This study was performed to observe the elementary body and initial body in the cultured conjuntival epithelial cell, which was co-cultures with Chlamydia trachomatis serotype-D. Following 3 weeks of cultivation of the rabbit conjuntival epithelial cell, Chlamydia trachomatis seretype-D was inoculated into the epithelial cells and co-cultured for 24, 48, and 96 hours respectively. The infected conjunctival epithelial cells was stained with fluorescence-conjugated chlamydial antibody and iodine staining. Regardless of the duration of the cocultivation time, the cultured conjunctival cells showed the positive reaction to immunofluorescent staining and iodine staining. These results indicate that Chlamydia trachomatis can be cultured in the cultured conjuntival epothelial cell of rabbit and iodine staining is a good alternative to the immunofluorescent method.
Chlamydia trachomatis* ; Chlamydia* ; Coculture Techniques ; Epithelial Cells ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Inclusion Bodies ; Iodine

The measurement of the area of the optic disc is important to classification of congenital anomaly of optic disc and diagnosis and following up of glaucoma. This study was performed to measure easily the diameter and area of the optic disc using the retinal scale of the Volk lens although recently the study was reported to measure the optic disc with computerized optic disc analysis system. We evaluated the measurement of the diameter and area of the optic disc of 31 patients(56 eyes) using the retinal scale of Volk lens and then corrected the magnification of central fundus photographs using Litmann's method. The mean refractive power and the mean axial length was -0.24 diopter(range -4.5 to 4.25 diopter), and 22.91 mm (range 20.5 to 26.1mm), respectively. The mean horizontal diameter, the mean verticaI diameter, and the mean area of optic disc was 1.75 +/- 0.18mm, 1.90 +/- 0.19mm, and 2.62 +/- 0.50mm2, respectively. We think that the measurement of the optic disc area with Volk lens is useful method in following up of cup-disc ratio in outpatient basis.
Classification ; Diagnosis ; Glaucoma ; Humans ; Outpatients ; Retinaldehyde

Reoperation of Photorefractive keratectomy(PRK) may be considered for regression, corneal haze, topographic irregularity, and a combination of these complications. We have studied the results of reoperation after myopic PRK in 113 eyes. Between 1992 and 1994, we observed 3,053 eyes of 1,583 patients who underwent PRK over year follow-up. We analysed 113 eyes which showed regression with or without opacity and underwent reoperation over one year follow-up. For reoperation, we used the VixX Twenty/Twenty excimer laser. Of the 72 eyes on regression, 53 eyes(73.6%) showed successful result(spherical equivalent within +/-1.0D), but 19 eyes(24.6%) showed repeated regression after the reoperation. Of the 33 eyes with corneal opacity and regression, 14 eyes(42%) showed good results. Of the 8 eyes with a central island, the results was good in all of the cases. No complications were observed. In conclusion, the reoperation rate was 3.7%(113/3053). The main cause of reoperation was regression, and the best result of reoperation was central island. 75 eyes out of 113 eyes(66%) showed good results(spherical equivalent within +/-1D). Reoperation may be considered for regression with or without corneal haze and central island in PRK.
Corneal Opacity ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lasers, Excimer ; Photorefractive Keratectomy* ; Reoperation*

PURPOSE: To report a case of bilateral scleral hyaline plaques in an elderly male patient. Scleral hyaline plaques are commonly noticed but rarely diagnosed. These are typical areas of hyalinization over the insertions of horizontal rectus muscle. CASE SUMMARY: A 75-year-old man presented to the hospital complaining of scleral color change. External examination of both eyes revealed oval, slate-gray lesions measuring approximately 3.5 mm in diameter, located just anterior to the insertion of the medial rectus muscle in both eyes. On anterior segment optical coherence tomography of the lesions, thinned sclera and plaque were observed. There was no change in the lesion on the 3-year follow-up visit.
Aged ; Eye ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyalin ; Male ; Muscles ; Sclera ; Tomography, Optical Coherence

Allergic conjunctivitis is commonly encountered in the office parctice of ophthalmology. However, diagnosis is not easy because allergic conjunctivitis shows nonspecific ocular symptoms and signs. And for accurate diagnosis, conjunctival scraping for eosinophils, tear levels of specific IgE, skin testing to aeroallergens, and ocular challenge with allergens are available but these methods are much time and cost consuming. So we evaluate the usefulness of the detection of eosinophils by conjunctival impression cytology. Conjunctival impression cytology was done on 44 eyes of 44 patients who were diagnosed as allergic conjunctivitis. 7 eyes of 7 normal subjects and 14 eyes of 14 patients with epidemic keratoconjunctivits were used as control. Scoring system was defined according to the past history, symptom, sign, and slit lamp finding ranged from +1 to +5. Eyes of score +1 or +2 were defined as allergy suspect group, and eyes of score +3 to +5 defined as allergy group. The sensitivities of the impression dytology were 59% in allergy suspect group, 86% in definite allergy group and 72%in total, The specificity was 95%. According this study, we conclude that impression cytology is a simple, non-invasive and cheap method with high sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of allergic conjunctivitis.
Allergens ; Conjunctivitis, Allergic* ; Diagnosis ; Eosinophils* ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Ophthalmology ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin Tests

Internuclear ophthalmoplegia(INO) is characterized by the adduction deficit on lateral gaze associated with dissociated nystagmus of an abducting eye and caused by the lesion in the medial longitudinal fasciculus(MLF). It occurs unilaterally or bilaterally in infarction of brain stem and multiple sclerosis. Ocular myasthenia is a localized form of myasthenia involving extraocular, levator palpebrae perioris, and/or orbicularis oculi muscles. It is frequently confused with a variety of ocular mortility disorders including INO. We experienced 2 patients who had bilateral wall-eyes and diplopia. One was a true bilateral INO due to hypertensive brain stem infarction(Wall-eyed bilateral INO) and the other was a myasthenic bilateral pseudo-INO. Diagnosis was made by Tensilon test, repetitive nerve stimulation test of orbicularis oculi muscles, and serum antibody assay in latter case.
Brain Stem ; Diagnosis ; Diplopia ; Edrophonium ; Exotropia* ; Humans ; Infarction ; Multiple Sclerosis ; Muscles ; Nystagmus, Pathologic ; Ocular Motility Disorders ; Ophthalmoplegia*

There is growing evidence of poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with panic disorder (PD). However, little is known about the factors affecting HRQOL in patients with PD. The authors examined whether 5-HTTLPR tri-allelic approach and Cathechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val(158)Met polymorphism can predict HRQOL in patients with PD controlling for sociodemographic factors and disorder-related symptom levels. The sample consisted of 179 patients with PD consecutively recruited from an outpatient clinic and age- and gender ratio-matched 110 healthy controls. The SF-36 was used to assess multiple domains of HRQOL. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the independent effect of the 5-HTTLPR and COMT Val(158)Met on the SF-36 in panic patients. Patients with PD showed lowered HRQOL in all sub-domains of the SF-36 compared to healthy controls. The 5-HTTLPR independently and additively accounted for 2.2% of variation (6.7% of inherited variance) of perceived general health and the COMT Val(158)Met independently and additively accounted for 1.5% of variation (5.0% of inherited variance) of role limitation due to emotional problems in patient group. The present study suggests that specific genetic polymorphisms are associated with certain domains of HRQOL and provides a new insight on exploring the factors that predict HRQOL in patients with PD.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Alleles ; Case-Control Studies ; Catechol O-Methyltransferase/*genetics ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Panic Disorder/genetics/*pathology ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; *Quality of Life ; Regression Analysis ; Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins/*genetics ; Sex Factors

It is well known that the incidence of anterior uveitis is about 20-40% in HLA B-27 associated joint diseases, and especially common in male between the ages of 20 and 40. However, there is no study of the epidermiology and clinical features of it in Korea. The authors studied to know the incidence and clinical feature of uveitis in HLA B-27 associated joint diseases in Korea. We reviewed the records of 543 patients with HLA B-27 associated joint diseases, visited our rheumatoid center from March 1991 to August 1996. All patients were subjected to routine laboratory examinations; i.e., blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentations rate, C reactive protein, rheumatoid factor, anti-nuclear antibody, and x-ray of the lumbosacral spine & sacro-iliac joints. 462 patientsout of 543 patients with HLA B-27 associated joint diseases had spondyloarthropathy. Anterior uveitis occurred in 32 patients (6.9%) among these 462 spondyloarthropathy patients. Clinical characteristics of the uveitis were male predominant (23/32) anterior uveitis (32/32), and unilateral (31/32).
Arthritis ; Blood Cell Count ; C-Reactive Protein ; Erythrocytes ; Humans ; Incidence ; Joint Diseases ; Joints ; Korea ; Male ; Rheumatoid Factor ; Spine ; Spondylarthropathies ; Uveitis* ; Uveitis, Anterior

PURPOSE: Although the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) for panic disorder (PD) has been studied previously, data on the predictors of treatment outcomes in MBCT for PD are scarce. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty patients with PD were screened to analyze treatment outcomes such as MBCT completion, treatment response, and remission after undergoing MBCT for PD. Sociodemographic characteristics, comorbid personality disorders, and baseline medication doses were examined. The study administered the Panic Disorder Severity Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Anxiety Sensitivity Inventory-Revised to patients at baseline and at eight weeks. RESULTS: Sixty-five participants were enrolled in the present study. Comorbid personality disorder was significantly associated with MBCT non-completion. We found that anxiety sensitivity (AS) improvement after an eight week MBCT program was a statistically significant factor associated with treatment response. Using logistic regression analysis, AS improvement after MBCT showed significant association with PD remission after MBCT. CONCLUSION: Comorbid personality disorders of participants could be a potential predictor of MBCT non-completion. Furthermore, AS improvement after MBCT may predict treatment response and remission after MBCT for PD. However, better designed studies with a larger number of patients are needed to confirm our findings.
Adult ; Cognitive Therapy/*methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mindfulness/*methods ; Panic Disorder/*therapy ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: Serotonin-1A receptors (5-HTR1A) is suggested to be involved in the etiology of several psychiatric disorders including panic disorder (PD). A few imaging studies have suggested the alterations of the cingulum bundle in PD. The objective of this study is to examine the structural changes of cingulum related to the 5-HTR1A polymorphism rs6295 in the patients with PD. METHODS: Thirty-two right-handed patients with PD [11 men, 21 women; 40.34+/-13.17 (mean+/-SD) age] who met the diagnostic criteria in Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV were examined by means of MRI at 3 Tesla. We divided the patients with PD into CC genotype group and non CC genotype group (GG/CG genotype group) of the 5-HTR1A rs6295 polymorphism to compare the cingulum white matter connectivity. RESULTS: Tract-based spatial statistics showed significantly increased fractional anisotropy (FA) values in cingulate gyrus process of left cingulum in 5-HTR1A CC genotype compared to GG/CG genotype in PD. Significant positive correlations were shown between the Albany Panic and Phobia Questionnaire (APPQ) interoceptive fear subscale scores, the Anxiety Sensitivity Inventory-Revised fear of publicly observable anxiety reaction subscale scores and FA values of cingulate gyrus process of left cingulum in 5-HTR1A rs6295 GG/CG genotype group. In CC genotype group, APPQ total, APPQ agoraphobia subscale and APPQ social phobia subscale scores also showed significant positive correlations with FA values of hippocampal process of right cingulum. CONCLUSION: This preliminary study suggests that 5-HTR1A polymorphism may be associated with the cingulum white matter connectivity in PD.
Agoraphobia ; Anisotropy ; Anxiety ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Female ; Genotype ; Gyrus Cinguli ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Neuroimaging ; Panic Disorder* ; Panic* ; Phobic Disorders ; Surveys and Questionnaires