OBJECTIVE: This study investigated changes of Biochemical Markers of Bone turnover in Pre-, Peri-and Postmenopausal Women METHOD: The levels of Urinary deoxypyridinoline(Dpd), serum total alkaline phosphatase(TALP), osteocalcin(OC), serum calcium(Ca++) and phosphorus(P) were determined. Bone mineral density(BMD) were also measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) RESULTS: There were negative correlation between Biochemical markers of bone turnover and BMD, Biochemical markers of bone turnover in osteoporosis group were significantly higher than normal groups. Biochemical marker of bone turnover except serum calcium increased after menopause and remains elevated in late postmenopausal and elderly women. An increased bone turnover rate to sustained serum calcium in constant level is related to a high rate of bone loss in postmenopausal women and to a decreased bone mass in elderly women. CONCLUSION: Bone turnover increased not only at the time of menopause but also in the elderly women. This subsequent abnormalities of bone resorption and formation in the elderly women suggest their potential role in osteoporosis.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Aged ; Biomarkers* ; Bone Resorption ; Calcium ; Female ; Humans ; Menopause ; Osteoporosis

A retrospective review was performed of 297 patients admitted to Chung Ang Gil Hospital between June 1995 and December 1996 with a diagnosis of blunt chest trauma. Of these patients, 34% suffered either immediate or delayed complications. Immediate complications included hemothorax in 58.8%, pneumothorax in 26.5%, and pulmonary contusion in 20.5%. Delayed complications occurred in 9.1% of patients overall; these included pulmonary contusion in 12.7%, pneumonia in 9.8%, pulmonary embolism in 2%, poeumothorax in 2%, and hemothorax in 2%. The mean age of the patients were 43 years. 210 patients(70.7%) were under age 50 and 87(29.3%) were 50 years of age or older. Male to female ratio was 1.9:1. Mean Initial Revised Trauma Score (RTS) and the Injury Severity Score (ISS) were 7.10+/-0.94 and 14+/-8.69, respectively. There were associated injuries in 225(75.8%) patients. Overall mortality rate was 7.1% and the mortality rate was significantly greater in patients with a RTS<6, ISS>or=16, associated injuries, advanced age(50 years of age or older), and pulmonary complications. Pulmonary complications were significantly greater in patients with a RTS<6, ISS>or=16, and an associated injuries.
Contusions ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Hemothorax ; Humans ; Injury Severity Score ; Male ; Mortality* ; Pneumonia ; Pneumothorax ; Pulmonary Embolism ; Retrospective Studies ; Thorax*

We report a cace of 69-year-old man who developed massive pulmonary hemorrhage and subsuquent adult respiratory distress syndrome following intravenous urokinase for acute myocardial infarction. Pulmonary hemorrhage is a rare but a potentially life-threatening complication after thrombolytic therapy and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary infiltrates of falling hemoglobin after thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction with no obvious site of bleeding.
Adult* ; Aged ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult* ; Thrombolytic Therapy* ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator

Segmentally distributed cutaneous eruptions and neuralgia are common manifestations of herpes zoster. However, motor loss is another aspect of this manifestation, which is less well known and considered a rare finding. In many cases the loss of motor function may be easily overlooked because the pain is the more prominent feature and the weakness probably goes unrecognized with only a mild impairment of the motor function. We experienced a 71-year-old male patient with a herpes zoster-related motor paralysis of right arm whose clinical features of a weak limb mimicked other spinal motor diseases and confirmed motor involvement using electromyographic (EMG) and motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) studies.
Aged ; Arm ; Extremities* ; Herpes Zoster* ; Humans ; Male ; Neural Conduction ; Neuralgia ; Paralysis*

We conducted this cohort analytic study to determine whether women with unexplained elevations of maternal serum hCG at 15-18 weeks' gestation are at increased risk for pregnancy complications and adverse perinatal outcomes. The inclusion criteria were a singleton gestation, a confirmed gestational age, and an hCG level greater than 2.0 multiples of the median (MoM). The exclusion criteria were fetal anomalies, an abnormal karyotype, molar pregnancy, and an MSAFP level greater than 2.5 multiples of the median (MoM). A group of randomly selected women with hCG levels under 2.0 MoM served as controls. Patients with elevated levels of hCG had a significantly higher risk for PIH (17.9% versus 4.5%; P <.05) and preterm delivery (17.9% versus 3.5%; P<, 05) than control. But no significant differences were observed in the incidence of intrauterine growth restriction and low birth weight and in the newborn weight. We suggested that pregnancies with unexplained elevated hCG levels should be regarded as high-risk pregnancies. And these patients require careful monitoring with adequate obstetric management.
Abnormal Karyotype ; Chorionic Gonadotropin* ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans* ; Hydatidiform Mole ; Incidence ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; Pregnancy Outcome* ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnancy, High-Risk

Granulocytic sarcoma is an uncommon extramedullary localized tumor composed of granulocytic precursor cells. The majority of cases have been reported in association with acute myeloid leukemia(AML) especially in children, but infrequently may occur in patients with myeloproliferative disorders or myelodysplastic syndromes. Most common sites of involvement were bone, soft tissue, lymph nodes and skin, but gastrointestinal tract, testis, central nervous system are also involved rarely. We present an unusual case of granulocytic sarcoma of the intracranium and the retro-orbital soft tissue occurring in a patient with concurrent myelodysplastic syndrome, diagnosed by brain magnetic resonance images and ultrasound guided needle biopsy.
Biopsy, Needle ; Brain ; Central Nervous System ; Child ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Granulocyte Precursor Cells ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes* ; Myeloproliferative Disorders ; Sarcoma, Myeloid* ; Skin ; Testis ; Ultrasonography

Recent studies suggest the flow cytometric DNA ploidy analysis may be useful in defining the biologic behavior and prognosis in prostatic adenocarcinoma. Flow cytometric nuclear DNA ploidy analysis was used to study the relationship between DNA ploidy, clinical stage and histopathological grade in thirty two patients with prostatic adenocarcinomas diagnosed from 1987 to 1990. The incidence of aneuploidy in the total population was 18 of 32 (56.3%). The frequency of aneuploidy increased with advancing stage and 63.2% of carcinomas with distant metastases were aneuploidy. Aneuploidy was more frequent in high Gleason sum carcinomas than in low. The incidence of aneuploidy in carcinomas with high Gleason grade (Gleason sum 8 to 10) was 77.8%. comparing to 33.3% in low Gleason grade (Gleason sum 2 to 4). When carcinomas classified according to both DNA ploidy and degree of glandular differentiation, then subgroups with the highest and lowest degree of malignant potential became apparent. None of diploid tumors with low Gleason grade (Gleason sum 2 to 4) formed metastasis, but 71.4% of aneuploidy tumors with high Gleason grade (Gleason sum 8 to 10) formed metastases. The influence of DNA ploidy on survival was examined with Kaplan-Meier method and the generalized Wilcoxon test. Overall, the patients with diploid tumor had a survival advantage over patients with aneuploid tumor (p<0.05). In patients with stage C and D, there was increasing tendency of survival in diploid group. In conclusion flow cytometric determination of DNA ploidy in prostatic adenocarcinoma is correlated strongly with clinical stage and Gleason sum and can be expected to be a valuable adjunct b clinical stage and histopathological grade in the assessment of malignant potential of prostatic adenocarcinoma.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Aneuploidy ; Diploidy ; DNA* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Ploidies* ; Prognosis

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study is to investigate the correlation between the symptoms and the incidence of anatomical variant without mucosal abnormality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Out of 892 patients with CT performed for the evaluation of sinus disease symptoms between March 1991 and March 1993, we observed the anatomic variations in 82 symptomatic patients without mucosal abnormality(male:female=43:39, mean age 36. 4 years). The control group included 88 patients with facial bone CT performed for the evaluation of trauma during the same period while patients with recent paranasal sinusitis were excluded. (male:female=76:12, mean age 22. 4 years). The scouis were performed with 5-ram section thickness from posterior margin of sphenoid sinus to anterior margin of posterior ethmoid and then with 3 mm thickness from anterior margin of posterior ethmoid to anterior margin of frontal sinus. The artatomic variations included nasoseptal deviation, concha bullosa, Hailer cells, Agger nasi cells, etc. RESULTS: The anatomic variations were demonstrated in 71 our of 82 symptomatic patients(86. 5%), whereas they were seen 26 of 88 patients(29. 5%) in control group. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that there is a possible causal relationship between anatomic variations and symptomas. Even though without accompaning mucosal abnormalities, anatomic variations could contribute simply to its symptomas. ^natomic variants may obstruct or narrow the airway, leading to turbulating air flow or interrupting ucociliary movement, and finally may produce a series os symptoms.
Facial Bones ; Frontal Sinus ; Humans ; Incidence ; Sinusitis ; Sphenoid Sinus

We present the first case report of fragile X-associated tremor ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) in the Republic of Korea. A 75-year-old male developed progressive gait ataxia, parkinsonism, and a mood disorder. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed T2 high signal intensity within the middle cerebellar peduncles. Analysis of the fragile X mental retardation 1 gene revealed a CGG trinucleotide repeat number of 136. FXTAS should be considered when a patient has atypical parkinsonism, cerebellar ataxia, and specific MRI abnormalities.