OBJECTIVE: Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection is known as one of the frequent causes of exacerbation of bronchial asthma and it can also be a trigger for the initiation of asthma. However, little is known about the pathogenesis of respiratory M. pneumoniae infection. Furthermore, there is little data on human cytokine production and its involvement in the pathogenesis of M. pneumoniae infection. In order to investigate the immunopathogenesis of M. pneumoniae infection, we investigated the cytokine production in the bronchoalveolar lavage ( BAL ) fluid of patients with M. pneumoniae pneumonia and viral pneumonia, and compared the results with those of control subjects. SUBJECT AND METHOD: BAL was performed with fiberoptic bronchoscopy in patients with M. pneumoniae pneumonia( n=9 ), viral pneumonia( n=9 ), and control subjects( n=6 ) aged 3 years to 9 years. M. pneumoniae pneumonia was documented by polymerase chain reaction and serologic analysis. Four respiratory viruses ( adenovirus, influenza A, influenza B, parainfluenza ) were detected by culture method. Cell pellets and supernatants were separated by centrifugation and Interleukin( IL ) - 2, Interferon( IFN )-r, IL-4, and IL-5 levels were measured in concentrated BAL supernatants by ELISA. RESULTS: Analysis of cytokines revealed significantly increased production of IL-4 ( p< 0.0001 ) and IL-2 ( p< 0.0001 ), in patients with M. pneumoniae pneumonia and significantly increased production of IL-2 (p <0.0001) in patients with viral pneumonia compared with those of the control subjects. Ratio of IL-4/IFN-r was significantly increased in patients with M. pneumoniae pneumonia ( p< 0.005 ) but not in patients with viral pneumonia compared with that of the control subjects. CONCLUSION: IL-4 production and IL-4/IFN-r ratio were increased in the BAL fluid of patients with M. pneumoniae infection. These findings suggest that predominant Th2 immune response could play an important role in the pathogenesis of M. pneumoniae infection.
Adenoviridae ; Asthma ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid* ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage* ; Bronchoscopy ; Centrifugation ; Cytokines ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Influenza, Human ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-4 ; Interleukin-5 ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae* ; Mycoplasma* ; Paramyxoviridae Infections ; Pneumonia* ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma* ; Pneumonia, Viral ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

The term "fixed drug eruption" was coined by Louis Brocq in 1894 to describe a special type of reaction to antipyrine. It is now known that many drugs can cause a fixed drug eruption. Notorious offenders have included phenolphthalein, quinine and barbiturates. We present a case of multiple fixed drug eruption appearing in a 20 year-old male patient who has generalized slate-blue colored pigmentation on neck, trunk and extremities. The area of total pigmented skin lesions are over 50% of body surface. We could confirm the fixed drug eruption by positive phenobarbital provocation test.
Antipyrine ; Barbiturates ; Criminals ; Drug Eruptions* ; Extremities ; Humans ; Male ; Neck ; Numismatics ; Phenobarbital ; Phenolphthalein ; Pigmentation ; Quinine ; Skin ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: It is a recent trend in Korea that the uses of trichloroacetic acid(TCA) have been increased as the usual chemical peeling agent for treating abnormal pigmentation like solar lentigo, freckle, melasma, or actinic keratoses, rhytides, acne scar and other facial problems. We made an experiment to see how the different concentrations of TCA affect the guinea pig skin histologically. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the histologic changes using various concentrations(35%, 50%, 90%) of TCA. METHODS: At first, 35%, 50% or 90% of TCA was applied to the each right ear of guinea pigs. After the application, we checked these specimens in intervals - one hour after (D1hr), the following day(D1), the third(D3), fourth(D4), fifth(D5) day, one week(D1wk), two weeks(D2wks), six-teen weeks(D16wks) later. The specimens were processed and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H & E), Verhoeff elasic, and alcian blue stain. RESULTS: 1. In Do1hr of 35% and 50% TCA treated groups, some keratinocytes with eosinophilic cytoplasm and pyknotic nuclei were scattered in the epidermis. The higher the concentration of TCA, the more evidence of homogenization of the epidermis. The homogenization of epidermis and dermis was most prominent in 90%. 2. In D1 and D3, necrosis of the epidermis was proportional to the concentrations of TCA. We could see infiltrates of inflammatory cells in the whole dermis-when 90% of TCA was tried. 3. Desquamation of the necrotic epidermis appeared in each group between 3 and 7 days after the treatment. 4. In groups treated with 50% and 90% TCA, reepithelialization arising from skin appendages was prominent. 5. Hyperplasia of epidermis appeared in every group between the second and sixteenth weeks but dermal hyperplasia was prominent only in the group of 90% TCA at sixteen weeks. CONCLUSION: While thirty-five per cent TCA solution produced partial destruction of the epidermis, 50% and 90% of TCA destroyed the entire epidermis and upper dermis. Regeneration of epidermis from skin appendage is a signficant base of deep chemical peeling. Epidermal hyperplasia was found in 50% and 90% of TCA, but dermal hyperplasia was only found in 90% of TCA.
Acne Vulgaris ; Alcian Blue ; Animals ; Cicatrix ; Cytoplasm ; Dermis ; Ear ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Eosinophils ; Epidermis ; Guinea Pigs* ; Guinea* ; Hematoxylin ; Hyperplasia ; Keratinocytes ; Keratosis, Actinic ; Korea ; Lentigo ; Melanosis ; Necrosis ; Pigmentation ; Regeneration ; Skin*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae* ; Mycoplasma* ; Pneumonia* ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma*

BACKGROUND: Immunostaining to identify nuclear antigen provides a convenient way of assessing proliferative kinetics in hyperplastic/tumor tissue. OBJECTIVE: The object of this study is to find out whether there are any differences in the expression of proliferation related protein among psoriasis, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma by immunohistochemical evaluation on the PCNA (proliferative cell nuclear antigen) and Ki-67. METHODS: The detection of PCNA and Ki-67 were done by,immunohistochemical methods (avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase methods) using respective monoclonal antibodies in the paraffin embeded tissues from psoriasis (17 cases), basal cell carcinomas (15 cases) and squamous cell carcinomas (10 cases). RESULTS: The labelling indices of PCNA were 14.2±4.0% in psoriasis, 10.9±5.5% in basal cell cardinoma and 28.0±7.8% in squamous cell carcinoma, while the labelling indices of Ki-67 were 15.7±3.8% in psoriasis, 11.26.1% in basal cell carcinoma and 30.3±9.4% in squamous cell carcinoma. CONCLUSION: 1. Interpretation of Ki-67 staining was easier than that for PCNA, mainly because cell morphology was better preserved and the distinction between hyperplastic/tumor and nontumor cell was clear. 2. PCNA and Ki-67 counts had strong correlation to each other (r=0.979). 3. Our immunohistochemical results of PCNA and Ki-67 suggested that proliferative activity was more marked in psoriasis than basal cell carcinoma.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Kinetics ; Paraffin ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen* ; Psoriasis*

No abstract available.
Eyelids* ; Transplants*

No abstract available.
Congenital Abnormalities* ; Ear*

Forty-three patients with papulo-pustular rosacea with Demodex(D.) folliculorum were treated for 8 weeks on a random basis either with tetracycline 250 mg three times daily or with metronidazole 250 mg three times daily. Both drugs produced an improvement which was greater after 8 weeks than after 4 weeks, but there was no significant difference between them. The number of D. follilculorum after treatment with tetracycline was slightly decreased, but the number of D. folliculorum after treatment with metronidazole was more decreased than the tetracycline group. Metronidazole appears to be a effective drug for the treatment of rosacea with D. folliculorum.
Humans ; Metronidazole* ; Rosacea* ; Tetracycline*

The important prerequisite for treatrnent of onychomycosis is the removal of as rnuch fungus-infected nail material as possible. Nincty-five patients with anychomycosis were treated with using urea preparations under occlusive dressings. The urea preparations were quite successful in maceraing the nail plate from the nail bed, allowing the easy removaI of diseased nails in all cases except one. The urea preparations removed only abnormal nail. Completely normal nail was unaffected. After nail avulsion, 95 patients were treated for 6 months with combination clotrimazole and ketoconazcile(group A), or with clotrimazole only(group B). Of the 38 patients in group A who complcted the treatment, 25(65.8%) were cured 6 months later by clinical and mycological criteria, compared to 20(47.6%) of 42 patieries in group B.
Clotrimazole ; Humans ; Ketoconazole ; Nails, Malformed ; Occlusive Dressings ; Onychomycosis* ; Urea

Lichen planus is rare in Korea and localized lichen planus on the lip without other skin lesions is even rarer. A 77-year-old man has oozing and crusting patches und somewhat ulceration surrounded by whitish reticular elements on violaceous base on both lips with burning sensation and pain. A 63-year-old man has well demarcated violaceous white reticular patches on the lower lip, buccal mucosa, glans penis and coronal sulcus. Clinical and histopathological studies of two cases showed typical features of lichen planus. They were treated with systemic and topical corticosteroids and showed much improvement.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Aged ; Burns ; Humans ; Korea ; Lichen Planus* ; Lichens* ; Lip* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Mucosa ; Penis ; Sensation ; Skin ; Ulcer