No abstract available.
Cytomegalovirus* ; DNA* ; Glomerulonephritis* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction*

PURPOSE: Good compliance with an anticonvulsant medication regimen is essential for the successful management of epilepsy. However, pediatric compliance with anticonvulsant therapy did not well be studied. The aim of this study was to identify the following key in noncompliance in pediatric out patients receiving anticonvulsant therapy determining factors. METHODS: Eighty-one epileptic outpatients under fifteen years of age with anticonvulsant therapy from the pediatric department of Kang-Dong Sacred Heart Hospital was enrolled for the study. Variables such as age, sex ratio, the reason of poor compliance, medication regimen and seizure frequency were extracted from each patients'medical record. RESULTS: Up to 37% of the patients was labeled as a poor compliant group. Compliance was low at the under 6 year and over 13 year-old patient group, and was also low for those who hadn't had a seizure in a while and for those who had a low seizure rate since last year. The mean plasma level of anticonvulsants was higher in the good compliant group than in the poor compliant group. The most reported obstacle to good compliance was forgetfulness. Side effect and drug rejection were also reported. CONCLUSION: To the high risk group of poor compliance, reminding, decreasing side effects, making simple administration adjustments have been reported to be useful in promoting compliance with medication regimens.
Adolescent ; Anticonvulsants ; Child* ; Compliance* ; Epilepsy ; Heart ; Humans ; Medication Adherence ; Outpatients ; Plasma ; Seizures ; Sex Ratio

PURPOSE: We used MRI to retrospectively analyze the brain of patients suffering from cerebral palsy. Our aim is to determine MRI's role in the assessment of brain damage, the relationship of gestational age. METHODS: A total of 66 patients(29 preform group and 37 term group), who visited Kang-Dong Sacred Heart Hospital from January, 1994 to July, 1998, were enrolled in this study. RESULTS: Among the 29 in the preform group, 13 patients showed MR images of hypoxic ischemic injury in which periventricular leukomalacid(PVL) and multifocal ischemic necrosis in 12(41.3%) and 1(3.4%) respectively. Neuronal migration disorders were 6(20.8%), other congenital malformations 5(17%) and normal MR images 5(17%) in this preform group. Among the 37 in the term group, 22 patients showed MR images of hypoxic ischemic injury in which selective neuronal necrosis were 11(29.7%), PVL 4(10.8%), focal and multifocal ischemic necrosis 4(10.8%) and status marmoratus 3(8.1%). Neuronal migration disorders were 4(10.8%), other congenital malformations 5(13.5%) and normal MR images 6(16.2%) in the term group. CONCLUSION: MRI provided useful information in a majority of children with cerebral palsy. Hypoxic ischemic injury was significantly different in preform and term groups. PVL was frequent in the preterm group and selective neuronal necrosis was statistically common in the term group.
Brain* ; Cerebral Palsy ; Child* ; Gestational Age ; Heart ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Movement Disorders ; Necrosis ; Neuronal Migration Disorders ; Neurons ; Paralysis* ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.

Chondroid syringoma is a rare primary skin tumor arising from eccrine sweat gland. In 1982, Nasse had found a primary skin tumor having similar morphology as in the mixed tumor of the salivary glands. In 1961, Hirsch and Helwig proposed more descriptive diagnostic term, "Choindroid syringma". The authors experienced two cases of chondroid syringma. The first case was a 47 year old male patient who had had a subcutaneous nodule in the right forehead for two months. It was a well circumscribed mass, that showed tan gray myxoid cut surface with firm consistency. Microscopically, it was a wel diagnosed as chondroid syringoma with tubular, branching lumina. The second case was a 51 year old female patient who had had a subcutaneous nodule in the left forehead for 3 months. It was well circumscribed, ad easily shelled out. It had a typical microscopic features of chondroid syringoma with small, tubular lumina.
Female ; Male ; Humans

We evaluated the clinical and radiologic results of 48 cases (31 patients) who had rheumatoid arthritis of the knee joint and were managed with cementless total knee arthroplasty between November 1988 and December 1994. The mean follow-up period was 3.7 years (range, 2 to 7 years). The knee score of the Hospital for Special Surgery improved from an average of 44 points (range, 5 to 77 points) preoperatively to 83 points (range, 50 to 97 points) at the time of the most recent followup examination. In knee score, 85.4% of cases had excellent or good grade (over 75 points). The range of motion improved from an average of 77 degrees to an average of 103 degrees postoperatively. In tibiofemoral angle, 95.8% of cases were between valgus I degree and 10 degrees. The implants were inserted in an optimal position. Continuous radiolucency was not visible beneath any implant and loosening was not found. In one case, heterotopic ossification was removed to improve the range of motion. There was one case of patellar fracture during operation. Even in relatively poor bone quality in rheumatoid arthritis of the knee, the cementless total knee arthroplasty revealed good clinical and radiologic results.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Arthroplasty* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Knee Joint ; Knee* ; Ossification, Heterotopic ; Range of Motion, Articular

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The transmission routes of HCV infection were not determined in the half of the HCV infected patients. So intrafamilial personal contact, sexual contact, vertical transmission and some vectors are supposed as a route of HCV infection. We investigated the prevalence of anti-HCV positivity in healthy Korean children and compared with the data from the healthy adults whether the vertical transmission is feasible. METHODS: Serum samples from 2,080 children in 8 elementary schools were tested for serum aminotransferases, hepatitis B viral markers by radioimmu- noassay, and anti-HCV by the third generation EIA. Sera from anti-HCV positive children were tested for HCV-RNA by RT-PCR. Six months later, same tests were repeated. RESULTS: Anti-HCV was positive in 17 children among 2,080(0.82%). Among 17 anti-HCV positive children, HCV-RNA was detected only in one case and the HCV genotype was type II by Okamotos classification. Anti-HCV was tested again in 7 of 17 anti-HCV positive children after 6 months later and all of these children were anti-HCV positive and additional 3 of 19 family members were anti-HCV positive. But HCV-RAN was not detected in alL CONCLUSION: Anti-HCV positive rate in children was 0.81%.
Adult ; Biomarkers ; Child* ; Classification ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B ; Humans ; Prevalence* ; Transaminases

No abstract available.
Bone Density* ; Estrogens* ; Female ; Humans

PURPOSE: Dendritic cells are antigen presenting cells(APC) that express class II major histocompatibility complex gene products on their surface. Recently, it was proved that dendritic cells activate antitumor immunity for intracranial germ cell tumor. The aim of the present study is to investigate the age-related changes of MHC class II-immunoreactive dendritic cells in the rat brain. METHODS: Male rats(Sprague-Dawley) were sacrificed at 1 month, 12 months and 24 months after birth. Brains were removed and sliced in rat brain matrix. Brain slices were cryosectioned coronally at interaural 5.70-6.70 mm. Brain tissue sections were immunohistochemically reacted with monoclonal MHC class II antibody. RESULTS: MHC class II-immunoreactive dendritic cells were observed in choroid plexuses and white matter(corpus callosum, cerebral peduncle and external capsule). The number of MHC class II-immunoreactive dendritic cells was slightly increased with age. As age increases, shapes of MHC class II-immunoreactive dendritic cells became more complex and aggregated together. CONCLUSION: As age increases, MHC class II-immunoreactive dendritic cells in choroid plexuses and white matter of the brain became not only more complex in shape, but also increased in number to improve immunity.
Aging ; Animals ; Brain* ; Choroid Plexus ; Dendritic Cells* ; Humans ; Major Histocompatibility Complex ; Male ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal ; Parturition ; Rats* ; Tegmentum Mesencephali

No abstract available.