Arotinolol, a new alpha and beta receptor antagonist, was administered in 27 essential hypertensive patients for 8 weeks in order to evaluate the antihypertensive effect and side effects. The dose were 10mg to 15mg given twice a day. The results are as follows : 1) Before medication, systolic and diastolic blood pressure in sitting, supine and erect position were 173.1+/-3.2/105.8+/-1.8, 171.1+/-3.6/86.7+/-2.0 and 169.3+/-2.6/97.2+/-2.1mmHg. 2) After 8 weeks treatment moderated to marked antihypertensive effect was observed in 74.0%(in systolic blood pressure) and 81.4%(in diastolic blood pressure) respectively in sitting position. 3) There was a significant reduction of pulse rate from 73.0+/-2.5 beats per minute on the beginning of the treatment to 63.4+/-5.2 beats per minute after 8 weeks of medication. 4) There was no significant change in hematocrit, WBC, serum lipid, GOT, GPT, BUN and creatinine. But fasting blood sugar was reduced from 95.3mg% to 81.5mg% with treatment. 5) The side effects of arotinolol were gastrointestinal symptoms(15%), fatigue(11%), dizziness(7%) and insomnia(3%). But these side effects were not severe enough to discontinue medication. In summary, arotinolol seemed to be an effective antihypertensive drug in treating mild to moderate hypertension without significant side effects.
Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure ; Creatinine ; Fasting ; Heart Rate ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Hypertension

BACKGROUND: For reconstruction of the mild to moderate medial orbital wall fractures, various surgical approaches have been used. Prior existing W-shaped incision was a direct local approach through a 3 cm incision on the superior medial orbital area with a titanium mesh implant. In this study, the authors modified W-shaped incision and reconstructed the defect with silastic sheet to improve the result and the postoperative scar. METHODS: This study included 20 patients who had mild to moderate size of medial wall defect and therefore relatively suitable for reconstruction with silastic sheets from July, 2009 to December, 2011. A modified W-shaped skin incision approximately 1.2 to 1.5 cm in length was made along the superior medial orbital rim from approximately 1 cm medial to the medial canthus to the lower border of the medial eyebrow. The angles of the limbs of the W ranged from 150 to 160 degrees. RESULTS: By using soft flexible silastic sheet, the authors reduced the incision from 3 to 1.5 cm, and by widening the angle of the W limbs, scars were more effectively hided in the relaxed skin tension line. Scar assessment was done with modified patient and observer scar assessment scale and mean score from patients was 2.08 and mean score from observers was 2.12. CONCLUSION: Although this method will not be suitable for every case, it can be a consistent method to obtain the surgical goal in treatment of mild to moderate blowout fractures of the medial orbital wall.
Cicatrix ; Dimethylpolysiloxanes ; Extremities ; Eyebrows ; Humans ; Orbit ; Orbital Fractures ; Silicones ; Skin ; Titanium

PURPOSE: Cancer invasion is induced by several proteolytic enzyme systems associated with the destruction of basement membrane and extracellular matrix. Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) have been reported as prognostic factors in breast cancer patients and plasminogen activation is regulated by various factor such as uPAR and growth factor. So we examined the tissue levels of urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) in breast cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tissue uPAR levels were measured by ELISA assay in 268 breast cancer patients. RESULTS: The median and mean values of tissue uPAR level in breast cancer were 3.5 ng/mg and 4.8+-3.6 ng/mg cytosol protein, respectively. Tissue uPAR level was the highest in T1 stage, but there was no statistical significance between T stage (p >0.05). In nodal stage, there was also no difference in the value of uPAR according to progression. And the value of uPAR expression was not associated with estrogen and progesteron receptor status, number of involved node and percent of node involvement. In TNM stage, tissue uPAR levels were higher in patients with stage I-II than in patients with stage III-IV (p=0.027). In univariate analysis, nodal factor (p=0.0023) and TNM stage (p=0.0004) were significantly associated with overall survival. But, multivariate analysis showed that TNM stage was the only significant prognostic factor (p=0.0002). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that uPAR is mainly associated with initial tumor invasion and other factors might be involved in later stages of cancer progression.
Basement Membrane ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Cytosol ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Estrogens ; Extracellular Matrix ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Plasminogen Activators* ; Plasminogen* ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator*

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy(CAA) is characterized by the deposition of amyloid beta-protein in the walls of small to medium-sized arteries of the leptomeninges and cerebral cortex. While often asymptomatic, CAA can develop into intracerebral hemorrhage facilitated by arterial hypertension. We report the case of a 52-year-old man with CAA and arterial hypertension who developed recurrent cerebral hemorrhages on three different occasions and in multiple non-overlapping loci over a period of nine years. Based on our findings, we recommend brain biopsies for all patients undergoing evacuation of multiple recurrence or atypical pattern intracerebral hemorrhages.
Amyloid ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; Arteries ; Biopsy ; Brain ; Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy* ; Cerebral Cortex ; Cerebral Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence

BACKGROUND: The Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire (QuickDASH) is one of the most widely used questionnaires for assessing functional ability of the patients with upper extremity diseases. Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common neuropathic disease in the upper extremities. The aim of this study was to verify the validity, reliability, and responsiveness of Korean version of QuickDASH questionnaire (K-QuickDASH) in the patients with CTS. METHODS: In total, 83 subjects who underwent open carpal tunnel release (CTR) operation were selected. They fulfilled Korean version of Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (K-DASH) and K-QuickDASH at two different time points: before and six months after the surgery. Both criterion-related and construct validities were evaluated using Pearson's correlation coefficient and factor analysis. Internal consistency was estimated using Cronbach's alpha, and test-retest reliability was assessed to verify the reliability of K-QuickDASH using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The standardized response mean and the effect size were analyzed to confirm the responsiveness of the K-QuickDASH in CTS patients. RESULTS: Significant positive correlation was found between K-QuickDASH and K-DASH. All the questionnaire items were categorized into three factors. Acceptable internal consistency was confirmed in three categories of K-QuickDASH. A high test-retest reliability and responsiveness of K-QuickDASH were detected. CONCLUSION: K-QuickDASH in Korean patients with CTS was confirmed to have high degree of validity and reliability, and responsiveness after CTR. Therefore, the K-QuickDASH would be a good evaluation tool for evaluating clinical symptoms and determination of treatment outcomes in the patients with CTS.
Arm* ; Carpal Tunnel Syndrome* ; Hand* ; Humans ; Reproducibility of Results ; Shoulder* ; Upper Extremity

PURPOSE: We measured and compared the uPA, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and uPA receptor (uPAR) levels in breast cancer tissues and blood of the patients to evaluate their clinical relevance for biotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: uPA, PAI-1 (Monozyme, Netherland), uPAR (American Diagnostics, USA) levels were measured by ELISA assay in 192 breast cancer tissues, in 18 normal breast tissues and in 163 blood from breast cancer patients. RESULTS: There was a tendency of uPA increment from ductal carcinoma in situ while increment of PAI-1 and uPAR occurred from Ti. With the progression of cancer, uPA, PAI-1, uPAR tended to decrease; however, the uPA/uPAR, uPA/PAI-1 ratios remained unchanged. There was a correlation of uPA expression between normal and cancer tissues ( r(2)= 0.49). Correlation of uPA and PAI-1 was found in normal tissue and stage I cancer tissue while correlation of uPAR and PAI-1 was found with cancer progression. Between cancer tissue and blood significant correlations were found in uPA, PAI-1, uPAR levels. CONCLUSION: uPA, PAI-1, uPAR levels in cancer tissue elevated from the early stage maintaining correlative expressions with cancer progression. A positive correlation between cancer tissue and blood level suggested the applicability of the levels of uPA, PAI-1 or uPAR for detecting patients for biotherapy.
Biological Therapy* ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 ; Plasminogen Activators* ; Plasminogen* ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator*

PURPOSE: This study compares the feasibility and safety of Totally Laparoscopic Total Gastrectomy (TLTG) with Open Total Gastrectomy (OTG) for Remnant Gastric Cancer (RGC) in patients who had previously undergone gastrectomy. METHODS: We retrospectively collected and analyzed the data of 139 consecutive patients who underwent OTG along with 21 patients who underwent TLTG for RGC between January 2008 and December 2016. One-to-two Propensity Score Matching (PSM) was performed to compare the age, gender, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, clinical tumor stage, previous gastric disease, previous gastrectomy type, previous reconstruction type, history of previous upper abdominal surgery except gastrectomy, and combined major operations. A total of sixty patients (21 who underwent TLTG and 39 who underwent OTG) were matched, and surgical outcomes and survival rates were compared. RESULTS: The TLTG patients were found to recover bowel movements sooner than the OTG group (OTG 3.74±0.88 vs TLTG 3.19±0.81 days, p=0.02). Post-operative surgical outcomes, including pathological features, clinical courses, complications and survival rates did not differ between the two groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Although TLTG was not found to have any definitive clinical advantage over OTG except for more rapid recovery of bowel movement, TLTG should be considered as safe and feasible surgical procedure as OTG for the treatment of RGC.
Body Mass Index ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Propensity Score ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Diseases ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Survival Rate

Preoperative clinical staging in the prostate cancer does not always accurately predict the surgical-pathological outcome. We evaluated how the clinical staging, and other clinical parameters including preoperative PSA and Gleason`s score could reflect on the surgicopathological findings in 30 patients with prostate cancer, who underwent radical prostatectomy. Twelve of 24 patients with clinical T1 or T2 disease were understaged by clinical staging determined by digital rectal examination, bone scan, and radiologic studies including CT and MRI with endorectal coil. MRI with endorectal coil accurately reflected the extracapsular disease only in 59.1% of 22 patients studied. At the same time, it also showed low sensitivity (50%) with high specificity (100%) in detecting lymph node metastasis. Preoperative levels of PSA in patients with P2, P3, and N+ disease were 17.8 +/- 4.5, 47.9 +/- 11.3, 93.5 +/- 20.5ng/ml, respectively. The level of PSA was less than 20ng/ml in 9 of 12 patients with P2 disease, while they were greater than 20ng/ml in 9 of 12 patients with P3 disease. PSA may have a role to rule out lymph node metastasis when its level is less than 10ng/ml, although it did not reach the statistical significance because of small sample size. Gleason`s scores in patients with P2 disease were quite similar to those in patients with P3 disease (5.92 +/- 0.69 vs 5.67 +/- 0.56), whereas Gleason`s scores in all 6 patients with N+ disease were 9 or greater. Neoadjuvant hormonal therapy with LH-RH analogue and androgen receptor blocker for 1.5 to 3 months had no impact on the reduction of margin positivity or downstaging in 10 patients. PSA failure rate in patients with P2 and P3 disease was 25% at 1 year after operation. PSA is a good marker for differentiating between P2 and P3 disease (,p=0.0214) and can safely rule out N+ disease if its level is below 10ng/ml, while Gleason`s score may reflect the lymph node metastasis when it is 9 or greater (p=0.0012). Among the candidates for radical prostatectomy, selection of the patients on the basis of PSA and Gleason`s score might improve the surgical-pathological outcome.
Digital Rectal Examination ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prostate* ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Neoplasms* ; Receptors, Androgen ; Sample Size ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Primaquine was approved for treatment of malaria in 1952 by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It has remained the only FDA-licensed drug capable of clearing the intra-hepatic schizonts and hypnozoites of Plasmodium vivax. It is associated with serious hazards and side effects, such as hemolytic anemia and methemoglobinemia. However, there is no report of primaquine causing liver injury in Korea. We describe a case of acute liver failure following primaquine overdose in a 19-year-old man.
Anemia, Hemolytic ; Drug-Induced Liver Injury ; Humans ; Korea ; Liver ; Liver Failure, Acute* ; Malaria ; Methemoglobinemia ; Plasmodium vivax ; Primaquine ; Schizonts ; United States Food and Drug Administration ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVES: Grip strength has been used as a measure of function in various health-related conditions. Although grip strength is known to be affected by both physical and psychological factors, few studies have looked at those factors comprehensively in a population-based cohort regarding elderly Koreans. The aim of this study was to evaluate potential factors influencing grip strength in elderly Koreans. METHODS: We evaluated dominant hand grip strengths in 143 men and 123 women older than 65 years who participated in a population-based cohort study, the Korean Longitudinal Study on Health and Aging (KLoSHA). Individuals who had a history of surgery for musculoskeletal disease or trauma in the upper extremity were excluded. Factors assessed for potential association with grip strength were; 1) demographics such as age and gender, 2) body constructs such as height, body mass index (BMI), and bone mineral density (BMD), 3) upper extremity functional status using disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) scores, and 4) mental health status using a depression scale and the short form-36 (SF36) mental health score. Multivariate analyses were performed in order to identify factors independently associated with grip strength. RESULTS: Grip strengths of dominant hands in elderly Koreans were found to generally decrease with aging, and were significantly different between men and women, as expected. Multivariate analyses indicated that grip strength was independently associated with age, height and BMI in men (R2 = 21.3%), and age and height (R2 = 19.7%) in women. BMD, upper extremity functional status, or mental health status were not found to be associated with grip strength. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that in elderly Koreans, grip strength is mainly influenced by age and height in both men and women, and additionally by BMI in men. BMD or self-reported physical or mental health status was not found to influence grip strength in elderly Koreans. This information may be helpful in future studies using grip strength as a measure of function in elderly Koreans.
Aged ; Aging ; Arm ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Body Height ; Bone Density ; Cohort Studies ; Demography ; Depression ; Female ; Hand ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Longitudinal Studies ; Male ; Mental Health ; Multivariate Analysis ; Musculoskeletal Diseases ; Shoulder ; Upper Extremity