No abstract available.
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay* ; Herpes Simplex* ; Immunoglobulin G* ; Immunoglobulin M*

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the balloon bronchoplasty in the treatment of the tuberculous bronchostenosis. Balloon bronchoplasty was performed in thirteen patients with stenosis of the left main bronchus (two with combined left upper and lower lobar bronchostenosis) using a inflatable balloon catheter under a fluoroscopic guide. We analysed the changes in the changes in the severity of dyspnea and wheezing, serial FEV1/FVC as a parameter of the airflow obstruction, and bronchial diameter and lung volume on chest radiographs. The extent of pulmonary tuberculosis was correlated with the improvement of FEV1/FVC. There was an improvement of dyspnea in 69%(9/13), decrease of wheezing in 69%(9/13), significant increase of FEV1/FVC in 18% (2/11). The increase of the bronchial diameter and lung volume were seen in 84%(11/13) and 53% (7/13), respectively. The significant increase of FEVI/FVC was seen in 28% (2/7) of the patients with lung involvement of tuberculosis less than one third of left upper lobe, whereas there was no increase in those of more than one third. There was no complication except transient leukocytosis, fever and blood-tinged sputum. In conclusion, balloon bronchoplasty is effective in the treatment of medically intractable tuberculous bronchostenosis, and can be considered as an initial method of treatment.
Bronchi ; Catheters ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Dyspnea ; Fever ; Humans ; Leukocytosis ; Lung ; Methods ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Respiratory Sounds ; Sputum ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the balloon bronchoplasty in the treatment of the tuberculous bronchostenosis. Balloon bronchoplasty was performed in thirteen patients with stenosis of the left main bronchus (two with combined left upper and lower lobar bronchostenosis) using a inflatable balloon catheter under a fluoroscopic guide. We analysed the changes in the changes in the severity of dyspnea and wheezing, serial FEV1/FVC as a parameter of the airflow obstruction, and bronchial diameter and lung volume on chest radiographs. The extent of pulmonary tuberculosis was correlated with the improvement of FEV1/FVC. There was an improvement of dyspnea in 69%(9/13), decrease of wheezing in 69%(9/13), significant increase of FEV1/FVC in 18% (2/11). The increase of the bronchial diameter and lung volume were seen in 84%(11/13) and 53% (7/13), respectively. The significant increase of FEVI/FVC was seen in 28% (2/7) of the patients with lung involvement of tuberculosis less than one third of left upper lobe, whereas there was no increase in those of more than one third. There was no complication except transient leukocytosis, fever and blood-tinged sputum. In conclusion, balloon bronchoplasty is effective in the treatment of medically intractable tuberculous bronchostenosis, and can be considered as an initial method of treatment.
Bronchi ; Catheters ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Dyspnea ; Fever ; Humans ; Leukocytosis ; Lung ; Methods ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Respiratory Sounds ; Sputum ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to assess the possible involvement of the dopamine D5 receptor gene(DRD5) in the etiology of schizophrenia. METHODS: We identified the distribution of the T978C varient of the dopamine D5 receptor gene in 100 schizophrenics and 100 normal controls in Korean population, and evaluated the association between two groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in genotype frequency of T978C variation and genotype prevalence of homozygotes between schizophrenic and control groups. There was no significant difference in T978C allele frequencies between schizophrenic and control groups. CONCLUSION: We present evidence of a lack of allelic association between the exonic common polymorphism of the dopamine D5 receptor gene and Korean schizophrenic patients. The assumption that the T978C varient of the dopamine D5 receptor gene has a genetic role in the development of schizophrenia was not examined by this case-control study. However, because it is considered that DRD5 may act as the expression factor for the symptoms of schizophrenia or affect the difference in an individual's susceptibility to the disease, future studies to investigate the influence of other variations of DRD5 are needed.
Case-Control Studies ; Dopamine* ; Exons ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Receptors, Dopamine D5* ; Schizophrenia

No abstract available.

Gastrointestinal bleeding is a common complication of hepatocellular carcinoma, and the most common causes are esophageal varix, gastric varix and a bleeding ulcer. Hepatocellular carcinoma rarely invades the gastrointestinal tract, and this has been shown to occur in 0.7~2% of the clinical hepatocellular carcinoma cases. A 52-year old male who had a history of a huge hepatocellular carcinoma on the left lobe of the liver and this had been by chemoembolization was admitted due to hematemesis and melena. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed a huge fungating mass with easy contact bleeding in the lesser curvature of the gastric body. The histology was consistent with the diagnosis of metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma and results of the CT scan supported this finding. This case illustrates a rare event of direct invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma into the stomach and this was followed by gastrointestinal hemorrhage.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Endoscopy, Digestive System ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Hematemesis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Liver ; Male ; Melena ; Stomach ; Ulcer

Malarial infection is one of the most important tropical diseases, but also increasing in the temperate regions. Severe malaria with organ dysfunction is commonly associated with Plasmodium falciparum, but rarely with Plasmodium vivax. Malarial hepatitis is also unusual in P. falciparum and very rare in P. vivax. Only 3 cases of malarial hepatitis caused by P. vivax have been reported in the world. Because the presence of hepatitis in malaria indicates a more severe illness with higher incidence of other complications and poor prognosis, malarial patients should be meticulously monitored for hepatic dysfunction with or without jaundice. We report here a case of malarial hepatitis caused by P. vivax that was presented by fever, general ache, nausea, fatigue, and significant elevation of aminotransferase and bilirubin.
Abdomen/ultrasonography ; Antimalarials/therapeutic use ; Erythrocytes/immunology/parasitology ; Fatigue/etiology ; Hepatitis/*diagnosis/etiology/ultrasonography ; Humans ; Malaria, Vivax/complications/*diagnosis/drug therapy ; Male ; Mefloquine/therapeutic use ; Nausea/etiology ; Plasmodium vivax/isolation & purification ; Primaquine/therapeutic use ; Young Adult

A non-familial type nephrotic syndrome associated with distal renal tubual acidosis, nephrocalcinosis and renal osteodystropy is a very rare disease. A 4 year old boy was treated with prednisone under the impression of minimal lesion nephrotid syndrome but the response was not excellent along with persistant microhematuria in his serial urinalysis. Percutaneous renal biopsy speciman revealed microcalcification around afferent arteriols and peritubular area along with mild mesangial cell proliferations. Futher studies disclosed osteodystrophic change of the femurs. Patient had a typical forms of distal type renal tubular acidosis which was confirmed by NH4Cl and NaHCO3 loading tests. This case is the first cases of non-familial type nephrotic syndrome associated with nephrocalcinosis, renal osteodystrophy and distal RTA in Korea.
Acidosis* ; Acidosis, Renal Tubular ; Biopsy ; Child, Preschool ; Femur ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Mesangial Cells ; Nephrocalcinosis* ; Nephrotic Syndrome* ; Prednisone ; Rare Diseases ; Renal Osteodystrophy* ; Urinalysis

No abstract available.
Stroke*

Pityriasis lichenoides Chronica is a cutaneous disorder of unknown etiology and characterized pathologically by vasculitis and clinically by its marked chronicity and lack of specific treatment. Emollient-phototherapy is a recently introduced effective treatment for psoriasis. The authors treated 3 patients with pityriasis lichenoides chronica by the emollient-phototherapy technic with quite satisfactory results.