We investigated the effects of panretinal photocoagulation (PRP)on macular microcirculation in diabetic retinopathy. PRP using argon blue green laser was performed in 23 eyes of 15 patients with early proliferative diabetic etinopathy and very severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy without significant macular edema. The changes in volume, flow, velocity of macular microcirculation were measured before PRP, 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month following PRP, using Heidelberg Retina Flowmeter(HRF). Mean volume, flow, velocity of macular microcirculation decreased to a maximal degree 1 hour following PRP, from 14.87+/-0.40, 387.45 +/-101.40, 1.40+/-0.28(before PRP)to 12.44+/-1.39, 347. 33+/-100.39, 1.27+/-0.34(p<0.05). From 1hour to 1 month after PRP, macular microcirculation gradually increased. However, throughout this period, all parameters of macular microcirculation remained lower than pre-PRP level(p<0.05). Our study suggests that panretinal photocoagulation reduces the macular microcirculation in diabetic retinopathy.
Argon ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Humans ; Light Coagulation* ; Macular Edema ; Microcirculation* ; Retina ; Retinaldehyde*

The use of recombinant DNA technology to produce human growth hormone has resulted in a marked increase in availability of Growth Hormone(GH) to treat short stature due to GH deficiency and other conditions, such as Turner syndrome, familial short stature, chronic renal insufficiency and intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). But, the GH therapy may result in the adverse events such as sodium and water retention, pseudotumor cerebri, slipped capital femoral epiphysis, growth of nevi, recurrence of tumor. We experienced a case of severe hypertension associated with GH therapy in a 14-year-old male who presented high blood pressure up to 190/100 mmHg and normalized at 2-3 weeks after discontinuation of GH. Therefore, we think that the blood pressure should be carefully monitored during GH therapy.
Adolescent ; Blood Pressure ; DNA, Recombinant ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; Growth Hormone* ; Human Growth Hormone ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Male ; Nevus ; Noonan Syndrome ; Pseudotumor Cerebri ; Recurrence ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphyses ; Sodium

Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia are major components of Alzheimer’s disease. In this study, we aimed at investigating the prevalence and severity of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia in very mild to mild Alzheimer’s disease. Forty-four patients with Alzheimer’s disease who visited the neurology outpatient clinic of Seoul Medical Center were included. A trained neurologist or a supervised test technician administered the neuropsychological test, the Seoul Neuropsychological Screening Battery including Mini Mental State Examination and Clinical Dementia Rating. The instrument used for assessing behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia was Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Questionnaire. In order of prevalence, apathy, depression, irritability, anxiety, and agitation were the most common symptoms occurring in very mild-to-mild Alzheimer’s disease group. The prevalence and severity of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia were found to be in positive correlation with the Clinical Dementia Rating scores. Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia are found even in the very early stage of Alzheimer’s disease, apathy and depression being the most common symptoms. Physicians should be aware of this when managing dementia patients.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the proper axial thickness of zirconia abutment applied to implant in the anterior region. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Zirconia abutments were prepared at different axial wall thickness by processing pre-sintered zirconia blocks via CAD/CAM to obtain equal specimens. The abutments were each produced with a thickness of 0.5 mm (Group 1), 0.8 mm (Group 2), 1.2 mm (Group 3), or 1.5 mm (Group 4). The implant used in this study was a external connection type one (US, Osstem, Pussan, Korea) product and the zirconia abutment was prepared via replication of a cemented abutment. The crowns were prepared via CAM/CAM with a thickness of 1.5 mm and were cemented to the abutments using RelyX(TM) UniCem cement. A universal testing machine was used to apply load at 30 degrees and measure fracture strength of the zirconia abutment. RESULTS: Fracture strength of the abutments for Group 1, Group 2, Group 3, and Group 4 were 236.00 +/- 67.55 N, 599.00 +/- 15.80 N, 588.20 +/- 33.18 N, and 97.83 +/- 98.13 N, respectively. Group 1 showed a significantly lower value, as compared to the other groups (independent Mann-Whitney U-test. P<.05). No significant differences were detected among Group 2, Group 3, and Group 4 (independent Mann-Whitney U-test. P>.05). CONCLUSION: Zirconia abutment requires optimal thickness for fracture resistance. Within the limitation of this study, > 0.8 mm thickness is recommended for zirconia abutment in anterior implants.
Crowns

No abstract available.
Infarction*

PURPOSE : To compare the clinical, roentgenographic results and patient self assessment between posterior cruciate retaining TKA and posterior cruciate substituting TKA. MATERIALS AND METHODS : From January 1993 to May 1999, 68 patients (106 knees) were performed total knee arthroplasty using the PFC system. Seventy five PCL retaining and thirty one PCL substituting components were used. Retrospective analysis were done in two groups by the clinical and radiological evaluation system using American Knee Society Scale and patient self assessment using WOMAC score. RESULTS : There were no statistically significant differences in knee score and functional score, improvement of range of motion, and self assesment of the PCL retaining and substituting group. We also observed improvement of pain, knee scores, and functional scores according to flexion contracture in both groups but there were no significant differences statistically. Tibiofemoral angles were corrected in both groups. There was no case of complete radiolucency, osteolysis, and component loosening. CONCLUSION : Surgeons will achieve good result of operation, if they choose proper type of TKA systems according to state of posterior cruciate ligament, degree of deformity, and technique of surgery.
Arthroplasty* ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Contracture ; Equidae ; Humans ; Knee* ; Osteolysis ; Posterior Cruciate Ligament ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Retrospective Studies ; Self-Assessment

Background: and Purpose: Ventricle enlargement has been implicated in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We studied the relationship between ventricular size and cognitive function in patients with AD. We focused on the effect of the initial ventricle size on the rate of cognitive decline in patients with AD. Methods: A retrospective analysis of probable clinical AD participants with more than 2 magnetic resonance imaging images was performed. To measure ventricle size, we used visual rating scales of (1) Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) score and (2) conventional linear measurement method. Results: Increased clinical dementia rating (CDR) was correlated with a decreased MiniMental Status Examination (MMSE) score, and increased medial temporal lobe atrophy (MTLA) and global ventricle size (p<0.001, p<0.001, p=0.021, respectively). There was a significant correlation between the change in cognitive function in the group (70%–100%ile) with a large initial ventricle size (p=0.021 for ΔCDR, p=0.01 for ΔMMSE), while the median ventricle size (30%–70%ile) showed correlation with other brain structural changes (MTLA, frontal atrophy [FA], and white matter) (p=0.036 for initial MTLA, p=0.034 for FA). Conclusions In this study, the initial ventricle size may be a potential new imaging biomarker for initial cognitive function and clinical progression in AD. We found a relationship between the initial ventricle size and initial AD-related brain structural biomarkers.

OBJECTIVE: Excessive worry about minor matters and a state in which this worry is experienced as uncontrollable are known to be key symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Given the importance of pathological worry in GAD, the need for psychometrically sound measures of this construct has increased. The purpose of this study was to investigate the usefulness of the Korean version of Penn State Worry Questionnaire (K-PSWQ) for screening GAD. METHODS: Two hundred and forty six patients were initially screened, from which 102 GAD patients and 118 patients with anxiety disorder not otherwise specified (anxiety disorder NOS) were finally enrolled. Patients were diagnosed by a structured clinical interview for the DSM-IV Axis I. We also enrolled 114 control subjects who had no medical or psychiatric history. Pathological worry in both patients and control subjects were assessed at baseline using the PSWQ and we estimated optimal cutoff score by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. RESULTS: We found that in the first ROC analysis, a score of 53 could simultaneously optimize sensitivity and specificity in order to discriminate GAD patients from control subjects. From the second receiver operating characteristic analysis, when both sensitivity and specificity were optimized, we can suggest a score of 61 as being the cutoff for differentiating GAD patients from patients with anxiety disorder NOS. CONCLUSION: The Korean version of PSWQ is a useful method for screening GAD patients, although ethnic and cultural differences may affect the cutoff score of PSWQ for GAD.
Anxiety Disorders* ; Anxiety* ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Humans ; Mass Screening* ; Methods ; Surveys and Questionnaires* ; ROC Curve* ; Sensitivity and Specificity