No abstract available.
Peanut Hypersensitivity

Meningeal irritation signs sometimes develop after myelography due to bacterial infection by contamination during the procedure or chemical irritiation by contrast media itself. CSF profiles of chemical meningitis often mimick those of bacterial meningitis, sometimes causing difficulty in differentiation, but in that case clinical course soon reverse in short time without any complication. Postmyelography chemical meningitis by metrizamide (AmipaqueR) has been well described but iohexol (OmnipaqueR) has rarely been reported to cause chemical meningitis. We experienced a patient of chemical meningitis by iohexol and here descibe the case.
Bacterial Infections ; Contrast Media ; Humans ; Iohexol ; Meningitis* ; Meningitis, Bacterial ; Metrizamide ; Myelography*

PURPOSE: This study investigated the relationship among types of attribution tendencies, academic stress, coping efficacy, and academic adjustment in medical students and identified the means by which the academic adjustment of medical students can improve. METHODS: Four hundred forty-two subjects from 2 medical schools in Korea were analyzed; 202 were male, 206 were female, and 34 did not identify their gender. We surveyed their academic adjustment, attribution tendencies, academic stress, and coping efficacy. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, and stepwise multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The male group scored higher on academic adjustment, internal attribution tendency, and coping efficacy but lower on academic stress than the female group. Coping efficacy and internal attribution tendency affected the academic adjustment positively while academic stress influenced it negatively. CONCLUSION: The study indicates that students with higher scores on coping efficacy and internal attribution tendency and who have lower scores on academic stress tend to adjust better academically in medical school. Therefore, these findings may be helpful for medical schools in designing effective academic adjustment programs to improve coping efficacy and internal attribution tendency and reduce academic stress. Further, these findings have important implications for planning learning consultation programs, especially in Year 1.
Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Learning ; Male ; Schools, Medical ; Students, Medical

Fibrovascular polyp of the esophagus is a rare and benign pedunculated intraluminal tumor. The tumor consists of varying amount of vascular fibrous and adipose tissue that arises in the submucosa and is covered by squamous epithelium. We report the typical radiographic, CTand MR findings of a case of giant fibrovascular polyp of the esophagus.
Adipose Tissue ; Epithelium ; Esophagus* ; Polyps*

PURPOSE: To report a case of white-centered retinal hemorrhage in infective endocarditis. CASE SUMMARY: A 45-year-old patient complained of acute visual loss. The patient had a history of epidural anesthesia for the relief of back pain. On the day of admission the patient showed no light perception and had a white-centered retinal hemorrhage and cotton wool spot in the left eye upon fundus examination. Other ocular manifestations were not specific and there were no specific findings on a brain MRI and visual evoked potential. The patient was diagnosed with pyogenic spondylitis and was treated by abscess drainage and systemic antibiotics therapy. The patient's near vision improved up to 0.4/0.5. He was diagnosed with infective endocarditis based on the echocardiogram with epidural and subarachnoid hemorrhage. CONCLUSIONS: Roth spot can occur in many diseases such as diabetes, leukemia, anemia, and trauma, but most commonly in sepsis due to infective endocarditis. Therefore, medical evaluation and an echocardiogram for patients with white-centered retinal hemorrhage should be considered.
Abscess ; Anemia ; Anesthesia, Epidural ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Back Pain ; Brain ; Drainage ; Endocarditis* ; Evoked Potentials, Visual ; Humans ; Leukemia ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Retinal Hemorrhage* ; Retinaldehyde* ; Sepsis ; Spondylitis ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Wool

Alendronate sodium (Fosamax(R)) is an aminophosphonate used in treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis by inhibition of osteoclastic activity. Esophageal ulcers related to alendronate use have been reported at the rate of 2~6%. However, there have been no reports of esophagitis or esophageal ulcer by alendronate in Korea. We present a case of esophageal ulcer caused by alendronate. The patient presented with retrosternal pain and severe odynophagia for a few days. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed multiple deep ulcers at the esophagus. Her symptoms resolved completely after stopping alendronate. A follow-up esophagogastroduodenoscopy 6 weeks later revealed complete healing of the ulcers.
Alendronate* ; Endoscopy, Digestive System ; Esophagitis ; Esophagus ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Korea ; Osteoclasts ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; Ulcer*

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify retrospectively the different computed tomography markers and sonography in a series of surgically and pathologically proven cases of tubo-ovarian abscesses in order to achieve correct preoperative diagnosis of this life-threatening condition. METHODS: A review of the medical and pathological records from the department of obstetrics and gynecology, Catholic University Medical College from January 1993 to January 2003 confirmed 79 patients with the diagnosis of tubo-ovarian abscess. Patient were divided into two groups. From this group 15 patients who underwent CT prior to therapy were identified, and the medical records, pathologic reports and CT of these patients were retrospectively reviewed and correlated. RESULTS: All 79 patients underwent operative surgery and were confirmed tubo-ovarian abscess. CT findings of tubo-ovarian abscess present in our patients were (a) a thick-walled fluid-density mass in an adnexal location, (b) septation or partial septation within the mass, (c) indistinct borders with the uterus and adjacent bowel loops, (d) anterior displacement of the mesosalpinx, indicating a probable adnexal origin, and (e) bilateral or unilateral hydronephrosis with hydroureter. CONCLUSION: Tubo-ovarian abscess must be considered in the differential diagnosis of cystic unilateral or bilateral pelvic masses identified on CT. CT usually plays a secondary role in the diagnosis of tubo-ovarian abscess but can be valuable in difficult cases. Lack of a typical clinical presentation should not dissuade the radiologist from suggesting this diagnosis; indeed, the atypical presentation may be the reason why the patient is being evaluated initially with CT rather than with ultrasound.
Abscess* ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Medical Records ; Obstetrics ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography ; Uterus

BACKGROUND: Although urticaria is a common skin reaction pattern occuring at some time in the life of approximately 15% to 20% of the population, the exact prevalence of food-induced acute or chronic urticaria remains unknown. OBJECT: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of specific food allergies in patients with urticaria and the potential utility of the skin prick test and CAP-RAST FEIA in the diagnosis of food allergy. METHODS: One hundred patients with urticaria were evaluated for food hypersensitivity by history, eosinophil count, IgE, skin prick test, CAP-RAST FEIA, and open food challenge test (OFCT). RESULTS: 1) The prevalence of specific food allergies in the study population was 35% in history and 8, 18 and 6% in prick, CAP-RAST FEIA and OFCT, respectively. 2) The frequent food allergens were milk, egg, peanut, and wheat. 3) There were no correlations between the duration of urticaria and prick test, CAP-RAST FEIA and OFCT results. 4) Serum IgE levels were correlated with the prick test and CAP-RAST FEIA results, but not the OFCT results. 5) According to the history, 35 patients with urticaria answered that their symptoms were related to food, and of the 35 patients, positive reactions to the prick test and CAP-RAST FEIA were observed in 6 and 10 patients, respectively. Among the other 65 patients who answered that there was no relation between urticaria and food, 2 patients reacted positively to the prick test and 8 patients showed positive result to CAP-RAST FEIA. CONCLUSION: In contrast to high prevalence of food history, the prevalence of food-induced allergic urticaria in Korean patients is only 6%. In contrast to the prick test, CAP-RAST FEIA provides a standardized measurement of food specific IgE antibodies, which may be more useful diagnostic test than prick test to diagnose food allergy in urticaria.
Allergens ; Antibodies ; Diagnosis ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Eosinophils ; Food Hypersensitivity* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Milk ; Ovum ; Prevalence ; Skin ; Triticum ; Urticaria*

BACKGROUND: Tacrolimus (FK 506) ointment is a recently developed topical immunomodulator, and preliminary studies suggest that topical application of tacrolimus is effective in the treatment of atopic dermatitis. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of 0.1% tacrolimus ointment for the treatment of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD) in Korea. METHOD/Patients: A total of 57 patients, 2 to 49 years of age, with moderate to severe AD applied 0.1% tacrolimus ointment twice daily for up to 4 weeks. The mean age of patients was 16.7 years. One-third of the patients had severe atopic dermatitis at baseline. Efficacy was evaluated by the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) score. Other evaluations were based on the physician's and patient's global evaluation of clinical response. RESULT: Significantly more patients (p<0.001) achieved clinical improvement with 0.1% tacrolimus ointment 90.0% or better. Marked improvements in the signs and symptoms of atopic dermatitis, the EASI score and the patient's assessment of pruritus were also observed early in treatment and were maintained throughout the study. Transient skin burning and itching on the application site were the most common adverse events. Occurrence of these symptoms decreased after first few days of treatment. There was no increase in incidence of other significant adverse events. CONCLUSION: 0.1% tacrolimusimus ointment is safe and effective for the treatment of Korean AD patients.
Burns ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Eczema ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Pruritus ; Skin ; Tacrolimus*

Neurofibromatosis type 1 is the most common neurocutaneous disorders and affects between 1/2,000 and 1/4,500 people. This occurs at any age and is hereditary disease with autosomal dominant fashion. Renovascular hypertension is major form of renal manifestation of the disease. There are few reported cases in Japan and Hungary of Recklinghausen's neurofibromatosis with several glomerular lesions but their relationship is not apparent. A 21-year-old man was admitted to the hospital because of general edema. On admission, the blood pressure was 130/ 80 mmHg and general edema was noted. He had a plexiform neuroma on right flank and multiple cafe- au-lait spots on chest and extremites. Laboratory findings were as follows : Hemoglobin 14.2 g/dL, AST 28 IU/L, ALT 12 IU/L, albumin 1.2 gm/dL, total cholesterol 533 mg/dL, urinary protein 4.0 gm/ day, C3 86.6 mg/dL, C4 19.9 mg/dL, HBs Ag/Ab (+/-), HBe Ag/Ab (+/-), HCV Ab (-), HBV DNA probe 6,000 pg/mL. Renal biopsy was performed and the histological findings were compatible with minimal change disease. The immunohistochemical method revealed that HBsAg was negative. We experienced a case of minimal change disease concurrent with Neurofibromatosis type 1, but their relationship is not clear. We report this case with a brief review.
Biopsy ; Blood Pressure ; Cholesterol ; DNA ; Edema ; Genetic Diseases, Inborn ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; Humans ; Hungary ; Hypertension, Renovascular ; Japan ; Nephrosis, Lipoid* ; Neurocutaneous Syndromes ; Neurofibroma, Plexiform ; Neurofibromatoses* ; Neurofibromatosis 1* ; Thorax ; Young Adult