An association of low total cholesterol in blood with psychiatric diseases and suicidal behavior has been suggested. As part of an attempt to further explore this relationship, we examine first, whether serum cholesterol levels in psychiatric patients with suicidal attempt would be lower than in non-suicidal psychiatric inpatients or normal controls, second, whether such significant difference of cholesterol levels would be present when the diagnostic groups are analyzed separately, third whether low cholesterol level would be associated with a history of serious suicidal attempts, and finally, whether low cholesterol level in suicide attempters is as state or a trait marker. We determined the serum cholesterol levels in 231 patients admitted to an emergency room following an suicidal attempt, in the same numbers of age-, sex- and diagnosis-matched non-suicidal psychiatric controls, and in the same numbers of age-, sex matched normal controls. The seriousness of an attempt was divided into 5 grades according to the degree of the resulting medical injury. Total cholesterol levels in suicide attempters were significantly lower compared with both psychiatric and normal controls, when sex, age, and nutritional status(i.e., body mass index) were controlled for. This significant relationship was observed in major depressive disorders and personality disorders, but not in schizophrenia and bipolar type I disorders. The severity of suicide by a lowering of blood cholesterol was related to the magnitude of the cholesterol reduction. After treatment of their psychiatric ailments, the cholesterol levels in suicide attempters were significantly increased. This result suggests that low cholesterol level in psychiatric patients might be a potential biological marker of suicide risk. It is hypothesized that low cholesterol levels is associated with the suicide by modifying the serotonin metabolism, the production of interleukin-2 and melatonin metabolism in psychiatric patients.
Biomarkers ; Cholesterol* ; Depression ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Interleukin-2 ; Melatonin ; Metabolism ; Personality Disorders ; Schizophrenia ; Serotonin ; Suicide*

The Fracture of the os calcis is quite common in relation to fracture in other tarsal bone, and fractures involving the subtalar joint may cause serious and persistant disabilities. The treatment of these calcaneal fractures remains controversial So there is no universal agreement in the treatment of these fractures, especially involving the subtalar joint. Twenty displaced intraarticular fractures of calcaneus in 15 patients were treated by open reduction and internal fixation with a plate and screws and bone graft through a lateral approach to elevate the depressed lateral portion of the posterior facet at the Inchon Chritian Hospital from Jan., 1990 to Dec, 1991. Twenty feet in 15 patients of calcaneal fractures involving the subtalal joint were treated and were clinically analysed and following result were obtained. 1. The 20 cases were classified according to the Sanders classification, 9 in type II, 9 in type III and 2 in type IV. 2. The 20 cases were treated by open reduction andinteranl fixation with plate and screws and iliac bone graft through an Sanders lateral approach. The bone graft is packed under the elevated posterior to prevent late collapse of the central fragment and to supply structral stability. 3. The preoperative average Böhler's angle was 0.4°. The post operative average Böhler's angle was 23.4° which was increased significantly. 4. Based on assessment of result of Salama, excellenwas 6, good was 7, fair was 4 and poor was 3. 5. The most common complication after treatment was persistant pain, especially beneath the lateral malleolus.
Calcaneus ; Classification ; Foot ; Humans ; Incheon ; Intra-Articular Fractures ; Joints ; Subtalar Joint ; Tarsal Bones ; Transplants

No abstract available.
Polycystic Kidney Diseases*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Plasma* ; Renal Veins* ; Renin* ; Veins*

No abstract available.
Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Infant* ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight*

OBJECTIVE: Kellner (1987)'s Symptom Questionnaire (SQ) consists of 4 scales, i.e. depression, anxiety, anger-hostility, and somatic scales. The SQ can be administered and scored by a lay person with brief training. In addition to the use for the self-rating of distress in research, the SQ can be a checklist in clinical practice. The SQ has been validated in translations in Korean. This paper is to test the initial reliability and validity of the Symptom Questionnaire-Korean version (SQ-K). METHOD: The SQ-K and other self-report scales (i.e. BDI, STAI, STAXI, & SCL-90-R) were administered to college students (n=103) and psychiatric patients (n=170) including 76 with mood disorders, 47 with anxiety disorders, 27 with somatoform disorders, and 20 with Hwabyung patients. RESULTS: The test-retest coefficients of stability over a 2-week period ranged from .46 to .65 in a sample of college students. The SQ-K and subscales have good internal consistency, with an alpha ranged from .70 to .90. and good criterion-referenced validity. The SQ-K discriminated between college students with and without stress, psychiatric patients and college students, and among depressive, anxious, and Hwabyung groups. CONCLUSION: The SQ-K is a tool for state measurement, and it is quite sensitive to change. The findings suggest that the Korean translations are valid and sensitive scales of distress, and it can be used effectively in research and clinical practice as the original is.
Anger ; Anxiety ; Anxiety Disorders ; Checklist ; Depression ; Humans ; Mood Disorders ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Reproducibility of Results* ; Somatoform Disorders ; Translations ; Weights and Measures

The antihypertensive effect of Doxazocin were evaluated in 20 patients with essential hypertension. Two to eight mg of Doxazocin per day were administered continuously for two or eight weeks. The results were as follows : 1) Doxazocin were effective in 18 out of 20 patients(90%) at the end of 8 weeks treatment. 2) The systolic blood pressure was signigicantly decreased(173+/-20mmHg VS 144+/-33mmHg, P+/-0.001), and the diastolic blood pressure was also decreased(110+/-10mmHg VS 93+/-19mmHg, P<0.01) after treatment. 3) Triglyceride showed a decreasing tendency but statistically significance was not observed. Total cholesteral, HDL-cholesterol, BUN, creatinine, and uric acid did not change significantly before and after treatment with Doxazocin. 4) The side effects were headache in one case and dizziness in to cases. These results suggest that Doxazocin is an effective antihypertensive agent and concerning lipid profile, further long term observation is needed.
Blood Pressure ; Creatinine ; Dizziness ; Headache ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Triglycerides ; Uric Acid

PURPOSE: We performed this study to evaluate the usefulness and the limitation of magnetic resonance angiography in imaging portal vein and hepatic vein. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Magnetic resonance portography was performed in five normal subjects and seven patients with hepatomas, two patients with Budd-Chiari syndromes, one patient with liver cirrhosis and one patient with hepatic metastasis from stomach cancer. Magnetic resonance angiography was done with a 1.5-T Scanner. Breath-hold two-dimensional time-of flight images with spoiled gradient echo technique were acquired. Scan parameters were 34/8/40degrees(TR ms/TE ms/flip angle). The portal vein and the hepatic vein were selectively imaged by applying two presaturation bands. These images were then postprocessed by a maximum intensity projection algorithm. MRA findings were compared with ultrasonography in all cases of the hepatic disease, and conventional angiography (SMA portography) in four cases. RESULTS: In normal subjects, the splenic vein, intrahepatic and extrahepatic portions of the portal vein, and the hepatic veins were well visualized. In the patients with hepatic diseases, the varices (4 cases), the splenorenal shunts (2 cases), and the recanalized umbilical vein (1 case) were demonstrated. There were portal vein thrombosis in the cases of hepatomas and hepatic metastasis. In the cases of Budd-Chiari syndrome, the hepatic veins were not visualized and there were inferior vena cava obstructions with multiple collateral vessels. CONCLUSION: Compared with ultrasonography, MRP may be useful in evaluation of varices, splenorenal shunts, and other collaterals, though less accurate than conventional angiography. MRP can be useful as a noninvasive screening alternative in the evaluation of portal vein and hepatic veins.
Angiography ; Budd-Chiari Syndrome ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Hepatic Veins ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; Mass Screening ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Portal Vein ; Portography* ; Splenic Vein ; Splenorenal Shunt, Surgical ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Ultrasonography ; Umbilical Veins ; Varicose Veins ; Vena Cava, Inferior ; Venous Thrombosis

Time intervals and indices of left ventricular diastolic filling were studied by M-mode and pulsed Doppler Echocardiography in 18 dilated cardiomyopathy patients. After one two hours captopril(capril(R)) 25mg medication. 1)Systolic blood pressure, Diastolic blood pressure, Heart rate were significantly decreased. 2) Dimensions of LVSD, LVDD, LA, Aorta and EF were not changed measured by M-mode echocardiography. 3) IRT measured by M-mode and Pulsed Doppler echocardiography were significantly increased(45+/-33msec VS 74+/-35msec. 84+/-32msec VS 100+/-22msec P<0.05). 4) A2-E measured by M-mode and Pulsed Doppler echocardiography were significantly increased(114+/-45msec VS 134+/-46msec, 156+/-46msec VS 194+/-48msec, P<0.05). 5) Deceleration time was significantly increased(137+/-36msec VS 205+/-40msec P<0.05). 6) Transmitral peak flow velocities were not changed significantly. In summary captopril influences early diastolic time intervals with dilated cardiomyopathy patients and we interpreted these effects be beneficial on diastolic filling pattern.
Aorta ; Blood Pressure ; Captopril ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated* ; Deceleration ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Doppler, Pulsed ; Heart Rate ; Humans

PURPOSE: Recent trials of preventive dexamethasone therapy in preterm neonates at high risk of developing bronchopulmonary dysplasia(BPD) have required the objective criteria for prediction of BPD in the early neonatal period. The purpose of this study is to determine whether a chest radiographic scoring system at 7 days of age can be used to predict BPD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Chest radiographs taken at 7 days and 28 days of age in 59 preterm neonates(gestational age of less than 33 weeks) were scored prospectively according to the consensus of two radiologists. The 7-day radiographs were scored according to a system derived from Yuksel's method : endotracheal tube insertion, degree of lung inflation, lung opacification, interstitial changes and cardiomegaly were measured. The radiographs taken at 28 days were scored according to a modification of Toce's method. The BPD group was defined as consisting of patients who needed oxygen therapy for more than 28 days and showed abnormality on chest radiographs. Scores were analysed to determine whether there were any statistical differences between the BPD and non-BPD groups, whether there was a significant correlation between scores at 7 days and 28 days, and whether there was any relationship between scores at 7 days of age and the development of BPD. We tried to determine which factors, as indicated by the scores at 7 days, significantly contributed to the development of BPD. RESULTS: The mean scores at 7 days of age in the BPD group (n=18) were 4.3+/-1.5 (2-7), and those in the non-BPD group (n=41) were 2.2+/-1.2 (0-4). The differences were statistically significant(p<.0001). Significant correlation was found between scores at 7 days and at 28 days of age (r:0.57, p<.0001). Analysis showed that endotracheal tube insertion, cardiomegaly, and degree of interstitial change, as seen on radiographs at 7 days, were factors which significantly contributed to the development of BPD(p<0.05 each). All neonates with a score of 5 or more developedBPD(7/7), while those with a score of less than 2 did not (0/11). CONCLUSION: The chest radiographic scoring system used at 7 days of age can be helpful in predicting the development of BPD. We believe that this system can be used to indicate the need for early preventive steroid therapy.
Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia* ; Cardiomegaly ; Consensus ; Dexamethasone ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Inflation, Economic ; Lung ; Oxygen ; Prospective Studies ; Radiography, Thoracic* ; Thorax*