Primary hypothyroidism can result in reactive enlargement of the pituitary gland which is indistinguishable from primary pituitary lesions in clinical presentation and on magnetic resonance imaging. A 17-year-old girl came to the hospital due to short stature, general weakness and galac-torrhea. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study showed pitutary enlargement. The hormone study showed hyperprolactinemia, decreased basal growth hormone level and primary hypothyroi-dism. By thyroid replacement therapy only, mass was successfully regressed on follow up MRI after 4 months, and growth acceleration could be achieved.
Acceleration ; Adolescent ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Growth Hormone ; Humans ; Hyperplasia* ; Hyperprolactinemia ; Hypothyroidism* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Pituitary Gland ; Thyroid Gland

No abstract available.
Scoliosis* ; Syringomyelia*

Exercise-induced anaphylaxis can be associated with ingestion of a specific food. We experienced a case of exercise-induced anaphylaxis followed by ingestion of parsely. A 22- year old female patient was presented with angioedema of the face and chest tightness induced by running after ingestion of parsley within 15 minutes. She had suffered from allergic rhinitis. She had positive reactions to mugwort pollen and parsely extract on skin prick test in a dose dependent manner. Although the oral provocation test with parsely could not induce bronchoconstriction, we could diagnosed as parsely dependent exercise induced anaphylaxis based upon skin prick test and history.
Anaphylaxis ; Angioedema ; Artemisia ; Bronchoconstriction ; Eating ; Female ; Humans ; Petroselinum ; Pollen ; Rhinitis ; Running ; Skin ; Thorax

No abstract available.
Aged* ; Humans ; Prevalence*

The attitude and awareness of medical practitioner for epilepsy have influence on that of the public and the patient. We intended to evaluate medical practitioner's perspectives for epilepsy. The questionnaire which used in this study was designed specifically to evaluate the medical practitioner's perspectives for epilepsy. It is studied in 160 medical practitioners at Kwangju city and Chollanam-do province, who had answered over 50% of the.questionnaire and certified themselves. The results are as follows; 1) The 'prejudice' toward epilepsy is common finding even in medical practitioners regardless of their experience and training. It is more common in older doctors over 40 years old. 2) The number of lately treated patients with epilepsy is about 3.7 per one medical practitioner in this area. It falls short of expected number which is calculated with already reported prevalence of epilepsy by others. 3) The treatment of epilepsy is being performed by medical practitioners individually without any interdepartmental relationship in our society. 4) Most of the medical practitioners lack basic knowledge about epilpsy such as International Classification, first line antiepileptic drugs for different seizure type regardless Of their age, training and experience for treatment of patient with epilepsy. These results suggested that effective education is necessary for medical practitioner about epilepsy.
Adult ; Anticonvulsants ; Classification ; Education ; Epilepsy* ; Gwangju* ; Humans ; Jeollanam-do* ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Seizures

BACKGROUND: In chronic airway disease, mucus secretion in increased, but extraction of mucin, which is the main component of mucus secretion, is a very complicated and limited in clinical use. Recently, monoclonal antibody for mucin was developed for possible clinical use. In this study, cellular analysis and quantification of respiratory mucin in sputum of patients with chronic airway diseases were performed. METHOD: Sputum was collected from patients with asthma(n=33), bronchiectasis(n=8) or chronic bronchitis(n=13) by spontaneous expectoration or by hypertonic saline induction, Collected sputums was treated by 0.1% dithiotreitol to dissociate the disulfide bond of the mucus and filtered through a nylon gauze. Total cell count, viability and differential count were measured. For detection of mucin, collected samples were treated with sodium dodoecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and then with monoclonal antibody(HMO2), as the primary antibody, and PAS stain. The amount of mucin was measured with ELISA by HMO2. Correlation with clinical information, cellular analysis, and amount of measured mucin were analyzed. RESULTS: Total cell counts of sputum were significantly increased in patients with bronchiectasis but viability remained the same. Eosinophils were significantly increased in patients with asthma, neutrophils in bronchiectasis chronic bronchitis, respectively (p<0.05). The results of Western blotting and PAS staining confirmed the presence of glycoproteins and matched? with mucin. The amounts of mucin measured by ELISA were not significantly different among the disease groups. Significant correlation was identified between the amount of mucin and viability(r=-0.482, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Inflammatory cells in the sputum of those with chronic airway disease were different for each disease type. Measurement of mucin by ELISA via monoclonal antibodies may be a simple method for the evaluation of chronic airway disease.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Asthma ; Blotting, Western ; Bronchiectasis ; Bronchitis, Chronic ; Cell Count ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Eosinophils ; Glycoproteins ; Humans ; Mucins* ; Mucus ; Neutrophils ; Nylons ; Sodium ; Sputum*

STUDY DESIGN: A case report. OBJECTIVES: To report a rare case of subacute delayed ascending myelopathy. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: After low spinal cord injury, the cord injury may proceed to a proximal level and lead to subacute delayed ascending myelopathy. The patient suffered from orthostatic hypotension, weakness and sensory loss in the upper extremities and dyspnea. MRI showed more proximal progression of the spinal cord injury. There is no prevention or treatment for this condition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 62-year-old man fell from heights and had 11th thoracic spine flexion-distraction injury. Upon arrival at the hospital, he was found to suffer from lower extremity weakness and sensory loss, but showed no neurologic symptom in his upper extremities. Two days later, we performed posterior instrumentation with fusion, and no postoperative neurologic symptom change was detected. One week after the fall, he suffered from dyspnea, upper extremity weakness and sensory loss. MRI was taken and we discovered that his spinal cord injury had proceeded to the 2nd cervical spine level. RESULTS: Three months later, he showed little improvement in his upper extremity motor power, but not to the extent of the previous low spinal injury. CONCLUSION: Physicians should pay attention to the upper extremity and respiratory function of the patient with low spinal cord injury, because the level of spinal cord injury may proceed to a proximal level.
Dyspnea ; Humans ; Hypotension, Orthostatic ; Lower Extremity ; Middle Aged ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Spine ; Upper Extremity

OBJECTIVE: Sacral insufficiency fracture (SIF) contributes to severe low back pain. Prolonged immobilization resulting from SIF can cause significant complications in the elderly. Sacroplasty, a treatment similar to vertebroplasty, has recently been introduced for providing pain relief in SIF. The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical short-term effects of percutaneous sacroplasty on pain and mobility in SIF. METHODS: This study is conducted prospectively with data collection. Sixteen patients (3 men and 13 women) with a mean age of 77.5 years (58 to 91) underwent sacroplasty. Patients reported visual analogue scale (VAS; 0–10) and Oswestry disability index (ODI; 0–100%) scores. VAS and ODI scores were collected preoperatively and again at one day, one month, and three months postoperatively. Questionnaires measuring six activities of daily living (ADLs) including ambulating, performing housework, dressing, bathing, transferring from chair, and transferring from bed were collected. Ability to perform ADLs were reported preoperatively and again at three months postoperatively. RESULTS: The mean preoperative VAS score (mean±SD) of 7.5±0.8 was significantly reduced to 4.1±1.6, 3.3±1.0, and 3.2±1.2 postoperatively at one day, one month, and three months, respectively (p<0.01). The mean ODI score (%) also significantly improved from 59±14 preoperatively to 15.5±8.2 postoperatively at one month and 14.8±8.8 at three months (p<0.01). All ADL scores significantly improved at three months postoperatively (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: Percutaneous sacroplasty alleviates pain quickly and improves mobility and quality of life in patients treated for SIF.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged ; Bandages ; Baths ; Data Collection ; Fractures, Stress* ; Housekeeping ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Low Back Pain ; Male ; Prospective Studies ; Quality of Life ; Vertebroplasty

PURPOSE: We analyzed the long-term efficacy and safety of bipolar transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) using the Gyrus(TM) PlasmaKinetic System compared with conventional monopolar TURP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 54 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) who underwent TURP between May 2003 and April 2004. In all, 28 consecutive patients had bipolar and 26 had monopolar TURP. All patients were assessed by preoperative and postoperative International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), uroflowmetry, transrectal ultrasonography, operative time, weight of resected tissue, length of hospital stay, duration of catheter use, change in hemoglobin and serum sodium, and complication rates. RESULTS: Significant improvement was seen postoperatively in both groups, and no difference was observed in the resection time, weight of resected tissue, change in hemoglobin and serum sodium, improvement of IPSS and maximum flow rate (Qmax) or complication rates over the 36-month follow up. However, there was a significant difference in duration of catheter use and hospital stay. Duration of catheter use (2.1 days vs. 3.5 days p=0.012) and hospital stay (2.9 days vs. 4.1 days p=0.024) were shorter in the bipolar group. CONCLUSIONS: Bipolar TURP using the Gyrus(TM) PlasmaKinetic System is as effective as conventional monopolar TURP with the advantages of reduced length of catheter use and shorter hospital stay. Both methods have low complication rates. In the long-term comparison, improvements in IPSS and Qmax after bipolar and monopolar TURP are similar. Thus bipolar TURP may be a good alternative to conventional TURP.
Catheters ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Operative Time ; Prostate* ; Prostatic Hyperplasia* ; Sodium ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVES: Organophosphates make their clinical effects after absorbed through gastrointestinal tract, lungs and skin. We commonly see the gastrointestinal tract and lung as routes of organophosphates (OP) intoxication, but there have been few reports that said the skin as a route OP intoxication. We have experienced many patients that showed OP intoxication symptoms during or after the control of pine gall midge. So we analyzed the clinical characteristics of the patients and evaluated the route of OP intoxication. METHODS: We analyzed retrospectively 26 cases who were diagnosed as 'OP intoxication after control of pine gall midge' from June 1 1995 to July 31 1996. RESULTS: 1) The mean age of the cases, mean duration of work and mean initial cholinesterase level were 52 years, 11.9 days, 318.2U/L respectively. And the over all ratio of male to female was 11:15. 2) All cases were engaged in drug injection and 7 cases (32%) weared mask. Face and upper body were excluded from protective clothings. 3) The cardinal symptoms were diarrhea and dizziness followed by nausea, vomiting, headache, anorexia, paralysis in order of frequency. 4 Directly contributing factors to symptom onset were rain, excessive sweating due to hot weather and direct contact. 5) Most of cases (92%) were recovered completely. 2 cases died during hospitalization due to acute respiratory failure and sepsis. Mechanical ventilation were applied in 4 cases for mean 12 days. In 2 cases, there were neurobehavioral changes as delayed neurologic sequelae. CONCLUSION: We have concluded that the route of organophosporus intoxication after the control of pine gall midge was skin (transdermal absorption). Sufficient education and protective measures should be done for preventing organophosporus intoxication in the control of pine gall midge.
Anorexia ; Cholinesterases ; Clothing ; Diarrhea ; Dizziness ; Education ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Headache ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Lung ; Male ; Masks ; Nausea ; Organophosphates ; Paralysis ; Rain ; Respiration, Artificial ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Retrospective Studies ; Sepsis ; Skin ; Sweat ; Sweating ; Vomiting ; Weather