No abstract available.
Child* ; Epilepsy* ; Humans

No abstract available.

To investigate whether anti-Candida proteinase antibody could be a diagnostic marker, we examined seroreactivity to proteinase in sera from 90 healthy controls and 8 of C. albicans culture-positive patients. Previously we purified proteinases of C. albicans, C. tropicalis, and C. parapsilosis using a series of chromatographic steps consisting of DEAE- Sepharose, Sephacryl S-200, and size-exclusion HPLC. ELISA and Western blot technique were adopted to examine seroreactivity of C. albicans proteinase with sera. On ELISA, the seroreactivities of healthy controls and C. albicans-cultured patients were 0.601 +- 0.014 (mean+SEM), and 0.695 +- 0.079, respectively (P=0.084, t-test). In C. albicans-cultured patients, the positive rate was 62.5% (5/8) and the positive rate of healthy controls was 39% (35/90). On Western blot analysis, C. albicans proteinase molecule was blotted by all sera tested. But the intensity of blotted band was different with the same dilution of sera; the intensity of C. albicans proteinase molecule band blotted by 2 sera of 3 healthy control's sera was distinctively lower than that by C. albicans-cultured patients sera. However, all sera including C. albicans-cultured patient's sera did not blot the proteinase secreted by C. tropicalis and C. parapsilosis. It is necessary to collect sequential sera of patients with candidiasis and to establish a cut-off value for ELISA or serum dilution for Western blot analysis that will give reliable test sensitivity and specificity.
Blotting, Western ; Candida albicans* ; Candida* ; Candidiasis ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Peptide Hydrolases ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sepharose

Computerized tomography angiography (CTA) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) have been frequently used as non-invasive methods for the evaluation of cerebral vessels. The use of an invasive therapeutic method, transfemoral carotid angiography (TFCA), has also recently increased. The complication rate after TFCA is reported to be 0.9 % to 4%, and it is continuously decreasing. We experienced 2 patients who underwent TFCA as a diagnostic tool. The embolic type of cerebral infarction, which occurred within 30 hours, was diagnosed with performing diffusion weighted MRI (DW-MRI). One patient developed temporary dysphasia and motor weakness, but the patient improved after 2 days. The other patient presented with an altered mentality and motor weakness with some permanent deficits. TFCA is a less invasive method for treating cerebral vessels, and because this is a popular therapeutic modality, the frequency of complications will increase. Clinicians should bear in mind that complications may occur when performing TFCA and so they should be prepared to deal with them.
Angiography ; Aphasia ; Cerebral Infarction ; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; Ursidae

Although the incidence of intracranial multiple aneurysms are not low, the occurrence of multiple aneurysms more than three developing on the ipsilateral carotid artery is quite rare. We present a patient with five aneurysms on the left internal carotid artery. Four aneurysms arising from the left internal carotid artery underwent microsurgical clipping and wrapping, and remnant superior hypophyseal artery aneurysm was treated by using coil embolization. Incidence and risk factors for management of multiple aneurysms were investigated with the literature review.
Aneurysm ; Arteries ; Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Humans ; Incidence ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVE: The incidence of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) worldwide varies considerably. In spite of many reports about the incidence of SAH, there has been no report about the incidence of SAH on the basis of the Korean population. The purpose of this hospital-based study was to assess the actual incidence rates of aneurysmal SAH in Gwangju city and Jeollanamdo province. METHODS: All cases of SAH confirmed by computerized tomography (CT) between January 2007 and December 2007 were selected for analysis. For the data collection, three major training hospital and ten general hospitals working the CT in Gwangju city and four major general hospitals in Jeollanamdo province participate in this study. RESULTS: According to the official census of Korea, the population was 1,413,444 in Gwangju city and 1,929,836 in Jeollanamdo province in 2007. There were 163 patients in Gwangju city and 266 patients in Jeollanamdo province confirmed SAH by CT in 2007. The crude and the age- and sex-adjusted annual incidence rates per 100,000 population for all ages in Gwangju city were 11.5 and 12.4 for aneurysmal SAH and in Jeollanamdo province were 13.8 and 10.8. The incidence was higher in women and increased with age. The gender distribution varied with age. At young ages, the incidence was higher in men while after the age of 40 years, the incidence was higher in women. CONCLUSION: In the present study, the age- and sex-adjusted annual incidence rates is 11.8 in Gwangju city and Jeollanamdo province. The incidence was higher in women and increased with age.
Aneurysm ; Censuses ; Data Collection ; Female ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

We saw a case of minoxidil induced pericardial effusion in a 36 years old female who developed generalized edema, weakness and hypertrichosis after taking minoxidil for 1 year. Her chest PA showed globular shaped cardiac enlargement and pulmonary congestion. Echocardiography of the heart showed moderate amount of pericardial effusion. 10 days later after cessation of the drug administration and conservative managements, her chest PA showed marked improvement of heart size and pulmonary congestion. 20 days later her blood pressure became normal with the continued use of other antihypertensive drugs.
Adult ; Antihypertensive Agents ; Blood Pressure ; Echocardiography ; Edema ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Female ; Heart ; Humans ; Hypertrichosis ; Minoxidil* ; Pericardial Effusion* ; Thorax

Leukemic infiltration of the penis is an extremely rare entity. A case involving the penile shaft is described, and the relevant evaluation and treatment are discussed. Only 3 other documented cases of penile leukemia have been found in the literature. The identification and treatment of the underlying etiology are important aspects with this unusual disease entity.
Leukemia ; Leukemic Infiltration* ; Male ; Penis*

Purpose: After kidney transplantation (KT), a large amount of drainage can delay postoperative recovery. Viscum album extract is an agent used in pleurodesis, and the purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of this agent in reducing the amount of drainage after KT. Methods: Medical records of patients with a large amount of drainage (≥ 100 mL/day) on postoperative day (POD) 7 after KT who had undergone V. album extract instillation through drainage tube (n = 115) or conservative management (n = 177) were retrospectively reviewed. The primary endpoint was a decrease in the amount of drainage on POD 14 from POD 7. Results: A decrease in the amount of drainage on POD 14 from POD 7 was larger in the V. album extract instillation group than in the conservative management group (–228.3 ± 181.6 mL vs. –144.6 ± 202.0 mL, P < 0.001). Duration of hospitalization after operation was shorter in the V. album extract instillation group than in the conservative management group (15.9 ± 3.2 days vs. 18.1 ± 5.3 days, P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, there was a statistically significant association of V. album extract instillation with lower risk of persistent large amount of drainage (≥ 100 mL/day on POD 14), with an odds ratio of 0.57 (95% confidence interval, 0.35–0.93; P = 0.026). Conclusion Retroperitoneal V. album extract instillation could be effective in reducing the amount of drainage and promoting postoperative recovery in patients with a large amount of drainage after KT.

PURPOSE: An enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol incorporates up-to-date perioperative care principles; the primary aim in using an ERAS protocol is to reduce issues that delay the recovery and cause the complications. The aim of this study was to compare outcomes associated with head and neck cancer surgery with free-flap reconstruction before and after implementation of an ERAS protocol. METHODS: Outcomes were analyzed by dividing patients into 2 groups: 29 patients in the non-ERAS group and 60 patients in the ERAS group. The ERAS group performed a prospective observational cohort study of patients who underwent a head and neck cancer surgery with free-flap reconstruction in Ajou University Hospital from August 2015 to December 2017. The non-ERAS group retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who had undergone the same surgery from August 2012 to July 2015. RESULTS: Demographics, comorbidities, hospital length of stay (LOS), postoperative complications, starting time of rehabilitation, and postoperative periods before radiotherapy for the non-ERAS and ERAS groups were compared. Hospital LOS was significantly lower for patients whose care followed the ERAS protocol than for patients in the non-ERAS group (30.87 ± 20.72 days vs. 59.66 ± 40.43 days, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: In this study, hospital LOS was reduced through fast recovery after the implementation of the ERAS protocol. Therefore, the ERAS protocol appeared feasible and safe in head and neck cancer surgery with free-flap reconstruction.
Cohort Studies ; Comorbidity ; Demography ; Free Tissue Flaps ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Head ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Medical Records ; Perioperative Care ; Postoperative Care ; Postoperative Complications ; Postoperative Period ; Prospective Studies ; Radiotherapy ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Rehabilitation ; Retrospective Studies