BACKGROUND: The pathophysiological and neurochemical changes following spinal injury are not yet elucidated. This study was designed to evaluate the morphological changes of the dorsal horn of the spinal cord and profiles of pain behaviors following intraspinal injection of NMDA in rats. METHODS: Rats were randomized into three groups: a sham-operated control group and groups where the rats received 10 mM or 100 mM N-methyl-D-aspatate (NMDA) injected into their spinal dorsal horn. Following injection, hypersensitivity to cold and mechanical stimuli and excessive grooming behaviors were assessed serially for four weeks. Morphological changes of the spinal cord were evaluated four weeks after intraspinal injection. RESULTS: Few animals in the NMDA groups developed hypersensitivity to cold and mechanical stimuli. The number of groomers and the severity of excessive grooming were significantly higher in the 100 mM NMDA group than those values of the control and 10 mM NMDA groups. The size of the neck region (lamina III-IV) was significantly smaller in the 100 mM NMDA group than in the control and 10 mM NMDA groups. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, intraspinal injection of NMDA in rats leads to the pathological sequela in the spinal cord and to excessive grooming behavior. These results support the use of NMDA and excessive grooming behavior after excitotoxic SCI as a model to study chronic pain after SCI.
Animals ; Chronic Pain ; Cold Temperature ; Grooming ; Horns ; Hypersensitivity ; Injections, Spinal ; N-Methylaspartate ; Neck ; Pilot Projects ; Rats ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Spinal Injuries

An unusual case of glroependymal cyst involving the lateral ventricle, 3rd ventricle, cerebellopontine angle cistern and prepontine cistern, simultaneously, is reported. The glroependymal cyst is benign developmental cyst that mainly occurs in the cerebrospinal axis in relation to ventricle, but occasionally occurs in relation to extraventricular system, such as subarachnoid space, brain stem and cerebral parenchyme. The histological characteristics of ependymal cyst wall are ependyma-like epithelium and neuroglial tissue.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Brain Stem ; Cerebellopontine Angle ; Epithelium ; Lateral Ventricles ; Subarachnoid Space

PURPOSE: We investigated the effect and duration of hyaluronic acid (HA) on the bladder of rats with cyclophosphamide (CYP)-induced cystitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CYP (250 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally in female Sprague-Dawley rats to induce cystitis. HA (0.5%) was instilled intravesically. First, the rats were separated into 2 groups for urodynamic study (CYP group, CYP+HA group), and we assessed the inter-contraction interval, maximal voiding pressure (MVP), and pressure threshold of the 2 groups. Second, the rats were separated into 3 groups to assess the duration of effect of HA (CYP group; HA-1 group: HA was instilled 1 day before injection of CYP; HA-3 group: HA was instilled 3 days before injection of CYP), and we assessed the voiding interval for 7 days after confining the rats in metabolic cages. RESULTS: The inter-contraction interval of the CYP+HA group (236.0+/-18.3 min) was significantly longer than that of the CYP group (178.0+/-13.4 min; p<0.03), but the MVPs of both groups did not differ significantly (32.3+/-1.2 vs. 34.0+/-2.4 cmH2O, respectively; p=0.56). The pressure threshold of the CYP+HA group (9.9+/-0.5 cmH2O) was significantly longer than that of the CYP group (13.2+/-0.7 cmH2O; p=0.002). The voiding interval decreased in each of the 3 groups according to the time after cystitis had been induced. The voiding interval was maximally decreased on the second day and returned to the pre-CYP injection level on the fifth day in each group. There was a significant difference in voiding interval among the 3 groups on the second day (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between the CYP+HA-1 and CYP+HA-3 groups on the second day (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: HA has an effect of increasing the voiding interval in rats with CYP-induced cystitis, and the duration of effect is concluded to be 5 days.
Animals ; Cyclophosphamide ; Cystitis ; Female ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Urinary Bladder ; Urodynamics

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine whether amniotic amniotic fluid concentrations of interleukin-6 are valuable in the prediction of histologic chorioamnionitis and in the prediction of perinatal morbidity. STUDY DESIGN: The relation among amniotic fluid imterleukin-6, histologic chorioamnionitis, and perinatal outcome was examined in patients with preterm labor and intact membranes. Interleukin-6 was determined by ELISA method. RESULTS: Patients with histologic chorioamnionitis had significantly higher amniotic fluld interleukin-6 concentrations than patient without histologic chrioamnionitis. Also, patient with histologic chorioamnioitis had significantly higher perinatal morbidity rate than patient without histologic chorioamnionitis. An ammiotic fluld interlerkin-6 concentration had a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 62.5% in the diagnosis of preterm delivery. CONCLUSION: Amniotic fluld interleukin-6 is a sensitive test for the prediction of histologic chorioamnionitis and of perinatal morbidity.
Amniotic Fluid* ; Chorioamnionitis* ; Diagnosis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-6* ; Membranes* ; Obstetric Labor, Premature* ; Pregnancy ; Sensitivity and Specificity

The group A streptococcus is capable of producing exotoxins that have been linked to a toxic shock-like syndrome. Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome is a rapidly progressive associated with injury to multiple organ systems and a 30-60% mortality rate. These cases are very rare in Korea. We present a case of 32-year-old prenant woman who developed streptococcal toxic shock syndrome following intrauterine fetal death. She manifestated hypotension, shock, increased level of creatinine, disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, liver impairment, renal failure, pulmonary edema and adult respiratory distress syndrome. Blood cultures yielded Streptococcus pyogenes. After 17 hours on admission, she died in spite of massive transfusion, antibiotics therapy and ventilatory support. Clinicians should be alert to the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of this lethal infection.
Adult ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Creatinine ; Early Diagnosis ; Exotoxins ; Female ; Fetal Death* ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Korea ; Liver ; Mortality ; Pulmonary Edema ; Renal Insufficiency ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; Shock ; Shock, Septic* ; Streptococcus ; Streptococcus pyogenes

OBJECTIVE: There are reports that a history of low birth weight, and accordingly, a small kidney could be a risk factor for hypertension and end-stage renal disease in older age. We looked for factors that have an influence on the kidney size to make guidelines for follow up and early detection of renal diseases. METHODS: From April 2003 to October 2004, we studied the kidney size of neonates, who had an abdominal ultrasound done within two weeks of life. We measured the kidney length and anterior-posterior (AP) diameter and compared the values with each patient's gestational age, birth weight, height, body surface area (BSA), percentile, blood pressure, laboratory findings and various neonatal diseases. RESULTS: The kidney length and AP diameter had a good correlation with the patient's gestational age, birth weight, height and BSA. The kidney size was larger in the appropriate for gestational age (AGA) than in the small for gestational age (SGA) group in full term neonates. The kidney size did not have a correlation with systolic and diastolic blood pressure, laboratory findings, such as hemoglobin or hematocrit, and various diseases, except congenital heart disease, which had a weak correlation with kidney size. CONCLUSION: Neonates with early gestational period, low birth weight, small height and BSA tend to have a small kidney. Also SGA patients, especially symmetrical type, tend to have a small kidney. So we recommend high risk neonates to be followed up for early detection of hypertension and renal diseases.
Birth Weight ; Blood Pressure ; Body Height ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gestational Age ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Kidney* ; Risk Factors ; Ultrasonography

This study was conducted to evaluate nutritional status of Korean women of child-bearing age. A comparison was made between 113 non-pregnant and 200 pregnant women. Pregnant women of 24-28 weeks of gestation were recruited from prenatal clinic in Seoul. Nonpregnant women were included college students, nurses, office employers, and sales women. General characteristics, anthropometric measurements, dietary intakes, and hematological values were assessed. There was no difference in mean BMI for nonpregnant and pregnant (pre-gravid) women, which were 20.2 kg/m2 and 20.6 kg/m2 respectively. The pregnant women showed a tendency of better health-caring behavior, evidenced by stop smoking and drinking, and in taking nutrient supplements. The mean intakes of energy, vitamin A, vitamin B2, calcium, and iron did not meet Korean RDA for adult women. In particular, calcium and iron intakes of both nonpregnant and pregnant women were under 60% of the Korean RDA. Judging by MDA score, dietary quality was better in pregnant than in nonpregnant women. Mean serum values of albumin, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, Hb, IgA, IgG were in normal range. However, more than 13% of the nonpregnant subjects showed mild hypercholesterolemia (cholesterol>200 mg/dl) and anemia (Hb<12.0 g/dl) . The percentage of anemia in pregnant women were much higher; the subject with Hb<11.0 g/dl were approximately 30%. The pregnant subjects showed significantly higher serum concentrations of triglycerides and cholesterol, and significantly lower concentrations of albumin, IgA, and IgG compared to nonpregnant women. Correlation analysis showed that Hb concentrations were correlated with the intakes of iron- and protein- containing foods such as meat and vegetables. This study strongly suggest that iron-deficient anemia is a major nutrition problem in Korean child-bearing women and this condition is correlated with dietary intakes.
Adult ; Anemia ; Calcium ; Cholesterol ; Commerce ; Drinking ; Female ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Immunoglobulin A ; Immunoglobulin G ; Iron ; Meat ; Nutritional Status ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women* ; Reference Values ; Riboflavin ; Seoul ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Triglycerides ; Vegetables ; Vitamin A

BACKGROUND: The Apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A-I ratio (apoB/apoA-I) is a powerful clinical indicator of metabolic syndrome. However, few studies have searched for an association between ApoB/ApoA-I and metabolic syndrome in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes. We investigated the relation between ApoB/ApoA-I and the risk of metabolic syndrome and its components. METHODS: Subjects were 812 (424 males and 388 females) Korean patients who were being treated for type 2 diabetes at Huh's Diabetes Center in Seoul. The patients were classified into quartiles (lowest:Q1-highest:Q4) of ApoB/ApoA-I by gender. Anthropometric and hematological characteristics and dietary intake using a food frequency questionnaire were assessed. RESULTS: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in our sample was 47.9% in males and 66.5% in females. The odds ratios (OR) for metabolic syndrome and for having its components were significantly increased from Q2 to Q4 quartiles of ApoB/ApoA-I in males (OR = 5.37; 95% CI = 2.98-9.65 and OR = 7.41; 95% CI = 4.04-13.6) and females (OR = 2.57; 95% CI = 1.28-5.15 and OR = 8.49; 95% CI = 4.28-16.8). These trends withstood adjustment for age, duration of type 2 diabetes, fasting blood glucose levels, and macronutrient intake both in males (OR = 5.24; 95% CI = 2.80-9.24 and OR = 7.98; 95% CI = 4.09-15.6) and in females (OR=4.41; 95% CI = 2.26-8.61 and OR = 8.29; 95% CI = 3.85-17.8). CONCLUSION: ApoB/ApoA-I appeared to be independently associated with risk of having metabolic syndrome and its components in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes after adjustment for putative risk factors including macronutrient intake, a particularly important lifestyle factor for patients with type 2 diabetes. A follow-up study of this population should evaluate the mechanisms underlying the relation between ApoB/ApoA-I and metabolic syndrome and its components.
Apolipoprotein A-I ; Apolipoproteins ; Blood Glucose ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Fasting ; Female ; Humans ; Life Style ; Male ; Metabolic Syndrome X ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Non-tuberculous Mycobacterium (NTM) infections usually result in chronic disease, and making a diagnosis is often difficult. Skin and soft tissue infections due to NTM are not common and are usually diagnosed relatively late. We investigated the clinical characteristics of nine cases of skin and soft tissue infections with NTM. METHODS: Nine patients with an NTM infection who were confirmed consecutively by skin and soft tissue and/or adjacent bone cultures at a teaching hospital between August 2006 and July 2013 were enrolled in this study. The demographics, clinical characteristics, underlying diseases, treatment, and prognosis between different NTM species were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: The most common NTM species causing a soft tissue infection was Mycobacterium abscessus (five patients, 55.6%). Common sites of infection were the knee and lumbar spine. Five patients (55.6%) had underlying diseases. Six patients (77.8%) were treated with combined surgical treatment (incision and drainage) plus antibiotics. The duration from symptom onset to diagnosis was long (77.7 +/- 44.6 days) due to inadequate microbiological evaluation and disregard for the clinical significance of the NTM culture. All patients were cured with treatment; however, the treatment duration was long (181.7 +/- 140.0 days). Procedure and cosmetic surgery were the most important risk factors for infection. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of NTM skin and soft tissue infections tends to be delayed in a clinical setting. Therefore, a high index of suspicion for NTM infection in chronic localized soft tissue infections is essential for diagnosis. Mycobacterium abscessus appears to be the most common NTM species causing soft tissue infections.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Chronic Disease ; Demography ; Diagnosis ; Hospitals, Teaching ; Humans ; Knee ; Mycobacterium Infections ; Mycobacterium* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Skin ; Skin Diseases ; Soft Tissue Infections* ; Spine ; Surgery, Plastic

Vitamin K is a naturally-occurring vitamin used to treat certain coagulation disorders. Despite its frequent use, vitamin K causes allergic reactions very rarely. We report a case of anaphylaxis due to vitamin K (phytonadione) that occurred in a 20-year-old man who has undergone hemorrhoid bleeding. The patient developed immediate whole body urticaria, itching sensation, dyspnea and marked hypotension about 2 minutes after the intravenous administration of vitamin K (phytonadione) and tranexamic acid for the purpose of bleeding control. Skin prick test was performed with vitamin K and tranexamic acid. Vitamin K showed positive response in skin prick test, while tranexamic acid showed negative response in skin prick test and challenge test. To our knowledge, it is the first case report of vitamin K-induced anaphylaxis that is proven with skin test. This case suggests that vitamin K can elicit anaphylaxis and skin test may be helpful in the diagnosis of a suspected allergic response to vitamin K.
Administration, Intravenous ; Anaphylaxis* ; Diagnosis ; Drug Hypersensitivity ; Dyspnea ; Hemorrhage ; Hemorrhoids ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Hypotension ; Pruritus ; Sensation ; Skin ; Skin Tests ; Tranexamic Acid ; Urticaria ; Vitamin K ; Vitamins* ; Young Adult