OBJECTIVES: We investigated the relationship between apolipoprotein epsilon4 and clinical features of dementia. METHODS: Samples were obtained from 33 dementia patients in Korea, Buyeo Geriatric Hospital and apolipoprotein E polymorphisms were analysed using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. The multidimensional evaluating methods (MMSE-K, B-ADL, BEHAVE-AD, GDS, GMHR) for dementia were performed to analyze relationship with Apolipoprotein E genotypes. RESULTS: The distributions of the apolipoprotein E genotypes of the dementia patients were presented by epsilon3/epsilon3 (58%), epsilon3/epsilon4 (22%), epsilon2/epsilon3 (15%), and epsilon4/epsilon4 (0%). There is no significant relationship between apolipoprotein epsilon4 and the findings of multidimensional evaluating measures. CONCLUSION: We could not find the association between apolipoprotein epsilon4 and the scores of the multidimensional evaluating measures of dementia patients. The results suggested that apolipoprotein epsilon4 might not play a main role in cognitive function, daily living ability and behavioral symptoms of dementia.
Apolipoproteins* ; Behavioral Symptoms* ; Dementia* ; Genotype ; Humans ; Korea ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length

Continuous epidural analgesia is commonly used for chronic pain treatment as well as postoperative pain control. Epidural abscess is rare, but it is a serious complication of the continuous epidural analgesia, which leads to neurologic sequelae. Epidural catheter was inserted to a 87-year-old woman who complained of postherpetic neuralgia from T6 dermatome for continuous epidural analgesia. Two weeks later, neuralgia was aggravated along with back pain and tenderness around catheter insertion area. ESR and CRP level was also elevated. Epidural abscess was detected on MRI scan right after removal of catheter. It has been improved with percutaneous drainage via Tuohy needle with antibiotics without need for surgery. We conclude that percutaneous drainage with antibiotics is an effective method for the treatment of early diagnosed epidural abscess without neurologic deficit, especially in the high risk patients for operation.
Abscess ; Aged, 80 and over ; Analgesia, Epidural ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Back Pain ; Catheters ; Chronic Pain ; Drainage ; Epidural Abscess ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Needles ; Neuralgia ; Neuralgia, Postherpetic ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Pain, Postoperative