OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this paper is to study the possible differences in clinical and polysomnographic findings, depending on the presence or absence of subjective complaints of abnormal sleep behavior, in patients with RWA on polysomnography. METHOD: We reviewed patient records and polysomnographic data of patients referred to the Sleep Laboratory at Seoul National University Hospital from June 1996 through October 2002. We defined the manifest RBD group (n=32) as patients having both complaints of abnormal sleep behavior and RWA on polysomnography. The latent RBD group (n=20) consisted of patients who exhibited RWA on polysomnography but did not complain of abnormal sleep behavior. The clinical characteristics and polysomnographic findings between the two groups were compared and analyzed. RESULTS: Fifty-two subjects had RWA, as detected by polysomnography (42 males and 10 females, mean age of 55.1+/-19.1 years). Subjects in the manifest RBD group were significantly older than those in the latent RBD group (61.59+/-13.5 vs. 44.70+/-2.76 years, independent t-test, p<0.01). More subjects in the manifest RBD group exhibited abnormal REM behavior on polysomnography than did subjects in the latent RBD group (81.3 vs. 50.0%, Fisher's exact test, p<0.05). No significant differences between the groups were found in the prevalence of brain disorders and primary sleep disorders, gender proportion, and sleep architecture. CONCLUSION: No difference in sleep architecture was found between the manifest and the latent RBD groups. Only age and the presence of abnormal sleep behavior on polysomnography differentiated the two groups. We suggest that RWA on polysomnography without complaints of abnormal sleep behavior may be early manifestation of manifest RBD. Attention to RWA on polysomnography is necessary to help prevent full-blown RBD from developing.
Brain Diseases ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mental Disorders* ; Polysomnography ; Prevalence ; REM Sleep Behavior Disorder ; Seoul ; Sleep Wake Disorders ; Sleep, REM*

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence rate of OSA in subjects whose main sleep complaint is insomnia and to find differential factors of OSA in these insomniac subjects. METHOD: We reviewed the medical records and polysomnographic findings of patients referred to the Sleep Laboratory at Seoul National University Hospital from January 1996 to December 2002. Four-hundred and seventy subjects complained of insomnia as their main sleep problem (235 males and 235 females, mean age 53.6+/-12.4 years). First, we investigated the prevalence rate of OSA in these insomniac patients. Second, we compared the clinical and demographic characteristics of the OSA-associated group with those of the non-associated group. Third, we examined whether the degree or presence of differential factors within the OSA group correlate with severity of OSA, as determined by the respiratory disturbance index (RDI). RESULTS: Among 470 insomniac subjects, 125 subjects (26.6%) were diagnosed as OSA by nocturnal polysomnography. OSA-associated subjects were significantly older (58.4+/-12.3 years vs. 51.8+/-11.2 years, p<0.01), and had significantly higher body mass index (BMI) (23.4+/-3.3 kg/m2 vs. 22.5+/-3.1 kg/m2, p=0.44) than non-associated subjects. The OSA-associated group had more subjects with male gender (64.0 % vs. 44.9 %, p<0.01), hypertension (20.0 % vs. 9.3 %, p<0.01) or snoring (96.0 % vs. 63.5 %, p<0.01). Within the OSA-associated group, age had a significant positive correlation with RDI (p=0.01). CONCLUSION: We found that a considerable portion of patients complaining of insomnia as their main sleep problem were diagnosed as OSA. Snoring, old age, male gender, obesity, and comorbid hypertension were found to be differential factors of OSA in insomniac patients. We suggest that diagnostic efforts including nocturnal polysomnography are needed for insomniac patients with any of the above risk factors of OSA.
Body Mass Index ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Male ; Medical Records ; Obesity ; Polysomnography ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Seoul ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive* ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders* ; Snoring

Inflammatory mediators, such as oxidants, TNF-alpha, and IL-6, play a major role in the systemic response to bum injury It has been known that a continuing inflammatory response cause a sepsis and subsequent multiple organ failure. Recent studies have shown that burn patients receiving recombinant human growth hormone(rhGH) therapy have an improvement of the general condition, but the mechanism by which rhGH exerts its effects has not been clearly understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of rhGH on the early bum injury. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups : control group, bum group, burn plus rhGH treated group, and rhGH only treated group. Animals were killed at 30min., 3, 6, 24, and 48 hours after treatment. Histology and biochemical changes including malondialdehyde(MDA) content, tissue reduced glutathione(GSH) and catalase activity in the lung and liver, and plasma TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels were examined. Lung histology in the bum plus rhGH treated group showed decreased inflammtory response such as neutrophil and lymphocyte infiltrations, interstitial thickening, and edema compared with the bum group. Liver histology in the bum group revealed mild neutrophil and lymphocyte infiltrations, vacuolization .of hepatocytes, disrupted lobular structures, and dilated sinusoids. But liver histology of the bum plus rhGH was similar to control group. Lung and liver MDA in the burn plus rhGH and rhGH only treated groups were decreased with time compared with the burn group. Lung and liver GSH and catalase activities in the bum plus rhGH and GH only treated groups remained significantly increased compared with the bum group for the 48-hours period. Plasma TNF-alpha levels in the bum group remained elevated for the 48-hours period compared with the bum plus rhGH and rhGH only treated groups. Plasma IL-6 levels in the burn group were significantly increased only at first compared with the bum plus rhGH and rhGH only treated groups. These results suggested that rhGH showed inhibitory effects on the inflammatory cell infiltration and lipid peroxidation in the lung and liver after bum injury. Increased GSH levels and catalase activities seemed to be associated with the antioxidant effect of rhGH. But the inhibitory effect of rhGH on plasma TNF- and R-6 levels was not clearly demonstrated.
Animals ; Antioxidants ; Burns ; Catalase ; Edema ; Female ; Hepatocytes ; Human Growth Hormone* ; Humans* ; Interleukin-6* ; Lipid Peroxidation* ; Liver ; Lung ; Lymphocytes ; Multiple Organ Failure ; Neutrophils ; Oxidants ; Plasma* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sepsis ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

BACKGROUND: One of the problem in emergency room(ER) of university hospital is over-crowdedness that causes exhaustion of medical resources (personnel, device, space) and disturbes optimal treatment. METHODS: This is an evaluative research for the purpose of promoting efficient operation system in ER of university hospital. RESULTS: 1) In 387 visitors, mean age was 47.5 years, and male to female ratio 1.21:1. As the specialty in charge, 28.9%f them were internal medicine, 26.6%mergency medicine, 9.9%eurology, and 8.5%eurosurgery. 24%f visitors have come by ambulances. The patients stayed for average 16.1 hours. The admission rate of ER visitors was 33.4 %60.3 %returned home after some management. 2) The visitors had various causes without correlation between the severity of conditions and the choice of high level hospital ER. They perceived their situations emergent in 78.4% but after triage only 25.6%were classified emergent. 48.6%of the visitors were the patients of out-patient department of this hospital due to chronic diseases. 3) The patients were assessed within 9.5 minutes after arrival at ER by nurse and within 34 minutes by doctor. If they were in need of consultation to second/third department, they waited for 141.5/460 minutes respectively to see the doctor. They waited for 59.9/52.7 minutes to get routine laboratory sampling/radiologic examination respectively. 4) Every 2.3 new patients visited this ER per hour. Average 63.2 patients were taken over to next shirt of nurse duty, and 60%of them had chronic degenerative diseases. CONCLUSION: The causes of overcrowding in ER of the university hospital were (1) huge number of patients at out-patient department of the hospital, (2) shortage of beds compared to the number of patients waiting admission, (3) too many kinds of procedures performed in ER, (4) cooperation failure among doctors of different specialty, and (5) no definite criteria of admission/discharge into/from ER. To solve these problems, conversion of ER management policy from complete examination and treatment to more simple and rapid one is necessary.
Ambulances ; Chronic Disease ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Female ; Hospitals ; Humans ; Internal Medicine ; Male ; Outpatients ; Triage

OBJECTIVES: Recent studies have reported a correlation between obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) and depression. In attempt to verify the suggestion that eveningness is related to depression, we examined the effect of morningness-eveningness on their depressive mood in patinets with OSA. METHODS: The examination was based on the medical records and polysomnography reports of 211 OSA patients. Information was gathered from the patients who filled out the Horne and Ostberg questionnaire (HOQ), profile of mood states-Korean version (K-POMS), and Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS). We compared mean values of K-POMS total, subscales of K-POMS, ESS, and OSA severity variables among the 3 morningness-eveningness groups (morningness, eveningness, and neither groups). Partial correlation analysis was performed between variables and ANCOVA was performed among the 3 groups after adjustment with age and weight. RESULTS: There were significant negative correlations between HOQ and the followings : K-POMS total, POMS-T (tension-anxiety), POMS-D (depression-dejection), POMS-A (anger-hostility), POMS-F (fatigue-inertia), POMS-C (confusion-bewilderment), spontaneous arousal index, average O2 saturation. There were significant positive correlations between HOQ and the followings : POMS-V (vigor-activity), apnea-hypopnea index, respiratory arousal index, snore time. There were significant negative correlations between POMS-D and the followings : HOQ, POMS-V, stage 1 sleep (%), AHI, TAI (total arousal index), oxygen desaturation index, respiratory arousal index, neck circumference, average O2 desaturation, snore time (%). There were significant positive correlations between POMS-D and K-POMS total, POMS-T, POMS-A, POMS-F, POMS-C, sleep latency, stage 2 sleep (%), heart rate, spontaneous arousal index. There were significant differences in K-POMS total, POMS-T, POMS-D, POMS-F, POMS-C, spontaneous arousal index among the three HOQ groups in ANCOVA. CONCLUSION: The depressive correlates of OSA patients might be affected, not by excessive daytime sleepiness or OSA severity indexes, but by eveningness circadian characteristics. It would be important to take into account the morningness-eveningness tendency when we manage the depressive mood of OSA patients.
Animals ; Arousal ; Circadian Rhythm ; Depression ; Disorders of Excessive Somnolence ; Heart Rate ; Horns ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Neck ; Oxygen ; Polysomnography ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive

We experienced a case of erosive adenomatosis of the nipple (EAN) in a 20-year-old lady. She have had an eczematous, erosive and crusted nipple, on the right si.de, with a serosanguineous discharge for the past two years. The biopsy specimen of eczematous lesion on the affected nipple showed focal erosion and acanthosis in the epidermis. Florid intraductal epithelial proliferation and solid nests were scattered in the nipple stroma without showing any cellular pleomorphism. The lining epithelium maintained two layers of cells the inner colurnnar cells and the outer cuboidal cells. Chronic inflammatory infiltrates of relatively dense lymphohisiocytes were found in the surrounding stromal tissue, Paget cells or underlying malignancy were not seen, and a group of tumor netst was confined to the upper part of the subareolar tissue.
Biopsy ; Epidermis ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Nipples* ; Young Adult

Cancer chemoprevention can be defined as prevention or intervantion of cancer by the administration of one or chemical entities, either, either as individual drugs or as naturally occurring constituents of the diet. The name capsaicin(trans-8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide) was given by Thresh in 1848, and capsaicin is a primary pungent and irritating princple present in red peppers which are windely used as spices in korean food. The inhibitory effect of capsacin on stomach or skin cancers had been reported in lots of animal studies, but there were few reports In offal cancer carclnogenesls. This study is aimed to see the effect of capsalcln upon DMBA induced cancer of the buccal pouch in hamsters. In thls study, 87 Golden Syrian hamsters, weighing about 80-90g, were used and divided into 5 group : normal group (n=2)-untreated : control group(n=15)-DMBA painted : experimental group I(n=23)-capsaicin(10 micromol/2ml) and DMBA painted ; experimental groupII(n=23)-capsaicin administered and DMBA painted ; experimental group III(n=24)-administered and patinted. DMBA painted. According to groups, the animals were sacrificed at 5, 8, 11, 14, 17 week. Microscopic examination was done and BrdUrd labeling Index was calculated. The results are as follows : 1. According to gross examination, the leukoplakia at 5 week and the papilloma at 8 week were shown in the experimental group I, III. Those feature were appeased rapider than those of the control and expefimental group II. 2. According to gross examination, the exophytic tumorous lesions were shown in the control and all of the experimental groups from 14week, but the features of the control group were severer than those of the experimental groups. 3. According to histopathologic features, the papilloma was shown in all of the experimental group except the control group at 8 week 4. Histologically, the features of the control group were severer than those of the experimental groups from 14 week and there were similar features among the experimental group I, II, III at 17 week 5. At 8 week, BrdUrd labeling index of experimental group I, III were than that of control group and it was statistically significant (p<0.05) 6. The BrdUrd labeling index of experimental group III from 11week, experimental group I from 14week, experimental group II from 17 week were lowed than that of the control group respectively and It was statistically significant(p<0.05) 7. In the distribution of the BrdUrd labeled cells, BrdUrd was more significant in the basal and parabasal cell in dysplatic changes, but in carcinoma in situ, BrdUrd showed a irregular arrangement throughout the whole thickness of the tumor epithelium According to the abone results, the irritating property of the capsaicin accelerated the carcinogenesis in early phase, but the inhibitory effect was shown from carcinoma in situ phase. So the chemopreventive effect of the capaicin which is a major ingredient of red pepper can be expected. However, the further studies including the amount and method of capsaicin administration for preventive effect of oral cancer, should be followed.
9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene* ; Animals ; Capsaicin* ; Capsicum ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma in Situ ; Chemoprevention ; Cricetinae* ; Diet ; Epithelium ; Leukoplakia ; Mesocricetus ; Mouth Neoplasms ; Paint ; Papilloma ; Skin Neoplasms ; Spices ; Stomach ; Wind

Child ; Cicatrix ; Female ; Humans ; Maxillary Sinus ; Nasal Cavity ; Nasopharynx ; Paranasal Sinuses ; Skull Base

Total hip replacement arthroplasties(THRA) have been done in 19 patients(31 hips), who were diagnosed ad ankylosing spondylitis from January, 1984 till July, 1993 at Seoul National University Hospital. All patients were male; 12 patients were affected bilaterally. Modified New York criteria was used as diagnostic criteria. HLA B27 antigen was positive in 18 cases(95%). The thoracolumbar spine and sacroiliac joint were affected in all cases and cervical spine was affected in five patients, among them, fiberoptic laryngoscopic intubation was needed in four cases. The trastrochanteric approach was used in 19 cases, which have severe limitation of motion and deformity of the acetabulum. For the prevention of postoperative heterotopic ossification, low dose radiation therapies were done in 10 cases of the risk group. The average follow-up period was three year and eleven months(two year-seven year and 10 months). Harris hip score and radiographs were obtained at each follow-up. The mean preoperative Harris hip score was 50(19–90), and finally, the mean Harris hip score was 87(68–96). Loosening of endoprothesis was noted in 3 cases and heterotopic ossification in 5 hips. Ischial enthesopathy was observed in 13 cases. Among the hips which had heterotopic ossification, four were class Ι by Brooker's classification and only one was class Ⅲ. No nonunion was observed in the cases which had trochanteric osteotomy expect breakage of wire in 4 cases. In THRA of ankylosing spendylitis, we obtained good result clinically and radiologically. In severely affected cases, we had used transtrochanteric approach and obtained good result due to better operative field. The incidence of heterotopic ossification was not significant and the prophylactic low dose radiation therapy seems to be effective in risk group.
Acetabulum ; Arthroplasty ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; Classification ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Femur ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hip ; HLA-B27 Antigen ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intubation ; Male ; Ossification, Heterotopic ; Osteotomy ; Rheumatic Diseases ; Sacroiliac Joint ; Seoul ; Spine ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing

We experienced a case of 16-year-old female with verruciform xanthoma transformed from lesions of epidermal nevus syndrome. The biopsy specimen of yellowish brown to red verrucous papule on the right buttock showed 1) uniform and verrucous acanthosis without cytological atypia, 2) parakeratosis and hyperkeratosis,3) variable foci of superficial necrosis with crusting and microabscess in the granular layer, 4) rete ridge elongation and papillomatosis, 5) characteristic foam cells located within the papillary dermis, but not below the rete ridges. Our case was diagnosed verruciform xanthoma by histopathologic finding which occured as a secondary development in lesions of epidermal nevus syndrome.
Adolescent ; Biopsy ; Buttocks ; Dermis ; Female ; Foam Cells ; Humans ; Necrosis ; Nevus ; Papilloma ; Parakeratosis ; Xanthomatosis*