BACKGROUND: Adult-onset minimal change nephrotic syndrome has been associated with a good response to corticosteroids and a benign prognosis. However, there are few longterm outcome data reported. METHODS: A series of 355 patients with adult-onset minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) who were admitted to Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center from December 1978 to May 2002, was retrospectively analyzed to evaluate the initial response to corticosteroids, subsequent response to cytotoxic agents, the stability of remission, and long-term follow-up outcome. RESULTS: Of the 145 patients who followed up greater than two years, 69 patients (47.6%) showed early relapse, late relapser in 54 patients (37.2%), and no relapse in 22 patients (15.2%). Early relapsers showed younger age at onset, more frequent relapse, and longer duration of total corticosteroid treatment and shorter duration of corticosteroid used duration at relapse. Alkylating agents or cyclosporine were administered to 45 patients (19 steroid dependent, 13 frequent relapses, 8 steroid side effect, 2 infrequent relapses, 3 steroid resistant), 36 patients achieved complete remission, five in partial remission, and four in no response at all. Among 29 patients who were treated with cyclosporine, 23 patients showed complete remission, 4 achieved partial remission, and 2 showed no response. Final outcome of 145 patients who were followed for at least more than 2 years, were cyclosporine A dependent in 19 (13.2%) patients. steroid dependent in 16 (11.0%), persistent remission in 57 (39.3%), infrequent relapse in 49 (33.8%), death 2 (1.3%), renal failure 1 (0.7%), and no response to any therapy in 1 (0.7%). CONCLUSION: Adult-onset minimal change nephrotic syndrome shows favorable response to corticosteroid therapy with good long-term outcome and rarely progress to end-stage renal failure. However, new treatment regimens to minimize drug-related side effects and to maintain longer remission period should be evaluated prospectively.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Alkylating Agents ; Cyclosporine ; Cytotoxins ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Nephrosis, Lipoid* ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Renal Insufficiency ; Retrospective Studies

We retrospectively reviewed magnetic resonance image findings of primary CNS lymphomas in six patients. All patients showed parenchymal masses (n=8), a solitary mass in 4 and multiple in the other two. One patients showed leptomeningeal lesion. Parenchymal masses were located in forntal lobe (n=4), cerebellum (n=2), basal ganglia (n=1), and parietal lobe (n=1), These masses showed hypointensity on T1-weighted images (WI). On T2 WI, the signal intensity of mass was isointense to the brain parenchyma in 5 and hyperintese in 3. After Gadlinium-DTPA injection, seven lesions were enhanced homogeneously, and the margin of the mass was smooth in 5 and irregular in 3. Peritumoral edema was moderate in 4, absent in 3, and severi in 1. These characteristics may be useful in the diagnosis of primary CNS lymphoma.
Basal Ganglia ; Brain ; Cerebellum ; Diagnosis ; Edema ; Humans ; Lymphoma* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Parietal Lobe ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of echo-planar FLAIR imaging in various cerebral lesions as compared with fast FLAIR imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We obtained consecutive fast FLAIR and echo-planar FLAIR images in 33patients in whom MR imaging had revealed ischemic infarction (n=11), acute infarction (n=5), brain tumor (n=3), other conditions (n=3) or no abnormality (n=11). On both sets of images, percentage contrast and contrast to noise ratio (CNR) were calculated for white matter-gray matter and white matter-lesion. RESILTS: White matter-gray matter percentage contrast and CNR were lower on echo-planar FLAIR imaging than on fast FLAIR imaging (percentage contrast, 19 +/- 2 % vs 28 +/- 3 %, CNR, 2.77 +/- 0. 5 vs 4.86 +/- 0.7). White matter-lesion percentage contrast on echo-planar FLAIR imaging was similar to or greater than that on fast FLAIR imaging; 75 +/- 12 % vs 45 +/- 11 % in ischemic infarction, 80 +/- 12 % vs 78 +/- 11% in acute infarction, and 121 +/- 25 % vs 102 +/- 15 % for tumors. White matter-lesion CNR was similar on both sets of images: 8.3 +/- 0.9 vs 7.9 +/- 0.8 in ischemic infarction, 11 +/- 1.5 vs 9.5 +/- 1.2 in acute infarction, and 24 +/- 4 vs 27 +/- 3 for tumors. Due to high susceptibility to magnetization, echo-planar FLAIR imaging showed image degradation at the interface of the paranasal sinus and adjacent to the temporal bone. CONCLUSION: Echo-planar FLAIR imaging may be a useful pulse sequence in the diagnosis of various cerebral lesions.
Brain Neoplasms ; Diagnosis ; Infarction ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Noise ; Temporal Bone

PURPOSE: To determine the usefulness of CT for diagnosing metastases to primary and secondary echelon lymph nodes (LNs) and to investigate various CT findings of metastatic LNs in thyroid carcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the CT and histologic findings in 59 patients with thyroid carcinomas who had undergone thyroidectomy and neck dissection. Primary echelon LNs (Level VI) were removed by central neck dissection in all patients, and in 21, a total of 136 levels of secondary echelon LNs (Level II-V) were excised away by lateral neck dissection. CT criteria of metastatic LNs included large size, significant homogeneous enhancement, calcification, and cystic change. We evaluated the ability of CT to detect primary and secondary echelon LN metastasis and tried to determine which CT features were useful for the diagnosis of LN metastasis. RESULTS: Histologically, LN metastasis was found in 31 (53%) of 59 patients, including 30 with metastasis to primary echelon LNs. Of the 136 levels of secondary echelon LNs resected in 21 patients, 44 were found at histology to harbor metastatic foci. The sensitivities, specificities, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracies of CT in the diagnosis of metastasis to primary and secondary echelon LNs, respectively, were 27% and 93%, 100% and 93%, 100% and 87%, 57% and 97%, and 63% and 93%. While all secondary echelon LNs with at least one of the following CT criteria-large size (n=19), cystic or necrotic change (n=14), or calcifications (n=8)-were histologically proven to be metastatic, six (24%) of 25 such LNs with a sole sign of significant enhancement at CT were found to be due to reactive lymphadenopathy. CONCLUSION: Although CT was unable to detect metastasis to primary echelon LNs, it was useful in the detection of secondary echelon LN involvement. Large size, cystic change, and calcification are considered highly reliable signs of metastatic LNs.
Diagnosis* ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes* ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Neck Dissection ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms* ; Thyroidectomy

Arteriovenous fistulae(AVF) are well documented complications of percutaneous renal biopsy. Between August 1995 and April 1997, we prospectively studied 280 consecutive ultransound-guided percutaneous renal biopsies to evaluate the incidence of post-biopsy AVF and its natural course. All biopsies patients were monitored through a routine follow-up echo-color popple sonography at post-biopsy 1, 7, 14 and 30 days. The 28 patients(10%) out of 280 consecutive percutaneous renal biopses were diagnosed to have AVF. There was no differences in the incidence of AVF between native and transplanted kidney biopsy. Most AVF were small(<2cm) and caused minimal or no symptoms. AVF was accompanied with large hematoma(thickness above 2cm) was observed in 9 cases(53%) of 17 native kidneys and none in 10 transplanted kidneys. This difference was statistically significant(P=0.008). At follow-up, AVF resolved spontaneously in 24 cases(87%). In two patients(7.1%) required superselective arterial embolization, one develoved spontaneous rupture of AVF, and one had persistence of AVF over 12 months. We concluded that color Doppler sonography provides a good, non-invasive and safe method for diagnosis and follow up of post-biopsy AVF.
Arteriovenous Fistula ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Fistula* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Kidney ; Prospective Studies ; Rupture, Spontaneous

Angiomyxolipoma is a rare variant of lipoma, which is described by Mai, 1996, at first. The nine cases of which have been reported to date. Microscopically, the lesion consists of adipose tissue with the paucicellular myxoid areas and fat tissue with numerous thin, dilated, and congestive blood vessels. The reported cases mostly located to the superficial layer on the scalp, subungual, extremities in adults. We report one case of angiomyxolipoma located in the submuscular and parosteal area in the distal femur around knee joint in a child.
Adipose Tissue ; Adult ; Blood Vessels ; Child ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Extremities ; Femur ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; Lipoma ; Scalp

Objective: To investigate the suitability of citrus-press cakes, by-products of the juice industry as a source for the whitening agents for cosmetic industry.
Methods:Ethylacetate extracts of citrus-press cakes (CCE) were examined for their anti-melanogenic potentials in terms of the inhibition of melanin production and mechanisim of melanogenesis by using Western Blot analysis with tyrosinese, tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1), TRP2, and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) proteins. To apply the topical agents, citrus-press cakes was investigated the safety in human skin cell line. Finally flavonoid analysis of CCE was also determined by HPLC analysis.
Results: Results indicated that CCE were shown to down-regulate melanin content in a dose-dependent pattern. The CCE inhibited tyrosinase, TRP-2, and MITF expressions in a dose-dependent manner. To test the applicability of CCE to human skin, we used MTT assay to assess the cytotoxic effects of CCE on human keratinocyte HaCaT cells. The CCE exhibited low cytotoxicity at 50 μg/mL. Characterization of the citrus-press cakes for flavonoid contents using HPLC showed varied quantity of rutin, narirutin, and hesperidin.
Conclusions:Considering the anti-melanogenic activity and human safety, CCE is considered as a potential anti-melanogenic agent and may be effective for topical application for treating hyperpigmentation disorders.

PURPOSE: Primary aldosteronism due to an adrenal cortical adenoma is a surgically curable disease. However, hypertension is known to persist postoperatively in many patients. The aim of this study was to determine the factors influencing the long-term outcome of blood pressure after an adrenalectomy for a primary aldosteronism and to evaluate the changing pattern of renin and aldosterone. METHODS: Forty-two cases of primary aldosteronism, which were operated on and followed up at the Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital from January 1986 to June 2001 were included in this study. The subjects were classified into a normotensive group and a hypertensive group and the two groups were compared according to the clinical, biochemical and pathological parameters. RESULTS: After surgery, the aldosterone concentration was decreased and the plasma renin activity was increased. During a mean follow-up period of 28 months, 31 patients (73.8%) had a normal blood pressure without an antihypertensive treatment. The significant risk factors for persistent hypertension were a family history of hypertension, a long duration of preoperative hypertension, a poor response of preoperative spironolactone. The hypertensive group had a higher level of postoperative plasma renin activity and an aldosterone concentration in the long-term follow-up period after surgery. CONCLUSION: A family history of hypertension, the duration of hypertension and the response to spironolactone were factors influencing persistent hypertension after surgery for a primary aldosteronism. A high level of plasma renin activity and aldosterone during the follow-up period is related to the persistent hypertension. Therefore, early detection and surgery for a primary aldosteronism would reduce the preoperative cardiovascular changes and improve the postoperative outcome.
Adrenalectomy ; Adrenocortical Adenoma ; Aldosterone ; Blood Pressure ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperaldosteronism* ; Hypertension ; Plasma ; Renin ; Risk Factors ; Seoul ; Spironolactone

Patients with pain syndromes resulting from recurrent or metastatic cancer should be evaluated carefully to determine the cause of their pain and the need for appropriate antitumor treatment. The most effective ablative pain control procedure at the current time is cordotomy, which is indicated in patients with unilateral pain. The authors results of 12 antero-lateral thoracic cordotomies performed for intractable cancer pain between 1996-1998. The follow-up of these patients was continued for at least 12 months or until death to determine the late success of this procedure. Excellent surgical results were obtained in 100% after one week and in 50% in 6 months after operation. The operation was considered to be successful for patients with malignant disease of short life expectancy.
Cordotomy* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Life Expectancy

The purpose of this study was to set the guidelines for selection of patients to do early surgery in ruptured intracranial aneurysm. We assessed 706 patients with single rupture and without large hematoma, who underwent aneurysm surgery from 1985 to 1995. The male and female ratio was 1:1.5. Among the 706 patients, early surgery was performed in 214 cases. The results of early surgery were good in 193 cases(90.2%), fair in 13 cases(6.0%), poor in 1 case(0.5%) and dead in 7 cases(3.3%). The rate of dead outcome in the early surgery group was higher compared to other timing groups. The Fisher group 1, 2 and 3 reveale good outcome in early surgery group;92.6%, 96.3%, 88.8% respectively. The incidence of delayed ischemic deficits(DID) of early surgery group was same as other groups. However, in Fisher group 3, the incidence of DID was significantly low, 32.5%, in early surgery group. It is suggested that the criteria of selection of early surgery in patients with ruptured intracranial aneurysm would include as follows:1) patients with good clinical grade, 2) poor grade patients with marked irritability, acute hydrocephalus, and poorly controlled hypertension, 3) none-complex aneurysm requiring less brain retraction, dissection and brief temporary clipping, 4) age under 60 or over 60 with good physical status, and 5) Fisher group 3 requiring cisternal larvage and anticipated triple-H therapy.
Aneurysm ; Brain ; Female ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Intracranial Aneurysm* ; Male ; Patient Selection* ; Rupture