BACKGROUND: Pemphigus is a rare, chronic blistering disease of the skin and mucous membranes with severe morbidity and occasional mortality. The clinical data of Korean pemphigus patients are quite limited, and an appropriate treatrnent regimen is not yet established. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to analyze the clinical characteristics of, and establish an appropriate treatment regimen for Korean pemphigus patients. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted for 24 pemphigus patients seen between 1992 and 1996. RESULTS: Pemphigus vulgaris(PV) was the most common type with 17 cases, followed by seven cases of pemphigus foliaceus(PF). There were no sexual preferences, and the average age at onset for PV and PF was 46 and 50 years old, respectively. Mucosal involvement was noted in 14 cases(82%) of PV and only in one case(14/o) of PF. There was no correlation between the extent of involvement and the titer of anti ICS(intercellular substance) antibody. Most patients received prednisolone of lmg/kg, and 12 PV patients also received immunosuppressive agents. Systemic side effects were noted in 10 cases of PV, and seven PF cases did not manifest any systemic side effects. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical manifestations and results of imrnunofluorescent studies of 24 Korean pemphigus patients were similar to those of the previous studies. For treatment of pemphigus, the lowest possible doses(less than 1mg/kg) of corticosteroid in combination with immunosuppressive agents appears to be more effective and less toxic than high doses of corticosteroid. We propose a regimen for treatment of Korean pemphigus patients based on these experiences. Further rnulti-center clinical trials are advocated to confirm an effective management protocol for Korean pemphigus patients.
Blister ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Middle Aged ; Mortality ; Mucous Membrane ; Pemphigus* ; Prednisolone ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin

PURPOSE: Purpose :To evaluate the position and transverse dimension of the adult optic chiasm in normal Korean adult. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors analysed 3D coronal volume images (TR/TE= 30/13, flip angle= 30 degrees) of 136 normal adult subjects without known visual abnormality. All MRI examinations were performed using a 0.5T system. MRI was reviewed retrospectively to determine the position (horizontal and tilted) of the potic chiosm and the transverse dimension of the optic chiasm was measured. RESULTS: Seventy-five (55%) of 136 normal subjects had horizontal position, and sixty-one (45%) had tilted position. Thirty-eight (62%) of 61 with tilted position showed higher position on the right side, and twenty-three (38%) showed higher position on the side. The average transverse dimension(mean SD) was 15.2 +/- 0.7mm in men and 14.6 +/- 1.0mm in women. The difference of transverse dimension between men and women was statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Tilted position of the adult optic chiasm on coronal MRI was seen in approximately half of normal adults. The average of transverse dimension of normal optic chiasm was 15mm.
Adult* ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Male ; Optic Chiasm* ; Retrospective Studies

Most neonatal cutaneous hemangiomatosis are complicated by visceral involvement and. are associated with a high mortality rate in the first month of life. Some neonates with multiple cutaneous hemangiomas, however, may follow a benign course of spontaneous resolution without visceral involvement. Such cases are called benign neonatal hemangiomatosis (BNH). BNH is characterized by a lack of mucosal or symptomatic visceral involvement. rapid spontaneous regression of cutaneous hemangimas, and an excellent prognosis. We report herein a case of BNH which is atypical compared to previously reported BNFI cases. Our patient had a more prolonged course than those of usual cases with BNH and showed a conjunctival involvement.
Hemangioma* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Mortality ; Prognosis

A case of vesicorectal fistula, which occurred in 23 year-old male Korean soldier due to external violence was presented and literature was briefly reviewed.
Fistula* ; Humans ; Male ; Military Personnel ; Violence ; Young Adult

A clinical observation of the bladder and urethral injuries was made in the army hospital from Jan. to Dec 1968. The results were obtained as follow; 1. The bladder and urethral injuries were 2.3% of all patients treated in the hospital in the last year. 2 The bladder and urethral injuries were 23 cases of the automobile accidents, excluding 3 cases of expulsive injuries and 2 cases of falling accidents 3. The bladder and urethral injuries associated with fracture of pelvic bone were 32.1%, especially 80% in the pubic ramus fracture. 4. The incidence of urethral injury was higher than bladder injury. 5. The complications were urethral stricture (80%). impotence and etc.
Automobiles ; Erectile Dysfunction ; Hospitals, Military ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Pelvic Bones ; Urethral Stricture ; Urinary Bladder*

Dariers disease is a domirantly inherited skin disease that is characterized by keratotic papules predominantly on the sebornieic areas, palmar pits, and a nail dystrophy. The diagnosis is difficult in the small group with flexural involvement because the features of flexural Dariers disease overlap clinically and histolopica.lly with those of Hailey-Hailey disease. The diagnosis of Dariers disease may be confirmed if the patient has the pathognomonic nail dystrophy. We presents a case of flexured. Dariers disease in a 65 year old woman. She has suffered from skin lesions which have some resemblance to those of Hailey-Hailey disease. We could diagnose her skin lesions as Dariers disease because she had the eharacteristic nail dystrophy.
Aged ; Darier Disease ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Pemphigus, Benign Familial ; Skin ; Skin Diseases

The wandering spleen is a rare condition, in which the spleen is located in other than the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. The clinical manifestation is variable from asymptomatic to abdominal catastrophy due to torsion of the splenic pedicle. We experienced a case of torsion of wandering spleen in 8-year-old girl who admitted with fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, palpable left abdominal mass. She was diagnosed preoperatively with the aid of abdominal sonography and C.T. scanning. A splenectomy was performed and she made uneventful recovery. The case report illustrates some of the diagnostic and therapeutic considerations pertaining to wandering spleen with a brief review of related literature.
Abdomen ; Abdominal Pain ; Child ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Spleen ; Splenectomy ; Vomiting ; Wandering Spleen*

A 49-year-old male had erythematous to rusky red papules, indurated plaques and lichenified patches with hyperpigmentation on sun-exposed areas for 6 years. Phototest revealed the decreased rninimal erythemal dose to UVA(10J/cm. Photopatch test with 5% Trandate ointment, 5% hydrochlorthiazide ointment and vaselin. as a control were all negative. Two weeks after cessation of Trandate, an oral challenge of hydrochlorthiazide followed by phototest was perfrirmed resulting in exacerbation of skin lesions and photosensitivity with a decreased MED to UVA(10J/cm) again. After the cesation of Trandate containing hydrochlorthiazide, the skin lesions were improved with complete loss of photosensitivity. But, improvement of the infiltrated or licheified plaques were delayed. Presenile cataract previously noted in the patient seemed to be related to his longstanding intake of hydrochlorthiazide.
Cataract ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; Labetalol ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Skin

No abstract available.
Fatigue*

Measurement of the normal pituitary gland height was performed on magnetic resonance (MR) images of 144 subjects with no known or suspected pituitary or hypothalamic diseases. Midsagittal T1 weighted images (T1WI) were used for measurement, and mean vertical height according to age and sex group was obtained. In all age groups, the pituitary height was greater in females than in meles, The group of 0-9 years in both genders showed the minimum mean pituitary height, The maximum mean height was observed in the 10-19 years age group in both genders. The height gradually decreased with increasing age after age 20 years. There was no subject with a height more than 9.0 mm in females or 8.0 mm in males. In conclusion the measurement of the normal pituitary pland height using mid sagittal MR imaging can be used for the evaluation of the pituitary gland lesions.
Female ; Humans ; Hypothalamic Diseases ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Pituitary Gland* ; Sex Differentiation*