Basta(R) is one of the Phospho-amino acid group herbicide. It consist of glufosinate ammonium (18.5%), alkylether sulfate as surfactant (30%) and some solvents. Although it's WHO classification is Bade III, the intoxicated patient appears an serious clinical findings and have a 20% mortality rate. Nowadays, in Korea the ingestion of herbicidal agents for suicidal attempts is Sequent. The literature for intoxication of bipyridilium (Gramoxon(R)) as herbicide is varied, but the information for Basta(R) is poor even though the use of it tends to increase. Recently, We experienced six cases of Basta(R) intoxication and found that the patient expressed a gradually progressed depression of mentation, recent memory disturbances, convulsions, hypotension, or bradycardia because of CNS or cardiovascular effects of Basta(R) We report these cases with literature review.
Ammonium Compounds* ; Bradycardia ; Classification ; Depression ; Eating ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Korea ; Memory ; Mortality ; Seizures ; Solvents

BACKGROUND: Community-acquired pneumonia(CAP) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Recently, the evolution of drug-resistant microorganisms has become a serious problem in CAP management. Specific antimicrobial therapy is the cornerstone of CAP management. However, obtaining an accurate etiologic diagnosis clinically is not easy and empirical antimicrobial treatment is usually administered prior to the correct microbiologic diagnosis. In this study, the clinical usefulness of empirical CAP treatment was investigated. METHODS: A total 35 cases were studied prospectively over a 16-month period in Mokpo Catholic Hospital from Dec. 1995 to Mar. 1997. The microbiologic diagnosis was made by sputum, blood culture, a specific serum antibody test and an immunologic study. RESULTS: The causative organisms were isolated in 10 (30%) out of 33 cases: 8 cases and 1 case on the sputum culture and blood culture respectively, and 1 case by an indirect hemagglutinin test. 12 cases had underlying diseases: pulmonary tuberculosis 4, alcoholism 4, diabetes mellitus 3, and liver cirrhosis 1. Antimicrobial treatment was given empirically and all cases recovered. CONCLUSION: A definite microbiologic diagnosis before commencing the appropriate treatment in CAP is not straightforward. Empirical therapy according to a clinical assessment is important and helpful. However, every effort to make the correct etiologic diagnosis should be taken.
Alcoholism ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diagnosis ; Hemagglutinins ; Jeollanam-do* ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Mortality ; Pneumonia* ; Prospective Studies ; Sputum ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

No abstract available.
Erythema* ; Hydroxychloroquine* ; Sjogren's Syndrome*

The serologic tests for syphilis including VDRL and TPHA tests were performed on generaI entertainers in Jung Ku and Young Deung Po Ku, and prostitutes including general entertainers in the Pa Ju area from January 1978 to June 1978. In the same period, direct vaginal smear with Gram stain and culture in Thayer-Martin media were carried. aut for all the general entertainers in Jung Ku and Young Deung Fa Ku as well as for the prostitutes in the Pa Ju area. The results were as follows: 1. An overall VDRL reactive rate of 5, 6 A was found among the 6, 666 general entertainers and prostitutes studied. The reactive rate of VDRL test was 5.3, in 5,289 general entertainers, and 7.6% among the 837 prostitutes in the Pa Ju area. 2. With regard to the VBRL quantitative test, the reactive rate of the group with a titration of 1: 8 or higher rvas 34.8, among the general entertainers of Young Deung Po Ku and Jung Ku. 3. The overall biologic false positive rate of VDRL test was 16.8% in the Young Deung Po Ku and Pa Ju areas using the TPHA test as the standard. 4. The positive rates of culture in Thayer-Martin media were 8.6% out of 1,387 general entertainers of Young Deung Po Ku and l.3% out of 4,352 in Jung Ku respectively, and 2.5 out of 326 prostitutes in the Pa Ju area. The findings seem to be probable that no remarkable change of the incidence of syphilitic and gonococcal infection has taken place recently among the genera. entertainers and prostitutes.
Humans ; Incidence ; Serologic Tests* ; Sex Workers* ; Syphilis ; Vaginal Smears

We assessed about growth hormone binding proteins (GHBP) activity which was measured eluted biotin GH fraction with alkaline phosphatase-streptavidine in children with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), short stature due to growth hormone deficiency (GHD), chronic renal failure, short stature due to nutritional deficiency. hypothyroidism and normal control groups using high pressure liquid chromatography protein pak 300 sw column. The following results are observed: 1) There were 3 types of growth hormone (GH) in serum: first GH binded with type I (minor) GHBP suggesting 200K dalton of molecular weight, second GH binded with type II (major) GHBP suggesting 60~70K dalton of molecular weight, and third GH were free form GH suggesting 20~25K dalton of molecular weight. 2) Type II (major) GHBP showed considerable individual variation in all ages. Neonates had the lowest levels of GHBP activity, but by the puberty the levels had increased & remained stable from adolescent to adult periods. 3) GHBP activity of children with IDDM at diagnosis was low value as compared to the same agenormal control group (p<0.05), and difference of GHBP activity among children with IDDM was related with height velocity (r=+0.92). Follow up GHBP activity during insulin therapy was reverse correlation with HbAlc. 4) GHBP activity of children with GHD at diagnosis was a slightly low compared to aged matched control and follow-up GHBP activity after 1 dose GH therapy showed increasing tendency (r=-0.68). 5) Otherwise, children with chronic renal failure, short stature due to nutritional deficiency, and hypothyroidism were assessed lower value than normal control group. Above results, GHBP activity had the lowest levels at neonatal period and then increasing tendency until puberty period and remained steady level until adult period. Regulation of GHBP may be closely related with metabolic control state by insulin, GH, nutritional status, and thyroid hormone..
Adolescent ; Adult ; Biotin ; Carrier Proteins ; Child ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Growth Hormone ; Humans* ; Hypothyroidism ; Infant, Newborn ; Insulin ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Malnutrition ; Molecular Weight ; Nutritional Status ; Puberty ; Thyroid Gland

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, acute drug intoxication is a important section of emergency medicine. The purpose of this study was to determine what is the best-way to manage acutely intoxicated patients with drug in emergency department setting. METHODS: Clinical assessment were made on 135 cases of drug intoxication visited to emergency center of Hospital during one year from June 1997 to May 1998. RESULTS: 1. The total number of cases of acute drug intoxication was 135 which is 0.5% of total patients presented to emergency center. 2. There was no sexual difference in incidence, but the highest incidence of age group was in 3rd decade(23.7%) and the next was 7th decade(20.0%). 3. High frequency of acute intoxication was observed in autumn. October had the largest portion in monthly distribution. The largest portion of presumed time of poisoning was noon - 4 p.m. and of the time on arrival to emergency center was 8 p.m. -midnight. 4. Suicidal attempt was the most common motive of intoxication (72.6%). 5. The most common drug of intoxication was insecticides (35.7%) and the others were centrally active agents, herbicides in orders. 6. Mental change was observed in 20.7% of patients and the abnormal vital signs were hypertension, tachycardia, and hypotension in order on arrival to emergency center. 7. Mean duration of treatment was 36.1 hours. Mortality rate of the cases was 7.4%. CONCLUSION: The mortality rate was high in patients who ingested relatively fatal drugs (i.e. herbicides, antimicrovials, insecticides), showed mental change on arrival or received mechanical ventilatory care(p<0.05).
Emergencies* ; Emergency Medicine ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Herbicides ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypotension ; Incidence ; Insecticides ; Mortality ; Poisoning ; Tachycardia ; Vital Signs

Behcet's disease (BD) involves multisystem vasculitis of unknown origin. Ocular manifestations of BD mostly include bilateral panuveitis and retinal vasculitis, which are very challenging to treat. Interferon alfa-2a (IFN) has been recently introduced for treating refractory Behcet uveitis, mainly in Germany and Turkey. Nonetheless, there is so far no consensus about the ideal treatment regimen of IFN for Behcet uveitis. We report our experience of IFN treatment in five Korean BD patients with refractory uveitis. All patients complained of oral ulcers; one patient had a positive pathergy test and 2 showed the presence of HLA-B51. Immunosuppressive agents used prior to IFN treatment included cyclosporine and methotrexate. The IFN treatment was commenced with a dose of 6-9 MIU/day for 7 days, adjusted according to individual ocular manifestations, tapered down to 3 MIU three times in a week, and then discontinued. All patients showed positive response to IFN treatment; 50% of them showed complete response without additional major ocular inflammation during the follow-up period. Other BD symptoms also improved after IFN treatment in most cases. After treatment, the relapse rate and the required dose of oral corticosteroid were decreased in most cases, showing a significant steroid-sparing effect. However, the visual acuity was not improved in most cases due to irreversible macular sequelae. Despite the small sample size of this study, we suggest that, in Korean patients, IFN is an effective treatment modality for BD uveitis as was observed in German and Turkish patients.
Adult ; Behcet Syndrome/complications/diagnosis/*drug therapy ; Chronic Disease ; Cyclosporine/therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents/administration & dosage ; Interferon-alpha/*therapeutic use ; Male ; Recombinant Proteins/therapeutic use ; Recurrence ; Remission Induction ; Treatment Outcome ; Turkey ; Uveitis/diagnosis/*drug therapy/etiology ; Visual Acuity

Arthroscopic repair of an isolated teres minor tendon tear without associated shoulder joint pathology has not been reported in the literature. We report on a case of isolated teres minor tendon tear after trauma. The patient complained of severe shoulder pain and progressive limited range of motion 4 months after the injury. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a full-thickness tear of the teres minor tendon at its musculotendinous junction and arthroscopic repair was performed. At 2 years follow-up, satisfactory clinical and radiological outcomes were observed with return to pre-injury level. Here, the authors report this case and provide a review of literature.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Pathology ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Shoulder Joint ; Shoulder Pain ; Tears* ; Tendons*

No abstract available.
Trichothiodystrophy Syndromes*

BACKGROUND: The self-inflating bag-valve resuscitator is an useful breathing support equipment in the cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the transportation of patients who required ventilation assist, or respiratory therapy. The inspiratory oxygen concentration (FiO2) or tidal volume (VT) delivered to the patient depends on various conditions during bag-valve ventilation. METHODS: During bag-valve ventilation without a reservoir at oxygen flow rates of 10 l/min, we evaluated fifty six volunteers to determine the FiO2 and VT at ventilatory frequencies of 10, 12 and 15 cycles per minute and to observe the effect of hand size and grasp power on FiO2 and VT in two-hand compression methods. RESULT: The FiO2 at frequency of 10 cycles/min were 50.1% and it was higher than other ventilatory frequencies. However, the VT was not statistically different among the changes of ventilatory frequency. In the change of VT according to characteristics of the hand, the operator's hand size exerted influence on VT(larger vs. smaller ; 942ml vs. 885ml, p<0.05), but the grasp power of the hand did not significantly affect. Separate analyses with size or grasp power of the hand failed to reveal significant differences of the FiO2. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that a slowing of ventilatory frequency within the allowable ranges for adequate gas exchange increase the FiO2 during bag-valve ventilation without reservoir, and that hand size may exert influence on the VT without FiO2 changes but grasp power may not be a contributing factor to the VT or FiO2 changes.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Hand Strength ; Hand* ; Humans ; Oxygen* ; Respiration ; Respiratory Therapy ; Tidal Volume* ; Transportation of Patients ; Ventilation* ; Volunteers