BACKGROUND: Rapid adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) stimulation test using 250ug of ACTH (1-24) has been used as a standard test in the initial assessment of adrenal function. However, it has recently been suggested that a rnaximal cortisol response can be achieved with a much lower ACTH dose, and reducing the dose might further enhance the sensitivity of the test in the detection of mild adrenal insufficiency. This study was performed to evaluate the role of low-dose (lug) ACTH stimulation test in the assessment of adrenal function and the diagnosis of subtle adrenal insufficiency. METHODS: Twenty-two subjects with suspected adrenal insufficiency due to long-term corticosteroid use were included in this study. The correlations between clinical features and the serum cortisol responses to low dose (lug) and high dose (250 ug) ACTH stimulation were evaluated. RESULTS: In high dose test, 10 (67%) out of 15 subjects with clinical features of adrenal insufficiency showed decreased serum cortisol response (peak cortisol level <18 ug/dL), but 5 (33%) subjects showed normal response (peak cortisol level > 18ug/dL). On the other hand, 14 (93%) subjects with clinical features of adrenal insufficiency showed decreased serum cortisol response in low dose test, while only one showed normal response. In 7 subjects without clinical features of adrenal insufficiency, 5 subject (71%) showed normal response, and 2 subjects (29%) showed decreased response in both low and high dose tests. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the 1-ug low dose ACTH stimulation test might be more sensitive than conventional 250-ug test in the detection of mild adrenal insufficiency. Further studies are needed to determine the optimal dose of ACTH and the criteria for normal response to ACTH stimulation.
Adrenal Insufficiency* ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone* ; Cosyntropin ; Diagnosis* ; Hand ; Hydrocortisone

No abstract available.
POEMS Syndrome*

PURPOSE: The clinical significance of the lateral resection margin for rectal cancer has been widely investigated. The ascending and the descending colon do not have a peritoneal covering posteriorly. Therefore, colon cancers located on their posterior side can penetrate the entire bowel wall, which is similar to mesorectal invasion in rectal cancer. However, the prognostic significance of the retroperitoneal resection margin involvement is unknown. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prognostic significance of the lateral resection margin in ascending and descending colon cancer. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed and involved 92 patients who had undergone a curative resection for right or left colon cancer with TNM stage II and III. The patients were assigned to either a lateral margin negative group (LMNG, n=73) or a lateral margin positive group (LMPG, n=19) according to the presence of a tumor or a metastatic lymph node within 1 mm of the lateral resection margin. The oncological outcomes of the LMPG were compared with those of the LMNG. RESULTS: The LMPG was younger and had higher incidences of tumors positive vascular or neural invasion and advanced T and N stages. The overall recurrence rate of the LMPG was higher than that of the LMNG (36.8% versus 16.4%) and the cumulative survival rate of the LMPG was significantly lower than that of the LMNG (35.0% versus 76.2%). High preoperative CEA, lymphatic invasion, lateral margin involvement of the tumor, N2 in nodal status were significant factors in the univariate analysis for evaluation of the prognosis, but lateral margin involvement was not a significant factor in the multivariate analysis. In the lymph-node-positive group and the CEA non-elevation group, lateral margin involvement of the tumor was revealed as a prognostic factor. CONCLUSIONS: Lateral margin involvement of ascending and descending colon cancer affects tumor recurrence and overall survival, but it is not a significant prognostic factor.
Colon* ; Colon, Descending ; Colonic Neoplasms* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lymph Nodes ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prognosis ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVE: Transient receptor potential vanilloid subfamily type 1 (TRPV1), a most specific marker of the nociceptive primary afferent, is expressed in peptidergic and non-pepetidergic primary afferents innervating skin and viscera. However, its expression in sensory fibers to skeletal muscle is not well known. In this study, we studied the neurochemical characteristics of TRPV1-positive primary afferents to skeletal muscles. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with total 20 microliter of 1% fast blue (FB) into the gastrocnemius and erector spinae muscle and animals were perfused 4 days after injection. FB-positive cells were traced in the L4-L5 (for gastrocnemius muscle) and L2-L4 (for erector spinae muscle) dorsal root ganglia. The neurochemical characteristics of the muscle afferents were studied with multiple immunofluorescence with TRPV1, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and P2X(3). To identify spinal neurons responding to noxious stimulus to the skeletal muscle, 10% acetic acids were injected into the gastrocnemius and erector spinae muscles and expression of phospho extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK) in spinal cords were identified with immunohistochemical method. RESULTS: TRPV1 was expressed in about 49% of muscle afferents traced from gastrocnemius and 40% of erector spinae. Sixty-five to 60% of TRPV1-positive muscles afferents also expressed CGRP. In contrast, expression of P2X3 immnoreaction in TRPV1-positive muscle afferents were about 20%. TRPV1-positive primary afferents were contacted with spinal neurons expressing pERK after injection of acetic acid into the muscles. CONCLUSION: It is consequently suggested that nociception from skeletal muscles are mediated by TRPV1-positive primary afferents and majority of them are also peptidergic.
Acetates ; Acetic Acid ; Amidines ; Animals ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Ganglia, Spinal ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Muscles ; Neurons ; Nociception ; Phosphotransferases ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skin ; Spinal Cord ; Viscera

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis is one of the most serious side effects of long-term glucocorticoid therapy, but the mechanism of glucocorticoid-induced bone loss remains poorly defined. Glucocorticoid induces decreased bone formation and death of isolated segments of bone (osteonecrosis) suggesting that glucocorticoid excess may affect the birth or death rate of bone cells and thereby reduce their numbers. It has been known that reduction in bone formation is due to reduced proliferation in osteoblast precursor cells and reduced matrix synthesis in mature osteoblast. Here, we present evidence for dexamethasone-induced apoptosis on human bone marrow stromal cells (hBMSC). To understand the mechanism of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis, we investigated the effects of glucocorticoid on primary cultured hBMSC. METHEODS: Treatment with dexamethasone at the concentration of 10-9 M for 3~5 days significantly decreased cleavage tetrazolium salt WST-1 level/concentration by mitochondrial dehydrogenase in viable cells. Greater decrease was observed with higher concentration of dexamethasone (10-7 M, and 10-5 M). Apoptosis was measured by annexin V binding/propidium iodide using fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis and nuclear morphology stained with the fluorescence dye, Hoechst 33342. RESULTS: The level/concentration of apoptotic hBMSC (annexin V positive / PI negative) was increased with 10-9 M dexamethasone (1.2% to 5.3%) and further increased with 10-7 M, and 10-5 M concentration (11.7% and 12.5%, respectively). The same result was observed with Hoechst 33342 staining. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that glucocorticoid induces apoptosis on osteoblast precursor cell, hBMSC, and may contribute to decrease bone formation
Annexin A5 ; Apoptosis* ; Bone Marrow* ; Dexamethasone ; Fluorescence ; Humans* ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Mortality ; Osteoblasts ; Osteogenesis ; Osteoporosis ; Oxidoreductases ; Parturition ; Stromal Cells*

PURPOSE: A high level of air pollutants can increase the number of patients with allergy-related diseases such as asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR). To analyze the association between air pollution and allergic disease, we investigated 2 areas in Korea: Incheon, an industrial area, and Jeju, a non-industrialized area. METHODS: Second grade students at elementary schools (11 schools in Incheon and 45 schools in Jeju) were examined in a cross-sectional study. A questionnaire was used and a skin prick test was performed. The levels of NO2, CO2, O3, particulate matter (PM) PM10/2.5, formaldehyde, tVOCs, and dust mites in the classrooms and grounds were determined. RESULTS: The levels of outdoor CO, PM10, and PM2.5 were significantly higher in Incheon (P<0.01). The levels of indoor CO, CO2, PM10, PM2.5 were significantly higher in Incheon (P<0.01). The prevalence rates of AR symptoms at any time, AR symptoms during the last 12 months, diagnosis of rhinitis at any time, and AR treatment during the last 12 months were significantly higher in Incheon (P<0.01). The prevalence rate of wheezing or whistling at any time, and wheezing during the last 12 months were significantly higher in Incheon (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: We found that the children living in Incheon, which was more polluted than Jeju, had a higher rate of AR and asthma symptoms compared to children in Jeju. To determine the effect of air pollution on the development of the AR and asthma, further studies are needed.
Air Pollutants ; Air Pollution ; Asthma ; Child ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dust ; Formaldehyde ; Humans ; Mites ; Particulate Matter ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Respiratory Sounds ; Rhinitis ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; Singing ; Skin

Pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae is usually a mild and self-limited infection. Chest films usually show patch consolidation or interstitial infiltration in the lung. We recently encountered a case of fulminant Mycoplasma pneumonia which showed rapidly progressing extensive bilateral airspace consolidation with pleural effusion. A previously healthy 19-year-old female college student was admitted to the hospital because of fever and dry cough. Chest X-ray showed large areas of airspace consolidation in both lung with pleural effusion and rapid progression of the lung lesion. The diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumonia was made from the serologic test. Here we report a case of Mycoplasma pneumonia showing unusual manifestation.
Cough ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Lung ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae ; Pleural Effusion ; Pneumonia ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma ; Serologic Tests ; Thorax ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVES: Microalbuminuria predicts cardiovascular mortality in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetses mellitus (NIDDM). Microalbuminuria is frequently associated with high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance and central obesity, and has been suggested to be a feature of metabolic syndrome (syndrome X). Metabolic syndrome is also present in Cushings syndrome, which is characterized by primary hypercortisolism as well as profound visceral obesity. Considering common features of Cushings syndrome and metabolic syndrome, microalbuminuria could be a feature of Cushings syndrome. METHODS: We studied urinary albumin excretion (UAE) in 13 patients with Cushings syndrome. UAE was reexamined after the correction of hypercortisolemia in the patients with microalbuminuria or overt proteinuria. Kidney biopsy was performed in 3 patients with microalbuminuria. RESULTS: Eight out of 13 patients (61.5 %) had microalbuminuria. Kidney biopsy revealed apparently normal glomerular structures without evidence of diabetic or hypertensive nephropathy. Patients underwent successful removal of pituitary or adrenal tumors and were reevaluated 2 months after surgery. UAE declined profoundly in all of the patients with initial microalbuminuria. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that more than 60% of patients with Cushings syndrome have microalbuminuria. This rate far exceeds the rate in NIDDM patients and hypertensive patients. Microalbuminuria nearly completely reversed after successful treatment of hypercortisolism.
Biopsy ; Cushing Syndrome ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Dyslipidemias ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Insulin Resistance ; Kidney ; Mortality ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Proteinuria

OBJECTIVE: Genetic differences may contribute to the inter-individual differences in treatment response to antidepressants among patients suffering from major depression. This study investigated a possible association of various monoamine transporter genetic polymorphisms with treatment response to mirtazapine in major depressive patients in elderly. METHODS: In this study, three genetic polymorphisms were selected: serotonin transporter 5- HTTLPR, serotonin transporter 5-HTT intron 2 VNTR, and norepinephrine transporter NET (G1287A). The patients with major depression diagnosed by DSM-IV were recruited to a 6 week naturalistic mirtazapine treatment study in Samsung Medical Center. Treatment response to mirtazapine was defined as > or =50% decrease in HAMD-17 scores at 6 weeks, and the genotypes in the patients were determined using the polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Our results showed that ss allele carriers were included more in responder group (ss allele in responder vs. non responder group; 69.4% vs. 40.0%). In addition, l-allele (sl/ll) carriers were included less in responder group (sl/ll allele in responder vs. non responder group; 30.6% vs. 60.0%). Multiple logistic regression analyses showed the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism as an predictor of the mirtazapine response (5HTTLPR ss allele carrier vs. l-allele (sl/ll) carrier; odds ratio: 3.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32-11.0; p=0.013). However, 5-HTT intron 2 VNTR l/s (p=0.33 by multiple logistic regression; [OR], 0.53; 95% [CI], 0.15-1.88), and NET (G1287A) G/A (p=0.68 by multiple logistic regression; [OR], 1.25; 95% [CI], 0.44-3.53) showed no statistical significant influences on response rate. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, 5HTTLPR polymorphism may predict treatment response to mirtazapine in major depressive patients in elderly.
Aged ; Alleles ; Antidepressive Agents ; Depression ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Genotype ; Humans ; Introns ; Logistic Models ; Mianserin ; Norepinephrine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins ; Stress, Psychological

No abstract available.
Pseudohypoparathyroidism*