This paper summarizes our experience of five cases of sick-sinus syndrome, hospitalized at Presbyterian Medical Center in Jeonju from January, 1980 to January, 1983. Diagnosis was made depending on clinical symptoms, physical examination, EKG and provocative test with atropine sulfate. The etiologies of 4 cases were as follows: coronary disease, hypertension, myocarditis, coronary disease with hypertension; but, the etiology of one case was not clear. Symptoms, including syncope, dizziness, and palpitation subsided after implanting the temporary pacemaker. A permanent pacemaker was implanted in all but one case, who had myocarditis.
Atropine ; Coronary Disease ; Diagnosis ; Dizziness ; Electrocardiography ; Hypertension ; Jeollabuk-do ; Myocarditis ; Physical Examination ; Protestantism ; Syncope

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: he patients with atrial septal defect generally have no symptoms in the childhood, and have nonspecific symptoms such as dyspnea on exertion, fatigue, and palpitation even in the late period of adult. Thus delayed diagnosis for whom surgical correction was undoubtedly needed remains to be resolved. Accordingly, the simple and noninvasive method such as electrocardiography in patients with atrial septal defect having the nonspecific symptoms or having no symptoms warrants to be developed. This study was performed to see whether the crochetage pattern on R wave in inferior limb leads is effective for the electrocardiographic diagnosis of atrial septal defect and relates to the magnitude of left to right shunt. METHODS: Our subjects were 129 patients diagnosed as the atrial septal defect by the echocardiography and cardiac catheterization from January 1992 to June 1998. We selected 57 persons, as control group, who showed the normal findings under the echocardiography and also showed the incomplete right bundle branch block on the electrocardiography. We compared the frequency of the crochetage pattern in inferior limb leads between the two groups. Also we compared the frequency of the crochetage pattern before operation and after operation according to the quantity of the left to right shunt in the operated 40 patients with atrial septal defect. RESULTS: ) The crochetage pattern was observed in 61.2% in patients with atrial septal defect and its frequency was greater than that of the control group (38.6%, p=0.005). 2) The crochetage pattern was disappeared by the operation in 16/29 patients (55.2%, p=0.001). 3) The frequency of disappearance of the crochetage pattern after operation differed significantly according to shunt severity: 72.2% for a Qp/Qs> or =3.0 group, 18.2% for a Qp/Qs<3.0 group (p=0.015). CONCLUSION: The crochetage pattern on R wave in inferior limb leads was helpful to the electrocardiographic diagnosis of the atrial septal defect. The disappearance of the crochetage pattern after operation was correlated with shunt severity.
Adult ; Bundle-Branch Block ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography* ; Extremities* ; Fatigue ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial* ; Humans

BACKGROUND: In patients with mitral stenosis, the degree of pulmonary hypertension is expected to be related to the severity of mitral valve obstruction. However, some patients with severe mitral stenosis do not develop reactive pulmonary hypertension. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated 34 patients with symptomatic mitral stenosis undergoing percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty by clinical, echocardiographic, and invasive hemodynamic(cardiac cathrterization) data. Prevalvuloplasty data were available in 34 subjects[mean age 38+/-9 year ; women 74% ; NYHA class 1 (6 patients), class 2 (17 patients), class 3 (7 patients), class 4 (4 patients) ; in electrocardiography, NSR(23 patients), Atrial fibrillation(11 patients)]. RESULTS: 1) The pulmonary vascular bed gradient was significantly correlated with pulmonary vascular resistance(r=0.91), mean pulmonary artery pressure(r=0.82), transmitral mean pressure gradient(r=0.64) and mitral valve area(r=-0.48). The pulmonary vascular resistance was significantly correlated with mena pulmonary artery pressure(r=0.77), transmiral mean pressure gradient(r=0.61) and mitral valve area(r=-0.54), NYHA functional classification(r=0.36). However, the pulmonary vascular bed gradient and pulmonary vascular resistance was not significantly correlated with age, sex, cardiac output, the severity of mitral regurgitation and mean left atrial pressure. 2) The mean pulmonary artery pressure was significantly correlated with mean left atrial pressure(r=0.80), transmitral mean pressure gradient(r=0.72) and mitral valve area(r=-0.47). 3) When patients were divided into those with a pulmonary vascular bed gradient > 12mmHg and Atrial Pressure ; Cardiac Output ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary* ; Mitral Valve ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Mitral Valve Stenosis* ; Pulmonary Artery ; Vascular Resistance

A case is reported of neurilemmoma of the right masseteric nerve in the masseter muscle. We experienced a 34-years-old male patient who had neurilemmoma in the masseter muscle caused by chronic irritation. Special stain using S-100 immunoperoxidase was useful in establishing the diagnosis in this case. The most important aspect of this case is the anatomical site of the neurilemmoma; this tumor was originated from the masseteric nerve and is the first case reported in the masseter muscle. The patient underwent surgical excision of the tumor and no recurrence occured.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Male ; Masseter Muscle* ; Neurilemmoma* ; Recurrence

BACKGROUND: The aims of this study were to assess the etiologies, survival and prognositic factors of patients with chronic cor pulmonale visited Pusan National University Hospital. METHODS: This study included 103 patients with chronic cor pulmonale. There were 67 men and 36 women. The diagnosis of chronic cor pulmonale was primarily based on the presence of underlying lung disorder and echocardiographic finding of enlarged or hypertrophied right ventricle. Other clinical data including patients' symptoms and signs, findings of arterial blood gas analysis, hematologic and biochemical laboratory and pulmonary function test were assessed. RESULTS: The most common underlying lung disorder was pulmonary tuberculosis (59.2%) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was the next (28.2%). The survival rate was 57% in one year, 45% in two years, and 34% in three years. The prognostic factors were maximal voluntary ventilation(MVV), forced vital capacity(FVC), FEV1, serum Na, vital capacity(VC), serum albumin and peak expiratory flow(PEF) in univariate analysis. And in multivariate analysis, serum albumin(p=0.0144) and VC(p=0.0078) were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Pulmonary tuberculosis was the most important underlying lung disorder in chronic cor pulmonale. The survival rate was 57% in one year, 45% in two years, and 34% in three years. Serum albumin(p=0.0144) and VC(p=0.0078) were statistically significant prognostic factors.
Blood Gas Analysis ; Busan ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Lung ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Pulmonary Heart Disease* ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Serum Albumin ; Survival Rate ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

Pressure sores are a common complication of hospitalized patients. However, It is often impossible to correct surgically because the general conditions of these patients are poor. It is known that the hydrogel has a powerful autolytic effect by providing moist environments and facilitates wound healing and hydrocolloid dressing is also known to promotes granulation tissue formation and epithelialization. The patients were treated with hydrogel(Purion gel(R), Coloplast A/S, Denmark) and hydrocolloid dressing (Comfeel Plus Transparent Dressing(R), Coloplast A/S, Denmark) after surgical debridement of pressure sores progressed to stage III(n=2) and IV(n=7). This combination treatment could facilitate to debride the nectrotic tissue and promote granulation tissue formation epithelialization simultaneously. We could achieve complete healing of pressure sores using the combination treatment without requiring surgical correction. In conclusion, hydrogel in combination with hydrocolloid dressing is effective in acheiving complete healing of progressed pressure sores.
Bandages, Hydrocolloid* ; Colloids* ; Debridement ; Granulation Tissue ; Humans ; Hydrogel* ; Pressure Ulcer* ; Wound Healing

BACKGROUND: The patients with mitral stenosis are generally accompanied with impaired pulmonary function. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes of pulmonary function after percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty (PMV) in that patients. METHODS: PMV was performed in 36 patients with mitral stenosis in Pusan National University Hospital and hemodynamic, echocardiographic and pulmonary function test data before and after PMV were analyzed. RESULT: After PMV, NYHA functional class was improved from 2.2+/-0.6 to 1.2+/-0.4 (p<0.001). The mean left atrial pressure and mean pulmonary arterial pressure significantly decreased from 14.5+/-6.2 mmHg to 5.7+/-4.4 mmHg(p<0.001) and from 25.3+/-10.9 mmHg to 15.5+/-7.4 mmHg (p<0.001), respectively. Cardiac output was slightly decreased from 5.34+/-1.31 L/min to 5.28+/-1.25 L/min (p=0.50). Mean mitral pressure gradient decreased from 13.5+/-5.8 mmHg to 4.4+/-2.1 mmHg (p<0.001) and mitral valvular area significantly increased from 0.86+/-0.19 cm2 to 1.71+/-0.28 cm2 (p<0.001). In pulmonary function test, only MVV and PEF was significantly improved from 77.2+/-23.8% to 88.4+/-27.9% (p<0.01) and 87.1+/-26.8% to 97.5+/-26.4% (p<0.01), respectively. But, VC, FEV1, FEF25-75% and FVC were not changed significantly. In exercise treadmil test, exercise duration was significantly improved from 482.0+/-266.2 sec to 718.0+/-287.5 sec (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: We observed the results of better hemodynamic changes and exercise capacity after PMV. But, there was no significant improvement in pulmonary function after PMV. In our opinion, irreversible pulmonary changes and hemodynamic effect on pulmonary function should be considered.
Arterial Pressure ; Atrial Pressure ; Balloon Valvuloplasty* ; Busan ; Cardiac Output ; Echocardiography ; Exercise Test ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Mitral Valve Stenosis* ; Respiratory Function Tests

OBJECTIVES: There are many interesting reports suggesting that magnesium(Mg) deficiency is deleterious in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). It is paradoxical that the most important cause of Mg deficiency in these persons is maybe use of therapeutics including diuretics. Authors investigated the trend of serum and 24 hour urine Mg with other relating electrolytes in Mg homeostasis prospectively, in the management of CHF. And we assessd the effects of medications and many variables in .CHF on serum Mg, and the usefulness of serum Mg representing the body content. METHODS: Fifty three patients who were diagnosed as CHF by clinical finding and echocardiogaphy were prescribed conventional doses of diuretics as furosemide 40mg and spironolactone 50mg daily, with or without angiotensin converting enzyme(ACE) inhibitor and digitalis. And then, serial serum and 24 hour urine Mg, sodium, potassium and calcium were obtained at admission, 2nd day, 5th day, and discharge. RESULTS: The patients group with chronic CHF, which was defined as long-term use of diuretics over 6 months, showed higher prevalence of low level of serum Mg concentration than the group with acute one(11 of 28, 39% vs. 2 of 25. 8%, P< 0.01). Of those two groups, the latter showed upward trend of serum Mg from admission to discharge, but the former showed no change. In 24 hour urine Mg excretion, the amount of the patients with CHF was larger than that of control group. In the chronic CHF group, the effect of digitalis on decreasing serum Mg was evident. Serum Mg of acute CHF group correlated with serum BUN(r=0.5609). Whereas, that of chronic group with ejection fraction(r=-0.4742) and plasma renin activity(r=-0.3791), with serum potassium(r=0.4673) and creatinine(0.5846). Serum Mg may be useful indicator of Mg homeostasis, especially in chronic CHF patients. CONCLUSION: Because patients with chronic CHF were prone to deficiency of Mg in the management, maintaining the adequate serum Mg through long- term replacement seems very important in decreasing the morbidity and mortality of these persons.
Angiotensins ; Calcium ; Digitalis ; Diuretics ; Electrolytes ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP)* ; Furosemide ; Heart Failure* ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Magnesium Deficiency ; Magnesium* ; Mortality ; Plasma ; Potassium ; Prevalence ; Prospective Studies ; Renin ; Sodium ; Spironolactone

Breast carcinoma is common malignancy in women and frequently metastasize to multiple organ such as lung, bone, lymph node and liver. But metastasis to gastrointestinal tract is rare and only two cases have been reported in Korea. We experienced a case of upper gastrointestinal bleeding caused by gastric metastasis from ductal carcinoma of breast and report this case with review of several literatures.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Korea ; Liver ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis*

OBJECTIVES:Left ventricular hypertrophy(LVH) increases the risk of sudden death in hypertensive patients and this is known due to ventricular arrhythmias. Thus, author studied the relationship between LVH as a hypertensive target organ damage and ventricular arrhythmias. METHODS: 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring, measurement of microalbumin in 24-hour urine and fundoscopic examination were performed on 100 hypertensives (50 patients without LVH and 50 patients with LVH on EKG) who admitted Pusan National University Hospital. RESULTS: In patients with LVH, ventricular extrasystoles occurred more frequently than without LVH(p<0.05) and ventricular couplet and ventricular tachycardia were more common but statistically not different. Microalbuminuria and hypertensive retinopathy were more severe in patients with LVH than without LVH(p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION: Of the ventricular arrhythmias, ventricular extrasystole but not ventricular couplet and ventricular tachycardia occurred more frequently in patients with LVH than without LVH. Thus, prospective study with long-term follow up should be done to establish the relationship between hypertensive LVH and cardiovascular mortality, especially sudden death. And, further study should be done to make the relationship between reduction in LVH with antihypertensive therapy and reduction in LVH-associated ventricular arrhythmias.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac* ; Busan ; Death, Sudden ; Electrocardiography, Ambulatory ; Humans ; Hypertensive Retinopathy ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular* ; Mortality ; Tachycardia, Ventricular ; Ventricular Premature Complexes