PURPOSE: It is not clear that the development of glomerular injury and aggravation by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) is related to intrarenal or serum concentration of TNF-alpha. So, we studied the relationship between the concentration of TNF-alpha and aggravation of glomerular damage in the Henoch-Schonlein nephritis(HSN) and idiopathic nephrotic syndrome(INS). METHODS: We collected the sera and urines of 21 patients with Henoch-Schonlein purpura(HSP) and 22 patients with INS visited Chungbuk National University hospital from March 1998 to March 2001. The concentration of TNF-alpha in the sera and urines were measured by sandwich ELISA. RESULTS: Serum TNF-alpha levels in the HSP patients with renal involvement were significantly higher than those without renal involvement(P=0.009). But urine TNF-alpha levels have no correlation with renal involvement(P=0.088). In the HSN patients, proteinuria have a significant correlation with serum TNF-alpha levels(P=0.004) but less correlation with urine TNF-alpha levels(P=0.053). Otherwise, proteinuria have no correlation with serum TNF-alpha levels(P=0.763) but have a significant correlation with urine TNF-alpha levels(P=0.007) in INS. CONCLUSION: These result suggest that the serum concentration of TNF-alpha would be important to glomerular involvement in HSP. And, it is interesting that proteinuria shows a significant relation with serum TNF-alpha levels in the HSN, but with urine TNF-alpha levels in the INS. This means the major production of TNF-alpha may be originated by extrarenal inflammation in the HSN and by intrarenal tubulo-interstitial damage due to proteinuria in the INS.
Chungcheongbuk-do ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Nephritis* ; Nephrotic Syndrome* ; Proteinuria* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

No abstract available.

BACKGROUND: Aside from its well known peripheral antihypertensive effects, calcium also lowers blood pressure, when administered into the cerebral ventricle. The present study was aimed to determine whether the central depressor response to calcium is mediated by a stimulation of endogenous L-arginine-nitric oxide (NO) pathway. METHODA: Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were continuously recorded from the femoral artery in anesthetized rats. Administration of calcium was performed into the right lateral cerebral ventricle. The effects of N G-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) on the cardiovascular response to calcium were examined. RESULTS: Intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of calcium consistently produced a decrease in MAP and HR. The depressor and bradycardiac responses to calcium showed a dose-dependent fashion. Pretreatment with a calcium channel blocker, diltiazem (1 micromol, ICV), attenuated cardiovascular responses to calcium. ICV infusion (1 microl/min) of L-NAME (200 microgram/kg and 20 microgram/kg/min for 60 min) increased MAP without significant changes in HR. Chronic ingestion of L-NAME (5 mg/100 ml in drinking water, 4 weeks) also increased the systolic blood pressure as compared with control. The depressor effect of ICV calcium was significantly diminished in acute or chronic L-NAME treated rats. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the central depressor response to calcium, at least in part, is NO-dependent.
Animals ; Arterial Pressure ; Blood Pressure ; Calcium Channels ; Calcium* ; Cerebral Ventricles ; Diltiazem ; Drinking Water ; Eating ; Femoral Artery ; Heart Rate ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; Nitric Oxide* ; Rats

Osteomyelitis of the patella is a very uncommon condition that occurs mostly in the pediatric population. In addition to its rarity, nonspecific and variable clinical presentations usually lead to postponement in making the correct diagnosis. Moreover, it is often missed as prepatellar bursitis or septic arthritis of the knee. Nonetheless making early diagnosis and initiating prompt treatment is most important to preventing this condition from becoming chronic. In this case report, the authors encountered this rare condition of the patella in a child that was first misdiagnosed with pyogenic arthritis or prepatellar bursitis of the knee. The delay in making the diagnosis led to intractable progression of the disease, and sequestrectomy was required to stabilize the condition.
Arthritis ; Arthritis, Infectious ; Bursitis ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Knee ; Osteomyelitis* ; Patella

BACKGROUND: The sodium concentration in the central nervous system may play an important role in cardiovascular function and body fluid regulation. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion of hypertonic NaCl solutions on the cardiovascular responses in normotensive and 2-kidney, 1 clip (2K1C) renal hypertensive rats. METHODS: 2K1C hypertension was made by clipping the left renal artery and were used 4 weeks later. Age-matched control rats received a sham treatment. Under thiopental (50 mg/kg, IP) anesthesia, both isotonic and hypertonic NaCl solutions (0.15 M, 0.6 M and 1.2 M) were ICV applied, while blood pressure and heart rate (HR) responses were continuously monitored. RESULTS: Central administration of hypertonic NaCl solution caused an elevation in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and HR in both normotensive and 2K1C hypertensive rats. The response magnitude in the blood pressure was positively correlated to the NaCl concentration in normotensive rats, while the pressor responses to hypertonic NaCl were comparable regardless of the concentration of NaCl in hypertensive rats. Despite of the HR responses were similar in between two groups, the magnitude of the MAP increases were more elevated in hypertensive than in normotensive control rats. Isotonic NaCl solution, when centrally applied, caused an elevation in blood pressure only in hypertensive rats. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the central sensitivity to sodium chloride is altered in 2K1C renal hypertensive rats.
Anesthesia ; Animals ; Arterial Pressure ; Blood Pressure ; Body Fluids ; Central Nervous System ; Heart Rate ; Hypertension ; Hypertension, Renal ; Infusions, Intraventricular* ; Placebos ; Rats* ; Renal Artery ; Sodium ; Sodium Chloride ; Thiopental

No abstract available.
Arteries* ; Perforator Flap*

BACKGROUND: An increase of the extracellular K+concentrations up to about 8 mM in the isolated vessels causes relaxation in pre-contracted state. In order to elucidate the mechanisms of K+induced relaxation and compare with that of 2-kidney, 1 clip (2K1C) renal hypertensive rats, we recorded aortic vascular tension using an organ bath study. METHOD: 2K1C hypertension was made by clipping the left renal artery and age-matched control rats received a sham treatment. Thoracic aortic rings were mounted in tissue baths for measurement of isometric contractile force. RESULTS: Exposure to K+(from 2 to 8 mM) relaxed a phenylephrine (2 x 10-6 M)-induced contraction in K+free Krebs-Ringer solution, dose-dependently. Ouabain (10-5 M) enhanced the K+induced relaxation in above 2 mM K+ The K+induced relaxation was still induced in endothelium-denuded condition. Incubation with the K+channel blockers such as tetraethylammonium (TEA, 1 mM), glibenclamide (10-5 M), 4-aminopyridine (3 mM), barium (5 mM) and cesium (2 mM) did not affect on the K+induced relaxation. In renal hypertensive rats, the K+induced relaxation was markedly suppressed and ouabain enhanced it. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the K+induced relaxation in aorta be mediated by Na-pump independent mechanisms, and the decrease of the K+induced relaxation in the renal hypertensive rats may be a possible mechanism of hypertension.
4-Aminopyridine ; Animals ; Aorta ; Barium ; Baths ; Cesium ; Glyburide ; Hypertension ; Muscle, Smooth* ; Ouabain ; Phenylephrine ; Placebos ; Rats* ; Relaxation ; Renal Artery ; Tetraethylammonium ; Vasodilation*

BACKGROUND: An increase of the extracellular K+concentrations up to about 8 mM in the isolated vessels causes relaxation in pre-contracted state. In order to elucidate the mechanisms of K+induced relaxation and compare with that of 2-kidney, 1 clip (2K1C) renal hypertensive rats, we recorded aortic vascular tension using an organ bath study. METHOD: 2K1C hypertension was made by clipping the left renal artery and age-matched control rats received a sham treatment. Thoracic aortic rings were mounted in tissue baths for measurement of isometric contractile force. RESULTS: Exposure to K+(from 2 to 8 mM) relaxed a phenylephrine (2 x 10-6 M)-induced contraction in K+free Krebs-Ringer solution, dose-dependently. Ouabain (10-5 M) enhanced the K+induced relaxation in above 2 mM K+ The K+induced relaxation was still induced in endothelium-denuded condition. Incubation with the K+channel blockers such as tetraethylammonium (TEA, 1 mM), glibenclamide (10-5 M), 4-aminopyridine (3 mM), barium (5 mM) and cesium (2 mM) did not affect on the K+induced relaxation. In renal hypertensive rats, the K+induced relaxation was markedly suppressed and ouabain enhanced it. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the K+induced relaxation in aorta be mediated by Na-pump independent mechanisms, and the decrease of the K+induced relaxation in the renal hypertensive rats may be a possible mechanism of hypertension.
4-Aminopyridine ; Animals ; Aorta ; Barium ; Baths ; Cesium ; Glyburide ; Hypertension ; Muscle, Smooth* ; Ouabain ; Phenylephrine ; Placebos ; Rats* ; Relaxation ; Renal Artery ; Tetraethylammonium ; Vasodilation*

A 53-year-old man consulted an ophthalmologist with a chief complaint of diplopia and bilateral eyelid swelling. He was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 2 years prior at a local clinic and had been taking levothyroxine 150 mcg daily. CT scan of the orbits showed enlargement of bilateral extraocular muscles. Laboratory findings revealed hyperthyroidism due to high dose levothyroxine. Active ophthalmopathy with Hashimoto's hypothyroidism was diagnosed and the patient was treated with steroid pulse therapy. We reported a rare case of severe ophthalmopathy with Hashimoto's thyroiditis that needed steroid pulse therapy.
Diplopia ; Eyelids ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism ; Hypothyroidism ; Middle Aged ; Muscles ; Orbit ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroiditis* ; Thyroxine ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

A 53-year-old man consulted an ophthalmologist with a chief complaint of diplopia and bilateral eyelid swelling. He was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 2 years prior at a local clinic and had been taking levothyroxine 150 mcg daily. CT scan of the orbits showed enlargement of bilateral extraocular muscles. Laboratory findings revealed hyperthyroidism due to high dose levothyroxine. Active ophthalmopathy with Hashimoto's hypothyroidism was diagnosed and the patient was treated with steroid pulse therapy. We reported a rare case of severe ophthalmopathy with Hashimoto's thyroiditis that needed steroid pulse therapy.
Diplopia ; Eyelids ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism ; Hypothyroidism ; Middle Aged ; Muscles ; Orbit ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroiditis* ; Thyroxine ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed