No abstract available.
Amnion* ; Hydrocortisone* ; Pregnancy*

BACKGROUND: Acute pain can severely interfere with the activities of daily living (ADL) of patients with herpes zoster, but until now, little has been published in the Korean medical literature about the impact of herpes zoster on the ADL. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to identify the nature and severity of the acute pain of herpes zoster patients and its relationship to the patients' ADL. METHODS: 86 patients with herpes zoster and who visited our hospital from August 2009 to June 2010 were evaluated in regard to age, gender, the dermatomal distribution, the associated diseases, the severity and nature of the pain and the ADL. The nature of the pain was measured by the Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire. To access interference of pain with the ADL, we used the Zoster Brief Pain Inventory (ZBPI) and the Zoster Impact Questionnaire (ZIQ). RESULTS: The mean onset of pain was 5.6+/-3.2 days before the visit, and the mean onset of skin lesion was 4.2+/-2.2 days before the visit. The most common nature of the pain of herpes zoster was shooting pain (55.8%), followed by stabbing pain (54.7%). But there was no significant difference of gender, age, the dermatomal distribution, the clinical severity and the associated disease according to the severity and nature of the pain. For every 1.0 point increase in the pain score, there was a 0.257 and 0.105 point increase in the ZBPI and ZIQ scores, respectively, on the multivariate linear regression model. CONCLUSION: This study will help to choose appropriate treatments to reduce the pain of patients who suffer with herpes zoster.
Activities of Daily Living ; Acute Pain ; Herpes Zoster ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Pain Measurement ; Quality of Life ; Skin

BACKGROUND: Acute pain can severely interfere with the activities of daily living (ADL) of patients with herpes zoster, but until now, little has been published in the Korean medical literature about the impact of herpes zoster on the ADL. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to identify the nature and severity of the acute pain of herpes zoster patients and its relationship to the patients' ADL. METHODS: 86 patients with herpes zoster and who visited our hospital from August 2009 to June 2010 were evaluated in regard to age, gender, the dermatomal distribution, the associated diseases, the severity and nature of the pain and the ADL. The nature of the pain was measured by the Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire. To access interference of pain with the ADL, we used the Zoster Brief Pain Inventory (ZBPI) and the Zoster Impact Questionnaire (ZIQ). RESULTS: The mean onset of pain was 5.6+/-3.2 days before the visit, and the mean onset of skin lesion was 4.2+/-2.2 days before the visit. The most common nature of the pain of herpes zoster was shooting pain (55.8%), followed by stabbing pain (54.7%). But there was no significant difference of gender, age, the dermatomal distribution, the clinical severity and the associated disease according to the severity and nature of the pain. For every 1.0 point increase in the pain score, there was a 0.257 and 0.105 point increase in the ZBPI and ZIQ scores, respectively, on the multivariate linear regression model. CONCLUSION: This study will help to choose appropriate treatments to reduce the pain of patients who suffer with herpes zoster.
Activities of Daily Living ; Acute Pain ; Herpes Zoster ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Pain Measurement ; Quality of Life ; Skin

Lichen planus is a chronic papulosquamous disease that affects the skin and mucous membranes. It is characterized by pruritic violaceous papules that are most commonly seen on the extremities of middle aged adults, but the elderly are rarely affected. Hypertrophic lichen planus usually occurs on the extremities and especially on the shins, and it tends to be the most pruritic variant. An 82-year-old female presented with severe pruritic multiple papules and plaques on the both the upper and lower extremities for 1 year. At first, the lesions began as small, polygonal papules that formed verrucous plaques over several months. Histopathologic examination showed marked hyperkeratosis, irregular acanthosis and wedge-shaped hypergranulosis. The vacuolar alteration and the lymphocytic inflammatory infiltrate were accentuated at the base of the rete ridge. From these findings, we diagnosed these lesions as hypertrophic lichen planus. The lesions were treated with topical steroid and intralesional injection of steroid, and they were slightly improved after 2 months of therapy.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Injections, Intralesional ; Lichen Planus ; Lichens ; Lower Extremity ; Middle Aged ; Mucous Membrane ; Skin

Glomus tumors are benign cutaneous neoplasm, occurring in the vascular hamartomatous tubercles of the glomus body, which is a myoarterial apparatus typically found in the reticular dermis of the skin. Histopathologically, glomus tumors are composed of neoplastic cells that resemble normal glomus cells, arranged around a varying number of thin-walled, sometimes branching capillaries. Immunohistochemically, neoplastic cells in glomus tumors clearly exhibit smooth muscle characteristics with expression of muscle-specific actin and alpha-smooth muscle actin; whereas, the expression of CD34 is rare. In this report, we present two cases of benign glomus tumors on the subungual area and palm. Tumor cells of glomus tumor in two patients were both positive for smooth muscle actin (SMA) and CD34 immunohistochemical staining. We thought that coexpression of SMA and CD34 adds support to the interpretation of these lesions as a family of perivascular neoplasms.
Actins ; Capillaries ; Dermis ; Glomus Tumor ; Humans ; Muscle, Smooth ; Muscles ; Skin

A calcifying aponeurotic fibroma is a rare benign fibrous tumor with well-characterized histopathological features. Calcifying aponeurotic fibromas are generally slowly-growing lesions related to tendons and aponeuroses in the distal extremities of children and adolescents. While the neoplasm is usually asymptomatic, cases of progressive local discomfort have been reported. The exact etiology of this neoplasm is unknown, and there is frequently no history of trauma or local irritating factors. A 10-year-old female presented with a 2.5x2.0 cm, subcutaneous mass on the right sole 4 years after she bumped against a table. The histopathologic examination showed a poorly circumscribed fibrotic mass with foci of chondroid differentiation and calcification. These findings were consistent with the diagnosis of a calcifying aponeurotic fibroma. After total excision of the mass, there has been no recurrence of the lesion in 8 months of follow-up.
Adolescent ; Child ; Extremities ; Female ; Fibroma ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gait ; Humans ; Recurrence ; Tendons

No abstract available.
Anetoderma* ; Granuloma Annulare* ; Humans ; Infant*

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the prognostic factors that influence the surgical outcomes of elderly patients older than 65 years old with an aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. METHODS: Ninety-two patients older than 65 years old, who were operated in our hospital between 1998 and 2005, were reviewed retrospectively. The clinical outcomes were evaluated using the modified Rankin Scale three months after surgery. RESULTS: The preoperative neurological status, such as the Hunt-Hess grade (p<0.001), World Federation of Neurological Surgeons (WFNS) grade (p<0.001), and the Fisher grade (p=0.001), was significantly associated with the surgical outcomes in this series. The vasospasm (0.016) and ventriculostomy (0.039) are factors influencing the surgical outcomes. However, the other factors including hypertension (0.831), smoking (0.228), accompanying disorder (0.706), size of aneurysms (0.177), location of aneurysms (0.755), shunt operation (0.356), and timing of surgery (0.194) had no influence on the surgical outcome. CONCLUSION: In elderly patients with intracranial aneurysms, the preoperative neurological status, vasospasm, and ventriculostomy are the most significant prognostic factors.
Aged* ; Aneurysm* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Retrospective Studies ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage* ; Ventriculostomy

PURPOSE: Heptaplatin (SKI-2053 R) is a new platinum analogue, with a better toxicity profile than cisplatin, and has antitumor activity even in cisplatin resistant cell lines. 5-fluoruracil (5-FU) has shown synergy with platinum compounds. This phase II trial was designed to determine the efficacy and toxicities of heptaplatin/ 5-FU (5-fluorouracil) for treating stomach cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-two patients with advanced, measurable gastric adenocarcinomas were enrolled in this trial. The treatment consisted of heptaplatin, 400 mg/m2/day (1 hour IV infusion), on day 1 and 5-FU, 800 mg/m2/day (12 hours IV infusion), on days 1 to 5. The cycles were repeated every 3 weeks. RESULTS: Of the 26 evaluable patients, 9 had partial responses and 1a complete response (overall response rate, 38%; 95% confidence interval, 19~57%). The median response duration was 23 weeks (range: 4~60 weeks). The median time to progression was 26 weeks (range: 3~68 weeks). The grades III-IV toxicities were mostly hematological toxicities: leucopenia was observed in 11 patients (35%) and thrombocytopenia 4 (13%). No definite neuropathy was observed. Grade I-II nephropathy was also noted: grade I high BUN/creatinine levels occurred in 5 patients (16%), grade II proteinuria 2 (6%), grade I proteinuria 5 (16%). Neutropenic fever developed in 5 patients (16%) and 1 died of pneumonia in a neutropenic state. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the regimen of Heptaplatin/5-FU should be effective and have a favorable toxicity profile for the patients suffering with advanced stomach cancer.
Adenocarcinoma ; Cell Line ; Cisplatin ; Drug Therapy ; Fever ; Fluorouracil ; Humans ; Leucovorin* ; Platinum ; Platinum Compounds ; Pneumonia ; Proteinuria ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Stomach* ; Thrombocytopenia

OBJECTIVES: There is evidence that Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenocortical (HPA) system dysregulation plays a role in the pathophysiology of depression. However which psychiatric symptoms are related to HPA system dysregulation has not been studied well. The primary aim of this study was to investigate which symptom components of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) are related to HPA system dysregulation in Korean psychiatric outpatients. The secondary aim was to find other variables that have association with HAM-D components. METHODS: This study was a retrospective review of the charts of outpatients who first visited Samsung Medical Center Depression Clinic between July 2012 and October 2013. Among them those who checked the plasma cortisol level and HAM-D within one week of their first visit were selected. Fifty nine patients were selected. The HAM-D was divided into four components, including depression, anxiety, insomnia, and somatic components. Multiple regression of cortisol level was used for four subscales. RESULTS: Significant positive correlations were observed between the plasma cortisol level and depression component of HAM-D (beta=0.251, p=0.049). Age also showed negative correlation with the depression component of HAM-D (beta=-0.427, p=0.002). However anxiety, insomnia and somatic components of HAM-D did not show correlation with plasma cortisol level. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that in Korean depression clinic outpatients, the depression component of HAM-D is related to plasma cortisol level.
Anxiety ; Depression* ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone* ; Outpatients* ; Plasma* ; Retrospective Studies ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders