BACKGROUND: Recent data suggest that the colonization rate of group B streptococci(GBS) in pregnant women and the incidence of neonatal infections by GBS is increasing trend in Korea, but the antimicrobial susceptibilities and serotypes in pregnant women have not been reported in Korea. So, we studied to define the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and frequency of serotypes of GBS in pregnant women. METHODS: The susceptibility and serotyping of 60 GBS isolates from 27 pregnant women and four isolates from their two neonates were tested by an agar dilution method and agglutination test, respectively. The typing sera used in this study were Ia, Ib, II, III, IV, and V. RESULTS: Minimal inhibitory concentration range of 60 GBS from pregnant women were penicillin G 0.015-0.12 microgram/ml, vancomycin 0.5-2 microgram/ml, clindamycin 0.015-4.0 microgram/ml, chloramphenicol 2-4 microgram/ml, erythromycin 0.015-2 microgram/ml, tetracycline 0.5-256 microgram/ml, cephalothin 0.12-0.25 microgram/ml, ceftriaxone 0.03-0.12 microgram/ml, respectively. The resistance rate of GBS were 6.7% to clindamycin, 0% to erythromycin, and 98.3% to tetracycline. Most of GBS serotypes from pregnant women in decreasing order were Ib(48.3%), Ia(24.1%), III(20.7%). CONCLUSION: All GBS strains isolated from pregnant women are highly susceptible to commonly used antimicrobial agents with the exception of tetracycline. The low prevalence of severe neonatal GBS infections in Korea is not due to the absence of serotype III, but probably due to a low genital carriage rate of GBS by pregnant women.
Agar ; Agglutination Tests ; Anti-Infective Agents ; Ceftriaxone ; Cephalothin ; Chloramphenicol ; Clindamycin ; Colon ; Erythromycin ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea ; Penicillin G ; Pregnant Women* ; Prevalence ; Serotyping ; Tetracycline ; Vancomycin

No abstract available.
Blood Group Incompatibility* ; Bromelains*

No abstract available.

The medical records of 206 eyes of 206 consecutive patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy between March 1994 and October 1998, were reviewed retrospectively to determine the incidence and risk factors of postoperative intraocular pressure elevation. The mean follow-up period was 104.2 weeks. Early(within 7 days of surgery)and late postoperative intraocular pressure elevation(>21mmHg)occurred in 83 eyes(40.3%)and 84 eyes(40.7%), respectively. Injection of the gas increased the incidence of early postoperative intraocular pressure elevation significantly(Chi-square univariate analysis;P=0.046, Multivariate logistic regression analysis;odds ratio=1.928, confidence interval 1.079~3.480). Patients undergoing pars plana vitrectomy with gas tamponade must be carefully followed after surgery due to high incidence of postoperative intraocular pressure elevation.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intraocular Pressure* ; Logistic Models ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors* ; Vitrectomy*

BACKGROUND: Clonidine, an alpha2 adrenoceptor agonist, has been known to have an antiallodynic effect in many animal and human studies. Clonidine, however, acts on imidazoline receptors as well as alpha2 adrenoceptors. Recently, the effect of clonidine on the symapthetic nervous system was reported to be mediated via the activation of the imidazoline receptor system but not the alpha2 adrenergic receptor system. Therefore, we conducted a behavioral test to investigate the effects of alpha2 adrenoceptors and imidazoline receptors on mechanical allodynia in rats with spinal nerve ligation (SNL) injury. METHODS: Male Sprague Dawley rats were prepared with tight ligation of the left lumbar 5th and 6th spinal nerves and chronic lumbar intrathecal catheter implantation for drug administration. Using a von Frey hair (VFH) test, we examined the effects of intrathecal (IT) brimonidine (0.03 - 3 microgram), clonidine (3 - 10 microgram), and rilmenidine (1 - 30 microgram) in SNL rats. Measurements of the baseline value VFH test was conducted at each dose to compare with the preoperative state. In addition, an antagonistic study with rauwolscine or yohimbine was performed to investigate the reversal of antiallodynic effects of each agonist. Allodynic thresholds for the withdrawal response of the left lesioned hindpaw to VFH stimuli were assessed and converted to %MPE. RESULTS: The antiallodynic effects of brimonidine, clonidine, and rilmenidine were produced in a dose dependent manner. The antiallodynic effects of IT brimonidine but not rilmenidine were significantly antagonized by alpha2 antgonists rauwolscine and yohimbine (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that mechanical allodynia produced by a SNL injury is reduced by an imidazoline receptor agonist as well as alpha2 adrenergic receptor agonists and sympathetic activation is more likely mediated by spinal imidazoline receptors.
Adrenergic Agonists ; Animals ; Catheters ; Clonidine ; Hair ; Humans ; Hyperalgesia* ; Imidazoline Receptors* ; Ligation* ; Male ; Nervous System ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Adrenergic* ; Spinal Nerves ; Yohimbine ; Brimonidine Tartrate

PURPOSE: Elderly patients of colorectal cancer compose a steadily expanding portion of the population in Korea. The decision whether or not to operate on elderly patients who have carcinoma of colon and rectum is often unduly complicated. The aim of this study is to evaluate the results of the operations for colorectal cancers in the elderly. METHODS: This report is a retrospective clinical analysis for 365 cases of colorectal cancer who were treated surgically at the Department of surgery, Chonbuk National University Medical School from January 1994 to December 1998. To evaluate the age factor in colorectal cancer, the patients were divided into two groups: The elderly group included 79 patients who were aged > or =70 years on first presentation; The control group comprised 286 patients aged <70. RESULTS: There is no significant difference between the two group with regard to the mode of presentation, gender, location of tumor, clinical symptom and sign, duration of symptom, coexistent disease, operation method, tumor size, histopathologic findings, the Astler-Coller classification, lymphatic and distant metastasis, perioperative complication and 5-year survival. The emergency operation is significantly higher incidence in the elderly group. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that surgical resection of colorectal cancer in elderly is standard method and should not be restricted on the basis of age alone.
Age Factors ; Aged* ; Classification ; Colon ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Jeollabuk-do ; Korea ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Rectum ; Retrospective Studies ; Schools, Medical

PURPOSE: Central pancreatectomy (CP) may be indicated for the treatment of benign or low-grade malignant tumor in the neck and proximal body of the pancreas. Pancreatic fistula is one of the most common complications after CP. In this study, we suggested an inverted mattress pancreaticojejunostomy (IM-PJ) technique to decrease the risk of pancreatic fistula. METHODS: Between 2010 and 2015, CP was performed with IM-PJ for 10 consecutive patients with a benign or low-grade malignant tumor in the neck and proximal body of the pancreas. All clinical and pathological data were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Median age was 56.4 years (range, 17–75 years). Median surgery duration was 286 minutes (range, 205–410 minutes). In all cases, the distal stump was reconstructed using the IM-PJ method. Median duration of hospital stay was 23.8 days (range, 9–53 days). No patient mortality occurred. Pancreatic fistula developed in 9 cases (90%); however, all fistulas were grade A and resolved without surgical or radiological intervention. Nine patients remain well with no recurrence or new endocrine or exocrine dysfunction. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that the outcomes of CP with IM-PJ are reasonable for prevention of pancreatic fistula following CP.
Fistula ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Methods ; Mortality ; Neck ; Pancreas ; Pancreatectomy* ; Pancreatic Fistula* ; Pancreaticojejunostomy* ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: Clonidine, an alpha2 adrenoceptor agonist, has been known to have antinociceptive and antiallodynic effects. The antinociceptive and antiallodynic effects of brimonidine, a new selective alpha2 agonist, have not been evaluated yet in rats. Behavioral tests were performed to investigate the effects of systemically and spinally administered brimonidine on nociception and mechanical allodynia and the effect of spinal nerve ligation (SNL) on antinociception. METHODS: Rats were prepared with tight ligation of spinal nerves and/or a lumbar intrathecal catheter implantation. Using a hot plate (HP) test or von Frey hair (VFH) test, the effect of intraperitoneal (I.P.) and intrathecal (I.T.) brimonidine in normal and SNL rats were examined. I.P. brimonidine (100 - 1,000 microgram) and I.T. brimonidine (0.1 - 3.0 microgram) were given to examine the antinociceptive effect on an HP test. After a SNL, a HP test was conducted at the same doses of brimonidine to compare with the preoperative state. I.T. brimonidine (0.03 - 3.0 microgram) and saline (control) were administered to examine the antiallodynic effect in SNL rats. In addition, an antagonistic study with yohimbine 1.0 mg/kg I.P. was performed to investigate the reversal of the antiallodynic effect of brimonidine. Allodynic thresholds for lesioned hindpaw withdrawl to a VFH test were assessed and converted to %MPE. RESULTS: I.P. brimonidine produced an antinociceptive effect, and I.T. brimonidine also produced a significant antinociceptive effect (P < 0.05). After an SNL, I.T. brimonidine produced a dose-dependent antinocicpetive effect. In addition, I.T. brimonidine produced a dose-dependent antiallodynic effect which is antagonized by yohimbine (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that brimonidine has a more potent antiallodynic effect when given intrathecally.
Adrenergic Agonists* ; Animals ; Catheters ; Clonidine ; Hair ; Hyperalgesia ; Ligation ; Nociception ; Rats ; Spinal Nerves ; Yohimbine ; Brimonidine Tartrate

Actinomyces are gram positive anaerobes which exist as normal flora in the oral and digestive tract. Actinomycosis is a very rare subacute or chronic infectious disease that causes sinus fistula, tract or abscess due to the invasion of surrounding soft tissue when normal mucosa is damaged by inflammation. Clinically, it is categorized into cervicofacial, thorax, abdomen, pelvis, and systemic infection, in which cervicofacial infection accounts for 50% of all actinomycosis. With various nonspecific clinical manifestations and uncertain results of fine needle aspiration cytology and culture examination, treatment may be difficult since it may be misdiagnosed as malignancy or tuberculosis. Along with literature, we present a case of a 57-year old male patient with cervical actinomycosis in the submandibular mass, which was mistaken for malignancy.
Abdomen ; Abscess ; Actinomyces ; Actinomycosis ; Actinomycosis, Cervicofacial ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Communicable Diseases ; Fistula ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Male ; Mucous Membrane ; Pelvis ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the dimensions of normal salivary and thyroid glands and assess their relationship with respect to age and sex using three-dimensional imaging in children. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: One hundred twenty patients were divided into four age groups: group 1 (0-5 years), group 2 (6-10 years), group 3 (11-15 years), and group 4 (16-20 years). The volume, thickness, width, and length of the each gland were measured. RESULTS: The parotid glands exhibited a growth spurt in group 2. There were no differences between genders for parameters of the parotid gland in groups 1, 2, and 3 except in group 4. The length of submandibular gland exhibited a monomodal growth pattern, which increased until 20-years-of-age. There was a significant difference of volume and thickness between the right and left thyroid gland in all groups. CONCLUSION: Volume and other parameters of the salivary and thyroid gland increase with age.
Child* ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Organ Size ; Parotid Gland ; Salivary Glands ; Submandibular Gland ; Thyroid Gland*