No abstract available.

BACKGROUNDS: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome(OSA) can divided into two groups, positional (PP) and non-positional(NPP) obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, according to the body position while sleeping. In this study, we evaluated the differences of anthropometirc data and polysomnographic recordings between the two types of sleep apnea syndrome. MATERIALS: Fifty patients with OSA were divided two groups by Cartwright's criteria. The supine respiratory disturbance index (RDI) was at least two times higher than the lateral RDI in the PP group, and the supine RDI was less than twice the lateral RDI in the NPP group. This patients underwent standardized polysomnographic recordings. The anthropometirc data and polysomnographic data were analyzed, statistically. RESULTS: Of all 50 patients, 30% were found to be positional OSA. BMI was significantly higher in the PP group(p<0.05). Total sleep time was significantly longer in the PP group (350.6±46.0min, p<0.05). Sleep efficiency was high in the PP group(89.6± 6.4%, 85.6±9.9%, p<0.05). Deep sleep was significantly higher and light sleep was lower in the PP group than in the NPP group but no difference was observed in REM sleep between the two groups. Apnea index(AI) and RDI were significantly lower(17.0±10.6, 28.5±13.3, p<0.05) and mean arterial oxygen saturation was higher in the PP group(92.7 ±1.8%, p<0.05) than in the NPP group. CONCLUSION: Body position during sleep has a profound effect on the frequency and severity of breathing abnormalities in OSA patients. A polysomnographic evaluation for suspected OSA patients must include monitoring of the body position. Breathing function in OSA patients can be improved by controlling their obesity and through postural therapy.
Apnea ; Humans ; Obesity ; Oxygen ; Polysomnography ; Respiration ; Sleep Apnea Syndromes ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive* ; Sleep, REM

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Lung Neoplasms* ; Lung* ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma*

No abstract available.
Pregnancy*

The authors conducted a clinical observation of 13 cases of pulmonary aspergilloma at Yeungnam University Hospital from March 1983 to March 1992, and the following results were observed: 1) The male to female ratio was 1 : 1.2, and the age distribution was ranged 30 to 67 years old. 2) All cases were symptomatic : hemoptysis, cough, sputum and dyspnea. Especially, hemoptysis was the presenting compliant in 10 patients (77%) 3) The underlying lung disease were pulmonary tuberculosis in 9, COPD in 5 and bronchiectasis in 2. 3 cases were without underlying disease. 4) According to radiographic appearance, 8 cases had the typical crescent sign and 5 cases were seen nodular lesion. And the lesions of 11 cases were located in both upper lung. 5) 10 cases were treated with surgical resection. Among these cases, 8 cases were alieved and 2 cases, died. And other 3 cases were treated with conservative treatment. We suggest that these findings would be helpful for the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary aspergilloma and further study might be needed to evaluate the prognosis of pulmonary aspergilloma.
Age Distribution ; Bronchiectasis ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Hemoptysis ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Diseases ; Male ; Prognosis ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Sputum ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although interferon-a(IFNa) is currently the most effective antiviral agent for treating patients with chronic hepatitis C, its efficacy is not always reliable. Factors suggested to infruence outcome of IFN-a therapy for chronic hepatitis C are histological activity, level of viremia and HCV genotype, etc. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between several pretreatment factors and response to IFN-a therapy in patients with chronic HCV infection. METHODS: Fifty-four patients with chronic HCV infection(47 with chronic hepatitis and 7 with liver cirrhosis) who received IFN-a(2a or 2b) therapy(3 6 MU, three times a week, for 3 12 months) were included. Level of serum HCV RNA(50 patients), HCV genotype(27 patients) and IgM anti- HCV(21 patients) during pretreatment period were assayed. RESULTS: Overall, 19(35%) subjects achieved sustained response(SR), 12(22%) had transient response(TR) and 23(43%) did not respond (nonresponse;NR). Mean age of patients with SR, TR and NR was 46+ 10, 51+ 7.5 and 54+ 9.7 years, respectively(p<0.05 between SR and NR). Among 30 patients with biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis, 13(43%) achieved SR;but only one(14%) in 7 patients with liver cirrhosis. Mean serum HCV RNA level(X10' copies/ml) was higher in nonresponders(7,7+ 13.0) compared with SR(2.3+ 2. 7) or TR(3.1+ 4.9), although statistically insignificant HCV genotyping in 27 patients revealed type la in 5(18.5%), 1b in 14(52%), 2a in 5(18.5%), 2b in 1(3.7%) and 4 in 2(7%), respectively. In non-1b patients, SR rate was significantly higher than 1b patients(69.2% vs. 21.4%, p=0.03). Although IgM anti-HCV was positive in 12(57%) among 21 patients studied, the positive rate and the titer of IgM anti-HCV was not significantly different in three groups. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that in patients with chronic hepatitis C, infection with genotype 1b, old age, high serum HCV RNA level and the presence of cirrhosis would predict poor response to IFN therapy.
Fibrosis ; Genotype ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; Interferons* ; Liver ; Liver Cirrhosis ; RNA ; Viremia

No abstract available.
Sinusitis*

No abstract available.
Bone Marrow Transplantation* ; Bone Marrow*

PURPOSE: To know the normal CT appearance of the anterior skull base and nasal septum after birth. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Coronal CT scans with a helical mode were performed from the nasal bone to the sphenoid sinus in 99 children whose ages ranged from 27 days to 14 years. We investigated the CT appearance of the developing anterior skull base and nasal septum with particular attention to the anteroposterior length of the anterior skull base and the ossification patterns of the cribriform plate, perpendicular plate, crista galli, and vomer. RESULTS: The anteroposterior length of the anterior skull base statistically significantly increased with age. The cribriform plate showed partial or complete ossification in at least one segment at more than 3 months of age and in all three segments at more than 6 months of age. Ossification of the cribriform plate occurred earlier in the middle segment than in the anterior and posterior segments. It began exclusively in the region of the lateral mass of the ethmoid and proceeded medially toward the crista galli. Partial ossification of the perpendicular plate was noted as early as 9 months of age, and complete ossification as early as 13 months of age. All children at 18 months and older showed at least partial ossification of the perpendicular plate. Partial ossification of the crista galli was noted as early as 27 days of age, and complete ossification as early as 3 months of age. CT showed complete ossification of the crista galli in all but two children at 6 months and older. The superior aspect of the vomer exhibited a V- or Y-shape on all CT scans in 66%(65/99) of children at any age. It appeared as an undivided single lump anteriorly and a V or Y posteriorly in 34%(34/99). CONCLUSION: Knowledge of the normal developing patterns of ossification of the anterior skull base and nasal septum could help prevent errors in interpreting CT scans in this region, especially in infants and young children.
Child ; Ethmoid Bone ; Humans ; Infant ; Nasal Bone ; Nasal Septum* ; Parturition ; Skull Base* ; Skull* ; Sphenoid Sinus ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vomer

PURPOSE: Although nodal metastasis is the most powerful prognostic factor in rectal cancer, marked heterogeneity exists within stage III rectal cancer. Recent studies of rectal cancer have shown a prognostic superiority of the lymph node ratio (LNR) compared with N stage. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of the LNR in the era of the 7th edition of the TNM classification. METHODS: We included 190 patients who underwent a curative resection for rectal cancer with nodal metastasis. The patients were divided into four groups on the basis of statistically calculated cut-off values as 0.21, 0.32, and 0.61. RESULTS: The LNR was an independent risk factor for overall survival (OS; P = 0.008) and for systemic recurrence-free survival (SRFS; P = 0.002). However, the LNR was not a predictive factor for local recurrence. When the N stage of the sixth TNM staging system was separately analyzed as a covariate, the LNR was also found to be a predictive factor for both OS and SRFS (P = 0.012 and P = 0.004, respectively). A LNR value of 0.21 offered the best cut off to separate patients into two prognostic groups. CONCLUSION: The defined cut-off values of the LNR were an independent risk factor for OS and distant metastasis-free survival in patients with rectal cancer, irrespective of the sixth or the seventh version of the TNM classification, and the LNR should be considered as a prognostic variable in any future staging system.
Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Staging ; Population Characteristics ; Prognosis ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Recurrence ; Risk Factors