No abstract available.
Suction* ; Tonsillectomy*

Primary aldosteronism, characterized by hypertension, hypokalemia, and hyperaldosteronemia resulting from chronic oversecretion of aldosterone independent of normal renin-angiotensin regulatory system, is due mostly to aldosteronoma or to bilateral cortical nodular hyperplasia. We report two cases of primary aldosteronism due to adrenal cortical adenoma, which were diagnosed by clinical data and abdominal computed tomographic scan. Clinical symptoms and laboratory data returned to normal after surgical adrenalectomy.
Adrenalectomy ; Adrenocortical Adenoma ; Aldosterone ; Hyperaldosteronism ; Hyperplasia ; Hypertension ; Hypokalemia

Bilateral vocal cord paralysis generally arises from trauma, tumor compression of the recurrent laryngeal nerves, surgery on neck and neurological diseases. Progressive supranuclear palsy is a rare degenerative disease showing supranuclear ophthalnoplegia, rigidity, bradykinesia, dysarthria and dementia. Bilateral vocal cord paralysis in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy can be found only in a few cases reported in literature. The finding of bilateral vocal cord paralysis is important because it can be life threatening. We managed a patient with the laterofixation of vocal cord for preventing respiratory failure due to glottic airway compromise. We report this case with a review of literature.
Dementia ; Dysarthria ; Humans ; Hypokinesia ; Neck ; Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Supranuclear Palsy, Progressive ; Vocal Cord Paralysis ; Vocal Cords

Endoscopic sinus surgery has been used popularly for treatment of chronic paranasal sinusitis. Sometimes endoscopic sinus surgery is complicated by narrow visual field and anatomical variations. Oculocardiac reflex is developed by surgical or nonsurgical procedures to the eyeball. It occurs because of decreasing of heart rate and other arrhythmia including atrioventricular block, ventricular premature beat and cardiac arrest. Oculocardiac reflex during endoscopic sinus surgery is unusual and it is potentially a life threatening complication. The authors report the first case of oculocardiac reflex experienced during endoscopic sinus surgery in Korea with a review of the literature.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Atrioventricular Block ; Cardiac Complexes, Premature ; Heart Arrest ; Heart Rate ; Korea ; Reflex, Oculocardiac ; Sinusitis ; Visual Fields

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: It has been suggested that oxidative stress is one of the pathomechanisms underlying amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and thus antioxidants such as uric acid (UA) that could reduce oxidative stress might be beneficial in the prevention or treatment of this disease. The objective of this study was to prospectively investigate serum UA levels in Korean ALS patients and to relate them to disease progression. METHODS: ALS patients and healthy controls who were individually well-matched for sex, age, and body mass index (BMI) underwent blood testing for serum UA levels, and analyzed whether UA levels were correlated with the disease status of the patients, as defined by the ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R). RESULTS: The study included 136 ALS patients and 136 matched controls. The UA level was lower in the ALS patients (4.50+/-1.17 mg/dL, mean+/-SD) than in the controls (5.51+/-1.22 mg/dL; p<0.001). Among the ALS patients, the level of UA acid was inversely correlated with the rate of disease progression (decrease in ALSFRS-R score). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that a better survival rate was more strongly correlated with top-tertile levels of serum UA than with bottom-tertile levels (log-rank test: p=0.035). CONCLUSIONS: ALS patients had lower serum UA levels than did healthy individuals. UA levels in ALS were negatively correlated with the rate of disease progression and positively associated with survival, suggesting that UA levels contribute to the progression of ALS. UA levels could be considered a biomarker of disease progression in the early phase in ALS patients.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis* ; Antioxidants ; Body Mass Index ; Disease Progression ; Hematologic Tests ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Oxidative Stress ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Uric Acid*

BACKGROUND: Hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women is widely used for the relief of menopausal symptoms and the prevention of bone loss. But, it has been reported that many women discontinue hormone replacement therapy within early period, because the women suffer from breast pain, bleeding and weight gain. Also, further adverse influence of hormone replacement therapy on cardiovascular risk and breast cancer has been suggested. There are many controversies due to conflicting data of that. Recent studies suggest that low-dose estrogen provide bone benefits and micronized progesterone have favorable effects on lipid metabolism and breast density. This clinical trial evaluated the short-term effects of low-dose estrogen and micronized progesterone on bone turnover markers and serum lipid profiles in postmenopausal women. METHODS: This was a 12-week study in which 90 postmenopausal women received hormone replacement therapy. Participants were assigned in equal numbers to the following groups: (1) daily treatment with 0.625 mg conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) with medroxyprogesterone acetate MPA 2.5 mg to 5 mg, daily or cyclically; (2) daily treatment with 0.625 mg CEE with micronized progesterone (MP) 100 mg to 200 mg, daily or cyclically; (3) daily treatment with 0.3 mg CEE with MP 100 mg to 200 mg, daily or cyclically. Changes in bone turnover markers and serum lipid profiles were assessed. RESULTS: At 12-week, all treatment groups significantly improved bone turnover markers and serum lipid profiles, specifically serum alkaline phosphatase, serum osteocalcin, urine deoxypyridinoline and serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol level. CEE 0.625/MPA and CEE 0.625/MP significantly decreased serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol level. CEE 0.625/MPA significantly increased serum triglyceride level. CEE 0.625/MPA produced greater decreases in serum alkaline phosphatase level than CEE 0.625/MP and CEE 0.3/MP. CEE 0.625/MP produced greater increases in serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol level than CEE 0.625/MPA. CEE 0.625/MPA produced greater increase in serum triglyceride level than CEE 0.3/MP. CONCLUSION: Low-dose estrogen and MP generally improved bone turnover markers and serum lipid profiles. But, MP produced lesser favorable effects on a part of bone turnover markers. MP produced significantly greater increases in serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol than that of MPA. And Low-dose estrogen produced significantly lesser increases in triglyceride than that of conventional dose.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Estrogens* ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Hormone Replacement Therapy ; Humans ; Lipid Metabolism ; Mastodynia ; Medroxyprogesterone Acetate ; Osteocalcin ; Progesterone* ; Triglycerides ; Weight Gain

BACKGROUND: The hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and bisphosphonate alendronate are efficacious in the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Acting by different mechanisms, these two agents decrease bone resorption and thereby increase or preserve bone mineral density. The combined effects of these medications have not been rigorously studied. This clinical trial examined the combined effects of HRT and oral alendronate on bone mineral density (BMD) and biochemical markers of bone turnover in 50 postmenopausal women with low bone mass. METHODS: This was a 1-year study in which 50 postmenopausal women received daily treatment with 0.625 mg conjugated equine estrogens (with medroxyprogesterone acetate 2.5 mg to 5 mg, daily or cyclically) alone or in combination with 10 mg alendronate. All of the women received a supplement of 600 mg elemental calcium daily. Changes in BMD at the lumbar spine and biochemical markers of bone turnover were assessed. RESULTS: At 1-year, significant increases from baseline in lumbar spine BMD were observed in both treatment groups [combined HRT and alendronate, 10.3%(p < 0.001); HRT alone, 4.5% (p < 0.05)]; Compared with HRT alone, combined HRT and alendronate significantly produced greater increases in BMD of the lumbar spine (p < 0.001). Both treatment groups significantly decreased biochemical markers of bone turnover, especially mean serum osteocalcin level and mean serum alkaline phosphatase level. The combined HRT and alendronate significantly produced greater decreases in mean serum alkaline phosphatase level than HRT alone (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Combined use of HRT and alendronate significantly produced greater increases in lumbar spine BMD and greater decreases in biochemical markers of bone turnover than that of HRT alone. Thus, the therapy of combined HRT and alendronate produced favorable effects on bone mineral metabolism in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.
Alendronate* ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Biomarkers ; Bone Density ; Bone Resorption ; Calcium ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Female ; Hormone Replacement Therapy* ; Humans ; Medroxyprogesterone Acetate ; Metabolism* ; Osteocalcin ; Osteoporosis* ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; Spine

BACKGROUND: The hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and bisphosphonate alendronate are efficacious in the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Acting by different mechanisms, these two agents decrease bone resorption and thereby increase or preserve bone mineral density. The combined effects of these medications have not been rigorously studied. This clinical trial examined the combined effects of HRT and oral alendronate on bone mineral density (BMD) and biochemical markers of bone turnover in 50 postmenopausal women with low bone mass. METHODS: This was a 1-year study in which 50 postmenopausal women received daily treatment with 0.625 mg conjugated equine estrogens (with medroxyprogesterone acetate 2.5 mg to 5 mg, daily or cyclically) alone or in combination with 10 mg alendronate. All of the women received a supplement of 600 mg elemental calcium daily. Changes in BMD at the lumbar spine and biochemical markers of bone turnover were assessed. RESULTS: At 1-year, significant increases from baseline in lumbar spine BMD were observed in both treatment groups [combined HRT and alendronate, 10.3%(p < 0.001); HRT alone, 4.5% (p < 0.05)]; Compared with HRT alone, combined HRT and alendronate significantly produced greater increases in BMD of the lumbar spine (p < 0.001). Both treatment groups significantly decreased biochemical markers of bone turnover, especially mean serum osteocalcin level and mean serum alkaline phosphatase level. The combined HRT and alendronate significantly produced greater decreases in mean serum alkaline phosphatase level than HRT alone (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Combined use of HRT and alendronate significantly produced greater increases in lumbar spine BMD and greater decreases in biochemical markers of bone turnover than that of HRT alone. Thus, the therapy of combined HRT and alendronate produced favorable effects on bone mineral metabolism in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.
Alendronate* ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Biomarkers ; Bone Density ; Bone Resorption ; Calcium ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Female ; Hormone Replacement Therapy* ; Humans ; Medroxyprogesterone Acetate ; Metabolism* ; Osteocalcin ; Osteoporosis* ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; Spine

BACKGROUND: The objectives of our study were to assess the effects of oxidative stress on the proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of human bone marrow stromal cell (BMSC)-derived osteoblasts and to explore pathways by which osteoblast cell apoptosis was induced. METHODS: Mononuclear cells including BMSCs were cultured to osteoblastic lineage. Different doses of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were added to the culture media. The colony forming units-fibroblastic (CFU-Fs) were stained with crystal violet and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). The MTT assay was done to see the effect of H2O2 on cell viability. The effect of H2O2 on osteocalcin gene expression was determined by RT-PCR. The matrix calcification measurement was performed. FACS analysis was performed to determine the osteoblasts apoptosis. Caspase-3, -8 and 9 activity assay and cytochrome c release were measured. RESULTS: The size and number of ALP (+) CFU-Fs were also decreased by H2O2 treatment. When compared with the control group, H2O2 significantly decreased the total number of cells of each culture well during MTT assay. H2O2 significantly diminished expression of osteocalcin mRNA. N-acetylcystein (NAC) blocked the diminution of cell viability and the inhibition of osteocalcin mRNA expression by H2O2. H2O2 reduced matrix calcification. FACS analysis revealed H2O2 increased percentage of apoptotic cells. Addition of H2O2 resulted in the increase of caspase-9 and -3 activity but not caspase-8, and release of cytochrome c to the cytosol. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that, in primary human BMSCs, oxidative stress inhibits proliferation of stromal cells and inhibits the differentiation to osteoblastic lineage. In addition, oxidative stress induces apoptosis of human BMSC-derived osteoblasts and this may be mediated by mitochondrial pathway of apoptotic signal.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Apoptosis ; Bone Marrow* ; Caspase 3 ; Caspase 8 ; Caspase 9 ; Cell Survival ; Culture Media ; Cytochromes c ; Cytosol ; Gene Expression ; Gentian Violet ; Humans* ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Osteoblasts* ; Osteocalcin ; Oxidative Stress* ; RNA, Messenger ; Stromal Cells

Loss of bone mass is usually detected after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) during the early post-transplant period. However, little is known about the long-term effects of BMT on bone metabolism. We have prospectively investigated 11 patients undergoing BMT. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured before BMT, and 1, 2, and 3 yr after BMT. Serum markers of bone turnover were serially measured before BMT and 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12 weeks, 6 months, and 1 yr after BMT. The mean change in the lumbar spine (L2-4) BMD, calculated as the percent change from the baseline to the level at 1, 2, and 3 yr was -4.7% (NS), -1.1% (NS), and +6.4% (p<0.05), respectively. The mean change in the total proximal femur BMD from the baseline to the level at 1, 2, and 3 yr was -8.5% (p<0.01), -8.7% (p<0.05) and -5.6% (p<0.05), respectively. In summary, there was little decline in lumbar BMD at 1 yr following BMT and gradual recovery until 3 yr. In contrast, femoral BMD decreased much more than the lumbar area at 1 yr and did not recover until 3 yr. The mechanism of skeletal site-selective differences in the changes of BMD needs to be elucidated.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Anemia, Aplastic/therapy ; *Bone Density ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; Bone and Bones/drug effects/*metabolism/radiation effects ; Collagen/blood ; Collagen Type I ; Cyclophosphamide/therapeutic use ; Estradiol/blood ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone/blood ; Humans ; Leukemia/therapy ; Luteinizing Hormone/blood ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes/therapy ; Peptides/blood ; Prospective Studies ; Time Factors