Vascular dementia is one of the few remediable causes of dementia among the eldery. Prevention of the disease can be best achieved by primary or secondary prevention of controllable risk factors for strokes. Therefore, early and accurate diagnosis of vascular cognitive impairment prior to the dementia stage is essential to the prevention and treatment of vascular dementia. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods for prevention of vascular dementia are listed in this article. Recent epidemiologic data, suggesting a direct correlation between vascular risk factors and Alzheimer type dementia, emphasized the importance of controlling vascular risk factors in the prevention of dementia. Treatment strategies for patients diagnosed as vascular dementia are also discussed. Several clinical trials for symptomatic improvement of vascular dementia are ongoing and their success can be a hope to patients with vascular dementia.
Alzheimer Disease ; Cognition Disorders ; Dementia ; Dementia, Vascular* ; Diagnosis ; Hope ; Humans ; Risk Factors ; Secondary Prevention ; Stroke

Nickel sensitivity is the most common cause of allergic metal dermatitides,, particularly in women. Women are uaually sensitized. by the objects wom close to the skin ('e.g. earring, necklace fasther, watch, suspenders, brassiere clips, etc.), and men are by occupational exposures (e.g. plating or printing industries, tools, etc.). Nickel dermatitis is frequently developed on the sites where seems to have been directly contact witb nickel substance, but secondary eruptions may develop on the areas where seems to have not been directly exposed to nickel, so that nickel dermatitie is sometimea misdiagnosed as atopic dermatitis, nummular eczema, stasis dermatitis, or other dermatitides. The authora prcsent two cases of nickel dermatitis confirmed by patch test with 2. 5% nickel sulfafte; first case-a 22 years old female who has erythemat,ous maculopapular patches on her ears, around neck, left wriat, elbows, and abdomen; second case tkat was previously misdiagnosed as mummular eczema-a 18 years old female who has large oozing and crusted patches on both lateral aspects of her right thigh and back, The authors reviewed the incidence of nickel sensitivity during past years in korea and the clinical aspect of distribution of nickel dermatitis.
Abdomen ; Adolescent ; Dermatitis* ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Ear ; Eczema ; Elbow ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Neck ; Nickel* ; Occupational Exposure ; Patch Tests ; Skin ; Thigh ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Dendritic Cells, Follicular*

Senile sebaceous hyperplasia refers to a benign enlargement of a normal sebaceous unit which is not uncommon in the old age group, and is characterized clinically by single or multiple small cream to yellowish round papules developed on the face, chiefly on the forehead and cheeks. A case of florid senile sebaceous hyperplasia developed in a 81-year-old man was presented. Because this disorder is one of the geriatric dermatoses and the average life span of our people is remarkably lengthened in recent years, we believe dermatologists should pay more attention to this kind of dermatosis.
Male ; Humans

A 49-year old man was admitted to the Korea university hospital, department of surgery, for evaluation of anterior neck mass which was slowly growing for five years. His past history was unremarkable except for known hypertension for several years. Physical examination revealed high blood pressure, measuring 180 mmHg in systolic phase and 120 mmHg in diastolic phase. A soft nontender mass was palpated at anterior neck just above the sternal notch with smooth surface and its size was about 4 x 5 cm in cross. On laboratory examination, diabetic evidence such as high blood sugar (FBS 170 mg/dl, PP2hr. 234 mg/dl) and glucosuria. The CBC finding suggested polycythemia with high hemoglobin (18.0 g/dl) and hematocrit (54%) levels. The differential count and platelet count were within normal limits.
Male ; Humans

We present a case of pemphigus vulgaris developed during pregnancy. The clinical features of this patient were similar to those of hetpes gestationis. By immunofluorescence studies we found that the patient's serum contained autoantibodies to intercellular substance of epidermis. Direct immunofluorescence microscopy of a perilesional skin also demontrated immunoglobulin deposition in the intercellular areas. Additionally we did in vitro C3 staining for further confirmation of the diagnosis but it was negative in basement membrane zone. This patient was initially treated with corticosteroid and azathioprine. Several months later gold compound was given instead of azathioprine and corticosteroid with good therapeutic response.
Autoantibodies ; Azathioprine ; Basement Membrane ; Diagnosis ; Epidermis ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Microscopy ; Pemphigus* ; Pregnancy* ; Skin

BACKGROUND: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause of lower respiratory infection in infants and young children, but the pathogenesis of RSV-induced inflammation is not well defined. MATERIAL AND METHOD: In order to examine the potential interactions between virus-infected airway epithelial cells and neutrophils, we studied the ability of neutrophils to adhere to yirus-infected airway epithelial cell monolayers by myeloperoxidase assay. Also we measured the ability of airway epithelial cells to secrete interleukin-8(IL-8) and inter-cellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1) in virus-infected airway epithelial cell cultures by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). The degree of IL-8 and ICAM-1 gene expression in the RSV-infected BEAS-2B cell cultures were analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR). RESULTS: The RSV-infected BEAS-2B cell resulted in significantly enhanced level of neutrophil adherence compared to the uninfected control(p (0.001). IL-8 and ICAM-1 production significantly increased by RSV infection(p<0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between neutrophil adherence and IL-8 level(r=0.73, p=0.002), and ICAM-1 level (r=0.843, p=0.001) in RSV-infected cells. The degree of both IL-8 and ICAM-1 mRNA expression increased in the RSV-infected cells compared with the uninfected ones. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that RSV infection significantly enhances the production of IL-8 and ICAM-1 in airway epithelial cells which then results in increased neutrophil adherence.
Cell Culture Techniques ; Child ; Epithelial Cells* ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Infant ; Inflammation ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; Interleukin-8 ; Neutrophils* ; Peroxidase ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses* ; RNA, Messenger

The crystalline surface layer protein (SLP) and a 28-32 kDa antigen of Rickettsia typhi were known as strong immunogens. We previously reported a cloning and sequence analysis of the SLP gene of R. typhi (slpT) and showed that the open reading frame of this gene encodes both the SLP and a 32-kDa protein. Our study also showed that a 48-kDa protein reacted strongly with polyclonal antiserum of a patient with murine typhus. In this study, we produced three recombinant proteins (SLP, 32-kDa, and 48-kDa protein) in E. coli as fusion proteins with maltose binding proteins. The reactivity of these proteins with patients' sera was investigated.
Clone Cells* ; Cloning, Organism* ; Crystallins ; Humans ; Maltose-Binding Proteins ; Open Reading Frames ; Recombinant Proteins ; Rickettsia typhi* ; Rickettsia* ; Sequence Analysis ; Typhus, Endemic Flea-Borne

The prevalence of dermographism in 96 patients of acute or chronic urticaria was studied using dermographic tester. The results were summarized as follows : 1. The prevalence rate of dermographism in acute or chronic urticaria was 26.0% (25/96). 2. Dermographism was more common in acute or chronic urticaria than in the general population(p<0.005). 3. There was no significant difference in the prevalence rate of dermographiam between acute and chronic urticaria. 4. The prevalence rate of dermographism was not significantly correlated with the level of serum IgE.
Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Prevalence ; Urticaria*

No abstract available.
Hematuria* ; Humans