The penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer of the aorta resulting from the atherosclerosis of the aortic wall can clinically mimic type III aortic dissection, since both diseases produce the ulceration and dissection of aortic wall. However, their imaging features and pathophsiologies are distinctly different from each other. Familial hypercholesterolemia(FH) menifests overt hyperlipidemia that can results in premature atherosclerosis of the aorta as well as the coronary artery. We report a clinically and radiologically evident case of perntrating atherosclerotic ulcer of the descending thoracic aorta which was developed in a 36-year-oldd heterozygote FH male.
Aorta ; Aorta, Thoracic* ; Atherosclerosis ; Coronary Vessels ; Heterozygote* ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II* ; Male ; Ulcer*

To evaluate the coronary vasomotor tone in vasospasic angina, we compared the diameters of non-spastic segments of vasospastic group with those of control group. The internal diameters of each segment of three major coronary arteries were measured on the basal coronary angiogram, and nitroglycerin administration after provocation with ergonovine or acetylcholine. The vasospastic angina group consisted of 26 patients(20 males, 6 females, mean age of 54 years) and control group consisted of 25 patients (7 males, 18 females, mean age of 55 years). The basal coronary arterial diameters in vasospastic angina group were smaller than those in control group(p<0.05) except the distal segment of right coronary artery. The percent dilation ratio in vasospastic angina group was greater than that in control group(p<0.05). In vasospastic angina group there was no significant difference in the degree of constriction after provocation with ergonovine or acetylcholine between proximal and distal segment. These observations suggest that in vasospastic angina, basal coronary arterial tone is increased in the entire coronary arterial tree and the localized spasm may reflect local hyperrespon siveness.
Acetylcholine ; Constriction ; Coronary Vessels ; Ergonovine ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Nitroglycerin ; Spasm

OBJECTIVE: Gestational diabetes mellitus is defined as carbohydrate intolerance of variable severity first diagnosed during pregnancy. It is associated with adverse outcomes of pregnancy including obstetrical complications such as increased rate of cesarean sections, preeclampsia, and birth trauma, and perinatal morbidities, such as macrosomia, hypoglycemia, hypocalcemia, and hyperbilirubinemia. Therefore, screening for gestational diabetes mellitus and early diagnosis of this condition allows intervention to be carried out, thereby, the reduction of the untoward effects mentioned above can be minimized. METHODS: Screening for abnormal glucose metabolism was carried out in 489 pregnant women. A 50-g oral glucose load without regard to time of day or last meal, and a 1-hour plasma glucose determination with a threshold of 140mg/dl were used as a glucose screening test(GST). Patients with an abnormal GST underwent an oral glucose tolerance test(GTT). RESULTS: The overall incidence of gestational diabetes was 2.7%. The occurrence of this disorder was significantly related to the age of pregnant women, parity, or the presence of risk factors for gestational diabetes and obesity(Body Mass Index> or =26kg/m2). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that Korean pregnant women should be screened for gestational diabetes.
Blood Glucose ; Cesarean Section ; Diabetes, Gestational* ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Glucose* ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia ; Hypocalcemia ; Hypoglycemia ; Incidence ; Mass Screening* ; Meals ; Metabolism ; Parity ; Parturition ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Prenatal Diagnosis* ; Risk Factors

No abstract available.
Histamine* ; Pneumocytes*

No abstract available.
Budesonide* ; Humans

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Lymphadenitis*

No abstract available.
Cholesterol*

No abstract available.
Gases* ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive*

Of 119 full-term pregnant subjects studied from October, 1995 to March, 1996, 79 hadpreeclampsia(severe; 43, mild; 36) and 40 were normotensive controls. The plasma fibronectinlevels of each subject were assayed by turbidometric immunoassy(Boehringer Mannheim).The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship of plasma fibronectin withpreeclampsia as a marker for vascular injury.The results were as follows:1. There were significant differences of plasma fibronectin values among the normotensivepregnancy, mild preeclampsia and severe preeclampsia. Within each group of patients,plasm a fibronectin values were 101.7 +/- 59.4 ng/ml and 249.7 +/- 96.3 ng/ml and 329.2 +/- 169.5 ng/ml, respectively (p < 0.001).2. Plasma fibronectin values had positive correlations with severity of preeclampsia,proteinuria, diastlic blood pressure and systolic blood pressure, but negative correlationswith birth weight and platelet count(p < 0.001).3. When the severity of proteinuria on preeclampsia were +1, +2, and +3 or more,plasma fibr onectin values revealed 246.0 +/- 93.3 ng/ml, 342.3 +/- 185.1 ng/ml and 345.0 +/- 168.1ng/ml, respectively and there were significant differences among three groups.4. To verify the variables correlated with plasma fibronectin by using mutiple regressionanalysis, the only variable which was selected significantly was the severity of preeclampsia(r(2) : 0.529).5. With receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve analysis of the relationship betweenplasma fibronectin values and preeclampsia, if cut off value was selected at the levelof 175ng/ml or more, the sensitivity for diagnosis of preeclampsia was 87.3%, specificity90.0%, positive predictive value 94.5%, and negative predictive value 78.3%, respectively.
Birth Weight ; Blood Platelets ; Blood Pressure ; Diagnosis ; Fibronectins* ; Plasma* ; Pre-Eclampsia* ; Proteinuria