Bacterial vaginosis (BV) and complicated vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) are frequently occurring vaginal infections in postmenopausal women, caused by an imbalance in vaginal microflora. Postmenopausal women suffer from decreased ovarian hormones estrogen and progesterone. A normal, healthy vaginal microflora mainly comprises Lactobacillus species (spp.), which act beneficially as a bacterial barrier in the vagina, interfering with uropathogens. During premenopausal period, estrogen promotes vaginal colonization by lactobacilli that metabolizing glycogen and producing lactic acid, and maintains intravaginal health by lowering the intravaginal pH level. A lower vaginal pH inhibits uropathogen growth, preventing vaginal infections. Decreased estrogen secretion in postmenopausal women depletes lactobacilli and increases intravaginal pH, resulting in increased vaginal colonization by harmful microorganisms (e.g., Enterobacter, Escherichia coli, Candida, and Gardnerella). Probiotics positively effects on vaginal microflora composition by promoting the proliferation of beneficial microorganisms, alters the intravaginal microbiota composition, prevents vaginal infections in postmenopausal. Probiotics also reduce the symptoms of vaginal infections (e.g., vaginal discharge, odor, etc.), and are thus helpful for the treatment and prevention of BV and VVC. In this review article, we provide information on the intravaginal mechanism of postmenopausal vaginal infections, and describes the effectiveness of probiotics in the treatment and prevention of BV and VVC.
Candida ; Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal ; Colon ; Enterobacter ; Escherichia coli ; Estrogens ; Female ; Glycogen ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Lactic Acid ; Lactobacillus ; Microbiota ; Odors ; Postmenopause ; Premenopause ; Probiotics* ; Progesterone ; Vagina ; Vaginal Discharge ; Vaginal Diseases ; Vaginosis, Bacterial

BACKGROUND: Traditional visual reading of patch-test reactions is a rather subjective method, lacking the sensitivity and reproducibility needed in experimental studies. Recently the laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDPI) has been used to measure objectively the increase in superficial blood flow which results in the appearance of erythema. OBJECTIVE: We designed this study to examine the relationship between the LDPI measurement and visual reading after patch test to several different irritants. METHODS: In this study, reading of erythema in experimentally-induced irritant contact dermatitis was performed visually and by laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDPI). In addition, we investigated whether the LDPI measurement was appropriate in the routine patch test clinic. RESULTS: A close correlation was shown between the 2 methods (r=0.9046, p<0.001) and the LDPI producing mean adjusted perfusion values (APVs) was able to discriminate between the different visual grades. CONCLUSION: LDPI is a valuable instrument to objectively assess intensity of irritant patch-test reaction, and is indeed one of the few methods which overcomes the inter-individual variations in visual reading, but this instrument is not appropriate to use routinely in patch test clinic because of unacceptably long measurement time.
Dermatitis, Contact ; Erythema ; Irritants ; Methods ; Patch Tests ; Perfusion Imaging* ; Perfusion*

Two aged patients who had open tibial fractures with arterial injury caused by high energy accidents underwent emergency arterial reconstruction using a greater saphenous vein and soft tissue repair using free flaps. In the patients, soft tissue necrosis developed and tibias were exposed at postoperative third week. Follow-up angiography through the superficial femoral artery showed occlusion of the anterior tibial artery. The anterior tibial artery was reconstructed using the contralateral greater saphenous vein graft and the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous and rectus abdominis muscle free flaps were transplanted for repair of necrotic soft tissue. The reconstructed arteries showed good perfusion to the new free flaps until union of the tibias occurred. The patients were followed-up for 21 years and 17 years postoperatively, respectively. In management of open comminuted fracture of the tibia, injury of the arterial system must be ruled out by angiography in addition to evaluation of the degree of soft tissue injury.
Aged* ; Angiography ; Arteries ; Emergencies ; Femoral Artery ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fractures, Comminuted ; Free Tissue Flaps* ; Humans ; Necrosis ; Perfusion ; Rectus Abdominis ; Saphenous Vein ; Soft Tissue Injuries ; Superficial Back Muscles ; Tibia ; Tibial Arteries ; Tibial Fractures* ; Transplants

An increase in the dose of chemotherapy enhances the response of many experimental and clinical cancers, but the extent of chemotherapy dose escalation and repeated use is often limited by myelosuppression. The side effects of chemotherapy including bleeding and infection due to myelosuppression have resulted in delayed therapy and a reduction in the therapeutic dose, therefore it is necessary to overcome myelosuppression especially leukopenia in patients with gynecologic malignancies who recieved chemotherapy. This study is undertaken to investigate the clinical effects of rhG-CSF(recombinant human Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor) in 29 patients with gynecologic malignancy who recieved chemotherapy. It was given at a dose of 100 microgram bid/day subcutaneously until significantly increase of leukocyte count in leukopenic patient. The results showed, the rhG-CSF has significantly increased the number and function of leukocyte. The use of rhG-CSF was effective and useful to treat chemotherapy induced leukopenia and to accelerate the recovery from this complications.
Drug Therapy* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans* ; Leukocyte Count ; Leukocytes ; Leukopenia*

A study was to evaluate the efficacy and clinical utility of second look operation in the managements of malignant ovarian tumor at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kosin medical colleage from January 1986 to September 1993. Of 220 patients diagnosed as ovarian cancer, 48 patients who had underwent primariy laparotomy were performed second look operation. Thirty-seven patients were found to have no evidence of disease. The result revealed that negative second look operation rate was noted 96.3% at stage I, 66.6% at stage II, 50.0% at stage III, and 42.9% at stage IV and total negative second look operation rate was 77.1%. The 2 year survival rate for stage I, II, III, IV were 85.2%, 66.6%, 50.0% and 42.9% respectively. The survival rate of negative second look operation was 86.5%, that of positive second look operation was 18.1%. In conclusion, second look operation in early stage ovarian cancer need to be justified.
Follow-Up Studies* ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Laparotomy* ; Obstetrics ; Ovarian Neoplasms* ; Survival Rate

No abstract available.
Radiation Oncology*

Kidney function is highly susceptible to age-related changes, with chronic kidney disease (CKD) serving as an important cause of morbidity and mortality in older patients. The prevalence of CKD in Korea is higher among the elderly, relative to the general population, with the most significant increases seen following the onset of menopause. Under normal conditions, estrogen attenuates renal superoxide production and protects the kidney from oxidative damage. As estrogen levels are known to decrease by as much as 80% during menopause, this represents a significant risk for older women. Postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) modulates the renin-angiotensin system, thereby reducing the progressive deterioration of renal function. Use of estrogen-based HRT has been shown to ameliorate renal function in postmenopausal women, and delay CKD progression. Renal expression of klotho, an important suppressor of aging, is markedly decreased in CKD patients, making it a promising candidate for use as a prognostic biomarker in CKD. Here, we review the key links between renal function, sex, age, and estrogen levels during menopause, and discuss the use of postmenopausal HRT in CKD attenuation.
Aged ; Aging ; Estrogen Replacement Therapy ; Estrogens ; Female ; Hormone Replacement Therapy ; Humans ; Kidney ; Korea ; Menopause ; Mortality ; Postmenopause ; Prevalence ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Renin-Angiotensin System ; Superoxides

PURPOSE: To measure the basic structural characteristics of radiation oncology facilities in Korea during 1997 and to compare personnel, equipments and patient loads between Korea and developed countries. METHOD AND MATERIALS: Mail serveys were conducted in 1998 and data on treatment machines, personnel and performed new patients were collected. Responses were obtained from the 100 percent of facilities. The consensus data of the whole contry were summarized using Microsoft Excel program. RESULTS: In Korea during 1997, 42 facilities delivered megavoltage radiation theraphy with 71 treatment machines, 100 radiation oncologists, 26 medical physicist, 205 technologists and 19,773 new patients. Eighty nine percent of facilities in Korea had linear accelators at least 6 MeV maxium photon energy. Ninety five percent of facilities had simulators while five percent of facilities had no simulator. Ninety one percent of facilities had computer planning systems and eighty three percent of facilities reported that they had a written quality assurace program. Thirty six percent of facilities had only one radiation oncologist and thirty eight percent of facilities had no medical physicists. The median of the distribution of annual patients load of a facility, patients load per a machine, patients load per a radiation oncologist, patients load per a therapist and therapists per a machine in Korea were 348 patients per a year, 263 patients per a machine, 171 patients per a radiation oncologis, 81 patients per a therapist, and 3 therapists per a machine respectively. CONCLUSION: The whole scale of the radiation oncology departments in Korea was smaller than Japan and USA in population ratio regard. In case of hardware level like linear accelerators, simulators and computer planning systems, there was no big diffrences bewteen Korea and USA. The patients loads of radiation oncologists and therapists had no significient differences as compared with USA. However, it was desirable to consider the part time system in USA because there were a lot of hospitals which did not employ medical physicists.
Consensus ; Developed Countries ; Humans ; Japan ; Korea ; Particle Accelerators ; Postal Service ; Radiation Oncology*

PURPOSE: Myocutaneous flap was widely used for trochanteric pressure sore but it had many drawbacks such as donor site morbidity, dog-ear deformity and functional muscle sacrifice. We have performed fasciocutaneous flap based on perforating vessels and succeeded in overcoming its drawbacks. METHODS: We experienced 11 cases of perforator-based fasciocutaneous flap for the coverage of trochanteric pressure sore in 9 patients, 2 cases of which were bilateral. The ambulatory status of patient group is as follows: 6 of them used a wheelchair, 2 of them are free walking, 1 of them use a wheelchair or crutches. Flap was supplied by cutaneous perforating vessel of descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery and the third perforating artery of the deep femoral artery. The size of wounds were from 4x6.5cm to 10x13cm. RESULTS: We did not find any flap loss or congestion except 2 partial wound dehiscences and 1 wound infection. Donor site morbidity was not found. We observed no recurrence of the pressure sore during the 2.5 year follow-up period. CONCLUSION: We considered that perforator-based fasciocutaneous flap could overcome the traditional drawbacks of the conventional myocutaneous flap and its modified flap for trochanteric pressure sore. And this flap has many advantages for covering trochanteric pressure sore without any donor site deformity and morbidity, which would greatly improve the aesthetic result.
Arteries ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Crutches ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Femoral Artery ; Femur* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Myocutaneous Flap ; Pressure Ulcer* ; Recurrence ; Tissue Donors ; Walking ; Wheelchairs ; Wound Infection ; Wounds and Injuries

PURPOSE: Survivin is a novel member of the inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) gene family, which is over-expressed in many human tumors include bladder cancer. This prospective study was performed to investigate the clinical usefulness of a test for urinary survivin for the detection of bladder cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From September 2002 and July 2003, voided urine samples were obtained from 86 healthy volunteers (group 1), from 25 patients having urologic diseases except bladder cancer (group 2), and from 48 patients with bladder cancer (group 3). One patient with small cell carcinoma, and three cases of adenocarcinoma of the bladder were included in group 3. Quantitative measurement of urinary survivin was analyzed using the DuoSet IC enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit and a microplate luminometer, DML2000. RESULTS: The mean urine level of survivin was 7.9pg/ml (1-23) in group 1, 6.0pg/ml (1-12) in group 2 and 63.3pg/ml (1-745) in group 3. Urinary survivin was over-expressed in group 3 more than group 1 and 2 (p<0.01). When we decided that the cut-off value of urinary survivin was to be past the mean 2SD in group 1, the normal upper limit was then 16.5pg/ml. The sensitivity and specificity for the detection of the bladder cancer were 77.1% and 86.8% respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of urinary survivin for urothelial cancer of the bladder were 85.0% and 96.0% respectively. The survivn expression for the high grade tumor was significantly higher than the low grade tumor (p=0.048), but there was no significant difference in the expression of urinary survivin according to the TNM staging (p=0.058). CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study showed that a diagnostic test with urinary survivin had a high sensitivity and specificity when the cut-off value of survivin was decided to be 16.5pg/ml. This suggests that urinary survivin might be an available tumor marker for the detection of bladder cancer.
Adenocarcinoma ; Apoptosis ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms* ; Urinary Bladder* ; Urologic Diseases