From January to December of 1990, we have evaluated VDRL reactivity among 17,142 apparently normal Korean adults which consisted of 9,151 blood donors in Seoul area, 2,682 pregnant woman delivered at Severance Hospital, Yonsei University and 5,309 physical examinees. The VDRL-positive rates were 0.3% in the blood donors, 0.1% in the pregnant women and 0.8% in the physical examinees but the rates were higher in the age group of 50 years or older. The VDRL titers were below 1:2 in 94% of the VDRL-positive pregnant women and physical examinees. From the comparison of the results obtained by the present author group since 1977, i.e., 2.5 % in 1977, 1.1 % in 1981, 0.6 % in 1986 and 0.4 % in 1990, it is evident that the prevalence of syphilis in Korea is continually decreasing.
Adult ; Blood Donors ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Pregnant Women ; Prevalence* ; Seoul ; Syphilis*

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans is an uncommon, locally aggressive fibroblastic tumor, characterized by infrequent metastasis and a marked tendency of local recurrence after excision. Histologically, it shows large uniformed spindle shaped cells arranged in a cartwheel or storiform pattern. We report a case of dermatoribrosarcoma protuberans on the lower abdomen of a man aged of thirty, treated with Mohs micrographic surgery and purse-string suture repair.
Abdomen ; Dermatofibrosarcoma* ; Fibroblasts ; Mohs Surgery* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence ; Sutures*

Maffuccis syndrome was first reported by Maffucci, in 1881. This syndrome is manifested by multiple enchondromas and hemangiomas, characterized by non-hereditary mesenchymal neoplasia that has a propensity for malignant transformation. Involvement of long bones, particularly the bones of the hands and feet, is most common. The most important complication of this syndrome is the high frequency of chondr osarcomatous metaplasia. We report a case of Maffuccis syndrome in a 56-year-old woman with multiple hemangioma on both the hands and forearms, left foot and enchondromas of multiple bones. The disease started at the age of 8 and was associated with deformity, but malignant transformation was not found.
Chondroma ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Enchondromatosis ; Female ; Foot ; Forearm ; Hand ; Hemangioma ; Humans ; Metaplasia ; Middle Aged

PURPOSE: Obesity is a significant health problem with medical and psychological consequences for children and adolescents. The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation between body fat percent using bioelectrical impedance(BI) and other variable methods. METHODS: We measured height, weight, body mass index(BMI) and body fat percent by skinfold thickness(ST) and BI in 1,035(496 male; 539 female) children from seven to 18 years of age. The correlation coefficients between BI and each of the other different methods were obtained. The sensitivity and specificity to predict obesity by these several methods were studied. RESULTS: Fat percent estimated by BI analysis and BMI showed a strong correlation(r=0.749). Fat percent estimated by BI analysis and ST showed a very strong correlation(r=0.835). At the 95th percentile cut-off point for BI, ST showed a sensitivity of 57.7%, and a specificity of 97.6% for estimating body fat. At the 95th percentile cut-off point for BI, BMI showed a sensitivity of 84.9%, and a specificity of 99.3% for estimating body fat. CONCLUSION: The fat percent estimated by BI analysis correlated strongly with ST or BMI. BI analysis is an objective and accurate method for estimating body fat in childhood obesity.
Adipose Tissue* ; Adolescent ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Child ; Electric Impedance* ; Humans ; Male ; Obesity ; Pediatric Obesity ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skinfold Thickness

No abstract available.
Drug Therapy, Combination* ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute*

Langerhans sell bistiocytosis(LCH) is a reactive disease in which abnomal Langerhans cells accurnulate in various body sites and cause damage to affected organs. LCH usually occurs in childrea bur can also affect adults although rarely. LCH in a case of 65-year-old man initially involwed the lymph nodes (left supraclacicular and right inguinal area) and pelvis bone, and eight months later curancous involvement was noted. The skin lesions were waxy from the waxy papules showed that the dense infiltrate, ptedominantly of histiocytes, was present in the dermis, Immunohistochemistry for S-100 protein showed positive staining snd electron miscoroscopy disclosed Birbeck granules, which is characteristic findings of Langerhans cells.
Adult* ; Aged ; Dermis ; Histiocytes ; Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell* ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Langerhans Cells ; Lymph Nodes ; Pelvis ; S100 Proteins ; Skin

No abstract available.
Pelger-Huet Anomaly*

Linear focal elastosis was first described by Burket et al. in 1989 in three elderly men with palpable striae-like yellow bands on their backs. Microscopic examination revealed many fine wavy bundles of elastic fibers separating the collagen in the mid to reticular dermis. The patients' ages range a from 17 to 87 years but this disease seems to be more common in younger age; men are more commonly affected. The cause of this disease has been suggested to be hereditary predisposition, unusual form of striae distensae or keloidal repair of striae distensae. We report linear focal elatosis with typical clinical and pathological features in a 15-year-old boy.
Adolescent ; Aged ; Collagen ; Dermis ; Elastic Tissue ; Humans ; Keloid ; Male ; Striae Distensae

Biliary endoprosthesis could provide permanent internal biliary drainage inpatient with obstructive jaundicewith advantages of absence of troublesome external catheter and no loss of fluid, bile and electrolytes overexternal drainage. Incidence of sepsis and cholangitis may be lowered. Endoprosthesis was performed in 18 patientsof obstructive jaundice from January, 1985 to december, 1985 at Department of Radilogy, Kyungpook NationalUniversity Hospital. The results are as follows: 1. The cases of obstructive jaundice included bile duct cancer in11, stomach ca. metastasis in 3, ca. of ampulla of Vater in 1, ca. of head of pancresas in 1, CBD cancer withpostop. recurrenced in 1, and impacted CBD stone in 1 case. 2. The levels of obstruction were at the trifurcationin 8, CHD in 5, proximal CBD in 3, and distal CBD in 2 cases. 3. Decline of serum bilirubin level was noted in 15cases with the most rapid decline wihtin 1 week after the procedure. 4. The complication occurred in 5 cases. Thethree cases were recovered spontaneously, but one died of bile peritonitis, another experienced obstrution ofendoprosthesis. 5. The endoprosthesis is benificial intreatment of obstructive jaundice for which surgery is notindicated, and saving expensive abdominal surgery and less advantageous percutaneous external drainage, henceenhancing life quality.
Ampulla of Vater ; Bile ; Bile Duct Neoplasms ; Bilirubin ; Catheters ; Cholangitis ; Drainage ; Electrolytes ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Head ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inpatients ; Jaundice, Obstructive ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Peritonitis ; Quality of Life ; Sepsis ; Stomach

STUDY DESIGN: This study analyzes the results of selective thoracic fusion by segmental pedicle screw fixation in King type II adolescent idiopathic scoliosis(AIS). OBJECTIVES: To verify the efficacy of selective thoracic fusion by segmental pedicle screw fixation in King type II adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Decompensations following selective thoracic fusion in King type II adolescent idipathic scoliosis have been attributed to relative inability of the lumbar curves to accommodate correction of the thoracic curves. However, with segmental pedicle screw fixation, selective thoracic fusions yielded satisfactory results in most of the patients regardless of the lumbar curve characteristics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty patients subjected to selective thoracic fusion by segmental pedicle screw fixation were analyzed after a minimum follow-up of 2 years for deformity correction and spinal balance. Deformity correction was performed by derotation of rod contoured to the normal sagittal curve without additional compression or distraction. RESULTS: Mean preoperative thoracic curve of 53.3 was corrected to 20.3 showing a correction of 63.2%. The mean preoperative lumbar curve was 34.4 with a flexibility of 97.2% and mean lumboapical distance(LAD)of 18.0mm, L4 tilt of 8.0, and lumbar apical rotation (LAR) of 10.9. It was corrected to 16.5 showing a correction of 55.5%. All the patients were balanced clinically and radiologically. CONCLUSIONS: Selective thoracic fusion with segmental pedicle screw fixation and rod rotation offers a satisfactory correction of the deformity and maintenance of spinal balance in King type g AIS regardless of lumbar curve magnitude, LAD, L4 tilt or LAR.
Adolescent* ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Pliability ; Scoliosis*