Methemoglobinemia results from the oxidation of ferrous iron (Fe++) to ferric iron (Fe+++) within hemoglobin. It is caused by various etiologies, including the herbicide Propanil. Patients with low levels of methemoglobin (metHb) are asymptomatic but symptomatic patients and patients with high levels of metHb require treatment. Methylene blue is the first choice for the treatment of methemoblobinemia, but has some complications such as hemolytic anemia and rebound methemoglobinemia. We report the case of a 91-year-old woman who died of aniline herbicides poisoning. The level of metHb in her blood was initially 20.7% and her mental status was drowsy. She was intravenously treated with methylene blue within a therapeutic range for methemoglobinemia. After treatment with methylene blue, the level of metHb decreased but later increased above 20%. Methylene blue treatment was repeatedly attempted, but the patient suffered from hemolytic anemia and rebound methemoglobinemia. The patient finally died from renal failure and cardiopulmonary collapse. We must be careful because methemoglobinemia can occur even when treated pesticides such as propranil.
Anemia, Hemolytic ; Female ; Herbicides ; Humans ; Iron ; Methemoglobin ; Methemoglobinemia* ; Methylene Blue ; Pesticides ; Poisoning ; Propanil* ; Renal Insufficiency

OBJECTIVE: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with significant morbidity, and for which there is a need for safe and effective alternative therapies. Although a few observations on the efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in AD have been reported, clinical evidence of effectiveness from controlled trials is lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to clarify whether IVIG therapy (1.0 g/kg body weight at each monthly visit for 6 months) is effective in childhood atopic dermatitis and to analyze the clinical characteristics of IVIG responses in this disease. METHODS: Forty three atopic dermatitis patients who had characteristic clinical features of atopic dermatitis were included in this study. The patients received an injection of IVIG at 1.0 g/kg body weight at each monthly visit for 6 months. Laboratory tests were performed for blood chemistry, total immunoglobulin E, immunoglobulin G/immunoglobulin A/immunoglobulin M, blood eosinophil count, and C-reactive protein. RESULTS: In total forty three atopic dermatitis patients, only 14 patients completely underwent 6 cycles, but other 29 patients incompletely (1-5 cycles). In the 14 patients, there were just 13 records of scoring atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) index. The mean SCORAD score in the 13 patients was 39.6+/-24.4. SCORAD score decreased significantly (initial SCORAD, 39.6+/-24.4; final SCORAD, 21.3+/-15.6; P=0.016). CONCLUSION: IVIG therapy may be recommended in the treatment of recalcitrant atopic dermatitis. In addition, further investigation on predictive markers for responses of IVIG therapy in atopic dermatitis may be needed.
Body Weight ; Child ; Complementary Therapies ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Immunization, Passive ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulins ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous ; Skin Diseases

The anti-inflammatory effects of an ethanol extract of Angelica gigas (EAG) were investigated in vitro and in vivo using croton oil-induced inflammation models. Croton oil (20 microgram/mL) up-regulated mRNA expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-I and COX-II in the macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7, resulting in the release of high concentrations of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). EAG (1~10 microgram/mL) markedly suppressed croton oil-induced COX-II mRNA expression and PGE2 production. Application of croton oil (5% in acetone) to mouse ears caused severe local erythema, edema and vascular leakage, which were significantly attenuated by oral pre-treatment with EAG (50~500 mg/kg). Croton oil dramatically increased blood levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and PGE2 without affecting tumor-necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and nitric oxide (NO) levels. EAG pre-treatment remarkably lowered IL-6 and PGE2, but did not alter TNF-alpha or NO concentrations. These results indicate that EAG attenuates inflammatory responses in part by blocking the COX-PGE2 pathway. Therefore, EAG could be a promising candidate for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.
Angelica/*immunology ; Animals ; Cell Line ; Cyclooxygenase 1/genetics/*immunology ; Cyclooxygenase 2/genetics/*immunology ; Dinoprostone/genetics/immunology ; Inflammation/drug therapy/enzymology/*immunology ; Interleukin-6/blood ; Macrophages ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Nitric Oxide/blood ; Phytotherapy/*methods ; Plant Extracts/*pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Plant Roots/immunology ; RNA, Messenger/chemistry/genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/blood

BACKGROUND: Particulate matter may be toxic to human tissue. Ambient air particulate matter < or =10micrometer in aerodynamic size (PM10), which changes under different environmental conditions, is a complex mixture of organic and inorganic compounds. The Asian dust event caused by meteorological phenomena can also spread unique particulate matter in affected areas. We evaluated production of ROS, TGF-beta, fibronectin, and NF kappa B by exposing normal epithelial cells to Asian dust particulate matter. METHODS: Bronchial epithelial cells were exposed to 0, 50, 100microgramg/ml of a suspension of PM10 for 24 h. ROS were detected by measurement of DCF release from DCF-DA by FACScan. TGF-beta, fibronectin, and NF kappa B were detected by western blotting. RESULTS: PM10 exposure increased the expression of TGF-beta, fibronectin, and NF kappa B. ROS production and TGF-betalevels were significantly higher with 50 or 100microgram/ml PM10. Fibronectin and NF kappa B production were significantly higher after 100microgram/ml of PM10. CONCLUSION: PM10 from Asian dust particles might have fibrotic potential in bronchial epithelial cells via ROS induction after PM10 exposure.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Blotting, Western ; Dust ; Epithelial Cells ; Fibronectins ; Humans ; NF-kappa B ; Particulate Matter ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Transforming Growth Factor beta

OBJECTIVE: Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS) has recently been developed to improve measurement of negative symptoms in schizophrenia. We performed a multi-center study to validate the Korean version of the CAINS (CAINS-K) and explore potential cultural variation. METHODS: One hundred eighty schizophrenia patients diverse in demographic and illness profile were recruited from four centers in Korea. Along with the CAINS-K, the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS), a self-report measure of behavioral inhibition and activation (BIS/BAS) and neurocognitive tasks were administered to verify external validities. RESULTS: The CAINS-K showed high internal-consistency (0.92) and inter-rater reliability (0.77). Exploratory Factor Analysis replicated a two-factor structure of the original scale including motivation/pleasure and expression deficits dimensions. Korean patients tended to report lower pleasure compared to American patients in the prior study. The CAINS-K showed an adequate convergent validity with the SANS, negative symptoms of the BPRS, and BAS. A divergent validity was supported as the CAINS-K showed zero or only weak correlations with other symptoms of the BPRS, depression from the CDSS, and neurocognitive tasks. CONCLUSION: The CAINS-K demonstrated high internal consistency and adequate external validities, and is expected to promote studies on negative symptoms in Korean patients with schizophrenia.
Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale ; Depression ; Humans ; Korea ; Pleasure ; Schizophrenia

PURPOSE: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been recognized as an important childhood liver disease, especially where the prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing. The purpose of this study is to clarify the usefulness of elevated serum aminotransferase activities and their ratio for predicting the presence of fatty liver and its severity in obese children. METHODS: Forty-four children (M/F 29/15, age 4 to 16 years) with obesity (weight excess>20%) were analyzed retrospectively with medical records based on degree of obesity, bioelectrical impedence, serum aminotransferase activities, lipid profiles and ultrasonography. RESULTS: 1) Ultrasonography was carried out in 34 cases. Elevated serum ALT was found in 89.7% (26/29) of the patients diagnosed as fatty liver by ultrasonography and decreased AST/ALT ratio (<1) was found in 96.6% (28/29). There was a strong correlation between elevated serum ALT (>45 IU/L) or decreased AST/ALT ratio (<1) and the fatty liver in obese children (p<0.05). 2) There was no significant correlation between the serum ALT or AST/ALT ratio and the degree of fatty liver (p>0.05). 3) There was a significant correlation between total cholesterol, triglyceride and fatty liver (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Serum ALT activity and AST/ALT ratio were useful to predict the presence of fatty liver diagnosed by ultrasonography in obese children, whereas they were not useful to predict the degree of fatty liver. Therefore, to prevent fatty liver progressing to advanced liver disease, it is necessary to manage and monitor the obese children continuously, especially those who have predicting factors of fatty liver.
Child* ; Cholesterol ; Fatty Liver* ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; Medical Records ; Obesity ; Pediatric Obesity ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Triglycerides ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: Peripheral T-cell lymphomas(PTCL) show diverse clinical and histological characteristics and should be understood as mixtures of heterogeneous entities. Although many clinical and biological parameters have been proposed for classifying PTCL into different prognostic groups, few parameters have turned out to be appropriate for classification. To investigate the clinical significance of FUO presentation in PTCL, comparisons of clinical parameters were performed using non-FUO presentation as a control. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 66 cases of Korean PTCL were divided into FUO group and non-FUO group according to the presentation and compared with each other. RESULTS: Among 66 patients of PTCL, 19 patients presented with FUO. Compared with non-FUO group, FUO group showed no significant age and sex ratio differences. FUO group showed more advanced stage, worse performance status than non-FUO group. Predominant sites of definite diagnosis were skin, gastrointestinal tract and liver in FUO group and nasal cavity and paranasal sinus in non-FUO group. There were no significant differences between histologic classifications of both groups. Survival analysis revealed significant differences between both groups. FUO group showed significantly shorter survival. Prognostic factor analysis(multivariate) was done with stage, LDH level, performance status, and FUO status. FUO status, stage and performance status were significant determinants of survival, but LDH level proved to have no prognostic implication. CONCLUSION: PTCL with FUO presentation showed such distinct characteristics that the authors propose fever of unknown origin(FUO) as a clinical parameter for classifying PTCL. Further studies are needed to identify biological parameters which characterize PTCL with FUO presentation.
Classification ; Diagnosis ; Fever of Unknown Origin* ; Fever* ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Liver ; Lymphoma* ; Nasal Cavity ; Prognosis ; Sex Ratio ; Skin ; T-Lymphocytes

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to compare a 1% chlorhexidine gluconate/6l% ethanol (CHG/Ethanol) emollient and 7.5% povidone-iodine (PVI) scrub for antibacterial efficacy and effect on skin condition. METHODS: Twelve healthy newly employed nurses were recruited for this clinical study to evaluate the two hand cleansing agents. The CHG/Ethanol emollient hand preparation was applied without scrubbing and 7.5% PVI was applied using a scrub brush in 5-minute surgical scrubbing. Subjects used one method for 5 days and switched to the other method for another 5 days. Samples were taken for bacterial counts using the glove juice technique before and one minute after hand cleansing and again at the end of surgical operation on Day 1, 2, and 5. The VSS (Visual Scoring of Skin condition) scores and HSA (Hand Subject Assessment) scales were used to evaluate skin condition. RESULTS: Log reduction in bacterial counts by CHG/Ethanol emollient was greater than by PVI immediately after hand cleasing (log3.73 vs log1.66) and at the end of surgical operation (log3.49 vs log1.93) on Day 1. But there were no significant difference on Day 2 and 5. CHG/Ethanol emollient caused fewer skin problems than PVI; the VSS scores of the CHG/Ethanol emollient were better than those of PVI on Day 2, 3, 4, and 5 (P<0.05), and also HSA scale for change from baseline to the end of Day 5 was significantly better for the CHG/Ethanol emollient (22.5-->24.5 vs 23.0-->19.3). CONCLUSION: Compared to PVI, the CHG/Ethanol emollient hand preparation was shown to be more antibacterial and less irritation to skin. The results showed the possibility of using the waterless, scrubless agent for surgical hand scrub in Korea.
Bacterial Load ; Chlorhexidine ; Detergents ; Ethanol ; Hand ; Hand Disinfection ; Korea ; Povidone-Iodine* ; Skin ; Weights and Measures

A 41-year-old female was admitted to our hospital for self-audible wheezing sound and dyspnea. On past history, she has been suffered from chest discomfort, and treated recurrently by other hospitals. But, there was no symptomatic improvement. A stridor and mixed wheezing sound was auscultated on whole lung field. PFT revealed fixed type or variable intra- & extra-thoracic air way obstructive pattern. By bronchoscopy & bronchogram, we found web-like structure on the distal trachea. A bronchoplasty was performed and the post-operative PFT showed slight improvement & she had no more complaints.
Adult ; Bronchoscopy ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Humans ; Lung ; Respiratory Sounds ; Thorax ; Trachea ; Tracheal Stenosis*

No abstract available.
Drug Therapy, Combination* ; Melphalan* ; Multiple Myeloma* ; Prednisone* ; Vincristine*