Peripartum cardiomyopathy is defined as a syndrome of cardiac failure occurring in tbe latter part of pregnancy or in the puerperium, without obvious cause and without prior evidence of heart disease. Despite its infrequency, this clinical problem may have devastating consequences upon maternal and fetal outcome. It is important to recognize the association of cardiac failure and pregnancy as a separate syndrome so that, once identified, peripartum cardiomyopathy can be treated promptly and aggressively. We experienced two cases of peripartum cardiomyopathy, and report these cases with a brief review of the literatures.
Cardiomyopathies* ; Heart Diseases ; Heart Failure ; Peripartum Period* ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy

No abstract available.
Humans ; Pregnancy, Twin*

No abstract available.
Abscess* ; Drainage*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Aortic Aneurysm* ; Humans ; Rupture*

This study was conducted to identify the factors for serum cholesterol level among Korean Air Force pilots. We obtained risk factors for 408 pilots examined during period from January 1996 through March 1997. The associations between total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol and age, body mass Index(BMI), smoking, drinking, blood pressure, flight time and fat intake were analyzed. The mean serum total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were 161.8+/-31.0 mg/dl, 475+/-11.0 mg/dl, 93.1+/-30.2 mg/dl, and 106.5+/-61.3 mg/dl respectively. Possible risk factors were total flight time, BMI, smoking, drinking, exercise, flight, and fighter or not. Total flight time and BMI were statistically significant factors In serum cholesterol level while controlling for the effect of the remaining factors. The longer the total flight time, the higher the level of serum total cholesterol. Total flight time, BMI, and drinking amount were statistically significant factors in serum HDL-cholesterol while controlling for the effect of the remaining factors. The higher the BIM, the lower the level of HDL-cholesterol. BMI was a statistically significant factor in seurm LDL-cholesterol while controlling for the effect of remaining factors. Total flight time, BIM, and flight were statistically significant factors in serum triglyceride while controlling for the effect of the remaining factors. Conclusively, BIM was a only significant factor in all four lipid levels, and total flight time took an affect to total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and triglyceride levels.
Blood Pressure ; Cholesterol ; Drinking ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Triglycerides

BACKGROUND: Scid.adh is a recently developed murine thymic lymphoma cell line, which has been used as in vitro model for the study of double negative stage III thymocytes. In this study, we compared the expression profile of a number of genes and proteins, which are tightly related to T cell development and apoptosis, in thymic lymphoma cell lines, R1.1, EL-4, and Scid.adh for the developmental staging. METHODS: We examined the expression of development marker genes and proteins in three lymphoma cell lines by flow cytometry and RT-PCR. In addition, the expression of apoptosis-related molecules including bcl-2, bax and Fas was also investigated. RESULTS: As previously reported, Scid.adh cell line expressed CD8 and CD25 but not TCR alpha chain, while R1.1 cells expressed TCR alpha chain and both CD4 and CD8 transcripts. These suggest that R1.1 might be in double positive stage, and low level of CD44 expression and the absence of CD25 support this suggestion. In contrast, EL-4 cells showed high level of TCR alpha chain transcript, and low-level of CD4 expression, suggesting that EL-4 is in more mature stage than R1.1. Further, this suggestion was supported by the lack of mT-20 in EL-4 cells, which is expressed in the immature thymocytes, and Scid.adh and R1.1 cell lines, but not in the terminally differentiated thymocytes and peripheral T cells. Among the apoptosis-related gene, transcripts of bcl-2 gene were detected in both R1.1 and EL-4 but not in Scid.adh cells, while bax was expressed in all cell lines. Fas expression was the highest in EL-4 cells and low in Scid.adh cell line. CONCLUSION: R1.1 cell may represent double positive stage, and EL-4 is more differentiated cell line. In addition, Scid.adh and EL-4 cell lines are suspected to be useful for the study of function of bcl-2 family and Fas during the thymocyte development, respectively.
Apoptosis ; Cell Line* ; Flow Cytometry ; Genes, bcl-2 ; Humans ; Lymphoma* ; T-Lymphocytes ; Thymocytes

OBJECTIVE: It has been recognized that cold knife conization has higher incidence of postoperative hemorrhage and many techniques have been developed in an attempt to control hemorrhage. The aim of this study was to evaluate complications of Sturmdorf's suture in cold knife conization and to investigate various measures employed to reduce blood loss. METHODS: The results of 85 patients who had cold knife conization for diagnosis or treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) from August, 1997 to July, 2003 were reviewed. RESULTS: Among 85 patients, 83 patients (97.7%) had negative cut margins on conization specimen while 2 patients (2.3%) positive cut margins. 54 patients received no further treatment after cold knife conization and complications occurred in 9 patients (16.7%). Postoperative hemorrhage requiring additional hemostatic procedures occurred in 7 patients (13%), of which 6 patients were rehospitalized and 1 patient was managed at outpatient clinic with gauze packing only. Among 6 rehospitalized patients, hysterectomy was done in 2 patients and electrocoagulation in 1 patient. Packed red cell was transfused in 1 patient and 2 patients were managed with gauze packing only. Postoperative infection was found in 2 patients (3.7%). No other significant complications were noted. CONCLUSION: Cold knife conization using Sturmdorf's suture could be done to get much more accurate results of biopsy with relatively mild complication in magement of CIN, although several days? admission is needed and the other alternative methods seem to be more convenient.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Biopsy ; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; Conization* ; Diagnosis ; Electrocoagulation ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Incidence ; Postoperative Hemorrhage ; Sutures*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of PAP smear as a screening tool for cervical cancer by evaluating the result of a review of 34,970 cases of PAP smear at Pohang St. Mary's Hospital. METHODS: From January, 1992 to December, 2001 cytologic examination of 34,970 women were analysed and the results were reviewed. RESULTS: 1. The average of annual screening rate was 14.8%. 2. Abnormal cytology rate was 2.02% including 1.02% of ASCUS, 0.99% of class III, 0.20% of class IV and 0.30% of class V. 3. 8.28% of the women screened were aged less than 30 years, 31.8% <40 years, 33.2% <50 years, 17.5% <60 years, 7.3% <70 years and 1.9% >or=70 years respectively. 4. Of the 188 patients who had a cytologic diagnosis of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS), 127 (68%) were followed up, 99 (78%) were normal and 28 (22%) had squamous intraepithelial lesion. 5. The prevalence rate of cervical neoplasia confirmed by histopathology for the past 10 years was 1.53%. Of those the rate of invasive cervical cancer was 0.65%. 6. The false negative rate was 17.3% and false positive rate was 4.5%. 7. The sensitivity and specificity and positive predictive value of PAP smear were 82.7%, 95.5% and 90.2%. CONCLUSION: For PAP smear to be early detecting tool for cervical cancer, continuous effort is required to raise annual screening rate, to lower the false negative rate, and to raise the sensitivity of PAP smear.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Prevalence ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the role of cold knife conization in the diagnosis and treatment of cervical neoplasia. METHODS: Sixty patients were divided into diagnostic and therapeutic conization group and then indication of conization, PAP smear, colposcopy directed biopsy, cone margin and residual lesion of each group were compared respectively. RESULTS: If the difference of PAP and colposcopy directed biopsy was 2 grades or more, upper limit of the lesion was invisible, squamocolumnar junction was not seen, PAP V or invasive cancer was suspected, diagnostic conization was performed in 22 patients. Six cases of follow-up group had cone margin (-) and no recurrence. Sixteen cases of immediate TAH (total abdominal hysterectomy) group had 2 cases of cone margin (+) with residual disease. There were 4 cases of cone margin (-) with residual lesion. If the difference of PAP and colposcopy directed biopsy was 1 grade or less, upper limit of the lesion was visible, squamocolumnar junction was seen and invasive cancer was ruled out, therapeutic conization was performed in 38 cases. All of therapeutic conization group had cone margin (-). Thirty two cases were follow up group and six cases were immediate TAH group. Three of follow up group had recurrences and delayed TAH was performed. There was no residual lesion in the specimen of immediate TAH group. CONCLUSION: The precise dignosis and treatment of cervical neoplasia was capable with cold knife conization. The more aggressive lesion or the more cases of cone margin (+) was diagnosed, the more residual lesion was found. Thorough follow up should be done after treatment of cervical neoplasia because of the possibility of residual disease even after documentation of cone margin (-).
Biopsy ; Colposcopy ; Conization* ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Recurrence