The incidence and death rate of hepathocellular carcinoma (HCC) both rank third in Korea (death rate 21.3 per 100,000 in 2000) and HCC is a major health issue in Korea. HCC causes substantial morbidity and mortality and the results of treatments for advanced HCC are still disappinting. Considering the high incidence, death rate, and poor prognosis of HCC, it is necessary to establish a national screening program by evaluating the validity. The Korean Association for the Study of the Liver (KASL) and National Cancer Center (NCC) cooperatively developed and recently released HCC screening/surveillance recommendation. The target population is patients with chronic hepatits B and C and cirrhosis of any cause, over 30 years of age in male and 40 years of age in female. The surveillance tests consist of serum alpha-fetoprotein and abdominal ultrasonography at least every 6 months. Korean national program for the early detection of cancer will start the HCC screening/surveillance program in the low economic classes from 2003, based on KASL-NCC recommendations. The efficacy of this HCC survaillance program would be worthy of attention.
alpha-Fetoproteins ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Early Diagnosis* ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Health Services Needs and Demand ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Liver ; Male ; Mass Screening* ; Mortality ; Prognosis ; Ultrasonography

No abstract available.
Arthritis, Juvenile*

The occurrence of a lipoma-like condition associated with trauma would tend to be regarded as a subset of or a separate entity from ordinary lipoma. We report herein a case of traumatic Lpoma occuring on the dorsum of the left hand. The patient was a 46-year-old male, who had struck his left hand against a window about two months previously and noted casually an asymptomatic, firm, dermal lesion at the site of injury. On gross examination, the enucleated nodule was a smooth-surfaced, yellow fatty mass measuring 0.3 × 0.5 × 0.3cm which looked like a kernel of corn. Microscopic examination revealed encapsulated mature fat consistent with lipoma.
Hand ; Humans ; Lipoma* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Zea mays

No abstract available.
Thumb*

PURPOSE: We have evaluated the outcome of the operative treatment of Achilles tendon rupture and analyzed the prognostic factors related to the results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Subjective assessment of symptoms, range of ankle motion and isokinetic ankle strength was performed on 50 patients during a 1-year follow up. We used a clinical scoring system reported by Leppilahti et al to evaluate the results. RESULTS: The overall results were excellent in 18 (36%), and good in 16 (32%), fair in 10 (20%), and poor in 6 (12%) cases. Lower activity level (P<0.001), presence of systemic disease (P<0.001), later return to physical exercise (P=0.044), and previous Achilles tendon symptoms (P=0.015) were associated with unsatisfactory strength results. An older age (P<0.001) and later return to strenuous activities (P=0.005) were associated with unsuccessful overall results. CONCLUSIONS: We think that a clinical scoring system, including subjective and objective assessment, is good protocol to find the prognostic factors related to the results after the operative treatment of Achilles tendon rupture. The patient group with poor prognostic factors present a challenge for rehabilitation.
Achilles Tendon* ; Ankle ; Exercise ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Rehabilitation ; Rupture*

Terrys nail(TN) might be causally associated with cirrhosis or other disorders, but his criteria have been proved to be inadequate reflection of systcmic disorders. Modified criteria of Holzberg and Walker were introduced in TN examination in 1984. Using these criteria, fingernails were studied in 444 medical inpatients with chronic systemic diseases at Taegu Catholic Hospital from March 1991 to March 1992. There were 136(30.6%) patients with TN and 308(69.4%) patients without TN, respectively. Ninety-three patients with TN showed a signifiart association with cirrosis(49/86, 57%, p<0.01 by the x-test), congestive heart failure 18/35, 515, p<0.05), and diabetes mellitus(25/51, 49%, p<0.05), and otherwise not;ignificantly associated with chronic renal failure(19%), and cancer(18%). Male and female patients with TN were affected about equally. Age distribution in The patients with TN showed 35(25.8%) the age group from twenty to fortynine and 101(74.2%) in the age group from fifty and above with a mean age of 57.3+14.0, whereas the patients without TN had 178(57.8%), and 130(42.2%), with 47.4+16.9, respectively. The greater part was distributed in the older group(p<0.001 by student t-test), suggestive of an increased risk in older group. The average number of nails affected per patient was tending to be higher in frequency close to the thumb, with an equal frequency in six. Thirty-nine patients(28.7%) had all nails affected. The distal band with was 0.5 to 3.0mm averaging 1.0+0.5mm with no difference, in sex. The distal band was pink in 43(31.6%) of the 136 patients with TN, brown in 62(45.6%) and intermediate in color in 13(22,8%). The results of routine laboratory test such as hemogram, eiythrocyte sedimenation rate, liver enzyme, triglyceride, protein, albumin, blood urea nitrogen and creatinine were statistically insignificant between the patients with and without TN.
Age Distribution ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Chronic Disease* ; Creatinine ; Daegu ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Inpatients* ; Liver ; Male ; Nails ; Thumb ; Triglycerides

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Biliary Atresia*

BACKGROUND: Few studies have demonstrated an enhanced skin responsiveness to opiates in atopic subjects. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the skin response to morphine is increased in atopics and to assess the clinical usefulness of morphine skin prick test in diagnosis of allergic diseases. METHOD: Allergy skin prick tests were performed using 55 common allergens, histamine, and morphine in 158 patients with allergic diseases. RESULTS: Wheal and flare sizes for morphine (1mg/mL) were significantly related to and smaller than those for histamine (1mg/mL). Although the proportion of subjects with allergic rhinitis and the level of serum total IgE were not different between responders (wheal >- 2mm) and nonresponders to morphine, the positive response rate to allergens was significantly lower in nonresponders. The flare sizes for morphine were significantly higher in positive allergen test group (A/H ratio >- 0.5). Among positive allergen test group, the subjects with atopy score >- 5 showed a larger flare size for morphine than those with atopy score < 5 while the sizes for histamine were not different. CONCLUSION: Morphine skin prick test is helpful for detecting false negative responses to allergens, and morphine skin test responses are increased in highly atopic patients probably due to enhanced mast cell releasability.
Allergens ; Diagnosis* ; Histamine ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Mast Cells ; Morphine* ; Rhinitis ; Skin Tests ; Skin*

No abstract available.
Adhesives* ; Ileus* ; Pancreatic Pseudocyst*