BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Treadmill exercise stress echocardiography (TSE) has superior diagnostic accuracy than exercise electrocardiography (ECG). The objectives of the study are 1) to define the diagnostic accuracy and safety of TSE in patients without a history of coronary artery disease (CAD), 2) to identify the clinical characteristics that predict positive TSE results and 3) to assess the differential predictive value between TSE and concomitant exercise ECG in a Korean population. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 1,287 patients among 1,500 consecutive patients with no prior history of CAD and who were referred for TSE during a 4-year 3-month period were enrolled. RESULTS: Of the 1,287 patients, 95 (7.4%) showed positive TSE results (newly developed regional wall motion abnormality). Among the 154 patients with coronary angiography, 94 patients (61%) showed significant CAD (30 of 77 patients with negative TSE results and 64 of 77 patients with positive TSE results). The TSE positive population had more cardiovascular risk factors and showed a higher Duke treadmill score and wall motion score index than the TSE negative group. TSE showed relatively good sensitivity (68%), specificity (78%) and positive and negative predictive values (83% and 61%, respectively), and TSE also had higher diagnostic accuracy than concomitant exercise ECG (72% vs. 64%, respectively). CONCLUSION: TSE is safe and offers greater diagnostic power for CAD than exercise ECG in Korean population without a history of CAD. Its prognostic value in this population needs to be confirmed in a larger prospective study.
Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Echocardiography, Stress ; Electrocardiography ; Exercise Test ; Humans ; Risk Factors ; Sensitivity and Specificity

This study was carried out to examine the proportion of fatty acids and contents of trans fatty acid in commercial processed foods in Jeon-Buk area. Contents of trans fatty acid in bakery products ranged from 0.2% to 1.0% per 100 g food. Especially garlic bread and pastry contained the highest amount. Popcorns contained trans fatty acid from 0.0% to 13.4%. Among them, instant popcorns for microwave contained the highest amount, while trans fatty acid was hardly detected in popcorns for theater. And trans fatty acid detected in popcorns was mostly in the form of 18 : 1 trans. The content of trans fatty acid in pizza was nearly 0.2%. Amounts of saturated fatty acid and unsaturated fatty acid were similar between each type of pizza and frozen pizza. Fritters such as fried chickens and vegetables contained trans fatty acid less than 0.2% per 100 g food.
Bread ; Chickens ; Fatty Acids ; Garlic ; Microwaves ; Vegetables

P450 CYP2D6 enzyme(debrisoquine hydroxylase) is known to metabolize many neuroleptics and some genetic polymorphisms in the CYP2D6 gene were reported to be associated with tardive dyskinesia(TD). We investigeted the association of two genetic polymorphisms in the CYP2D6 gene, CYP2D6*4 and CYP2D6*10, with TD in Korean schizophrenic subjects. Subjects consisted of 71 Korean schizophrenics and TD was evaluated using the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale(AIMS). There were no statistically significant differences in the demographic variables of age, male to female percentage and the current antipsychotic(CPZ equivalent) dose between the grup with TD and the group without TD. But the duration of antipsychotic drug exposure was siginificantly higher in the group without TD(p=0.000, by independent t-test). The mean AIMS score in the group with TD was 11.2+/-6.6(S.D.). Genotypings ofr the presence of CYP2D6*4 and CYP2D6*10 wee done using PCR amplifications and endonuclease digestions. There were no statistically significant genotypic and alleleic associations between TD and CYP2D6*4(by chi-square tests), and between TD and CYP2D6*10(by chi-square tests). These results indicate that the CYP2D6*4 and CYP2D6*10 polymorphisms have no significant roles in the causation of TD.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2D6 ; Dyskinesias ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Movement Disorders* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic

PURPOSE: The objectives of this study were to survey the radiographic exposure parameters, to measure the patient doses for intraoral dental radiography nationwide, and thus to establish the diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) in intraoral dental X-ray examination in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred two intraoral dental radiographic machines from all regions of South Korea were selected for this study. Radiographic exposure parameters, size of hospital, type of image receptor system, installation duration of machine, and type of dental X-ray machine were documented. Patient entrance doses (PED) and dose-area products (DAP) were measured three times at the end of the exit cone of the X-ray unit with a DAP meter (DIAMENTOR M4-KDK, PTW, Freiburg, Germany) for adult mandibular molar intraoral dental radiography, and corrections were made for room temperature and pressure. Measured PED and DAP were averaged and compared according to the size of hospital, type of image receptor system, installation duration, and type of dental X-ray machine. RESULTS: The mean exposure parameters were 62.6 kVp, 7.9 mA, and 0.5 second for adult mandibular molar intraoral dental radiography. The mean patient dose was 2.11 mGy (PED) and 59.4 mGycm2 (DAP) and the third quartile one 3.07 mGy (PED) and 87.4 mGycm2 (DAP). Doses at university dental hospitals were lower than those at dental clinics (p<0.05). Doses of digital radiography (DR) type were lower than those of film-based type (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: We recommend 3.1 mGy (PED), 87.4 mGycm2 (DAP) as the DRLs in adult mandibular molar intraoral dental radiography in Korea.
Adult ; Dental Clinics ; Humans ; Korea ; Molar ; Radiation Dosage ; Radiation Protection ; Radiographic Image Enhancement ; Radiography, Dental ; Republic of Korea

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to determine the early cardiac valvular changes in young male ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients. METHODS: A total of 70 AS patients on treatment without clinical cardiac symptoms were divided into group I (< 10 years, n = 50) and group II (> or = 10 years, n = 20) depending on their disease duration after first diagnosis. Twenty-five healthy volunteers were selected as control subjects. All the subjects underwent transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, electrocardiography, and rheumatologic evaluation for AS patients. RESULTS: The thickness of both the aortic and mitral valve was more increased in AS patients than in controls. Aortic valve thickness over 1.3 mm could predict AS with a sensitivity of 73% and specificity of 76%. The prevalence of aortic valve thickening was higher in the AS group compared to the controls. The prevalence of aortic and mitral regurgitation was very low and there was no difference between the controls and the patients. The aortic valve thickening was related to longer disease duration, high blood pressure, disease activity and inflammatory markers. CONCLUSION: Thickening of the aortic and mitral valve was observed without regurgitation in male AS patients early in the course of their disease without clinical cardiac manifestations. This subclinical change of aorto-mitral valve in early AS should be considered and followed up to determine its prognostic implication and evolution.
Aortic Valve ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal ; Electrocardiography ; Heart Valves ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Male ; Mitral Valve ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Prevalence ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to determine the early cardiac valvular changes in young male ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients. METHODS: A total of 70 AS patients on treatment without clinical cardiac symptoms were divided into group I (< 10 years, n = 50) and group II (> or = 10 years, n = 20) depending on their disease duration after first diagnosis. Twenty-five healthy volunteers were selected as control subjects. All the subjects underwent transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, electrocardiography, and rheumatologic evaluation for AS patients. RESULTS: The thickness of both the aortic and mitral valve was more increased in AS patients than in controls. Aortic valve thickness over 1.3 mm could predict AS with a sensitivity of 73% and specificity of 76%. The prevalence of aortic valve thickening was higher in the AS group compared to the controls. The prevalence of aortic and mitral regurgitation was very low and there was no difference between the controls and the patients. The aortic valve thickening was related to longer disease duration, high blood pressure, disease activity and inflammatory markers. CONCLUSION: Thickening of the aortic and mitral valve was observed without regurgitation in male AS patients early in the course of their disease without clinical cardiac manifestations. This subclinical change of aorto-mitral valve in early AS should be considered and followed up to determine its prognostic implication and evolution.
Aortic Valve ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal ; Electrocardiography ; Heart Valves ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Male ; Mitral Valve ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Prevalence ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: We sought to characterize the lesion characteristics of mitral valve prolapse (MVP), which is being increasingly recognized as a cause of mitral regurgitation (MR) in Koreans SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 497 Patients with MVP that was diagnosed by echocardiography in 13 university-affiliated hospitals from Jan to Dec 2003 were prospectively enrolled in our study. RESULTS: A total of 497 patients (270 males, 54%) were enrolled and their mean age was 52+/-17 years. Grade 4 MR was present in 272 patients (54.7%); grade 3, 2 and 1 MR as present in 30.2%, 10.7% and 4.2%, respectively. MVP of the anterior and posterior mitral leaflet was present in 170 patients (34.2%) and 223 patients (44.9%), respectively; MVP developed in both leaflets in 104 patients (20.9%). In 37 patients (7.4%), MVP developed in all 6 segments of the mitral leaflet and these patients were younger (37+/-14 versus 54+/-16 years, respectively, p<0.05) and had a lower prevalence of chordae rupture and severe MR compared to the other patients. Among the 266 mitral segments showing prolapse in the 132 patients (26.6%) who underwent transesophageal echocardiography, the posterior medial scallop was the most frequently diseased one (26%), and this was followed by the posterior middle scallop (18%), the medial (17%), lateral (14%) and middle (13%) part of the anterior leaflet, and the posterior lateral scallop (12%). Younger patients with a mean age <45 years showed a lower prevalence of single segment prolapse, hypertension, severe MR and chordae rupture compared to the older patients (p<0.001, each). CONCLUSION: The medial part of both mitral leaflets was the predilection site for the development of MVP in Koreans and the lesion characteristics were different according to the patients' age.
Echocardiography* ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Korea* ; Male ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Mitral Valve Prolapse* ; Mitral Valve* ; Pectinidae ; Prevalence ; Prolapse ; Prospective Studies* ; Rupture