Glomerulosclerosis represents a pathological hallmark of progressive glomerular injury. Mesangial cell proliferation and accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins in the mesangial area frequently precede the formation of glomerulosclerosis. To understand the role of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and ECM in the development of glomerulosclerosis, we examined the expression of type IV collagen, laminin, fibronectin, and PDGF in 45 renal biopsies diagnosed with IgA nephropathy (IgAN) using a standard peroxidase antiperoxidase (PAP) technique. Normal control specimens were obtained from four nephrectomy specimens diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma. As compared with normal controls, type IV collagen increased in 68%, fibronectin in 73%, laminin in 51%, and PDGF in 36% of patients with IgA nephropathy. The staining intensity of PDGF, type IV collagen, and fibronectin increased significantly in cases with moderate to severe mesangial cell proliferation than cases without. In the areas of glomerulosclerosis, the staining intensity of type IV collagen, laminin, and PDGF decreased, whereas that of fibronectin increased. These results suggest that mesangial cell proliferation in relation to increased PDGF expression in IgAN could stimulate the expression of type IV collagen, laminin and fibronectin leading to mesangial expansion. They also suggest that ECM decreased in advanced glomerulosclerosis. Deposition of fibronectin, which originates mainly from the blood stream, increases during the course of progressive glomerulosclerosis, whereas other ECM components decrease in advanced glomeruloslresosis.
Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Collagen Type IV ; Extracellular Matrix* ; Fibronectins ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A* ; Laminin ; Mesangial Cells ; Nephrectomy ; Peroxidase ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor* ; Rivers

Accumulation of leukocytes within the glomerulus is a key event in the pathogenesis of glomerulonephritis. This process is mediated by pairs of adhesion molecules. We have examined the expression pattern of selectins (E and P), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in 30 renal biopsies with IgA nephropathy, diffuse crescentic glomerulonephritis, and minimal change disease. Normal controls were obtained from four nephrectomy specimens with renal cell carcinoma. ICAM-1 expression was significantly increased in the glomerular endothelial and mesangial cells in cases with IgA nephropathy compared with normal controls. VCAM-1 was expressed in glomerular mesangial cells in all cases with IgA nephropathy and diffuse crescentic glomerulonephritis, but faintly expressed in 3 cases with minimal change disease and not expressed in normal controls. P-selectin was faintly expressed in the glomeruli in cases with IgA nephropathy and diffuse crescentic glomerulonephritis. E-selectin was only expressed in the vascular endothelium in one case with IgA nephropathy and in the other with diffuse crescentic glomerulonephritis. ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were strongly expressed in the crescents. However, selectin was not expressed in the crescent. These results suggest that adhesion molecules, particularly ICAM-1 and VCAM-1, play an important role in the pathogenesis of glomerular damage and crescent formation in primary glomerular diseases.
Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; E-Selectin ; Endothelium, Vascular ; Glomerulonephritis* ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA* ; Immunoglobulin A* ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; Leukocytes ; Mesangial Cells ; Nephrectomy ; Nephrosis, Lipoid* ; P-Selectin ; Selectins ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1

Angiomyofibroblastoma is a distinctive, hitherto uncharacterized, benign soft tissue tumor of the vulva with histology similar to an aggressive pelvic angiomyxoma. It can be distinguished from an aggressive angiomyxoma by its circumscribed borders, higher cellularity, more numerous blood vessels, the frequent presence of plump stromal cells, minimal stromal mucin, and rarity of erythrocyte extravasation. We experienced a case of angiomyofibroblastoma of the vulva occurring in a 45-year-old woman. The lesion was a well-defined but not encapsulated mass, 4.5x4.2 cm. Histologically the mass was characterized by alternating hypercellular and hypocellular edematous zones in which abundant blood vessels were irregularly distributed. Immunohistochemically, the spindled, plump spindled, and oval stromal cells were reactive for vimentin and desmin, but not for cytokeratin, or S-100 protein.
Female ; Humans

Cornual or interstitial pregnancy is a rare form of ectopic pregnancy. In previous reports it accounted for 2~6% of all ectopic pregnancies. Because this unique anatomic location of the implantation site is a highly vascular area, potentially catastrophic hemorrhage from uterine rupture may occur in 15~20% of the cases, and early diagnosis is very important. As sensitive serum beta-hCGmeasurement and imaging techniques have evolved, it is possible to diagnose cornual pregnancies earlier than in the past. Traditional management is cornual wedge resection or hysterectomy by laparotomy. But this invasive treatment method may increase the morbidity and the risk of uterine rupture in subsequent pregnancies, medical treatment with methotrexate has been applied to treat cornual pregnancies, offering an alternative to surgery. Also there have been case reports of laparoscopic treatment of cornual pregnancy. We report a case of viable cornual pregnancy, which was treated successfully by curettage of the uterine cornus under the guidance of high-resolution ultrasound.
Cornus ; Curettage* ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Hysterectomy ; Laparotomy ; Methotrexate ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic ; Ultrasonography* ; Uterine Rupture

OBJECTIVE: The degree of pain relief and complications after treatment for chronic pelvic pain due to endometirosis were evaluated. METHODS: This study was performed in sixty three patients of endometriosis who have diagnosed by laparoscopy. They were divided in three groups by treatment regimen, Mirena(R) only group (Group A), Mirena(R) plus low-dose MPA group (Group B) and high-dose MPA only group (Group C). After six months, we evaluated the result of treatment by the degree of pain relief and complications of each treatment regimen. RESULTS: The degree of pain relief in Group B was significantly higher than in Group A (p<0.05), and significant difference was not found between Group B and Group C. The frequency of irregular bleeding in Group B was significantly lower than Group A (p<0.05), but not than Group C. The frequency of weight gain in Group B was significantly lower than Group C (p<0.01), but not than Group A. However the frequency of breast tenderness in Group B was significantly higher than Group A (p<0.01), but not than Group C. CONCLUSION: Mirena(R) plus low-dose MPA combined treatment is as effective as high-dose MPA treatment in pain relief with lower side-effects.
Breast ; Endometriosis ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Pelvic Pain ; Weight Gain

No abstract available.
Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous* ; Lung*

We describe the imaging features of two cases of biliary ascariasis. Ultrasonography and CT showed no specific abnormal findings, but MR cholangiography clearly demonstrated an intraductal linear filling defect that led to the correct diagnosis. MR cholangiography is thus a useful technique for the diagnosis of biliary ascariasis.
Adult ; Animal ; Ascariasis/*diagnosis ; *Ascaris lumbricoides ; *Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic ; Biliary Tract Diseases/*diagnosis/*parasitology ; Common Bile Duct Diseases/*diagnosis/*parasitology ; Female ; Human ; *Magnetic Resonance Imaging

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (Mirena(R)) combination to GnRH (gonadotropin releasing hormone) agonist treatment on chronic pelvic pain of endometriosis, hypoestrogenic symptoms. METHODS: One hundred twenty eight patients who were diagnosed as endometriosis, were divided into endometriosis without adenomyosis group (n=88) and endometriosis with adenomyosis group (n=40). In 57 of 88 patients who had only endometriosis without adenomyosis, only GnRH agonist for 6 months was injected monthly (Group A). In the other 31 of 88 patients, Mirena(R) was inserted and GnRH agonist for 6 months was injected monthly (Group B). In 12 of 40 patients who had endometriosis and adenomyosis, only GnRH agonist for 6 months was injected monthly (Group C). In the other 28 of 40 patients, Mirena(R) was inserted and GnRH agonist for 6 months was injected monthly (Group D). The degree of pelvic pain, dysmenorrhe, and hypoestrogenic symptoms of each groups were observed and compared. RESULTS: The decreased pain rates of Group B and D were significantly higher than Group A and C (p<0.01), and decreased pain rates of Group D were significantly higher than Group B (p<0.05). The incidence of hot flush, depression and insomnia of 4 groups were not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: Although Mirena(R) combination to GnRH agonist treatment cannot prevent the hypoestrogeic symptoms, Mirena(R) combination increases the treatment effect for pain of endometriosis. Especially, this effect is the more if adenomyosis is combined to endometriosis.
Adenomyosis ; Depression ; Endometriosis ; Female ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Humans ; Incidence ; Pelvic Pain ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders

Volume replacement is a vital therapy in patient with circulatory shock, but the type of fluid that should be infused remains in controversy. This study is designed to compare the cardiopulmonary effects of a colloid solution and a crystalloid solution in dogs subjected to severe hemorrhagic shock. Twelve dogs were bled into shock and mean arterial pressure(MAP) were maintained at 60 mmHg for 1 hour followed by further hemorrhage to 40 mmHg for additional one hour, Animals were randomized to fluid challenge with 10% pentastarch(group P) or 0.9% normal saline(group S) to restore MAP. Complete hemodynamic and blood gas parameters and plasma lactate concentration were measured at pre-shock, during shock and after resuscitation for 2 hours. Cardiac function and hemodynamic stability were restored to higher level than the control level on the completion of fluid challenge with each type of solution, but hemodynamic parameters decreased as time goes after resuscitation. Especially in group S, hemodynamic parameters decreased more significantly and rapidly than group P. Considering the relation of left ventricular stroke work index(LVSWI) and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure(PCWP), the cardiac performance was well maintained to normal level in group P during post-resuscitation period, but rapidly deteriorated in group S. There was a significant increase in intrapulmonary shunt fraction with pentastarch that was maximal on the completion of fluid challenge but which normalized over the next 1 hour. Assessment of tissue perfusion was measured by mixed venous oxygen tension(PVO2) and plasma lactate concentration. In group P, PVO. was restored to higher than the control level and maintained to the cantrol level during post-resuscitation period, but in group S, it was not restored to control level at the completion of fluid challenge, moreover after then, it decreased progressively. Plssma lactate concentration was recovered to control level in group P at the completion of fluid challenge, but in group S, it was recovered lately. It means that tissue perfusion was more rapidly and effectively restored in group P than group S. In conclusion, infusion of pentastarch at severe hemorrhagic shock restored the hemodynamic parameter more rapidly and maintained cardiac performance more effectively during post-resuscitation period than normal saline. Infusion of pentastarch also maintained tissue perfusion more effectively but it increased intrapulmonary shunt fraction transiently.
Animals ; Capillaries ; Colloids ; Dogs ; Hemodynamics ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hydroxyethyl Starch Derivatives* ; Lactic Acid ; Oxygen ; Perfusion ; Plasma ; Resuscitation* ; Shock* ; Shock, Hemorrhagic ; Stroke

Central hyperthermia is a very rare disease; however, once it happens, it is associated with a poor prognosis and high mortality for patients with severe brainstem strokes. Following a pontine hemorrhage, a 46-years-old female developed prolonged hyperthermia. Work-ups to the fever gave no significant clues for the origin of fever, and hyperthermia did not respond to any empirical antibiotics or antipyretic agents. The patient's body temperature still fluctuated in a range of 37.5degrees C to 39.2degrees C. Considering the lesion of hemorrhage, we suspected central hyperthermia rather than infectious diseases. We started with baclofen administration at a dose of 30 mg/day. The body temperature changed to a range of 36.6degrees C to 38.2degrees C. We raised the dose of baclofen to 60 mg/day. The patient's body temperature finally dropped to a normal range. Central hyperthermia, caused by failures of thermoregulatory pathways in brainstem, following the pontine hemorrhage rarely occurs. Baclofen can be used to treat suspected central hyperthermia in a patient with pontine hemorrhage.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Antipyretics ; Baclofen* ; Body Temperature ; Brain Stem ; Communicable Diseases ; Female ; Fever* ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Mortality ; Pons ; Prognosis ; Rare Diseases ; Reference Values ; Stroke