little significant correlation between the skin cholesterol and the blood cholesterol level, it is likely that the skin cholesterol can be considered as an independent risk index for the atherosclerotic disease. Measuring the skin cholesterol by extraction of cholesterol from the palms of the hands may help predicting the presence or the risks of the atherosclerotic diseases.
Angina Pectoris ; Aorta ; Atherosclerosis* ; Autopsy ; Cerebral Infarction ; Cholesterol* ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Hand ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Risk Factors ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin*

No abstract available.
Sarcoma, Endometrial Stromal*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the MR imaging findings of ankylosing spondylitis involving the thoracolumbar spine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed MR imaging findings in ten patients with ankylosing spondylitisinvolving the thoracolumbar spine. All were male and ranged in age from 24 to 47 (mean, 33)years. MR images wereobtained using a 1.5T imager, and signal intensity changes of vertebral bodies were evaluated on sagittal T1- andT2-weighted images. Plain radiographic findings were also evaluated. RESULTS: On T1-weighted images, five casesshowed focal high-, two cases low-, two cases high- and low-, and one case iso-signal intensities at the cornersand/or along the anterior borders of the vertebral bodies. On T2-weighted images, seven cases showed focal high-and three, iso-signal intensities in those areas of the vertebral bodies. In one case which showed focal highsignal intensity on T1-weighted images and iso-signal intensity on T2-weighted images, multiple Schmorl's nodeswere seen in thoracolumbar spines. In all cases, signal intensity changes were more prominent in anterior portionsof the vertebral bodies. The shapes of abnormal signal intensities were vertical wedge, vertical band, and rounddot. Plain radiographs showed bamboo spine in three cases, squaring and focal sclerosis of vertebral bodies intwo, focal syndesmophyte in one, Schmorl's node in one, and no abnormal findings in three. CONCLUSION: Characteristic MR imaging findings of ankylosing spondylitis involving the thoracolumbar vertebral bodies werefocal signal intensity changes at the corners and along the anterior borders of the vertebral bodies.
Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Sclerosis ; Spine* ; Spondylitis ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing*

No abstract available.
Esophagus* ; Melanoma*

BACKGROUND: The obese patients increased recently in Korea due to excessive energy intake and decreased physical activity. We are well known that obesity is associted with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, angina pectoris, hypertension, but not known to influence of weight gain to change in cardio-vascular risk factors. Once, the study of obesity are many but the study of influence of weight gain are small in Korea. This study investigated to influence of weight gain in cardio-vascular risk factors. METHODS: We gatherd case and control group among persons who has taken twice medical examination except disease person from October 1990 to October 1995 at SungAe General hospital. In our study, total 167 case, compare weight gain group(>3kg) with control group to change in cardiovascular risk factor. RESULTS: Sex, age, smoking history, obesity index were not statistically significant difference between two group in the first medical examination. systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, HDL, total cholesterol/HDL were not statistically significant difference between two group for weight gain. Total cholesterol and triglyceride, LDL were stastistically significant increased. CONCLUSIONS: Weight gain was increased of total cholestrol and triglyceride, LDL, so weight control was important.
Angina Pectoris ; Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cholesterol ; Energy Intake ; Fasting ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Korea ; Motor Activity ; Obesity ; Risk Factors* ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Triglycerides ; Weight Gain*

BACKGROUND: Common and effective treatments for calcific tendinitis involve needling procedures. However, it has been widespread practice to refer patients with calcific tendinitis, which is a predominantly orthopedic condition, to radiology department. The purpose of this study was to compare clinical and radiological outcomes after ultrasound-guided needling for calcific tendinitis between the orthopedics and radiology department. METHODS: Seventy-seven shoulders (Group 1) and 38 shoulders (Group 2) treated in the radiology and orthopedic department, respectively. A fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon and a musculoskeletal radiologist each performed the procedure of ultrasound-guided needle decompression with subacromial steroid injection. Clinical outcomes was evaluated using the visual analogue scale for pain (pVAS) and the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) shoulder score before treatment and at each follow-up. The pre- and post-needling size and shape of the calcific deposits were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: We analyzed a total of 56 shoulders for Group 1 and 32 shoulders for Group 2. The mean age and sex ratio of the patients no significantly different. We found that the mean decrease in the diameter of calcification between pre- and post-needling was 9.0 mm for Group 1 and 13.1 mm for Group 2; the difference was significantly larger in Group 2 than in Group 1. Both groups showed improved pVAS and ASES scores after needling but the extent of these improvements did not differ with the type of operator. CONCLUSIONS: Needling decompression performed by orthopedic surgeons could a viable option for the treatment of calcific tendinitis.

No abstract available.
Cicatrix* ; Skin* ; Suture Techniques* ; Sutures*

In recent years, there has been a greater impetus toward preserving fertility in young women with gynecologic cancer. This is related to the increasing incidence of gynecologic cancer in young women and to the social phenomenon in which women, on average, are getting married and having their first child at an older age. For women with early gynecologic cancer, treatment strategies can be undertaken to preserve the uterus and part of the ovaries, which can be used to preserve fertility. For women with advanced gynecologic cancer, treatment strategies using assisted reproductive technology are the main option to preserve fertility. Young women with gynecologic cancer who want to preserve fertility should be counseled thoroughly regarding treatment options that allow fertility preservation before commencing anti-cancer treatment. This article describes various methods for preserving fertility and examines recent research trends related to young women with gynecologic cancer.

In recent years, there has been a greater impetus toward preserving fertility in young women with gynecologic cancer. This is related to the increasing incidence of gynecologic cancer in young women and to the social phenomenon in which women, on average, are getting married and having their first child at an older age. For women with early gynecologic cancer, treatment strategies can be undertaken to preserve the uterus and part of the ovaries, which can be used to preserve fertility. For women with advanced gynecologic cancer, treatment strategies using assisted reproductive technology are the main option to preserve fertility. Young women with gynecologic cancer who want to preserve fertility should be counseled thoroughly regarding treatment options that allow fertility preservation before commencing anti-cancer treatment. This article describes various methods for preserving fertility and examines recent research trends related to young women with gynecologic cancer.