BACKGROUND: All though the cause of alopecia areata is not known, many studies have recenty focused on the autoimmunity of alopecia areata. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to detect autoantibodies against hair follicular antigens and compare the autoantibody level before and after treatment of alopecia areata. METHODS: We collected serum from: (a) 7 alopecia areata patients with good therapeutic responses, (b) 5 alopecia areata patients with poor therapeutic responses (c) 5 normal control people. First, we detected the antigens of hair follicles with SDS-PAGE. Secondly we reacted the antigens with the patients' and normal control serums by Western blotting. RESULTS: The follicular antigens were seen in the range of 44kD-57kD. Autoantibodies obviously apparent in patients of alopecia areata but not in the normal control. High concentrations of were Autoantibodies against follicular antigens seemed to be present in the patients with good therapeutic responses and as they had been treated well, the level of autoantiboies has decreased. Autoantibodies, however, were present in small amounts and were almost an changed between before and after treatment in the patients with poor therapeutic responses except for one case. CONCLUSION: There are kinds of autoantibodies against hair follicles in the serums of alopecia areata patients, and the titers of antibodies may be correlated with therapeutic responses.
Alopecia Areata* ; Alopecia* ; Antibodies ; Autoantibodies* ; Autoimmunity ; Blotting, Western ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Hair Follicle* ; Hair* ; Humans

BACKGROUND: Skin cancers arc the most common malignancies in human. The increasing incidence of skin cancer has been attributed to increasing exposure of the papulation to sunlight and other factors, such as chemicals or. viruses. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to investigate a recent 10 year period(1984-1993) of clinical observation of cutaneous malignant tumors. METHODS: A statistical study was made with 60 cases of malignant tumors that visited the Departrnent of Dermatology, Chung Ang University during a 10 year period(1984-1993). RESULTS: 1. The mean incidence of cutlneous malignant tumors in the total number of outpatients was 0.16%(60/36,416). The incidence of malignant turnors has tended to increase in the last 4 years. 2. The age of onset was quite varied but the majority of cases, 51 cases(85.0%), were over 40 years old. The ratio of rnen to women was 1.3: 1.3. Among the 60 cases of malignant cutaneous tumors, the most frequently observed tumor was basal cell carcinoma, 20 cases(33.3% ). The next most frequent tumors were squamous cell carcinoma, 9 cases(15.0%), metastatic carcinoma, 9 cases(15.0%) and malignant melanoma, 6 cases(10.0%). 4. Among the 20 cases of basal cell carcinoma, 19 cases(95.0%) were over 40 years old. The most frequent age was the 7th decade(30.0%). The most common predilection sites were the nose (30.0%), the cheek(20.0%) and the eyelid(10.0%). 5. Among the 9 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, 8 cases(88.9% ) were over 40 years old. The ratio of men to women was 1: 2. The most frequent age was the 8th decade(44.4% ). The most common predilection sites were the head(55.6%), lower extremity(22.2%), upper extremity (11.1%) and trunk(11.1%). 6. All patients with malignant melanoma were over 40 years old. The most frequent age was the 5th decade(50.0%). The most cornmon predilection sites were the upper and lower extremities (66.7% ). 7. Among the 9 cases of metastatic carcinoma, 7 cases(77.8%) were over 40 years old. The ratio of men to women was 1: 1.25. The most frequent primary tumor was stomach cancer in men and lung cancer in women. 8. Cutaneous malignant tumor. usually had no detectable metastasis but there were 2 cases of extramammary Pagets disease with metastasis in the regional lymph nodes. CONCLUSIONS : This study revealed that the incidence of malignant tumors has tended to increase over the last few years, the most frequent age was over 40 years old, the most observed turnor was basal cell carcinoma and any type of cutaneous malignant tumors was rarely metastasis.
Adult ; Age of Onset ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Dermatology ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lower Extremity ; Lung Neoplasms ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Melanoma ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Nose ; Outpatients ; Paget Disease, Extramammary ; Skin Neoplasms ; Statistics as Topic ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Sunlight ; Upper Extremity

BACKGROUND: Female diffuse hair loss is a common baldness with a multifactorial origin. In recent studies, it has been suggested that reduced or depleted iron stores are a cause of female diffuse hair loss. OBJECTIVE: We performed this study in order to elucidate the pathogenesis of female diffuse hair loss and to evaluate the differences in serurn iron levels between normal females and those with diffuse hair loss in Korea. METHODS: Blood levels of hemoglobin, iron, TIBC, ferritin, testosterone, thyroid function, ANA and Zn were examined in 30 patients with female diffuse hair loss and 20 normal females. RESULTS: 1) Serum Zn, testosterone, T4, TSH of the patient group were not statistically significant compared to those of the control group (p>0.05). 2) TIBC values were significantly increased, but serum ferritin levels were signifieantly decreased in the patient group (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in hemoglobin, serum iron in both groups (p>0.05). 3) No significant differences between clinical severity and the values of serum Zn, testosterone, T4, TSH, TIBC, serum femtin, hemoglobin and serum iron were observed (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings suggested that the variations of TIBC, serum femtin levels may play a role in the pathogenesis of female diffuse hair loss, but further studies will be needed for evaluation of this condition.
Alopecia ; Female* ; Ferritins ; Hair* ; Humans ; Iron* ; Korea ; Testosterone ; Thyroid Gland

We present a case of 15 months old male with Multilocular cystic nephroma (MLCN) which contains fibroblast, smooth muscles, skeletal muscles and well differentiated tubular structure in the septa without evidence of blastemal or embryonal elements. There is no evidence of metastasis and local recurrence after post-op 2 years.
Child* ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Muscle, Smooth ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence

BACKGROUND: Superficial fungal infections are common diseases acid the prevalence of superficial fungal diseases are not static but change under the influence of various forces such as climate, migration of peoples and development in prophylaxis and therapy. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the present status of superficial dermatiphytoses and some changes on the frequency of the diseases, sex distributions and varieties of the casiative organisms. MEHTODS: The clinical and rnycological aspects of superficial fungal diseases of 3,222 patients from July 1989 to June 1992 were analyzed. Results : 1) The incidence of superficial fungal diseases was 25.4% of total out-patients. 2) The superficial fungal diseases showed a higt incidence in the third(26.4%) and the fourth decade(24.3%). 3) The ratio of male to female was 2.11:1(2,188:1,034). 4) The monthly prevalence of super ficial fungal diseases was high inhuly(17.8%), August(15.2%) and June(1.7%). 5) The incidence of superficial fungal diseases in order of frequency were tinea pedis ,28.1%, tinea cruris(19.5%), onychomycosis(15.6%), tinen orporis(11.5%), tinea manus(7.8%), tinea versicolar(7.8%), candidiasis(7.4%) and tinea capitis(2.3%), 6) Coexisting fungal infections were found in 644 patients(19.9%) and the case of tinea pedis with onychomycosis was the most common. 7) The positive rate of KOH scraping was 54.0% and the positive rate of culture on ordinary Salourauds dextrose agar media was 42.7%. 8) Trichophyton rubr,im was the most common causative orantism of superficial dermatophytes(38.4%), and other in decreasing frequency were Candida albicans(36.9%), Trichophyton mentagrophytes(23.6%) Microsporum canis(0.7%), Trichophyton ferrvgiteum(0.3%) and Epidermophyton floccosum(0.1%). CONCLUSION: These results are not significantly different from those iif previous studies. But the incidence rate of the superficial pungal diseases(25.4%) were higher thar, previous studies and showed a high incidence in young male patients and in the summer. The positiv rate of KOH scraping(54.0%) was lower than previous studies. The most common causative organism was Trichophyton rubrum(38.4 %).
Agar ; Candida ; Climate ; Epidermophyton ; Female ; Glucose ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Microsporum ; Onychomycosis ; Outpatients ; Prevalence ; Sex Distribution ; Tinea ; Tinea Pedis ; Trichophyton

BACKGROUND: The regular use of soaps and synthetic detergents has been associated with skin dryness and aggravation of dermatological conditions. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to investigate the irritancy of 10 hand dishwashing liquids on normal skin. METHODS: The skin changes, responding to repeat patch testing with 10 hand dishwashing liquids, were measured by visual scoring. RESULTS: The results are summarized as follows; 1. Of the 16 healthy volunteers 8 had reactions. 5 women and 3 men, but there was no significant difference in irritancy between men and women. 2. The mean irritancy scores of the 10 hand dishwashing liquids ranged from 0.06 to 0.88. 3. A prominent increase in the degree of erythema in the first 24 hour patch test did not persist beyond exposure day 5, but after day 5, augmented responses of the erythema and scales, even fissuring occurred. 4. The pH of the test solutions of the hand dishwashing liquids ranged from 5.0 to 6.0, but there appeared to be no correlation between pH and irritancy in the dishwashing liquids tested. CONCLUSION: Our data suggests that regular exposure to hand dishwashing liquids may cause disturbances of the skin in a substantial proportion of individuals, and workers should use hand dishwashing liquids in lower concentrations than recommended and only for short periods with protective measures.
Detergents ; Erythema ; Female ; Hand* ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Male ; Patch Tests ; Skin* ; Soaps ; Weights and Measures

BACKGROUND: The keratinocyte growth factor(KGF) is a recently identified mitogen for epithelial cells produced by nomal stromal fibroblasts. ln the skin, KGF has been shown to stimulate keratinocyte proliferation and differentiatian. Dendritic epidermal T cells(DETC) are skin-specific members of the epithelial y 8 T-cell family that reside normally in the murine epidermis. The DETCs recognize antigen expressed by damaged or diseased neighboring keratinoctyes and consequently secrete cytokines sueh as IFN- y, lL-2, IL-4, GM-CSF. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to observe the expression of KGF mRNA in keratinocyte and DETC as well as to investigate the cytokine-mediated intercellular communication between kerati- nocyte and DETC. METHODS: Using a RT-PCR(reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction), we examined the expression of KGF mRNA in keratinocyte and DETC, and compared the level of KGF mRNA between resting and activated DETC with Con-A (concanavalin A).
Cytokines ; Epidermis ; Epithelial Cells ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 7* ; Fibroblasts ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Humans ; Interleukin-4 ; Keratinocytes* ; RNA, Messenger* ; Skin ; T-Lymphocytes

Treatment modalities for herniated lumbar intervertebral disc are the conservative method, chemonucleolysis, percutaneous diskectomy and operation. Conservative treatment is effective in 70–80% of the acute stage and the other 20% requires chemonucleolysis, percutaneous diskectomy or operation. Indications for operation are cases not improved after conservative treatment, recurrent cases and cauda equina syndrome. Mixter and Barr(1934) demonstrated that laminectomy and surgical removal of disc material could relieve symptoms, but spinal segmental instability, incomplete removal of the disc and postoperative adhesion of the nerve root caused low back pain after long-term follow up. Thus, the authors evaluated the plain X-ray and computed tomographic findings in 21 cases of failed laminectomy to determine the cause of failure. The results were as follows ; 1. Among 21 cases, 18 cases complained of low back pain with sciatica and 3 cases complained of low back pain. 2. In all cases, disc space narrowing was detected on plain X-ray. Total laminectomy and diskectomy promote insufficiency and instability of the lumbar and lumbosacral spine. Whenever one attempts to do total laminectomy and diskectomy, it is recommended that spine fusion be performed in same operating field. 3. Several findings were detected on CT scan : 8 disc protrusions in the operation site, 6 disc protrusions in the operation site and spinal stenosis, 4 extradural scars, 1 extradural scar and other site disc protrusion and 2 cases of spinal stenosis and spondyloisthesis. 4. Computed tomography in cases of failed laminectomy offers more information than has been available by any other imaging method.
Cicatrix ; Diskectomy ; Diskectomy, Percutaneous ; Follow-Up Studies ; Intervertebral Disc ; Intervertebral Disc Chemolysis ; Laminectomy ; Low Back Pain ; Methods ; Polyradiculopathy ; Sciatica ; Spinal Stenosis ; Spine ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Forearm ; Free Tissue Flaps ; Head ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Mouth ; Neck ; Pliability ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgery, Oral

Proper management of childhood and adolescent varicocele remains still controversial. In general, all methods for varicocele ablation for adults are available and include open surgical ligation, laparoscopic ligation, or percutaneous ablation. We evaluated the usefulness of percutaneous embolization of internal spermatic vein in boys with varicocele. Between February 1988 to May 1996, 48 boys of 53 varicoceles underwent percut aneous embolization. In 49 cases, the embolization were technically possible and in the other 4 cases, we could not access the internal spermatic vein because of vasospasm and venous abnormality. The results were successful in 40 cases (81.6%) and failed in 9 cases (18.4%), including 4 (8.2%) of persistent and 5 (10.2%) of recurred cases. There were no major complications except 3 cases of extravasation of contrast material. Percutaneous embolization may be recommended as a primary treatment for childhood and adolescent varicocele.
Adolescent* ; Adult ; Humans ; Ligation ; Varicocele* ; Veins*