BACKGROUND: Intracoronary stent implantation is a promising modality for establishing the blood flow of complex coronary arterial stenosis. However, previous studies have demonstrated that the angiographically visible thrombus is a high risk factor for possibility of stent thrombosis. So many investigators avoided stent implantation traditionally for thrombus containing lesion because of the potency of thrombogenecity of stent. But recently, advanced rapidly growing technique for stenting and powerful antithrombotic regimens make stent thrombosis rare. Stent implantantion has already been showed a acceptable method for bailout procedure of thrombotic occlusion in patients with angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction and also effective in intimal dissection, suboptimal results and arterial recoil. Accordingly, we investigated the effectiveness of stent implantation in the presence of intracoronary thrombus. METHODS: Eighteen patients(AMI 14, Unstable angina 4) underwent PTCA & stent implantation on culprit arterial lesion in all successfully. The stent group was comprised of Palmatz-Schatz stent 10, Cordis 2, Cook 5 and Jo-Med stent 1. Stent implanted to the lesion of remained thrombus visualization on coronary angiography after PTCA. RESULTS: No major complications were developed during hospitalization in all 18 patients. In all patients no stent thrombosis have occurred within 2 weeks after stent implantation. But one patients have showed intracoronary stent thrombus persistently, so we used intracoronary urokinase infusion for 36 hours but there was no visible thrombus after modified anticoagulation and antithrombotic regimen CONCLUSIONS: We harvested good preliminary results of intracoronary stent implantation in the setting of thrombus containing lesion.
Angina, Unstable ; Angioplasty ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Research Personnel ; Risk Factors ; Stents* ; Thrombosis* ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator

No abstract available.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the body weight, body mass index (BMI), and basal serum level of LH, FSH, testosterone (T), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) are related to the ovarian response to clomiphene citrate (CC) in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). MATERIALS AND METHOD: From January 1996 to June 1997, total 57 patients with PCOS were enrolled in the present study. Women who had other infertility factors were excluded from our study. The ovulation induction using CC was used in all patients. The patients were grouped into 50 mg group, 100 mg group, and 150 mg group according to their daily CC dose. The patients were also grouped to ovulatory and non-ovulatory group. The body weight, BMI, arid basal serum level of LH, FSH, T, DHEA-S were measured in all patients on the 2nd or 3rd day of the menstrual cycle. Results were analysed with Student's t-test and Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: The body weight and BMI of the nonovulating group were significantly higher than those of the ovulating group in all groups (50, 100, 150 mg of CC). However, there were no significant differences of the level of LH and FSH between ovulating and nonovulating groups in all CC groups (50, 100, 150 mg). The level of T of nonovulating group was significantly higher in 50 and 100 mg of CC groups, but not in 150 mg group. The level of DHEA-S of the non-ovulating group is significantly higher in 50 mg group, but not in 100 and 150 mg groups. CONCLUSION: The body weight and BMI could be useful predictors of ovarian response to CC in patients with PCOS, and basal T and DHEA-S also might be useful in cases of low-dose CC treatment.
Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Clomiphene* ; Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility ; Menstrual Cycle ; Ovulation Induction ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome* ; Testosterone

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the surgical treatment through the comparison of LC-DCP (Limited Contact-Dynamic Compression Plate) versus LCP (Locking Compression Plate) fixation in the plate augmentation for the nonunion of femur shaft fractures after intramedullary nail fixation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four patients with the nonunion of femur shaft fractures after intramedullary nail fixation who underwent plate augmentation were evaluated from Mar. 2001 to Sept. 2005. The group with LC-DCP augmentation was done bicortical screw fixation and the group with LCP was done monocortical fixation. RESULTS: There was one case of nail breakage in LC-DCP group, but sound bony union were achieved uneventfully in all the cases of both group. LCP fixation was slightly superior to LC-DCP fixation in view of the bony union time, operating time, postoperative Hb down, amount of postoperative transfusion, but there was no statistical difference (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: We got the satisfactory results after monocortical LCP augmentation as well as bicortical LC-DCP fixation and have concluded that monocortical LCP fixation was an effective treatment option for nonunion of femur shaft fracture occurred after Intrmedullary nail fixation.
Femur ; Humans ; Nails

No abstract available.
Ischemia* ; Skin*

BACKGROUND: Nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation is common in elderly and associated with an increased risk for thromboembolism. Left atrial spontaneous echo contrast(SEC) and thrombus. which are easily detected by transesophageal echocardiography(TEE) in patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease and atrial fibrillation, have been known as markers of thromboembolism. However, most of the previous studies on left atrial SEC and thrombus were performed in rheumatic mitral valve disease or various conditions including rheumatic mitral valve disease. Therefore this study was underaken in order to investigatd 1) the prevalence of left atrial SEC and thrombus, and 2) clinical and echocardiographic variables related to left atrial SEC and thrombus in nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation. METHODS: In patients with estabished atrial fibrillation over 7 days, we examined the clinical gistory and performed transthoracic echocardiography(TTE) and TEE simultaneously. Enlisted patients were those without rheumatic mitral valve disease, prosthetic valves, previous thromboembolism, and recent anticoagulant therapy. RESULTS: 1) Left atrial SEC was detected in 32(62.7%) of 51 patients and left atrial thrombus in 10(19.6%). All thrombi were located in the left atrial appendage. 2) In univariate analysis, SEC positive group showed higher prevalence of congestive heart failure(CHF)(56.3% vs 0%, p<0.001), lower ejection fraction(42.2+/-14.1% vs 50.8+/-9.7%, p<0.05), lower left atrial appendage blood flow velocity(peak positive flow velocity ; 18.7+/-11.1cm/sec vs 32+/-12.4cm/sec, p<0.01, and peak negative flow velocity ; 21.4+/-12.4cm/sec vs 31.9+/-12.8cm/sec, p<0.01) than SEC negative group. Multivariate analysis identifed CHF as an independent variable related to left atrial SEC(p=0.02, Odds ratio ; 2.38, 95% CI ; 1.18-4.82). 3) In univariate analysis. left atrial thrombus positive group showed higher prevalence of CHF(70% vs 26.8%, p<0.05), larger left atrial demension(34+/-3.4mm/m2 vs 30.6+/-4.6mm/m2, p<0.05) than thrombus negative group. Multivariate analysis identifed CHF as an independent variable related to left atrial thrombus(p=0.04, Odds ratio ; 4.30, 95% CI ; 1.11-16.68). 4) Left atrial thrombus is more frequent in SEC positive group than in SEC negative group(28.1% vs 5.3%), however, there was no statistical significance(p=0.07). CONCLUSION: 1) Left atrial SEC is common in nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation and significantly related to CHF. 2) Left atrial thrombus is frequently detected in SEC positive patients, however, it is more realted to CHF than left atrial SEC itself.
Aged ; Atrial Appendage ; Atrial Fibrillation* ; Echocardiography ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Heart ; Humans ; Mitral Valve ; Multivariate Analysis ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Thromboembolism ; Thrombosis*

BACKGROUND: Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure(ABP) monitoring has become increasingly popular for diagnosing and treating hypertension. Therefore the reference value of normotensive subjects was necessary for interpretation of hypertensive subjects. Several studies were reported on reference values in normotensive subjects. The purpose of this study was to determine 24-hour ABP in normotensive Korean adults stratified for sex and five age groups. This study also assessed ABP in relation to a family history of hypertension, smoking and body mass index(BMI). METHODS: ABP monitoring was performed in 200 healthy normotensive volunteers(ranged in age from 20 to 69 years, five decades, 20 men and 20 women per each decade), over 24 hours, taking measurement at 30-min intervals. The 24-hour interval was divided into day-time(6am-10pm) and night-time(100pm-6am) periods. Mean ABP and pressure loads(percentage of systolic readings>140mmHg, diastolic readings>90mmHg) were obtained. RESULTS: The mean ABP in 200 subjects was 113+/-8.6/72+/-6.9mmHg over 24 hours, 117+/-9.7/75+/-7.0mmHg during day-time, and 106+/-9.8/67+/-8.3mmHg at night-time, and pressure loadd averaged 5.1+/-7.4/7.9+/-8.9% over 24 hours. The +2 standard deviation(SD) as the upper limit of normal was 130/86mmHg over 24 hours in 200 subjects. The mean ABP and pressure load were 116+/-7.6/74+/-7.6mmHg and 6.4+/-8.3/10.1+/-10.2% in 100 subjects of men, and 110+/-8.3+/-70+/-6.6mmHg, 3.7+/-6.0/5.7+/-6.8% in women. Mean ABP and pressure load showed significant difference in relation to age group and sex, however, no significant difference in relation to a family history of hypertension or smoking. In relation to BMI group, diastolic blood pressure and diastolic pressure load were significantly different.
Adult* ; Blood Pressure* ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Male ; Reference Values ; Smoke ; Smoking

OBJECTIVE: Using Lee et al (1996) model, we assessed the effect of opioid within the PAG on the manifestations of the neuropathic pain, and we studied the effects of naloxone on the analgesic effects of opioid. METHOD: Under pentobarbital anesthesia, male Sprague-Dawley rats were implanted with cannula in the ventral (n=10) and dorsal (n=6) PAG after the unilateral tibial and sural nerves were ligated and cut, leaving the common peroneal nerve intact. Pain sensitivity was assessed using the von Frey filament (8 mN) and acetone applied to the sensitive area for 1 week postoperatively. Rats with neuropathic pain were intracerebrally microinjected with DAMGO (0.1microgram/5microliter) and enkephaline (20microgram/5microliter) into the ventral and dorsal PAG and the pain sensitivity was assessed. Naloxone was injected to assess the observed change of pain sensitivity. RESULTS: Intracerebral microinjection of DAMGO and enkephaline into the ventral PAG, but not the dorsal PAG, increased the pain threshold which was reversed by naloxone. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that stimulation of the ventral PAG in neuropathic rats may reduce neuropathic pain via opioid-mediating pathway of the descending pain inhibition system.
Acetone ; Anesthesia ; Animals ; Catheters ; Enkephalin, Ala(2)-MePhe(4)-Gly(5)- ; Enkephalins ; Humans ; Male ; Microinjections ; Naloxone ; Neuralgia* ; Pain Threshold ; Pentobarbital ; Periaqueductal Gray* ; Peroneal Nerve ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sural Nerve

Purpose: This study analyzed the prognostic factors in patients with femoral head fractures by comparing two groups with and without complications. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was performed on femoral head fracture patients who visited two different level-1 trauma centers from January 1, 2014 to June 30, 2018. Thirty-three patients with a follow-up period of more than one year were included. Early complications were defined as fair or poor in the Thompson–Epstein clinical evaluation criteria and grades 3 or 4 in the Kellgren– Lawrence classification within one year after the fracture. The patients were divided into two groups, with and without early complications. Statistical analysis was performed for the nominal variables with a Fisher’s exact test and continuous variables using a Mann–Whitney U test. Results: Nine patients (27.3%) had early complications, and there were no significant differences according to age, sex, treatment method, combined fractures, Pipkin classification, and AO/OTA classification between the two groups. Conclusion The prognosis in femoral head fractures is difficult to predict. Therefore, the validation of existing classifications or a new classification is necessary.

Over the last two decades, bisphosphonate has widely been applied in the treatment of osteoporosis.We reviewed the various adverse effects, current trials involving diverse bone metabolic diseases, andthe future direction of bisphosphonate. Acute phase reaction, hypocalcemia, ocular inflammation, and gastrointestinal disturbances are the well-known short-term side-effects of bisphosphonate. Long term side-effects include osteonecrosis of the jaws and atypical femur fracture. In the modern clinical setting, bisphosphonate is widely used in treatments for osteoporosis, osteopenia, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and metastatic bone cancer. Further studies are underway for expanding the application as a bone-targeting agent in bone-related diseases. Bisphosphonate remains useful and invaluable as the 1st line medication for osteoporosis. Considering the numerous clinical situations, including time to medication after fracture, duration of drug usage, and individual drug holiday, an optimal and proper use of bisphosphonate needs to be achieved. In the current scenario, bisphosphonate will retain a strong position due to good efficacy and effectiveness for osteoporosis treatment, and the precise ap-plication to various bone diseases. We anticipate a key role of bisphosphonate for future applicationin the treatment of metabolic bone diseases. Further studies and advancement are highly anticipated, considering the high potential of bisphosphonate for various uses.