Generalized narrowing of the retinal vessels has been recognized for glaucomatous and nonglaucomatous optic neuropathies. To evaluate how closely peripapillary retinal vessel diameters were related to functional and structural optic nerve damage in primary open-angle glaucoma, the data of the vessel diameters were correlated with intra- and peripapillary morphometric parameters and visual field indices. The diameters of the superior temporal and inferior temporal retinal artery and vein were measured at the opticdisc border from optic disc photographs of 234 eyes of 141 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and 139 eyes of 86 normal subjects. Only one eye per patient and subject was taken for statistical analysis. The diameters of the inferior temporal and superior temporal retinal artery were significantly correlated with the intrapapillary parameters, the peripapillary parameters and the visual field indices. The correlation coefficients were highest for the neuroretinal rim data (r>0.37, p=0.0001), followed by mean deviation, vertical cup to disc ratios, whereas total peripapillary atrophy data, zone beta and zone alpha data were relatively low. Concerning the vessel diameter, the highest correlation coefficients were calculated for the inferior temporal artery, followed by the superior temporal artery. No correlation was found with age and refraction. The results indicate that, in primary open-angle glaucoma, the vessel diameter redduces with decreasing area of the neuroretinal rim, increasing visual field defects and increasing peripapillary atrophy. Its evaluation can be helpful for the diagnosis of glaucoma and possibly also for follow-up.
Atrophy ; Diagnosis ; Glaucoma ; Glaucoma, Open-Angle ; Humans ; Optic Nerve Diseases ; Optic Nerve* ; Retinal Artery ; Retinal Vessels* ; Retinaldehyde* ; Temporal Arteries ; Veins ; Visual Fields

We present a case of severe intracranial hypotension syndrome following lumbar drainage. A 60-year-old woman developed recurrent attacks of vertigo, nausea and vomiting a week prior to admission. Brain MRI revealed a homogeneously well-enhanced mass in the right frontal lobe ; this was found to be a meningioma, and was totally removed. Dural defect was covered with fat and fascia, and postoperative cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) leakage through the frontal sinus was noted. Lumbar drainage was initiated, and about 36 hours later, the patient complained of bouts of headache, nausea and vomiting. Her mental state then gradually deteriorated, and she became stuporous. Brain CT was performed immediately and revealed bifrontal subdural fluid collection and signs of severe brain edema including obliteration of ventricles and basal cisterns. The lumbar drain was then clamped and she regained consciousness 12 hours later. This case clearly demonstrates that to avoid complications such as severe intracranial hypotension syndrome in a patient who has undergone lumbar drainage, the rate and amount of CSF drainage should be closely monitored.
Brain ; Brain Edema ; Consciousness ; Drainage* ; Fascia ; Female ; Frontal Lobe ; Frontal Sinus ; Headache ; Humans ; Intracranial Hypotension* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Meningioma ; Middle Aged ; Nausea ; Stupor ; Vertigo ; Vomiting

To confirm the value of the peripapillary atrophy(PPA) for the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with glaucoma, we performed magnification-corrected morphometry of photographs of 234 eyes of 141 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and 139 eyes of 86 normal subjects. For the data analysis, only one eye of each patient was randomly selected. Both groups did not differ significantly in age. refractive error and disc area. According to the neuroretinal rim/disc area ratio, the glaucoma group was divided into four stages(1; more than 0.61, 2; 0.60~0.41, 3; 0.40~0.21, 4; less than 0.20). PPA differentiated into two different zones(alpha and beta). Zone alpha(0.76+/-0.55mm2 vs 0.47+/-0.32mm2) and zone beta(0.50+/-0.63mm2 vs 0.06+/-0.15mm2) and the total PPA(1.26+/-0.97mm2 vs 0.54+/-0.38mm2) were significantly larger(p=0.0001), and zone beta occurred more often(59.5% vs 17.4%, P=0.0001) in the glaucoma group than in the normal group. The area, angular extent and width of both zones enlarged significantly with increasing stage of glaucoma. The frequency of zone beta increased with advancing stage of glaucoma. These findings suggest that both zone alpha and beta increase continuously with advancing neural rim damage. Therefore, the PPA is useful for the diagnosis and progression of glaucomatous nerve damage.
Atrophy* ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glaucoma ; Glaucoma, Open-Angle* ; Humans ; Refractive Errors ; Statistics as Topic

No abstract available.
Humans ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome*

No abstract available.
Atrial Natriuretic Factor* ; Humans* ; Lymph Nodes* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction*

Purpose: The aim of this study was (1) to compare the reverse engineering technique with other existing measurement methods and (2) to analyze the effect of implant angulations and impression coping types on implant impression accuracy with reverse engineering technique. Materials and methods: Three different master models were fabricated and the distance between the two implant center points in parallel master model was measured with different three methods; digital caliper measurement (Group DC), optical measuring (Group OM), and reverse engineering technique (Group RE). The 90 experimental models were fabricated with three types of impression copings for the three different implant angulation and the angular and distance error rate were calculated. One-way ANOVA was used for comparison among the evaluation methods (P < .05). The error rates of experimental groups were analyzed by two-way ANOVA (P < .05). Results: While there was significant difference between Group DC and RE (P < .05), Group OM had no significant difference compared with other groups (P > .05). The standard deviations in reverse engineering were much lower than those of digital caliper and optical measurement. Hybrid groups had no significant difference from the pick-up groups in distance error rates (P > .05). Conclusion The reverse engineering technique demonstrated its potential as an evaluation technique of 3D accuracy of impression techniques.

Purpose: The aim of this study was (1) to compare the reverse engineering technique with other existing measurement methods and (2) to analyze the effect of implant angulations and impression coping types on implant impression accuracy with reverse engineering technique. Materials and methods: Three different master models were fabricated and the distance between the two implant center points in parallel master model was measured with different three methods; digital caliper measurement (Group DC), optical measuring (Group OM), and reverse engineering technique (Group RE). The 90 experimental models were fabricated with three types of impression copings for the three different implant angulation and the angular and distance error rate were calculated. One-way ANOVA was used for comparison among the evaluation methods (P < .05). The error rates of experimental groups were analyzed by two-way ANOVA (P < .05). Results: While there was significant difference between Group DC and RE (P < .05), Group OM had no significant difference compared with other groups (P > .05). The standard deviations in reverse engineering were much lower than those of digital caliper and optical measurement. Hybrid groups had no significant difference from the pick-up groups in distance error rates (P > .05). Conclusion The reverse engineering technique demonstrated its potential as an evaluation technique of 3D accuracy of impression techniques.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hypercholesterolemia is a key factor in the development of atherosclerosis. We sought to evaluate the relation between hypercholesterolemia and plaque composition in patients with coronary artery disease. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Study subjects consisted of 323 patients (mean 61.5 years, 226 males) who underwent coronary angiography and virtual histology-intravascular ultrasound examination. Patients were divided into two groups according to total cholesterol level: hypercholesterolemic group (> or =200 mg/dL, n=114) and normocholesterolemic group (<200 mg/dL, n=209). RESULTS: Hypercholesterolemic patients were younger (59.7+/-13.3 years vs. 62.6+/-11.5 years, p=0.036), than normocholesterolemic patients, whereas there were no significant differences in other demographics. Hypercholesterolemic patients had higher corrected necrotic core volume (1.23+/-0.85 mm3/mm vs. 1.02+/-0.80 mm3/mm, p=0.029) as well as percent necrotic core volume (20.5+/-8.5% vs. 18.0+/-9.2%, p=0.016) than normocholesterolemic patients. At the minimal lumen area site, percent necrotic core area (21.4+/-10.5% vs. 18.4+/-11.3%, p=0.019) and necrotic core area (1.63+/-1.09 mm2 vs. 1.40+/-1.20 mm2, p=0.088) were also higher than normocholesterolemic patients. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that total cholesterol level was an independent factor of percent necrotic core volume in the culprit lesion after being adjusted with age, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol , hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking and acute coronary syndrome (beta 0.027, 95% confidence interval 0.02-0.053, p=0.037). CONCLUSION: Hypercholesterolemia was associated with increased necrotic core volume in coronary artery plaque. This study suggests that hypercholesterolemia plays a role in making plaque more complex, which is characterized by a large necrotic core, in coronary artery disease.
Acute Coronary Syndrome ; Atherosclerosis ; Cholesterol ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Demography ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Hypertension ; Linear Models ; Smoking

Adequate circulation is indispensable for flap survival. Ischemia-reperfusion injury is one of the causes of flap necrosis. Current evidence suggests that tissue damage associated with ischemia-reperfusion injury and inflammatory responses may be mediated by oxygen free radicals and neutrophils. Oxygen free radicals can directly alter structural component of tissue, attack membrane phospholipids and produce the chemotactic factor for neutrophil which is main cell in inflammatory reactions and an important source of oxygen free radicals. Deferoxamine is well known as a powerful chelator of iron and free radical scavenger. It is also known to decrease the skin flap necrosis. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of deferoxamine on the oxygen free radicals and neutrophils after ischemia-reperfusion injury of skin flaps. A 6 x 3 cm sized island skin flap was made on the left abdomen of rat and the epigastric pedicle was occluded for 6 hours. Thirty minutes before reperfusion, the flaps were perfused with normal saline or deferoxamine. The flap survival rates were assessed by computerized planimetry on the fifth day after reperfusion. Tissues for assay of MDA and MPO were obtained at 6, 12, 24, 48 hours after reperfusion. The results were as follows: 1. Deferoxamine administration groups improved flap survival rates significantly compared to control groups (78.3+/-13.2%, 54.6+/-6.35%) (p = 0.0011). 2. The level of MDA was significantly lowered in deferoxamine administration groups compared to control groups(p<0.05). The levels of MDA were increased over time in each group but, the ircrement was steeper in control groups than that in deferoxamine administration groups. In control groups, the increment between 6 and 12 hours was argest. 3. MPO content was increased over time in each group but significantly low in deferoxamine administration groups compared to control groups(p<0.05). The increment of control groups was steeper than that of deferoxamine administration groups. We conclude that deferoxamine improve the flap survival rates after reperfusion injury by inhibition of production of oxygen free radicals and neutrophil influx via a free radical scavenger 8 anti-inflammatory action.
Abdomen ; Animals ; Deferoxamine* ; Free Radicals ; Iron ; Membranes ; Necrosis ; Neutrophils* ; Oxygen* ; Phospholipids ; Rats ; Reperfusion ; Reperfusion Injury* ; Skin ; Survival Rate

Hypertensive pontine hemorrhage usually causes profound, irreversible neurological deficits, with ominous prognosis, and is often fatal. There is controversy as to the appropriate treatment modality, but in general, surgical intervention is considered unethical. The authors report the outcome of hypertensive pontine hemorrhage in 13 patients whose Glasgow Coma Scale was 4-9, who on brain CT scan were seen to have over 10cc of hematoma and who underwent suboccipital craniectomy for hematoma removal. These patients could be divided in two groups: 'early'(9 patients), who underwent surgery within 24 hours of ictus, and 'late'(4 patients), who underwent surgery 6 to 20 days after ictus: all had shown neurological deterioration in spite of optimal medical treatment. Surgical outcome did not vary according to the extent of hematoma removal. For patients in the 'early' group, surgery was not useful, but three in the 'late' group, the GCS score improved to between 7 and 11. This study suggests that in hypertensive pontine hemorrhage, an early direct approach may not improve outcome, but for selected patients, who deteriorate during conservative treatment, surgery may be beneficial.
Brain ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed